Clearance ....Your Best Friend!

Welcome to Thrifty Sissy!

Since Christmas is over and most of us can't think about another minute of shopping I want to say I totally understand. My sentiments exactly but now is the time to strike while the iron is hot.

Do you remember just a week or so ago when you were running the streets trying to get your shopping done? Do you remember saying that you would not forget Christmas is coming again?

Well now is the time. In the next week or two those crazy retailers will be trying to make room for Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day and you guessed it...swim suits. Oh my word! It unnerves me. As soon as we are finished with one event they are wagging the next one in our face. But that's the retail business. If you ain't selling something you are outta business. LOL.

But as thrifty folks we can beat them at their own game. We can shop the after Christmas sales and be ready, set and go for next year. Now I realize you can't buy all your gifts off the clearance rack but what about those teacher's gifts, secret pals or friend's gifts? Yesterday I was at Joann's and I overheard one Mom saying she was getting a bunch of notepads of the clearance rack for her children's teacher's gifts next year. As she was grabbing all there was on the rack I heard her tell her friend they were only $.63. Oh goodness! Next year those puppies will be $3 or $4 dollars. What a savings!!

All those cute stocking stuffers are marked way down too. So we have to think outside the box and save some dollars. You will be so thankful next year when you are already prepared and you can take the money you were going to have to spend to get yourself a holiday mani/pedi. LOL!

Happy "clearance" shopping to you all! Have a wonderful, safe new year too!!

Very Merry Christmas Home Tour

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I almost let it slip up on me. Every day I would tell myself I would take some pictures and write a little about our Christmas home decorations but sure enough here it is a few days before the wonderful event and I am just now writing this post. But never mind the excuses. LOL.

The real challenge for me is to use what we have stored in the boxes in the attic instead of running to every store getting new stuff. Really, Thrifty Sissy can't do that but it is tempting when you see all the "new cute" stuff. Then you open up your boxes...and well it looks pretty pitiful. LOL.

So let's start in the dining room. Since tartan is all the go this year I covered the table with an old Martha Stewart cloth from too many years ago but it works. Then I found those tartan chargers at the Goodwill dump and almost had a come apart. My old favorites, the reindeer plates from early 2000 at Pottery Barn. The three trees are from Target. All they need is a fluff and they are ready to bring the table to attention. Add a little garland, some ornaments and we are ready for dinner. The tartan napkins we are great gift last year. On the buffet is a few brush trees and wicker cone trees with garland. Garland makes things blend for a very small cost. I picked up the silent night mugs at a yard sale and the hot chocolate sign was a 90% off deal at Hobby Lobby.

As you get to the kitchen area the table has a green and white polka dot cloth from a summer yard sale. I added the red placemats and metal chargers with the Dollar store plates. The hurricane is filled with a ornament garland. Those green topiaries are the staples are our house I use them to decorate in every season. The top of the fridge gets a little house with some greenery to make it cozy. On to the bar that divides the kitchen and living room. You have to have some sort of little tree with cookie cutters and whatever is left over to add some pizzaz.

Our tree is on it's last leg and every year we say we will get a new one next year and forget all about it until it's time to decorate it.. LOL. The white/gold ribbon is from Hobby Lobby's 90% off shelf. I changed the topper this year. I found the old top hat at the Goodwill dump and decorated it with red ribbon streamers coming out of it.

The mantel is pretty simple. Just the old trusty reindeer some greenery on one end and I did splurge on the red lantern which is holding Mrs. Claus on the other end. The Christmas tree garland came from Christmas Village.

The entry hall has Santa ready to greet all who enter. The cute little framed crosstitched Merry Christmas is also from the Goodwill dump.

Well that's the Very Merry Christmas tour from our house. We want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too.

Living Room Wall Update

Good morning to all of you thrifties!!

It's a wonderful day at our house. Since we have had the same picture on the living room wall for about ten years we decided to do an update. But trying to decide what to replace that picture with took some time. Especially when you are cruising around Pinterest home decor it's easy to get bogged down with all options.

So I had to think long and hard to make some kind of thrifty decisions. My annual trip to Christmas Village this year started my plan for the wall update. One of the booths had signs with writing on them and I was taken with the Holy Spirit sign. I splurged a little but it was still cheaper than any one I had seen at other shops....$29.00. But it expresses my heart's desire so I opened the wallet and brought it home.

A few weeks later I found the big clock face at the Goodwill Outlet and bought it home for less than a dollar. I guess that makes up for the price of the sign. LOL. The small gold framed pineapple picture was a gift from a friend. Now that fixer upper sign, well again I had to open up the wallet because I really like the show and the Gaines family.

Since I am one of the few "old Mt. Juliet people" left standing, no question about buying that sign for the wall update. It was a little pricey but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go for it. The larger gold framed metal cross was a design I created from Goodwill Outlet things.

All totaled it was not my most thrifty update but if you only update every ten years or so it's not real bad. LOL.

Y'all stay thrifty and have a great week!

Contentment....Grateful

Good Morning to all!

Today's post is about being grateful and content with what you have. Now I know if you get on the internet or pick up a magazine you will find no telling what all to dream about or put on your to get list. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting something new. But when "getting" drives your life it is not good. Sometimes there is great pleasure is using what you already have to "make do" so to speak. It reveals our creativity at another level.

