The Professional Wardrobe - second hand style

Regular readers know that I've traded in my classroom for a cubicle. I'll have a sizable class, but I'll be teaching them online. It's an exciting move, one for which I've been preparing for quite a while.

My new cubicle will be in an old building that's been remodeled many, many times. It now houses two charter schools on its first floor, IT & helpdesk & Media Central offices along with a computer lab in the basement, and offices on the second floor. The offices include Special Education, Title I, English Language Learners/ Bilingual Education and more department heads. My new workplace, a virtual charter school, is also located on the second floor.

Now the issues: the building is air conditioned. How well? I don't know. It is heated, but old windows are drafty and leak. The end result: I need to dress in layers. Serious, professional, layers. Since I'll be sharing hallways and bathrooms with administrative peoples, I feel the need to upgrade my wardrobe somewhat. Since my take-home pay will be lower next year (thanks to our nasty current state legislature), I was faced with the dilemma: upgrade wardrobe on a downgraded pay scale after a lengthy unpaid leave of absence. The solution was actually quite simple: second hand. Consignment.

The first pair of jackets are good neutrals. They're both brand name pieces, and both were on sale 50% off the marked price.

Then La Petite found some more colorful neutrals for me. I think we'll replace the rhinestone button on the peachy blazer, but I really like the yellow. Fall and spring, pastels for the office.

Then I became more adventurous. Below is a Laura Ashley jacket in great earth tones with scattered shiny trim. Each time I looked at this one I thought of another pair of pants or shirt that would coordinate with it.

La Petite said she wouldn't wear it herself, but agreed that it was a good style and good fit (and fun) for me. Here's the back view. It's fairly lightweight, too.

Then I got serious about having fun. These two pieces were on the clearance rack as I went to check out. It's hard to see the detail on the vest; it's really gorgeous, front and back. These were 50% off the already low consignment price. The shirt is Croft & Barrow; the vest is Coldwater Creek.

All that for a total of (drumroll, please) $60. Five jackets, a dressy shirt, and a vest: I'm rather pleased with the results. Oh, one more detail: only one needs to be dry cleaned. The rest can be washed on delicate cycle. Now that, my friends, is priceless.

Stumble It!

Back to the Farm - Market.

Daisy, what took you so long to post this weekend?

Honestly, it took a long time to organize and prep and put away all the lovely produce from yesterday's Farmers' Market. I usually make a point of sitting outside on the deck, weather permitting, and listening to the birds and enjoying the breeze (if there is one) while pulling the hulls off the strawberries and taking the peas from their pods (the bunnies love the pods) and anything else that needs work. Maybe you've noticed I gave in and bought rhubarb. I remembered that last year I combined my own tomatoes with some that were given to me and some more from the Farmers' Market so I'd have enough for salsa. I tell myself it's okay to combine Market rhubarb with my own, now that I've discovered more ways to can it.

Stumble It!

Traveling thrift and coffee

Morning looks like this in Daisy's hotel room. Another hotel, you ask? I don't get out much, really. The privacy, the lack of schedule pressure, the opportunity to take my time - all make the rare treat of a hotel stay extra special. Nothing fancy, really, just a room with a bed and a good wifi connection. Oh, and coffee, of course.

Back to the beginning. I had a small but delicious complimentary breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and then looked at the clock. No rush to get to Amigo's school; he would still be in class. You guessed it, readers; I played with my favorite hotel toy, the coffeemaker.

While the coffeemaker was working, I dug out quarters for the vending machine across the hall. Overpriced, yes, but it had two of my favorites: raspberry shortbread cookies (for dipping in coffee) and original Fritos for a later snack in the car.

Perfect timing: the coffee was ready!!

While I dipped cookies in the coffee, I used my Droid to look up the nearest thrift stores. Packed, checked out, and in the car: thrift time! For less than $30, I came out with five pair of jeans and three small gifts, all packaged in my BYO bags. What a great and frugal way to start my day!

