Garage Sale Finds

I stopped by five sales in my neighbourhood. I bought from three. I scored big at the last one, most of the stuff came from there.

$2.00 each (Monopoly $3.00) Some of the games never used.

$.50 each

$1.00 each
Foam pieces assemble a ginger bread house.
Zipper binder was full of paper.

$?
Long sweater for Alba.
Maternity skirt for the future (no I'm not preg.), it was too nice to pass up. I can always pass it along to a friend also. 

$2.00 each for Alba.
The snow globe plays "When You Wish Upon a Star".
(I would never pay full price for something like this, I don't even like nick nacks)

$3.00 each.
Polka Dot bag is a lunch bag.
The other two bags I'll use for the kids travelling, small outings, etc.

$2.00 each for Alba
Her first purses.

I'm not a garage sale gal. It was on a whim that I decided to go out at 10am. I did well for not being an early bird, I think.

Check out Mrs. Taffy and her GARAGE SALE TREASURES.

Saving On My Grocery Bill

I just read a post over at Life on a Taffy Pull about Mrs. Taffy's Grocery Groanings. I wanted to comment on her post but I chose to write my response over here.




This subject is a tough one for me. My husband does the finances and he, every so often comments on our grocery spending. We budget and it seems our grocery bill just increases. I remember when we were first married 8 years ago, things were tight and our grocery budget was $500-$600 a month for 2 adults and 1 child (including cleaning products, personal hygiene). 

• We've since added two children (5 people total). 
• We now buy organic as much as we can. 
• We've also moved to a smaller city, which is more north and basically the end of the road in our province. I may go out on a limb and assume it probably costs more to ship up here. Also no big bargain stores like Costo.
• We are not heavy meat consumers
• In the last 2 years we've been buying expensive dietary supplements
• When I'm running around and in a pinch or just plain lazy, we eat out...bad! On average, 4x month.
• Finally my husband makes more money than before. In saying that, we have probably spent more since making more. Wasting money because we have more to waste.

Along with other variables; to me sitting here thinking about cutting on groceries doesn't compute in my mind. I'll work it out here and see what comes out.


I can buy in bulk, on sale, no combine couponing in Canada, except for London Drugs.


*A side note on couponing
Couponing is difficult for me. I've tried it. Clipping and checking dates and using them is not a problem. In the end, my issue with coupons are most products with name brand items which you see on commercials and ads I just don't buy. We'll throw convenience foods and packaged items into the manufactured/processed item camp as well. 
I don't normally purchase the majority of products featured in flyers and store coupons because we just don't use them.
I would like sales and coupons for dried beans, nuts, grains, organic meats and eggs, fresh produce....etc. You know where I'm going. WHOLE FOODS!


Here's a simple break down of what I try not to purchase.
Products with:

• soy
• wheat
• sugar (processed, corn based)
• nitrates (all preservatives)
• scents

What I can use or make from non-food ingredients, which are cheaper and more friendly, they include:

• laundry/dishwasher soap
• cleaning & hygiene products (vinegar, castille soap, coconut oil, essential oils)
• slow hand-made meals

The 2 things that hit our grocery budget every month, is fresh produce. We are heavy fresh produce consumers.

And when I'm running around and not prepared with snacks and meals.

We are not financially hurting, but we are called to be good managers of what God gives us. Blessing others more and taking/consuming less.


Mrs. Taffy mentioned monthly grocery shopping trips. I don't think I can swing that one. The amount of produce we eat doesn't last that long. She also mentioned not wasting food. We thankfully throw very little food away, only because I don't cook very large meals leaving very little leftovers.


What can I do?


I think I can save money all around by: 

• managing my time more efficiently
• not running errands or to the grocery store so often (gas, impulse buy) 
• planning and preparing snacks & meals
• not impulse buying
• eating less non-sustaining foods (ie:quick carbs)
• start sprouting again
• start dehydrating again
• Thanking God daily for His abundance

This is doable.

Thanks Mrs.Taffy for talking about this subject. It was good for me to take inventory of our habits and how I can be a better manager of the home.

Good Day Friends,

MO

DIY Lunch bag

Hey there!


Just wanted to show what I whipped up while the kitchen is under construction. From three old pair of pants I sewed up lunch bags for my three little people. I saw this idea somewhere online so I thought I'd try it. 


