I had a flashback yesterday of all the ways I used to find money back in the day.

I'd probably still do some of them if they crossed my mind at the time, but for the most part I'm gonna leave it to the younger generation to keep alive. I'm a little too old (and lazy) now to pull some of these off. That being said though, it's a good reminder to keep on searching for new ways to save!

Here are the 4 old school hacks that came to mind:

1. The Non-Collect Call. ("Hey-Mom-Pick-Me-Up!")
Hahaha.... this was definitely by far my favorite. When you didn't feel like wasting a quarter you'd just call "collect" and use the 3 second interval allotted for your name to get across whatever it was you needed! So if you were stuck at band practice, or your soccer game was over and you needed a ride home for example, you'd just call up and say "Hey-mom-pick-me-up!" as your "name" and then hang up once you knew your mom heard it ;) It wasn't illegal, per se, but you know the telephone companies hated it. Do collect calls even exist anymore?

2. Searching pay phones for quarters.
Oh man, I'd stick my fingers in those grungy metal slots time and time again poking around for coins! Even when my success rate was a mere .5%. The ones at my school never had any in them (probably because of all the collect calls!) but the Malls were crazy rich with coins. You circle the 5+ phone banks there on a busy Saturday afternoon and you'd easily come up with a dollar or two - maybe even $3 if had a few hours to spare.

3. Crawling under clothes racks & tables at stores.
You could only get away with it as a kid, but you'd be amazed at the stuff that falls under those things. Sunglasses, toys, dollar bills, all sorts of goodies. The smaller you were, the better too since you could slip right under them and have enough time to thoroughly inspect before getting caught ;)

4. Scouring the bottom of pools & lazy rivers at amusement parks.
I kid you not, I once found a diamond ring at the bottom of the lazy river at Kings Dominion! I turned it in of course, but you better believe I went back to see what else was down there. And just as I suspected it was rich full of coins! My biggest "score" was $10 in half dollars - 3 hours after finding that ring ;) Although 2 hours after that I realized all my friends had left me...haha...

So yeah, the good ol' days of hustlin'! It wasn't as lucrative as working a part time job or mowing lawns for a summer, but it sure got our creative wheels turning. And that's really the point of all this today - to keep searching for new and improved ways to reach our goals. We don't have to turn into shady bastards or anything, but there's usually more than 1 way to get from A to B. (perhaps you'd like to share some of YOUR secrets, now?)

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Photo credit: stevendepolo

Labels: money hacks, saving

On Fridays, it's beer ;) haha...okay okay, it's really pizza. BUT, if you were ever wondering when to buy other important things (say, like houses, cars, electronics) then it's a good thing you're here! But only if you're good at planning and waiting for when the time's right.

Check out this sweet graphic I was forwarded by one of my newsletter readers (thx Kelly!):


According to LifeHacker, these are the Best Times to Buy Anything, All Year Round! I'm neither patient, nor a good purchase planner, but it's good to keep in the back of our minds, no? Maybe download the high res version and save for later use? If you know of any hardcore frugalites you could always sneak onto their computer and save it as their wallpaper ;) I bet they'd love that...

You'll have to click on over to view the products in detail by month, but here's a condensed version for for ya (pay attention to the current Winter things):

• Best things to buy in WINTER: Air conditioners, gas grills, houses (for price), luggage
  
• Best things to buy in SPRING: TVs, houses (for availability), boots & winter gear
• Best things to buy in SUMMER: Big appliances, furniture, laptops, cars
  
• Best things to buy in FALL: Shrubs, trees, and bulbs (that you can store), car parts, wedding dresses, HDTV and home theater equipment.

Makes sense to me! Most of these are off-seasonal items. And as LifeHacker found out, also times when "sales are slow, when new products are just about to roll out, or when every single retailer is selling at a discount." Now I just gotta remember this stuff!

Labels: bargains, money hacks, shopping

I know I've been on a Credit Union kick lately, but I can't help myself. There are just so many benefits! Regardless if you buy into the whole "move your money" movement or not, it's still good to know we as consumers have options.

Jim @ Bargaineering had an excellent list of 10 reasons why credit unions kick ass, and I totally stole it cuz it was that good. In fact, I'd also like to add 1 more to the list! So here are his 10, along with my 11th addition. You can click on his link for future explanations too if you're curious - he goes more in depth for each category - but here's the A.D.D. version:

1. Better interest rates on loans.
2. Personal loans are more likely.
3. Better interest rates on deposits.
4. Lower fees.
5. Fewer customers, better relationships.
6. Fewer customers, you're more important.
7. No call centers.
8. You can be involved at a credit union.
9. NCUA insurance.
10. Less profit-driven, takes fewer risks.
11. FREE Coin machines! No more paying 9% for Coinstars ;) Which isn't *too* bad since it saves you hours of rolling 'em up like you're back in 1985, but still. FREE is better than $5 or $10, or if you're a pimp saver - $20 in fees!

And I'll tell you a secret - you can just walk in and use it! How awesome is that? It's not being sneaky either, at least at the one I went to. When I handed over my receipt to the teller she didn't even ask if I was a member. It's possible she was off her game, but even so what would they do - NOT give you back the money you just gave them? I don't think so...

Regardless, you should totally hit one up next time you're on the coin war path. You deserve to take home as much as you can after all those years of saving!

It took me 6 months to save my latest deposit of $76.48 (pic of coin breakdown), and all I did was empty my pockets when I got home every night. I fill up piggy banks, vases, jars, etc until I deem it worthy of 10 mins of my time. Then it's off to Coin Heaven we go! They get to go home and see all their friends, and I get more money for my Fun Fund. It's a win-win situation (not to be confused with Mike "The Situation" - that guy's interesting, but he sure doesn't save you any money ;)). So start hoarding those pennies folks!

Labels: banking, bargains, interest, money hacks, saving

This is a guest post by Sox, and I think this it's BRILLIANT!

Some of you might not remember, but giving up 'shopping' for Lent myself 2 years ago REALLY put things into perspective. I learned that it is actually possible to not step into stores every other day ;) Plus, you really do save a ton of money. Hope you enjoy this:
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I came across your site today and thought I would share an idea that I've been doing for several years now. It started out as a 'Lent' type thing where I didn't spend money for 40 days. Now I just do NoSpend November. I take a month and 'fast' on spending. It's not easy, but it's quite helpful in many ways.

Each time I've done this I have actually made between 50 and 200 dollars. Combine that with the money I didn't spend, and the fact that I reformed my spending, it can have a big impact financially. Best of all, next month you'll have a lower credit card bill. Here are my rules:

Unless otherwise indicated you can't spend any expected income.

• Salary
• Wages
• Rent owed
• Established court settlements
• Alimony

NO spending of already existing money in your possession.

• Cash on hand
• Gift cards

NO stockpiling.

• You can't buy gas on the day before it starts unless you need it.
• No loading up on extra food. If you're low on milk that's ok, but you can't buy a dozen frozen dinners

If you have any bills, you can pay them.

• Credit card purchases from previous months
• Medical prescriptions
• Mortgage/rent
• Utilities
• Cell phone

If you have any thing owed to you, you can call it in.

• Owed lunches/dinners
• Money
• Take someone to court (hah!)
  
• Stuff that was borrowed

You can use money you get from selling things in your home.

