From the monthly archives:

December 2008

I’m feeling cheap

by selfmademom on December 29, 2008 · 1 comment

You’d think a wannabe frugalista like me would be basking in the glow of ridiculous after-Christmas sales that I’ve been privvy to down here in the warmer climate of Florida. Who buys cashmere down here anyway?

But really it is all just a little depressing. Even for a sale whore like me.

I like the chase of a good sale. Perusing through the sale racks, finding that nugget of a deal. Now that everything’s on sale, where’s the challenge? The pursuit? I’m not that thrilled by the hunt of this fall’s jeans at 5 years ago prices. Sales aren’t that fun when there’s so much to choose from.

I mean, I’m kidding of course. I love loads of merchandise on the cheap. Only problem is that I don’t want to burn the extra cash on it. Even on the cheapest of cashmere sweaters in all my sizes.

Ah, my worst conundrum. So much to buy, so little to buy with.

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Traveling light

by selfmademom on December 22, 2008 · 1 comment

There’s no better way to save money on vacation than to visit your in-laws, who happen to live in sunny (I just jinxed myself) Florida. I’ve never been so excited to visit the state of bad drivers and outrageous buffets as I am after two days of negative temperatures and record snowfall. Whoever says there’s global warming hasn’t visited Chicago recently.

We’ll eat for free at the “club” and since there’s nowhere to walk to and virtually no car for me to borrow down there, we can all rest easy that a desperation trip to the mall (because I’m prone to going stir crazy amidst bad driver and buffet eating) will not happen. Unless someone else is paying. Which they won’t be because, well, they’ve all invested in the market as well.

So here’s to my trip to warm (doh!) weather, gorging myself on free buffets, and no jacket, mitten, hat or boot wearing for a whole week.

Enjoy your holidays.

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Sometimes you just have to give in to sin.

by admin on December 16, 2008 · 2 comments

And take your kid to Starbucks after a long afternoon of shoveling for his first hot chocolate. Might as well sneak yourself a chai latte while you’re at it.

Best $6 I ever spent. Had to get those madeline cookies too.

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Chaiwalla

by admin on December 15, 2008 · 12 comments

Ok, I’m a far cry from slumming it in the Indian caste system or my favorite new movie protagonist, but I miss my Starbucks nonfat-extra-hot-no-water-chai. A casualty of my new, frugal life, I can no longer give into my sugary, only slightly-caffeinated morning treat. At least every day.

A sure fire way to save a few dollars is to cut out the Starbucks. Even I can’t justify spending $4.50 on something I can make at home. Even though it doesn’t taste as good. Or gets me out of the house.

Since I literally live down the street from Starbucks, it’s hard for me to avoid the cardboard cups with their enticing green logos. What do I say when someone asks me for a coffee date? Sure, but I’ll bring my own tea? That’s just lame.

But I’ve committed myself to no more than 2 Starbucks a week. I’d prefer to only go once, but I know that chai attack will hit me hard one morning and I’ll give in. I really want this, but hello?? it’s not in my budget.

Do you guys have any tip for do-it-yourself Starbucks beverages at home? I’m sick of nuking my milk.

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Cheap chic

by admin on December 7, 2008 · 8 comments

In my quest for frugality, I’m trying to separate how to be frugal without being cheap. Frugal is cool; cheap is, well, not so chic.

For example, buying only the necessities (plus a cute hat for $9.99 ON SALE) at Target is cool.

I got the hat when I went to Target again two days later. For more necessities, of course.

But saving the remnants of a partially eaten (and ripped) bag of Goldfish instead of pouring your kid a new one, not so cool.

I mean, seriously people, even my husband agreed that we couldn’t throw this bag out. Then again, this is the man who saved three, count ‘em three pieces of elbow macaroni when we moved houses.

“Finding” $500 worth of unused gift cards and store credits in my file drawer was really cool. (Now I know what Oprah means by “found” money.)

That $10 gift card to Target is going to go a long way. Crap, I could have used it to buy my hat.

Using those gift cards to buy my friends’ kids birthday presents, hmmm… debateable.

In the quest to spend less money and save more, I’m finding myself just running into dilemmas like this: do I spend the $4 in gas to return the $10 worth of chicken salad that I bought from the store which spoiled in 2 days which I only bought in the first place so that I wouldn’t eat lunch out as much?

See what I mean? Being frugal cool is a lot of work.

I think I’ll go blow that $40 store credit at the Gap on myself tomorrow. It might clear my cheap head and I might look a little more chic in the process. I can only hope.

Tagged as: found money, frugal, Frugalista