How I Turned My Trash Into Cash!

I didn't actually turn my trash into cash - but I did turn it into lingerie today! 

Four years ago when we moved to Loudoun County from West Africa, I found this little table set out for the trash by the side of the road.

It was a little small and rickety, but it was free and it served as a TV table until we found a better table at a yard sale 3 years later.

At that point, I saw a post on a virtual yard sale site that someone needed a small piece of furniture to refinish in exchange for a $25.00 Macy's gift card, and I snagged it!

 

That gift card was in my wallet for a while, since I don't live near a Macy's, while I contemplated the best use for it.

Recently, I was browsing on the Recyclebank site and found a coupon for $10.00 off a $50.00 purchase at Macy's for 80 points.  I printed it out thinking that it would be good for a year, but it turned out to only be good for a month, so I knew I had to do the deal soon.

Today I took my son to college at George Mason University.  I made sure he packed the extra long sheets that I got for his dorm at J.C. Penney.

Afterwards, since we were not far away, I took my daughters shopping to the Macy's at Tyson's Corner mall. One of them wanted a bikini and one of them wanted a bra and undies.  I wanted some new underwear as well.

Our total purchases came to $50.13. After the $10.00 coupon and $25.00 gift card, we owed $15.13 plus tax!

We grabbed dinner on the way home for free at McDonalds with gift cards from MyCokeRewards.

And here is what happened to the little table that I traded after it was refinished: