themegnapkin's Profile

I'm crafty (mainly knitting, but sewing, too), so I totally get that you should never EVER ask someone to knit you a sweater or make curtains for you. But I would have no problem with a friend asking me to teach her how, or to help her do it herself. There's a big difference between asking for help and asking someone to work for free.

This is fascinating, and i'd love to see more posts like this. I thought I was fairly frugal, but compared to you AT folks, I'm a spendthrift! Here's what I've spent on my house:
Mattress - $700 (waste - it turned into a banana bed very quickly. I will never buy from sleepy's again, they have the worst customer service ever, and made it such a nightmare for me that I gave up trying to get a replacement)
Bedframe - $300ish (ikea)
Bedside tables - $30 (ikea tv tables)
Dining room Table/6 chairs - $600
Couch and matching chair - $600

These were purchased over 6 years. Apart from the year I bought my bed and mattress, i never spent more than $600 on furniture in one year.

Ditto to Miami's Elaine. My 13-lb little dog is not built for cold winters. He's much more comfortable, and stays out to play much longer, when he's wrapped up in the little fisherman's aran sweater I knit for him.

I know how to get rid of a bat -- call the police! Two years ago, on my first night back in my house after a long trip, I heard noises of somebody sneaking around in my attic. I kept listening, and the noises just got louder. So I called 911. Five minutes later, six armed cops were knocking at my front door. While I cowered in the living room, they searched my house from basement to attic. . . and found a lone and very scared little bat. After I declined to press charges, they trapped the little guy with a broom and a plastic bag, and took him outside to freedom. A happy ending for all.