A Quick How-To 

• I just cut off a good bit of pants leg, enough to keep larger food items. Allowing my kids to reach down into the bag. Basically deeper than an ordinary brown paper bag.
• Flipped it inside out and sewed it on the end where it cut, showing the nice hem of the pant leg already existing. 

They are REALLY basic, nothing fancy, just a sack really. No velcro, no buttons, just a sack.

Eagle's bag is the dark jean material. I folded the corners in and sewed to create a flat bottom. I attempted to do the same with Zazu's (light jean), it didn't work so well. So the seam ripper came out and I left it as is. Alba's is (can you guess) the pink one. And yes, they were my pants. I went through a coloured pants phase when Zazu was a babe.




Finally, you may know that we home school, why would we need lunch bags?
We are using them while travelling this week and next. Airplane food is expensive and I really just want to have a bag for each child to dig into while on the road driving to different adventures. Honestly, I'm not a fan of items full of characters, like Disney and such. I may, while at Grandma's or when we return dig through my notions for a little something to decorate the plain looking lunch bags, but until then this is it and I like it fine.


 It was a great creative outlet for me to sink my small amount of renovation stress into.


Good Day Friends,
Mo

Thrift Store Treasures

I confess. I'm not a Garage Saler. I really go just on a whim usually. When I feel up to going out Saturday morning. The thrift store is the place I enjoy more than garage sales. I can usually count on Scholastic book club books or Homeschooler's to drop off donations there, which makes my day. I don't stop there every week, lately it's been 2 weeks to a month. I always hit the book shelf first upon entry. I can always find a few gems there.

I've been tossing around in my mind to find a decent fairy tale book with old sweet illustrations, found it.

I've been also thinking about purchasing a new non-cartoon style (you know the kind) small childrens story bible. This one fits most of the requirements so I grabbed it. I wanted a more readable fuller text instead of just 30 words on a page with huge illustrations. This works for read alouds with Zazu while we transition to a regular Bible like Eagles. 

Soft covers like picture books are usually .50 and larger hardcovers tend to be $1. Books are not ticketed. It kind of depends on the clerk. Sometimes I checkout with about a dozen books along with other items and they might look at the stack and give me a ball park price for all of them. Some clerks take time to look and count at each book. It all depends. I don't mind either way. I'm still getting a sweet deal.

I can't remember exactly, but it was under $5. I know I was able to dig in my change to pay for it. Just to let you know, we have loonies ($1) and toonies ($2) here as coins, for the non-Canadian's reading this.

Check out Mrs. Taffy's weekly link up.

no garage sales, but GOODIES found at the LIBRARY

I didn't go out last week. Just cause...

well I was tired from our week.

We had a homeschool picnic, a funeral (very sad), a BIRTHDAY for our little girl and a beach day at our local lake. I was drained by the time Saturday came around. I got up thinking about checking the local listings but I sighed and thought maybe next week. We didn't do any sit down learning that week which probably would have sent me over the home school mommy edge. 

We made a trip on Monday to the library and look what I found.

I didn't take pictures so I'm just putting up the links (pure laziness).

all for $2.00!

The great undersea search (Look, puzzle, learn)

Zazu loves search and find books!

AND

The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury - what a great deal!

Ancient Egypt: The Collected Letters and Mementos of an Ancient Egyptian Child - will be great when the younger ones study Egypt. It has a secret compartment filled with sturdy cardboard artifacts, like a comb, pendant, amulet bracelet, etc. cool 

My Life on a Taffy Pull

GARAGE SALING!

hosted by My Life on a Taffy Pull

I bought from two garage sales. It was raining so it wasn't a great day for it.

 This clothing pictured is missing a cute top for Alba. $5 from a friends garage sale, #2.

 I was a tad disappointed by only buying at 2 sales so I stopped in at my local thrift store and found this shirt for Alba, that's it.

 Books from sale #1. Love the older bottom 3 board books. I'm just so over the moon with that older style of illustrations; reminds me of when I was a kid. $1

Toy bike/skate ramp for the boys. They've been asking for one but I never wanted to buy them new. Three pieces for $5.

These skate guards are from last weekend which I failed to mention.

