Monday, November 12, 2018

Western Montana Artisanal Kombucha and Good Food

I took a work trip to Whitefish, Montana.  While the hotel wasn't thrifty, frugal, or particularly impressive for the $$, it was paid for by work so what the hell.
For the record, it was the "Lodge at Whitefish Lake."  It's fine, but at about 100$ a night I got much less than I get at my usual 50-70$ a night hotels.  No free breakfast, slow wifi, no control of room heat (several of the conference attendees agreed that the thermostats had no effect on the room temp).  My room was 71degs F the WHOLE TIME.  I can't sleep that warm.  I only had a sliding glass door to a patio, which was lovely, but no window to crack and leave open in hopes of cooling off a bit.   The gas fireplace had 2 temperature settings, 1: world's biggest pilot light  2: center of the sun.

The good bits were the food elsewhere.  I didn't try food at the "Lodge."  The prices were not in my approved range for standard fare.

So, road trip!

Just down the road 1/2 mile was the Montana Tap House.  The food...meh.  Cheap and edible.  It looked like the "cook" had to go out the back door and back in to bring food.
The brews though!  Good!  My colleague tried a beer and said it was excellent.
I had a beet kombucha on tap from Dark Side Fermenters.   It was most excellent!!!

I know one of the fermenters...kombuchers...one of the people who owns the company who makes the stuff.  OK, I sort of know him.  He's adorbs.  Hi Pete!

Had I known I could get them to fill a growler I would have gone to a thrift store and gotten one of those football-sideline-beverage-cooler things and brought home about 5 gallons.  Damn.  Next time.

The colleague and I headed south one day to tour some work relevant sites.  Really.
We of course, had to eat as well.  

Polson, Montana...who knew the food was so good???  

First we stopped at Flathead Lake Cheese.  Go get some.  I don't even eat cheese (damn you dairy!)
I tasted a tiny bit.  It was good.  I got some for office gifts and it was well received.  Smoked gouda and some garlicky cheese curds.  The place is all solar and you buy cheese out the side window of the old house.  It's the bomb.

Next door, across the alley actually, is the Cherries BBQ Pit.  OMG!  Brisket sandwich is awesome.  For reals.  It came with 2 sides, 8$ total.  I got "ribbon fries" and coleslaw.  A ribbon fry turns out to be a giant russet potato sent through a veggie spiralizer into hot fat.  It was HUGE.  And delicious.  The coleslaw was quite nice.  I also ordered some pork rinds for the table.  They come sprinkled with the house rub.  Very very very good.  And huge.
This was the first time in ages I could not finish a meal.  I took it with me and had it for supper.  2 meals for 11$ (including the rinds).  I tried to buy a bottle of the jack daniels sauce, but the waitress lady never quite figured out that my saying "I want to buy a bottle of that" meant that I wanted to buy a bottle of that.

There is a drive through but I went inside and sat down like a grown up.

No great meals on the way home sadly.  We had to just drive straight through.  Oh well.  I plan to take a road trip to the area again as a leisure trip and to bring my stretchy pants.


Friday, October 26, 2018

When Did America Decide Kids Are Stupid?

I've got TV this week.  Not much.  A few broadcast channels.  Hence this is not a full survey of children's programming.  It's impressions from PBS programming.

When did kids get stupid?  The shows on offer are insulting to the intelligence of a toddler.  Squeaky baby animal characters are the most common lead figures.  Followed by squeaky baby humanoids.  Ew. 

In my day....(spoken like an oldster)...we had cartoons with irony and snark. I like irony and snark (my character would be "Captain Obvious).  I liked irony and snark as a child.  Bugs Bunny, who is now a baby for some creepy anti-aging reason, was sarcastic and a bit mean sometimes.  Elmer Fudd may have a stutter, but he doesn't talk like a squeaky toy.  No wonder children end up surfing the internet and finding porn.  It's less insulting, though possibly more damaging. 

Of course, I was the kid who loathed Mr. Rogers.  I don't like being talked down to and that cat puppet gave me the willies.  Still, he's starting to look better to me.  There were real topics and sometimes he talked about issues that were in the news.

We were also apparently smart enough back in the day to understand that even though the road runner could fall off a cliff and be smashed flat, then stretch-pop back into a normal shape, such a feat was not possible for human children.  I do not remember, nor can I find evidence of, any rash of children jumping from heights because they were inspired to emulate the road runner.  We also rarely built bombs despite Wile E. Coyote's constant attempts.   They never seemed to work for him anyway.

The cartoons I've seen this week have been pandering to the stupidest children and their genetic source material, the parents.  I don't like it. 

The laundromat I go to generally has a dvd of a classic cartoon from the 1960s and 1970s running so I have seen the adult Bugs Bunny recently for comparison.  I AM disturbed by the weird racism in the old cartoons.  Perhaps there can be new exciting versions that are not completely infantile and not racist. 

I also wonder what happens when kids turn about 7 or 8 years old and they can't hack the squeaky baby pablum cartoons and switch to hyperviolent superhero cartoon and live action stuff. 
Probably they will grow up just fine like humans always have, but they will have wasted all that time on crap TV.


Sunday, October 21, 2018

Random Thoughts on Pants

Even Carhartt is making their pants stretchy.  Dang.  I'm down to 4 pairs of pants that more or less fit and have zero stretchiness to them.
Turns out, lack of stretch is more important to me than fit or cost.

One pair of my current jeans is a men's Levi's without stretch, but they are boot cut and tight on my lady thighs. But they are 100% cotton and the pockets are full size.

Tiny pockets are the other loser in women's jeans.

Another pair is flannel lined. They are lady jeans, straight leg, decent size pockets and no stretch.  With the flannel, they are only good for winter but I was thinking I could get another pair and cut the flannel out.  Alas, they are discontinued.  The new model is stretchy.  WTF?  Two layers of stretchy, because the flannel is also stretchy, would be like wearing tights over pantyhose. 

My third pair is ancient Carharrt lady jeans in 100% cotton.  The pockets are a bit small.  Apparently because girl car keys are smaller than man car keys.  Whatever.  They are long enough, and shapeless, but they don't have stretch so I wear them.  Somehow I tore the shin wide open, only on the pants, not my actual shin, and these are not double fronts.  So, I patched it with scraps of previous non-stretchy jeans.  The seams are frayed and there are parts of those jeans that are so thin you could read newsprint through them.  So, not long for this world.

The final pair is a set of lady, short waisted, medium leg length, 100% cotton double front Carhartts.  The holy grail of pants for me.  If they were inches longer, they would be perfect.
But, they aren't. 
I tried ordering a brand new pair of these, paying retail (well, sale retail but it's so rare I don't buy thrift and instead get on the internet and order pants that it's newsworthy, or blogworthy).  35$ including shipping.  That's a lot for a garment in my book. 