I know you are probably wondering about what the picture attached to this post has to do with contentment and being grateful. Here's the connection: About a year ago someone who knew I was a Thrifty Sissy asked me if I could use some big couch pillows they didn't want anymore. Of course my thrifty mind didn't take but a minute to say yes to them.

Now here it is a year later and I am making some pillows. Well, I am sure you can see where this is going. When I unzipped those pillows there wasn't a regular pillow form in them but stuffing! Oh my word! I was so happy and so grateful they had thought of me. I didn't have to go to the store and pay $$$ for pillow forms.

Are you wondering about the contentment part of this? I am pleased ....content with the resources provided as well as content knowing I was able to repurpose something instead of spending my dollars.

This is the thought for the day. If you have a place to keep things you think you may be able to reuse, repurpose or renew don't pass them up. I'm not advocating pack ratting or hoarding but as you can see in this situation it worked out good. If you have things you could pass along to someone this is the time to do it. We are called to give and share with those around us.

Be blessed and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Savings Catcher

It's a thrifty day in the neighborhood.

Since a lot of the grocery stores have stopped doubling coupons or offering a discount for seniors on Wednesday what's a thrifty girl to do? Well a couple of months ago one of the workers at Walmart asked me if I had the Savings Catcher? I said I had't even heard of it.

He said to download the Walmart app on my phone and I could get savings on the things I bought. Now I'm not really a Walmart girl but I am a Thrifty Sissy so I downloaded it.

When you click on the app it will have you sign up the first time then all you have to do when you purchase things at Walmart is scan your receipt. I'm guessing they check the prices at the other stores and if they have something cheaper Walmart will give you the difference.

So far since I started a couple of months ago I have $41.83 in my savings account. If you want to use those accumulated dollars to pay for your purchases all you have to do is hit the auto redeem button and it takes it off the total.

Now wow is about all I can say. Listen in this day and time you have to use your dollars wisely. If Walmart is going to do all the leg work of finding the best deal and then giving me the difference back I'm on that like a duck on a June bug. LOL.

I'm thinking about how I could let this build up for a while and get toys, magazines or you name it. By the way I'm not being paid by Walmart to advertise this but as one Thrifty Sissy to another go ahead and save yourself some dollars.

Have a wonderful rest of the week and stay "Thrifty!"

For Girls Only

Hello thrifty followers!

The post today is one of those subjects we all struggle with. Feeling good about ourself. While we may feel good today when we are wearing a brand new outfit how will we feel tomorrow when we have to wear something old?  Clothes are not the only thing we can do to feel good about ourself.

First of all you have to choose to love and accept yourself just like you are. If you are short and want to be tall the only thing you can do is wear high heels all the time. Oh, my hurting feet. If you are tall and wish you were short about the only thing you can do is slouch. Oh my hurting back and shoulders. Neither of these things will work in the long haul. The same principal goes for the color of your eyes, hair curly or straight and your skin, freckles or wrinkles. We can get those colored contacts, put gel on our hair and glob on lots of creams and makeup. But underneath it all we are still us. When all this is typed out it's no wonder we are tired and worn out dealing with ourself and all the other "women" things we have to do to maintain a home, job, kids, friends, a spouse and life in general. Doesn't love and acceptance look a lot easier?

If we choose to love and accept ourself as we are, then begin taking care of ourself on a daily basis pretty soon we will feel good when we look in the mirror. Here are some ideas.

How about a bubble bath at night to relax for a few minutes? What about one of those facial masks while you are pampering yourself in the tub? Now onto picking up your favorite magazine at the grocery then making a cup of tea or coffee, putting your feet up for fifteen minutes and breathing? Maybe we can't buy a whole new wardrobe but what about taking some time to go through your closet and hang things by type like they do in the store. You know shirts together, long and short sleeves. Pants and skirts on a rack by themselves, then pretend you are shopping your closet. You never know what new ideas you will get pulling things together in a different way. Take a pair of pants and walk through the shirts and lay them on the bed adding a scarf or a sweater you haven't worn in months. The whole idea is to get you out of your box and see things in a different way. Then when you have a few dollars you can buy one thing that will match up things two or three different ways. Listen: What you buy doesn't have to cost a lot. Cute is cute no matter what the cost. LOL.

Clothes are one of the ways we celebrate ourself. When we feel good with what we are wearing it changes our whole outlook. Besides that you need to tell yourself you look good. You are beautiful because guess what???? You are. There is only one you and you need to be the very best you...you can be. When your face reflects how you feel on the inside you could wear a flour sack and look good. LOL.

Maybe this weekend you could make a list of the things you would like to do for yourself and then decide to do one of them a week. If you need permission to do it. This is it. You go for it girl! It's time to celebrate you. The beautiful, wonderful, over the top you!!!

You all have a blessed week. Be thrifty and love yourself!!!

A Girl's Command Center

It's a good day over at the Thrifty house!

So glad you are taking a few minutes to be encouraged today. We are going to look at a vital part of every girl's success. The command center. Now you may be thinking what in the world is she talking about? So we will look at each part as we walk though it.

