LRJohnson Saves

Standard Recap Info:
I spent $1592 a month last year. My Challenge savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 10 months = $5,660.

Add to that $263 in “savings” and $24.48 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $5,947.48. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $4,137.84 living on CA Minimum Wage for 10 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I had $9.27 in extra income from recycling this month.
** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability, but I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month (for the last 6 months of the Challenge) to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.
***$703.82 is the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses; this does NOT include my savings and emergency funds. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $55 for auto insurance every month, but only spend it twice a year.

Yesterday I went out into the frenzy, and made it home alive. I went to the mall-gasp!-but bought two pairs of undies, deposited a bunch of checks at my credit union, and made my getaway. I stopped by the bread thrift store, and spent $5.99, including $1.99 for 8 very nice looking croissants. Third stop, used bookstore, brought a bag in for trade, and with that bag and some previous trade credit, bought some books as presents and some books for me. Last stop, grocery shopping at the Canned Foods outlet. A lot of other shoppers didn’t look too happy, so I didn’t feel I was missing out on a festive vibe.

I’m working right now on round two of present wrapping. I did a big binge a week or so ago, and wrapped around ten or fifteen. (In getting lots of gifts at garage sales and the like, I have more medium and small gifts, and fewer large gifts. That’s okay with me.) I need to wrap all the gifts for work folks early, so that I can bring them in this week. I find wrapping presents very satisfying, fulfilling even.

Nothing more to report on the weekend, except that I made two batches of plum jam. My Guy isn’t into giving gifts with work folk, but since he likes them I have talked him into bringing in a little half pint of jam with a ribbon. He made the last round of apple jelly, and we did the plum and blackberry batches together the time before that, so it’s not as if he’s taking advantage of my labor.

This week will be busy for me at work. I know many people are off, and fore many others it’s a pretty loosy goosey time, but I’ll be hopping. It’s good for me.

Tonight I’m tossing out some underwear. They are springing little white elastic threads everywhere, and it’s time for them to go. I thought to myself, “I have enough underwear, I can toss a pair.” Then I remembered that some of my new underwear weren’t black, and that I had a decision to make.

A little too much information, but I prefer all black underthings. They always match. I could never understand the lure of a pretty blue and yellow floral bra, because with pink and black lace underpants they look awful. I decided that I should go black and white, but that didn’t look great either, so then I went black. Could be different materials or cuts, but black.

After many years of underclothes harmony, I got a free pair of underwear as a sample: turquoise. I didn’t realize it was a harbinger of colors to come.

I decided later that a nude bra would be in order, because nude is the least visible with certain tops. So then there were two.

Then my co-worker opens a pack of underwear, and realized she got the wrong cut, so she kicks them down to me. Now I’ve got freaking white, pink, and lavender, as well as black and the turquoise. And to top it all off, I get a huge back of Freecycle clothes, and shudder all you want, but there was a white bra that fit and I started wearing it.

So now all my underclothes are a mess. And I’m thinking of tossing a black pair of undies? Man. So then I’m thinking, okay, well, I’ll just buy some more black underwear at Ross (usually decent selection and $1.49 to $2.99 a pair….these last ones I’m tossing gave me seven years of good service). I’ll suck it up and toss the beige bra, because it’s not worn out but it’s just not so great, and I’ll toss the Freecycle bra, because if it’s something you don’t want to admit to wearing, maybe you shouldn’t wear it, right?? And besides it’s wearing out.

Which leaves me with the colored underwear. So I think to myself, well, I have sleep socks (anklet socks that are pretty much dead but are good for sleeping,) so I’ll just have sleep underwear.

And where does that leave me? I’m a crazy lady with different sets of underclothes for night and day. I'm also a crazy lady who writes about her drawers on a blog that people she knows in real life reads. Not gonna read this one to your friends, huh, Dad?

I am using a budget on My Challenge, because I do need to monitor spending pretty closely to achieve my goals. The mentions of budgets on other blogs and posts have interested me, because this budget is the first time I’ve used one, and I feel like I’ve been able to peek over the fence from No Budget Land into Budget Forest.

I track every penny I spend. I have done so since April 1998, so I can see that I had $10,304 in income in 1998, or that I spent $248 on auto service in 2002, or $225 on Books in 2004. It’s all there, every smart expense and every dumb expense.

I’ve never budgeted, though. My goal has been threefold: to always get a good deal on what I do buy, to avoid buying things that I don’t need, and to always put as much in savings as possible. In the eight years I have almost always saved much, much more than ten percent of my income; the times I haven’t have been when I’ve worked part time at minimum wage and had debt.

I’m not sure if I’ll keep budgeting after My Challenge is over. To be honest, I don’t need to. I don’t need to, as in, even pre-Challenge I was living well below my means. I don’t need to, in that I’ve always had a cushion and never been unprepared to pay a surprise car repair bill or the like. My income has gone up quite a bit over the last few years, over 300%, but my spending hasn’t even begun to approach that increase. That’s the benefit of being frugal. I could afford to buy coffee everyday now if it was important to me; I still brew my coffee at home on a free coffeepot with Grocery Outlet whole beans and stick the coffee in my beat up Stanley thermos I got for $5 at a garage sale. (Yeah, $5 is a lot for a thermos, but it was a Stanley so I went for it.) I get maybe 3 to 4 fancy coffees a year and enjoy them as treats.

I’m not anti-budget. I know some people who are spending more than they make, or getting unpleasantly surprised at Christmas or when other large expenses roll around, would be better off budgeting. I suppose I have a decision to make come March!

(For My Challenge I’m using the YouNeedaBudget spreadsheet (youneedabudget.com) that I bought from a savingadvice member. If I keep budgeting, I’ll stick with this program, because I like it.)

