Frugal wardrobe. . .

As I continue to cast a critical eye over my belongings (how did I get so much STUFF?), I keep coming across these projects that are designed to remind us how little we actually need!

First, I read about the Six Items or Less project, in which participants pledge to choose SIX items of clothing (not including undergarments, outerwear and accessories, of course) from their closets and wear only those items for an entire month. The idea is to emphasize how much we already own versus how much we really need. I'm embarrassed to admit that there are clothes and shoes in each of my three bedroom closets, and I STILL feel as if I don't have anything to wear! I considered joining Six Items or Less, but I really don't feel that I could create a work-appropriate wardrobe out of six items.

Then I saw this: Project 333. In this project, you choose 33 items to be worn over a period of three months. This is more like it! I already use about 20% of what is in my closet, and a project like this could help me to cull the items that are simply taking up space. I did take some clothing to consignment shops in December (ack! It's time to find out if they sold anything!) so I'm making a dent, but I want to try to create a more minimalist wardrobe with quality items that I actually like and will wear.

I'm not sure when I would have the time to go through my closets and find 33 items; I'm thinking in the spring, because I am almost positive that I will try to work less than I am now, even if it slows down my debt repayment. I'll keep you posted!

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!)

A frugal new year. . . . .

As I've struggled to keep a handle on my expenses while increasing the money sent to savings (and, hopefully at some point to student loan debt), I've felt the need for a new motivator. Some new goal or strategy to help me stay on track and learn new frugal skills.

I recently came across an article about a Colorado couple who, for the past year, have been living The Compact. This is an informal agreement that people make with one another to spend an entire year not buying anything new, except for food, personal grooming items, and perhaps some underwear (this particular couple also made an exception for items that they were simply unable to find in a thrift store, on Craigslist, or using Freecycle). The idea grew out of a anti-consumerism compact ten people in California's Bay Area made with each other in 1996. The idea grew wings, and there are currently over 10,000 members of the Yahoo Group associated with The Compact.

While something this radical will take some additional thought (and imagination), it's definitely an idea that appeals to me. What better way to 'force' myself to become more familiar with the thrift stores in the Portland area, while quelling my desire for new clothes and shoes (one of my vices)? Making frugal living a challenge may bring inspiration (and a fair amount of frustration, I'm guessing); more importantly, it will allow me to really 'feel' what it's like to live with what I have, rather than always striving for something new and better.

If I choose to take up The Compact for the 2009 year, I predict that I would not only find new motivation to reduce, reuse and recycle, but would also create a newfound appreciation for how good I really have it.

A really small house. . .

As I was searching for a home to purchase in the Portland area over two years ago, I remember thinking that I absolutely, positively, needed a certain amount of square footage in order to be happy. I ruled out anything that had less than 900 square feet, and although there were 'tiny' houses at about 750 square feet in my price range (and in attractive locations), I didn't even deign to look at them. "Much too small", I thought. "I need something that is at least as big as my house in California" (which, you may be surprised to learn, was just 1,000 square feet).

So, I ended up with a lovely 980 square foot house in a nice neighborhood that is unfortunately far, far away from where I work, in downtown Portland. Now I find myself considering selling my house in order to move 'closer in' to downtown, which means that I'll probably forfeit some space, whether I buy or rent. Now, however, a 750 square foot house sounds just fine! Since I've become more frugal, more committed to simple living, my attitude has changed. I no longer need a certain number of square feet to fit all of my stuff---instead, my stuff will just need to fit into the space I find! Now, this is assuming I make the decision to sell my house, which is by no means an easy one, in this market.

It was heartening to see, however, there there are others who feel that they can live in spaces far, far smaller than those that even I am contemplating! One of the homeowners interviewed for this article lives in a 100 square foot "wee house", located on a friend's property! In fact, a 'green builder' in Arizona has this to say:

"I'm not the Gallup poll, but I hear the same story over and over: 'We got rid of that big house, and now I have time to see my husband. Before, we used to work all week and then we'd spend the weekend on the house."

This mirrors the quote that lives in the far right corner of my blog, by Ellen Goodman, in which she laments that the new 'normal' is spending all day working in order to afford the house we don't get to spend any time in!

Now, I truly don't (at this point in my life) see myself in a 100 square foot 'wee house'. But the mere thought of it truly does help me to see that the only limitations I face are the ones I place on myself!

