I love garage and yard sales--"yard-sailing" as my mom calls it. Here are some good tips from the experts:
Ten Garage Sale Shortcuts
1. There are two kinds of garage sales - the ones where people want to make money and the ones where people want to get rid of stuff. The object is to find the ones where people want to get rid of stuff.
2. Get a map and newspaper and map out your route. Photocopying a map from a phone book or printing one from the web works great. Using this method, you can easily visit 25 sales an hour. If you're a beginner you might hit neighborhoods you are familiar with first.
3. If at all possible, leave the kids at home. If you must take them use a baby backpack or an umbrella stroller to make it easier. Give older children 25 or 50 cents and let them see what good deals they can get. Kids love picking out gifts for grandparents, siblings, parents and other family and bargain hunting helps them learn about money. Bring snacks (animal crackers, cereals, crackers in plastic bag works well) and cold water for everyone and plan ahead for potty breaks. If you have children with you, it's best only to plan on hitting about five sales until you see how they do.
4. Wear cool, comfortable clothes. Bring lots of change and one dollar bills. Put your money in your pockets so you don't have to worry about carrying your purse. Also bring a tote bag in which to carry your finds as you walk.
5. When you find something you're not sure you want, pick it up and carry it around while you continue looking. Otherwise someone else may take it while you're trying to decide.
6. Always ask politely if they will come down on the price. Most of the time they will. Every once in a while some things are so reasonable that I do not feel right asking for less. Finding women's sweater's at $1.00 each isn't bad, but I still ask if they will take 50 or 75 cents. If I find a name brand sweater in perfect shape for 25 cents, I don't ask for less.
7. If there is something you really want, but the seller is asking more than you want to pay, offer them a lower price. If they say no, leave your name and number and ask them to consider selling it to you at your price if they still have it at the end of the day.
8. Always check items well for hard to see tears, stains, or breakage. Remember it is a garage sale so everything won't be perfect.
9. It is best to go early, but don't panic if you can't. Sometimes you get the best buys after lunch when sellers are tired and don't want to have to drag everything back into the house. It's great to go on the last day of a sale because most sellers will almost pay you to take things so they don't have to keep them.
10. If you don't have success in one part of town, try somewhere else the next time. Sometimes the best garage sale neighborhoods are the ones you don't expect.
Don't be embarrassed about buying at garage sales. Some of the wealthiest women in the world love garage sales - Martha Stewart and Oprah are among them! When you're done, go home, put up your feet and have a nice glass of ice cold lemonade. Grab the phone and call someone who will share the excitement and appreciate your good buys. Garage sales are like old fishing stories. Die-hards always brag about the one that got away!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Cool new eating ideas we've picked up here
Several things we eat now that we probably never would have tried back home:
Edamame' (ed-uh-'mah-may) Usually find them as appetizers at Oriental Restaurants. (Btw, no one says "oriental" here--the term is "asian".)
Anyway, edamame is just steamed soybeans in the pod--usually lightly salted. They are so good! I found them at the Trader Joe's and felt as though I'd found a treasure! Also, the good thing about soy, as most vegans know, is that it's a complete protein, like eating meat. It tastes kind of like peanuts and looks like peas in a pod. And, it's kinda fun to eat.
Soy milk Ok, I know you are all going, like, ewww!! haha. Well, the older I get, the more sensitive I've become to milk and milk products. I also believe that it's not the lactose in the milk, but the protein itself; as the lactose pills don't seem to help. But I am a big cereal fan, and wanted to find an alternative. I tried rice milk, but it just didn't do it for me...so... soy milk was the next alternative. The taste is definitely acquired, but doable. The only thing I can't do is brownies and soy milk, but I just stick with water when eating a brownie, as, 1. don't need the extra calories from milk, and 2. I know the pain that cow's milk causes is NOT worth the taste of the milk with the brownie.
Ground turkey There was a sale at the grocery store not long ago, so I thought I'd try it, as poultry is better for you than red meat. I have to admit, I wasn't impressed at first. I tried making hamburgers out of it, and it has kind of a gamey taste as compared to regular hamburger meat. I didn't want to throw out the remainder, so I ground it up and put it in spaghetti. It was a little better, but still didn't do it for me. Then I decided to add a little beef bouillon to the meat to help along the flavor. Aha! that was it! Now it tastes like a very mild beef. We've pretty much completely switched, except for hamburger steak. So tacos, spaghetti, and beef skillet fiesta are now all turkey based. Not sure how prices are back home, but here ground turkey is cheaper than ground beef.
Enchiladas Never knew how to make them back home, and never used soft corn tortillas. But, everyone here has some variation of enchiladas, and I've come up with my own version as "enchilada casserole". mmm-hmmmm. It is good. Maybe I will make them for the next get-together when we get back home and you can let me know what you think.
In 'N Out Burger Only THE best burger joint ever invented. Everything is fresh and homeade, like a mom'n pops, but it's a chain out here. Kind of like Chick fil A for burgers. The fries are also homeade and they have a window next to the drive-thru where you can watch them putting the peeled potatoes through a potato-dicer 'thing'. So much fun! In N Out also has great benefits for their employees and pay higher wage than minimum wage. So their employees tend to stick around and are very friendly. I've seen the same people working there as long as I've been here.
