I have a little bit of bad news. Your debt called me the other day and we had a long talk. There were tears, lots and lots of tears but overall is was a good talk. Well, it turns out that your debt is a complete punk and wants to break up with you. You’ve been together far too long (you know it’s not working out either), and it’s time to part ways. It’s a bad relationship and it doesn’t bring out the best in you. It’s been a good run but let’s be honest- it’s time to move along. There are way better things waiting for you out there.
8 Reasons Why Your Debt Wants to Break Up With You Right Now… Read More »
Once I decided to be done with my debt my whole relationship with money changed.
I was finally REALLY ready to be done with debt for good. I was committed to the process and it was time to take action.
The Spending Fast can seem very restrictive (because it is) but it was surprisingly freeing to have those restrictions. I no longer had to feel guilty about shopping and spending. If an item was on the “needs” side of my “wants and needs list” I could buy it was and if it wasn’t on the “needs” side of the list, I didn’t buy it.
To buy or not buy was clear-cut. There was no grey area. To have those limitations was a relief.
Have you ever had limitations put on you only to found that you were less stifled than anticipated?
A Spending Fast ® is considered an extreme but very effective method of getting out of debt quickly. A Spending Fast works through the elimination of all “non-need” spending.
I did a Spending Fast and I substantially improved my financial situation by paying off $23,605.10 in debt. It only took 15 months and I couldn’t believe it! Because I’m now debt-free I can live the life I’ve always wanted to live. I’m able to be autonomous and I’m able to focus on my goals without having debt hanging over my head and affecting all of my decisions.
There are a few things to think about before you start your own Spending Fast and all of these elements will affect how fast you are able to become debt-free.
These Factors Will Affect Your Spending Fast ®
Your income
The total amount of debt you have
How much spending you decide to cut out
How committed you are to the process
The duration of time that you chose for your Spending Fast
How much money you can make by selling your unused possessions
What you chose to do to generate additional income and how much money you can bring in with the side job(s)
When I finally decided that I had to be done with my debt my life completely changed, mainly because I was finally willing to do whatever I needed to do to be done with my debt once and for all. The cycle of debt, guilt, and remorse had to end.
Life is so much better on this side — the debt-free side! If you’re ready to change your life and if you’re ready to get rid of your debt quickly, this is how to do a Spending Fast. You can do this!
How To Do A Spending Fast ®…
1. List Your Debts and Their Interest Rates
Make a list of all your bills, and then write the highest-interest rate bill at the top of the list with the lowest interest rate bill at the bottom of the list. This will determine the order in which you will eliminate each bill: highest interest rate bill to the lowest interest rate bill.
2. Ask Your Creditors for Lower Interest Rates
Call the credit card companies and ask them to lower your interest rate. They just might do it so it’s worth a shot to call them and ask.
3. Picture the Life You Dream of Living
Determine your priorities by putting actual pen to paper and by writing down your ideal life. What would you be doing if you didn’t have to work for a living? How would you spend your time, and when are you the most happy? Ask yourself, ”Is there any way I can reach my goals with the debt I have?” If the answer is “no” and you don’t feel good about it, then it’s time to start thinking about making some serious changes. Be very honest with yourself. Do you find that you’re making decisions about things to do (or not do) based on the amount of debt you have? Does your debt prevent you from living a life that is true to you? Does your debt (and your obligation to it) pull you and angle your decisions in even the subtlest ways?
4. Make The Commitment To Be Done With Debt Once and for All
If you’re not ready to be done with your debt, then you might want to try some other methods first. The Spending Fast technique requires a lot of commitment and dedication. A Spending Fast is a way to get extreme results in a relatively short amount of time, but you have to be ready to go forward full-force with it. Your life will change and it will affect every area of life. Getting out of debt and committing to the Spending Fast is worth it, it’s just not easy!
5. If You’re Partnered, Try to Get Them to Do the Spending Fast With You
It’s a lot easier to change your life if your partner is on board but, if they aren’t, then consider doing the Spending Fast solo (I did it that way). Separate bank accounts are very helpful if you’re doing the Spending Fast solo.
6. Set a Time-Frame for Your Spending Fast
I recommend a year, so you can get past the difficult beginning part (where all your habits are getting changed) and into the real benefits part (where your debt is getting paid off). A year can seem long day-to-day but at the end of the year you’ll be surprised how fast it goes by. If you chose to do a weekend-long spending fast, a week-long spending fast, a couple months or a year, you will still get results and it will still positively affect your financial situation.
7. Make a Public Declaration of Your Desire to Become Debt-Free
Tell your friends and family about your decision to do a Spending Fast so you can have the accountability that comes along with it. In addition to telling your family and friends, take the Debt-Free Life Pledge, and read the entries from others who are committed to getting out of debt too (it’s super inspiring to read the pledges and I always read them when I need extra motivation).
8. Create a “Wants and Needs” List
The “wants and needs” list is the backbone of the spending fast. On the “needs” list include just the necessities needed to live: rent, food, utilities, etc. On the “wants” list, put everything that is an “extra” in your life. Things that went on this side of the list for me were items like clothes, coffee at coffee shops, movies in the theater, gifts, bed linens, new music, new make-up, shoes, etc. (Here is my original Spending Fast *Wants and Needs* list - 1/4 of the way from the top of the page.) The *Wants and Needs* list can (and will) be different based on each person’s varying priorities in life. If you decide that something should be on your needs list that wasn’t on mine that’s okay! Just try not to justify adding things just to make it easier. You can do this!
9. Spend Money on the “Needs” Side of the List Only
This is the simple-but-not-easy part of the Spending Fast.
10. Think About What You Can Buy Rather Than What You Can’t
If find yourself starting to feel bummed out when you’re in the thick of the Spending Fast, try to shift your perspective, because it will do wonders for your morale. Remember to keep having fun (just the free kind). Remember that the Spending Fast isn’t forever. There is a light at the end of the tunnel (that’s why you set a time-frame at the start), and remind yourself of why you’re doing the Spending Fast in the first place — it’s to get out of debt once-and-for-all and to change your life! Look at the list you made in step #3 when your morale gets low.
11. Become Immersed in a Community of Like-Minded People
Get involved in the And Then Whe Saved Community. This is where people share their questions, struggles, accomplishments, set-backs, tips, tricks, and most importantly, their getting-out-of-debt successes. It’s a great place to get a reminder that we aren’t alone in our dreams to live debt-free lives.
12. Attack Your Debts
At the end of the month, send all the money that is left in your account to the bill that has the highest interest rate. Continue to send the minimum due on your other bills. Once a bill gets knocked out, be proud of yourself! You’re really doing it! You’re becoming debt-free! Next, start working on the next highest interest rate bill on the list. Become competitive with yourself; try to get better numbers than the previous month and keep track of your savings from month-to-month. To be able to see all of the savings at the end of the year is amazing.
13 & 14. Be Committed to the Process and Continue With the Spending Fast Until You Reach Your End Date
It’s unrealistic to think that “mistakes” won’t happen so keep going even when they (inevitably) occur so when they do, re-focus, and get back at you. Stick with the Spending Fast for the entire time-frame you committed yourself to. If you reach your goal of paying off your debt and you happen to do it before your predetermined end date (um, awesome!), then why not keep going? Squirrel away the extra money and prepare yourself for the next step — financial security.