The first piece of the center is your calendar. An earlier post can give you more details about how to set it up so you can keep up. But with that being said you have to be able to see the plan for the week and even the month. You best friend, the calendar needs to be in a prominent place... therefore the command center gets it's start.

After your calendar is the all important ongoing grocery list. It stands ready to catch those things you will need so you don't go the store and come home empty handed. There is also a previous post about making yourself a printed list so all you have to do is circle the needed item. Check it out.

Next resident of the command center is your birthday cards for the month. How many times have you realized you just missed someone's special day you had fully intended to celebrate? So the last week of the month you get your trusty calendar out and go ahead and make those cards out. You will put the date of the special day in the upper right hand corner to help yourself remember. It will be covered with the stamp so no one sees it. There is the other item in the command center... stamps. Have you ever been all ready to mail a card or a bill only to see you have not a stamp to your name? LOL.

With all these things at your finger tips you are ready to command your day and your week. Of course you have to help yourself get it all set up but once it gets going you will know full well you have truly blessed your heart.

I hope this post helps you get your organization going on. This is a thrifty post too. Cost... a little time and lots of hugs for yourself. You go girls!!!

Thrifty "Cheap" Throw Pillow Update

It's a thrifty day in the neighborhood so come on in!

How many times have we worn out the toss pillows on the couch and the truth be told they need to be replaced? They may have coffee stains or just plain ole' dirt on them. But with all the other everyday living cost who has dollars for new toss pillows?

I have discovered a thrifty solution. The other day while I was wandering through Hobby Lobby there they were... covers for toss pillows. They were on sale for 50%, I repeat, a whopping 50% off and being a Thrifty Sissy I got the cheapest one they had because I was going to decorate it with some embroidery.

The neutral, "burlappey" looking one was regularly $4.99 so with the sale it was only $2.50. Oh, my word I just about passed out right there in the aisle. LOL. Now of course they had other colorful ones with patterns on them. But since the farmhouse scene has appeared burlap and brown domestic are all the go.

After a little embroidery and sewing on these pillow slips I can change them up. They even have a zipper in the back so they close up nicely. You can take them off and run them through the washer. I just don't think you can get a quick update for less than this.

If you go to Hobby Lobby look in the aisle close to the ribbon where the curtains are. I didn't even know they had curtains too.

Happy Thrifty Day to You all!!

Free Fire Starters

Good Morning to All,

It's little chilly this morning.... Isn't that what we have been waiting on? Now we may decide to have a fire in our fire pit or in our fireplace to welcome the new season. One of the problems we encounter is not having much kindling or not enough newspapers to get the fire going.

Here's a good little "thrifty" idea. Use your empty toilet paper rolls and stuff them with dryer lint. You were going to thrown both of these things away now you can recycle. Let's talk about getting a good fire going quick. This will do the trick. Plus the cost is... FREE!

There's nothing like a roaring fire to not only warm the body but the heart too.

Happy Thrifty to All!!

Aww! The Smell of Fall...

It's a fabulous fall day at our house so come on in and make yourself comfortable.

Today's post is all about smell. Now I'm not talking about perfume although I do like to smell good. I'm talking about house smells. Candles and such.

No one wants to walk into someone's house and smell dirty laundry or stinking feet. LOL. But we want it to smell inviting, cozy, the kind of smell that makes you want to move in.

Well, without spending a fortune on a candle that has very little "throw." Throw means if you can smell it all over the house or just when you stick your nose in it. Really, there are a lot of candles that smell good wth your nose close to them but when you get them home and light them up. It's disappointing to say the least.

Here's a little sweetheart of a fall candle for you. Believe it or not it's a Glade "Cozy Autumn Cuddle" ...Heirloom, Pumpkin, Carmel and Spice scent. You can get them at Walmart or Target. They are only $2.98. Oh, my word! A candle for that price that smells up the house. What a "thrifty' deal! We are currently on our second batch of them. LOL. You just can't have too much good smell especially if it is welcoming in a new season.

I know you all will be hitting the highway to get yourself some fall smell good! Have a very "thrifty" week!

What About Me???

Welcome to Thrifty Sissy!

Today we are going to touch the heart of every woman who has ever breathed. What about me? With all the duties we women have just to name a few: Our mate, kids and their activities, a job, another job at home, extended family, friends, church, organizations we are a part of, housework, laundry, cooking and cleaning. Well, we all not only get the picture... we are living it everyday. LOL.

So with all that being said: What about me? It seems there isn't a single minute someone doesn't need us or have something for us to do. Me, too.

So here is a part of my answer to the question. I pencil myself into the calendar. Sound simple? Well, it is. We do for every single person we know but we have a block when it comes to us. But we are a person too. Every week when I get my calendar out on Sunday afternoon to mark down all the activities for the upcoming week. Right smack dab in the middle of every day I write something I want to do or I like to do. It maybe to sew an hour or write, even read a good book. It maybe to just make a fresh cup of coffee and get out the old magazines I have collected and thumb through them for thirty minutes or maybe even an hour. I close the door of the bedroom and focus on taking care of me. It maybe on Saturday afternoon I take a few minutes to do my nails. Listen: Thrifty Sissy doesn't want to spend the $$$ at the salon so I treat myself. LOL.