The thrift store? One of my favorites.

Altogether a relaxing and frugal morning, followed by picking up Amigo at school and coming home. Readers, how do you relax away from home? Shopping? Coffee?

Stumble It!

Holiday shopping the thrift-y way

I admit it. I've been growing greener every year with my holiday buying. Wrapping, too, but that's another story.

Two years ago I gave reusable shopping bags to everyone on my list.

Last year most extended family members received anti-static dryer balls.

This year: I'm not sure. Cloth napkins? That would work for a few of the folks, but not all. Gifts in a jar? That would be a good start; I usually give these to the people who work closely with me at school. Homemade jams? If I have enough, that could work.

Think. Think. Think. Thank Winnie-the-Pooh for this inspirational thought. Think. Think. Think. While I'm pondering the options and considering keeping my pocketbook and philosophies loaded with green, take a look around the blogosphere for others with thrifty gift ideas.

The Elegant Thrifter has authored and published The Find; The Housing works book of decorating with thrift shop treasures, flea market objects, and vintage details. Check out the blog for ideas and techniques and frugal fun.

The Thrifty Chicks update infrequently, but when they do, it's worth reading.

Leah at Suddenly Frugal champions all things lean and green. Recently she gave advice on maximizing the value of your holiday spending and how the US Postal Service keeps the season green.

Sonya at Dime Store Thrift posts great finds and creative ideas and even has her own Etsy shop for selling her thrifty creations.

If you're more bargain cyber-shopper than thrifter, go to WantNot.net. Her tag line "Having it all with less" accurately reflects her personal philosophy and her posts are full of bargains and humor.

Meanwhile, I continue to think, think, think. I don't have a green theme gift yet; maybe this is the year I won't find one that works for all. While I ponder the possibilities, I'll slice up last year's holiday and birthday cards for reuse as gift tags. At least I'll feel useful that way.

Stumble It!

Money Management and Teens

My "kids" are growing up and handling their own money, when they have it. The recession and its credit bust, especially the sub-prime mortgage crisis, made me think again about the importance of growing up money-smart.

La Petite had to manage her budget as soon as she moved into a college apartment. We paid the rent, she split the utilities with her roommate, and she and her roommate handled the daily expenses such as food, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. Oh, yes, I almost forgot - and bunny food and litter box refills.

La Petite had a summer job when she was in high school, babysitting a young girl during the parents' workday. She worked at a big box store's garden center when she was home from college. These jobs provided a chance to develop a work ethic and a chance to handle a bank account. Her checking account is held jointly with me - mainly so I could handle deposits and withdrawals while she was gone to college in a different city.

Amigo's situation is a little different. Teens on the autism spectrum sometimes have a hard time understanding the value of money. He has a bank account (again, jointly held with me, the mom-type person), and uses his own money for a few things. He doesn't have rent or food expenses because he lives in a dorm weekdays, so we parents have to give serious thought to finding ways to help him learn to handle money.

Money management practice needs to be authentic. Playing games, holding discussions, and teaching him scripted money lessons are not very useful. He needs to plan the shopping trip, load his wallet, and go. Last weekend he took his girlfriend to McDonald's. Simple, yes, but a perfect way to find out how much a fast food meal costs and decide if it's a worthwhile use of his dollars.

Debit cards and especially credit cards can strike fear into the hearts of parents of teens. American Express PASS program can help. A PASS card is a reloadable prepaid card that parents can obtain for their teens. It looks like a credit or debit card, so teens won't stick out socially by having a "different" card in their wallet. Since it's prepaid, there is no danger of overspending. The Amex PASS card is accepted anywhere that takes American Express. Parents have control over loading funds, monitoring spending, and even disabling/ enabling the use of ATMs if necessary. Gradually weaning teens from the parental control, letting them make small but correctable mistakes, can be part of the learning process.

