Thrift

[Diomedes]

Post your minor and major thrifty triumphs here.

A few recent ones:

Scored two Rough Neck tupperware bins and four lids for same from the job dumpster.  Needed an extra lid already, as the dog food bin lid was cracked.  So I replaced that and landed two more complete bins, plus a spare lid.  Those bins ain't cheap.

Pulled a working electric weed wacker from the same can.  Mine was busted.  Holla.

Our washer shat the bed on Saturday.  On Monday I mentioned that we were shopping for one at work.  The foreman on the job piped up, "I got one you can have."  I told him I probably wasn't interested because my wife wants a front loader, high efficiency, low water usage jobber.  "Yep, that's what I have," he replied.  "I'll throw it on the truck tomorrow morning and it's yours."  It had been given to him by a client of ours a couple years ago and he never had use for it.  Turns out, it's a very nice Eurotech washer and dryer in one.  (The dryer works by condenser rather than heater...very trick..though we hang our clothes, so we won't use it unless we're in a pinch).  Saved us six hundred bucks.

I built my wife some raised vegetable gardens and filled 'em with nice organic top soil mix.  Opened the soil bags carefully and saved 'em.  Got about 20 heavy plastic bags for garbage bags in the kitchen and picking up dog shtein in the back yard.  Free.

Sometime on Saturday a large plastic concrete mixing tub appeared across and up the street from me curbside..actually in the street where a car should park.  By Sunday night it was still there, so I went over to take a look.  It was busted, but contained a smaller plastic mixing pan that was not, plus..here's the rub...three almost brand new canvas drop cloths.  They were wet from being left on the street in the rain, but in otherwise great shape.  I took 'em plus the small mixing pan.  Score.

[rjs246]

I buy ungodly amounts of beer for little or no reason six days a week. But when it comes to buying cereal I make the ladyfriend buy cheap.

[Rome]

Can't go cheap on the Special K, dude.   Generic is fine for pretty much everything else, though, except razor blades.  The generic usually suck and still cost a bundle, so you might as well buck up and get the Gillettes.

[Geowhizzer]

When my wife and I were living in an, apartment, we scored an old desk that someone had placed in the dumpster.  Ended up using it for 10+ years to hold printers, scanners, and the like when I had an "office" (i.e. before kids).

[MDS]

When my wife and I were living in an, apartment, we scored an old desk that someone had placed in the dumpster.  Ended up using it for 10+ years to hold printers, scanners, and the like when I had an "office" (i.e. before kids).

ok i know i over-use commas but come on

[Seabiscuit36]

I buy the most expensive thing i see

[mussa]

had a couch that was handed down from two other friends. last year i burned it and babies were screaming from all the jizz shot on it

[Geowhizzer]

When my wife and I were living in an, apartment, we scored an old desk that someone had placed in the dumpster.  Ended up using it for 10+ years to hold printers, scanners, and the like when I had an "office" (i.e. before kids).

ok i know i over-use commas but come on

I, don't, know, what, you, are, talking, about, MDS.

[SD_Eagle5]

Our bed and armoire is honey oak, we had two nightstand/tower things but they didn't survive the move. Been shopping around on craiglist and stuff looking for something cheap because the g/f has more clothes than Macy's. I'm over my Grandmom's house for my Aunt's b-day party and happen to stumble into her garage. Sitting there is a honey oak dresser, 2 night stands, and a stand up dresser/pull down desk type deal, all in great condition. I ask her what she's doing with them and she says her sister gave them to her a few years ago cause she didn't want to throw them out, and they've been sitting there ever since. Now they're mine.

My daughter grew out of her Eagles jersey so I wanted to buy her a new one. I go to a flea market Saturday and some guy has one that's her size and looks brand new. Sold it to me for $2. G/f wanted to buy my daughter this ladybug raincoat, it retails for $45. Same guy had her size and exact one she wanted in great condition and sold it to me for $4. Also scored her about 10 Dr. Suess books in perfect condition for around $2. Bunch of toys and shtein too. Wound up spending around $10 for some great stuff.
On Easter someone left a pink bike with training wheels next to the dumpster. It was in great condition. Took it home, scrubbed the hell out of it.

Mom had a bunch of old pictures in her attic she was trying to get rid of. One is this really cool long Beatles picture, another was of boathouse row. Both were framed. She also had this stained glass lamp that she wasn't using. My g/f is in love with it.

This thread is a perfect right now because it's yard sale/flea market season. I have 2 or 3 in the area planned for Saturday.

If you're on yahoo look for a freecycle group in your area. People give decent crap away left and right.

[Diomedes]

I bought my bed mattress and box spring, my couch, an island/shelf thing from Ikea, and the art in my house new.  Literally everything else came by hand-me-down, good will, or in many many cases, off an Annapolis, Yonkers, Bronx, Brooklyn, or Baltimore curb.  My house is almost completely furnished with free or very inexpensive used stuff.

I'd invite you over but you dickweeds would trash the place.

[Diomedes]

If you're on yahoo look for a freecycle group in your area. People give decent crap away left and right.

The free listings on craigslist are a goldmine too, but you already know this.

[SD_Eagle5]

The two times I inquired about items on craiglist they were already gone. I like the freecycle community better because it's a smaller pool of people.

[Seabiscuit36]

we got rid of a old waterbed on Freecycle, Freecycle seems to have a high trash ratio, as the guy who came to pick the stuff up made it clear he just gets free stuff and tries to sell it.  I didnt care, friends gave us the waterbed for free, and i had no intention after 3 years of ever putting it together. 

[Sgt PSN]

when i moved out to cali last year i needed to buy a refrigerator and one the guy i was replacing at my squadron sold me his for $50.  it's only about 3 years old.....nothing fancy, but the same/comprable model would cost about $500 new.  and when i move, the local electic company will pay me $50 to let them come pick it up and dispose of it. 

bought 3 pair of "designer" shorts at ross a few weeks ago for $19.  sticker prices on them were about $30 each.

signed up for a couple of coupon websites that email me grocery store coupons every week.  probably knocks about $50 off my bill on the average and all it costs me are a couple pages of paper from my printer. 

got free ink for my printer from kodak.  the stuff only costs about $20 to begin with but they guarantee it for a year and say that if you run out of ink in less time, they'll replace it for free.  so i saved the reciept and when i ran out of ink, called them up and they gave me the address to mail the a copy of the reciept to and about 2 weeks later i had new cartidges. 

[SD_Eagle5]

Been hitting up Ross and TJ Max lately too. Had to go for a job interview last Friday, all my dress stuff was ragged or more geared towards a wedding. I bought a nice pair of dress pants (some fancy designer), Nautica dress shirt, Perry Ellis belt, and Pierre Cardin tie for under $30.