The best things in life are free. :)
Today I found an advertisement for a FREE haircut! A local salon was completing advanced haircut training for licensed cosmetologists and needed models for FREE haircuts.
Although these programs carry some risk, being that the cosmetologists are in training, I consider this risk completely worth the reward.
A good haircut can run $40 dollars!
These were my thoughts when deciding whether to participate in this program:
1. Even when I pay $40 dollars for a haircut, I often get a cut I am not satisfied with.
2. These cosmetologists are licensed.
3. Since these cosmetologists are being trained, and probably watched by supervisors, they will be "putting their best foot forward".
4. Hair grows back.
Luckily I ended up with a cosmetologist who had been in the business for 12 years, and was enrolled in this training only because she was switching companies. I got a great cut, left a 5 dollar tip, and was completely satisfied.
Check out the businesses in your area to see if they do any regular training programs that you could schedule your haircuts around. Another great place to look is Cosmetology schools in your area.... they often offer free or cheap hair cuts, hair colors, manicures, pedicures, etc.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Are you a dipper?
I like to dip. Pizza, bread sticks, steak, veggies, wings, crackers, pretzels.... You name it, I'll dip it.
I've been wanting to buy a set of little dipping bowls for the longest time. You know what I'm talking about, those dishes similar to what you see when you order your dressing on the side at a restaurant.
I think they would be so cute and useful. No more piles of ranch running into everything on my plate. But the voice of my mother runs through my head every time I am tempted to buy a set. I am enthralled with all the little kitchen gadgets that are out there. An avocado slicer?!? Awesome. But my mom will just shake her head at me, and say in disdain, "you don't need that."
Recently I thought of a free way to make my own little dippers! I am a fan of crystal light. I have always just thrown away those little pitcher portioned cups that crystal light uses for packaging. But it dawned on me that these little cups would be perfect for individual size dippers. So I am now washing them out and saving them to use as dipping bowls.
And I am saving even more money now that I have found the generic brand of crystal light they now carry at Walmart. (tastes the same, I swear)
Just a good idea I thought I'd share on this lovely Friday afternoon. Have a nice weekend!
I've been wanting to buy a set of little dipping bowls for the longest time. You know what I'm talking about, those dishes similar to what you see when you order your dressing on the side at a restaurant.
I think they would be so cute and useful. No more piles of ranch running into everything on my plate. But the voice of my mother runs through my head every time I am tempted to buy a set. I am enthralled with all the little kitchen gadgets that are out there. An avocado slicer?!? Awesome. But my mom will just shake her head at me, and say in disdain, "you don't need that."
Recently I thought of a free way to make my own little dippers! I am a fan of crystal light. I have always just thrown away those little pitcher portioned cups that crystal light uses for packaging. But it dawned on me that these little cups would be perfect for individual size dippers. So I am now washing them out and saving them to use as dipping bowls.
And I am saving even more money now that I have found the generic brand of crystal light they now carry at Walmart. (tastes the same, I swear)
Just a good idea I thought I'd share on this lovely Friday afternoon. Have a nice weekend!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Breaking Up With The Boyfriend.... Good or Bad For The Budget... Part One
As I recently went through a breakup, I am trying to find ways to distract myself from my thoughts. I decided I would think about how this situation would effect my personal finances. I realized there are two topics to discuss. Immediate post break up activity... spend more or less? and Long term post break up activity... do I spend more or less as a "couple" rather than a "single".
Part One: Immediate post break up activity
Do I want to run to the mall and buy new shoes and clothes to make me feel better? Yes. Do I want to go grocery shopping and load up on extras like chocolate and ice cream for those lonely nights on the couch? Yes. Yes. Do I want to make myself feel special by making an appointment at the spa for a mani, pedi, and massage? Yes. Yes. Yes.
Will I? No.
Luckily I have picked up this second job that keeps me occupied a couple extra evenings a week. Not only am I not spending, I am earning.
What am I doing to keep myself from spending on clothes, shoes, voodoo dolls and chocolate covered sundaes? I made myself a list of all of the things that I did not make time for when I was in my relationship. I have been neglecting my crafting, the apartment needs a mega clean job.
I spent one evening devoted to cleaning. I did every single load of laundry I had. I scrubbed the tub so it sparkles. I cleaned the kitchen head to toe. I organized my linen closet. I vacuumed behind the couches. I dusted every surface I could find. I cleaned the windows. I cleaned under my bed (gasp).
I am being productive, busy, and emotionally I feel like I am scrubbing his memory from my apartment.
Next in line, clean the second bedroom. I am a pack rat. I have already been having the urge to reduce my clutter. I will go through every single box of shoes and clothes and crafts and old miscellaneous things. I will pretend I am on that one show, and make piles... to sell, to donate, to keep. I will put the things that are sellable on eBay or craigslist. I will put the things to donate on freecycle or to Goodwill. I will nicely organize the (hopefully small pile) of things to keep.
After that I think I will rearrange the furniture. This is always fun, and when the memory of someone is everywhere you look, rearranging is a good way to make things feel fresh and different.
And once my second bedroom is organized, I will know where all the supplies are to all the projects I have put off. I will enjoy completing each and every one.
I have also been neglecting the gym. I am already paying for it, so I am going every evening that I do not have to work at my second job.
Part One: Immediate post break up activity
Do I want to run to the mall and buy new shoes and clothes to make me feel better? Yes. Do I want to go grocery shopping and load up on extras like chocolate and ice cream for those lonely nights on the couch? Yes. Yes. Do I want to make myself feel special by making an appointment at the spa for a mani, pedi, and massage? Yes. Yes. Yes.
Will I? No.
Luckily I have picked up this second job that keeps me occupied a couple extra evenings a week. Not only am I not spending, I am earning.
What am I doing to keep myself from spending on clothes, shoes, voodoo dolls and chocolate covered sundaes? I made myself a list of all of the things that I did not make time for when I was in my relationship. I have been neglecting my crafting, the apartment needs a mega clean job.
I spent one evening devoted to cleaning. I did every single load of laundry I had. I scrubbed the tub so it sparkles. I cleaned the kitchen head to toe. I organized my linen closet. I vacuumed behind the couches. I dusted every surface I could find. I cleaned the windows. I cleaned under my bed (gasp).
I am being productive, busy, and emotionally I feel like I am scrubbing his memory from my apartment.
Next in line, clean the second bedroom. I am a pack rat. I have already been having the urge to reduce my clutter. I will go through every single box of shoes and clothes and crafts and old miscellaneous things. I will pretend I am on that one show, and make piles... to sell, to donate, to keep. I will put the things that are sellable on eBay or craigslist. I will put the things to donate on freecycle or to Goodwill. I will nicely organize the (hopefully small pile) of things to keep.
After that I think I will rearrange the furniture. This is always fun, and when the memory of someone is everywhere you look, rearranging is a good way to make things feel fresh and different.
And once my second bedroom is organized, I will know where all the supplies are to all the projects I have put off. I will enjoy completing each and every one.
I have also been neglecting the gym. I am already paying for it, so I am going every evening that I do not have to work at my second job.
I will take an evening to call all of those people I call periodically to catch up, my friends and family that do not live in the area.
And all of these things cost no money.
I think that when someone goes through a break up, they can easily revert to previous bad habits. For me, this is spending money. By consciously making a plan, I can come out of this situation a cleaner, better person... who is still in control of her finances.
Expect Part Two Soon... Long term post break up activity... do I spend more as a "couple" or a "single"?
And all of these things cost no money.
I think that when someone goes through a break up, they can easily revert to previous bad habits. For me, this is spending money. By consciously making a plan, I can come out of this situation a cleaner, better person... who is still in control of her finances.
Expect Part Two Soon... Long term post break up activity... do I spend more as a "couple" or a "single"?
Friday, August 10, 2007
Alternative Income: Picking up a Second Job
So I scored a second job! I have been thinking about getting one for a long time, and I have kept a steady lookout for one that is juuuust right.
My ideal job would be working one or two evenings during the week, and some reasonable weekend hours every couple of weekends. I have season football tickets to my Alma mater, and a pretty active social life, so I didn't want to be working a ton of weekend hours. The pay was not really important to me, flexibility was my priority. I would also like to work somewhere that interests me, with an employee discount that I would use.