• Selling on Craigslist/eBay
• Returning things to Home Depot/Lowes (easy to find for any home owner)
• Unused gift cards

You can spend money that is refunded to you in that month.

• Credit card cash back checks/ gift cards
• Medical reimbursement

Anything that you sell or get refunded must be spent after you get the money back.
So if you submit a reimbursement for medical expenses, or sell something online, you can't spend money in anticipation of getting it. If you submit it and you don't get anything sent to you that month... tough noogies. If you find out someone owes you money, you have to wait until they hand it to you.

Gambling is allowed with any eligible money (but I don't recommend that) .

You can consume anything that you already have.

• Food
• Toiletries
• Fuel (hard for those that are big commuters)

You can barter.

• Make dinner for someone with your own food, get someone to take you out for dinner
• Help someone out with a chore, get food or something else (not money) in return
• Sell anything you receive by doing chores for others
• Sell anything that was borrowed and then returned to you
• Sell anything for profit that you buy that month with eligible money

I think that's all... In the end you can potentially:

• Reduce excess crap in your pantry
• Eliminate items you shouldn't have bought
• Get evened out on things that people owe you
• Get in better shape from walking instead of driving
• Hang out with friends more
• Lose weight by eating more frugally (saving and eating leftovers)
• Eat healthier by cooking your own food
• Best of all, next month you'll have a lower credit card bill.
  

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Big thanks to Sox for sharing his thoughts! You can track his progress over at No Spend November.

Labels: awesomely awesome, guest post, money hacks, saving

Fresh out of college I used to blow through $300/mo. on alcohol easily. Living in NYC and going out at least 3 nights a week killed me - and that was WITH all my frugal tricks! I never reached the spending capacity of my friends (who could drop $200 *a night*), but it's safe to say my wallet's in much better shape now.

These days my drinking costs me about $50-$100 a month, and even less if you take out the Mrs. from the equation. We both drink a beer or two a night to relax, sometimes a little wine, but nothing a couple of cases & bottles can't solve every month. It was really the cutting back of the nightlife that curbed our spending. Not that I'm encouraging it or anything (I definitely miss all the adventures!), but just that it was the main factor in our change here.

And I tell you what, people were spending a crap load on Halloween night! My goodness. Either I'm getting old or inflation is really creeping in here. Regardless, there are still a few tricks we can do to cut costs a bit. Here are some that cross the mind:

• Drink cheap beer/wine. Beast, Natty Light (if you really don't care about taste), 3 buck chuck.
• Stock up in bulk. Your favorite beverage 20%? Buy a few cases now and store it away.
  
• Hit up more happy hours - 1/2 off drinks and appetizers beats full price anytime.
• Pre-party at a friend's place before going out! Why spend $10 on a drink when you can get 6 for the same price? Bars and restaurants jack up the prices way too much, might as well enjoy a little before letting them rob you.
• Bring a flask with you. I don't know if this is illegal or not (or even all that smart), but it IS cost effective :) Especially if you're a fan of the mixed drinks. $1 Cokes is much cheaper than Jack & Cokes, and it only takes 10 seconds to pour a little in whenever needed.
• Drink Coffee/Energy drinks instead. It all depends on the effect you're going for, but coffee and energy drinks get you pretty hyped up at a 3rd of the price. You might look weird drinking it while dancing to the Thong Song, but I swear it works!
  

I'm sure I'm missing a lot here, but you get my point. No matter how much you're spending on something there's usually a way to cut down. And when your friends are in on it, it's even easier! Not the Joneses, of course, but the ones who actually care about saving their money ;)

So how about you all? Anyone still spending $300+ a month? How about $15 like Well-Heeled?

Labels: money hacks, saving, where our money goes

For all you slackers out there (myself included). Last year I went as a rockstar, but I'm thinking of going as a Blogger this time around. According to a friend though, that means I have to put on a pair of nerd glasses and hike up my pants like Urkel?! I think my friend is confused. We're more like this guy, I mean come on ;)

Actually, I have no idea how to dress as a blogger - I'm just being lazy. More than likely I'll paint the black nail polish back on and sharpen me up some rocker tattoos again. I already wear ripped jeans and t-shirts anyways so it'll cost me a big fat $0.00. And I don't have to worry about any props getting stolen by drunkards! Haven't picked a costume yourself? Check out some of these clever ideas from friends around the net (thx everyone!):

Cheap & Last Minute Halloween Ideas:

1. Christmas Tree: I once saw this guy dressed in all green with nothing else but Christmas lights wrapped around him. It looked kinda stupid at first, but when he plugged himself into the wall he had the whole party's attention! (and he got a lot of chicks that night)
2. Random Hook-up: My brother won a contest with this: Just drape a lot of colored extension cords around you. You're a "Random Hook-up" - @MoneyMateKate
3. Tanning Bed: Tape glowsticks up and down your arms and then trap people in them as a tanning bed. - @hollyjunesmith
4. Wolverine/Freddy Krueger: Just put silverware on your fingers! - The Digerati Life (pics!)
5. Kissing Booth: I took a picture of this dude a few years back and it still cracks me up to this day :) All he did was put some cardboard together with some red velvety stuff, and labeled it "Kissing Booth". From what I remember, it really worked.
6. Smarty Pants: Tape smarties candies to your pants - SMARTY PANTS! (I did this last year.) - Jennifer Bruyette
7. Gold Digger: Gold colored dress + shovel. - @beskeie
8. Martini Glass: Saran wrap around me as the stem, and a big dog medical collar as the glass, my head in green tights for the olive!
9. Road/Highway: Black t-shirt yellow tape down the middle, then glue/tape dollar store toy car/trucks to the shirt - super easy and inexpensive - Kim
10. Drunken College Students: Just wear a college shirt (w/ buffalo wing stains) & drink lots of Natty light! Cheap, easy & fun! - @Matt_SF
11. A "Cool" Guy: You know, trucker hat, popped collar, fancy facial hair, and boxers hanging out. Like this - Nicole @ Breaking Even Inc.
    
12. Sasha Fierce: A leotard will run you about $15. Throw on some heels, fake eye lashes and put on a fake bling ring. You can get the fake bling rings for about $2.99 in the wedding section of costume/party shops. - The Frugalista
13. DC Tourist: You know the kind: fanny pack, I heart DC tshirt, metro maps, high-waisted long shorts, camera :) - @myprettypennies
14. A nudist: Price free, or adam and eve for couples :) - @pffirewall
15. Skunk: Black tights with a while stripe down the back - @pffirewall
16. Bunch Of Grapes: Purple tights with purple balloons glued on - @pffirewall
17. Cheap zombie costume: Just need tissue paper, glue, makeup & some old clothes. (click here for some help) - @creditgoddess
18. Job Seeker: Wear an old suit from your closet. Tape a pink slip of paper to a "Hello, My Name Is" sticker that you can buy from an office warehouse store for about $4.97. -The Frugalista
19. 70s disco queen: You can either buy a ready-made outfit from a place like Party City or you can hit up thrift or vintage stores for discount bell bottoms. Wear your hair in a flip or buy and afro from a beauty supply store for about $25. -The Frugalista
20. A Domino: I used black clothing & white paper circles to make myself a domino. Kinda lame, but I was in Japan & had 10 mins' notice. - @MoneyMateKate
21. Penguin: I am going to be a penguin! Black hoodie with orange felt beak with giant styrofoam ball eyes! Adorable, yet frugal! - calquist
22. Spider: Hefty bags stuffed with newspaper, legs made of foam pipe insulation, and a vintage black pillbox hat with veil. - Money Mate Kate
23. Charlie Brown: Got a t-shirt off some website and bought a pair of long(ish) black shorts.
    
