I'd been envying my coworker, with whom we used to share a nanny, because they have a fancy house that they renovated, and kids were in private school, and the own art, and he races cars as a hobby, and I couldn't figure out how they did it on his 35-hour a week as an architect plus her 9-month appointment as an academic librarian salaries. Well, it turned out, their entire salaries were going to the mortgage and the private schools. Everything else turned out to be consumer debt! She's the one who said stuff like, "we cut back drinking wine and now we're only drinking 2 bottles a week and saving so much!" Now that they are seeing a financial planner, they are seriously considering selling the house and buying something smaller to repay the debts. And they aren't doing private school any more. And I'm not envious, either.

People are constantly calling in to Dave Ramsey owing tens of thousands on credit cards and cars for no good reason. Even though they make 50K or whatever, they just had to have a 35K new car and 4-bedroom house, even though they couldn't really afford it.

This is where I'm way ahead of most people I know--my car should be paid off more than a year early, and my credit card is down to $200 as of today. (The only reason it was over $0 was because I finally got renters insurance last week, so I feel much safer right now. You never know when a fellow renter will fall asleep with a candle or cigarette lit and burn down the whole building, or for that matter if a tornado hits, my top-floor apartment would be the first to go.)

I'm going to start bringing in my lunch to work starting tomorrow. I'm stopping by the grocery store tonight to fill up my fridge, and see how much I can save from doing that.

Food is practically my only discretionary spending right now and it still varies wildly. What I would really love is a cooking “cheaply” cookbook. Not for college students or the like, but a normal (good) cookbook that has that as an underlying philosophy. Anyone have any recs?

I think there's a Craig Claiborne called Budget Gourmet or something? You already use Moosewood Cooks at Home, I know, which is my default "cheap cooking" book - no meat is cheaper, and there are a lot of basic recipes with eggs, canned beans, etc.

That's true. I should go back to that one. Aside from a few favorites, I haven't made much from it lately.

It's not really a problem for home--stuff like fried eggs and toast is comfort food for dinner. I'm more looking for things I can bring in to work easily.

I'm not sure I know what I mean by making changes. I don't think it means budgeting more. What I need to start with is getting a direction. Well, what a great time for it, with job ending and all.

Hey, you can get COBRA at the end of a contract, right? You don't have to be laid off, or anything? Otherwise je suis screwée.

I am one of those bay area people with a crazy mortgage. Cars,well they are saturns. less expensive and reliable. We can not do the kind of travel javachick does. But -- we both like doing home improvement projects and I love working in the yard. It is great that Matt has a place to do projects. Even cleaning - because it is my house - isn't as bad as it used to feel. IOW,I love owning a home.

mw, haveyou looked at seasonal cookbooks? That probably the best plan

Otherwise je suis screwée.

I think you mean je suis fuckée.

And I think you can get COBRA regardless (if your employers were providing health insurance).

Hey, you can get COBRA at the end of a contract, right? You don't have to be laid off, or anything?

I got COBRA when I quit my last job, so I would think you can get it at the end of a contract.

I am one of those bay area people with a crazy mortgage.

Um, by crazy mortgages, I meant people that put no money down, and/or have reverse mortgages, or interest-only mortgages.