Frugal clutter. . . . .

Yesterday, in honor of Labor Day, I started hoisting boxes from the upper reaches of the garage, with the goal of finding items I could easily part with at my yard sale next Saturday. When I first began thinking about having a tag sale several weeks ago, I was afraid that I wouldn't have enough 'stuff' to sell. There's nothing worse than a yard sale with only a few items, and I just couldn't picture what exactly---beyond a few obvious kitchen gadgets and some furniture---I could sell.

The garage, however, turned out to be a veritable goldmine! There were more than a few boxes that had never been unpacked. I hadn't unpacked them when I moved to Portland over two years ago, and lived in an apartment. I hadn't unpacked them when I moved into the house I live in now. I realized that if I've been able to live without these things for this long, I could easily 'let go' and sell them. Now one wall of my office is lined with boxes and bags of price-tagged STUFF that I don't need now, and probably never really 'needed'. It feels GREAT! And I still have two more boxes to open and investigate. . . . .

Another benefit of this Labor Day 'purge' is that I went through piles of paperwork going back years and years. I filled my entire recycling can with shredded documents! My particular form of clutter-disease is made up almost entirely of paper (mostly mail) and clothing. Mail and other documents are stacked and stacked day after day, until guests are imminent, and then the stacks are hidden in drawers and boxes. Rarely are they looked at again (I once found an eight-month-old check for $1,200 in one of these stacks)! I'm getting much better at taking care of mail at the moment it enters my house, but again, it felt phenomenal to rid myself of these lurking stacks once and for all!

It was a bit like a geological survey; for example, I found old check registers ranging from five to eight years ago. It was incredibly interesting to see what sorts of things I was spending my money on, so long ago. The number of checks I wrote to credit card companies astounds me, and it's clear from the amounts that I was simply paying the minimums. Here's an example of just one round of credit card bill-paying:

• The Gap: $15
• MBNA: $55
• Macys: $21
• Wells Fargo: $35
• Gottschalk's: $24
• Victoria's Secret: $20
• Mervyn's: $35

I couldn't believe how many department store cards I had! And I was paying over 20% interest on those cards, no doubt!

So, my Labor Day was both laborious and educational. I learned that I've created and maintained much better habits, and that I'm not a prisoner of my stuff---I really can (and will, this Saturday) get rid of the things that take up space in my life.

Getting rid of STUFF. . . .

As I grapple with the idea of either selling or renting out my house, in order to move into a (probably much smaller) cheaper place that is closer to downtown Portland, I'm often seized with panic when I think of all of my STUFF that sits in my closets and garage. What to do? I'm definitely considering a garage sale in the very near future, to try to get rid of some of this extraneous stuff (I have more tupperware than you can shake a stick at).

Another way to get rid of this stuff, of course, is to donate it---especially furniture and clothing. I've made bi-annual trips to the Goodwill for years, dutifully dropping off my belongings in exchange for a receipt, with which I then reduce my tax bill for the upcoming year. But what about all of that other stuff, that no one would buy at my garage sale, and that Goodwill wouldn't want? Stuff like house paint I no longer want (I have a back door half-painted with Kelly Moore's 'Seattle Red'), half-used boxes of rose fertilizer (no roses in my yard), and a huge, opened jug of Murphy's Oil Soap (I have yet another huge, opened jug under my sink---I often purchased things on a whim, not realizing I already had the exact same thing at home).

Well, what about Freecycle? This is a group of people located all over the country, whose mission it is to pass along perfectly good items to others, to prevent their finding their way into the landfill. MSNBC even has a helpful how-to in Freecycle 'etiquette'. For some reason, I've always thought of this group as somewhere I could get stuff, not somewhere for me to get rid of stuff. And, of course, there's a group dedicated to the Portland area. For example, here's just one post to the Yahoo Group: Freecycle site, from a local resident:

"We cleaned out our garage today and have a HUGE pile out by the curb of housewares, toys, tables, etc. All in good shape! Please email for address as we aren't allowed to post on FREECYCLE. Come make our junk, your new treasure!"

I think I've solved my problem. Now for the hard part. Going through box after box after box of stuff that hasn't been unpacked since I moved to Portland over two years ago. If it's been inaccessible and unnecessary for that long, it seems as if it could easily go to a new home, without any feelings of regret or loss on my part.

Have any of you had a summer yard or garage sale this year? If so, how did you do? What items sold, and which were ignored? Any good tips for me?

Frugal consumerism. . . .

We're constantly bombarded with advertising and enticements to purchase consumers goods. On my commute to work, I must pass at least fifteen billboards hawking everything from new cars to furniture to garden ornaments. I get off the lightrail in the middle of downtown, and walk past Borders Books, Saks Fifth Avenue, and J.Jill before I ever get to the bus stop that will take me to campus.

I'm getting better at controlling my urge to shop---when I do shop these days, I'm paying cash, rather than using my trusty credit card. I'm also learning to be a more discerning shopper, considering not just whether those new boots will look good with my new jeans, but also whether the item will truly add value to my life.

I recently found a website called The New American Dream, which forwards the idea of conscious living and responsible purchasing. The site has a nifty little wallet-card that can help consumers snap out of a consumption-driven frenzy, by asking themselves the following questions:

• Is this something I need?
• Do I already own something that could serve the same purpose?
• Can I borrow one, find one used, or make one instead of buying new?
• Was it made locally?
• Was it made with environmentally preferable materials?
• Was it made with fair labor practices?
• Will it serve more than one purpose?
• Is it made well enough to last a useful ength of time?
• Will it be easy and cost-effective to maintain?
• Will using it require excessive energy?
• Does it come in excessive packaging?
• Can I recycle or compost it when I’m done with it?
• If I’m still not sure, can I wait a month before deciding to buy it?

I'm starting to ask myself these questions at the grocery store (is that packaging recyclable? Is there an option in the bulk section? Are those coffee beans organic, fair trade?), at Target (do I really need another white t-shirt? Aren't my 'old' towels working just fine?), and at the many othe stores I either visit or pass in the course of a day. Asking myself questions such as these on a daily basis creates a new consumer habit for myself, and ultimately results in fewer purchases that I'll regret later.

The tax rebate dilemma . . . .

According to an article at MSNBC, Americans may not be spending the upcoming tax rebate in the way politicians and economists would like us to. The idea behind the rebates is to strengthen our weakened economy by bringing more money to the market; Americans are expected to spend their 'windfall' on items such as TV's, clothing, vacation travel, and other goods.

However, it appears that at least some of us may be planning to use the money to pay down debt or increase savings. With the shaky state of the economy, families are wondering if it might be better to have that $1200 or $600 in the bank rather than frittering it away on a new, fancy BBQ or car stereo. In fact, much of the money might already be earmared for increased fuel costs, which according to the MSNBC article, won't do much to help the economy since most of that money goes to our overseas oil suppliers.

Despite the hints that the rebate money might not enter the economy for quite some time, some economists are counting on Americans' inability to live frugally. For example, David Wyss, a chief economist at Standard and Poor's, says this: "Americans have an amazing ability for self-deception, and I have full confidence that they’re going to end up spending the money regardless of what they say they’re going to do with it.”

I feel a bit insulted by this comment! Mr. Wyss is saying that no matter how smart we think we are, our instinctual drive to consume will trump our intelligence. For my part, the rebate check will be going directly to debt payment. This will (if all goes to plan) more than double my monthly payment to the credit card company, and will result in my credit card debt disappearing a full month sooner than expected! Now THAT is smart, and no amount of advertising or consumption lust will convince me to spend that money on items I don't need, which were probably produced overseas, anyway.

If you haven't decided how to spend that rebate check, here are some ideas to consider:

How about buying yourself some freedom? Freedom from debt, that is. Do you carry a credit card balance? Have you been ignoring it, paying the minimums month after month? Why not pay it down (or off)? Consider the satisfaction you'll feel as you watch your balance shrink, along with your minimum monthly payment.

Split the rebate. Are you a family of four? Are you receiving $1200? How about dividing that by the number of family members and allocating the money this way: $300 to debt repayment; $300 to retirement savings or emergency fund; $300 to the upcoming camping trip; and $300 toward that new TV or other purchase.

If you purchase, buy American! If you decide the use the rebate check to buy something fun (or necessary), make sure you're purchasing something that was made in America! I know, I know, this is almost impossible these days, especially in the case of electronics or appliances. However, the only way the rebate will serve its true purpose (to improve the American economy) is to buy items made by Americans. An alternative to buying a thing would be to travel domestically---this also benefits Americans.

So, I'd like to know: what are YOU going to do with your rebate check?

Life or Debt. . . .

This weekend, I picked up a book by Stacy Johnson (of TV’s Money Talks fame. . .), called Life or Debt. Although the book was published in 2002, it somehow seems dated (perhaps because Stacy mentions VCR’s and Walkmans). Despite the impression that the book was written in the early 90’s, Johnson does outline a fairly common-sense plan to get out of debt. In fact, there were a few times when I wondered if he had taken some of his idea straight out of my all time favorite, Your Money or Your Life.

Here are the steps to debt freedom, according to Stacy Johnson:

Step One: Compute your average hour after-tax, after-work-related-expenses wage. Just as YMOYL suggests, we need to find out how much we really make on an hourly basis, after taking commuting costs, food expenses, and clothing costs into account. Johnson includes his own instructions for doing this:
· Write down your annual salary
· Multiply this number by .7 (to account for taxes)
· Add up all the expenses (gas, food, clothing) associated with your job every year; subtract this total from the number in line two.
· Divide this new number by 2,000, the average number of hours a person gets paid to work every year. This is your true hourly wage.

Step Two: Inventory your possessions---everything, from the contents of the garage, to the attic, to the pots and pans in the kitchen. Write it all down.

Step Three: Go through the inventory, and make a mark by those things you purchased but didn’t really need or didn’t use. Do you really need two cars, three cell phones, two lawnmowers? Tally the total cost of the things you bought but didn’t really need. Multiply this number by 6.7, which will tell you the opportunity cost of these items. The opportunity cost represents the amount that you would have gained had you invested that money for 20 years at 10%. So, a $250 lawnmower you rarely used because you borrow your neighbor’s riding mower instead would have been worth after 20 years.

Step Four: Find items on your inventory list that truly meant something to you. Johnson’s example is an old backpack that took him through many countries. This exercise is meant to help you refocus on what is really important in your life.

Note: steps one, two, three and four are almost identical to information presented in YMOYL.

Step Five: Determine your 'Debt Destroyer'. Multiply your annual income by .10, then divide by 12. This is the amount that you will use each month to pay down your debt (in addition to your minimum payments).

Step Six: Finding that 10%. To figure out how you’re going to find that 10% for debt repayment, Johnson suggests writing down every penny that leaves your hands. Once you know how you’re spending your money, you’ll have an easier time finding ways to save (this is the ‘Latte Factor’ in action).

Step Seven: Begin eliminating debt, by:
· Not creating any more debt
· Ranking debts in order of fastest possible payoff (divide total amount owed by minimum payment; the lowest number is the first debt to repay)
· Build a ‘Debt Destroyer’---this is your extra 10% payment from step five.
· Pay off your debts, using the Debt Destroyer.
· When all debts are paid off, invest the Debt Destroyer plus the total of all of your old monthly payments.

I would characterize Life or Debt as a combination of ideas from Your Money or Your Life and Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, without the radicalism or the religious undertones. It’s a good book for someone who hasn’t read much else about debt reduction, and who is highly motivated. Personally, YMOYL and TMM both inspired and motivated me more than this book did, and I would recommend those over Life or Debt.

Do you know someone who might benefit from this post? Email it to them, by clicking on the link below.

Winning the war on debt. . . .

I am now less than $3,000 away from paying off my credit cards (again!) and becoming consumer-debt free. There have only been a couple of times in the last twenty years when I’ve been anywhere close, and I can almost taste the freedom. Then it’s on to the student loans and mortgages, but that’s another post for another day. . . .

After years of pulling out the credit cards to pay for clothing, gas, entertainment, car repairs, and travel, I’ve lived primarily on cash for the past five months. Although I’ve been ‘here’ before---meaning, I’ve vowed previously to deal with my debt---this time feels different. I truly believe that this time I’ll be successful. Why is that?

There are several factors, which, when combined, are helping me to finally face and conquer my debt ---and this time I know I will come out on top. Here’s why:

Discovering the blogosphere: debt has always been my ‘dirty little secret’, something to be hidden and tended to anxiously, while pretending to the world that my income was greater than my outgo. Last year, I discovered blogs---and learned that there are hundreds, probably thousands of people just like me, all of them struggling to banish debt from their lives. In writing my own blog, I feel like I have joined a community that supports and understands me and my ‘secret’. Not only have I been offered heartfelt encouragement from complete strangers, I have learned a great deal about the nitty gritty of saving money, increasing income, and getting out of debt.

