How did I save money today?

[bkt]

OK, this may seem a little dumb, but I've wanted an antique bankers/lawyers chair for my home office. I find them comfortable enough to sit in all day without been so comfy that I want to fall asleep in them. They are ideal for me for working at a desk. A modern version I recently bought fell apart within a few months.

This weekend, I found an absolute piece of garbage chair at an antiques store. It was painted yellow over chipped shellac. But it was comfortable. And it was antique - and it had the very solid mount I was looking for (without hydraulics). I figured I could probably make a Frankenchair out of the parts, at least.

After a few hours of disassembling, sanding and staining, this became the makings of something downright attractive. The oak is outstanding!! A coat of polyurethane and a couple days later, I now have a new-to-me chair that's perfect, and it's probably the last home office chair I will ever buy.

I paid $48 for this ugly thing at the antiques store. Ebay had the same chair for $450 after someone spruced it up much the same way I did. I'll score that a win.

 

[LadyLocust]

OK, this may seem a little dumb, but I've wanted an antique bankers/lawyers chair for my home office. I find them comfortable enough to sit in all day without been so comfy that I want to fall asleep in them. They are ideal for me for working at a desk. A modern version I recently bought fell apart within a few months.

This weekend, I found an absolute piece of garbage chair at an antiques store. It was painted yellow over chipped shellac. But it was comfortable. And it was antique - and it had the very solid mount I was looking for (without hydraulics). I figured I could probably make a Frankenchair out of the parts, at least.

After a few hours of disassembling, sanding and staining, this became the makings of something downright attractive. The oak is outstanding!! A coat of polyurethane and a couple days later, I now have a new-to-me chair that's perfect, and it's probably the last home office chair I will ever buy.

I paid $48 for this ugly thing at the antiques store. Ebay had the same chair for $450 after someone spruced it up much the same way I did. I'll score that a win.

Not dumb at all ~ that's awesome! Would love to see a pix. By the way, that's what I have and love it!

 

[Neb]

OK, this may seem a little dumb, but I've wanted an antique bankers/lawyers chair for my home office. I find them comfortable enough to sit in all day without been so comfy that I want to fall asleep in them. They are ideal for me for working at a desk. A modern version I recently bought fell apart within a few months.

This weekend, I found an absolute piece of garbage chair at an antiques store. It was painted yellow over chipped shellac. But it was comfortable. And it was antique - and it had the very solid mount I was looking for (without hydraulics). I figured I could probably make a Frankenchair out of the parts, at least.

After a few hours of disassembling, sanding and staining, this became the makings of something downright attractive. The oak is outstanding!! A coat of polyurethane and a couple days later, I now have a new-to-me chair that's perfect, and it's probably the last home office chair I will ever buy.

I paid $48 for this ugly thing at the antiques store. Ebay had the same chair for $450 after someone spruced it up much the same way I did. I'll score that a win.

"The most efficient form of recycling is reuse."

A good part (used to to most)of our furniture is second or third hand. When my was young he and I used to drive around in the pick-up and "shop" for furniture the night before trash pick-up. Got a lot of good deals.

The chair I in almost every night was rescued from the curb. A while ago I broke the arm and did not want to give up on it.



So I fixed and it as good as it was 30 years ago.

My mother was into upholstery and I read her books and watched her work. Good and bad. I learned what made a good chair good. So I am a furniture snob.

Ever sit on the front edge of a chair or couch and realize your butt hurts after a while? That is because there is a board running along the front edge covered with foam rubber. Good quality chairs and couches had a spring edge on the front.

Modern furniture skips that detail and goes with the foam rubber over a board approach.

Some years ago we considered getting a matching set of good chairs for our front porch. I stopped at every furniture store in our area and none of them had spring edges. Further checks showed that I would have to have them custom built!

At that point I decided we will stick with what I have and custom build my own. If I live long enough and get around to that project.

Ben

 

[bkt]

Not dumb at all ~ that's awesome! Would love to see a pix. By the way, that's what I have and love it!

This is the back before I did any work. The whole chair looked like this.

While far from perfect, it suits my needs and looks a lot better.

This image makes the chair look a bit blotchy, but it's actually not like that.

