Day 23: Shameless Plug

http://theclothdiaperwhisperer.blogspot.com/

Well, you would plug something too if you could get 12 brand new AWESOME diapers!!

Day 22: Tour your Town

In my neverending quest to find cheap/free entertainment that are mommy/baby friendly, I accidentally stumbled upon a gem. While visiting with a new friend this morning, she mentioned she was taking her baby on a tour of the State Capital. After the (free!) lunch she kindly shared with baby and me, she asked us to accompany them. Having less than nothing to do today, we agreed! YAY an adventure!!

While the tour needed a bit of work - it was only the second time anyone had given it - it was a fun and (free!) way of spending the day. Even the (free!) parking was awesome, I made the cut-off by one minute...probably less. The tour was a new Halloween version of the normal one, all about the deaths that had occured at the Capital building. They could have made it a bit more interesting, except according to the tour guide they weren't allowed to talk about:

a. Any suicides
b. Exaggerate in any way
c. Any ghost stories that are "unresolved"

Leave it to the government to be concerned about unresolved ghost stories...

Day 21: Chinese Food

After three weeks of no outside food, (seriously, I should have one of those signs you see at movie theaters hanging on my front door) my mom and aunty came over yesterday with the best gift a girl could ask for...Chinese Food.

We feasted! And let me tell you, food tastes so good when you haven't partook of it for a while! I feel that your first meal back has to be well chosen. You don't want to pick something like Italian, pasta is easily and cheaply done at home! Hamburgers, while better when fast, isn't special enough for me. Pizza seems the obvious choice, but I have actually come to like frozen pizzas BETTER than delivery. So Chinese food it was!

Only one thing in life is better than a MSG smorgasbord! That one thing? The same smorgasbord with two bottles of wine.

Day 20: Baby Saves Mom from Spending

I came this close to spending $1.65 on a cup of coffee today. Thankfully, I was heroically stopped by my son. He was not screaming bloody murder in the middle of a busy coffee shop just to be difficult! Nor was he doing so because he was extremely exhausted! He was doing so to stop me from doing something I would later regret. It was because he loves me and cares about the family finances. Wow, what a lucky mom I am...albeit a now deaf and embarrassed one...

Day 19: Teamwork

When you are poor, or just trying to live that way, nothing helps more than having a partner by your side encouraging you all the way and keeping you on track. Why do you think so many homeless people have dogs?! So, having CT as my partner in this experience is invaluable. If not for him helping me stay the course, I would have quit this silly experiment long ago.

Surprisingly, he is not as supportive as I thought he would be. This sort of thing is right up his alley, as he has always been somewhat of a cheapskate. Besides, he gets "good" food twice a week from work, while I am eating sandwiches and the like 7 days a week. Instead though, it is I who am constantly reminding him of why we are doing this and why we can't have even the smallest meal from Whataburger on a Sunday afternoon. I feel that even a small slip will toss us head over heels from the wagon.

We are entering the zone of discomfort. The last two weeks of the first month are the hardest we have had. Even with the freeze on our account, we continue to see the balance dip below comfort level (house payment) and we are both getting antsy to buy something. Anything! Every day I come up with new needs. It is difficult to figure out which is an actual need and which is simply a desire to accumulate.

Something tells me buying the baby winter clothes is a necessity though. I will however be going to the Salvation Army to purchase them.

Day 18: Giving back

One really easy way to keep from feeling sorry for yourself while not being able to spend money, is to go into the community and give back. The benefits are multiple. You feel good because you are helping someone else who needs it, completely unselfishly. You spend a morning doing something removed from the purchase culture that you are trying to escape and learn what really is of value. And finally, you are so exhausted by the end of the day, the last thing on your mind is shopping.

So my tip for the day: find a charity, community project or non-profit in your area that would benefit from your unique experiences and talents. The help you will provide will be the best gift money can't buy!

Day 17: Food Glorious Food!!

I love my mommy!! She took me out for the first meal in a restaurant I have had in nearly three weeks. It was awesome. The best part was that I wasn't too tired from cooking to eat. It was so nice to languish away eating a meal prepared by someone else, waited on by a waitress who would rather be doing something else.

It was even better because I didn't pay.

Day 16: Driving

You know you are bored when you drive just to get away from the house (and the computer with all its stores) and then, when the baby falls asleep, you continue driving until you find a park. Then, when the park is found, you park and read in your car for an hour. You know you are nearing comatose when you do this, twice.

It is amazing what you can find in your community to do when you aren't busy pulling out your credit card. Parades, fairs, parks, and one million different ways to make a sandwich.

I think that is one of the worst things. When I was shopping, I could find "errands" to run. Gotta go to Target for ___. Oh and then the baby needs _____ from Old Navy. Then I will meet my friend for lunch at ____. Did we NEED to do these things? Nah. Did we need to pretend so that I can get out of the house and didn't lose my mind? Yes.

Day 15: Rained Out

I miss internet shopping. Especially when it is really ugly, rainy and cold outside. Nothing warms the cockles of my pea pickin' heart like cuddling up to my lap-top and buying something unnecessary. It is a cure-all. It cures boredom, gives me a thrill in an otherwise mundane and dreary day, and best of all, in a few days I get the rush of finding that package in my mailbox!

I shall resist. What is just one day?

Day 14: Keep Austin Buying

So, I had a mommy group meeting today. It was at a coffee shop, but I went fully confident in my ability to resist the siren call of a fresh, hot, free trade cup of joe. I was wrong.

The problem (of course) is society. It feels weird NOT buying something in a place where everyone else is so cavalier in buying their scones and lattes. You feel like a slacker, a parasite, and scourge of the earth. Especially here where the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan is less a cute catch phrase and more a call to arms. The idea behind it is to keep Austin money in Austin businesses, and one can't support local business people unless they spend money in their establishments.

So I bought. It was tempting to allow myself more than necessary because I had a very good justification now, see above. They had really good stuff too; empenadas, scones, muffins and about 20 different types of coffee drinks. I settle for my tried and true: iced coffee, small. The baby munched cereal, I sipped my coffee, and the other hippy parents around me felt superior for having not wasted water that week by skipping their shower.

Is it just because I live in Round Rock or does South Congress have a funk to it!?

Day 13: Unexpected expenses

Dang dog. Apparently she has ring worm, so I guess we had to take her to the vet to get it fixed. So annoying though, $100 later, we realized we could have saved the money by letting the dog give the baby ring worm and then taking HIM to the doctor. I mean, at least he has insurance, the dog doesn't.

I am of course kidding...?

Day 12: The Grocery Game

I went grocery shopping today. I have to admit I got sort of a thrill when I pulled up to the front. The amount of possibilities to purchase is endless in a grocery store. I came prepared with a list of course, as suggested by all the money saving tips on Oprah. And using my secret grocery weapon, The Grocery Game, I spent $80 on $130 worth of groceries.

If I was a good saver, I would immediately put that $50 saved into my savings account, but we have been doing The Game for so long, our budget is structured to assume those savings. The Grocery Game is quick and simple to do!

1. Go to www.thegrocerygame.com and sign up. Give them my email address for a reference.
2. Cut all coupons out of the Sunday Newspaper each week
3. File all coupons in a system of some sort
4. Download The List each Sunday
5. Select those coupons the list tells you to and go shopping!

The list combines the weekly deals with the coupons you have in your file. This way you get double the amount off. I usually save anywhere from 40-60% on my grocery bill and I have been doing it for almost 2 years.

Thanks to Amanda for giving me this great tip!!
4.

Day 11: Buyers Remorse

We went to the Austin Farmer's Market today. There was a ton of stuff I wanted to try. Here is a snippet of what went through my mind:

"Peach butter? Mmm, I have never had it before, but I like peaches and I like butter!"
"Look over there, Albanian food! I have always wanted to TRY Albanian food. "
"Well, we do NEED honey. I mean, it would be the same as buying groceries really."
"What, are we just gonna sit at a table, not drink or eat anything and listen to music while we wait for 45 minutes?" (Looking back that is what we SHOULD have done)
"AAWWWW!! Look! Onesies with cute, liberal left wing sayings on them! I neeeeed those."
"ATM. We need an ATM."