This week I walked to work four days out of five. On Friday I had people over to play poker. Today, I got together with a good friend, and we walked a couple miles and talked, and I even got a fancy pants coffee at a local place. Then My Guy, myself, Ms. Friend and Mr. Friend got together and had a grand time, having a cheese party. Mr. Friend is the cheese manager at the local co-op, and has all sorts of tasty cheese, and I added some. We had an aged blue “Costello,” an aged swiss, a gouda-like “lambchopper” an aged pepper corn jack “rumiano”, and brie, with two rustic breads, a variety of olives, and apple and pear.

I always adore food, and I’ve really been working at being more social, and I’ve very much wanted to walk more, so this has been a great week.

On the money front, a great time never needs to break the bank-a dip into the underused grocery money for some fancy cheese fits in fine with my budget, as all along I’ve been trying to prove that frugality certainly doesn’t equal deprivation. The cheese probably was more detrimental to the whole health thing, but man oh man do I love cheese.

I love it when a week goes well.

My Guy has been walking to work, and I’ve been a bit too. We've noticed that there is such a culture of driving that people always ask, “Need a ride?” “Car in the shop?” and the like. Clearly our co-workers are trying to be helpful, but it’s just a little funny that walking is seen as so odd. My Guy’s walk is longer, and even I fall into the trap. Mine is one mile one way, his is 2-1/2 miles on way. So on a morning I walk, I’ll say, “You can take my car today so you don’t have to walk!” What is wrong with me? Walking to and from work should be seen as lucky-lucky that a person lives so close to work. It was a little cold today, but it felt a little brisk, and I got to really wake up on the way to work.

My wild spending this month is $400 rent, a $5 burrito, $7.82 on groceries, and $79 for my car registration. I am not sure how people spend so often. A large part of my ability to live on a small income has got to be to be my lack of desire to shop, to run errands that require expense. The burrito My Guy picked up, and the car registration I paid online, so only the $7.82 was spent “outside.”

How do people get coffee and soda and an item here and there all the time? Forget the cost; even if I had a gift card, I’m just not into going and buying. On a Saturday I can enjoy garage sales, but other than that, shopping is more of a chore. Being at airports lately has reduced me to the “buy a single beverage” state; my norm is to have club soda in my car, at work, and in my purse. A large part is the cost, but there is also the convenience...I don’t want to be bothered stopping by the store or vending machine if I’m thirsty. Beverages are a big part, but not all of it. A run to Walgreen’s for just nail polish? I use the stuff (toes) but I would not use my work break to run to the store for only that item.

Why am I riled up? Dunno. Just saw a lot of single purchase store runs going on today. If you stopped and got a coffee today, relax, I’m not against it, I just really don’t understand it. You are a more patient and less lazy person than I.

I’m spending an average of $979 a month! Whoo hoo!

$3,541.57 for my $20 Challenge-see below!

November figures are here, and I’m alive. You can see why I haven’t posted in a week...deep shame at my entertainment spending in November. $36.76! What was I thinking! Well, I kid, it’s not why I was gone a week and it’s not that bad a total. What is upsetting is not that I spent on entertainment, but that I spent a lot of it on takeout that did not give me pleasure. If I’d spent that money on seeing a show or something, I’d be perfectly happy to reduce spending in other areas to give myself pleasure.

Other areas did happen to be low. I spent so much on groceries in October that I needed little this month; the total even includes $25 in treats from Trader Joe’s (fancy soda, veggie booty, etc.) Health co-pays were much lower too-I get a lot of prescriptions by mail for three months at a time, so my expenses fluctuate.

The miscellaneous is postage. Long story. Well, no, just an uninteresting story.

I expect electric to jump in December; it has been cold enough in the house to see our breaths with ease, so we are doing some heater usage.

I don’t expect gifts to be too high in December; I have $26.25 going in, and I bumped my December gift budget to $40, so I have $66.25 to finish Christmas shopping. I am mostly done but I do have a couple big people left. We’ll see how it goes.



I spent $1592 a month last year. My savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 9 months = $5,094.

Add to that $233 in “savings” and $24.21 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $5,351.21. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $3,541.57 living on CA Minimum Wage for 9 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I had no extra income this month (no recycling) and no overspent categories from last month.
** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability. Wrong! I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***$757.87 is the sum of the positive numbers; that’s the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses; this does NOT include my savings and emergency funds. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $13 for AAA and car registration every month, but have yet to spend it because it has yet to be due. That’s why the balance is up to $117. I pay registration in December-so I’ve been preparing for my once a year $79 expense all year long.

There is a little something about the excess of the season that is sometimes overwhelming. I’m getting flyers in my mailbox offering good deals on things that I just can’t see anyone ever needing or even wanting. Some are items I’d be hard pressed to pick up at a garage sale. I’m a minimalist, but even so, some of these items I’d have a hard time buying as a gift for people for $1. I don’t want to single out any particular item, because one, there are so very many, and two, it may be something you bought today.

Oddly enough, the part of Christmas I like best is the gift giving. I was raised secularly. I am not from a large or close family, so the holidays are not a reunion time for me. I am not into entertaining, or cooking, or decorating. I find a lot of Christmas decorations tacky. I just love the excuse to buy people gifts!

I’m perfectly aware that my preference is just that. I know people who are absolutely giddy with the joy of decorating, but think the gift giving is commercial and best avoided. I know others who find the cooking the most fun, producing cookie after cheese ball after cookie. Others I know focus sincerely on the spiritual aspects of the holiday, and gifts may be tolerated and understated, and certainly secondary.

As long as someone is enjoying the holiday, I support it. It bums me out when someone is getting overtired or expects herself to produce The Perfect Christmas or tries to cook a seven course meal for ten people without the ability or desire. If there is a part of Christmas getting someone down, I think they should let it go! Get Chinese takeout! Make the kids do all the decorations! I think things that should be optional and not forced include gift giving, and that a person should be free to not do it, or scale it down to a place that feels right. I’m glad that I get to buy gifts for fun, and I’m glad don’t have a bunch of forced expectations and a list of people I have to buy a gift for. I’m perfectly happy giving gifts to people I want to give to, and that includes folks I know are not gift givers.