Really taking care of yourself is very important. We can run ourselves into the ground in a very short time if we don't. Now here this: It's okay for you to do something for yourself. That's permission if you need it. We have a tendency to wait around for someone to do something for us and then when they don't well.....it's not a pretty sight.

Besides that. Sometimes you just have to run away from home for a few minutes. The park at the lake is free. The parking lot a Kroger's is free. Anywhere is good just so you can take a breather. There is no law against it.

We women are so used to doing, going and doing some more that it will take a little getting used to. But I promise you will be refreshed and ready to tackle all those folks with a better attitude. There will be no more oh, poor me stuff. Listen if you step away for a little bit the ship won't go down. The earth won't stop turning.

Again this post goes up there with the other most thrifty posts ever. Cost.....zero all except for you loving on you!!!! So let's do it girls!!!

Be blessed and take care of your thrifty self!!!

Industrial/ Farmhouse Stuff

Well, Thrifties I hope you are ready for another week.

Ever since Joanna and Chip Gaines came out with Fixer Upper the farmhouse scene has bloomed. They also bring in some industrial pieces every now and then too. But as it always goes we have invested so much in our current decor that we can't just put it on Craigslist and get more stuff because there is a new decorator on the block.

So what's a girl to do especially if you like the farmhouse and industrial stuff? Well, I fall into that category. I like that the industrial things are solid and give a sense of purpose. I like the farmhouse decor because it is homey and a reminder that good old stuff never really goes out of style. LOL.

Here's how I have managed it since "thrifty honey" says he doesn't want to live in a warehouse, i.e. industrial nor does that old stuff appeal to him. I have bought a few pieces and mixed them in with what I have. Take for instance the olive bucket. I have filled it with small limbs the "honey" cut up for me, added some leaves for fall or changed it up with twinkle lights and pieces of greenery for the Christmas season. Right now I am using it to hold magazines by the fireplace.

I also splurged on a not so thrifty large metal oval tray which has been moved from room to room. I have put candle holders in the tray with leaves, or greenery and Christmas balls. Now I have it under a bird cage thingie on the coffee table in the living room. I also talked the "honey" into the metal "cafe" sign for the kitchen wall. LOL.

So as you can see it's not really a farmhouse or a warehouse but all these things have added a dash of the current fad. Maybe these ideas will strike a chord with you so you can fulfill that yearning for something to update your home sweet home.

Have a wonderful week and keep thrifty on your mind!!

Gnats, Mold...Clorox

It's a marvelous Monday!

This summer we had a siege at our house. The gnats were swarming all around the kitchen and there were no bananas. LOL.  So what's a girl to do after I wore out a fly swatter and my nerves were totally gone. I called the pest man. After all they were pestering me. LOL.

Well, he came, sprayed and then told me a pest man secret. Mold in the drain is what the gnats eat and breed in. Yuck! Yuck! So he simply said get yourself a bottle of clorox and pour some down all your drains every month or so. That will put those puppies to rest real quick and get rid of their breeding ground.

So now I'm a clorox girl. I just put a note on the calendar when to pour some in the drains. I usually do it at night so no one will use any water and those gnats will get the full effect of the clorox. LOL.

I hope you don't have any gnats but now you are ready for their destruction. No doubt this will rank up there in the "Thrifty" hall of fame. Cost zero... because we already had that bottle of clorox.

Remember it's always a thrifty day in every department!!

Nesting for Fall

Its a wonderful Monday. I hope everyone had a good weekend. Grab a cup of your favorite drink and let's talk about pumpkin time! LOL.

Well, fall is fast approaching us in our little town. While the word nesting is often associated with women as they prepare for the birth of a child it can come upon us at other times too.

I think the fall season is one of the best potential nesting times because so many things begin from school to football. Then on to boots, jeans, campfires and pretty leaves. The beautiful colors of fall are what ignite my nesting instinct.

So last week I went to the attic, pulled out all the storage boxes and began preparing something to welcome fall into our home. With that being said I decided this year to do little vignettes around the house. Nothing to big or too hard just little hints of color here and there.

Of course, you have to start at the beginning by hanging the big pumpkin with our monogram on the front door then adding a couple of little pots of mums with two real pumpkins to set the stage. Then on to the entry cabinet with a pumpkin, some berry bushes and leaves.

The dining room got the fall word picture, a couple of leaves and a bright little pumpkin on the top of a tea cup. As you move into the kitchen we have the "big Bertha" lighted pumpkin that thrifty honey got carried away with a few years ago. It has some iridescent material under it with part of a berry wreath. Nothing major in this but a touch here and a touch there makes it fun to look at as the days move on.

Now the mantel. For many years I have used candy corn in a big hurricane candle holder but this year I decided to just use pumpkins and the little candy corn banner I made. Now over in the reading corner I put some flowers, a pumpkin with a few leaves to give it that warm and cozy feel.

So you can see there was not a lot of really big stuff spread all over kingdom come. This just shows you it doesn't have to be a big production to decorate your home to welcome fall in. By the way this was my most thrifty fall staging ever because it was all stuff from years past that simply got an up-do.

