my not-so-thrifty food budget

Something you might not know about me is that I love food almost as much as I love thrifting. I enjoy baking, cooking, reading about cooking, and shopping for food. For years it was a struggle because I tried to be as thrifty with food as I am with furniture. The problem is, most of the time the cheapest food is void of both flavor and nutrition.

Last fall I read Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A year of Food Life, after which Patrick and I watched Food Inc. together. I highly recommend checking out both, but be prepared for your philosophy on food to do a 180. I won't go into all of the details of what changed our minds, but we both came to the realization that our food budget needed to be near the top of our financial priorities.

We switched to all organic, and as much local food as possible. We started shopping weekly at the farmers' market—something I suggest starting in the summer when the bounty is plentiful. It wasn't long before the freshness and flavor of the food convinced us that buying local and organic was well worth the extra expense and effort. There are other benefits to joining the sustainable food movement, too. Here's an excerpt from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle:

"If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That’s not gallons, but barrels. Small changes in buying habits can make big differences. Becoming a less energy-dependent nation may just need to start with a good breakfast."

In order to buy better food, we had to increase our grocery budget by about 30%. Like most families, it wasn't an option for us just to increase our spending by that amount, we needed to figure out a way to compensate for the higher food bill. We were committed, though, to figuring out how to make it work. Here are just a few ways that made it possible:

1. Stop wasting food. This was huge for me because I tend to buy something and use a small portion of it, letting the rest go bad in the bottom of my refrigerator's vegetable drawer. It's pretty much the same thing as throwing money directly in the garbage. I still struggle with this, but I'm slowly improving.

2. Determine financial priorities. We don't have cable TV or fancy electronics, and our newest car is ten years old. We don't spend very much on entertainment, but for us going to the thrift store and to the farmers' market are both sources of entertainment. We go to the market as a family every week, and the kids get to go around to all the booths and taste all of the samples. Our favorite market, the University District Farmers' Market, also has a playground attached, so on the dry days the kids get to play while I go back around to make all of my purchases.

3. Eat at home. Our family seldom eats at restaurants, although we have recently added a weekly Sunday lunch out together because Patrick works a fourteen hour day and it's really the only chance we get to spend time together that day. We usually go to chipotle, and the tab for the four of us is $20. The great thing about eating at home is that we save so much money by skipping the restaurants that we get to eat really delicious food, and drink nice wine everyday.

4. Reduce the number of snacks you buy. I've tried to significantly cut back on the pre-made packaged snack foods that I put in my shopping cart. These are obscenely overpriced and wastefully packaged. Instead, we buy things like granola, raisins, popcorn kernels, and nuts from the bulk section at the grocery store. The summer is great because there is more local fruit available for snacking, too.

5. Create a weekly meal plan. By planning meals for the week that share a few ingredients, I can significantly reduce my grocery bill and the amount of food I waste.

Though I'm no expert, there is so much more I could say on this subject, but since this is a thrifting blog, and not a food blog, I'll just leave you with a few links worth checking out:

Local Food Resources:
Edible Communities
Slow Food USA
USDA's Farmers' Market List

Budgeting:
Dave Ramsey

Recipes and Food Blogs:
Epicurious
The Sated Palate
Not Without Salt
Good Things Catered
Jamie Oliver

photo credits: Laura*B, & Tapir Girl via Flickr

grilling with MacGruber

It's mid-June, which in most parts of the country means that sunny days, shorts, and grilling are already routine. In Seattle, it means it might finally be time to put away the raincoat. Just don't tuck it too far back in the closet, because the weather is still spotty at best. This past weekend was the nicest by far that we've had this year, and we were longing to hear the sizzling sound of burgers on the grill. I recently bought some hamburger patties from the Skagit River Ranch—organic, grass fed, and the best tasting beef I think I've ever had. Unfortunately, we are grill-less at the moment, so I had to cook them on the George Foreman—not quite the same.

Several summers ago—after we purchased our first house and were flat broke—we thought we scored a great Char-Broil gas grill for free on Craigslist. We set it out on our back patio and grabbed some bratwurst to inaugurate our first summer in the new house. Patrick fired it up, I threw on the meat, and we stood back admiring the spiffy new grill, which was pretty nice for being free. The illusion was shattered, though, the moment we noticed that flames were coming out of the bottom of the grill and traveling down the propane line toward the tank. We were momentarily frozen. Should we reach down to try to shut off the tank or just run before the whole thing exploded?! Thankfully, Patrick was able to close the valve before the tank could blow us into the neighbor's yard. Thanks, generous Craigslister, for the free deathtrap.

