-- Baby Boomers -- Family -
-- Green -- Home and Auto --
-- In Critical Condition -- Lifestyle --
-- Just Starting Out -- Money --
|
Southern Cents
|
|
-- Baby Boomers -- Family - -- Green -- Home and Auto -- -- In Critical Condition -- Lifestyle -- -- Just Starting Out -- Money -- |
|
|
share your thoughts about frugal living at TDS Community Subscribe to Our Money Saving Newsletter Also In This Week's Issue 10 winning ways to land the job you want More Stories About: |
Being a parent is hard. There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of your child, and let them grow up. The hard part is figuring out your own emotions, do you cry, rejoice, or push it to the back of your mind for the time being. It doesn't matter how many times that you go through this milestone, it is always hard. It is the second time for my husband and me, another child has graduated and will soon be leaving home. Why, it seemed like only yesterday that she was chasing butterflies and because of her juvenile speech at the age of three could only manage to call them "buttsuppers". Sitting here, I think of her first attempt at make-up. One inch thick colors adorned her face; it was carefully applied. I was horrified but managed to tell her that she was the most beautiful girl in the world, and then proceeded to point out the most popular and successful girl that was three grades above her. I told her quietly, that it was nice that she didn't hide her natural beauty. It wasn't long before the inch thick makeup had miraculously disappeared, and my gorgeous daughter appeared with a modest dose of mascara and powder. Now we are planning a future around her independence, and I am secretly kicking and screaming with every thought of yet another child leaving my arms. When the young adults are leaving home, one exciting adventure is the decorating of their new home. Some will be living in dorms and others will be living in apartments. Decorating should not be expensive, with some creative and fun ideas you can be set in no time at all. Yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores have a wealth of possibilities if you can look beyond their present shape and color. I spotted an old metal outdoor table and chair set for $15 at one sale and immediately thought of how darling that would be for a kitchen table (or an outside table for a patio). The table has dull white with metal showing through at first glance, but I am thinking, a little sanding and spray paint in the new neon colors will make it exciting in a young person's new home. Of course that got my mind racing! There was little metal filing cabinets, the size of note cards sitting on a table for a buck. It was boring and ugly, yes, I will admit that. Painting them different colors and stacking them would make a statement and be functional as well. They could be used in the kitchen for organizing and could be matched to the colors of the new plastic dinnerware that is offered at most all department stores. One great idea this summer is clay pots. You can find them everywhere for very little money. These can be painted as well and if even decorated with rub on transfers. Lay a piece of fabric or towel in it, draping a little over the sides and you have a container for bathroom items, kitchen utensils, magazines depending on the size of the container. What about those items that you have to have but can't come up with creative ideas? Various Dollar Stores have eating utensil kits for $3.00 to $5.00 and I did find towels at WalMart for $1.66 apiece in pastel shades. Better yet, go back to the yard sales and get lots of old towels for back ups. You know that going to the laundromat will be way down on their list. Towels are a big necessity and can be used for many things. Use them to cover old end tables or to put over the top of the old fridge. Remember when you first started out? There were lots of places that needed to be hidden, and towels did the trick! I remember that my husband and I had an old trunk that we used for a coffee table. We stored seasonal items inside and covered it with... you guessed it... a towel! Start saving all of your margarine containers, those will be needed in that old fridge to hold the food and store odds and ends in the cupboards. Remember these words - food containers are my friends. You would be surprised how many uses you can find for these when you are on a budget. Forget those fancy schmancy plastic containers at the store!
Smart Living Tips: Yikes! Before you call a repairman for when that appliance goes on the blink, try this: Many of the major manufactures have easy repair tips over the phone! This handy list can save you big bucks:
Tina's Last Word: Hey kids, call home! Tina Shake, mother of two sons (24 and 15 years) and one daughter (18 years) and grandmother to a 13 month old, is a freelance consumer writer from Southern Indiana. She publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Smart Living that focuses on manufacturers promotions and living smarter (and cheaper) in everyday situations. Tina is a newspaper columnist and writes for various magazines. Send $3.00 for a sample copy of Smart Living Newsletter to: PO Box 353 Odon IN 47562 Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please send it to tips@stretcher.com. We get the best ideas from our readers!
When Your Friends Struggle A Decision to Stay Home 5 Tips for a Happy Thrifty Holiday
Ideas for Working Moms
|
Copyright 1996 - 2008 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.". All rights reserved unless specifically noted.
Write to the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton
FL 34280-4160
941-761-7805 voice
941-761-8301 fax
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
