This week has been a busy one, and I can’t believe it’s already Friday! We are looking ahead to a fun weekend. I’m headed out for dinner and drinks with some friends I haven’t seen in ages (one just moved back to town), and Mlle. Cheap will be singing her heart out in a choir concert on Saturday afternoon. Plus, despite my garden protestations, we’ll be visiting the garden center to put a few plants in the ground, weather permitting.
Meanwhile, here are some links to take you into the weekend.
CostHelper to find out what it costs
I stumbled across CostHelper.com the other day while wondering how much a certain medical procedure might cost, so that we can plan our flexible spending account contributions for this year. The site gives an overview of a service and its cost range, and then readers can chime in with their own experience. It’s a great start for certain projects, like home improvements, pet care and medical care.
A garden in your front yard … stealthily
Little House in the Suburbs published a nice tutorial on planting edibles in your front yard — without its being obvious to passersby that that’s what you’ve got going on. It’s the perfect revenge for those of you who have been been thwarted from air-drying laundry by pesky HOA rules.
DIY roof fixes – within reason
MSN published a piece this week about things you can fix on your roof, by yourself, and a few suggestions on ladder safety. They don’t suggest you get into ceramic tiles or reshingle the whole thing with no experience, but a few small repairs are within the realm of reason. They also advise on what not to touch. The article provides no comment on our situation — the roof is older, but in good repair. Mr. Cheap would proactively replace it; for my part, it’s so costly, I believe in the maxim “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
