Thrifty & Nifty: Reviewing My Savers' Haul

Treasures in Frames: Unveiling My Stories Within $1 Photo Frames

As an amateur photographer, the costs of capturing moments add up quickly. If you're a classicist, you might capture photos on film which requires payments for development, printing, film stock and more especially if done independently. Dabbling in many endeavors, experience helped narrow down the choices I want to endorse. I find savings in cheap framing for previously-made test prints and moving forward, collectors ought to receive a physical souvenir for securing my digital pieces.

You could imagine my gratitude for the abundance of finding beautiful blue and gold print frames, two frames for $1.99. While I found only one pair at first, upon looking deeper, three more pairs and a trio came up! Not all at once, did I find eleven frames. But, within minutes of walking around the perimeter of the store, the mission was accomplished. I wonder if some black and white photos might not be best for these frames, given the present color splash on the border.

The Six Literary Gems I Found in Unlikely Corners

Hands already full of frames, I didn't think the trip to Savers' could bear any more fruit. The physical element of any works I produce in the future secure, what else could I want- or need? I hardly finished the question before I stumbled in front of bookshelves, near the westernmost corner of the store.

I think there's the phenomenon explained in psychology academia about people's interest. Mere exposure, maybe? I avoid hazarding too many guesses, but the idea behind the concept goes: if one person stops to take an interest in something, many might follow suit. Proven or not, that's what felt it like happened next. No sooner than I found the bookshelves in front of me, did shoppers shoving carts come up, fathers following daughters milling around mindlessly; a sudden interest in the books invited more people than a moment ago. I felt my style cramped quickly but not before I spotted the first interesting spine and its title: Hot, Flat and Crowded. I laughed at the small joke the books played, then picked up the blue-covered hardcover. To save you theatre of all the finds, the complete shortlist of finds follows:

• Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman
• Dark Money by Jane Mayer
• HTML & CSS: design and build websites by Jon Duckett
• Everything and a Kite by Ray Romano
• Spy by David Wise
• How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

For one reason or another, I'm connected to these titles. Spies, because yes, intelligence gatherers can be cool and I love true stories. Friedman's book talks about people and the environment, I think. HTML to improve my HIVE posts, maybe build a website. Ray Romano I watched a ton growing up because of my dad's love of his family sitcom, "Everybody Loves Raymond". The money book makes sense because again, true stories, and of course, whales in traditional finance have colluded to control things for a long time, and I finally found a book on it. Just another reason I consumer crypto, yes Lord! I swiped my dad's copy of Dale Carnegie's American classic, but haven't finished it. I can return him his copy, gift him Ray's book this month [March 15^th] (once I read it), and keep my own with the same info! Win-win-win!

The Art of the Hunt: Snagging Secondhand Treasures For Less

I get flowery sometimes when I furnish posts to my blog, but that's just idea of fun. If you're thrifting or shopping in general, I find savings on necessities the most fun, nourishing and nuanced fun too. I mean, isn't all too easy to go out and grab everything you didn't need and forget the one thing you did? Overspending comes easily to many, myself included. All that known, I enjoy the challenge of a stoic focus on just things I could use: photography or information related. I might take some fun from the spontaneous crowd's version of diversion, but I go out on a spur of the moment. I didn't expect to buy eleven frames today. Scan the the whole building first, by walking around the edges, away from the crowded main and adjacent aisles. Hell, keep a mental or better yet, physical list of things you really need: lighting, storage space, maybe small furniture and maximize that. Don't settle- the real secret to this game is casting a wide net, raking it in early and often. Visit a few stores you normally might at different times of the year. Keep a keen eye out and see what you might find. Your treasure awaits.