Category Archives: Purchasing

EPIC FAIL, EASY FIX

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I have long legs and it was difficult to find long underwear that went to my ankle, not halfway down my shin. I finally decided to buy men’s long underwear and alter them.

I cut the panel out.

Men's long underwear with panel removed.

Men’s long underwear with panel removed.

Measured and sewed a new seam.

I sewed the seam shut.

I sewed the seam shut.

On the table, they looked great. But not when I tried them on. The thigh area was much too tight without that panel.

This year, I purchased three more pair of men’s long underwear and accidentally found an easy fix. (I must have been exhausted because I put them on backwards.)

Who knew? I could use the extra material on the backside!

Now is the time to buy them as they are on clearance.

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SAVE THOSE BOXES

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When I get a new appliance or anything with a warranty, I write the expiration date of the warranty on the box in permanent marker and my husband stores the empty box, with the packing materials inside in the garage.  He checks the boxes every so often and recycles the boxes that the warranty has expired.

This way, if something goes wrong during the warranty period, we have the original box and packing materials to return the item. Since the majority of warranties are only 90 days, the boxes do not stay long in the garage.

Save box until warranty expires.

Save box until warranty expires.

A TIME TO BE CHEAP

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To say I have severe allergies is an understatement. I am so sensitive to dust mites that I not only have to use dust covers; I have to sanitize all of my bedding every week. It is really hard on your comforter and bedspread.

This is the one time I choose to buy cheap. I replaced my comforter and bedspread last year. I did not buy the best quality, but chose modestly priced ones that were marketed for college dorm rooms. I know that the weekly sanitizing will take a toll on them and I do not expect them to last for years.

My summer bedspread.

My summer bedspread.

HOLLY IS MY HERO; SHE BOUGHT A CAR WITH CASH

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It has always been my dream to buy a car with cash. Usually, in my dream I am rich and famous and the car I buy is the latest model. Alas, that has not happened.

Holly came to me a few weeks ago and asked me to pray because her car broke down. I prayed that it would not cost much to fix it or that God would provide the money to pay for the repairs. When I finished, I heard God whisper, “What if I want to bless her with a new car.”

The next week she reported that the engine had blown and it was not worth fixing. Then I started praying God would lead her to her new car.

I saw her the following Tuesday and she was walking on air. She found a car with low miles that was good on gas. (Don’t ask me the model because the only thing I remember about a car is what color it was.)

Then she told me the most amazing thing. She paid cash for the car. She had just received a tax refund and with the money in her savings she was able to pay cash. She talked to the banker about a loan, but the banker told her to, “Just write a check.”

 
Last weekend I talked with her again and she told me about this amazing job opportunity in Oklahoma. She would be closer to her son and doing the same type of work that she is currently doing. The best part is, without being tied down with a car payment, she has more money to work with to make the move.

Being debt free offers flexibility.

She inspired me because, with our current income, I know we could not take on an auto payment should one of our vehicles need replaced. I was once again reminded that when that time comes, if I keep saving, God will provide the money I need.

We make a mistake when we ask, “What payment can I afford?” It would be better to ask, “What vehicle can I buy with the cash I have on hand?”

Holly's New Car

Holly’s New Car

A FOOD INVENTORY SAVES MONEY

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Today I will be making my weekly grocery list.  I blogged about the steps I take on the July 12, 2012 post.

The last two weeks, I have been busy learning music for Easter and preparing for an extended family dinner. I decided to skip updating my food inventory and made changes based on my memory.

The picture describes the result perfectly.

Stop buying duplicates, or triplicates!

Stop buying duplicates, or triplicates!

CHEAP PICTURE FRAME FAILS

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I was dressing in the bathroom and my elbow touched the picture on the wall. I was shocked when it fell because I barely brushed it. On closer inspection, I found the “hanger” had failed.

The only thing left was the "hanger."

The only thing left was the “hanger.”

I ended up with a broken frame.

Broken picture frame.

Broken picture frame.

I will never buy another picture frame that has a cardboard cut-out for a hanger. I plan on going through my picture frames and adding hangers to the ones that are designed this way. You don’t even have to buy the hardware. You can rip the cutting edge off of a box of aluminum foil and cut a small portion of that off. Attach it to the frame with small brads.

Another thing I will look at is the pieces that hold the picture in place. I will never buy one with these tabs that are supposed to bend. I will look for those that swivel into a cut-out slot. My grouping of family pictures will have to have all of the frames replaced as the tabs broke off when I replaced the school pictures each year.

No more picture frames with this type of tabs to hold the pictures in place.

No more picture frames with this type of tabs to hold the pictures in place.

MY NEW WINTER COAT

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I replace my winter coat every six years or so. I try to buy the best quality and always choose a washable coat to keep it in the best shape.

My former coat still looks nice, but the top toggle will no longer connect across my chest. I chose a new style and measured myself. That was the most painful part about shopping for a coat!

I took the largest measurement and ordered the coat in the size that would accommodate it. Normally, I wear a 10-12 and imagine my surprise when I found I actually needed an 18! That may seem like overkill, but I wanted plenty of room to wear a sweater and a jacket comfortably under the coat.