15. Be Proud of Yourself for What You Accomplished — Big or Small
When you come to the end of your Spending Fast, look back on all you were able to do. Being proactive and being willing to take charge of your life and finances is definitely something to be proud of!
Throughout the Spending Fast, always be on the look-out for ways to cut the “needs” list down even more, get creative with ways to save money, and be willing to make things yourself in an effort to save.
Before you know it, saving will become (unbelievably) more fun than spending and your financial life will be forever changed!
Spending Fast ® is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
It’s weird to think about how things in life change. I first started this blog to keep me accountable as I started my Spending Fast and slowly crawled out from under my debt. It proved to work- it kept me honest and it helped to keep me motivated to stay on course so I didn’t mess up. I partly didn’t want to mess up because I didn’t want to have to tell you about it here; that little bit of pride was useful.
After 15 months I found myself out of debt (still unbelievable sometimes) and the blog started to reflect my process of learning how to spend “normally”. I was continually asking myself, “What does ‘spending normally’ look like?”, “How do I not get myself BACK into debt?” and, “How do I stay motivated to not over-spend?” And, more than anything, “How do I not slip back into my old ways?”
Now, I feel the blog is ready to go into another new direction. For the site to have authenticity, and for me to continue to be enthusiastic about writing it, it must be true to where I’m at in life.
You may have noticed the new tagline, “Saving where I can, so I can spend where I want.” That reflects more of where I’m at these days.
I wanted to get out of debt in the 1st place so I could really enjoy life, and so I could do what I want without having the burden of the financial black-cloud hanging over my head. I could no longer handle the demoralizing feelings and guilt that came with having a crap-load of debt.
I like shopping, I like traveling, I like eating out, and I like going to the movies. I want to enjoy the fun stuff life has to offer, and I finally have choices. I want you to have that freedom too.
Financial freedom (for me) is all about autonomy. It’s about being able to make the decisions in my life that feel true to me. A life that’s honest. Day-to-day it looks like this: a simpler, less-cluttered life, and the ability to go on a trip or buy a new shirt if I want to without having the guilt and stress about adding to an already overwhelming amount of debt.
For me now, financial freedom is all about, saving where I can, so I can spend where I want.
What does living a life that’s true to you look like? How do you feel when you live authentically to when you don’t?
I cannot tell you how happy I am to welcome you to the new site! Mervi (and the whole team) over at Freckled Nest has been awesome with getting the site to look the way I want. Now, the site will (hopefully;) be a lot more user-friendly.
I’m super excited to get some brand-new money-saving, frugal-living, live-better-with-less posts posted! I’ve really missed blogging!
p.s. there are still a couple of glitches with the new site design, they’re getting worked on and they should be fixed soon:)
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the things which you think you cannot do.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.”- John Wayne
There’s no doubt that changing your life and habits is hard work. I mean, you go from living in your comfort zone to flipping your whole life upside down. Often when people ask me about doing the Spending Fast and what it took to get out of debt I get the feeling that they want me to tell them that it was easy and that it didn’t change my day-to-day life all that much. But it did.
You know those people that say they lose weight and they didn’t have to do anything different? Like, “I eat cake for breakfast EVERYDAY and I lost weight! It’s a miracle!”
Doing a Spending Fast, and changing your relationship with money is hard work and it’s not like eating cake for breakfast everyday.
If you want to change your life, you have to changeyour life! That might seem like a silly thing to say but, really, if it was possible for me to keep doing what I was doing (spending money like crazy) and still get out of debt I would’ve picked that option. Changing your life and living debt-free takes work, time, and sacrifices. All of which are completely worth it when you come out on the other side debt-free and victorious but to think it won’t be hard work to get to that point – that’s just not reality.
I want to challenge you to look debt in the face and tell it to F- OFF! It’s time to be done with the debt and remorse and over-spending once and for all!
It’s scary to think about changing your life but you know what, it’s also so freaking exciting! By getting on the path to live a debt-free life you’re going to create a new future for yourself. One where you have choices and one where half your paycheck isn’t going to pay for stuff you’ve already forgotten about and have already donated to the thrift store.
I probably sound all pumped up in this post and it’s because I just read the latest Getting Out of Debt Pledgers posts and man, they just inspire the crap out of me.
So do it. Look fear in the face and saddle on up. It’s time to change your life.
Sometimes I’ll make a pot of coffee and then I don’t finish it, and it just seems like such a waste of money (because it is). Now rather than throwing out that coffee I’m going to put it in a container and slurp it up later as iced coffee. (I so wish I would’ve had this recipe down-pat when I ran into this problem awhile back.)
“While it’s no surprise that making your own cup of coffee is cheaper than buying it on the outside, the savings over time are eye-opening. Here’s a telling contrast: A 6-ounce cup of coffee made at home, at about 17 cents a cup per day, adds up to $1.19 a week and $62.05 a year. A 16-ounce grande coffee from Starbucks, at $2.29 per day, adds up to $16.03 per week, and a hefty $835.85 per year — the price of a mini vacation.”
Just last week I perfected my iced coffee recipe and now I feel like a total schmuck for ever paying that crazy price ($4.00 !??!) for the fancy coffee shop version. Plus, have you ever noticed that iced coffee is (usually) more expensive than the already expensive regular hot cup of coffee-shop coffee? Wanna know why? It’s because they “double brew” it.
So, what does “double brew” mean anyway, and can the homemade stuff be just as good (or better) than the expensive stuff?
Yes.
Totally, totally, yes it can.
Here’s how it’s done.
How To Make Perfect Iced Coffee At Home – The Recipe…
It’s that time again. It’s starting to be nice out more and more consistently. Running around the park and neighborhood is doable again because of all this light and warmth.
Heck yeah light and warmth. Heck yeah.
So what to do about that gym membership? It feels like such a waste (and is) to have a membership and not use it. To pay for ANYTHING and not use it is ridiculous, right.
Last year, I was able to “pause” my membership for the 3 hottest summer months (the months that I’m outside more anyway) where I’m more active than usual and don’t want to be inside anymore than I have to.
The other part of it is I don’t know if they’ll let me put a “pause” on my membership again. I vaguely member them saying it was a “one-time courtesy” thing. So if they can’t pause it should I out-right cancel the membership and see how I feel about continuing/re-starting the membership in the fall?
I love, love, love when people send me emails about great sites they find to help with frugal living. If there is something useful out there to help facilitate a debt-free life I am all about it! So send them my way.
Here are some great sites that just so happen to be about online swapping!
Borrow and lend from (and to) your neighbors rather than buying items new at Neighbor Goods
Similar to Neighbor Goods, Snap Goods allows you to rent, borrow, and lend within your very own community.
Swap is always great and is a simple platform for swapping your media possessions, from books to DVD’s to vinyl.
Are you a fan of re-gifting too (my re-gift bag got revealed here… eek)? Gift Flow lets you swap gifts that you don’t want for ones that you do. Um, sweet.
Swap Tom is a site that is all about swapping baby and kids clothes. I can only imagine this would be especially useful since youngin’s grow so fast.