My teen is 18 going on 19, older than the target age, but this kind of card would be a useful tool for him. He could learn to keep track of his money online, a more accessible option than a print statement (he's blind). He couldn't overspend, so we'd need to talk over budgets and priorities before hitting the stores. Timing is good right now, too; Amigo loves Christmas and everything involved, including gift shopping.

American Express PASS card has made me think. And when it comes to teaching money management, thinking is an important first step.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of American Express and received a gift code to thank me for taking the time to participate. I did not receive an American Express PASS card as part of the review process; they provided the information and the link to their web site. Check out the site; it's easy to navigate and full of useful information.

Stumble It!

Lemongrass Adventures

We were walking down Main Street on our usual trek through the Saturday Farmers' Market when Chuck said "Let's go back to the booth where we bought the peppers and carrots. She had lemongrass. I want to try it."

I've described our family in Food Network terms: Chuck is more Iron Chef, while I'm more 30 Minute Meals. I'm all about finding a way to create a healthy meal quickly and easily, using local and/or fresh ingredients if possible. The Pantry Raid (Amigo would call it the Garbage Can Recipe) is my specialty. Look through the refrigerator and pantry, pull out a combination of good ingredients, and cook them. I make my way through the Farmers' Market almost like a grocery store trip: list in hand or in head, picking up basic staples or seasonal specialties I can cook, bake, freeze or can.

Chuck, on the other hand, looks for adventure. He spots the freezer truck parked by the coffeehouse (I spot the coffeehouse, of course). The vendor has trucked in farm-raised alligator, shrimp, mahi-mahi, scallops, and a whole collection of meats and seafood (Amigo asks: is alligator surf or turf?). While I'm heading to the next truck for Wisconsin-grown bison meat, he'll pick up the alligator.

Last Saturday he bought lemongrass, a traditional Asian ingredient. He'd overheard another shopper asking about it, mulled it over in his head, and decided to stop by on our way back to the car and buy a bunch of the long, green plant. The seller explained how to use it, and Chuck searched the Internet for more detail. He worked it into a soup and a stir-fry that night.

Most of the 18-24 inch stalk is edible. The end bulb gets cut off (I believe it tastes bitter, but I didn't try it), and the blade operates like a bay leaf - add it to the liquid for flavor and pull it out before serving. There's a fibrous section near the bulb that can be peeled and pounded with a meat tenderizer for use in stir fries or soups or vegetable mixes. It was good, but we're not sure if it was worth the effort.

I saw the term "very pungent" in several posts on this grassy herb. We learned that the bunch we bought downtown could last several months. We only needed one or two stalks per recipe. With that in mind, Chuck washed and cut the lemongrass to a size that would fit in a Ziploc freezer bag. We'll pull it out now and then for a deliciously exotic Pantry Raid or Garbage Can Recipe.

Stumble It!

Back to School: Are your kids ready? You can help.

Sometimes my teenager amazes me. A few days ago he reminded me that we should start getting adjusted to school time. Both of us have been sleeping in - me past 8 a.m., and he past 10. When we have to get up at 6:30 or earlier to get ready for school, it could be a shock to our systems.

That's one tip for getting ready for school: start adjusting the wake-up and bedtimes a few weeks before school starts.

Here's another: take inventory together before school supply shopping. Yes, I said Together. I did this when La Petite was young, and we kept it up for her and for her brother as they outgrew crayons and markers and grew into jump drives and cell phones. Reusing the previous year's scissors and rulers and backpacks saved us a bundle every August. Buying a good quality backpack one year meant I could avoid that cost for the next several autumns, too. Involving the kids meant fewer surprises and less begging. They knew what they already owned and knew what they'd need to buy.

Thinking ahead is a big help. Preparing for waking up early, reading the school handbooks as they arrive in the mail, filling out paperwork as soon as possible: all save time and headaches later. If your paperwork needs a signature, such as a medication form, drop it off at the appropriate doctor's office now. Many physicians are inundated by sports physicals and medication permissions as school starts; give them time to review files and sign the forms.

