A Week of Money: Where thrifting in the United States is wayyyyy better

DAY ONE

??:?? &??:?? &??:?? &??:?? — Little Bun wakes up multiple times.

6:30 a.m. — I’m up with him and leaving his father to sleep in. I know my partner plans on working on the apartment and cooking a big meal today so he needs rest. I’m exhausted though.

6:33 a.m. — I make two cups of tea and try to teach Little Bun about inside voices and legs (as in, NO JUMPING and whispering only). He tried but this kid only has one level: LOUD.

6:37 a.m. — My partner gets up and we chat while I desperately try and keep Little Bun entertained with some online interactive Christmas cards (this one is his fave).

7:34 a.m. — I miss just having an uninterrupted adult conversation and we are still able to talk about world events and interesting developments in life, Little Bun, our careers and so on. We really are a great match for each other. I’d say 95% which is a great rate. I’ve always said if you can fit 80% with someone, that is good enough.

8:11 a.m. — Little Bun turns into a monster and doesn’t want me to speak. I try to stay calm as he is throwing handkerchiefs around (he is a low key monster), and then I lose it and he gets punished with time out which consists me of putting him in a bedroom and closing the door…. and holding it closed!!!!!

8:13 a.m. — 10 seconds later he is out and I’m cuddling him as I’m explaining why he got punished. He pipes down.

9:09 a.m. — He then proceeds to sing a 4-note song over and over again, drilling into my brain and making my nerves fray. I stop him with one sharp word: “Little Bun!”, and he stops.

9:25 a.m. — We share a banana together. He loves sharing food with Mommy and as I go into the kitchen to get the banana he stops at the entrance and says: “Daddy is cooking! Have to stay HERE. Out of the way!!”… finally it is sinking in that he has to stay out of the kitchen when the oven is hot, and when we are cooking. I acknowledge and praise him for remembering. Supportive encouragement and praise does work on young kids. Now I know why parents tell them: Great Job!, all the time. I do plan on not praising him for every stupid thing he does but at this age it is okay. As he gets older I’ll be stingier with my praise but not my love. I still want to push him to try and work harder, put in more effort etc.

10:50 a.m. — We play in the bedroom and read, out of my partner’s way.

12:08 p.m. — We have lunch and then my partner Skypes with his family in Europe.

12:45 p.m. — Little Bun doesn’t want to talk to them. Shy? Upset? I have no idea. He actually would rather go down for a nap than talk to them 🙁 He puts himself down and closes his eyes.

1:14 p.m. — I decline a bunch of Poshmark counteroffers. Time to rein it in. Namely these were my last purchases and time to stop. 🙂

1:58 p.m. — I browse the blogs in my feed and just randomly star posts.

2:22 p.m. — Little Bun and I play together, read books and generally hang. I browse Poshmark and finish making my last counteroffers.

6:38 p.m. — Time for dinner. We have a nice light salad (it is too much to eat so much white bread and heavy things all the time).

8:00 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $0

DAY TWO

??:?? — Little Bun

??:?? — Little Bunnnnnnnn…..

??:?? — Little Bunnnnnnnn!!!!!!

7:03 a.m. — I’m up. Tired. And.. Yeah. Little Bun.

7:09 a.m. — I make tea and try to gather my brain.

7:38 a.m. — I log in and check on my outstanding offers before I total up the final damage.

8:09 a.m. — I start organizing my closet to try and grab the portfolios down to organize and fix them, and clean out the closet. Dang I have a lot. Must stop shopping and start culling. I need favourite pieces in my wardrobe, not sort-of pieces.

9:18 a.m. — YES!!!! I bought the most amazing Parker leather jacket (yes, obsessed with the brand now), with a knitted sweater back. It is totally up my alley. I have no idea what it’s called but it looks amazing. This brand is killer. For the price, it is about the same as All Saints, m0851 or other leather brands, but the quality is way higher. Thicker, soft, and gorgeous.

10:02 a.m. — Little Bun asks for a vegan lunch. I feed him his vegan soup.

12:08 p.m. — We have a nice crêpe lunch made by my partner (he is killer at fresh crêpes, apparently everyone in France knows how to make this “super simple basic recipe” LOL talk about country egomania…)

12:28 p.m. — My partner heads out to hit the Boxing Day sales early. I plan on leaving afterwards. We each have our own lists and it is right in the middle of Little Bun’s nap (1 p.m.) when the stores are opening, so one of us has to be at home to watch him.

