Monthly Archives: December 2008

The Two-Year Itch

Posted on December 19, 2008 by Michelle

The last time I left a job, I was actually leaving a seven-year career in journalism. At the time, I let people think it was because of my burgeoning relationship with Future Husband that was prompting me to move south to Rochester and to leave the newspapers that I loved just about as much I loved FH. But I’ll be honest – I was burned out. Big time. I remember mornings when the Rattling Death Trap would be driving by … Continue reading →

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Home Improvements vs. Economic Reality

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Michelle

Although Future Husband’s car is a far cry from my Rattling Death Trap (RDT), he’s been having some problems lately – a funky feeling in the steering wheel when he has to make a hard turn, just some of those intuitive feelings one has when they’ve driven a car for awhile and know that knocking sound is something genuinely wrong instead of a screwdriver rolling around in the glove compartment. Well, a broken stabilization rod, some brake problems and $550 … Continue reading →

Posted in Debt Reduction | 3 Comments

I’ll be writing more soon. :)

Posted on December 17, 2008 by Michelle

Sorry I was incommunicado yesterday – we had a big event at my full-time job that I was coordinating and I have to be honest. I think it managed to kick my arse. The event (it was basically an open house) went well, but I tell you – between the worrying that it’s going to be a success, then the actual effort to execute the event and then the clean up afterward? I’m glad this is the last open house … Continue reading →

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It’s like watching a train wreck

Posted on December 15, 2008 by Michelle

There’s this guy I know – I’m gonna call him Jake. Jake is a nice fella, comes from a decent family that has money, but Jake is kind of a ne’er-do-well when it comes to his life. He has a kid out of wedlock, he’s started and stopped college more times than I can count and he’s not making a whole hell of a lot of money in the job he’s currently working in. Well, rumor has it that Jake’s … Continue reading →

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What do you do when you have rich friends?

Posted on December 13, 2008 by Michelle

I’m doing my time at the cab company this morning and surfing the ‘Net (yes, I know this job is tough). As I was scanning my beloved MSN, this headline jumped out at me “My Friend Thinks I’m A Freeloader.” And because I do love a good dramatic story, I clicked on the link. Here’s the scenario … the writer of this tale has a lot of debt and not a lot of savings, so he scrimps and he saves … Continue reading →

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Holiday Saving Strategies

Posted on December 12, 2008 by Michelle

I’m going to be honest right off the bat: There are probably a zillion bloggers out there who are better at this sort of thing than I am. Jennifer Derrick wrote an excellent article called “The Totally Free (or Nearly) Christmas” where she voiced some of my frustrations to a T. My favorite part of Christmas has become my father’s family get-together. And the irony? When I was a kid, I would have probably faked appendicitis to get out of … Continue reading →

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Holy vintage coupons Batman!

Posted on December 11, 2008 by Michelle

Well, my buddies on eBay must have sensed that my day was going bad, because along with my letters from my bastardly dental insurance provider, I also had two envelopes from California and Indiana respectively containing my booty from successful eBay bids. And man alive – I think this goes back to the old adage my grandma used to share with me when she said that sometimes a girl had to kiss a hell of a lot of toads to … Continue reading →

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One Word: Ouch

Posted on December 10, 2008 by Michelle

One thing that the frugal journey has taught me is that one should always open mail, no matter how unpleasant looking it seems (i.e. – the letters from the bank that are too thin to be legitimate statements and probably contain news of an overdraft; letters threatening collection; phone bills, etc.). Two letters from my brand spankin’ new dental insurance provider were awaiting me upon my arrival at home. The first one … they paid half to fill a couple … Continue reading →

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A Life Update

Posted on December 10, 2008 by Michelle

December is already in full swing and I admit that this month has me in a bit of a panic. My wedding is in April and I haven’t ordered invitations yet, half of our Save the Dates are in some state of flux in my office and we haven’t even tackled what we want to do for our wedding favors. So the wedding is weighing heavily on my mind, but I keep my eyes on the prize, so to speak. … Continue reading →

Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments