“Living Frugal” Archive
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April will kick off the first month that we will feel the positive impact of the elimination/reduction of a few monthly debts and expenses. With these adjustments we will see an extra $400 this month–NOT including my raise that hits on Friday, April 6. My husband is doing an excellent job of stopping me from counting those chickens before they are hatched..but MAN does my brain go there each and every time we discuss $. I wish you could see how excited we are about putting that toward debt! After I finish up this post we have set aside time this evening to review the various approaches to paying things down–including those you have posted in your comments–so we can finalize the approach. We’ve been talking about it since I started blogging, but it is time to make a decision since we have the money to pay! Here’s to financial communication! We are looking at shaving off another $100-$200 in monthly expenses so in addition to the little stuff we are doing what we can on that side of the ledger too.
Speaking of the little stuff…I tiptoed into the world of couponing today. I was very deliberate in my approach and managed to save a total of $32. I only went to Walgreens and CVS and purchased regularly used allergy medicine (that alone usually sets me back $20), my usual coffee, toothpaste, toothbrushes, Easter treats for the kids, jello pudding mix and 4 boxes of regular Rice Krispies. I used my usual spending amount and didn’t dip into what sits in the account which is the only way I will do this. All of these are items that we would have bought anyway–but at FULL price. So I say… yippee!
I’m looking forward to Friday night! 20 years ago that would have had an entirely different meaning…but THIS Friday night will be spent at a coupon class! After a post on meal making and grocery shopping, A reader suggested the $5 Dinner Mom website and so I stopped by to check it out a few weeks ago. I took it as a sign that right there on the welcome page there was a San Antonio offering! The thought of couponing stresses me out BUT I really think I could get into it! My fear–quite honestly–is that I will get TOO into it! I tend to do things in extremes. 
My friend from work who was doing great with her couponing but has fallen off a bit in recent weeks is joining me and you would think we were going to some crazy “girls’ night out” with the way we are talking about this thing! I’m looking forward to learning a lot and then putting the new skills to work. I’m already seeing major dents in my grocery spending just with the little bit of thought I’m putting into things. I DO think that I’m going to have to become proficient at stockpiling laundry detergent bc the homemade brand is not getting rave reviews from the fam. Actually, that’s not correct…I notice no problems with it, the kids haven’t said a word but the husband is saying a lot WITHOUT a lot of words. Have I mentioned that he’s slow to accept change? Love that guy! I think I saw him sneak in a bottle of Tide the other day and he might be hiding it for his personal use only!
Here’s the link to what we are doing on Friday night. If you live in the Atlanta, GA area there’s one there next week. I’ll report back with details.
http://www.5dollardinners.com/2012/03/san-antonio-coupon-class.html
Does anyone have experience with a produce or grocery co-op? A friend at the office–who I’ve nominated and elected to be my debt reduction buddy–found a local co-op that we are going to give a try. We split a “contribution” to be picked up on Saturday the 24th. In addition to the standard $15 produce basket (which has 50% veggies, 50% fruit) we also got a “Mexican produce” basket for $8.50 that they say should include lots of veggies to go with all of that hamburger meat I purchased…also to share. Finally we are splitting 19 pounds of whole pineapples for a total $12. So after a one time new user fee of $3.00 and a processing fee of $1.50 we each paid $20. The kids will definiely eat 9.5 pounds of pineapple so that will be a great, inexpensive snack. I am thankful that the boys are not picky so even if there is something in the box that we aren’t accustomed to, they will be open to trying it out. I also like the challenge to the more finicky eater of the bunch. Oh and let’s not forget the cooking challenge! That sounds fun too. Thank goodness for googling recipes!
We are “contributing” to Bountiful Baskets http://bountifulbaskets.org/ Produce is definitely expensive at our regular grocery store so this is worth a try. They also offer what sound like delicious breads but we didn’t try those this time.
Anyway, give me your thoughts…share the pros and cons and definitely warn me of any drawbacks you’ve experienced!
Nothing new on the job announcement but tomorrow is looking goodend…but my hair looks fabulous with the John Frieda hair color! So if I don’t get the job at least my hair looks nice.
While the spending cuts continue, I’ve spent a little time brainstorming some income generating ideas. Hubby and I have a storage room of “extras” that we didn’t need when we combined our families. In addition to wanting to cut that $35/month cost for the storage space we have discussed selling the “extras” in the storage unit. Our original thought was to keep everything for the eldest when he goes off to college but I think we just made a blanket decision on that and didn’t really take a good inventory of what we have, what he can realistically use and–most importantly now that we are tackling debt–what we can make money from selling! We have a refrigerator, washer and dryer, lots of furniture. We’ll do an inventory soon, figure out what can go and put all proceeds toward debt.
I also have some leads on side income that I can work on during the “kid free” weekends. I’m looking at doing some side jobs in my professional area as well as some new things that are out of the box. I have a telephone interview for a position as a reservation clerk for a major company…but they already sound perplexed by my application. Oh well….I’ll just be honest and tell them I’m on a debt elimination plan! All of the ideas are “work from home” opportunities so there will be no additional costs incurred for commuting.
I did a closet clean out this weekend and have a good size box of random Ebay stuff. I’ve sold on Ebay before—mainly craft supplies a few years ago. I might have $200-$300 worth of random items so I’m excited about that!
I took two big boxes of my daughter’s clothing to a consignment shop this weekend. I had taken a small bag of things to this store in the past just to see how I did and from about 15 items, I made over $50. I am excited to find out what I earn with this batch. I had a load of adorable Easter dresses from over the years and I’m glad I actually got them TO the store well before Easter!
I’m looking at things through these new glasses and asking myself if something I find around the house can make us money! Let me hear your unique ideas for income!
Oh how I will miss it but it is time. I haven’t actually been in about 2 months which means those pesky grays have returned! Every time I commit to just going gray I bail b/c I JUST turned 40 and I’m just not ready yet!!! I never thought I’d color my hair and didn’t start until I was 37. I have black hair so the grays arrive with what seems like trumpets and flares! I really did try to talk myself into embracing them but…it hasn’t happened. So, I’ve been paying for salon coloring (of just one color…matching my natural…nothing fancy) for over 3 years. Yea, I’m over it. Now I need to be brave enough to do the store bought color. Please send any tips you have. I think I will still use the same hairdresser for my haircuts but no more blowdry and style. That really needs to be a treat! With hair products (which I also have an addiction to…), this was adding up to $150-225 per visit (about every 8 weeks). GAD! That’s awful!!! I admit it!! I also know this is tangible progress b/c 3 months ago I would have fought you to the mat on this issue! I LOVE having my hair done. I admit it. I love it so much I was willing to spend serious money…and get into more debt…to make it happen! A haircut alone with my guy is $30 and if color my own I can go a LONG time b/w haircuts…I should set that as a goal. Maybe 1 cut every six months! Don’t laugh at me! The money saved will, of course, go to debt.
Now, I’ll be honest. I am not going to cut my own hair and I am not going to ask my husband or any other relative to cut my hair. Maybe one day when my vision is worse and I can’t see what has happened…but not anytime soon! I admire those who do this but I am not there. I also should admit that it only takes one really awful experience with a discount haircut kinda place to make a girl think twice before trying that again (think “I’d like a bang trim please” being heard by the stylist as “please make me look like Cleopatra.” Awful. And right before my Senior prom!) I’ll listen to your success stories though and be open minded about it all!
I’m having a funny vision….of me with really bad hair with a really bad grocery store color job…eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in Vegas. All in the name of debt reduction! As it should be!
Tell me some of your changes in the health and beauty department. I’m anxious to hear!
Of course my husband’s company sent him to Vegas for company business. This was the first time we decided to add a short vacation to a business trip. Please know I am not trying to throw my shoulder out patting myself on the back on this trip–but I am excited to share how this all went on the money front.