Thanks to Seth, Kelly, and Aaron for the great swapping links!
Have you ever swapped items online? If so, do you have any tips? Do you know of any great swapping sites that aren’t listed above?
Last week was a whirlwind of greatness. Even with all the cool stuff that happened the thing that made me the happiest was that it was sunny out. This year’s winter seemed really mild as it was happening but when the sun started coming out all hot and bright it rocketed me into some straight up cloud-nine living. Seriously. Did that happen to anyone else?
Here’s a quick re-cap of the stuff that went down last week. And then, back to our regular programming;)
So, if it being sunny and amazing out wasn’t enough (it was) I was sitting at the allergist office waiting my required 1/2 hour between getting the allergy shots (that make me look like I have Popeye arms) and I was flipping through Westword’s Best of Denver issue. It is a epic issue that has a flat edged spine because it’s so massive. It’s packed with all the insider stuff happens in Denver that helps to make this town so great. I was chatting with my friend Shayla seeing what she was up to and then, wouldn’t you know it, And Then She Saved goes and pops out and catches my eye. I couldn’t have been more surprised to see that me and Tran Wills of Handbags.com got an award for Best Instant Wardrobe Change (sometimes they make up categories if they want to include something;) for the swaps we’ve been hosting around town. It was so cool! I was trying to contain my excitement since I was sitting in a waiting room but really, I was freaking out. When I got home Facebook was all lit up with different people in town saying they got awards. It’s neat to be recognized for stuff that I’m just doing just because it’s fun to do and because Denver ladies need Swaps. Amiright!? I also really like the part in the blurb where it calls Tran Wills a “Social Media Princess” because she is, and really whatever she’s touches turns to awesome. Big thanks to Westword for supporting stuff happening in town and for giving shout-outs.
Then, if that wasn’t enough (it was), one of my all-time favorite sites (and contributor to a wee-bit of my pre-spending fast debt because of all the crazy cute and unique items) Etsy, went and interviewed me about that post I wrote a couple weeks ago called The High Cost of Being a Bridesmaid (and What To Do About It). I love how they weaved my answers into an eloquently written and cohesive article. I’m always amazed how writers do that. They take sometimes totally different interview questions merge them with answers and their commentary and poof, there’s a great article. It’s the mad writing skills that really shine and Chappell Ellison worked her magic like the helluva’ good writer she is in her post Bridesmaid on a Budget.
Then, if that wasn’t enough (it was) The Nate Berkus show re-ran the Downsizing Debt episode I was on that aired back in October, and it was fun to re-live that whole surreal experience. Man, his smile is amazing. You’ve seen his smile right?
Then, if that wasn’t enought (it was)- is that getting annoying enough by now;)- my profile went public as a Staff Writer for Wise Bread! Wise Bread is one of the top personal finance sites out there and I could not be more thrilled to contribute to their amazingly helpful and chock-full-of-useful-information personal finance site.
Wow, now I’m out-of-breath;). It was quite a week and I’m so grateful to be able to have these opportunities and that you all have been, and continue to be, so supportive through it all.
If you didn’t read the posts, comment on them, and share your successes and struggles about how you’re living (and getting to living) a debt-free life in the community section, and if you all didn’t help me spread the getting-out-of-debt hope, And Then She Saved wouldn’t be what it is.
“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.” – Ellen Goodman
Yep. Kind of ridiculous (and completely true for most of us). Depressing much? Eeek… sorry:/
We all know that having a baby in your life can be expensive (it is a whole new person after all). So, do you really need everything “they” say you need? What can be cut and how do you find some financial sanity when your whole world is getting rocked? Since Aaron and I don’t have a little one in our lives yet I love getting the inside scoop from people who do.
Today, Heidi from Portland Babylon is sharing her top 6 tips on how she and her husband made their new life with a baby as frugal as possible.
“I’ve always considered myself a frugal person. I began working at a young age, in junior high, for my CPA father. I think that helped foster a strong work ethic. I also found that money provided independence and security, so saving money was always really important to me.
However, the old adage of ‘the more you make, the more you spend’ does seem to hold true.
In the past few years my husband and I have made more money, and we’ve spent more as a result. We seemed to be able to save a lot more money when we made less.
In the past year a lot has happened, and our savings have dwindled. Most importantly, last September our son (Hank) was born. He’s our first and only child. Another old adage rings true here: ‘Having kids changes your life’. Boy does it.
We had a lot of financial burdens last year, plus we both work full-time and knew we had day-care costs in the $1,000 per month range staring us in the face. So, we knew we had to buckle down and try to make having a baby as economical as possible.
Here are a few things that have allowed us to not totally scrimp on our one and only child, but also be able to start saving some money again.
Saving Money With A New Baby In Your Life:
image courtesy of heidi. that hand-painted mural is really amazing! such talent!
1. Tap into your artistic skills (or your friend’s artistic skills)
Decorating a nursery can be really expensive. My husband (who luckily for us is an amazing artist) painted Richard Scarry murals on Hank’s walls. This saved us a lot of money, and of course made his room one of a kind. If you’re a little less adventurous there are a lot of stencils that could be used to create something really special (and cheap!).
2. Go with vintage or used furniture
We bought as much vintage furniture as possible his room, except for his crib. We bought a dresser, bookcase and an adorable wall unit all at local vintage stores, stripped them down and repainted them. We already had a rocking chair, and just had to repaint it. Not only were these pieces a lot cheaper than new, they were made better in those days and they have a much more unique look to them.
3. Get crafty
Even with my limited sewing skills I was able to create curtains for the nursery using Little Golden Book fabric. It matchs the mural and they weren’t as hard to make as I would have guessed.
4. Be okay with used clothes and hand-me-downs and spread the word to friends that you’d love their previously used items
Apparently, some people don’t want used clothes for their baby. Not us! My boss was nice enough to give us her two boys’ clothes, which really helped. We also continue to get clothes from a friend’s boy who is a few months older.
5. Use Craigslist and garage sales for the baby supplies
We bought quite a few things used at local re-sale stores and through Craigslist. I never knew you needed so much for a baby! We got a lot at our baby shower, but after he was born we realized how much more we could still use. We got some great deals on things like a bathtub, Boppy pillow, books, a Baby Bjorn carrier, blankets, and clothes. We even bought cloth diapering supplies and a huge quantity of baby formula from local sellers. The formula was an insanely good deal, and ended up getting us through a few months for dirt cheap.
6. Pick cloth diapers
Between birth to potty-training diapers can cost thousands of dollars so choosing to cloth diaper Hank was a pretty easy decision. Since it seems to be a trend here in Portland and since most of our friends do cloth diapering too, it made the decision a no-brainer. I felt like the biggest barrier to cloth diapering was having too much information available, which really confused me. Once I figured out what I needed the rest was easy – even the laundry’s not that bad (especially with an awesome husband). The initial set-up for the cloth diapers was a few hundred dollars but we’ll end up saving so much in the long-run since we decided to not go with disposables. Plus, being able to re-use the diapers means so much less garbage and waste!”
Thanks Heidi!
Do you have a little one in your life? How do you save money? What are your biggest tips?
Would you like to be a contributor on a topic related to personal finance or frugal living? Send me an email at: hello@andthenwesaved.com. (Please know that credit or lending companies will not be considered. Only real people with real stories and real experiences should email.)
If you don’t know me by now, I’ve got to tell you I’m officially a major cheapskate. That means I’m ALWAYS on the look-out for things to do around town that don’t cost money or are super, super cheap.
So, when I got the flyer in the mail yesterday from Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art and I saw that this Friday night, March 30th they are having a 10¢ entry fee for their newest exhibits (mainly photography) from 8pm to midnight well, I got a little excited.
Sometimes the hardest part of anything is just starting. It can be hard to trust that you can (and will) make the right decision when you’re faced with a new way of life.
Sometimes change is super scary and unnerving.
When I decided I needed to get out of debt I didn’t have all the answers to the questions that people were throwing at me. I just decided that I was going TO START to try to get rid of some debt. By making the decision to go forward with the spending fast even though I didn’t have all the answers was really powerful.
In that moment I was telling myself, “Not only can I do this. I WILL do this.”
I want you to know that too. That living a debt-free life IS possible. Getting out of your comfort-zone can rock your world but it’s so amazing and empowering to make a decision and really go for it.
Take the leap to change your life, your habits, and old thought processes regarding money (I love this article on how to find the courage to take a leap).
Before the Spending Fast even officially started I asked Erin Hanson of Recovering Lazyholic fame if she might be okay with me using her artwork on my site. She said “Yes” and her Wants and Needs piece (above, which is officially titled Consumption) has been a constant reminder for me throughout the entire Spending Fast into the Spending Diet and right up to today to cut the spending out already!
“Want too many things. Need to want less.” I’m a Spender to the core and I’ve ALWAYS got to keep myself in check! My goal is to be debt-free for life so I’m staying committed to it. I just can’t go back into debt again. I just can’t.
Erin has graciously agreed to giving one lucky reader a print of her piece Consumption. You’ll be able to see this reminder everyday as you reach towards your financial goals. Love this giveaway!
**THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED
5 Ways To Win!
1. Mandatory- Like Recovering Lazyholic on Facebook
5. Tweet this phrase “I just entered the giveaway to win the Wants vs. Needs print on www.andthenwesaved.com! @andthenwesaved”
* Leave a separate comment below after you do the above entry options indicating which way you’ve entered. The lucky winner will be selected Sunday night at 8pm Mountain time!
*Be sure to enter your name and email address in the required fields when you comment so I can contact the winner.
Missed the Accessories Swap? Here’s a great video that Ben Simkins created for Handbags.com. I love the part when the swap opens and all the ladies are running and picking up items (at the 1:28 mark;)
image courtesy of alex baackes. photo taken in scotland
Summer is coming up quick (thank goodness) and with the warm weather also comes traveling.
The question then becomes, “How do I visit the places I dream of if I don’t have much money? And then when I get there, how do I maximize my funds to stretch them the farthest?”
Alex Baackes is one of those people who has the goal of traveling the the world. She’s done a good amount of traveling and has learned some money saving tips along the way. Today, she’s sharing her top 8 tips on how to save money while traveling.
Alex also writes the blog Alex In Wanderland. This post is part of a 2 part series so be sure to stop back next Wednesday to read part 2!
How To Save Money On Travel
Travel has always been my passion in life. When I’m home, I’m saving up to go traveling. And when I’m traveling, I’m pinching pennies to make the trip last as long as possible. Travel doesn’t have to be an unattainable luxury! I’ve done the dirty backpacker thing, but I’ve also had a taste of the good life with a luxury cruise. Somewhere along the way I found a way to balance saving money on trips and not compromising the things I love about travel, and I’ve shared some of what I’ve found here.
Transportation
Every trip starts with transportation, and often it takes a major chunk of the travel budget with it! For the most part, this is inevitable. But there are ways to ease the pain.
1. Consider Alternatives to Air Flying is the preferred method of long distance travel for obvious reasons, but when traveling domestically don’t forget to check into alternatives like train or bus travel. Some bus operators such as Greyhound and Megabus even offer perks like WiFi and power outlets on some routes! Or use this Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much it would be to use your own four wheels, which would cut down on taxis and other transport costs once you arrive at your destination. Major bonus? No crazy baggage fees!
2.Look Into Low Cost Carriers When traveling by plane, especially in foreign countries, look into Low Cost Carries, or LCC. LCC’s are discount airlines that have low fares and few frills. On the upside, they can offer shockingly cheap flights, often a fraction of what a major carrier would charge. On the downside, they often have tons of extra charges and fly into alternative airports. They often don’t make their fares searchable on major flight search engines- you are better off going to the LCC’s own website. You can find a list of LCCs by country here.
3. Getting to Point A One day I was patting myself on the back for scoring such a super affordable flight to the Bahamas- only to realize I spent almost the same amount on cabs to and from the airport! When catching your departing flight, look into public transportation or try to cash in a favor with a friend for a ride to the airport. When you arrive at your destination, again, look into public transit or discount airport shuttles. If none of those options are available, consider trying innovative cab sharing services like Cab Match, taxi², or Cab Corner.
Accommodations
Accommodations are often the traveler’s biggest expense. I like to find a good balance between comfort and affordability. I really appreciate style and like to stay in unique places, but realistically, I spend most of my time out exploring anyway! But, there is a way to find that perfect balance.
4. Consider Hostels Hostels are far from the icky, bed-bug ridden or serial-killer filled hell-holes the media would have us believe. They are often modern, stylish and comfortable. Most offer private rooms which allow you to take advantage of perks like communal kitchens all while maintaining your privacy. Places like LubD Bangkok and Oops! Paris are so chic they could almost be considered boutique hotels! A great thing about hostels is that they leave lots of cash for splurging on other things- this room in Phnom Penh had a private bathroom, free WiFi and air-conditioning, easy access to the open-air rooftop lounge. The best part, it cost my partner and I just $9 each.
image courtesy of alex
5. Live Like A Local No matter how swank they may be becoming, hostels just aren’t for everyone. You can replicate some of the benefits of hostels and remove a lot of the downsides by renting an apartment or condo at your destination. You often get a great rate, you can cook a majority of your meals and often do your own laundry. Sites like AirBnB and Roomorama allow you to browse photos and descriptions of short term rentals available for as little as one night. Another thing to consider is: renting out your own place while you are away. The money the renters pay can be used to finance your trip!
Food & Drink
Food and drink make up a major portion of the average travel budget. But, they don’t have to! I don’t eat all my meals in restaurants at home so I try not to do so when I travel.
6. Make Breakfast Affordable Hotel and restaurant breakfasts can be pricey. There are alternatives to letting the first meal of the day drain your budget. If you are staying in a place with a kitchen (this is where a condo or a private room in a hostel would come in really handy!) breakfast is the perfect meal to cook. During a trip to Honduras with four friends, we each took a turn buying a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, and a gallon of juice. It was a simple meal but a great way to start the day together- and it saved us a ton of cash! Even if your room has nothing but a mini-fridge, you can stock up on fruit, yogurt and power bars to start the morning with.
image courtesy of alex
7. Use The Tap Save the Earth, your waistline, and your wallet- drink water from tap if possible! You might be surprised how many foreign countries have perfectly safe drinking water from the tap. Pack a reusable water bottle and fill up at your hotel in the morning and drinking fountains throughout the day, and order tap water in restaurants. If only bottled water is safe to drink, buy the largest bottle available and decant it into your portable sized reusable bottle. In Thailand I buy 1.5 gallon jugs at a time, saving me money and cutting down on the plastic I’m using.
8. Pick One Meal Per Day Rather than eating big restaurant lunches or dinners, pick one meal to splurge on. Keep in mind that the lunch menu is often a great way to try a restaurant that might be much more expensive come dinner time. For your other meal, cook (if possible), try street food, buy sandwiches or other grab-and-go meals from the grocery stores and markets. When I was in Ibiza I often bought a baguette and some cheese and made my own sandwich on the beach… leaving me more money to afford the ridiculous entry fees at the clubs! (But that’s another story entirely.)
Thanks Alex! And, we’ll see you next week for part 2!
How do you save money to travel? What are your tips to making the most of your money on your trip? Is it hard to stick to your financial goals when you’re on vacation?
Would you like to be a contributor on a topic related to personal finance or frugal living? Send me an email at: hello@andthenwesaved.com. (Please know that credit or lending companies will not be considered. Only real people with real stories and real experiences should email.)
It still feels surreal whenever people what to hear what I have to say on a topic. So humbling (shoot, I just wanted some accountabilty with paying off my debt when I started this site).
Being on the radio is slightly less cringe-worthy than being on TV (because there’s less to be critical and self-conscious about since the visual aspect isn’t there) but still it’s like, “Why did I say that!?” or “I should’ve answered that question another way!”
I heard a good tip the other day and was thinking you might find it interesting too if you’re ever in the position of watching/listening to yourself.
It’s this:
The 1st time you watch/listen to yourself you’ll cringe
The 2nd time you watch/listen to the piece you’ll cringe less
And, the 3rd time you watch/listen to it you’ll be able to see the piece more objectively so you’ll be able to critique yourself and make notes of things to change for the next time
Moral of the story: suffer through the first 2 viewings.
If you’d like to listen the the radio interview on The High Cost of Being A Bridesmaid (and What To Do About It) it’s right here. There’s a brief mention of the interview in the beginning of the hour and then my part starts at the 40:35 mark.
Do you have tips for being interviewed? How do deal with public speaking and how do you keep your brain from freezing up!?
Saturday night’s Accessories Swap was so fun! The thing I love most about swaps is that you can de-clutter and get rid of stuff you don’t want, to get stuff you do want! Plus, it’s a fun and different social thing to do with friends.
I’ll be sharing more photos and stories from the swap soon but wanted to share these short fun videos with you. The first video is all the Big Buddha handbag giveaway winners (they ended up giving away 8 bags instead of the 3 we were anticipating!) And the 2nd video is from right after the swapping began.
Westword (a local paper in town) covered the swap here and a fashion blogger who writes the site Fashion Folio covered the swap here.
Linda Bejamin Pardee de-cluttered her space and ended up with a major tax write-off as a result.
“Charitable donations: It all started with the purse museum. image courtesy of linda benjamin pardee
Okay, I admit it – I love purses. It’s my thing. They always fit even if I’ve eaten a few too many chocolate truffles. They come in all colors, shapes, and sizes and they’re so damn pretty!
So when I started the Spending Fast, my first commitment was: ‘No New Purses!’ I also realized I wasn’t using several of my bags and that selling them might help bring down my debt. I listed a few of them on eBay to see what would happen. Some sold, some didn’t. Since my PayPal account is tied to one of my major credit cards, the ones that did sell went immediately toward paying down the balance on that card.
I held onto the purses that didn’t sell for about a month, all the while thinking ‘now what’? Having just started the Spending Fast I was in a downsizing frame of mind and not just on handbags but on clothes and shoes as well.
I started researching charitable donation centers in my area (Los Angeles) and found that the National Council of Jewish Women, which has several ‘second hand’ stores, has a reputation for giving top dollar receipts on donations. I bagged up the unsold purses and some old clothes and made my way over there. A few weeks later I received a tax receipt in the mail. My donation brought in over $350 in tax deductions. I couldn’t help myself – I went back into my closet and started looking at the things I’d been on the fence over donating.
I got serious and honest with myself, and I decided that I only wanted to keep what I really used on an everyday basis. The frenzy had begun.
Once I was finished with my clothes closet I started looking at everything in my house differently. I started in the kitchen and got rid of all the items I had stuffed in the back of the cupboards. I had duplicates of everything from mixing bowls to flatware. These things were just taking up space. Then there were books. A goldmine of books I wasn’t going to read again! I boxed them up. Our old futon in the guestroom was a landing strip for luggage – it had to go. I donated lamps and old bath towels that I’d long ago stopped using and was holding onto in case my nieces finally moved out of my sister’s house and needed them. My husband thought I’d lost my mind but went along with it.
Last month I started organizing paperwork in preparation of having our taxes done. I totaled up my receipts from the charitable donations I’ve made over the last several months, and I have a write off of a little over $2,100! Needless to say, I’m thrilled (and I have really clean closets too.)
As for my love of purses, let’s just say I cover my eyes when I walk thru department stores . . . “
Thank you Linda!
Do you utilize charitable donation write-offs on your taxes? What’s the biggest charitable donation you’ve made in a year?
Would you like to be a contributor on a topic related to personal finance or frugal living? Send me an email at: hello@andthenwesaved.com. (Please know that credit or lending companies will not be considered. Only real people with real stories and real experiences should email.)
Benjamin Franklin was a very frugal man and had some extremely wise words on the subject. His frugal wisdom still apply to today’s times despite being over 200 years old!
(Benjamin Franklin also wrote a book called The Way To Wealth and there is a link at the bottom of this post to an online version of the book.)
I can relate to: #1, #5, #10, #13, #14, #16, #17, #19, #20 (SO wise), #24, #25 (YES!), #27, #30, #31, #32 (love it), #33, and #36 (touché). So, pretty much all of them. Which ones do you relate to?
Frugality (40-78) – Prudent economy; that careful management of anything valuable which expends nothing unnecessarily, and applies what is used to a profitable purpose; thrift; — opposed to extravagance
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship
Buy what thou hast no need of, and before long thou shalt sell thy necessaries
A fat kitchen makes a lean will
Many estates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting, And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting.
Think of saving as well as of getting: the Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes
Women and wine, game and deceit, Make the wealth small, and the wants great.
What maintains one vice, would bring up two children
Who dainties love, shall beggars prove
Fools make Feasts, and wise men eat them
Wise men learn by others’ harms, fools scarcely by their own
Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen fire
A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees
Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom
When the well’s dry, they know the worth of water
If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some
He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing
Fond pride of dress, is sure a very curse; E’er fancy you consult, consult your purse.
Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy.
When you have bought one fine thing you must buy ten more, that your appearance maybe all of a piece
Tis easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it
Great estates may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore
Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt
Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with infamy
But what madness must it be to run in debt for these superfluities!
When you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty
The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt
Lying rides upon debt’s back
Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue: ’tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright
Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times
Those have a short Lent who owe money to be paid at Easter
The borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor to the creditor
Disdain the chain, preserve your freedom; and maintain your independency: be industrious and free; be frugal and free
For age and want, save while you may; No morning sun lasts a whole day
Gain may be temporary and uncertain, but ever while you live, expense is constant and certain
Tis easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel
Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.
Get what you can, and what you get hold; ’Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into go
Here’s a free online version of Benjamin Franklin’s book The Way To Wealth if you’re interested in reading more.
How many of Ben Franklin’s frugal ways can you relate to?
It’s been on my to-do list for FAR too long. Cleaning out the cabinet under the bathroom sink is something I kept thinking:
“I gotta do that!”
“It’s getting out of control!”
“Ugh. I’ll just throw this in there for now.”
“I’ll definitely clean it out this weekend.”
“I thiiink I have one of those (insert whatever item here) but I just don’t know… better just pick one up to be safe!”
My poor husband Aaron doesn’t get any space in the cabinet, that is, expect for a small glass cup that he keeps some little things in. The over-flowing stacked-up and over-stuffed mess was ALL mine and I knew it.
I finally took Gretchen Rubin’s (author of the book The Happiness Project- highly recommended by the way) advice to “Tackle a Nagging Task”. I sat on the floor and just started. The excuses weren’t cool anymore. The time for action had begun.
It sounds so simple and like such common sense but JUST STARTING – meaning just taking the smallest amount of action can instigate amazing amounts of productivity.
The contents of the cabinet were all over the floor and I started to realize how many duplicate items I had. I had unknowingly been buying things multiple times because I had forgotten I already owned it!
Outta’ sight outta’ mind? Yep. Exactly.
Here’s what I found multiples of:
3 cans of shaving cream
8 (omg) bottles of sunblock
4 bars of soap (plus I have TONS of travel size soaps that I’ve been stockpiling for some reason)
4 Razor blade replacements
2 cans of hairspray
3 bottles of hair gel (I don’t even use it except for on my bangs, maybe)
4 (say what?) bottles of conditioner (plus lots of travel size ones I’m been “collecting”)
1 bottle of shampoo (again lots of little ones I’ve been saving because you just never know, right?)
4 mini promotional tubes of toothpaste
1 toothbrush
3 bottles of sunless tanner (I don’t even use it!)
2 bottles of face mask gel
1 stick of deodorant
Had I kept the clutter at bay I would’ve saved a chunk of money. Lesson learned cabinet. Lesson learned.
Swapping madness has officially hit Denver! And, it’s A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
What’s so great about swapping is that you get to get rid of the stuff you no longer need or want and you get to pick out NEW to you THINGS! It’s a way to re-mix your style and infuse some freshness. It can also be an adrenaline rush when the swap begins and everyone is trying to find the best things! It’s exciting!
Having style while also trying to save money and get out of debt can feel very difficult, especially if you’re used to going to the stores and buying whatever is cute (that’s what I used to do and it got me into a lot of trouble!) Swapping is a fun and social thing to do with your girlfriends and you can make a night out of it! (don’t live in Denver but want to get in on the swapping fun too? The Swapaholics tell you how to host your own swap with your girlfriends right here.)
Oh… and did I mention that Handbags.com is giving away 3 amazing brand new bags to swappers at the end of the night?! Um. Yes. It’s true.
Here are the event details
It’s An AndThenWeSaved.com Accessories Swap! Sponsored by Handbags.com
If you’re a woman in Colorado you’re invited!
Bring your girlfriends and make a night of it! This is going to be a lot of fun!!
When and Where · Saturday, March 10th from 6:30pm to 9 pm · It will be held at The Curtis Hotel located at 1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO · The actual swap will start at 7:30 pm on the dot. Please arrive between 6:30 – 7:00 pm so we have enough time to inspect & sort your items. · $5 CASH ONLY to enter. A portion of the proceeds will be given to SafeHouse Denver (supports and assists women and children in leaving dangerous domestic violence situations).
Details · Swappers please bring 10 great pieces: Handbags, shoes, hats and jewelry to swap. Bring items that you would give to your best friend or sister! (If you don’t have 10 items bring as many as you want to swap and you’ll be able to take that many. For example, bring 6 items take 6 items.) · Your items will be checked by official Handbags.com Inspectors so please don’t bring things that are falling apart, have stains, holes, are smelly, broken or just plain ugly! We will not accept these items! We want everyone to leave with great items at the end of the night:) · At 9pm 3 people will win a fabulous bag from Handbags.com!! (Big Buddha bags valued at approx. $100!) · At 9pm all of the items that have not been swapped can either be taken back by the original owner or can be left for donation to SafeHouse Denver (a women’s domestic violence shelter)
More Goodies · Free Parking Garage is Available at the hotel for the 1st 100 people (you’ll receive a parking voucher when you check-in for the swap) · First 50 Swappers will receive 1 FREE drink ticket · Handbag Design Contest (winners will win fabulous bags from Handbags.com! at 9pm) · DIY Button Making Station · Tunes by DJ El Brian · Sweet Treats from Pastel · $5 Mani’s from Tootsies Nail Shoppe · Photo-booth FUN will be provided by Newell Jones + Jones Photography
Everyday take small steps and do the next right thing; before you know it your life will be changed.
When things get difficult and when we want to give up that’s when it’s most important that we keep going. It’s in those times that we have to keep fighting for our dreams and goals.
Free stuff is great, and what’s even better is CUTE free stuff. So when a company wants to give And Then We Saved readers free, cute things I let ‘em! Um. Because I like y’all. A lot.
Remember the interview with the lady who won a large Sweepstakes, and the interview with the man who won 6 Million in the Colorado Lotto? The morale of both stories was: if you don’t play you can’t win!
Fair Ivy is a small company out of Santa Monica, CA that offers monthly surprise packages for women, men, teens and pets. They are eco-friendly and they support individual crafters and entrepreneurs.
The prize is a 2 month subscription where you’ll receive 1-2 surprise handmade goodies delivered right to your mailbox each month.
You won’t know exactly what the item(s) will be and that’s part of the fun! It’s a surprise! But here are some examples of what has been in some of their surprise packages:
image via fair ivy
The Giveaway will close on Sunday, February 5th at 5:00pm (Mountain time) and please be sure to leave your contact info in the requested fields when you leave your comment so I can reach the lucky winner.
Tweet this short phrase, “I just entered to win a surprise package giveaway from @fairivy on @andthenwesaved”
If you already follow us and friend us on Facebook and Twitter you can write about the giveaway on your blog for another entry too!
Leave a comment below to tell me that you signed up for their newsletter and if you did the additional entries leave a comment below saying so and you’re good to go!
When the very talented Kat Kohl contacted me with her story of how she survives financially as an artist in New York City, I really appreciated what she had to say because being an artist in ANY city is tricky (amiright?!). Also, I often get questions about how to live in New York City on the cheap (one time I heard someone say that the only way to do it is, “Don’t Live In New York City”).
Kat determined her priorities, and she’s actively molding her days to create a life that reflects her values and goals. She’s choosing to make her dreams happen.
image courtesy of kat kohl
Here’s Kat’s story…
I’m a regular reader of And Then She Saved, and have utilized many of Anna’s tips within the past year. By making many MAJOR cutbacks on unnecessary items like clothing, going-out, and by eliminating Christmas gift exchanges with friends, I was able to save enough to attend an artist residency in Iceland. I took a 1 month leave of absence from my job so that meant that I had to fund my flight, residency, and essentials in Iceland all while still paying my New York apartment rent and my student loan! Thankfully, I was able to apply some vacation days, and I also received half my flight cost as a birthday gift from my parents, but having an apartment in Manhattan (that I share with 2 roommates) in addition to an art studio in Brooklyn means my hard costs are extremely high. I hope that my story below will help other young artists see that IT IS possible to hit the ground running in New York City while navigating the art scene, and also surviving financially.
This is how I do it:
I work as a Project Manager at Duggal, a fine art/graphics/custom display fabrication company that serves artists, museum, and retail clients around the globe. I earn a base salary + commission on my personal sales. My base covers all my necessary expenses with some left over, but my real “extra” cash comes from my commission check. I try to save as much of my commission check as possible for “rainy days”- such as when my computer died and I had to buy a new MacBook 2 days before I left for Iceland.
iceland courtesy of kat kohlI saved $10K before moving to NYC, assuming that between rent deposits, and furniture that I would be down $3-5 K; the remainder went into savings.
Once I was in NYC, I was so busy working in my studio that I hardly had time to go out with all the work I was doing in my studio on the nights and weekends. Early on I made a budget to see where every bit of my paycheck was going. I had to be realistic about the exact amount I had left-over every month.
I’ve only been to a movie or concert twice in the past 3 years. When I do go out, I look at the costs of drinks and food and choose very carefully.
Since my student loan is fixed I don’t benefit financially from paying it off sooner even if I wrote the loan company a check for the entire balance tomorrow. Also, as long as I have it, it provides me with a bit of a tax break. Some debt can be GOOD debt.
And how to be a young artist in New York City…
1. Keep the momentum going immediately after graduation
Just because professors aren’t giving you assignments to complete doesn’t means you should take a break. There shouldn’t be gaps on your professional resume, or on your artist c.v.. Galleries and buyers are more interested in your work if they see that there is a constant effort or progression on your end. This demonstrates to them that in the long run, your work would be a good investment because you are continuing to develop as an artist, thus raising the value of your work and interest of collectors.
image courtesy of kat kohl
2.Apply for grants
Grants are VERY hard to come by, and extremely difficult to obtain in New York because of all the competition. It is important to continuously apply for them though, but I would not DEPEND on them solely to create work and establish a studio. Also since galleries, dealers and buyers don’t want to visit your apartment to view your work, this means I needed a studio, and I made it my mission to find an affordable one.
Be willing to be flexible and share the space with others to reduce the cost
3.Network CONSTANTLY
I make it a habit to always have postcards of my work on me (it must include your contact information), because you never know who you will run into. You just might just meet someone who is a great connection.
4.Determine the cost of your studio rent by day
Consider that every day you don’t go, you lose X amount of money.
I think about how when I’m not working, someone else IS. THAT really gets me going!
5.View your studio as a small business
This means I need to spend money on supplies: a “storefront”, a website, and postcards/business cards for networking. However, you have to be realistic. Ask yourself if you are giving it 100% or not. If you are only giving a 25-50% effort, you should truly evaluate the cost of doing it “professionally” vs. “personally” as a hobby.
6.Don’t sell out, but be open to suggestions
Dealers are excellent studio guests because they know and will share with you what sells, what doesn’t, and what would showcase your work best. It is in their personal best interest to give you honest feedback, because they will be happy to represent you to their clientele if they think your work will sell.
Really evaluate their advice: is their suggestion an idea that can really improve and expand your work, or does it compromise your vision entirely?
7.PAY IT FORWARD
As a sculptor, I’ve utilized the help of many friends and family members for hauling, installing, and taking down my work. When given the opportunity, I do the same for others. Not only does it cut costs, but at the end of the day, the art world is a social network and a community. When other artist friends or gallery owners you know have an opening, you should attend as a show of support, and it will be reciprocated when your own work is being shown.
Thanks Kat!
Do you have insider tips for surviving in your field? Think you could make it work as an artist in New York City? I’m curious, what do you think the biggest obstacle would be?
Would you like to be a contributor on a topic related to personal finance? Send me an email at: hello@andthenwesaved.com.(Please know that credit or lending companies will not be considered. Only real people with real stories and experiences should email.)
I’m SO happy to start up the NEW Weekly Guest Writer/Contributor Section!!
It’s called Gettin’ Guesty and I’ll be featuring people who are tackling the debt/living simply/living frugal world from all angles.
I’ll showcase all sorts of different stories and experiences and it’s gonna be all sorts of awesome.
SooooooOOOOOooooOOooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooOOO without further delay… I am so pumped to introduce our VERY 1st contributor!
Kelly Newell Owner of SCOUT Dry Goods & Trade
Kelly just so happens to be my identical twin sister but that doesn’t mean that she didn’t have to go through the rigorous contributor process, because she did. I may have even grilled her a little more than the others to make sure she was up to snuff.
Can’t just be havin’ riff raff up in here!
SCOUT Dry Goods & Trade is located in Omaha, Nebraska and is situated right in the middle of the majorly cute Dundee neighborhood. Scout is at 5019 Underwood Avenue in case you wanna go right there and just check it out yourself.
And Then She Saved: What is the concept behind Scout? Tell us all about it.
SCOUT Dry Goods & Trade: We buy, sell and trade cool clothes. We stock men’s and women’s vintage and modern clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories. We’ve also got some really great cards, posters, books and stamps. We love art and creativity and we feature several local and handmade items.
ATSS: For those who aren’t familiar with the Buy-Sell-Trade concept can you tell us what that means?
SDGT:Our concept is really similar to a consignment store except you don’t have to wait for your items to sell. We’ll give you store credit or cash before you leave and the whole deal doesn’t take long at all.Scout is all about recycling your old fashions to get new to you items. It’s a way to freshen up your style without spending a single cent. It is completely possible to have style without debt.
ATSS: How does your store help those looking to save money/spend less?
SDGT: All of our items are about 70% less than what they would sell for brand new. We only buy items for the shop that are currently fashionable and in excellent condition. We put out about 100 new items each day and have really great turnover so there is always something amazing in. People looking to save money can find the cutest stuff for a lot less.
ATSS: Rumor has it that you have an amazing $1 sale on Sundays. What are the details on that? That sounds really great!
SDGT: Yes! Every Sunday from 12n-5pm we have a $1 Sale with completely different items each week. The $1 items are items that people bring in to sell to us and we have to pass on them for one reason or another – not in season, too many currently in stock, slightly damaged, that sort of thing- and the person bringing them in also doesn’t want the items anymore so we put everything in our $1 Sale and then whatever is left over goes to a local not-for-profit organization the next day. Win-Win for everybody! I know lots of people that plan their Sundays around our $1 Sale- it is quite the compliment!
hey! that’s princess lasertron aka megan hunt in scout gear!
ATSS: What are the biggest “tricks”/tips you have for people buying vintage/thrift?
SDGT: Shop in all the sections, men’s, women’s and in all the sizes. Something may not be in the section you would normally look in but would be perfect for the look that you’re going for. You never know what you’ll find when shopping vintage/thrift. There is a lot of style to be had without spending a lot of money. It’s all about how the outfit is put together.
ATSS: What are your greatest tips for putting together inexpensive outfits?
SDGT: Invest in items that are core to your style-if you always go back to the black short sleeve boat neck top with the equally low back-invest in one in a quality material-you’ll get your monies worth. Shop your favorite 2nd hand stores often and sign up for their emails. It really is all about timing, we get so many new items every single day. I’ve seen it time and time again where a customer will wait to purchase an item and come back to find it sold and is totally bummed. So, if you see an inexpensive item that you love snatch it up right then! We also have Secret Sales that we only tell people about through our emails. They are kind of a little “thank-you-for-being-so-awesome-and-opening-our emails-and-paying-attention-to-us” present so that’s another way to buy inexpensively with us.
ATSS: What is the best/worst thing about buying vintage/thrift?
SDGT: Best: the variety, the uniqueness and the history behind each piece. Worst: Items damaged beyond repair and overpriced items.
ATSS: What’s the best item and worst item that has come through Scout?
SDGT: The first year we were open we used to see a lot of underwear (!) that was kind of gross:) Now that we’ve been around for a bit people have a better idea of what we buy and sell. One of my favorite things is getting to know which customers sell us really good stuff and then seeing them come in the door with a load of stuff to sell! How cool is that?! Amazing items just walking through the door and gets set right in front of us?! I love my job! As far as my favorite item that I got from Scout- it is a vintage necklace with an intricate black, white and gold penguin made from diamonds and it hangs on a long gold chain. When the penguins’ stomach opens there is a little gold fish dangling there! It is the cutest thing.
ATSS: Anything you regret selling?
SDGT: Not really-its kind of a karma thing. My feeling is: “Gotta let awesome go to get awesome back.”
ATSS: Anything else you’d like to share that you haven’t been asked?
I have something to admit. It felt weird to say last week: ”I am now debt free.” It felt awesome- don’t get me wrong but also weird. I didn’t want it to seem like I was all “Oh, hey! LLookkk at me!! I’m DEBT FREE!” and, I especially didn’t want to make anyone feel worse about THEIR debt situation.
The Spending Fast, The Spending Diet and this very blog started just to try to get myself out of credit card debt. It all started as just a way to keep me accountable in my credit card debt elimination process. When this all started I had no readers. Zero. My mom didn’t even read it. She still doesn’t but that’s okay. She’s got her money so she’s happy.
I never ever thought that through this process I would ACTUALLY become debt free. That thought never crossed my mind. I thought I would die with my college loans. I thought I would MAYBE pay them off a little bit before I started getting a senior citizen discount but even that felt optimistic.
Living a debt-free life wasn’t a possibility for me. It’s wasn’t even remotely fathomable. Can not compute.
I thought those loans and that debt was as attached to me as much as my arms are.
They were there. They always would be. That was that.
1 year and 3 months ago I was $23,605.10 in debt and it feels a shit load better to be on this side of it.
I tell you all this to let you know that there is hope.
There is a way out of debt.
It can be done.
I was able to pay off my debt faster than I ever imagined possible. In a lot of ways it really feels like a miracle happened.
Do you ever find yourself staring at a whole mess of leftovers in your refrigerator? I’ve found that eating out of the fridge and out of the cupboards- using up the stuff I already have is a great way to cut back on spending money. Groceries tend to eat up most of my money thoughout the month.
Stinkin. Groceries! Are! Expensive!
I was thinking people would probably be way more into leftovers if they had a more fun name.
Maye something like: “Deja Vu Meals”.
Seriously. Am I right or am I right!? That’d be WAY more fun.
Or, we could called them: “Hello Again Meals.”
Or: “Hi Again’s”.
Or: “Hey Stranger, New To Town? Nope. You’re Not!”
Okay, now I’m just getting hysterical.
It happens.
What’s your favorite leftover meal? How do you stretch your bucks in the meal department?
fun with the web cam
the web cam fun never ends around these parts
(Totally un-related fact: when my identical twin sister and I were little kids we always thought that if we had our own “identical twin sitcom” we would call it “Deja Vu”. We grew up with that twin show “Sister Sister” so we thought we had a shot.
And, well, we would be hiiillarrious, of course!
We always thought about going to a Twins Festival too. Anyone ever been to one?)
this is my twin kelly on the left (pic was a couple of years ago). we’re doing our famous mary-kate and ashley olsen impression. pretty spot on huh. we could take that on the road i think.
(While I’m away visiting a lovely friend, I’m reposting some content from my archives. This one was originally published on February 9, 2010).
One of the best things about this Spending Fast process has been the possibility of getting to a point of being autonomous and not owing anything to anyone. How great would it be to not owe money to credit card companies, school loan companies, banks or parents?
Oh. It. Would. Be. Amazing.
For me, autonomy is about being personally independent. The reality is if you’re accepting money from someone they get a say in how things happen. Or, at least they’ll think they get a say in how things happen which can sometimes render more grief than if they actually had their way. Really, I’m finding that I can’t be all that independent if I’m financially dependent on someone or some bank or some line of credit.
That line of credit, that “bail out” is just a big fat white collared anchor attached to your leg; a ball and chain that has good grammer and has been looked over 20 thousand times by a lawyer charging $300 bucks an hour; it’s someone jumping out of a plane with no parachute and asking you to hold their hand on the way down. Geez. that’s more depressing then I intended it to be.
If you need to borrow anyone’s money, have ever borrowed anyone’s money or currently owe anyone money the people/businesses probably have a say (or want) a say in how things go down. Who doesn’t know a father that gave money to a daughter for her wedding but put stipulations on that money? They want a say in who can and can’t be on the invite list, if you are allowed to live “in sin” before marriage or not and even if alcohol is served at the reception or not. Or what about the gift that is given with strings attached? If you haven’t ever been given money or a gift with strings attached than you are probably in denial to the whole situation while everyone talks about it behind your back or you are a lucky chap who also just so happens to be a leprechaun with a pot of gold at your beck and call.
Really, money brings up all sorts of feelings and expectations for people and how people spend money shows where a persons priorities lie in life. So, then that brings up feelings and emotions and deep down things that we thought we had already talked to death about but turns out, we hadn’t dealt with it like we had thought.
Autonomy is a concept that came into my world a few years ago. Never knew what it meant before then because I never had a reason to care. And I didn’t decide to act on it until now. Since now I don’t want to owe anyone anything. I want to be free of that. I want to be self-governing. I want to be able to make decisions based on my best interest and not what is in the best interest of the people or organizations that I owe money to. I want as many financial strings as possible to disappear.
This Spending Fast is helping me get to a place of autonomy in the long run. It’s hard to remember all this when I’m in the moment and want to buy something that would make my life easier for the moment.
My motto has always been “You either spend time or money” and now, I’m spending the time to get my stuff in order and paid off and develop a life being autonomous.
Hi, I'm Anna! I paid off close to 24k in debt in only 15 months & it completely changed my life! I want you to have a debt-free life too so here you'll be able to read all about: How to do a Spending Fast®, saving & making more money, DIY's, & a lot about living awesomely with less. Let's do this!
