A big THANK YOU to everyone who has sent in their photographs and stories over the years. I hope by sharing other people’s pictures and stories here on One Hundred Dollars a Month, we can all find unique ways to save, learn new hobbies and have a rock star gardens. Keep them coming!
~Mavis
This is a guest post from Lisa in Colorado.
Shortly after I moved into my new apartment in Colorado, I ran into my manager one day while she was carrying a cat and she told me that one of the tenants “Susan” passed away. Susan had two cats and her family had to find new homes for them.
My manager adopted the cat she was carrying and told me the cat that was left was a Maine Coon. The second she told me, I raced up to Susan’s apartment, knocked on the door and adopted her. I call her Little Bits formerly known as Koukla and she was so traumatized.
The poor thing had been hiding in one of the kitchen drawers and Susan’s family had a hard time getting her out and feeding her. They brought her to my apartment later in the day. I have been able to bring her back to life and she is quite a character, a lot of fun and gorgeous! Everything I could want in a fur-baby!!! Here is a picture of her (excuse the background – cats do not like to pose):
While I was there, I noticed blue Le Creuset pots and pans all over the kitchen where Little Bits was hiding and, of course, secretly admired them. A few days later, there were signs in my apartment building for an estate sale and lo and behold there they were waiting for me!
A beautiful, gently used set of Le Creuset pots and pans for sale for $7.00 each!!! Can you believe it? I scooped them up faster than you could blink!!! It’s been a year since and I still can’t believe it!! I think every person who likes to cook either has or really wants some Le Creuset, but they are a lot of money – even on Ebay. I know I toyed with the idea of purchasing a new set but could never part with $800 for them.
I am a long time thrift store/garage sale/trash day geek and have been since my son was small, and this is by far the best deal I have ever gotten!! I still get a thrill every time I think about it.
I live alone and have been cooped up by myself with my cats since mid-March and I am lonely for human beings! So, thank you for letting me share and brag just a little.
And thank you Mavis for sharing your journey! I learn a lot and am inspired all the time reading your blog.
~ Lisa in Colorado
Find More Mavis Mail Submissions HERE.
Debbie from Highland, Utah Shares Her Chicken Coop Photos
If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop, pantry or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:
- Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and know if you are starting seeds indoors this year. If so, show me some picture of how you are going about it.
- Your Pantry Pics – Submit at least 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures of your pantry/fridge/cabinets, as well as a short blurb {at the very least} about you and your food habits.
- Your Chicken and Chicken Related Stories – Coops, Chicks, Hen’s, Roosters, Eggs, you name it. If it clucks, send us some pictures to share with the world.
- Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
- Your pictures and stories about your pets. The more pictures and details the better.
- Garage Sale, Thrift Store and Dumpster Diving pictures and the stories behind the treasures you found including how much you paid for them.
You’ll need to send in a Minimum of 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures and the stories to go along with those pictures. Please do not send in a couple of grainy photos and a sentence about them. I can’t post that. It doesn’t make for an interesting or informative story.
If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20.00 gift card to Amazon.com. You can send your submissions to me at onehundreddollarsamonth @ gmail.com {spaces removed} and be sure and put Mavis Mail in the subject line. Thank you. I am looking forward to your submissions.
Go HERE for the official rules.
Cathy says
Thank you for sharing your Maine coon story
We have a big boy too. How wonderful you were able to rescue.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
WOW! That is a fabulous set and so cheap. They look in great shape. Yes, I would like a set of my own or even one piece.
Deb says
Lisa, I am SO jealous! I have three red Le Creuset pans that I got as follows: one my brother gave me for Christmas, one I got on sale at Williams Sonoma for $99 and the Dutch oven I found at TJ Maxx hiding on a bottom shelf for $179 – regularly priced at $400. I have never regretted the little I spent on them as I use them over and over. But, your find was unbelievable! Good for you!
E in Upstate NY says
Please note, that LeCreuset has a lifetime guarantee. If a pan gets a chip, it will be fixed by them. Used to be at no charge, but don’t know if this is still the arrangement. And no, it’s not shipping to France, but a USA address.
