Bargains are in my blood. Generations of Porters and Bentleys have haggled over pennies at flea markets and yard sales. My own parents bought freshly ironed and starched dresses for their baby girl (me) from garage sales in Highland Park, near where Southern Methodist University (SMU) is located. Cost: 25-50 cents apiece!
I conditioned my kids from an early age to spend Friday mornings driving around town, occasionally venturing into neighboring cities for hidden treasure.
Armed with Cheerios® and Capri Sun®, they quickly learned how to stretch a dollar—their allotted amount—into something special. The boys usually bought action guys (their term for boy dolls) or balls of any kind, while Molly spent her money on books or stuffed animals. We uncovered fabulous finds, some of which are still in our lives.
In today’s post, I get to share a few of my “Favorite Finds” with you. Sorry, gang, but no way could I limit this to just one! Here’s my short list:
• A yellow stepladder splattered with paint. I bought this from my friend Sarah Walker for $2.00. Today it houses candles and a basket filled with hand towels in our guest bathroom.
• Baby-Sitter Club® books. For $5.00 my daughter Molly enjoyed hours upon hours of fun, wholesome reading material.
• Black leather pants. They looked like they’d never been worn. It costs me more to send them to the cleaners than it did to purchase them! Price: $2.00. No kidding! I didn’t even negotiate. Though I rarely wear them in Dallas, they’re a godsend on ski trips.
• A car bed. The toddler-sized homemade racecar lasted through both of our boys, helping them make the transition from crib to bed. Cost: $25.00. We used it for more than three years, then sold it at our own yard sale for $15.00!
• A Coca-Cola® thermometer. I paid the “full price” of 50 cents and gave the vintage thermometer to my sister-in-law who collects all things Coca-Cola®. Imagine my surprise when I found the identical item—priced at $50.00—in an antique store.
• A short wood shelf. Though it’s final coat is navy blue, light sanding revealed myriad colors underneath. All this $5.00 treasure took was a little sanding, then a wipe clean to make it suitable for our main hallway of our rustic, hill country-style home. (Hint: A rustic or shabby-chic decorating style makes it easy to incorporate garage sale and flea market finds.)
• A piano keyboard. For $50.00, my daughter has been able to practice piano for going on three years. Would you believe the organized owners still had the operations manual, and the price included a portable stand?
• My all-time favorite: A Onesie® sleeper that looked like a tuxedo. We dressed both boys in it for their baby dedications at church. Both times, the outfit—inhabited by squirming, smiling baby boys—elicited grins and chuckles from church congregations.
At Charlie’s dedication, our pastor briefly “interviewed” us about the significance of our role as parents and the importance of that day. To my surprise he commented on the outfit, “This is certainly a special outfit. What can you tell me about it?” Like a deer in headlights, I froze—unable to come up with anything but the truth. “I bought it at a garage sale for a quarter,” I blurted out. The congregation roared. So much for coming off as a Spiritual Giant—ready to lead her young son into deep scriptural truths. Instead, I showed my true nature: Finder of a Good Deal!
Perhaps bargains are in your blood as they are mine. You detest paying retail—even if the item is on sale. Instead, we smart-shopping, bargain-hunting deal-finders resist the urge, letting somebody else buy it and break it in. Then we can swoop in and buy it at their garage sale the next season.
OK, now it’s your turn. What’s the all-time best bargain you found at a flea market, garage, yard, estate or tag sale, or a resale shop? Brag away!
Showing posts with label flea markets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flea markets. Show all posts
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, August 18, 2008
Secret/Surprise Gift
Wilson Family White Elephant Gift Exchange
Though we don’t have a huge family, we all do get together each Christmas. A couple of years ago, in an effort to cut down on costs, we started drawing names for gifts. Since we get “only” one big gift during the extended family get-together, we also decided to incorporate a white elephant gift exchange. The rules were simple: Nothing over $10; the sillier and more embarrassing the gift, the better.
As though all the crazies came out of the woodwork, we laughed ‘til we cried as we opened such silly items as a stuffed pink flamingo, a wooden sign that read, “This toilet paper roll is not going to change itself” and a redneck briefcase (actually a pair of tighty-whiteys with a wooden handle attached across the top.
The best part: Not having to make happy faces when receiving yet another sweater we didn’t need in a color we didn’t like. The kids really got into it, too—“stealing” what they considered to be the best gifts.
If you’ve never participated in a White Elephant Gift Exchange, the rules are as follows:
1. Set a price limit. Stay within it. (Wow, I’m a poet, and I know it.)
2. Wrap gifts to look nice—not giving the slightest hint as to the hideousness that lies beneath.
3. Have everyone in the exchange draw numbers—up to the number of people total.
4. The person who picks #1 goes first. He or she selects a gift from among all of the white elephants and unwraps it.
5. #2 gets to steal #1’s gift or choose a new gift. If #2 steals #1’s gift, #1 gets to select and unwrap another gift.
6. The game continues like this until all gifts have been selected.
7. Most games limit the number of steals to 3 total. Once a gift has been stolen three times, it’s “frozen” and belongs to the last person who stole it.
8. No under-the-table trades or deals!
I wrote out my favorite White Elephant Gift Exchange Story in A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. Check it out, especially all you Elvis fans!!!
Hint: Shop flea markets and garage sales for great white elephant finds!
Though we don’t have a huge family, we all do get together each Christmas. A couple of years ago, in an effort to cut down on costs, we started drawing names for gifts. Since we get “only” one big gift during the extended family get-together, we also decided to incorporate a white elephant gift exchange. The rules were simple: Nothing over $10; the sillier and more embarrassing the gift, the better.
