Looking for a Queen or King of Cheap?

HERE I AM; I am a 62 year old woman with 3 grown boys, single with a sweet guy that can't marry me because he could never afford my medication. We are both on disability. Being frugal has been my hobby since a dear friend of mine introduced me to the thrift shops. I make all my own cleaners, some lotions, stain removers and kitchen cleaners. Some people buy milk and bread first. I buy bleach, Borax, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. I make and sell quilts and Raggedy Ann and Andys at the Farmers Market here in Moses Lake WA, make my own patterns for clothing.

I also just bought a beautiful Buick Park Avenue in perfect condition for $500.00. I keep your columns, and others in an old recipe book that has tabs. I no longer need the cook book, so now it's my scrap book. I call it "Cheap Livin". I love scanning through it, after all I can't remember everything. I also used to have my own house cleaning business, using my own stuff and my own vacuum. Two weeks ago I won the contest on this site for one of my hints. sincerely, Ardie, ardierudy @ yahoo.com (remove spaces)

I think I'm a Frugal Queen. I am always told I "can make something of nothing". My children would say "there is no food". I can make a healthy meal from, for next to nothing. If picking things from the trash counts, I'm your woman. I have made thousands of dollars from things other people have thrown out. Once I found a box of pipe stems in the trash. In the box was a porcelain pipe from the early 1900s. It had a picture of a German soldier on it. I sold it for $119.00. The rest of the stems I sold bringing my total for that box to over $1000.

Last week I bought a plant stand at a yard sale for $2.00 the next day I sold it for $15. Last summer I bought an old green basket with a hole in the bottom for $1.00 at a yard sale. The next day an antique dealer friend offered me $50. for it. That means to me that it's worth $150. or more, I didn't sell him the basket. I get all my mulch, compost and many many plants from our village compost pile. I love being frugal and am very proud to say I very rarely go to stores for anything. I purchase almost everything at yard sales, thrift stores or flea markets.

I am Frugal, not CHEAP
Living with /making do with what you have. You have to have a great imagination sometimes.
Spending money can also be frugal if the purchase is going to save more in the long run.

SO to say your looking for CHEAP....thats what you'll get. Personally I think we are worth a lot. and have a lot to share. Just my humble opinion! Dee