After doing some tinkering, we discovered that only one side of the grill had malfunctioned, and we could still use the right side without having to fear for our lives. Like I mentioned, we were totally broke, so a free, half-broken grill was really all we could afford. We used that grill for four years, until some friends kindly loaned their charcoal grill to us for a few seasons. We have since thrown the Char-Broil bbq into the dump—something that I hate doing, but we were not about to let someone else blow up their backyard. We have also returned our friends' grill to them and I think after six years, we are finally ready to buy a new one.


Although I like the look of this grill, which is only about $1500 over our budget, I think we'll probably end up with a classic Weber charcoal grill.



Let me just remind people of something that is a little pet peeve of mine. If you plan on selling something on Craigslist, listing it for free, or donating it to the thrift store, please use full disclosure. I think this is especially important when it comes to things that hook up to a twenty pound tank of flammable gas.

insight from a 5-year-old

Sometimes my kids catch me off gaurd by saying something surprisingly insightful. Yesterday my 5-year-old, Alden, out of the blue while playing Legos said, "Mom, you and dad are always looking for new furniture. You never stop looking, you just always get something new and then find a place for it, 'cause that's what people do."

Crap. Is that what I do?

I can say in my defense that we really don't own more furniture than most people (with the exception of our chairs), and in many cases, we probably have less. We have just acquired it over a very long period of time instead of in a few massive pottery barn shopping trips. The boy has a point, though. Will I ever stop looking? Am I always in need of something new? There is something thrilling about thrift store shopping. The hunt for the treasure buried in the piles of junk is often times just as exhilarating as the actual find. I think it can be a lot like gambling—it's hard to quit after you've won a few times, because you know there's always the possibility that you'll win again.

The question is, where is the line between thrifting as a hobby, and thrifting as an addiction? Thrift stores, ebay, and craigslist can all become forms of retail therapy, and can be used to self-medicate. It is frighteningly easy to let passions and hobbies overtake our real priorities and become the objects of our worship, giving them too much of our time, heart, and money.

Thankfully, I think I'm still in the "hobby" category, but I know I'll need to regularly check my heart on this issue.

thrift thief

Thrift store pricing is not perfect. Sometimes it's too high and sometimes too low. Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels that way either. I was perusing the children's clothing one day and I pulled out a dress that was several years out of style, dotted with stains down the front, the pattern faded beyond recognition, and marked with a price of $3.99. That's the same price you can get a new dress from the clearance rack at target. Stapled to the front of the dress was a note printed from a home computer that read something like this, "This price is too high! Take this to the manager and demand a better price. Goodwill has been raising their prices in these tough economic times when people need them the most..." I think it went on further, but that's all I can remember.

I laughed to myself for a moment, imagining a mother with her stack of notes and protesting with her stapler. I agree with her sentiment that if you think something has been wrongly priced you should ask (but don't demand) the manager to discount it further, and in fact, I have done this several times. Usually, they are willing to accommodate, taking an additional 20–40% off. I have also, though, noticed another avenue that seems to be too often taken. The floors of the fitting rooms are littered with hang tags. Even the fronts of the benches have price tags stuck to them that have been peeled off merchandise. I'm fairly certain that these are there because shoppers want to cheat the system. Since thrift store tags are vague—usually just noting the department—they can be swapped without raising any flags at the register.

Let me be very clear, I whole-heartedly disagree with doing this. It's the same thing as stealing. In fact, I overheard a conversation between a Goodwill employee and a customer a few weeks ago about this very issue. The customer was convinced that a stereo should have been much cheaper and had asked the employee to change the price. When the employee refused, the customer stated that he would simply swap the tags with another item with a lower price. The employee then made a point of telling him that the store considers that the same as stealing and would (and does) call the police.

It makes me wonder if people view thrift stores differently than a regular retail shops. Does the fact that the items are donated to the thrift store somehow make people feel entitled to pay whatever price they see fit? I can imagine that the tag-swapping shoppers are far less likely to try to steal from the Gap.

creating a master list

Part of the fun of thrifting is discovering something unexepected—something special that you weren't looking for, but if you're like me, you probably go into the store with a few specific things you are hoping to find. I've found that it's helpful to carry with me a list of things to search for, so that I don't get overwhelmed when I go inside. Some of the things on my list have been there for a long time, and I don't know if I'll ever find them, and some are recent additions.

I also keep a list of things that I'm hoping to find for other people. I've been searching for some serving dishes for my mother-in-law, for example, and I'm looking for a particular pattern so that she can add to her set. I know I would never remember the name without having it written down.

Here is a small sampling of things that are currently on my list:

floor lamp (something vintage)
rain boots
vintage clocks
coffee table
danish lounge chairs
vintage suitcases
cast iron skillet
converse shoes
salt & pepper shakers
drawer unit for my office (something like the varde from ikea)

Do you have a list? If so, what are some of the things you've been looking for?

Photos via flickr:
clock - H is for Home; suitcases - mollypop; converse - thejonoakley; coffee table & lounge chair - stewf; rain boots - Rodrigo Quinones

removing stickers & labels

I got two of these chairs for free a couple of years ago, and I've never bothered to take the half-peeled labels off the backs. It's really not that hard, and they look so much better with a nice clean back. You've probably seen Goo Gone at the store or at least heard of it before, but here's a trick for removing labels with things you should already have in your cupboard.


Things you'll need:
dish soap
rag
oil (vegetable, olive, baby, really any kind will do)
paper towels
scraper - this is helpful, but optional, and can't be used on all surfaces because it can scratch

1. Soak the label in hot soapy water to remove as much of the paper as possible. I just washed the back of the chair with a hot soapy rag to scrub off the paper, but with labels on plastic containers or things like that, I stick them in the sink with water.

2. Now that the paper is gone, you should be left with just the sticky part of the label. Pour on a little oil and start rubbing in little circles with a paper towel.

3. Keep rubbing and adding oil. Sometimes the glue will come up quickly, and other times it'll take a lot of elbow grease. If it's not a surface that you are worried about getting scratched, use a scraper to speed things along. I usually don't use one as the oil and paper towel method always works.

4. After all the glue is gone, wash again with hot soapy water to remove the oil.

ikea at the thrift store

If you live in a city with an Ikea, chances are that you'll run into a lot of used Ikea items at the thrift store. Nearly every time I'm in the furniture section at a thrift store I come across at least one Lack side table priced anywhere from $12–$20. For the record, Ikea lowered the previous price of the Lack table from $14.99 to $7.99 this year. That price is for a brand new table in your choice of color, without the scratches and rickety legs that accompany the ones at the thrift store.

It's helpful if you have an iPhone (or similar phone) and can look things up on the Ikea website when you are out thrift shopping, that way you know if you are getting a good deal or paying more for something used than you would if you bought it new. Also, Ikea labels all of their products with pretty unique looking bar codes, so look for them on the bottom. A few times I've thought I've come across a really expensive modern gem only to flip it over and discover it's just vintage Ikea.

One of the other things to be mindful of is the weird hardware, fuses, or light bulbs that Ikea products often need. Thrifted Ikea products may be missing parts or have broken components that can be complicated to fix. It's not impossible, and sometimes a trip to the as-is section of their warehouse can do the trick, but know what you are getting into.

All that said, I'm not at all opposed to purchasing Ikea pieces at the thrift store. I just want to know what I'm purchasing and make sure I'm not paying too much for it. Recently, we actually found a great deal on two Lack wall shelves at Goodwill—ones that we were planning to buy new. They retail for $29/each and we picked them up for $8/each. Here's a picture of how they look in our playroom:


Of course, Most of the items sitting on the shelves are thrifted, as well.

craigslist victories & defeats

My relationship with Craigslist could probably best by compared to that of Elaine and Puddy from Seinfield. There are times when I think it's fantastic. I'll make a few dollars when I sell something that is no longer needed or used, and I'll find a few nice items to buy. But, I think more often than not, I'm frustrated. Flakey buyers, overpriced or misrepresented items, and the speed at which the good deals get snatched up, all make me more likely to look for things elsewhere.

Some people swear by Craigslist, and I have one friend in particular who seems to find really fantastic deals all the time. To be honest, I might just not have the patience to deal with the people—it's easier for me to go into a thrift store when it's convenient in my schedule. That doesn't keep my husband from perusing the site on a daily basis. One of his Craigslist victories is the orange fiberglass shell chair in the photo above.

Now onto my biggest Craigslist defeat.

We purchased our current house a few months ago, and when we did, we doubled the square footage that we had previously occupied. We have been wanting a sectional couch for our family room downstairs, since we've only ever had a living room and thus, one couch. I was very eager to find the right sectional (on a next-to-nothing budget), and I let my emotions take over my better judgment.

