Latest Deals on Electrical Supplies and Stair Parts

Are you tired of hearing about all the deals I am finding for our new home?  If so, you can just close this post and move right along - you won't like it!  :)  I am excited to share with you another couple of great deals I found, following my own advice found in this post, particularly points #1 & #2. 

Following point #1, I found an amazing bargain on Kijiji (the equivalent of Craigslist, for my American readers).  Jason has told his mom that he thinks I am wasting time when I am online, scouring Kijiji, but then I find a fantastic bargain and he thinks it is all worth it (and just so you know, I do not look everyday, not even every other day!).  Back just before the Easter weekend, I happened to stumble upon an add for brand new electrical supplies.  Rolls of wire, electrical boxes, receptacles and switches, and cover plates and breakers and a panel box and the list just went on and on, all brand new and sealed in their packages.  When I told Jay about it, his first thought was that it was stolen!  Who sells brand new electrical supplies for a super price on a forum such as Kijiji?  His only conclusion was that it must be stolen!  Well, I responded to the add and they got back to me a few days later, by phone, and explained that their father used to be an electrician but had passed away and now they were cleaning out his stuff.  Apparently he not only had supplies in the house and garage but also in a storage unit.  Since that call, we have made 3 trips to pick up supplies.  The first time Jay drove about an hour one evening to pick up as much as he could for the cash he had.  Since we had no more cash in hand, we made arrangements to pick up more supplies at a later date.  A few days later he met up with them in a parking lot just about 15 minutes down the road.  We thought that was the end.  Then they emailed us a few days later to let us know that another buyer never showed up for more supplies, were we interested in those?  Absolutely.  We also inquired if they had any other items we may need for a new house and they emailed us a list we never saw before.  So, this past Saturday I met up with her again in a parking lot in the city where I was having lunch anyway to pick up the remaining supplies we needed.  Now we have a huge chunk of our electrical supplies for less than half the contractor price we were quoted.  I was very pleased to have found that deal!

Then on Saturday when I was in the city, I made a stop at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.  When I told Jay in the morning that I intended to make a stop there, he wanted to know why.  I told him you never know what I would find.  Turns out I found something I never expected.  Stair parts!  I walked past an aisle filled with brand new solid wood spindles (oak?) and contemplated how they might work for the house and if they were a good price.  There was also some huge newel posts in the stack.  Behind me a gentleman was looking through a selection of solid wood handrails.  The wheels in my brain started churning and I made a call to Jay.  I had no idea what price was a good price, how many spindles we would need and what length of handrail was necessary.  Jay promised to do a little researching and check out the plans and then get back to me.  I wandered the rest of the store waiting for his call.  When he called back, he confirmed it was a great deal and informed me how many of each item we needed.  So, there I was kneeling in a pile of chewed gum (eeew!) sorting through the spindles to find enough matching one.  So far, so good (well, except for the gum). 

Then I went crawling under shelves to sort through the handrails, finding one that was long enough and straight enough.  Then I went back to the spindles and returned all the ones I had picked out because they were the wrong size for the handrail.  So, I found a different style of spindle in the correct size and in the correct amount.  After I choose 2 huge newel posts, I was set to go. 

I was so proud of myself.  Yes, my nice light pink spring coat was filthy and I had the remnants of gum stuck to my pants but I was victorious in finding what I needed.  The icing on the cake?  Saturday was 20% off day at the Restore!  So, my great deal became a fantastic deal.  After getting home, I discovered that I paid about 65% less than I would have had I bought those items at a big box store.  No, the wood doesn't match but since I will end up painting them anyway, that part doesn't matter.  What does matter is that we are slowly accumulating items for our house at a fraction of the regular retail price.  As my neighbour said, I will end up building my house for nothing (or right next to it!).

Right next to the Restore is a tile warehouse store so I made a quick stop over there to check out what they had.  I am not that particular about stair parts.  I know what color I want but the style is not that particular.  Tile is a different matter.  We need tile in our master bath around our tub and in the shower and a back splash for the vanity.  I would also like tile for the floor but that is a matter for a whole other post.  I am very specific in the style of tile I want.  Not just anything will do.  And up until Saturday I hadn't found any that I liked.  (To be honest, up until Saturday I never stepped foot in a tile store!).  I was so glad I made the stop because I finally found a few choices of beautiful tile that just might work.  And one of them is actually affordable!  When we choose our tile I will be sure to share with you what we actually went with.  Fortunately, that is not something that needs to be rushed right now.  For that matter, neither did the electrical supplies or the stair parts but with prices like that, you buy immediately.

