It has now, officially been an entire year of nothing new!

It started as a sort of whim/challenge and has ended as a lifestyle. I am solidly entrenched in repairing, repurposing and generally trying to always buy used rather than new. I may go back to shopping the clothing clearance racks, but only because I am so good at it that I feel I was getting better bargains new than used (and it's not like I buy that many clothes anyway). Plus, I think there are so many women shopping the thrift stores so effectively that you have to be a rather cut-throat early and frequent shopper to get the best stuff...and I am just not that into expending that kind of energy on clothes shopping. That said, two of my favorite clothing items were purchased used. But, consider that during these 365 days, my "cheating" on buying new clothes added up to a total of $75 for 2 pairs of pants, 5 tops and a dressy hoodie, I did pretty good value-wise. I'm still looking for a not-new engineered hardwood floor. I know I'll find one. Can't wait.

Making "not new" glass garden flowers to sell at the Art Show

Hoping to sell some garden "art" this weekend. Made these from upcycled glass I've been collecting at thrift shops. FYI, none of the adhesives I've seen recommended on various blogs work for $%&t.

I can't resist a thrift store sale.

Around here, a good many of the non-profit thrifts have 50% off EVERYTHING on most holidays. Last year I cleaned up at AmVets on Labor Day. I managed to squeeze in a visit amidst family drama on Memorial Day, but didn't have much luck. I picked up these mock turtlenecks for $1.50 and $1. Can't remember which was which. Not really in season, but basics like this always come in handy...and I hate to leave empty handed.

"Not new" shopping: too much of a good thing?

I haven't been shopping in quite some time, which makes me wonder if I have some sort of inner cash register that makes me want a certain amount of stuff. When I went to Savers yesterday, I seem to have overdone it. This stuff is not for me, per se. I am hoping to upcycle it into yard art that I will (hopefully) unload, ahem, I mean, sell, at a craft show in July. In the meantime, storing it and keeping it clean is a chore...not to mention that I feel the need to examine every single piece I have "in stock" before I put together a single garden stake. So far, I have one half-done. And July is looking closer by the minute. (BTW: basketful added up to $105 after my "senior" discount. Fairly pricey, but the other local thrifts don't have the inventory Savers does.

Some thrift stores are hard to find...but worth it.

I found out about a thrift store I'd never heard of at a meeting I attended tonight. I came home to look up the details on the Web, but could not find it on an Internet search of thrift stores (but, I did find dozens of thrift stores I'd never heard of when I searched "thrift stores" in the Yellow Pages, so I have lots of 'sploring to do when I get the chance).

Anyway, the thrift store in question is run by the Mental Health Association and is on the Buffalo Psychiatric Center campus. Apparently, lots of doctors donate to this store and almost every item sells for $1 (except coats are $4). The meeting members were raving about what great clothes they had there. (I imagine doctors can afford some nice duds.) It got me thinking that there might be some other thrift stores associated with local hospitals that aren't well known unless you are part of the hospital community. I'll have to nose around some. And so should you!

I wonder if a Rescued Art Shop could be viable?

It breaks my heart to see decent art put to the trash. This piece wasn't in the trash, but I worry it might end up there. At $25, it's a bit pricey for tAmVets (even though the canvas alone would cost more than that). I don't consider myself a good judge of modern art, but I love the vibrant feel of this (perhaps because it has been Winter for soooo darn long?). I have no place to put it and am trying to downsize in anticipation of a future move to a smaller place, but I hated leaving it. I hope someone who loves it finds it. It would do so much for a room. Even bad art is better than no art and there is something about an original, rather than a print, that feels stimulating. I'd open up a Used Art Shop if I thought it could sustain itself. Do you think it would? There's a lot of original art out there that is decent, just not in the current style. And someone poured their heart into it.

New lipgloss and "not new" perfume.

Full disclosure: I bought a tube of new lipgloss. Could I live without it? Yes. But, it's an $8 pick-me-up that puts me in a good mood, makes me feel special, and helps me put in a bit of effort on the otherwise lost cause of my appearance. Lipgloss is the only girly thing I use. No other makeup, no facial products, nothing fancy for me. I even buy Covergirl Outlast lipgloss because it lasts all day. I'm not one to touch up the hair or makeup during the day.

I was surprised to find that you can buy second hand perfume at the thrifts. (Note: the photo is from a drugstore...look at those high prices.) They had it at AmVets and I've seen it on shopgoodwill.com. I seldom use perfume as the smell makes my mother ill, so I'm always conscious about whether I'm going to be close enough to anyone to bother them. I do enjoy perfume, but have enough to last me a lifetime (mostly from gifts). If I needed some, I would not be shy about going "not new" for perfume. But, um, the lipgloss...that has to be new.

The one that got away (a good thing) at the 50% off AmVets sale today

I picked up the most amazing buffet for $20 at AmVets during one of their half price sales last fall. But, I still haven't had a chance to refinish it (winter came to soon...I need to do the work outside). So, when I saw a nice Dixie dresser today for $25, I was sooo tempted. However, I made a deal with myself to finish one upcycling project before starting the next, so I walked by. Whilest shopping (and not finding much...only spent $5.25), my resolve was fading. I really don't see pieces nice enough to refinish at prices that low very often. As luck would have it, someone purchased it before I got back to the front of the store. Probably lucky for me. I really don't have a spot to put the durn thing while it's waiting to be refinished.

What's a good discount for something used?

They say your car loses thousands in value the minute you drive it off the lot. Seems these days, other stuff may not. I see Savers charging close to the original price on some things. Lots of stuff on goodwill.com goes for over half the original price...and they don't even guarantee that it works! I try to pay no more than .30 on the dollar since you never know how much "life" is left in the product and usually have no way to return defective items. (Of course, I prefer to pay much less.) Still can't get over people who will pay too much for used stuff. Are they new to used or just don't care what they spend?

Be sure to checkout the back of those receipts at the grocery check out

If you shop at a grocery store that prints coupons on the back of its receipts, check 'em out! I officially gave up clipping coupons from the Sunday newspaper inserts because they are mostly for processed foods and I don't buy processed foods. But the grocery receipts have some interesting local pizza joint coupons AND, at least in my area, $4 off at AmVets coupons...which usually have a longer expiration date than the coupon on your receipt at AmVets.

Thinking I am "allowed" to buy this "new" blender and charger.

The offspring broke my Ninja blender, which I loved. It was a $40 blender that did a fabulous job at a variety of tasks. I've been cruising estate sales and thrift shops for an identical blender for weeks to no avail. I wanted an identical blender not just because I loved it, but because I still had all the various blades and bodies (so, spares if any should break or get lost).
I found this Chefman blender at Ollies. It is identical to my old Ninja, so I'm guessing (hoping) it's a rebranded version and all the parts will be interchangeable. At just $25 and giving me the ability to interchange my existing parts, I could not resist (especially since I did have an "ick" factor in buying a used blender...I feel like you can never be sure plastic parts are thoroughly sanitized). I also picked up the charger I went in for. The phone chargers I use in my car get banged around so bad, it seems even the best ones never last a full year. So, I have a decent lighter-adapter "plug" that accepts a usb port and I replace the usb connectors with cheap ones as needed. At $2.99, you can't go wrong...if I could even find one at a thrift store it would cost close to that.

It is amazing how often I'm forced to buy "new."

It's just short of 2 months since I decided to spend a year buying nothing "new." In that short time, there have been 3 birthdays (gifts and cards), a death (card and flowers), a broken thermostat, toaster and blender and now, the pegs (plastic) holding up two of the shelves in my kitchen cabinets have failed. Pretty sure from perusing the odds and ends at the thrift stores that I'm not going to find those there and it's definitely not worth the time and gas to try (especially since it is 5 degrees F today). I was at least lucky enough to find some on clearance at Lowe's ($5 as opposed to $8). I'm having company in from out of town this week, so it was not something I wanted to put off.
If you're curious and too tired to look through my posts, I replaced the toaster with a $1 used toaster from an estate sale (after a week or two). The thermostat was replaced with a new one (though, I did first try to find one at a re-use shop) and I'm still hoping to find a used Ninja blender somewhere, someday.

Bought two tops at Savers 50% off sale...having regrets about one.

(This is the last post from my "stash." All future posts should be in real time.)
I really don’t NEED clothes. But, I fall prey to WANTING something new now and then. Add that to a 50% off sale at Savers (a thrift store) and all my resistance goes out the door. So…I got this plaid Geoffrey Beene number for $3.50 and I just love it. It's 100% cotton and such a soft, soft knit. Not the height of fashion, but I like the way it looks. The print top for $.1.50, I'm loving not so much. The thrill of 50% off blinded me to the fact that it has 3/4 sleeves, which I hate. But, buyer's remorse is a lot easier to handle at just $1.50. I also purchased several other items I will hopefully use in my mosaic art this summer. I had seen a $10 cashmere sweater the day before that I had hoped to grab up for $5, but when the sale opened, it was gone. Sigh.
Also purchased a book for the husband for Christmas (Savers books are pricey, but not bad at 50% off). It’s not part of my “nothing new” agenda, but I did pull out a bunch of MY tops to donate to Goodwill when I put these two my drawer. Trying to keep to only two drawers full of tops and one drawer full of pants (if I lost weight, it would be easier…and summers are easier).

Sign up for these services that send garage sale, estate sale and auction alerts...if you dare!