A benefit of being thrifty, and being so very open about it, is that I don’t believe I am generating the forced reciprocity deal that sometimes happens when a gift is given and the gifted didn’t see it coming. If a co-worker finds a little something on their desk, since they know it probably cost me less than a couple bucks or maybe even just some time, I’m not worried about them having to run home and come up with something to give me in return. I know a lot of people who aren’t into the co-worker gift thing. But they seem able to see my jar of jam or good condition used book or little trinket as a nice gesture, without strings attached. It’s an odd but very pleasant side effect of frugal giving.

This year I’ve been even more frugal, and that has opened my eyes to being on the lookout all year long...I was Christmas shopping at garage sales in May, at thrift stores, in Europe in September. That was another benefit of My Challenge-by thinking of people all year long, I was able to get some very nice gifts, some exceptionally well suited gifts, for very low prices.

People also know I get a kick out of getting frugal gifts. Last year, a buddy was having a financial rough patch (bought second home and first home didn’t sell for a while). She mentioned all the purging she had done moving from a big house to a little house. Well it turned out she mentioned having too many pizza roller/cutters, and I told her that I would love to get a pizza cutter and that I had been having a hard time spotting one at a thrift store. I got a roller, used but awesome, wrapped for a Christmas present and I loved it. I got the perfect gift and she saved money and all was well with the world.

The library alternates the Buck-a-bag sales with regular sales, where the paperbacks are all a quarter and the hardbacks are all fifty cents. I spent a whopping $4.50. It strikes my funny bone that some of the books seemed overpriced at those prices. I understand that for convenience it’s much, much easier to have one price, instead of individually pricing, but I’d grab a hardback and think, “for a quarter, I’d think about it.”

I did eat a traditional turkey dinner, but it was not at my house so I don’t have any leftovers. For me that’s a good thing: I can overeat if it is in front of me. However I did grab the turkey carcass, which was in pieces, and a bunch of the juices. I boiled the carcass and juices with some water, and have three quarts of incredibly rich broth, and two pints of shredded turkey with broth, in the freezer.

I made an odd concoction again. I took chicken thighs and split peas, and added some last bits of leftover pesto, and some mustard. The spicy brown mustard was almost out, and I wanted to clear out the fridge, so I put hot water in, shook, and put it in crockpot. I decided to finally get rid of a ½ gallon of pickle juice I’ve been saving for a year, because for me it’s not frugal if I don’t use it. However I did put a couple cups into the crock pot. Surprisingly, the chicken-split pea-pesto-mustard-pickle juice thing is quite tasty.

Sometimes I get frustrated that I don’t post enough, or that I don’t post enough of the details of my daily finances. Frankly, part of that is so very often I am not spending any money. But anyway, what I have to tell myself is that it’s not posting that is as important to me on My Challenge as actually living the Challenge. Rest assured that I'm living on less than $1026, with all purchases recorded and no fibbing. November is looking really good, except for the bloated Entertainment budget. The huge shopping tip in October really stocked me up, and other discretionary areas like gifts, household, toiletries, and clothing are low. For gifts, that’s good, because it would really help me to carry some gift money over to December.

I have a conundrum with a budget item. In late October a friend near a Trader Joe’s picked up some items for me. I gave her a blank check due to time constraints, which I later found out she tossed. I closed the October books reluctantly without know the exact amount, and expected to be able to post it in November. I saw her tonight and she would not accept any money at all. Not at all. So, what I am going to do is use my guesstimate of $25, and hold that money in a jar, and use it to take her or her aunt out to lunch at some point. I just don’t feel good about not having it as an expense.

I’m thinking about what’s going to happen post-Challenge (March 2007), and though I’ve got a couple of wants, I think that I really want to keep a lot of the habits I’ve developed or strengthened.

I want to continue to go to garage sales and thrift stores more often; I have been re-reminded how much good stuff is out there. Along with that, I want to continue to be on the look out for great gifts all year long. Some of the best presents I have for this year were super cheap at garage sales, and normally I wouldn’t have been thinking of Christmas in July.

I want to continue to go out to eat less. I am really intrigued by enjoying it more when I do it less. That’s actually dining out….I’m not happy with take out, and am not feeling like I get value there. For dining out, I want to make sure I do it because I’m spending real quality time with friends or co-workers over lunch or dinner, and that if I’m the one who instigates it, I want to go because I want that special food, not because I’m lazy. I may spend more than now, but nowhere near what I was spending ($100 a month). I’m thinking $50 a month average will work. (Now note that I’m debt free and putting a pretty fair chunk in savings; I’m not advocating that $50 would work for everyone!)

I want to continue to be more creative in the kitchen, so that I can make tasty, simple, low cost meals that are good for me. Discovering that chicken thighs that have been put in the crock pot de-bone like a dream was a life changing experience for me. Buying and using a freezer has been awesome, and I’ve been able to be very consistent about packing a lunch and eating breakfast, partially due to new tricks (freezing oatmeal being one).

I want to remain ever vigilant in the face of lattés and manicures Costco runs and window shopping. I like that I don’t spend out of habit. I like that I know where I get a big bang for my buck. I’m not anti-latté; I’m anti latté for me. If I am going to treat myself, even treat myself super frequently, it’s going to be on the gas for a hot bath, and bubble bath and bath salts.

I want to continue to avoid clutter; appliance clutter, knick knack clutter, any unused item clutter. The less stuff I have the more I like the way my house looks.

Things I may spend money on in March, or sometime after the challenge….

I’m thinking about a laptop. As it’s a big purchase, I’d want to think on it a long time before buying, Challenge or no. I think I’d use it travelling for work a lot-and the airports seem to have free wi-fi. March happens to be a three paycheck for me, so it is tempting.

