Stewardship of Life

For Granted–Frugal Finds

By Sharron R. Blezard, November 1, 2011

JUST LIVING Blog

Today I became the proud co-owner of a $3.00 “vintage” food processor. It’s a Hamilton Beach model that my spouse estimates to be from the mid-80s, and it works like a charm. More than the food processor, however, I am grateful for my spouse’s ingenuity, resourcefulness, and uncanny ability to find perfectly good items without resorting to spending a lot of money or buying something brand new.

Yesterday he took a load of outgrown clothes and unneeded items to the Adams County Rescue Mission and said he thought he’d look for a food processor while he was there. I was skeptical that he’d find anything; however, much to my delight and surprise he returned with one that’s in very good shape and cost a mere $3.00. A comparable new Cuisinart would have set us back at least $150–or more. Best of all, we continued to meet our goal of not buying new, and we supported a local non-profit agency that does a lot of good work.

If you’ve ever tried to make fresh pesto in a blender, you know what it’s like to wish you had a food processor. Tonight we cooked and pureed two pumpkins yielding four quarts of deliciousness to freeze. There was little mess and fuss, it took less time, and the consistency of the finished product was oh so much better. Now I’m thinking about all the other things we can make at home with this handy-dandy find–tomato sauce, hummus, and pimento cheese come to mind, and of course more fresh pesto.

We’ve made it a priority to prepare as much food from scratch using fresh, local ingredients as we possibly can. We planted a small garden last summer and have plans to expand it significantly next year. We canned cherries, made grape jam, made homemade salsa, and will put up applesauce soon. We enjoy the time spent together, and we like knowing that such activities are in line with our goals and values: supporting the local economy, avoiding excess packaging, knowing the origins of our food, and practicing good stewardship of resources.

Who would think $3.00 could go so far? Thanks be to God for a great spouse and a fine new-to-us kitchen appliance. Ah, the simple joys of a frugal find!

For further reflection–

What new-to-you treasure have you found lately? Was it something you planned and looked for patiently, or was it an impulse buy?

Photo: Rob Blezard