I read the reviews that these run BIG.  I was about an 8 by the size chart so I ordered a 4.  Well, gentle reader, you and I could have both put those on..  They were a 34 inseam so that was good, but I could take them off without unzipping.  And the leg opening.  I like a straight leg on my trousers.  These were oddly HUGE at the bottom.  Like so huge they would catch on crap.
Still, they were nice hard cotton double fronts and I had to pay to send them back so I get back on line to see if there is a size 2 long left.  Nope.  In fact, they never made the 2 in a long.  Crap.  I don't want to pay retail for inadvertent capris.

I have worn men's carhartts.  They are tough and last well and are available long enough, but rarely in a small enough waist size.  Not many men apparently wear a 30x34.  When they do, the rise is about 2 feet long so they button right to my bra.  I could cut armholes just below the waist band.

There is a company in Montana now that will make real hard cotton pants.  Red Ants Pants.
The pants are 139$, but they are 100% cotton, double front, double butt, gusseted crotch, come in a straight cut, full size pockets, have a longer inseam option, and are made in the USA.  So, we'll see.  Perhaps I will use christmas money for a pair.

Wranglers do make a few styles in 100% cotton.  So far all the options I've tried, including the men's option, were way too big in the butt and waist by the time I got my thighs in them.  I suppose I could use a hula hoop instead of a belt and carry my groceries around in the resulting waist basket.  They fit like clown pants with tight legs.  I tried a pair I got from a thrift store with new tags on them.  Alas, I took them back after 1 wearing.  The bubble butt and tight thighs caused a problem different from the stretchy pants.  Stretchy pants ride down all day, requiring lots of yanking up and the pantyhose squat move (where you have to grab the waist, yank up with all your might while doing a wide stance squat, then stand back up, still yanking.  This gets the crotch back up in the vicinity of your actual crotch).  With the thin thigh big butt wranglers, the pants rode UP all day.  I spent my day doing the wedgy hop (where you grab the butt crack seam and yank down while hopping up a bit, then grab the thigh fabric and shimmy it down a bit).   These activities BOTH piss me off. So, sorry wranglers, unless you acknowledge that some women have thighs without the bubble butt, we're over.

Once again, I may end up getting tailored pants.   I tried that through Lands End once.  It took a half dozen returns and turn arounds and eventually I got workable pants that were long enough and straight enough.  I got compliments.  Alas, they would not go short enough in the rise. They weren't truly tailored, it was a computer program that made a one-off pattern. I fell outside the allowable limits.  So, while the pants looked good, they were gouging by ribs every time I wore them. 

If anyone knows a good tailor who will make my new blue jeans...let me know.




Sunday, September 23, 2018

Dear Duffer, Open Your Eyes

This is a response to a letter to the editor and common comments I hear at professional meetings (I'm an anthropologist, not a field the world is dependent on and still this silly myopic lament is common).
And to an asinine country western song.

The title of the letter to the editor in the local paper is this:

Who's going to fill their shoes?


Well, if you have to ask, I'm going with "not you."

The letter writer was, and probably still is, wondering who will fill the shoes of the county commissioners and other local "leaders."   Leaders who are pointedly unkind to large portions of the community.  They were the movers and shakers of their day.  Like many movers and shakers, as they age, they tend to cling to past glory rather than mentor up or help someone get ready to take the reins and, god forbid, take things in a new direction.  Never mind that the current "shoes-fillers" made big changes back when they were starting out.  Kicking out the aging curmudgeons who had the community stuck in the past.  Guess what, after 50 years, you, dear current shoe-filler, are now the curmudgeon stuck in the past.  You are the one packing the local boards with your cronies and making  sure the school educates kids for professions that are on the way out, the ones that were good jobs in your day, rather than professions that are on the way up.

So, letter writer, when you say "who is going to fill their shoes," try looking around.  Not everyone in your generation was a leader.  Not everyone in the younger generations is a leader. But some are.  How about the National Merit Scholar who just won a full ride at an ivy league school?  What are you doing to attract her back to your community...oh right, she's a girl, not a leader in your eyes.  Also, a book worm, which you don't respect.

What about your former chief of police who is also a chainsaw champion (yes, we have chainsaw contests here)?  Oh right, she's a middle aged woman.  Not a leader in your eyes.  If I remember right, and I do because I looked it up, you were among those who ousted her for playing nice with the local minority population. She is a leader.  And she's still a leader and she's still living in your community.

What about the dude who is running for county commissioner despite the fact that one pair of the shoes you are looking to fill has been commissioner for nearly 2 score years and bad things happened to those who've run against him in the past?  How about encouraging him to support someone younger coming in to the position and being willing to share the history of the county politics and struggles and advise new commissioners on handling local politics and business interests?

Rather than just lamenting "who's going to fill their shoes" you could be helping folks learn the ropes and fill the shoes.  Look around.  And quit looking at funerals. The dead have better things to do.  And they're dead.  Look at the young and middle aged people who are doing new and different things that are helping the community and be open to the idea that MAYBE they are going to change things just like the current shoe-fillers did back in their day.  Get over it.  Get over yourself.  Get over the past.  

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Seriously Safeway?

So, I don't usually shop in large chain groceries as part of my attempt to shop more locally.  I shop at farmers markets, veggie stands, the Moscow Food Co-op, local chain "Rosauers" and sometimes Winco if I need a GIANT bag of sugar (for the bees...hi bees!), or some Zevia pop.  (That's right POP.  It's not SODA.  It's POP.  Baking soda is "soda.")  Anyway, not usually you're safeways or albertsons.

Alas, last week, I needed a few burger buns (cooking up some elk that I was given into pulled elk sandwiches) for people unaccustomed to the sorts of breads I would eat (organic, sourdough, dark rye, 78 grain sprouted whatever with extra fiber so I poop).  I was near a safeway so I stopped there for some reasonably healthy but familiar looking buns.  I mean, how hard could it be?

HARD.  EVERY SINGLE TYPE OF BURGER BUN in the store had some sort of "deal" on the price label that made it very difficult to decide the cost per bun.  It was things like "3 for 2 deal" with 4 buns a pack, a 2 for 1 deal with 8 buns a pack, a percent discount for people with a loyalty card (making me do higher math for stupid mediocre buns does not buy MY loyalty and certainly does not get you my email or phone number).  The combinations were endlessly varied and the bun sizes varied independently from the number in the pack.  It also turned out, when I finally found a "deal" that would apply to me without my handing over personal contact information to prove my loyalty, that since I bought 1 package, not 3, of that type and a package of another type (seeds vs no seeds), the 2 for 1 deal DID NOT COUNT.  Cripes.  By then I'd spent 15 minutes on damn buns. 

So, safeway, if you can't just tell me the damn price and let me have the product at that price, then you confirm my opinion that giant chain stores are not a value for me.  I'm not going to play "price roulette" at the check out on every item. 

