Bargain Hunting
I’m not cheap! I’m thrifty!
Are you a bargain hunter? Some hate shopping the sales rack, or think it’s a waste of time to dig through the bargain bin. However, pinching pennies has its perks, and there’s a certain satisfaction gained by finding a great deal. You know that special feeling found when you think, “I’ve hit flea market lotto!” or someone on Facebook Marketplace has posted the very thing you can’t live without?
Maybe I’m alone in the frenzy of frugality, but the hunt for the ultimate bargain thrills me. Here’s the most recent example. I have been wanting some Adirondack chairs to place around a fire ring behind the barn. I stopped a roadside display and priced a handmade chair from a local artisan. It was a nice wooden Adirondack chair painted red for outdoor use, perfect for my purpose. I could picture the bright red, sleek chairs in front of my fire pit creating the cozy setting I so desired. Yes, I thought I wanted two! But, I almost spit out my drink of water when he casually said $250… EACH! I quickly tallied my ideal sitting spot would cost over $500, so I politely asked for his business card and left. The dream of my pretty red chairs floated away behind me.
Later that evening, while scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, I saw a set of homemade Adirondack style chairs. These poor things had been abused, painted two different colors, and were scratched and dented badly, but I saw potential! Then the moment of truth, $40 for the pair. BINGO! Although pretty rough looking, they were thick, sturdy, and well put together. (Sounds like they were part of my family!) I messaged the seller, and got the deal. A couple of days later, these beat up beauties were standing guard outside my door.
Then I started their transformation on a sunny Saturday with some 80’s music to keep the party going. I had decided to stick with the color red, and we had some leftover red barn paint that would suit the job fine. First, I scrapped the excess peeling paint from the chairs and knocked off some dirt and cob webs. I flipped the chairs and started painting the bottom boards with a wide, soft brush. The chairs seemed to love the paint, and it glided on thick and smooth. The sunshine helped the coats dry quickly, and by the time I was finished with the second chair’s bottom, the first chair was dry enough to flip. Working on the top side was much more satisfying because I could see the finished product starting to take shape. The project was turning out better than I had even expected.
In closing, I love my sturdy red chairs! The best part is they didn’t break the bank, and I had a personal hand in their transformation going from beasts to beauties. Let’s face it. Just because you spend a fist full of cash on something doesn’t make it any better than another similar item. It only means that you sacrificed more money to get it. In this case, the sacrifice was simply my effort, yet that didn’t feel like a sacrifice at all. On the contrary, it gave me fulfillment and satisfaction knowing that I was the one responsible for the end result. It also felt pretty good saving $460. I’m sure my husband will be thrilled as well. Finally, I encourage you to try some second hand shopping like garage sales, flea markets, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and even online posts. You never know what treasure you might find!