Hiding my credit card: Of the many blogs that I peruse, and the many books that I’ve read on the subject of personal finance, debt reduction, and frugal living, one idea appears in about half of them. That is the notion that credit cards---in the hands of people like me---are a dangerous tool, which should be ripped from the wallet and destroyed. Having nursed my credit like a babe at the bottle, I could never wrap my brain around this. I decided on a half-measure: I would remove my credit card from my wallet and leave it at home, far from my reaching fingers. Well, I must be getting old, because I literally can’t remember where I put it! This has kept me from making quite a few purchases which---at that moment in time---I thought I HAD to have, whether it was a new pair of boots, a raincoat (of which I have plenty), an expensive haircut, or any number of unnecessary items. Perhaps I’ll never find my credit card; now that I have an (albeit tiny) emergency fund, I’m not as worried as I would have been five months ago.

Rethinking my attitude about ‘stuff’: I have been blessed to find a second job at which I can work from home, a couple of hours each evening. I do computer research in the field of environmental health---I read all sorts of articles about pollution, global warming, and toxins in our food and consumer goods. Depressing? Yes. However, learning about the role humans have played and continue to play in the degradation of the earth has made me much more aware of everything that I bring into my life. I pay attention to the packaging of my food and other items; I shun the offer of the ubiquitous plastic bag at the checkout counter, to walk my tiny purchase 100 yards to my car; I consider each purchase not only in terms of whether I want it, but whether I need it, and more importantly, what will happen to it when I’m finished with it? Will it go to a landfill? Is it biodegradable? Will it end up swirling in the Texas-sized vortex of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean? This has helped me to whittle down my purchases substantially, and conversely increased the amount of money I have available to make increased debt payments and increase savings.

In spite of my debt and the long hours at work and school, I feel incredibly lucky to have finally realized that I can get off the ‘earn and spend’ rollercoaster. That I have the power to change the way I live my life and how I spend my money. In September I’ll have paid off my credit card completely----after that I’ll begin the next phase of my journey toward debt freedom---and I’m looking forward to the challenge!

Frugal reading. . . .

Lynn Truong at Wise Bread very generously sent me her copy of Rich by 30, and asked that I donate it to my local library when I'd finished.

Yesterday, I rather hesitantly walked up to the counter at my branch of the public library and asked if I could donate a book. For some reason, I was a bit nervous that they would turn me down, or ask me to fill out reams of paperwork, or consider it a waste of their time.

Instead, the woman at the counter gave me a giant grin, and thanked me profusely. I felt wonderful walking out the door, and it made me think about all the reasons I love the library:

• I practically grew up in a library, first of all. I come from a family of voracious readers (with two librarians, a poet and English professor, and an English literature major, it's not suprising). My parents couldn't afford to buy so many books, so we hung out at the library on the weekends, picking out five or six books to last through the week.
• On a more practical note, the library has saved me countless hundreds of dollars over the years. Last year alone, I probably saved $200, primarily because my 2007 New Year's Resolution was to stop buying so many books and instead check them out of the library. I also borrowed several books for school, which I used throughout the term, instead of buying them at inflated prices at the university bookstore.
• The library staff is generally very helpful and friendly. They answer my questions and help me find the books I'm looking for. I've also noticed that they treat every person with the same respect, whether the person appears homeless, is a student, is elderly (or grumpy), or, like me, is simply clueless much of the time.
• I feel like I belong to a true community when I spend time at the library. I tend to see the same people over and over again at my local branch, reading the newspaper on the weekends, spending time with their kids in the children's section, checking email on the public computers.

It's a shame that so many public library systems struggle financially----but there appear to be many opportunities to volunteer (and, apparently, donate). My grandmother was involved with the 'Friends of the Library' group in my hometown, my mom volunteered (and was then hired) by the library after she retired, and I can see myself continuing this tradition when I reach retirement age (whenever that is).

April zero-based budget. . . . .

I've found that a zero-based budget is working fairly well for me, although it does require some tweaking throughout the month as unexpected expenses arise. I also need to think about my 'fun money' allocation, as it seems that I use this money for items that I wouldn't normally consider fun (like the notebooks I'm going to buy today for my classes). As usual, I'll be updating this throughout the month.



