You may have noticed, I've been MIA going on 2 weeks now. No search party was sent out, so I'll assume you knew I was (and continue to be) still among the living.
So, the past 2 weeks have consisted of running around with the kids. School let out for summer on June 11th and OHMYGOD I had forgotten how expensive summer can be! They want to go here, there, everywhere, all these places costing $20+. yeah. That's not gonna work for unemployed mommy.
As of tomorrow, both of my kids will be places other than home. One is currently with her Dad's family in New Mexico and the other will fly out to his Dad's place in Georgia. (I just re-read that, I feel need to clarify... They have the same Dad. Not that it matters, but...) I'll get back to my "Summer of Cheap"-ing on Friday.
Side note - I've been working on a website, please click through to check it out! http://www.socalonthecheap.com
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Lure of $1 Jamba Juice
I'm not a huge fan of Jamba Juice, but my daughter is. She thinks frozen, fruit-laden, sugar-enhanced beverages are a good thing to waste - I mean SPEND - her money on. I simply don't get it. (If it was served at a Mexican restaurant and a shot of tequila were tossed in, then I would get it. She's 9 years shy of enjoying adult beverages, however.)
Since it was $1 Jamba Juice day, she looked at me with her puppy dog eyes, batted her eyelashes, and in her sweetest voice she asked, "Mommmmmmmy? Can we go to Jamba Juice? Pleeease, Mommy?" OK, why not, it's just a buck. I dug into my change jar and scrounged up a few quarters.
I tried the Acai Superfruit drink, she tried Yumberry. Mine tasted a bit like plums or raisins... It was my first venture into the acai world, and quite possible my last. Autumn's drink was so much tastier! Think strawberries, peach, etc... YUMberry for sure! My total: $1.
The evening's event was my usual Wednesday nigth standby... Trivia night! Like last week, I had a gift certificate from winning previously. Translation: FREE food! Tri-tip nachos & chicken nachos. I (boringly) drank water, except for the one margarita that my trivia teammates insisted that I consume. They twisted my arm (literally), and hence, I gave in. Total: FREE!
Total: $0.16 - $1 = -$0.84.
COME ON, FRIDAY!
Since it was $1 Jamba Juice day, she looked at me with her puppy dog eyes, batted her eyelashes, and in her sweetest voice she asked, "Mommmmmmmy? Can we go to Jamba Juice? Pleeease, Mommy?" OK, why not, it's just a buck. I dug into my change jar and scrounged up a few quarters.
I tried the Acai Superfruit drink, she tried Yumberry. Mine tasted a bit like plums or raisins... It was my first venture into the acai world, and quite possible my last. Autumn's drink was so much tastier! Think strawberries, peach, etc... YUMberry for sure! My total: $1.The evening's event was my usual Wednesday nigth standby... Trivia night! Like last week, I had a gift certificate from winning previously. Translation: FREE food! Tri-tip nachos & chicken nachos. I (boringly) drank water, except for the one margarita that my trivia teammates insisted that I consume. They twisted my arm (literally), and hence, I gave in. Total: FREE!Total: $0.16 - $1 = -$0.84.
COME ON, FRIDAY!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Los Angeles Cemetery Movie 101
A couple of years ago, some amigos of mine who live in Silverlake suggested that we all go to see a movie in a cemetery. Um, excuse me? Isn't that scary? Disrespectful? Blasphemous, even? Nope. It's incredible. It's worth every penny of the "suggested donation".
(Are you unsure of what I'm even talking about? See the movie Valentine's Day. There's a cemetery movie scene toward the end with Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, Topher Grace, and a boatload of extras. It's almost 100% accurate, except for at a real cemetery movie, you can't get advance tickets.)
Since I'm a "veteran", people ask me quite often if I'll show 'em the ropes. Understandable since it's an off-beat, kooky adventure. Had I not been invited by my party crew, I'm not sure if I would've ever braved the crowds to experience this "totally L.A." thing-to-do.
As much as I'd like to go every weekend, I simply can't. As you know, I'm on a budget! So, unless you want to cover me on the price of admission, then this will have to do.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Step 1: Check out http://www.cinespia.org/ to find out what movies are showing. See one that interests you? Then move on to Step 2. If you don't see a decent movie, then I suggest you wait for the following month's list to come out. It's no fun if you're stuck watching a bummer flick!
Step 2: Google map it.
Step 3: Make sure you have $10 cash for each person attending plus $5 per car. (You can park outside the cemetery for free but it's almost impossible to find a parking spot.)
Step 4: Gather pillows, blankets, and SHORT lawn chairs. See my pic on the right? The backs of those chairs are tall, but we lowered them during the movie. Remember, you'll be sitting on the ground, and so will the people behind you. Be cool and don't block their view.
Step 5: Dress comfortably. Some peeps look like they're going clubbing afterward. Some actually dress up movie-theme style (like the Beetlejuice viewers to the left). If that's your definition of comfort, then coolio. It can get a wee bit nippy there (since you'll be sitting on the lawn) so bring a hoodie. Heck, bring your Snuggie, if ya want! You'll be camped out for at least 3 hours, so really, leave the super skinny jeans for another day.
Step 6: Pack a picnic. The prevailing food of choice seems to be all things Trader Joes, toted in via super cool reusable shopping bags.
I'm unemployed so I can't shop where the rich kids shop, so I bring plates full of leftovers, or I stop by Subway for a $5 footlong. Just bring whatever makes you happy. Sandwiches, burgers, tofu casserole, whatever. You can bring coolers but you can't bring barbecues, sorry! Alcohol is acceptable. Don't be a beligerant drunk though, that harshes everyone's mellow.
Step 7: Get there early. Gates open at 7:30 for walk-ins AND cars. Walk-ins can wait all afternoon, if desired. Cars, not so much. Cops/security WILL send you packing if you try and idle by the curb. I've been about a mile back in the line and still made it in, so don't freak out if you get in a line that seems totally endless. Sundays are a better choice if over-crowding/sell-outs are a concern.
Step 8: Set up on the lawn. Pretty much everyone wants to get front & center. That's not likely to happen. It's ok, there really are no BAD seats. I kind of like sitting to the side because there are no designated pathways to the restroom. You WILL be walking on other people's blankets and hopping to the teeny, tiny patches of grass between blankets. Easy to do when there's still sunlight, almost impossible during the movie. So... this is important... USE THE RESTROOM BEFORE THE MOVIE STARTS!
Step 8: Enjoy the DJ while meeting your lawn neighbors and people watching. The movie starts at 9 so you have plenty of time.
Step 9: Watch the movie. Don't be a dick: Leave the cell phone conversations for later. In fact, save ALL conversations for later. This is also a bad time for greco-roman wrestling. This IS a good time for blanket snuggling. Don't get too hot and heavy, por favor, because 98% of the people around you don't want to see that. (The other 2%, well, those are the ones you need to worry about.)
Step 10: After the movie, clean up your mess. This is a cemetery, not the city dump. And you need the good karma. :) Whilst on your way out, visit Johnny Ramone's grave. You can't miss it. He'd appreciate it, I just know it. Don't go stepping all over other people's graves though (remember that karma thing!).
Please leave any other cemetery movie suggestions/ideas/feedback/notes of gratitude, etc. below. Except for complaints. Leave those in your head. ;)
(Some pics borrowed from www.facebook.com/cinespia.)