In summary:  bite me.


Thursday, June 21, 2018

Growing Food From Scraps

This kind of thing is fun, but cuts into my wormbin scraps supply, but still, I want to try to do more of it.  This year I started ginger for myself and another person.

When asked how long it would take before it was harvestable I said "10 years" because I didn't know.

According to the chart below, it may only take a year.  Nice.

Below are things you can regrow from grocery items or scraps from grocery items.   A warning on the potatoes:  often they are treated with a "no-sprouting" chemical and won't want to sprout.  Buy those organic.  In fact, you could by everything organic and regrow it.

More after the chart...


I have regrown celery.  I got mostly leaves and dried them for winter seasoning.  I've planted organic/local garlic and potatoes that sprouted and had great results.  You don't have to wait for the garlic to sprout.  Just stick it in the ground.

Sunday, June 10, 2018

10 ways to save $10 a Week!


If you do all of them, you'll save 100$ a week. 5200$ a year.
If you do half of them, 50$ a week. 2600$ a year.
A half assed job at all of them, also 2600$ a year.
A half assed job at half of them...still 1300$ a year.

These aren't in any order and are because I'm doing a frugal touch-up and rereading The Tightwad Gazette. I don't know how many of these I can do but I'm going to try.

1) Make 2 homemade coffees instead of buying 2 fancy coffees per week.

Assuming $5.25 and a tip per fancy coffee, you could even use those spendy pod or cup thingies for the coffee.

I am already using my thrift purchased travel french press stainless steel mugs and a thrift purchased thermos of hot water (heated upon the butane burner I found for free in a former apartment like 3 years ago and using the cheapest butane I can get my hands on)

To cut that EVEN MORE, I asked for coffee for my birthday and my favorite Aunt...well, one of my favorite aunts...sent not the 1 lb I asked for, but 2 full lbs AND several little fancy roast samplers that I can get 3-5 cups from. Nice. I figure that's 3 months of coffee. After that I still have an lb of chicory blend coffee I bought for 6$ in Louisiana (I was there for work) as a gift for someone but ended up not needing. So there is a few more weeks of coffee.
AND I need to cut back to just one cup per day. More than that gives me hot flashes anyway. I do make a 2nd cup from the same grounds. It's not good, but I don't want to waste the last of the caffeine.

2) Cut out 1 restaurant work-lunch per week. 

 It's hard to get a restaurant lunch with a beverage for under 10$. In the past few weeks I've been invited to work lunches repeatedly.  I go because people expect me to be minimally social.  The trouble is, it costs $$.  The other trouble is, I eat too much and get fat and salty and tired and have hot flashes. I guess that's several troubles.

I am retrenching personally on this one.  I texted the colleague who most likes to do lunch, and knows the VERY best lunch spots.   I suggested that since I need to save $$ AND the delicious food was undermining my health goals and making me sweaty...we should meet up in the conference room with salads or whatever. Perhaps we could share lunch preparation.  We've tried to help each other in the past with cutting sugar content in the diets so this is someone sympathetic to at least the health part of the equation.   It's much cheaper to even buy bag of salad and some fancy tuna than to go out.

3) Cut 100 miles of driving.  

For reals.  At the current price of gas, a 50 mile round trip is costing me about 5$.   Actually a bit more. I drive 25 miles each way to work.   That's not very cuttable. I use my car for work during the week and am “on call” from the office to field sites so can't really share rides with people unless they want to not know what time they will be home at night. I could cut one trip to town (25 miles each way) and try to consolidate work trips each week. I can also walk more once I get to town for errands. This one is a challenge in the summer when I'm called out more. But, worth a try.

4) Cut food waste by eating what I have and eating all of what I buy.

Food waste….On the “Dollar Stretcher” website there has been a forum called Food Waste Friday where those who choose to participate can post what they wasted each week. Despite my efforts, I still chuck some of the fresh food I buy. Convenience foods tend to get fully consumed, but cost more. Buying fresh or at least not convenience and eating all of it would save the most money. Making the effort! It doesn't take much waste to add up to 10$. Since I try to spend 200$ a month on groceries, 40$ (4 weeks at 10$) is 20% of the budget! That's worth the effort and will more than offset any extra groceries needed by not going out to lunch.

5) Shop in my stuff before I shop at the store. 

 I have more often than I wish to admit bought a duplicate of an item that I already own, just because I forgot I had it. So, before I buy a clothing item, I will go through the clothing back stock and really see if I need the exact item or if something will work just as well. E.g. today I say a nice raincoat at thrift (5$), but thinking through it, I have a rubber rain coat (also from thrift) that works fine. Just doesn't look fabulous. Ultimately, not worth another 5$ to me to have a nicer looking less rubbery raincoat that might not be all that waterproof.

I've also bought medical supplies when I already HAD that medical supply (bandaids, elastic wraps, creams, etc). So, a few weeks ago I went through the box in storage marked “meds” and got out the aspirin I'd forgotten I had. I was out of aspiring at the homestead. I also went through the first aid kits at home and in the vehicles and made sure the stock was evenly distributed instead of all the bandages in one case and none in the other. This way, hopefully, everything will get used up at a fairly steady rate.

I periodically go through my clothes to see what really isn't getting used and can be donated, chucked, recycled, or in several instances...put back into circulation. E.g. I have too many pairs of lovely knee high wool skiing sox. I can't store them all in the homestead. So some are in storage. When the ones in full rotation get tatty, I try to remember to go through the stored winter clothes before buying new socks. In trying on all my pants to see what did/didn't work I found that one pair that I hadn't worn in a while, was actually presentable and fit reasonably well. They aren't my favorite pants, but no reason not to wear them. An old pair of work pants is just too big, but also pretty tattered so may be turned into a set of pouches with the waist band and belt loops still attached so I can use it when gardening to carry pin flags, seeds, tools, etc.

6) Cut back on entertainment expenses. 

 Mine are pretty well cut, but there is always more to be done!
I used to do a movie a week at 5$ (2nd run theater...1st run theaters are too expensive to even be considered). This year, I bought a 10 movie pass for 50$, which is a better deal than it sounds since their basic movie rate went up to 7$. I was also buying the 1$ popcorn. I can skip the popcorn. The 10 prepaid movies means I can see how many movies I want to spend on this year, it's already spent, and prioritize which ones I go to.

I get most movies from the library. I rent a few from the local video co-op. I will be cutting back on co-op movie rentals.

I also rarely spend on books anymore (says the woman who spent 20$ on a plant guide this morning….more on that anon). I get them from the library. Even audio books. Library. With interlibrary loan I can get pretty much anything. Today I asked about a book I wanted but could not find in the system. The librarian put in a “purchase request” for the book. If they don't buy it, they will look further afield to interlibrary loan it. If I find I check a book out over and over, I put it on the list for things to find used, at thrift, or ask for when it's gift time (holidays, birthdays). Just this year I got multiple books I'd been coveting (including a different plant guide than the one I bought) as gifts.
I don't go out to clubs or bars so that saves but that means it's also a spot I can't cut from the entertainment budget...already cut to 0.