24. Ghost: (sheet) - @centsiblelife
    
25. Baby: (pajamas) - @centsiblelife
26. Spy: (walkie talkie, dark glasses, sly glances) - @centsiblelife
27. Cat: (all black, paint on whiskers). - @centsiblelife
28. Waiter: White shirt and black pants. Add an apron and a note pad for ''taking orders'. To really jazz this one up print a menu up of the night's special for them to carry around. To take it to the next level, make a waiters tray glue a couple of drinking glass on to the tray. Fill the glasses with Jello to give the illusion that drinks are being served. - Converting A Spendthrift
29. Special Agent/FBI/Secret Service: Build on the waiter costume by adding a black jacket, black leather-like wallet for the badge, and a pair of super cool shades. Jazzing this one up is easy as well by adding the 'ear piece' and a wrist communicator. - Converting A Spendthrift
30. Old School Wrestler: Colored pantyhose or tights, briefs and bare chest. A Cape, mask or prop personalizes this costume. - Converting A Spendthrift

Cheap Halloween Costumes for Couples:

1. Jim & Pam from The Office: You couldn't ask for an easier and cheaper costume... - My Life ROI (click for more info and a picture)
2. Bonny & Clyde: You should both dress nice in an early 20th century way, carry fake guns, and get a cloth sack with a dollar sign on it to represent the money you just stole... - My Life ROI (click for more info and a picture)
3. Clark Kent & Lois Lane: The costume is much like Jim and Pam's - except with more professional clothes & a superman t-shirt underneath.... - My Life ROI (pictures & info)
4. Cleopatra & Marc Antony: To dress as Mark Antony, try and dress as a Roman would. For Cleopatra, you can wear a white dress with gold embroidery. Get some fake gold jewelry to make yourself flashy... - My Life ROI (pictures & info)
5. Tarzan & Jane: Just go to any store that sells fabric and you can make a skirt and shoulder strap for Tarzan. For Jane, you can go in two different directions: 1) You can dress as an English person who is on a safari in the jungle, or 2) You can dress like Tarzan in a skirt and bra...- My Life ROI (pictures & info)

Cheap Halloween Costumes for Kids:

1. Kid Robots: All you need is boxes & sharpies :) - The Digerati Life (click for pics!)
   
2. Mario Brothers: Getting some caps and pasting on some letters on them (which you can have your children do themselves), painting the moustaches on your kids, picking up oversized gloves, having your kids wear overalls. - The Digerati Life (click for pics!)
3. Stuffed Animal: You know those huge stuffed animals you win at a carnival or fair. Tired of them laying around the house? Cannibalize it. Take out the stuffing, poke holes and let them wear the outer shell. - Converting A Spendthrift
4. Lilo from "Lilo & Stitch": My daughter was Lilo from Lilo and Stitch, one of her favorite movies, TV shows, etc. - Hit up "Converting A Spendthrift" for details & directions!
   
5. Athlete: Have a kid who plays a sport? Football, basketball, soccer, cheer leading, tae kwon do, and on and on. Let them wear that uniform that you paid a lot of money to own or rent/lease for the season. - Converting A Spendthrift

Happy Halloween all!!! May your weekend be full of beverages and candy.

Labels: holidays, money hacks, one of my lists

I got included in my first e-book! It's a sweet one too >> "52 Ways to Make Extra Money" by Phil over at PT Money. If you click over by Friday you can download it free of charge (there's a download link at the bottom) with no strings attached :) After that you have to sign up to his newsletter to get it. Which is still cool, he's a great blogger, but might as well get it while it's hot. I'd tell you to at least check out my contribution in it, but I'm about to copy & paste it below!

So how and why did I get to participate? Well, he asked, and I accepted - along with some others :) I wasn't sure how I could contribute at first, but then the glorious Craigslist name popped up and I was like, Aha! I can pimp that. My Sell-O-Meter hasn't been updated in a while, but CL is still one of my favorite avenues to make some extra cash. In fact, besides this blog it's really the only one. That and freelance design, but I just haven't had much time for it.

Okay, so wanna see what I wrote? Here we go........
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Selling things on Craigslist is like crack (not that I'd know what that's like). You unload a whole bunch of stuff you could care less about, and in return get cold hard cash! And if you're real good, usually within 24 hours. I've sold cars, beds, jackets, and even random art I've found on the street. The trick is spending a few minutes and getting a formula down. In fact, it's a lot like blogging:

1. You have to come up with a killer headline! One that's packed with both umph! and a lot of searchable keywords. If you're selling a bike, for example, don't just put up, "Bike for sale". Try: "Mongoose Maxim 24" Mens' Bike for Sale! Green, Awesome, and Barely Used." Just enough details to get someone excited, but also friendly to the searches.
And, naturally, killer content. Put all the biggies in the first couple of sentences, and then add another paragraph or two to show WHY it's such a great bike, and why you're getting rid of it. Is it because you're moving? Won it as a prize? Let people know you're human and you can be trusted. Throw up as many details as you can - even if it makes it look long. By adding in measurements and characteristics (which you can often find on google) you've now opened it up to those who might not have originally wanted it. And if the item is broken/scratched/worn out? That's fine too - just be 100% upfront and honest. You'll be amazed at the things people will buy off you.
Add in pictures (max out the #)! People want to see pictures!!! We want to see what it looks like at all angles, good & bad. We want to get a feel for what shape it's in and how pretty it is or isn't. Even if it's all dingy and dirty - highlight it! Humor and honesty can go a long way here ("The dirtiest bike you've ever seen! It could be all yours for just $___!". It may sound counterproductive, but again it's all about honesty and not wasting anyone's time. If it's jacked up, they'll find out sooner or later believe me.
Price, Price Price - The same as location, location, location - it matters. List how much you paid for it, but DON'T try and sell it for that! You're not tricking anyone, price it for what you think is fair and they will come. Search around for similar listings and then go off those.

You're bound to sell stuff 10x faster by following these rules. And if you REALLY want to impress your buyers, copy & paste the questions you're asked right back into the post! It may take a few more minutes, but it only helps your cause that much more. And by "cause", I mean "more money in your pocket!"

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There you have it - I'm no longer an e-book virgin! Or at least un-kissed. I know it wasn't MY book per se, but I at least got to 2nd base right? As soon as I find a topic that won't bore you to death I'll even come out with one of my own. Perhaps with some e-condoms thrown in ;)

To download the other 51 ways, click here (and look for the link at the bottom).

Labels: advice, craigslist, money hacks, one of my lists

Well, I finally finished Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets and it sure was interesting! (and a nice change of pace)

It takes an special person to pull something like that off, and Phil Villarreal does so with the shocking grace you can only expect from such a book ;) I still don't know whether to hug or punch him, but needless to say it was damn entertaining.

That's probably the best word to describe this book: Entertaining. I'm fairly confident that if you were to try and pull off even half of these 100 tips you'd find yourself in jail. Or in an alley somewhere with a broken nose. BUT, a broken nose with an extra $50 in your pocket ;) That being said, there were also a ton of EXCELLENT tips to try out with a good conscience - especially in the first half of the book (the last 20 or so makes you want to take a shower).