(Are you unsure of what I'm even talking about? See the movie Valentine's Day. There's a cemetery movie scene toward the end with Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, Topher Grace, and a boatload of extras. It's almost 100% accurate, except for at a real cemetery movie, you can't get advance tickets.)
Since I'm a "veteran", people ask me quite often if I'll show 'em the ropes. Understandable since it's an off-beat, kooky adventure. Had I not been invited by my party crew, I'm not sure if I would've ever braved the crowds to experience this "totally L.A." thing-to-do.
As much as I'd like to go every weekend, I simply can't. As you know, I'm on a budget! So, unless you want to cover me on the price of admission, then this will have to do.
Cemetery Movie 101
Step 1: Check out http://www.cinespia.org/ to find out what movies are showing. See one that interests you? Then move on to Step 2. If you don't see a decent movie, then I suggest you wait for the following month's list to come out. It's no fun if you're stuck watching a bummer flick!
Step 2: Google map it.
Step 3: Make sure you have $10 cash for each person attending plus $5 per car. (You can park outside the cemetery for free but it's almost impossible to find a parking spot.)
Step 4: Gather pillows, blankets, and SHORT lawn chairs. See my pic on the right? The backs of those chairs are tall, but we lowered them during the movie. Remember, you'll be sitting on the ground, and so will the people behind you. Be cool and don't block their view.Step 5: Dress comfortably. Some peeps look like they're going clubbing afterward. Some actually dress up movie-theme style (like the Beetlejuice viewers to the left). If that's your definition of comfort, then coolio. It can get a wee bit nippy there (since you'll be sitting on the lawn) so bring a hoodie. Heck, bring your Snuggie, if ya want! You'll be camped out for at least 3 hours, so really, leave the super skinny jeans for another day.Step 6: Pack a picnic. The prevailing food of choice seems to be all things Trader Joes, toted in via super cool reusable shopping bags.
I'm unemployed so I can't shop where the rich kids shop, so I bring plates full of leftovers, or I stop by Subway for a $5 footlong. Just bring whatever makes you happy. Sandwiches, burgers, tofu casserole, whatever. You can bring coolers but you can't bring barbecues, sorry! Alcohol is acceptable. Don't be a beligerant drunk though, that harshes everyone's mellow.Step 7: Get there early. Gates open at 7:30 for walk-ins AND cars. Walk-ins can wait all afternoon, if desired. Cars, not so much. Cops/security WILL send you packing if you try and idle by the curb. I've been about a mile back in the line and still made it in, so don't freak out if you get in a line that seems totally endless. Sundays are a better choice if over-crowding/sell-outs are a concern.
Step 8: Set up on the lawn. Pretty much everyone wants to get front & center. That's not likely to happen. It's ok, there really are no BAD seats. I kind of like sitting to the side because there are no designated pathways to the restroom. You WILL be walking on other people's blankets and hopping to the teeny, tiny patches of grass between blankets. Easy to do when there's still sunlight, almost impossible during the movie. So... this is important... USE THE RESTROOM BEFORE THE MOVIE STARTS!
Step 8: Enjoy the DJ while meeting your lawn neighbors and people watching. The movie starts at 9 so you have plenty of time.
Step 9: Watch the movie. Don't be a dick: Leave the cell phone conversations for later. In fact, save ALL conversations for later. This is also a bad time for greco-roman wrestling. This IS a good time for blanket snuggling. Don't get too hot and heavy, por favor, because 98% of the people around you don't want to see that. (The other 2%, well, those are the ones you need to worry about.)
Step 10: After the movie, clean up your mess. This is a cemetery, not the city dump. And you need the good karma. :) Whilst on your way out, visit Johnny Ramone's grave. You can't miss it. He'd appreciate it, I just know it. Don't go stepping all over other people's graves though (remember that karma thing!).Please leave any other cemetery movie suggestions/ideas/feedback/notes of gratitude, etc. below. Except for complaints. Leave those in your head. ;)
(Some pics borrowed from www.facebook.com/cinespia.)
I think I blew it... Math time, coming up!
Yesterday included TWO visits to the - gasp! - mall. AKA Money dump central. I was lured there by the need to return some pants CJ never wore, the fact that I had a Macys $50.00 gift card & I needed dancing shoes, and of course, the lure of a FREE HOT DOG ON A STICK!
CJ's pantalones were paid for with a gift card and partly on my debit card. When they returned them, they didn't bother giving me another gift card, they credited put the entire credit back on my debit card! So, just by walking in the mall, I actually gained about $10. Woo hoo!
We headed over to Hot Dog on a Stick because June 15th was FREE corndog day! Silly me, I failed to read the extremely tiny, impossible to see, fine print (which was actually in bold blue writing) stating that the freebie hours were 5-8 pm. It was only 1 pm. What to do?! Turns out, Tuesdays are $1 Dog day! In addition. I had a "buy one menu item, get one free" coupon from my Entertainment book. They had no problem honoring it! 6 dogs + 1 large cherry lemonade + 1 order of french fries = $10.01! My cut = $3.34.
Shopping was a bust. Although my kids wanted to go, they also wanted to be anywhere except where I was. I gave up searching for a new outfit for the evening's swing dancing adventure (which was to be funded by Macy's giftcard) and headed home.
I discovered an outfit in my closet that I've worn once which seemed perfectly perfect for a night of dancing. How could I have forgotten about it?! Reeeeeecycle! Except now I had a new problem: No shoes. I abhor high heels but they were needed for the dress. I envisioned the perfect shoes... black, not too high, not too low, with a strap to keep the darn things on in case I decided to actually dance...
My daughter & I headed BACK to the mall, straight to Macy's. You'll never believe this: they had the EXACT shoes I envisioned, in my size, on the clearance rack! Autumn found a pair of Ed Hardy sneaks, also in her size, also on clearance. We got an extra 20% off (store promotion, and NO I didn't sign up for a Macy's charge card to get it!). Total: $58. I had a $50.00 gift card & Autumn had a $25 card... So, the shoes were FREE!
My nails looked terrible, and I had a coupon on me for a $20 mani/pedi. I had a $15 Mastercard gift card on me... I couldn't resist. I did it. Total: $5.
It was past 5:00 so, yup, we went and got our free hot dogs on a stick! PLUS, they gave both of us a coupon for a free lemonade when another menu item is purchased (we saved them for a future visit). FREE!
Later in the evening, I headed to mi amigo's birthday shin dig, a swing dancing extravaganza at Joe's American Bar and Grill. Admission: FREE! Beer: Not free... My bar tab was $19.50. Fun had: Priceless!
So, math time... $28 - $3.34 - $5 - $19.50 = 16 cents! I'm shocked! Two meals, new shoes, mani/pedi, and a night out, and I didn't exceed the limit! Woo hoo! (I didn't add in the $10 gained earlier at JCPenneys, either!)
Now, what to do with that $0.16? ;)
CJ's pantalones were paid for with a gift card and partly on my debit card. When they returned them, they didn't bother giving me another gift card, they credited put the entire credit back on my debit card! So, just by walking in the mall, I actually gained about $10. Woo hoo!
We headed over to Hot Dog on a Stick because June 15th was FREE corndog day! Silly me, I failed to read the extremely tiny, impossible to see, fine print (which was actually in bold blue writing) stating that the freebie hours were 5-8 pm. It was only 1 pm. What to do?! Turns out, Tuesdays are $1 Dog day! In addition. I had a "buy one menu item, get one free" coupon from my Entertainment book. They had no problem honoring it! 6 dogs + 1 large cherry lemonade + 1 order of french fries = $10.01! My cut = $3.34.Shopping was a bust. Although my kids wanted to go, they also wanted to be anywhere except where I was. I gave up searching for a new outfit for the evening's swing dancing adventure (which was to be funded by Macy's giftcard) and headed home.
I discovered an outfit in my closet that I've worn once which seemed perfectly perfect for a night of dancing. How could I have forgotten about it?! Reeeeeecycle! Except now I had a new problem: No shoes. I abhor high heels but they were needed for the dress. I envisioned the perfect shoes... black, not too high, not too low, with a strap to keep the darn things on in case I decided to actually dance...
My daughter & I headed BACK to the mall, straight to Macy's. You'll never believe this: they had the EXACT shoes I envisioned, in my size, on the clearance rack! Autumn found a pair of Ed Hardy sneaks, also in her size, also on clearance. We got an extra 20% off (store promotion, and NO I didn't sign up for a Macy's charge card to get it!). Total: $58. I had a $50.00 gift card & Autumn had a $25 card... So, the shoes were FREE!
My nails looked terrible, and I had a coupon on me for a $20 mani/pedi. I had a $15 Mastercard gift card on me... I couldn't resist. I did it. Total: $5.
It was past 5:00 so, yup, we went and got our free hot dogs on a stick! PLUS, they gave both of us a coupon for a free lemonade when another menu item is purchased (we saved them for a future visit). FREE!Later in the evening, I headed to mi amigo's birthday shin dig, a swing dancing extravaganza at Joe's American Bar and Grill. Admission: FREE! Beer: Not free... My bar tab was $19.50. Fun had: Priceless!
So, math time... $28 - $3.34 - $5 - $19.50 = 16 cents! I'm shocked! Two meals, new shoes, mani/pedi, and a night out, and I didn't exceed the limit! Woo hoo! (I didn't add in the $10 gained earlier at JCPenneys, either!)
Now, what to do with that $0.16? ;)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Disneyland... On the Cheap?
I know, right? Impossible. The act of choosing to go to Disneyland seems to cause the available cash in one's checking to disappear into the abyss. As season pass holders, however, we wanted to get one last visit in before we got blacked out for summer, but before all the schoools in the area let out. I was determined to make this a non-bank-breaking excursion. For me, a day at the 'Land usually entails dropping AT LEAST a C-note.
Parking: $14. It's worth it, hassle-wise, to use their parking garage. I don't like the price, no I don't. I realize I could've purchased an AP with parking included, but I didn't, so now I'm payin'.
Food: I did a little research the night before and discovered that Disneyland will allow small soft-sided coolers to accomodate dietary restrictions. My dietary restriction is that I can't afford Disneyland food prices, so I figured I qualified. I packed a small cooler with bottled water, soda, turkey sandwiches, chips, yogurt, and granola bars for two people. I went through security like everyone else, and they didn't say a word about it.
When lunchtime rolled around, we looked for an area that wasn't crowded. It wouldn't be fair to take up prime real estate since we didn't pay for lunch, right? As we chowed down, I noticed several other families doing the same thing. Several Disney employees were around maintaining the area, and they didn't say a word about us having brought in food. I figured I saved a MINIMUM of $25 by bringing our own chow. :)
Snacks: It was hot yesterday! Eventually we had to give in to our ice cream craving. There are a lot of choices, including a couple of ice cream parlors. Delicious, yes; expensive, yes. Instead, we wandered over to a free-standing ice cream vendor. I got a strawberry popsicle and my daughter got an ice cream sandwich. $8.
Dinner time rolled around so we couldn't avoid dining at a Disney restaurant. Our favorite is Pizza Port on Tomorrowland, so we headed over there. Salad, spaghetti, pizza, and a large drink was just under $30. Annual pass holders get 10% off. Total: $26
We discovered that AP holders can buy a 32 oz soda for $2.99 and get a free refill. Since we were sharing our Coke, we were actually excited to learn this! Thanks to the casier, Lill, for enlightening us!
I thought I was done spending money until my dear friend Jen offered us a bite of sourdough bread that she purchased at California Adventure. My daughter and I nearly melted with happiness, it was THAT YUMMY! By the time I got to Boudin's, the only remaining stock included baguettes and these adorable Mickey Mouse loaves. It was $7. It occurred to me, this would be a GREAT snack idea earlier in the day. Bread fills you up! The Mickey loaf is huge, so a family of 5 or 6 could easily share one.
Souveniers: NOT A CHANCE. Call me mean, but no. If it was our first visit, I probably would've caved, but since it was our thousandth visit, no need.
Final Tally: The two of us spent the entire day at Disneyland and only spent about $50. This is UNHEARD of, at least for us!
Parking: $14. It's worth it, hassle-wise, to use their parking garage. I don't like the price, no I don't. I realize I could've purchased an AP with parking included, but I didn't, so now I'm payin'.
Food: I did a little research the night before and discovered that Disneyland will allow small soft-sided coolers to accomodate dietary restrictions. My dietary restriction is that I can't afford Disneyland food prices, so I figured I qualified. I packed a small cooler with bottled water, soda, turkey sandwiches, chips, yogurt, and granola bars for two people. I went through security like everyone else, and they didn't say a word about it.
When lunchtime rolled around, we looked for an area that wasn't crowded. It wouldn't be fair to take up prime real estate since we didn't pay for lunch, right? As we chowed down, I noticed several other families doing the same thing. Several Disney employees were around maintaining the area, and they didn't say a word about us having brought in food. I figured I saved a MINIMUM of $25 by bringing our own chow. :)Snacks: It was hot yesterday! Eventually we had to give in to our ice cream craving. There are a lot of choices, including a couple of ice cream parlors. Delicious, yes; expensive, yes. Instead, we wandered over to a free-standing ice cream vendor. I got a strawberry popsicle and my daughter got an ice cream sandwich. $8.
Dinner time rolled around so we couldn't avoid dining at a Disney restaurant. Our favorite is Pizza Port on Tomorrowland, so we headed over there. Salad, spaghetti, pizza, and a large drink was just under $30. Annual pass holders get 10% off. Total: $26
We discovered that AP holders can buy a 32 oz soda for $2.99 and get a free refill. Since we were sharing our Coke, we were actually excited to learn this! Thanks to the casier, Lill, for enlightening us!
I thought I was done spending money until my dear friend Jen offered us a bite of sourdough bread that she purchased at California Adventure. My daughter and I nearly melted with happiness, it was THAT YUMMY! By the time I got to Boudin's, the only remaining stock included baguettes and these adorable Mickey Mouse loaves. It was $7. It occurred to me, this would be a GREAT snack idea earlier in the day. Bread fills you up! The Mickey loaf is huge, so a family of 5 or 6 could easily share one.Souveniers: NOT A CHANCE. Call me mean, but no. If it was our first visit, I probably would've caved, but since it was our thousandth visit, no need.
Final Tally: The two of us spent the entire day at Disneyland and only spent about $50. This is UNHEARD of, at least for us!
Unexpected "Windfall"
The ex went back to Georgia today. He insisted I accept a couple of 20 spots on his way out. Why? Reason 1: I probably wouldn't have spent much money had he not been around, so he wanted to reimburse me for those extra expenditures. Reason 2: He knew I have been planning to take the kids to Disneyland for about a month now, and he wanted to cover the costs.
So: I'm back to $28, plus Disneyland is covered. (More on my "cheap" Disney adventure tomorrow... I'm exhausted!)
Exes aren't always the worst humans in history.
So: I'm back to $28, plus Disneyland is covered. (More on my "cheap" Disney adventure tomorrow... I'm exhausted!)
Exes aren't always the worst humans in history.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Weekend of Cheap? Not So Much.
My son graduated from junior high on Friday. That meant family would be in town visiting. Translation: Lots of going out. Further translation: Spending lots of money.
Friday could've gotten crazy expensive, had the kidling decided he wanted to go out to eat to celebrate. Instead, he wanted to have a family BBQ. We already had everything we needed, so... $0! Woo hoo!
After a long day of running around and sitting in the sun, I was exhausted. The kids both went to parties, so I thought I was in for a night of rest. Not so much! The ex was in town town and he had ants in his pants. He had no desire to sit idly by as the world was having fun around him! To appease this need to party, we headed over to the Alamo with my buddy John for happy hour. Being the broke chick that I am, I stuffed a coupon that came in the mail into my back pocket, half believing that it wouldn't work because we were only drinking. Three hours, nine beers, and one order of nachos later, the check arrived. The moment of truth... The coupon worked! My portion of the bill: $7.00.
My son called when the party he was at ended. We rolled on over to get him, then spontaneously decided to go see the A Team. The ex treated. (Read my previous blog to see how much I loved this movie. LMAO I can't keep a straight face even writing that!)
Saturday was another day of parties for the kids. Later on, the kids had a dance to go to. Since the kiddos were occupied, the ex wanted to get out and do something fun again. He had read about the cemetery movie and wanted to check that out for himself, so we called John and his wife Jen to see if they were interested. They said yes, and we had an adventure on our hands!
![The ex](http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs545.ash1/31871_455741488834_808428834_6061549_4630787_s.jpg")
Food-wise, I packed a picnic consisting of leftovers from Friday's BBQ. Afterward, we paid Johnny Ramone's gravesite a visit. Spooky fun! Anyhow, total for the night: admission to the movie was $20 for the two of us.
This morning, I woke up, sooooo thrilled that I got to sleep in. Around noon, the phone started ringing out of control. Spontaneous outing at the Alamo! I tried and tried and tried to get out of it, but my friends wouldn't have it. My presence was demanded, and since the ex had my car (he was already there!), they even sent someone to come get me! Due to my forced participation, the group let the ex know that he was buying my all-you-can-drink champagne. Let me tell you what: We drank all the champagne. They literally ran out... Or so they say! Final tally (for me): $0.
I ended up spending $27 this weekend. As you may recall, I was already $3 in the black, so I'm down to $1. ($25 + $3 [rollover from last week] - $7 - $20 = $1) Still, $27 for a weekend FILLED with family, friends, and fun, well, that ain't bad!
Friday could've gotten crazy expensive, had the kidling decided he wanted to go out to eat to celebrate. Instead, he wanted to have a family BBQ. We already had everything we needed, so... $0! Woo hoo!
After a long day of running around and sitting in the sun, I was exhausted. The kids both went to parties, so I thought I was in for a night of rest. Not so much! The ex was in town town and he had ants in his pants. He had no desire to sit idly by as the world was having fun around him! To appease this need to party, we headed over to the Alamo with my buddy John for happy hour. Being the broke chick that I am, I stuffed a coupon that came in the mail into my back pocket, half believing that it wouldn't work because we were only drinking. Three hours, nine beers, and one order of nachos later, the check arrived. The moment of truth... The coupon worked! My portion of the bill: $7.00.
My son called when the party he was at ended. We rolled on over to get him, then spontaneously decided to go see the A Team. The ex treated. (Read my previous blog to see how much I loved this movie. LMAO I can't keep a straight face even writing that!)
Saturday was another day of parties for the kids. Later on, the kids had a dance to go to. Since the kiddos were occupied, the ex wanted to get out and do something fun again. He had read about the cemetery movie and wanted to check that out for himself, so we called John and his wife Jen to see if they were interested. They said yes, and we had an adventure on our hands!
Food-wise, I packed a picnic consisting of leftovers from Friday's BBQ. Afterward, we paid Johnny Ramone's gravesite a visit. Spooky fun! Anyhow, total for the night: admission to the movie was $20 for the two of us.
This morning, I woke up, sooooo thrilled that I got to sleep in. Around noon, the phone started ringing out of control. Spontaneous outing at the Alamo! I tried and tried and tried to get out of it, but my friends wouldn't have it. My presence was demanded, and since the ex had my car (he was already there!), they even sent someone to come get me! Due to my forced participation, the group let the ex know that he was buying my all-you-can-drink champagne. Let me tell you what: We drank all the champagne. They literally ran out... Or so they say! Final tally (for me): $0.
I ended up spending $27 this weekend. As you may recall, I was already $3 in the black, so I'm down to $1. ($25 + $3 [rollover from last week] - $7 - $20 = $1) Still, $27 for a weekend FILLED with family, friends, and fun, well, that ain't bad!
Pity the Fool: Me.
Exactly how bad was The A Team? About an hour in, I updated my Facebook status via cell phone to: "Watching A Team. I demand a refund for everyone in the theater." The best comment in reply? From my friend Caprice: "Pity the fool who sees the A Team." So, pity me.
I'll admit it: I actually WANTED to see The A Team. I liked the TV show... So what if I was 10 years old at the time, it seemed good enough to me! And that Mr. T was sooooo righteously cool! The actors in this flick are pretty legit, right? Liam Neeson is an excellent actor, and Bradley Cooper isn't hard to look at, so how could this movie go wrong?!
Well, it only took about 30 minutes for me to realize that it sucked. I knew it wasn't going to be Oscar-worthy, of course, but I thought it would entertain nonetheless. The storyline was terr. ib. le. It would have made for a great hour-long episode on the series, because that's about as much time that's necessary for the whole plot to unfold. The other hour is dedicated to explosions.
Afterward, I thought, hmmm, maybe I’m being too judgemental. My opinion was totally validated when my ex (who’s a testosterone-laden military guy) agreed that the A Team should’ve stayed itself in the 80′s, when it was "totally rad" (to quote ten year old me). I felt doubly validated when my 14 year old son declared, “That movie was awesome!” Why? He was entirely down with that hour of explosions. I agree with him in that respect - they were pretty impressive. Whoever did the pyrotechnics should get some type of award (although I suspect he was greatly rewarded in overtime pay already). Also, there's one completely comical scene in which they attempt to fly a tank. Totally unrealistic in every aspect, but still pretty darn entertaining. Everything else about the movie, however, sucked.
Do yourself a favor: If you really want to see The A Team, buy The A-Team: The Complete Series on DVD instead. It's about one million times better than the monstrosity currently in theaters. Watch Liam Neeson in Rob Roy, Bradley Cooper in
The Hangover, Sharlto Copley in District 9, and Rampage in NOTHING. Watch Mr. T in Rocky III instead. Fo' realz.
And you're welcome for saving you the $50 you would have spent on admission and popcorn. I think you owe me now. I'll accept a beer next time we hang out. Gratitude beer? Nah, pity beer.
I'll admit it: I actually WANTED to see The A Team. I liked the TV show... So what if I was 10 years old at the time, it seemed good enough to me! And that Mr. T was sooooo righteously cool! The actors in this flick are pretty legit, right? Liam Neeson is an excellent actor, and Bradley Cooper isn't hard to look at, so how could this movie go wrong?!
Well, it only took about 30 minutes for me to realize that it sucked. I knew it wasn't going to be Oscar-worthy, of course, but I thought it would entertain nonetheless. The storyline was terr. ib. le. It would have made for a great hour-long episode on the series, because that's about as much time that's necessary for the whole plot to unfold. The other hour is dedicated to explosions.
Afterward, I thought, hmmm, maybe I’m being too judgemental. My opinion was totally validated when my ex (who’s a testosterone-laden military guy) agreed that the A Team should’ve stayed itself in the 80′s, when it was "totally rad" (to quote ten year old me). I felt doubly validated when my 14 year old son declared, “That movie was awesome!” Why? He was entirely down with that hour of explosions. I agree with him in that respect - they were pretty impressive. Whoever did the pyrotechnics should get some type of award (although I suspect he was greatly rewarded in overtime pay already). Also, there's one completely comical scene in which they attempt to fly a tank. Totally unrealistic in every aspect, but still pretty darn entertaining. Everything else about the movie, however, sucked.
Do yourself a favor: If you really want to see The A Team, buy The A-Team: The Complete Series on DVD instead. It's about one million times better than the monstrosity currently in theaters. Watch Liam Neeson in Rob Roy, Bradley Cooper in
The Hangover, Sharlto Copley in District 9, and Rampage in NOTHING. Watch Mr. T in Rocky III instead. Fo' realz.
And you're welcome for saving you the $50 you would have spent on admission and popcorn. I think you owe me now. I'll accept a beer next time we hang out. Gratitude beer? Nah, pity beer.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Day 7: Final tally!
Today's "adventure": Jury duty. Last time I pulled jury duty, I totally zoned out for the entire day. I went to the courtyard of the courthouse, laid on the grass, and napped the day away, at least when I wasn't catching up on all the Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines that I had in my "don't have time for" pile. Not one person was called to jury that day.
Today, I decided to take care of an annoying yet pressing issue: Online traffic school. I brought my laptop along precisely for that reason. I hunkered down and prepared for the worst. I read the lessons, and when I took the tests, I found myself literally snickering out loud at some of the questions and answers. Example:
(Cue Final Jeopardy! theme)
Which of the following is an unlikely alternative to driving?
a) carpooling b) walking c) riding a bike d) flying a hanglider
and
The Designated Driver Program is an anti-___ effort.
a) IUD b) UID c) DUI d) DIU
How about:
Drinking and driving at any age is ________.
a) A very wise thing to do. b) Legal if supervised. c) Illegal d) Legal
Last one:
When you are crowded by a tailgater you should…
a) allow extra room between your car and theirs. b) pull over and let them pass, then tailgate them. c) hit the gas to get ahead. d) slam on your brakes.
SERIOUSLY?! My 12 year old could pass this course without reading even ONE lesson. I felt like a creeper, hidden in the corner of the jury waiting area, stifling my giggles as I read these totally moronic quiz questions. Pure comedy. (Do I need to publish the answers to the above quiz questions?!)
Now, as for the budget... I've been paying far better attention to where my cash goes, to the point that I'm actually planning ahead these days. With only $25 to dole out, I really have to ponder where to allocate those precious few bucks. I knew that having jury duty meant I would have to eat at the cafeteria or a local restaurant. With only $6 remaining to spend, I figured I'd be chowing down a Happy Meal or a couple of 79-cent tacos.
I was paging through a coupon book that I have, and I ran across a page that I had totally missed out on for months. There was a coupon for a TOTALLY FREE Famous Star from Carl's Jr. Wooo hooo! Amy = SAVED! I drove over to CJ's on break, ordered my burger, but also got fries and a drink (both small!). Total: about $3. See, planning ahead kept me from going over $25. Yes, I DID IT! Or so I thought...
Like kids do, my son announced at 7:30 that we had to buy slacks, a long-sleeved button-down shirt, and a tie for graduation tomorrow. Fine, these things happen but... We were headed to THE MALL, the place where numerous bad financial decisions are made every day. The place where Cinnabon calls to me, even from the opposite end of the building. I hadn't eaten dinner, and even worse, we went to the store located right next door to those delicous, cinnamon-y treats!
Apparently, it was calling to CJ, too. While standing in line to buy his clothes he said, "Can I go to Cinnabon?" Mildly panicked, I declined. He added, "I have my own money." In that case, go crazy, kid! He even got me a fork so I could have a bite - what a sweet heart! <3
So, 7 days have passed and I only spent $22! Since a new week begins tomorrow, I decided to roll the $3 over. I'm gonna need it! This week includes: my kid's graduation (Fancy dinner at a restaurant? We haven't decided yet...), family visiting from out of town, a Disneyland trip planned for Monday, a birthday bash at a bar on Tuesday, another trivia night on Wednesday... I'm exhausted and BROKE already!
Today, I decided to take care of an annoying yet pressing issue: Online traffic school. I brought my laptop along precisely for that reason. I hunkered down and prepared for the worst. I read the lessons, and when I took the tests, I found myself literally snickering out loud at some of the questions and answers. Example:
(Cue Final Jeopardy! theme)
Which of the following is an unlikely alternative to driving?
a) carpooling b) walking c) riding a bike d) flying a hanglider
and
The Designated Driver Program is an anti-___ effort.
a) IUD b) UID c) DUI d) DIU
How about:
Drinking and driving at any age is ________.
a) A very wise thing to do. b) Legal if supervised. c) Illegal d) Legal
Last one:
When you are crowded by a tailgater you should…
a) allow extra room between your car and theirs. b) pull over and let them pass, then tailgate them. c) hit the gas to get ahead. d) slam on your brakes.
SERIOUSLY?! My 12 year old could pass this course without reading even ONE lesson. I felt like a creeper, hidden in the corner of the jury waiting area, stifling my giggles as I read these totally moronic quiz questions. Pure comedy. (Do I need to publish the answers to the above quiz questions?!)
Now, as for the budget... I've been paying far better attention to where my cash goes, to the point that I'm actually planning ahead these days. With only $25 to dole out, I really have to ponder where to allocate those precious few bucks. I knew that having jury duty meant I would have to eat at the cafeteria or a local restaurant. With only $6 remaining to spend, I figured I'd be chowing down a Happy Meal or a couple of 79-cent tacos.
I was paging through a coupon book that I have, and I ran across a page that I had totally missed out on for months. There was a coupon for a TOTALLY FREE Famous Star from Carl's Jr. Wooo hooo! Amy = SAVED! I drove over to CJ's on break, ordered my burger, but also got fries and a drink (both small!). Total: about $3. See, planning ahead kept me from going over $25. Yes, I DID IT! Or so I thought...
Like kids do, my son announced at 7:30 that we had to buy slacks, a long-sleeved button-down shirt, and a tie for graduation tomorrow. Fine, these things happen but... We were headed to THE MALL, the place where numerous bad financial decisions are made every day. The place where Cinnabon calls to me, even from the opposite end of the building. I hadn't eaten dinner, and even worse, we went to the store located right next door to those delicous, cinnamon-y treats!
Apparently, it was calling to CJ, too. While standing in line to buy his clothes he said, "Can I go to Cinnabon?" Mildly panicked, I declined. He added, "I have my own money." In that case, go crazy, kid! He even got me a fork so I could have a bite - what a sweet heart! <3
So, 7 days have passed and I only spent $22! Since a new week begins tomorrow, I decided to roll the $3 over. I'm gonna need it! This week includes: my kid's graduation (Fancy dinner at a restaurant? We haven't decided yet...), family visiting from out of town, a Disneyland trip planned for Monday, a birthday bash at a bar on Tuesday, another trivia night on Wednesday... I'm exhausted and BROKE already!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day 6: Pints
Pint o' Blood: I like donating blood from time to time. I get a little nervous due to my fear of needles, but that doesn't stop me. I don't always need a full 8 pints, yet for other people, it's a matter of life and death. So, take my blood, PLEASE!
My blood donating career began as a high school student, when giving a pint meant getting to skip a class. It continued when I was in the Army, because 1 pint donated resulted in the rest of the day off and a coveted 4 day weekend. Today, I was to get no rewards... Or so I thought!
As soon as I got to my appointment, they handed me 2 tickets to The Laugh Factory, a pass for a meet & greet at the Vans Warped Tour(upcoming activities for my Summer of Cheap!),and a raffle ticket to win a $500 gift card. However, when they tested my hemoglobin, they promptly told me to hit the road... My iron was 1 point below the requirement. I felt bad, but they insisted that I needn't return the freebies. I will return soon, American Red Cross! Tally: $0
Pint o' Beer: Quick! What comic strip takes place at Camp Swampy?(Answer at the bottom of this post...) Tonight was trivia night at Chuy's. I loveLOVElove trivia night! It's a fun evening with friends, competing against other teams to answer the most trivia questions correctly. We were on fire! ... for one round. Otherwise, we totally sucked. It was, quite possibly, our worst showing ever.
Upside: We dined like kings! We ordered a platter of chicken and tri-tip, a big plate of the most righteous nachos I've had anywhere, beer, & margaritas. The food was free - We earned gift certificates from winning at prior trivia nights.
My bestie since Kindergarten, showing me how to properly consume a pitcher of margaritas.
I partook in 2 pints of beer, provided by my ex (who's in town because our oldest kiddo is graduating from 8th grade), who owes me 1.8 million more pints (possibly more)due to all the stress he has caused me over the years. And, the answer you've ben waiting for: Beetle Bailey, who probably donated blood just so he could get a 4 day pass from Camp Swampy.
Can you believe this? 6 days and I've still only spent $19!
My blood donating career began as a high school student, when giving a pint meant getting to skip a class. It continued when I was in the Army, because 1 pint donated resulted in the rest of the day off and a coveted 4 day weekend. Today, I was to get no rewards... Or so I thought!
As soon as I got to my appointment, they handed me 2 tickets to The Laugh Factory, a pass for a meet & greet at the Vans Warped Tour(upcoming activities for my Summer of Cheap!),and a raffle ticket to win a $500 gift card. However, when they tested my hemoglobin, they promptly told me to hit the road... My iron was 1 point below the requirement. I felt bad, but they insisted that I needn't return the freebies. I will return soon, American Red Cross! Tally: $0
Pint o' Beer: Quick! What comic strip takes place at Camp Swampy?(Answer at the bottom of this post...) Tonight was trivia night at Chuy's. I loveLOVElove trivia night! It's a fun evening with friends, competing against other teams to answer the most trivia questions correctly. We were on fire! ... for one round. Otherwise, we totally sucked. It was, quite possibly, our worst showing ever.
Upside: We dined like kings! We ordered a platter of chicken and tri-tip, a big plate of the most righteous nachos I've had anywhere, beer, & margaritas. The food was free - We earned gift certificates from winning at prior trivia nights.
My bestie since Kindergarten, showing me how to properly consume a pitcher of margaritas.
I partook in 2 pints of beer, provided by my ex (who's in town because our oldest kiddo is graduating from 8th grade), who owes me 1.8 million more pints (possibly more)due to all the stress he has caused me over the years. And, the answer you've ben waiting for: Beetle Bailey, who probably donated blood just so he could get a 4 day pass from Camp Swampy.
Can you believe this? 6 days and I've still only spent $19!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Day 5: Another Day, Another NO Dollars
I fear that blogging about today will cause you to fall into a comalike slumber, so I'll keep it short.
Activity 1: Voting. Free since 1964, when the 24th Amendment was ratified, abolishing the use of poll tax. (Take THAT to your next trivia night!) I doubled up on my civic responsibility by riding my bike to the polling place. :)
Activity 2: My son's playoff baseball game. Free. My blood pressure shot through the roof, however, when I discovered the other team picked up 4, count 'em, 4 high school students. I could write an entire blog about the unfairness of allowing several 9th graders to join a team of 7th & 8th graders during the playoffs. I probably will, once my blood has reduced from boil to simmer. By the way, my kiddo's team lost. His Little League career has officially ended. Yes, I'm a little sad about that...
Final tally: Can you believe it, after 5 days, STILL $6?! Tomorrow's gonna be a challenge because Little League is having a pizza night fundraiser, and I just KNOW my kids are going to give me those puppy dog, please-mommy-can-we-go eyes. WHAT TO DO? Should I count fundraiser participation as part of my fun money?! (Opinions appreciated... Please comment below!)
P.S. Thank you for all the kind comments and for "following" my blog. You are a wonderfully supportive bunch!
Activity 1: Voting. Free since 1964, when the 24th Amendment was ratified, abolishing the use of poll tax. (Take THAT to your next trivia night!) I doubled up on my civic responsibility by riding my bike to the polling place. :)
Activity 2: My son's playoff baseball game. Free. My blood pressure shot through the roof, however, when I discovered the other team picked up 4, count 'em, 4 high school students. I could write an entire blog about the unfairness of allowing several 9th graders to join a team of 7th & 8th graders during the playoffs. I probably will, once my blood has reduced from boil to simmer. By the way, my kiddo's team lost. His Little League career has officially ended. Yes, I'm a little sad about that...
Final tally: Can you believe it, after 5 days, STILL $6?! Tomorrow's gonna be a challenge because Little League is having a pizza night fundraiser, and I just KNOW my kids are going to give me those puppy dog, please-mommy-can-we-go eyes. WHAT TO DO? Should I count fundraiser participation as part of my fun money?! (Opinions appreciated... Please comment below!)
P.S. Thank you for all the kind comments and for "following" my blog. You are a wonderfully supportive bunch!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Price of a Dodger Game: My Ramblings to the Daily News
My response to this article: Los Angeles-area sports suffer a loss off the field in today's (6/8/10) Daily News:
Newsflash: Los Angelinos can't AFFORD to go to sporting events the way we used to... Shocking! In all seriousness, I know all about it. I'm one of those Southern Californians who can't afford to get my rear to a game as often as I like. I can't speak about any other sport, but as an intense Dodger fan, I can attest that it's getting to be a challenge to attend a game at the Ravine.
Only 3 years ago, it cost $10 to park my car. Right around the time we signed the disastrous Andruw Jones, the parking fee increased to an outrageous $15. (This is actually the more affordable option for me, as taking the Metrolink will cost me $17 each way, per person.) So even before I've stepped into the stadium, I'm out almost a 20 spot. I happen to be really good at finding discount Dodger tickets (legally!), but still, a seat in Infield Reserve (3 levels up, behind the plate) costs me around $20 minimum. I have 2 kids, but for the sake of simplicity, let's say I only bring my son. Now I'm out an additional $40.
Let's be realistic here: One can't go to Chavez and NOT have a Dodger dog. Those are $5 each. Add a soda, another $5 each. (I'll be dreaming about having an adult beverage, which is $10 and up, but since I'm hypothetically with my kid, I'll pass.) We can't live without garlic fries, so throw in around $5 more. I'll do the math for you: For 2 people to sit right below the nosebleeds and actually eat dinner, the cost is around $100.
At this point, I have to convince my son that he's not going to get hungry again (not even during the 14th inning of an an extra inning game) because peanuts are over $5, a pint of ice cream costs more than what I'd pay for a quart at the store, and a bottle of water costs more than a gallon of gas. I could always mosey on over to the Carl's Jr. in the stadium, but that's double the price I'd pay if I had driven through the actual restaurant on my way to the Ravine.
The sad truth is, even if I'm given free tickets, it's sometimes still too expensive for me to go. I have wonderful recollections of going to Chavez Ravine as a child, and naturally I want my own children to have those kinds of memories as well. I want them to see Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp in action, the way I couldn't wait to see Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Garvey take the field. I want them to learn patience by sitting through all those innings, and discover that they don't need explosions and violence to be entertained.
I don't mean to sound bitter, because I'm not. I love my boys in blue. Ask my friends - check my Facebook page! - I'm ALWAYS cheering on my Dodgers. (To be honest, if the Dodgers had any sense, they'd have given me a job already, because I'm a one-woman positive-publicity machine!) I still go to games as often as I can afford it. As the article mentions, however, it's not nearly as often as it used to be.
(Blog readers: Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear [read] your comments... Also, click "follow" on the top right, if you have a minute!)
Newsflash: Los Angelinos can't AFFORD to go to sporting events the way we used to... Shocking! In all seriousness, I know all about it. I'm one of those Southern Californians who can't afford to get my rear to a game as often as I like. I can't speak about any other sport, but as an intense Dodger fan, I can attest that it's getting to be a challenge to attend a game at the Ravine.
Only 3 years ago, it cost $10 to park my car. Right around the time we signed the disastrous Andruw Jones, the parking fee increased to an outrageous $15. (This is actually the more affordable option for me, as taking the Metrolink will cost me $17 each way, per person.) So even before I've stepped into the stadium, I'm out almost a 20 spot. I happen to be really good at finding discount Dodger tickets (legally!), but still, a seat in Infield Reserve (3 levels up, behind the plate) costs me around $20 minimum. I have 2 kids, but for the sake of simplicity, let's say I only bring my son. Now I'm out an additional $40.
Let's be realistic here: One can't go to Chavez and NOT have a Dodger dog. Those are $5 each. Add a soda, another $5 each. (I'll be dreaming about having an adult beverage, which is $10 and up, but since I'm hypothetically with my kid, I'll pass.) We can't live without garlic fries, so throw in around $5 more. I'll do the math for you: For 2 people to sit right below the nosebleeds and actually eat dinner, the cost is around $100.
At this point, I have to convince my son that he's not going to get hungry again (not even during the 14th inning of an an extra inning game) because peanuts are over $5, a pint of ice cream costs more than what I'd pay for a quart at the store, and a bottle of water costs more than a gallon of gas. I could always mosey on over to the Carl's Jr. in the stadium, but that's double the price I'd pay if I had driven through the actual restaurant on my way to the Ravine.
The sad truth is, even if I'm given free tickets, it's sometimes still too expensive for me to go. I have wonderful recollections of going to Chavez Ravine as a child, and naturally I want my own children to have those kinds of memories as well. I want them to see Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp in action, the way I couldn't wait to see Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Garvey take the field. I want them to learn patience by sitting through all those innings, and discover that they don't need explosions and violence to be entertained.
I don't mean to sound bitter, because I'm not. I love my boys in blue. Ask my friends - check my Facebook page! - I'm ALWAYS cheering on my Dodgers. (To be honest, if the Dodgers had any sense, they'd have given me a job already, because I'm a one-woman positive-publicity machine!) I still go to games as often as I can afford it. As the article mentions, however, it's not nearly as often as it used to be.
(Blog readers: Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear [read] your comments... Also, click "follow" on the top right, if you have a minute!)
Day 4... No Fun Ever Happens on Monday
Mondays are usually low-spending (AKA low-wasting) days for me. Nobody has social obligations on Monday, right? No Tupperware parties or book clubs are ever planned for Monday. "I'm stressed @ work, meet me @ happy hour" texts rarely arrive on this day. After a weekend of eating at restaurants & bbqs, most people just want to eat at home, so nobody asks me to join them for din-din. Movies are never seen on Monday. No fun ever happens on Monday.
Monday is return-to-work day... But not for me, not anymore! Instead, it was be-lazy-then-run-some-errands day for me. I hit the grocery store and promptly forked over $80 (but I'm not counting that because it's not "fun money"). I should note, I'm a freaking champion grocery shopper. I could write books about my mad grocery shopping skillz, yo! Seriously, you'd ask me to shop for you if had any idea. (Which I'll gladly do, if you pay me.) ;)
I resisted having lunch with a friend... I reallyREALLYreally don't want to go over $25. So, I repeat: No fun ever happens on Monday. It has me thinking though... Before this, I must have been wasting truckloads of money, mindlessly.
Day 4, No-Fun-Monday: I spent $0! Final tally: $6 remaining. Even I'M impressed with me!
Monday is return-to-work day... But not for me, not anymore! Instead, it was be-lazy-then-run-some-errands day for me. I hit the grocery store and promptly forked over $80 (but I'm not counting that because it's not "fun money"). I should note, I'm a freaking champion grocery shopper. I could write books about my mad grocery shopping skillz, yo! Seriously, you'd ask me to shop for you if had any idea. (Which I'll gladly do, if you pay me.) ;)
I resisted having lunch with a friend... I reallyREALLYreally don't want to go over $25. So, I repeat: No fun ever happens on Monday. It has me thinking though... Before this, I must have been wasting truckloads of money, mindlessly.
Day 4, No-Fun-Monday: I spent $0! Final tally: $6 remaining. Even I'M impressed with me!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Day 3... Cheap Fun in the Sun!
After last night's Subway dinner "splurge" (I know, I know, $15 isn't much of a splurge) I was a little concerned that I'd blow my final bucks all in one sitting today. My big plan was to sleep the day away, thereby preventing any spending of the cashola.
Alas, 24+ hours of sleep was not to be had. The sun was shining, beckoning me to play outdoors! I had heard about a free art festival here in Thousand Oaks called ArtWalk, so my brother and I hopped on our bikes and made our way down to check it out. I knew I wouldn't be buying anything (you can't get much art for $6!), however, I wanted to support a friend, John Manley, who was displaying his ceramics there. His stuff was so impressive - I'm always in awe when I discover how talented my childhood friends are. I've always heard the phrase "starving artist"... Well, several ArtWalk patrons purchased his ceramics while we were visiting! (Check it out here: http://www.manleysclayworks.com)
John and Mark at ArtWalk 2010
After browsing through aisles of currently-unattainable artwork and pedaling through town, my brother thought a stop at Chuy's was a good idea. He owes me about 1 million rounds of beer, so when he offered to buy, I didn't decline. We happily strolled in and happily discovered it was happy hour. Mark got us a half pitcher of Coors Light for a mere $5. I usually pay about that much for a pint! Such a deal! We munched on the free chips & salsa while sipping our cerveza, did a little people watching (Chuy's rarely disappoints in that department)and watched the extra-inning Dodger game.
