Interrupting Blogging Break

I am still working like crazy on my stupid dissertation, but I thought I'd pop in to discuss my Easter plans.

For the first time EVER, I am hosting some of my family for Easter dinner! It will be four people, which is smaller than the usual gathering because my brother and SIL's family go to her mom's for Easter. So I am considering this my test run and my family members are my guinea pigs. Yay guinea pigs! Now, I have been waiting to host something for many, many years. I am very excited about this. I have already utilized my handy dandy guide on folding napkins into fancy shapes and have folded my "company" (aka nice and unstained) napkins into lilies. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Now, this is not necessarily a frugal venture. I picked random recipes that sound and/or taste good, I did not base my recipe pickin' on price. These dishes don't particularly match each other, either, but I think it will be good.

On the menu:
A very yummy and easy chicken and rice dish
A variation of Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread
Green salad
Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings with ice cream

Still to do:
Sweep and mop floors
Pick up the spare room
Take out the trash
Move another table into kitchen
Do some cookin'
Work on stupid dissertation (oh, wait- that's every day)

:)

Busy Busy

I haven't gone away forever, I promise. I'm just trying like mad to get a rough draft of my dissertation done. Because I fully intend on graduating in October...

Just Thought You Should Know

25

Best Pizza Crust Ever

From the More with Less Cookbook, pg. 142:

Combine in large bowl:
1 c. warm water
1 pkg. yeast

When dissolved, add:
1 T. sugar
1.5 t. salt
2 T. vegetable oil
1.25 c. flour

Beat until smooth. Add:
2 c. additional flour, or enough to make stiff dough. Knead until elastic, about five minutes. Place in greased bowl and let rise until double, about 45 minutes. Form 2 balls. Pat and stretch to fill 2 greased pizza pans. Let rise ten minutes.


This is seriously the best crust. I use it over and over again!

More Investing Fun!

I am now the proud owner of 28 shares of something and I'm up $5.57 on my initial investment. Whoo hoo! :D I am sure that will plummet rapidly with all the Fed interest rate cuts.

Who knew that investing and saving could be so fun???

Email from Mom: Frugal and (Crafty!) Curtains

Dear Daughter,

Just as Scarlet O'Hara pulled down a fabulous curtain to make herself a dress- with the same spirit, I made curtains from a tablecloth. I love these colors and had been looking at fabric for quite a while - wanting to make curtains for the family room. But the fabrics I found were too expensive. My personal challenge has always been to make something for nothing and to make it beautiful.

I wasn't even looking for it, but there it was -a tablecloth -double sided with the dark rich colors I had been looking for on one side and a beautiful stripe on the other. It was 100% cotton (looks like linen) and best of all 102" x 60" for $7.50. I knew I could take this wonderful fabric and make curtains for my family room - except there was not enough fabric for the entire project. To shorten the story- after much searching I found another package - the same reversible oblong tablecloth.

From this fabric I made one curtain (two panels) for a single window, one panel for the double door, a small valance on the double door, and I have enough to cover two throw pillows. I hemmed the panels in a way that I can use either side when the mood strikes. I am thrilled and the project -both curtains, valance and pending pillows will be $15.00 plus tax. A couple of hours and I have a new look to my room. They warm up the room and best of all they are MY creation.

Love you,
Mom

This Is Why I Like Couponing

From Walgreens:

1 Chapstick Naturals
1 Clean & Care face product (on clearance)
2 Jane mascaras
2 Jane eyeshadow duos

Total after coupons: $3.07

Starting Up a Big-Girl Account

Today I opened my very first Roth IRA!!! I have been thinking about starting a retirement account since I was in college, but then I went to grad school and became poor rather than getting a "real job" immediately after college. And at that time I didn't know jack about personal finance, frugality, or savings. I still am VERY limited in what I know about investing, so I am definitely playing it safe and boring.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went with a Roth instead of Traditional IRA for several reasons, one of which is because I know I'll be in a higher tax bracket when I retire than I am now, so I'd rather be taxed on the money now. I'm investing in medium risk, medium return index funds which fall under the relatively safe and boring category. If you're new to investing or personal finance, I highly recommend the Get Rich Slowly blog.

I am very excited. :D

Utensil Drama

I couldn't understand why I had twice as many forks as spoons, or why my spoons were ginormous. Turns out that my normal sized spoons were in the top section of my silverware organizer. Where I put them. And haven't been using them all of these months.




Sometimes I think it's pretty amazing that I make through the day without seriously injuring myself.

New Lamps!

I bought two, and they go so well with the flower print. :)

Growth

A year ago, I wasn't sure what was going to happen with my life or where I would go for internship. There was a lot of turmoil in my life as I waited to find out and then fought for a site to go to. It turned out to be better than I could have imagined, and I wrote about it almost a year ago here.

My internship will be done at the end of August. As I seek God's will for my residency year, I find that while I still dislike the uncertainty, I am okay with leaving it in His hands.

If things had gone smoothly last year, I would not feel this way now. And now I understand why things had to be the way that they were.

Weekly Menu

Maybe this will help me be more organized. ;)

Breakfasts: Peanut butter toast or pumpkin bread (I adapted this recipe), organic skim milk

Lunches: Wraps (chicken, baby spinach, feta cheese, and sunflower seeds) or PB sandwich or southwestern frozen sandwich from Aldi, pretzels, orange or grapes, Honey Bunches of Oats with chocolate clusters cereal (dry in a baggie- go to their website for a $2 off coupon!)

Dinners: Red potato casserole (ranch dressing, cheese, bacon bits- VERY healthy ;)), pepperoni and black olive pizza (from scratch), spinach stuffed rigatoni (frozen from Aldi), nachos, side dishes of frozen or canned veggies

Dessert: Fruit or ice cream

Stupid Ice Storm

Well, we had another ice storm on Monday. Thankfully, my power has remained on the entire time. I went to work for a couple of hours Monday and didn't go at all today as I would've had a huge commute on slippery roads.

My car doors were completely frozen shut with a thick sheet of ice covering them. I had to take a screwdriver and chip away at the ice until I was able to open the driver's side. Then I let my car run for 30 minutes. Then I had to try to beat the ice off of my car because there was so much of it. Then I broke part of my ice scraper on some really thick ice.

After all of that, I took a trip to my happy place (Walgreen's) to purchase the deals of the week.

I'm ready for spring.

Post #300: A Procrastination Post

Welcome to my 300th post. It is 10:12pm on a Sunday night and I am scrambling to finish up some evals before work tomorrow. Rather than actually do my work, I shall procrastinate. Surprising, I know.

Last weekend Mom and I hit a couple of our fave thrift stores. I always look for baskets at one of the stores because they are generally .25 each. There haven't been any good ones in the last few trips and my basket stash had dried up. I hit the jackpot this time, scoring seven medium to large sized baskets for a grand total of $1.75. I use these for gift baskets- I recently paid $5 for a gift basket in a store because my stash was gone. A quarter is much better than $5. I also found a book that I wanted for .25 and some old wooden hangers. At the next thrift I scored a bunch of fabric ribbon for a few dollars (they had an additional % off sale). I have an unholy love for ribbon and have an enormous amount of it. But I justify it because I use obscene amounts on gifts.

And now I have to get back to work.

Digital Box Converter Thingie

If you're like me and will need to purchase those stupid boxes so that you can watch television in 2009, here is the coupon from the government for $40 off. You can request one or two coupons and they will ship sometime in late February or so.

Savings Extravaganza

In 2007 I earned $91.51 in interest from my savings accounts at Ing Direct. In 2006, I only earned about $35. Even though the interest rates have plummeted, 3.5% interest is still waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than a traditional savings account. I think you could get a little higher interest at other online banks, but I like Ing. A couple of months ago, I set up automatic savings transfers after each payday and I am becoming addicted to logging into my account to watch my savings add up. Whee!

P.S. I think this might mean that I am a dork.

Frugal By Comparison

Sometimes I purchase things not because they are truly frugal, but because they fulfill a "want" for much less. For example, I *loved* these shoes. A lot. But at $245, that wasn't happening. So...
I bought these instead:

$24.99 is still a lot for man-made materials, but it is definitely frugal by comparison. :D

New-To-Me Vintage Pretties

Vintage blue wool swing coat with bracelet sleeves, $15. Because I totally needed another coat.

A close-up of the seaming and cute purple buttons...

Vintage purse, $2.

Catalogs Be Gone!

I just found this website called Catalog Choice where you register and can decline all of the junky catalogs that clog your mailbox. Not the good ones that sell you shoes, of course. ;) I've just signed up so I can't give a testimonial on its behalf, but this looks like a great idea.

Vitamin Deal: Great for the Hypochondriac

At Puritan's Pride, they are offering 8-cent shipping until January 27th. They are also offering a "buy two, get three free" deal on all products. The product has to be the same item and same size, however. This would be a great deal on things you take a lot of, like multivitamins and Vitamin C. Go through ebates and get 7% back.



On a side note, I was recently listening to a neuropsychologist give a lecture. He said that if a person takes a bunch of multivitamins and supplements, it's safe to say that they have some health-related anxiety. As a person that takes 5, soon to be 6 varying supplements each day, I can say that this is probably true. I am really healthy, though. :P

Hilarious

Okay, I know you shouldn't mock people. But this Jerry O'Connell spoof of the Tom Cruise Scientology video is pretty funny. :P

Optimism: Thy Name is Tessa

"If an optimist had his left arm chewed off by an alligator, he might say, in a pleasant and hopeful voice, "Well, this isn't too bad. I don't have my left arm anymore, but at least nobody will ever ask me whether I am right-handed or left-handed," but most of us would say something more along the lines of "Aaaaah! My arm! My arm!"

- Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid by Lemony Snicket, pg. 92

You Need to Buy This Book

Back in March of last year, Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer reviewed The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Her review is much more eloquent than mine and I encourage you to read it. Anyhoo, after reading her review I put it on my Amazon wishlist and waited (you know, the frugal thing). With a recent gift card, I went ahead and purchased it.

Wow. If you have children, grandchildren, or even know any children, you need to buy this book. It is the very best Bible storybook that I have ever read. I had several such books as a child, and they I found them to be either A) boring or B) scary. This book is neither. It does not make the Bible into simplistic "do this and be good so God is happy" terms, either. It somehow finds a way to tell Bible stories in a kid-friendly manner while explaining why a relationship with Jesus is necessary. At the end of every Old Testament story, there is a tie-in to Jesus. For example, at the end of the story of when Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac is the following :

"Many years later, another Son would climb another hill, carrying wood on his back. Like Isaac, he would trust his Father and do what his Father asked. He wouldn't struggle or run away. Who was he? God's Son, his only Son- the Son he loved. The Lamb of God (p. 69)."

This book is beautifully written and would be a wonderful tool in teaching children about Jesus. I must admit that I've cried my way through some of the tie-in pieces. I wish this book had been around when I was a child!

A Walgreens Story

All right, I realize that I talk about Walgreens waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much on here. I will try to hold it down from now on. But the setting is relevant for this story.

Today I went to Aldi for part of my monthly grocery shopping. I dropped $60, which is good considering how long those groceries will last. But I still get bitter spending that much money on something that is enjoyed temporarily. I know, a person has to eat. I digress.

I headed to Walgreens for my weekly deal raiding/making myself feel better after blowing $60 on something that is not shoes. I picked up 2 bags of Dove chocolates for $1/bag after coupons and a free tube of Aquafresh toothpaste after coupon (there's a $2 printable coupon on the Aquafresh website and the Advanced toothpaste is on sale for $2). There is a lot of irony in purchasing chocolate and toothpaste together, I know. And I really don't need any more toothpaste since I currently have five tubes in my stash.

So I'm wandering the aisles of my happy place when I see her. This woman is pushing a cart and she has a coupon binder! Now, I have never seen anyone out and about with a coupon binder in the year and a half that I've been couponing. Should I say something to her? Is there some sort of couponing secret word that I should say? I decide to control the crazy and say nothing.

I get in line to pay my $2 (put it on my gift card, of course) when she gets in line behind me. I can't control myself any longer. "I have a coupon binder, too." I say. Luckily I appear like a nonthreatening twelve-year-old in real life, not like some sort of weird stalker. "Really?" she asks. "Does it work for you?" Does the coupon binder *work* for me? Ha! I am flabbergasted by this question. "Oh, yes," I reply. The conversation ends and I smile and leave the store.

I think all of the couponing/frugal people out there need to come up with some sort of gang symbol to flash at each other. Otherwise, I will continue to have nutso conversations like this. :P

Ebates: Shameless Plug Ahead!

I've referred to Ebates numerous times throughout the history of this blog. Here's how you use it:
1) You decide to make a purchase at an online store.
2) You go to Ebates to check if that store is in their program. MANY stores are. If it is, you click on the Ebates link for that store.
3) That link takes you to the store you want to buy from, and you will earn a percentage of your purchase back (usually 1-6%).
4) Wait until you have accumulated $5.01 or more from these purchases. Every three months or so, Ebates will send you a check if you have that amount in your account.

I have been an Ebates member for a few years and have earned $49.88 back in that time by purchasing pet food, books, printer ink, minutes for my phone, and so on. It's easy and it's free. They normally give you a $5 sign up bonus, but from now until February 14th if someone refers you and you make a purchase in that time period, you both earn $10. If you'd like to sign up under me, here's my link.

Walgreens Numbers

Just in case you need more proof that you should be doing the Walgreens rebates, I've taken the liberty of adding up my rebate amounts. From July 2006 through October 2007, I received $290.58 in rebates from Walgreens, much of which was totally free items. $24.63 of that money was completely FREE because I always get my rebates put on a WG gift card and they give you the 10% bonus for doing that.

These numbers do not count all the crazy deals that I get there by combining sales and coupons. If I had to guess, I'd say that in that same time period I've saved an additional $300 by getting stuff for free or nearly free through matching up sales and coupons. Why pay for toiletries when you can get them for free?

Seriously. Do it.

Walgreens February Freebies

There aren't *any* items free after rebate for January, but it looks like next month will make up for it.

The unofficial free after rebate list for February:

Garnier Fructis shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner or masque
Clear Care Travel Pack or Convenience Pack
Gillette Venus Embrace Razor System
5-Hour Energy Drink 2-pack
Soft Soap Spa Radiant Body Wash 18oz
Speed Stick 24/7 Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant
Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Lip Plumper

If you aren't doing these rebates, WHY NOT????? It's easy. Do it!

Irony

Every once in a while I like to log into my student loan accounts to look at the grim reality of how much money I owe and will soon begin paying back. It occurred to me today that both of my student loan companies use more security questions than both of my banks combined. What exactly are they protecting??? I highly doubt that anyone is going to hack into my accounts to steal my student loan balance. :P

Clearance, Clearance Everywhere

*Run to your local Old Navy! Starting today (I don't know when it ends!), they are having an additional 50% off of clearance prices. I only bought a tank top for myself but got a bunch of clothes for my niece and nephews for a couple of dollars a piece.

*J.C. Penney also had a bunch of kids clothes for a few dollars a piece. I bought a couple pieces for my gift tub. There are sales throughout the store, but the women's clothes will become cheaper than they are now.

*Express is offering an additional 20% off clearance. I bought a sleeveless leopard print wrap shirt and a cute necklace for under $15 total. The shirt is a bit too big, though, so I will have to alter it or exchange.

That Word

I was just reading this post over at Rocks in My Dryer about spelling bees. In the comments, people were discussing the word that they lost spelling bees to and how it is forever burned in their mind. I had to laugh.

I have one, too.

When I was in fifth grade, I won the school-wide spelling bee and went on to compete in the next level, which was a competition in a town that I can no longer remember. I was one of the youngest there and wound up competing against 7th and 8th graders, which I thought was really something. When I was something like tenth from the end, I got a word that I couldn't spell.

It was a word that I had never *heard* of and one that I will never have the opportunity to use in conversation.

Deducibility. D-E-D-U-C-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. Deducibility. I spelled it "deduceability" and was eliminated from the competition.

Being the sensitive sore loser that I am, I cried. Not in front of all the people, but once I was safely in my mom's car I was practically inconsolable. She promptly took me to Wal-Mart and bought me a ring to cheer me up. Hee! (Thanks, Mommy!)

I did eventually get over losing the competition. But I will never forget that stupid word.

A Conversation With the Gas Company

The local gas company was recently bought out by another company. I had not received a bill yet, and payment is supposed to be due on the 10th, so I called today to check my balance.

*ring, ring*
Woman: Hello, X Gas Company.
Me: Hi, this is Tessa X. I haven't received a statement yet and was wondering my account balance?
Woman: Really? What was your name?
Me: Tessa X. (spells last name)
Woman: Okay, hold on a minute. (shuffling and tapping sounds) Your account shows a balance of $91.xx.
Me: !!!!!!!!!!
Woman: Oh, we're almost a month behind in billing. I just sent out statements on Saturday. You should get yours soon.
Me: Isn't it still due on the 10th?
Woman: Oh. Yeah. But we won't expect for you to get your bill and pay it the next day.
Me: Oh, um, well that's good. Thanks!
Woman: You're welcome.


Okay, doesn't this seem odd to you that not only do they NOT bill me for 6+ weeks, but they also aren't concerned about WHEN they'll actually get my payment??? :P

Christmas Roundup- Cost Breakdown

Last year, I spent $185 on gifts for about 22 people. This year, I spent $235 on gifts for about 28 people, a $50 increase. However, the average cost per person is almost exactly the same ($8.40 versus $8.39) so I suppose that's a good thing! ;) I am budgeting $250 for next year's gifts. Overall, I am pretty pleased with what I was able to purchase. I always wish that I had more time/energy/resources to find the "perfect" thing for each person, but that is an unrealistic expectation.

This was definitely a year of letting go of unrealistic expectations that I put upon myself. It was my first year to be working full time at Christmas, so that was a new hurdle. I stuck to my guns and only gave a few gifts away, most of which were handmade. I had intended to do more baking as gifts but decided that I didn't need the extra stress so I let that go, too. I also only sent out a handful of Christmas cards (Hallmark purchased at a thrift store!) to close friends and family.

As usual, I have already started shopping for next year's gifts. I have my niece and nephews done already. :P

Ways in Which I Am Not Frugal

I blather on this blog about the ways that I save money, but there are also a lot of ways that I am *not* frugal. I don't feel badly about these, either, as I figure that if I ever need to cut out more expenses I will be able to do so. Hee! Let's hope these things don't get me shunned from the frugal community.

1) I have expensive phone/DSL service and love it.
2) When I am at home, I keep the temperature between 70 and 75 degrees and I am *still* cold. I also sleep with an electric blanket at night.
3) I will drop hundreds of dollars to go on trips or to conferences that I think look interesting, provided that I have the money to do so.
4) My cat eats expensive food and does not use the cheapest litter.
5) I drink organic milk only.
6) I am currently undergoing an expensive "medical spa" procedure (NOT plastic surgery of any sort, thankyouverymuch).
7) I get my hair cut every five weeks ($25 a pop) and there is no way on God's green Earth that I would EVER consider letting any friend/boyfriend/husband/child/grandchild/dog cut it for me. No. Way. I did cut it once myself to great success, but the last time I attempted it...disaster. And this is part of the reason why my hair is short today.

So, now you know the ugly truth. In what ways are YOU not frugal??

Happy New Year!

I always feel somewhat relieved at the end of a year, even if it's been a good one. I love having a fresh start! This past year has been a good one, but I look forward to all that will happen in 2008.

I am so blessed to have the family and friends that I do. I am also blessed to be able to do a job that I love. And I am happy that in October of 2008 I will finally, Finally, FINALLY be Dr. Tessa!

Most of all, I am thankful for a God who loves me in spite of my whining, in spite of my stupidity, and in spite of my imperfections.

"That my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalms 30:12

Christmas Decorations and Such- The Frugal Way

This is my first Christmas not living at home, so I thought I'd show off a few of my decorations and things. I only decorated the living room and the kitchen, and I discovered that I have TONS of decorations. Several boxes' worth had to go back in the closet!


The Christmas tree- fake, and purchased at 50% off several years ago.

Sale priced ornaments and lights, some 90% off decorations that I bought during the ice storm.

Hand-made Christmas tree pot holders .25 for two at a yard sale. Candy cane decoration and stockings were free.

Sale priced doilies, bead garland, and three .10 Christmas trees. Box of junk in the back FREE.

Presents! Featuring sale priced wrapping paper, ribbon, and bows.

More presents! Featuring a reused gift bag and reused ribbon.

Ha Ha Ha...Ow

Okay, it snowed and iced a bit here last week, but most of it has melted off. So tell me how- HOW- do I find the only bit of ice-like substance left in the parking lot? And why is it that that ice-like substance is located in the FRONT of the building where there are multiple office windows and the conference room windows?*

I have a talent. And slightly bruised knees.




*I don't think anybody actually saw me fall. I also checked the conference room and it was, thankfully, empty.

Random Kitty Pictures

I can't seem to get any pictures of her where she doesn't blink and/or look evil. But she's still pretty cute. :P

Amazon Price Adjustment

HP Ink Cartridge Rebate

I needed to buy ink for my HP printer/scanner/copier, particularly since I have Staples ink coupons handy. After a little searching, I also found a $10 rebate on double packs of HP ink. Here is the ink rebate if you need it.

Total cost:
$26.99 for 2 cartridges
-$9.00 ink coupons (3)
+.76 tax
$18.75
- .52 that I'll get back from shopping through Ebates
-$10.00 rebate
$8.23 for two black ink cartridges, or $4.12 each. Not bad!

Refilling My Gift Tub: Frugal Toys

Lately I've read a lot of posts on why people are no longer going to buy things to have for their gift closet or that they need to cut back in doing so. My gifts are stored in a large Sterilite tub in a spare closet. For the first time in a year, the gift tub is nearly empty!

For the most part, I try to purchase gifts that have intended recipients, not a bunch of stuff that may or may not be given. I do, however, think it's handy to have extra baby and wedding gifts on hand that can be paired with something inexpensive off a gift registry.

This is a great time of year to be on the lookout for deals on gifts for next year. I already have my mom (March birthday) and sister-in-law (April birthday)'s birthdays completed.

Today, I purchased a bunch of toys off Amazon for next year. I bought 11 toys and only one does not have an intended recipient/occasion. I always buy from Amazon's toy sales because they have nice stuff that gets deeply discounted several times per year. If you are in need of toys, I recommend checking it out!

Total cost before sale: $205.89. Total cost of my order: $62.98- $25.00 gift card (from my credit card rewards program)= a grand total of $37.98. I will also keep watching the prices because they do price adjustments. ;)

Something From Nothing

Today at about 3pm I remembered that I have to bring food to work tomorrow. I am on the wellness committee at work, and we have a once a month "carry in" with healthy dishes. So I now had to think of a healthy dish to bring in. I brought a rice-and-beans dish last time, so that was a no go this time. Add to this the fact that I am nearly out of most perishable groceries. I had plenty of canned stuff and some frozen. And I was NOT in the mood to grocery shop in this rainy/icy gross weather. I decided to make a homemade chicken noodle soup. I improvised the recipe using stuff that I have, but it seemed to taste okay to me!

Yay for being able to come up with low cost, healthy meal options without spending extra money. :)

Ice Storm, Shmice Storm

Remember the horrible ice storm last year that shut off everyone's electricity for weeks? Well, the weather folks have warned that we may be having a similar event starting today and lasting through Tuesday. It has been mostly raining so far where I live with some ice accumulation that happened last night. It hasn't been anything to write home about just yet. People are VERY nervous about this because of what happened last year.

I don't think it's going to be as bad as last year, with the electricity going off for weeks. Here's why:
1) Most tree limbs are not anywhere near the power lines. This is because, frankly, most of them snapped off during last year's storm. Those that remained were trimmed back after the storm.
2) I am prepared. Things *never* happen when you're prepared. I have tons of extra batteries, flashlights with fresh batteries, and a lantern that operates from being hand-cranked. I also have a full tank of gas, food, and I live in town.

We shall see!

Today's Walgreens Purchase

Purchased:
*3-pack of Scotch brand gift wrap tape $1.00- I bought two (Note: This is the only thing that I REFUSE to do generic on. I use Scotch tape or nothin' due to a traumatic Christmas-present-wrapping several years ago.)
*Glade Wisp $7.99
*Revlon blush $9.79
*Jane Be Pure Mineral Cosmetics Powder $5.99
*Revlon eyelash curler $3.79
Total: $29.56

Coupons used:
$2.00 off any Jane Cosmetics
$2.00 off any Revlon Cosmetics
$4.00 off Glade Wisp
Eyelash curler was free (BOGO), so $3.99
Total: $11.99

Rebates that will be used:
$5.99 for the Jane Powder
$1.00 for one of the Scotch tapes
$3.00 for the Glade Wisp
Total: $9.99

Total Amount: $29.56
Total Saved: $21.98
Total Actually Spent: $7.58+ tax, but I didn't actually spend anything out of pocket. I paid with a Walgreens giftcard from previous rebates. :P

The Scotch tape deal is REALLY good (3 rolls for $1). Even if you don't want to do the rebate to get one FREE, 3 for $1 is still a great price.

Yesterday Was My Half Birthday...

...and I am now officially 25.5. I am quickly heading out of my "middle twenties" and careening toward "late twenties". Say it ain't so.

Staples Fun is Here Again!

Remember all the great deals I used to get at Staples because of those $3 ink coupons? And how bummed I was when they stopped shipping every order for free?

Well. Staples fun is back, my friends! Now through December 26th they are shipping every order for free.

Guess who exchanged 10 ink cartridges for $30 worth of coupons today? Muahahahahaha!

Blessings

Lately I haven't posted much about my life, whereas in last year's posts I talked about it all the time. Part of that is because I was miserable last year and I am not this year! :P

Basically, things are great. I love my internship. It is perfect in many ways. It is not exactly what I want to be doing, but it is great training. I enjoy my new church, my apartment, my cat, my family, my friends- even though many are far away now. I am enjoying figuring out where I'll be and what I'll be doing next year, although that can also be stressful.

In short, I could not be happier. Everyday I see all of these blessings that God has laid out for me and I am so grateful. Things are so much better than I ever imagined they could be.

The Importance of Preparation

Preparation is key to being successful in everything. It is also key to saving money. If you aren't prepared, you will be unable to anticipate needs and will be forced to spend money that you don't need to spend.

*A lunch packed the night before will help you avoid fast food during the day.

*Dinners that are prepared

Frugal Baby Gift, Part One Million

This is my most recent baby gift. It is not as frugal as some gifts that I have previously made, but I did not have much in my gift stockpile to use. It was also for a close friend, so I felt justified in spending more than my usual. :P I spent about $20 at Old Navy on baby clothes (2 shirts, 1 onesie), which are wrapped in tissue recycled from my swap gift back in the spring. I later learned that I had a coupon I could've used, so that bummed me out a little. $4 was spent at Kohl's on pajamas (also wrapped in tissue). The diapers and one set of the wipes were purchased for free on a CVS giftcard that I had from when I transferred a prescription several months ago. Well, I actually owed .03, but the sales clerk paid it for me so that I wouldn't have to use my debit card. :P I paid $1.50 for another box of wipes and included three free diaper samples that I had. The cellophane wrapper came from Dollar Tree (2/$1) and everything is tied up with a bit of yard sale ribbon. I also made my own card, which is not pictured. Total cost: ~$26.

Happy Birthday, Auntie!

Love,
Your Darling Niece

New Camera Cord

I've finally purchased a new camera cord, so I should be back up and posting pictures soon. I think I'll be starting with pictures of a recent baby gift, some Christmas packaging, and Christmas decorations! This will happen on Wednesday or Thursday.

$20 off of $50 at Shoebuy

Paypal is having some good holiday promotions if you checkout at certain merchants using their system. You can view the list here. I think the best deal is $20 off of a $50 purchase at Shoebuy. I actually needed some shoes: shoes for exercising, that is. Saucony makes great shoes that fit my weird feet perfectly. My previous Sauconys (Sauconies?) were in bad shape. I bought these Grid Excursions for $44.95. However, I had some money left in my Paypal account from taking surveys and mystery shopping, so I actually only paid about $2 out of pocket. Gotta love these deals!

