I hope you will like it!

♥

Ewa

Second har affärer har blivit allt mer populära nu och det är många som köper och säljer begagna kläder. Jag tänker iallafall ta mig en titt på second hand kläder.

There is nothing simple about buying a car in this day and age. It's a stressful event and one that should be avoided like the plague by anyone with a weak heart, on blood pressure pills or likely to buckle easily under pressure.

Simply trying to choose between the small cars, sports car, saloon cars and 4WD's can bring on a migraine. Trying to decide what colour and 'package' you want on your car can leave you dazed. Making sure that the amounts on the final contract tally with the amount you verbally agreed can leave you completely confused - and often massively out of pocket.

Of course if you were to believe the advertising hype, then every new car on the market can and will make heads turn in the street. They can cross a mountain range without getting dirty and house an entire happy smiling family - with children who never bicker, scatter crumbs like confetti or throw up all over the shiny leather upholstery.

Putting aside this ever so slightly rose tinted image of those who drive cars, it is the ridiculous selling spiel of car ads that can make you shake your head in disbelief. For example, in a safety mad world full of test dummies and statistics it would surely stand to reason that an airbag would come as fairly standard in every car. Yet here some manufacturer still advertise them as a 'feature', along with the tyres, handbrake, engine and wheels nuts... Surely an integrated sat nav system and heated seats would be considered 'features', not those parts of a car designed to actually save your life.

Before going out on the great car hunt it is important to realise that the rules of the game over here are very different to the UK. For starters it is hard to find anywhere to go to actually get yourself a bargain. Dealers seem to close ranks to protect themselves from buyers trying to play one off one against the other and salesmen appear to be immune to any form of negotiating. A 'deal' is what is already written on the car's windscreen, anything else is apparently an insult. Even when searching on the Internet, the countless websites offering to secure you the 'lowest price possible' only charge you for the privilege and then lead you straight back to the local dealer you have already visited.

One of the biggest differences in the car industry here is that it can be just as cheap, if not cheaper to buy a brand spanking new car as it is to buy a used one. Whether out on the dealers forecourt, advertised in the Quokka or parked on the kerb of every roundabout at the weekend, used cars can be expensive to buy. This would of course give the illusion that cars hold their value well - a claim that is certainly made by every salesman about the particular brand they are trying to flog you. The only trouble is, that as far as the owner of the car is concerned, this is only partly true.

If you buy a car from a dealer and then decide to take that very same car back to trade in just 6 months later you might be in for a shock. Suddenly the 'value' of your car has dropped by $1000's. Countless excuses will be given as to why this car (the one in exactly the same condition as when you brought it) is suddenly no longer  worth what you paid. You will even be made to feel unrealistic, greedy and naive for expecting more back than they are offering. Yet drive by the forecourt a week later and you will no doubt see your car has miraculously regained it's value and is once again worth pretty much what you paid for it in the first place.

No one is disputing that every dealer needs to make some money, but why do car salesmen have to use every known underhand method from the 'How to screw your customer over' guide to selling a motor. Of course everyone knows that it's  going to happen, it's part of the game in a very cut throat industry - but why does it have to be so unsubtle that it becomes down right insulting. Hard sell takes on a whole different meaning, they may as well just pin you down and hold a crow bar to your jugular until you offer to pay them to take your heap of a worthless car back off you.

Of course it is undoubtedly harder for dealers to make as much off your trade in here, with an automatic fixed fee to be paid by the dealer on a car before they can even hike up the price and try to resell it. But it's even harder to feel sorry for them, when they instantly try to claw this money straight back off you through overpriced paint protection products, tinted windows and extended warranties. A warranty that incidentally then ties you to a twice yearly service with the dealer in order to keep it valid.

There is a great list of all the tricks and cons used by car salesmen on the Web, one that is definitely worth a read. We did, and when we put the theory to the test unsurprisingly 9/10 of those who rushed out to meet us were true to the list and passed with flying colours.

