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I stopped by Micheals this weekend and spent $9 to buy:
- Yellow Duct Tape $4
- Black little puff balls $2
- Black Wire $3
I decided that I would dress up like a bee this year! I was excited about this idea, because who doesn’t have tons of black in their closet? You can make it as sexy or modest as you want, depending on the outfit you choose. Mine is tight, but no where near as revealing as what you will find if you search for ready-made bee costumes for grown ups.
I tested out my idea using an old cheap skirt I had — I think you could use a skirt you still wear since the tape seems quite gentle. I can’t do the top in advance since it is fitted. I made the stripes while wearing the skirt, so they are a little crooked (will try to fix!) and they aren’t as taut when the skirt is off.
I already had two coat hangers and old black nylons for the wings. I had a headband to attach the wire to for antennae, and black leggings so I’d look more bug like. I’m going to try to use a swimsuit string to fasten the wings on. I also want these yellow shoes for fun, but we’ll see. They aren’t even the right shade, but I’m in love with mustard right now.
If you want your boyfriend to roll his eyes, you could also consider carrying a fake gun/knife — then you are a killer bee!
I’m totally bored of this challenge, but it was (probably) a success. Two days left, no spending planned.
I realized my grocery budget is really easy to stick to. I mean, I bought $6/lb meat (accidentally), chicken and ingredients for special recipes. Usually I don’t buy meat at all, so I must typically buy other crap. Like those Butter Waffle Cookies at TJ’s, YUM. However, I often splurge on going out to eat. And you know, I’m completely fine with that, I just want to stick to once a week. I’m taking down the tab for the February Food Challenge, and pasting the contents below.
Oh, by the way, I came across this post on how to cook and use an entire chicken and get 17 healthy meals for $25. I was inspired, but I’m not organized enough to pull it off any time soon. Maybe someday.
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I tracked my food purchases for February in hopes of staying under $200 for both grocery and restaurant spending. This challenge was hosted by Give Me Back My Five Bucks.
Total Spending: $$182/$200 = 91%
Notes on where I shop: I grocery shop at both Trader Joe’s and Ralph’s. Ralph’s is better for cereal and a few other things (only if on sale though), and TJ’s is best for milk, eggs, cheese, produce and a lot of basics. I’ve found Albertson’s to be cheaper than Ralph’s, but they aren’t conveniently located. There isn’t much for ethnic stores nearby either.
Week 1 notes: T paid for going out to eat (sandwiches ~$17). I bought ground beef (which wasn’t on sale like I thought) and made my first meatloaf ever and used it in sandwiches.
Week 2 notes: I bought 2.5 lbs of frozen chicken. I rarely buy meat so I’m not sure I’ll meet my budget goal. I figure this can be used in a variety of meals, starting with a huge batch of chicken fried rice that I’ll eat this week. My turn to pay for going out to eat this weekend!
Week 3 notes: Lots of extra spending in order to cook an interesting Valentine’s Day meal. Wow, I think I spent $10 just on cheese! This is balanced by the fact that we didn’t really go out to eat, but we did get some late night In-N-Out, the perfect end to a lazy Sunday. I still should be able to meet my goal.
Week 3 notes: Lots of extra spending in order to cook an interesting Valentine’s Day meal. Wow, I think I spent $10 just on cheese! This is balanced by the fact that we didn’t really go out to eat, but we did get some late night In-N-Out, the perfect end to a lazy Sunday. I still should be able to meet my goal.
Week 4 notes: Mmmmm, rediscovered oatmeal as a delicious breakfast, but I hate doing dishes so I now have no clean bowls.
Some things I ate:
Sausage Egg Casserole (good not very healthy)
Strawberry Avacado Salad (highly recommeded!)
Chicekn Penne (good, but not amazing)
PB&J – because I like it and I’m lazy, not really out of frugality
Chicken Fried Rice (somehow screwed this up and it was gross)
Apple & Gorgonzola salad with pecans
Pasta and tomato sauce
Apple salad (apples, yogurt, nuts…)
In January, I spent $120 going out to eat. That is just what I personally paid for–I don’t know what T paid. Additionally, $185 went towards groceries. I don’t remember buying anything special at the grocery store, though I didn’t have much for groceries after going home for Christmas. (I guess I do remember going out to eat a lot..)
That is a total of $305 for JUST food. I categorize toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, etc as home. Any personal care items are in the personal category. Even the alcohol gets separated into “entertainment”. I should note that isn’t just for me–T and I both pay for meals out and groceries, but I have a hunch that I pay for more stuff that he eats, than vice versa. Still, it is mostly for just me.
Krystal is hosting a February food challenge, and I set my goal at $200 for February. My average last year was ~$225/month for grocery and eating out together, and February is a short month. I didn’t do anything sneaky and load up on groceries in the end of January, so I already spent $25 yesterday. I’m going to track my food purchases in glorious detail on my new tab (I’ll post/archive it the end of the month).