So I am now a cashier at a local craft store! The store is halfway between my work and my apartment. This is perfect because during the week I will be coming straight from work, and on the weekends I will be coming from my apartment.
The hours of business are:
M-F 8am - 9pm
Sat 9:30am - 5:30pm
Sun 11:00am - 5:00pm
This means that I can still have a reasonable bed time during the week. Also, no matter what, I will not be working past 9 on a Friday night (still time to go out afterwards). I wont have to wake up too early if I work on Saturday mornings, I will be able to do things on Saturday evenings (only work til 5:30!), and I will be able to wake up late AND still have time to relax after work on Sundays.
They do expect some weekend hours, but they said as long as I give them my schedule, they will work around it!
They also are working around my ongoing Thursday night plans with my old roommate (Happy Hour!!). All I said was if they were just picking days of the week to work, I would prefer not to work Thursdays, but no big deal. Well another girl that works there prefers Thursdays so it works out just perfect!
The pay is only 7 dollars an hour, but I get a 25% discount! And I can definitely use that discount on crafts. Spending money at craft stores is one of my major weaknesses.
I'm going to allow my first paycheck to go towards my crafting wish list (which is rapidly growing in my head), and try to save the rest of my checks.
This is PERFECT timing, too. I am going to Europe for work in late September, and after that comes the holidays... both of which require some extra money.
Making 7 dollars an hour, this is how much I can expect to make each month (before taxes) if I work 10-15 hours a week. This equals out to $3,636 to $5,460 a year (if I can handle a second job for that long)
When considering a second job, spend some time thinking about your ideal job and what is important to you.
Is it important to spend the least amount of time making the most amount of money? Consider giving up your weekend nights and bar tend. If you find the right place bartenders can make hundreds of dollars in a 4-6 hour shift.
Are you a morning person? Consider working at a bakery early mornings before you go to work. If you picked up a 5:00-7:30 am shift on weekdays you could squeeze in 12.5 hours a week
Don't want your second job to interfere with your working out schedule? Become an aerobics/yoga/spin instructor and get paid to work out!
Do you have a store that you regularly spend money at? I know my weaknesses are Target, Old Navy, and Craft stores. Get a job at one of your favorite and save yourself extra money by using the employee discount. My sister work in a department store throughout college, and got a 25% discount. This came in VERY handy for buying wedding gifts.
Getting a second job is a big commitment, so I figure that it is okay to be picky. If you look hard enough or long enough, you will find a job that fits your needs and your schedule. And you will be a lot happier because of it.
My ideal job would be working one or two evenings during the week, and some reasonable weekend hours every couple of weekends. I have season football tickets to my Alma mater, and a pretty active social life, so I didn't want to be working a ton of weekend hours. The pay was not really important to me, flexibility was my priority. I would also like to work somewhere that interests me, with an employee discount that I would use.
So I am now a cashier at a local craft store! The store is halfway between my work and my apartment. This is perfect because during the week I will be coming straight from work, and on the weekends I will be coming from my apartment.
The hours of business are:
M-F 8am - 9pm
Sat 9:30am - 5:30pm
Sun 11:00am - 5:00pm
This means that I can still have a reasonable bed time during the week. Also, no matter what, I will not be working past 9 on a Friday night (still time to go out afterwards). I wont have to wake up too early if I work on Saturday mornings, I will be able to do things on Saturday evenings (only work til 5:30!), and I will be able to wake up late AND still have time to relax after work on Sundays.
They do expect some weekend hours, but they said as long as I give them my schedule, they will work around it!
They also are working around my ongoing Thursday night plans with my old roommate (Happy Hour!!). All I said was if they were just picking days of the week to work, I would prefer not to work Thursdays, but no big deal. Well another girl that works there prefers Thursdays so it works out just perfect!
The pay is only 7 dollars an hour, but I get a 25% discount! And I can definitely use that discount on crafts. Spending money at craft stores is one of my major weaknesses.
