What I've Been Reading Instead of Cleaning My House

Monday, September 14, 2009

Yard Sale Blues


Labor Day weekend my family decided to have a yard sale. Though I usually try to save money by NOT spending it, rather than trying to make more of it, I decided to still give it a go.

I started by cleaning out the house (including all the closets) to see what we could sell. Though I kept adding things to my "sell" box, my pile of yard sale goods kept getting smaller and smaller. Then I discovered that my kids were returning everything BACK to the closets as soon as my back was turned.
We finally had a few items that we ALL agreed to sell. Yippee!

Of course, it was raining the morning of our yard sale. I outfitted my children in matching aprons so they could work hard to earn some money! Then I realized that I had forgotten to feed them before heading out (the yard sale was at someone else's house, since we don't have a yard). So a quick trip to McDonald's for breakfast solved that (did you realize that they sell Breakfast Happy Meals? Who knew?).

FIVE HOURS LATER the yard sale was done -- and so were we. We made a whopping $12.00. Minus the $16.00 I spent on the McDonald's breakfast and the 50 cents my kids spent buying other people's stuff at the yard sale, we actually were in the hole $4.50!!! I could've save money by NOT cleaning my house and sleeping in!

I think I'll stick to saving money by NOT spending it. I don't do so well with the earning it part.

10 comments:

Vorquel said...

This is why I like to bash on people for "saving" money.

Lois said...

VORQUEL -- you are so right. Hey, you're supposed to help me with my spacing problems, oh wise computer wizard man!

Geo said...

Ouch!

Tiffany said...

Okay, I've had some random spacing problems too. What I have done is go back to edit post and instead of being on the Compose tab, I switch over to the Edit HTML tab. Then I just hit enter after each of the paragraphs in that tab (although it takes a little concentration to make sure you're not messing with the html) and they turn out how I want them. Let me know if that doesn't make sense and I can try to explain it a little better.

Lois said...

GEO -- "ouch" is right.

TIFFANY -- thank you so much for the suggestion! As you can see, I now have spaces. Thank you!!!

lisa moore said...

That is so funny. I hate putting on yard sales. They are a lot of work for so little money, or in your case, no money. :) I think you have the idea. Sleep in, and then take the stuff to DI. :)

Lois said...

LISA -- hear, hear.

Vorquel said...

Spacing problems? I find easier to help people with their computer problems when they are less than 500 miles away from me. So, the best advice I can give from this distance is to fool around with everything until it works. If you can't figure out this method on your own, I would recruit the help of any absent minded person you can find. They tend to be good at this kind of thing, but be sure to watch what they are doing, lest you lose your life's work.
If your looking for something a little more specific, try inserting a couple <"br"> html tags (minus the quotes). They are like the enter key of the internet.
Desirable effects from this treatment are atypical. Side effects include projectile vomiting, tongue convulsions, internal bleeding, and spontaneous human combustion.

Lois said...

VORQUEL -- a lady at church told me how to solve my spacing problem. Thanks, though. I do like a good spontaneous human combustion, though.

SC_mommie said...

I can't recall EVER having a yard sale growing up... Did Nigel ever tell you about our move from PA to GA? Ward members decided to "help" us pack, only they got the boxes for the fire switched w/the boxes for the truck... Mom sent everyone home after the youngest bro & I kept dragging stuff to Mom to show her what she was "throwing" out... ribbons & trophies from cat shows, pet supplies, etc... so, be cautious about who you have "help" clean, too!! :oP