My "new" bargains

Well, our 3 1/2 month lease is almost up, and after looking a LOT for other places to rent, we were recently approved to rent a bigger place with a really nice, big, grassy backyard for $25/month more than our current rent. We prayed about what would be the wisest thing to do and thought we'd ask our landlord if we could pay $50-75 less per month if we signed a longer lease. He gave the approval for $50/month less!! So it looks like we will probably stay right where we are. :)

I purposely left a lot of things in boxes when we moved into this house, since the thought of repacking china & crystal that we wouldn't need until the holidays sounded kind of redundant. And I didn't hang anything on the walls unless there were already nails there.

I have put two nails in the walls in the past few days, and I have some fun bargains hanging on those nails. I know, it might not be too exciting for most of you, but I know there are some of you "out there" who appreciate hearing about good bargains. So, here goes...


My FreeCycle finds:

When we lived in Marquette, I heard about FreeCycle. You sign up online for the group in your local area, and it's all about saving stuff from going into the landfills. You know... "one man's junk is another man's treasure", right?

Anyway, I've gotten signed up here and found new homes for a few things. It's hard in a bigger town getting stuff, though... usually by the time I get the email saying something is offered, someone else has already claimed it. :(

But, I have gotten a few items from my FreeCycle ventures! Here's what the lady who gave it to me called a Christmas card wreath. I think you're supposed to tuck your Christmas cards into the curliques on the wreath. But I didn't want to wait until December to use it, so today I hung it in the kitchen. What do you think?

Oh, I also wanted to point out the texture of the walls here. Everyone's walls are like that here... I think the drywall is textured. It's a Southwestern thing, I think, unless anybody in the North can tell me it's a new trend everywhere. Maybe it is... it's kinda cool, I think. :)

The other shot of the dining room/kitchen area also shows the basket for our recyclables waiting to go out to the big recycling bin. I bought that basket for $1 at a half-off day at a thrift store in Marquette that we lovingly call "St. Vinnie's". (I miss that store!!) I wasn't sure what the basket's new use would be here until last night. I think it looks pretty nice there. :)

Okay, another FreeCycle find from earlier this summer. Check out our 1986 Magnavox TV! When I first saw it, I was instantly taken back to when I was in junior high/high school and we had a very similar TV. :)

And tomorrow, I will pick up a carseat I found on FreeCycle to go in the Grand Caravan. Now we won't have to switch carseats when we ride in that van! :)



My Craig's List find:

Okay, so I've talked about Craig's List here before... finding new homes for Jasper's kittens, and getting some guests for the Beach House. Last week, I found a garage sale on there, and here's one of our finds from that day. Guess how much I paid for this beautiful fish on the wall that goes so well with the kids' "fishy" bathroom? Fifty cents!!!



Okay, so now you've heard about my latest bargains. I'll leave you alone now!! :)