I'm going to allow my first paycheck to go towards my crafting wish list (which is rapidly growing in my head), and try to save the rest of my checks.
This is PERFECT timing, too. I am going to Europe for work in late September, and after that comes the holidays... both of which require some extra money.
Making 7 dollars an hour, this is how much I can expect to make each month (before taxes) if I work 10-15 hours a week. This equals out to $3,636 to $5,460 a year (if I can handle a second job for that long)
When considering a second job, spend some time thinking about your ideal job and what is important to you.
Is it important to spend the least amount of time making the most amount of money? Consider giving up your weekend nights and bar tend. If you find the right place bartenders can make hundreds of dollars in a 4-6 hour shift.
Are you a morning person? Consider working at a bakery early mornings before you go to work. If you picked up a 5:00-7:30 am shift on weekdays you could squeeze in 12.5 hours a week
Don't want your second job to interfere with your working out schedule? Become an aerobics/yoga/spin instructor and get paid to work out!
Do you have a store that you regularly spend money at? I know my weaknesses are Target, Old Navy, and Craft stores. Get a job at one of your favorite and save yourself extra money by using the employee discount. My sister work in a department store throughout college, and got a 25% discount. This came in VERY handy for buying wedding gifts.
Getting a second job is a big commitment, so I figure that it is okay to be picky. If you look hard enough or long enough, you will find a job that fits your needs and your schedule. And you will be a lot happier because of it.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Making a Budget... Not a One Time Deal!
Here is a nice article about making a budget. The parts I wanted to highlight are tips #8 & #9.
8. Assess your budget. At the end of each month, look over your expenditures to see if they are matching up to your budget. If they aren’t, determine if you need to work harder to stick to your spending plan; or if you need to rework your budget to reflect your actual spending.
9. Assess and assess again. A frugal budget is never finished. Continue to look over your budget every month to catch areas of overspending. Then, crunch the numbers again until you’ve made it right.
This shows that a budget is an ongoing thing, not a one time deal. If you make a budget then go living life as normal, you are not budgeting. You should continually assess your budget to check your progress and make improvements.
For example, when your contract period is over for bills such as insurance, cell phones, cable TV, Internet, and home phone, take the time to get new quotes to improve your rates. If you are happy with your service and feel apprehensive about changing carriers, take the quotes from competitors and show them to your current carrier. They will usually match (or even beat!) the competitors rates.
8. Assess your budget. At the end of each month, look over your expenditures to see if they are matching up to your budget. If they aren’t, determine if you need to work harder to stick to your spending plan; or if you need to rework your budget to reflect your actual spending.
9. Assess and assess again. A frugal budget is never finished. Continue to look over your budget every month to catch areas of overspending. Then, crunch the numbers again until you’ve made it right.
This shows that a budget is an ongoing thing, not a one time deal. If you make a budget then go living life as normal, you are not budgeting. You should continually assess your budget to check your progress and make improvements.
For example, when your contract period is over for bills such as insurance, cell phones, cable TV, Internet, and home phone, take the time to get new quotes to improve your rates. If you are happy with your service and feel apprehensive about changing carriers, take the quotes from competitors and show them to your current carrier. They will usually match (or even beat!) the competitors rates.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Freitag Friday
Translation: Friday Friday
While traveling in Switzerland last year I stumbled on the coolest business I have ever seen. I walked into a boutique that was full of messenger bags, handbags, purses, backpacks, lap top cases, cell phone cases, pouches, wallets... pretty much every kind of bag you can think of. "Bags... how exciting...." you must be thinking.
But these bags are special.
They are made of Semi truck tarp "used truck tarpaulin", car seat belts, bicycle inner tubes, and used air bags.
Translation: Friday Friday
While traveling in Switzerland last year I stumbled on the coolest business I have ever seen. I walked into a boutique that was full of messenger bags, handbags, purses, backpacks, lap top cases, cell phone cases, pouches, wallets... pretty much every kind of bag you can think of. "Bags... how exciting...." you must be thinking.
But these bags are special.
They are made of Semi truck tarp "used truck tarpaulin", car seat belts, bicycle inner tubes, and used air bags.
Still don't think they are cool?
