Frugal February has officially ended and we have taken a few days to reflect on our performance! There is always room for improvement, so we will continue to search for deals around the Cleveland area. Overall it was a success, there is always room to be more frugal and save more money, but overall we are satisfied with the outcome. Some of the tactics and tips that we picked up during the month of February will surely be continued throughout the rest of the year resulting in even more frugalness. Not only were we able to get ahead during February, but we will be able to stay ahead throughout the rest of the year!
This weekend, we did some new DIY projects! Steve made a brilliant new lamp out of an empty Pinot Grigio bottle (shown above) and Karen decided there was no need to buy a new nightstand, so she painted her old drab white one a fun blue/slate color (about $12 for Behr paint with primer included) to spruce up the bedroom. We will be sure to post a picture when it is completed! Below are directions for the DIY lamp – it is quick, easy and doesn’t break the bank!
You will need an old emptied out bottle. I tried to use a whiskey jug originally but I broke it the first try! So I settled for an empty wine bottle. The most expensive part of this project is the diamond drill bit. You will need a ½ inch to an inch drill bit to cut the hole in the back of the glass. Start slow and make sure you get a good imprint on the glass so that the bit is not slipping around and marking up the glass. Go slow and start at a 45 degree angle and you will get a nice smooth clean cut. The next part is easy! Grab a Westinghouse lamp kit (about 10 bucks, link is below) and run the wire through the hole you drilled and up through the neck. You may need a little electrical tape to make the adapter bigger to make sure it stays in the neck of the bottle. You can find cheap shades on Amazon or at the goodwill on a used lamp!
Karen also got a great deal on a TV at Target! There was a Smart TV on clearance, and she received an additional percentage off for taking the floor model. This is always a good option to receive a deal as they will still allow you to return it if the product does not work. You will not be given a box, but who needs to find somewhere to throw out that big old thing anyways!
Have you worked on any cheap and easy DIY projects lately?. We are always looking for new ideas!
Stop back later this week for cheap weekend outings in Cleveland!
Cleveland Cheapskates 