Here are the links to my February and March zero based budgets, for comparison.

Rich by 30. . . . .

Last week, while perusing Wise Bread, I came across a review for a book entitled: Rich by 30. I left a comment thanking the poster, Lynn Truong, for her review. Amazingly, Ms. Truong emailed me and offered to send me her copy of the book, with the caveat that I donate the book to my local library when I was finished. I happily accepted, and the book arrived on Saturday!

Although I had a friend visiting this weekend and was therefore busy, I was able to go through the book at lightning speed. It's truly basic, and much of the information presented will be familiar for anyone with an interest in personal finance. I commented to my friend that it would be an amazing gift for a teenager just starting his or her first job. How I wish I had had the wisdom to start saving (even just a little bit!) at the age of 16, when I got my first job!

Thanks, Lynn, for the book! I enjoyed reading it, and will pass it along to the Multnomah County Library system this week, so that others in my area can benefit from it as well.

Danger's gone. . . .

My friend left this afternoon, and as expected, the shopping and spending (hers, mostly) was a sight to see. Her current 'obsession' (other than bags, shoes, and makeup) is costly fabric, with which she's making these amazing little boxes. She buys cardboard boxes at a craft store, then covers them with velvet and silk fabric, embellishing with fancy ribbon. The piece de resistance is a flower made of ribbon, that she affixes to the top of the box. The boxes, while beautiful, are created with high-end materials, and are none-too-cheap to make. Not exactly a frugal past-time. I have to say, I did accompany her to a few fabric and notions shops in the area, and am guilty of spending some of my own hard-earned cash on pretty velvet---most of which I'll probably never use. Here's an accounting of the money I spent while my houseguest was in town (three days):

Dinner: $62.75
Velvet fabric: $16.50
Other craft supplies: $4.48
Pedicure: $26.00
Breakfast: $17.40
Movie: $5.50

Since I rarely carry cash, I used my debit card to take care of our dinner the first night, and also paid for fabric, for which my friend was going to reimburse me. Instead, she covered my drinks/appetizer/dinner and lunch the next day. At which time I felt that I then owed her money, and bought her breakfast. Now, I have no idea whether I spent more or she did---we didn't keep a close accounting of this. Next time I have a visitor, I'll do several things differently:

1. Save for the visit: I spent roughly $130 over three days---money that I could have had in savings, since I've known since December that this particular friend planned to visit. Had I saved $50 a month up until now, I would have had this money set aside, rather than taking it out of my checking account.

2. Carry cash: this will help me to pay for my share, rather than coming up with elaborate schemes in which I pay for dinner, the friend pays for lunch, and no one knows how much either owes.

3. Keep a close accounting of who paid for what: when spending time with a heavy shopper/spender, be sure that close attention is paid to what you owe---it may seem nit-picky at the time, but it can save money in the long run.

4. Don't get carried away by someone else's obsession: it was fun to shop for and buy fabric---I like being crafty. However, I have neither the money nor the time to be searching out high-end fabric and then sitting around and making pretty boxes. There are only so many people in my life who would enjoy a useless item (beautiful or not) like that.

There is some good news: I still can't find my credit card. Therefore, everything I spent came out of my checking account. This forced me to think about my purchases---I have a feeling that if I had been carrying a credit card, my purchases would have been even greater than they were.

I was happy to see my friend---we had a good visit. But it also reminded me of why I'm living a more frugal life. I don't need as much stuff as I used to think I did. Those pretty boxes are great! But they'll sit in my house and gather dust for about a year or two until I can find a way to get rid of them. Better not to have them in the first place!

Finally Frugal reminder. . . .

A close friend is in town visiting this weekend, so I'll be posting next on Sunday evening or Monday afternoon, with an update of how I managed to control my spending in spite of the influence of a "shopper".

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.

This is what I'm up against. . . . .

This Saks Fifth Avenue window, seen above, is right across from the light rail stop I often use. Luckily, I'm smart enough (and poor enough) that I've never stepped foot in the store. The salespeople would take one look at my Old Navy/Banana Republic wardrobe and my old Timbuk2 bag and immediately divine the knowledge that I can't afford a $200 dress (on sale!) Even during my days of wanton credit-card use, I went for quantity over quality (not that a $100 Juicy Couture t-shirt is made in a "better" Thai sweatshop than a $40 Gap blouse. . . .)

