Do you ever "make do" before buying? - Page 2

morning glory · ‎04-01-2011

I bought a clear good plastic container for tubes of hand lotion for the bathroom and then while I was shopping I found the clear plastic containers to put in the door of the fridge and they were a lot cheaper and made from the same heavy plastic plus they had open areas on the ends as handles so I bought a couple of those in different sizes for my tubes of oil and acrylic paints. They are very similar and were 50 percent cheaper. I got them at Walmart. Those could be used on the counter top for many things in a bathroom.

morning glory · ‎04-01-2011

Another thing I do is use Lock and Lock for jewelry. I can see through the box to see what is in it. I sometimes put them in the drawer and label the tops.

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

Yes, and it is empowering. I make better choices when I pause and consider if I can "make do".

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

I was born during WWII.......things were scarce. I can find a non-traditional use for anything........

♥Surface of the Sun♥

Lila4Now · ‎08-13-2011

My mom screwed a cup hook under the over hang on the kitchen cabinet. She always hung her rings there, out of site, while she was working in the kitchen. Nobody could even see them when they were hung up. She did that for over 50 years.

My favorite is the shelf under my bathroom vanity. There wasn't one there, and I put a shelf made for shoes I got at the dollar store in there. It's the perfect length, and height. It gets things in the back up where they are easier to see. Much easier to reach, and no more hidden items.

Azcowgirl · ‎04-10-2012

I'm am so much better these days at waiting before buying, than in years past....latest example, after looking for window treatments and not finding anything I liked, shopped for fabric instead at half price, made my own window treatments along with throw pillows , covered old lampshades in coordinating fabrics, bought frames at half price, and framed the fabrics for groupings on the walls(: thrilled with how it all turned out !

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

not usually, but I also know what I want when I buy. I don't return things, so I'm pretty sure of what I want before a purchase.

AngelPuppy1 · ‎03-13-2010

If I decide I need something, I try and think about it for a few days. If I am out and about, I will even "visit" something several times before I actually buy it. A lot of times, after the initial excitement wears off, I just decide - I don't really need it or it's not what I really wanted after all. I know after thinking about it for days and/or visiting it several times, if its still stuck in my head, then I really want and/or need it. I feel more satisfied this way. Like I have made a better decision or choice. Not so impulsive is, I guess, a better way to put it.

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

Another new name Sue · ‎03-11-2010

On 3/18/2015 AngelPuppy1 said:
If I decide I need something, I try and think about it for a few days. If I am out and about, I will even "visit" something several times before I actually buy it. A lot of times, after the initial excitement wears off, I just decide - I don't really need it or it's not what I really wanted after all. I know after thinking about it for days and/or visiting it several times, if its still stuck in my head, then I really want and/or need it. I feel more satisfied this way. Like I have made a better decision or choice. Not so impulsive is, I guess, a better way to put it.

Angel, that's pretty much what I do as well. Often put things on Wish Lists here and at Amazon to think about them a bit. Sometimes I eventually buy, sometimes I "remove."

I agree with Mominohio--I'm sick of stuff.

LeaLeander · ‎03-14-2010

Yes, but I don't look upon it as "making do," as though the substitute were second-best. I look upon it as being ingenious. Couple examples:

The legs broke off my computer keyboard and I was going to spend $10 or $15 to order replacements. I Googled for a solution and found that those little black binder clips, of which I had plenty, make the perfect substitute. They fit perfectly into the recesses on the bottom of the keyboard and hold it at the perfect angle.

I bought a tall, narrow cabinet to hold cosmetics and wanted more glass shelves. Instead of spending $50 on custom-cut glass, I bought two clearance picture frames at Kmart for $5, removed the glass and it worked like a charm in the cabinet.

In fact that cabinet itself was a little gem -- I had removed some not-very-useful shelves from the linen closet and was looking at organizer systems and those coated-wire shelving units -- blah -- finally it dawned on me, if I'm going to spend $100 why not get something cute? So I found a white "shabby chic" tall narrow cabinet that fits inside the closet with plenty of room to spare; it's glass fronted so I can see inside. On the wall I hung two chrome shower organizers (the kind with several little shelves or baskets that hang over the shower head) in a vintage design for overflow or for items I need to grab often and quickly -- and voila, all of my toiletries and cosmetics are now organized for a fraction of what a closet system would've cost, and far more attractively. I painted the inside of the closet a sage green to contrast with the white & chrome and it's very charming.

Some people feel deprived if they can't order "new" of whatever but I pride myself on being resourceful and 'beating the system' so to speak. Being debt-free is important to me. As others have said I always take a cool-down period before making a purchase.