I had been looking around for some black flats. The one pair I had been wearing to work had a small hole (or two) in them. The shoes I had been looking at to replace them, I, for whatever reason, just did not like. And, I will have to admit that I did buy a pair of black flats over Christmas and they were too big. By the time I got around to try to return them, too late!! That just really was no fun!!
I finally found a pair of black flats I liked enough that I could wear to work. And I actually bought the right size too!! I have been wearing them for almost two weeks now and really, I do like these shoes. They are just plain shoes so they can go with anything I wear to work that calls for black flats and they are comfortable. I like the comfortable part the most!!
The price was something I was less than thrilled with. I found them at an internet site one day and with shipping and handling and tax, they cost a little over $60.00. I just had to bite the bullet and buy them though. I am happy with the purchase but sometimes I just hate buying shoes. I feel guilty for spending $60.00 or more on shoes. But after wearing them, I do like them. And I did need them as I just cannot wear hole-y shoes to work, can I? I felt so bad about buying them that I did tell Husband that I had found a pair and bought them. He said that it was no problem and if I had a lot of shoes (which I do not) he then might mind another pair of shoes.
So, I did feel a little guilty for buying them but on the other side, I am so glad I bought them. Have you ever felt that way after buying some that you did need? It was a well needed purchase but you still felt a little guilty for spending so much on a decent pair of shoes (or whatever the item is)? If you are trying to be more frugal, how do you deal with the guilt (I have no better term for it here) of spending a little more on something that you know is a good quality item? When it comes to shoes, I do not want cheap, I want comfortable and some fashion, and at a good price. Maybe I am just a little crazy for having such guilt.
Any good purchase ever make you feel a little guilty? How did you deal with it? Let me know some of your thoughts and tips!! Thank you!!
Jenn
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Adventures in Moisturizer Land
I have been using a skin care line for about the last year and I have been really enjoying how my skin feels. I have oily skin so that is another problem I would like to fix but I have been enjoying some good skin lately. So, I can find this particular line either at the Ulta or Sephora stores where I live (or I can order from either website if I plan ahead in enough time). I needed to get some day moisturizer that has a SPF in it and the one at the Ulta store expired the next day. I was not too keen on getting it and opted to try another brand that had some aloe and SPF moisturizer. I was also told that I could return it if I was not happy with the purchase. Well, you might see where this is going as I did return the moisturizer. It was way too heavy and thick feeling. It just did not feel right.
Off to the local mall to go to Sephora to get the moisturizer from there. I found it and a few other things. It was great!! Until I got into the truck and looked over the receipt again. That is why I do not go there too often!! Not a bright move at all!! I am enjoying the purchases though.
So that leads me to the thought of staying out of some stores because you know you "just can't resist" one extra item. Maybe two extra items!! An extra item or two can really be a budget buster!! If you are on a tight enough budget in the first place, one extra item will through you off. Do you stay out of that store then? Would paying cash help not to get unplanned items? What about saving up for the item and then just paying cash? Or even just saving up and saying "I only have $40.00 and I can get what I need plus something extra."
How do you handle going to stores where you know you might be tempted to buy one, or maybe two, extra items? Let me know how you do it!!
Jenn
Off to the local mall to go to Sephora to get the moisturizer from there. I found it and a few other things. It was great!! Until I got into the truck and looked over the receipt again. That is why I do not go there too often!! Not a bright move at all!! I am enjoying the purchases though.
So that leads me to the thought of staying out of some stores because you know you "just can't resist" one extra item. Maybe two extra items!! An extra item or two can really be a budget buster!! If you are on a tight enough budget in the first place, one extra item will through you off. Do you stay out of that store then? Would paying cash help not to get unplanned items? What about saving up for the item and then just paying cash? Or even just saving up and saying "I only have $40.00 and I can get what I need plus something extra."
How do you handle going to stores where you know you might be tempted to buy one, or maybe two, extra items? Let me know how you do it!!
Jenn
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Keeping Up With the New Joneses
A common phrase you may have heard is "Keeping up with the Joneses." This is where you try to keep up with someone else - it may be your neighbor, a family member, person you work with, and the list could go on and on. Since everyone has started keeping a tighter hand on their money, I think we may be "keeping up with the Joneses" in a little bit of a different way. (Please try to follow me here.)
