Roller Blades for Free

We drove to the Adirondack Mountains today. On our way past a neighbor, my husband noticed roller blade wheels sticking out of a 5 gallon bucket with a "FREE" sign on it.  After we passed, he thought that he should have picked them up because he could probably use the wheels for something.  After our day out, they were still there.  He picked them up and discovered there were also a set of knee and wrist pads in the bucket.  These are in great shape and he decided that maybe I should sell them instead! I will update this post later if we do sell.

Yard Sale Freebies

While driving to the bookstore to look at the magazines for free rather than subscribing, we passed a roadside yard sale.  There were two piles. One said 'free" and one said "make offer."  Above is a picture of what we picked from the free pile. One shovel in excellent condition, two fishing poles, one unopened package with 5 rolls of Christmas paper, 2 brand new lights that we will use to replace the old lights on our front and back porch, and 3 bottles of brake fluid in a little bin.  We think back on it and we should have taken a couple more of the things that we didn't really want and try to resell them.

Free Stove

On Thanksgiving Day 2009 my flat top stove died with a turkey in it. We were able to use an old stove my husband had in his garage (that he had planned to start using to powder coat metal) to salvage the day. After that day I spent two full years without a stove. The one in the garage was not fit for the house. We did not have the cash for a new stove and we did not want to add to our credit card debt. I got creative and actually enjoyed using the microwave, slow cooker, toaster oven and grill. After two years my father said he knew someone who was remodeling and they were getting a new stove to go with the new decor. Their current stove was free for the taking. There was nothing wrong with it and it was clean. We said we would take it. He did neglect to tell me that it was from the 1980s!  Since it was free, I didn't complain. It has been working fine. I guess it is easier to use the stove, but I have tried to keep creative with the other appliances too.

Free Coffee at McDonalds

Free small coffee at McDonalds from September 23-29th. I just found out yesterday, but I got mine today. I didn't even have to pay the tax on it. Great deal and now I have a to-go cup as well.  That will get at least 1 more use I am sure!

Wildflower Arrangements

I love having flowers in my house, but I refuse to buy them. During the spring, summer and fall I will pick flowers from around our property. I have lilacs, tiger lillies, black eyed susans, daisys, and some that I don't know the names of. I have made arrangements with cattails, branches, greens and pine boughs too. If you have none on your property, buy a packet of mixed wildflower seeds and sprinkle them in an area you don't mow. If you can't do that, sometimes a walk or a drive will take you to a place to gather your arrangements. Just be sure not to pick on property that you shouldn't.

Fun Free Finds from Walks and Scrounging

Ed goes on walks in back of our property and around the neighbor's old farm property. These are a few of the things he has brought back from these walks. He found the old dump that was used through the years by the farm.

Free Pallets

Our local Agway has pallets free for the taking! My husband will often stop in and pick up 8 to 10 at a time.  He got 8 last week and 9 today. We use them for firewood at the campfire and in the house woodstove and for projects. There are sites all over the internet with projects made from pallets. Some of the ones he gets are in very good condition. He just has to cut them apart a bit, but free firewood is a great find and saves money.

Beautiful Huge Cabinet

We got this for free from my cousin and his partner. They have another one just like it. He manages a mall and has access to a lot of things when a store goes out of business and just discards things.  This is a beautiful and huge cabinet. It is 6 feet 7 inches long, 31 inches wide and 26 inches tall. We are not sure what it will be used for in the end, but for now it is out of the weather on our back porch. We used it as a food buffet table for my son's graduation party!

Free from Dad

We often get things free from our parents....it's what parents do. They give us their cast off thing as sort of a first option. I often think it's just so they don't have to worry about getting rid of it. I would rather it be that way though. Our parents usually give us some great stuff. This haul was from a forced clean-out.  This week I helped my dad clean out his closet and dressers. Most of this stuff I will be getting rid of, but I took it off his hands first. The following is a list of what wound up in my car: dress shoes, small rotary tool, 3 coats, 1 flannel shirt, 1 winter scarf, 1 winter hood, 3 pair of jeans, over a dozen vintage ties, several old belts, two brand new pairs of socks, 1 turtleneck shirt, 1 after-shower terrycloth wrap, a box of unused Christmas cards, Louis Lamour books on tape, fishing vest, a few rags, and a luggage cart (not pictured).  After distributing the things we will keep around our house and garage, I will sell or donate the rest.

Free Finds from a December, 2009 Clean-Out

The pictures that follow are most of the items that came from an old garage. My dad knew someone who was selling their house and needed to clean out their garage. For doing a little labor, my husband could keep whatever he wanted. Looking back, he wishes he took more.

Vintage Singer Sewing Machine on stand, vintage push mower and two old cabinets. The stand was made into a table, the cabinets were hung in the garage, the push mower is waiting for a place to be displayed and the sewing maching top is being cleaned up for display.

 Nine boxes of various tiles. These are waiting for project ideas to be used.

This table was cleaned up and is being used in one of our outdoor sitting areas.

 This sink was used along with a piece of countertop (obtained free from my parents when they did a kitchen remodel). It is now part of our chicken butchering setup that is used outdoors at butchering time.

 This tall stool is being used in the garage and the short bench is a nice outdoor fireside table.

                        We made seats for these chairs and they are being used in our gardenside cabin.

 These windows are being stored in one section of our barn with many others we have obtained roadside. We pick through them as we come up with projects.

 The entire back of the truck was filled with these fence posts which my husband used to make a white picket fence by my garage for a wild flower garden.

Three old breadboxes. My husband cleaned up and painted the green one and we use it in our kitchen.

 More windows to add to my collection.