Obvious though it may sound, read the school's supply lists and follow them. Teachers agonize over these before putting them together; there's a reason for everything. Let me trade my parental blogger hat for my teacher thinking cap for a moment.

Brand names count. I've had to open generic glue bottles many, many times over the years. If the teacher suggests Elmer's, please buy Elmer's. Your child will be relieved to start gluing his projects right away while the others are fighting with their clogged bottles.

Details count. If the teacher requests rulers that measure to the 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch or have centimeters and millimeters on one side, the math or science curriculum probably requires those measurements.

Many teachers color-code notebooks and folders to help kids organize. Seriously, moms and dads, when I ask 28 students to take out their math and I see a sea of blue, I know they're ready for class.

Teachers usually have a few extras, but not enough for the whole class. One of my pet peeves is the child who refuses to bring in a box of crayons, saying, "I can just use yours." No, honey, that's not what the teacher's crayon box is for. That box helps when a child loses his red or his blue and has to borrow one to do the puzzle correctly. If a family can't afford to replace a box of crayons, I have connections to get those supplies donated. But a family who can afford to buy pencils and doesn't? That's simply not acceptable.

Stepping off my soapbox, setting my teacher thinking cap aside, I'm back to being Mom. Making my lists, checking them twice, and remembering to make time to read. After all, it is still summer. Summer means relaxing, and reading is a big part of that. Offline I go, on to the printed page.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get a HarperCollins book set. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Stumble It!

Farmers' Market, Daisy Style

It's a typical Saturday, a bit hotter than most. I hit the ground running and got going to the Downtown Farmers' Market early, before the heat and the crowds could move in.

First step: gather and pack bags. I especially like the one on wheels. That was a find!

Second: find a parking space. Sometimes that's difficult; see, this area is already full.

So I'll park on this side instead, and plug the meter.

Stock up on great fresh foods, bring them home, unpack the bags.

Reach for apron --

-- and finally, get to work.

Stumble It!

Thrifting efficiently - or not

One of my green and frugal goals is to increase thrift store and consignment shopping for the family. I took advantage of being out and about last Saturday and stopped at Goodwill. My goals: a winter jacket for Amigo, and possibility of kitchen pieces.


Amigo has trouble handling a full zipper; engaging the zipper at the bottom remains difficult for him. With that in mind, he's worn half-zip pullover jackets for many years. That style of jacket has gotten harder and harder to find lately. It was in style for a while, especially as a team jacket, but hasn't been a "hot item" in stores since he was 10 years old. Major catalogs such as Lands' End and LL Bean have great parkas and jackets, but they don't have pullovers with the half zip that will work for my teenager. My solution? Second hand! He's worn his current jacket, a $15 investment from a consignment store, for four years now. It's still in good shape, but the zippers are wearing out a bit; they're a little stubborn when he wants to zip the main one all the way to his chin.


I entered the store and went straight for the men's jackets. Two team jackets in his size caught my eye. One was a not-a-chance item: a Chicago Bears jacket! The other was an Iowa State jacket. Well, he would wear it and enjoy it, but it was marked at $34.99. Sorry, thrifty store folk; that's too much to be a deal. I did find a bright yellow pullover at $15, but it was an XL instead of a Large. I brought it home for Amigo to try.


After my limited success in the jacket racks, I cruised the kitchen aisles. Ever since I found a steamer like new at Savers for $2.50, I've keep my eyes open for deals in this department. They had a good looking electric fry pan, but it had - no cord?! and someone with a sense of humor had hidden a pair of pink ballet flast inside. I smiled at the shoes, shook my head at the missing cord, and set it back on the shelf. I did buy a small bundt pan marked at $1.99 and blue tag, this day's 50% color. $1? Worked for me! I'll use it to bake my famous chocolate zucchini cake and my rhubarb crumble bread.


