disclosure: i'm pretty biased, but i have to say: i live a charmed life. really. i have a wonderful husband, a good job, a lovely family and really great friends who brighten my day, make excellent bottle-o'-wine-sharing companions and just generally add that little bounce in my step. when you have such a loyal cheering section surrounding you, it's not too hard to make a commitment to live vibrantly every day. but more than that, i've made the decision to live as richly as possible (regardless of what my bank statement says!) because i love a good challenge and the satisfaction of accomplishing something, and also because my husband and i are a one income household. so, anyway, without further ado, i present to you:
the hodge podge lodge's 7 p's to avoid the poorhouse:
(i.) perspective. this is really step one in my own little five step program from admitting you have a problem failing to recognize good deals ... to financial freedom. (come on, i'm not trying to be dave ramsey or suze orman. but having more money than you did before is empowering. it really is.) stop feeling tied down by your salary; it's just a number. and that number is probably a temporary thing anyway. start taking charge of it all! it's not "we can't afford $4.99 tostados tortilla chips;" it's "why would we spend $4.99 on chips we can buy for $0.99?!?"
(ii.) prioritize! what's more important to you: eating that certain cereal or being able to buy a new article of clothing or concert tickets this month? ummm, hello? (another dumb question) there are probably going to be some people who argue that generic lucky charms (marshmallows & stars to all you aldi's fans!) really don't taste as great as the real thing. to those of you i say: thank god i don't have such a discriminating palate. i've been surviving off generic brands for years, and i have nothing but extra money to show for it.
prioritizing also means coming up with some bottom lines -- and the kicker -- sticking to them. this is an old trick i grasped when i first started antiquing. how much are you willing to cough up for clothes? household furnishings? some things can't be helped. i'd love to put my foot down at the gas pump ("i will not pay more than $1.99 a gallon!"), but let's be serious. i need to get from point a to point b, and so far, no one's asked me for suggestions on what the price of oil should be. but, for example, i'm willing to fork over more cash for a versatile pair of black work pants that i can wear ummm, like every day (ssshhh! don't tell my colleagues!) versus a printed skirt that might make an appearance every other month or so. things that make your life easier or end up paying for themselves in the long run can cost you more initially because they're a good investment.
(iii.) practicality. this journey starts with realism, on many fronts. you can really take this frugal thing too far into the land of cheap, cutting corners at every turn, scrimping and budget-slashing, until you're sitting in a cold, dark apartment, eating refried beans and rice on a friday night. the only reason i'm sharing these seven p's is in the hopes you might find a trick or two to make your life better, not worse. sure, we all spend money on technically unnecessary things. but some of those unnecessaries are the very things that make life sweet... and i'm not advocating abandonment of life's little treasures. all in moderation, people, all in moderation. i'm aware that i could go completely au naturale with my hair... or worse yet (because of my lack of skills) color it myself. but one of my bottom lines (see above) is getting my hair done professionally, regularly. i live in the midwest, so highlighting sets me back around $65ish as compared with the three figured bills i'd probably face on either of the coasts, so it's an expense i'm willing to bear. (i do however, have a simply fabulous hairstylist named sarah who works her magic with a sweet combo of highlights and lowlights so i have to touch up every 12-14 weeks versus every 6-8). some things are totally worth it. and you can't deprive yourself... lest this life choice start to feel like a life sentence. every one needs a little pleasure, some little extravagancies.
(iv.) plan. my charmed life is also a fairly well-organized one. you've already (if you're a regular follower of this blog) read about my slightly ocd-ish tendency of planning out meals for the week in advance. this regimented way of thinking allows for spontanous expenditures at other times. a little time at the outset saves money in the long run. and that's more money i can spend with that bitch, ann taylor!
(v.) persistence. it's not so much the early bird gets the worm. it's something like that annoyingly persistent bird finally gets exactly what she wants. maybe it's because everyone's so sick of hearing about it that they just give in. but whatever, the end result is the same.
a brief tangent, if i may. a few days ago i ran to k-mart to grab some dog food for the little beagle monsters. the sign above the dog food read "$10.99, originally $12.99." "score!" i thought, in true frugalista form. i get to the counter, and some emo kid who could barely peer out at me from behind the well manicured locks that covered his entire face (he also made a habit of shaking his hair out of his eyes every 7 seconds, very dramatically) scans my dogfood, and starts to tell me the total, "thirteen..." "oh, actually," i laugh knowingly, as if i'm always at k-mart getting overcharged for the dogfood that's on sale. "there's some sale going on. it's $10.99." the kid looks at me as if i've really ruined his night. i'm sure he's thinking, "ohhh gaaaawwwd. how lame. it's $2." and i was tempted to think the same thing. there was a man behind me, and when emo said he was going to have to run back and check the price for himelf, i almost heard my mouth form the words, "ohhh, that's okay, nevermind." but, no. i held my ground. because it's the $2 here and the $5 there that make up this big chunk of our budget. and damnit, the sign said $10.99. i got the dogfood for the correct sale price, and i'm here to say: who cares what the emo cashiers of the world think? you shouldn't feel embarrassed for not wanting to pay more than you have to pay. afterall, would you ever think of heading to mcdonald's, scanning the dollar menu, then offering the clerk $2 for one of the items, just because you enjoy doling out more? of course not.
and don't spend more than you must during online shopping excursions. there are great sites like that offer promotion codes and free shipping coupons for that anthropologie necklace you've simply got to have (keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post involving said necklace!) sometimes you've got to try a few of the codes a few times to get one to work, but here's where that persistency pays off. i usually end up saving between $10-$15 every time i shop online, just by taking the time to do some simple google searches for deals and other special offers.
(vi.) prepare for deviations. shitty day at the office = margaritas with the gals?! ole! you can’t plan for everything, and coupons don’t always solve crises. and by the way, sometimes you have to indulge yourself. i've never encountered anything that wasn't made at least a little better alongside a finely prepared cut of beef, grilled to perfection. yes, a medium rare steak can induce happiness, so savor every bite. every once in a while.
(vii.) personal choice doctrine (ummm, for the love of god: remember it!). you may make the decision to live a fabulously frugal life, but please note: we live in a generally materialistic society and not everyone shares the same love for a good deal or a low price coupon. you’re just going to have to accept the fact that some people aren’t going to appreciate your “cheap radar.” please, please, please, don't be that girl (or guy), who accompanies her comrades to dinner dates or shopping trips, then proceeds to complain about money or how expensive everything is. if you can't swing your share of the bill, don't come. seriously. there is a vast difference between being frugal and being cheap. the cheapskate makes her friends feel uncomfortable because she's constantly making a mountain out of every penny spent; the frugalista is classy and economical. be the latter. no one likes a cheapskate.
so, there you have 'em. for what they're worth: my seven tips for living my charmed life. don't be surprised if following them leads to, as my mom would sing, "dolla, dolla bills, ya'all."
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