One of My Hidden Talents

Okay, some of you might know this hidden talent, and some of you might not. But I am a major bargain shopper. Really, if you knew just how much of a bargain shopper I am, you'd probably pay me to find you deals. (Not that you'd have to. But I really should get paid for this.) I'll give you a little idea of how good of a bargain shopper I really am.

Last Tuesday night, my mom and I went to Shopko because their Easter decorations are 90% off!!! Everyone knows that the best time to buy decorations are after the holiday, and then save them for the next year. So, I got a wooden welcome sign to hang on my door, $1.59. Another wooden hanging decoration, $1.39. And some cute Easter napkins, $.29. Amazing, right? Just think, they're 90% off! I'd be paying about thirty dollars! But instead I only paid three plus tax!

Then, we decided to go to Seagull Book and look around. In their clearance section, I found awesome deals in their back clearance section! These ones were back there because there might have been something wrong with the covering, but who cares, right? It still has the same information in it! I got the fifth Fablehaven book (hardcover) for $1.99. I got the first Hourglass Door book (paperback) for $.99. And I got the fifth Leven Thumps book (hardcover) for $.99! Can you believe that!? I wouldn't have gotten a better deal at the DI! I know those books are kind of random, since they're all series books. But I figure that I'll eventually get the entire series anyway. I've been planning this for a while now. So, if I see a book in a series that I like for a great price, I buy it (unless I've already got it). And maybe by the time my future children are old enough to read them, I'll have them all. Plus, I'll be able to read them as many times as I want. With these books, I would read them over and over. So, all in all a good investment.

Earlier that day, I went to some crafty stores. That was when I got the bright idea for my previous post, which cost me absolutely nothing, since I used what I had in a new creative way.

The next day (Wednesday) I went to Hancock Fabrics. I've been browsing prices of home decor fabric. I've been yearning to reupholster the love seat in my living room. I found this beautiful powder blue fabric that is kind of like micro suede, but a bit thinner, on clearance for $1 per yard. Can you believe it!? $1 PER YARD!!!!! I was in shock! I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do that right now, so, I left and went to another store. After thinking about it for the five minutes in the other store, I decided to go back and get it. I mean, $1!!! How could I pass that up!? So, I asked the lady at the fabric cutting counter how much fabric I would need to reupholster it, and she said ten yards. But she said that the fabric would be a little too thin for that. So, I asked how it would do as a slipcover, and she said that it would definitely work, and I would need less fabric for it. I ended up buying the entire roll, because there were only eight yards on it. The project said it should only take about six yards, so, I'll probably have some extra fabric for other projects!!! My motto: You can always find something to do with fabric and craft supplies. The only problem is getting around to it. So, soon I'll post about doing a slipcover for my love seat. I'm so excited!!! It's going to be beautiful!!!

Okay, one more example of my thriftiness. I have a good sized house. It has a main floor, a basement, and a small upstairs. You'd think that a young couple wouldn't be able to fill it with furniture. Well, we have, and some rooms are still a little crowded. Honestly, the only piece of furniture that we personally have paid for is our couch downstairs. We bought it in the scratch and dent section at John Paras Furniture. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. We just think that it was a return because the people didn't really want it. It is green micro suede and it reclines. We put it downstairs so that we could recline while watching TV and movies. LOVE IT!!! So, all the rest of our furniture and decorations was either hand-me-downs that we've refurbished, or gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and our wedding. Oh, I forgot, we did buy a cute little white dresser for my birthday last November. But that was Lance's gift to me, so, I don't really count that. And we got a bunch of furniture when Goldenwest Credit Union was getting rid of some of their furniture, but it was a small table, a bookcase, and two drawer stands all for $10, which was almost free for that much stuff.

So, that is one of my hidden talents. It's really easy to acquire. Just shop around, and don't be afraid of previously used items (as long as you either know the people who owned it, or it is easily cleaned.) Also, be patient. You might not find what you want right away, but wait a few weeks, and the selection is totally different, or wait for a sale. Also, think about what you already have and how you can change it from something you like into something you love. Sometimes just a little adjustment can work wonders. Happy bargaining!