Fabulously Frugal Dolly

Just home from a lovely evening out with a dear sweet friend, we went for dinner at this lovely little place in Port Jefferson called Kimi.  It’s the only Japanses restaurant I’ve ever tried, but what do you want, I’m a midwest girl, it’s all new to me.  Not surprising consider all the weird crafts I do with my hands, chopsticks are not as hard to use as I once thought.  I can eat rice with em, and not by shovelling it from the bowl to my mouth either.  What really gets me is the flavors, like I said, I’m a midwest raised hillbilly girl, it’s called tempura, but that’s fried veggies.  Miso soup is lovely stuff, I just love the little cubes of tofu and how they feel like they just melt away in a dleicious cloud of wonderfulness.  Usually my friend and I opt to share a green tea ice cream for dessert, but today was a red bean kind of day.  I’ve got no idea what a red bean really is, but they taste fabulous.

Being as this is my cheapness blog, I feel obligated to say that for the two of us enjoying a fabulously prepared multi-course meal, it was well under thirty bucks including a nice tip.  I may be frugal, but I can’t stiff a nice waitress, it’s hard to leave a small tip for a crappy server knowing what miserable work food service can be.  By midwest standards that’s not a cheap meal, but in New York, the diner serves lobsters and there’s no two-for-twelve dinner specials.  I’m adjusting, trying new things, like seafood and tapas and Japanese food, but I still drool a little when I drive by a White Castle. 

Yesterday I was getting a little bit down, so I decided to do what always perks me right back up- I went thrift shopping.  The thrift fairie was kind enough to lead me to the most awesome pair of pale blue shoes with white stars all over them, and I’m thrilled with my awesome new shoes that only cost three dollars and some change.  As an added bonus, the laces of the shoes have felix the cat on them, a fondly remembered mascot of the video production program I was part of in high school, so of course I was giddy when they fit perfectly.  Sure, they’re probably out of style, but style never mattered much to me, if I like it, I’ll keep right on wearing it.

There’s not much else going on of late, thus the infrequent updates on my blogs.  Our remodelling project is well underway, I’m getting a whole new house it seems, just the outside is staying the same, save for the new windows and doors.  The kitchen is going to be shiny white, I picked out the cabinets at Ikea with our dear friend who owns our house, and we’re both excited about the nice things that we’ve picked out.  The bath is going to be fabuulous too- the tub has arm rests!  As a girl who just adores a nice bubble bath, that’s very exciting.  Not to mention that my hubby, being the smart guy he is, ran some of the heating under where our tub will be, so I can soak for an extra-long time without the water going cold.  Sometimes I step back and realize what a lucky girl I am, and I smile for days thinking about how two years ago I watched crackheads out the window, and now I watch a dozen swans swimming past.

I bought myself a treat of etsy a while ago, a needle felting kit, which I just adore!  It’s easier than I’d thought, after just a bit of playing I’d made a couple pieces, small ones, but still, they’re fun to do.  It just takes a puff of wool and the special needle- and ideally a mat to work on so as not to poke your table or worse- your hands- with the very sharp and barbed needle.  Supposedly the needles break easily, but it hasn’t happened to me yet.  I’ve made a couple jewelry type component pieces and 2 critters, a tiny little teddy bear and a partially unfinished goat.  The bear will probably go to my mom, as I know she’d just love stabbing wool with the specail needles too, and she’s got a soft spot for little bears.  The art of stabbing something into a cute little something else is perfect for me, I love it.  Once I’m able to do so, there’s a few other wool sellers on etsy whose shops I’ve been eyeing, wonderfully hand-dyed wads of wooly fluff awaiting stabbing into cuteness.  Some of the items that caught my eye are sampler packs of wools, different colors and whatnot, and the grab bag- my favorite way to buy something when I’m not quite sure which kind I want, if only there were grab bags of everything.  It’s the best way to try new things I think, get a good mix and often a good discount of something to see if you like it.  I remember going to the gem and mineral shows as a kid hoping to find the booth with grab bags- there were always great stones in those bags, and you got more for your money than picking out individual rocks for your collection.  Sometimes there’s be repeats if I got more than one bag, which I usually did as I saved up allowance for such occaisions.  It didn’t matter though, I loved the stones, I’d look at them all and keep what I liked and sometimes share a few extras with a friend. 