Of all of the lines that we were fed, the most jaw dropping of all was that we would only be given a trade in price on our car when we had signed a contract to buy another car. Why? Because in her words 'the price they would offer changed from day to day'. As if. Did we look like we just fell off a passing banana boat with half a brain between us? To really add insult to the attempted day light robbery, when we said that we weren't ready to 'commit' to her there and then, she basically threw a business card at us and walked straight out of the door to the next unsuspecting customer. To say that the whole experience was more doom than Zoom Zoom Zoom would be a massive understatement. We hot footed it immediately and left her offending and definitely unwanted business card propped up in the branches of the nearest tree.

Yes I know that not all salespeople are the same. My husband worked in the industry for years and he certainly didn't work that way. But as is often the case (think double glazing salesmen and dodgy builders) it only takes one bad experience and a shifty individual to make you wary of anyone bearing down on you with an insincere smile and monthly targets to meet.

I'm glad to say that we did eventually find something of a rarity in the industry - a salesperson who was not only genuine, but also went out of her way to help us. She proved that it is possible to be nice without being smarmy, that you can sell without using thumb screws and that when it comes down to the customer, people will always be happier to buy from people, those that they like and respect, not those that try to patronise or bully them.

: : : : : : : : : : :

1992 year, 2400cc diesel turbo.

PS, PW, AC, E-mirror, Center locking, Sunroof, Spare tire,

Big type bumper guard, BOSCH Fog lamp,

Here are my goals:

(Note Done Yet)* Unplug what I can when the appliances/electronics are not in use.

I saw on either HGTV or DIY a nifty idea. You take a shoe box with a cover, cut holes in the sides for different cords, place your power strip inside the box (feeding the cord out one of the holes and plugging it in to the outlet), and then feeding into the box the plugs from the appliances/electronics. Plug these into the power strip and cover the box. You can decorate the box before doing this if you would like. The box can be placed anywhere accessible so you can easily turn the power strip on and off, and should not look gaudy.

I suppose that we could also try to attach the power strips to the wall/entertainment center/cabinets. I wonder if this would work, and how. I will have to look into it.

These appliances/electronics use electricity even when they are turned off, so it will save money to use one or more of the techniques above.

My dishwasher is portable, so it is unplugged after each use so that it can be rolled back to its place in the kitchen.

I always keep the small appliances on the counter unplugged when they are not in use.

We do not leave cell phone and other chargers plugged in when not in use.

(Still Have to get into this habit)* The desk top and laptop should be turned off and unplugged when not in use, as long as I will not need them again withing a half-an-hour.

(Good deal for me, not for her. At least she tried)* My daughter and I will be purchasing Diva Cups next week. This will save a lot of money each year that we otherwise would be using to pay for tampons and pads. Though they cost more than I would like, we will recover the cost of them before the first years use is up. We understand how to use them and how to keep them clean, and each one will likely last 10 years. Using the Diva Cups will also enable us to throw less trash into landfills, save money on toilet paper, and not flush tampons into the sewers. Plus, they are healthier for us.

(So far, so good with this one. For both of us.)* Though I am not 100% sure about the Infinity Razor for women, my daughter and I decided that we will each give one a try. Supposedly, these will last many years, and will be replaced free if they do not. This could save quite a bit of money. It could also help our Earth by us not throwing all of the used disposable razors and blades into the landfills.

(Purchased the fabric, but I have to find my pinking shears to cut them out with. Or another good pair of my scissors.)* Less toilet paper goal. This one I will be doing, not my daughter, the daycare children and company. I am going to be doing a sort of trial, using premade cloth wipes instead. This won't even be as bad as changing cloth diapers, as I am not collecting waste, just wiping. Sounds gross, yes. But it will be helpful. I will keep a covered bucket in the bathroom filled half way with water and baking soda for soaking. I will make the cloths myself, and reuse a bucket (instead of throwing it out). If I decide I don't want to continue with this, I don't have to. But, if I decide to keep using theis method, I will be saving more money on toilet paper, and flushing less waste.

(Done)* Household cleaners. I recently found a recipe for for powdered dishwasher detergent. Though I haven't tried it yet, I am planning to soon.  I already use vinegar in the rinse cycle.

(Still Looking)I am still looking for a liquid dish detergent for sink washing. And, I need an environmentally safe, non-toxic substitute for bleach.

I have already made posts for the household cleaners and laundry detergent that I make.

These cleaning products are cheap to make, and are not harmful to the environment.

(Still need to do)* Batteries. The neighbor gave us a small battery charger for AA and AAA batteries. We will have to invest in the rechargeable batteries. I would also like to see if I can find a charger that will take 9-volts, C's and D's as well. If I can, I will give the small charger to someone else who wants to help our Earth. How many time can a rechargeable battery be recharged?

(Hanging when I can, but there has been so much rain. I need to find a permanent inside place for hanging to dry in my too small home.)* I have begun hanging out laundry again, which will help to lower the utility bill for the spring/summer and fall. My goal for next winter is to hang the lighter things to dry somewhere inside the trailer.

(Done, plus I have been using the towels twice)* Saving water. We already wash full loads of laundry, so there will not be much of a change in this area. I am sure that there are some articles of clothing that I can wear more than once before washing. Tops mostly. Maybe pants every so often.  I only use one towel to dry off with, and really prefer to wash it after each use, but I am willing to hang the bath mat rather than washing it each day.

(Doing these most of the time) When I am gardening, I do a few things to help save money and water. First, I dump the dish pan water in the flower gardens. For the herbs, fruits and vegetables, I will use the cold water I run while waiting for the dish water to heat, as well as the cold water from the tub. This year, I plan to put a bucket in the shower to catch water as well. I will place it under the shower head. I will also use the water left in cups, and the water from cooking hard boiled eggs, pasta and vegetables in the gardens.

(Done) We will take shorter showers.  I will teach my daughter and the daycare children to wet their hands and then turn the water off until they are ready to rinse their hands off. And to do that quickly.

I already use the shortest wash cycle in the washing machine, and we do not flush every time we use the toilet. Just for #2's. And I swish the toilet each day so that it doesn't get yucky!

We turn of the water while brushing our teeth.

(Working on this - I do not buy individual drinks to keep in the refrigerator any more)* Plastics. I will try putting the yucky faucet water into a pitcher in the sink, whenever I can't get well water from my mother or sister. I hear that, after leaving the water in the refirgerator over night, the chlorine is supposed to evaporate when you do this. This will not only save money on bottled water, but it will also mean that people will not have to use precious resources to recycle these bottles.

(Purchased some reusable containers for packing lunches) (Re-use aluminum foil) I wash and reuse all plastic baggies that we use. These are great for freezing and for storing foods that you do not want a lot of air getting into. I will not likely stop using these all together, but I will cut down on the need to buy so many.

We have enough reusable water bottles so that we do not have to buy drinks in plastic bottles at the store.

I do have reusable plastic silverware and snack containers for picnics. I am actually purchasing as much of this stuff as possible at yardsales. Saving them from the landfills...(I also have a fabric table cover, napkins and placemats for our picnics, as well as reusable totes and lunch boxes.) I am working on this area.

Less plastic in landfills would be a good thing.

(Worke well)* As for food, I purchased a box of those bags that they are advertising on television. The reusable ones. We waste a lot of our precious food dollars by throwing out things that we do not have time to eat. These bags should help to keep our fruits and vegetables frehs longer.

(Not yet)I would also like those lids that they are advertising. The ones that you press down on to keep foods fresher. They would work nicely for things that we cannot put into the bags.

(Getting better, even took them yard saling and to the farmer's market) Okay. I have to be more disciplined. I have all of these canvas totes for shopping (not just for food), but I need to remember to actually grab them on the way out the door. I cannot keep them in the car, as there is no car. The sad thing is that I have them hanging on a hook near the door, and I still forget them!

(Do this when I can) I want to buy more fresh produce from local farmer's markets and roadside stands. I purchased a bag of potatoes last week from a man who parks over town. I paid only $1.50, and they are so much fresher than what I can get at the grocery store.

(Garden is looking pretty good) I plan to grow as much food as I can on the tiny lot that we live on. Here are some places for affordable seeds:

fedcoseeds.com

superseeds.com

rareseed.com

cheapseeds.com

(Not yet) I will also scavenge the materials to make a few garden beds. And, I will do the same at some point (this year or next) to make cold frames. I will also need a trellis or two. Maybe three or four.