Radio: don't under estimate it. I listen most days to get the weather and news. I don't have internet at my place or a smart phone. The radio is the basic info stream. No TV on the premises (movies watched on the laptop). One day I couldn't get the weather I wanted on the radio so I called information...that's a thing we used to use all the time and DOES cost a buck or so, and got the number for the local national weather service office. Sure enough they have a phone line where you can get the weather forecast for your area. NICE!! No need for a TV and cable to watch the weather channel. I programmed the number in the phone so it's a one-time cost for information.


7) Review car insurance coverages.

I recently did this and saved over 400$ per year. I had full coverage on one vehicle, including rental car. This made sense when I had one vehicle given how dependent I am on it (life choice that costs $$ but one I made with my eyes open). I would need a rental vehicle. NOW that vehicle is worth much less and I have a 2nd vehicle. I don't need the rental. Should I decide to make a long distance road trip, I will look into adding the rental coverage back in. You can do that. You can also suspend the insurance on the vehicle you aren't driving at the moment. I don't have the attention span to turn the insurance on and off depending on which rig I'm driving on a day, and often drive both in one day for different tasks. So, cutting insurance made sense. See what you can personally tolerate and see if you can cut back. Also, compare companies. That's my next step.

8) Use the discounts or coupons that you have AND that you need. 

 I won't use a coupon for an item I wasn't buying anyway. I won't go somewhere or buy something just to get the discount. I keep a list of what I need or choose to buy, then watch for a coupon or discount that will apply to that.

Today, I knew I had a 10$ off customer appreciation coupon for a local hardware store. It was good yesterday and today only. Yesterday I wasn't going to be in town and gas to town and back is about 5$ so ...not worth a specific drive to use the coupon. TODAY I was in town for multiple errands and tasks. I took my list to the hardware store. It included the above mentioned plant guide (it is specific to local native species and I am trying to restore native species on my property). I also needed a ground tamper and had compared prices during other trips to hardware stores. This store had one in stock and at the same price as elsewhere. So, the cost of the book and the tool met the minimum amount to use the 10$ coupon which maximized the value of the coupon. I went in, spun the wheel for a free gift (which turned out to be a free sample of dog treats...I don't have a dog but I can use them as bait in traps), grabbed the two items I had already identified as the best things to buy there with the coupon, and hit the check out. Then it was off to the next errand.

9) Keep a list and keep it on you. 

 I have a master list of things I need or want and have chosen to buy. I don't go to stores without it. This morning I had to get out of the car and go back up the hill to the homestead on foot (no driveway up there...too expensive) to get the list. No point in going to town to do errands without the list.

With the list, I can go to thrift stores and yard sales I may pass, and see if things on the list are available for cheap. Just yesterday I stopped by a yardsale and found a ground squirrel trap! That was on the list. I have a ground squirrel problem and have chosen not to poison them. The trap was 5$ at the yard sale. In full working condition. I looked online and new it would be 56$. I would never spend that much. I'd suffer with squirrels. For 5$ I will try it and if it doesn't work the way I like, I can resell it or trade it for something else.

At the farmers market and grocery stores today (walking from one to the other to save on the gas noted above) I carried the list and got things at the best price without duplicating or having to go back and return something when I found it cheaper elsewhere. TP at the co-op. There is cheaper TP but the co-op TP is one roll in paper, not 4 or 36 in plastic. I have limited storage and store things in tins. I can store 3 or 4 rolls, not 36. I also don't like to buy things in plastic if I can avoid it. I wanted stevia sodas this week as I get off the sweet restaurant food. Those are cheaper at a grocery store. As was mint tea. There was a 3rd grocery store. That one has the best “discontinued” or “discounted” food rack and the cheapest allergy stuff that was on my list. It is also near the recycling center with the free book bin. I got a free book and next time I'm through I will drop off a free book I'm done with.

10) Free stuff! 

 I love those little free libraries and the free book bin at the recycling center. I use them. A few times I year I actually find books on my list. That's always a treat. Sometimes I find awesome antique books like the vest pocket dictionary from the early 1900s that I have now been using for more than a year. It's tiny and handy and antique and free. I've found a few books from a home designer that I admire and have used ideas from them in designing my next home. The free book bin also yielded a honey cookbook that I've been using and may pass on if I ever stop using it. Today, I got a multi-cassette audio book about how to be a winner...I can't wait to find out how I can be a winner. The brand new used pickup has a cassette player.

At the community garden, in exchange for helping them while I learn new things, I am given greens and a few eggs. That's a win-win-win. They get help. I get educated. I get food.

Next to the community garden is a 2nd harvest food distribution center. The manager there is happy if we take pallets. Many pallets. I do take pallets when I need them. I try to remember to drive that brand new used pick up that day and load up on the pallets I can use.

At work, people open lots of boxes of stuff. Big boxes. When I'm setting up new garden beds or smothering thistle thickets, I take boxes. Leave them in the rain a day or two and the tape and other plastic peels right off. Then they go down where needed, often held in place with pallets that haven't been used on their assigned project yet.

Beware of free stuff with strings. If it's new and free, you may be the product. I don't sign up for free stuff on the internet if it requires my contact info. That means someone is selling my contact info and/or trying to sell me crap for NOT free. I hate that.

I don't take free things I don't also need.
Today at the library I used the free seed exchange. I took 6 asparagus seeds. I could have taken enough seed to grow a market garden feeding dozens of people, but I don't need that much. I want to see if I can start asparagus in a newly tilled up garden bed. 6 seeds should give me an idea about that.






Sunday, May 27, 2018

Excellent Thrifty Food in Tensed Idaho

OMG!!!!!  I am beyond excited.
There are new owners at The Big Store in tiny Tensed, Idaho and the Mrs can COOK.

I stopped once to see the new stock and was pleased to see some almond milk and fresh fruit and veg.  Not much.  It's a big store, but they have everything from soup to nuts to fresh food and essential oils and a tiny cafe area so there actually isn't room for a lot of back stock.  Hence, buying not in bulk.  I always include the price of gas to get to another town when seeing is something is thrifty and it will be much cheaper to buy an onion or apple there on my way home, I drive by anyway, than running into Moscow or Coeur d'Alene for a single thing.

Now for the excellent thrifty food.
There was a sign out front advertising 4 tacos for 5$ so I slammed on the subaru breaks and turned in to the lot. 

