Yes, I own a pair of $400 roller skates. Did I mention that I play roller derby with the Ohio Roller Girls? Hence, the skates.

I'm normally pretty frugal with the cash. Sure, we buy what we want. The trick is we don't want much.

I was thinking about the skates today, because I really haven't used them as much as I would have liked. I played on game in them, then got pregnant and couldn't play anymore. I have skated maybe 30 or so speed skating practices in them. I just...
[ Read More ]

Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $1.40 coffee + $15 lunch

Bits and pieces on the day before the 4th:

Server room got warm in the early morning hours, so as I walked in, I was told: no Internet, no SQL, no access to data, email wonky. But an hour later, everything was okay. Darn! No computer data would have made it the shortest work day ever for me.

Found 3 pennies in front of the place I ate lunch at. Another homeless person was asking for change, but I thought...
[ Read More ]

-SPENDING-
Carpet Spray & Powder: $6.32 ($6.32/$20)
Milk & Bread: $4.21 ($8.04/$100)
Hip Pills For Pup: $8.45 ($17.66/$325)

I forgot to mention yesterday that BF got some free canned dog food from his work. Apparently the company had shipped the wrong quantity, and it would've expired before they could sell all of that kind, so his boss told him he could just take it home. They are the mini-cans, so we'll have to use two to mix in our big pup's meals, but free nonetheless!

I...
[ Read More ]

Ahhh the proverbial question I often ask myself as my life continues to pull me in different directions. I found myself asking this question once more as I sat in class listening to lectures about work/life balance and getting certified to be a CIA (Certified Internal Auditor).

And I thought to myself... as the professor said in every marriage especially with children, typically one person becomes the breadwinner and the other is the one able to go for the brass ring.

I...
[ Read More ]

We are adding $1250.00 to the EF. The total is now $5750.00. More than 30% to our goal. We were hoping to have this thing funded by the end of Oct, but I might have to give it another month (or 2). Blech!

Adding $149.00 to the challenge for rounding up the cks, coupons, rebates, rolled change. Total is now $2189.00.
This money will go to our vacation fund. We are just going to San Antonio. My oldest wants to go to Sea World, and my youngest studied the Alamo this past year...
[ Read More ]

Two interesting things - given the fact that I am watching the money (read as: not spending much at all) I had enough funds to:

(1) Pay the car insurance premium in full for six months. I usually am scraping by to come up with it quarterly. It was surprisingly there. (Guess skipping those trips to Michael's and Target and Family Video are really keeping the $ there!)

(2) I had $77.00 to pay toward BoA balance transfer! Haven't gotten the first bill yet, but I have money...
[ Read More ]

Miso soup, the soup in Japanese restaurants, is one of my favorite foods and it's easy and inexpensive to make yourself. Basically it's just miso paste (available at the health food store or Asian grocery store), tofu, green onion/scallion, and dried wakame (a type of seaweed) flakes. The miso soup recipe is available at YummySF.com.
[ Read More ]

Update!

This afternoon my brother called me to tell me about how it went Saturday night. First of all, the name of the show filming at his resturant is Housewives of Orange County, not Desperate Housewives: 90210.

Second of all, the ladies, and the production person LOVED him. Remember about the shaved head? One of the ladies said something to him about looking like Justin Timberlake! My brother responded by saying that he can sing like Justin, but can't dance like him....
[ Read More ]

I was totally slacking off in June. I guess I kind of run out gas for personal finance related stuff. It's new month, and I started keeping records of my spending again.

My DD came back from NYC/DC trip that took us almost a year to save up. Now, we need to start saving for her Europe trip next summer which is about 5K. This kid is so expensive.... Well, I know, I know. We let her be that way.

As much as I complain, I know I'm paying for them because I want to. She...
[ Read More ]

As mentioned, neither my husband nor my son share in my excitement about saving. They do not have the VISION!