Listen to the story of how this company came to be, from their website http://www.freitag.ch/
In 1993 two bike riding designers (brothers, actually) lived next to a truck route in Zurich, Switzerland. Looking out of their kitchen one day, they thought it would be nice to have custom messenger bags made from one of those dirty 100,000 mile truck tarpaulins. They thought it would be unique, made only from recycled materials, and because the tarps are waterproof, the messenger bags would be waterproof, too!
Listen to the story of how this company came to be, from their website http://www.freitag.ch/
In 1993 two bike riding designers (brothers, actually) lived next to a truck route in Zurich, Switzerland. Looking out of their kitchen one day, they thought it would be nice to have custom messenger bags made from one of those dirty 100,000 mile truck tarpaulins. They thought it would be unique, made only from recycled materials, and because the tarps are waterproof, the messenger bags would be waterproof, too!
They started off making the bags just for themselves, then their friends wanted them, and then shops and museums wanted them, too.
14 years later, each bag is still handmade, and still made from all recycled materials, and each one is still completely unique.
But now Freitag bags are sold worldwide! Worldwide!! Here in the United States 24 different cities sell Freitag bags!! Quite a jump from making two bags for themselves. These brothers have made their dirty truck tarps into high-fashion boutique wear.
There bag styles are called things like dragnet, night club, laura, top cat, dexter, renegade, fritz... and the list goes on.
Shop over 1,000 bags on their website. OR you can actually design your own bag online. They have a program that allows you to pick the type of bag you would like, and pick out of the truck tarps they have available, then click and drag your mouse around to make the bag look exactly how you would like it. Now tell me that isn't cool.
They even have a store made out of old railroad crates (don't quote me on that one but it was made out of old..... something.)
Being quite broke at the time all I could afford at the time was a wallet. And I believe that cost me around 35 US Dollars. And if you sniff the wallet it does have a slight stench. But it is my favorite wallet.... ever. It is in my purse at this very moment.
Why am I talking about this on my personal finance website? Because these guys are my personal finance heroes.
Unique idea.... check.
Took the chance to make it into a business... check.
Low cost of supplies.... check.
Great marketing.... can you say worldwide?.... um, check.
They literally took trash and made it treasure. Awesome treasure. Imagine if you could take something that is thrown out every day and make it into something that sells.
These guys are my heroes.
Low cost of supplies.... check.
Great marketing.... can you say worldwide?.... um, check.
They literally took trash and made it treasure. Awesome treasure. Imagine if you could take something that is thrown out every day and make it into something that sells.
These guys are my heroes.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Extreme Frugality, an entertaining how-to guide
WARNING: These extremely frugal tactics are not for the faint of heart. Don't try these at home, kids.
I had fun imagining all of the extremely frugal things I could do to be frugal if I needed to be. They are quite funny to imagine, but I just couldn't do most of them. BUT, in case you are literally broke and hungry.... or just bored and have questionable morals, here are a couple examples of EXTREME FRUGALITY.
1. Stocking up on the free items they offer at the condiment station:
You'll never have to buy these items again:
-ketchup
-mustard
-straws
-napkins
-creamer
-salt
-pepper
-splenda
-jelly
-mints
-stir sticks
-wet naps
-sweet and sour sauce
-soy sauce
-taco sauce from Taco Bell
-Arby's sauce
(Ok, now visualize someone stopping by your place, and they open your pantry cupboard door for some reason, and instead of cans and bottles, you have bins and bins and bins full of packets. I think its hilarious)
2. Shopping for your school supplies at local businesses that offer logo pens, pads of paper, or whatever else they are offering.
3. Stop in for your daily coffee/lattes at your banks free coffee & cappuccino machine. I mean, they must owe you something after those overdraft charges you handed over to them before you got your finances together.
4. Score a free meal during sample day at the grocery store. Call all of your grocery stores ahead of time to find out when each store has sample day and plan your schedule around it.
5. Heck, even if its not sample day, go to the deli and ask to sample a couple different pasta salads. Tell them you're planning a party and you just aren't sure what you want to serve. Can I try that one on the far left, too? Imagine the possibilities... how many grocery stores are in your city? Hit them all.
