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.

Wondering if you can mix wood flooring for a cheap, "not new" foor.

In my search for a "not new" wood floor, I've come across many people selling off the remains of their wood floor installation. I wonder if it would be possible to mix several of these remains of unfinished floors to make a whole? There certainly would be enough narrow width, 3/4" unfinished oak flooring. I would think if you let it sit in the room for a very long time, the humidity levels of the boards would even out so the shrinkage would be consistent. Perhaps if you took samples of one board to each purchase, you could ensure the tongues and grooves matched up...I would think the different milling of these might be the largest problem. Does anyone know if this would work? I cannot find any definitive info about this on the web. I'd also be interested in mixing different engineered hardwoods...possibly even different species as you'd likely not get matching finishes, so it might be best to buck consistency and go for a variegated type of look (though, I would think all lights or all darks so as not to make it busy). How do you think that would look/work? Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/exalthim/4207906252/in/photolist-7pQBVN-5BD82W-5BD3PC-7PBUPc-7PFT6W-ejoaei-6YFQbe-e2BzNM-a4uEfL-oFQ2hD-6NP3wK-nVgUYj-8kSFH9-cELKWf-9yrw8P-8YBWy5-oewuHR-nVgGFw-ocB2UU-ocLff8-4Wc7rw-jJiJFs-8MQHo6-gGnFR7-cpEJVU-ocBJm5-nVgWVA-7BYghi-avpuKM-kuD1bS-a99rqC-78enag-ccVyzy-9W6LdQ-7W9zaX-dmxwKS-62ainT-kuAmpn-nVgoB7-ocLHyg-7BYgir-jPoUHD-6aAAXM-4W7PLD-epcgLY-nVg8Wp-4Rrg1E-e1qVM5-7PFTLq-boquRD

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.

When going "not new," pairs are a conundrum.

I need to update my bathrooms. The marquee style vanity lights looked bad enough to begin with, but now the only LED replacement bulbs I can find are clear, rather than frosted, and they virtually blind you. I have been using CFL replacements, but they are a bit ugly as they have a big metal base a third of the way up the globe. Plus, the CFLs aren't as economical for a bathroom situation as the ballast in them blows off every time they are switched on...so they don't last as long in environments where they are frequently switched on and off. In fact, I "timed" (writing the install date on the bulbs) my CFLs in my downstairs bathroom (LOTS of off-and-ons) and they lasted slightly over a year rather than the projected seven. That's pricey and not good for the environment as they contain a bit of mercury.

I use the term "update" loosely as when you update with used stuff, you are mostly changing rather than updating. However, I like going with antique or unusual looks rather than the latest style (which is guaranteed to look dated in 10 to 20 years). However, finding matching pairs is a real problem. I guess I will just have to be patient. And probably have to pay a bit more. Oh well.

The offspring now has a real wardrobe, just shy of $100

Took the 20-year-old to Goodwill and Savers. Boy, was he in a shopping mood! (Unfortunately, we have a very small Goodwill, so most of his shopping was accomplished at Savers). Still, he has all the shorts, t's, belts, sunglasses and hats he needs for the summer, all in one swoop. Glad he was in a mood for "used"...often, he won't go near the used stuff.

Some estate sale companies are better than others.

Probably for different reasons for buyers and sellers. I've noticed some overcharge so much it is not worth bothering with their sales. Others, I only go on the days when they offer a discount. Some are always priced appropriately. I so miss the estate sales that were run by a little 90 year old lady in our area for a few years. Her company didn't have a name, but when she advertised the sale, she would always call it a "nice sale." She was so honest, I remember her fretting once because the sale was so small and crappy, she didn't think it was a "nice sale," so she didn't know if she should use her company line.

My only problem is, there are so many getting into the estate sales business, I now have to keep notes so I remember which ones to avoid.

Wishing I started shopping "not new" sooner.

I am such a, ahem, frugal gal that I can't believe I didn't commit to "not new" sooner. Perhaps it was the time involved in going to garage and estate sales...time I didn't have much of when I was working full time. Or maybe the amount and quality of second-hand merchandise wasn't as good. People used to hang onto their furniture and other belongings, especially treating stuff inherited from mom and dad like treasured heirlooms...now, I'm shocked at what people can't wait to get rid of (wedding photos? Really?!). My mother always looked down on "antiques" as rebranded trash...so maybe it was not having a role model. Whatever the case, I realize that I do already have a lot of used stuff that I love, but I could have gotten a lot more if only I'd thought to embrace the notion of trying to buy used first, instead of heading to a regular store first.

I could not find a "not new" kitchen rug.

Well, I promised I would reveal any "new" purchases and this rug is one of the few. I have been searching for "not new" kitchen rugs for a couple weeks and really couldn't wait any longer. The offspring can be very clumsy. His "dropsies" have cracked three of my porcelain floor tiles. I need some cushioning on the spots he is most likely to drop. I couldn't find any used scatter rugs that came close to being the right size/shape/color (I am still looking for more as I have ugly unsuitable rugs in place in two spots right now), so I purchased this rug on clearance (only $5 off, bringing it to $20) at TJ Maxx. I would have preferred a prettier one, but I didn't have time to waste as I had nothing for this spot.

