No party is complete without visiting a thrift store first for ideas!

Everyone knows how costly a party can be, so here are some thoughts and ideas before you plan your next gathering.  Be sure to make it a "covered dish" so that you do not absorb the entire cost of the party. 

This was a luau party that materialized when I realized just how much Hawaiian items were available in the thrift store at the moment.  Being semi-crafty, I want to make a Tiki Bar to complete the ensemble.  With an old stereo stand and shipping crate table I purchased for less than five dollars an idea was born.  The stools were a mere $8 each.  The yard was newly landscaped and ready to enjoy.

The bar was stocked with fresh spirits of the tropical kind and the glasses and barware were also compliments of local thrift stores with minimal pricing.  The party was a huge success and met my budget needs.  It looked like I spent way more money than I did!

If you have never seen them, SCENE SETTERS are an excellent addition to any party.  For a reasonable price you can transform just about any space into just about any decor you can imagine.  It's cheaper than buying wallees (pin ups, etc) and most of them are 4 ft long by 50 ft wide.  Don't be afraid to use just one portion of them, they can become pretty costly if you use the recommended pieces.

This is just one roll of a Scene Setter that I purchased for $14.95.  I was able to use it in several places and really saved money on decorations.  The "balloon drop" consisted of toulle that I purchased at Goodwill and filled with balloons.  Very cool disco party.  I had everyone dress up for the party.

It was a great time!  Countless items were found at the thrift stores to pull off this party, including many of the outfits worn there!

Cable, just to be socially acceptable?

My name is Kerry and I want to be socially accepted.  There...I said it!  Through years of THRIFTINESS I have often opted to save money one would normally spend for the entertainment of cable and divert it to better things such as...oh, I don't know...GROCERIES, Internet services, etc.

After not having cable for over a year I find myself in a better financial position and by all social account I've been missing a great deal since I have not had cable, so I went "bundle shopping".  The best deal I could fathom was AT & T Uverse with your home phone, high speed internet and 100 channels (which turns out to be 120) of the greatest cable you could imagine, having all of my favorite channels.

I took a vacation day from work and waited for the TECHNILOGICAL ANGEL to appear and make all of my social networking dreams come true.  After 6 hours of grueling wiring and a very nice technician I was left holding the key to my happiness in the form of remote control and a DIGITAL TRIFECTA.

It's been two days now and I'm reminded of exactly why I didn't have cable.  Just how many shopping channels should there be in one package??  And why would you call them a channel?  They should pay you to even "let" them be on your package.  On a good note, I've watched the SAME Law and Order Show three times now on TNT, just in case I've missed something.  (By the way, that's only cool when they play 24 hours of A CHRISTMAS STORY!)  Miraculously, the DVR was not available in my choice, so I'm now forced to watch ridiculous commercials.  I could have it if I "biggie sized", I could have it if I "downsized", but not with what I ordered.  Who says bigger is better, anyway?  Once again, the middle class get shafted!

The upside, you ask?  I can check the Yellow Pages, look at all of my pictures, see who's calling me and return their call, play Yahoo games, etc, all WITHOUT LEAVING MY CHAIR!  (I can feel my butt getting bigger as we speak!)  Regardless, I am now SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE because now I can discuss commercials and shows I may have seen on cable.  Yippee!  No longer a misfit and totally socially acceptable.  No longer will I hear the GASPS when I say I do not have cable.  It's okay, friends, I'm one of you now!

The down side?  If my electric goes out, so does everything else, including the phone.  There is still a need for a cell phone in case your home phone isn't working, so there's another $50 per month.

My priorities have always been having the internet which has exceeded my expectations in every way.  From surfing, socializing to watching TV, it's been there for me.  I've been very happy with my DVD collection and watching them over and over, however, not in the same 5 hours span! 

My summation:  I've become a DIGITAL HOSTAGE because I believed the hype that I may be missing something by not having it.  In a mere two days I have realized that I am missing nothing and in my newfound financial condition my money would have been better spent elsewhere.

My question:  Now that I have the Uverse TRIFECTA, what happens when I want to ditch cable again???

The moral of the story:  Peer pressure sucks and only makes you miserable when you give in to it.

This is when you know winter is almost over!!

Another Look Consignment Shop Hours: Mon-Tues 10-6
5410 Fulton Drive, Canton, OH 44718 Wed-Thurs 10-7
330-497-5887 Fri-Sat 10-5

75% off all winter (excludes formals and jewelry)

What's up with Goodwill?

According to 2009 Reports, we all helped support Goodwill by contributing to their success in one or many ways:

Revenue Sources

• Retail sales: $2.42 billion
• Industrial and service contract work: $596 million
• Individual/corporate/foundation support for mission services: $71.6 million
• Government support for mission services: $444 million
• Other revenue: $37 million

While I am thankful for the chance to help a multi-million dollar corporation that is geared toward helping those less fortunate, I can't help but feel that I am being taken advantage of as well.

I am a huge recycler and buy items for temporary use and donate them again after they have served their purpose.  Nothing infuriates me more than to see some of the prices on the items that I have donated, along with items that are "CLEARLY" marked "Dollar Store" that have much higher prices on them than the original "retail" price.

To be honest, I am appalled by the recent pricing in most of these stores and have been very vocal about it.  I understand that they have a "mission", but I believe it is being fueled by greed as of late.  I have heard many different reasons for the higher pricing, but I'm not buying it.  (Pun intended..I walk out of the store more often than not without buying much due to their high prices). 

I am both a consumer and contributor to Goodwill Industries and will continue to do so, however, I believe that my donations will far exceed my purchases. 

I do not like to alienate them from future thrift tours, but do not feel that they are worthy of being called "thrift stores" any longer.  They all argue that they provide "new goods" which is fabulous, but we all know that they are really unsold clearance items that retail establishments donate to them at the end of their cycle.

Understand that I am not suggesting we boycott Goodwill Stores, but perhaps if enough of us complain and let them know why we are walking out empty handed they will get it??

Salvation Army - Lesh Rd NE in Canton

Salvation Army Stores are few and far between compared to their competitors (The one with the half face) but you should support them to the fullest.  While the "half faced logoed stores" are plentiful, their prices leave a great deal to be desired.  Don't get me wrong, I still shop them, however, I am more choosy about what I spend in them.  If I wanted to shop retail, I would.

Salvation Army / Lesh Rd NE, on the other hand, is FULL OF BARGAINS.  As they struggle to stay alive, the prices are completely reasonable, sometimes INSANE.  The manager, JOY, will pretty much entertain any offer you have for items and sometimes offer them to you without asking.  Either way, it is a great store and I visit at least twice per week.

Welcome to my blog!

Stimulating local economy and reaping the benefits of recycling.

A Canton, Ohio based tribute to the great thrift stores and consignment shops in our area. A place to list great finds, stores, shops and any other money saving ideas you may have.