I saw a cute pair of 80s looking Venezia (Target) brand pants at Salvation Army. I pointed them out to Michael and he made a yuck face. Weeks later they were still on the rack. I had an outdoor concert to attend and went looking for capris or long shorts. To my dismay, I couldn’t find any, but that pair of pink Venezia’a were still there…

I tried them on. Hallelujah, they fit, they were the perfect length, but why were they still there? Are you can see in the photo the bottom of the right leg is damaged.

It looks like hot chocolate or coffee. So, I didn’t feel bad about lopping these off at the knees. To hem pants easily, try them on inside out

, pin and cut accordingly. After you pin both sides, try them on again. I had both sides hemmed and realized that either the pants or my legs were 1/2 inch off because they hung wrong. I wound up ripping out a hem and redoing it!

Here there are finished. They’d be pedestrian with a plain white T.

I jazzed them up with a “Tokyo Pop” printed T-shirt. Paired with pink and black flip-flops, this is one of my new fave summer outfits. A light sweater or hoodie in black or gray will carry this into fall.

Total cost: $2.99 for pants, $2.50 for T-shirt = $5.49 (I’m sure I could have talked them down on price for the pants, but, hey, it’s a charity!)

Michael took me to Goodwill and Salvation Army today. Isn’t he the best husband ever?

From Goodwill:

The wood and wrought iron shelf was $3.00 and will go above the toilet. The unfinished oval box with lid will be painted (when I get to it) and will hold my jewelry. This new system will prevent me from accidentally dropping jewelry into the trash can every day.

The travel Boggle was $2.00, the Hogwart’s notecards were $2.00 and the candles (there were 13 of them, but some fell out in the trunk of the car to be unearthed later) were 50¢. The carved cat was 75¢ and the apple Hobbit (for Michael’s gnome collection) was 75¢.

If you donated $1.00, all book were 25

¢, instead of $2.00 for hardcovers and 75¢ for paperbacks. So we paid $3.75 plus a $1.00 donation for 15 books instead of $15.00. We’ll read them and then put them on .

My very favorite purchase, the karmic reason I was at Goodwill, is one Michael found.

A Hello Kitty Bento box.

It has a movable divider! And was only 50¢! I said, “This makes the trip worthwhile.” Michael said, “Now you can stop bugging Candace about finding you a bento box.”

I was so excited about this container, I planned my lunch around it!

From Salvation Army:

At left is a 70s polyester button down shirt for work – $1.50. In the middle is a pair of wool and suede gloves for my FIL for Christmas – 75¢. To the right of the gloves (you can barely see it) is a little enamel Santa box for my MIL for Christmas – 49¢. Top right is a glass bowl with lid decorated with poinsettias – 95¢. Bottom right four books -  99¢ each (I didn’t realize that until just now when I checked my receipt. What a rip!) Underneath everything is a wolf blanket for my FIL for Christmas – marked $4.00 discounted to $2.00.

All in all, it was an awesome day for thrifting. Lots of good books, some stuff to put away for Christmas and I got to take a nap after shopping!

If you can, find a bent and dent grocery store in your area. Ours is called “Dents for Cents”. Some of the food had damaged packaging, some is near or just out of date, some are discontinued items and some come from stores that go out of business.

This is what we got at “Dents for Cents” the other day. If you spend $50 you get a free box of groceries (they choose the items). I spent $26 and my MIL spent $21. I said, “too bad we didn’t buy a little bit more and put our purchases together.” The owner said, “well, you’re all together go pick out a few more items and we’ll make you up a free box.” Awesome!

The prices are ridiculously low and I’ll try to remember them all.

The herb and garlic crackers were 89¢, but were in the free box. The lentils in sauce were 89¢, but in the free box. The natural zero calorie sweetener was $1.50.

The Annie’s mac and cheese were 79¢ each. The fortune cookies were 89¢, but in the free box. The green tea was 59¢, but in the free box.

The trash bags were $1.50 (and recycled). The dog treats were 50¢ (and organic). The organic peach juice was $1.25, the BBQ sauce 99¢, the Enviga (green tea drink) 69¢ each. The canned tomato soup was 59¢, but in the free box. The onion breadsticks, 69¢ cents and the sesame crackers, 69¢, but in the free box.

The Kettle chips were 50¢, the raspberry candies were 89¢.

Stacy’s bagel chips were 79¢, the granola bars and apple cereal bars were $1.25 each. The hummus mix was 89¢, the canned ham spread 75¢, the salsa con queso was 99¢, the ghiradelli chocolate square 25¢, the mints were 50¢ each.

The sub buns were 79¢, the soy crisps 79¢ (but in the free box), the precooked jasmine rice 79¢ (but in the free box), sugar free shortbread cookies 99¢, organic fruit juice $1.25 and the three onion soup cup 69¢ (but in the free box).

Also, not pictured, a bottled Wishbone salad dressing 59¢ and a packet of dried hot chilies 25¢ (which I split with my BIL).

If I did the math correctly that’s 40 items at 65¢ a piece.

You might think by my pictures that they only have snack foods and beverages. They have lots of staple items like rice, pasta, beans, cereal, tomato products, cleaning supplies, baby food, paper goods, spices, pop, canned veg, over the counter medicine, flour and more.

If you live in Michiana, here are the directions: To get to “Dents for Cents”, take Ironwood Drive south past Lincoln Way. Take the first right onto Randolph Street. Travel one block and take another right onto Goodson Court (Hoke Street). The store is located behind McDaniel’s Harley Davidson.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

For an article click here.

Make sure you bring your own bags unless you have a need for boxes or a way to recycle them. Also, if you can pick up a grocery cart full of salad dressing (yah, Thom!) they’ll give you a dollar.

Step one: Find a square of fabric. I used a supercool granny square that I found in my tote of UFOs (UnFinished Objects). You could use any thing you find around the house or thrift store/yard sale. A washcloth, a dishcloth, a potholder, a piece of wool, felt, denim, etc. What ever it is, you want a square that’s about 7×7-inches.

Step two: Fold in half and sew up bottom and side. You can use thread, yarn, embroidery floss or close with glue, depending on fabric.

You now have a very funtional, and unique, sunglass/eyeglass holder.

Cost: Nothing if you already have a square of some kind. Free if you scrounge mom/grandma/friend’s house. Cheap if you thrift something. Add in the cost of two minutes of sewing – still cheap!

The two nesting pitchers were $1.25  for two.. The big container on the right was 50¢. The tiny container up front (Michael says “Is that for bento?”) was 35¢.