Free Upright Piano

I know there are several readers that live close to me. I found this offer on freecycle.org:

"OFFER: Upright piano -- Trophy Club
Posted by: "jaynee.beach" http://us.mc817.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jaynee.beach@yahoo.com&Subject=jaynee.beach

"Tue Feb 24, 2009 7:19 pm (PST)

"Antique upright piano, in decent shape, but will need tuning and some cosmetic work. I have recently been given the opportunity to upgrade to a baby grand, so this one needs to go. Please respond via e-mail if you are interested."


Just thought I'd pass it along....

Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

What could be a better deal than free??!! Often, you can accessorize your house for free, just by recycling items you already have.

The glass bowl in the middle used to serve as home to our fish (may he rest in peace). The dried flowers in the vase (back, right) come from my wedding bouquet.

After deciding I needed a decorative container for my bathroom counter to hold brushes, etc., I found this large crystal jar (a gift from Christmas past) sitting in my closet.

In this case, I repurposed a neighbor's old (but in perfectly good condition) bookcase. All it needed was a coat of paint.




My children gave me a set of bath oils as a gift a few years ago. The oil is gone, but the bottles (two on the right) now house fern leaves. The one on the left is an oil decanter that had an irreperable spout.

These #10 cans make an eye-catching display above my kitchen cabinets, some as pots, others as food storage.

Tips:

• Before you run to the store, look at what you already have. Then you can call yourself GREEN since you'll have more green in your wallet and you'll be giving the landfills a break.




• Set aside a "potential reuse" area. I have one shelf in my closet where I keep all the home accessories I'm not using at the moment. (Note: I am NOT giving license to be a pack rat!)
  
  

Penny Pinching Party: Fiesta

Challenge: Plan a party for 10-15 under $20.

Theme: Mexican

Menu:

• Guacamole with Tortilla Chips
• Papaya
• Mexican Cheese Dip with crackers
• Water with lime
• Churros with Chocolate

Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

Guacamole Recipe

2 medium very ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and cut up (3 for $1.00 @ Sprouts)

1/2 of a small onion, cut up

1/2 of a 4-oz can diced green chiles or several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

1 T snipped cilantro or parsley

1 T lemon or lime juice1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 t salt

1 medium tomato, peeled, seeled, and finely chopped (optional)

In a blender container or food processor bowl combine avocados, onion, chili peppers (or hot sauce), cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend or process till mixture is smooth, scraping sides as necessary. Stir in tomato, if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Serve with chips. Makes about 2 cups (16 servings).

1/2 papaya with lime

Water with lime slices (Limes 5 for $1.00 @ Sprouts)

Mexican Cheese Ball (Dip)

Mexican Cheese Ball Recipe

2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened ($1 ea @ grocery store)

4 green onions, chopped ($0.50 @ grocery store)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($2/lb @ sprouts)

1/4 cup taco seasoning (I have it in my pantry; a large container @ Costco costs $4)

1/4 cup picante sauce

Directions

1. Toast the pecans at 275 degrees for 20-30 min - do not burn. Stir together nuts with butter and salt and set aside to cool.
2. In a food processor, blend remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Shape into a ball and roll in the cooled pecans.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve with the tortilla or corn chips.

(The picante sauce didn't want to pour out of the container into the blender, so I tried to tip it up a little higher to coax it out. I guess my coaxing persuaded the sauce so well, it decided to gush out. Therefore, my cheese ball ended up as dip instead. But it received high accolades from the tasters!)

Churros drizzled in chocolate

Churros

I N G R E D I E N T S (all of them in my pantry)

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

6 egg yolks

oil for deep frying

powdered sugar for dusting

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. Bring the measured water to a boil in a saucepan, add the salt and brown sugar, stirring constantly, until both have dissolved. Remove from heat, add all the flour and baking powder and beat the mixture continuously until smooth.
2. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Set the batter aside to cool. Have ready a churro maker or a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, which will give the churros their traditional shape.
3. Pour oil into a deep-fryer or-suitable saucepan to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat to 375"F, or until a cube of dried bread, added to the oil, floats and turns golden after I minute.
   Spoon the batter into a churros maker or a piping bag. Pipe five or six 4-inch lengths of the mixture into the hot oil, using a knife to slice off each length as it emerges from the nozzle.
   Fry for 3-4 minutes or until they are golden brown. Drain the churros on paper towels while cooking successive batches, then arrange on a plate with the lime wedges, dust them with sugar and serve warm.