I have a “long-waist” and even though I am only 5’5”, I have to order the tall sizes.

When my coat arrived and I tried it on, I thought it was huge, but it was really comfortable. I no longer felt the tugging across my back and shoulders. My former coat felt like a straight jacket.

The only problem was the sleeves were three inches too long! I took the coat to a local seamstress and tried it on with a jacket on underneath it. She said the waist hit exactly right and the shoulders fit nicely. The only problem was with the length of the sleeves. I paid less than $20.00 to have her shorten the sleeves.

The coat is part fabric and part fake leather. I did not want to try to work with those materials. She is an expert who alters wedding dresses and when I got the coat back you could not tell the sleeves were shortened.

I have received so many compliments on my new coat and I know it is not because of the style; it is because it fits me. When you buy a major piece of clothing, like a coat, always buy the one that will fit you everywhere and then have someone tailor it in any areas that are too large.

CIMG1667

 

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

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As you head to your New Years Eve parties, are you taking nibbles along? I have found the best thing to transport my goodies.

My two-tiered dessert carrier.

My two-tiered dessert carrier.

It looks like an ordinary pie carrier, but when you open it up you find it can carry either:

2 Dozen Deviled Eggs, or

2 Dozen Cookies, or

A Dozen Muffins, or

A Dozen Cupcakes, or

A Meringue Pie, or

A Bundt Cake, or

A Single Layer Cake, or

2 Pies, or

A pie with an ice pack underneath!

A pie with an ice pack underneath.

A pie with an ice pack underneath.

The lid collapses for storage. I love multifunction things!

 

FISCAL CLIFF = TIME’S UP

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“…if you are familiar with the term, you know this is a gathering storm made up of tax breaks expiring, automatic spending cuts beginning, the debt ceiling rising and millions of more taxpayers getting hit with something called the Alternative Minimum Tax.” Mary Hunt, debtproofliving.com

I blogged about the tax cut bill two years ago. I am posting those blogs below. We need to be proactive. I recommend three things:

  1. Do not spend more on Christmas gifts than the amount of cash you have on hand.
  2. Keep any money you receive for Christmas until after you get your 2013 paycheck.
  3. Use the tax guidelines on the 7-6-2010 blog to set a new budget.

Congress may extend the cuts for two more years, like they did in 2012, but I wouldn’t count on it.

TWO YEAR REPRIEVE ON THE TAX CUT BILL 12-18-2010

The Tax Cut was extended for two more years. I am glad that taxes will not increase, but I am also glad that I had several months believing that it would. It forced me to examine my spending on a deeper level than I had before.

It also made me look at my sources of income. What would I do if this source were suddenly to stop?

It relieves a lot of stress if you have a plan B. My kids ask me what I would do and I told them the steps I would take. I let them know we would not be homeless or run out of food. They have watched as our taxable income has decreased every year since 2007.

They weren’t as thrilled as we were when we paid off our credit card and auto loan in 2009. But the next time we had to tighten our belt it was easier because we did not have those payments.

I look forward to 2011. I plan on growing more of my own food. We are taking steps to make our home even more energy-efficient. (I plan on taking the drawers out of the kitchen cupboards and caulking the space between the molding and the floor behind them.)

There is always room for improvement!

 

SIX MONTHS BEFORE TAX HIKE 7-6-2010

Yesterday, I read an article at “Americans for Tax Reform”, http://www.atr.org, reporting the rates taxes will rise.

-The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%

-The 25% bracket rises to 28%

-The 28% bracket rises to 31%

-The 33% bracket rises to 36%

-The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%

“Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates. The ‘marriage penalty’ (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income. The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child. The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level. The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.” Americans for Tax Reform

I still choose to be proactive. I am saving as much money each payday as I can. I am only charging what I can pay off in that month.

What are you doing to prepare?

Is your garden doing well? Are you canning, freezing and drying your produce?

Are you paying down debt?

Are you making decisions that will lower your bills?

Use cash for Christmas gifts.

 

ARE YOU KEEPING SOMEONE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT?

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I was taking pictures of items to take to Good Will when I ran across this Zebra print, purse-shaped lamp, with the tags still on it that my daughter had put in the box. I debated about keeping it for my bathroom, because the lamp in there got broken.  But God spoke to my heart and said, “That is a Christmas gift I have earmarked for someone else. Their child is going to buy it at Good Will.” I put it in the box.

I put the Zebra print, purse-shaped lamp in the box with the other donations.

I put the Zebra print, purse-shaped lamp in the box with the other donations.

A week later I was shopping at Target and all I had in my wallet was my allowance. I found this small lamp for under that amount. I must admit, it fits much better in my bathroom than the Zebra print lamp would have.

My new bathroom lamp!

My new bathroom lamp!

Are there things you can donate to Good Will or the Salvation Army that would make a nice present? You know you will be getting new items, why not make room for them this week!

This is my bathroom.

This is my bathroom.