Lots of changes have been happening over the past month for us, one of them being that we went from being a one-car family to three! I’m now the proud owner of a first generation manual-speed supercharged Mini (it’s so much fun to drive!)….annnd we also finally took the plunge and got a pickup truck. Quite the difference in vehicles, eh?
We have been very blessed to be able to get both of these vehicles. It all came together from what I received from the insurance company for my totaled cobalt to get the Mini, which we paid only a few hundred more for out-of-pocket (I really haggled my heart out for that to happen, lol – but I won!).
The truck came unexpectedly but also with perfect timing. Our insurance rate for the now-2-cars stayed the same b/c of the company’s 2-car discount. Karl and I had talked off and on about getting a truck, and because we still had room in our original car budget for myself and the insurance hadn’t risen, it seemed more feasible. So one night when I happened upon a great truck on craigslist (Tip: it’s amazing how may good trucks you can find for under $3k on craigslist), we went and looked at it, and were pleased enough with it to get it. He’s a truck in need of some loving in the interior (but I like project cars), and that’s why we call him Scruffy, and we love having a beater truck. For you fellow truck lovers, it’s a Dodge. I can’t help but feel a swell of giddyness every time I fire up it’s V8 engine (cue Tim Allen grunting). :-D
Which leads me to my next story: how we can now haul great stuff from yardsales.
This past Saturday Karl and I went out to two local yardsales. At the first yardsale we considered a pair of chairs, however we thought better of it. But we did collect a large framed painting for a measly $1.
It fills the space for now above the couch, tho we still have yet to center it over the couch – we’re just borrowing a nail that has existed on the wall since before we moved in. Or maybe I’ll hang some smaller frames on the side of it. Who knows. But the colors do go very well with our living room.
Going to the second yardsale, we struck gold for two things we’ve been looking for. The first was a teak bench, perfect for our front porch. The price tag read $35 for it.
The other item was a large lateral drawer filing cabinet. We’ve been using a slightly rusted (but still usable) filing cabinet we’d gotten free off the side of the road years ago (see pic below of it). By now tho it had become very cramped and the drawers hung dangerously low when pulled out so that I was afraid they would fall on my feet every time I had to grab a folder from the back.
So this cabinet (below) was a dreamboat to my eyes. The price marked on it was $25.
I went and talked to the guy in charge of pricing, and we easily settled on a price of $40 total for the two items. Woot!
The filing cabinet is already switched over and I’ve been reveling in the ability to roll the drawer out and see all the folders, and having much more room. We’ve also been enjoying the bench since the first evening, sitting out on it most days. I’m leaning towards sanding and re-staining the bench, but not sure yet.
This coming weekend I’m planning to go to at least two more yardsales, and the last weekend of this month we’ll be having our own sale with some neighbors. Looking forward to getting things we need or upgrading, and getting rid of things we don’t need. Ah, spring cleaning. :)
