Cheap

We went up to Green Demolitions yesterday. Basically, people who have a lot more money than we do buy houses and take out perfectly serviceable kitchens and baths so they can put in something more to their taste. Green Demolitions removes the cabinetry, counter tops, appliances, etc, and sells them to people like us, who aren't so fancy and are happy just to have cabinets. My sister would call us cheap. I say thrifty.

(She'd call us cheap with love. Or, really, she'd call me cheap, because, well, I've been cheap all my life, and she hasn't known Katherine long enough to call her cheap to her face. Or thrifty. With love.)

Point being, yesterday we went up there and found a perfectly nice white raised-panel bathroom vanity, plus undermount sink and white Corian counter top, for $225. It's in good condition, we like it, it's the right size, and most importantly, IT'S NOW OFF OUR TO DO LIST. For $225. Probably would have cost $750 new.

Also, we like the reuse part of reduce, reuse, recycle.

We also found a really nice two-section cast iron enamel kitchen sink for $50. I found a similar one on the Kohler website new for $650. Cheap.

On our way we stopped at Eddie's Salvage and picked up a bunch of replacement balusters for our stairway. Fifteen custom-turned replacement balusters: $270. Fifteen salvaged balusters from Eddie who is real nice but you have to wait a while for him to find anything in his shop: $150. Sense of smugness and self-satisfaction from having saved a whole crapload of money: priceless.

So, it was a good day. A good, cheap day.