i got two emails and some comments on a forum where i post asking me:

how do you save $1300us

being anal retentive, i had this figured out by noon the day following the event, and would have had the sums earlier if the hotel had not been so swanky and used cloth napkins. if there had been paper, i would have been jotting down numbers as soon as magnificent charles said "guess what i just did?"

i won't bore you with the spreadsheet, but i figure in the five months until my birthday, we can absorb that $1300 by making some cutbacks.

here's what i have done so far:

$75      passed up opportunity to buy pre-ny champagne. i won't drink sparkling white, i just won't have champagne. i don't drink alcohol anyway, why should i make an exception for nye when all we ever get is a half full bottle?

$50     no taxi's this week. i am very conscientous about time, i just at times am so double booked i take taxi's. not this work week, bebe.

$20     no buying vanity fair for five months

$20     no ordering pizza for dinner last night 

$20     cancelled pedicure for next week. had nails painted last week, that is fine.

$50     sold pilates training classes passes to friend. i am not going to get to the classes, why don't i accept that and just sell the passes. so i did.

$20     selling car seat (have not done yet, but we will)

$75     i am not going to shenzhen tomorrow. transport alone would be close to $20, lunch another $7, and oh i would buy an estimated $50 worth of stuff. all unnecessary.

so there is $300. true, not everything (car seat) i have accomplished and is cash in the pocket, but i reckon by march 17, with more frugal living, we will be on even keel again. and if we're not, gee, how awful. how terrible.

so not only am i the closet and house de-clutter queen, but i am also able to help you analyse your budget/lifestyle and see where cutbacks can be made. if you want. this week i am going to terri's to help her toss out some things. terri is very agreeable and not a clingy possession person, she just wants an opinion to bounce off, so good times will be had. i will take the #40 bus to her flat.

Comments

[Dad aka Granddad blake]

That's my girl!

Love to all....dad

[Lala]

Have you heard of plumpyfruit?

[Lala]

sorry, it's called RUF now, here's the link. http://www.msf.org/msfinternational/invoke.cfm?objectid=88C80C10-15C5-F00A-257AF64DC3C4940F&component=toolkit.article&method=full_html

[Trinie]

When we compare our lives to what others have we are so so rich aren't we? And I know what you mean - when you really think about it there are all sorts of little sacrifices you can make to make a difference in your budget.

I am hoping to persuade some members of our families that they would prefer to have a gift of a goat for Christmas that goes to a third world family (or something equivalent) to something for them that will probably be junk in a few months time.