R in Poulsbo, WA says
Good to know they are renewable! I’ll keep my eye out at the flea market, since retail is crazy $
Linda says
Best. Deal. EVER!!!!!!!! Congrats on the pans & your cat is so beautiful! I’m drooling over the pans & my daughter is in love with your fur-baby. Both were fantastic finds. Good for you & thanks for sharing.
Linda says
Btw- looks like your cat found a great home & good human to care for her.
Dianne says
Lisa – what a great scavage – they’re beautiful. I wish I could afford! I do have a pair of red salt shakers, though! Best to you and many happy years cooking with those pots, pans and casseroles
Mimi says
Great cookware! And what a lucky cat.
My Mom bought me a small set of Le Creuset many years ago and I passed them down to my younger sister at a time when she was struggling financially and had very few possessions. I found out later her roommate destroyed the dutch oven and the rest of the set was left behind when she moved to a new apartment. Insert tears here.
Rhonda Relyea says
I live in Indiana, too, and loved Liz’s photos and commentary. I never have enough money to do everything I’d like to do each season, but having gardened for over 50 years I had a tip that Liz might try. Layer newspapers or cardboard between rows and place grass clippings on them. I hold them down with rocks. It will keep excess grass from her compost pile and cardboard is easy to grab during dumpster diving. That was a great way to get your bricks, Liz! Thanks for sharing, and good luck!
Angela Muller says
Lisa,
Your Little Bits is adorable! I adore Maine Coon cats…so majestic! As for your Le Creuset, I had an entire set of the cobalt blue, however, they just became too heavy for me to haul out, so I kept the ones I use most often, and gave a friend (another cobalt blue lover) the other dozen. Good luck with your cutie pie. Hang in there…and let’s survive this together!
Angela Muller/New Jersey
Denise says
Liz, When I get a great second hand deal I always thank my Grandma Marie in Heaven. She showed me how much fun and thrifty it was to shop second hand. I feel that the woman whose kitty you adopted wanted you to have the Le Crueset as a thank you for adopting her fur baby. Thank you for adopting!
Maxine says
I was thinking the same, that the pots were a gift for adopting her companion.
My grandmother would paint pottery at one time and especially liked to paint white cats with one blue eye and one green. When our cat passed away I gave our daughter option to adopt a kitten but when she saw a pair of cats, one just as my grandmother had painted, and the other a Maine coon (although has never grown full-sized) we got the pair. I have seen the Maine coon described as the most dog-like cat there is. The white, a Turkish angora, semi-long hair (back legs have “bloomers”), also has a lot of personality. Love them to bits!
Gigi says
Lisa, your Maine coon is beautiful. Not sure if they told you, but Koukla means “doll” in Greek.
randi says
I’m getting on LeCruset’s website now. I burnt the handle on my dutch oven making a simple bread. Maybe they will replace my quarantine mistake.
Lisa Millar says
Little Bits is such a beautiful girl!! I am so glad you rescued her and she is happy and settled now.
Fabulous pick up on the kitchenware!!
Loved your story – stay safe and healthy. Its hard being out of people contact for so long. Not something many of us are used to.
Dianna says
Such a beautiful cat! We had a Maine Coon many years ago and she was so smart. We still miss her tremendously.
Amazing find on the pans.
Paula in the Blue Ridge mountains says
Hi Lisa! It’s a nice post. I am so happy that you adopted Little Bits. My husband and I are big supporters of adoption, WE currently have to rescued dogs. They are such a joy each day. Your cookware is beautiful! One day I may splurge and acquire a set myself. Great cookware makes cooking more fun!. Good luck with everything. Becoming involved in liked minded communities like One Hundred Dollars a Month is a good way to connect with others. It is especially helpful with the social distancing.
lisa in Colorado says
Thank you everyone for the lovely replies you totally made my day I don’t feel so lonely now!
Lilypad says
Very late to the party here, but I just have to comment on what a beautiful kitty you saved. We have a Maine coon too, one who looks very similar, and I count her as our greatest deal: we got her for free from Seattle Humane when they were having a special on senior cats. (She was 7 at the time, and now 12.) She’s the most talkative and opinionated cat we’ve ever had, so very smart that she’s been running the show around here since the moment she arrived 😉 but such a sweet and loving cat too.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your story and I hope you and kitty are doing well.