1:16 p.m. — Little Bun FINALLY goes down for a nap.

1:32 p.m. — Nope. He came running out squealing: PEE PEE!!!…and eyes my jeans suspiciously. He knows it means “Mommy may go out“, so he tells me to take them off, and I do so that he can go down for a nice nap without half waking up wondering if I am still at home (which I won’t be).

1:44 p.m. — I check on him. He’s STILL AWAKE! OMG!!!!!

1:58 p.m. — I finally get him down to sleep by force patting his bum. FINALLY.

2:12 p.m. — I head out as my partner comes home.

2:48 p.m. — I head over to check out the sales and only end up finding a great high-waist pair of paperbag waisted wide-legged pants I AM IN LOVE with. I had no idea I’d love it. $158.10

This is not exactly it shown below (more of a paperbag waist) but it is close!

3:45 p.m. — I head over to pick up some underwear for my partner. I buy a huge stock. It is for him so he’ll pay me back later…. so it cost $488.16 but technically for me it is $0

4:15 p.m. — I get a quick meal of ramen. LOVE THIS STUFF. $13.80

4:45 p.m. — I head home.

5:35 p.m. — At home, my partner has a salad ready and Little Bun is so excited to see me. I snuggle, hug and kiss him.

6:37 p.m. — We finish eating and I start on the dishes.

7:42 p.m. — Dishes washed and dried, I’m washing my face, and Little Bun is (as self professed) “waiting nicely and quietly” for Mommy to finish when I hear him drop something, which makes me panic as he is crying now, and I get soap in my eyes which hurts like mofo. I’m tired, and I just.. snap.

7:43 p.m. — I keep screaming at him in frustration, only to turn around after I finally dry off my face and put on moisturizer to see that he has also thrown his dirty underwear into the shower stall AGAIN. I have to pick up every single goddamn time he does this, and my partner doesn’t do it, and it effing drives me insane because it is like we aren’t saying anything to stop it. I lose it even more. I literally turn into Mommy Hulk. My son is crying, I’m raging, I’m just.. SO GODDAMN FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY.

7:47 p.m. —This is not my best moment in hindsight and afterwards, I feel completely 10000000% terrible. It wasn’t his fault he dropped whatever he dropped and then got scared that he dropped it, and I should NOT have yelled at him, but it’s all the little things that make you snap because it was then the soap in the eyes, then seeing the dirty underwear in the shower AGAIN…

Spent: $171.90

DAY THREE

6:22 a.m. — I wake up before Little Bun and it’s already half past six. I still have to wash my hair because I forgot to do it last night so I quietly hop into the shower and try to shower as silently as possible as not to wake him.

12:24 p.m. — I keep watching a few more videos before heading back to work.

1:04 p.m. — Back to work.

4:45 p.m. — I leave and head back home. I really don’t feel great. I’m a bit fatigued, my stomach is all feeling strange like I am always eating too much…

8:30 p.m. — I can’t even remember what happens the rest of the night. I just know I conked out as early as I could. I do remember Little Bun being very, VERY silly and running up, putting his bum up against my leg, and then I feel this puff of air. THE CHILD FARTED ON MY LEG….. and then he runs away laughing: “LITTLE BUN farted on Mommy!!!“…. Srsly. Is this a little boy thing? I don’t remember doing this as a girl. I’m in for some surprises apparently. It is both funny and disgusting.

Spent: $0

DAY FOUR

??:?? — I wake up at 4 a.m. 4 A.M. THIS KID … he is wide awake and later on in the day, I find out he conked out at 11 a.m. for 2 hours. OF COURSE HE DID. I don’t get to nap at work so I’m the one who got screwed. *sigh*

Spent: $301.16

DAY FIVE

??:?? — I wake up early (my partner came over to my side of the bed and we’re cuddling). Little Bun is still sound asleep (yay), and he normally hates it when my partner comes over to my side because he is used to “Daddy on one side, Little Bun in the middle and Mommy on HER side“. I had to explain to him a couple of mornings that Mommy and Daddy love each other and like to cuddle too, which he has finally accepted, and says: “Sometimes.. Daddy.. goes to .. Mommy side!” At least we’re making progress on this front and I am able to hug and show affection for my partner without Little Bun losing it as much as he used to. He is understanding that there is enough love to go around and Mommy won’t love him less if she hugs Daddy. On the contrary… but it is funny how kids think.

6:32 a.m. —  I get up quietly, close the door, and get ready for work. I put my hair up in a bun and decide even though it is shorter, I like it up even with some bits sticking out.

6:40 a.m. — I pop a Tylenol Day pill (bring it on, drug me!), and my nose stops sniffling. What I hate is a runny nose, because then I have to blow my nose, my ears hurt, my head starts hurting, my makeup gets smeared.. yuck.

7:25 a.m. — I get to the office, and for some reason am freezing today, so I pull on my lovely, cosy, cashmere cardigan and sort of secretly love these La Canadienne Cathy boots (sold out). They look great. Brown suede moto mid-calf style, and great for winter. I’m quite pleased I got them, they look great tucked into skinny jeans.

7:33 a.m. — I start working and my brain is a little bit better this morning than yesterday because I popped a Tylenol Night pill the night before, and that knocked me out well, even though I recall waking up twice during the night and then willing myself to fall back asleep. At least my nose isn’t running during the night. Blowing my nose gives me such a headache..

7:59 a.m. — I really feel like a breakfast sandwich but don’t want to spend the money nor go out. I have a lunch to finish in the fridge of duck and the rice from yesterday, and ever since my stomach had a flu last week I don’t feel very good eating much any more. I used to be able to inhale large amounts of food and feel fine, but my stomach lately has felt kind of weird. I almost feel like the gastric acid is coming up the back of my throat and when I am full I feel like I need to burp or something to feel better.

8:08 a.m. — I make a note to buy some Bio-K to replace my probiotic flora in my stomach today before I go home. I wonder if I should eat my lunch early to feel better. Maybe all of this tea, and this non-dairy milk stuff is not helping my stomach. I feel like it is worse when I drink non-dairy… Maybe the oil in it is not helping.

10:28 a.m. — I want to head out for a walk but decide against it. I don’t want to spend money. I email my partner to check on Little Bun and apparently he woke up happy, well rested (past 6:30 a.m.) and not at all sad I wasn’t there.

11:02 a.m. — I head back to the office, fill out a health form for Little Bun to submit to the healthcare Canada and then write a cheque for his preschool fees. Ouch. $437.50

11:22 a.m. — A colleague sends me a link to a toy he bought for his son to “learn how to code” (a coding worm), and this comment made me really giggle:

12:08 p.m. — I eat my lunch and feel a bit better after I burp a little. It seems to settle my stomach a bit. I decide against going out for anything but wonder if I should take a walk… and I eat my hidden Santa rice krispie chocolate candy. I saved it for emergencies like now.

12:28 p.m. — Okay I’m actually hungry again. I head out for something to eat and choose a soup with a small sandwich. It isn’t as good as I remembered however. $15.53

2:18 p.m. — ..and this made me LOL out loud when I read it at work about money decisions and how involved your spouse is in money talk. For instance, my partner bought $2000 handmade chairs without telling me (and I was on the hook for half of that!), and that surprised me, but didn’t break me…. which sort of lent itself to this really wonderful #PF conversation that happened on twitter:

2:22 p.m. — I eat two more Toblerone squares.

2:48 p.m. — I drop by the preschool before heading home and drop off the cheque.

3:45 p.m. — Okay, I’m leaving. Everyone is gone. YAY!

4:17 p.m. — I get home to Little Bun who runs out giggling and super happy to see me. He wants to run into my arms but I have to get undressed etc.

4:57 p.m. — My partner heads out for food. It is much easier without a child…

5:55 p.m. — I get everything sorted, put away, laundry started, and we settle down for a meal.

6:23 p.m. — Meal over, Little Bun is not that hungry, it seems.

7:39 p.m. — Dishes done, and dried.

7:59 p.m. — Little Bun looks up at me with little baby seal eyes: “Mommy? Soup and pasta pease?” What!? He’s hungry again??? I feed him and realize that he didn’t eat much for lunch. Again, he waited for me to come home and feed him. Or he’s on a major growth spurt.

8:21 p.m. — Little Bun fed, dishes done again, I get him ready for bed and we read more books.

Spent: $453.03

DAY SIX

??:?? — WTF WHY IS THIS ALARM GOING OFF? False fire alarm for sure.

??:?? — Little Bun is up. He is loving these fire trucks. “WEE OOO WEE OO.. Spell weeoo wee oo??“. I am just exhausted. I want to lay in bed and sleep some more. This is not fun. I was in such a good deep sleep and so was he, and THEN THIS GOES AND HAPPENS. SNAFU.

6:40 a.m. — Yeah it is “late” but I still feel exhausted.

7:00 a.m. — I’m up. So is my partner. I’m making tea.

7:59 a.m. — I’m .. really.. tired. I’m going to sell those old Ray Ban sunglasses today though, and pick up my hemmed jeans ($8 what a deal!) so I am braving this Extreme Cold. I also feel like eating some sashimi … so I’ll be dropping by my old haunt.

8:08 a.m. — I play with Little Bun, then don’t give AF and stick him in front of some language nursery rhymes. There. He becomes obsessed with Masha and the Bear – Episode #17 The Recipe and watches it obsessively, loving how the oatmeal + jam concoction splatters all over the kitchen “A MESS! A MESSSSSS!!!!!!!“.

10:18 a.m. — I finish filing my feet. Give it up for the Amope Pedi that is rechargeable and waterproof. It has saved me so much time and my feet feel much better now. Way softer. Not as rough. I just need to remember to do it weekly, but even if I don’t, I can go for two months and then have it all filed off in less than 15 minutes.

11:02 a.m. — I feed Little Bun his soup. I hope my partner makes it back soon. I said 1 p.m. to meet….

12:08 p.m. — Okay he’s not back. I nervously email the buyer and ask to meet at 2 p.m. I hate pushing times to be later but I really don’t want to be late and I hate rushing.

12:09 p.m. — She texts back “no problem!”..Oh thank goodness. I wipe and clean the sunglasses so they shine.

12:28 p.m. — My partner comes in the door. PHEW. I have half an hour before I MUST LEAVE.

12:36 p.m. — We have some yummy ham on bread. Little Bun loves this stuff. He gobbles down a huge share even after having eaten a full lunch not even an hour ago. Dis be my baby…<3

12:56 p.m. — Now he wants to go get stuff from the car. OMG. HURRY UP. I hate being late. I keep a straight face tho…

1:12 p.m. — I finally get to leave. I’m not rushing but.. I HATE BEING LATE. I DO NOT WANT TO BE LATE.

1:44 p.m. — I am here early. Good. I hold out the sunglasses.

2:00 p.m. — She shows up RIGHT on time. She loves ’em, and says they look like the ones she lost. Perfect. YAY! +$30 in my pocket

2:22 p.m. — I go and try to return headphones but apparently you can’t do that at Best Buy because.. they’re headphones. *sigh* I go and pick up two other pairs of cheaper headphones that I know fit better in my head, and I can use as spares and I pay the difference. $4.28

2:48 p.m. — I pick up my hemmed jeans. SWEET. They look great.

3:45 p.m. — I wander around, walking up and down the streets. Okay, time for sushi.

4:15 p.m. — *GASP* HE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS? NO 🙁 .. My favourite hole in the wall sushi spot is gone 🙁 It used to be run by this sweet old Korean guy… *sigh*

4:22 p.m. — I drop by a Poke place instead. $19.95

4:45 p.m. — Okay, small portions… kind of pricey for some raw fish on rice and some sauce. Not impressed. Not buying it again from this place, and I’d rather go to The Sushi Ship for a Poké Bowl. How disappointing. I should have gotten some ramen for $15. What a waste of belly space. Not coming back.

5:15 p.m. — I head home, walking to the metro station because.. I felt like it. I buy some Bio-K along the way with 20X the points at Shoppers. $60.55

5:55 p.m. — LITTLE BUN IS OUT! OH HAPPY DAY!.. I put away everything, remove my makeup leisurely and am so happy and relaxed. I even log on to clean up emails.

6:15 p.m. — They’re back. And my partner makes a quick vegan salad of avocado and has added radicchio for colour. ‘Tis yummy.

7:11 p.m. — I am too tired. I leave the dishes for tomorrow. I go and get Little Bun ready for bed, and lie down as we read books.

8:30 p.m. — Bed.

Spent: $84.78

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — Little Bun is up.

??:?? — And again.

6:21 a.m. — I get up with him. I’m bleary-eyed, exhausted. Tired. I make tea.

7:09 a.m. — My partner gets up, and starts cooking. I didn’t do the dishes from yesterday so the kitchen is already full of stuff. I am too tired.

8:08 a.m. — I grab Little Bun and we clean my closet out, organizing and removing things I want to start selling and cleaning out the closet again.

Stuff I want to sell

If anyone wants any of it, $10 USD per piece PLUS shipping. You pay shipping (whatever actual cost is once I pack it all up). More pictures and sizing notes upon request because I’m tired and have a small energetic child. Sorry. Not sorry.

Just contact me. Paypal only.

VINTAGE SWEETHEART NECKLINE STRIPED SUMMER DRESS

I had the straps professionally added. Fits a US 4 / 6, the hips are free, there’s a zip up the side. Slight wear overall (little bit of pilling)

VINTAGE COGNAC LEATHER HAND BAG MADE IN ITALY

No shoulder strap, it’s an actual hand bag (hold it by hand), with two open flaps on either side and a zippered inside with a zippered compartment. Slight wear around the edges.

VINTAGE LINEN WRAP SKIRT

Fits a US 4 (designer US 4, so a mainstream Banana Republic US 2) by Arthur Chang.

EILEEN FISHER LINEN JACKET

Fits a US 6 shoulder, slightly fitted in the body with pockets, has a Mao collar and is very light. 100% linen.

100% CASHMERE IVORY SHAWL SWEATER

No itchiness (I have eczema so I know), and is super thick and soft. Would fit a US 4 shoulder, or an smaller sized S or XS… I can squeeze into it but my shoulders are US 6 so it feels tight around the chest area.

Slight wear overall (pilling) but I can do a little sweater shaving before shipping if you’d like. Still in very good condition, super thick cashmere, soft, warm, and comfortable. Just a bit too small for my shoulders.

ANTHROPOLOGIE HEI KHAKI PANTS – Size 29

Alas I bought these larger for my legs, but they are a true 29 and stretched slightly (it’s cotton). You can adjust the sides with the straps.

I’m a true 26 in jeans, and this fits quite baggy / loose on me (obviously), and I should have purchased a 26 as it would have fit with a bit of loosening up.

Anyway, too big for me. Meant for a True size 29. Worn maybe twice at best.

VINTAGE AQUASCUTUM NAVY BLUE WOOL WRAP SKIRT

Would fit a US 10.

It is far too big for me to keep or tailor down but the quality and the workmanship is impeccable. If it had any other label on it like Burberry, I am sure it would have sold like hotcakes but because “Aquascutum” which is LIKE Burberry is not as well known, this has languished in my selling closet.

The wool is soft, it’s 100% lined, and it has POCKETS. Any other brand name and people would be willing to shell out $500 for this. Srsly.

10:18 a.m. — We’re done in the closet, I’m eating my secret stash of cheesecake bite chocolates, and Little Bun is playing on the bed with some finger puppets.

11:02 a.m. — Time for lunch. Eggs, caramelized onions and bread. Tonight is a big meal that my partner has prepared with bacon so we’re eating light for now.

11:52 a.m. — My partner leaves to run errands. Sunday is his day.

12:08 p.m. — Little Bun comes to me and asks for soup and pasta again. Whoa, this kid is HUNGRY. He sure eats a lot. I have an appointment at 4 so I hope my partner is back soon but if he isn’t I’ll push it to later.

12:28 p.m. — I finish feeding Little Bun.

1:32 p.m. — I let his stomach settle and then try to get him down for a nap (ALL THE LOLS).. I can hear him snuffling and moving around in bed, doing anything but napping.

1:40 p.m. — I go to check on him and he’s STILL NOT SLEEPING. OMG. I pat his bum to sleep.

1:44 p.m. — I snag some secret chocolates and eat them. I hide them in a drawer in a table in my closet. Yeah. I’m that kind of mother who hides secret candy from her children.

Dear Little Bun: This is what Mommy eats while you’re napping.

2:30 p.m. — My partner is back and I have to run and return that Bio-K I bought the other day because it expired 2 weeks ago. WTF. Ugh. -$55.17

3:15 p.m. — I drop by the grocery store and buy some Oxiclean because I have been putting it off but do use it on occasion to clean my whites. $13.76

3:45 p.m. — I go to the library to work and finish up on things.

6:07 p.m. — I finish up at the library, WHOA IT IS LATE. and I am back home. My partner makes a salad for me, and saved aside some cheesy bread and cheese on bread because otherwise, Little Bun would scarf it all down and leave his poor mother nothing.

8:07 p.m. — I get Little Bun ready for bed. Time for sleep. My partner and I make plans to go to the Car Show this year.

Spent: $13.76

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Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.