First, we are not Vegas people. No offense to those who are but it has never been a destination that we even discuss going to visit. We do enjoy spending time together though without the kiddos and if the travel gods make it happen for very little out of pocket cost, we probably are not going to pass it up. I realize that will open me up to criticism and that is okay–time with my husband is worth it.
Now–the breakdown of things…hubby’s airline ticket was, of course, paid. My airline ticket was also paid because of the travel points I’ve built up through my work travel so airline was $0. Hotel was covered for Tuesday and Wednesday. We gave Priceline “name your price” a whirl for Saturday, Sunday and Monday and managed to get The Wynn for a total price at 70% off the regular price. While we did book and pay for that hotel stay before I started this blog, I still could have walked away from the money already spent but I didn’t. While I didn’t walk away, I DID leave on that flight the morning of March 3 knowing in many ways that I should not be flying to Vegas…that I should be cancelling the entire thing and not spending a penny more. While I did not cancel like many of you absolutely positively think I should have done…I did carry your voices with me as I spent 5 days in Las Vegas! And I do not think it was an accident that I found myself in the city that is DESIGNED to get you to spend money as I kicked off this blog and my “attack on the debt.”
I’ve only been to Vegas twice before and definitely did not have spending limits when I went! This trip I had some serious self imposed spending limits. I was completely prepared to read my book in a gorgeous hotel room or by a pool while spending quality time with my husband. Honestly–those were my only expectations. Good news is I did not exceed my usual weekly budget that I would have had at home AND thanks to a slot machine at the airport, I managed to come home with only spending $70! How did I do that? Well in addition to some good fortune, I also followed some tips that you guys have already given me on this blog. I bought all the fixings for PB&J and avoided even fast food low prices while there—I easily battled through the voice inside of me wanting a lavish meal reminding myself that I cannot afford a lavish meal. I created a spreadsheet where I input every single penny spent each day of the trip so I could take a complete look at it at the end of the day and make appropriate decisions on the next day. I did Vegas on a budget.
I never ever gamble (there’s a great story to share of me at the craps table breaking every rule they have in a matter of about 60 seconds and just for your future reference…they are very serious about those rules!!) I don’t know what possessed me to put all of $2 in that airport slot machine about 15 minutes before my flight left b/c WHO wins at the slot machines at the Vegas airport?!? But I did and hit for $137.00! I promptly took my money and RAN to my plane! Meanwhile, hubby was doing that networking thing in the casino after work stuff and while he is definitely not a gambler either he has definitely figured out the statistics behind the craps table. I told you he did numbers well and he managed to turn $20 into near $400. The good news is we’ve used that $537 toward debt reduction and savings. No, we do not have plans to pay $100,000 in debt off with gambling but as people who do NOT gamble, it was a nice little shot in the arm to make good decisions as we won the money (not ride the wave to nothing) and then manage to get home with the money and make good decisions again. I won’t apologize for taking this trip–it was a wonderful time with my husband and we learned so much as we were cautious and thoughtful through the process. It was helpful in many ways to hold on to all of the moments of this trip and embrace them because we recognize that we won’t have these trips after this year…for a very long time–until the debt is paid off.
Now…talk amongst yourselves. 
I know I said this post would be about the trip we took…but there’s too much other stuff I want to share!
Wait a minute—was I supposed to make debt reduction my primary focus of this blog?! I think I misunderstood. I thought this was a How To Secure Your Financial Demise blog!
Kidding! Kidding! I AM serious about getting out of debt! Exhibit A: Laundry Detergent. I made my own tonight. Gosh I wish you all knew me a little bit better so that you could laugh along with me at this image. The kids were very interested in what I was creating! But the funniest moment was when I started hacking and coughing because of all the powder dust I was creating! I’ll do better next time but most importantly, I spent only $10 on the supplies that should create laundry detergent to last through the summer! I’m so excited! I know this isn’t the only solution to paying off $100,000 in debt….but it IS very motivating and at this early point in the marathon, that’s a very good thing!
