$32.82 - groceries at Harris Teeter, mostly to make a totally delicious dinner for Emma and me (found this recipe and had to make it ASAP - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/350157). It was delicious, and it was great fun to have Emma over for wine and cheese and cooking and eating and talking politics.
Total = $32.82
9.30.2008
9.29.2008
$7.17 - milk and Camel Lights
$25 - donation to Obama campaign (Si se puede!)
Total = $32.17
I am really hoping that the next two week cycle I can stay within my budget. My review is coming up next week, which should be followed shortly by a bonus check, which in turn should halve my remaining credit card debt, so I want to start the month out right (and end the year even better!)
$25 - donation to Obama campaign (Si se puede!)
Total = $32.17
I am really hoping that the next two week cycle I can stay within my budget. My review is coming up next week, which should be followed shortly by a bonus check, which in turn should halve my remaining credit card debt, so I want to start the month out right (and end the year even better!)
V. Lazy Saturday + V. Productive Sunday = Perfect Weekend
Saturday, September 27th:
I slept until 2:30pm (can't remember the last time that happened) and it felt SOOOOOO GOOD. I think I was just really, really tired from the last couple of weeks, so getting 13 hours of sleep all at once was pretty awesome. I managed not to leave my apartment for the entire day, instead opting to sit around with Jack and read books, watch a movie (the Lost Boys of Sudan documentary), put pictures from IBYC in frames, and make a list of all the things I would get done on Sunday.
Sunday, September 28th:
$3 - ATM fee for getting cash from PNC bank (soooo annoying)
$28 - Farmer's Market goodies (cucumbers, cilantro, onions, the best fresh mozz you can buy in DC and MORE TOMATOES!!)
$17.68 - cleaning supplies and a 6-pack of Harpoon IPA to get me through an afternoon/evening of cleaning, de-cluttering, and re-arranging the furniture in mt apartment
$5 - added to my laundry card to do the 4 loads that have accumulated over the past couple weeks
$4.79 - pint of Ben and Jerry's Peach Cobbler icecream as a treat for getting so much done in the apartment
Total: $58.47
I got so much done on Sunday that has been bugging me for a while, and it felt so good! With all the travel and craziness and general lethargy and inertia that I have been feeling, my cute little studio apartment was becoming very cluttered and very dirty. Gross. I think the key to studio-apartment living is to keep it clean and un-cluttered, so that the little space you have seems bigger (guess this is a 'duh' sort of thing, but it's easy to let it slide.) So after a day of totally chilling out on Saturday, I woke up at 10am on Sunday morning, went to church (St. Matthews - a very progressive, very gay church in Dupont Circle - was great to be there!), ran into my co-worker Patrick at the service, we went to the Farmer's Market, I stopped at the Metro K for cleaning supplies and beer, and then went home to:
1) Organize my closet
2) Take two full garbage bags of clothes to the donation center (these two bags of clothes have been sitting in my apartment for 3-4 months . . or longer. )
3) Clean and de-clutter my foyer area, including dealing with my desk/dumping ground, where the last 6-7 months of my life could be seen in various layers of old mail, discarded receipts, beer caps, magazines, books and newspapers and assorted crap. It was practically an archaelogical dig.
4) Clean and de-clutter my living room/bedroom. This was more of the same, although less intense, but included a lot more dusting and spot-vaccuming, because I also decided to . .
5) Re-arrange all the furniture. By myself. Ow. I think I like the new arrangement better, but either way it's staying this way for a while. I am SORE.
6) Do all my laundry
7) Take out all my trash
I also made myself fresh salsa and mozz and tomatoes to snack on throughout all of the above. Finished up around 8pm, watched Ron Burgundy: Anchorman, and fell asleep, very tired but feeling very satisfied. I still have to finish up with the following things over the next week:
8) Clean my bathroom.
9) Mop my floors (I need to buy a mop first)
10) Re-hang all my artwork + new pictures from IBYC (with the re-arranged furniture this is a necessity, and will also be totally fun!)
11) Clean my kitchen, particularly my stove.
12) Take out all my recycling.
I slept until 2:30pm (can't remember the last time that happened) and it felt SOOOOOO GOOD. I think I was just really, really tired from the last couple of weeks, so getting 13 hours of sleep all at once was pretty awesome. I managed not to leave my apartment for the entire day, instead opting to sit around with Jack and read books, watch a movie (the Lost Boys of Sudan documentary), put pictures from IBYC in frames, and make a list of all the things I would get done on Sunday.
Sunday, September 28th:
$3 - ATM fee for getting cash from PNC bank (soooo annoying)
$28 - Farmer's Market goodies (cucumbers, cilantro, onions, the best fresh mozz you can buy in DC and MORE TOMATOES!!)
$17.68 - cleaning supplies and a 6-pack of Harpoon IPA to get me through an afternoon/evening of cleaning, de-cluttering, and re-arranging the furniture in mt apartment
$5 - added to my laundry card to do the 4 loads that have accumulated over the past couple weeks
$4.79 - pint of Ben and Jerry's Peach Cobbler icecream as a treat for getting so much done in the apartment
Total: $58.47
I got so much done on Sunday that has been bugging me for a while, and it felt so good! With all the travel and craziness and general lethargy and inertia that I have been feeling, my cute little studio apartment was becoming very cluttered and very dirty. Gross. I think the key to studio-apartment living is to keep it clean and un-cluttered, so that the little space you have seems bigger (guess this is a 'duh' sort of thing, but it's easy to let it slide.) So after a day of totally chilling out on Saturday, I woke up at 10am on Sunday morning, went to church (St. Matthews - a very progressive, very gay church in Dupont Circle - was great to be there!), ran into my co-worker Patrick at the service, we went to the Farmer's Market, I stopped at the Metro K for cleaning supplies and beer, and then went home to:
1) Organize my closet
2) Take two full garbage bags of clothes to the donation center (these two bags of clothes have been sitting in my apartment for 3-4 months . . or longer. )
3) Clean and de-clutter my foyer area, including dealing with my desk/dumping ground, where the last 6-7 months of my life could be seen in various layers of old mail, discarded receipts, beer caps, magazines, books and newspapers and assorted crap. It was practically an archaelogical dig.
4) Clean and de-clutter my living room/bedroom. This was more of the same, although less intense, but included a lot more dusting and spot-vaccuming, because I also decided to . .
5) Re-arrange all the furniture. By myself. Ow. I think I like the new arrangement better, but either way it's staying this way for a while. I am SORE.
6) Do all my laundry
7) Take out all my trash
I also made myself fresh salsa and mozz and tomatoes to snack on throughout all of the above. Finished up around 8pm, watched Ron Burgundy: Anchorman, and fell asleep, very tired but feeling very satisfied. I still have to finish up with the following things over the next week:
8) Clean my bathroom.
9) Mop my floors (I need to buy a mop first)
10) Re-hang all my artwork + new pictures from IBYC (with the re-arranged furniture this is a necessity, and will also be totally fun!)
11) Clean my kitchen, particularly my stove.
12) Take out all my recycling.
9.26.2008
$7.48 - toothpaste and a diet Coke
$9.20 - 6-pack of Longhammer IPA
$5.00 - added to Metro card to get to a debate-watching party on Friday night (with Ross' co-workers: Kirsten Gillibrand's office)
$195 - those glasses I bought a couple weeks ago. My FSA reimbursement just came through leaving me $195 out of pocket expenses. Not terrible. What is terrible is that my glasses are vaguely reminiscent of Sarah Palin's, which makes me ill.
Total: 216.68
$9.20 - 6-pack of Longhammer IPA
$5.00 - added to Metro card to get to a debate-watching party on Friday night (with Ross' co-workers: Kirsten Gillibrand's office)
$195 - those glasses I bought a couple weeks ago. My FSA reimbursement just came through leaving me $195 out of pocket expenses. Not terrible. What is terrible is that my glasses are vaguely reminiscent of Sarah Palin's, which makes me ill.
Total: 216.68
9.25.2008
$5.94 - fruit and yogurt parfait and large coffee from Starbucks
$12.60 - feeding my addiction
$76.45 - groceries from Harris Teeter (love this store!)
Total = $94.99
Good thing: Finally went to the grocery store and cooked a totally delicious dinner for Emma and me (Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Duxelles - ooh la la!)
Bad thing: Still smoking, and due to the powers of addition, when confronted with a tremendous desire for a cigarette, decided to stop at the BP I was walking by to get a pack, but I didn't have any cash, and the credit card minimun was $10, so I ended up buying 2 packs of really over-priced Camel Lights. Addiction makes you do stooopid things. I need a new quit date stat.
$12.60 - feeding my addiction
$76.45 - groceries from Harris Teeter (love this store!)
Total = $94.99
Good thing: Finally went to the grocery store and cooked a totally delicious dinner for Emma and me (Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Duxelles - ooh la la!)
Bad thing: Still smoking, and due to the powers of addition, when confronted with a tremendous desire for a cigarette, decided to stop at the BP I was walking by to get a pack, but I didn't have any cash, and the credit card minimun was $10, so I ended up buying 2 packs of really over-priced Camel Lights. Addiction makes you do stooopid things. I need a new quit date stat.
9.24.2008
I really need to go grocery shopping
$6.00 - large coffee and eggs florentine sandwich from Starbucks
$9.63 - salad and a diet Coke from the brown bag (my favorite salad-fix spot)
$15 - 4 Red Hook IPAs + tax and tip (happy hour with work friends)
$4.67 - red beans & garbanzo beans & club soda from 7-11 (made a delicious and spontaneous curry-esque thing for dinner)
Considering I blew $20 on food/coffee/etc, I clearly need to my ass to the grocery store and suck it up and drop $80-$100 at once. I hate spending all that money at one go on something as mundane as groceries, but I am having Emma over for dinner tonight as a thank you for Jack-sitting, so getting to shop for a specific dinner always makes the whole thing more pleasant.
This weekend I have serious plans to clean my apartment, organize my closet, and generally get my life back in running order. As my friend Peter says, "Work now means more fun later."
$9.63 - salad and a diet Coke from the brown bag (my favorite salad-fix spot)
$15 - 4 Red Hook IPAs + tax and tip (happy hour with work friends)
$4.67 - red beans & garbanzo beans & club soda from 7-11 (made a delicious and spontaneous curry-esque thing for dinner)
Total = $35.30
Considering I blew $20 on food/coffee/etc, I clearly need to my ass to the grocery store and suck it up and drop $80-$100 at once. I hate spending all that money at one go on something as mundane as groceries, but I am having Emma over for dinner tonight as a thank you for Jack-sitting, so getting to shop for a specific dinner always makes the whole thing more pleasant.
This weekend I have serious plans to clean my apartment, organize my closet, and generally get my life back in running order. As my friend Peter says, "Work now means more fun later."
9.23.2008
Tuesday, September 23
$5.00 - money on Metro card to get to and from the National Press Club for a panel on Americans without health insurance (there are least 47 million of them!)
$3.00 - coffee plus tip at Caribou Coffee
$6.45 - Cabo Cobb Grilled Chicken burrito from baja Fresh
$44.11 - developing photos from Car & Ruari's wedding, Luke's b-day, and IBYC2008!!
$3.99 - fresh mozzarella (I am addicted)
Total = $62.55
$3.00 - coffee plus tip at Caribou Coffee
$6.45 - Cabo Cobb Grilled Chicken burrito from baja Fresh
$44.11 - developing photos from Car & Ruari's wedding, Luke's b-day, and IBYC2008!!
$3.99 - fresh mozzarella (I am addicted)
Total = $62.55
Monday, September 22
Blessed with a day off work (thank God for vacation time!)
$20.70 - gas to fill up rental car before returning it
$3 - money on Metro card
$4.35 - skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks (shared with Wally while sitting in Dupont Circle discussing tattoo possibilities)
$6.18 - diet Coke and Camel Lights from 7-11
$26.16 - three bottles of Famega (delicious fizzy Portuguese white table wine)
$15 - ordering in Chinese food with Wally and Alexis
Total = $75.39
$20.70 - gas to fill up rental car before returning it
$3 - money on Metro card
$4.35 - skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks (shared with Wally while sitting in Dupont Circle discussing tattoo possibilities)
$6.18 - diet Coke and Camel Lights from 7-11
$26.16 - three bottles of Famega (delicious fizzy Portuguese white table wine)
$15 - ordering in Chinese food with Wally and Alexis
Total = $75.39
Sunday, September 21
The party ends, the hang-over begins, but not before a last hurrah at Collin's Diner. See picture below for the muliest group of mules ever to congregate in one place (and it happens every year!!)
$10 - grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato and a side of home fries at Collin's Diner
$15 - Gatorade, coffee, salt & vinegar potato chips, pizza, anything to get through the 8 hour drive back to DC
$3 - 2 bottles of soda water at 7-11 for bummin' tummies (Wallis' and mine)
Total = $28 
$10 - grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato and a side of home fries at Collin's Diner
$15 - Gatorade, coffee, salt & vinegar potato chips, pizza, anything to get through the 8 hour drive back to DC
$3 - 2 bottles of soda water at 7-11 for bummin' tummies (Wallis' and mine)
Total = $28
Saturday, September 20
The party continues.
I do not leave the cabin/dock/lake and thus do not spend any money. Had more fun than should be humanly possible.
I do not leave the cabin/dock/lake and thus do not spend any money. Had more fun than should be humanly possible.
Friday, September 19
The party begins.
$15 - breakfast (around 1pm) at Blackberry River Cafe with Peter Bell, Alexis, Wallis and Jules.
$107.87 - 1/2 a shopping trip worth of groceries for 24 hours (our friends eat a lot.) We purchased: 3 packages of English muffins, 36 large eggs, 1.27 lbs of coffee, 3 boxes of Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime veggie burgers, 1 gallon of milk, 2 packages of marshmallows, 1 party-size bag of peanut butter M&Ms, 1 pack of gum, 2 bottles of tonic water, 1 box of Pinwheel cookies, 1 bottle of cranberry juice, 2 bottles of club soda, 1 box of graham crackers, 1 box of hot chocolate, 1 contact lens case, 1 toothbrush, 1 package of bacon, 2 bags of Kettle potato chips (New York Cheddar and Salt &Pepper), 2.23 lbs of Jazz apples, 5 lemons, 6 limes, 1 red onion, 1 head of red leaf lettuce, 2.43 lbs of on-vine tomatoes.
(-)$60 - monetary contributions from other friends for the groceries.
$20 - contribution to party favors fund
Total = $82.87
Fantastic day/night/everything.
$15 - breakfast (around 1pm) at Blackberry River Cafe with Peter Bell, Alexis, Wallis and Jules.
$107.87 - 1/2 a shopping trip worth of groceries for 24 hours (our friends eat a lot.) We purchased: 3 packages of English muffins, 36 large eggs, 1.27 lbs of coffee, 3 boxes of Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime veggie burgers, 1 gallon of milk, 2 packages of marshmallows, 1 party-size bag of peanut butter M&Ms, 1 pack of gum, 2 bottles of tonic water, 1 box of Pinwheel cookies, 1 bottle of cranberry juice, 2 bottles of club soda, 1 box of graham crackers, 1 box of hot chocolate, 1 contact lens case, 1 toothbrush, 1 package of bacon, 2 bags of Kettle potato chips (New York Cheddar and Salt &Pepper), 2.23 lbs of Jazz apples, 5 lemons, 6 limes, 1 red onion, 1 head of red leaf lettuce, 2.43 lbs of on-vine tomatoes.
(-)$60 - monetary contributions from other friends for the groceries.
$20 - contribution to party favors fund
Total = $82.87
Fantastic day/night/everything.
9.18.2008
road trip!
Thursday, September 18:
$14 - cigarettes for the weekend
$157 - car rental from Budget
(-)$40 - money from Wallis for car rental
$10.45 - snacks on the road (coffee, sodas, donuts, etc.)
Total = $141.45
Worth every penny. Arrived at IBYC around 4am on Friday morning with Wallis, Alexis, Peter Bell and Alexis' dog Bella; exhausted but so happy to be there. Stayed up until 5:30am.
$14 - cigarettes for the weekend
$157 - car rental from Budget
(-)$40 - money from Wallis for car rental
$10.45 - snacks on the road (coffee, sodas, donuts, etc.)
Total = $141.45
Worth every penny. Arrived at IBYC around 4am on Friday morning with Wallis, Alexis, Peter Bell and Alexis' dog Bella; exhausted but so happy to be there. Stayed up until 5:30am.
9.17.2008
being busy at work = not spending money
$2.19 - diet Coke
$6.00 - on metro card to get back and forth from office to Advocacy Conference
Total = $8.19
$6.00 - on metro card to get back and forth from office to Advocacy Conference
Total = $8.19
9.16.2008
busy day
$7.92 - falafel sandwich & diet Coke (lunch)
$25 - donation to Obama campaign (Emma and I created the rules for an "I hate Sarah Palin" drinking game today.)
$11.47 - groceries (lettuce for BLTOMATOES and fresh mozz for caprese salad and chedder cheese for grilled cheese and TOMATO sandwiches)
$10 - filling up my laundry card
$7.70 - cat food and litter for Jack's week at Emma's
$30.53 - Zipcar to take Jack to Emma's for the week (over-charged, will be complaining to Zipcar about that)
(-)$9.63 - refund from Zipcar in driving credit (they are tricky, those Zipsters)
Total = $82.99
$25 - donation to Obama campaign (Emma and I created the rules for an "I hate Sarah Palin" drinking game today.)
$11.47 - groceries (lettuce for BLTOMATOES and fresh mozz for caprese salad and chedder cheese for grilled cheese and TOMATO sandwiches)
$10 - filling up my laundry card
$7.70 - cat food and litter for Jack's week at Emma's
$30.53 - Zipcar to take Jack to Emma's for the week (over-charged, will be complaining to Zipcar about that)
(-)$9.63 - refund from Zipcar in driving credit (they are tricky, those Zipsters)
Total = $82.99
Monday, September 15
$25 - BMG Music (paying for CDs I ordered forever ago.)
$7.88 - diet Coke, Camel Lights and 2 lighters at CVS
$49.20 - 3 Brooklyn Brown Ales, shared delicious dinner (beet salad, calamari, mussels) at Bar Pilar with awesome potential new friend!
Total: $82.08 (over-spent, but totally worth it)
Finally met up with a friend's older sister who lives in DC, turns out she is totally awesome! Super chill and funny and friendly and smart, also discovered a great new bar (Bar Pilar) with a hipster-y atmosphere, delicious food and a nice beer selection on tap. All in all an expensive but great day!
$7.88 - diet Coke, Camel Lights and 2 lighters at CVS
$49.20 - 3 Brooklyn Brown Ales, shared delicious dinner (beet salad, calamari, mussels) at Bar Pilar with awesome potential new friend!
Total: $82.08 (over-spent, but totally worth it)
Finally met up with a friend's older sister who lives in DC, turns out she is totally awesome! Super chill and funny and friendly and smart, also discovered a great new bar (Bar Pilar) with a hipster-y atmosphere, delicious food and a nice beer selection on tap. All in all an expensive but great day!
9.15.2008
Duh.
I spend too much money. I over-spent by about $80 during this most recent pay period. And that was while watching my spending! And trying to be good! And that doesn't even count the glasses!
Clearly this whole blog thing is going to be helpful, at least I'll know when I'm screwing up. :)
Clearly this whole blog thing is going to be helpful, at least I'll know when I'm screwing up. :)
9.12.2008
Weekends are my weakness
Friday, September 12:
$5.94 - large coffee and a yogurt parfait from Starbucks (I am going straight to big-corporate-supporter hell for how much I spend there these days)
$26.74 - sixer of Sierra Nevada, sixer of Smirnoffs, and a bottle of wine (pre-partying for Emma's b-day!)
$48.00 - way too many drinks at Whitlow's (super cheap and super fun!), but they weren't all for me :)
$2.00 - 2 games of pool at Whitlows (pictures to come soon)
Total: $82.68
Saturday, September 13:
$8.16 - pint of milk, bottle of Perrier and Camel Lights from 7-11 at 5am (promptly went home and left the milk out on the counter before falling asleep with all my clothes on - whooooo!!!)
$40.43 - the most random and useless assortment of groceries I have ever bought (not a good idea to shop hung-over), included bacon, eggs, and toast though, which were life-savers.
Total: $48.59
Sunday, September 14:
$40 - summer squash, basil, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes!!! from the Dupont Circle farmer's market (I am completely addicted to and utterly in love with locally grown heirloom tomatoes.)
$20.92 - cilantro, jalapenos, red onion (to make fresh salsa with my bounty of heirloom tomatoes) and other assorted groceries (the sensible things I should have bought on Saturday.)
Total: $60.92
$5.94 - large coffee and a yogurt parfait from Starbucks (I am going straight to big-corporate-supporter hell for how much I spend there these days)
$26.74 - sixer of Sierra Nevada, sixer of Smirnoffs, and a bottle of wine (pre-partying for Emma's b-day!)
$48.00 - way too many drinks at Whitlow's (super cheap and super fun!), but they weren't all for me :)
$2.00 - 2 games of pool at Whitlows (pictures to come soon)
Total: $82.68
Saturday, September 13:
$8.16 - pint of milk, bottle of Perrier and Camel Lights from 7-11 at 5am (promptly went home and left the milk out on the counter before falling asleep with all my clothes on - whooooo!!!)
$40.43 - the most random and useless assortment of groceries I have ever bought (not a good idea to shop hung-over), included bacon, eggs, and toast though, which were life-savers.
Total: $48.59
Sunday, September 14:
$40 - summer squash, basil, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes!!! from the Dupont Circle farmer's market (I am completely addicted to and utterly in love with locally grown heirloom tomatoes.)
$20.92 - cilantro, jalapenos, red onion (to make fresh salsa with my bounty of heirloom tomatoes) and other assorted groceries (the sensible things I should have bought on Saturday.)
Total: $60.92
9.11.2008
Behind the Scenes
To be completely honest and truthful, I do not record every penny that I spend on the blog, because most of it is really boring and repeats itself month after month after month. But in the spirit of full disclosure, here is a list of recurring, assumed expenses that I budget for each month (yes, despite all appearances I do have a semblance of a budget):
Rent: $1050.00
Electric: $15.00
Cell phone: $60
Student Loan: $132
Savings (ING): $60.00
Gym: $60
Credit Card Payments: $900/month
Of course, I don't actually HAVE a gym membership, so that money just sort of sits there, and then gets spent. But I will have one soon, I swear.
Rent: $1050.00
Electric: $15.00
Cell phone: $60
Student Loan: $132
Savings (ING): $60.00
Gym: $60
Credit Card Payments: $900/month
Of course, I don't actually HAVE a gym membership, so that money just sort of sits there, and then gets spent. But I will have one soon, I swear.
suddenly I see
September 11:
$11.49 - prescription & diet Coke
$2.95 - "convenience fee" to the city of Pittsburgh for the privilege of paying online for the $11 parking ticket I got last weekend
$3.99 - fresh mozzarella for a pesto pasta
Total: $18.43
I also spent an exhorbitant amount on a new pair of glasses. I've been meaning to replace mine since last summer when I lost them in Costa Rica, and the sales people were just too good. I'm going to wait to post that though until I know how much I can get reimbursed from my healthcare flex savings account.
The 'convenience fee' I paid today reminded me that I meant to post about the documentary I watched earlier this week. It's called "Maxed Out" and it's about the tragic state of debt that most Americans find themselves in today. It was mostly information I knew already, but it was good to hear it all again, and it's a cleverly put together documentary: funny and touching and sad. I wish someone had made me watch it when I was 16 or 17, years before I even considered getting a credit card, it should be mandatory to graduate from highschool.
$11.49 - prescription & diet Coke
$2.95 - "convenience fee" to the city of Pittsburgh for the privilege of paying online for the $11 parking ticket I got last weekend
$3.99 - fresh mozzarella for a pesto pasta
Total: $18.43
I also spent an exhorbitant amount on a new pair of glasses. I've been meaning to replace mine since last summer when I lost them in Costa Rica, and the sales people were just too good. I'm going to wait to post that though until I know how much I can get reimbursed from my healthcare flex savings account.
The 'convenience fee' I paid today reminded me that I meant to post about the documentary I watched earlier this week. It's called "Maxed Out" and it's about the tragic state of debt that most Americans find themselves in today. It was mostly information I knew already, but it was good to hear it all again, and it's a cleverly put together documentary: funny and touching and sad. I wish someone had made me watch it when I was 16 or 17, years before I even considered getting a credit card, it should be mandatory to graduate from highschool.
I love Texas
Tuesday, September 9:
Total = $0 (yay!)
Wednesday, September 10:
$10.61 - cat litter, cat food, and club soda
Total: $10.61 (great!)
I love business travel. Well, I love it and I hate it. I love it because it means I can spend $0, because everything is paid for by work (as long as I can resist magazine and impulse book puchases at the airport), and because it's fun to see new places, and makes me feel like my job IS actually pretty cool. I hate it because it is a pain in the ass sometimes, and means getting up early and dealing with airport security, and other disgruntled passengers, and the constant lottery of cancelled or delayed flights. I think one of the reasons I was able to get away with my hectic and frivolous lifestyle last fall (driving to VT every weekend, spending whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted) was because at least 2-3 days of every week I was living on the employer's dime. I'm glad I'm not traveling as much as I used to be, but I do miss the financial cushion it gave me.
This week's trip to San Antonio was unexpectedly fun, the hotel people were nice as usual, the bed I slept in was insanely comfortable, and Pam and I got to take a trip out to a ranch in Texas hill country. It was absolutely beautiful and rugged and made me want to move to the country and shack up with a cowboy. Someday, maybe.
This is Oreo, the ranch's friendly long-horn steer. The perspective of the picture makes him look sort of small, but trust me, he's not. His horns must be about 5 or 6 feet from end to end, and his back is at least up to my shoulder.
Total = $0 (yay!)
Wednesday, September 10:
$10.61 - cat litter, cat food, and club soda
Total: $10.61 (great!)
I love business travel. Well, I love it and I hate it. I love it because it means I can spend $0, because everything is paid for by work (as long as I can resist magazine and impulse book puchases at the airport), and because it's fun to see new places, and makes me feel like my job IS actually pretty cool. I hate it because it is a pain in the ass sometimes, and means getting up early and dealing with airport security, and other disgruntled passengers, and the constant lottery of cancelled or delayed flights. I think one of the reasons I was able to get away with my hectic and frivolous lifestyle last fall (driving to VT every weekend, spending whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted) was because at least 2-3 days of every week I was living on the employer's dime. I'm glad I'm not traveling as much as I used to be, but I do miss the financial cushion it gave me.
This week's trip to San Antonio was unexpectedly fun, the hotel people were nice as usual, the bed I slept in was insanely comfortable, and Pam and I got to take a trip out to a ranch in Texas hill country. It was absolutely beautiful and rugged and made me want to move to the country and shack up with a cowboy. Someday, maybe.
This is Oreo, the ranch's friendly long-horn steer. The perspective of the picture makes him look sort of small, but trust me, he's not. His horns must be about 5 or 6 feet from end to end, and his back is at least up to my shoulder.
9.08.2008
Monday, Monday
$15.27 - Netflix
$10.00 - campaign donation to Barack Obama (through my friend Matt's donation page - he's raised almost $1,000 in less than a week!)
$4.67 - fresh mozzarella for dinner (to go with farmer's market tomatoes and my Mom's pesto)
Total = $29.94 (pretty decent)
Every time I get super pissed at Sarah Palin I make a mental note to donate to Obama's campaign again. That woman CANNOT be one heartbeat away from the presidency.
$10.00 - campaign donation to Barack Obama (through my friend Matt's donation page - he's raised almost $1,000 in less than a week!)
$4.67 - fresh mozzarella for dinner (to go with farmer's market tomatoes and my Mom's pesto)
Total = $29.94 (pretty decent)
Every time I get super pissed at Sarah Palin I make a mental note to donate to Obama's campaign again. That woman CANNOT be one heartbeat away from the presidency.
Family Sunday
September 7:
$6.04 - Wendy's (on the drive back to DC)
Total: $6.04 (because Emma paid for gas and we avoided the PA turnpike by driving through WV on the way home - very pretty.)
Had a delightful birthday brunch for Luke with the family and friends, and then Emma and I drove back to DC, accompanied by my completely insane cat:
$6.04 - Wendy's (on the drive back to DC)
Total: $6.04 (because Emma paid for gas and we avoided the PA turnpike by driving through WV on the way home - very pretty.)
Had a delightful birthday brunch for Luke with the family and friends, and then Emma and I drove back to DC, accompanied by my completely insane cat:
Super Fun Saturday
September 6:
Me and Emma at Nadine's (Luke's favorite dive bar. Seriously divey dive bar):
$11 - parking ticket in Squirrel Hill (while eating breakfast with Sach at Pamela's - delish!)
$2 - parking on Walnut St in Pittsburgh
$54.43 - 1 case of Yuengling, 1 case of Smirnoff Triple Black, and a red bull light to celebrate my brother's b-day (in Pittsburgh you can't buy 6-packs, only cases, it is so weird.)
+$20 - won at poker (beating Luke, Sacha, and Katie)
-$20 lost at poker (Sacha won it all back)
Total = $67.43
Super fun weekend, relatively inexpensive, good times were had by all :)
Me and Emma at Nadine's (Luke's favorite dive bar. Seriously divey dive bar):
The birthday boy, being typically difficult about having his picture taken:
9.05.2008
Weekend!
