Enhance Your NFL At-Home Gameday with Habitat ReStore Finds
Guest Blog Post by Vicki L. Friedman, Habitat ReStore Shopper
Wanting to up my game on NFL Gameday, I headed to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Newport News. The fall temperatures lift my spirits for football, and my fantasy league plans to meet up at my house in a few weeks for some cheering and jeering.
Looking to add some fun touches to the day, I don’t expect to be first drawn to a container of sidewalk chalk with more colors than an ice cream parlor inside, but inspiration strikes. I, or better yet my more artistic son, will draw team names on my front sidewalk. Plus, if my cousin brings her little girl, we’ve got some easy entertainment. Did I mention all the chalk is only $2?
“Hand me a cold one!” In a remote control age, a trip to the fridge is an excursion for my couch-potato crew. So, when I spot this cute cordless mini fridge, I snag it for $11 and think where I’ll position it in the room.
I think I’m done in that department until I see piles of still-in-the-wrapping insulated coolers for $10. They’re like satchels and hold 24 cans. It’s pretty enough to sit on the fireplace so “a cold one” is within reach of everyone who sits on the floor.
I’ve got a decent TV but what a buy on the 48-inch flat screen I see out of the corner of my eye. It’s $79 and comes with a one-week week warranty. I also pass by a nice looking bookshelf that looks far better than the one I just bought for a lot more brand new. Super nice for $69. Don’t need it but someone is going to get a great buy.
I return my focus to stuff to enhance my NFL Sundays and spot what’s called a WonderCooker for $29. Intrigued, I see what Google has to say and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. The first review talks about how great it is to sauté/grill fajitas, and I think about my sister who complains that all we ever have on gameday is sandwiches. Fajitas would be fun. The WonderCooker makes great fries, too, and while it’s apparently not ideal for steaming asparagus, I doubt anyone in my group wants asparagus on a Sunday afternoon. It slow cooks — perfect for chili on one of those colder NFL Sundays. There is a one-week warranty, but I know it works as the ReStore tests all appliances before they’re put on the floor.
I confess I’ve reached $50 but I can’t resist a couple more items when I see price tags lower than the Dollar Store.
So many glasses, many matching for 50 cents apiece, colorful silicon sponges to clean my new WonderCooker for $1.50 and a brand new, still-in-the-wrapping bamboo cutting board for $4. Need that for chopping up the veggies in the fajitas.
Hate to leave it sitting there, but a cornhole/golf chipping practice set for $40 will be someone else’s treasure. As much as I love the NFL, everybody is a little restless in the third quarter of those afternoon games, and this could be a fun little diversion. There’s a Seattle Seahawks stein for $5, and believe it or not, we’ve got a DK Metcalf fan in our bunch. This one is vintage, too – perfect for that cold one out of the insulated cooler in my car.
Yeah, I know. I’ve gone over. Just a tiny bit. But all of it is for a good cause. Proceeds from the ReStore go toward construction of a Habitat house right here in the local community. That house is sold to a family that qualifies for Habitat’s first-time Homebuyer Program. Rounding up at the register adds to that tally. Now that’s a touchdown on everyone’s team!