Indian Cuisine Most of you know that we have 2 house mates: Brian and Abraham. Brian is from MI, but Abraham is from India! yup, you guessed it--we have been treated to Indian food a few times and LOVE it! Their spices are good--a lot of hot, sweet spices, like curry and ginger. They have a great bread, called 'paratha', made with some kind of oil and grilled in a skillet. Looks like a pita or tortilla, but has a richer flavor (as it has more fat). My favorite Indian dish is "chicken tica masala"--a chicken dish made with yogurt and spices, served over rice. I know it sounds weird, but it's real good.
So, we have definitely had our culinary horizons broadened. Just gives me more meal ideas for when I get home. Now I just need to get a Trader Joe's in B'ham...
Edamame' (ed-uh-'mah-may) Usually find them as appetizers at Oriental Restaurants. (Btw, no one says "oriental" here--the term is "asian".)
Anyway, edamame is just steamed soybeans in the pod--usually lightly salted. They are so good! I found them at the Trader Joe's and felt as though I'd found a treasure! Also, the good thing about soy, as most vegans know, is that it's a complete protein, like eating meat. It tastes kind of like peanuts and looks like peas in a pod. And, it's kinda fun to eat.
Soy milk Ok, I know you are all going, like, ewww!! haha. Well, the older I get, the more sensitive I've become to milk and milk products. I also believe that it's not the lactose in the milk, but the protein itself; as the lactose pills don't seem to help. But I am a big cereal fan, and wanted to find an alternative. I tried rice milk, but it just didn't do it for me...so... soy milk was the next alternative. The taste is definitely acquired, but doable. The only thing I can't do is brownies and soy milk, but I just stick with water when eating a brownie, as, 1. don't need the extra calories from milk, and 2. I know the pain that cow's milk causes is NOT worth the taste of the milk with the brownie.
Ground turkey There was a sale at the grocery store not long ago, so I thought I'd try it, as poultry is better for you than red meat. I have to admit, I wasn't impressed at first. I tried making hamburgers out of it, and it has kind of a gamey taste as compared to regular hamburger meat. I didn't want to throw out the remainder, so I ground it up and put it in spaghetti. It was a little better, but still didn't do it for me. Then I decided to add a little beef bouillon to the meat to help along the flavor. Aha! that was it! Now it tastes like a very mild beef. We've pretty much completely switched, except for hamburger steak. So tacos, spaghetti, and beef skillet fiesta are now all turkey based. Not sure how prices are back home, but here ground turkey is cheaper than ground beef.
Enchiladas Never knew how to make them back home, and never used soft corn tortillas. But, everyone here has some variation of enchiladas, and I've come up with my own version as "enchilada casserole". mmm-hmmmm. It is good. Maybe I will make them for the next get-together when we get back home and you can let me know what you think.
In 'N Out Burger Only THE best burger joint ever invented. Everything is fresh and homeade, like a mom'n pops, but it's a chain out here. Kind of like Chick fil A for burgers. The fries are also homeade and they have a window next to the drive-thru where you can watch them putting the peeled potatoes through a potato-dicer 'thing'. So much fun! In N Out also has great benefits for their employees and pay higher wage than minimum wage. So their employees tend to stick around and are very friendly. I've seen the same people working there as long as I've been here.
Indian Cuisine Most of you know that we have 2 house mates: Brian and Abraham. Brian is from MI, but Abraham is from India! yup, you guessed it--we have been treated to Indian food a few times and LOVE it! Their spices are good--a lot of hot, sweet spices, like curry and ginger. They have a great bread, called 'paratha', made with some kind of oil and grilled in a skillet. Looks like a pita or tortilla, but has a richer flavor (as it has more fat). My favorite Indian dish is "chicken tica masala"--a chicken dish made with yogurt and spices, served over rice. I know it sounds weird, but it's real good.
So, we have definitely had our culinary horizons broadened. Just gives me more meal ideas for when I get home. Now I just need to get a Trader Joe's in B'ham...
Friday, March 09, 2007
Kids say the darndest things
Frankie: "If you don't stop, I'm gonna get on your nerves!"
Steven: "Huh! My nerves are strong enough to handle you!"
Steven: (in a LOUD outside voice at church) "Mama, I passed gas! I didn't poop!"
Steven: "Mama, can I have flappy peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" (As opposed to toasted)
Me: "Oh, you mean a 'floppy' pbj?"
Steven: "NO Mama! A FLAPPY peanut butter and jelly sandwich! And can you switch the jelly to honey?"
Steven: "Brian, why are you naked?" (after walking in on Brian as he was getting out of the shower.)
Frankie: "Mama, the Tooth Fairy forgot to come last night." (Oops. Shoot. We forgot to switch his latest tooth for a dollar.)
Frank: "That's ok, buddy. Maybe the Tooth Fairy's working the day shift."
Steven: (after Frank walked in the door wearing new shoes) "Daddy, your shoes are beautiful!"
Steven: "Huh! My nerves are strong enough to handle you!"
Steven: (in a LOUD outside voice at church) "Mama, I passed gas! I didn't poop!"
Steven: "Mama, can I have flappy peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" (As opposed to toasted)
Me: "Oh, you mean a 'floppy' pbj?"
Steven: "NO Mama! A FLAPPY peanut butter and jelly sandwich! And can you switch the jelly to honey?"
Steven: "Brian, why are you naked?" (after walking in on Brian as he was getting out of the shower.)
Frankie: "Mama, the Tooth Fairy forgot to come last night." (Oops. Shoot. We forgot to switch his latest tooth for a dollar.)
Frank: "That's ok, buddy. Maybe the Tooth Fairy's working the day shift."
Steven: (after Frank walked in the door wearing new shoes) "Daddy, your shoes are beautiful!"
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