This week should bring its own set of thrills and excitement but I will share that with you at the end of the week.  Until then, have yourself a fantastic week!  I know I will!  :)

Ten Tips to Save Money When Building a House

As you may or may not know, we are in the process of starting to build a new house.  Our dream home in the country.  We have most certainly outgrown this current home even though we love it.  It was never built for 7 people (yet I always think of the days gone by when this house would have held more than 7 for a very long time).  We would like a new house, not because of dissatisfaction with our current home, but because we feel limited in what we can do because of the size.  3 little girls sharing a room that is 9x9 in size works when the girls are only 3' tall.  What about when they grow?  So, this dream has been in the works for years, really.  We said when we moved into this home we would live here for 10 years.  In 10 years we would build our country dream.  This September will be 10 years.  This is what we have been aiming for for the past decade.  So, as we are trying to work out all the many details required to build a home, like who to hire, which windows to buy, what will the kitchen look like, etc. we are trying to save money along the way.  Now, we don't want to cut corners to save money.  This house is supposed to be our forever home.  The home our kids bring our grand kids to for sleepovers.  We anticipate staying in this next home until we are too old to live there well.  We don't want to cut corners.  Save money?  Yes.  Cut corners?  No.  So, how does a family of 7, living on one income, build a large dream home in the country without mortgaging our self to death? Well, some of those choices started already many years ago in the way we have managed our money.  But for the sake of this blog post, I will share some tips I have been using to try to save us some money while we build this home.

Tip #1 - Buy new items on Kijiji or Craigslist

It is unbelievable to me the number of people that buy something new and either decide they no longer like it or find out it will not work for the intended purpose. They cannot return the item so they sell it for cheap.  I have just purchased a stainless steel under mount kitchen sink for $60.  That is waaaaay cheaper than I would find in stores for the same item, never mind cheaper than a drop-in stainless steel sink.  The reason it was being sold?  The sink wouldn't work with the granite they had cut and they couldn't return the sink so they sold it.  We have also bought a couple of brand new vessel sinks for half the retail price.  I have seen brand new windows, doors, toilets, sinks, faucets, showers, tubs, etc - many, many items one would need to build a home for way less than retail price.

Tip #2 - Scour second hand stores for new and gently used items

I love second hand stores.  And you just may be surprised at what you will find, new and used.  I bought a brand new toilet at the local MCC Thrift Store, just taken out of the box for display purposes for cheap, cheap, cheap.  I bought a slightly used but still beautiful pedestal sink at that same MCC store.  I found 2 boxes of brand-new 4"x4" white tiles by Dal Tile.  I have bought tempered glass shelving.  I found a brand new mirror by Umbra.  At the local ReFit store, I have found many beautiful pieces of tile in quantities large enough for my needs at a fraction of the retail price.  We just purchased a 7-month old Electrolux front load washer and dryer set for about 50% of retail off of Kijiji.  We also bought a gently-used-but-still-looks-brand-new air massage tub on Kijiji for 1/4 the price it would have cost new.  These are very easy ways to save money when building a home. 

Tip #3 - Shop liquidating stores

Some stores exist only to liquidate other stores' items.  Sometimes these other stores have gone bankrupt or they sell unclaimed orders or many other reasons perfectly lovely and brand new name brand items end up on these store shelves for a fraction of retail price.  I have found AMAZING bargains at our local Liquidation World (now owned by Big Lots).  Our Weiser entry door handle set ($88.88 - retails for $165), all our Weiser interior door levers($28.88 - retails for $50+), my Price Pfister roman tub faucet ($78.88 - retails for over $500 [my best deal EVER!]), Delta towel bars and glass shelves and toilet paper holders ($12 each - retails for $30+), our kitchen faucets, chandeliers - so many amazing finds at unheard of prices.  These stores can bring big savings if you take the time to look.

