A frugal solution. . . .

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday! I certainly did, although my frugal tendencies went right out the window when faced with fabulous food, lots of opportunities (and time) for socializing, and, alas, the dreaded spending.

As has been the case since I began my frugal journey several years ago, the Christmas season seems to trigger the 'shopping gene' and I end up not only spending more than I intended to on others, but also on myself! For some reason, the act of purchasing gifts for others seems to get the juices flowing and I end up buying things for myself as well. It's as if all of my self-control, which I wield so successfully during the rest of the year, simply flies out the window for a two-week period.

Although I did score a wonderful new jacket and a pair of boots (70% off!), the upshot is that I had to send my last paycheck not to my second mortgage-holder or to my student loan balance, but instead to my credit card! Aaaarrrrrrgggghhhh! It's frustrating, to say the least.

Although I am kicking myself (even while wearing my fabulous new duds) the silver lining is that I have come up with a plan to help myself avoid this next year. My solution is this: for the first time ever, I'm going to set up a savings account just for Christmas costs, to include travel (airfare to visit the family) and gifts. I had intended to nix my savings (except for the savings that goes towards paying my water and auto insurance costs, of course) so that I could concentrate on sending every extra penny to my debt. However, in the long run, I think sending $50 a month to the Christmas savings account will benefit me by helping me avoid the frenzy of spending that I experienced this year.

Happy Veteran's Day. . . .

Sending out a big thank you to all of our servicemen and women who have fought so valiantly, whether in our recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or in any of the previous wars in which our country has been involved. Much as I hate war and love peace, I recognize the sacrifices that soldiers and their families have made in the name of freedom.

I'm also posting (hopefully) a 'seize the day' graphic that I came across recently, and which makes me stop and think every time I see it. Notice that nowhere does it say that happiness lies in the amount of money or 'stuff' in our lives. . . . Enjoy!



Have a lovely day, all, and stay tuned for a post about my Next Big Thing (for after I've conquered my debt, that is!)

America's 'Cheapest' Family. . .

While I was visiting family for the Christmas holiday, I had a chance to peruse a People magazine, which profiled the Economides family, billed as 'America's Cheapest Family'.

Although I couldn't find the story on People's online site, I did find this MSN video in which Ann Curry interviews the family about their frugal ways. It appears that this sudden onslaught of publicity is associated with the sale of the Economides' family's new book, entitled America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money.

Here's the video, which is quite interesting:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It appears that this family doesn't mess around in the saving money department! Apparently, this family of SEVEN paid off a mortgage early on $35,000 a year (less than I make now, with only ONE mouth to feed). Since I'm starting the new year with a goal of shopping at thrift stores and buying primarily used goods, this was an intriguing look at this type of lifestyle and how it can benefit the bottom line.

Americans are finding frugality. . . . .

Granted, they're finding it out of necessity more than anything else, but it's interesting all the same. A New York Times article is predicting that this holiday season will see fewer Americans buying big-ticket items for their families. This, of course, is seen as hurting the economy. I lean toward the opinion that our economy needs to rely less on Americans' use of credit to purchase more and more stuff, but on manufacturing, technology, and exports of our goods and services to other countries.

I'm thinking about asking my family if we can have a gift-giving 'moratorium' this holiday season. Or at the very least, a limit on how much we spend on each other. I know that over the years, my parents have sought to give bigger and better gifts, always trying to outdo the giving of the year before, and I would estimate that at least 90% of that giving was driven by credit cards, not by cash.

How about all of you? Do you intend to spend less this season than you did last year? Why or why not? Do you have any creative ways of giving gifts that don't require huge outlays of money?

Surprising savings. . . .

I returned from the phenomenally sunny and warm Oregon coast on Saturday, and bid goodbye to my parents on Sunday. Now I'm attempting to catch up to my budget and finances after a week of walks on the beach, wonderful meals, and cable TV (I must admit, one of the real 'luxuries' for me was being able to watch HGTV).

I budgeted $200 for the past week, expecting to pay for part of the hotel bills as well as some of the food costs. The beauty of having family visit, however, is that paying one's own way becomes somewhat difficult. I asked---and was politely turned down---to pay for the first hotel we stayed in. At no time was I asked to pay for any meals or gas costs!

As for shopping, I spent roughly $45 on a sweater-jacket (in a style I have been searching for), but the rest of our shopping revolved around helping my mom find a gift for a friend who was watching their house and feeding their cat in my parents' absence. To be entirely honest, the boutiques we visited on the trip were so expensive I couldn't have purchased anything had I wanted to, unless I used my credit card. Which I did NOT do, of course!

So, I think I spent about $60 for the whole week on the coast, including my new sweater and some coffee and muffin purchases I made. We ate out a LOT, and I found myself wishing that we could just go to a grocery store, buy some apples, cheese and bread, and have a frugal picnic. However, it was my parents' vacation more than mine (I can go back to the coast any time I want), so I suppressed my frugal instincts, and ate much more richly than I have in a long time.