After days of checking the furniture section of Craigslist hourly, so as to not miss that perfect sectional, I finally found one that seemed to be a good deal. It was a beige microfiber (I know, what was I thinking?) sectional with an ottoman for $350. That was on the high end of what I was willing to pay for used furniture, but it was the best deal I had seen, and the owner claimed that it was nearly new. I proceeded to call him to get a few more details. Is it clean? Yes, he assured me that there were no stains or rips and that the only reason he was selling it was because he was moving out of state.

Here's the part where I think my brain must have left the room. He lived about an hour and a half south of Seattle. He offered to deliver it for the cost of the gas it would take to bring it up here. Okay, sold—yes, sight unseen.

We arranged for the delivery to be the next day. My husband came home for lunch so that he could help move it in the house. Mr. Craigslist showed up on time, but I should have known that my definition of "clean" and his would be slightly different when he stepped out of his truck in sweat pants. Still, my brain was no where to be found. Bring it in guys! Hmm, is that cigarette smoke I smelled? Oh well, here's the cash.

Apparently, my brain had kidnapped my husbands brain, because any sane person would have simply said, sorry for wasting your time, here's some gas money, but we can't purchase this couch. Neither of us said it. Within minutes of Mr. Craigslist leaving, we noticed our family room being filled with the aroma of a dog's rear end. I had forgotten to ask about pets. The couch was filthy. I grabbed some upholstery cleaner and a rag to see if I could make any improvements. After just a few wipes, my white rag was brown and I nearly added the smell of vomit to the couch. To make matters worse, we discovered that the inside supports of the couch were broken.

I called the cleaners who quoted me $200 to remedy my problem. We were faced with dumping more money into a broken, stinky couch, or cutting our losses an re-selling it on Craigslist. We decided the quicker we could get rid of it, the better. I posted a very honest ad, noting that the whole thing smelled and looked like a dog that had never had a bath. I was surprised at how many people actually wanted it. We sold the couch later that day for $75, and we are still sitting on some old chairs plopped in the middle of the room, when we want to watch a movie.

On that note, I have a few tips for buying/selling on Craigslist:

1. Never purchase something without seeing it first.
2. Check the listings often and be patient if you are looking for something in particular.
3. When you respond to a seller, include your phone number in the email to get a quicker response.
4. Never let someone pick something up at your house when you are alone (or alone with your kids). This is especially important for women. I was never very good at sticking to this rule, but my husband has lovingly and firmly put his foot down about it.
5. Never pick something up at someone's house alone. Take someone with you and tell people where you are going.

I want to emphasize the last two points because of a story that I saw on the news last week. There were two separate incidents locally of craigslist related home invasions, and one resulted in a home-owner being murdered. I know it's very rare, but please be extra cautious.

modern fabric resources

New fabric can be an inexpensive and great upgrade throughout your home. Use it for curtains, throw pillows, seat cushions (like my recent chair before & after), or stretch it on wood frames and hang it as art. Admittedly, I have a stash of fabric stuffed in the closet (aka: craft purgatory) awaiting the sewing machine and staple gun. Pictured above are a few pieces from the closet. The top pattern, which I picked up at a friend's garage sale, is in queue to become curtains for my little girl's bedroom.

My two favorite places to find a wide selection of modern fabrics online are purl soho and reprodepot. But most of the time, I prefer to shop for fabric in person so that I can accurately see the pattern size, colors, and weight of the material. My favorite local shop is Pacific Fabrics (I like their parking), but when I get the chance I'd love to pop into Crush in Wallingford Center (Bonus: Trophy Cupcakes is right next door). If you are looking for some smaller pieces of fabric at a great price, Buttercuppity Fabric's Etsy shop has a nice sale section, offering smaller yardage for $6.50/yd or less.


above: Tulianen by Pia Holm for Marimekko

I'm still waiting for the perfect project that would justify a purchase of some Marimekko fabric [wiping drool off keyboard]. But for a tight budget, Ikea has some great modern designs for $7.99/yd or less.
above: Ikea's Fredrika fabric - $6.99/yd

Tips for finding modern for less

image © Tonx via Flickr

I have been shopping at thrift stores for most of my life, but it's only been the last four or five years that I have been on a regular basis. Over the past few years I have learned some tricks for being more successful on my thrifting trips. I'm sure there are things that I haven't figured out yet, and I'm always ready to hear what works for other people. Here's what I suggest:

1. Do your research - look at modern websites, blogs, and magazines in order to become familiar with designers, styles, and specific types of furniture. If you love the Saarinen dining table, study the details. Go and check out DWR to see what the authentic table looks like. That way if you see something at a thrift store or on Craigslist, you will know if it's a cheap knock-off or the real thing.