Tip #4 - Shop on sale

Patience is almost required (unless you have unlimited funds and can buy everything at full price the first time you see it!) when purchasing items for your home.  One example - I looked and looked and looked for the right fixture for our main floor powder room.  When I found it, I was so excited!  It was pricey but it was just what I wanted.  Did I buy it immediately?  No!  I knew this store where I found it would eventually put it on sale so all I had to do was wait.  And watch the sales.  When it finally came on sale, it was 40% off the regular price.  That is when I went to buy it and saved about $80 just by being patient.  We have bought faucets and interior doors and exterior doors and tile all on sale because we knew what a good sale price was.  There is a particular type of hardwood flooring I want for our main floor area and it comes on sale occasionally in varying sale prices.  From past experience though, I know exactly what the lowest sale price it will come to yet and I am just waiting for that right price to buy it - when it does you can bet we will buy our flooring.  If you get to know a store's sale rotation, watch their flyers and have some patience, you will save yourself some big money!

Tip #5 - Shop scratch and dent

As we went to pick up the washer and dryer we bought, we discovered the guy selling the machines worked for an appliance repair store that specializes in Frigidaire and Electrolux machines and sells scratch and dent models.  To be honest, scratch and dent hadn't entered my thoughts but when I gave my head a shake, I realized it was the perfect solution.  Appliances can be terribly expensive but they don't have to be.  We just picked up a brand new scratch-and-dent Frigidaire All-Freezer and Electrolux All-Refrigerator for less than half the price they would have cost none scratch-and-dent.  Since Electrolux owns Frigidaire, the appliances look like the same brand from the outside plus you will never notice the scratches or dents since they are only on the sides or the tops which will be completely hidden by the kitchen cabinets.  For an amazing deal, I was able to get the exact appliances I wanted for a fraction of the price.

Tip #6 - Use in-store credit points or gift cards

Both credit cards we own are store credit cards and allow us to collect points on each purchase.  With one card we collect points to buy groceries but with the other card, I was saving those points for an unknown time in the future when I would find something I really wanted for the house.  I was accumulating those points for a while when I suddenly found the time I wanted to use them.  Remember that chandelier I was waiting for to come on sale?  Well, when it did come on sale, I redeemed the points on my card and ended up saving an additional $100.  That beautiful light cost me $12!  As for gift cards, I have been accumulating gift cards to Home Sense (equivalent to Home Goods in the USA) for a number of years.  People know I love that store and so they have given them to me as thank you's for various reasons or as gifts for other occasions.  Though I did use a little to purchase another beautiful chandelier, I have been saving the majority to use when it comes time to decorate the new house.  I can see myself buying new towels or throw pillows or other accessories to make the house look beautiful and new and it won't cost me a thing, thanks to the gift cards!

Tip #7 - Shop clearance sections

Pretty much every time I go to a hardware store or big box store that may carry home building supplies, I check out the clearance section.  Rarely are those items advertised.  In one store I found our beautiful kitchen light fixture that will be hanging over the island.  It was almost 75% off the regular retail price.  I assumed they were getting rid of a certain style but I was more than happy with the style and the savings.  Funny thing is, in another city, that exact same light fixture was still the same full retail price.  It pays to check the clearance racks!  I also found a beautiful drop-in porcelain sink on clearance at one store.  They only had one so I bought it.  Turns out I found an identical sink on clearance in another store in another city.  That took care of both sinks in the kid's bathroom.  Though it may take an extra few minutes to wander past the clearance section in a store, you never know what bargains you will find.  Don't be afraid to open nondescript cardboard boxes that have yellow clearance stickers on them.  We were able to buy the vessel sinks for our master bath at substantial savings because I was curious enough to open a plain cardboard box that had a yellow clearance sticker on it.  There was no picture on the box so I had no idea what was in it.  When I opened it up and saw the beautiful sinks, I knew I struck gold!  The savings are even better when you find things on clearance at a liquidating store.  It is like the clearance items are on clearance!  I love bargains like that!