I’d like a nice jewelry stand (earrings and necklaces) and jewelry box. I have a fair collection (semi-precious stones and silver, mostly-no big money, but souvenirs from my travels and gifts, that I wear daily.) I know what I’m thinking of, and I think that I may have to spend a fair amount. I’ll be on the look out.

I’d like to be able to spend a little more on My Guy for the holidays. This year will be fine; I’m not thinking it will be bad. And what I’d be looking at spending post-Challenge, maybe $150 total for all gifts large and small, isn’t too extravagant. It’s just that a lot of things he would like are not apt to be found used or at garage sales: such as 1 gig flash drives, or original art by certain local artists, or other computer related items.

I’d like to do more weekend trips. I’d like to every couple months go up to Oregon or down to Fort Bragg and stay in a cheap hotel for a night or two.

I’d like something I can put pod casts on. Maybe an iPod, maybe not. I love certain radio shows like Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me and This American Life and others, and I’d like to be able to listen “on demand” as I walk to work and back.

I’d like to get a bra-fitting, and buy one nice high quality bra. It may sound silly, it may even be silly. However I’ve been thinking about this a long time, and come March, it’s happening.

What I won’t be changing is my lifestyle. I may have a laptop, but I’ll be hanging laundry and washing dishes by hand and making crazy blender soups. I might have a super supportive brassiere but I’ll still be buying used tops, bottoms, and shoes, and getting buck-a-bag books.

I’ll say it again, I Love the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Not for the food. Turkey and potatoes and stuffing and pie are all very good, but I have mixed feelings about my ability to overeat, and I always wonder why we don’t eat turkey and stuffing and yams more often, since they are good. Maybe I wouldn’t gorge (along with others) if we got the good stuff more often.

No, what I love about the holiday is the reminder to be grateful. My Rain on Me post on 11/15 was focused on gratitude, but I thought I’d also like to list for myself what I’m thankful for. I began this list in a forum post in early November.

I am grateful for:

Having more than sufficient food, shelter, safety, and warmth

Having no debt

My Guy, and for him finding the perfect part time job to give him enough money and free time

My dad's health and his being able to retire

My Folks being able to travel the world!

Having the introspection and patience to identify areas to improve

Having a job where I make a difference

Having a job that challenges me

Having a job where I’m paid to think!

Getting a fair wage and benefits

Being sober

Baths. Clawfoot bathtubs and bubble baths as a bonus!

Having my vision and being able to read

Being able to travel

Being able to vote

Coffee (with milk)

Cheese, fruit, sushi, and all the other foods that give me great joy

The weather in Humboldt

My warm bed and comforter and all the parts of my house that are cozy

Having a car that's paid off and runs well

Having co-workers who support bettering the agency and are a team with me

Having the right and desire to exercise my freedom of speech and dissent

Frugality

My Challenge Blog and the SavingAdvice forums as ways to embrace, reinforce, and champion frugality.

Having so many choices

Music

Being able to learn and use my head

The health I do have, and the insurance for other areas

NPR

Mystery novels

Friends, and their well-being

Being kind (it may sound like an odd thing to be grateful for, but every year it becomes more dear to me)

I have a thing about containers, I think. I was tipped off recently when I bought a pump bottle of hand soap, even though I didn’t need it. The deal was: the container was a perfect ball, clear, and had no label. Essentially I bought the container to use to put in my soap bits, and the soap inside is a bonus. I love the idea of my miscellaneous soap bits being in this cute little label-less ball. The soap was ninety nine cents, no splurge, but since I didn’t need soap I had questioned why I had bought it.

I hadn’t really fully thought out how much I love reusable containers. My shampoo and conditioner are in nice thick plastic well shaped pump bottles…I periodically refill them. It’s not at all about looking like I have a certain brand that I don’t, though I suppose that some people may think I actually buy fancy shampoo. (I got it in a gift basket last February.)

My favorite, cheapest dish soap comes in a screw top bottle. I pour it into a nice old squeeze top bottle.

Most of my dry bulk foods are in Red Vine licorice tubs, big peanut butter jars, or canning jars-depends on size. I like this for consistency-a nice simple look. I prefer bulk buying for these items (flour, milk, nuts, so forth) not only because they are usually cheaper, for less packaging. If it’s not packaging I’m gonna cherish, I don’t want it.

If I’m looking at getting salsa or ice cream or something, I actually take the packaging into account-not whether it’s eye-catching, but whether it comes in a nice reusable plastic tub with a lid that seals well. And lately, clear is also a bonus-cottage cheese tubs can make things harder to see in the freezer, so I’m always on the look out for clear. Best is when the label on the clear tub is one that will peel off easily.

I spent an extra nickel on a bunch of yogurts just to get the cup with a lid, so I could reuse for gelatin and other lunch snacks.

I got really excited about a free sample of hairspray…because it meant a free small pump bottle to put Fabreeze in for travelling. Another free sample hair spray actual contains hair spray that I refill periodically.

At work a lot of people know I like Red Vine tubs, the big ice cream plastic tubs, and other large tubs. I don't stock pile tons of them, but it's nice to be able to grab a new one when an odl one wears out.

(There were some mini-éclairs at Costco for a while that came in a tall, square white tub. I loved them for potlucks….a nice deep container that held plenty of food, used fridge space well, since they were square not round, and could be left at someone’s house with no worry of how to get it back.) I accept them all to keep them coming-some things I do just recycle right away, so the only benefit is to the landfill, and that’s fine with me.

There were some envelopes at work that came in “good” lidded boxes, then we started getting “bad” flimsy tear open boxes. It really threw me for a loop. The nice black boxes with white and black lids were so handy, for gifts and other things. I’m not sure anyone else noticed the change.