Here's a snippet from Tip #38: "Don't Poop On Coupons":

"It saddens me that coupon clipping is viewed as the pastime of the desperate housewife, some meaningless, mundane project to fill the time between soap-opera airings, floor mopping, and self-supplied, amateur porn web-camming. Here and now I want to start an effort to reclaim coupon clipping for men everywhere. I want Harley riders to start keeping plastic, accordion-style coupon holders in the back of their hogs. I want UFC fighters to tout the benefits of $1 off Raisin Bran coupons after bouts. I want John Wayne to rise from the grave, visit a Circle K, and push a buy-one-get-one-free Thirstbuster card over the counter...Coupons are real money, and to throw them away is to ignite your wallet in flames."

He goes on to share his best tips on getting these coupons, but I thought this was an accurate sampling of his hilarious nature. Overall, he did a great job keeping my A.D.D. attention and really opened my eyes to a level of frugality I never thought possible. If you have an open mind, I recommend it 100%. If you're a good little boy or girl, I wouldn't think twice about picking it up ;) Unless, of course, you want to LOOK like a bad ass and carry it around with you? That would most definitely shed your goody-two-shoes image within minutes, believe me. I can't tell you how many stares I got on the train while reading this the past few mornings. It also looks like Phil has earned himself a sexy little fan club:

The Giveaway (if you haven't been scared off yet):

Here's what to do in order to win one of two copies - it's super easy, and super fast:

1. Drop a comment with your very own "dirty little saving secret"
2. And 2, well....there is no #2. Just do #1 and you'll be entered :) And if you're not feeling feisty enough, just make one up or steal someone else's tip so you can be entered - whatever works.

I'll be giving away both copies Saturday morning so be sure to leave some sort of contact info here so I can easily alert you! And I'll be using Random.org to pick the 2 winners so everyone has an equal shot (if you can't wait until then, check out Amazon and get it while it's cheap). Now comment away my dear friends! It's time to rot someone else's brain with such awesome scoundrel-ness :)

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PS: You can also find Phil on Twitter (where he tweets), Consumerist (where he writes), and The Arizona Daily Star (where he reviews). Thanks for the free books my man!
PPS: There's another giveaway at PF Firewall that ends Wed. @ Midnight, so enter there too.

Labels: book reviews, frugality, giveaways, money hacks, saving

There's been many a times I've been picked on for being frugal. Mostly during my prepubescent years, but even now I've been known to give a few of my friends a good laugh. I'm sure they were all just jealous (at least that's what our mothers always says, right?) but either way I say who cares.

Who cares if our frugality and craftiness distracts people? Are they the ones saving a few dollars? Anope - we are. And because of that I say keep on doing your thang! As long as you're happy and not breaking any rules (*ahem* Phil Villarreal) who cares about these boring people and their spend-crazy lives. We like saving money and we're not afraid to admit it!

In fact, I'll even admit to some thriftiness right now: I used to sneak cheeseburgers into my pockets all the time at the movie theaters :) I'd swing by McDonald's 10 mins. before start time and pick up some double cheeseburgers right off the $1 menu! Not only was it cheap, but it was craaaazy filling. And when that didn't work out, I'd just raid the nearest 7-Eleven instead and grab myself 3 assorted candies back when they were 3/$1 (remember those days?). No way in hell was I spending $50+ on theater food.

And after thinking about this for a bit, I wondered how many others got made fun of for similar things? There's gotta be a lot of us, right? Oh yeah, DEFINITELY right. Check out all the responses I got back after dropping the following note around the web:

Anyone ever make fun of you for being frugal/crafty?

Via Twitter:

• @SpendOnLife: "Allowing myself time to "sleep on it" when making large purchases has been a source of laughter for my friends."
• @BudgetPulse: "Every now and then stay in on a weekend night to save money and get laughed at for it."
• @ThomasJFox: "All the time. Some mock my frugality; however, I am able to save 32% of my income because of my choices while they save 0."
• @MoneyManagement: "My daughter recently took a doll (Janet) she handmade to a tea party. All of the other girls had American Girl dolls."
• @CreditGoddess: "Got teased once for pulling out a calculator at the grocery store to figure out savings on buying single vs. 4-pack."
• @littlespace: "Heh. Yes, I get teased. Esp about how I tie environmentalism into it - eg. no paper plates cuz bad for earth & waste of $!"
• @luciagia: "I just im'd my boyfriend to remind him to bring home the ziplock bag his lunch was in. Perhaps I'm a little too frugal."
• @mycesi: "Friends laughed at a coworker of mine for only having basic cable. He used that xtra money to invest in a rental property :)...All my friends make my fun of my use of coupons at restaurants!"
• @CanadianFinance: "I always hear about it at work... "why do you always bring your lunch?", "do you ever buy anything at regular price?", etc."
• @ModernTightwad: "Most embarrassing to me ever, some of my husband's family joke (hopefully) that I'm a lush because ... we go out to happy hour specials. The food specials are cheaper than I can cook, and I don't have to clean so ... it makes good sense ... (Although they do look @ me oddly when I order a coke) Probably doesn't help that when I do cook, I make a lot of beer roasts. (Chp Tndrizr)"
• @MrsMicah: "your mom got teased for being frugaltastic last night, but they shut up when i told 'em she was with me. :)" (hey now, how'd this one sneak in?)

Via Facebook:

• Nicole Canfora Lupo: "My friends rag on me because I patch my clothes, darn my socks, sew my own purses and make my own curtains."
• Nicole Ouellette: "The newish boyfriend seems amused at my frugality (the man 'woots' daily) but boy, did he like my homemade enchiladas the other night! Frugality = tasty and clever...Yup, one person at a time, I'm trying to change people's minds about being financially responsible but cool..."
• Jesse Michelsen: "Yea I've been called super cheap, etc. I just take it with a smile and shoot em a grin followed by a wink when they say "I have to wait till payday to buy laundry detergent""
• Shelley Harrison: "This is the first year that I will be buying a tree in a loong time for the Holidays. We will be making ornaments since it is not in the budget this year."

Via the Money Blog Network Forums:

