by Ashley
One thing I’ve really been striving to do since we’ve started our debt reduction journey is to simply make do with what we have. I actually have a whole list of things I’d love to replace….
Enter = computer desk chair
This desk chair was actually given to me by a friend when she moved out of town. The chair had been a hand-me-down for her, so it’s a second-generation hand-me-down for me. Even at that time, it wasn’t in great condition and its only continued to deteriorate from there.
You can see how its ripped in multiple places. That little “leather” (pleather?) swatch on the left likes to flip flop around, too…
What you can’t tell from the pictures is that the padding is also entirely compacted. This chair has had a lot of use!
I joined freecycle (initially to try to find a kitchen table), and I’ve been browsing for a new desk chair but no luck so far. I’ll keep searching. I feel like this is something I’ll eventually be able to upgrade without any money out-of-pocket if I stay patient and keep my eyes open. I’ve decided to make this a bit of a fun little personal challenge. Operation: Find free desk chair upgrade!
In regard to the dining table, I’ve made the executive decision that we’re going to get a used table probably during the month of September. I’ve been looking for free ones on craigslist and freeycle and have noticed that there tends to be furniture posted at the end of the month when people are having to move and get rid of things immediately. I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll be able to find one at the end of this month as the result of someone’s move. If I can’t score one for free, we’ll end up getting a super cheap one next month sometime. I’ll keep you posted on that.
Do you try to make do with old, partially-broken-but-still-useable items? I’ve thought about trying to make a seat cushion for the chair and just calling it a day, but I don’t have a sewing machine or any scrap fabric so I feel like that would be a bigger ordeal than its really worth.
Hi, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at heart. Lover of running, blogging, and all things cheeeeese. Freshly 40, married mother of two, working in academia. Trying to finally (finally!) pay off that ridiculous 6-digit student loan debt!
It’s not going to get any prettier by this, but how about just taping it with duct tape… and then maybe covering it with some sort of scrap fabric (old t-shirt, old pillow case or what not) and then taping this to the bottom of the chair as well = new & comfy seating surface for you?
Our desk chair was purchased on Craigslist for $15 about 3 years ago, and it was in OK shape at that time (not terrific, but fine for a $15 chair). At this point….the piston that lifts the seat broke, so the seat is actually too low for the desk, but we can’t move it. The mechanism that controls the angle of the chair broke, so the tendency is to almost recline in the chair! The cats clawed it a little, and then our son, who has Autism, picked at the fabric and it is shredded in spots….and then he picked at the foam.
It is in sad sad shape, but we deal with it. That said, we MAY be moving in the coming months…and it is NOT coming with us!
I hear ya on making do…..we’re 6 years into our debt free journey and have another year to go! There are lots of things we’ve put off buying – new linens for our bedroom, new furniture, patio furniture, household goods (pans, dishes, etc), and many more things that really aren’t necessary, but would be nice to replace. We just keep reminding ourselves how FREE we will feel once the debt is gone!
For your chair, I would recommend duct tape to close the gap, then place a folded towel or old pillow on the seat in a pillowcase. It won’t be pretty, but might be more comfortable and buying a new, quality chair is expensive!
I work in a large office building and often when tenants move or remodel the old furniture is given away or sold for $1 to current tenants first. You may want to put the word in to friends and family. Maybe someone will be able to help you pick up a new-to-you one where they work.
That would be fabulous – I’ll have to put out the feelers to friends!
Great ideas so far. Some more. Universities often have a dept. that sells their obsolete office furniture for very little. Some duct tape and them a thrifted chair cushion would work. Or haunt Craigslist for a deal.
About the university sales – really? I’ve never heard of this??? And, in all honesty, I’ve been to a LOT of different departments around campus. Many of the office furniture is so beat up and gross that even if they were giving it away for free, I think I’d be better off with my broken chair! Is this just a public school thing??? Granted, there are some departments (with lots of private donations) with better quality stuff, but that seems to be more the exception than the norm.
I’ve hung on to my current car far too long and now it’s not worth squat for a trade-in. :-/ I’ve had the same Keurig for more than 5 years, even though there are better ones out now (and it doesn’t get the water hot enough for me, so I put the cup directly in the nuke for 1 minute every single time) … I look around my home and I can’t see anything I haven’t had for a really long time or bought secondhand in the first place. Ah well.
The mental image of using the Keurig and then having to microwave it every time is so funny! Great job making do with what you’ve got!!!
Making do is something I’m trying to do too. More with smaller household items/personal items/clothes because I have pretty good/newish furniture for the most part. I hope you can find a free or very cheap dining table and desk chair. Good luck and don’t forget to let us know what happens. 🙂
I’ll definitely keep you all updated! : )
I’d purchase some black duct tape in the exact same width at the vertical sections on the chair. Next, tape the vertical strips all along the bottom from left to right….you want the entire bottom section to have the same vertical stripes as the top of the seat cushion and the same lines as the bottom of the chair back. Essentially, you are creating the same design on the bottom half of the seat cushion that mirroring the design on those other two areas. Due to the tear, you’ll want to make sure that those vertical strips expand the entire width of the chair. Take your time to do it perfect and it will look like it was done that way.
In terms of needs, get your dining room table cheaply and then hold off on any replacement items until your van is paid off. Each time you set a financial goal, hold off and delay everything. Once the goal is met, then take a breather and get a few items you were holding off on and go out and celebrate your victory. Then attack the next goal and withhold or delay any purchases until that goal is met and so on. Learning to put off and delay purchases is the most powerful financial lesson I ever learned. It’s learning to stay “laser focused” until the goal is met. Good luck. You’re doing great.
I like the idea of holding off on purchases until after a financial goal or milestone has been completed! Also – thanks for the tip about black duct tape!