Something to love..

I had to find something to love about this job or I would have slowly lost my mind.  The thing I found is that I can save people money.  I'm a known spendthrift.  I make my own laundry soap, dog food, freeze veggies from the garden, and make my own jam.  Not just because it's better for you, but because I'm just that cheap.  I love freecycle (even if M has "discussions" with me about what's junk), and have been known to occasionally pick useful things up at the curb.  My children know that when clothes come in a garbage bag, they have every right to veto them but NOT because they were pre-owned.  I rarely buy anything new, and it takes an act of the Goddess combined with a direct order from M to get me to buy clothing for myself in a store that isn't a thrift shop.  I do have limits, however.  Underwear (knickers) are never ever bought used.  Socks are only if I know the person I'm getting them from and they are in pristine shape, same goes for bras.  Tennies and most shoes to be honest are new, unless I can't see any signs of wear on them.  School supplies are re-used from the year before and I am the patron saint of all the dollar stores (you have to be smart at those and realize that if a roll of paper toweling is only a buck, but at the grocery store you can get 6 for $5, that isn't that great of a deal).

Why am I such a cheapskate thrifty person?    If you've ever stood in line at the food pantry just to be able to feed your kids, you would be too.  When I divorced X I didn't have a pot to piss in nor a window to throw it out of because I refused to strip that house that my children considered "home" just so that I could be more comfortable.  I was also unemployed as most of my customers left when I moved.  In putting together a home for us from scratch I came to the realization that you could have a very nice home for very little money just because people throw away the damnedest things.  3ft high Kenwood speakers?  Yep, got em free.  Broyhill sofa?  Yep, free.  Working washer and dryer?  You guessed it.  Dressers? Amazing what a little sandpaper and finish work will produce.  Need a freezer?  No joke.  Full size upright freezer that isn't new but isn't ancient.  All for the price of hauling it.

Saving someone $10 on their cable bill while getting them more services is right up my alley.  Lemonade anyone?