Why not spend a few minutes using your old stuff but mix and match it differently? That's the best decoration of all!!!

Be Blessed and Stay on your Thrifty Toes!!!

Appliance Books, Receipts and Such!

It's a good thrifty morning over here!

How many times have you had an appliance stop working and you had absolutely no idea if it was still under warranty or not? How many drawers and cabinets did you look through trying to find a receipt, much less anything about it? Well, maybe it's time to get organized and get ready for the next snaf-foo. LOL. 

Here's a thought. What if when you bought a new appliance you took the manual and stapled the receipt to the inside of the cover then put it in a folder in the desk or file drawer? We all know it's common sense to keep the receipts and the manuals together but over at our house we have gotten things separated somehow and what a mess it has been. But today there is a line in the sand over here.

The next time something happens at our house the only sound coming from my mouth will be "Yahoo" here's the information so we can take care of it. No doubt this will rank up there with the all-time best thrifty ideas since if you have your receipt and it is under warranty you don't have to pay one dime. Yay!!!

Now you may think this will take forever to get all your things together but you could bring those files and boxes out and go through them while you watch your favorite show. Doing a little bit every night will soon have them all in order and ready for any snaf-foo!! LOL.

Y'all enjoy your week and remember to stay thrifty!!

Procrastination...Your Enemy

Good to see everyone today. It's going to be a great week.

While we all have so many things to do the truth is if we never get around to them well, they never get done. So procrastination is your enemy. It's the enemy of your time and your money. Now don't think I have lost it here. When you put off taking care of things and then you are forced to repair them it can sometimes cost a lot more.

There is an old saying: "A stitch in time saves nine." Haven't we seen this very thing played out with a little loose hem and when we put off stitching it up the next thing you know the entire hem is hanging? I'm also thinking about changing the filters on the HVAC. When we don't have a regular note to ourself to change them and we finally do we wonder how the thing was even working it was so dirty.

Now none of this is meant to make anyone feel bad. It's a reminder. We have to be willing to help our self. Here's what I mean by that. When I know there are things I need to do they can tend to look like a mobile over a baby's bed. The only difference is it's hanging over my head all the time. LOL. Believe me I've had one so I know the deal about it. But there is a solution.

We have to make a plan to "git 'er done." LOL. Now don't tune this out just yet. Because the answer is not in having a forty foot list and getting it all done at once. Listen. You don't eat an elephant all at once. You eat an eyeball one day then a toenail the next. LOL.

Think about it. Let's say you have eight things on your procrastination list. Okay what if you did just one of them a week. You don't have to do one everyday unless you decide to. Then only eight weeks later you have all those things hanging from the imaginary mobile done. Yes!!

It's easy to think to yourself I'll just do that tomorrow and the next thing you know it's been three whole months. But today you can draw a line in the sand. Today is a new day and a brand new week.

So let's make that list and set a day to do one of them. Who knows you may end up being so excited that you finally got something done that you will do another one and another one. LOL.

So "git 'er done" and stay "Thrifty" this week!!!

Timesaver.....Routines

It's good to see you all again.

Doesn't everyone want to save time in order to have more time? LOL. Well, meet your new best timesaver.....Routines.

Oh, I know that sounds funny but when you get up in the morning, don't have a clue what you are wearing, much less what anyone is carrying in their lunch or where your car keys are it's time to look out because here comes routines to save the day. LOL.

Two of the best things I ever did to help myself when I stilled worked was to establish a night time and a morning routine. At night I made everyone's lunch, laid out my clothes for the next day making sure they were pressed, had all the buttons and no floppy hems. I also put all the things I needed for the next day together with my purse and keys. I fixed the coffee and set the timer so it would be waiting when I came downstairs. Yeah, got to have that morning brew to get going. LOL. I also picked up around the house, put the dishes in the dishwasher so I didn't have to have a bad start by seeing all that mess from the night before. There is nothing like a clean kitchen night or day. I also looked at the calendar to make sure I wasn't going to miss anything that was scheduled for the next day. Now that everything is ready for the morning all I had to do was get up. Some days that is enough! LOL.

My morning routine when I woke was to get up, make the bed which only takes about 2 or 3 minutes and who doesn't like a made up bed to get into after you have worked all day. Then I would get myself ready and come downstairs look at my calendar to see what I needed to lay out for supper. Oh yeah, you got to be thinking about supper or else we all know what happens. When we get home everyone is starving and we look at them like a deer in headlights. Also if I can mix up something or get things set out for the supper time meal I do that, too. Then I all I have to do is make it when I get home.

After supper it's time to begin again with the night time routine. Listen, this may sound like a lot but after you have done it for a little while it becomes second nature and you don't even think about it. Really who doesn't want it to be ready.... set... go every day instead of flopping around trying to get it together. Routines...you've just got to know they will become your very best friend. After all don't we all need a faithful friend to help us?

So start taking the time to save yourself some time. Happy "Thrifty" to you and yours!!!!

Fall Fresh Up

Before..Yucky!!

Awww! Thrifty Honey 

Fall Fresh Up

Good Morning to All,

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I'm glad you dropped in because we are having a fall fresh up at our house. You all know it's the little things we over look sometimes. Since we are in and out of our door from the garage into the house... I don't know how many times each day, I decided to start our fresh up there.

