Money is pretty tight around here, but I have all I need and I'm going to work hard to keep it that way. One of my strategies is to find cheaper food alternatives so I don't get bored or feel deprived with the same cheap meals day in and day out.
The other night, I had my first bowl of ramen noodles because I had to. It wasn't even bad (albeit not good for you). I was chatting with M and we generated a list of things to add to ramen to keep things interesting and to get other forms of nutrients. We came up with stirring in veggies such as peas or carrots, cut up hot dogs and scrambled eggs. I'm sure I will find many more possibilities.
I went grocery shopping last night with my list of cheap foods and came across a question, are frozen or canned vegetables better for you? They're typically the same price so if I'm going to stir them into Ramen or other meals, I might as well get the healthier option.
So I did some research when I got home and discovered that frozen is much better for you, according to Fit Sugar. Canned are more convenient because they don't need to thaw, they last longer and don't take up room in our tiny freezer. But frozen don't have tons of preservatives.
Now I will learn the best way to prepare frozen veggies, since fresh will almost always not be an option for a while. And hey, the article even says that frozen is sometimes better than fresh!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I need to move
This post could have many other titles, such as:
The night I ate Ramen
My trip home
Drowning
Learning
I had one more surprise visit home this past weekend. My sister is in the Air Force and was home for the first time since November and it was the only time all year our whole family would be together. It was great to have lots of quality family time and get out of the brutal city for a while. I have pictures but I'll make that another post because right now I have bigger fish to fry.
One of the most eye opening parts of being home was the cost of living. My dad and I went to Perkins one morning for breakfast. My platter of bacon, eggs and a belgin waffle cost $4.99. My jaw dropped to the ground. In New York my orange juice alone would cost $4.99 if not more. As my dad pointed out, I'm living in a Mercedes world when I can barely afford my old '95 Saturn. He's very right.
It crossed my mind in the past 24 hours that I could drop everything and by the end of the month move home. I could stop living out of my means and work to pay off some debt, build some savings and be in a much better financial situation with my parents support. It's been stressful to say the least.
Originally I thought I would be here for a year lease starting Sept. 1 and then I would move on since I know New York is not for me. At this point though, I will completely drown in a year. I will be so far in debt I doubt I could work my way out and I wouldn't have much to show for it. So after a few long talks with the parents and deciding that giving up at the end of the month would be a little too harsh, I'm giving it 6 more months.
It wont be an easy 6 months, I know that going into it. But I'm not finished with my New York adventure and I owe it to myself to try. This blog will definitely benefit from the next 6 months as far as content goes because of my serious need to save money.
Starting tonight, August 2, 2011, I have $15 in my checking account, $17 cash and $1000.88 in savings. I have almost all of my September bills paid/accounted for except for part of one student loan. Not super but if I try hard I can make it. Tomorrow, M and I are going to start constructing a newer, cheaper lifestyle and plan for the next 6 months. We are going to start trying to find an apartment that's in our price range or maybe we'll find a third roommate to make it cheaper. That $1000 in savings is being saved for the deposit of wherever we find. I'm going to do some research to find another job, maybe something I can do online in the evenings so I can work it around my waitressing job. I have plenty of time just hanging out so I might as well be productive with it. I'm going to be smarter about my meals, grocery shopping and any purchases I might need (which really shouldn't be much, I have more than I think I do. There is a big difference between want and need and I'm still learning). I'm going to work hard, take advantage of what income I can get and just learn to live with less.
Today my flight arrived around 1pm (long story) and I went straight to work. Instead of buying lunch on the way I finished the bag of chips I had brought on the plane and I luckily found a tray of leftover breakfast pastries and swiped half a muffin. I was meeting with M tonight to discuss my financial situation. We typically would meet for dinner but we couldn't spend money so we made dinner at her house. I brought a pack of Ramen (another long story for a new post soon) I happened to have at my desk and she made eggs and we had a good productive conversation. It's nice having someone in a similar boat, as you as much as I dont wish financial stress to anyone.
When I got home tonight I used only what I had in my cupboards. I had some spaghetti left and ingredients to make a new batch of meat sauce so I took the time to whip that up. I am pleased with myself for working with what I have and just learning to do without. Tomorrow I will not get Dunkin Donuts, in fact I wont get it all week again. It's a want, not a need and I can/will survive without it.
I get paid on Friday and I want to have a game plan of what to do with my extra $189 for spending money. I want to stretch it to really get the most out of it without feeling deprived. I want to save some, get enough groceries, be somewhat social and most of all not be completely broke at the end of the two weeks. That amount needs to become routine and I need to learn how.
As a side note, M found out she owes taxes (file taxes online people!) so she will be doing a guest post soon since she is starting to see what it's like to be financially stressed and learning how to be frugal. She says her main goal is to be funny and I know she won't disappoint.
