How I’ve Been Making it Up

I guess this is why I hate shopping – because I always feel the need to make it up!

$27.15 cashed out from ibotta
$22.88 ebay sales (so far!  I have at least another $20 or so pending)
$250 dogsitting/housecleaning

$300.03 so far and there’s still a day left in the month (thanks leapyear!) and I would say that’s a pretty good bounceback in a week!  Granted, I lucked out when someone needed dog boarding for a week and their house cleaned!

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Five Frugal Things: The Recovery Edition

I did really well for the first two weeks of February but then kind of went ape shit leading up to and over my vacation.  I did a lot of spending….probably more spending in one day than  I do in 6 months’ worth usually.  I do this around this time every year – I use up my birthday and christmas gift cards and pretend to ball out.

Here is how I spent about $500 in 5 days.

• This year my only giftcard was a $100 Pier 1 Imports card – I ended up using it all and owing Pier1 exactly $1. 04.  That one was okay.
• $57 on booze – I got a nice bottle of gin and some beer and some wine and this will last me a month or so – definitely cheaper than the bar!
• $41 at Michael’s for home goods – I have been very careful about finding great furniture pieces for free but have been missing out on homegoods – everything I got was on sale and plentiful
• $114 at Nordstrom Rack – bath salts, good bubble bath, 2 nice tops, and 2 moscow mule mugs to complete my collection of them
• $60 between 3 different thrift stores
• $188 on an extravagant and wonderful birthday dinner
• $13 seeing Star Wars
• $20 miscellaneous snacks/drinks

I had a REALLY FUN TIME shopping – I miss the days of living at home and working in a mall when I could just shop and see all the cool clothes and everything.  I bought some new pieces to incorporate into my corporate wardrobe.  I carefully picked some beautiful decor pieces for my new home,  I took the time I desperately needed to care about my wants and needs and not worry about anyone else while also getting some time to enjoy some time doing girl stuff with a friend I rarely get to do girlstuff with.  I feel a bit renewed and was excited to go into work today!

So how am I getting over my buyers’ remorse?  Can it really be that if I really do love everything I brought home and don’t want to return any of it?  Here are 5 Frugal Things to recover from my sadness at the loss of the money:

1. I made a HUGE chicken pot pie and have been eating that since Sunday – I have 2 portions left that will get me through tomorrow.  My dogwalker took one portion and left me some broccoli rabe so I have something to work with for meals through the end of the week.
2. I listed a bunch of stuff on ebay and all of those will end on Saturday.  Miraculously my last Amazon listing sold on Sunday so that went in the mail yesterday and a whopping $2.71 will be deposited.  Enough to cover a trip to Dunkin Donuts and Chipotle (free burrito coupon – got a soda) from the weekend.
3. Hanging out at home with my dog instead of out right now – and plan to do the same thing tomorrow and Friday – Thursday I have free tickets to a show and will use my bus pass to get to and from!
4. I’m determined not to crack any of my new booze bottles until the weekend when I take one to my boyfriend’s – we usually just hang out at home with the dog and watch TV while he cooks something fabulous and I’m totally OK with that.
5. I’m looking around my living room at the awesome mix of things I’ve carefully picked from stores and excitedly plucked off the curb – there’s a reason I really only shop once a year…because I am resourceful and don’t want for much most of the time.  And even though it was a LOT of shopping – I do not need to carry a credit card balance. :)

$423.89

I’ve spent a lot of money in the past 4 days – probably about as much as I blow on MAGFest every year.  I bought a lot of things I needed (wanted) for the home, worth clothes, groceries, and booze.  I also saw Star Wars finally!

I Caved on Day 5

Yesterday was full of a lot of awesome things and I dropped some cash for it.  I don’t regret any of it because I went on adventures and caught up with people that I haven’t seen in awhile.

I went out to lunch with a friend that got me this job and then my boss ended up with an extra ticket to a Pig Iron fundraiser that ended up being a wonderful offbeat cabaret.

Day 3 – 5 Frugal Things

1. So far today I have found 12 cents on the ground and there’s still one more walk to be had!  Walking for most of my urban commute and walking my dog at least 3 times a day gives me a lot of time watching the ground in front of me and I have a burger bank filling with found money.  I found a $10 bill a few weeks ago!!
2. My boss went out to Chinese and understands my love of food AND free stuff and brought me back leftovers.  It was some really flat noodle and noodles that had the consistency of worms but was flavorful!  I have’t bought lunch at work all week because I’m swapping meals with my dogwalker and she gifted me with a particularly hefty ziploc bag of turkey chilli.
3. I am a Starbucks nut – I haven’t had Starbucks once this week (yet) even though I have a free one on my app!  I’ve been making my own coffee and either bringing it in or just trying REALLY HARD to drink less.
4. I was supposed to do a sidegig today but it was rainy and gross and my dog comes along so I was able to move it to tomorrow – I’ll work while my dog plays with his dog then come home and try to find parking.  I don’t mind the work I just hate the hassle of the ONLY downfall of my neighborhood….parking is a bitch.
5. Swagbucks appears to be down for maintenance….so I’m running Perk instead.  Always have a backup.

Day 2 and It’s Already Rough

It was a stressful day and I was bummed so here’s my 5 Frugal Things about it:

1. I still had iced coffee from last night and I somehow made that one jar last all day!  I drank water all day instead of coffee or soda….totally not normal but let’s see if I can make it 2 days!
2. I did actually walk to the Starbucks after a particularly stressful morning…stopped at the steps…and just walked around the block and went back to work.  I didn’t need the boost or to waste my free beverage….so I didn’t and I went back home!
3. It would appear that I forgot to take my crockpot out of the fridge and actually cook my baked potato soup for dinner and food for the rest of the week.  I can’t do it tomorrow because I will be gone for over 12 hours and that will kill it!  Luckily I was able to make myself an egg sandwich (with a glass of wine) and still have enough turkey chili at work for another meal so I am prepared.
4. I’m very excited to have a pop tart and glass of milk for dessert. Cheap pop tarts are delicious pop tarts.
5. I didn’t buy a lear jet….or anything for that matter.

Day 1 of Half-Month Spend Fast

I seem to always unravel mid-month so I plan to go really strong for these first 2 weeks and will not spend money (does not include bills/utilities) until Wednesday, February 17 when I am having dinner with friends and kicking off a vacation.

So here are 5 Frugal Things today:

1. Today someone gave me two free tickets to see Funnyman at the Arden at the dn of the month – so pumped!  I love live theatre but it is so expensive these days.
2. My dogwalker and I exchange meals mid-week to fight leftover fatigue.  Last week she threw a bag of chili in my freezer and I took it to work for lunch today…well it thawed to what seemed like 3 times the amount so I think it will tide me over for 2-3 more lunches!  SCORE!  I’ll be thanking her with baked potato soup that will be going in the crockpot tomorrow
3. I wrapped up a $15 Swagbucks Amazon giftcard yesterday so I started from almost 0 today – would really like to at least hit my basic goals every day but it entirely depends on whats going on.
4. I have a free Starbucks drink on my app and I’m going to see how long before I use it – I made a large jar today and have some leftover iced coffee for tomorrow!
5. Currently my favorite bottle of wine cost $10.  I don’t need that fancy shit.