Saturday, January 28, 2017

Frugal Ideas - Reusing Candles




Since about mid-January, my husband and I decided to have a "no-spend year".  Two weeks in and we have modified that to a "no-stuff year" after one of my readers commented and said her and her husband did that.  That is actually much closer to what we are striving for.  



The day after we made the agreement, my 25-year old son wanted to go to the movies with me and I struggled with deciding to go after I had just committed myself to not spending any extra money.  I realized I did not want to miss out on experiences, especially with my kids.

A few days later, we were expecting a snow storm.  My husband informed me that the snow blower he had purchased a few weeks prior was not working out.  It was a battery-powered snow blower that was not self-propelled and had very small wheels.  He could only clear about half the driveway before needing to recharge the batteries which took several hours.  Plus pushing it through the New England snow was going to kill him.  It was not working for our huge driveway and he wanted to return it and get a regular snow-blower.  The problem - the new snow-blower would be $300 more.  We were already failing at this no-spending stuff.  We discussed it and decided we should spend the money since it would save us in the long run.  We have been paying someone to plow our driveway for the last 5 years and it was getting really expensive to have that luxury.



I have also realized that there will be some small purchases that are not necessities but really make life more enjoyable, especially when you are staying home a lot.  One of the things I really enjoy during these long, cold New England winters is burning candles.  If you use them a lot they can become expensive.  I purchased these bark candles a couple Christmases ago and they were about $16 each.  I love the natural rustic look and I love lighting them, but I have tried not to use them too much because I can't replace them.  




I realized that I could save the candles by inserting a tea light candle in the hole.  




I wish I had thought to do this before I burnt them so far down.  In order to have the tea light lie flat, I filled the hole with some pea stone from the driveway.  It's not perfect, but it is really not very noticeable, especially when lit.


 Since it was free, and rustic, I also used the pea stone from the driveway as a filler for the glass candle holder.  I use these versatile candle holders for every season and holiday.  During Christmas I filled them with cranberries and in the fall I have used un-popped corn.  


I have also recycled other candle holders.  


These candle cozies were on some candles I had purchased at Walmart 3 years ago.  After the candles were burnt down, I carefully removed the sweater cozies (which were glued to the glass).  I reused them on these small glass vases I've had for years that came from the dollar store.  Inside the vase, I have epsom salt and a small glass volitive holder that now holds a tea light.



In the kitchen I have this used up candle but I really like the container.  


I reuse it by placing a small white candle inside which I purchase from Walmart for $0.50.


These are some of the ways I get to enjoy candles without spending a lot of money on them.  I'd love to hear some of your tips too!

9 comments:

  1. I really like "no stuff" better than "no spending". I agree with you, I don't want to miss out on experiences with my family. They are worth every penny! I didn't do well at saving money last year, definitely want to do better this year. The "no stuff" mindset will really help. Your home is beautiful!

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    1. Dyanna, my husband even commented about how freeing it has been to know we are not going to buy any "stuff". He said that now when he gets a notification or email about a sale, coupon, or great offer, he just deletes it and doesn't even have to consider checking it out. Committing to not buying really removes some stress from our lives.
      Fondly, Gloria

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  2. I love everything about this post! I actually have a bark candle very similar to the ones you're using, so the tip about saving them with a tea light is a help. And epsom salts! Why didn't I think of that? I've done popcorn and candy and what-not around candles but never epsom salts. What a great idea for a snowy setting! Thanks!
    Blessings, Leigh
    P.S. I found 20 ounce jar candles left on after Christmas clearance at Walmart last week for $1 each. I don't know how your Walmart stocks things but it might be worth checking the clearance section one last time.

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    1. Leigh, Thanks for the tip about the candles - you can't beat $1! I started using Epsom salt as filler after the "fake snow snafu" (which melts when candle wax hits it - lol).
      Fondly, Gloria

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  3. Hi, found your blog via Instagram and am so charmed by what I am reading here. Your plan for not spending is very interesting to me as I have been living off the pantry since Christmas...no grocery shopping. Not as easy as I had first thought. Plowing bills are terribly expensive, but I decided that those costs were preferable to my keeling over. Love those candles and am pinning them, if that's okay.

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    1. Vee, I'm so glad you found me! I have been enjoying your blog for about a week now. I started searching for "mature" women bloggers who were like-minded and thrifty and that rabbit trail led me to you and a bunch of other great bloggers too. I had pretty much given up blogging and reading blogs because I really didn't relate to a lot of the younger mom bloggers that I followed. And the money some of these women spend on their homes can cause us to not be content with what we have. After a sabbatical from blogging, I now know what I am looking for and I am enjoying it so much more! I am delighted that you are pinning the candle - pin away!
      Fondly, Gloria

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  4. What great ideas..... I have those exact same jars that I purchased last fall ... of course the candle is long gone .. :) ... but now I have a great idea for the jars!!! Love the look on the mantle ... where did you purchase that vine ?? Gorgeous!!!

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    1. I found the vine at a yard sale a few years ago and paid $1! I have seen similar vines at antique/vintage shops that sell country primitives. Thanks for stopping by!
      Fondly, Gloria

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  5. You brought up some good tips. I like the idea of the candle cozies and it does make sense to avoid adding more stuff that you don't need. I love those bark-type candles too. Pottery Barn has them in various sizes, but they are "flicker" battery operated candles. They are quite "spendy" but have really paid off in the long run. They look just like a real candle flame that flickers and all and can be set on the timer to come on in the early evening and turn themselves off 5 hours later. The batteries are still going strong even after 6 months of nightly use, so I would include they are low energy usage.

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Thank you for your lovely comments - they make my day!

Gloria