# 304: Thinking Outside the Box
A workaround idea that saves me a bunch of bucks.
Without deep pockets I’m regularly evaluating want vs. need when I am spending. Do I need this vanilla flavored maple syrup or more honestly is it a treat that I want? Might it be just about the same if I were to add vanilla extract to the Canadian maple syrup I like? Probably and less expensive, too. I hope I don’t sound like too much of a tightwad but as someone who has worked from the age of 18 as a sole proprietor in music, food and writing, there’s no big golden egg waiting for me at retirement…and truthfully retirement is something I’ll probably never have even as frugal as I have been over the years. There’s only ever been one income coming into my home…mine…and with it I have put a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, my son through school and I’m proud of the fine, caring and generous man he has grown up to be.
So yesterday I go in to town with a friend who often helps me with projects. I’m light sensitive and after years of putting up pieces of fabric over curtains to cut down on light and noise from neighbors and streetlights, I have found some blackout curtains on sale online and have bought them. One of the windows they will cover has a big 8-foot span and trying to find a curtain rod that is both long and strong is turning out to be quite the quest. After a strike out at the local Habitat for Humanity store we head to Swain’s, the local general store in my town.
Curtain rods used to be in the back but they have moved and we are directed to a different aisle. Once there, the selection we see is too short and not strong enough. One of the employees nearby overhears us and heads over. She suggests a closet pole. Brilliant! We all walk over to that aisle. But alas, they too are not long enough and the diameter too big for the grommets in the curtains. I thank her for her creative suggestion and help. She tells us that she has worked there for thirty-seven years and still loves her job especially when she can come up with workarounds.
I’m resigning myself to the idea that I might have to shell out $80 for a rod at a big box store plus hardware and something to support it in the middle. Then, as we are leaving the store, I look up and a lightbulb goes off in my head.
What is that?
Those are little ornamenty things you hang outside.
Yah, but what is it that they are hanging from?
It’s metal electrical conduit.
We look at each other.
Could that be used?
Back we go into the store.
Do you have metal electrical conduit?
Sure do.
We are directed to the correct aisle and see conduit that is long enough, strong enough, with a diameter that will work AND a price I can afford. The total cost with tax turns out to be less than $15 and I feel pretty darn pleased with myself.
The pipe needs to be shortened a bit and a hacksaw will do the job and when we get back to my house I look for the one I bought decades ago. It’s not where I thought it was and yes, I could buy another but I’m pretty sure that one of my good friends who lives a few blocks away will have one so I call. Yup, she has one and I head right over to borrow it.
When I get back home, I find that my friend has set the conduit on saw horses ready to be safely shortened and in less than one hour I have a “curtain rod,” customized to the length needed, with some added rubber leg tips on the ends—the kind you might find on an old kitchen stool. It’s set in place on wooden brackets from Too Good To Toss, another place out here that has stuff that is…well, too good to toss!
The pole is now ready to receive the curtains when they arrive next week and I’m feeling pretty happy about this outside of the box workaround which has saved me a lot of money and given me a good story to share with you, too.
I would imagine that more than one of you has a brilliant workaround or two, too. So my dearest friends, if you care to share I’m sure our community here will be all ears and who knows, your brilliant idea might save someone else some much needed money, too!
Love to you all from Pie Cottage!
P.S. A Special Request
A dear friend of forty years is having triple bypass surgery tomorrow morning at 7:15 Pacific. It would be wonderful if you might send a little extra positive energy for a successful procedure and complete and easy healing their way.
What I’m Listening To
Have a Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt
Nice Things To Do
Something that you can do for me is to heart ❤️ this post. It not only lets me know that you are stopping by but this really helps my ratings on Substack, too. Thank you!
Sending prayers and love and good on ya for creative workarounds. 💕💕💕💕😍🙏🏽💝🦋💝
Prayers for your beloved friend - may all who care for your friend know they are supported too! AND - I love a good "work around" - growing up we had a shed behind our house filled with all sorts of tools and bits and bobs - I could spend hours in there fiddling around and figuring things out!!