Monday, June 09, 2008

Rummage Sales are Bad

I promise I had no intention of buying anything when I went in to help set up the church rummage sale this morning. We live on a tight budget; I don't have much to spare.

But I'd only been there an hour when I spotted my first purchase. A telescope for the boys--a nice one with all the parts ($20.00). Shortly afterward I spotted a Coleman six man tent ($10), a sleeping bag ($5), a long handled shovel ($2). And-something we're always short on around here--flatware--service for eight ($3).

But I walked out without the BBQ grill, the bread machine (that one wasn't mine--that one was Gary's idea), a bookshelf, curtains, and new sheets. Oh, and I didn't walk out with the Christmas decorations, a rocking chair, a half a dozen new books and lots of cute nick-nacks.

So I'm not totally without self control. Only sorta.

Still, I can't wait for the weather to clear so the boys and I can test out the telescope.

5 comments:

jeanie said...

lol - that is not called shopping, that is called getting a real save!!!

Debby said...

It's called practical. Rummage sales are good, but, yeah, you can get in real trouble sometimes.

Mary O. Paddock said...

The annual rummage sale is my only real weakness (Okay, that's not true. Amazon gets me into trouble once in a while too).

I plan for it though, knowing I can pick up bargains on sheets, towels, small appliances, etc. My couch, my end table, my rocker, my dining table and chairs, even the curtains in my livingroom are the culmination of several years of shopping this rummage sale. Come to think of it, my stove and matching hood came from the rummage sale three years ago. My kids love going because they can take whatever change they've got and pick up small toys for ten cents or so. It's almost like Christmas, except that you spend money to get the gifts.

Scotty said...

That sounds great, Mary.

Siiigh.

I remember my childhood and all the hours I would spend gazing at the stars...

:-)

Mary O. Paddock said...

Oh Scotty. The telescope is sooooooo cool. It took a bit of doing to get it focused (reading the directions so's you know which lens to use helps). Tonight we saw the surface of the moon and I think I was more excited than the kids were. All the craters in detail were something to behold. And while we were watching, the moon rotated and gave us something new to look at.

Next stop, Mars . . .