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Category Archives: Everyday Living
Putting my money where my mouth is
I am susceptible to suggestion. This comment means a multitude of things to me, whether its following the vampire craze and reading the Twilight books in one weekend or going to those damn catalog parties and finding myself the owner of jewelry that I rarely wear. Then there was that time that I became a vegetarian for a year because I was honoring River Phoenix. Oh yes – I did that, just ask my poor mother about that one and … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living, Reader Input
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The hidden perk/pitfall of home ownership
“Good fences make good neighbors.” – Robert Frost The end of August will mark four years that my husband and I have lived in our house. To the east of our house, is a rental home that has had a dubious run of tenants until Katie, an emergency room nurse and single mom of two girls, moved in. To the west is Bonnie – Bonnie means constancy and today, a shopping bag full of onions from her nephew’s garden, as … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living
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Understanding the “Dollar Store Economy”
The New York Times Magazine ran an article the other day called “The Dollar-Store Economy” which talked about the influx of dollar stores throughout America. It’s an interesting article, because it talks a little bit about the “theory” behind these various stores are set up, the people who are shopping there and what they are going to need to do in the future to keep relevant and keep consumers’ attention. I am neither a fan or a detractor of dollar … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living
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The slow transition to a cash-only existence?
I’m about to ask an obvious question: Why does it seem to be easier to save money when you finally have more of it? For most of my adult life I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t something I’m wearing like a badge of honor. It was just a fact of life. I remember a conversation I had with a coworker when I was in newspapers. Her: “I saw an article the other day about … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living
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DIY Iced Coffee
I’m going to admit it … I’ve spent way too much money this summer on iced coffee from Starbucks. In my mind I have justified it as such … it’s cheaper than my usual venti caramel macchiato and because it’s simply coffee and ice, it has to be better for me. Right? Righ – erm, not so much. Let’s go back to one of the things that I wrote: “Because it’s simply coffee and ice.” And there you have it … Continue reading
The logic for and against combining finances
Last month, I let you all know that after a handful of years cohabiting and over two years of marriage (or as my husband just informed me “two looooooong years.” Sigh.), my husband and I finally took a plunge of a different kind: We decided to combine our incomes into one checking account. It’s been about a month now and so far the transition from two bank accounts into one has been relatively uneventful. (Although, it’s always a pleasant surprise … Continue reading
Saving money on groceries
I know I’ve written ad nauseum about this topic in the past, but let’s face it … with gas prices reaching to nearly $4 a gallon, everyone is looking at various ways to save some pennies … wherever they can find them. For my husband and I – and it’s likely easier for us because we’re a duo and not a family with children – whenever we need to save some money, the first place that we can look is … Continue reading
Still avoiding temptation
This is my second week working from home and so far – I’m liking it. I’m trying to foster good habits … taking a walk in the mornings shortly after I get up, making sure that the bulk of my work is done in the spare room that I’ve fashioned into an office, etc. (The only time that I’ve actually breached that rule was last Friday when I joined about 22 million other Americans in watching the Royal Wedding. What … Continue reading
Posted in Debt Reduction, Everyday Living
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A little bit of truth …
I’ve been on vacation this past week. In this case, vacation has meant cleaning my house, playing too much Dr. Mario, drinking wine, watching movies and getting my home office set up. I was extraordinarily successful at drinking wine and watching movies – playing Dr. Mario and cleaning my house? Not so much. But as I write this blog post, I’m on my laptop in my “new” office and other than some vacuuming and the eventual placement of pictures, I’ve … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living
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A lot of “stuff”
… Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was played live for the first time 20 years ago. I feel old when I remember what an impact that album had on my junior high days. For once, the “cool kids” were behind while the rest of us nerds swapped homedubbed cassettes of “Nevermind.” … Last night one of my best friends and I went to see Willie Nelson in concert. Even at 77, Willie Nelson is one of the most magnetic and … Continue reading
Posted in Everyday Living, work
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