As though all the crazies came out of the woodwork, we laughed ‘til we cried as we opened such silly items as a stuffed pink flamingo, a wooden sign that read, “This toilet paper roll is not going to change itself” and a redneck briefcase (actually a pair of tighty-whiteys with a wooden handle attached across the top.
The best part: Not having to make happy faces when receiving yet another sweater we didn’t need in a color we didn’t like. The kids really got into it, too—“stealing” what they considered to be the best gifts.
If you’ve never participated in a White Elephant Gift Exchange, the rules are as follows:
1. Set a price limit. Stay within it. (Wow, I’m a poet, and I know it.)
2. Wrap gifts to look nice—not giving the slightest hint as to the hideousness that lies beneath.
3. Have everyone in the exchange draw numbers—up to the number of people total.
4. The person who picks #1 goes first. He or she selects a gift from among all of the white elephants and unwraps it.
5. #2 gets to steal #1’s gift or choose a new gift. If #2 steals #1’s gift, #1 gets to select and unwrap another gift.
6. The game continues like this until all gifts have been selected.
7. Most games limit the number of steals to 3 total. Once a gift has been stolen three times, it’s “frozen” and belongs to the last person who stole it.
8. No under-the-table trades or deals!
I wrote out my favorite White Elephant Gift Exchange Story in A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. Check it out, especially all you Elvis fans!!!
Hint: Shop flea markets and garage sales for great white elephant finds!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Leslie likes theme gifts!
Gift to a close friend--pick a theme
My sister-in-law Kendall and I are best buds, BFFs, besties! We’re married to the Wilson boys, Ron & Carolyn’s only kids. Even though you don’t get to pick your family, I would have chosen Kendall. She’s a true miracle in my life—so dear, so special to me. (Aaack, pass the tissues, please . . . )
Besides being married to smoke-free Marlboro men (just to let you know how studly and rugged they are), we have in common our love of bargains and an updated country decorating style. Years ago, Kendall and I vowed to never pay retail for a Christmas present for one another. We both collect and decorate with antiques, especially rustics, which opens up a whole world of shopping at antique stores, flea markets and garage sales.
The fact that Kendall also collects Coca-Cola items, displaying them in her red and black kitchen, makes shopping for her quite easy. I hardly have to think about what I’ll get her. Instead, I just have to hunt down the treasures. Once I spotted a Coca-Cola metal wall thermometer at a garage sale. Believe it or not, the glass tube was intact! The price? An incredible, outrageous 25 cents! I fought feelings of guilt as I handed over my quarter. Kendall squealed with excitement as she opened it, exclaiming that she already had the perfect spot in mind.
I could no longer keep my find a secret; part of my excitement came in “confessing” to my sister-in-law the incredible bargain I’d found. Coincidentally enough, I spied the same item at an antique mall a few years later. The vendor was asking $52.00! I did a little Snoopy dance, wishing I had someone to high five in my glee!
This idea sounds so simple that I don’t know why more of us don’t do it. Simply spread the word about a particular style or collection and let friends and family theme-shop for us! For example, my mother-in-law collects rose bowls with frogs, salt and pepper shakers. (We all rejoiced when she passed through her Beanie Baby phase!) My mom loves blue and white china and collectibles. Such theme gifts make it easy to buy for the special people in our lives.
Do you have a special theme gift that you like to give or receive? Share it with us and our readers. We might “steal” the idea, but hopefully we live so far away we shouldn’t be in competition with each other for the same item . . .
My sister-in-law Kendall and I are best buds, BFFs, besties! We’re married to the Wilson boys, Ron & Carolyn’s only kids. Even though you don’t get to pick your family, I would have chosen Kendall. She’s a true miracle in my life—so dear, so special to me. (Aaack, pass the tissues, please . . . )
Besides being married to smoke-free Marlboro men (just to let you know how studly and rugged they are), we have in common our love of bargains and an updated country decorating style. Years ago, Kendall and I vowed to never pay retail for a Christmas present for one another. We both collect and decorate with antiques, especially rustics, which opens up a whole world of shopping at antique stores, flea markets and garage sales.
The fact that Kendall also collects Coca-Cola items, displaying them in her red and black kitchen, makes shopping for her quite easy. I hardly have to think about what I’ll get her. Instead, I just have to hunt down the treasures. Once I spotted a Coca-Cola metal wall thermometer at a garage sale. Believe it or not, the glass tube was intact! The price? An incredible, outrageous 25 cents! I fought feelings of guilt as I handed over my quarter. Kendall squealed with excitement as she opened it, exclaiming that she already had the perfect spot in mind.
I could no longer keep my find a secret; part of my excitement came in “confessing” to my sister-in-law the incredible bargain I’d found. Coincidentally enough, I spied the same item at an antique mall a few years later. The vendor was asking $52.00! I did a little Snoopy dance, wishing I had someone to high five in my glee!
This idea sounds so simple that I don’t know why more of us don’t do it. Simply spread the word about a particular style or collection and let friends and family theme-shop for us! For example, my mother-in-law collects rose bowls with frogs, salt and pepper shakers. (We all rejoiced when she passed through her Beanie Baby phase!) My mom loves blue and white china and collectibles. Such theme gifts make it easy to buy for the special people in our lives.
Do you have a special theme gift that you like to give or receive? Share it with us and our readers. We might “steal” the idea, but hopefully we live so far away we shouldn’t be in competition with each other for the same item . . .
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