My Thrift Store Challenge

Before I made my big move to live tiny in the country, I was a city/suburb person. I lived in big houses, bought the latest trendy crap, and dreamed of the "simple life." When I finally made the choice to jump in feet first and make my move, I started making lists. Lists of everything I thought I would ever need in a house. My lists were formed room by room. I mentally checked off everything at first, then I actually made paper lists. For example, a bedroom would need a bed, two dressers (long and tall), two night tables, two lamps, two changes of sheets, etc. You get the idea. I poured over catalogs, wandered in stores, visualized my particular style, and slowly began ticking things off the list as I purchased them. By the time I made my big move I had collected almost everything on the list.

Two Lamps for $10.95. Score!

Over the years I had discovered I got great joy of finding an expensive item at a fraction of the cost on places like Craigslist, Goodwill, and thrift stores. I made a game out of it - a type of adult scavenger hunt, if you will. I got a rush and sense of personal victory never paying full cost for the things on my list. I made a commitment to buy the best, but never pay full price. I also like the idea of buying things secondhand because I feel it is more environmentally friendly.

I went with a good friend thrift shopping on Saturday and scored two terrific vintage tole lamps for my new recording studio at just $10.95 for both. I also found some fantastic vintage oven pads someone's grandmother crocheted for just a dollar. But other than those two purchases, I didn't find anything I didn't already have or simply did not need.

So here I am surrounded by the things I researched, coveted, and collected. But here's the weird thing: Now that I have all these things and the challenge has been met, I find myself kind of bored and miss "the thrill of the hunt." Shopping no longer seems fun. There are no pressing needs or personal missions with which to focus my nervous energies. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed those personal challenges. This got me thinking about setting up a new challenge for myself.

I am setting up a "Self Sufficiency" or "Prepper" challenge for myself. I am going to scour Craigslist, Goodwill, thrift stores, etc. for items for the homestead that will allow more independence. Here are some of the items on my list:

Old School Meat Grinder

• Sausage/Meat Grinder
• Grain Mill
• Kitchen Aid Mixer Add On's
• Cider Press
• Cheese Press
• Large Crocks 
• Dehydrator 2/4/17 ($5 at thrift store)
• Pasta Machine
• Berkey Big Water Filter
• Solar Cooker
• Manual Crank Ice Cream Maker
• Vintage Storage Baskets

I love an adult scavenger hunt. How about you? What are some of the things on your "want" list that you think you could find at substantial savings second-hand?

Thrifty Thursday - Treasures From the Lutheran Thift Shop Sun City, AZ

I love to go thrift shopping. Flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, etc. are great too. I love the idea of donating things I no longer use and how, often, thrift shops are charitable and pay it forward. I have found some great treasures at these types of shops, so I am starting a weekly feature I will be calling Thrifty Thursday. Why? Because if you are not someone who likes the idea of poking through things others have deemed as useless, I hope to help you see thrifting through different eyes.

I live (for now) in Arizona. The city where I live is very close to Sun City, AZ which is a retirement community. A very LARGE retirement community that was built on the site of a former ghost town known as Marrinette. You must be 65+ to live in Sun City and there are no children allowed to reside in the community. Children may visit of course, but the community is exempt from paying school taxes and children may not stay more than 9 consecutive months. As of the year 2000 US Census, there are 38,309 residents in the area. In order to afford to retire in Sun City, you must have a nice nest egg. It is not cheap to buy a house in the community and HOA/Community fees are quite high. According the US Census the average income is around $40,000 a year. These are retired folks, so you know they put by well in order to continue to have an income after retirement.

Why the stats on Sun City? Well they are the source for a large portion of what is donated to thrift shops around here. One scenario is that they are what we affectionately refer to as "snow birds." Snow birds come to Arizona to ride out the winters from places such as Canada, Minnesota, Illinois, etc. and head back to their northern homes once the heat returns (April and May are common months to flee from the inevitable heat). The second scenario is they pass away. Either scenario leaves folks with lots of things that are no longer needed. Many times the elderly have families that live far from Arizona and they simply hire an estate company to come in and run a sale, but if they do come to clean out their deceased parents home, they often only take things of sentimental value and donate the rest to not-for-profit gift shops. One of the largest around here is the Lutheran Thrift Shop.

Yesterday my friends who live on the other side of the valley (about an hour away) drove over to this side to go thrifting at the Lutheran Thrift shop and I tagged along. I just love the mix of the vintage with the brand new or modern. There is everything from fine antiques to newer furniture sets that look brand new and cost a fraction of the showroom cost. I love wandering through and this time I took my camera to take snaps of all the fun, fascinating, and sometimes, very odd stuff. I love the walk down memory lane some of the items take me on. For example, I found a set of dishes I had back when I first got married, 25 years ago. I saw a vintage stroller that looks brand new. I remember those strollers too. I saw hand stitched pillow cases made with love alongside vintage radios families would have huddled around to listen to programs long before television came along. All-in-all, I had a great time and even scored myself a couple of treasures. The Lutheran Thift Shop is a non-profit and it takes up an entire shopping center! There is lots and lots to choose from.

If you are in Arizona, in the greater Phoenix area, you should definitely check out the Lutheran Thrift Shops. They have several locations around the valley in case you don't want to drive to the west valley. If you are moving or have stuff to donate, just give them a jingle on the phone and they will arrange to come pick up all your donated items. Paying it forward while saving some money? Can't beat that!

Found Treasure - Welsh Carved Love Spoon

Searching my local thrift store for a treasures, I came across this unique wooden spoon that is clearly hand carved. I pick it up for just 25 cents and made it mine. I intend to hang it in my kitchen as a symbol of luck carrying on a tradition passed on in my family by my grandmother and my mother. Hanging a spoon (or spoon and fork set) is supposed to bring luck in to a home's kitchen. I like the idea that this little treasure will help add some luck to my magical household. It is also a nice little country touch.

As I sat here looking at it, I wondered about who carved it. The initials B.M. and '03 are carved into the back of the spoon. I couldn't resist poking around on the internet about carved wooden spoons. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I had, in fact, found a Welsh Love Spoon.

Dating back to the 17th Century, Welsh Love Spoons were tokens of love from a man to woman. The man hand carved the spoon out of a single piece of wood. Complexity and symbols carved spoke of the feelings the man had toward the woman as well as the carver's skills. The spoon I found has a single large heart and a smaller heart above it (presumably where you could hang it or put a small leather thong through to hang it). One heart carved speaks of "true and steadfast love". There are many other symbols and meanings such as:

• Heart: True and steadfast Love                                   
• Celtic Cross: Blessing of union/Faith
• Horseshoe: Good Luck and Happiness               
• Lock: Security             
• Harp/Castle: Wales                                        
• Anchor: Settled Love and security or Stable loving relationship               
• Links: Lives linked together                                            
• Bells: Wedding /Anniversaries
• Key Hole: My house is yours/Living together      
• Circles: Eternity  
• Ship's Wheel: Guidance                                     
• Balls in Cage: The number of Children or years waiting to get married   

I am very pleased to think that someone may have made this for their sweetheart as a token of their love. I will hang this spoon in my kitchen and, I am sure for many years, I will contemplate the carver of this treasure. It just goes to show you that you never know what intriguing mystery you may find in your local thrift store.

Have you ever heard of a Welsh Love Spoon? Do you know of any once popular traditions that you carry on or still embrace?