Spending Freeze

Remember that fun little post I wrote a couple days ago... Retail Therapy? Yeah I have been doing some shopping. 

Some highlights include some shorts from Old Navy (it's hot! I needed them), some home accessories (also somewhat needed... Sort of) and a shit ton of make-up courtesy of CVS 75% off sale. Oh, and I also bought 12 boxes of Suddenly Salad and over 12 boxes of cereal at Family Dollar. And while I technically did use coupons for everything at CVS and Family Dollar, I still technically did spend about $20 at both (factoring in that I did receive $4 Extra Bucks at CVS and $10 CRT's at Family Dollar. But let's face it, that is fake money). 

So I randomly popped into my bank account app on my phone that I tend to avoid like the plague because it usually depresses me and I was shocked to discover a shockingly low number. 

How could this be? I just had a pay-day on Thursday. 

And then I reviewed all my purchases and realized that "Oh hey, those add up fast". 

$3 here and $7 there and $1.50 there and poof! I'm poor again. 

I at least comforted myself by knowing that for about 5 days of the month, that treacherous time between pay day and rent is due day, I am at least part of the 94%. As in, I can afford to eat at Chili's but definitely not afford to fully fill up my gas tank. That is how the 94% live right?

But this morning I quickly realized I am back down to the 99.987% at least until June 13th. 

Which leads me to make the drastic decision of committing myself to a spending freeze for the month of June. 

As in 

• No couponing for the month unless I can do so with my $4 in ExtraBucks and $10 Family Dollar fake money. 
• Eating out only once a week (Thursdays- our day off)
• No more fast food runs and convincing myself that it's okay because I am a modern woman and need not be enslaved to a kitchen
• No more clothes shopping
• No more make-up buying even if it is 75% off and I have $2 off coupons essentially making it 12 cents. STILL NOT OKAY JESS.
• No more online shopping. Even just browsing, putting shit into my virtual basket and looking at it every 12 minutes. That is like sending a bottle of wine to an alcoholic and asking them to just look at it. You know they will drink and I know I will buy the hell out of that basket. 

I doubt I will make it the month. I totally believe in myself and whatnot but I also know I am a hopeless American consumer and it's not my fault- society raised me this way. 

BUT I will try my dardest because teaching myself self-restraint is important and I be broooooke. 

So wish me luck. I'll keep you updated with my failure  how I am doing. Seeing as I already purchased a Caramel Coolata at Dunkin Donuts this morning (it's hot guys! I was perspiring!) I am not off to the greatest of starts. Oops.

The day I realized I was poor

I'm a part-time grad student (I know I mention this in practically every post but indulge me) and I also work part-time. I live with my boyfriend, have a puppy who is very expensive and live within 5 miles of a Target. 

This is a lethal combination to make one incredibly poor. 

And this can sometimes make me a little... depressed. 

And then I get into a funk where I become obsessed with supplementing my income. 

Past endeavors have included stealing borrowing cans from my parent's house to redeem for 5 cents (I made a good $5 on this), filling out surveys online (made about $10), offering erotic massages on Craigslist (JK, but I imagine I could rake in at least $15 for that. Can you wear latex gloves during an erotic massage? I feel like there would be a lot of Purell involved if I were to ever go down this route). 

Anyways, I have been exploring different options and narrowed it down to two:

1. Become an Avon representative

2. Sell crack cocaine

Both require some start-up money. For Avon it's $10 and for the crack... I am not exactly sure. I will definitely need to do some more research on that. 

I figure, I like make-up and I like money and I don't mind putting myself into awkward and uncomfortable situations, so why not sell Avon? They're cool. 

And yes, the same logic applies for the crack cocaine. I have not personally ever tried the substance, but I assume it follows the same structure as Avon: hand out samples, take orders, host parties...

Have any of you guys ever been an Avon rep or a drug dealer? Any recommendations or tips? Or better yet, anyone interested in an above-the-shoulder Purell and latex erotic massage? I will perform the massage and for the erotic component, we can play this:

Yard Sale Scores

My favorite thing about the warmer weather is yard sale season. 

Yes, yard sale season. There is nothing more that I enjoy than rummaging through some random person's cast off's in search of more stuff to bring into my house and clutter it up even more. 

This Saturday, after finishing a 13 hour overnight, I left work on the hunt for some yard sale goodies. This was my first yard sale hunt of the year and I was pleasantly surprised. Here is what I scored:

 

I got this killer spice rack for $5 and I totally did a Google search and saw this retails for around $45. I have been wanting a spice rack for awhile because I think they look sleek and make me look good since it looks like I know what I am doing. With a quick wash, this one looked seriously brand new and had almost all of its spices still in there. I don't know if I will ever use it but it's nice eye candy. 

I got all the following items below for $5 as well:

 These little gold candles with 6 extra gold candles to use for later. I love that they are gold and I think I will put them in the bedroom where they should fit in nicely with my black/gold Moroccan retreat bedroom makeover that is currently very much in progress.

I love this little lamp for my vanity. I need to find it a lightbulb and I am debating if I want to spray paint it or not. I actually love the rustic look of the silver but am not so sure it will fit in with my room decor, we shall see. 

Here is everything together. I also got a little gold bowl and a brown storage bin that has already found a home in my vanity as a catch all. I love everything I got, especially because all together each item was less than $1. Score. 

The star of this show was this piece which I picked up for $20. It is currently sitting on my porch mid-makeover and I am so excited to reveal it all beautified. I loved it as a shabby-chic piece for the kitchen and can't wait to bring it into the house and use it to house all my miscellaneous kitchen utensils. Maybe seeing them all out and displayed will motivate me to cook more?

 

Maybe?