The night I ate Ramen
My trip home
Drowning
Learning
I had one more surprise visit home this past weekend. My sister is in the Air Force and was home for the first time since November and it was the only time all year our whole family would be together. It was great to have lots of quality family time and get out of the brutal city for a while. I have pictures but I'll make that another post because right now I have bigger fish to fry.
One of the most eye opening parts of being home was the cost of living. My dad and I went to Perkins one morning for breakfast. My platter of bacon, eggs and a belgin waffle cost $4.99. My jaw dropped to the ground. In New York my orange juice alone would cost $4.99 if not more. As my dad pointed out, I'm living in a Mercedes world when I can barely afford my old '95 Saturn. He's very right.
It crossed my mind in the past 24 hours that I could drop everything and by the end of the month move home. I could stop living out of my means and work to pay off some debt, build some savings and be in a much better financial situation with my parents support. It's been stressful to say the least.
Originally I thought I would be here for a year lease starting Sept. 1 and then I would move on since I know New York is not for me. At this point though, I will completely drown in a year. I will be so far in debt I doubt I could work my way out and I wouldn't have much to show for it. So after a few long talks with the parents and deciding that giving up at the end of the month would be a little too harsh, I'm giving it 6 more months.
It wont be an easy 6 months, I know that going into it. But I'm not finished with my New York adventure and I owe it to myself to try. This blog will definitely benefit from the next 6 months as far as content goes because of my serious need to save money.
Starting tonight, August 2, 2011, I have $15 in my checking account, $17 cash and $1000.88 in savings. I have almost all of my September bills paid/accounted for except for part of one student loan. Not super but if I try hard I can make it. Tomorrow, M and I are going to start constructing a newer, cheaper lifestyle and plan for the next 6 months. We are going to start trying to find an apartment that's in our price range or maybe we'll find a third roommate to make it cheaper. That $1000 in savings is being saved for the deposit of wherever we find. I'm going to do some research to find another job, maybe something I can do online in the evenings so I can work it around my waitressing job. I have plenty of time just hanging out so I might as well be productive with it. I'm going to be smarter about my meals, grocery shopping and any purchases I might need (which really shouldn't be much, I have more than I think I do. There is a big difference between want and need and I'm still learning). I'm going to work hard, take advantage of what income I can get and just learn to live with less.
Today my flight arrived around 1pm (long story) and I went straight to work. Instead of buying lunch on the way I finished the bag of chips I had brought on the plane and I luckily found a tray of leftover breakfast pastries and swiped half a muffin. I was meeting with M tonight to discuss my financial situation. We typically would meet for dinner but we couldn't spend money so we made dinner at her house. I brought a pack of Ramen (another long story for a new post soon) I happened to have at my desk and she made eggs and we had a good productive conversation. It's nice having someone in a similar boat, as you as much as I dont wish financial stress to anyone.
When I got home tonight I used only what I had in my cupboards. I had some spaghetti left and ingredients to make a new batch of meat sauce so I took the time to whip that up. I am pleased with myself for working with what I have and just learning to do without. Tomorrow I will not get Dunkin Donuts, in fact I wont get it all week again. It's a want, not a need and I can/will survive without it.
I get paid on Friday and I want to have a game plan of what to do with my extra $189 for spending money. I want to stretch it to really get the most out of it without feeling deprived. I want to save some, get enough groceries, be somewhat social and most of all not be completely broke at the end of the two weeks. That amount needs to become routine and I need to learn how.
As a side note, M found out she owes taxes (file taxes online people!) so she will be doing a guest post soon since she is starting to see what it's like to be financially stressed and learning how to be frugal. She says her main goal is to be funny and I know she won't disappoint.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
My Match Adventure
My Nana married a man she met online. My best friend is engaged to man she met on eHarmony (I think?). Although a marriage proposal is not even remotely close to what I'm looking for these days, I decided to give online dating a try when I saw a promotion on match.com. If nothing else, it might let me try a few new bars or restaurants in the area and maybe I'll meet a few friends since I'm still new to the area.
It started out as a source of entertainment every Sunday. I didn't take it seriously and it was fine by me if it didn't result in any dates. My girlfriends and I would lay around one of our apartments every Sunday afternoon, laughing hysterically at all the amusing profiles out there. Some people just don't have "the moves". I got a few e-mails, which made us laugh even more. I know I have grammatical errors and spelling errors on this blog plenty but these e-mails were on a whole new level. Big turn off. Pass. One guy just said "hey." Eh, sorry. Thanks for playing. Try again.
I was on the phone with my sister one day when I got another match e-mail. My eyes caught the word ninja and I started reading the e-mail out loud to her thinking it would be the epitome of weird pickup attempts. We were nearly in tears by the end of reading his profile, not because he was so weird but because he was straight up hilarious.
I slept on it, showed my friends, and decided to actually write him back. After a few rounds of e-mails, he asked when I was free for drinks...wait...you mean I'd actually have to go on a date with someone? A total stranger? Uhhh...that sounded awful. He could stand me up or be awkward or rude or clingy. And I'm enjoying being single anyway so really, what's the point? But my friends convinced me it might not be that bad and worse comes to worse, we have another funny story to share over dinner. Since funny guy stories are our specialty, I took one for the team.
I survived and didn't hate it. I've only gone on a few official dates and I throw all rules out the window. I forget what topics to stick to, I don't have any "moves" and I just am myself. I definitely had a few blonde comments and talked about an ex briefly but whatever, I was me. We laughed, he bought me a beer and it really wasn't that awkward. It could have been much worse. Whew, ripping the band-aid off didn't hurt as bad as I thought.
No idea if we'll talk again, which is fine by me. He's a cool guy but I'm not trying to date seriously. I'm just glad it wasn't a God-awful horror story. My membership ends next week and I will not be paying money to renew it. I will stick to the traditional ways of bar hopping with girlfriends for potentially cheaper results.
It started out as a source of entertainment every Sunday. I didn't take it seriously and it was fine by me if it didn't result in any dates. My girlfriends and I would lay around one of our apartments every Sunday afternoon, laughing hysterically at all the amusing profiles out there. Some people just don't have "the moves". I got a few e-mails, which made us laugh even more. I know I have grammatical errors and spelling errors on this blog plenty but these e-mails were on a whole new level. Big turn off. Pass. One guy just said "hey." Eh, sorry. Thanks for playing. Try again.
I was on the phone with my sister one day when I got another match e-mail. My eyes caught the word ninja and I started reading the e-mail out loud to her thinking it would be the epitome of weird pickup attempts. We were nearly in tears by the end of reading his profile, not because he was so weird but because he was straight up hilarious.
I slept on it, showed my friends, and decided to actually write him back. After a few rounds of e-mails, he asked when I was free for drinks...wait...you mean I'd actually have to go on a date with someone? A total stranger? Uhhh...that sounded awful. He could stand me up or be awkward or rude or clingy. And I'm enjoying being single anyway so really, what's the point? But my friends convinced me it might not be that bad and worse comes to worse, we have another funny story to share over dinner. Since funny guy stories are our specialty, I took one for the team.
I survived and didn't hate it. I've only gone on a few official dates and I throw all rules out the window. I forget what topics to stick to, I don't have any "moves" and I just am myself. I definitely had a few blonde comments and talked about an ex briefly but whatever, I was me. We laughed, he bought me a beer and it really wasn't that awkward. It could have been much worse. Whew, ripping the band-aid off didn't hurt as bad as I thought.
No idea if we'll talk again, which is fine by me. He's a cool guy but I'm not trying to date seriously. I'm just glad it wasn't a God-awful horror story. My membership ends next week and I will not be paying money to renew it. I will stick to the traditional ways of bar hopping with girlfriends for potentially cheaper results.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
I may or may not have a date tonight...
"I apologize to you if I don't seem real eager to jump into a forced awkward intimate situation that people like to call dating. I don't like the feeling. You're sitting there, you're wondering do I have food on my face, am I eating, am I talking too much, are they talking enough, am I interested I'm not really interested, should I play like I'm interested but I'm not that interested but I think she might be interested but do I want to be interested but now she's not interested? So all of the sudden I'm starting to get interested. And when am I supposed to kiss her? Do I have to wait for the door cause then it's awkward. Do you do like that ass-out hug? Where you like, you hug each other like this and your ass sticks out cause you're trying not to get too close or do you just go right in and kiss them on the lips or don't kiss them at all? It's very difficult trying to read the situation. And all the while you're just really wondering are we gonna get hopped up enough to make some bad decisions? Perhaps play a little game called "just the tip". Just for a second, just to see how it feels." -- Wedding Crashers
Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
You know you're reading a good book when...
...you're reading it as you wait for your macaroni noodles to cook and then when they're ready you're so distracted by what's happening in the story you dump them down the sink rather than the strainer. Yup. Definitely just did that. Wasted a whole box of mac & cheese. Good thing I just happened to have another box waiting for me.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Hobbies and careers
I like to work. I do it as often as possible, and right now that's hardly enough. And yes, that's with two jobs. I've seen a lot of people buy a camera and turn themselves into a business. Suddenly they're booking engagement shoots, weddings, babies etc. and actually making decent money while having lots of fun. Then there are sites like Etsy that lets people who are crafty turn their hobby into a business. I've seen graphic designers begin to freelance. I want to learn something, become good and turn it into a side business. Nothing too pushy but something that lets me be creative, maybe work with my hands at home on my own schedule, and that people enjoy.