I’ve made five sales *and counting? knock wood* in under a week from posting my first item on Etsy, and I’m just giddy about it. My first customers haven’t gotten their items to leave feedback and people are buying more- it’s so very exciting that I’ve been just annoying the pants off my hubby with announcing every sale- there was one while I slept last night to a girl all the way in Australia! There’s a good number of people on Etsy having trouble getting their first sale, and to these folks I’d like to say one word- PROMOTE! Whether it’s message boards, a blog, or just shouting to passers by, promotion is a big thing in selling, and it’s not nearly as hard as one would think. Start with one thing and get that thing to be part of your daily routine, like posting to a message board, either on etsy or elsewhere if there’s a message board pertaining to your products. Make use of the ‘etsy mini’ feature, it shows off things in your shop and the code is dead-easy to cut and paste where you’d like to put it. Don’t be shy- it’s not hard to let people know you’ve got a shop with great things inside, just link to it anywhere and everywhere you think it might get clicked, keeping in mind that some places are more appropriate than others. Linking to handmade soaps from a page about your dog might be weird, but if you think the folks who look at your dog might like to see your soaps, do it.

I’ve made five sales *and counting? knock wood* in under a week from posting my first item on Etsy, and I’m just giddy about it.  My first customers haven’t gotten their items to leave feedback and people are buying more- it’s so very exciting that I’ve been just annoying the pants off my hubby with announcing every sale- there was one while I slept last night to a girl all the way in Australia!  There’s a good number of people on Etsy having trouble getting their first sale, and to these folks I’d like to say one word- PROMOTE!  Whether it’s message boards, a blog, or just shouting to passers by, promotion is a big thing in selling, and it’s not nearly as hard as one would think.  Start with one thing and get that thing to be part of your daily routine, like posting to a message board, either on etsy or elsewhere if there’s a message board pertaining to your products.  Make use of the ‘etsy mini’ feature, it shows off things in your shop and the code is dead-easy to cut and paste where you’d like to put it.  Don’t be shy- it’s not hard to let people know you’ve got a shop with great things inside, just link to it anywhere and everywhere you think it might get clicked, keeping in mind that some places are more appropriate than others.  Linking to handmade soaps from a page about your dog might be weird, but if you think the folks who look at your dog might like to see your soaps, do it.

Yes, it’s my shop, and now, you can get a fabulous extra bonus gift just for being a nifty little darling and reading this blog. Tell me you’re fabulously frugal and I’ll throw some fabulously fun stuff in with ANY order. I’ve got a section of dollar items, so my fellow bargain divas can get some sewing and crafting supplies on the cheap. I’ll keep posting fun stuff into the ‘WTF? Just a Buck!’ clearance as long as I have more stuff that I need- and I’m always finding more. All sorts of items for just one stinking dollar, like the dollar store, but much better because it’s fabulously fun treasures from my marvelous stash of oddities and whatsits. Twenty-plus years as a collector of things, ten years of dealing in vintage wares, and many many fun things for you.

I’ve recently entered into a business dealing with a cohort, who has been doing quite well selling things on Ebay.  The thought of someone else handling the less fun bits of selling online thrills me, the picture taking and describing of items takes soo much time away from finding more things to sell that it’s hard for an old-school junk dealer like me to deal with.  Important things to consider before you do like I did and find yourself a co-conspirator are how much you’d trust the person.  The couple I’m dealing with would be welcome in my home when I’m not there because I know them to be very upstanding and moral folks.  Don’t go dealing with folks who you wouldn’t trust left unnattended with your wallet, because that’s pretty much what consignment is, leaving your money in someone else’s hands.  As soon as we start listing things, I’ll post links to the bargains available, as the auctions are generally started at 99 cents it’s not hard to find a great deal with their stuff.  How can they make money by selling things starting at a buck?  Well, if enough interest is generated, the item’s price doesn’t stay at a dollar, the couple auctions I saw close that they’d started at a dollar were all well above fifty when the bell tolled that the auction was over, it’s a matter of having the right product and listing it the right way to find a buyer.  Certain items are a much harder sell right now, given the shaking economy, but if you’ve got basic needed items, people are buying them up like mad because a good deal on a needed thing frees up a little loot for some fun stuff to go with it.  For example, I’m holding onto some of my valuable collectible items until the economy is more open to pleasure spending, as if people are worried about feeding their family, they aren’t buying things for their collections.  Alternatly, they are selling things to feed their kids, so great bargains abound for those among us who have a few spare dollars to seek out collectibles and frivolous items.  Right now is a great time to make some spare cash by selling the basics around your home that aren’t needed, like clothing.  Food, shelter and clothing are basic needs, if you can fill those needs less expensively than other options, you’ll get sales.  Clothing is a natural for me, I’ve always loved clothes, some might even say I’m addicted.  Finding a niche is as hard as finding that trusted co-seller though, do some research into what’s selling and who you can have help you (if you need help at all) and think about it carefully.  You might just be the next big deal starred seller.

