...

.... not happy.

Saving Money

Going to make a serious attempt at this. I'm not losing money or in debt or anything drastic like that; it's just that whenever I check my balance, it's always the same... despite biweekly additions of over 1k. I would say, "I don't get it," but I know why that is. Having a steady influx of money is really a heady thing, and you can go shopping when you feel like it without having to just look, buy lunch instead of bring it when you want, etc.
But now that I've 1) noticed my flatlining bank account, 2) realized that I may have to finish school sans job and 3) have added responsibilities for the apartment like monthly electrical bills (instead of balancing it out at the end of the year like before), I think I should pay some attention to what I spend. That's the thing: I usually just chuck the receipts because (guilty look) I don't like seeing how much money I've just spent. Time to face the music.

Things on the forbidden list:
Unnecessary clothes: one of the greater evils I face...
Books that aren't school-related: probably the second-greatest evil...
Bought-out lunch: not too bad recently, although I have to learn that my eyes are bigger than my stomach
Starbucks for class - go to Oren's instead (very acceptable-tasting medium coffee for $2!): not usually a problem, but Starbucks is so expensive that it's worth putting on here
Random things that are on sale that I don't need: Adam's all-time favorite that I fall prey to sometimes.

Going to pay more attention to:
Groceries: going to not waste food when I already have it. If that means getting up earlier to make eggs for breakfast instead of cereal, so be it.
Electricity: turn off those lights! And plug all the tv stuff into a single power strip that can be turned off when not on.

Excluded (from the forbidden list) things:
Necessary outerwear: this includes winter coat to replace 3-year-old one whose pockets have been sewn back on twice already.
Going out once in a while money: we don't usually go many places, and it's worth it when we do.
Cheap restaurants on weekends: huge bowls of pho for $5 do not count. This could have easily been one thing at the grocery store (DAMN markets in Manhattan are expensive!).

Obviously you can tell I'm not going on lockdown or anything. I hate penny pushing; I think it ruins your day when you could indulge in something small and be happy for a while but don't do it because you hate spending an extra $2.99. However, I do realize that 5 things of $2.99 is already $15 and will keep an eye on it.

Maybe Confessions-of-a-Shopaholic style? Keep all the receipts and write down how much I spent that day? I think that'll be a pretty good deterrent, especially since I don't like looking at the receipts at all.
Today: $0 so far... going for the gold!

Family Junk

Apparently the reason we aren't that close with my dad's older brother's family is because... they don't like each other. :O *gasp* Not my dad and his brother, but my dad and his brother's wife. Now, I have nothing against anyone, really, but I can definitely pick up on some awkwardness etc. I had a big phone convo with my dad about it because she recently friended me on facebook and is commenting on almost all my stuff and they find it a bit weird. Speculating that her daughter is growing up and she needs someone else to supervise? I don't mind, as long as it doesn't get too weird that I notice it. I'll just delete some stuff.
Then there was this mini-fiasco: my mom commented on a status with an inside joke that I realize now can really be taken the wrong way. Well, my aunt took it the wrong way and (I think) recruited my cousin to look at it, who commented also. That's the one thing I found kind of unacceptable; my 15 year old cousin was like, "Aunt Amy, that sounds really horrible and I hope I misunderstood that." I would NEVER write something like that to my aunt/uncle, judging something that "I hope I misunderstood", because I probably did misunderstand it.
My fault: for posting an obscure conversation, not quoted. Mom's fault: for commenting with something that is a big social faux paus when misinterpreted. My aunt's fault: taking it way too seriously before asking what happened. My cousin's fault: For even commenting at all.
I deleted everyone's comments and explained what was needed, and no more. Now my mom and my aunt are blocking each other and going through me and I can just tell the fake icky niceness and *shudder*. If they can't be grownups I'm going to stop mediating soon.
Also, another cousin has testicular cancer. Guh.

I want to go out west for the reunion next summer. Lots of heat, cornfields, beer, potatoes and steak. And cows. And farm dogs. And swimming in "cricks" and riding in the back of pickup trucks. Driven by 14 year olds.
I think it's going to be a big one... which means somewhere in the vicinity of 800-1000 people. I want to bring Adam because he's never been west of New York State or something ridiculous that I refuse to acknowledge. Also, my great uncles want to take him gopher hunting; another worker to get those gopher feet and trade them directly in for beer at the gas station. Sigh.

Kindle?

I've been adamant about not getting a Kindle thus far and have had multiple discussions why I think real books are better. Then my friend got one.
Heavy books. Blah.
Adam's made disparaging remarks about my ginormous book collection. I'll admit, it was a pain to move them.
We compared prices of this new book I wanted to get that just came out. Real version: hardcover, $17.99. Kindle version: 0 space, $9.99.
And that's expensive for a Kindle version... most are just $2.99.
She downloaded 5 books while I was sitting there. Drove me insane.

So, I think it's going to be the one thing I hint about for Christmas. Sigh. Giving in. Oh well. Can't stop the book craving and this is probably the least expensive (in the long run) way to do it.