All of this bike riding prove to me that I am TRAGICALLY out of shape. One hill and I was worked! I need to fit in more walking and bike riding this summer. Bonus: Less visits to the gas station if I do!
I managed to get through the day with spending nada! Goooo me! Final tally: I still have $6 to play with.
Alas, 24+ hours of sleep was not to be had. The sun was shining, beckoning me to play outdoors! I had heard about a free art festival here in Thousand Oaks called ArtWalk, so my brother and I hopped on our bikes and made our way down to check it out. I knew I wouldn't be buying anything (you can't get much art for $6!), however, I wanted to support a friend, John Manley, who was displaying his ceramics there. His stuff was so impressive - I'm always in awe when I discover how talented my childhood friends are. I've always heard the phrase "starving artist"... Well, several ArtWalk patrons purchased his ceramics while we were visiting! (Check it out here: http://www.manleysclayworks.com)
John and Mark at ArtWalk 2010
After browsing through aisles of currently-unattainable artwork and pedaling through town, my brother thought a stop at Chuy's was a good idea. He owes me about 1 million rounds of beer, so when he offered to buy, I didn't decline. We happily strolled in and happily discovered it was happy hour. Mark got us a half pitcher of Coors Light for a mere $5. I usually pay about that much for a pint! Such a deal! We munched on the free chips & salsa while sipping our cerveza, did a little people watching (Chuy's rarely disappoints in that department)and watched the extra-inning Dodger game.
All of this bike riding prove to me that I am TRAGICALLY out of shape. One hill and I was worked! I need to fit in more walking and bike riding this summer. Bonus: Less visits to the gas station if I do!
I managed to get through the day with spending nada! Goooo me! Final tally: I still have $6 to play with.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Day 2... Almost out of cash!
The day started with my favorite thing ever... Baseball! So what that it was little league. My son is in the playoffs, so it was pretty decent baseball! Luckily there's no snack shack at the fields, otherwise I'd be out a lotta dollars. ("Mom, can you get me a Gatorade? And sunflower seeds? And this? And that? I won't even eat THAT but I want you to buy it anyway, because I like spending your money!") After the game, we have to pass a McDonalds on the way home. I was waiting for it.... "Mom, can I get an Egg McMuffin?" I was cringing. I didn't want to say no because I wanted a Sausage Biscuit! I mean, I know I can resist but could I turn down the kiddo who had just played 2 1/2 hours of baseball and was starving?? But... he didn't even ask. Didn't even glance at McD's! Crisis averted. So, lucky me, the morning was a cash-free start to the day!
Fast forward to the evening. I loveLOVElove going to the cemetery movies on Saturday night (http://www.cinespia.org/). Now, I know this sounds weird, and it is. The old Hollywood Forever cemetery shows totally random movies every weekend in the summer. I've seen everything from Barbarella & Easy Rider to Valley Girl & Sixteen Candles. Well, I got the email for last night and they were showing Casablanca. Casablanca! I hadn't seen it before, so this was a no-brainer.
Awesome plan, but to make the evening complete, one needs good company, so I asked mi amigo Greg to join me, and one has to bring a picnic. I was taxi-ing the kidlings around so I didn't plan ahead, thus, we ended up at Subway. I paid for dinner -$15- and Greg paid for movie admission. (Thanks, Greg!) Overall, the experience was fantastic! It was a total people watching extravaganza! Next time, I'm taking pictures, because some of te get-ups we spied cannot be explained, i.e., the old school military hat that one gal was sporting... Was she just getting in the spirit of the movie, or does she usually rock that thing? Anyhow, it seems everyone else stopped at Trader Joes for their picnics - we felt soooo uncool (not really). Overall, cemetery movie night was totally worth the price of dinner.
Still, this brings me down to... $6. Uh, yeah.
Fast forward to the evening. I loveLOVElove going to the cemetery movies on Saturday night (http://www.cinespia.org/). Now, I know this sounds weird, and it is. The old Hollywood Forever cemetery shows totally random movies every weekend in the summer. I've seen everything from Barbarella & Easy Rider to Valley Girl & Sixteen Candles. Well, I got the email for last night and they were showing Casablanca. Casablanca! I hadn't seen it before, so this was a no-brainer.
Awesome plan, but to make the evening complete, one needs good company, so I asked mi amigo Greg to join me, and one has to bring a picnic. I was taxi-ing the kidlings around so I didn't plan ahead, thus, we ended up at Subway. I paid for dinner -$15- and Greg paid for movie admission. (Thanks, Greg!) Overall, the experience was fantastic! It was a total people watching extravaganza! Next time, I'm taking pictures, because some of te get-ups we spied cannot be explained, i.e., the old school military hat that one gal was sporting... Was she just getting in the spirit of the movie, or does she usually rock that thing? Anyhow, it seems everyone else stopped at Trader Joes for their picnics - we felt soooo uncool (not really). Overall, cemetery movie night was totally worth the price of dinner.
Still, this brings me down to... $6. Uh, yeah.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Day 1... This is Gonna be a Challenge!
About 2 weeks ago, my wonderful boss planned a final work outing for June 4th- breakfast at Roxy's Deli. Any other day, this would be fine, but not on day 1 of Summer of Cheap! I was bumming out about it a little bit; I wanted to go but I didn't want to splurge on day 1! Roxy's is not well known for it's amazing breakfast deals. I guess 'The Secret' was on my side because the day after I was told about the breakfast, my newspaper arrived with a fancy, glossy ad from Roxy's. They have a really great breakfast special - 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, and bacon or sausage for only $1.99. $1.99! Problem solved! With tip, breakfast cost me $4.
I was asked to meet up at the Alamo for a 20th high school reunion planning meeting later. I figure, it was planned for happy hour, I can afford a HH beer, right? You know how those HH beers add up though, right? I arrived and ordered my Bud Light... And consumed it vewy, vewy sowwy. I couldn't resist when the waitress asked who was up for another round. So again, that beer went down in record slow time. Responsible, don't-want-to-drive-after-drinking Amy switched to water after that. When all was said and done, one of my amigos covered the bill. I was not anticipating that - but I definitely appreciate it!
So, day 1: $4 spent, $21 left. (You thought I was gonna spend it all in 1 day, didn't ya?!)
I was asked to meet up at the Alamo for a 20th high school reunion planning meeting later. I figure, it was planned for happy hour, I can afford a HH beer, right? You know how those HH beers add up though, right? I arrived and ordered my Bud Light... And consumed it vewy, vewy sowwy. I couldn't resist when the waitress asked who was up for another round. So again, that beer went down in record slow time. Responsible, don't-want-to-drive-after-drinking Amy switched to water after that. When all was said and done, one of my amigos covered the bill. I was not anticipating that - but I definitely appreciate it!
So, day 1: $4 spent, $21 left. (You thought I was gonna spend it all in 1 day, didn't ya?!)
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