Then I entered dangerous territory: books. I caved, bought the next book by Packers receiver Donald Driver. My students love his first one, Quickie Makes the Team, so Quickie Takes a Loss will surely be a hit, too. It was $10 - a lot for a picture book, but my kiddos will get at least $10 of reading value out of it. Then another title caught my eye - Greasy Rider: Two dudes, one fry-oil car, and a cross-country search for a greener future. I couldn't resist.


My total was a little high for a thrift store trip; $31 with tax.


The good news: the books and the pan will get good use.
The bad news: the jacket was too big for Amigo.
The good news: this store allows returns.
The bad news: returns are only for store credit.
The good news: the store credit has no expiration date.


All in all, it was worth the time. I'll keep looking for a replacement jacket, but he'll be fine for now. And I'll keep thrifting, checking out the deals on things we really need.

Stumble It!

When green products have wasteful packaging

Eco gifts. Love 'em or hate 'em (and how could anyone truly hate a gift that helps keep our planet healthy?), they're here to stay. Last year I gave reusable shopping bags, some simple, some fancy. This year, I'm still looking for the perfect inexpensive eco-gift for my extended family and friends.

Mother Nature Network has an unusual set of gift suggestions in their Quirky Gift Guide. I seriously like these bootie slippers, but they're a little pricey for my gift budget. My favorite, however, is this wallet. If Amigo needed a new wallet, this cute bifold made from ties and suits would be perfect.

I've been thinking of giving anti-static dryer balls as a stocking stuffer. They're inexpensive, long-lasting, useful, creative - all in all, a good gift for the family members who don't need Random Stuff in their Stockings. But wait: look at this wasteful packaging! Much bigger than the product itself, plastic galore, impossible to open without scissors, yada yada yada. In other words, how could such a good product come in such a terrible package?!

I contemplated returning it. Really. In the balance, is it worthwhile? Thinking long term, these simple anti-static balls will keep a year's worth of fabric softener chemicals out of the water supply, save $$ by removing the product from grocery lists, and help take good care of clothing in the process. That's my dilemma: does the good outweigh the bad?

Readers, what do you think? How do you balance the eco-good with the eco-bad? The green with the greenwashing? The green and frugal product in the plastic package?

Stumble It!

Teacher discount season - or not?

I noticed a Walgreens store across town with a sign advertising teacher discounts on Wednesdays in August. I had a shopping list ready, so I decided to try out the store closest to my home, conveniently located on my route to and from school. First, I looked at their sign to see if they were advertising the discount deal.

Hmmm. Maybe not. Is this the advertising equivalent of the blank stare? So I waited a moment, and the sign changed - to this.

I took a chance, went in anyway, and filled my cart. Discount or not, there were many good advertised deals on my list. With a cart full of contact solutions, shampoos, hearing aid batteries, and buy-one get-one vitamins, I proceeded to the checkout with my teacher ID in hand and a question on the tip of my tongue: "I saw the sign on another store in town. Are you also offering the teacher discount?"

Remember the blank stare in the first picture? It was mirrored on her face. "Uh-- I don't know. I'll call the manager." She did, the manager said yes, so the clerk sent me to the correct register for specials like this and paged the other clerk, who joined the Blank Face Brigade as she started up her register. "Uh - I don't know. I'll call the manager." This call included, "How do I ring this up?"

In the end, I did get the discount. Lack of knowledge aside, the store clerks were helpful and willing to ask, and the manager was willing to guide them through the process.

I didn't mention the signs. I thought they had enough on their minds.

Update: It looks like Walgreens may be offering a similar deal to teachers during September. Watch for it in your locals!

Stumble It!