6. Lunch didn't quite fill you up? For dessert head over to an ice cream shop and sample a couple ice cream flavors... I mean, they make those tiny spoons because they WANT you to do it.
7. This dessert requires a little planning, but pretend you are planning a wedding, and schedule appointments with different bakeries for cake sampling. These are guaranteed to be delicious desserts. They want your business.
8. Want a healthy breakfast? Go to your local farmers market (with no intention of buying) and sample all of the fresh produce, and fresh cheese. Mmmmmmmmm.
9. Free food right in your backyard. Make a dandelion leaf salad.... make sure there have been no pesticides though!
10. Know your area well? Find a good area to pick berries along a path or roadside.
11. Pull a Vince and Owen and take up wedding crashing. Visit a hotel each Saturday and find banquet halls full of people and join their fun and eat their food. If you're lucky it will be an open bar.
12. And if you are really EXTREME, and you can't afford your nasty habit, smoke the butts of other peoples cigarettes found in the ashtrays found outside of most buildings.
13. And if you are not afraid of breaking the law, send mail by writing your own address in the normal "send to" spot, and put the address of the final destination in the normal "return address" spot. Do not include any postage. This letter will be "returned to sender" which in this case is the intended destination. But really, I think that is called mail fraud.
And that is all I have for now, folks.
I had fun imagining all of the extremely frugal things I could do to be frugal if I needed to be. They are quite funny to imagine, but I just couldn't do most of them. BUT, in case you are literally broke and hungry.... or just bored and have questionable morals, here are a couple examples of EXTREME FRUGALITY.
1. Stocking up on the free items they offer at the condiment station:
You'll never have to buy these items again:
-ketchup
-mustard
-straws
-napkins
-creamer
-salt
-pepper
-splenda
-jelly
-mints
-stir sticks
-wet naps
-sweet and sour sauce
-soy sauce
-taco sauce from Taco Bell
-Arby's sauce
(Ok, now visualize someone stopping by your place, and they open your pantry cupboard door for some reason, and instead of cans and bottles, you have bins and bins and bins full of packets. I think its hilarious)
2. Shopping for your school supplies at local businesses that offer logo pens, pads of paper, or whatever else they are offering.
3. Stop in for your daily coffee/lattes at your banks free coffee & cappuccino machine. I mean, they must owe you something after those overdraft charges you handed over to them before you got your finances together.
4. Score a free meal during sample day at the grocery store. Call all of your grocery stores ahead of time to find out when each store has sample day and plan your schedule around it.
5. Heck, even if its not sample day, go to the deli and ask to sample a couple different pasta salads. Tell them you're planning a party and you just aren't sure what you want to serve. Can I try that one on the far left, too? Imagine the possibilities... how many grocery stores are in your city? Hit them all.
6. Lunch didn't quite fill you up? For dessert head over to an ice cream shop and sample a couple ice cream flavors... I mean, they make those tiny spoons because they WANT you to do it.
7. This dessert requires a little planning, but pretend you are planning a wedding, and schedule appointments with different bakeries for cake sampling. These are guaranteed to be delicious desserts. They want your business.
8. Want a healthy breakfast? Go to your local farmers market (with no intention of buying) and sample all of the fresh produce, and fresh cheese. Mmmmmmmmm.
9. Free food right in your backyard. Make a dandelion leaf salad.... make sure there have been no pesticides though!
10. Know your area well? Find a good area to pick berries along a path or roadside.
11. Pull a Vince and Owen and take up wedding crashing. Visit a hotel each Saturday and find banquet halls full of people and join their fun and eat their food. If you're lucky it will be an open bar.
12. And if you are really EXTREME, and you can't afford your nasty habit, smoke the butts of other peoples cigarettes found in the ashtrays found outside of most buildings.
13. And if you are not afraid of breaking the law, send mail by writing your own address in the normal "send to" spot, and put the address of the final destination in the normal "return address" spot. Do not include any postage. This letter will be "returned to sender" which in this case is the intended destination. But really, I think that is called mail fraud.
And that is all I have for now, folks.
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