Yay!!!!!

Beverly, there was recently an article in the paper about the shockingly large number of women who, because of child care costs, are essentially paying to go to work. It was depressing ... and I don't even have a child.

Having gone without a raise for a few years, and a 1% raise last year, I'm trying to cut costs wherever I can. I dropped my at-home broadband WiFi, since I couldn't get a signal most of the time, I bring my lunch as often as possible, rather than buying, ride the bus and rarely take cabs, I've tried to cut my "fun" purchases, get e-books on sale rather than buying paperbacks, or buy them from a used book place (which uses the money for literacy programs, so I can feel good about what I do spend), and just try to keep my spending down.

Congrats on employments!

Go team more (re- or differently-)gainfully employed!

My TV comes in over the antenna, I don't have a landline, I don't buy coffee very often, I don't buy many clothes or shoes, I don't go out for lunch at work--my biggest household indulgence is a good Internet connection.

then I blow it by going into Best Buy and being seduced by a keyboard cover for my Samsung tablet.

Congrats Jess!

Woo Jess and PMM!

And Tep and msbelle! Being responsible.

I really need to make an austerity budget for myself. I have been putting it off for so long. I have already decided February is the month I start Getting Shit Done, making a budget will have to be part of that. (Note, not sticking to the budget, that I'm not going to even try to do until after Iceland)

Go Jess!!!

I'm afraid to look at average spending numbers for "normal" people. I'm feeding 3 here, though they contribute here and there. But damn we spend a lot...we don't toss a lot of food, so it isn't getting wasted.

Cooking is odd in my house. I get home between 7-8 PM, throw something together, eat it. Housemate gets home 10:30-11:30, eats what's left. Sometimes there are leftovers. I generally eat breakfast at work, from meat and cheese and tortillas I ahve there, and I bring my lunch. Housemate eats his lunch from what he has at home, sometimes the leftovers. Not having Hubby at home spending the afternoon cooking has changed out dining for the less interesting but kind of cheaper.

Congrats to Jessica and Plei!

Food is definitely our biggest money waster -- we just eat out or get takeout much more often than is financially desirable. But to change that would essentially require that we spend all weekend cooking (since we rarely have time during the week), and I just don't see that happening.