A Bit Of A Rant

Sorry to but a buzzkill, but I am thoroughly vexed, and I need to whine for a moment.

I've mentioned before that I work for a pretty broke library.  A lot of public libraries are broke these days, and, thankfully, we're not threatened with closure or anything like that, but there's not really any extra money in the budget and there is talk of rolling layoffs if the city cuts our budget.

This is why it shocks me to no end that as soon as it got warm outside, it got freezing cold inside the library.  It's not just that I sit around a lot and get a chill, it is painfully cold--meat locker-esque, and for a place where people don't really move around a lot, it just doesn't make sense.

To counter the incredible cold, and keep from getting sick, my co-worker and I have three space heaters, and I'm contemplating buying leg warmers.  The temperature at work also makes biking/walking to work difficult as I get warm when I'm out in the 80 degree weather, but then I need to bundle up as soon as I get inside.

I've talked to the guys from facilities, and they adjusted the temperature once, but it's still face-freezingly cold.  Apparently the temperature readout was a normal temperature, but my bottle of water stays deliciously cold all day, so I suspect that readout is inaccurate.  The patrons are uncomfortable, I'm uncomfortable, and it seems like an incredible waste of energy--because it is.

If this is what it's like when it's only 72 degrees out, what the hell is going to happen in July?!?!?  Will I need to bring in my puffy coat?!?!?  I know leveling out the temperature may not be a significant cost savings, but we need every penny--why spend it preserving me like a popsicle!?!?

End rant.

I Don't Know How to Walk

Obviously, that's not true.  I do know how to walk, but what I don't know, is how to walk for the pure pleasure of walking.  I do not know how to walk without walking somewhere, and usually that somewhere is a place where I spend money.

Last Saturday, it was a lovely day outside.  Clear skies, 64 degrees, the perfect day to go for a walk and I tried to talk myself into doing just that.  Here's a recap of the conversation I had with myself:

It's a beautiful day!  I should go for a walk!

Maybe I should walk on the treadmill, I really want to make it count 

and I don't really like to power walk outside.

That's silly, the whole point is to get out there!

I guess I could walk to Berk's and look at those shoes....

No, I don't need more shoes, and Berk's is less than a mile away, 

that's barely a walk.

I could walk to Wildflour and get a cupcake.

You don't need a cupcake.

But Wildflour is almost three miles away, that's a good long walk. I could get a juice.

You can't go to a particular business just because it's far away, 

and I'm talking you out of paying $6 for a juice.

After that mental wrestle, I just stayed in and read a book.

The problem is, I love to go for walks, but it's not as fun alone and without a purpose, it just feels weird and uncomfortable.  Going for a run, that's a thing, but just going for a walk by yourself... I don't know.

My mother and I always went for walks when I was growing up, and it was great.  We'd walk and talk and it was really the only time we spent alone.  Since my mother and I are not close at all, it was nice to know that we could always go for a walk and catch up with each other.  BF thinks walking is boring and it's like pulling teeth to get him to go around the block with me.  Even when I bribe him with an ice cream treat, our walk is only to the store and back (four blocks).

When I was in grad school, I used to go to Old Navy every day to walk around mainly because it's a huge store and I didn't want to appear to be one of those 'mall walkers.' Those people are the worst.  This walking habit costs me hundreds in Old Navy clothes (at least they're cheap).  After I got tired of going to Old Navy every day, I started going to Target and Bed Bath and Beyond.

If I lived closer to the beach I could walk by myself--people do that.
But I don't want to live by the beach, and I live right by a park where people also walk

Here's a line from a blog post I wrote in 2008: "I went to the mall on Saturday. I had to go pick up a pair of shelves (at some chick’s house) that I found on craigslist at 11am, and while I was carrying them to my car, I realized that it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly for the first time in quite a while, yet it was crisp and refreshing—the kind of weather where you want to get shit done. So I went to one of the places I hate most in the world, (also indoors because regardless of how lovely the day is, I’m just not an outside girl. I don’t have an outside agenda, and as much as I do sometimes long to walk for pleasure, I prefer to walk somewhere so I know when I’m done)."

So this problem is on-going, and honestly, one of the main reasons I picked Providence as a place to move is because it's so walkable--but I still need an agenda.

Part of this problem is solved by the fact that I can walk to work--so that's good.  I can get the walking out of my system and get paid when I arrive at my destination, but what about days off?  How can I get my walking fix without going broke?  Perhaps this is something I just need to get over, or perhaps I need to lie to myself about where I'm walking, perhaps there's another solution I haven't considered.

Anyone else have this problem?  Any suggestions?

I Did The Math

I got my first paycheck from new job on Thursday, so today I actually figured out what my take-home pay is going to be (though I didn't factor in 401k deductions, cause I haven't set that up yet).  With dental, medical and union dues deducted, I am making $200 less per month than I was making with the two jobs.  Thank god I didn't go on a celebratory shopping binge (except for those beautiful boots).  But, I'm saving about $120/ week on gas, so I'm still coming out ahead.

Since starting this new job, we've been going more frequently to the nearby market, which is more expensive than my usual grocery store--at least it seems like it is.  I haven't done a receipt comparison, so I may just still be reeling from the increase in the cost of food, but I feel like we've been spending a TON on groceries lately.  The silver lining to this turn of events, is that they have the vegetables that I've been looking for for the past six months!

This is a rather silly story, but a while back, Steamfresh vegetables came out with a Chef's Favorite's line of frozen vegetables.  Since I consume a lot of frozen vegetables, I got very excited about this, and grabbed one of each.  I absolutely fell in love with the Lightly Seasoned Garlic Baby Peas and Mushrooms, but then I could never find it again.  They didn't have it at the Stop & Shop where I originally purchased it, and I looked all over Rhode Island and Massachusetts (the part of Massachusetts that's near Rhode Island), and could not find this stuff anywhere.

Elusive Vegetables

Finally, in desperation, I sent an email to the Bird's Eye company to ask where I could find the magical blend of vegetables, and they gave me a list of stores (within an hour of me sending the email--that's good customer service!).  I visited two on the list, and neither had what I wanted.  So, imagine how happy I was to find them in fancy, nearby grocery store last night!  I seriously am so relieved, you have no idea, but now I'm scared that they won't be as good as I remember.  I bought four bags.  I'll let you know.

Switching gears.

Purchase disclosure: I am keeping that coat from Old Navy.  It makes me look awfully silly since it comes to mid-calf, but I'd rather look silly while warm than stylishly freeze to death.

I also placed an order with Athleta (again).  I don't know what the hell it is about that site!  It's not my style, but I think I'm subconsciously emulating a girl I went to elementary school with who is really sporty and wears sportyish casual clothes and looks totally cute and put together all the time.  Except I don't live the kind of life that requires sportyish casual clothes!  Anyway, I bought a pair of running tights where the model was skiing, and they promise to be quite warm (if overpriced).  I'll try them out, and return them if I don't like them (don't worry, Athleta lets you do that--and I'll wash them).

This model is clearly warm and toasty--and overpriced
tights are still cheaper than a gym membership

Other than that possibly ridiculous purchase, my biggest expenses of the past week have been groceries, household staples from Target and gas.  I'm keeping myself in line!

An excellent message

I'm planning on recapping the year that was 2010, just as soon as I go through my budget and examine areas where I failed and succeeded. Despite the setbacks: underemployment, a commute, general lack of money I think I've done pretty well this year. But that's another post.

One thing that burns me up is the way we're constantly told we need more stuff. We get this from advertisers and we do it to ourselves too. I've quit reading most frugality blogs because instead of actually being about spending little and living well for less, they end up being about getting good deals on stuff you don't need. Yes, I get sucked in sometimes too, I'm certainly not perfect, but it seems like some people will buy something just because it's two dollars, rather than because they actually need it.

The frugality blogosphere is abuzz with talk of this new TLC show Extreme Couponing. I haven't seen it, I most likely will not watch it, but the premise in a nutshell is that it profiles some of those extreme couponers that stack coupon on top of coupon and somehow manage to get thousands of dollars worth of stuff for practically free. I also find it incredibly bizarre that there's one show called Hoarders that derides filling your house with crap, and this new one that seems to celebrate it.

One of the extreme couponers "has more than 10,000 items stockpiled in his garage" Another, " Amanda is preparing for her largest checkout ever consisting of nine baskets of food, beauty and pet products including 218 boxes of pasta, 268 containers of noodles, 100 bottles of sport drink and 150 candy bars.

Retail value: $1,175.33. Amanda's cost after utilizing her coupons: $51.67."

Ok, good for her? Personally, I've had a terrible time trying to eat all of the boxed pasta I hoarded back in the day, and now two years later, I still have some left. And 150 candy bars? Why would you ever, ever want to buy 150 candy bars? This stuff has an expiration date, isn't very healthy in the first place.

This is a bit of a rant, but my point is, we need to stop buying stuff we don't need. I recently read the statistic that American spend about 12% of their disposable income on food. Compare that to the 25% that Mexicans spend or even the 14% that Canadians spend, and we come out looking pretty good, but we take it to such an extreme when it comes to looking for deals, that we seem like crazy people. My resolution, for New Year's and forever, is and has been to buy less stuff. I have what I need, my life is comfortable, everything else is just clutter and something I'll eventually have to move.

I'm not a huge fan of Bill Maher, but I saw this yesterday, and he really got it right:

Never buy Mustard in Winter

You're looking at that title thinking, where is she going with this? but I do have a point and it all goes back to mindful shopping.

If you use mustard regularly or semi-regularly, then you probably buy more one to two times per year. Occasionally, you can find coupons for mustard in the Sunday circular, but they're not too frequent. While coupons are all well and good, step back for a second and think about when people use the most mustard. Answer: grilling season.

If you wait until Memorial Day, 4th of July or Labor Day weekends to stock up on your mustard for the year, you will save probably 60-70% per bottle versus buying in in December with a coupon. If you have a coupon while it's on sale, double bonus because what's better than free mustard?

The point of this little anecdote is not really telling you how to save money on mustard, which is a cheap condiment that certainly doesn't compromise your grocery budget, it's more of an exercise in smart stockpiling and mindful shopping.

Financial advisers who go on Oprah like to say things like, "If you just cut out one latte a week, you'll save $250 a year!" This is completely true, but shouldn't count for just indulgences like that. The point of frugality and budgeting is to start saving small amounts daily, and redirecting that money toward something that matters. Saving $2-3 on mustard may seem like a silly waste of time, but money saved is money saved, and it takes very little time or effort. It's just about a shift in perception.

Start paying attention to when things go on sale. Read your grocery stores weekly circular, and you will start to realize that it's all cyclical. Once you start to notice a pattern, you can start to make plans, and rejuvenate your stockpile accordingly. All this takes time, to be sure, but frugality isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle. You're setting yourself up for the future.