Little girls china tea set (missing 1 tea cup saucer, and sugar lid) $10, from sale #1. It's packed away in a box for Alba waiting for the right age to give it to her. I still have mine packed away, although mine only has cups and saucers.

I recall one day playing with my neighbour (a boy) in a tent in his yard. He had hotwheels and I had my tea set. All I wanted to do was play tea, he didn't seem all that interested so I searched and found mom's old set, what a treasure. You see, my mom's was special because she had a tea pot, sugar and creamer and mine didn't; so out I brought it into the tent. I was sure he would be as dazzled by it as I was. We continued to play and suddenly *clang* it broke. I cried, and cried. My mom found out of course and trying to blame the neighbour boy didn't help my case. Sneaking the tea pot out was a mistake and oh, I still remember that feeling when it broke and the sadness mixed with disappointment in my mom's voice.  

QUESTION. Trying to lay out pictures on Blogger now is frustrating. I'm not that savvy to figure it out. I used to be able to move them around and still keep them all flush with each other. Anyone have any advice?  

GARAGE SALING!

I must say right up front, I AM NOT A REGULAR GARAGE SALE GAL. I haven't hit a GS since about oh.... 6 years ago. Boy, did I get a taste this weekend! Also, in my neck of the woods (quite literal WOODS), sales are on Friday, SATURDAYS and Sundays. Mostly Saturdays as you might have noticed with the all caps there. Any who, back to my finds.

This is a combo of 3 sales. A large bi-annual fundraising BABY/TODDLER GARAGE, a small CHURCH sale in someones garage (which I thought driving by a sidewalk sign was just a regular personal garage sale).

It was pouring rain that Saturday, but I was in the mood. We were soaked but I was hopping with glee. My boys were so helpful and seeing it was their VERY first time at this I told them that "whatever they see, I'll buy (within reason). My tactic is that this will be the start of their cooperation to be drug along while I peruse to my hearts content, in hopes it would wet their whistle for G-Saling. We'll see if my little sly scheme will work. What do you think???  

On to the SCORE!

board books for Alba- $1

pants for Alba- $1

remote control car for the boys - $1

Tom Thompson canadian art puzzle - $2

pot for Me- $2

insect gears, Zazu- $4

princess bristle blocks for Alba, although Zazu's been playing with them- $1

lego - $2

lincoln logs (biggest score from the baby/todd sale!) - $4

(not shown) rollerblades for Eagle - $5 

Have you ever had one of those thoughts that go like this:

"I'd like to find one of those things" and God answers. I've been looking around at the dollar store, Walmart for a little handle tray only for about a week for Alba to lug around with her little crayons and such. BINGO! Found one at a Garage Sale, YEAH!

BLUE TRAY $1.00, I think?

WOW! That was fun. I think I'll try it again this weekend. Thanks MRS.TAFFY for hosting this meme. I always look at your goods thinking to myself, "Oh, good for her!".

Blessed by the Library

Do you jump up and down when you see great used books for sale at your local library or thrift shop?

I don't, but boy do I wish I could without looking foolish.

I almost think it's an illness sometimes. I know my husband does. Kidding. K i d d i n g.

My heart beats a little faster when I spot them in the corner of my eye.

My mind races at the thought of one being a Little House book or another treasured classic ( just waiting to be smelled) that we don't have yet.

Do you smell books?

If you haven't gotten your nose right in the book and taken a whiff, please do, just try it.

-------Where was I?

So as I spot the book that is destined to be mine, my mind tells my legs to start running .

My advise, don't run though, just skip - you don't want to draw unwanted attention.

You know, I should pay closer attention to myself in these situations because I'm not entirely kidding.

I do get quite excited, enough to walk briskly.

Come on.

A post about some cheap used books.

YES

and YES it's my blog.

You frugal moms are out there, I know you get excited and almost giddy at the sight of a good deal on curriculum or in my case children's books.

-----------------

SO, on one of my skipping happily thrifty excursions I scored tons of books from my local library. I bought two huge stacks recently for only a few dollars. I actually don't know how many, my guess is around 20. I found many readers for my son Zazu in kindergarten this year.

This picture has most of them in there but also mixed in are my score from the thrift store. If you have never done so, do so soon.

Check out garage sales and such for your homeschooling needs.

You never know what you'll find.