$5.39 - large Starbucks coffee and a Spinach Florentine sandwich (my weakness)
I just didn't feel like making coffee and breakfast this morning, so decided to splurge on my absolute favorite breakfast sandwich (so conflicted that it comes from Starbucks, but I am a total hypocrite about them most of the time anyways.) Had enough time to eat my breakfast and drink some coffee while sitting by the fountain in Dupont Circle. It was a nice way to wake up, and none of the crazy homeless people decided that I was interesting enough to talk to, for once. I'm not much of a talker in the morning.
I am sure I will spend more later today while Emma and I are driving to Pittsburgh for the weekend (to celebrate the bro's 30th), but I will catch up on all that when I get back. I am fairly sure this will not be a wallet-friendly adventure, but it will be fun!
P.S. Another fabulous horoscope, this time from nerve.com. This is my lucky month:
Mars battling Jupiter at the beginning of the month is good for your energy, and you'll feel more focused and motivated than you have all summer. This is all wonderful news and perfect timing: while summer's coming to an end, your path for success is just beginning. The stars are aligned, promising a successful month ahead that involves wealth and romance! Okay, we can't one-hundred-percent promise all these things, but wouldn't it be cool if our forecasts actually came true?
UPDATE on 9/26/08: This horoscope turned out to be MAD TRUE!!
Post weekend spending update for Friday:
$1.97 - blueberry green tea (bottled)
$11.95 - snacks for the road-trip from 7-11 (SunChips, Smart Food popcorn, diet Coke, and cigarettes)
$20.70 - favor for a friend
$45.47 - gas
$6.50 - tolls for the PA turnpike
Total: $91.98 (some days money just flies out the window)
I just didn't feel like making coffee and breakfast this morning, so decided to splurge on my absolute favorite breakfast sandwich (so conflicted that it comes from Starbucks, but I am a total hypocrite about them most of the time anyways.) Had enough time to eat my breakfast and drink some coffee while sitting by the fountain in Dupont Circle. It was a nice way to wake up, and none of the crazy homeless people decided that I was interesting enough to talk to, for once. I'm not much of a talker in the morning.
I am sure I will spend more later today while Emma and I are driving to Pittsburgh for the weekend (to celebrate the bro's 30th), but I will catch up on all that when I get back. I am fairly sure this will not be a wallet-friendly adventure, but it will be fun!
P.S. Another fabulous horoscope, this time from nerve.com. This is my lucky month:
Mars battling Jupiter at the beginning of the month is good for your energy, and you'll feel more focused and motivated than you have all summer. This is all wonderful news and perfect timing: while summer's coming to an end, your path for success is just beginning. The stars are aligned, promising a successful month ahead that involves wealth and romance! Okay, we can't one-hundred-percent promise all these things, but wouldn't it be cool if our forecasts actually came true?
UPDATE on 9/26/08: This horoscope turned out to be MAD TRUE!!
Post weekend spending update for Friday:
$1.97 - blueberry green tea (bottled)
$11.95 - snacks for the road-trip from 7-11 (SunChips, Smart Food popcorn, diet Coke, and cigarettes)
$20.70 - favor for a friend
$45.47 - gas
$6.50 - tolls for the PA turnpike
Total: $91.98 (some days money just flies out the window)
9.04.2008
A very conscientious day
$2.99 - diet Coke and 2 York peppermint patties
$8.72 - delicious bottle of white table wine from Portugal (from Best Cellars)
$8.45 - chicken, onion, and carrots for a somewhat successful curried rice dish (but it will work for lunch and dinner and lunch again!)
Total: $20.16 (totally okay)
$8.72 - delicious bottle of white table wine from Portugal (from Best Cellars)
$8.45 - chicken, onion, and carrots for a somewhat successful curried rice dish (but it will work for lunch and dinner and lunch again!)
Total: $20.16 (totally okay)
9.03.2008
The stars are aligned
I love Free Will Astrology horoscopes, and I think this week's is particularly appropriate for my new venture:
One of my favorite memories is gazing into my Taurus daughter's face just moments after her complicated birth. She had been through a heroic ordeal that scared the hell out of me, and yet she looked calm, beatific, and amused. "She's part-Buddha and part-elf," I thought to myself as I held her in my arms. I saw elegant compassion blended with wise playfulness, two states I had never before witnessed in the same person. This unexpected marvel imprinted me deeply, and has informed my work ever since. Do you have a comparable memory, Taurus? A time when a key to your destiny was revealed to you? A turning point when you got a gift that has fueled your quest for years? This is not only a good time to revisit that breakthrough; it's also a ripe moment to ask life for another one. (italics mine)
Here's to break-throughs!
September 3:
$5.28 - Nat Sherman Lights (la-de-da; also, I picked a quit date - September 23rd)
$18.50 - 4 beers + tip at Vapiano's (very fun post-work happy hour catch-up with Emma)
$4.00 - 1/2 pizza at Vapiano's
Total: $27.28 (not terrible)
One of my favorite memories is gazing into my Taurus daughter's face just moments after her complicated birth. She had been through a heroic ordeal that scared the hell out of me, and yet she looked calm, beatific, and amused. "She's part-Buddha and part-elf," I thought to myself as I held her in my arms. I saw elegant compassion blended with wise playfulness, two states I had never before witnessed in the same person. This unexpected marvel imprinted me deeply, and has informed my work ever since. Do you have a comparable memory, Taurus? A time when a key to your destiny was revealed to you? A turning point when you got a gift that has fueled your quest for years? This is not only a good time to revisit that breakthrough; it's also a ripe moment to ask life for another one. (italics mine)
Here's to break-throughs!
