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Delayed Gratification Can Be Frugal

December 8th, 2017 at 08:04 pm

A number of years go we would peruse Pier 1 and there was a set of dishes I had my heart set upon. I really, really wanted them. They were made in Italy and I thought they were simply beautiful. But, alas, we couldn't afford them. I finally gave in and bough one plate. I hung it up on our wall so I could enjoy it.

So, fast forward way over a decade. I still have that plate on my wall. I take it down every so often and wash it and put it back up. I still like it.

Just about every week we go through four thrift stores around us. The past two weeks I've seen a set of these same dishes. It's funny, I still like them, but I have no desire to own them. I think that waiting probably showed me I could live without them. And now I could buy that set from the thrift store. I will admit, I was tempted. Then I thought, where would I put them? Would I really get a lot of use out of them? A number of years ago I donated the fancy China I had simply because I rarely used it. I have the blue willow dishes that I really like and I use them for everything. Plus, We don't have fancy dinner parties. I'm not a gourmet. I cook simple nourishing meals and they are served just fine on my dishes I have.

I am amazed at the kinds of things that we find in the thrift stores. Sure, there's the glass vases that everyone seems to donate. But, I'm talking the good stuff. At least the stuff I like. Most of my blue willow has come from thrift stores and second hand places. All of our drinking glasses come from there. Why pay big prices for a drinking glass when I can get them for 25 or 50 cents and if I break one, I'm not out a lot of money.

Anyway, I tell DH that I guess waiting has taught me a number of things. We see things that I had wanted years ago and couldn't afford...wait a few years and it pops up at thrift stores for a lot less and then I can decide if I really needed it or not. Instant gratification isn't very frugal is it?

5 Responses to “Delayed Gratification Can Be Frugal”

  1. Amber Says:
    1512765924

    Wow I absolutely love this post. As I take this journey of financial freedom, I'm learning that one, always wait to purchase items and two never pay full price.

  2. My English Castle Says:
    1512838699

    That's so true. I also think it's part of life's seasons--I want less and less.

  3. PatientSaver Says:
    1512849070

    It's true what you say.

    I remember seeing some really cute snowmen glasses at Pier 1, but they were about $8 each and I really didn't need them. A year or so later I saw them on sale for $2 each at a discount warehouse type store, and I snatched up 4 of them and still enjoy them today.

  4. LivingAlmostLarge Says:
    1512864104

    what an amazing story.

  5. crazyliblady Says:
    1512938831

    I agree. When I was in my teens and twenties, I went antiquing a lot with my female relatives. And over the years, I collected a wide variety of Lenox and Belleek china. Fast forward twenty years, I would love to sell it to someone so I can make an extra payment on debts. Having it out would just give my cats another temptation of something to play with and/or break. No one local seems to want to buy it, though. Lenox has one of those places that buys used stuff like this, but you have to send it to them before they even give you a potential price. Ebay is pretty much the same story. It would probably cost more to ship it than I would get for it. I wish I had re-thought those decisions I made as a kid and maybe saved that money somehow. Lesson learned.

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