Do you now know someone who tells you that they are on a budget and must try to save money every way they can? Most of us could say yes. Heck, I am trying to get on a budget and save money myself!! Do you know someone that is doing really well at it though? Well enough that you start to get jealous of them and now want to keep up with their saving money? Yep, I think these might be the New Joneses. The ones who make it look like saving money, using coupons, shopping at thrift stores, stockpiling and making homemade items look like it is second nature? That it is crazy that everyone else is NOT doing it as good as they are doing at saving? I secretly have a few of these friends. So jealous of them!! But in the same breath I am so happy for them too. I secretly want to do what they do to save money - use coupons, have a garden, and find ways to enjoy other friend's company and make it a really nice time. I wonder how I cannot do as well as they are doing at this. It takes some effort, I do know that part.
So, now how do you handle being secretly jealous of someone else's ability to save money and make it look so effortless, so easy? How do you turn off those feelings of "I really don't like it that you look so happy on living on less and I really want that for me"? How do you find your own rhythm of saving and being happy with what you have?
Big questions!! Not too good at finding answers yet. Do you have any suggestions? Do you find yourself in this position? How do you deal with it? Tips and hints would be helpful!!
By the way, I still like these friends I am secretly jealous of. They do not know I am jealous of them either. They are really nice people!!
Jenn
Do you now know someone who tells you that they are on a budget and must try to save money every way they can? Most of us could say yes. Heck, I am trying to get on a budget and save money myself!! Do you know someone that is doing really well at it though? Well enough that you start to get jealous of them and now want to keep up with their saving money? Yep, I think these might be the New Joneses. The ones who make it look like saving money, using coupons, shopping at thrift stores, stockpiling and making homemade items look like it is second nature? That it is crazy that everyone else is NOT doing it as good as they are doing at saving? I secretly have a few of these friends. So jealous of them!! But in the same breath I am so happy for them too. I secretly want to do what they do to save money - use coupons, have a garden, and find ways to enjoy other friend's company and make it a really nice time. I wonder how I cannot do as well as they are doing at this. It takes some effort, I do know that part.
So, now how do you handle being secretly jealous of someone else's ability to save money and make it look so effortless, so easy? How do you turn off those feelings of "I really don't like it that you look so happy on living on less and I really want that for me"? How do you find your own rhythm of saving and being happy with what you have?
Big questions!! Not too good at finding answers yet. Do you have any suggestions? Do you find yourself in this position? How do you deal with it? Tips and hints would be helpful!!
By the way, I still like these friends I am secretly jealous of. They do not know I am jealous of them either. They are really nice people!!
Jenn
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Joys of Carpooling
In some reading and looking around that I have done on trying to be more frugal, some websites and books have suggested going down to a one car family and carpooling. At first, this sounded like a crazy idea. I kept thinking of a family with kids and working parents and wondered how they were supposed to carpool, especially if the kids have after-school activities, what if one of the kids gets sick at school and you have to pick them up, or you get sick and need to go home but your spouse is the one with the car? How do you manage all that?! And especially if you find that one, or maybe both of you, get a part-time job (on top of your full-time job) to help out with the finances in your home - how will you share a car then? It is possible that carpooling within your family is not for you.
Well, Husband and I have been carpooling for about the last week and a half. Has it been fun? Maybe. We do get to spend more time together and talk to each other on the ride to and from work. I am lucky that we work near each other so it is not a big hassle to carpool. Are there times I wish that I had the vehicle with me and drove myself to work everyday? Yes, there are those times. I did enjoy getting out of the office at lunch. I do enjoy my job so I do not mind staying in for lunch.
Why are we carpooling? To save some money is the biggest reason. Gas is really a big spot in our budget that seems to take a lot of money, especially if we are driving trucks. Trucks do not get the best gas mileage. Surprised?! Family member had been kind enough to let us borrow their small truck for one of us to use to get around town. With our truck to fill up and that truck to fill up, the amount we were spending on gas.....I just cannot seem to even finish that sentence!! It was a little over $100 a week to fill up both tanks. And I would try to just go back and forth to work, nowhere else, to really and try and save all the gas I could in our truck. So, by carpooling we are saving about $100 every two weeks by carpooling and not filling up two tanks with gas.
Is it fun to carpool? Sometimes. There are times that I struggle with not being able to just go somewhere during my lunch break or if work runs a little past time to go, Husband has to wait on me (my work finishes later than his). Then there has been the times where I have looked at our bank account and wondered if driving two vehicles was worth it!! Gas for both vehicles was a lot for our budget.