• PT @ PT Money: "BA$, did your friends call you the Hamburgler? (Hah!) I was made fun of for going without cable TV for the last year. I had friends and family members who would focus on that like it was the end of the world. They seemed to believe I was trying to get rich by going without cable TV alone. When it was just more practical for me to use Hulu.com and over the air HD channels. Frugality is about spending smarter, not just spending less, I think. And spending smarter is just one piece of my overall plan for financial freedom."
• Stephanie @ Poorer Than You: "...a friend seriously told me to "grow up and stop getting free furniture off of Craigslist - you're not in college anymore."...I mean, come on, how is 22 (almost 23... birthday is Friday!) and just out of college too old for free furniture that's in good shape? Actually, why is there an age on that at all?"
• Financia of Financial Freak Show: "My friend always gives me crap about not going on vacation with them last year...until I pulled up at his house several weeks ago after just paying cash for a sweet used Lexus SUV and parked next to his $588 a month new truck....he said he liked mine more :) I told him he couldn't ride in mine since he stunk like a filthy payment book"
• Mr. Tough Money Live: "I have lots of liberals in my family. I wouldn't say I am frugal as much as I am fiscally conservative and strategic with money and, of course, write about it regularly. My liberal family members extrapolate my fiscal conservatism into a full-blown political label and then mock me as an alleged Bush/Chaney/Palin/etc. lover. Generally, it's those who don't have much money that mock the most. It's all in good fun but it is further proof that how you treat money in your own life can provoke interesting reactions from others."
• Roger @ The Amateur Financier: "Not really; my girlfriend has teased me a bit, particularly about starting up a blog about money (for some reason, it seems to amuse her), but I haven't really taken any slack for saving/investing. Although, on the subject of sneaking food into movie theaters, I do that, as well; sneaking candy bars into the theater to avoid paying $3-5 for a box of Junior Mints. But, everyone does that, right? Right? RIGHT?"
• Kevin @ No Debt Plan: "My friends do take little jabs at me for being frugal, but they also know it is paying off. I'll top both of you -- we don't go to the movies. Ever. Too expensive and I used to work at one in high school. No desire to go back which is good... saves us $20-30 on tickets and food."
• Wife of My Journey To Millions: "Hello, This is My Journey's wife. He sent me over to this forum when he saw this because he knows I am constantly getting picked on for being frugal. Here is my outlook on why it's good to be frugal: The importance of things. It's funny because I almost got chosen to be on the Rachel Ray show for my frugality. I guess others were worse than me because I didn't get picked. But I certainly think you get farther in life being frugal than you do being a spender...and I also believe rich people stay rich...by being frugal (in their own way of course)
• FFB from Free From Broke: "I've been called cheap from time to time but these were from people who spent freely. I've had lots of "come on it's only 20 bucks" type of replies from friends. Interestingly, when I respond that since it's only $20 why don't they pay they never take me up on it!"

So there you have it. We all get made fun of for saving money! And if you're reading this, chances are you TOO have been the source of these chuckles. But, as always, just brush that dirt of your shoulders and keep on pocketing them dollars. Life's hard enough to be worrying about these jokers - stand up and be proud.

Labels: frugality, in the real world, money hacks, saving

This is a guest post from Hank.

I recently earned $40 the easy way. I was just sitting in my doctor's office minding my own business when a nurse from the office next door stopped by to ask for volunteers. It seems that they were doing a medical study on the adverse effects of vaccines. I was given the money for about thirty minutes of my time, a brief medical questionnaire, and five small vials of blood. Not bad for a half hours worth of "work".

This wasn't the first time that I had been exposed to earning money for the benefit of science. I grew up in a medium size southern town that had a fairly large teaching hospital. Not only were there lots of medical students running around the hospital's hallways, but there were also a lot of medical experiments being conducted too.

I remember hearing about one experiment that the medical college was conducting while I was a senior in high school. For $5,000, the research doctors at the school would cut off one of your big toes, sew it back on, and then measure how the loss of the toe affected your balance. All my friends and I thought that it would be so cool to have all of that money. It was a lot for a kid in high school, but none of us ever were ever gutsy enough to try for it.

Earning Money From Science:

So, of course, this recent medical study got me thinking. Can someone earn enough money from science to pay your rent? I think you can. Here are a few examples of how you can make money by giving back to help science.

• Sell Plasma. Most people don't know about selling plasma. Blood plasma is prepared by spinning a tube of fresh blood in a centrifuge until the blood cells fall to the bottom of the test tube. It is just like giving blood. While you can make approximately $240 a month if you donate twice a week, it is nothing that you can get rich off of. There are also a few negative connotations associated with selling plasma, although I personally know of several respectable people from the "good side of the tracks" who sell plasma to supplement their income. Let's face it, teachers do not get paid enough (but, that's a subject for another time.)
• Sell Eggs. Many women can make around $5,000 by selling their eggs to companies who resell them to women who cannot give birth. The only problem with this plan is that it takes a lot of time and patience, and there is a small surgical procedure that the woman has to go through in the end to retrieve the eggs. I knew of one lady who was trying to earn money this way, and it took months of paperwork and several doctors visits before they would even consider giving her a dime. This isn't the option to pursue if you need money in a hurry (or if you're a guy!), but it may be well worth your effort if you are patient.
• Sell Sperm. Every year, approximately 75,000 American children are born thanks to a sperm donor. To qualify as a sperm donor, many sperm banks require that you be between the ages of 18 and 38, have a clean medical history, have high quality semen samples, and be able to pass a rigorous psychological and genetic screening. You must also be able to provide a medical history of you and your relatives going back several generations. The payoff can be handsome though at about $100 per visit and several visits needed each month.
• Medical Experiments. Like I mentioned above, you can get paid up to $300 per day or more to participate in clinical or medical trials that test new or improved ways to treat an illness or condition. Or, you can participate in research studying a particular phenomenon or a new search for a disease's cure. In my case, I was paid to be in the control group of the study because I had never had a reaction to any vaccines. The possibilities of finding the study that is right for you should not be too hard since the possibilities are almost endless. You can get paid to participate in studies for things such as sleep deprivation, time isolation, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine studies, exercise, diet and nutrition studies, psychology studies, the list goes on & on.
• Others. There are several other ways to make money in the medical arena that could be explored as well. You can consider becoming a surrogate mother which can pay tens of thousands of dollars. Or, you can sell your hair for few dollars per inch. There are many ways you can get paid for helping science. The hard part may just be finding them.

While these medical procedures listed above are not all inclusive, they can give you an idea of the possibilities that are out there. No one medical experiment, testing, or donating can solve all of your financial needs, but you can earn a decent supplemental income from some of these programs. Maybe you do not want to deliver pizzas in order to help you get out of debt faster. Maybe donating plasma is a better answer for you personally.

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Oh man, this guy cracks me up :) If you like what you saw, check out Hank's blog Own The Dollar where he writes about personal finance and investing. Or even better, sign up to his feed.

Labels: guest post, money hacks

I feel like I want to be a Minimalist right now :) I know it's a lot easier said than done, but in theory it sounds awesome! Fewer things to worry about, less clutter in the house, less maintenance costs, less less less!



I've been thinking about this for over a week now since the Frugal Bachelor started hitting on it. And then even MORE when he linked over to The 100 Things Challenge by the Minimalist King himself - Leo @ Zen Habits. Damn that really got me thinking....what the hell am I doing collecting all this stuff?! Do I even *use* half of it? (answer: no)

Before I get into it all though, here's a great explanation of what minimalism is by ecollo:

"When the term minimalism is used, it often refers to art that is stripped down so it only includes the bare necessities. That same principle applies to the minimalist lifestyle. The idea is to de-clutter the area around you and to avoid accumulating more by simply not buying things you don't need."

YES! I like, I like! Now, anyone who knows me in REAL LIFE would probably tell you that I represent the opposite of minimalism ;) I have frames & art all over my walls, drawers stuffed with trinkets, collections of things I can't give up, boxes of 8th grade notes, etc etc...in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if people mistaken our place for an antique store! Or at least a thrift store. haha...So yeah, this would def. be a challenge for me. But like I said, in theory I'm all about it!

Minimalist Lifestyle = Fewer Things On Mind

As I get older, I'm realizing that the more stuff I have the more stuff I have to WORRY about. I really hate that. I could honestly say that I love 75% of the items I own, but I'm starting to wonder if it's worth the mental price tag. I mean, how could I appreciate what I really own when I'm in front of the TV or laptop all the time anyways? I dunno...

The other side of me asks me what the hell I'm talking about ;) I LOVE all the artwork and pictures watching over us as we roam the halls. They scream LIFE, HAPPINESS, CREATIVITY - so what's bad about that? Nothing I don't think, as long as I keep and appreciate *those* belongings and instead rid myself of the other junk lying around. I guess that's the first step here - dividing your stuff up into things you absolutely enjoy, and then all others under it. No real gray areas - either you love it or it's "so-so" and it's taking up space. (there's probably a 3rd category of things you *need* like tools and such too, but not sure where that fits in with this lifestyle)

Minimalist Lifestyle = Less Clutter

If the brain power wasn't enough, the physical part is. Every day we go through our front door, see 1,000+ things instantly, and then brush most of it away to concentrate on the items needed that very second. And that's just the first level! If you have 2 more (like we do), the same thing occurs every time you walk through. It's not the end of the world, but I bet your brain would feel a lot better seeing LESS stuff around the house. Or I guess less UNNECESSARY stuff as we have already determined (or at least I did with the art everywhere - if those aren't important to you they go right into YOUR so-so bin).

And guess what? The fewer things you own the less maintenance/upkeep you have to shell out money on! No more fixing unimportant (to you) gadgets, toys, collections, etc etc. I'm telling you, if you could pull it off I bet you'd be a lot happier :)

And having less clutter around the house is just the first half of it all. If you can clean things out, and STICK to it, the desire to buy more and more stuff would diminish along with it. After all, if you keep buying things they'll go right back on the shelves and drawers that you just worked so hard to freshen up, right? That means less money going out the door, and a fatter savings account. Or at least a house full of *must haves* if you subscribe to the "buy something - throw something else out" rule.

Buy Something - Throw Something Out

If you/I can pull this whole minimalist lifestyle off, I think this is a rule that would help us stay on track. Say, for example, you DO get all your belongings down to 500 (or whatever # you choose) and you want to pick up a new such & such. You have to then ask your self - "Will I enjoy, or need, this item more than any other of my 500 things?" If that answer is Yes, then go for it! And then sell/donate the item you want to replace it with. Simple :) If you were Mr/Mrs. Perfect of course.

So what do you take from all of this? Well, it all depends on how happy or not you are with your lifestyle. For me, I could use the de-cluttering. I don't think I could get my life down to only 100 items or a liter bottle full (seriously, that's hardcore), BUT I could certainly cut it in half. Perhaps a 1,000 items challenge? I dunno...I just find this whole minimalism stuff incredibly inspiring.

Labels: goals, life, minimalism, money hacks, shopping

This is a guest post from Ann Smarty

I strongly believe that being thrifty is not about counting pennies - it is more about developing a smart spending strategy. If you take time to consider your every purchase, if you thoroughly research every product you are willing to buy, chances are your money won't be wasted.

Nowadays, the Internet provides for a wealth of opportunities to find useful, impartial information on anything you need. And "social media" tools are the best ones to start with:

• Web 2.0 sites feature discussions from real people;
• Web 2.0 sites feature most recent (even real-time) news and updates;
• Web 2.0 is hard to control and manipulate, thus the users' feedback is impartial and fair.

Use Twitter Search

Twitter Advanced search provides for a number of really great options you may want to try to see people talk about anything:

• Find Tweets asking question: use question mark (?) within the search query, e.g. [godaddy ?];
• Find Tweets nearby: sample search [near:"New York" within:15mi iphone];
• Find negative reviews (those expressing dissatisfaction): use :( within the search query, e.g. [godaddy :(].

Try Shopping Social Communities

Topical web 2.0 communities are great places to find experienced people share thoughts and help each other. So if you are serious about making good choices, be sure to choose a few social shopping sites to join.

How to choose is really up to you. My criteria are as follows:

• The shopping community should be clutter-free;
• The shopping community should be spam-free;
• The shopping community should be focused and targeted.

Buxr is my personal choice because it only offers quality updates and is attentively moderated to ensure there is no spam or self-promotion:



But then again, I welcome you to share your favorites in the comments.

See What Your Facebook Friends Have to Say

For me Facebook has long been a place where all my friends from all my stages of life are connected. It is quite natural, there are many people who I can trust - and who can help me by advising for or against any product you plan to buy.

SideStripe is a handy gadget that connects your facebook search with Google search: so each time you search Google, you know what your friends have to say:


What I Want Facebook application is another way to connect your friends to your shopping and saving activities. The app offers to add items to your wishlist from any store and notify your friends for them to come and share their opinion:

Use Product Reviews Aggregators

I don't recommend focusing to much effort on investigating product reviews because they are much abused and manipulated by the sellers but checking a few sites is not bad idea. Here is a good list of sites aggregating expert and user reviews from a number of sites. PriceGrabber and BizRate are two possible options to try:


Do you leverage social media for product research? What are your tricks?
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The guest post is by Ann Smarty, a blogger and stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur.

Labels: guest post, money hacks, saving, tools and resources, twitter

It may not be possible @ all stores, but if you can - start picking up as many winter clothes as your budget permits. My bro just got a great a$$ deal over at Banana Republic due to them clearing shop (he picked up like five $60+ sweaters for only $14.99) I've also seen Gap, Express, and Old Navy unloading a bit too.

You might get last year's "oldies", but most people won't even notice/care for that matter. It's a match made in heaven for us frugal shoppers. Quality clothing at a fraction of the price! Another smart place to look is outlet centers and places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, etc. If you've got one around your hood, I'd also check out Rugged Wearhouse - I've gotten clothes there at 75% off retail, including Nautica jackets for $25 and Armani jeans for only $20!

If you're seeing any other stores cleaning out their inventory, let us know :)

Labels: money hacks, shopping

Fighting the collection agencies? My girl Kim (aka Little Miss Fortune) just put out a brilliant piece on how to settle and save BIG! $14,000 big in her case. And not only that, but she was just featured on a CNBC Segment to show how she did it :) As you can tell, I'm definitely impressed over here.

Here are a few of the tips she shares to help YOU beat the collection agencies:

• Go into the conversation knowing you should be able to settle for about 60 percent less than your full balance.
• Call on the last day of the month, when the debt collectors are scrambling to meet their quotas.
• Mind your manners! You'll get a lot farther by being calm and pleasant than you will by being angry and defensive. (It's okay to feel angry and defensive. Just don't let them know!)
• If you have a lump sum to offer, start low and let them talk you up. (I told one person I had $3,500 and wound up settling for $4,100.)

I'm proud of you Kim!!! Lets keep from getting back into debt now, eh ;)

Labels: advice, debt, in the real world, money hacks

Gooooood morning my fine blog readers & twitterati! Did you get into anything fun over the weekend? We ended up hitting the beach for a mini-family reunion and we just couldn't bring ourselves to return home to reality yet ;) That's what vacation days are for, right?

While I sit here soaking up the sun and pegging my nephews with footballs (my favorite part), I thought it would be prudent to share a few saving ideas I came across while packing up...