With this kind of advertising, though, is it any wonder Americans are over-extended and under-satisfied? You might 'want' that yummy orange handbag the mannequin is holding, but how long will that (probably $500) purchase satisfy you? How long until you're on the search for the next 'must have' bag, or belt, or pair of shoes? I have a friend who is constantly on the search for the bag/shoes/thing she has to have; once she knows her target, she spends hours online searching it out, weeks tracking it down, until finally she pounces----and these things are never cheap.

She's visiting me for the weekend, so I'm curious to see what her latest 'need' is. As for myself, I'm going to try to view the inevitable shopping excursions from the perspective of an anthropologist or sociologist, rather than getting swept up in my own need for more stuff.

Tomorrow, I'll post about Affluenza, a PBS documentary about the reasons behind and the consequences of Americans' need for STUFF. Soon, I'll also write a brief review of the book, which is one of the few I actually purchased last year.

Frugal utilities . . . .

One of my goals since last fall has been to consistently use less energy---both electricity and natural gas. I've been successful in this, although on the electricity side my bill was larger last month than it was a year ago----not because I used more energy (I used less) but because the per-Kilowatt price increased.

This just means that I need to decrease my energy usage even more, in order to make up for the increased price of electricity. How can I do this?

• Unplug appliances when not in use: I've been trying to unplug the microwave and the TV/DVD when not in use, but I think I'm going to start also unplugging the coffeemaker and possibly the computer (this makes me nervous, for some reason) when I'm out of the house.
• Lower the thermostat on the water heater to 120 degrees: I've been meaning to do this for ages. What's stopping me is that my water heater is under the house, in the crawl space. Along with hundreds (I'm sure!) of cobwebs and spiders and who knows what else. I need to bite the bullet and just climb down there and DO IT.
• Take short showers instead of baths: Wow. This one is hard. Especially in the cold months, there's nothing I love more than a hot bubble bath, with a good book and a glass of wine. I'm going to try to limit my baths to a few (3) times a week. I'll search the Salvation Army for an egg timer to limit my showers, too.
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs: Happily, I already do this. I had my local utility provider come to my house last year for an 'energy audit', and unbeknownst to me, this included about ten free CFL bulbs (he would have given me more, but I felt guilty!) as well as low-flow showerhead and faucet for the kitchen sink!

I'll start these new habits on April 1st, to see if this makes any difference in my April/May energy bill, compared to last year.

What's going on in the blogosphere. . . .?

It's pretty quiet in my personal finance world, so I thought I'd create a compilation of recent posts from other personal finance and/or frugality blogs:

Lynnae at BeingFrugal posted a great article with suggestions for frugal spring break activities. For those with kids, there are some helpful tips on how not to blow the budget while entertaining the children.

Along the same lines, FrugalMomLA has posted some links to websites for the pre-Kindergarten to grade 2 kiddos.

J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly asks the question, "how to live simply, without looking cheap"? Something I've struggled with as I attempt to have a social life while living frugally.

Meanwhile, Moolonomy explains why a penny saved is actually better than a penny earned.

The Simple Dollar (which I haven't visited for quite some time) reviews a book called The Little Book that Builds Wealth. This is book five of a series of investment books by Wiley Publishing. Today, maybe I'll do a search of the site for a review of the first in the series, so as not to miss anything.

As for me, I'm all set to go out and help and friend celebrate her birthday tonight, and am planning to eat before I go----and I'll be driving, so that means my alcohol consumption will be limited. I'm hoping to keep the entire evening under $10, including the drink I plan to buy for the birthday girl.

Getting there. . . .

I've decided to start a monthly debt reduction chart, to help me stay on the path to paying off my credit cards (then it's on to the student loans and building up my emergency fund). I've had a bit of difficulty NOT spending my tax refund on frivolous items (such as clothing), but I did manage to put a chunk of money toward my credit card debt all the same.



I started February with $4,404.29 in credit debt. I plowed $1,079.63 into debt repayment (thanks, Uncle Sam, for my ginormous refund)! This leaves me with a total of $3,324.66 in remaining debt at the start of March. I'll update this chart again at the end of March to see how far I've gotten, so stay tuned!