On a more serious note, we have certainly made some small dents in the overall debt. We will post updates on a monthly basis even though we are making almost daily progress! I hope this helps some of you sleep at night re: my debt. I am absolutely asking myself the very question many of you suggest, “Do I really NEED this?!” and I am finding empowerment in that process. I am so fortunate in that the debt I have is NOT the result of having over-indulged my children and as a result their adjustment will be one of the easier parts of this process. To quickly address the issue of knowing how I got here I’ll share that a HUGE part of that is divorce. I don’t recommend divorce as part of your financial planning. My divorce is easily a good $35,000 to $40,000 of my debt. Another HUGE part of my debt is paying for “convenience.” As I dissect my past spending so much of it was this facade of doing what was seemingly easier and more convenient….but cost me big time! I’m quickly growing accustomed to making changes to that facade. I’m not talking about keeping up a facade to impress others b/c I truly just don’t worry about that but instead this facade of my life running smoothly…but only b/c I was paying out the nose for “convenience!”
And finally…to briefly address comments regarding “negative” comments and my response to them: I have pretty tough skin. In my profession, I have to have tough skin. In my personal life…because I come from a gigantic family I have to have tough skin. This isn’t a matter of not wanting to hear very valuable constructive criticism from those who have been there but instead just a wish that people not try to guess who I am, who my family is, how I got here and how I plan to get out of here—after a handful of posts. I absolutely, positively do not get hurt feelings from any of the tough talking comments regarding my debt. Those are EARNED and not lost on me at all—quite frankly, the only comments I took issue with were the ramen and milk posts. In fact, I’ve turned that into a tag line of sorts “Ramen and Milk!” The meaning of that tag line is essentially “jumping to conclusions.” We are all guilty of it—and that is all I meant with my 10,000 page book comment–that until we all get to know each other, we can’t say “Ramen and Milk!” For those of you wondering, I promise my children are not eating ramen and milk at every single meal (insert chuckle here).
And so it began with making my own laundry detergent. We all have to start somewhere, don’t we? Thank you all so much for your input. I truly am implementing so, so many of them! I’m thankful for all of you! Even the Ramen and Milk crew!
I do hope you laugh along with me on this journey. Take a look at my “about me” info and you will see that humor is so a part of who I am. As Readers Digest says…laughter IS the best medicine!
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About This Site
My Debt
- Original Debt: $97,293.06
- Paid: $1,927.89
- Remaining: $95,365.17
- Emergency Fund: $1100
- Broken Down
- Line of Credit 2: $0.00
- Line of Credit 1: $0.00
- Credit Card 1: $0.00
- Credit Card 2: $245.00
- Credit Card 3: $405.00
- Credit Card 6: $1,785.00
- Credit Card 7: $2,381.17
- Consolidation Loan: $11,000.00
- Credit Card 10: $14,519.00
- Auto Loan 1: $16,093.00
- Credit Card 11: $23,873.00
- Auto Loan 2: $25,064.00
Finance Blogging Buddies
- Beachgirl’s Budget Blog
- Becoming and Staying Debt Free
- Boston Gals Open Wallet
- Debt Free Hispanic
- Debt Kid
- Debt Reduction 101
- Dual Income No Kids
- Everybody Loves Your Money
- Financial Hack
- Free Money Finance
- From the Brink of Bankruptcy
- Generation X Finance
- GRACEful Retirement
- Grad Money Matters
- It’s Your Money
- Josephsangl.com
- Kick Debt’s Butt
- Lazy Man and Money
- Low Income Life
- Make Love Not Debt
- Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge
- Mighty Bargain Hunter
- Money, Matter and More Musings
- My 1st Million at 33
- No Credit Needed
- One Million and Beyond
- Personal Finance Advice
- pfblogs.org