In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't spend my entire beach budget; I realized when I returned that I gave up an entire week of night work (meaning I also gave up an entire week of pay), so my budget is going to be somewhat tight for the rest of the month.

A frugal sale. . . .

Well, that was more work than I've ever done for $60! My yard sale, that is. The day (Saturday) dawned overcast and chilly, so my visitors were few and far between. Interestingly, I had my 'rushes' early on and then at the very end, as I was packing up. Although I didn't 'make a killing' as they say, there was at least one benefit to the hours and hours I spent going through boxes and decluttering my house and garage: I took everything that remained straight to the Goodwill. Meaning that my house and closets look much cleaner and emptier! So, all in all, it was definitely worth the work.

On a side note, as I was checking Craigslist to check out my 'yard sale competition', I noticed a posting that was titled: "The Dave Ramsey Sale". This guy was taking Dave's advice and getting out of debt by selling extraneous items (he had lots of sports equipment listed for sale). I thought that was wonderful! I hope he made tons of cash, and sent it all to his creditors. By the way, if you're new to getting out of debt, be sure to read The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey. This book, along with Your Money or Your Life, jump-started my motivation level and almost a year later, I'm still committed to getting out of debt (and I'm almost there---in terms of my credit card debt, that is!) Note: borrow them from the library first, before deciding to buy.

Now, if you've made it this far, I just have a little 'vacation' announcement to make. My family is here visiting from California, and we're off to the Oregon coast for a little rest and relaxation---and it's supposed to be beautiful weather there this week! So, I won't be posting until next week! We're hitting Cannon Beach (note to Marci: we unfortunately won't make it as far south as your town), and my goal is to try not to get back into my old shopping habits while with my mom, with whom I used to shop when I lived in California. In fact, the first thing she said when I announced I was moving to Oregon was "But who will I go shopping with"? Cannon Beach is a cute little town with loads of shops and boutiques, so it will be a bit of a challenge. I'll check in a week from today to let you know how it went!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

A frugal fable. . . . .

In keeping with my current thoughts about the definition of success in my life (more money, or more time?) I'm reading a great book right now, entitled "Beating the Success Trap: Negotiating for the Life You Really Want and the Rewards You Deserve", by Ed Brodow. I just wanted to share a fable that is included in the beginning of the book:

"A businessman is vacationing in a sleepy fishing village in Maine. He meets a local fisherman who is docking his small boat, which contains a few fat fish. The business admires the man's haul of the day and asks how long it took to catch.

'Oh, a couple of hours', is the reply.

'Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish'?

'Because I already have enough to feed my family.'

'Well', the businessman continues, 'what do you do with the rest of your time'?

'I sleep late, play with my kids, make love to my wife, walk into town every night where I have a glass of wine and play cards with my buddies.'

The businessman hands him his card. 'I'm a business consultant. I can help you out. You need to spend more time fishing. Then you could sell off the extra fish and buy a bigger boat with the money. With the income from the bigger boat, you could buy several more boats. If you play your cards right, eventually you could have a fleet of fishing boats and your own cannery. You could then move to New York where you would be able to oversee your growing operation.'

'How long will all this take?' the fisherman asks.

'Twenty years.'

'Then what?'

'Then you would go public and sell your stock for millions.'

'Then what?'

'Then you would be able to retire. You could move to a small fishing village where you could afford to sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, make love to your wife, and play cards with your buddies every night."

Wow. I mentioned before how I often come across the perfect article (or book!) when I'm trying to figure out something difficult or serious. This gives me something to think about---continue my frugal ways, live simply (no more fish than I can possibly eat) and enjoy my time now, or work long and hard, strive for more money, and enjoy it all at a point somewhere in the distant future?

Frugal families. . . .

I'm babysitting an almost-five-month old tonight for a friend who is using the free evening to go out on a 'date' with her husband. I love kids, so a couple of hours with a cooing, gurgling baby is my idea of a fun time.

The reason I'm writing about this? The parents of this baby are raising two young children on a miniscule budget, but I've literally never seen their four-year-old wearing the same thing twice, and my friend swears she rarely buys any clothing for her, and when she does, it's from thrift shops.

How do they do this? Aside from visiting the Goodwill on a regular basis, they accept hand-me-downs from everyone. Their daughter wears Merrell shoes (pricey, even for tiny sizes) that a pint-sized 'fashion plate' grew out of in about three months. She has an itty-bitty ballerina outfit that rivals those worn by the local dance troupe. She has these great striped tights that I wish I could find in my own size. And they paid little to nothing for all of these items. Same goes for toys. . .

One of the most refreshing side-effects of this thrift store/hand-me-down lifestyle is that their girls aren't covered in pink bows and taffetta from head to toe. Sometimes, the baby is mistaken for a boy ("what's his name"?) because she's wearing blue, green, and brown clothing that is typically seen on little boys these days. But hey, she's five months old! She doesn't know the difference!

Meanwhile, I have a friend (yes, my 'shopping buddy') who asked me what I thought about a pair of $39 jeans she was considering purchasing for her three year old (another fashion plate). $39!!!!! I rarely pay that much for my own jeans! I think the shock and disgust visible on my face was enough to communicate my opinion about overpriced jeans (or any clothing item) for a tiny person.

I love the fact that my friends who are raising their girls not as accessories to be admired and dressed up like little dolls, but as future frugal thrift-store shoppers who understand that real substance is more important than how much one paid for one's shoes.

A Frugal Fourth. . . . .

I'm in California, celebrating the Fourth of July with family. While I did spend a bit to come down here, it was less than my budgeted $200 ($192, to be exact) for my airline ticket. Since I'm staying with family, my housing costs are nothing, and the activities we've planned are no-cost or low-cost. All in all, a very frugal holiday!

If you haven't yet planned your Fourth of July festivities, here are some tips to keeping the costs low this year:

• Have a barbeque! Ask invitees to bring something for the grill, something to drink, or a dessert or side dish. You can create a fun event without having to take on the entire cost yourselves.


• Keep it simple. Create foods from scratch, when possible (home made potato salad, for example) and when that isn't possible, buy your hot dogs and buns on sale or in the store brand rather than paying for the pricier name brands.


• Borrow what you need. Need a BBQ? Frisbees? A croquet set? Why not try asking neighbors or friends and family if they have what you need? This could save some money (and some trips to Target) and you won't end up purchasing things that you'll use only a few times a year.


• Watch fireworks for free. In Oregon, there are tents set up everywhere selling fireworks. I'm sure many people spend hundreds of dollars on this stuff (judging by the fact that I begin hearing bangs and explosions at least a week before the 4th, and at least a few days after as well). Why buy your fireworks, when there are professional shows in almost every county in the country?

I wish all of you a safe, happy Fourth of July!

Apologies. . . . .

I'm sorry for my blog silence over the past few days! I thought when the term ended I would have almost two weeks of relaxation and school-free bliss, but that was not the case, unfortunately. How is it that I've been busier than ever?

I think what happened is that I've tried to cram so much (socializing, cleaning the house, getting the yard in order, making travel plans) into my two week break that I became overwhelmed. The worst part is, I've not been keeping close track of my spending---I'm afraid to look at my bank account!

This week, classes start up again, and I'm hoping with the return to this schedule, I'll be back at the blog on a daily, or at least every-other-day basis. One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2008 was to find a better balance between work, school, and LIFE, and while I've added more fun to my life, I've not cut back on work or school. Do any of you do this? Take on more than you can handle (or think you can handle), trying to take every opportunity, not missing out on anything? While trying to simplify my life (and succeeding in some areas), other areas are out of control!

In trying to get my life back, I came across some easy behavior changes that might help:

• Make time for yourself. Take a walk, meditate, or visit the park.
• Cancel subscriptions to magazines you don't have time to read (I have stacks of National Geographic sitting unread in my home right now)
• Cut back on television time. This doesn't apply to me as much, since I watch the news in the morning and that's about it.
• Stop being a slave to communication: home phones, cell phones, text messages, voicemail, email. All of these things are time-suckers.
• Say 'no' instead of 'yes'. Determine which activities you really have time for. For example, I don't have to work six days a week---I can probably work four, and still be okay financially.
• Focus on goals you'd like to meet. Focus on doing a few really well, rather than many in a mediocre way.
• Focus on values---I think in my quest to pay my debt and increase my savings, I've forgotten that I also want to have more 'down' time in my life, more time to meet new people in a relaxed way (not in the daily hour or two I have free between jobs and school).

I think the key to possibly finding more balance in my work/school/life conundrum is to find balance in the battle to destroy my debt. I've been so focused that other areas of my life might be getting squeezed out. I am still going to work toward repaying my debt, don't get me wrong. But I may need to slow down---I only have this one life, and I'm not sure I want to look back and remember working myself to exhaustion!

On the other hand. . . .

Yesterday, I wrote a post about some products that may experience price increases as a result of the higher price of oil. Today, almost as if pre-destined, I came across an article that actually discusses items that have decreased in price in recent months! Unfortunately, none of these things could be considered 'necessities', like food, shelter, and in some cases, gas. But all the same, it was nice to see that there are still some items that have been immune to inflation so far.