(Have a few books that I purchased second hand. Also, have a few herbs growing in the garden.) I want to learn to grow more herbs. I plan to give dried herbs as gifts to people at the holidays, and sharing with my daughters when they have their own places. Then they won't have to purchase so many herbs themselves. I also want to learn herbalism and home remedies.

I also have to learn to dry and/or freeze the herbs. I only know how to do this with parsley.

(We eatly mostly vegetarian/vegan now) I want to try to eat vegetarian for a week to see if I can take it. If so, we will eat a (mainly) vegetarian diet here, with minimal meats. I will have to learn to cook some new things.

(Not yet) I may not be able to do this this year, but I plan to purchase (hopefully second hand) the supplies necessary for canning and water baths. At the very least, I could be making the following:

apple pie filling

apple crisp filling

applesauce

plumsauce

pumpkin

salsa

pasta sauce

(Doing this. My nephew and I built a compost bin) I also plan to compost so that the food we grow will be more abundant and healthier. I plan to build one or two bins this summer, but will have four or five before I am done. I will place these at the back of the far end of the trailer. They will not be seen from the road, and will prevent the neighbors and their children from walking by my bedroom window. I will be sure to leave enough space to put the banking through in the fall. I will scavenge the materials for this project.

(Not yet) I will drink more tea instead of powdered drinks. This will save money and be healthier.

(Trying to locate the best places. All of a sudden, we're not getting much rain)* I plan to collect water in buckets, to at least water the flowers with. I know that this is not a well thought out idea yet, but it will serve my purpose for now. I do not have a gutter to collect by, so I am counting on the rain itself going into the buckets. I think Mother Nature can handle it. The buckets will be put where they will not be noticed.

Later, I plan to have a more thought out system set up.

* (Done) Electricity will be saved by using the dryer less, (not yet) and by unplugging things. I do use flourescent light bulbs, and (not dome yet) would like to use solar lighting for outside when I have the extra cash. We use natural sunlight as late as possible every day.

* Do you know that many people do not use soap? And, they don't stink! I have also read that many people with skin problems don't use soap, and their skin balances itself so much that they don't have problems with it any more. These people have skin that looks and feels better. (Not a problem going a few days without using soap other than to wash 'important parts', and my skin problems are not as noticable now)

Will I try this? Maybe, but not fully (at first, at least). I have such skin sensitivities, that I think showering without soap may be helpful. However, I think that I will continue to use soap on certain important areas, just in case.

(Not yet, but I did purchase some homemade goatsmilk soap at the farmer's market) At any rate, I do plan to start making my own soaps, even if they are only used on the important areas, as I have sensitivities to store-bought soaps. Oatmeal and goats milk soaps work quite well.

* Now, can someone tell me how a person who does not use deodorant does not have smelly arm pits? I would really like to know. A famous guest on Oprah does not use deodorant, not sure who she was. Julia Roberts? I can't remember. I missed the episode, and would like to know what other things she does, or doesn't do.

* Heating is another area that I am not happy with. I have oil heat. I know that this is not good for the environment, but I cannot afford to switch to anything else. I would never switch to electric because it is just too expensive. Here are some things that I do:

I clean the filter on the furnace door twice a year.

I vacuum out the vents twice a year.

Bank the trailer each fall, plugging in heat tape.

This year, the dryer vent came unhooked, so it was venting under the trailer all winter.

Here is what I plan to do over the next couple of years:

(Not yet) Make/purchase at yardales: draft stoppers and wall and window quilts.

(Not yet) Get register heat blockers

(Not yet) A long-term goal is to replace my windows.

(Not yet) * My nephew and I will be trying to make candles from the stubs of used candles. The plan is to purchase wicks, and scavenge candle holders. I recently received a bunch of holders with mostly used candles. I am using the candles as long as they can still be used, then saving the leftovers and washing the holders. This will be a fun project.

(Haven;t found these items yet, but I am still looking) * Yardsaling is a great adventure. Not only can you purchase things that you need very cheaply, but you can also prevent those items from ending up in landfills.

I plan to look for blankets, quilts, afghans and comforters at yardsales. We are also in need of fluffier pillows again. If I purchase a couple, then I can open the old ones and combine their contents. If I can only find flat pillows, then I can do the same to combine more than one to make fluffier pillows. This can be done by lightly sewing together the tow filling pieces.

