Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Coupons

From reading many peoples posts through there it would appear that a lot of you do this.

For some, very strange and unknown reason I have a real problem with all of them.

When I first moved here I was amazed at how many coupons were available and the amount of people that 'clipped' them.

But me, I just couldn't do it. The thought of handing over a coupon to save 10c on something just mortified me. Then I saw how they could add up.....collect a few and you have saved $5, $10, $15.

I guess it is like the old question...what would you do for a million dollars ? Well I didn't wait till I'd got that much in coupons but it did take me a good couple of years to be comfortable with them. Now I clip like the best of American wives :-)

Which leads me on to Thrift Stores. Something else I was not entirely comfortable with. Although a tad more so than coupons. Yes we have them in the UK and yes I'd go in them occasionally but I always feel a little odd. Why .... I have no idea...call me crazy.

And then we come on to Yard sales. Hmmmm....these I seem to have a real problem with. Last weekend there was one just up the street from me and I passed it while I was out walking. They had a large vase that looked interesting but I just couldn't bring myself to cross the street and ask the price. Stupid I know.

I did manage to cross the street to a yard sale last weekend and inquire about a mirror. She wanted $25 which was more than it was worth so I just walked. I could not for the life of me offer her less.

My entire working career has been in sales of some kind. I have spent most of my adult life negotiating. Whether that be trying to convince a client that the ad was right for the campaign or dealing with corporations and trying to sell them the right employee. All the while negotiating cost. Yet I can't manage to ask someone to knock $10 off a beat up mirror lol.

And it isn't that I have any aversion to buying things second hand...I have been doing that for years but normally things from the paper or craigslist.

So there you go.....my dirty little secret laid out for all to see. While you all whizz around leaving a frenzied trail of dust behind you looking for the best bargains, I am the one skulking around with my hood pulled up and the dark glasses on :-)

Anyhow, the point of this post is a thrift store visit a couple of weeks ago.

I was after an old map or two but they didn't have any so I had a mooch about and I came across this.

I honestly couldn't make my mind up if I loved it or not or where I would even put it. I had already decided that I would only buy things for this house if I truly loved them.

Then I flipped it over and saw this.....

Frank Saldwell.....whoever he was made this. I have no idea who Frank is or when this was made. What I do know is that there is so much detail in this piece that he must have spent hours making this and the thought of it languishing on a thrift store shelf almost had me in tears.

So that was that....it came home with me. And I do love it . Would I have loved it if it were mass produced cast resin ? Probably not. But knowing this is hand made and all the work that must have gone into this just makes it really special to me.

I just wish I knew who Frank was so I coud tell him how wonderful his work is :-(