Frugal Mainers like to save money! (sale, coupon, shop)

[Parrotpaul]

Back around 1972, I completely furnished an apartment in South Portland for about $75. All Goodwill stuff.

[starwalker]

another $$ saver, just brought to my mind today... the RAG BAG!

Remember when old clothes were "worn out" (oops.. there is another $$ saving hint! LOL) your grandma would cut off the buttons for the button jar and the old garment went into the rag bag? When she needed a "dish rag" or a "dust rag" there was always something appropriate in the bag. When Grandpa needed a rag for his greasy hands or to wipe the dipstick from the car, something that wasn't suitable for household use could always be found in the bottomless bag.

It was a boon for spills, etc.. no paper towels needed..

Well my rag bag got a workout today (which is what brought it to mind) as my front loader washer with the door gasket in need of replacement decided to leak dye water all over. I had decided to re-dye my favorite, old (and second-hand to boot) black cotton knit dress,which was looking a decidedly faded dark grey and make it black again.

I EMPTIED the contents of the rag bag cleaning up the black river, dumped them in with the dress for it's "rinse until water runs clear" phase and then, once the dress was on the line, ran the rags through again with detergent and bleach. I now have a uniform, custom set of rags... as they didn't quite come back to white again. They are a warm buff color... but that's ok, they are RAGS for pete's sake! LOL

Heavy wool (100% -- or wool and cotton) sock tops make great filling for quilted potholders, too! I used to grab my hubby's wool boot socks once the feet/heels got far enough gone that they weren't worth darning (yes, I DO DARN SOX... as much as a good pair of wool ones costs, it's worth it in my book!) as the tops were never worn at all. Depending on the sock thickness, I'd use one or both of the pair, cut off the foot and cut to open flat, as the middle layer, with quilt blocks that we were experimenting with or even just plain cotton fabric squares (you could recycle more old clothes!) for front and back; cut one part a bit larger, and you have a self-binding for the holder. They wear well... I still have one, VERY well used, faded, bleached and stained with a christmas tree design that the girls and I made a bunch of for gifts in the 80s.

Those are my hints for the day!

Now, back to the art studio... I have an order for 5 hex signs to be in MD by the 30th of this month!

[msina]

Great stuff star,.. I still have a "rag bag" and I cut old denim from jeans into 3 1/2 inch squares I'm saving to go into a scrap quilt. Mens old white tube socks are great for dust mitts,.. slip one over your hand and grab the pledge.

[moughie]

Love your ideas star!
You are so creative, imaginative and frugal - in a good way

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by msina

Mens old white tube socks are great for dust mitts,.. slip one over your hand and grab the pledge.

Also great for polishing nickel, chrome and brass.

[mollysmiles]

about the sock thing---not fun when you use one that you think hasn't been mated for a long time---only to have it turn up couple of days later!!

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by starwalker

another $$ saver, just brought to my mind today... the RAG BAG!

http://www.ursai.net/blog/ragBag.jpg (broken link)

here's proof...

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

about the sock thing---not fun when you use one that you think hasn't been mated for a long time---only to have it turn up couple of days later!!

I HATE that... and the odd one (colored) that sneaks into the bleach load...
I have a growing collection of "special" socks... I usually get several pair when "my" museum gets them in for the winter gift season -- water birds, hunting dogs, shore birds... I have one that has a hoard of birdwatchers shoulder to shoulder around the foot/lower ankle and the birds in the sky on the sock top... I love my loon sox, etc. but my mallard pair is mismatched now due to one having been bleached.

Will be glad when I get to ME where sock wearing isn't just a couple month thing in the winter! it is just too hot here most of the year, so they only get to come out about this time (though it has yet to really be long pants/socks weather much yet, darn it) and pretty much are done with by the end of March.

When I had kids and hubby to deal with, I used to get them many identical pairs. Made it interesting in a way(sort by size.. hope the kids all had different size feet!) but kinda solved the "always an odd number" problem... because the odd one just stayed around until it was no long odd sock out.

By the time summer came (barefoot weather) the dwindled population wasn't much of an issue.. and come fall, we'd buy more big packs and pretty much start over.

[msina]

I always loved the "sock monkeys" made from mens wool socks

[Moxie]

I have hardly purchased any socks (for us grown ups) since moving to Durham, NC 14 years ago. The kids love the loon socks we got in Maine.
We have a pile of odd socks for the kids and just wait til one gets a hole. Use it for a rag and match the other to one of from the odd pile.
I guess once I move up to Maine next spring I will have to increase my clothing budget to include socks!