How to Spend $4.14 at J.C. Penney for 4 Items

Step One: Scan the store for any of those green 75% off signs. Hint: Look up and look for the green!

Step Two: Locate a cute printed hoodie shirt for $1.97, a black striped button down shirt (part of a gift) for $3.97, a dark denim pencil skirt for $3.97, and a brown pencil skirt for $3.97.

Step Three: Locate a cash register upstairs in the undergarments section where it is not busy. Smile when the clerk notes that your items are a great deal. Produce a $10 off any purchase coupon and smile more when the clerk notes that the items are really a good deal now. Fail to notice that the clerk has left the INK security tag on the shirt you intend to give as a gift.

Step Four: Pay via your debit card because you had to use a MasterCard for this coupon. Laugh in the face of the credit industry. Note that your receipt says that you saved $120.12 on your purchase today. Guffaw at the thought of spending full price at J.C. Penney.

Step Five: Arrive home (an hour away from the store) and note that the shirt you intend to give for a gift (along with a giftcard to Express) still has the stupid ink-releasing security tag on it. Try to pry it off for a while before realizing that is REALLY not a good idea. Decide you'll figure out what to do about it later.

Step Six: Lament the fact that your camera cord is not working and that you are unable to show the world your great purchase. Blog about it with words only.

How I Grocery Shop

I don't spend a lot of money on groceries. Here's how I do it:

1) I do one big shop at Aldi every 3-4 weeks.

2) I buy my toiletries at Walgreens every week for free/very cheap.

3)

Lessons Learned From NC Trip

1) Flying is fun!
2) Finding a baggie of marijuana in your hotel room will net you one free night's stay + a $25 credit.
3) People in North Carolina are really nice.
4) You can save a lot of money on food by eating breakfast, lunch, and (if possible) dinner at the conference.
5) I love integrated health care.
6) I am VERY conflicted about what to do/where to work next year.

Last Post of the Week

I won't be posting anymore this week because I am staying the night with my mama tomorrow so that I can get a super duper early start on Wednesday morn. I shall be back next week!

Until then, are you checking...

Frugal Village forums for encouragement/inspiration?

Slickdeals and Pinching Your Pennies for great deals (especially with Christmas around the corner)?

Organized Christmas forums for great ideas?

Well? Get going!

Flying!

Believe it or not, I have spent 25 years on this Earth without flying. That will change Wednesday when I fly to North Carolina for a conference. I'm pretty jazzed about going, but this should be an interesting experience for sure. ;) You know, with my fear of heights and all. Luckily, my fear of heights only happens when I'm not strapped in!

"You should just go ahead and drug yourself [with prescription meds]. If you're going to crash, you don't need to know that anyway. There's nothing you can do about it."
-Encouraging words from Auntie T.

Conversations About Money

Have you ever noticed that conversations about money are awkward at best, socially unacceptable at worst? Since I am still not exactly making the big bucks, these rules do not yet seem to apply to myself and to my friends. I have a feeling that the time to discuss money will soon be over with. I think we do a great disservice to ourselves by not discussing it. Especially since most people have no idea what to do with it!


A couple of weekends ago I went to visit my friend H who is on internship in Nebraska. I rode most of the way to Nebraska with H's sister M. I have noticed that these girls seem to be pretty smart about money. They are not diehard frugalites, but they do like to get the best deals on things and both use coupons for clothes shopping on a regular basis. M can be downright tightwaddish at times with some things (you know that makes me proud!), but both will spend the money for things they find important. Both also have savings accounts, a concept which seems to have escaped my generation. Both are younger than I am (H is 24 and M is 20). Both received what Stanley and Danko, authors of The Millionaire Next Door, term "economic outpatient care" from their parents in the form of school tuition. However, both work regularly and work long hours and have done so since age 16. Neither are spoiled brats or expect things to be handed to them even though they have been given certain things from their parents. Both are pleasant and fun to be around.



In the car ride up, M and I got to talking about someone who had inferred that she is a "princess" because they felt she had too much handed to her (which, by the way, is not true). This led to discussion about money and savings. I asked M about savings and if their parents taught them about money. She told me that their parents expected them to save money from a very young age. She also told me that their father would (and still does) regularly contribute a small amount to their savings accounts. Their father also taught them to not keep excess money in checking when it could be drawing interest in savings. M told me that they were also expected to have jobs and help support themselves.



Later that weekend, H and I got to talking about budgets, savings, and our current salaries. I had asked her how much she is putting into savings because I have no idea how much I should be saving right now. We make about the same amount currently, but her expenses are more than mine. This is mostly due to higher rent and having to drive quite a bit for her internship with a lower level of expense reimbursement than what I'm getting. H expressed some concern that her living expenses are eating up her paychecks with little left over to save. I was very impressed by this since most people my age DO NOT HAVE any savings to speak of, and most are WAY worse off financially than H is. And yet she is concerned! She had a written budget worked out before internship began, but they split her checks differently causing her budget to be basically invalid. H noted that she hoped to be able to save her expense checks once they started being deposited to her account.


The lessons I learned:
1) Talk to your children about money from a young age.
2) There are ways to provide things for your children with them remaining grateful, unspoiled people.
3) Teach them the importance of savings.


I really want to start talking to more people about money. I think the lessons learned would be invaluable!

Why I Do the Things I Do

From the Desk of Princess Ivy: Stupid Trips!