For example:

• If you're in the market for a new TV, guess what? You may very well pay less than you would have six months or a year ago. This is due to the fact that electronic items are designed to become obsolete in a very short timeframe these days----that fancy TV you bought last year is already 'old news'; you could probably pick it up new as 'last year's model' for a steal.
• My favorite, women's clothing! I've been oh so very good at ignoring my impulse shopping. I haven't even entered a Banana Republic in ages, much less actually purchased something there. But guess what? The prices of women's clothing have decreased about 4% over the past year, while men's and children's clothing has increased in price! Now might be the time to stock up on turtlenecks, jeans, and other wardrobe staples.
• Although airline prices are steadily rising, it turns out that hotel rooms are actually becoming cheaper. This slight decrease is a result of fewer business travelers---more supply, less demand = lower prices.
• If you live anywhere near a theme park, aren't you lucky? Why? Because people just aren't splurging on activities like these in the current economic environment. As a result, the prices for tickets have decreased accordingly.
• If you can't afford the theme park, how about a new toy for the kids? These are also getting less expensive, mostly due to low overseas production costs and a shrinking demographic (there are fewer 'kids' out there these days, I guess).

Now, I'm not actually encouraging you to go out and start purchasing any of this stuff---aside from maybe benefiting from cheaper hotel costs, if you have a family reunion to attend. It's simply nice to know that there are some things that we don't need to worry about, as far as inflation. I only wish my mortgage, my gas bills, and my grocery costs could appear on a list of things that are decreasing in price. . . . .

Frugal emergency. . .

My parents live in Northern California, in a small town that is basically surrounded on three sides by wildfires right now. Since the town is located on a ridge, there are limited options to escape if all roads are cut off by fire. At one point yesterday, a man came and pounded on their door, letting them know that they needed to "get out, and immediately". While packing up the car, my dad saw some search and rescue officials driving by in a truck, who told him that while they needed to be prepared, they didn't need to leave right away. Judging by the news reports today, it appears that the fire will be contained by Monday---unfortunately, approximately 65 homes have been burned, along with more than 20,000 acres.

I happened to see the news stories yesterday afternoon, and gave my parents a call, which is how I learned all of this. My mom was extremely calm, doubting that the fire would make it to the center of town, where they live (although they do live close to a canyon where the fire was raging below). I was curious to hear what my mom considered 'crucial' items to take with them in the event that they did need to evacuate.

She was incredibly blasé about the entire thing. She said they had packed up the computer, irreplaceable photos and documents, some clothing, and were prepared to get the dog and cat into their crates if need be. She said "really, those are the only things that have any importance. Everything else is just stuff".

Last night after I had talked with my parents, I looked around my own house, and thought about the things that really matter to me. Some photos, my passport and ID, my journals, my cats. That's about it. The rest, while comfortable and attractive, really is just stuff. I'll need to remember this as I struggle over the decision to move to a smaller (and cheaper) place (although, my little house is already less than 1000 square feet).

What would you take if you had to leave your home on short notice?

Frugal support, part deux. . . .

Wednesday, I met with a small group of people in the Portland area who are also pursuing increasingly frugal habits, attempting to spend less, save more, and basically reduce our own contributions to a society filled with overconsumption and waste.

While the group was small, it was interesting and included the following (names and genders have been changed to protect the frugal):

John: recently moved to Portland, and while the transition has been a smooth one, he wants to learn how to live on less and save more. He shared some of his strategies, which include using coupons, lighting his home with candles in the winter to reduce energy usage (this sounds so cozy), and taking public transportation when he can.

Ann: has been living by the tenets of Your Money or Your Life for the past two years. As a result of insight gained from the book, she decided to sell her house and now rents an apartment. She is also a fan of the Tightwad Gazette, which is a wonderful (though giant) book of hundreds (possibly thousands) of frugal tips. This is someone I think I can learn from.

Jeff: Jeff is an entrepreneur, and was primarily interested in issues related to consumerism, greed, and more 'global' problems. The rest of the group, including myself, were more interested in discussing what we, as individuals, can do to live more frugally. Still, an interesting person.

Mike: Mike is married with a child, and, like John, also recently relocated to the Portland area. He is also a member of a "green parenting" group, which sounds interesting. Although he's been in the city for a short time, he's already made contact with other vegans and those interested in forming a food co-op.

This was our first meeting, and I sincerely hope we can manage to get together again. I'm definitely going to suggest meeting with one or more of the people who were there to discuss voluntary simplicity and frugal issues in more depth.

18 ways I keep my grocery bill under $75 a month. . . .

A reader commented last week about my zero-based budget, but also wondered how in the world I can get away with spending just $75 a month on food (sometimes less).

"I would also really like you to post about how you get away with spending just $75.00 per month on groceries (amazing). I just don't get that, even for a single person with no kids. I just went to the store today, and even though I did not need stuff for actual meals (just "fill in stuff") and spent almost $60.00."

I’ve actually increased this item in my budget to $85, to (hopefully) make up for rising food prices. This week, I’m keeping track of what I’m actually eating (this should be interesting---I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night) so readers can see what $75 in groceries means for a single, fairly active woman like myself.

