Make your money go farther, look for garden decor at the thrift store. Even Walmart will seem overpriced when you start shopping regularly at thrift stores.

Many Salvation Army stores sell new as well as used garden items, and I have found great deals on vintage items in other thrift stores. Habitat for Humanity often has weathered wood, old door knobs, locks, windows, wood doors, shower doors, asphalt shingles(for garden paths), metal gates and other interesting stuff. They always have paint (often in wacky colors), and did you ever want to install a sink for washing hands or veggies in your potting shed? H4H has tons of them, in all sizes, materials and colors, cheap, cheap, cheap!

I really love old garden tools and have a collection of real nice ones I've picked up at the local Thrift Town. I have found glass bell-shaped garden cloches for a few dollars apiece at the SA. I got one today for $4 that's 13" tall. I love old watering cans, I have 7 that I've picked up here and there for a few bucks each.

Today I was wearing a silk pastel blouse with pearl buttons that I bought at Thrift Town a couple years ago for $3. I went to the TT shopping for work clothes and bought two beautiful shirts and a new red tee with a flag and "Celebrate Freedom" in metallic thread on the front. I also got a very nice pair of navy slacks and spent $11.45 for everything.

Not garden decor per se, but some of the other deals I've found in various thrift stores:
sterling silver(950) cream/sugar set - $2, value $165
Victorian side table - $24, value $250
ornate glass paperweight - $1
McCoy Five Scotties planter - $6, value $90
pine 7-drawer chest w/original hardware - $120, value $300
numerous(over 50 at last count) vintage(20's-40's)
tablecloths, printed cotton - $1-$7 each, value $35 +-

Hey Eliska, If you're gonna live on soup for a couple days anyway, at least go shopping where the good stuff is. Cheryl

The weekend is coming too. Don't forget all the bargains at the yard sales.

It used to be that my kids were embarassed to be seen at a yard sale or thrift store. Now it's cool because it's recycling. Boy the times do change....

Oh yeah, garage sales are great and I'm also a shameless curb shopper. I found a real nice powder-coated ladder, perfect for my grandson's treehouse in somebody's trash. I also have a nice wood glider that the neighbor was throwing away. He even helped me put it in my truck. I found a vintage bicycle that was on top of somebody's trash. The best find I ever got was a very old pine ironing board that's put together with wooden pins. It must have been sitting in someones shed for decades. It even had an old quilt tacked on the board. Tidied up, it looks fabulous. Ya just never know what folks are going to throw out, but I do always check with the homeowner before I take anything out of their trash, just to make sure it's ok. I found a stack of small plastic seedling pots one day and asked the guy if I could take them out of his trash, and he told me he was throwing them away but if I wanted them I could buy them from him for 10 cents each. I just laughed and didn't call him any names until after I drove away.

Of course being a gardener, I'm always watching for pots and plants that people throw out. Lots of people buy plants in gallon pots and throw the pots away. I always need gallon sized pots for rooting cuttings. I've found lots of large plants that look great with a little TLC. Folks throw out plants they don't know how to take care of, and it almost seems like they just put them up for adoption, since I often find them sitting on the curb next to the trash, rather than in the trash. Cheryl