What a Bargain?

Ok, it has been over a week since I've blogged...and since my goal is to try to write something every day (practice, practice!), here we go...

First, let me say that I love magazines.  There is something about them that the Internet will never replace for me.  Of course, I will never replace my entire library with ebooks either, so...big surprise.  Anyway, I received my complimentary copy of Country Living (May 2011) in the mail yesterday, and overall, I'm more impressed than I thought I would be.  It's a bit oversized in width which makes it feel fancy, and the information to ad ratio is actually pretty good.  And...it is titled "The Bargain Issue"!!  Be still my beating heart.  I could not wait to see what I could get for less. 

This issue covered a wide range of bargains, from fancy nail files for $1.75 to a house in Wilson, NC listed at $76,500.  But the article that caught my interest the most was "Family Values."  This is about a Charlotte, NC (woot!) designer named Lynn-Anne Bruns who decorated her house with "flea-market finds."  So you know, I'm all about that. 

Bruns' home is, indeed, eclectic and beautiful.  I would expect nothing less from a fellow bargain hunter.  But when I saw that $799 was paid for a bed and $2000 for a couch, I had to say...whoa Nelly.  While getting a $9000 couch for $2000 IS a great deal, they still paid $2000 for a couch.  I had to pinch a penny just to keep from feeling like my credit card had just been hacked.  (Which it was.  For real.  But the company caught it before any major theft, thank goodness.) 

I had to find out more, so I read the article instead of just looking at the pictures with captions.  The following quote told me everything I needed to know:  "All told, Lynn-Anne figures the renovations tallied around $350,000."  This in regards to the house the family purchased in 2006 which "needed extensive work to comfortably fit the whole gang."  Maybe it's because I grew up nervous about money, maybe it's because my husband and I are both in education, maybe it's because my leather Lane couch, chair, and ottoman cost me $150 total on Craigslist...whatever the reason, the idea of spending $350,000 on anything just about makes my heart stop. 

Much like the segments on morning talk shows that showcase Cute Summer Outfits for Less than $100!!! where a pair of pants costs $45 and the shoes don't count towards the total (only $60! can you believe it?), this issue failed to wow me in the bargain department.  I am, however, going to try the recipe for "Breakfast Casserole with Turkey Sausage, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes."  Yum.  It must be time for breakfast...I might even pay for the year's subscription...