Good things come to those who wait!

I really wanted an HD TV but I refused to even think about looking at buying one. My TV worked just fine and I thought it would be wasteful to spend $1000 when there was nothing wrong with the one I had. The purchase also would not have been in-keeping with my 'responsibility and impulse control' goals.

A few weeks ago, I bought a ticket for a charity draw for a big-screen HD TV and an HD cable box. The charity is one that I support and believe in, so I didn't regret the $10 for the ticket.

Long story short -

I won the damn draw!

I am now the proud owner of a very large, very wide HDTV!

Patience is a virtue and good things do come to those who wait!!!!!!!

Sheer, unadulterated *rage-stress* and Hailing the Squeaky Wheel.....

I admit to being a stress eater. Stress = Food that is bad for me gets shoveled into my mouth at a frightening rate. And there are days when I want to just scream for ice cream and today was one of them.We had a huge meeting that nearly went balls-up today because of craptastic service. Yet again, I pulled a large rabbit out of my Mary Poppins bag.

We all speak english. So why is it that the words I say are interpreted as something completely different? Example: "Please cancel the extra paper on the supply order you are delivering tomorrow"; how does that get interpreted as "cancel the supply order with the extra paper on it"? Or, "Please deliver the order at 12PM tomorrow, sharp." becoming "Please deliver the order at 12PM tomorrow, sharp, but only if you, like, feel like it."

I literally can't understand why - if I am paying someone for a service that is time-sensitive - they cannot meet the requirements laid out in advance and then have the nerve to get huffy with me when I complain about it? When did craptastic service and rudeness become the norm rather than the exception?

So, by about 2PM today I was flustered and frazzled. But then the financial sun shone through.

I have had an on-and-off battle royale against Bell Canada Sympatico (boo! hiss! wishing bedbugs on you!) since the start of the summer. I wound up changing to a different ISP over it. I pulled my "Stubborn Queen who documents EVERYTHING" tiara out and donned it once more. We've have been battling on and off over this situation for a few months and......

TODAY THEY ADMITTED IN WRITING THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE AND HAVE REFUNDED A SUBSTANTIAL SUM OF MONEY!

I won! I won! I won! I won! I won!

::conga time::

Anyhoo, I will receive the cheque on Friday (they are sending it via courier) and then I shall be dividing the funds upon receipt into my various savings plans.

All Hail The Stubborn Squeaky Wheel!

PS: In the interests of full disclosure, I celebrated my glorious victory with President's Choice Tikka Masala, Rice Pilao, Garlic Naan, a Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger-Ale and Mango Sorbet. It cost $15 but the same order as an Indian takeout would have cost twice that. I also have substantial leftovers for lunch tomorrow and friday!

FASHION magazine affects worldview (in a positive way)

I picked up the new issue of FASHION on friday night to read on the GO train on my way out to my parents for dinner. Talk about a fortuitous purchase! For once, it didn't make me feel wistful and lusty for products. It made me feel intelligent and not a little bit....miffed, I guess, about the luxury goods industry.

There's an article by Bernadette Morra about luxury and economy that I think should be required frugal reading. I've abstracted it below for those of you not living in my wonderful, awesome, lovely country.

Morra asks the question, "When did handbags become as costly as cars and condos? And why does your average little silk dress cost more than a fridge?" Her answer is that the world got richer. She covers various explanations, including but not limited to higher salaries, the all-encompassing price o'gas claim, increasing purchasing power because of the rising Canadian dollar and lower GST. She does, however, acknowledge that the pricing of irrationally expensive items (such as a $20,000 handbag) are viewed by most people as "just plain nuts." Morra points out that fast-fashion like Joe Fresh Style has effectively made designer pricing - like Dior - look out of control; she uses a $710 D&G turtleneck versus a $17 turtleneck to highlight this point.

She acknowledges that the differences in quality of materials, quantities available, etc., can make a difference but asks if it's even possible for it to be THAT big of a difference. Later in the article, she quotes Jennifer Carter of Hermes Canada justifying the investment cost of luxury items by saying, "The value of my house has doubled since I bought it in 1997. The price of a Birkin has not risen at the same rate."

I don't think anyone needs me to comment of the absurdity of that statement.

Subsequently, Morra naturally thinks about what that says about our attitude towards designer prices when Birkins are affordable compared to real estate. There has been a sea-change in terms of what we define as prohibitive pricing, apparently, and quality and construction are what we use to decide on value for the money. In closing the article, Morra quotes Derek Nighbor of the Retail Council of Canada, who states that people who buy luxury items aren't going to stop the purchasing, they'll just be more choosy. The head versus heart impulse purchase is going to be more dependent on emotional spending than ever before.

In the article, she referenced a book by Dana Thomas, called DELUXE: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. I was so intrigued by her article and the points it raised that I bought the book. I cannot recommend it enough. I'm not prone to hyperbole about the transformative power of a book (I leave that to Oprah) but I truly urge all of you to get this book and read it. It has wrenched the shopaholic, consumerist blinders off of my eyes. I'm about halfway through it and believe you me, I doubt I will EVER buy another 'label' item again after what I read. The information in this book is genuinely as impactful as the information about trans-fats and food stuffs.

It will actually change how you shop and what you shop for.

There's also a comment by Olivia Stren in this month's issue that I found rather amusing as well, about Canadians.

"They seem irate that I should dare stand out. Toronto, even in a vogued-out nabe that prides itself on its big-city urbanity and avant-gardist plurality, can be weirdly conservative. Canadians in general have always favoured discretion, deeming any attention-grabbing uncouth."

Ahem. And we are DAMN proud of that, thank you very much!

Tip(s) of the week

Two for one this week!

1) Sometimes, cheaper really isn't better.

I bought VH1 Butter Chicken Sauce since it was less than the Patak's I usually buy. Blech! Learn from my error and avoid it like it's the black plague. It smells awful and tastes even worse. Spend the extra $1.25 and get the Patak's.

I currently have a febreeze vanilla scented oil plug-in turned on high, all the windows open and two fans on in an effort to get the smell out. Truly craptastic product. I wound up rinsing my chicken off to get the sauce off. It was the only way to make it edible. However, by that point I was so sickened by the smell that I wound up going out to get a hot dog and a creme brulee.

2) Secret Clinical -

Best. Product. Ever.

It actually works! And even better, I don't have to do my dry-cleaner trip with my tops I wear to work this week! My purchase earlier this week has saved me over $20 in dry-cleaning costs. Not bad for $7.00!

Seriously fantastic product! I totally recommend this product for EVERYBODY!

Urge to Kill Rising......

I'm having a Sideshow Bob moment, and it's brought to you by the Designer fashionistas that went up against Gok Wan on Fashion Fix.

Deadly serious - for the first time in my life, I had the near-irresistible urge to smack a person on the tv. One of the fashionistas (the one repping BROWNS) actually referred to an ultra-hideous, fugly pair of shoes that retailed for £750 as a BARGAIN. In Canadian dollars, that is 75% of my monthly income! Clearly, she needs to buy a dictionary with the money she "saved" on that "bargain" because I don't think she knows what the definition of bargain is!

I'm not kidding when I describe them as black strappy stripper/bondage shoes with 4 inch heels. All that was missing was the complimentary gimp masque and ball gag.

I had a similar feeling when reading the following in an article by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan in the Wall Street Journal on 15 September 2008:

"Manhattanite Susan Rogers, an alternative investment specialist for "a bank that still exists," is one such shopper. Ms. Rogers, who said she typically budgets $15,000 for new clothing and accessories each fall, is planning to spend less than $10,000 this season. "I'm realizing it's ridiculous to spend so much money on clothes in this economy -- do I really need a new $1,500 bag every six months?" said Ms. Rogers, 36, who usually buys a new work handbag from a label such as Gucci or Prada each season but plans to skip that purchase this fall. She said she usually visits a personal shopper at Marsh's, an upscale boutique in Huntington, N.Y., in August to update her fall wardrobe but has put off that appointment until late September. "This year, I've been making a controlled effort to stay out of stores."

But it brings something up that - in light of the market free-fall we seem to be in - is rather pertinent. It's not irresponsible banking and investing we're dealing with, it's irresponsible spending period. Even spending $10,000 on clothes is ridiculous. Frankly, if she considers that reasonable or cutting back, then I question her grasp on the reality of the world the rest of us inhabit. No one person should be able to spend $15,000 on clothes and accessories every six months and consider it a necessary investment. I don't care who you are or what you do, that is patently ridiculous. That's $15,000!!!!!

What does she do with the bags once they've done their six month tour of duty? Retire them to the island of lost handbags?

My personal weakness is Chanel Couture - makes my mouth water. I love the tailoring, the colours and the detail invested in each piece. But I wouldn't pay the sticker price for any one item from Chanel. Sorry, but it doesn't say 'stupid' in invisible ink on my forehead.

Perhaps the SEC should be able to put limits on salaries paid to those who work the markets. Maybe if the people on the Street or in the City stopped treating money like it's out of Monopoly or printed on the office document centre, the irresponsible, keeping-up-with-the-Joneses spending that is literally hobbling the world economy would stop.

Rude Wake-Up Call(s)

With the fallout from today's banking implosion and what could - should AIG not be able to raise the rest of the $40 billion they need - mean the fracturing of the world's largest insurance company, one has to wonder what the impact is going to be on pension planning and investor confidence.

I can imagine that a lot of people are questioning the security of their retirement portfolios and their jobs at the same time. I'm somewhat relieved that I rebalanced my retirement portfolio earlier this year and I dumped all my AIG holdings at that time (investment-savvy people at work told me to, and I'm glad I listened). I find it nightmarish to try and understand what these events could have on others, though, who weren't lucky enough to be nervous nellies like myself - especially people coming up to retirement who may not have the means to enjoy the plans they made in better times.

There are also people, I'm sure, who work(ed) for Lehman Bros. whose lives have not only been thrown into turmoil, but probably - if the fears of some articles come true - will be left without the pay they're owed. I just feel so sorry for them (and their families). A lot of the people who worked there weren't responsible for the mess that Lehman found itself in, but they're the ones who will suffer the most in a bear market.

I can't imagine how I would cope if it happened where I work. I guess that today's events are an even-greater impetus to build up those emergency funds.

Someone commented today on tv that the impression non-finance people are being left with of corporate banking and investment brokerages is of people who treat the market and money like it's just a game of monopoly. I have to agree with that idea. When I first heard that AIG was going to need to raise $40 billion to stay in business, my first thought - surreal though it was - was of Scrooge McDuck swimming in piles of money. Utterly ridiculous yet apt, since I honestly cannot even begin to understand that kind of money.

It begs the question, though - where does the buck stop, and was it pure greed or just fiscal pollyannaism that caused the credit crunch?

Where is my mind?

Has anyone seen my brain? I think I've mislaid it. It's the only explanation for why I've been having so many thicko moments this week. Or maybe I did something to a voodoo queen and she's out to get me, I don't know. What I do know is that part of my budget for the month has been totally blown and I'm really annoyed at myself for being such a total dumbass.

On top of what I did to my arm (and the $15 it cost me) and the replacement footwear costs (grrrrr.....), I somehow misread the library due date on my books. They were actually due on the 3rd.

$8.03 later (yeowch).

Anyways, spending report:

Secret Clinical and Schick Razor Blades - $19.38
Insoles and Yogurt - $6.14
Coffee - $5.03
Fines - $8.03

FYI/TMI - I sweat, I don't glow or glisten. I actually can't wear the same shirt twice because I sweat so much, which costs me a fortune in dry-cleaning. So, I had a coupon for $1.50 plus the Secret Clinical was on sale for $7.99. I thought I would give it a go to see if it makes a difference with my shirts and thus my dry-cleaning bill. If it does, great. If not, lesson learned.

I'll share the results/review of the Secret Clinical next week.

Frustrations

I titled this frustration because I realized this week that even though I was being really good, I wound up spending on two things - shoes and a tensor bandage - I didn't want but ending up needing (in one case because of a stupid memory-lapse about nylons, of all things!).

I'm also frustrated because one of my least favourite people is back after an extended absence. This person annoys me so much with the petty, "scoring points off you" behaviour they indulge in. I really don't know how they made it to where they are by acting like a petulant 13 year old with acne. It's predominantly their abrasive behaviour I find objectionable. This person has a temper and rather than act like an adult, they make sure that everyone can "hear" how juvenile they behave.

I am by no means a moron. But this person treats me like I am. They deliberately ask questions that not only would there be no reason for me to have that knowledge, but that very few people on the planet would know the answer to (or want to). When they ask me to help them, and if I point out something truly relevant, they pooh-pooh it and act like I've said something absurd. Perhaps you missed the memo - when I send you something via email because I thought you should know about it, I am not doing it because I'm bored. Enjoy your extended wait in traffic, had you listened you would have known that highway is under construction with massive delays.

Dang it, this is not my week! AKA The Shoe Rant

I have a pair of great black patent heels from Nine West that I love. They go with everything and are usually super-comfortable to wear. The only negative thing about them is that I absolutely have to wear nylons with them. If I go skin-only, the patent rubs against two specific spots on my feet and make it uber-uncomfortable to even think about moving, much less actually walking.

My office has just gone back to non-summer-hours clothing. Now, like the majority of the female population in my metropolis, I don't wear nylons/stockings in the summer. It's kind of an instant darwin award - wearing stockings in our summer humidity is right up there with sticking a fork into a live socket and then licking it.

Anyways, I pulled out the heels this morning and without even thinking about it, guess what I forgot to don, purely from falling out of the habit for three months?

Stockings.

Now, normally this wouldn't be so bad. But for the first time in ages, I didn't have a spare pair of shoes in my desk. I took them home last week to get the heel grips replaced. And of course, I wound up having to run urgent errands. My feet are just killing me. The patents rubbed my feet raw in two places and by the time I realized that I had forgotten to put my stockings on, even moleskin (which I always have at my desk in case of footwear trials) couldn't help me. I wound up having to go out at lunch and buy a pair of shoes, I was literally in so much pain. I tried looking for a cheap pair, but I couldn't find anything that fit on the "sale/please take these last season leftovers out of our store for cheap" rack. I ended up with a nice pair of bronzish metallic wedge heels for $70 including tax from Aldo. They are quite nice and rather comfortable, but I really resent having to pay $70 for them. Especially considering they were the most practical pair of shoes in the store and the only ones with a remotely reasonable price tag.

That is what brings me to my rant. Why on earth can one not locate stylish and well-constructed shoes in Canada at a reasonable price? Why is there no longer a reasonable, mid-point footwear company available to us? Shoes are either cheap - both in price and value for money, because they'll fall apart in four weeks! - or stupidly, unrealistically expensive!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I look down on Payless Shoes. I know that some people love them, but I don't know anyone who has ever purchased a pair of shoes there that have lasted and not caused crippling pain. And what really irritates me about them is that the prices aren't that great here - their shoes are maybe $5-10 less than a pair from Spring, whose shoes are slightly more well made but so trendy that anything from there is almost guaranteed to be a one-season wonder.

I used to like Naturalizer and Feet First before they went all Grandma again. Seriously, I'm in my 30s - I'm not ready to be put out to pasture just yet, so don't push low heels with witchy buckles (and not in a cool, sexy way) at me. I gave up on the Shoe Company years ago - everything is either clunky-chunky, teenybopper or channelling a stripper. Even Winners (ostensibly the place to get good deals) has some seriously wiggy footwear pricing going on. They're opening a massive Winners footwear store in Vaughan Mills later this month and while I'm tempted to go (and really, what woman wouldn't be?) , I don't see the point because I know that the prices aren't going to be all that great or wondrous.

It's kind of infuriating that unless one is willing to spend over $100 on a pair of shoes, one cannot get a good pair anymore. Town Shoes and Browns always have stylish and well-made shoes, but the starting price is usually about $150 a pair for heels and $99 for flats. While I could certainly rationalize "$150 for a pair = if I'm going to wear them X number of times they only cost so $X much in reality", I still get pissed off that I am almost expected to do that.

Why can't I just walk into a store, find a nice pair of shoes, and not have to choose between my grocery bill or the shoes?

D'oh!

I pulled some muscles in my arm on the weekend.

Tip of the Week - BODYFLOW (yoga, pilates and tai chi hybrid gym class) can be dangerous to one's health.

I wound up having to spend $14.68 on a tensor bandage to compensate for my poor overstretched arm muscles.

:-(

Revised Grocery List - God Bless the Coupon!

I somehow managed to hit coupon heaven day at Shoppers Drug Mart and at Pharma Plus. She spots, she scores!

That was actually a good thing. It really sucks that I won't risk lunch meat or cheese right now. I had to buy pork and extra chicken to use to make for lunch instead of my sandwich fixings. It's not Maple Leafs Foods' fault, per se. I don't see how they could have suspected that one small part on a package sealing machine - which traditionally doesn't touch the product itself - in one plant out of the many they have would cause such a tragedy to unfold. It's just frustrating that we can't trust a good, cost-effective part of our food supply right now.

I figure it cost me about an extra $25-30 - even after the coupon deals today - this month that I didn't need to spend because I've had to change what I make for lunch. I had enough in my freezer to cut my grocery bill, but having to add to it because I can't buy my turkey and ham slices put paid to that idea. Effectively, I have to cook two meals in the evening now until the industry convinces me that they've taken enough steps to regain my confidence in their safety protocols.

To pass the time while my yummy beef stew (dinner tonight and 2 lunches) cooks, here's the rest of my list of groceries for the month:

4L of Skim Milk - $3.99
Lg can Chicken Noodle Soup - $1.79 ($0.75 coupon!)
Lg can Veggie Beef Barley Soup - $1.79 ($0.75 coupon!)
Instant Coffee - $4.99 ($3.00 coupon!)
Caramel Syrup (for my homemade caramel correttos) - $3.49 ($1.00 coupon)
Vegetable Thins Crackers - $1.79 ($1.20 coupon!)
10pk of Maple Harvest Granola Bars - $1.99 ($1.00 coupon!)
4 Chocolate Pudding Cups - $0.99 ($1.00 coupon!)
4 Vanilla Pudding Cups - $0.99 ($1.00 coupon!)
Very Cherry Cocktail Can - $1.49 ($0.50 coupon!)
Fruit Cocktail Can - $1.49 ($0.50 coupon!)
Pears Can - $1.49 ($0.50 coupon!)
Peaches Can - $1.49 ($0.50 coupon!)
Lg Can Diced Tomatoes - $1.29 ($0.75 coupon!)
Swiffer Wet Mop Cloths- $3.99 (coupon for $3.00 off!)
Febreze Noticeables Oil Refill in Vanilla - $4.49 ($1.50 off!)

Only things I didn't get were olive oil - out of stock at SDM but I got a raincheck for the coupon price - and apples. HOWEVER, the apples won't cost me anything - my auntie has an apple tree in her yard that I get to pillage next week. Yum - real, fresh macintosh apples! :-)

Total Spent incl. Friday's groceries: $110.98 (incl. tax)

So what I had left in my freezer before I did my big shop was:

1 pk of frozen spicy mango tilapia
4 frozen chicken breasts
3 frozen bison burgers
3 frozen burger buns
5 frozen steaks (pepper and parsley)
0.5 Kg frozen gnocchi
1 bag frozen baby potatoes
1 bag frozen asparagus
1 bag frozen matchstick carrots
0.5 bag frozen whole green beans
6 small bags of frozen, pre-cut peach slices
1 pk each of Toppits basil, garlic and cilantro
1 frozen orange juice mix
2 english muffins
1 very large container of frozen mixed berries
1 container frozen homemade bean soup with veggies

The goal is to make it through the month without having to grocery shop, other than getting more milk, another OJ and yogurt in two weeks' time. I don't see why I would need to hit the grocers for anything else.

Meal Planning as Tip of the week!

Something I don't do, in the traditional sense!

I am not really much of a meal planner, per se. I don't have a family, so I'm not tied to the set meal times and other factors that affect many people.

However, I do have a kind of system, and it works for me.

1) Don't eat what you don't like - I hate salad. If I buy loose greens, it's usually baby arugula and it's for sandwiches. If you buy what you don't like, it's either going to go off in the fridge or sit there in the cupboard until botulism joins listeria on the watch list. Stock your fridge with what you like, and you won't have wastage!

2) Use coupons - plan your food choices around what's on sale. It also ensures variety in your diet, so you don't get bored with your food choices.

3) Organic is not necessarily the best choice - be intelligent and practical as well as eco-conscious. I personally prefer organic produce, however I will not spend $6.99 on a small container of blueberries. That's just crazy thought!

4) Seasonal shopping is your friend - eat what's on nature's tap. If you don't, you're paying more and getting less. And you're hurting our planet if you purchase strawberries in January shipped in from California!

5) Plan intelligently - that means learning what serving sizes are and being pro-active about food prep. Pre-dice chicken for curries and casseroles. Buy frozen mixed vegetables and canned vegetables when you can, because it will totally cut time off the prep and cooking of meals. I am less likely to pick-up takeout if I know I don't have to chop or mince or dice.

Pragmatic cooking is good cooking!

Grocery List

I normally don't post these things, but I thought I would share my grocery list (which I always do on a friday night).

Groceries:

Lemon Pepper Tuna Steak
VH Butter Chicken Sauce
Aunt Jemima Griddlecakes (2 per pack)
Frozen Spinach
Misura Sugar-Free Cookies
Bag of Cooking Onions
Toppits Frozen Ginger Cubes
2 Clementines
Stoplight Peppers 3pak
Green Pepper
Dempsters Ancient Grains Bread
Campbells Beef Broth
Ponderosa Blend Mixed Dried Mushrooms (porcini, oyster, shitake, portabello)
Extra-Lean Ground Beef (split into thirds)
3 Pork Rib Chops
3 pieces of Beef Brisket
4 Chicken Breasts (split into 8 servings)
250 mL Bottle of Cotes du Rhone Red Wine

Total Spent: $77.30

I have some more groceries to do tomorrow, because there's a sale on at Shoppers Drug Mart tomorrow only on some things I need.

Note to my fellow Canadians: milk is cheaper at SDM, along with frozen foods and yogurt!!!!!

Gah! Foiled by fripperies!

Forgot to do my spending report.

Yesterday, I had a very, very busy and long day. I had to be at work at 6:15AM (dear god in heaven why am I an owl in a world of larks......).

I spent:

Lg Coretto Latte from Second Cup & Muffin (I had burned off brekkie) - $8.51
Pizza - $12.00 (lunch & dinner and lunch today)
Gum and a Magazine related to work - $5.95

Today:

Slept through alarm! D'OH!

McMuffin and a coffee ($2.99 coupon) - $3.14.
FITNESS magazine - $5.09. This is the one I buy every month, though.

Pride moment - Did not buy gorgeous lustworthy boots for $155. Walked. away.

Cha-cha-cha! A love letter to the person who invented the PAP

The glory that is the pre-authorized payment never ceases to astound me.

I love how I don't have to do anything. I love how it lets me budget, both from a time and a money perspective. I love that it means I don't have to kill trees by writing a cheque (and really, how retro are cheques?).

I have paid all my bills that can't be PAP'ed, except for my VISA, which I only paid half of this week.

I don't know if any of you have expenses that have to be filed for work, but I am so [insert expletive here] fed up with our system. We have to file and code via an online program, and then submit the receipts. I did that, yet Tweedledee and Tweedledon't in our accounting group can't seem to process expenses in a timely fashion. I'm stuck carrying the balance until I get my expenses paid back from work. I admit to having thrown a major (polite) temper tantrum over it, resulting in work agreeing that THEY will pay the interest charges since Numbskull and Dimwit can't work a software program!

I *hate* when I can't pay my balance off in full. It's not just a personal pet peeve - I hate the idea of paying interest on something I've purchased outright. Such a stupid thing to do! It's like chewing a stick of gum again!

Anyways, my outgoing for the month so far has been as follows:

Rent (utilities incl.) - $927.81
Cable (incl. cable, home phone and internet - discount bundled) - $138.00
Cell Phone - $59.28
Insurance - $20.70
Health Club - $61.96
Trainer - $62.33
VISA - $246.92
Transit - $22.50
Bank Fee - $12.95

So, my outgoing has amounted to (pass the O2 and praise the spreadsheet!) $1,552.45.

Boy, am I glad I get paid well for what I do!

Seriously though, I so do not like that number. Analysing the costs, of course, I know I could live without my gym membership (the trainer thing is a PAP that let me do my personal training without shelling out the full amount for my trainer at one time). I could live without cable (though my fellow city-dwellers would be in peril, since it relaxes my already-wound-for-sound self).

But I don't want to. I like my cable package and when the weather isn't nice, I do use the gym almost every day.

Incidentally, I didn't make it to the gym at all this week - I have been so tired, it's crazy. I did, however, lift weights and do stretching and squats'n'lunges at home while watching tv. I also did some major walks, so I don't feel too bad about not achieving that goal.

Paying It Forward......

My goodness, I feel honoured! I'm also glad my rather scattershot sense of humour appeals!

Thanks to FruGal (see http://www.blogger.com/www.totallymoney.com/frugal/ for the coolness that is she) for the honourable mention with such great blogs!

Following the trend:

1. Put the logo (above) on their blog;

2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to them;

3. Nominate at least 5 other blogs;

4. Add links to these blogs on your blog – don’t forget this step. This is great free advertising!

5. Leave a message for your award recipient on their blog.

So, my nominees are:

1) http://hollyisstoppingshopping.blogspot.com/

Why? Because watching her progress and successes is better than my morning Caramel Coretto Latte (no foam, extra caramel).

2) http://notesfromthefrugaltrenches.com/

Again, truly inspirational. I also find her musings to be really helpful in reorienting myself back on task, especially when I'm feeling over caffeinated, depressed, stressed or just plain angry.

3) http://singlebrokefemale.blogspot.com/

I've been there, and I'm trying to stop doing it. I'm her self-appointed cheering section - I'm proud to watch her do what I wish I'd done in my 20s.

4) http://saving4later.blogspot.com/

I have to cheer on a fellow bookwyrm-cum-Canadian blogger. Besides, she has achieved what I'm aiming for.

5) http://pennypence.blogspot.com/

I feel rather connected to her - I often find myself nodding, going, 'yup, I hear you!' whilst reading.

Anyhow, I would also like to say one thing:

ON TUESDAY, I WENT SHOPPING AND I DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING!!!!!!

I needed some 'no brain time' and I managed - somehow - to make it out of every store I went into without spending money on clothes that didn't make me look fabulous.

::thumping myself on the back::

I think I turned a corner!

I have a new love.....

His name is Gok Wan.

He's just wonderful. I would kill to shop with him.

Me love.

Emotional Spending and Monthly Goals

After my craptastic day last week, I figured out what it was that made me so unhappy and in need of wasteful retail therapy: sleep-deprivation and the need for solitude and sanctuary.

It sounds strange, but all I did for most of the weekend was spend time with me.

I slept in and napped. I cleaned my apartment and decluttered. I had a nice coretto latte from the Second Cup (yum!) while I read part of the paper on Saturday and Sunday morning. I read a few books. I did my laundry. I watched some tv (though not today, why do they program such lousy tv marathons on Labour Day?). I worked out a little. I just relaxed and chilled. I feel much better. I think my spending breakdown on Friday was just me needing to declutter my head and reorient myself. I felt fine by late Saturday morning, so much so that my weekly flyer perusal didn't generate any 'must buy that now' urges. I guess I need to do more with myself from an emotive relaxation standpoint than externally validating myself through 'I can have thats'.

Reviewing loads of other blogs, I figured I should set some monthly goals for myself. I've never been really goal-oriented, per se, so this should be interesting. I decided to start off on the things I can control and move on from there.

I spent the weekend thinking about the forthcoming month and I figured that the following are achievable goals. I'm focusing on the variables rather than the fixed expenses this month.

1. Transit - estimate of $95.00. It will cost me $86.75 to get to and from work this month, and the $10 extra should cover any other trips. Luckily, I can walk pretty much everywhere I need to get to except work.
2. Groceries - estimate of $150.00, including dining out. A linked goal on this is to clear out my cabinets and my fridge/freezer. In order to try and be more successful at this, I am going to try to do it with cash rather than by debit card, like I usually do. I have this funny not-phobia-but-extreme-dislike of breaking $20 bills. It's not that debit represents 'unreal' money or anything like that. It sounds silly, but I just hate trying to get loonies and toonies out of my wallet, so I try to avoid using real cash in places where I know I'll get lots of loose change! I'm interested to see if I spend less at the grocery store this way.
3. Savings - minimum of $100.00 to go into general savings account. Any leftovers will be allocated to other savings goals accordingly.
4. Personal Care - I'm budgeting precisely $125.00 towards clothes and $75.00 towards a haircut, waxing and some new make-up. HOWEVER, part of my goal is to not spend up to half of that $200.00 I've budgeted, if that makes sense. I just want to see if I can do it.
5. CREDIT - I pay my balance off in full every month since I hate the idea of paying interest on something I'm not renting. But this month's goal is TO NOT USE MR. CARD at all.

A personal goal is to hit the gym 3 times this week for cardio and some basic strength training on the machines, then four times each week for the rest of the month.

Wish me luck!