A small bottle of conditioner caught my eye recently...fifty cents wasn’t a great deal on the conditioner, but along with the perfectly sized travel bottle (larger than sample, much smaller than regular) that seals perfectly I felt good about it.

This container fetish has clearly been building over time. My plan is for this to be good resource use, and not a weird creepy habit, as I grow older.

Sometimes I think people think I am depriving myself. However, the times I am most unhappy about the Challenge is when I spendon Entertainment.

I budget $20 to $25 a month on entertainment; that’s mostly eating out. (I do have a separate line item for Netflix, for some reason, and my 12 channel cable too). Well, when I go out to eat, I usually feel good about it. But when I spend that money on take out, it’s rarely a feeling of relief or luxury or a treat; it’s usually a sign that I’ve just gotten sloppy. Besides the Challenge, I happen to be chubby, out of shape, and prone to migraines, which may partially be triggered by a number of foods more likely to be found at a restaurant than in my fridge (nitrates). So what the heck am I doing ordering pizza last night?!?! I’m spending out of my overspent category, and I’m not getting joy. I’m getting crankiness and bloat and a feeling of letting myself down.

I would have been so much happier having an omelet or bulgur or spinach. Spending money resulted in less happiness, not more.

In month nine, I’d have thought I’d have figured it out. But no, I had to give up money and self-esteem for fifteen minutes of pizza love.

Meh.

Here I go trying to catch the flight to Sacramento that was cancelled this morning.

I am a little stunned by how lacking in energy I’ve been over the last four days. I’ve done essentially nothing productive, or fun, or anything. Read a lot, had a crazy headache Thursday, a pretty bad one Wednesday and Friday, slept a lot, watched television, slept some more.

I didn’t achieve all my goals this week. The best I can do is not regret too much that I became a hibernating bear. Regret can eat more time than being lazy.

It cracks me up that the theme song for the latest eBay commercials is “Non, je ne regrette rien”, the song that is about regretting nothing. I am positive that at one point, someone has ordered something from eBay then sat staring at it, thinking, "I sure regret this purchase.” Being glad that Wonder Woman lunch boxes are still out there doesn’t necessarily equate to joy at having five of them sitting on the kitchen counter.

I am off work today, but I didn’t really get anything done. I admit to feeling completely lazy. I went to the bread thrift store and picked up a bunch of heavy dense whole wheat loaves at 75 cents each. I picked up a couple used books in excellent condition for a friend, for her to give as a gift to one of her family members; for me being frugal means sharing frugality, and doing frugal favors. My friend now has a nice gift to give someone for a total of 75 cents-the books were on an actual wish list! I have also spread the idea of used items, in excellent condition, as gifts. My plan to get everyone in my life idly interested in frugality is working.

The library is having a book sale tonight; it’s not a buck-a-bag sale, so I will have to select judiciously. There may be nice books for gifts, so I’ll keep a look out. I’ll have to renew my Friends of the Library subscription but that’s fine with me.

Yesterday I’m driving in my car, listening to the radio, and I flip to an ad for people with money problems. It was taking about credit cards, bill collectors…then mentioned that a person could call to get help from a dead professional. I stopped the scan button to listen more; dead professional? Huh?

It has been so long since I’ve owed money that evidently I can’t recognize the word debt anymore.

I love the sound of rain, and how it gets dark and clouds look almost purple, and how it rushes in the streets and makes puddles. I enjoy it when it’s crazy raining, at least when I’m not driving; when the rain just falls in sheets and windows have a constant solid stream on them instead of drops. Mostly, I love the rain because it reminds me to be grateful.

I have a house to come home to, where I can have a hot shower or bath, or get into flannel jammies. The house may be chilly-those 12 foot ceilings-but I have lots of warm blankets and sweaters. I have tea and cocoa and popcorn and soup and grilled cheese makings. I have lots of books and I have a television and DVDs. I can come to home my refuge, and I can be reminded how those very small things can be so big – for someone homeless, my cocoa and comforter may seem very, very far away.

If I think about these things I’m grateful for, I realize that during not one second of My Challenge have I had to forego the things I love most. Most of my flannel jammies have been a buck or two at thrift stores. (The best were $1.25, thick dark blue, on me right now.) I got a bunch of tea in a free box at a garage sale, but even my purchased teas are pretty cheap-the fancy stuff I spring for is nine cents a bag. My comforters and blankets are years old, my cocoa is homemade from powdered milk, sugar, and baking chocolate, my popcorn is microwaved in a brown paper bag. My hot showers and baths do take some gas, but my utility bill has been reasonable because I scrimp elsewhere. The DVDs are a luxury, but $9.65 for my half of the monthly bill is an acceptable entertainment expense to me-again, I scrimp in other areas. Books? Buck-a-bag book sales! Or the library, or garage sales or thrift stores or hand-me downs. Television? Non-cable channels 2-13 only, and a VCR to tape good stuff for when the networks have a bad night.

I really do think about gratitude in November, because I actually hold Thanksgiving dear; not for the turkeys and pilgrims, but for the reminder that I have much to be grateful for. One thing I’m grateful for this year is My Challenge, which has had, as a happy byproduct, the effect of making me more grateful. So, I’m grateful for increased gratitude. Man, that’s a little mushy touchy-feely silly, but when I’m grateful I am also looking to be a better person. The more grateful I am the more kind I am, and as the years have gone by I am less and less inclined to revere intelligence and more and more inclined to hold kindness in high regard.

I‘m a fan of the 1950 movie Harvey, with Jimmy Stewart. At one point the main character Elwood, says, "Years ago my mother used to say to me…'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me." I know a fair number of very smart unhappy people; I can’t think of any really kind person I know who is unhappy. They may have sad events in their lives or challenges to face, but at heart, they are certainly not unhappy.

So ends my rainy Day Fourteen of Month Nine.

Got back from Sacramento a little earlier, by asking very nicely to take an earlier flight.