On your next trip this Summer:

1. Drive the car w/ better gas mileage. As much as I wanted to pimp out my caddy for all my wife's family to see, we couldn't justify the 13.8 mpgs it brings to the table. Instead, we opted for the smarter choice: her Toyota Corolla (which gets 30+)
2. Stay with family or friends. This is my favorite option, and it usually works well when you miraculously plan your trip the exact same time they are ;) If that doesn't work, call Uncle Ned or your long lost sister to see if you can crash for a night or two. Promise them breakfast or something.
3. Take advantage of your surroundings. Chilling at the beach, hiking up and down the mountains, or just plain walking around and soaking in life is free. You've got a lot more time to just "be" when you're away, so relax and enjoy what's around you for a change.
4. Read. Not a lot of people like this option (I was once one of them) but I'll admit it feels great without the everyday noise around you. It's like 100% YOU time. And you don't have to feel bad for not reading finance books or magazines if you don't want ;) Unless you're me, cuz I like!
5. Do whatever you want. Eat your junk food, stay up late, be a sloth, whatever you want. I'm not sure if this really falls into a savings tip right here, but F it, you're on vacation.

So there are your 5 Free tips for the day. They might not be the most exciting, but they save you money. Plus, it's really the best I can do with all this sand blowing around my laptop right now ;) Yeah yeah, I suck. If you ever figure out a way to blog full-time though, please let me know. I'm afraid I won't go back to work tomorrow...

Labels: money hacks, saving, travel

Wouldn't that be nice? Saving big chunks of money focusing on a couple of big things rather than a little here and there on a handful of little things :)

You could always do both, of course, but are you really going to? Concentrating your energy on the main stuff will get you a lot farther than only poking around the small beans. It may not be as fun or easy, but it works. Just ask my man Ramit:

"It's far better to focus on cutting 25% off the two biggest areas of your spending than to worry about saving 5% on 50 things."

He makes a valid point. Why spend all your time on the little things? When you concentrate on the biggies like home mortgages or car loans, you get more bang for your buck. Or bucks for your time, I should say! A lot easier said than done, but in theory it kicks ass.

Instead of driving 15 extra minutes to the grocery store that has the cheapest food, why not try calling your credit card company in that time and asking them to lower your rates? With the latter you could save hundreds of dollars depending on your debt, whereas you may save $5 at Food Lion.

Same goes for spending a few extra hours researching the best mortgage rates or car loans around. The hours you put in there will go muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch farther than not drinking a coffee today or cutting out a few .50cent coupons. We're talking lots of benjamins up in hurr.

Again, you could always do the small things AND the big things to really max out savings, but more often than not you just won't do it. I know I don't - I spend a certain amount of time on this stuff when on my mind, and then it's off to something fun! At the very least it's worth some thought. What's the worst that can happen?

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PS: If you liked this, check out my review of Ramit's new book: I Will Teach You To Be Rich. It's my all-time favorite one to pimp out - esp for the younger generation.

Labels: advice, money hacks, personal finance

If there's one thing talked about more in the PF world than the Latte Factor, it's the "bring your own lunch every day to work" factor. Both can save you tons of money, and both are fairly easy to do (if you like that kinda thing).

With the Latte Factor, you cut out Starbucks every day and save yourself $1,000,002 a year (estimated), or you just brew it at home for $0.32 a pop. With the brown bagging idea, you bring your own lunch to work every day thereby saving you a $10 spot out at the fast food joints or local deli.

If you could pull off any of the two, I'm officially impressed. Personally, I just can't do it - at least the "all or nothing" part of it. I love my coffee too much, and I love eating out when I'm in the mood. The problem being, I just never know *when* I'm going to be in the mood to eat out. And if I take the time to make some sandwiches at home, then you bet your ass I'm gonna eat it no matter what I feel like doing that day ;) So what's a brotha to do?

Here's my 2-step plan to happiness:

1. I bring in a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and jelly. Sometimes I throw them in the company fridge, and others I just leave in my drawer. But either way it's there for the taking when necessary.
   
2. Then, I just do whatever I feel like doing come lunch time! If I can stomach another pb&j (I usually last 1-2 weeks straight until I bore myself), then I eat away! If, on the other hand, I feel like roaming the beautiful streets of DC and crave something in particular, then I go and do that. And like Obama, 5 guys is usually on that list ;)

Nice and easy. I get to save some money eating my yummy sandwiches a couple times a week, and I get to splurge a little on the rest. This keeps both my wallet AND me happy. There's nothing wrong with going cold turkey and saving a ton of money in the process, but just make sure it fits in with your lifestyle. Not everything has to be all or nothing with this sorta stuff.

Labels: money hacks, saving, starbucks

As my loving mother always says, "it doesn't hurt to ask". And this time I'll agree with her :) Especially because she just tried this herself and came out with some pretty surprising results.

She wanted this fancy pants coffee maker but it was all sold out at Bed Bath and Beyond. So what does she do? She brings her clipped out coupon (showing the coffee maker at $20 off) into Best Buy and proudly finds a manager. Now, if I were accompanying her this is usually at this point where i'd be squirming and thinking stuff like, "geez mom, you ALWAYS do this!" or "this is SO embarassing!" like a little 13 y/o girl. Luckily though I wasn't there -my dad was. And like most men, he quietly walked away and just let her do her magic ;)

And what do ya know, it worked! The Manager gladly accepted it and offered her the best customer service she had hoped to receive. Wow, she is good. And so is that manager! Perhaps we can all get away with this stuff now that the economy is in shambles? Or maybe women are the only ones that could work this charm? I'd be curious to see the outcome if my mohawk'd self were to give it a try ;) Either way though, it's awesome. Good for you mom!

I can't promise you that it'll work at all stores, but there surely isn't any shame in at least TRYING to use a coupon at a competitor's store. After all, they'd much rather have your business. It may take a little talking or threating to leave the store, but if you've got the balls to try you just might save yourself some cash. Which is perfect, cuz then you can treat me to a few beers!

Labels: coupons, money hacks, saving

Oh yeah, you can bring in some good money that way :) Plus, it's free entertainment for all those around you. I should know, we went through a good 5-6 dares this weekend while drinking our way through our St. Patty's trip down to South Carolina. I must admit, it feels a bit weird being up at 9:30 w/out a drink or dart in my hand right now!

Before I start going through some of our dares though, let me just make two things clear. 1) We're all pretty freakin' frugal. So any chance at "winning" just a few bucks gets us excited. And 2) We've gotten pretty soft in our old age, so you won't be reading about any "run around the streets naked screaming 'Look at me, Look at me' " type dares today. Although i can't promise we never did that 10 years ago ;) But here were a few of the ones thrown out this weekend:

#1) Chew and swallow a crazy hot yellow pepper! $5
This is the dare that started it all, and came from no one other than J himself ;) We had one of our buddies front the money (we'll call him Mr. Banker) for whomever had the balls to chew it up and savor all its juices w/out throwing up. After a good 30 mins of debating who, and why, someone should take the bait, my boy W. took the challenge and off he went! As you can imagine, the thrill and excitement we all had went well beyond the $5 value W. got in return for his watery eyes and shaking fingers! haha...oh man, seriously it was hilarious. Esp since it went from "oh that's not bad at all" to "it's starting to really burn now!" haha....good times, good times.

#2) Eat an entire birthday cake. $100
Now THIS was a dare. The thing was huge! (that's what she said) Unfortunately no one took this up. Not even the ones fresh out of money from the previous night's adventures :( oh well, this was probably a good thing.