So yeah, I could get a case. I could, you know, be CAREFUL with them. I’d rather just buy cheap ones. I don’t wear them as a fashion statement (well, not really, though I may purchase trendy ones), I don’t wear them as a status symbol, and I mostly wear them at the beach or in the car. Designer sunglasses? They just aren’t my thing. There is so much more I’d rather spend my money on. Sunglasses for $25 to $50, I might consider, but that is probably the limit.
I do (sort of) get why a person wants designer sunglasses. You can wear them a lot, you can love them a lot. Just like I do (sort of) get why a person might carry designer handbags. It just isn’t something I do. There is no way that is in my budget, and it isn’t something I place a high value on. So I’ll stick to my cheap-o sunglasses, and have only momentary pain when I find them squashed at the bottom of my beach bag.
PS – I know the shape/style of my sunglasses is sort of “out”. They were purchased for sailing, so functional. I’m kind of glad I have a good excuse to get cuter ones.
I’ve been trying to like chickpeas. I’ve been trying, but I just can’t. There is something about their texture and scent that I just can’t get behind. I tolerate them, but I don’t enjoy them. I want to like them, because not only are they cheap, but they have protein, fiber and are fairly nutritious. The biggest flaw I found is they are a little high in sodium. I wonder if this would be true if I were to purchase dried chickpeas and make them myself? That sounds like a heck of a lot of work.
Anyway, I wouldn’t say that I dislike the chickpea recipes I’ve tried, but I didn’t feel compelled to make them a second time. Too much chickpea flavor, too little other stuff (not a problem if you think chickpeas are tasty).
The other night, chickpeas in hand, I searched Allrecipes.com for chickpea recipes and found this Chickpea Salad that used ingredients I happened to have on hand. I halved it and used dried parsley (I can’t keep fresh herbs on hand) and pressed the garlic rather than mincing. (There also was a plethora of more fancy chickpea recipes, including chickpea curries and roasted chickpeas and several other salads that could suite anyone’s fancy.)
Yesterday, while collecting my lunch, I saw a container of beautiful berries in the communal fridge. I suffered from momentary lunch envy, but once I tasted my lunch, it evaporated. I really liked it! It wasn’t just okay, it was good. I finally found a chickpea recipe that I can get excited about. The key may be everything but the chickpeas–I love garlic, red onion and tomato, and there was enough flavor to make up for the slightly lackluster chickpeas. I found a new frugal lunch!
Half can of chickpeas: $0.35 I was surprised to find these were much cheaper at Whole Foods ($.79) than at Ralph’s ($1.50, $1.19 on sale). Cheapest yet at Trader Joe’s for .69
1 roma tomato: roughly $1
one quarter red onion: $.15
2 cloves of garlic: Not sure, let’s say $.10
Olive Oil: Negligable, $.20
Lemon Juice: Negligible, $.20
Parsley Flakes: Negligible.
Shredded Parm (optional, but tasty): The bag was $2.50 but I used just a sprinkling. Let’s say $.25.
Total: $2.25
I chose to supplement this lunch with some tomato avocado soup I made several days ago, but I found it quite filling and you might be able to get by just on this if you don’t eat big lunches. Or add some fruit or whatever else you like to eat for lunch. I suppose I don’t need to tell you that. You know how to pack a lunch, right?
As far as groceries go, I’m done for the month. I am $1 over my $145 budget (which isn’t a very small budget in the first place). T suggested cooking some shrimp pineapple curry this weekend, and also some hot spinach artichoke dip. We split the grocery bill for those items, but it really wasn’t in my “meal plan” and shrimp is hardly frugal. It was good and we like cooking together, so I don’t regret it. I certainly can last until next Sunday without spending a dime on food, though I might buy some bread.
I’m need to get in my kitchen and whip up another batch of my chickpea salad for today!
I did it! I colored my hair!
For the past year and a half I had been going to a great salon in my previous town and getting fabulous cuts and highlights about every four months. It usually ran about $120, a little more if I got the eyebrows done too. Highlights look great the first time you do them. But they are so much upkeep, and after doing them for a long time, they look less and less great.
After moving to L.A., I hadn’t done anything with my hair. I was in dire need of a trim, so I found a legit salon that offered $20 first time hair cuts. It isn’t that I won’t pay a little more for a great cut, but I was frightened of paying a lot for a mediocre cut. If the stylist impressed me enough, I probably would have went back for full price. But she didn’t. She was ok, but nothing great. Still, I paid $30 (I’m not going to tip off the discount price!) and was on my merry way with healthier hair and new side swept bangs.
Next step, color. I asked the salon price of an all over color: $85. No thanks! We picked out some store dye for about $8 and matched my natural color quite well, thanks to T‘s meticulous color selection. Unfortunately we accidentally got the 28 wash box, so I’ll revisit in a month and get the permanent color.
This hair should be much easier to maintain, and eventually much healthier. Also, much cheaper, allowing me to stick to my “Personal” budget much more easily. Now I just have to find a stylist that I actually like, but I can wait a few months for that.