Re-discovered for the billionth time that I just adore freeway driving with the radio cranked crazy loud. I walk to work or drive about 4 minutes; that’s good for me and the environment. But I just love listening to the radio (no satellite, no XM, no Sirius, no CD player, no tape player) and discovering old songs I love and finding new ones, blues and country and rock and a little of this and that thanks to the scan button. I just love it. I have so little traffic, that I can look at the redwoods and rock out.

And speaking of wish lists, I wrote mine down during idle moments in training…does anyone else have things like silicon rubber scrapers on their long term wish list? Or am I just a tad nutty?

On Monday, I bought a travel alarm clock. I thought and thought about that $3.97 purchase out of my Household fund. A travel clock had been on my wish list for a few months. I hadn’t expected to see it in a grocery outlet store, but there it was. I am very grateful that since I keep items on my mental wish list for a long time, and buy items as cheaply as possible, that I rarely have buyer’s remorse. I think it’s an under-looked bonus of being frugal. I am not a fan of regret, so the more I can avoid the better. When I finally buy the bookcase and shelving I’ve been wanting and looking for, I know I’ll be happy with it, partially because I didn’t run out to the furniture store, point, buy, and run home. When the right bookcase at the right price appears, I’ll buy it with confidence.

When I decided to post every day, I had forgotten that I was leaving the house at 4:30 am and getting back at 10:30 at night. I’m flying to Sacramento for work. I won’t be able to bring my own water, which does chap my hide. The truth is I wrote this Tuesday post Monday night. I can live with it, same as I can live with my purchases!

I never really thought about how invisible frugality can be. I’m usually so open and unapologetic about it that lots of people that I know are aware I’m frugal. Today I was at a meeting with a lot of people in the community, from three counties. I was looking around and it struck me funny that there was no way to tell who had bucks, who spent bucks, or who owed bucks.

I was in a pair of Freecycle dark Levi’s, with a fifty cent pure wool men’s sweater, a $3.97 clearance top, and some thrift store shoes. I felt my outfit was nice, if in my usual more boyish, more casual style (it’s a good thing I live in Humboldt.) I knew I was going to this meeting and I felt good about these clothes. (Later on in the day someone said, “New shoes? Cute!” They were surprised I had bought new (looking) shoes….but less surprised when I admitted they came from a thrift store.) Looking around, I was trying to spot any fancier or funky clothes, and was stumped…the nice Oxford shirts could have been $40 or $2 clearance/thrift store and I wouldn’t be able to tell. The flattering women’s suits could have been a few years old and well kept, or brand new, or a hand me down.

In the parking lot, looking at all the sedans and hatchbacks, again, I couldn’t tell anything? Some of the nicer cars may have had a lot owed on them. Or maybe not. I’m not in an area that runs to Jaguars and BMWs; and the economical cars could easily have been bought by the more affluent as an ecological purchase (again, I live in Humboldt).

Does this matter? Well, no. If someone asked me, “Do you hang clothes on the line?” or, “do you shop at thrift stores?” I wouldn’t have any objection to admitting it. I’m proud that I use resources wisely and reduce unnecessary spending; I’m proud of My Challenge, as odd as it is. I know, though, that other folks may be tightening the belt out of necessity, or may be new visitors to The Land of the Thrifty, and may feel a little out of the mainstream; some might rather that the newly acquired thrifty habits weren’t immediately visible.

Some people I know this year are giving home made gifts because they are excellent bakers, or avid crafts hobbyists, and some folks who are giving homemade gifts because it’s easier on the pocketbook-I only know because they felt like sharing the information. (My Challenge brings this out in people.)

Wrapping it up, I couldn’t tell who had cable today, who had low utility bills, who had cell phones or used furniture or mortgages or rent. So use coupons, hang the laundry, shop the thrift stores, give home made gifts, watch broadcast network TV...no one can tell. Unless you do.

I can’t blame bad spending on my lack of posts. However, I did spend $2.13 twice out of my Entertainment budget. Doesn’t sound bad, except it was fast food both times. In some ways I suppose getting two items off the value or dollar or whatnot menu is a good thing, but I really don’t want to eat any fast food ever. There are a slew of socio-economic-political reasons I could cite, but I’m not going to, because 1) no one is interested and 2) the fact that I’m chubby and get migraines is reason enough to stop eating fast food right there. Fast food places don’t specialize in whole food, no nitrate, no MSG, low bad-fat, high fiber, lower calorie foods.

(Yes I know MSG and nitrates don’t trigger all folks to get migraines, and that only 40% or so of folks are food sensitive. Well, my little calendar I’m keeping of food/sleep/headaches/exercise/etc. seems to show that there is something in fast food that doesn’t agree with me.)

I’d just rather spend that $4.26 on something better, that’s what it comes down to.

In other news: small changes, small things can be so great. I sometimes buy the little yogurts, non-fat and low sugar, at the Canned Foods outlet when they are three for a dollar. (I also get large tubs of non-fat plain.) I like them for lunch, or as a snack or dessert. Well, I splurged and spend an extra nickel, 38 cents each, for a brand that has lids instead of just the peel off metal lid. I did this to have baby storage containers that I’m now using for sugar free gelatin. Good for lunches, and cheaper too because the 33 cent gelatin packs make it 17 cents a cup. And I can put my plain large tub yogurt in there, with fruit and home-made granola. Actually, I was surprised to realize that the gelatin wasn’t that cheap; I plan to use some Knox gelatin I have to play with homemade gelatin soon.

In further news, this week’s goal is going to be to post every day. It’s not lack of material; every day I think of something related to my habits or the Challenge or frugality or building skills, I just get sloppy and don’t sit down and write it. Eat breakfast daily, bike/walk to work 5 times from Monday through Sunday, keep up Calendar, develop a strategy for having more fun outside the house, and post daily. That’s five goals, but two of them I’m doing pretty good at making habits, and a third is on its way towards being a habit, so I don’t think that’s too much.

