How can we make this more affordable?

My husband purchased a Chicago Bears Jersey at the School auction. Good Cause and he likes these sorts of items. So being a good wife I went to price getting it framed. Yes I can figure it out how to DIY this framing job, but work is getting busy and the TIME to MONEY scale is sliding towards the Money side ... so I have significantly less time and will pay for some services, with in reason! 

How can we make this more affordable?

VISITING MICHAEL'S Crafts FOR FRAMING, CHICAGO

The line was long. I waited. Excited to buy this frame for my husbands new gleaming jersey. I got a very well informed sales rep. VERY WELL INFORMED. She was very good at how to up sell in her job ... and I just was disappointing at every corner for her.

I had to frame a couple of items in my corporate days as gifts for special VIP coming to meet executives or certificates for employees, etc. I had been around the block with frames. I did a little homework on framing Jerseys before I went into the shop, to see if things have changed in options, and features. Not really, mostly what I was familiar with. So I drew out my plan (like I do for every project, a few doodles) and headed to the store, children in tow.

My kids behave really well, they get a little silly, but nothing they can't handle in line while I order a frame. They tagged along.

Two Mats versus 3 Mats in Framing

You know when you look at a frame of a photo and the mats inside the frame. We prefer 2 mats, because they have the slight white edge to it. That white edge comes from the cutting process on the frame on the mat. However Michael's crafts assumes people don't know that. So they automatically lay in a white mats in between your top color and your bottom color. Obviously this is one way to drive the price up unless you specifically asked that they not put that middle mats in. The clerk exhaled, obviously enough for me to hear it, and removed the middle mat. 

Acrylic vs. Glass

Think about where you're going to be hanging your piece in the house. Because Michael sells this very high-end UV glass protection that keeps 99% of the sunlight out. I don't know about you but I'm not going to hang my valuables in direct sunlight. Because fading is clearly one of the biggest problems. Again I'm the type of person who thinks these things through before going into a custom framing shop. So I instantly asked for acrylic. Were hanging sports memorabilia. "Our jersey, will be hanging in a sun free room. So UV light is not an issue." So instantly when I asked for an acrylic glass, the woman gave me a look like ? Wait, it she harassing ME?

Folded or flat

I had laid the Jersey folded up, for measuring on the counter. She proceeded to UNFOLD IT and measure. I then said "actually ... let's plan to have the bottom part of the Jersey folded up just so enough of the number was exposed with about 2 inches at the bottom. There, like this." This saves me on the size of the frame and the mat (cutting down on some length). Most stores charge per inch of what you're using on frame and mat. Again not a happy clerk re-measuring.

I wanted to certificate of authenticity included. She wanted it done a certain way where "I would be cutting into the mat." She actually was so considerate to sketch out two options for me, both of which were cutting into one of the maths - which would've been some sort of laser cutting that, of course, was more expensive. "Which choice do you prefer." Excellent up sell. I paused, admiring her sketches. "It's so nice." So opened my purse and took out my sketch of how I was considering the jersey framed. An impromptu moment, that not one appreciated as much as me. When I showed her I wanted to Jersey as if it's in one frame and the certificate  below in another. She was very frustrated with my fruitfulness and choice #3.

The Frame. 

We are getting to the frame, at last. The clerk steps in back and brings out this great frame option that's of course All Solid Wood, which is of course more expensive. I saw her place two previous orders and they did not get this road show of frames and mats. So I ask her "how can we make this more affordable." Again, she goes into her schpiel about the size of my piece and what the wait is to have it produced and if we go with a lower weight frame we simply can't use glass, in a tone of voice as if it was a tragedy.

"I'd like acrylic."

Remember the acrylic versus glass part, me too. "Oh, I said I would prefer acrylic please." Again, she goes to the back and brings out a simple acrylic frame, which has a lot of detail on it. I said "this is simple as we can go?" She says well "you are going to want something a little more decorative." I said "thank you but I prefer it to be simple." I took this opportunity before I got one more "gon in the back" suggestion to point out very specifically the style I'm looking for, then I said show me just 2 frames, in these colors, that is that simple. 

THE Final Price.

I have priced frames at my former job. I had done some pretty cool etching on glass, carving names into wood and adding trim details, etc., etc., etc., so I pre-planned and expected $250 or so for the framed jersey, all finished + tax.

Clearly this woman knew her job very well. She knew how to upsell me at every turn. 

She sat at her computer, and tallied a few more things. Who knew frame selections when simplified over and over took 25 minutes to order. I am certain Micheal's doesn't want you to feel like you wasted your time investing in these selections... thus the lengthy process. 