Looking back on it I am quite a whiny thinker, I am starting to annoy myself. $20 later - at least we got Market bucks instead of cash - we walked out of the Farmer's Market with a morning spent, two cups of coffee, an undercooked empenada and a pound of honey. Immediately it started to sink in. We spent an entire $20 frivolously. As much as we needed honey, we did not need $11 honey. We did not need organicly grown and ethically harvested coffee. And we SO did not need an empenada that had ice-cycles in the middle of it.

On the upside, we learned a good lesson. Eat before leaving the house and bring coffee with you.

Day 10: Angel Food

When I was first told about Angel Food Ministries, my reaction was that of snobbery. That is something for POOR people, not middle class people just trying to save a few bucks. I am the kind of person who donates to those in need, not someone who receives. I said as much to CT, who urged me to look into it closer. Apparently, my capitalist culture and my protestant upbringing had caused me to assume that anything that cheap had to be for those who could not do for themselves. I had confused a really good deal with a hand-out.

Bottom line, this service, usually provided through a church, is a place you can go to buy enough groceries for a family of four to live off of for one week (A family like CT and I could live off of it for two) for $30. $30?!?! Yes, $30. Each month the offering is different but always the same quality food and always as cheap. If you feel like spending more, you can add on other packages or even sponsor a family in need by buying one for them.

How can they do it? Without the overhead of a grocery or big box store, they buy the groceries in bulk and sell it at cost, passing the savings onto you at a 50% discount! Check it out for a location near you! http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Thanks to Mandy for telling me about this fantastic service!!

Day 9: Kinda ticked

Oh, I get it! I am supposed to budget everything, not leave the house most days to conserve gas and make sacrifices for three months, but the big strong provider of the house can go out for drinks whenever he feels like it. CT spent $5 having a beer with co-workers today. I spent nothing because I have no co-workers. Not fair.

Day 8: Fun for Free!

It is amazing what you can do for free. There is almost always a bazzaar, street festival, live music, or 'pay what you can' museum days in this town! Add that to all of the parks, playscapes and pools in the area, and you may find that you have to go out of your way to spend money. I belong to several moms groups, who are constantly doing fun things for next to nothing.

It is just a shift of thought process. Now, when people ask me to lunch, I counter with asking them to come over for lunch. Coffee? How about I just meet you at a park. I realize that eventually I will have to spend SOME money. But I am enjoying the game of finding things for free.

Day 7: The Itch

Seven year itch? How about seven days! If I can just push through the next couple of days and not buy anything, I think I might be in the clear. I did buy groceries today, though that is totally within the parameters. I looked like a vegetarian when checking out. All I got was a bag of rice, veggies and fruit. The nice thing about using what you already have? All you have to buy on a weekly basis is the basics. You would think that buying groceries would satisfy the need to buy. Think again.

There is something else going on when we buy. It isn't need, it really isn't even desire. It is this thing that is inbred and indoctrinated into us that if something looks good, we should have it. It is our right as good Americans and good people to have that thing, as stupid as that thing may be.

The following is a list of things I really wanted to buy today and the thought process behind it:
-Liquid Woolie wash - I could even justify this because I have several pairs of longies that will eventually need cleaning, but they are clean now and technically I have wool wash, it is just in bar form and I hate the scent.
-A Firehouse Sub - This was CT's fault, all he had to do was mention it. Man those sandwiches are so good. Thankfully, I had already made slow-cooker ribs in the morning so I had NO excuse to go out for dinner.
-Bagshot Row Bamboo - (I do NOT need any more diapers) I have one of these diapers, for nighttime. This means it is absorbant but not cute. The store is now having a weekly photo contest. I figure, my chances of getting a free dipe go up if the diaper is cute. I decide that it doesn't matter if the diaper is cute, it only matters that the model is cute. I will still be sending her a picture. Wish me luck!
-Stamps glorious STAMPS! - I have been going to card making parties lately and even though I don't usually craft on my own, I am willing to start just to use these stamps. They are fun to order, it is fun to assemble them, it is fun to use them. Then I visited my dear neighbor, who made me realize I had no need to buy stamps, I can just use hers.