Back to school - a teacher prepares

Teaching is challenging, no doubt about it. Getting ready for a new school year is a process not just for children! I was skimming the usual "get your kids ready for school" articles in the local paper and I had to acknowledge that my own Back to School Routine isn't all that different from theirs.
Getting my room ready is one big item with its own to-do list. More important than the room, however, is my motivation. Moving from summer to fall means adjusting from being able to budget and apply my time according to my own devices to living by a set of bells. It's a big change best made gradually.
One Step: start getting up on time. I've kept myself to a 7:00 wake-up time for much of the summer, but it's been easier and easier to sleep in past 8 lately. Consider that I wake up at 5:30 AM on a regular school day from September through June, and I have a lot of adjusting to do with my body clock.
Another Step: school supply shopping. My students represent all socio-economic levels. More than half qualify for free or reduced lunch, meaning they're either below, at, or close to the poverty line for their family size. Job losses and economic struggles hit these families harder than most. With that in mind, I used a small part of my class budget to stock up on crayons, color pencils, and more while the supplies are on sale.
Yet another step: make sure the family has enough clothing to skip weekend laundry if needed. Everyone has enough underwear and socks; as long as they have drawers in their drawers, they can wear their pants a second and third day if necessary.
One more step: review the new math curriculum. I picked up all my manuals and support materials. I signed up for a day-long training session later this week. That means I'll have to make myself wake up and be alert and concentrate all day: see Step One.
One last step to get through these final preparation weeks: Grind the coffee!

Stumble It!

Shopping 'till your husband drops

Shoe shopping. I enjoy it, La Petite loves it. Husband tolerates it; Amigo hates it. I handled shoe shopping with both boys recently. With Amigo it was enter the store, go directly to the dept., try on two pair, choose the best, checkout, leave. Immediately. Grumpy teenager and tolerant- going-on-grumpy mom survived again.


Husband was similar. He tried on a few pair, chose the pair that worked and fit, then got ready to check out. I managed to walk him through another department so I could get some cloth napkins on sale, and then we checked out. We had success on both counts: picture below.




Imagine my surprise when we were in a Nordstrom Rack store looking for a wallet and he voluntarily walked into the shoe department and picked up a colorful pair of Converse All Star sneakers! La Petite is a connoisseur of Chuck Taylor ("chucks" in her words), and he thought it might be fun to wear "cool" shoes.


Husband? Trying on shoes? Voluntarily? By choice? I had to sit down. Then I pulled out the camera to document the occasion. Maybe I should stop calling him Husband and rename him - Chuck! What do you think, dear?




He bought them. Yes, she was surprised. She was a little impressed, too. She should be: at 22, she's influenced her father's wardrobe! Now if I can keep her from nominating me for What Not to Wear....

Stumble It!

Applying the lessons of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle recently. It is an amazing book, fitting my sensibilities and interests well. Kingsolver and her family dedicated a full year to feeding their family on local foods. The backstories describing her reasoning and the supplemental stories describing her disasters and successes make this a great story. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an easy and fascinating read.


Implementing her advice is more challenging. Kingsolver addresses this, facing the fact that not everyone has a large garden space like hers or the opportunity to raise chickens, turkeys, or other meat animals. She spends a significant amount of space on suggestions for folks like me, people who would like to move toward a more locavore philosophy but face stumbling blocks on the way.

My garden is coming into its season now. I've been gathering spinach and lettuce already, and I found the first handful of beans when we came home from vacation. Pea pods look good, too. This is the first year I've successfully grown peas, so I'll have to look them over carefully to make sure I only pick those that are truly ripe! There are at least three zucchini appearing from the blossoms, and I see flowers on the tomato plants at last.

Here in the Northern zones, we don't get as much food for as long as Kingsolver does on her small Virginia farm. I can use what I have, though, and pick up more local goodies at the farmers' market every Saturday until October. For now, at least, I'll put delicious and local foods on the table. Next year's goal: learn to can. Maybe. We'll see.

Stumble It!

Father's Day is next week: Are you ready?

I'm sort of ready. Husband dropped a few hints, I talked to Amigo and La Petite, and we ordered something fun.

MomCentral knows that Moms often pick up the task of gift shopping, no matter what the holiday. I'm still looking over their connections (a.k.a. Mom Central Father's Day Gift Guide) for ideas, just in case my order doesn't arrive in time.