I have a fair amount of time available to me. I’m childfree. I don’t have family that lives nearby. My commute is 10 minutes roundtrip driving, or 40 minutes walking roundtrip. I work a 40 hour week. Sometimes I have longer days or weeks, especially due to travel, but I also get a fair amount of holidays, personal days, vacation days. I keep the house simple and tidy, and while I keep it uncluttered I’m not a big cleaner. I have five bills to pay a month, and I like to shop no more than once a month. No dry cleaning, no manicures…not a lot of errands. I have time.

I’m grateful for the time, because I’m not stressed out. Because I can putter around and drink tea and read. I like it because I don’t need time saving gadgets, and because I don’t ever need to spend money to buy time: I can do it the long way, cook whatever I want from scratch, wash the dishes in a wash tub, use actual dishes. I always have time for a bath or a book; I’m not deprived of me time. I’m not going out to lunch or coffee and spending money; I’m not spending much on fuel, I. Many people I know seem to complain about the lack of time; some of them sound perfectly happy, but to me they sound uncomfortably busy. (Some parents seem to spend an awful lot of time on child related things, fun or obligation. ).

I should be 100% grateful that my life is not crammed full. What can throw me off is that sometimes I do wish I had more structure, or obligations. Not necessarily chores, but I can be a mighty hermit, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to have a monthly book club, or museum trip, or hiking trip. I have all this beautiful time, and I don’t always use it as well as I’d like. Even in a perfect world I’d still want plenty of “nothing going on but my slippers” time; take away my baths and I’d be much less mellow.

Boy, sometimes I really have to mull things over before I can articulate what it is I want, and even then it’s still a process to work towards it. So now that I’ve put some of my antsiness in words, I know what a goal is: time management. Not the time management of people trying to do it all, or balance work, romance, kids, hobbies, housekeeping, and gardening. I’m just looking to feel more like I’m taking a bite out of life.

So what’s a concrete step I can take? I’m not good at telling myself broad things, like “be healthy.” I need concrete, like drink a lot of water and walk to work three times a week. The concrete step might not be the final answer, but it will take me there. I’ll further mull. I’m thinking along the lines of: host one game night this month, make social plans one day this month, and make a commitment to see a site once this month (could be a gallery or a hiking trail-but drive or walk to a place for fun).

This may not have been about finances. But I think of it this way: by being debt free and living simply, my biggest problem is needing to have more fun.

(And to be less chubby.)

I did do the exercise bike. I really didn’t want to tonight, so I’m even more proud. Considering I decided not to budget any money for working out, since I have an exercise bike and live walking distance from work, I had freakin’ better get my exercise. Otherwise, I’d have that whole regret thing going on.

There’s a phenomenon that confuses me: I’ll plan to do something, then dread it, then when I do it it’s fine. Now, you’d think the next time, I wouldn’t dread it, because I know it turns out fine, right? Not right.

This happens to me when I make social plans. I really look forward to them, then as it approaches I balk at the idea of going out, then I go out and have a great time. With exercising: the idea sounds great. Then the time to work out or walk to work approaches and I get all angsty. Then I do it and it feels great.

How come I can’t tell my brain, “Hey, you don’t need to worry about this. When you do it, you like it?”

The only spending this month ahs been on rent, filling the tank (which didn’t need filling in October!) and going out to eat once. I’m planning on a low spend month; however, faced with holidays on the march, I can easily see my gifts budget, entertainment budget, household budget, and grocery budget having demands placed upon them. Of course my wild spending equal $75 total; there’s only so nutty I can get on the Challenge.

I'm two-thirds through the Minimum Wage Challenge.

I spent $1592 a month last year. My savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 8 months = $4,528.

Add to that $190 in “savings” and $14.21 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $4,732.21. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $2,922.57 living on CA Minimum Wage for 8 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I made $4.74 in recycling this month. That gives me $1077.74 in income; however I “overspent” $15.14 last month (in the gifts category) and under the “YouNeedaBudget” system (an Excel-based budget I’m using to track my Challenge Budget) if a category is overspent the money is taken straight out of the next month. Therefore I had $1062.70 to spend.

** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability. Wrong! I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***$584.64 is the sum of the positive numbers; that’s the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $13 for AAA and car registration every month, but have yet to spend it because it has yet to be due. That’s why the balance is up to $104.

This is Day Two of Month Nine of my Minimum Wage Challenge. I haven’t closed the October Books but I know I came out fine. The extra ninety-five dollars I have to budget each month for taxes I hadn’t accounted for hasn’t been as bad as I thought. At this point I am so very used to spending little, that it has become a habit. I got a raise last check, about $125 extra net per month, and it’s comical to me that I don’t actually get the $125 to spend. Well, my savings and retirement does, but not my Challenge Budget.

I believe the rest of the Challenge should be okay; I’m not foreseeing any big bumps. I have enough of a cushion that even if I take a knock or two I can weather it. For me Christmas has never been a budget buster; the only thing I really do is gifts. No decorations, no big travel, no cooking for a dozen guests. My shopping is mostly done for Christmas, because I’ve been shopping all year long and got a few good deals in Croatia and Bosnia.

I love winter and the rain. The north coast is a rainy place, and we just got out first of the season. It’s getting cold, and it gets da5k early. Even though I love it, or maybe it’s the reason I love it, I start to cocoon in winter. I know I’m not particularly unique that way. I grab my tea and books, and get out of the hot bath and into bed./ That happens to always be one of my favorite things; I think I feel less guilty doing it when it is cold and dark outside.

Part of me is mildly fantasizing about what I might spend money on post-Challenge. It probably won’t be much; I sometimes enjoy the fantasy of thinking about it enough to not need to do it.