Yes, it’s aisle upon aisle of serums and cremes that you’ve got no clue what to do with, but look deeper- they’ve got everything.  My favorite beauty supply shop is in the Detroit area, if you’re around Cherry Hill and Inkster rd in Inkster, MI, stop in and get some goodies.

There’s a million different beauty supply shops, certain chain stores calling themselves beauty supply shops are really just make-up counters gone wild.  Find an independently owned one, they’ve got the good stuff.  Some of the best prices on specialty hosiery can be found in the beauty supply, I just recently picked up three different colors of fencenet mesh stockings, very very cybergoth, for two dollars a pair.  Other great goth finds include black lipliner, which does the finest job as a thick, heavy eyeliner, and an amazing array of nail vanishes, top quality stuff, mostly around three bucks.  There’s lso the potential for great falls and hairpieces for the crafty amongst us, instructions abound (with my own guide coming soon!).  For under twenty bucks, I can walk out of the beauty supply with several pairs of stockings, some earrings and makeup, it’s not an every week type of shopping trip though.  Your shop of choice might include a selection of clothing, lingerie and handbags, some do, they’re great places.  Another bargain is in the perfume oils and incences, generally any major fragrance is available in knock-off form, some closer than others, alongside some other scents.  I’ve not run into too many standard brands, but a few sniffs should lead you to a fresh new scent for well under ten dollars.  No one needs to know you aren’t on a first name basis at the macy’s perfume counter, if you like a perk-up during the day find a fancy little purse bottle to hide the secret source.
Jewelry can be a gamble.  Be warned, sensitive ears will not react well to the ten-for-a-dollar hoops, no matter how cute they are.  Don’t plan on the baubles lasting, if it looks fabulous for a few nights out, that’s what it’s for and that’s why it’s soo cheap.  Hair clips can vary greatly as well, though a number of the ones I’ve gotten from the beauty supply shops have been markedly nicer than those sold at mass merchadise or ‘bigbox’ stores.

As I live a short distance from an outlet mall, I’m headed there for some of the early bird bargains- I’m staying up late in order to do so.  Hey, it’s still on sale if you chugged a pot of coffee in your jammies rather than sleeping, and I’ve got some leftover pie to go with it.  Nothing particular to shop FOR, but for once, I’m not working retail at the holidays, I’m going to wallow in it.  Fellow bargain darlings, you know where the local sales are, you’ve been stalking them online for weeks now, don’t try playing naive about it.  I’ll be the one wandering aimless getting in the way, because that’s just how excited I am to have anything going on in the area late at night that doesn’t involve drunken fools.  Sure, there’s a possibility of children, but any parent who drags a tot shopping at four am is someone I want to get a look at.  It’s time to get ready, I know the magical hours between drunken bar crowd shoppers and soccer-mom coffee klatch gone wild fieldtrips, I’m not sharing it publicly, so talk up your favorite sales folks and find out for next year- or work through one to learn your local mall.

I joke about being raised white trash, but it’s true, I honestly prefer Boones farms to real wine.  Today, I purchased a pure hillbilly delight for my feasting tomorrow, a turkey roll.  For under five bucks, you too can have this classic loaf-shaped turkey-ish substance complete with gravy.  It’s not that we couldn’t finance a real turkey, or at least a breast because we’re not feeding fifteen here, but that’s one of the foods from childhood that I just loved.  Yes, they let me have real food and I was well-fed as a kid, but this stuff is great.  I went for the Jennie O brand, because that’s all that the store had.  Being the second grocery shop I tried I didn’t want to get greedy and try for the all-white meat version, I settled for the two-toned light and dark.  It’s being served alongside some very nice steak (which I don’t care for) and assorted sides, with a real, homemade apple pie from my mom’s recipe- he’s making it, but shh- I want to pretend I did more than looked cute while dinner was being toiled over.