Happy Earth Day!

Instead of encouraging you not to litter, to recycle, and, of course, to reduce your carbon footprint I'd like to explore the link between Eco-friendly choices and economically friendly outcomes. Who knew that saving the planet saves money?

1. Reuse glass containers instead of buying plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and containers. Large Mason jars make the perfect container for meals on the go such as salads: simply pour your dressing on the bottom, layer ingredients, and shake when ready to eat! No more soggy salads and no money wasted on special containers. Jars are also perfect for storing and organizing items. I reuse pretty glass single-serve bottles for beverages on the go.

2. Purchasing gently used and even new clothing and home goods from local thrift stores. Besides being retail's answer to re-gifting*, a thrifted wardrobe is unique and takes advantage of resources that have already been used, lessening the demand for more stock on shelves which in turn means decreased production and shipping costs and environmental output.

3. Conserve water and electricity! Now is the best time of year (at least in the US) to conserve electricity by using sunlight whenever possible. Sheer curtains are usually pretty cheap (I got some from Goodwill and some on sale from World Market-about $3/per panel) and allow light to come in while preserving privacy. Of course, be sure to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and use LED night lights or motion sensor lights in/near areas such as bathrooms, hallways, or rooms where darkness could lead to injury (or scary dreams for children).

Conserve water by collecting runoff water in your shower. Place a bucket directly under the spray closest to the faucet. You can then use this water for watering plants, rinsing your pet after a near-dry bath, filling an aquarium, etc. You could even use the water to flush your toilet! A friend thought I was crazy until I showed her my $11 water bill! I also give my dog unfinished "stale" bottled water or use the water for a cool rinse after washing my hair.

4. Regift! Most people find great gifts for me, but even my mother gets it wrong sometimes. I keep a plastic storage bin hidden away for all of my gratefully received, but undesirable items. I never regift anything broken, faded, worn out, or in otherwise poor condition. I once regifted a beautiful yellow gold and opal cross pendant, simply because it would have been wasted in my jewelry collection. I also gave my nephew a giant gift bag of kid's meal toys and books for his 3rd birthday (his parents don't patronize fast food restaurants). It was a win-win-win! *Keep track of who gave you what so you don't regift anything to the original giver!*

4. Utilize technology whenever possible to eliminate paper abuse. There are several apps you can download for tracking spending without printing out bank statements (I actually use Mint and the app for my credit union). You can also use coupon apps rather than printing coupons and apps for list making. I use my phone's "Note" app as well as the Stickies app to keep a semi-permanent grocery list and remind myself of pressing things to do.

Happy Earth Day!

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Blog...

If blogging were parenting, someone would have reported me for abandonment!  One of my resolutions is that I'll post more regularly in 2013.  I'm trying for bi-weekly to begin with and hopefully by the end of the year, my reader(s) will be sick of me.  Hi Ma and Raquel!


(Pics to follow--my iPhone isn't ready to let go)

Recent thrifty finds (all from Goodwills in Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Virginia unless otherwise indicated) include:

• Adrienne Vitadini silk skirt in this year's Pantone color choice: EMERALD!!! for $6
• A birch Ikea floater shelf for $5 (regularly about $15-30)
• 2 Banana Republic sweaters (camel/merino wool/batwing style and the other cream/cowlneck/merino wool) for $6 each!
• Memory foam pillows for $8 each from Ollie's (regularly about $20 each!)
• Holiday knee socks from the Dollar Tree
• A DVD player from Sear's for $10

I'll be back with more after I take a nap for at least 8 hours!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Each year it's a challenge to come up w/new gift ideas for the mothers who have everything. I usually shop throughout the year to avoid the last-minute rush (I've only participated in ONE Black Friday in my whole life), but I've been doing more handmade gifts these days.

I'm a big fan of re-gifting both for the environmental and financial benefits. I get several gifts throughout the year that just aren't "me" and have a special storage bin just for these items (it's the only one that isn't clear because I have nosy friends and relatives). The trick is that it be an "if only" gift.

