Tossed & Found: Where Frugal is Chic
This is a fun, flirty, slightly irreverent look at the world of thrifting, garage saling, and repurposing, with actual great advice for the frugal decorator or fashionista. The story of this full-on diva buried, willingly, to her armpits in secondhand toss-offs and how she got there, presents a strange and humorous contrast of worlds that makes you want to hear more from this writer. The diva quips scattered throughout the book are hilarious, while the practical tips are priceless. I was at first a bit taken aback by the overuse of hyperbolic adjectives in the story bits, but soon came to view it as, well, very diva-like, and part of the charm of this book. --Ireland "smart shopper"Who hasn't been to - or held -- a garage sale? In the United States, they are a spring and summer tradition. They're usually, homespun events held on the weekends, with the homeowners merchandise laid out on tables in a yard, under a tent, or literally in a garage... Sometimes whole neighborhoods will get into the act, banding together to hold a much larger sale with the hopes of attracting more buyers - and ending up with more profits for all involved. Personally, I've attended only a handful of these sales, and held two of my own, both of which were only marginally successful. I used to have a neighbor, however, who held regular garage sales. Observing her, I realized over the years that she couldn't possibly be selling only her cast-offs - she'd learned to turn garage sale-ing into a business. However my old neighbor would have had to be classified as a rank amateur, were her efforts ever to have been compared to the results Barb Tobias, America's Thrift Talk Diva regularly achieves. In Tossed & Found, Barb Tobias takes you on an amazing journey, sharing tales of treasure; revealing how to clear the clutter from your home and resell it; and uncovering the secrets to decorating and dressing with fantastic results. Whether you're a transitioning Baby Boomer or a college student trying to figure out how to furnish your first apartment, you'll find help in this book which is chock full of photos, lists and tips. Tobias shares how she's learned to: * Decorate a home in a manner that is worthy of a fashion mag layout -at little or no cost * Build a fabulous wardrobe of designer duds - all purchased for a fraction of their original price * Develop a system for selling unwanted items - fast * Stage money-making Diva sales that turn unwanted items into cash - and * Live like royalty on a pauper's budget In Tossed and Found, Tobias dishes up a generous plate of intriguing stories pulled from the frugal adventures of a newly thrift-conscious nation, and shows the adventurous reader how to find the treasures beneath the tarnish. Highly recommended. --Anne HolmesBarb Tobias' Tossed & Found is just what the money doctor ordered. Part memoir and part savvy tricks of the thrifting trade, this book is a gem when it comes to making money and saving money. I love the fact that she had to go incognito into thrift and garage sales, hoping no one would recognize her ... now she flaunts it. I staged a garage sale using her techniques... what was left was put in one box and taken to the Goodwill. Our sale was over at 4 pm ... we were cleaned up and done at 4.30. Fantastic! Get this book--every thrift and consignment shop should be giving out to their patrons to show them how to REALLY shop. Judith Briles, author of Money Smarts for Turbulent Times --Judith Briles "Book Buyer, Author, Reviewer"