Of course Thrifty Honey is a painter extraordinaire and he is doing the work. As he tells me you can come up with so many things for me to do. LOL. Well now he agrees with me about this one.

This fresh up cost a total of $2.79 for the little metal sign from Joann's with a 50% off coupon. I think Joann's will be the demise of this Thrifty Sissy. LOL.  Of course, Thrifty Honey got lots of hugs and kisses for his hard work. We already had this Kate Spade green paint which is so lush. Now when we go in and out we are quickly reminded to smile. This is such a happy update and who doesn't need more happy in their life.

Stay "Thrifty" and have a great week!!!

Help with the Groceries

So glad you "thrifties" stopped by today. We are going to talk about the grocery dilemma we all have every week. What to get and what we forget. LOL

So many times I have either been running low or totally out of some items all the while telling myself I will remember those things. But something happens between the realization and the getting to the place to write it down or I write it down but it ends up in the trash can. I realized the grocery list needed to "get it together" so I could be more organized.

After so many things falling through the cracks so to speak I decided to help myself out. Most of us have a computer but we forget it can help us in ways past checking google for some valuable information. So I went to the pages part of my computer and made a permanent grocery list.

Don't we all pretty much buy the same things every week? We do. So I took about fifteen minutes and listed them all on a blank page then I printed about five copies. I happened to have an old clipboard (of course it was pink polka dotted because polka dots are happy...LOL ) and I placed the copies on it.

Now as I go through the week when I see I need something all I have to do is circle the item. Somehow I convinced myself it was easier to circle than to write each item down. LOL  When I get ready for the Wednesday trip to all the grocery stores to get those bargains I carry the clipboard with me. It really helps too have a hard surface to write on as I motor through the aisles. Plus the clipboard is a lot easier to keep up with than that old envelope we wrote our list on. There is also room to write down those items for special recipes not printed on the list.

I sort of tired to line up the items on the list by groups so I'm not running back and forth in the store like a racer. I also use the clipboard to hold the coupons I need for the list. No way this Thrifty Sissy is going to miss saving a little where I can. I hope this idea helps you all get a leg up on your grocery trips.

Be Blessed and Stay Thrifty!!

The How To!!!

Good Morning!

Well, it seems last week's post caused a stir. Listen if you aren't learning something new you aren't growing and as long as we have breath we are called to keep growing. Some of you wanted to know more about getting the most out of your calendar. So here goes with a few of the things I have learned about getting it together and making the calendar work for me.

First: Someone wanted to know where to get the calendar notebook? Target has some and so does Staples. Probably Walmart as well. Above is a picture of one and the kind of pages you will need.

Second: Take some time to write everyone's birthday, anniversary or important dates all the way through the entire year. Don't just put down this month's important celebrations. That is one of the traps we can fall into. You write things down for one month then forget to go back for the others thinking you just don't have time to do it. But in the long run this will save you more than you know right now.

Third: Get all your appointment cards and the cards for all the people you are responsible for and list them too. Write any and all important dates for get togethers, family reunions, craft fairs, or regular meetings you attend. Now I know you know about all these things but there is something about having them written down that relieves your mind of having to keep up with all of them. Imagine all the brain space you will free up. LOL.

Next turn to the current month. Go to the day by day pages that follow it and begin your plan for the week. I usually sit down on Sunday afternoon and write on each one of those days the things I have written on the calendar. Then I will add any to do's for that day. Take for instance Monday. That is house blessing day. That's what I call house cleaning. Blessing sounds a lot better doesn't it? Then I will write the zone for that week and each days activity for it. I'll explain zones in a minute. Now you may think it is silly to write down your plan for the week but I have found if it is written down 99% of the time it gets done. After all isn't that what we are after?

Then there is anti-proscrastion day which is Wednesday. All those things that you have intended to do but never got around to doing them this is the time to just do one a week on Wednesday. After a month you will have four of them done and in a year, if you have any left, you will have done fifty two. Wow!

 Wednesday is also grocery day. I go on that day because that's when the sales for the new week start and you get the senior discount too. I get my list together on Tuesday along with my coupons and hit the store running. LOL. When I leave the grocery I go right to the gas station. You all know what a pain it is to get gas and it seems you can never make the time to get it until you are running on fumes.

Every Friday is clean out your purse day. Silly... no! Because we all know the things that can accumulate in that black hole. Notes, appointment cards, receipts and of course trash. Which is one of the reasons when we are trying to pay for something we end up dumping our purse on the counter trying to find whatever it is we need. No more!

Now let me explain about zones. When I started following Flylady one of the things she did was divide her house into zones. For me it looks like this: first week of the month is the front porch, the Dining room and the hall. Second week is the Kitchen. Third week is the living room and the 1/2 bath. Fourth week is the master bedroom, bath and closet. Fourth week is the other bedrooms, laundry and bonus room. Now during the first week you will spend only fifteen minutes a day in the zone. Then each week you will move to the next zone all the way through the entire house each month. Fifteen minutes is nothing in the big scheme of things and you will be pleasantly surprised at what all you can do in that time.