Good: 
I'd keep it "if only" it were the right color/size/shape/whatever (one of my aunts gave me flannel nighties w/matching bonnets (!!!) every year until I was in college). It gets cold in VA, but not THAT cold and I prefer PJs w/pants or shorts. Those would've been a good re-gift for my friend who lives in Ohio or for a friend learning to sew as scratch fabric.

Bad:

1. "If only" it worked/didn't smell/didn't make me itch (one of my great aunts gave my parents a used dish drain for a wedding gift-EWWWW). 
2. Never re-gift anything used (unless it's a family heirloom like a tea set-which my mother will be getting this year, thanks to my great aunt Jeannette). All items should be clean and in their original (unopened) packaging if possible.

If you can cook and enjoy it, baked goods are always a hit for individuals, families, office parties, etc. Everyone loves my homemade pralines and peach cobbler and they can be made fairly quickly for little money. Baked goods are great for moms who are short on time.  I haven't met one yet who isn't!


Ideas for simple and inexpensive handmade gifts:
1. A photo of a shared relative/experience or you and the recipient in a pretty or quirky frame
2. Homemade fudge- Mmmmmm...
3. Simple sewing, knitting, or crochet pattern made from a unique material- I'm currently knitting a giant grey "pouf"/ottoman for a co-worker's new apartment. (needs to ready for her birthday in August).  Obvi, that gift isn't for Mother's Day, but I'll probably knit up a quick coffee cup cozy or two in her favorite color since she LOVES coffee and it keeps her sane.  You could make the pouf if you have large chunks of time to knit or you could make a throw pillow (both projects are basically rectangles).
4.  Cool thrift store finds- Depends on the person and their style, but don't overlook a thrift store in a nice area. They weren't gifts, but I bought a lamp that sells for $150 (I paid $25) and a Banana Republic Jacket for $5 with original tags on both pieces.

Some re-gifted and handmade items I've given over the years:
1. Jewelry- I don't wear yellow gold and like fairly simple jewelry, so I usually have a few pieces to give
2. Decadent fruit salad that I make for everyone's shower, graduation, party, whatever
3. Homemade pralines (my friends and family always place orders)
4. Art from my old house
5. Fuschia travel bag set w/gold zippers (for my bestie who is a wife/mom of 4 and never treats herself)
6. A scarf knit from ribbon went to a boyfriend's mom
7. Clothing- Several of my friends covet my wardrobe, so they really enjoy getting pieces that they've admired.  My mother and I are BIG thrifters, and most of our gifts to each other are thrifted. These include a Missoni sweater w/original tags, a Prada purse, Coach sneakers, and BCBG sunglasses.  Again, the condition of the item is more important than the cost or brand.


Confession:
Last year, my family (my mother, her parents, her sister, their brothers, my three cousins, and my Granny's bestie) saw the Alvin Ailey dance company (it was the 50th and final year that Judith Jamison led the company, handpicked by Mr. Ailey after being his principal dancer).  My Gran has Alzheimer's and I wanted to do something memorable and fun.  She has everything she needs (or can order from infomercials) and didn't need more "stuff".  Working w/my aunts and cousins, using everyone's insurance,  military and student discounts, 11 people went to the theater for about $200.  The best part was, after an error w/our tickets, my grandparents and my Granny's bestie were moved to one of the front rows!  I consider this to be a thrifty gift since we pooled our collective resources to spend only $18 per ticket.  I paid for all of my

Introducing...Thrifty Stacey!!

I decided to create a blog devoted to one of my favorite hobbies...THRIFTING!! I get a lot of compliments on my clothing and home items and at least 75% of everything I own was thrifted or purchased from a discounted retailer (Target, Ross, Dollar Tree, TJ Maxx, etc.) I wanted to share my items and encourage others to never pay retail again!