Friday, May 20, 2011

A new home for my pots and pans

I have a friend who's a few years younger than me who will be finally moving into her first apartment with a friend of hers. She's well versed in a lot of my roommate scandals and I think she's ready for the leap and the life lessons that go along with it. 

In the past I’ve explained financial stuff to her about interest saving accounts (and how to find out what rate she was getting with her bank), how to use a credit card correctly and not get racked up in debt, and how it’s important to look into retirement since she doesn’t have any debt and any real expenses at the moment.

At  times she wonders why I didn't go to school to be a CPA and she’s even shared my advice with her dad… who then went to his financial planner and asked why HE didn’t mention the things I was telling his daughter to do. (lol) Her dad is WAY okay with her taking my advice.

So when I heard she was moving out into a new place for the first time I decided to see if I could help out.

I got a brand new set of pots and pans for my birthday and I had put my old set in a box  for Goodwill. I was planning on dropping them off at Goodwill last weekend, but I never got around to categorizing them for tax purposes... and deep down inside I really wanted to give them to someone who would be able to use them.

When I found out that she was moving out, I offered them to her… and she excitedly said YES!!! So it looks like my old set is getting a new home!

It reminds me to when I first moved out on my own... most of our furniture was actually given to us,

  • My coffee table was an old hutch from my old bible study leader’s home
  • I got an end table from a lady moving out one day at my first complex
  • I found a TV stand outside a dumpster when I was apartment hunting...
  • My current couch was my first roommates, ex boyfriend’s step-dad’s couch. (no joke)
  • My original dinning room table was off freecycle… and my current one was a hand me down from a family at church.
  • My fiancĂ© is sitting in an office chair that we got for free from our church since we were no longer need an office there.

Free is just fantastic, especially when your 20 and you need a table! Yes, i'll admit that there are a few pieces i'd like to eventually replace (like the black leather couch that i've owned for at least 5 years BEFORE it was given to me), but for now they give my home character and they allow for me to put money towards the emergency fund and other priorities.

It’s nice to be able to repay the favor and give back.

3 comments:

  1. I love free furniture -- I'm often searching the Craigslist posts, under the "free" category, for great finds. Alternatively, when I'm moving and just don't want to deal with the hassle of donating/getting rid of stuff, I'll post it for "free" online and it's gone within a few hours! What a great way to save money and re-use resources.

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  2. I listed an old electric stove that worked on craigslist as free... and ended up getting $20 bucks from the guy who came and hauled it away.

    Have you checked out Freecycle?

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  3. Getting free items I am need of from friends and freecycle has helped us out many many times. It does help free up the money for other needed items. I in turn always try to find a good home for things I am no longer in need of. It's great that you were able to help out your friend. Pots and pans can be a big first expense.

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