My husband is on disability and does not work (he has mild cerebral palsy). He may baby-sit on occasion (his daughter's 3 boys, his niece's children--lot of family!) for dinner out or a gift card. His income is approximately $9,000 a year. He deposits (by allotment) $500 in our joint account each month for bills, leaving him approximately $250 each month. Out of...
[ Read More ]

Semi-annual auto insurance, bimonthly utilities, monthly full-time child care. The $300 promised to us for the boy's stimulus package is not going to take care of all of the above. Bleargh. Am hoping the bill for the bathroom can be paid the second week of August without penalty.
[ Read More ]

You can get a rite aid card for 10% off on all Tuesdays if you are over 60. I used mine yesterday for a few small things and saved $2, which was 20%. Turns out, they give you 20% off the first tuesday of the month. I also picked up their rebate paper to send in. I will add the $2 plus the $2 I saved by not driving yesterday.
Prev. total $16,739.00
today 4.00
new total $16,743.00
[ Read More ]

Well, actually it's no longer a problem because I took care of it right from the get-go.

My friend/co-worker the one that I occasionally give rides told me that she was going to buy a used car. I told her that was great and good luck and so on. Well the next day she came up to me asked me if she could ask me something. I was like sure what is it. And then she asked if I would be a co-signer on her car note because she doesn't have enough credit to get a car on her on. Before...
[ Read More ]

Old projector - SOLD!

Old receiver - SOLD!

Dh had the gall to ask me if I could apply the receiver sales to his allowance. I had subtracted $200 for the new receiver - he wanted to add $40 for the sale of the old receiver.

I don't think so!

I said, "Dude, you took THREE years to sell your projector and you got half as much as you told me you would."

(Though I am frankly impressed he got that much, with the 3 years delay).

HE says, "I am talking about the receiver."

I...
[ Read More ]

I went to the library to pick up "Tightwad Gazette" and I saw this book "America's Cheapest Family" on the shelf and got it too. America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money is about how this family saves $$$. You can start using the tips right away. For example, they shop for groceries at Costco only once a month and stock everything in a stand alone freezer. And the mom plans a month's worth of meals.

Check out my easy recipe for miso soup on my food blog at YummySF
[ Read More ]

Yuppiiiii, hihihh~Where I live... there is something called 'Special Week' because every year in the first week of July EVERYTHING is on special. This was the time I've been waiting for since the very end of winter season. Yesturday I went shopping with my boyfriend for the things I needed and got mostly everything except for some minor things but I can become creative and manage some how.. which I always do because there are only solutions in life as my father always used to tell...
[ Read More ]

Well, I was in between loads of laundry and dishes today, and decided to go ahead and make out BF's student loan payment.

Then I decided that since I hadn't really balanced our checking account in a week, I'd go ahead and do that, and then make out the rent check too.

So what did I find out when I looked at our account online? It was about $500 less than I thought!!! I was in shock for a second, because not only is rent due in two days, but we won't have a paycheck coming...
[ Read More ]

So in late July 2007, I found out our true collective debt and learned that I would have to transfer money over to the UK just to cover minimum bills.

Once I updated my numbers and looked at them, and wrote a very morose Aug. 1 blog entry, I actually felt better pretty quickly. I was pretty sure we'd hit our lowest point and that things could only get better. The debt numbers were painful, but also somewhat fascinating. I looked at them and felt like I had a superhuman task...
[ Read More ]

4202

The Frugalis Fam got back from vacation a few days ago. Everyone had a grand time and we left w/$490 in cash to spend and came home with $332. More to spend on the next vacation.

Ten days in a fab-o resort obtained thru my time-share exchange - our condo was right on the water with fabulous water views from the balcony. We ate out three times as per our norm. We eat out one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner during the week, besides our drive-thru meals on travel...
[ Read More ]

Thanks for all that responded to my last post...it really was illuminating!

As a result of your answers, I sat down and thought about what I NEED/WANT to do, financially, to really be able to leave this job and start my own translation business; here's the list of what comes to mind, complete with the time frame I've allocated to achieve the goals: (I still need to work on them to see whether they are feasible, though!I also need to figure out the most logical way to set them...
[ Read More ]