Sleep Warm

We needed a sleeping bag for the hubby's trip, and we knew we had one somewhere, probably packed up in storage. But it just so happened that the very day we needed it, Big 5 Sporting Goods was having a great email sale. Timing is everything, right? So I was able to get a new $70 mummy bag for just $15! SCORE! 😁

Tea Set

I have sold a lot on Facebook Marketplace. It is so great because it's local and you can see the profiles of people buying from you. I have also bought a few items for good prices, and you never know what you may find.

This week I found a brand new, cute little tea set. It has two 
mugs and a neat little pot (which I'll probably use for coffee instead of tea). The colors aren't really bright and I'm not that into chickens, but I loved the pot. And it was ONLY $2 for the entire set! Can't beat that!

WinCo

Who else gets excited about grocery shopping besides me? Anyone? OK, it's not really about groceries. But it IS about saving money.

I may have mentioned before that I love WinCo markets. We had one by us where we used to live, but now we don't. The closest one is an hour away. But we go there any chance we get.
Not only are the prices generally a lot lower than at other markets, but they have things such as bulk/bin items which are even cheaper and that aren't available elsewhere.

We went there yesterday and several of the items we purchased were each $1.00 less than at our local markets. That adds up fast and we saved a bundle. I love WinCo!

Shelves

We always take a look when we go drop donations off at our local thrift shop. Today I found a cute little shelf unit which is solid oak, with dovetail construction. It's actually pretty heavy, and just happens to go with our other furniture, It was only $8 to begin with, which I thought was amazing. But it was "furniture day" which gives an extra 20% off. So it was only $6.90!! And it matches perfectly. SCORE!

Annual Gift to Myself

Every year after Christmas, I buy myself a snowman on sale for my collection. They are usually plush toys and only a few dollars at most. But this year, I went to a local thrift shop since there aren't many department stores where we live now. I found the cutest little set of salt and pepper shakers, and they were marked $3.00. But because it was after the holiday, they were 50% off. So the set was only $1.50! Aren't they fun?

Western Steal

I think I have mentioned using Facebook Marketplace before. I have used it to sell all our furniture and have found some great bargains on it too. It just depends on what you're looking for at any given time.
This week, I happened upon some amazing clothes for my husband, who is in a band which often plays country music. He sometimes looks for "costume" wear. A local gentleman (also a musician) was selling some clothes he had been given. The western style shirts sell new for $80-100 each, and he was selling them for only $10 each! And they had hardly been worn. The suede leather jacket sells new for $250-350, and he was selling it for only $20!

He got all these items (plus 3 other shirts!) for only $60!!! What a steal!

Bigger Isn't Always Better

You would think that a bigger company would serve you better than a no-name business. But that isn't always the case. Maybe in large corporate style stores you can find help and lower prices. But don't be afraid to check around.

When we were looking for a local company to build gates for us, we saw that there were two major companies in the area which did a lot of work. So we got bids from both of them.
Not only did they not call back with bids for several weeks, but by the time they did, we had found a local person who had his own company who did the job for HUNDREDS less than the bigger companies. Crazy, but true. And he did a really nice job.

Chalk one up for SMALL BUSINESS!!! YAY!

Cold Weather Hat

I was shopping and found a cute little hat on clearance. I don't really need another hat, but it was 90% off and perfect for where I live (it gets cold). It was a $28 hat for only $2.80, and I had a 20% off coupon bringing it down to only $2.25! It has ear flaps and is going to help keep me warm and be cute at the same time!

Essential Oils

I never have given much thought to the essential oil craze. I enjoy smelling them but never really used them. Not until recently anyway, when I was at the doctor's for an unwanted procedure and the nurse sprayed some lavender oil on a cotton ball and placed it by my pillow to help calm my nerves. It did help, only if to cause a distraction. But it did smell good too.


I've also heard that lavender can help calm dog nerves, which could be useful and helpful for my anxiety ridden pup. But whenever I've looked to buy any, they were fairly pricey.

But I was at the Dollar Tree store this week and found they had a selection of oils, which was quite a surprise. I found this little gem of lavender oil spray which is 100% pure and natural and manufactured in the USA, and it was only $1!

You never know what you might find, and I'm anxious to try this spray for my dog and myself.

Tiny Flowers

I was shopping the other day and happened to see this little tiny vase of (fake) flowers. It's so small...only about six inches tall. But it struck me as so cute and it made me happy. So I got one for my shelf to add some color in my room, and it only cost $1! I'm not sure why, but I love it.