These are street tacos made fresh to order with fresh chopped cilantro, two salsa options and fresh chopped onion that you get to put on yourself.  Nice.  The seasoned meat (I didn't bother to ask what it was) was fan-freaking-tastic.  I'm just back to North Idaho from a trip to Louisiana where people know there spices.  I was feeling a bit whiny about leaving the food behind.  Hence, my extreme excitement about the tacos.  I will be going back to try other options and the various specials.  I had these on a Saturday.  I don't usually drive by on Saturday and wouldn't want o spend the gas $$ to make a trip, but if I have guests then definitely.  When I mentioned that the owners, including the cook said they would change up the days things are offered.  Sweet!!!

I think I should mention the farmers market in Plummer and that we want some hot food served there....street tacos would be the bomb.

Go to the BIG STORE in Tensed, Idaho if you are on the way by!  Or make a trip.  Totally worth it.
http://big-store-deli.business.site/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-big-store-tensed

Saturday, May 12, 2018

I Did NOT Change My Mind

This is a rant.  Because I am SICK OF IT.

To the many doctors who would not tie my tubes in my 20s because "You will change your mind" or "your husband will want kids" and to all those others who told me that I would change my mind, or die alone and sad (as if people WITH kids don't die alone and sad), or that I am selfish (that's rich!) for not having or wanting kids:  BITE ME.

I did NOT change my mind.  I didn't spawn and I'm glad.  I love it.  It's my favorite thing.

Those doctors sentenced me to 23 years of birth control pills and condoms.  I always use a minimum of 2 birth control methods.  No mistakes.  No accidents.  I spent thousands of dollars and untold hours to avoid pregnancy and unwanted children.  As if the world needed more unwanted children.  The world does not need any more children. 

What made those doctors think that I would marry a guy who wanted kids? And that it would be MY JOB to have them just because some asshole wanted some?  There are plenty of breeders out there for those guys.

What made those doctors assume I would get married?  To a guy?  I didn't.  And I'm fine.  Quite happy.

As for dying alone and sad; well, I suppose I COULD die happy in a a group but that's pretty rare.  Most people are the only one in the room croaking at any given time and very few are happy about it.
I know many people who did have kids.  Most of those kids don't want their mother or father dying in the living room in a hospital bed full of feces and urine.  Most of those kids moved on and are trying to lead their own lives (selfish little bastards...if one follows the above logic anyway).

How selfish is it to have children in order to avoid your own fear of death?  More selfish than me NOT having children and just dealing with the idea that some day, I'm going to die and that at some point before that, I will probably crap my pants and have no one at the ready happy to wash me down?  According to my accusers, I should have had a kid and made it super dependent so it would stand me up in the shower and hose me off  (Mom:  I will totally hose you off if you need it because I know that is NOT the reason you had me.  You were young and stupid, that's why you had me).

One woman in particular who accused me of being selfish and of changing my mind later (mind you, I was WELL into my 40s at the time so that ship had seriously sailed) had gone to great lengths and tens of thousands of dollars in infertility treatments and adoption procedures in order to make her family.  Good for her.  She invested in getting what she wanted:  children.  She did not see that as selfish but me NOT bringing unwanted children into the world, she does see that as selfish.  To her I say:  BITE ME. 

To the fish and other beings poisoned by the decades I spent peeing out excessive estrogen from the birth control pills:  I am sorry.  I did consider this when going on the pill.  The other option was destroying you through bringing kids, who may have produced ever more generations of children to decimate the limited resources of our planet and kill you that way.  If I'd been given the tubal ligation when I asked for it in my 20s, I would have saved enough to retire on and saved the planet. 

Instead I was patronized and told that I would change my mind and it wasn't reversible and on and on and on.  Even at Planned Parenthood where they were happy to prescribe the pills or an IUD or jam tubes of estrogen in my arm.  Anything but tying the tubs.  To them I say: BITE ME.  BITE ME. BITE ME.   

BITE ME.

I declare today, the day before mother's day to be
"Happy People Who Did Not Overpopulate the Planet Day"

A series of cheesy/sappy cards will be coming out soon.
Appropriate gifts include anything but a giant vase of dead flowers.




Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Oh Honey...it's new bees!!!

The title is for one Miss Carol who had been wondering about the bees.

The bees are dead. Long live the bees.

The bees I had died.  ALL OF THEM.  Dead.  Deader than a door nail.



Best use of the phrase and a pretty accurate representation of midwestern curmudgeonhood.

Anyway.  Many many beekeepers around here lost many many bees.  Lots of dead bees.  It was a Bee-pocalypse.


But the grant that got the group of us started with bees thought we should soldier on and they got us more bees.  So far 2 hives are set up.  One is carniolans which I had before.  One is saskatraz.  Hybrid with some canadian cold hardy stock in the background.

Soon we get more bees from a local guy with his "survivor queens."   Those are queens that have made it in local conditions and god only knows who the baby daddy is.  But he's local.

I had 2 of their hives before but they were AGGRESSIVE and died out.  One may have had a laying worker because the population petered out and they were a**holes!  A hive needs a queen to stay organized and calm...well, calm for bees.

The ones I have so far are doing well.  The carnies have stopped bothering with the sugar syrup supplement.  There are tons of dandelions out and yesterday the hawthorn trees started to bloom along with some random shrubs that may be small hawthorns.  That means plenty of food for them.  I fed the saskatraz again since they had emptied their syrup jar or it all leaked out.

Both hives are pretty calm.  I can feed them without disturbing them much or opening the hive at all so I didn't suit up or even put on the hat and veil (that's the face screen thingy that keeps bees out of your face and hair and hopefully from going down the cleavage).  I won't try that with the local bees.  They are hardbitten redneck bees who will cut you just for looking at them (or so they were last time...we'll see).



Monday, April 30, 2018

Oh Honey...It's a Good Thing You're Pretty...

So I went to a local "outfitter" store (which has sold it's soul and become a purveyor of overpriced over "hacked" outdoor campy stuff and kitchen stuff for people who don't really camp or cook).

I needed butane for the wee burner to heat water for coffee and tea and a wash.
It's CHEAPER at restaurant supply stores, but I shan't be at one of those for a week or two. I just needed a can or a few to get me to my next big stock up.

I picked up 3 cans and the total with tax was $9.51.
I handed the clerk dude a 20$ bill.  Before I could grab a penny out of the penny tray on the counter, he had pushed in "$20" on the register.  It told him that my change was $10.49.  Because the register can do math.

The clerk dude however...well, it's a good thing he's pretty. I said "Here's a penny."  He stared dumbly.   I said "Then the change will be $10.50."  He said, "Yeah....     ...."
Then he told me that he couldn't take it because he already put in that I gave him 20$ and it would throw his count off at the end of his shift.  Then I said, "....    ....."   I had no reply.  Finally I said, "No, it won't but just give me my change."

I KNOW most people don't count change back like in the old days.  But to not understand that putting 1cent in the till and taking 1cent out of the till would result in a balanced till...well, as I've noted in the title:  It's a good thing he's pretty.