The final price came out to a whopping $743 for the frame. I simply stood there in silence. Then she applied there fabulous discount of 60% off. $393. I asked again "how can we make this more affordable." 

She was hesitant to offer me the even cheaper frame that I knew was available. I did my research before going in. She hesitated to offer me to making my frames even smaller, which was still an option. So while Michael's, is a very good at the up sell, as the customer PLEASE do not be afraid to ask how can we make this more affordable? 

The clerk said: "Affordable for who?"

I looked at my older son, who was leaning on me near the counter, observing the interesting banter. I took my purse and said common kids, time to go get lunch! 

The clerk shouted, yes, in a loud voice:

"Where do you think you will get what you want? Affordable for who?"

"DAMN IT! Affordable for me! Because you Ms. Clerk aren't paying my bill!"

The route we ended up taking

Michael's wants $160 for a custom shadowbox jersey frame, +40% off with their coupons. I'll find one on Amazon or on the web for slightly cheaper. Also a customer was there getting just a mats cut to size. I didn't know they have this option. So I will buy the $7.99 mats - 2 (or 3) and have it cut to size once I have my box frame and do my own measurements.

As for the certificate of authenticity.

I think I'm going to simply double up on the mats towards the bottom and frame that section myself. It'll stand out nicely against the larger mat and the Jersey. And then, as for a double mat, I'll mat around the Jersey too, and then I'll also put in an inch or so of that mat on the actual frame and glass to give it a little bit more depth, she was doing this already for me and didn't tell me until the very end after I had asked how do we make this more affordable.

The clerks must work on commission, because this woman just kept saying no to me on options that were evidently available at any other normal custom framing shop.

Make mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh Out Loud when people try to over charge you.

Melon Ball-er for Cantaloupe

I saw this little bit of advice once upon a time and its fabulous! We use a melon baller for our cantaloupe snacks. It just makes snacking easy (for mom) and fun (for the kids).

areyousureaboutthatblog Using a Melon Baller for well a Cantaloupe Melon Snack.

I halve the Cantaloupe, spoon out the seeds, and melon ball the rest. The seeds go in our compost pile, and melon balls are usually one in a few minutes, leaving just a few bits for tomorrow's breakfast accompaniment with a few frozen grapes. 

This just makes my "fruits at every meal" that much easier to accomplish.

Make mistakes. Breath. And Laugh.Out.Loud!!!

Easy Garden Pasta

We have a small garden that we tend too at home, nearly year round. The boys help pick what we grow each season, plant the seeds, weed and hardest our produce.

Our cherry tomatoes, which we planted waaayyyyy too many off, are coming in. During nap time I started the dish. While my pasta was boiling, for 8 minutes, I went out and picked a bowl full of tomatoes.

I washed and cut the tomatoes into quarters. I drained the pasta, and in the pasta pot, heated some olive oil, and sauted 4 chopped cloves of garlic for 5 minutes on low. Tossed in the tomatoes and sauted for an additional 6 minutes or so. Yes that whole bowl of tomatoes because we are making a big bath of pasta.

Added some fresh chopped green onions for moms bowl. 

Bag of pasta $0.89 cents. 

Everything else was in the pantry and garden.

Yes it was very yummy!! 

Make mistakes, breath, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud

Back to School Ways to Save

Summer felt so short this year. Probably between preparing for our trip to Japan and packing the kids for their two weeks with my mom, that prep ate up a lot of time. So, with school starting we are getting back into our routine, and that includes Saving Money while getting our Back To School supplies!!

I love saving money. I get a real thrill knowing that I saved money by Not Spending Money. And for those absolute supply needs its great saving 70%, 80%, and 90% off retail prices. Saving money is an irony for me, because ideally we Do Not  want to spend any money. Don't crack open the wallet if you don't have to. 

The Back to School shopping frenzy sometimes makes us parents feel like we are doing something for our kids, helping their back to school success, and making them happy with new "things." But really do those freshly opened packages of pencils, crayons and markers make them any smarter? On top of the shopping frenzy, there's a small emotional learning for my kids too: you don't have to "shop" for "new things" to be successful in school! Don't get me wrong - sometimes we do need new tools for our job: pencils, or a pencil case, but these items don't improve your reading skills! Or make our kids happier on that first day of school. What's the message when that new pencil breaks? Or their new clothes gets a rip? Is that item, that's now ruined, making them sad?  I should hope not. 

But when it comes to a new school year, there's always a list of supplies that are needed (notice I didn't say need to be purchased).