Will I go back to coloring my hair? Maybe. I think before I get married I’d want to have highlights and a really great color/cut. Other than that, I’m content with my natural color. And since I’m not even engaged, that really isn’t a big consideration. Now is a great time to go back to my natural light brown color.
I need a new haircut really badly. I’m considering going to a “hair academy” and getting it cut by students. I used to go to one back home when I was in college. While it took an excruciatingly long time, I was always satisfied with the end result, and even more satisfied with the price.
But do you get what you pay for? It isn’t that I’m completely unwilling to shell out for an amazing haircut, but I’m afraid I’ll go to a real salon, shell out the big bucks, and not even be impressed. Then again, I don’t exactly want to spend 3 hours getting my hair cut. I have been checking yelp.com for reviews and I could just take a leap of faith. But what the heck does “$$” mean as opposed to “$”? Seriously, can’t they just say how much a basic cut will cost me?
Have you ever gone to a hair school? Are you willing to pay more for a (theoretically) better cut?
I don’t typically visit starbucks, but perhaps a nice cup of premium coffee will get me through my busy Saturday!
Tomorrow, 10-12 local time, free coffee at a starbucks near you! I love free!
EDIT: I was tricked! That was for 07, taken from dealnews.com, who has since removed the alert.
Money can buy me a lot of thing that I really like, but there are also a lot of free things that I enjoy in my life. Here is a few that I enjoy on a regular basis
National Public Radio: I’ve been a huge fan for years–I originally discovered it when I started making long road trips during a long distance relationship. You really can only listen to music for so long, especially if you aren’t that into music. These days I listen to NPR in the car on the way to/from work to stay on top of the news. love the non-news programming as well: This American Life, Science Lab, Marketplace (especially Marketplace Money, which inspired my initial pf love), and a ton of other great shows (available as podcasts too!). Technically, this isn’t free–they rely on contributions from listeners like me, as they like to remind me during pledge drives!
Public Library: We all know about borrowing books, but don’t forget that most libraries also will loan DVDs and music. You can catch up on your magazine reading there rather than subscribing, or surf the net if you don’t have your own connection. Many cities also let you download audiobooks (though good luck getting them onto an iPod legally/free) for your enjoyment. Again, paid for by your taxes, but essentially free.
The Ocean: Coming from the landlocked Midwest, the ocean still inspires awe in me each time I visit it. I’ve already gone several times, though it hasn’t been warm enough to go in.
Reading: I quit pleasure reading in college (too much school work) but now that I have free time again, this is a great way to stay entertained and to keep your mind sharp. This ties in with the public library, but I also read a lot of blogs which is also free. I do pay for internet, but in theory you could use publicly available wi-fi (see library).
Running: You do have to buy the shoes, but other than that, there is no cost. This is a love/hate relationship. In theory, I hate it, but when I do it, I love it. Similarly, there is also the option of swimming, rollerblading (so 1990s) , hiking, oga and long walks on the beach. 
Other: I also love walking around the city, good conversations, writing, and I just adore sitting on my balcony (though if you add a cup of coffee, there is a small cost).
What free/frugal things do you love?
Problem: I’ve been a wreck lately, off and on. In less then 3 weeks on the job, I have twice called T at lunch in tears over nothing! Of course, I know that it is over nothing, even when I call. Of course, I’m professional enough to keep my tears out of sight of anyone. Still, it is frustrating. To me, and maybe to him, though he’s been super kind about it.
With the relocation and all the changes all at once, I’ve really been under a ton of stress lately. Most of it is exciting and good, but it is still stressful.
Solution: Start running again. I quit when I lived in Iowa and it got really cold
Now really, I want to try out rock climbing or yoga. But I don’t trust myself with that yet. Spending money on something I may or may not follow through with. Running is free–I have shoes, I have a road… and a workout room at my apartment. The other things, not so free. If running balances me the way it usually does, then perhaps I’ll branch out, but I have to focus on one thing at a time.
When in doubt, choose the free option.
The best advice I received about whether to pursue grad school immediately after graduation was essentially that. My dad suggested, that if I was not sure, I should think about it while I was making money rather than think about it while I was borrowing money. Such wisdom from someone so bad with their own money! There is some value in “just getting it done”, but I think more students err on the side of grad school when it isn’t their best choice than err on the side of employment when graduate work is their calling. It’s easy to do though–if you are good at school and have been going to school since you were 5, more school easily seems like the best choice.
Going to grad school part time while working full time can be a HUGE pain in the butt, but financially, you just can’t beat it (if employer covers tuition). It’ll be two more years of hard hard work, but to have an M.S. degree when I finish? It’ll be fantastic. I mean, kids (and even pets) probably will have to wait, but I’ll be (gasp) 27 or 28, which isn’t all that old. I have a good friend who is due to have a beautiful little girl any second now, but that really was never the image I had of my life. I won’t be the youngest coolest mom, but I’m cool with that (and really, I still get carded for R rated movies sometimes so at least I’ll look young).
Anyway, I find out about my acceptance to the new graduate program applied for “within 2 to 4 weeks” of either today or the day that I submitted the application (the email wasn’t clear). Cross your fingers!
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