The good news is, while used rug shopping, I've found that you can get decent area rugs suitable for a living room second hand, so when (if?) I get a wood floor, I can get a nice "not new" rug.

$3.25 earrings felt like a splurge.

Sometimes, it's all about a mood pick-me-up. These are definitely not in style, but they are extremely sparkly (which I could not capture). And I could afford the splurge, so rewarding myself was worth it. Especially if it will help me resist larger $ purchases. Hard to believe this came from an estate sale at a McMansion. I soaked the posts in hyrdrogen peroxide and am a happy camper.

Robertson: Worth it to Pray Away Demons on Clothes, Inanimate Objects

Pat Robertson: There could be demons attached to your thrift store finds

Pat Robertson: There could be demons attached to your thrift store finds  According to Pat Roberston:  ”Can demonic spirits attach themselves to inanimate objects? The answer is yes. But I don’t think every sweater you get from Goodwill has demons in it. In a sense your mother is just being super cautious, so hey — it isn’t gonna hurt you any to rebuke any spirits that might attach themselves to those clothes.”



I'm not worried, but I thought I'd better warn ya so you don't go putting hexes on me if a deal I directed you to is possessed.

The video didn't post so I put it in its own post (next).

Wonder how many doctors buy their surgical instruments at estate sales.

This looks like some sort of sadist's dream out of a movie. I'm hoping plastic surgeons have finer instruments these days...but maybe not? I've seen very expensive medical equipment selling second hand on ebay and such. Just seems slightly unsettling when you realize some docs may be cost cutting (pun unintended) with second hand equipment...hope they check it out thoroughly.

"Not new" artwork can be a bargain.

I love art. So much so, that I consider it a whole different category and have not vowed to only buy "not new." However, I probably won't get anything "new" this year, but I leave that option open. Last week I picked up this oil painting at an estate sale for $25. Can you believe that bargain? It was at a lower end home, so I assume they didn't think they could get more for it. Today I was at an estate sale at a wealthy doctor's estate and there were some beautiful oil paintings, all over $100, but definitely worth more...I wish I could buy them!

How's it hanging? At Savers, pretty good.

I'm not much of a brand-sensitive gal. However, I do have one brand/model of jeans that fits me perfectly and am too lazy most of the time to bother looking for other jeans at the second-hand stores. Which is why I appreciate the way Savers hangs their jeans (one of the few things I really like about Savers). It is very easy for me to go through an entire rack in just seconds to see if they have what I'm looking for.

Resist the urge to buy new for baby...and other mother tips.

It is very difficult not to run out and buy all the cutest things for the new most important person in your life. But, you CAN buy all the cutest things second hand...because everyone before you did just that and those things only fit for like, 2 weeks, and they are still just like new at the nearest garage sale or thrift store. Really. Pick a young neighborhood on a garage sale day and it's like shopping at the most deluxe mall.

Your kids don't care a lick about their clothes at this age...invest the money you save wisely because when they get older, they will care. A lot. And they will want very expensive clothes. And if you bought all their baby clothes full price to satisfy YOUR needs when they are babies, you are going to be one big hypocrite when you try to talk them into cheaper or used clothes when they are teens.

Meet that parental urge to splurge on your child be doing other things like starting a college (or bail) fund. And when portrait time comes around, think, about always using the same background selection or putting all your kids in the same outfit every time. Makes for a nice collage when they move out and all you have is memories. I had the offsping in denim overalls and a white turtleneck (items I thought would always be available and low cost) from 6 months through age 14...then he rebelled. Can't blame him...plus, now I have the pics of him in outfits of his own questionable tastes to use as comic fodder in the future.

For $1.50 I can look uber professional in a second (and save my top from getting ruined)

Got these two scarves at Goodwill: $1.50 for the silk and $2.50 for the larger scarf. As you can see, they washed up beautifully (I will "iron" the silk scarf by sitting on it while I eat my dinner...I never iron-iron). I love prints and have discovered scarves are a cheap way for me to indulge (learned this early on after discovering all my print skirts didn't match my print blouses). While doing so, I also discovered that everyone thinks you are fabulously well dressed when you throw on a nice scarf. It's amazing. I was always a very casual dresser and the addition of a scarf made me look instantly professional.
Another nice thing about inexpensive, second-hand scarves is that they are de-facto bibs. As a, ahem, (unhappily) well-endowed woman, I've ruined a good number of tops. Putting a napkin in your lap is useless when any droppings never make it past your chest. However, a scarf protects the shirt. Sometimes the scarf washes up just fine. Other times, with the busy pattern, you can just fold the scarf a different way and no one will know there is a stain. If lunch results in a mishap, the scarf can be rearranged or removed and you can go through your business day without looking like a slob.
But, mostly, scarves are just beautiful and fun to wear. And warm. And hide cleavage until it can be displayed more acceptably at a later hour. So there.

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?