September 3:
$5.28 - Nat Sherman Lights (la-de-da; also, I picked a quit date - September 23rd)
$18.50 - 4 beers + tip at Vapiano's (very fun post-work happy hour catch-up with Emma)
$4.00 - 1/2 pizza at Vapiano's
Total: $27.28 (not terrible)
9.02.2008
Day 2
$22 - cab from Lauren and Ben's apartment to Logan Airport (so early in the morning that buses weren't even running yet.
$2.48 - small hazelnut coffee (milk, no sugar) and a glazed donut from Dunkin Donuts at Logan Airport
$1 - bus fare to take the Circulator from Union Station to my office at 19th & I.
$31.69 - 2 rolls of pictures from Costa Rica & a diet Coke
$6.55 - chicken sandwich (lunch)
$1.35 - bus home (still carrying around my weekend bag - too far to walk!)
$5.28 - kitty litter
Another little beach Wallis and I went to, we climbed down the waterfall on the right to get to the beach.
$2.48 - small hazelnut coffee (milk, no sugar) and a glazed donut from Dunkin Donuts at Logan Airport
$1 - bus fare to take the Circulator from Union Station to my office at 19th & I.
$31.69 - 2 rolls of pictures from Costa Rica & a diet Coke
$6.55 - chicken sandwich (lunch)
$1.35 - bus home (still carrying around my weekend bag - too far to walk!)
$5.28 - kitty litter
Total: $68.35 (still not great, but mostly b/c of the exorbitant developing fees charged by CVS)
I have to say, I think that this is working already in the cosmic sense of things (if you say it, it will happen!). I am going back to Pittsburgh this weekend and was planning on renting a car, which would have been about $180, but because Emma is coming with me, we can use HER car, which is free. Also, a couple of friends of mine may move into my apartment building (which would be awesome just in general), and if they do I get some sort of monetary kick-back, which would also be great. Finally, on my way home last night instead of buying food for dinner, I decided to just make do with what I had, which turned out to include two peppers from the farmer's market on the edge of being bad (wrinkly-ish), but I roasted them and tossed them with some farfalle pasta, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, and mozz and parmesan cheese and boom, delicious dinner with no extra money spent!
And here's a couple of the exhorbitantly expensive photographs from Costa Rica :)
Stormy sunrise on the beach:
Another little beach Wallis and I went to, we climbed down the waterfall on the right to get to the beach.
It's A New Year
My new year starts on September 1. For the past 26 years of my life, September has been my turning point, I've entered 14 school years, started 6 new jobs, moved into 6 new houses/dorms/apartments, and saw the beginning of at least one major relationship, all in Septembers past. I always start this month with a feeling of anticipation and expectation for the year to come, but this year I am taking my New Year to heart, and making one sole and serious resolution: to finally and completely rid myself of my remaining credit card debt, and save up enough of a slush fund to ensure that my next move/career choice/major life decision is dictated by a personal decision or calling, not by money or finance-related pressures.
In order to keep myself on track (because I know there will be one friend out there reading this blog with a special and knowing eye), and in the process provide what will hopefully be a somewhat enlightening, amusing, and honest account of an admittedly strange and anal-retentive project, I will record every single cent that I spend. And report it all on this blog.
More details to come on exactly how much credit card debt I used to be in, how much I have left to go, my target slush fund balance and due-by date, and how I plan on getting there.
But for now, my daily report:
On September 1, I spent the following:
$20 - cab from Harvard Square, Cambridge to Holli and Joe's apartment in the South End of Boston (justified with the classic "I'm on vacation" excuse)
$7.65 - pack of Camel Lights (holy crap that's expensive! I think if I still lived in Boston I would still be an ex-smoker)
$43.22 - dinner at Dish with Lauren (delicious!)
Total: $70.87 (not great)
In order to keep myself on track (because I know there will be one friend out there reading this blog with a special and knowing eye), and in the process provide what will hopefully be a somewhat enlightening, amusing, and honest account of an admittedly strange and anal-retentive project, I will record every single cent that I spend. And report it all on this blog.
More details to come on exactly how much credit card debt I used to be in, how much I have left to go, my target slush fund balance and due-by date, and how I plan on getting there.
But for now, my daily report:
On September 1, I spent the following:
$20 - cab from Harvard Square, Cambridge to Holli and Joe's apartment in the South End of Boston (justified with the classic "I'm on vacation" excuse)
$7.65 - pack of Camel Lights (holy crap that's expensive! I think if I still lived in Boston I would still be an ex-smoker)
$43.22 - dinner at Dish with Lauren (delicious!)
Total: $70.87 (not great)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
