September frugals

[rosarugosa]

Here's a frugal intertwined with a not so frugal: during the summer, our pottery teacher sells beautiful bouquets from her cutting garden. I indulge myself weekly, because I absolutely cannot resist a gorgeous bouquet arranged by someone with a degree in fine arts for $15! The bouquets last over a week, so I feel like it's money well spent, but certainly an indulgence. Anyway, I wanted to buy flowers for a special person's birthday. I reached out to our teacher, and arranged to pick up an especially nice bouquet from her home for $20. That's less that I would have paid for even a grocery store arrangement, and it was quite spectacular. The recipient was delighted!

[iris lilies]

I love that you are buying regular bouquets from her cutting garden. We have two cutting garden operations outside of my town here. I don’t know who they sell to other than in the markets and festivals. I see them around, but I’m glad they’re here.

[SiouzQ.]

Thanks Tradd and Rosarugosa: I will check with the library I go to in Santa Fe to see if they offer that app. Wow, $7.99 a month for Sirius?!! I think he got it down from $30 to $17/month (yeah, I know, he doesn't notice the creep on the cost of things at all).

K. had never paid much attention to his spending habit his entire life so we are coming from very different places in regards to how we individually view money. Over the years from him I have learned that money is just a tool to use and that it is okay to enjoy some things and from me he has started to look a bit harder to where his money goes. If he had done that long ago he would have had A LOT more money in a 401k by now because he has always had decent jobs but that's okay. He does have a 401k from the last job that he got laid off from and I have most of that money I religiously hoarded all those years.

I believe it will all work out for us even though we were kind of thrust into retirement sooner than we'd planned.

[rosarugosa]

Thanks Tradd and Rosarugosa: I will check with the library I go to in Santa Fe to see if they offer that app. Wow, $7.99 a month for Sirius?!! I think he got it down from $30 to $17/month (yeah, I know, he doesn't notice the creep on the cost of things at all).

K. had never paid much attention to his spending habit his entire life so we are coming from very places in regards to how we individually view money. Over the years from him I have learned that money is just a tool to use and that it is okay to enjoy some things and from me he has started to look a bit harder to where his money goes. If he had done that long ago he would have had A LOT more money in a 401k by now because he has always had decent jobs but that's okay. He does have a 401k from the last job that he got laid off from and I have most of that money I religiously hoarded all those years.

I believe it will all work out for us even though we were kind of thrust into retirement sooner than we'd planned.

It sounds like you provide good balance for each other. I do think there are different levels of Sirius radio, and we don't have the most deluxe package. For example, we don't get any sports, which is fine for us but not for everyone.

[rosarugosa]

This was one of my best frugals ever!
Backstory: We recently replaced 3 steam baseboard units with small cast iron radiators. It was pretty expensive, but the baseboards have been nothing but trouble and never provided adequate heat. The new radiators are a totally different size/shape, so things currently look like crap. It was one of those improvement projects that will necessitate some additional projects/expenditures.
Yesterday: A woman posted a custom radiator cover on our FB free page. She said, "Custom metal radiator cover.. 73 1/2 inches long 9 1/2 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches deep.. Maybe someone could get lucky with these dimensions ?"
My space in the bedroom is EXACTLY 73 1/2 inches. It's between two bookcases, so the exact same measurement is amazing. We went to pick it up, and put it in place and WOW! DH was so annoyed initially, what a pain, probably won't fit, then it will be our piece of junk to deal with, grumble, grumble (he is quite the little ray of sunshine), but he was certainly impressed after the fact.
Before and after pics (I know I need to do a little bit of decluttering in this room):
radiator cover before.jpg
radiator cover after.jpg

[happystuff]

Nice! We currently do not have radiator covers, so I do appreciate that you got one for free!!! Congrats!

[iris lilies]

This was one of my best frugals ever!
Backstory: We recently replaced 3 steam baseboard units with small cast iron radiators. It was pretty expensive, but the baseboards have been nothing but trouble and never provided adequate heat. The new radiators are a totally different size/shape, so things currently look like crap. It was one of those improvement projects that will necessitate some additional projects/expenditures.
Yesterday: A woman posted a custom radiator cover on our FB free page. She said, "Custom metal radiator cover.. 73 1/2 inches long 9 1/2 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches deep.. Maybe someone could get lucky with these dimensions ?"
My space in the bedroom is EXACTLY 73 1/2 inches. It's between two bookcases, so the exact same measurement is amazing. We went to pick it up, and put it in place and WOW! DH was so annoyed initially, what a pain, probably won't fit, then it will be our piece of junk to deal with, grumble, grumble (he is quite the little ray of sunshine), but he was certainly impressed after the fact.
Before and after pics (I know I need to do a little bit of decluttering in this room):
radiator cover before.jpg
radiator cover after.jpg

That radiator,cover is the score of a lifetime! That will be in your house long after you are gone. Wow!

[catherine]

I agree with IL!!! That is AMAZING! it looks fantastic, too! (Reminds me of the one my MIL had covering her radiators. It was in her living room, and it blended in beautifully with the furniture.) Congrats!!

[Tradd]

Radiator covers make a huge difference.

[rosarugosa]

I am seriously grateful and amazed that this free score has the visual impact of a major home improvement!