When we discovered a hidden room in our newly purchased home, we never imagined it would change our lives. What we found inside forced us to move out, but it also led to an unexpected twist.
I never thought I would experience anything like a horror movie, but here I was. After years of saving, Jack and I finally bought our first house. I was thrilled and eager to start renovations, taking charge while Jack focused on work.
One Tuesday morning, while sipping coffee and scrolling through my phone, Carlos, our renovation crew leader, called me over. He had discovered a hidden door behind a section of the wall they had just torn down.
Curiosity piqued, I opened the door, only to be hit with horror. Inside was a closet filled with old clothes, covered in mold and crawling with insects. The stench was overwhelming. Shocked, I quickly shut the door and called Jack to come home.
When Jack arrived, I led him to the hidden room. His reaction mirrored mine as he realized we couldn’t stay in a house with such a dark secret. We spent hours packing essentials and making arrangements to stay with friends, uncertain about what the future held for us.
Living at our friends’ place felt like we were back at square one. I worried about what would happen to our dream home, and Jack worked late, feeling guilty about the situation. Eventually, after several pest control visits, we received a call that changed everything.
The pest control team had found a wooden box while cleaning out the hidden room. Inside were vintage pieces of jewelry. Excited but confused, we wondered why the previous owner had left them behind. After researching, we decided to sell the jewelry and use the money for renovations, transforming our nightmare into something positive.
Selling the jewelry turned into an adventure of its own. We visited various shops, learning that some pieces were quite valuable. The sale brought in more money than we expected, allowing us to renovate the hidden room and upgrade the rest of the house.
Weeks later, the hidden room became a cozy reading nook, and the rest of the house transformed with modern appliances and a beautiful back porch. On the day we moved back in, I marveled at how different the space was. To celebrate, we hosted a housewarming party, and our friends were amazed by the renovations. Jack praised my efforts in turning things around, and I felt a wave of pride.
Later, as we relaxed in our new reading nook, Jack joked about being grateful for a room full of bugs. I laughed, realizing that our journey had led us to something even better than we had originally dreamed. In the end, I knew we could face any surprise together. Looking back, I just hoped our next renovation would avoid any hidden horrors.
Man has been saving up pennies for 45 years – Bank tellers are at a loss for words when he arrives to cash in
“Penny saved is a penny earned” is a saying that people who are good at managing their finances believe to be true.
Otha Anders, a former teacher from Louisiana, had been collecting pennies for a very long time. It all started as a goal of collecting pennies he would find on the street, and it soon turned into a passion he couldn’t say no to. Over the course of 45 years, this man had managed to fill in 15 5-gallon jugs of change before he finally decided to cash the pennies in 2015 when his homeowner’s insurance stopped covering the collection.
Speaking of his achievement which left the clerks at the bank totally stunned, Anders told ABC News: “If I would see a penny when I’m gassing up, on the ground, or in a store, it would be a reminder to stop right there and say a prayer. I never failed to do that. That’s why they had so much value to me.
“I would never spend a penny,” he told USA Today. “I would break a dollar before giving up a penny.
“I wanted to fill five five-gallon water jugs. That was the goal, but I couldn’t stop. … If I hadn’t turned them in yesterday, I was not going to stop,” he said.
Everyone who knows Anders knew of his passion and his collection. Even the kids at the school where he worked. He would sometimes buy pennies from them, but he would never take, not even a single one, without paying for it.
“I never allowed anyone, not even my wife nor children, to give me pennies without being compensated,” he told USA Today. “I wanted the inner satisfaction that God and I acquired this collection.”
When he arrived at the Ruston Origin Bank in Ruston, Louisiana, the staff welcomed him in and were more than happy to assist him. For his stunning collection of pennies, Anders got $5,136.14.
Take a look at the video below to learn more about Anders and his collection.
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