So you see, if I just stop and listen to why I am about to hit the paypal send button, more likely than not, I find that I don't really need the thing that I am buying.

Day 6: You gotta have friends!

I have found that the easiest way to save money is to make a bunch of friends. A good friend will give you the shirt of their back and will do it with a smile. And then, the time will come when they will need something from you, and when that time comes you will happily give as well.

I was dreading it, but I realized that because of necessity, we were probably going to have to buy another diaper cover or two for the little man. He recently out grew three of the 5 that we have for him. I had been searching all the swapping sites, trying to find a cheap used cover that I wouldn't have to spend a whole bunch on. Even so, I was dragging my feet on the matter. Then, when I mentioned our situation and our plan to "buy nothing" for the next three months to my friend Bethany, she immediately tossed me three perfectly good covers her little girls had just grown out of. What a blessing she is!

I was flying high on my new find (I tried to pay her btw, but she just asked that I return them when he outgrows them) and thinking of what a great gift it was that I was able to stay on track with our savings plan when I checked the mail. There, in a surprise package, was a pair of GORGEOUS wool longies that my good friend Amy knitted special for my little guy! So sweet!

With friends like these, who needs money!?

Day 5: Relief

I can not tell you how nice it is to have money in the bank. It is better than any $4 coffee or $20 pair of pants. At this time last month, we were already dipping $300 out of our savings account. 6 days into the month!! Now? We are $1500 in the black! How is this possible!?

Well, luckily, we had been keeping track of our spending, including our dipping into savings so it was very obvious where that money was going. Food. FOOD? Yes, food. Eating out, buying groceries instead of eating what we had, not eating leftovers, not bringing our lunch to work (CT) has really taken a toll on our savings account.

I can't tell you how well you sleep at night when you know that for this month, you will be adding TO your family's wealth instead of draining it. It is worth passing up all of those craigslist items, Hyena Cart diapers, and lattes out.

Day 4: Staying busy

When trying to save money, weekends are the worst. Shopping is no longer an option, movies are right out (the baby helps with that) and you can't even go get breakfast tacos in the morning. You have to - GASP! - make your own!! So, before we succumbed to complete and utter boredom, I took matters into my own hand and planned free events for each weekend.

Luckily we live in the burbs, and near enough to a bigger city that there is always something artsy fartsy and free happening around town. This weekend? The Hairy Man Festival of course! In the town where we live, there is a legend of a Hairy Man who lived in the woods, a sort of Sasquatch without the height. This festival is to celebrate his hairiness.

You may be saying to yourself, yea, its free (2 canned goods) to get in but once you are there, what about the extras?! Well, that did suck, I admit. They had all sorts of things that begged to be bought. Funnel cakes, alpaca teddy bears, handstitched onesies, freeze dried fruits and even rides. It wasn't too hard to just run through and oogle the goods, but then, our kid hasn't learned to say "I want" yet.

Day 3: Freecycling

Hello, my name is Alyssa and I am addicted to freecycle. What is freecycle?! Only the coolest invention for the hopelessly cheap ever!!

How it works is, you sign up for an email list depending on what area you live in. Each area has a different list so you aren't driving all over the place trying to collect stuff. Then, the people on the list post stuff they are giving away for free and you reply to the email saying you want to pick up said free item. They then reply to you and give you the address. Most people will leave the item on their porch for easy pick-up.

The nice thing is, you have to give away as well. I like giving to others almost as much as getting, but I am a huge giver. I clean out all closets (except my husband's, that one is off limits) at least twice a year. I hate selling stuff, because selling is a bunch of work and you can get shafted, and Goodwill doesn't do pick up, so that takes a bunch of driving.

Free stuff I have got off Freecycle:
A recliner
A wooden toy train set
Two huge boxes of baby boy clothes
Huge box of clothes for winter for me
Toy airplane
Books
Assorted "female" stuff
Oil of Olay face lotion - unopened
Coffee
Home birthing kit (I was curious!)
5 boxes of hair color

The free stuff is great but what I really LOVE is the pick-up. The thrill of exploring new neighborhoods, the stealth of grabbing something off someone else's porch; I feel like a secret agent! What I do not like is when people make you ring the doorbell to collect the stuff. I feel cheap when they can see my face, and leave me standing at the front door like a begar, which of course I am. A great way to save money!