The kinds of things I include in the zone are vacuum the edges of the baseboard, clean the inside of the windows, windex the picture frames, polish the furniture, clean out the magazines, dust the light fixtures or ceiling fans. Here is the deal. After you have been through the zones in your house for a couple of months things will begin to look good. No more spring or fall cleaning. You home is clean all the time. If you spend fifteen minutes before bedtime picking things up and putting them away every night there is no mess. You have solved one of womankind's biggest problems... how to have a clean house all the time.

Take it from me this works. Yes, it took some disciple to keep going and get it done every day but when I saw the results I was sold out. Flylady had me lock, stock and barrel. I've been doing this since 1999. Yeah there have been times when I fell off the wagon but it didn't take but a minute for me to get back on. When you have all your important information corralled in a notebook your life is manageable.

But to keep your calendar on it's toes you have to look at it first thing in the morning and you have to keep adding the important things to it as they come up or it won't work. It's all wrapped up in a Nike one liner......JUST DO IT.

Happy Blessed and Very Thrifty Week to You All!!

Write It Down!!!

New Calendar..New Brains!

Full Page Month

Individual Days

Original Flylady Brains

Hello all Thrifties!

I am so glad you stopped by today. As you can see from the title we are going to talk about writing things down. Oh, I know, you know to do that but a lot of the time our well meaning intentions get sidetracked.

We either do really write it down but we can't find it or we wrote it down and it ended up in the trash because it was written on the back of an envelope or an old grocery list. Lol. But I believe I've found a key to this dilemma.

You may want to call it a daytimer although that name went out in the early 2000s. Today it's a month by month calendar. It not only has the entire month on one page but it has multiple pages following each month with space to write your notes day by day. Now I know everybody knows the value of having a calendar but a lot of the time we don't get full use out of it.

Just like when we write our information on the back of things instead of in one central place. For a long time I have called my calendar... my brains. Years ago I started following Flylady. She is a wonderful creative person whose house was a clutter disaster and in nine months time she went through the entire house decluttering, organizing and she set up a plan to keep it maintained. She offered a daytimer, calendar, maintenance zippered notebook. Listen it was the best thing I ever gave myself.

She taught me how to use my calendar to the utmost. She showed how you could keep everything in this notebook and at a moments notice you could produce miracles with your time. I have since gravitated to a more decorative calendar notebook but I still use the principles she developed.

We only have so much time everyday to get everything done. So if we don't manage our time it flies out the window and at the end of the day we are no better off than we were the day before. As women we are responsible for so much and so many things it can be overwhelming.

You may not be a list person if so my hat is off to you. I need a visual reminder of what my day consists of. I need to be able to see if I can figure out a plan to do it. Here's the rule over at our house. If it's not on today's list it probably ain't gonna happen. But if it is there I can usually work it in.

With school fixing to start for so many we will really need that control center set up so we can keep up. Even if you don't have anyone going back to school it would still be a good thing to get yourself together. Just think about the time you went to an appointment and they scheduled your next appointment. They gave you a card but the next thing you know you don't have a clue where that card is. So you have to call them back to find out or you totally forget and miss the appointment. Here's the truth it won't matter how many calendars, daytimer's or post it notes you have, if you don't use them they can't help.

I'll guarantee you one thing if you ever get started using your calendar and keep it up you will begin to feel like it is your brains too. Lol. So let's get ourselves all together in one place so we can keep up with it everything. Now you might be thinking this has nothing to do with being thrifty but the time, money and energy you will save are too much to be counted.

Have a blessed week and remember to stay thrifty!

Consignment $$$

Good Morning to all thrifties!!!

Ready, set, go... clean out those closets and toys. It's time to get ready for consignment season. Kids clothes, toys, games, ladies and men's clothes they all gotta go. You can make yourself some cash for Christmas or some new fall/winter clothes. 

Most of the time it's the kids consignments we hear about but there are ongoing consignment stores open year round. Of course the name brand clothes and shoes will bring the most money but other things that are in good shape will sell too. 

Do you have things hanging in your closet with the tags still on them? What about those items which are too big or little for you? As women we all have a "few" too many shoes. LOL. 

Most of the consignment sales require you to tag the items and put them on wire hangers. You will want to make sure there are no missing buttons or rips. Sometimes they can get by us. Check the church and community websites plus the local paper for upcoming sales. A lot of the time the consignors get to come in the night before the sale starts to shop for themselves. What a benefit! You can get the good stuff for you and your family.

If you go ahead and start working on your things now it will be ready... set.. go to get your things to the sale. I have missed several of them because I didn't have enough time to get things cleaned, pressed and tagged in time to make their deadline. So you can count this as your advance notice. LOL. Plus if your things don't sell at one sale you are ready to move onto another one.

There is no time like the present to "git er' done" so to speak. Let's make some money for the things we'll need this fall and winter. You all know this is an original "thrifty" idea!!! Recycle. Repurpose and Reuse.

Decorating Do-Overs

Before

After a mini "Do-Over"

Merry Monday!

Do you all remember when Spanish was the decorating style? All the red and gold couches and chairs. The dark wood that looked like it had been chopped on with an axe? LOL. What about the country theme? The ruffled curtains, the blue and mauve ducks with bonnets. Then of course came the modern look with lots of chrome and black leather. Now today it's farmhouse, farmhouse and farmhouse.

