Easy DIY Doggy Bed

Doggy beds/cushions can be pricey. But why?? They're essentially just over sized pillows. I just had a great idea, so I gave it a shot and it worked!

No sewing, or experience needed. Best of all, it may just take you longer to gather the items than it does to make it.

What you will need: Old sheets or blankets, twine, rope or yarn

• Take an old sheet or blanket (the thinner the better) and spread it out on the floor. 
• Take another sheet or blanket (in my case, I used an old high school jacket that I'll never wear again, can't sell and don't have the heart to donate) and arrange in the middle of the spread out blanket.
• Cut about a 2 footlong piece of twine
• Fold one side of the spread out sheet over the item (in my case the jacket) to meet with the other side.
• Gather it all up, as if you're going to make a sort of sack, and tie all the ends up with the twine.

Voila! Now you have a doggy bed that didn't cost you a dime!

Buy Less, Buy Used

"Buy Less, Buy Used"  - - not exactly something you thought you would hear from a clothing retailer, is it? 

California-based outdoor clothing and gear outfitter Patagonia has started an initiative encouraging consumers to do just that.  I think this is such a cool thing.  Whether it is a publicity stunt or a genuine belief from this company, it is helping to open the eyes of the consumer and encouraging them really evaluate their consumption.  I was thrilled to see this article, and I urge you to read it [here]. Every consumer and corporation in the world could learn a thing or two from Patagonia (who has been practicing environmentally-friendly practices for several years.)

The best part of the story? This concept was unveiled in NYC during fashion week. Priceless!

In other news, I apologize for the lack of posts this week. I haven't done any thrifty shopping this week (just haven't had the need to!), but I will be back at it soon with more great finds to share!

FREE CURB ALERT!

To me this is a no brainer, but some may have never heard of such a thing. What am I talking about?  Why, the "FREE" section on Craigslist of course!  You'd be absolutely amazed at what people are giving away for free. They may be moving out of town, to a smaller place, have no need for it or just not have the means to move it. This is when we swoop in and grab it! It helps them, it helps us, it's a win-win situation.  After doing a quick search on my local craigslist tonight I've already found a few good finds...let's do a little shopping!

Clay pots for herbs & other green things
or  for DIY projects, gifts, etc!

WOW, who knows, it could all be junk, but it's FREE!
Why not check it out? It's like a yard sale, minus the sale!

Wow! These cabinets can go for hundreds, sometimes
thousands and someone's just giving it away!

If I had room for a piano and a truck, I'd be all over
this. I'd love to have a piano to pound on! I've
never seen one this unique, very pretty.

I know like 20 people who are pregnant, or have
kids little enough who would love to have this!

Dog houses are expensive! And these plastic ones last forever.
My mother in law would love this for her chickens too!

If we had a truck, I'd wake my husband up right now and make
him go grab this. It probably won't last long out on the curb for free!

Dress For a Bargain

Summer, or should I say "Wedding Season" is such a great time of year, but Weddings are generally notorious for requiring lots of mula. Gifts, travel expenses, clothes, shoes, etc can really add up. A great way to dodge some of those costs is to...you guessed it, Go Thrifty! It really IS possible to pick up a nice outfit second hand. Just check out the dresses I scored for the 2 Weddings I attended this summer. The orange one, which is made by Nine West I picked up for $2 (no, I'm not KIDDING), and the black/pink dress, made by Nicole Miller was a whopping $4. I don't normally dress up too much, so I have to admit that I was a bit nervous to wear both of these. The orange one is well, VERY orange, and the black/pink one was very tight and strapless. I wasn't sure if I liked the pink, but I went out on a limb and had a great time! I even received a handful of compliments both nights, boosting confidence in myself and my choices!

I also made gifts for both weddings, which saved us even more money while adding that special handmade touch gifts from registries lack. Registries can be helpful; when I got married we had a one, but for the Thrifty Challenge, using a registry at a department store is against the rules!  If you have a wedding coming up or even Christmas, check out their registry or wish list and try to create something on their list.  Depending on the couple (and if they'd be offended that you thrifted their gift!), you can also try to find something in line with their registry second hand. It's taboo/tacky in some circles, so be careful!  When in doubt, just give money - you can't go wrong with that!

Think Outside The...Grocery Store

In addition to "stuff," It's possible to be smart and thrifty with food too. The Farmer's Market is one of my favorite places to head to in the summer. I can think of at least 5 within 10 miles of my house. At the Farmer's Market, you can find tons of different varieties of locally grown fruits and veggies, and most importantly they are grown with little to no chemicals. The best thing about Farmer's Markets is that you'll likely pay less for food picked that morning than you would for food picked last week in California and shipped to the grocery store. This past Saturday, I checked out the Regional Market in Syracuse with my Sister in Law, and our timing could not have been better! We came upon an Organic seller just as they were packing up and they sold us some herbs and garlic at half price. I also picked up a couple of different varieties of hot and sweet peppers that I never see in the grocery store.

Other things you can find at the Farmer's Market in addition to fruits and veggies is fresh eggs, grassfed meats, locally made wines, pickles, salsas, jams and handmade goods.  Do yourself a favor - skip the "middle man," support your local economy and check out the local Farmer's Market.  LocalHarvest.org is a great site to use to locate Markets, Farms and CSAs. Check it out!

Cute Fall Jacket Score!

click picture to enlarge for detail

Living in Central NY, I can always use a new coat! Especially a fall coat. The falls up here are kind of unpredictable - it's known to snow on Halloween once in a while. So you can't just get away with wearing a wind breaker, and you probably don't want to break out the North Face yet either. We have all winter to wear the same black fleece as everyone else (you know the fleeces I'm talking about).

This I found for $8, not too shabby. I probably have enough jackets/coats/fleeces to last my entire life, so even if I wasn't pledging to buy used for a year, I still couldn't justify buying another coat new. Used? Definitely! Especially since a coat like this new would probably be $60 and up. I love that this one has soft flannel inside and a sweatshirt-like hood. Good sized pockets, and it's tapered sort of like a pea coat so though it covers the behind, it won't make it look massive. Definitely a score! Oh and the picture makes it look denim, but it's not. Though, I'm not sure what you would consider the material.

Giant Dry Erase Board score!

My husband told me to keep my eye out for a large dry erase board. He works out a lot at home and wanted one to display different rounds, exercises, PRs and other scribble notes. Brand new this size, they can cost anywhere from $20-70. Whuddya know, I ran across one just days after his request! The one I found has a heavy-duty oak frame and metal hooks on the back for hanging. Paid a whopping $4. I'd say that's a pretty darned good find!