#3) Suck down a bowl full of ranch dressing. $5
AFTER you've eaten a rather large plate of food! The site of it alone sent shivers down our backs, esp. since we had just woken up from a night full of bar hopping. BUT, out of allllllll the people there, guess who took the offer? Mrs. Budgetsaresexy!!!! aww yeahhhh! Unfortunately the excitement (for everyone else) only lasted a few seconds. After pouring half of it into her mouth, she basically gagged and spit it back out. It was an honorable try though! And it didn't cost us a penny ;)

#4) Eat two sugar packets, including the paper. $5
This was originally 4, but no one would take it up and we were getting pretty bored waiting for our meals to come. For some reason all our dares this weekend circled around food? I guess our brains weren't working as creatively out at the bars. Which is really a shame as we could have came up with some even better ones i bet! But anyways, Mr. Banker finally accepted a dare himself and popped those bad boys into his mouth. it wasn't all that entertaining at first since all he was doing was chewing and waiting for them to break down into little swallow-able peices. But when he stood up to swallow the last big chunk of it, BOY did we almost get a show! The little bugger got lodged in his throat and he almost spewed it allllll over the table!!! haha....in fact, had that actually happened 99% of it would have gone on top of my head! so in that regard, i'm glad it just went through to his belly with no future problems ;)

We did have some other good ones out there this weekend, but I guess we were only man enough (or smart enough?) to take on the $5 challenges. Either way, it was an excellent way to earn some quick cash and entertain a group of degenerates. It would have been nice to report a few naked/jail-time stories, but I'm sure you all have enough of them to make up for it ;) Am I right?

Labels: awesomely awesome, challenges, free money, money hacks

That's what I re-learned out in St. Louis this weekend.

A little small talk w/ a distant cousin turned into quite a discussion on insurance & personal property! I'm not sure how interesting it is now that i'm sober, but it's still just as important ;)

After being in the insurance industry for a good 5 years, the cousin had become tired of dealing with disastrious insurance claims, and took it upon himself to do something for the greater good (and for himself): He started his own business photographing/videographing all of his client's goodies! Freakin' smart right?

This way, if a fire comes through and sweeps away your belongings, you'll have a detailed record of EVERYTHING! According to him, only 4% of the population actually do this - and those who don't couldn't even come up with 50% of their belongings when it came time to itemize for insurance claims. SCARY to say the least. And oddly enough, i fall into that 4%! I must admit that i haven't updated it in 2 years, even after moving into our townhouse, but i'm still proud to say that i'm ahead of the curve :)

So, how exactly do you go about doing this? And more importantly, how long does it take? Well, all that depends on the amount of house that you have, as well as the number of things. It took me only about 30 mins when i was living in a 1 bedroom condo. For an average 3 bedroom house, however, it takes my cousin 5-6 hours. But he's also pretty hardcore and detailed - he takes pictures, and videography, of every single drawer in the house, and then lists them all down in one packet of paperwork.

He also makes 3 backups, in 3 different places and file types (think electronic & hard copies), so that he's pretty protected himself. And then he charges anywhere from $300-$1,000 accordingly. He'll then come back every 2-3 years too and update it for an extra charge. Smart man ;)

But he clearly admits that "anyone can do it! it's just a matter of spending the time - and some would rather spend their time differently". If you're already reading this, you're more than likely a DIY'er (do it yourself'er) anyways, so here are a few quick steps in saving a butt load of cash, and time, down the road:

1. Take pictures of everything in your house! Start by snapping pics of all the walls, then go into all the cabinets and drawers. You don't have to snap a pic for each item, just chuncks of things at a time. As long as they come out clear and easy to see, you're ahead of the game.
2. Walk around with a videocamera (or a digital camera w/ video option)! Start outside of the entrance, and just walk through all the rooms - opening up doors, cabinets, etc. Talk when you're walking around so that it'll pick up the names of the rooms you're in, as well as anything else you think is important.
3. Make 3 copies of everything! store 1 in a safe/safety deposit box if you have one, 1 on your computer, and then another outside your house somewhere. Perhaps at a family member's or even a server if you have access to one. Just anywhere outside of the house. It wouldn't do you much good if the pics disappear in a fire as well ;) Unless you have a fire-proof safe, but even so it's not worth the risk.
4. *Optional* - Type up/write down a list of all the major items, along w/ approximate value. I only say optional because while this makes your life even BETTER, it may be a bit much to get you started. I tend to not start things the more complicated they get, but hopefully you're different :) Just make sure you do steps 1-3 first, and then see if you're up for this last one....think of it as extra credit!

And that's it! Again, it only took me about 30 mins to do this a cple years ago...but i also only took video and made 1 copy ;) haha... so i have some work to do myself! I'll be going back this week and sucking it up for a bit to make sure our things are nice and secured. $hit, even if you just do it once in your lifetime you're possibly saving yourself THOUSANDS down the road!

I'm telling you, it's totally worth it. And, if you KNOW there's not a chance in hell you're gonna do it, then suck up the cost and pay someone to do it for you - just make sure it gets done :)

Labels: advice, insurance, money hacks

FiveCentNickel had an excellent post this morning on improving your gas mileage by slowing down.

It's one of those "theories" out there that people are always trying to prove themselves, and Nickel did it!

To be honest, I really dont' have the patience to track it myself, BUT his post DID remind me of my newest challenge.

It's kind of dumb really, but it's one of those things that i feel good about *if* I accompish it ;) it doesn't take much to get me excited - I'm one of those kids that would do anything if it meant getting a lollipop or slurpee afterwards. haha...

But back to my little driving challenge. For whatever reason, the Mrs. one day tried to drive from the entrance of our townhouse complex, all the way to our townhouse without touching the gas pedal once. She accomplished it on her first try, and it intrigued me. So i started doing it too! But after a cple weeks the challenge bored me, so i kept extending the length in road, leading me to my biggest challenge:

Going the last 1 and a 1/2 miles to our place without hitting the gas pedal once!

Now, i've got to tell you that it's quite a feat to accomplish. The first is trying to figure out how fast you'll need to be going at the start to get to the end. I've won this race only ONCE so far, and i started out at 29 mph. I KNOW i could make it more, but there are a ton of other obstacles in the way:

1. There are 2 up hills! Luckily, at the end of the 2nd one there's a nice down hill which shoots you right into the complex, so as long as you make it up that 2nd hump, you're smooth sailing!
2. There can't be any cars around you. That last hill REALLY kills your momentum, and i can tell you from experience that people do NOT enjoy watching your car litterally inching up it! I mean, i'd be pretty pissed about it too. This leads us to the 3rd major obstacle...
3. At times you will look like a P.I.M.P. creeping along @ night. Since there are always cars around you, the only time that really works here is going at night. And usually later in the night too. So, depending on what car you drive, you have to pass houses going 3-5 miles an hour until you read the top of the hill! And in my Caddy? Shoooooooot, i'd be pulled over in a sec. So far so good though! (watch me get pulled over tonight...)

I'm guessing it might be easier for others to try this depending on where you live, but i have to warn you that it does get addicting :) You'll find yourself trying to make even more challenges and crazy rules wherever you drive! Sometimes i catch myself trying to go a certain length with only 1 brake touch - it's bad. Whatever you do, just remember to be safe.

As Nickel said, driving slowly and more efficiently will def. save you some money. But make a challenge out of it and do it for the sake of entertainment too! It's a helluva fun way to spice up the drive home, that's for sure. Try it, you'll crack yourself up! ;)

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You can check out my other challenges here.

Labels: car stuff, challenges, money hacks, saving