There are other things that I will be looking for as well.

(Not yet) * I have to stock up on lamp oil and wicking, as well as get a new one of those globe thingys, for the oild lamps. These will be nice during the winter evenings when we do not need a lot of light.

(Not yet) * I will be re-teaching myself to crochet. I need the simple stitch to finish the scarf that my neighbor started. She gave me the started scarf and yarn before she moved, and a new scarf will come in handy next winter.

(Not yet) * I want to learn to make braided and/or rag rugs.

(Not yet) * I need to make curtains, placemats and cloth napkins.

Here are some things that I do that have less of an impact on my purse and the environment:

~ I purchase a lot, if not most, of the things that we need second hand.

~ I shop resale/consigment/church shops.

~ I shop yard/garage sales.

~ I take what people offer me. If I don't need the items, I pass them along to someone who does.

~ I give things away rather than throw them out. If no one that I know wants them, I put them on my front lawn with a big free sign. Usually things go pretty quickly. I also donate things to charities, and if I leave things by the dumpster someone will usually snatch them up.

I may add more goals to this categorie in the future, and I will post updates as well.

Happing saving and helping!

Shannon

Only just getting to read my Springwise newsletter - they send out a nice, short and punchy weekly update on new biz ideas that others have spotted for them. Here is my spotting claim to fame. (They are connected to Trendwatching.com.)

Through them I just read about this. What a cracking idea. Filippa K now sells customers second hand clothes. Not only does it promote the idea of re-using things it also is a great testament to the quality of their product.  Smashing!

I have a set of these little cups from Filippa K...impossible to hold if filled with hot tea, but quite nice to look at holding my make-up bits and bobs.

Un amalgam de becuri tinute temporar in gura, de urmarire a cursului Dolarului si de o vie portretizare a fratilor di pisti Prut dau o alta dimensiune cinematografiei Moldavice.

-         Vorbiesc şofierii ca si scumpieşti dolarul, n-ai auzit nimică?

“Avem o tara second-hand, ma tem ca,

Si nu ma tem de faliment fiindca

Avem o tara second hand, ma tem ca,

Si nu ma tem de faliment fiindca”

Versuri - muzica originala: graieste moldoveneste
Reorchestrare: Aurel Ionita (mahala rai banda),Aurel Ionita - vioara, Aurel Bosnea - bariton, Marian Dinu - bas, Printu - baterie
Voce: Vasile Ernu, Valeriu Shova, Thomas Ciulei

Årsagen er to ting.

Jeg knokler med et større projekt på en anden website. Mere herom senere.

Den anden ting er at jeg er ved at flytte sammen med min kæreste. Vi har derfor også lidt grej til salg. Mangler du noget så tjek det her:

http://sorenholmberg.wordpress.com/flyttesalg

/kliknij na zdjęcie, aby powiększyć/

The Adventures Of Kit Carson ist nicht nur der Titel einer alten Westernserie aus den 50ern, es ist auch der Name eines neuen Concept Stores in der Brunnenstraße. Die kleine Holzhütte, die aussieht als hätte man sie direkt aus dem Wilden Westen nach Mitte gebeamt, enthält jedoch alles andere als Cowboyhüte. Im Sortiment sind ausgewählte Vintage Second Hand Stücke und exklusive Jungdesigner wie Victim Fashion Street, Tanja/Kuehl und ILK aus London, Alexandra Moura aus Portugal und Lohof aus Berlin. Mehr Fotos und Details nach dem Klick.

Der kleine Laden hat ausschließlich Frauenmode und wird auch nur für drei Monate im Sommer geöffnet sein.

The Adventures of Kit Carson
Mai-Juli 2008
Brunnenstr. / Ecke Anklamer Str.
Berlin-Mitte

myspace.com/theadventuresofkitcarson

[gallery]

Small Bally Bags IDR 40.000.

Dark Green Crochet BAg IDR 45.000 (sold).

Green Cardigans IDR 45.000.

Untuk pemesanan, silahkan hubungi kami lewat SMS ke 081585612409 (SMS only).
Untuk pertanyaan mengenai produk kami, silahkan email kami di fifty.tees.83@gmail.com
Contact us:

Fifty.tees.83@gmail.com

+6281585612409 (SMS/text only)

E duminică şi librăria închisă - vroiam să trag cu ochiul şi prin ea. A nu e straşnic, revin în altă zi. Uneori e bine să ai şi cărţile tale, ştiţi voi asta.. Eh, oricum am numai 20 lei în buzunar. Iar eu, nefiind o piţzi, mi-am propus să trec pe la piaţa second-hand ce nu se află departe, poate îmi iau o bluză . Ok....

"Wow, câtă marfă!" , "Ce fustiţe", ... , cam astea îmi veneau în gând. Chiar lucruri bune puteai găsi acolo! Şi chiar de marcă: am văzut Nike, Puma ;)), Benetton, altele...

"Ooo, costume de baie! Doamnă, aici? Unde sunteţi?" - ah, am uitat că e o chestie devenită normală ca vânzătoare să stea la bârfit la 20m distanţă de locul unde ar trebui să stea. După ce vine: "Îmi puteţi spune cât costă modelul acesta?" . Ea: "Ah, e bună alegerea (oh my god), e de firmă - Atlantis (who???). 200lei" (Adică 42Ron în corespundere cu Google curency convertor). Eu, stupefiată, plec acasă, căci cu aceiaşi bani pot să îmi cumpăr şi dintr-un magazin obişnuit un costum de baie.

Însă în drum spre casă îmi amintesc că numai ce am privit şi pipăit ajutor umanitar gratuit...

Now, go get your bargain on!

My point is second hand and thrift shopping are great. The things you find! Like this one time at Goodwill at the end of grade 8 I found this Esprit dress for about $7. And then, using my excellent *cough* sewing ability, I made it a bit more modern. Erin looks so pretty in it.

 
The feature really focused on the fact that shoppers who like to spend their money online could also be earning at the same time and used an example from a woman girl would only purchase items once she had sold a few on eBay and made a small profit.  Great example of how online shopping can really work well with the current credit crunch. However, I do wish the BBC had highlighted some of the risks involved in online shopping, like CNBC  have done.

 
Yesterday we launched in the US and have already seen some coverage including from the Denver Post and it states we aim to curb the cybercrime of selling suspect second-hand goods. Hopefully there will be more to follow.

 Anyway, hopefully the USA launch will be just as successful as the UK. According to the US Census Bureau the population of USA currently stands at 304,381,960 with:
• One birth every  7 seconds
• One death every 13 seconds
• One international migrant (net) every 29 seconds
• Net gain of one person every... 10 seconds

 
From the global population of internet users 27% are in the US and having read a lot of online articles and blogs e-fencing is proving to be a problem which the US are struggling to control. E-fencing laws have been discussed as being essential to combat organised retail crime. However, CheckMEND should now be an answer to their prayers, so let’s see how it goes.

This is what we do best and we have had plenty of stories from people who didn’t discover CheckMEND in time….

 
For example; Andrew Gudelajtis, from Mansfield, bought a Vodafone Nokia mobile phone from eBay for his wife. The phone arrived in a sealed box and was sold as being brand new, but after using it for six weeks the mobile phone stopped working.
He decided that he should use CheckMEND to check the IMEI number on its database. The search came back and identified the phone as being stolen or blocked. Unfortunately Andrew was then unable to re-trace the eBay seller and is left with a phone that doesn’t work and at the moment he is pursuing Vodafone  to see if they can help – either by unblocking the phone or chasing the seller.

 
Hopefully he will have some luck at some point, but it is a great example of why you should use ‘CheckMEND before you buy’  or insist on sellers having a CheckMEND report. Or as I mentioned within my last post we should push for eBay to insist all sellers conduct a CheckMEND report!
 
Any questions – please fire them this way!

The packing. The unpacking. The lifting. The moving. All of it.

Moving into a new apartment is particularly challenging for college students.

I moved into my new apartment with about two boxes and two bags in tow and absolutely no furniture and thought of going out and buying all new furniture was not appealing to me, especially on my limited budget.

While my roommates and I did take a trip to get some low-budget essentials, we also utilized some other cheap and green options!