 

[Newbri]

Very simple. I didn't order out. The urge was strong, though.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Not going anywhere.
Not shopping on line.
Just window shopping.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Finally sold the last army truck sunday so no more insurance payments.
Using that money to pay for a local mechanic to go over our other vehicles and fix what needs fixed.
Hopefully that will make them last a good many years more since we don't drive that much. ( no road trips, vacation,etc)

We'll be on a fixed income next year ( about 1/3 of normal) so we're trying to think ahead so we don't get hit with too many unexpected bills and lowering what bills we can. Can never be certain completely but fixing things now will certainly help some

 

[LadyLocust]

Not sure if this really counts, but I received a statement from our former power co-op. I called and said we sold the place. She said they don't payout immediately (think she said this year will pay out for 2015) so as long as I keep my address current, I will continue to get the kickback check until my credit points are gone So that's like free money for paying my power bill for the last however many years.

 

[joel]

Not going anywhere.
Not shopping on line.
Just window shopping.

Yes, that what I do a lot, get the mail, make home made meals, do house & yard things, without buying stuff.

 

[Newbri]

I didn't order takeout. I had a craving for pizza.

Instead of hiring someone for some landscaping, I'm taking it on myself. I'm inspired by my aunt. She's been doing her landscaping mostly by herself for over a year, almost two and it's been a work in progress. Nothing was done overnight, she adds to it, little by little but her garden is adorable.

 

[joel]

" I didn't order takeout. I had a craving for pizza. "
Me, too.

 

[Neb]

" I didn't order takeout. I had a craving for pizza. "
Me, too.

Our life is structured around saving money. I haven't had McDonalds for months and even then it was a special occasion.

Helping my son troubleshoot his electrical issues. That would have cost him a small fortune if he could even get an electrician.

My remodel project is all about saving money on contractors and labor.

Suggesting ordering out for delivery of pizza... The Princess would have a fit. When she retires she plans to start making her own pizza dough again. I do prefer her home made crusts.

Ben

 

[Amish Heart]

Takeout has not been so tasty the past few years. And with the prices going up. If I eat it, I know I can make a better version at home. Tonight is burgers and fries but ours are better.

 

[Neb]

Takeout has not been so tasty the past few years. And with the prices going up. If I eat it, I know I can make a better version at home. Tonight is burgers and fries but ours are better.

Tell me more tell me more...

How do you top McDonalds fries?

Ben

 

[LadyLocust]

Tell me more tell me more...

How do you top McDonalds fries?

Ben

Hubby went to school with a fella who worked in the McD lab full time to try to figure out how to make their fries more addictive. That was his full time job, every day, all day. I can't even imagine.

 

[Amish Heart]

Wash russets, slice in big wedges. Pour some olive oil on a baking sheet, put on the wedges, sprinkle with garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Broil, turn over. Crispy when done. Dip in catsup.
I like them better than Mc D's because I know they are "healthier" and I can eat as many as I want, but they are wedges, so I don't eat so many.
Now Chic fil a waffle fries are hard to beat. I just get irratated with fast food when a basic meal: the burger, fries, and drink are nearly $10. That's crazy. I do like a Braum's burger on occasion. I'm more likely to stop for a really good milkshake or a soft serve. The soft serve where granddaughter works in our little town are a buck. They are huge. Vanilla, Chocolate, or Swirl. The other day was 50 cent cone day. Ice cream is a thing where we live...everyone eats ice cream.

 

[Neb]

Wash russets, slice in big wedges. Pour some olive oil on a baking sheet, put on the wedges, sprinkle with garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Broil, turn over. Crispy when done. Dip in catsup.
I like them better than Mc D's because I know they are "healthier" and I can eat as many as I want, but they are wedges, so I don't eat so many.
Now Chic fil a waffle fries are hard to beat. I just get irratated with fast food when a basic meal: the burger, fries, and drink are nearly $10. That's crazy. I do like a Braum's burger on occasion. I'm more likely to stop for a really good milkshake or a soft serve. The soft serve where granddaughter works in our little town are a buck. They are huge. Vanilla, Chocolate, or Swirl. The other day was 50 cent cone day. Ice cream is a thing where we live...everyone eats ice cream.

Thank you.

@The Princess

I am going to follow this topic to a good end.