It also seems if you don't have something, anything you can call farmhouse decor you are way out in left field. The younger generation wants a farm with all the animals too. Never mind the work involved in it. Just think about the baby ducks and chickens. LOL.

 I do think designers come up with the change in home decor just like the fashion designers come up with long pants, then the short pants scenario. With all this being said. How does a person keep up or better yet decide what their home decor taste really is?

I believe it is simply a matter of what you really like to see when you come into your home. What makes you smile? If there are items in your home that someone gave you and you took them because you felt obligated or you liked them to start with but now they have become an eyesore. It's time to move on. It's time to create a "do-over" so to speak.

The best way to create a "do-over" is to empty the room and then bring only the things back into it that make you happy. It might mean you will have a lot less in it too. This might also mean you make a list of things you would like to purchase to give your space new life.

Now don't think I'm talking about a whole new living room suite. The new things could be a picture or repainting a small table. Maybe even a new lampshade for an old lamp you love but know it needs an update. You may not even have to go to the store. You can always shop the house.

A lot of times you have jewels in other rooms that could be brought front and center to take your "do-over" room to another level. Sometimes the only thing needed for a "do-over" is to declutter. If old magazines, books or too many do-dads have overtaken a table removing all that stuff can make your room feel light and airy.

With all the different decorating designs it's all about what you like. It's what you feel warm and cozy with. After all isn't that what "HOME" is all about. It's your nest, very personal and an expression of the way you see things.

So don't let your eyes glass over with dollar signs and get all discouraged because you don't have a designer to come and redecorate your house. You have many talents you may have not discovered yet. Your home is a blank space ready and waiting for your "do-over."

Stay sweet and be thrifty .... always.

Cool Summertime Drink

                                           

Happy Wednesday to You!

Well, now that the 4th of July has come and gone we are officially in full blown summertime. You all know that hot is on the way big time. So how are we going to keep cool?

In the South sweet tea or fruit tea are some of our favorite coolers but there are many more drinks we could enjoy. One of my favorites is called Brunch Punch. This is a refreshing drink to have for breakfast instead of orange juice or with sandwiches for lunch on the weekends.

Here is the recipe for your next cool summer drink.

1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice, chilled

3 cups orange juice, chilled

2 cups cranberry juice, chilled

3/4 cup powered sugar

1/2 cup lime juice

Stir together pineapple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, powered sugar, and lime juice. Serve immediately, or cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Stir before serving. This makes about 3 quarts. You could add orange or lime slices or strawberries to it as well. This would really dress up a pretty glass pitcher. Then just before serving you can drop an orange slice or a maraschino cherry in each glass.

I would like to say this is my very own concoction but my thanks must go to the 2009 issue of Southern Living Christmas at Home Magazine. You can add to or subtract some of the ingredients and make your own special cool summer drink.

Stay cool and stay thrifty too!!!

Low Cost Update

Hello to all you thrifty folks,

With spring in the air we are all ready for a few updates. I decided to start with the mantle since it's the focal point of the family room and of course it has the all important television over it. LOL.

Many years ago when home parties were all the rave I had a Southern Living Show. Oh, the beautiful home decorations they offered. They were a little pricey but depending on your total sales from the show you got a percentage to spend. This was definitely "Thrifty Sissy" type of shopping. 

One of my first picks was two pottery vases. I had a friend who was really good with floral design so she decorated them. I have used these for a long time on each side of the mantel and I still like them. But they needed a new do. Here it the original version.

 Now I did take the tall sticks out of this vase and incorporate them in the new design.

I bought a bundle of pussy willows at the Lawn and Garden show to put with the sticks from the two vases. The earthiness of the pottery vase, the brown sticks with a little greenery thrown in creates a new look. The total cost of this update was $10.00 and a few minutes to place all of the design together. 

If you are considering a spring update Joann, Hobby Lobby and Michael's always have 40% off coupons and plenty of spring flowers and greenery to choose from. You really don't have to have a decorating degree to replace old flowers with a few fresh ones. Or you could buy one of those flower bundles and stick them in a pitcher or vase for a quick update.

Either way it's spring. So let's celebrate. Remember to stay "Thrifty!"

Good Ole' Mason Jars

Good morning to everyone!

It's time to rise and shine for "thrifty" today. Mason jars. Most everyone has a least one or two of these puppies. Maybe you have several different sizes especially if you still can things from your garden. But everyone knows mason jars have moved up a notch or two in the last few years.

You may have been to a wedding or cookout and had your beverage served in a good ole' mason jar. What about all the different ways people are decorating them? Painting the inside as well as the outside for every kind of celebration.

Take for instance Easter. Isn't this the cutest... a jar instead of a basket?

What about Mr. Mason Jar getting all dressed up for the 4th of July?

They can be a vase if you are in a pinch.

They are showing up in the kitchen to hold utensils.

I'm sure the uses for good ole' mason jars are endless. I hope you have gotten some new ideas from these pictures which were copied from Pinterest, one of my favorite time consumers. LOL.

Be blessed this week and remember to keep your eyes open for all things "thrifty."