Things From The past

They don’t make things like they used to, that is for sure. When I was a kid and something broke, you fixed it. Now a days if something breaks, you buy a new one.

19 years ago I bought my first brand new stove. I just had a baby and bought a new house. I was very careful to buy quality name brand appliances because I wanted them to work for a long time. I thought it would be a good investment.

I spent $600 on my first stove. It had all the bells and whistles. It was all digital and it had a flat top, timers galore, a pot warmer, and a double oven. It came with a 1 year warranty and I purchased an additional 2 year warranty for $50.

It broke 2 months after the warranties ran out.

So I bought another new stove. This time I didn’t buy one with all the bells and whistles. I didn’t buy a “name brand”. It was just a plain stove with minimal options. It lasted for 5 years and then it died a tragic death, it caught on fire.

That is when I bought my antique stove for $100 on Craigslist.

This stove is a beast! It has all the bells and whistles I need. It has a timer, clock, and best of all an outlet so I can plug in things like crock pots. I have never had a problem with this stove. It keeps the perfect temperature for baking. The ceramic top is very easy to clean. I have had this stove for over 10 years and I will probably have it for the rest of my life. It was made in 1960 and it still works great! Why don’t they make stoves like this anymore???

I now have a great respect for things from the past. I started shopping at thrift stores and searching craigslist for things we needed. I was tired of spending my money on new cheap crap that breaks.

Almost everything you see in this picture above is from a thrift store. My desk, antique chairs, globe, shelf, lamp, and picture frames.

Not only do you find quality things from the past at a thrift store (or on Craigslist) but it is also a good way to recycle. The more crap we recycle and the less crap we buy new, the better it is for the environment. Me and my family always stop at the thrift store first to see if they have what we need before we buy anything brand new.

Thrifts stores are awesome for Halloween. Not only do you find cool costumes (that were probably only worn once) but you can also buy old wedding and prom dresses to make your own costumes out of.

My daughter's outfit in this picture is actually a black evening gown I turned into a witch dress and cape. My son’s costume I bought gently used for $2.

Can you tell their clothes are from a thrift store?

I think thrift stores are great but you can’t buy everything at a thrift store. I don’t buy shoes and socks there for instance but whatever you can buy used, do it. Do you for your wallet, do it for better quality, and do it for the environment.

I know this is a tradition I am passing down to my kids. My oldest son bought a canoe off of Craigslist instead of buying a new one. Atta boy!