1) USE WHAT YOU ARE GIVEN. The previous tenants of our apartment left behind a lot of furniture. This was sort of a pain in the ass because we expected the apartment to be clean. On the other hand, it also was helpful because we decided to keep some of the furniture. My roommate practically got all her furniture from what was left in her room; she just cleaned it up with a fresh coat of paint.

2) CRAIG'S LIST. Craig's list is a great resource for furniture or whatever and it is super cheap. I bought a full bed with box spring and frame for $50 (the only pain was I had to find a way to pick it up, which I spent $45 on a U-Haul-- so under $100)! Some people may think that is a bit sketchy, but it's like sleeping in a hotel bed, maybe? Whatever, it was in my price range and I am very happy with my purchase.

3) THRIFT SHOPS. Another great source for second-hand knick-knacks and furniture. I bought to chairs for our kitchen table. Even though they don't match, I think they give the place a bit of quirk and personality.

4) FRIENDS. I am a receptacle for friends who are looking to get rid of stuff. This way, you know where the stuff has been plus it usually comes at the right price.

Reusing furniture is a great way to be a little kinder to the earth and save money at the same time!

What I also find interesting is furniture MADE from reused items... Check out this post on Design Blog if you're interested!

What things do you do in your apartment that are both budget-conscious and eco-friendly?? Let me know!

Oh Oh, We also use POM glasses as toothbrush holders.

tehee!

After that he took me to the thrift store not far from my apartment and we perused for a bit. I found a beautiful suit coat and matching skirt from the 50’s and put it on. I felt pretty. When I found Zac milling about the men’s shirts he smiled immediately before I could even ask if he liked it. He said something wry and rude but I could see in his face that he appreciated what he saw and he leant me the money to buy it. It is difficult to explain the happiness I felt for a moment when I saw him see me in my brilliant suit coat. It was certainly better than any compliment one could think of.

Trying to envision what a 1950's skirt would look like... Related, here's an interesting bit from the o.e.d. entry for 'skirt':

[its] Metonymic use for "women collectively" is from 1560; slang sense of "young woman" is from 1906; skirt-chaser first attested 1942.

And some history on 1950's women's attire, here:

[...] the 1950's era is known mainly for two silhouettes, that of the full skirt and the pencil slim tubular skirt, with both placing great emphasis on the narrowness of the waist.

* We get what newspapers that we need from my mother. When we are done with them,  I use them in the garden.

* Whenever I have something that I do not need, I do one of the following:

Offer it to someone else.

Deliver it to a thrift shop.

Bring it to the food cupboard.

Have a yard sale.

Put it out by the road with a free sign.

* I purchase as much as I can second hand.

* I reuse things when I can.

* I use egg shells in the garden.

* I use water from doing dishes and cooking pasta, eggs and vegetables in the garden.

I know that there is more that I can be doing, and I will work on them things.

Shannon

Where To Shop

You may be wondering where you should rummage around for second-hand crystal chandeliers. The answer is actually simpler than you would expect. Get your search underway by checking out garage sales in your area. With a bit of luck, you may come across pre-owned chandeliers that are still in tip-top shape.

Other excellent sources of hand-me-down crystal chandeliers include second-hand stores and antique shops. Then again, opting for an antique piece may typically involve a substantial amount of money depending on the craftsmanship and the quality of the materials used.

What To Look For

Similar to shopping for brand new crystal chandeliers, you need to take a number of things into consideration. One of the things you have to avoid is turning into a hasty shopper. Just because you have stumbled upon an elegant crystal chandelier doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to purchase it straight away. You need to allocate an ample amount of time and effort in your quest to finding the most fitting pre-owned crystal chandelier for your home.

• 20 per cent SD (Supplementary Duty) on vehicles of up to 1500cc
• 60 per cent SD on vehicles between 1,501 and 2,350cc
• 100 per cent SD on vehicles between 2,351cc and 3,500cc.

This rates are only applied to used, also called reconditioned, cars. It may change before the budget is put into effect as the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) argues it should be reduced.

BARVIDA believes that raise the taxes on reconditioned car imports will hold back the current progress the economy is experiencing. The connection is that many small and medium businesses rely on the cheaper used car imports to do their business. We will have to see what comes as most vehicles imported come from Japan.

- Source: The Daily Star