They offer suggestions and links for gifts in various price ranges. I'm a bargain shopper, but I do check the higher priced options for good quality purchases. Frugal doesn't have to mean cheap.

Husband is a beer man: maybe one of these gift baskets would be good for him. Steak brands? Well, maybe.
This parking aid would be better for my minivan than his car; ever since we lost the tennis ball that hung from the garage ceiling, I've been estimating exactly where to stop. Chocolate? Again, that's more for me.
For the outdoorsman dads, this tent (by Jeep!) looks fun. But if dad's outdoor fun is limited to the backyard and the grill, this chair is still cool.

None of these top the actual gift we have for the Dad in our house. I still plan to stop by the site for their daily giveaways, though. My brother and Husband's brother both have birthdays coming up, and there's always the hidden Christmas gift closet.

MomCentral does not pay an affiliate fee or a bonus for posts like this one. I like MomCentral, and I get a great deal of pleasure from doing book reviews for their site. Don't worry, faithful readers, this is not a paid post. Not at all.

Stumble It!

Does Sears know it's Earth Week?

Green, frugal, or both, I decided to use a mall gift card on Sunday. The card was a student gift that was still burning a hole in my purse. The mall's parent company had been in the headlines because they just declared bankruptcy, so I decided I'd better use the card ASAP, PDQ, before it lost its value.

I started at Sears. They had pruning clippers on sale. Craftsman (warranty), on sale (frugal), sharpen-able (is that a word?): I bought one. While the clerk was running my gift card through the register, I pulled out my chico bag and said, "I don't need a bag. I have my own." The clerk replied, "Oh, you can't use that here."

WHAT??!!? I can't use my own shopping bag? You're forcing me to take your worthless piece of plastic? He insisted, saying it was because I'd be stopped by security if I carried merchandise in any bag but one clearly labeled Sears. I fumed and grumbled my way through the rest of the store, avoiding the clearance racks and other deals for fear of collecting any more wasteful packaging.

At my next stop, Target was actually giving away reusable cloth shopping bags to the first several hundred customers. I sighed with relief and headed to Bath & Body Works for foam soap. They let me use the Target bag and commented on how much they liked it. My last stop, Williams-Sonoma, didn't have the cloth napkins at a price I liked, but they had some sale merchandise from Easter (okay, chocolate) that cost just enough to use up the gift card. They, too, were happy to allow me to use my own shopping bag.

Sears? I've heard rumors that they're not weathering the economic downturn very well. The small plastic bag they forced on me didn't cost the store much, but if they lose many eco-conscious shoppers like me, that'll hurt.

Stumble It!

waiting, waiting, waiting

We looked at cell phones for Amigo at the AT&T store. The new Jitterbug would be suitable, but expensive. we found a couple that would work and then talked to the folks at the store about adding him to our family plan. Then husband went on to other topics, such as the new television and phone (landline) services. I didn't need to hear this and I was tired of waiting, so I went next door in the mall to (fanfare) Famous Footwear!! I tried on five pair, bought two, and then headed back to the store where Husband was still looking at the details of the new television service. He looked at my bag and realized he was taking too long. Heck, the shoes were on clearance!


The next day we found ourselves heading along the highway to Milwaukee for Amigo's appointment with the tummy doctor (the GI specialist). Two hours on the road and I admit it, I was dozing in the passenger seat. Traffic was smooth, so we actually arrived early.

The waiting room would rate low on my quality scale. No toys, a few children's books, a TV set to public television (with an elderly exercise program on when we came in), aquarium in one corner with a few fish. No adult reading material whatsoever: no books, no magazines, not even a stack of health-related handouts. Cell phones are a no-no in this major medical building, so texting La Petite was out.

We coped. Amigo put on his headphones and listened to radio. I sent the restless Husband in search of a newspaper. While he was gone, I made lists.