Greetings blog readers! I have appropriated The Human's blog today to give you a glimpse of what she is really like. On this blog she pretends to be so happy and frugal-minded, blah, blah, blah. Nonsense! She regularly forces me against my will into some type of carrying device and then takes me places that I DO NOT WANT to go (Well, I do sort of like the home of The Human's mother. She plays with me and pets me a lot.). My revenge against The Human has been to poop as much as possible everytime she puts me into this carrying device. Because of this, she has had to get rid of one soft carrying device and now is putting me in a larger hard-sided carrying device. I haven't been able to poop in this one yet because The Human does not allow me to eat right before getting into it. Just wait, Human. It is coming!

Today she forced me into the carrying device and took me to see another female Human. That Human forced me to stand on a table while she went to get some sort of instrument to peer into my ears. I jumped off the table and tried to hide in a corner, but the other Human pulled me back out and put me on the table again. I could tell that she was used to dealing with my species, so I decided not to put up a fight. The other female Human looked in my ears and combed my fur and listened to my heart. She told The Human that I am healthy except for "ear mites" and "fleas", whatever those are. The Human was not excited about this news, and the other Human gave her some suspicious looking items. When we got home, The Human held me down and squirted one of these items into my ears! I tried to shake the liquid out of my ears and into The Human's face, but I think she ducked in time. The Human then muttered something about it being "seven fifty per ear" and that I would feel better when it was over.

The Human had to "write a check" for quite a bit of money, and that pleased me greatly. If she is going to force me against my will, I will punish her by costing her money! Yes, indeed. I will cost her as much as possible.

I have to go now. The Human is coming with another suspicious item to squirt on me.

Still Alive and Kickin'

But busy busy. I'm going to Nebraska this weekend, so check back next week for (hopefully) new posts.

How Cheap Can I Get a Subscription?

Answer: Pretty cheap. I like to get my magazine subscriptions for as little as possible. I wanted to subscribe to Outside magazine (I'm hoping it will make me more outdoorsy. Or more sportsy. Or somethingy.), which seems like a simple task. It only takes five easy steps:

Step 1: Check and see if Best Deal Magazines has any cheap subscriptions for Outside magazine. They do- 12 issues for $4.69.
Step 2: Close that window and visit Ebates to click through their Best Deal Magazines link. I will earn 10% back for clicking through Ebates.
Step 3: Google for coupons. Find one for 15% off.
Step 4: Check out and enter my 15% off coupon. My total is now $3.99 for 12 issues.
Step 5: Hope that I get .39 back through Ebates (sometimes they don't credit you if you use a coupon.)

Pre-Couch to 5K: Day One

In my neverending quest for good health, I have decided that walking has taken me as far as it can. I'd like to start running using the Couch to 5k program. Now, I am in great shape for a walker, but I am certainly no runner. The Couch to 5k program has you jog for 60 seconds at a time at the beginning. I'm working my way up to that. :P

Here are the results of day one:

I'm walking along

How to Make Rebates Work for You

Rebates are just one more way to make your dollars stretch and try stuff for free. Here's some tips to making it simple.

1) Be organized. I have a small binder with plastic pages dedicated to rebates. While I am fulfilling the rebate I collect receipts and forms in it. After I have sent it in, I keep a copy of the forms in it until I receive the check. Call the company if you haven't received the rebate in the specified period of time. I used to keep a running list of outgoing rebates for this purpose.

2) Read the small print. Make sure you read the form VERY CAREFULLY before purchasing anything. You may have to purchase all items in one transaction or need to mail in UPC codes.

3) Take advantage of them! They won't work if you aren't willing to use them. It takes very little effort to fill out a form and send it in. I still don't know why people don't take advantage of free offers.

4) Save more money. Use a coupon if you can to maximize savings and money out-of-pocket.

5) Sell the stuff. I once bought software from Staples that was free after rebate and then turned around and sold it on eBay for a profit. Make sure you are truthful in your listing and disclose if you removed a UPC symbol or any other part.

6) Save the money. This is such an easy way to beef up your savings account. With the exception of Walgreens rebates (which I receive in giftcard form), I save all of my rebate checks. I just purchase the item and deduct it from my checking account as usual. By the time the check arrives, I've forgotten all about spending that money anyway. Over the last year, I have saved HUNDREDS of dollars this way.

We Really Do Have Conversations Like This

Scene: Driving in Mom's car to a flea market in the town where I live. A nasty looking bug has flown into the car.

Mom: I just don't like bugs coming in the car. If it were anything else, I'd be fine. Like a bear.
Me: If it were a bear, you would be dead. And so would the bear since bears can't drive.
Mom: I don't know, bears are pretty tough. He would probably live through the crash.
Me: How do we wind up talking about things like this??? This is definitely going on my blog.

Car Repair: Think of All the Shoes That Could've Been Purchased

Well, the car repair turned out to be more than just struts. Add in some incompetent tire mounting that apparently ruined my wheels + the struts + some other minor (but pricy) repairs, and $608 later, here I am! Thankfully, I have a great mechanic.

It was the nicest feeling to be able to write the check for that amount knowing that I had plenty of money in checking as well as my savings to tide me over. This is why I have an emergency fund. I may not be able to meet all of my October financial goals now, but that is absolutely fine. It is just such a great feeling knowing that I can "afford" these repairs.

When I was in college, I had to have a major brake overhaul on my last car. This was in the days before I had any savings. When I learned that it would be in the $300 range, I almost had a breakdown right there. Thankfully, it was the summer and I was working full time at a pharmacy. Pay day was a few days away and my gracious mechanic was willing to wait until then for part of the money. Those repairs took my entire check.

I am so happy that I am not in that position anymore. However, God provided for me then as he continues to provide for me now.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Matthew 6:25

October Financial Goals

I think it is a good idea to start posting my financial goals monthly. I am big on goals- all sorts of goals- and have devoted a journal to them. I am a firm believer in the thought that writing down goals makes you more likely to achieve them.

October's financial goals:

1) Replenish emergency fund. I had to take some money out of this for moving expenses, so it's time to fill it back up.

2) Start a retirement account. This is scary to me because I've never done anything like this before. I'm thinking that I will start with Sharebuilder because I have a code to get some money for free when I open an account.

3) Start saving mileage check for future car/car repairs. I think I will get my first mileage check in about a week, to the tune of ~$350.

4) Cashflow this month's scheduled car repair (struts) out of my paychecks rather than taking any more money out of savings. I think this will be $250-300.

I'm not sure if I can accomplish all of these, but we'll see how it goes and I'll report back next month.

A Trip to the Library Book Store

A couple of weeks ago I paid a visit to my favorite library book store. The one where hardback books are all fifty cents. I got the above books plus this still wrapped vintage Italian record set. Now, I have no desire to learn Italian, but there was no way that I was leaving this behind for fifty cents. Perhaps eBay?

How to Spot a Well-Made Garment

When I was little, my mom sewed much of my wardrobe. Because of this, I learned what a quality, well-made garment looked like. I also learned all about different fabrics. It can be difficult to tell what quality looks like since expensive doesn't always mean well-made, and vice versa. Here are some tips for finding well constructed items on the clearance racks and in thrift stores in case you didn't have your own seamstress while you were growing up. ;)

* Be aware of different fabrics. NEVER pay a lot of money for acrylic, nylon, rayon, or polyester. Cotton, wool, linen, silk, and cashmere last longer, breathe better, and look nicer. (I will say that I have some poly items, though.)

* Before you go shopping, go through your own closet. Feel the fabrics, look at the stitching. What makes certain items fit well? You will be able to see the difference between things that are constructed well and those that are not.

* Look for linings in pants, skirts, suits, jackets, and coats. Bonus points if they're lined in silk. (I hate lined pants, though, and never buy them.)

* Button down shirts and cotton dresses should have darts in the front and/or back that make them fit better. Same with most coats and jackets.

* With shoes, examine them for even stitching. There should be no noticeable glue anywhere. Set each shoe flat on the floor to see if they are stable or if they wobble. The best shoes (in my opinion) have leather lining rather than man-made lining. Your feet will not sweat in these beauties!

*In handbags there are a couple of things to look for. As in any item, you want nice even stitching. Soft leather and metal hardware (particularly metal zippers) are also indicators of good quality. Lately there have been a lot of moderately priced ($15-30) handbags at T.J. Maxx that have fooled me into thinking they would be expensive because they had all of the marks of quality.

*This is the underside of a skirt hem. When a hem is finished off with lace, trim, or ribbon (as in the picture), this is a hallmark of good sewing. This takes extra time and is not often seen in clothing that is manufactured now. However, you do often see this in vintage clothing.

*This is an example of a well-stitched hem. It is neatly folded over and is sewn in an even, straight line less than 1/8 inch from the end.

For more reading on quality for less, see dressing professionally on a dime.

Stupid Tax

Dave Ramsey has a section on his website where people write in with stupid things they've done financially. I like to read them from time to time, and I'm usually a bit smug while doing so. Ah, smugness. You are often my downfall. Well, now it's happened to me.

I just paid my first (and it will be my only) insufficient funds fee.

When I moved, I opened a checking account with Washington Mutual. It turned out to be more of a hassle than a convenience, so I decided to stick with my hometown bank. I only had a little bit of money (less than $200) left in the WaMu account, so I decided that I would just pay for everything out of that account and try to get it as close to a zero balance as possible.

Not a smart idea.

I mixed up some receipts between my two accounts and wound up not subtracting the right amount of money out of my WaMu register. Which led to an overdraft. $1.88 charge is what got me a $32.00 NSF fee. This was totally stupid since I have plenty of money in my regular account, and WaMu deserves the fee for my stupidity.

I've learned my lesson!

Exercising When You Don't Really Want To

Exercise is obviously good for you physically, but it has also been shown to be as effective on mood as a mild antidepressant. Since I trained as a health psychologist, I always encourage people to exercise! Here is some tips to getting going when you don't really want to. Plus, exercise is free entertainment.

1) Exercise first thing in the morning or right when you get home from work. If you sit down or lie around, it is unlikely that you will get back up again to go exercise.

2) If you do have to/want to sit around for some reason, put on your exercise clothes and shoes. Be ready to go.

3) Set "do-able" goals. If you are new to exercising, running three miles three times a week is NOT a do-able goal. Be honest with yourself about what you really can and should be doing. Baby steps. It doesn't matter if it's ten minutes three times a week to start with. The goal here is to...

4) Make it a habit. The more you exercise, the easier it is to fit it into your life. I've been exercising consistently enough now that I am at the point where I feel gross if it's been a few days since I've worked out.

5) Understand that you may not ever be to the point where you are really pumped to go exercise. I have been exercising regularly for some time and I still have to drag myself out the door. I just focus on the way that I feel during and afterward.

6) Focus on health, not on physical attributes. Losing weight and looking great are fantastic goals. However, I've found that if the focus is on health, you are much more likely to feel like you are succeeding. And feeling successful is key to staying on course.

The Monthly Budget

No Thank You, Classmates.com

Shortly after graduating high school (in 2000) and before the days of My Space, several people from my graduating class signed up at Classmates.com. I did, too, as a "free" member. I never visit the site, but today I received an email stating that someone had signed my guestbook. I didn't know I had a guestbook. Anyhoo, I decided to see what it said. Well, surprise, you have to pay join (i.e. pay money) to view your guestbook. The cheapest option is $15 for three months.

No thanks, classmates.com. I guess my guestbook will remain a mystery forever.