Friday, April 27, 2018

Testing Testing: Basic Economy on United Airlines, GEG to SFO

So, I'm cheap.  BUT I like to travel.  Well, I'm thrifty and I have itchy feet.  Same difference.

Last year I visited my favorite Aunt* in Bodega Bay, California but I was sick. Sick sick sick.
I've been trying to get back there and see if the place is just as good when one is not just sleeping, drinking tea, and taking showers.

It is.

Back to cheap.  I mean thrifty.

To make this trip, I put an alert on google flights (which I like) for a reasonable ticket.  A notice came up that I could get a ticket on United for a doable price.  Of course when I went to buy it, it was "Basic Economy"...the new steerage only with less food.

It is a big risk because there are tight restrictions on changing or refunds.  Those restrictions are: NOT.  No changes. No refunds. No nuthin'.
If the car breaks down on the way to the airport, as far as I could tell, that would just be too bad.

This was my best shot to test the fare in general because it was a vacation and missing it would be sad, but not a major life challenge.  If I missed the return flight, SFO is a big place and I could probably get SOMETHING to get me home.  I flew out of Spokane because that is my best possibility.

I did have to get a hotel near the airport before the flight out.  That is normal.  It's 2 hours from my house to the airport in perfect weather.  I try to take the first flight of the day on a given airline because that flight will have an airplane.  GEG can be foggy and icy and seems to be an airport that is not on the top of the service list if there are shenanigans elsewhere in the country.  Sometimes the planes don't come in.   It was a surprise that I had to get a hotel room on the return flight. It was supposed to get in at 9pm ish.  I can JUST make it home before falling asleep if I get in at 9pm.  The flight was rescheduled about 2 days after I bought it to come in at 11pm or later.  I went in to the system to try for something better but the system said, "Seriously, you are in steerage with the cattle.  Suck it up." or something like that.

I booked the most reasonable hotel I know of that doesn't have bedbugs (Quality Inn, Liberty Lake, WA, 71$ tax included)

Now for the "Basic Economy" portion of our blog.
I LUCKED OUT.    One can not pick one's seat on that ticket.  Unless one pays 25$ to check a bag, one may not check in online.  One may take a personal item on the flight (small backpack OR briefcase OR purse, pick one or none.  NO regular size carry on.  NO checked bags without paying at least 25$ per direction).  The personal item MUST go under the seat in front of you.  You may NOT use the overhead bin even if all the overhead bins are empty.

I usually travel with a backpack that is about the size allowed.  So I used that and underfilled it a bit to allow for squishage if they made me test it in the carry on and personal item tester thingy at the gate.

I went through the online process as far as it would take me and then just showed up the full 2 hours ahead for my outbound flight.  I went right to the counter.  It was 4am so no line.  Then RIGHT through security.  That was a good idea.  Minutes after I went through apparently security got backed up.  People missed the flight.  It was supposed to be 100% full.  I was randomly assigned a window seat which was fine and the people in the other two seats in my row were stuck in security.  After take off, a woman from the sardine like row behind me moved up and took the aisle seat.  Not bad.  Plenty of room for me.


ALSO!  The new thinner padding on the United steerage seats means more leg room. I have a 34 inch inseam (long legs at 5'6" tall..) and a flat butt.  If I had a bubble butt I would still have been OK in these seats.  



I was allowed to have the "snack" and a free beverage.  Just like the regular economy people.

On the return flight, check in was a bit tougher.  SFO is a bigger airport and it was later in the day.  There was no line and NO ONE at the counter other than the "premiere" counter.  So, I went to a kiosk.  That is allowed.  BUT (there is always a big 'but'), to finish check in even at the kiosk, I had to have an agent come use a badge to confirm that I am not sneaking on a real carry on.  There were 3 agents having a long chat about 10 feet from me.  My credit card was in the machine and it told me that an agent would come.  They just kept chatting.  I had to go get them, turning my back on my credit card in the machine.  I don't like that.  Finally one came and grudgingly did his job.  Sorry to interrupt your day with my shitty ticket.

Then, on through security.  Since I was in boarding group "go to hell"...I mean "5" (keep in mind that group 1 is AFTER military, people needing extra time, people with kids, anyone who paid more for a ticket, anyone with some sort of premiere membership etc etc etc so functionally one is in group 20 or so.  They hadn't started boarding yet but it was close and I ran to the bathroom and right back.  When I get back, there is no one in the gate area and the door to the flight is open so I ask the gate agent if the flight to Spokane is boarding.  He says "yes."  I say "which groups?"  "all of them".  The flight was 25-30% full.  EMPTY.  I had again been assigned a window seat.  Just behind the wing.  The attendants kept announcing that the "economy plus" seats are ONLY FOR THOSE WHO PAID FOR THEM and they'd be happy to let us PAY to sit in a slightly less shitty seat.  No one did.  I ended up with a whole row to myself and sat sideways with my feet up for the whole flight.  Again...just dumb luck.


I got the snack and the attendant gave me the whole can of gingerale.  That is rare these days but I think he just wanted to not have half a can to pour down the tiny sink in the galley.  The miniature bag of pretzels is awaiting adjudication by the Guinness book of world records as "World's Stingiest Freebie."  The same service as the rest of economy.

So basically Basic Economy on this United flight worked OK.  I would not do it if I needed to check a bag or have a full size carry on.  The extra fees would outstrip the savings.  I would not do it if I needed to actually get somewhere on a particular date.  Nor in winter when the odds of getting stuck on the way to the airport are fairly high.

It was fine for this or for any other non-crucial flight but the savings are minimal and the risk of being uncomfortable, inconvenienced, or out of the ticket cost are a bit high.





*All my aunts are my favorite.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

What Do "Regular" People Spend on Groceries and Food????? ???

So, I was listening to the radio last night.  The little solar powered (also a dynamo crank if there isn't sun) that my sister bought me years ago.  Still works although the handle broke off the crank and the broken end digs into my hand.   ANYWAY, listening to the radio.  The John Tesh show.  I can only get about 3 stations and it was that, music I loathed, or christian radio.  I can tolerate the 1980s power ballad line up on that show if not the "info for your life" bits he does.

An advertisement comes on with little Johnny Tesh's voice.  Marketing some pre-packaged-DIY meal/food delivery thing.  The selling points were "only 10$ a plate" and "faster than waiting for expensive delivery food."

I would not put "only" in front of "10$ a plate."  That would mean spending 30$ a day per person on meals.  Coffee trips, snacks, and meal time/other beverages not included.  900$/month for just your meals.   If it's only supper, still 300$ a month and you've got a lot of eating left to do.

My monthly grocery budget for high end organic food is under 200$. I spend about 50$ a month dining out for work lunches or treats and 20$ a month is currently in the "coffee out" budget so I can have a coffee with a friend about twice a month or do a drive through espresso if I'm on the way to an especially crap meeting.

270$ a month.  That's all meals, beverages and treats.  OK, in fairness, the 1$ popcorn at the local independent 2nd run theater goes in the "entertainment" budget line.  I see an average of 6 movies there a year so $270.50 a month if we're being totally honest.

What do "normal" non-thrifty people spend on groceries and food????

Do the people subscribing to these services sending them prepackaged meal kits think they are saving $$? 
Are they saving $$?

How much can they spend on food?

And what of the waste (much of it while the meal kit is being prepared and put together in the factory)?
What of the packaging?  How much food-packaging trash do these people haul out of the house (or pile on the floor if they are hoarders...no judgment)?

I've been being "lazy" by buying bag-o-salad which I find wasteful and feel guilty about.

I've checked some online resources for "average food budget" and I come in low for my income-level, and will be cutting back to afford some other things this year. 

Most sites note that people eat many meals at restaurants, as take-out, or delivery.  That wouldn't seem to be true in rural areas but maybe it is.  If so, the 10$ a plate wouldn't seem AS bad to those who buy restaurant and delivery frequently.  And the level of food and packaging waste would not be as dramatic as it would for me.

To each her own I suppose.

I like to cook and I don't mind butchering chickens, gardening, canning, and doing dishes.  Those meal delivery kits are not for me.


Friday, February 16, 2018

Fresh Friday Frugalities

I felt like alliterating.

Here are a few frugal things I've done lately:

1) If I got it, I eat it.  I've made do with the food on hand.  When I've gotten down to the point where that was not working well enough (e.g. yesterday I was down to sardines, balsamic vinegar, mustard and tomato paste), I find something to work with what I've got and make a few more meals.   I got bread and bag-o'salad.  I can have sardines on a salad dressed with the vinegar.  The bread can go with the end of a jar of jam and one of the emergency nut butter packs in the car and voila...sandwich.  The bread and salad were both on sale.   As a treat, and because it was on sale, I got 1lb of sliced roast beef to take the edge of the series of sardines and pj&js.  The grand total was 11$ and with existing pantry stock, it was about 8 meals with bread and sardines left over for another day.  Then I just ate the bread...oops.

2) Alternated which car I'm driving.  I have the truck now.  I jockey the vehicles so I do about 1 fill up per rig per week.  This keeps the batteries from running down in the cold/wet weather and makes me more conscious of planning when to buy gas and where. 

3) Setting "No Spends" goals each month.  This month I'm shooting for 11 days with no active spending.  I'm still burning gas and heating wood and eating food, but by making sure I have many days a month where I do not buy anything or pay bills, it makes me more thoughtful about when I do spend

4) Paying off the credit card twice a month.  This makes double sure I don't pay interest or fees.  When I'm on paying the balance, I also check the number of "reward credits" and when there is the minimum usable amount of reward credits, I trade them in for cash back on the bill.  I use the credit card for fuel, airline tickets etc. 

5) Paying cash for groceries and general household expenses (TP, baking soda and vinegar for cleaning, laundry costs).  I get 200$ cash each time I get paid and that generally lasts me until the next paycheck. 

6) Taking my change in to the bank and trading it for folding money.  I have little change sorter thingies I got at a thrift store.  Each night I'm home, I put my change into these.  They are sized so that once full, that stack goes in a coin roller (which I get at thrift stores).  The rolled coins go in a little tin.  When the tin is full, I go to the bank and get 20$ or more in folding money.  I often put the quarters right into the laundry kit since I go to the laundromat.  Rarely have to buy quarters at the laundromat.

7) Actually use those hotel soaps.  Since I shower at the gym all winter, I use the little hotel soaps.  I wrap the bar in paper towel bits or put it in the little box it might have come with, between showers and it goes in the gym bag in the car.  The gym does have shower gel/shampoo in a wall dispenser in the showers. I use that in a pinch but I end up with full-body itchiness.  I think it's just Tide or maybe some liquid version of Ajax.  Pretty harsh stuff.  I also actually use the hotel lotions.  I keep one in a coat pocket (I have lots of coats...) since my hands are crusty dry all winter.

That's enough for now and are things that all came into play within the last week.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

No 'Poo Update

It's getting toward 10 years of no shampoo.

Since I'm mostly showering at the gym, especially in winter, it's kind of a pain to do the baking soda and vinegar rinse.  It takes a while and I hate to have the shower running for 20 minutes.  In the summer, using a bucket or big bowl of water, it is easier to get my hair wet (natural oils repel water...probably one of the reasons head hair evolved was to keep the brain warm and keeping cold rain/snow off the head helps with that) and I don't have a shower running the whole time.  Shutting the shower off at the gym and hanging out in the stall just raises questions.

So, the system no is to mostly just rinse the heck out of the hair while scrubbing my scalp with my finger tips and nails.  This is followed with a some diluted vinegar in a reused small dish soap bottle scavenged from work.  I can squirt this all over my hair and work it through, let it rest in there while I finish up showering, then rinse and finish with a cold rinse.  I step to the side of the main stream of shower water and just put my head in for the cold rinse.  Fortunately the gym has big shower stalls with room to hang a towel and clothes and get dressed...and to step away from the water during the cold hair rinse.

I brush it well every couple of days.

In the last week I've gotten multiple compliments on my hair.  Apparently this is working.  

I do the rinse bit once a week or 10 days.  Partly because I'm lazy and partly because I'm not out working in dusty conditions while sweating.  Winter is good for that.

I am also keeping my hair braided most of the time including at night. My hair tangles easily and in the past I've had whole chunks of hair missing from coat-collar length down due to tangles and rats from rubbing on coats and shirt collars. Even in a pony tail it was suffering snarls and breakage.  Keeping it braided seems to prevent those issues.

It's braided overnight because in the winter I wear a hoody to bed.  Or sometimes a hat.  It's warm when I GO to bed, but not always when I wake up so the head cover really helps.

The braiding, less washing, brushing, etc, has resulted in longer hair than I've had in a while.  I haven't had a cut or trim since 1989 so the length is related to the health and breakage alone.


Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Three Weeks?

Really?
Three weeks?

That's all you can agree on budget/funding/keeping the government open?
We can't do this three weeks at a time.  It's not even a MONTH. I mean...three weeks.  Three weeks.

Keeping people on the edge.  Averting disaster one day at a time.  What a great way tol ive.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Well, At Least We Still Have a Weather Forecast

 So, the government is shutdown or partially shutdown or whatever. 

I am pretty dependent on the NOAA weather forecasts since I live away from a population center and these forecasts can be localized to anywhere in the US by clicking on a map.  This is important info.  Is it safe to drive? To be out? Should I bother going home?