To-do List #1: must-do priorities for moving into new classroom
To-do List #2: phone calls and appts. to make
To-do List #3: Power Point plan for Open House
To-Do List #4: Power Point plan for students, first day of school

At about that point, Husband handed over a section of the newspaper, and the paper kept us occupied until Amigo's appointment.

Next time I'll bring a book. Actually, the next appointment is in October, so I'll probably have stacks of papers to correct and lessons to plan. Next time, I'll bring my schoolbag.

Stumble It!

Bargains! Bargains galore!

Now that I've got your attention -- Best Bargain Find Ever? Okay, PBN, I'm a bargain shopper, a coupon clipper, and a comparison shopper, too. Singling out one bargain as the Best Ever is nearly impossible. Here are a few examples:


*the inexpensive "calendar mug" form the corner gas station: free coffee on the dates in red
*Amigo's winter coat from the consignment store: a brand name jacket for $20
*swag! Husband picked up a mini jump drive that is the perfect size for my school files.
*books for my classroom from Savers' thrift store: great titles, great price, and I had a newspaper coupon for $5 any purchase greater than $5. Fabulous!
*my new purse from the outlet mall, brand name, half price, will last forever!
*messenger bag for school - already marked down, then entire luggage dept. on 50% the day I bought it
*anything purchased at Steve and Barry's for $8.98!


Planning ahead and being aware is the first step in finding great bargains. Last December I made my list, checked it twice, grabbed my Very Important Customer discount card, and headed out to Kohl's to shop. I knew what I was looking for, so I didn't overspend. It was a big sale day with early bird specials, so I shopped in the morning. After these specials, I used my Kohl's charge and the additional 15% discount coupon. End result: they practically paid me to shop. I watched the numbers on the register go down, down, down, until I couldn't believe how little I paid for the cart full of presents!

Bargain shopping? I'm there, whether it's online or brick and mortar.


Parent Bloggers Network is doing their part to help readers watch their wallets during this economic downturn by co-sponsoring this blog blast with Couponers.com.

Stumble It!

Footwear, footwear

Shoes!! Scribbit's latest Write-Away contest, the one for May, has a great topic: Shoes. Being one of the female persuasion who has always enjoyed the quest for footwear, I knew I'd have a few posts in my archives on the topic. The question will be: which one is the most appropriate for the contest?

Green Bay Packer fans must have the right shoes.

We called it Mort, short for Morton's Neuroma. It's healed nicely, thank you, but it did mean limiting my shoe selection.

The perfect location for some Mother-daughter bonding.

Maintaining the rainbow collection

Procuring the rainbow collection -- oops, I entered that one in Scribbit's contest last August. The topic then was "Collections."


Hmm. Shoes. I can think of something, I'm sure. I am Mama; hear me roar!

Stumble It!

We also need...a list for this

I admit it. My name is Daisy, and I'm a list-maker. Our summer vacation, the first in four years, is still in the planning stages, but I have list potential growing on the same back burner.

Things we should look for now so we don't pay full price later

• A bike rack for the minivan. Amigo's bike will take up a great deal of the minivan's interior. In fact, I'll probably put the cooler in the bike basket and my suitcase under its back wheels. Our bikes (mine and Husband's) will go on a rack on the back bumper. This ought to be a good season for buying a rack like this, so I'll start reading the sporting goods stores' ads in the Sunday papers. Something will turn up. A visit to the bike shop may help, too.
• Husband needs a bike helmet; they're required by law in Canada.
• Amigo thinks I need a swimsuit. Hah! Not a chance. If I wade at the beach, I'll wear my capris. I should, however, make sure Amigo's suit still fits him.
• Travel size generic meds. Let's see -- goodies to ward off headaches, stomach-aches, and motion sickness can fill up the little pocket of my purse.
• Sunscreen. Sunglasses.
• Reading material! Right? Shouldn't I get a few books for the long drive and the ferry ride, too? Okay, I give in, that can wait.

And... I have a new post up at MidCentury Modern Moms today. "My" day is every other Thursday. Enjoy!

Stumble It!