I was going to try and reduce my club soda/seltzer consumption. When I quit boozing a while back I gave myself permission to drink anything I wanted. I’m not interested in drinking calories-I get plenty in my food-but I loves my bubbles. Then I decided during this Challenge that I should make bubbly water a treat. Well, flexibility is a good thing. The bubbles are back, I’m much more hydrated, and I am fine with cutting down on other treats in order to keep my seltzer. I get the cheap store brand cans for travel and two liter bottles for home. I just really love the stuff. It makes for a $10 to $15 a month hit on my Grocery budget, but I am at peace with that.

Two wrenches in my books this month:

One: a friend of mine picked me up some stuff at Trader Joe’s in Oregon (grapefruit soda, Pirate Booty, something for my dad, shhhhh!) and I don’t know how much it was. I had limited time with them and had to run to work and gave them a blank check. (Yeah, I know, blank check, I’m naïve. I’d really rather be naïve and believe in people, though. I would be beyond shocked if anything went wrong.) Anyway, it’s been a week or so and hasn’t cleared, so I need to wait or consider it a November expense. Waiting is better but I am sometimes not patient.

Two: The $2.25 I spent on coffee was covered by a friend. I really don’t carry cash. So I went to pay her back, and she wouldn’t take it, really wouldn’t. I tried to intimidate her: “it’s already been put in my challenge budget!” She was unmoved-said I needed to buy another one. Well, I’m stuck. I don’t want to get another coffee! So that $2.25 will be spent on this friend….just need to work out on what.

Oh my goodness I’m excited. When I made a big batch of combo oatmeal-cream of wheat-apricots the other day, I froze it in a large muffin tin. Now I have a large bag full of single serving breakfasts! I plan to steal the idea for stews and casseroles too, since I often run out of cottage cheese and salsa tubs. This way I know what the item is without marking a bunch of containers. I’ve done a variation of this with ice cubes trays for pasta sauce and apple sauce, but the size of an ice cube ice cube doesn’t lend itself to as easy a meal-I’d need multiple cubes. Also, my 12 cup muffin tin will hold a heck of a lot more than an ice cube tray.

Being a simple gal creates so many opportunities for happiness!

Small changes I make sometimes make my life so much simpler. I used to put all sorts of frozen food in plastic tubs in the freezer. My Guy couldn’t effectively decipher which tubs held concoctions, which tubs were leftover meals, and which tubs were prepared, seasoned meat/chicken for tortillas, etc. Frankly, I couldn’t tell sometimes either. Well, I bought a bunch of small freezer bags; I’m putting my cooked meats in these bags, frozen and laid flat. (I got the idea from how I pack my cooked down plums for jam.) Now it’s simple; if it’s in a flat bag, it’s an ingredient, if it’s in a tub it’s a meal for one. An added benefit is the bags take up much less space.

I notice that changes can be so little but so helpful. My tea stash was overwhelming and unattractive. Now I have three canisters: herb, black, and caffeine-free black. I’m not saying this would work for everyone, but it has really pleased me. Another: having a shelf in the fridge that holds lunch or snack items, like hard boiled eggs or slices of cheese wrapped in plastic wrap or pickles or fruit or sandwiches or whatever. Now I can grab 3 or 4 items and I’m good to go.

There are areas in my life where I still need to find a system that works…paperwork flow isn’t streamlined. Magazines in/magazines out system is in progress. How/where to store stuff for Goodwill where it’s accessible but not obviously ugly is a tough one so far (we don’t have much in the way of closets).

I organized our Presents Stash; I had two overflowing unorganized boxes-now I have three boxes, for co-worker gifts, friends and family gifts, and unspecified gifts, plus a list of all these items. This way I know which people I need to keep looking out for, and which folks I have great presents for. Shopping ahead has really been effective; not only have I gotten some very nice items at very low prices, I don’t have the pressure of last minute shopping to dread.

I spent some survey points at a couple different sites; My Points for a larger gift certificate for a present, and another target $5 certificate with my Harris Poll Online points; that will give me $20 total for either presents or personal needs. I have only recently started to track these; a few minutes of organizing a few weeks ago have paid off.

I completed an online survey for five bucks; when I get the check I’ll count it as income, which will probably be December.

I did get all my errands done. I spent a lot of money and am a little exhausted, so it could have been better.

On recycling, I got $4.74 cash. I took some books in for trade; only two of many were accepted, so I added $4 to my “credit” at the bookstore. (I have over $39 in credit; I can get folks books as presents!) On the flip side, I spent over $87.18 in Grocery money at two grocery stores and the bread outlet doing a huge restock, after we emptied out cupboards and fridge. I spent $28.69 in Household Money (tp, detergents, etc.) at those stores, an office supply store, and the thrift store. (I was able to get gift jewelry boxes for the jewelry I bought in Europe for some folks for a dime a box…some nice velvet ones!)

At the bank I deposited some checks I’d been holding onto too long (September internet survey and a couple work reimbursements) as well as a bunch of rolled coins. I also went out to lunch and spent $6.25 on lunch with My Guy…I suppose part of me wanted errand day to be pleasant, at the expense of my Entertainment budget.

That’s over $122 spent in one day; over 10% of my monthly budget. Nine places. Four hours. I don’t regret my purchases-all items were on the list or within the budget. I just am not built for errands and shopping. (Hence the undeposited checks I had stockpiled.) I am glad I still have two weekend days.

I was also able to make a batch of crockpot beans and chicken for future meals (two thighs and a breast made tortilla filling for nine meal servings, so I figure that's a pretty good use of meat). I prepped a bunch of plums to make jam. I did a lot of laundry and dishes.

My true treat? I did buy a bunch of club soda with my grocery money...I haven’t been drinking enough water lately, and even though I’ve been making a lot of iced tea for home, I have admitted to myself that I love having cans of club soda in my car and at work and in my purse. I’ll be taking a hot bath and drinking my bubblies!