2. Know what's important to you - I'm happy when I find a modern looking piece at a thrift store even if it's a knock-off in need of some tlc. I know what I'm willing to pay, and for furniture, it's usually under the $30 range. I am pickier when I'm buying off craigslist because the price is usually higher. I won't spend a lot of money on a piece that's not the real thing. I'm most likely not going to pay hundreds of dollars on a new knock-off. It seems better to me to save my money a little longer for the real thing.

3. Go often - I go to my favorite thrift store once a week and I usually block off an hour or two to comb through the goods. I also donate items there and every few times I get a 30% coupon. I save those for bigger items.

4. Examine things thoroughly - I've learned this the hard way. After bringing home tables with wobbly legs that refuse to tighten, kitchen items with broken handles, and an enameled tea kettle with a burnt bottom, I've had my share of disappointments. Make sure you plug in appliances and lamps at the store, check clothing items for holes, and examine the sturdiness of furniture pieces. Know what your skill level is for fixing items, as well as how much time you'll have to commit to projects. Sometimes things get purchased with the best intentions only to sit in a corner collecting dust, awaiting that coat of paint or those new knobs.

5. Be realistic - As many times as I go to the thrift store, I've still never seen that Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair that I've been hoping for. I'm not saying that no one will ever find it, but I know the chances of coming across it are next to nothing. For now I'm content to furnish my home with things that fit my style even though they aren't the iconic, high-brow pieces in the magazines... but one of these days I might just buy that chair.

The Chair Collection

As a serial thrifter, I have had to overcome the temptation to clutter my home with too many good deals. I am a compulsive kitchen accessory collector, and my husband is a recovering chair collector. Fortunately, up until our recent house purchase, we have always lived in houses with extremely limited kitchen storage, which has forced me to be more thoughtful about the things I keep in my cabinets. Unfortunately, my husband and I are very creative furniture arrangers, and have managed to cram an absurd amount of chairs into our living space.

It has taken some time to learn the lesson that just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it's needed. The hardest part is that when shopping second-hand, most items won't be there more than a day or two. I have a few items, that I am still kicking myself for not purchasing. A really stylish raincoat, an oversized mid-century desk, and four-story vintage doll house come to mind. As recently as yesterday my husband was regretting passing up a vintage light box. But overwhelmingly, I am thankful for the amount of things I have stuffed back on the crowded shelves to become someone else's great find.

For the record, we currently have 20 adult-sized chairs (including dining & office chairs, but excluding outdoor or folding chairs) and 6 child-sized chairs in our house.

Why I Thrift

image © pixeljones via flickr

There are really so many reasons that I love shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, and craigslist–those are in order from most to least favorite. Here are a few of my main motivations for buying used:

1. Environmental - we are a consumerist culture. We go out and impulsively buy what we think we need, we use it (or maybe not) for a short time and when we're bored with it, we toss it in the landfill. Buying something used keeps me from contributing to that cycle.

2. Economical - I buy most things second-hand and save tons of money each year. If I'm patient enough, I can usually find a good quality item at a thrift store for much less than I could buy a similar (but poorer quality) item instantly at [insert big box store here]. Personally, I would rather buy five items at a thrift store, saving enough money to then buy one really nice item at a designer store.

3. Entertainment - Some people may get the shivers when they think about stepping into a thrift store, and admittedly there are some occasionally crusty items, I find the treasure worth the hunt. Inevitably, sandwiched between the dozens of sequined, padded shoulder sweaters, I'll find a beautiful Kimchee & Blue shirt for $3.99. On the off chance, I come out empty-handed, I still find myself amused with all of the things that were once purchased brand-new, for who knows what ridiculous price.

4. Originality - Have you ever walked into someone's home and felt like you've been teleported into a pottery barn or IKEA catalog? That is the last thing I want someone to think when he or she walk through my doors. I want my home to reflect my family–our passions, memories, and taste–not what some catalog says it should look like. We do have a few pieces in our house from IKEA. We have several of their shelves and textiles, but some of them were actually bought at the thrift store. I love being able to look around my house and remember when I found each treasure and how much I paid for it. I love to remember what a piece looked like before it was cleaned, painted, or re-upholstered.

If you thrift, what do you love?