Here's a few ways we save on School Supplies:

Recycle Last Years Supplies

At the end of the school year my son brings home his pile of papers, projects, half filled notebooks, folders, and used pencils. From 2nd to 3rd grade transition we reused several pencils, folders, notebooks and our book bag. Hos notebooks had maybe 15 pages filled. We ripped those out for reuse. Pencils were resharpened if they were more then half their original size. Otherwise they stay home in our homework basket for at home work. 

Repurpose Packaging

There is the unspoken pressure, as kids get older, to bring in "new supplies" to school. We get around this in 2 ways. 

1 - Keep a Like New Box.Iin my storage area, I keep a few boxes for crayon, colored pencils and markers on hand. So when I'm thrifting, or consolidating a few crayons from a larger box (say 60 crayons), I can put them in a smaller crayon box (24 count). My sons taking a "new" box of crayons to school and moms saving money.

2 - Put it in the Pencil Pouch. We opened our thrifted colored pencils, barely used, and put them in the pencil pouch and tossed the tattered box with another kids name on them. 

Store School Supplies in One Place

You don't need to hord supplies, because excess is wasteful too. But do keep every thing in one place so what you have is easy to find and replenish. 

For us the toy room is an ideal place to securely fasten shelves for kids stuff that isn't often used, but easily accessible. We have our box of large items like notebooks, boxed items like crayons and color pencils, glue sticks and folders. 

Then our pens pencils (see the link to alternative bags) and used crayons go into the supply box, or our kitchen craft shelf for project time.

When craft supplies run low I can easily access our supply boxes. Our "recycle & repurpose" supplies are here to. So creativity is sparked within eyesight of what we may need.

I also keep our incomplete craft sets, unused items, excess usable crayons & markers from previous years here too. Great for future school supply lists and our crafting supplies.

Thrifting and Discount Stores

All discounts are not equal!!! We do thrift, with a tighter belt then in previous years. It's easy to fall into excess, even when your saving money. When school supplies DO go on sale (July / August) Target and Walmart sell crayons for $0.25 a box. So when I'm thrifting, crayons need to beat that price. It pays to be familiar with reduced retail prices so you can know when the thrift stores truly have a deal.

Our rules for thrift stores always apply. 1. It has to work/it is not broken. Even opened packaging is acceptable. Especially with school supplies. Just be logical an think thru if you can: 

1. Find the purchase elsewhere for a better price? 

2. Unique items always come home! 

3. Do you REALLY need it?

Big Box and Discount Stores

The same thrifting theory applies to Big Box & Discount stores. Big Lots recently had heavy stock folders, 15 in a pack for $1.50. That's $0.10 per folder - great deal. But during back to school sales Staples has $0.01 penny folders. That's a Better Deal! I personally won't drive out of my way to another store for a few cents savings, because I'll spend what I would save on folders to drive there in gasoline! If it is not "on the way" I'm not going. So take into consideration the convenience of savings. 

As an aside, read the fine print if you do go in for $0.01 folders or something similar, there's a $5 minimum purchase requirement. So you have to spend to save. Back to Schools a great time because you can stock up on other sale items. But be careful of the impulse buy. You might spend everything you've saved for an item you wouldn't otherwise buy.

My favorite false frugal save is dollar stores. Don't buy crayons for $1 when target sells them for $0.25. And sometimes there brand of markers doesn't last as long as crayons does. So it's not worth buying generic if your running out and buying replacements - due to failure!!

Buy TWO

As the school year passes, by Winter Break its time to restock up on use supplies. New pencils, erasers, maybe a few notebooks and glue stocks need to be replaced. And yes, teachers will ask for Kleenex boxes am paper towels again. So when we make our back to school purchases we usually Buy Two of what we don't have in our supply box at home.

Make mistakes, breath, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud

The days are long but the years are short, very short. As was our summer!!

School Pencil Pouch Solutions: An Alternative School Supply Solution

I love back to school deals. I do not believe in paying FULL PRICE for anything. NADE, Zero, Zip. When we are out at second hand stores I always keep my eyes open for school supplies, and alternative school supply solutions. I keep them in our school supplies bin in the playroom. See the red box here.

This year we snagged a bunch:

$1 for 10 crayons markers

$1 for 12 color pencils

.50c for 100 color index cards

.50c for 2 glue sticks

.17 for 70-page wide rule notebooks

And thru sales and thrifting we've found:

.1c folders

$5 pocket file folder, accordion style

But Pencil Pouches drive me nuts. The vinyl ones have holes in them within a few weeks of school starting. Forget about the plastic ones! 

So I've resolved to searching for wallets and cosmetic cases! Canvas zippered is preferred, but through the discount stores like Ross, Marshall's and TJ Maxx I've found leather ones for under $5. 

My new treasures!

Make mistakes, breath ad laugh.out.loud!!