Penny Pinchin'

Today is my last day of work. I feel such a mix of emotions. I am excited to move and start a new life in a new place, but I am also scared to leave the only area I have ever really known. I am sad to leave my family and friends and the employees I have worked with for the past two years. Here's a scary thought, my last paycheck comes today. Tomorrow I will wake up with no job and no more money coming my way. So I am also anxious to move so that I can continue my job search. I am stressed because I have never moved this far. I am just feeling every emotion possible right now! I started thinking about ways to save money while I search for jobs, and why not share with everyone, because we all know how the economy is right now...

Penny Pinchin' list:

1. Goodbye gym. I won't be signing up for a gym membership until I have a steady cash flow. This will save me $20-$50/mo. I plan on running to and on the beach, learning how to surf (maybe) and riding my bike everywhere I can. I have stairs in my new place so I might run up and down those too. The Internet is a great place to learn how to develop exercise routines that cost $0, so I plan on taking advantage of that information.

2. Make lists. Creating a list of needs and wants can save $$$$. This is actually similar to a diet. Many people suggest keeping a food log so you are held accountable for what you eat. It really is a way for people to see the good and the bad of what they do. So why not try the same thing for buying. I will make a list of wants versus needs. If I buy something it will be classified in one of the groups. This way I can see what I am buying that is useful and what I am wasting my money on. It will make me more conscious, and hopefully help me spend less!

3. Buy in bulk. Not only can I eliminate multiple trips to the store each week, but this method will help save a little gas too. I plan on taking full advantage of Costco for things like toilet paper, meats, bread, fruits and veggies. Since our groceries will be split in half, hopefully we will not waste anything that is perishable also.

4. Downgrade cable. I am sure going to miss my DVR, but until I get a job, I can live without it. It may also encourage me to get off the couch and get some exercise, which really is just an added bonus to saving money. And for those of you living without cable, I raise a glass to you, but I can't eliminate it completely. I need to stay in the loop.

5. Cancel subscriptions. This one doesn't apply to me, but I thought I would add it for others. Considering all of the information that is readily available on the Internet, why would you even need to buy a magazine?

6. Garage sale. I plan on having a garage sale once I settle. I know I have clothes, shoes, purses and home decor that I never use. Packing it up has actually made me discover how much I have. A garage sale is a great way to get some quick cash.

7. Dine in. Eating in can save a lot of money. You don't have to tip anyone for your food (minus giving yourself a pat on the back) and you don't have to pay for gas. I already do this a lot, and will continue to do so. It will be a little more difficult living in a new area and wanting to try new restaurants, however the positive is that I can polish my cooking skills/learn how to cook something other than tacos, taco salads and nachos.

8. Stay away from stores. Unless it is impossible for me to live without something (food, water, etc) I will not visit a store. If you are like me and go shopping just to "look," your going to buy something, don't lie to yourself. I really believe this theory that when you are looking for a specific something, you can never find it, but when you are not looking for something in particular, you find so many things that you want. I have to eliminate this completely. I'll save money, gas and prolong the life of my credit cards. Also, making lists for what you need helps you stay on track when you do need to visit a store.

I know I am missing a ton of things that would be helpful in saving. Feel free to add some of your own tips. And please keep your fingers crossed as my job search continues!

Come on Baby, "Light" My Fire

I'm here to share this great deal that really did light my fire. I am in LOVE with this Rectangle Hanging Capiz Pendant from West Elm, but the $89.99 price tag (on sale from $129), is just not working with my budget. So one day I did a little research and found another beauty that was made just for someone with a wallet my size!

This White Capiz Hanging Pendant beauty is from Cost Plus World Market. From past posts, I guess you can tell I found quite a few things I liked from there. I know it's not an exact match, but at $55.99 it will definitely do the trick.

So which one do you like better? Would you splurge for the West Elm version, or are you a bargain shopper like me? I need splurge stories people!

Honest Scrap Award

Thanks Heather, for passing along the "Honest Scrap" Award. I am so excited. The rules are to pass along the award to 7 bloggers who I think are honest in their blogging and then write 10 honest things about myself. Well, since I am new to blogging, I have only chosen 5 (6 if I could send it back to Heather, but she has already shared 10 honest things about herself on her post).

So here are 10 honest things about me:

1) I could eat Mexican food everyday.

2) I'm moving over 400 miles away from my family and friends and I am scared to death!

3) I hate talking on the phone, which explains the amount of texts I send each day.

4) If I could do college all over again, I would major in Interior Design.

5) I spend most of my money decorating my apartment (after paying rent and bills).

6) I have a goldfish, "Moses", who I won at the fair two years ago (hope he survives the move).

7) I could watch HGTV all day, everyday.

8) I actually enjoy cleaning.

9) I 'm afraid of the ocean, but I love the beach.

10) If I become a cat lady, I would be perfectly content.

Here are the 5 bloggers. I absolutely love checking out these blogs and find so much inspiration from you all. Thanks!!!


1) Young House Love

2) Bower Power

3) Making It Lovely

4) Freckles Chick

5) Mike And McGee

Chalk it Up Over a Glass of Wine

Literally. There will be plenty to talk about when it comes to using these glasses at your next party. What a fun way to personalize your glass for the night instead of using wine glass charms-especially when there are more glasses than charms for your guests! (Does that sound like the start of a sales pitch, maybe. Does World Market want to hire me, well they should.) The only problem I anticipate is chalk everywhere. Chalk is messy, but I could possibly get past that.

Although I managed to snap a picture of these babies, I forgot to make note of the price and I couldn't find them on the Cost Plus World Market website. Has anyone seen these before, even at another store?

From the Windows to the...

...sofas and bathrooms(???) A recent trip to Cost Plus World Market had me drooling. Let me explain. First, I love patterns. Second, I truly appreciate any and all things organized. And third, I love green.

Exhibit 1: Patterned curtains (for the windows, and the walls...)

Exhibit 2: Patterned, colorful pillows neatly organized on wall shelving (that's like, triple bonus!)

Exhibit 3: Lots of green, neatly organized towels.

I was (still am) completely in love with what I saw. It was torture walking the aisles and seeing so much I wanted, but taking home so little. However the things I did snag are quite wonderful too :) I'll share later!

It Never Hurts to Ask

If you are in the same boat as me and are moving in the near future, take advantage of the state of the economy. I had to rent a truck and chose Uhaul. The price of the 10 foot truck was $205 for 3 days and 500 miles, and I thought that was a pretty good deal. But wait, it gets better. I decided to take a chance and ask if there were any discounts available.

Convo:
Me: I was wondering if you had any discounts going on right now, like 15% or so.
Uhaul: I don't see a 15% discount, but I can give you a 30% discount if you make the reservation right now.
Me: Ok. That sounds good.
In my head: Yes. Yes! YES!

So that would be $143.50 instead of $205! That's so great. I am so happy with Uhaul (and myself) right now. I just hope everything else for the move goes smoothly. Lesson learned: It never hurts to ask!

Chair Repair

It all started with the stefan chair from IKEA. I have had this chair since I went to college. Although I don't have an office or even a desk anymore, I wanted to use it in my apartment. So I decided to "repair the chair." I headed to Home Depot for sandpaper and paint. Three coats of a very green paint and a few pillows later, I placed the chair in my apartment as a decorative object. Eventually I will use it as an desk chair again.

I have so much paint left over, that I painted soup cans to use them as vases. What other projects can I create with this lefover paint?

The Everlasting Flower

I feel like I write about flowers a lot, but I think they are such a great way to add personality, texture and color to a room. The pink flower below is a carnation, a.k.a the everlasting flower. When I got my oil changed at Big-O Tires more than two weeks ago, they gave me this flower. For two weeks it has been on my desk at work. Two weeks!!! I think that's pretty exciting.