Tip #8 - Know your prices and price compare

Being a homeschooling mom of 5 kids, I spend a lot of time at home.  I don't have time to run around to stores to check out what they have or what things cost.  That is where the wonderful world of the Internet comes in.  It is a great place to check out prices so you have an idea of what the regular price of items is so you will know when you find a great bargain.  I knew when I saw our fridge/freezer that it was a great deal.  My husband wasn't so sure.  So, I went online and printed out the regular prices for them - it didn't take him long to realize it was, in fact, a bargain worth pursuing.  Sometimes we have found things on sale and were unsure if it was really a deal worth checking out, especially if we are shopping in the USA.  A little time spent online quickly confirms if the price is a good one or not.  Plus, if you are looking at prices, you can quickly compare which places have the best price for certain items.  We don't have unlimited funds so it is up to us to spend what we do have in the best way possible.

Tip #9 - The sooner you start, the better deals you will find

We have known for a long time we would be building this house.  But only since we purchased the property (2 1/2 years ago) have I been collecting building items for our house.  When you have the time to start soon and start early, you are able to get the best deals because you are not forced to buy something RIGHT NOW!  I am not in a hurry for a kitchen sink so I don't need to buy something at full price just because I need it.  I can wait and look and wait and look.  When I do find a bargain, I can buy it and store it until it is needed.  I may be spending my money a little sooner but I am spending less of it!  I know that takes some forethought in your finances - you need to be in a place where you can afford to buy items for your house long before you have your mortgage plus you need to find a place to store those things.  But if you can do that, you will save big money in the long run.

Tip #10 - Be flexible

This may be the most important tip to saving money.  Be flexible.  I have an idea of what I want my new house to look like.  I want it to be beautiful and warm and inviting but I also want to be able to afford it.  When I find something on clearance or on sale, I usually ask myself if I love it, if I hate it, could I live with it, could I live without, etc.  If I really can't stand the item, I won't buy it.  If I am not sure, I think about it for a while.  But, in general, I make decisions quickly and can adapt my vision of the room in question to whatever it is I find.  If you must only have certain items and you won't flex from that view, you will probably end up spending more money finding those exact things. If you allow room for flexibility, you will save yourself some money.

Well, there you have it!  Ten tips to help you save money while building a home.  Actually, these are tips you can apply to your life in many other areas, not just when it comes to building a house.  Tell me, what are some tips you follow to try to save yourself some money?  I would love to learn even more money-saving secrets!

This Week . . .

1.  The patterns I won in a blog giveaway arrived and what fun it was to peruse the box full!  24 brand new women's clothing patterns all in my size!  Some I will probably not use, like the hospital scrubs, but some I am really excited about - numerous skirt patterns, a cute Asian-inspired top (I love Asian tops!), some coats, lots of dresses, too many to mention!  Now to figure out which one to pick first!

2.  I paid $12.44 for a $199.99 light fixture!  For the longest time, I have pictured a light in my head.  Not sure if I saw one somewhere on-line or on TV but I had this vision of a light fixture in my head that would be perfect for the powder room in the new house.  I wanted something rectangular, with a sheer black shade and lots of crystal drops.  I have looked in many big box stores over and over but never found exactly what I wanted.  I found others that would work okay but not the EXACT one.  Then, the other week, I wandered through Canadian Tire when I saw it!  The exact fixture I wanted.  I was ecstatic!  When I got close enough to see the price was $200, I said out loud, "No way!  I refuse to pay $200 for a light fixture.  I will wait for it to come on sale."  So, wait I did.  Then, yesterday, I looked in the flyer and my light was on sale.  40% off.  That brought it to, with taxes, $134.39 (regular $223.99).  Then, to sweeten the matter even more, I have been stocking up my Canadian Tire money for such a moment sometime in the future when I would find that perfect item for the new house.  I didn't know what it was but I have been saving for quite a while.  (For those of you unaware of what Canadian Tire money is, it is a reward system earning you money based on your purchases.  Jay figured out that Canadian Tire has one of the better points systems out there.)  Well, that moment had come.  I had $121.95 in Canadian Tire money bringing the total price of the light fixture to $12.44!  Woo hoo!  That is patience and persistence paying off!