 This notice is at the top of the page where I get the weather:

"Due to the Federal Government shutdown, NOAA.gov and most associated websites are unavailable. However, because the information this site provides is necessary to protect life and property, it will be updated and maintained during the Federal Government shutdown."


I wonder if FEMA and the disaster response type agencies are open.   What about services to the poor and the old?

I'm not going to bother the skeleton crews at various agencies by calling and asking if they are at work and if they are being paid.  They have enough problems.

I remember the Clinton era shutdown.  And there have been others.

This is, apparently, the new normal.  



Nice.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

FAIL!!! A Thrifty Tale

So, as they say, pride goeth before the fall.  Or rather, confidence goeth before the fail.

A friend (HI!) asked if I could teach her how I thrift shop.

Well, I had a plan.  It didn't work.  I asked about a list and she didn't have one and instead of stopping and doing that, we went in stores anyway.  I didn't think things went all that well, but then again, I've been honing my technique, which works for me, for years.  She has different goals and plans and was new to these thrift stores.


Here's what I think I do to get some good deals thrifting, and shopping in general:

Keep a master list.  I keep it in my ipod (which is ancient and was a gift from a friend so free to me).
On the list are sections like "GROC" and "HARDWARE" and other things.  If I think I need something it goes on the list.  If it's something I need soon, like say toilet paper when I'm on the last roll, then it gets capitalized or moved to the top.  Sometimes both.    If it's something that can wait, like upgraded rubber boots, then it sits at the bottom of the list where I have to scroll down to see it or stuck in a general "thrift" category.  Right now, in the low priority longterm areas are things like a good beekeeping reference book, more comfortable rubber boots, and a scythe or sickle to cut weeds.  Not immediate issues, but if I see a really good option at a yardsale or something, I can get it.

Donate BEFORE I buy. I'm trying to cut back on the crap.  It's a battle against both genetic lines that lead to me.  Hoarders all the way back to primordial soup.  So I have to take stuff OUT before I bring stuff into my life.  There are side effects. It makes me shop in my crap before I go.  If I think I want a new tool or need nails, first I go through the unorganized box of hardware stuff and find something that isn't getting used.  Sometimes I find what I was going to buy.  Or, as happened last weekend.  I might go through a box looking for one type of thing (a sweater...which I found) and find another...my good line level was in with a sweater.  Why?  No one knows.  But I have it now and it comes off the list.   ALSO: If you donate to Goodwill, get a receipt.  There is a 20% off coupon on the bottom.  You get a tax write off for donating and 20% off a purchase if you make it.

Wait a while.   If something goes on the list, other than TP or food, wait a while.  If I see the list later and I don't really care one way or the other about the item, it comes off the list.


Hit the thrift store when you are already in the neighborhood.  I don't make a special trip to shop. If I'm going by, I stop if I have things on the list that might be there.


Review the list before I get out of the car or walk in the store.  A list unused is a pointless endeavor.

Pay cash if possible.  Especially at thrift.  Cash is the most salient type of money for me. I notice cash leaving my hand and pocket.  When I get paid, I get about 2 weeks worth of money in cash, the rest goes in the bank.  I notice when my pocket starts to get empty.  At thrift, pay cash.  Those stores aren't all making big bucks and the percentage the credit/debit costs them matters in the big picture even if it doesn't matter to you personally for that transaction. 

Know your thrift stores. In the local area, I know which thrift stores have better prices and selections on various items.  One has a better hardware section, one has better clothes for outdoor work, another (the most christian based one) has cheap dress clothes and canning tools.  And so on.  I run through all the sections in each, but I can usually count on particular stores for the best prices on various items.

Know the sale of the day.  Most thrift stores have colored tag sales each day to keep stock moving through.  One store has sales by room (it's a big store) each day of the week so it pays to know which day furniture or clothes or dishes will be on sale at that store.  For colored tag sales, if I need a shirt or pants, I only look at the clothes with that color tag.  Jeans are jeans whether I pay 20$ or 5$.  Since I have a list and a long term view, I can wait for the sale.  If there is something I really need I might buy it if it's the wrong color tag.  That's what those 20% off coupons are for if it's at goodwill.  I've gotten carhartt pants and things that weren't on the tag sale because I know those will go fast. 

Check the items carefully before you buy.
-For clothes:  Check the fabric, construction and quality.  Check for tears, stains, missing buttons, bad smells, etc.  There is so much thrift clothing that I no longer buy clothes that just need a button or have a stain.  There will be another shirt or coat or pants next time that is in perfect shape. Many have the tags on them after the holidays or at the end of the "season" when retail stores pass on overstocks. 
ALSO:  check the care instructions on clothes.  There is no point in paying big bucks to dry clean a daily wear shirt I got on sale.  I also don't have room to dry things flat right now so I don't buy things that need to be dried flat.  That said, I might buy things very cheap, e.g. the 25cent bin at St Vinnie's, and just wash as I usually do even if they have special instructions.  For 25cents, I don't need to get much wear out of a garment.   I reuse as rags or fire starters. 
-For dishes, jars, etc:  check for chips.  Run a finger around the edges.  See if it is food safe or if it was maybe meant as decoration.  Smell it.  You can't get stank out of a plastic thermos.
-For furniture, hardware, etc: check the quality and wear and tear.  A hammer with a loose head is not a deal.  Rust can be dealt with sometimes but not all times.  Think about how much effort you want to put into the item for the price and how much use it will get.

Think again.  I start in the section where I actually "need" stuff or have things on the list.  That's often hardware.  If I see something on the list, I check it out.  If it passes the check, I either leave it on the shelf and think about it, or carry it around while I scope out the things on the long term list.  If I forget the item before I walk out, I probably didn't need it.  Sometimes I remember that these items are usually cheaper elsewhere or that I forgot to check the tag sale.  Often, it can wait.

Ask about the return policy.  If I don't already know, I ask about the return policy.  I rarely return things, but if it's a big item, something over 10$, I might need to return it.  If it's "no returns no how now way"...then, I might put the item back and see if it's there next time I'm in town.  Or buy it if it seems like it's needed, on the list, good quality and the right price.  If the policy is "store credit" then it depends on whether I get to that store or am likely to buy there again.  Store credit is useless if one does not shop there.   If it's cash back, that's best but pretty rare.

THEN I buy it if it makes it through all those steps.  Once I buy it I try to notice whether I use it or not.  I'm still using the travel french press (stainless steel...oooo) coffee mug I got fore a couple of bucks many years ago.  That was money well spent.  So were the vintage Norwegian ski sweaters.  I spent more...one was 15$!!!   I wear them all winter every winter...actually, only when it's really cold.  But they show no wear and are still good.   The really cool thermos that is still in the box...that was not a good purchase.  That helps me assess how I'm doing on my list and my purchases.

No wonder trying to pass that on in one quick thrift shopping trip didn't work.  It's a process and it's geared toward my life and habits.