Day 2: Oops

I bragged to CT that I got the car washed yesterday without even being asked when I filled the car up with gas. He shook his head and said, "are you sure that was 'necessary'?" A few hours later he asked whether I thought lawn care was necessary. I couldn't tell him!

Obviously, we are having trouble tracking what constitutes "necessary and unnecessary". Is fertilizing the lawn so it doesn't die this winter necessary? Is a car wash necessary? My thought is that yes, both are necessary. My reasoning is this: if we didn't do these things the result of not caring for our things will, in the long run, be more expensive. A car, unwashed, especially when a bird craps on it as was the case, will require a paint job later. A yard, untended will cause the owner to replace the grass. In my thought process, this is the same as washing your clothes or vacuuming the carpet.

Day 1: Winning

It seems that the universe is already starting to pay me back for my frugality. Frugalness? Anyway, it is rewarding me for being such a good girl!

Item 1: Last night was Free Burrito night at Chipotle. Sponsored by the Round Rock public library, all those people with a library card needed only to flash the plastic at the register and bing bang boom, free burrito! I of course, got water. CT got sucked into the guilt of free things and bought a coke. A $1.40 coke that he will never be able to live down. Nothing tastes better than free burritos. They still give you gas, but at least you didn't pay for the pleasure.

Item 2: After weeks of entering free and free for shipping lotteries on Hyena Cart - only the coolest group of stores on the internet - I finally WON! Granted, I won diaper rash cream, and since my son has had a diaper rash all of once in his life, I probably won't NEED it, but I still won and that feels good!

One day down, 89 to go. heh.

The Rulez

If we are going to do this, we might as well do this right! On with the rules!!

1. The shopping for hobby ends: Not buy anything unnecessary (no eating out, no movies or entertainment, no diapers/clothes, no hobbies)
2. Be a frugal grocer: Be very careful about grocery shopping, doing The Grocery Game only and ONLY if I ask myself, would I rather have this or money in my account.
3. Use what we have: I found that I have enough food in my pantry to have dinners 5 nights a week for a MONTH. I have listed them all out and made a menu for each day. We eat at my mom's twice a week. I will eat leftovers for lunch.
4. Satisfy the need for things for free: Freecycling anything I 'need' for the baby, clothes, etc.
5. The buck stops here: No getting cash out at ATMs or at grocery store, cash spends and isn't trackable. CT hates this rule and will most likely not follow this rule.
6. For whom the car tolls: No toll roads for me, and will only fill my car up once a week. CT will only do tolls once a day.
7. White-trash Christmas: We will buy all Christmas/other gifts at garage sales. This is funner, and cost effective. Plus with all the garage sales going on around town, we can find some good stuff. Already have a baby gift for $.25
8. Bank it: All of the extra money (should be $1000 a month if we stick to this) will go to paying off my car and building up our savings.
9. A good playdate is a cheap playdate: Luckily my social life will not cease to be, because most of my playdates are at other peoples' houses or are at parks. However, I will not buy coffee at a coffee shop or ice cream when we go to Amy's.
10. Be accountable: Keeping a journal (here's where you come in) and letting everyone I know in on what we are doing. Keeps me honest.

The 90 Day Challenge

After several months of anxiety, anguish and a bad case of buyer's remorse, CT and I have decided to take drastic measures. So, after being inspired by reading Not Buying It by Judith Levine - a woman who decided not to buy anything unnecessary for an entire YEAR - we have decided to do the same thing...for a quarter. She did it for politics, we are doing it for cold. hard. cash.

So, for the next three months, this is what we will do. We will stop all unnecessary purchases and live simply. We aren't going crazy with this, don't worry!! We are still going to have cable, netflix, and internet. But shopping, entertainment, hobbies, gifts and restaurants are right out. This is gonna hurt, so of course, I have to write about it. Technically, this starts Wednesday, on the 1st of October and will last until New Year's Day.

I just had to pick a three month period that contains Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and CT's birthday. Great job Alyssa!