Keep in mind that I’m not suggesting that anyone eat like I do, because I suppose I do crave lots of carbs and cheese, and don’t always get the protein and other nutrients that I probably should. Anyway, in advance of sharing my diet for a week (yikes! Why does this make me so nervous?) I’ll share some of the tactics I use to get the most for my dollar without starving or feeling deprived.

1. Buy in bulk. I’ve discussed this before, and I’ll say it again: shop the bulk section of your least expensive grocery store first---then do the rest of your shopping. You WILL save money (and packaging) this way.
2. I religiously, religiously, check the per ounce or per pound price on the shelf stickers. If your store doesn’t provide this information, ask the store manager about it, or go to another store! By noting how much I’m paying per ounce, I know at a glance whether the 16 oz spaghetti sauce at $1.89 is cheaper than the 20 oz sauce for $2.05 (I should note that I am NOT a math whiz, so doing these kinds of calculations in my head is asking for a miracle).
3. Apropos of the first two tips, create a price book. It will take you some time in the beginning (you can also use old receipts, if you keep yours) but is worth it. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to determine that the “sale” price in a weekly circular is no less expensive than the regular price at a low-cost grocery store.
4. I purchase food that is inexpensive, long lasting, and can be used in many different recipes. Example? Potatoes! “Boring, boring potatoes”, I hear you saying. Not so fast! There are literally hundreds of recipes online that incorporate potatoes: casseroles, soups, frittatas, and so on. I recently made a potato casserole with frozen diced spinach, cheese and garlic. It lasted for four or five meals, and probably cost a total of about $2.50 to make. I also eat a lot of beans and rice, in different incarnations. Black beans are a great source of protein, and are fairly inexpensive. I haven’t quite committed to actually cooking my own beans (I buy canned), but am inching my way in that direction.
5. I don’t buy much meat or poultry. It’s not that I don’t like beef and chicken; in fact, I love it. However, in the interest of saving money (as well as for environmental and animal rights reasons) I’ve cut my meat and poultry purchases to nearly nothing. I’ll still order meat dishes when I’m eating out with friends, but I don’t use it at home anymore. I make up for the protein loss through beans, cheese, tofu (I’m learning---slowly---to like this) and something called ‘Textured Vegetable Protein’ (TVP) which is a meat substitute for many recipes. See my ‘TVP meatloaf ' post for more information.
6. I buy store brands (generics) when I can. This includes sauces, sugar, bread, frozen vegetables, and many other items. There are some products that don’t appeal to me in the store brand (black beans, for one), but if the name brand costs only a few pennies more, I’ll buy it instead. For example, my store brand wheat bread costs .82¢ a loaf. And it’s larger than the name brand loaves that cost $1.99! Sometimes I wonder about the ingredient, possible preservative, and nutrient differences between the two, but for now, the lower priced bread is tasty and fits my budget. Note: a friend gave me her bread machine for Christmas---she and her husband never used it---and I’ve been making a lot of my own bread as well. Last week I made spinach-cheese bread—delicious!
7. I shop at a chain called the ‘Grocery Outlet’ for items like shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, soaps, and cleaning supplies (sometime food, too). I rarely pay more than .99¢ or maybe $2.00 for these products. I’m also starting to use more natural cleaning supplies (which, coincidentally, are also cheaper). White vinegar is a wonder product!
8. Check Rite Aid (or CVS, if you’re on the east coast of the U.S.) for ‘buy one get one free’ or even ‘free after rebate’ deals for household items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shampoos. There are some great deals in the weekly circulars (which you can view online---Rite Aid even allows you to request your rebates online—no stamps needed). Just be sure that you only purchase the items that will save you money. I don’t know about you, but when I walk through the makeup section of Rite Aid on the way to the shampoo aisle, I have a hard time convincing myself that I don’t need a new lipstick or eyeliner.
9. I grew up in a home where dinners consisted of a meat or other protein dish, salad or cooked vegetables (or both!), and almost always bread of some kind. Basically your square meal, hitting all of the four food groups. Here’s where the dieticians are going to scream. I don’t do that. I work 50+ hours a week and take at least two graduate level classes each term---I have neither the time nor the money for a square meal like the kind my dad used to make. Instead, I try to find recipes that include all of these items (usually a casserole, stir fry, or soup of some kind) in one dish. If I can’t do that, then I’ll sometimes make a special purchase of asparagus, other seasonal vegetable, or salad fixings to round it out. Disclosure: I am not known for being a regular vegetable eater! I’m working on this, though, so don’t hate me.
10. Snacks for work and school consist of fruit (usually bananas), dried cranberries (from the bulk section), or crackers. Generally, I’m looking for snack food that is inexpensive, easy to carry in my bookbag, and not completely unhealthy.
11. Leftovers. I love them. I can eat the same thing for days and days if I’m craving it (like lasagne). Also, bringing food to work keeps me from spending $6.99 on a burrito at Chipotle every day. When I make a meal, I often ensure that there will be enough for leftovers or to freeze for later. Saves time and money!
12. “How can you afford to make lasagne”, you ask? I substitute expensive cheeses (like ricotta and mozzarella) with cottage and cheddar cheese. Also, I never, ever buy pre-shredded cheese. I buy a giant hunk of it and shred what I need using my Cuisinart. Yes, it’s a pain to clean up, but boy does it save money! Again, I don’t make meat lasagne—I just found a great recipe for spinach and cottage cheese lasagne that is phenomenal!
13. Coffee. I love it. I brew it at home and bring it to work in a thermos and a travel cup, so I never run out. I have a little four cup coffee maker under my desk so if I am desperate, I can heat up some water and have tea instead.
14. Free food. Bring it on! Okay, so I work at a university, where the free food is abundant. There are receptions and meetings where the muffins, bagels, coffee, tea, or even cold cuts and salad are available for those who are invited. When I’m at one of these functions, I take full advantage of the opportunity to eat on someone else’s dime. The university pays for this food whether we eat it or not, so I don’t feel bad about filling my plate and even going back for seconds. In fact, last week I was lucky enough to have a free breakfast (board meeting) and free lunch (labor union meeting). When our office was interviewing candidates for an open position a few weeks ago, we had both free coffee and cookies as well as the opportunity to go to lunch with the candidate (the office paid). Also, I work in an office where coworkers will bring in cookies and cakes and other goodies from time to time (I also contribute to this, so I’m not a total moocher)! Whenever I’m invited so some function or other, my second thought (after “hmmm, is this relevant to me?”) is: “will there be food”? Never turn down free food, I say!
15. Grow your own! Last summer I feasted on the most amazing tomatoes grown in my yard. This year, I’ve planted the tomatoes plus zucchini and lettuce, and I’m considering trying green beans as well. For other locally grown produce, I’m lucky that there are many, many farmer’s markets in Portland, and one is held every Wednesday (beginning at the end of this month) on my campus. I have to be honest, though: I’ve never actually compared prices between the farmer’s market and the grocery store, so this is something I think I’ll do when the opportunity presents itself.
16. I don’t drink much alcohol at home. This decreases my grocery budget substantially. I’ll have a drink or two when I’m out with friends, but this money comes out of my ‘fun’ budget, not from grocery money. If I were a regular at-home drinker, my grocery budget would have to increase. However, the warmer it gets, the more I crave a yummy microbrew on the back deck, so we’ll see how my budget develops through the summer.
17. I also don’t drink much soda. Although, in the interest of full disclosure, I am sitting on my back deck as I type this, drinking a diet Pepsi. In my defense, though, it’s from a leftover 24-pack from last summer, which has been stored in my garage all winter.
18. Top Ramen: not just for college students! This is a great, low cost base for other dishes. Lose the overly-salty seasoning packet and create your own chow mein using fresh vegetables and the protein of your choice!