Will we go back to driving two vehicles? Probably. We are working on getting our truck paid off and saving up for another vehicle for me. We may even need to use family member's truck again as well. This has definitely been a great experience though. Sometimes carpooling may be needed to save some money.
Would you ever carpool with your spouse or loved one? If you do carpool, let me hear from you too on your thoughts, tricks and tips. Thank you!!
Jenn
Well, Husband and I have been carpooling for about the last week and a half. Has it been fun? Maybe. We do get to spend more time together and talk to each other on the ride to and from work. I am lucky that we work near each other so it is not a big hassle to carpool. Are there times I wish that I had the vehicle with me and drove myself to work everyday? Yes, there are those times. I did enjoy getting out of the office at lunch. I do enjoy my job so I do not mind staying in for lunch.
Why are we carpooling? To save some money is the biggest reason. Gas is really a big spot in our budget that seems to take a lot of money, especially if we are driving trucks. Trucks do not get the best gas mileage. Surprised?! Family member had been kind enough to let us borrow their small truck for one of us to use to get around town. With our truck to fill up and that truck to fill up, the amount we were spending on gas.....I just cannot seem to even finish that sentence!! It was a little over $100 a week to fill up both tanks. And I would try to just go back and forth to work, nowhere else, to really and try and save all the gas I could in our truck. So, by carpooling we are saving about $100 every two weeks by carpooling and not filling up two tanks with gas.
Is it fun to carpool? Sometimes. There are times that I struggle with not being able to just go somewhere during my lunch break or if work runs a little past time to go, Husband has to wait on me (my work finishes later than his). Then there has been the times where I have looked at our bank account and wondered if driving two vehicles was worth it!! Gas for both vehicles was a lot for our budget.
Will we go back to driving two vehicles? Probably. We are working on getting our truck paid off and saving up for another vehicle for me. We may even need to use family member's truck again as well. This has definitely been a great experience though. Sometimes carpooling may be needed to save some money.
Would you ever carpool with your spouse or loved one? If you do carpool, let me hear from you too on your thoughts, tricks and tips. Thank you!!
Jenn
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Husband Switched Jobs and Thoughts on an Emergency Fund
Husband had been working at a big box home improvement store for a few months and as summer was approaching, he started to notice a little increase in his hours at work but also what was expected of him to do while at work. He started to get a bit grouchy and then started looking for a job where he could use some skills he enjoyed and wanted to learn more of - small engine repair. After some searching and sending in a few applications, he was hired at another place. He was excited!! Set schedule, set hours and a bit of a pay raise. So far, he is still enjoying the job and enjoying having his weekends off (for now as there is a possibility of Husband working a few hours on Saturday mornings).
So what has this to do with us? There was about three weeks where it was back to me earning most of the money for us. It was a little tight and to be honest, I had not planned well for it. I began to see the need for an emergency fund for just this type of situation, or other situations you may not have planned for and find yourself facing. What if this happened with us again? Would we be prepared to wait another time between jobs for money to start flowing again? Are we prepared to make a jump from one job to the next without being hurt financially? Or wondering how we are going to do this for a few weeks with just one income when we have been used to two incomes?
So, we have started saving money and seem to be a bit back on schedule with our savings. Definitely need to make sure we are prepared for a job switch in the future, if there is to be a job switch. If this happens to you, are you prepared? Are you ready to take on the fact that money may be tight for awhile? This is definitely something you and your spouse or partner need to discuss.
How do you prepare for an emergency fund in your life? Let me know some of your tips and tricks to building an emergency fund for "just in case" moments.
Thanks!!
Jenn
So what has this to do with us? There was about three weeks where it was back to me earning most of the money for us. It was a little tight and to be honest, I had not planned well for it. I began to see the need for an emergency fund for just this type of situation, or other situations you may not have planned for and find yourself facing. What if this happened with us again? Would we be prepared to wait another time between jobs for money to start flowing again? Are we prepared to make a jump from one job to the next without being hurt financially? Or wondering how we are going to do this for a few weeks with just one income when we have been used to two incomes?
So, we have started saving money and seem to be a bit back on schedule with our savings. Definitely need to make sure we are prepared for a job switch in the future, if there is to be a job switch. If this happens to you, are you prepared? Are you ready to take on the fact that money may be tight for awhile? This is definitely something you and your spouse or partner need to discuss.
How do you prepare for an emergency fund in your life? Let me know some of your tips and tricks to building an emergency fund for "just in case" moments.
Thanks!!
Jenn
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