I picked up this Buffalo skull at a local (online) estate sale auction several months ago. The skull was in a lot with some longhorns I wanted. I payed more than I would for such as frivolous thing as longhorns because I intended to sell the buffalo skull for more than I paid for the lot, thus rendering the longhorns free. But, here's what actually happened: I fell in love with the big, durn skull and kept it. Getting longhorns and a great buffalo skull for $67 is still a bargain. But, it's still $67 more than I intended to pay. Not to mention whatever extra I'll eventually spend to redecorate around the skull. (Beware: the best-laid plans can go awry.) Still, if you think you have more spending restraint than I do, sign up with the services that email you notices of local sales: gsalr.com, estatesales.org, auctionzip.com

Christmas wrapping paper and cards were from the hoard, not the recycle bin

As a lifelong bargain hunter, I have a stash of cards and wrapping paper (and gifts for that matter) that I get at 75%-90% off every few years (when my supplies run low). So, I didn't have to think of any creative recycling. Have enough to last me through at least one or two more holidays. Probably enough bows to last forever (since I save them each year). Which may be a good thing: I am not the kind of crafty-ass gal who could make newspaper-wrapped presents look cute. I can barely get things to look nice with real wrapping paper. My dear grandmother saved used wrapping paper. The presents always looked like they'd been through a riot, but that never mattered much to us kids in the three seconds we saw them before we tore into 'em...though having to remove the tape neatly certainly slowed us down.

More "not new" entertainment bargains.

Well, it's slightly new. But, it is upcycling seats that would otherwise go empty. During shows at Helium Comedy Club, they ask you to text the club. Then you get on a list that will send out reminders of who is coming AND (this is the good part) offers for free admission to shows that are not selling well. That's a live, professional comedy show for just the price of two items to eat or drink (the house minimum). Certainly a bargain. And Helium's food is actually quite good and priced within reason. (At least, at the Buffalo location, haven't been to other clubs). I always check out the comic online before ordering the free tickets and can usually tell if I'm going to enjoy the humor. (Wondering why THAT pic? Dog is ROFL. Lame, but closest to "relevant" visual I could find.)

Got a great tip on "not new" entertainment.

The family holiday party yielded a great idea I'd never come up with myself. Seems one of the guests uses craigslist.com to find things to do. She looks for tickets and usually gets them deeply discounted for same-day performances. What a great way to add a little fun, mystery and savings into a night out...not to mention upcycling a seat that would otherwise have gone empty. It's the modern version of the Times Square discount tickets kiosk. Can't wait to try this out for myself.

Other great sources: Buffalo ReUse and Buffalo ReStore

Forgot to mention these two excellent options for finding things that are "not new." From furniture to appliances to building materials, these great re-sources have lots to offer (hopefully there are similar stores in your area). One (Buffalo ReStore, I believe...2 locations) is associated with Habitat for Humanity. I'm pretty sure the other is a nonprofit (seems to have a lot more going in the way of antique woodwork/fixtures/etc., but I think it's also a bit pricier...also only open on weekend due, I think to building code problems). I know the one associated with Habitat for Humanity also get some new merchandise...closeout-type stuff from stores/manufacturers. I get a lot of ceramic tiles and glass lamp pieces for my mosaic work at Buffalo ReStore. My friend, Jean, got a table there for a song and refinished it into a really nice piece (pictures of said table after refinishing).

Got the couch I needed. Thank you, Craigslist.

So, I haven’t had a living room couch for 17 years. I knew the (cranky) husband was not going to be happy about me spending money on one, but a pre-owned couch was an entirely different matter. How could he complain about $135 for a couch? (Well, he did, but the husband is a piece of work.) I had been looking on craigslist for about two weeks for a leather couch (used fabric furniture kind of skeeves me out, but I can clean leather enough to eliminate my queezieness). I saw an ad with no picture for a couch for $135 in my general area, so I asked the owner to text me a picture. It was the first couch I saw that I wanted to bother going to look at (the low price was a big motivator). And I liked the couch in person. Said couch is about 20 years old, but still in good structural shape. It must weigh over 400 lbs. I’m sure it was extremely expensive new. The owner was a really nice guy, so I didn’t try to talk him down in price. I probably could have since the couch needs a good bit of work…missing button, lots of wear, scuffs and a small hole. But, I’m just not a talker-downer. At least, not when the price is reasonable. Plus, the guy lived less than a mile from me. I won’t be able to recondition the couch until Spring. I’ll post how it turns out.

What's the best place to shop for stuff that's "not new?"

My best sources are charity thrift stores, charity bazaars, Savers, estate sales, garage sales (mostly multi-family), craigslist, etsy.com, and ebay. Of course, it depends what you are looking for. Estate sales tend to be pricey, but they can have low-end kitchen stuff and other odds and ends at fabulous prices, especially if you negotiate on the last day of the sale. I found far better prices on fur coats on etsy.com than I did on ebay.com or shopgoodwill.com. Thrift stores (especially Savers because it is so well organized, though I think much more expensive) are good places to go when you need a particular item fast. Craigslist is miraculous…you can buy almost anything there. Let me know your favorite places to shop for “nothing new.” (Image: a $2,000 armoire at an estate sale...wish I had the space and the money for it. Didn't sell.)