Ben

 

[Neb]

Wash russets, slice in big wedges. Pour some olive oil on a baking sheet, put on the wedges, sprinkle with garlic salt and red pepper flakes. Broil, turn over. Crispy when done. Dip in catsup.
I like them better than Mc D's because I know they are "healthier" and I can eat as many as I want, but they are wedges, so I don't eat so many.
Now Chic fil a waffle fries are hard to beat. I just get irratated with fast food when a basic meal: the burger, fries, and drink are nearly $10. That's crazy. I do like a Braum's burger on occasion. I'm more likely to stop for a really good milkshake or a soft serve. The soft serve where granddaughter works in our little town are a buck. They are huge. Vanilla, Chocolate, or Swirl. The other day was 50 cent cone day. Ice cream is a thing where we live...everyone eats ice cream.

Do the dimensions of the fries play a part?

How do you cook them?

Ben

 

[joel]

Mc D's is not a place I eat, I like Five Guys.

 

[Amish Heart]

Cut the russets the long way. Pretty thick. Leave the skin on. Put them in the oven on high broil and turn half way thru.
Remember the olive oil and the seasonings.
My cousin does a similar thing but call them potato wedges...oils them, seasons them, and bakes them in a baking dish...probably at 375 for a half hour or so

 

[PopPopT]

I like Five Guys.

We do that one a couple times a year, usually when we're tired and hungry. Love a good burger. Five Guys has a rather mediocre, kinda non-descript burger to my tastes. Absence of "bad", but nothing to make it really "good" either. But it'll do when I'm hungry. They do well with the toppings, though, which helps to make up for it. I much prefer the burgers I make at home which are nothing more than ground burger (often 73/27) in a half pound patty with a bit of salt and pepper on each side and grilled. Sometimes they get something on them while grilling (worsteshire sauce, bbq sauce). Nothing complicated, really.

 

[Amish Heart]

Saving money by doing the painting on the add on ourselves. Granddaughter and I did two sides of the add on, pretty much, before lunch. Have one peak that we haven't gotten the ladder out for. Tomorrow.

 

[joel]

We do that one a couple times a year, usually when we're tired and hungry. Love a good burger. Five Guys has a rather mediocre, kinda non-descript burger to my tastes. Absence of "bad", but nothing to make it really "good" either. But it'll do when I'm hungry. They do well with the toppings, though, which helps to make up for it. I much prefer the burgers I make at home which are nothing more than ground burger (often 73/27) in a half pound patty with a bit of salt and pepper on each side and grilled. Sometimes they get something on them while grilling (worsteshire sauce, bbq sauce). Nothing complicated, really.

At the risk of a High Jack thread, I totally agree. Great for store made, but nothing like grilled or home made burger. My DW made deer burger to die for.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Honestly, today I failed miserably at saving money, but I was able to invest in some precious metals.... steel, brass, and lead

 

[Tacitus]

Regarding Five Guys: I really like them, but boy are they expensive.

I can't take my son, as he seems to always end up ordering an $18 meal.

 

[joel]

Honestly, today I failed miserably at saving money, but I was able to invest in some precious metals.... steel, brass, and lead

An investment is not a failure, it is delayed profit.

 

[PopPopT]

he seems to always end up ordering an $18 meal.

Ouch... yeah, I hear ya. Sometimes just "gettin' a burger" costs quite a lot more than we think it's gonna. Add the toppings, add the drinks, add the fries / onion rings, etc., and it doesn't take long to go from what initially seems like a $7 or $8 meal to a $20 or $25 meal.

I know it's not exactly the same but I picked up a package of ground burger at a local store for under $8 that made four big juicy half-pounders plus about a third of a pounder... day before yesterday. Good eatin'. Trimmin's weren't awful. Grilled an onion at the same time, had a little cheese and a couple o' 'maters from the garden. Kids wanted a bun, not me, I just wanted the naked burger with trimmin's! (Gettin' hungry thinkin' about it. LOL!)

 

[Alaskajohn]

The wife and I have simply been too busy to log onto Amazon for the past week. Instant savings, but the damn will eventually break. Gotta fund the next Bezos rocket ride.

 

[Newbri]

Other people helped me save money today. Instead of getting a taxi, I got a lift up to a point and spent less on the way home.

 

[Newbri]

Takeout has not been so tasty the past few years. And with the prices going up. If I eat it, I know I can make a better version at home. Tonight is burgers and fries but ours are better.

That is true. Homemade is better.