Is that all? Probably not. There are so many ways to save money at the grocery store, if you’re willing to cook from scratch, buy in bulk, purchase store brands, and be creative.

Rice: a frugal staple no more?

Food prices have been rising for months, but until now, the cost of a food staple for millions (perhaps billions) of people (including me) has remained fairly stable. Well, this week the stories started appearing in the American news: Vietnam and Cambodia are limiting rice exports; Sam's Club is rationing the amount that can be purchased, and the cost of rice has risen 50% in the last two months, and has at least doubled since 2004.

Some of the perception of a rice shortage in the U.S. may be due to restaurants stockpiling rice, a direct result of stories in the media. I myself am fighting the urge to run out to Winco and buy the entire bulk container of rice, just to be safe.

With my frugal lifestyle changes of the past six months, I've learned to love many dishes that include rice as a major ingredient, such as:

Basic Black Beans and Rice

Enchilada Rice

Peppered Cilantro Rice

Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad

So what's a frugal eater to do? Well, lately I've returned to a staple of my college days: yes, Top Ramen. Only these days, I don't use the super-salty seasoning packet. Instead, I saute some veggies in low-sodium soy sauce (and sometimes in my garlicky Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce) and mix it all up into a chow mein type extravaganza. The Top Ramen runs 9 cents a packet at my local Winco, which is much, much less per pound than the sobe noodles that are also sold in the Asian food aisle.

Here's a wonderful, simple, tasty recipe for ramen noodles that I found on the internet several months ago. There are also several other good sites with great (and not so great) recipes using the always well-priced ramen noodles. Among them are:

Budget 101: Ramen
The Official Ramen Homepage
Noodle Son

You can even pen an ode to your great love of ramen at Ramen Haiku

Happy slurping, frugal friends!

Frugal driving. . .

The average cost of gas shot upwards of $3.50 a gallon yesterday, and there is some major squawking going on in the news, in blog posts, and in other online forums! As I drove the 3 miles home from the transit center today, I realized that I'll have to go over my budgeted $30 for gas this month---which is still not a lot compared to SUV (or other gas guzzling) drivers out there who are paying upwards of $300 a month to keep their vehicles going. I'm glad I was able to switch wireless providers, as the added $20 a month will more than cover my higher gas costs. Eventually, I'm going to buy a used, lightweight bike, and ride to the transit center in good weather.

When I read the comments about how much rising gas prices are affecting budgets, I can definitely empathize and relate---up to a point.

But really, we in the United States have been incredibly lucky to have had extremely low-priced gas for years---when I studied abroad in Europe (twice, 15 and 20 years ago), gas was over $4.00 a gallon! That was about four times more than Americans were paying at the time. Who knows how much gas costs now in Europe---but I can tell you, there are far fewer Cadillac Escalades on European roads, and many more efficient, smaller cars.

Second, everything else being equal, an additional $75 or $100 shouldn't be killing anyone's budget---if it is, I'd have to question what they're driving, what they've been spending on other areas (like mortgage, eating out, and vacations), and whether they're driving efficiently in the first place. The problem is, food prices are going up too---that means we're getting a double whammy in terms of how far our money is being stretched.

I guess the real bummer is that higher gas prices are here to stay. We will never see $2 gas again. So given this new environment, how can you save money at the pump?

Ditch the SUV and buy an efficient, used car. Yes, I know, there are people with families, and dogs, and stuff that they need to carry around in their car. Europeans and others outside the U.S. seem to get by without driving a Ford Excursion; I think Americans can probably survive it too.

Walk, bike, or take public transportation. Yes, I know it might take a little longer to get to and from work. Slow down. Enjoy the trip. Catch up on your reading. Take the opportunity to downshift. Make walking home or riding the bus a time to connect with your partner or your kids, if you are bringing them home from school or daycare.

Keep your tires inflated. This is something I rarely pay attention to. Luckily, I have a neighbor across the street who gives me a yell when he notices that my chronically-low back tire is looking dangerous.

Get a tuneup. Yep, this costs some money. But it might save you more than that in better gas mileage. Plus, your car will last longer over the long run.

Avoid idling. Now, this just annoys me. Walking past a line of idling cars at the transit center waiting for their human 'pickup', makes me crazy! It makes me want to knock on the window, shake my finger, and give 'em a piece of my mind. I don't do it, because I don't have a death wish. Turn the car off when you're not driving it.

Combine trips. I used to be one of those people who would run to Target, go home, remember something I needed at the grocery store and go out for that, come home again, then run out to the library. All of these places are within a two mile radius of my house. Making lists before leaving the house has helped me to group my errands within one trip, meaning fewer back and forth trips.

Slow down. Your parents were right. Slow is better. Not only is it safer to drive the speed limit, you'll be increasing your car's efficiency and reducing the amount of fuel your vehicle uses.

These are just some of the many tips that are floating around the internet right now. Can you think of any that I've missed?

Frugal economy. . . . .

CNN has an ongoing series that profiles American families and how they're reacting to our slowing economy (i.e., the recession). It's called 'America's Money: In their own words' Today's profile caught my eye, because it's written by a man who is working a second job, to "pay the bills", just as I am.

I really wish these profiles were a little longer and more in-depth, because I'd love to know several things about this person: for example, just how much (or little) does a Vice President make? Is he truly living a "lower middle class" existence? Does the wife work? Do they have overwhelming student loans or other debt? A giant house? Is he driving a gas guzzler, since his gas bill is $170 a week (mine is $30 a month)?

I'm trying hard not to automatically judge this person and make assumptions about how his family is living. I look at my own situation (also working two jobs) and realize that everything is relative, after all. I have access to great public transportation (hence the lower gas bill) and make use of it. I have a wonderful public library where I can stock up on books, read magazines, and study in a warm and inviting atmosphere. I live in a tiny house, although with an admittedly too-large mortgage compared to my income. My car is old, but efficient and reliable. I have access to great health benefits, retirement plans, and tuition remission through my employment. Yes, I'm working two jobs, but I feel like I'm squarely middle-class.

It's interesting to read about how others are handling their own financial struggles, if only to help me realize that I'm not doing all that badly. . .

Vice president of information technology, 32, Denver, Colo.

We purchased a home last year and I'm proud to see my children live in a decent neighborhood close to a good public school and have a backyard to play in.

However, since moving, unexpected expenses and rising costs have created a situation of struggle. I do have a fixed-rate mortgage, but everything else is getting so expensive. Last week I spent $170 on gas alone. I've taken on a second job, and I know as long as our economy hangs in there and doesn't collapse, we'll be okay.

My biggest frustration is I work very hard to maintain a lower middle-class income and lifestyle. We don't go on vacations, or rent movies. We just hang out and do free or cheap stuff. But I still work a second job and I miss out on school events and struggle to feel okay explaining this to my son.

The new epidemic: Affluenza. . . .

I've been waiting for literally three months for a PBS documentary called Affluenza to become available at my local library. I think when I placed my hold on it, there were 46 people ahead of me! Needless to say, I had totally forgotten about it when I read a post on WiseBread with a link to the documentary on YouTube!

The piece is about 10 years old, which isn't really a problem because the comments about American consumerism still hold true today. Note that in one of the segments, gas is shown at $1.28 a gallon!!! Wow. The most disturbing part, I think, is a segment in which a Disney marketing guru talks about 'owning' and 'branding' children----so they'll buy Disney products rather than some other company's plastic, throwaway toy. Basically, this documentary is a commentary on the U.S. 'earn and spend' mentality, how we got here, and what the consequences will be for our economy and our environment. I also own the book, which I promise to review at some point in the near-ish future.

The documentary has been divided into six parts on the YouTube site, probably because the entire video would have been too long to post. I've created links to each of the six parts:

Affluenza: Part 1 of 6
Affluenza: Part 2 of 6
Affluenza: Part 3 of 6
Affluenza: Part 4 of 6
Affluenza: Part 5 of 6
Affluenza: Part 6 of 6

Snarky note: Ted Haggard, of the New Life Church in Colorado is also briefly featured, talking about how to have a successful marriage/family life: he's the big-time pastor who was accused of homosexual relations with a gay man.

Mexico bound. . . .

I may not be able to post regularly for the next week or so, but don’t despair! I’ll be back!

I am off tomorrow morning for a week in a seaside village in Mexico! “WHAT?”, you say? “What right do you have going off to Mexico when you’ve got credit card debt to pay off? Who do you think you are, anyway”?

Well, here’s how I’m doing it---and I’m paying CASH!

1. My airline ticket was purchased by a family member, as a combined birthday/Christmas present.
2. We are renting a house in a small town, my portion of which will come to $500, or less than $75 per night.
3. Food: It’s Mexico. Can you say fish tacos and cheap beer?
4. Entertainment: beach (i.e. free)

And here’s how I came up with the cash for the house rental, food, and entertainment costs. About three years ago, I opened an ING Online savings account, and had $50 automatically transferred from my checking account each month. When I moved to Portland, I froze the automatic payments, until I was more familiar with my new salary and living costs. Then I promptly forgot about the account.

Last summer, I happened to be doing some personal finance reading, and suddenly remembered my ING account. Since I had completely forgotten my login ID and password, I contacted ING by phone and they were kind enough to restore my access to the site.

To my delight, I found that I had almost $800 amassed in the account! So that money, along with $300 from my hefty tax refund will completely fund my weeklong vacation in Mexico! I know, I know, Dave Ramsey would not approve, most likely. I'm okay with that. I'm taking a vacation that won't get me any closer to financial freedom, but since I'm committed to NOT using credit while I'm away, at least I won't be moving backward in my debt reduction journey.

'Preacher' Dave on dumping debt. . . . .

Since I've been sick for, oh, going on a week now, I've had a chance to catch up on some reading and CD's that have been languishing by the side of my bed.

Yesterday, I listened to Dave Ramsey's 'Dumping Debt plus Cash Flow Planning' CD. The first two CD's (in the three CD program) dealt with getting out of debt, and the last CD discussed budgeting.

After having read The Total Money Makeover and Financial Peace (both reviewed by Trent at The Simple Dollar), I was curious to hear what Dave sounded like 'in person'. Well, he sounds like a preacher, complete with the pregnant pauses, the dramatic enunciation, and southern accent!

The preacher aspect bugged me for a total of about 15 seconds, and then I started becoming inspired (all over again) to beat my debt, increase my savings, pay off my mortgage, and finally find financial peace! I could listen to these CD's over and over again, if only to remind me that IT (meaning financial independence) CAN be done.

The drawback of these CD's is that you really need to have read at least the Total Money Makeover before listening----Dave refers to his 'baby steps' and to other principles that are laid out beautifully in the Total Money Makeover, but he doesn't expand on them in the CD's. I almost felt like the CD's were created as a sort of advertisement, to entice listeners to sign up for the several hundred dollar Financial Peace University, which bothered me a bit. However, if you've gone to the local library and checked out his books, then I don't think there's a need to spend hard earned money hearing the same principles at your local church.

If you have a choice, read the Total Money Makeover, and then listen to this 3-CD lecture (probably both are available at the local library---although I had a good month's wait for the CD's). I would skip the book entitled Financial Peace, since it's just what Trent at The Simple Dollar calls a 'first draft' of Total Money Makeover.

And the best news? I'm starting to feel better!