One Of My Frugal Remodels. Paint and a New Light Fixture Cost Around $20.
Decorating is what I love to do. However, I don’t always have the resources to make major changes like I would like. Decoration ideas that I normally like come from magazines and other home shows. However, the changes that they talk about making usually cost too much. And for my husband, too much is anything over $20. We have a joint bank account, and I usually try to respect my hubby’s sense of frugality. But hey, let’s be honest, twenty dollars doesn’t go a long way in this day and age. He is of the mindset that if I really want something, I can take my time and save for it. However, I’m an American. I want instant gratification!
I recently saw an idea on Pinterest (I love Pinterest, but it definitely makes me yearn for things that I will never have, am too time-strapped to cook, or am too dumb to make) that was a beautiful posting of a drapery rod with pictures hanging from it. Ok, I thought. A drapery rod- how much can that cost? Some picture frames and ribbon- CHEAP! My project seemed feasible. I went to Target and looked around. I could see that I was going to have to either scrap the project or pull one of my ‘estimation’ tricks. You see, the first question my husband asks when I get home from a shopping trip is “how much was it?” Not, “Can I see what you got?” or “wow, it looks like you got a great deal.” So, to fend off his attacks, I tell my husband that the item was ‘around’ a certain price. Sometimes I say, well, it was only ten bucks, when the actual price was $11.99. Sometimes, my estimations can round way down, and something that is $49.99 suddenly becomes ‘around thirty.’ I added up my purchases- frames $20, rod $15, ribbon $10. Only $25 over budget! I could TOTALLY round that down. Unfortunately, this time my husband won. A sense of guilt came over me. He never buys anything for himself, and here I was, satisfying my selfish desires AND planning on lying to him in the process. Hmmm. With a heavy heart, I put back my stuff, left the store empty-handed. Ah, the sacrifices we make for love.
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