Chocolate Churro Dipping Sauce ($3 for chocolate)

This is thickened chocolate sauce used to "dip" (or dunk) your churros.

I N G R E D I E N T S

4 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tbsp sugar

I N S T R U C T I O N S

Place the chocolate and half the milk in a pan and heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the chocolate with the sugar. Cook on low heat, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is thickened, about five minutes. Add extra cornstarch if it doesn't start to thicken after 5 minutes. Remove and whisk smooth. Pour into individual cups or bowls to allow each person a cup for "dipping". Do not pour the chocolate over churros because it will just make them soggy.

Tips:

• Choose a theme. Themes are fun, and they provide direction to the planning.
• Prepare dishes from scratch. It takes a little more effort, but it's a money-saver, and it shows your guests that you like them enough to spend extra time on them.
• Choose recipes that use items you already have. It's helpful to take a quick inventory of items in your kitchen.

Broken Washing Machine

A few months ago, our washing machine quit working.

My first thought: "Yay! Let's go buy a new one!"

After discussing it with my practical husband: "Let's fix it."

Remember the step-down method illustrated with Pizza Friday? Here it is again with the washing machine:

If you would normally... buy a new washer (about $200 to $1000+),

try...calling a professional to fix it (about $150).

If you would normally...call a pro ($150),

try...buying the part and fixing it yourself ($45).

If you would normally...buy the part and fix it yourself ($45),

try...buying a roll of duct tape and rigging it ($5).

If you would normally...rig it with duct tape ($5),

try...washing your clothes by hand ($0).

Just kidding about the duct tape and washing by hand, but the point is that there is almost always room to "step down."

Our local discount appliance store charged $45.99 for the part, so I looked on eBay and found it for $21, including shipping.

Tips:

• Buy the "New Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean and Maintain Anything and Everything in and Around Your Home" by Reader's Digest Association, which is available used for as little as $6. It's simple explanations and illustrations make virtually any household repair feasible.

Dora Phone Toy

Today my youngest daughter turns 2!

Bedhead Birthday Girl







Here she is all dressed up.



She doesn't know it yet, but she's getting the Vtech Dora TV Explorer Phone for her birthday. It retails new on ebay for $34.99, but I found it at Costco on clearance after Christmas for $4.97--a savings of 85%.

Tips:

• "Keep your eyes peeled." That's what my mother used to tell us when looking for the perfect parking spot. I apply it to shopping as well.
  
• Know Costco's pricing methods. If an item ends with a .97, it is on sale (sometimes a little reduced, other times drastically reduced). If it ends with a .00, they are trying to get rid of it (these are usually the best deals).

Your Bargain Huntress: Entry Table

A reader writes:

"I'm also looking for a bargain--and you seem to be the one for finding deals. I am looking for a decorative table to go beneath a huge mirror that I have in my entry-way. I really would prefer to buy a good used one for around $50 and refinish it---but I don't know where to look around here! If I can't find a used, I don't mind buying a new one...but I don't want to spend more than $100. I'm attaching a file of some ideas. I don't really care how ornate it is. It could even be really plain. Any ideas for me?"

Here are the "ideas":



Here are her options:

This solid wood table is from craigslist.org (in her local area) for $60 (she could offer around $40), and it doesn't look like it needs refinishing--of course you never know until you see it in person.

This set of tables is listed on craigslist (also local to her) for $25. She could offer $10 for one table or take both and use the coffee table or sell it. These look like they need some tlc, but have potential. A new coat of paint or the removal of paint and some stain could turn this entry table into a gem.

If she decides to go with a new table, this one comes from visiondecor.com for $93.89 shipped.

Or this one from kitchenfurnishing.com for $92 shipped.

WWBD: It's exciting to take a piece of furniture that's an "ugly duckling" and turn it into a beautiful swan. That's why furniture is my favorite thing to buy used and why I would offer $10 for the green table above and refinish it.

Pottery Barn Faux Stone Wall Hanging

Not all outlet stores live up to the "outlet" label. Pottery Barn does. Here is my favorite Pottery Barn Outlet find:



















I bought 5 of them (originally priced at $40 a piece) for $1.97 a piece--a savings of 95%. Pottery Barn Outlet also sells items from Williams-Sonoma and West Elm, since they are owned by the same parent company. For a list of their locations, click here.



Tips:

• Take measurements before you go. It would be a shame to have to pass up a screamin' deal because you don't know if an item will fit. Likewise, it would be a waste of time and money if you bought an item, only to bring it home and realize it doesn't fit.