3.  The 3 oldest kids have been attending a 5 day camp (well, they only found out about it on Wednesday so for them it is a 3 day camp) at a friend's house.  They are singing songs, learning Bible verses, spending time in prayer and learning how to tell others about Jesus.  I firmly believe that it is the parent's responsibility to teach their children about the Lord and about life, not leaving it up to the Sunday School teachers or DVBS leaders or whatever.  And I do.  I take that aspect of life seriously.  But when they have the opportunity to spend 1 hour with others that are confirming what we are teaching, teaching in the same spirit and manner, then I encourage them to go and learn.  And we talk all about it when they get home.

4.  I made 19 half pint jars of Raspberry Red Pepper Jelly, thanks to the recipe from here.  I picked the raspberries from the plants here on my yard and bought the remaining ingredients from the store.  Maybe someday in the future I will grow all the peppers, too, but that didn't happen this year.  I love the gorgeous red color and the taste is a wonderful sweet/spicy combination that would be perfect with crackers and cream cheese.  Just a small reminder - don't walk away from your stove for any reason when you are trying to bring your fruit to a boil.  It will most likely boil over the moment you step back into the room but just before you are actually able to stop it.  Not that I have any experience with that! :)

5.  Harvest has started.  This is a wonderful time of the year full of busy schedules and running here and there.  Every day involves numerous trips back and forth from one field or another dropping off a couple kids and picking up a couple more while delivering food to their hard-working dad.  I know that MIL would gladly feed her son but I see it as my joy and my privilege to bring my husband supper, even if it means packing up all the kids and sitting and waiting at the end of the field for him to arrive.  There is something to be said for being a part of the harvest.  We truly see how the Lord is the only one who can give the increase - all we can do is plant.  The rain and the sun come from the Lord, the plants grow only at his command, and we are honored to be able to reap a harvest of plenty. 

6.  I bought a few more crochet patterns and sewing patterns on Etsy.  A certain little lady turns 4 next week so I best get busy making some gifts.  I guess that is what sitting and waiting at the field is good for - crocheting!  I will be sure to show you what I make next week.  Anything fun happen for you this past week?

New Finds for Project 2012

Yesterday we got back from a two-day trip to Fargo to do a little shopping for new house stuff while catching up, relaxing, talking, etc. I thought I would show you our newest treasures! First off, we bought our front door! It is so very exciting to know that this is the pretty door everyone will see upon entering our home! It is a beautiful steel door with an oval window and zinc accents. And at $199? What a steal! This picture is not the exact one but so very close!

Won't it look so fabulous with this entrance set I bought a long time ago? I am in love!

Secondly, we were able to pick up the faucets for the kids' bathroom. This "Porter" style by Delta was on sale so we couldn't pass it up.

Remember the sinks that are going with these faucets? Oh, it will look so beautiful!

The sink faucets were $49 and the tub/shower faucet? Only $99!

We are good bargain hunters, wouldn't you say? We also picked up 3 of our interior doors since they were only $28.88 prehung! If they had more in the size and style we needed, we would have bought more! Needless to say, the trip was completely worth it and we look forward to more excursions in the future!

"Welcome Home" Gripset

As usual, when we get into Steinbach for some grocery shopping, I try to get to Liquidation World (LW) . I mentioned that store in an earlier post when I found a few wonderful Project 2012 goodies there. Well, I added to the collection today! As we were wondering around, I had just popped some collapsible fabric storage baskets ($5.88 ea) for the girls into the cart when I spotted this:

We now have our entrance gripset! I love that the hardware series is called "Welcome Home" by Weiser and it makes me extra excited for building our house! This is the door handle every guest who graces our home will use! This is one of the first things they will see when they step on our porch and stare at our door, waiting for us to answer! It is starting to become more real with every piece we buy. And it is still 2 years away. I think Pepe is beginning to realize there is going to be a lot of shopping for the next house because he asked just how many things for the next house we needed to buy! Anyhow, at $88.88, once again, this is a bargain of a price. I found the same gripset in a different finish at Home Hardware for $179.99. So, once again, we saved over 50% off the regular retail price! Yippee!

And, finally, I bought 29 packages of upholstery nails! They are made by the Bulldog Hardware Company of Memphis, TN, they come in 3/4 oz clamshell packs, and are nickel colored. At about 20 nails per pack, I have over 550 upholstery nails to use somewhere at sometime. At $0.25 a package, it was too good to pass up! That's only $7.25, people! So, once again, a trip to LW was worth every penny!