Smart Money Tip: Pay Cash for Big Items

Once upon a time there was a Mama who wanted her children to have piano lessons.  Except they didn’t have a piano. And she didn’t have room in the budget to buy one. The. End.

Now wouldn’t that make a terrible bedtime story.

My husband and I have committed to paying cash for household expenses while sticking to a budget. We live on one “traditional” income (his) in an expensive city. So whenever there are extra items we want, our family has learned how to creatively hustle, usually with me at the helm.

It’s only fair. He brings home the bacon and I sprinkle it into bacon bits to make it last.

How can you buy big-ticket items without blowing the budget? Here’s what works for us.

Do Your Research

Since every dollar is precious, and will require some sweat equity, this is an important step.

I researched second-hand, quality keyboards. I found the best brand we could afford based on quality and longevity.  We definitely wanted to purchase wisely and find a keyboard that would last for a long time.

We refused to take the “easier” path of using credit and purposed to save until we could pay cash.

Get Creative

I decided to buy items from garage sales and upsell them online. I scored with a few items quickly like 3 metal baby gates I bought for $5 each and sold for $50 each. This worked well but it was going to take a while until I reached my keyboard goal of $600.

Until that day.

Be Alert

You never know when the best solution will come your way. This is the story of how our miracle unfolded, when I least expected it.

Starring in this drama is Maureen. My mother-in-law is hilarious and kind and can cook like nobody’s business.

She also has no shame.

In case you don’t believe me, there was a time when we were shopping in Target together. I made the mistake of letting her go her own separate way for a few minutes. Feeling a bit insecure being in a big city Target, she started calling out to me. Loudly. And not just saying my name. Oh no. She gave me very specific instructions about how to find her:

K-A-A-A-A-A-R-R-R-E-N! K-A-A-A-A-A-R-R-R-E-N! I’m in the Men’s Underwear.

Not the Men’s underwear section. Nope. Just the Men’s underwear. If you were in Target that day, you probably remember us.

Anyways…this fearless woman who does not care what anyone thinks, also comes in very handy. This was one of those times.

Be Willing to Think {Way} Outside the Box

We were driving home from an adventure that did not involve underwear, when we noticed someone placing a lot of items at the end of their driveway. As we got closer, I realized it was my friend’s husband who was faithfully carrying one item after another to the curb.

I came to a rolling stop as my mother-in-law hopped out of the van and started peppering him with questions. It turns out he was purging before moving out of the country. Rather than take trips to the thrift store, he was going to put a huge FREE sign at the end of his driveway.

Picture a pile of practically brand new baby items, bedding, artwork, dishes and curtains. It was a looter’s dream haul.

It was an answer to the prayer I hadn’t even spoken yet.

If I had been alone, I would have been a bit shy about taking things. As it was, I tentatively offered to pick up a few items, sell them on Kijiji and split the profit with this family. This sweet man insisted I could take whatever I wanted but refused to accept any money for his treasures.

By the time I turned around my Mother-in-Law had already FILLED the back of my van. She sent me home to unload and insisted I fly back for a second load. Not only that, but she stood guard at the end of that driveway casually covering up the FREE sign. Like Vanna White, but exactly the opposite.

We spent the afternoon washing items, staging them, taking pictures and posting them to sell on Kijiji.

Within two weeks, I had made almost $600, the amount I needed for my second-hand keyboard.

Takeaway Lessons

I learned a few lessons that day:

• God will honour a Mom’s desire to avoid debt and work in ways we could never dream up ourselves
• Modern day miracles make great stories
• It is a lot more fun to take a Mother-in-Law to a driveway haul than to Target

What about you? Do you have a large item that seems like an impossible dream? Be encouraged to pray simply, get creative and get to work.

Don’t take shortcuts and accumulate debt. Let your children see you work hard to earn the item. Better yet, work as a team to earn it together.

///

Now years later, I feel misty-eyed gratitude when I hear the boys practising piano. Whether they are in the band at church or filling our home with harmonies, it is music to this Mom’s ears. {sidebar: here is a sample of one of their accomplishments}. And don’t we know that every Mom needs a parenting win?

Other out-of-box ways I have earned income include:

Being a mystery shopper

Joining focus groups for product reviews

Picking pinecones on Mt. Baldy

Buying and selling on Kijiji

Tutoring from home

Cleaning houses

If you are a stay-at-home Mom, the possibilities are really endless. I’d love to hear about creative things you have done to raise extra funds.

Now please excuse me. I need to help organize Lego sets to sell. We’re saving up for Canada’s Wonderland passes….

MORE INSPIRATION FOR SAVING MONEY: