when does free become expensive?

sometimes the freebies & hand-me downs are just plain great; right from the start. providing proof that one person's junk is another person's treasure. and sometimes the free & neglected come with a price. when do you say enough is enough, I will only spend so much salvaging what was on the side of the road/in my garage for years/given to me? 

over $29 was spent resuscitating the lamp in the above photo. it was found on the side of the road, and it is now a staple in someone's living room. that someone could have so easily given up, said why should i bother? but she didn't. she persisted. she re-wired, and later found her beloved lamp on ebay for $95. plus shipping.

i am always a proponent of salvaging what comes your way. you usually save a few bucks in the long run and always gain something from the process. it's yours, in a way that something from target never could be. and sometimes, if you are lucky, it's even cheaper.

{via apartmenttherapy}