If I'm starting from scratch, what should I do? What do I want to do? What would I be good at? Especially with the restaurant at a lull, I need something else to fill my time and bank account. Any and all ideas are more than welcome!
If I'm starting from scratch, what should I do? What do I want to do? What would I be good at? Especially with the restaurant at a lull, I need something else to fill my time and bank account. Any and all ideas are more than welcome!
Not what I expected
This weekend has been full of "not what I expected-s". I made it through the week last week without Dunkin Donuts. I don't know how I managed considering the temps were near 100 and I couldn't stop sweating but I made it. I had some less productive days as a result but whatever, I saved money and Miss Faith owes me a gift card!
It was payday and I realized I had about $17.40 left over after all my bills were covered for the month. Super cool. It's time to get some money out of savings until the restaurant shifts pick up again. Especially since I don't work at all next week, again.
I went to Red Box so M and I could watch movies, make dinner at home and save money. We got caught up with a TV viewing of The Break Up and didn't even get the movies out of my bag. Waste of money. We made a salad and it turns out I have a slight allergy to uncooked red peppers. My tongue was getting all itchy so I isolated each part of the salad and the peppers were the culprit. How bizarre, huh?
I FINALLY had a waitressing shift on Saturday and it went pretty well. I made about $110 in tips, unfortunately most of it was cash.
Neither M nor I had plans Saturday night so we met up for drinks, and even said "nothing too crazy". I ended up dancing on a bar at one point-the manager asked me to, I swear.
I woke up late for work and had to take a cab to get there on time. Stupid cash tips makes me think I have all sorts of extra money to spend. I figured my shift would kind of make up for the extra money I spent but I had 2 tables all day. Big waste of time and money. And later I found a $50 bill.
I wanted to go to the gym, grocery shop, prepare dinner and lunch for today but I needed a nap first. I didn't get out of bed the rest of the day except for to pay the delivery guy for my taco salad. Mega oops. I ended up watching one of the Red Box movies, Just Go With It, with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston, another big waste of time.
This morning I was running late (have yet to look in the mirror, sorry everyone!) and thought I forgot my phone at home in my rush. It's not as hot as I thought it would be, very pleasant surprise. On my walk to work I was psyching myself up for some office coffee to avoid Dunkin again. When I got to work, I had 2 free Dunkin Dounuts giftcards from when I signed up for their mailing list, over a month ago. One was for signing up and the other was for my birthday. Happy Belated Birthday to me! Then I heard my phone ringing in my bag so apparently I didn't forget it.
That sums up why I've been a little scatterbrained the past few days but I'm hoping to screw my head on straight and have things go more according to plan this week. After I have my free morning coffee.
It was payday and I realized I had about $17.40 left over after all my bills were covered for the month. Super cool. It's time to get some money out of savings until the restaurant shifts pick up again. Especially since I don't work at all next week, again.
I went to Red Box so M and I could watch movies, make dinner at home and save money. We got caught up with a TV viewing of The Break Up and didn't even get the movies out of my bag. Waste of money. We made a salad and it turns out I have a slight allergy to uncooked red peppers. My tongue was getting all itchy so I isolated each part of the salad and the peppers were the culprit. How bizarre, huh?
I FINALLY had a waitressing shift on Saturday and it went pretty well. I made about $110 in tips, unfortunately most of it was cash.
Neither M nor I had plans Saturday night so we met up for drinks, and even said "nothing too crazy". I ended up dancing on a bar at one point-the manager asked me to, I swear.
I woke up late for work and had to take a cab to get there on time. Stupid cash tips makes me think I have all sorts of extra money to spend. I figured my shift would kind of make up for the extra money I spent but I had 2 tables all day. Big waste of time and money. And later I found a $50 bill.
I wanted to go to the gym, grocery shop, prepare dinner and lunch for today but I needed a nap first. I didn't get out of bed the rest of the day except for to pay the delivery guy for my taco salad. Mega oops. I ended up watching one of the Red Box movies, Just Go With It, with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston, another big waste of time.
This morning I was running late (have yet to look in the mirror, sorry everyone!) and thought I forgot my phone at home in my rush. It's not as hot as I thought it would be, very pleasant surprise. On my walk to work I was psyching myself up for some office coffee to avoid Dunkin again. When I got to work, I had 2 free Dunkin Dounuts giftcards from when I signed up for their mailing list, over a month ago. One was for signing up and the other was for my birthday. Happy Belated Birthday to me! Then I heard my phone ringing in my bag so apparently I didn't forget it.
That sums up why I've been a little scatterbrained the past few days but I'm hoping to screw my head on straight and have things go more according to plan this week. After I have my free morning coffee.
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