Late Birthday Present

I got a birthday card in the mail from my grandparents today with $40 cash! Woohoo! Thanks grandma and grandpa!

Dumb Trains

I had a great time in Jersey today! There was lots of food and games and such and plenty of people to hang out with in the Garden State. A tree knocked out the power for the train and I had to have someone drive me to Secaucus so I could get back into the city. I had a great time and it cost less than $20 to get to and from Middletown (which is quite a ways a way!)

Party Tomorrow

Tomorrow there is a party being thrown by my friends in New Jersey. I made a pie to take with me and I will get to see New Jersey for the first time so I am kind of excited about that. I am very much looking forward to getting a chance to be out and about with other people considering how crazy this past month has been. I am taking the train out to the party with a couple of other people from Manhattan which should be fun and exciting.

I am going to drop off movies at the library on my way so I don't forget to return them later this week. It is best to avoid late fees whenever possible, after all!

Working For The Weekend

I am so excited that today is Friday! I love the weekends! Tomorrow I am going grocery shopping and doing some cleaning, which I have been meaning to do and I just keep forgetting about. I also have to keep applying for jobs so that is what I will be doing in the afternoon. Then I am going to sit down and do some writing. I have been kicking an idea for a book around in my head and I would like to see what I am able to do with it...who knows, if it ends up being any good I might be able to go from insurance agent to author!

Sunday I am going to a party in New Jersey. I can take the PATH train out there for about $5 so it should be a fun way to spend the day. Then I get a short week because of July 4th, so assuming they don't fire me until the 9th I will manage to get in one more paid holiday before I go.

*For those who are concerned, my foot still hurts but I am trying to keep it elevated and keep my weight off of it as much as possible in hopes that it will heal quickly.*

My Hurt Foot

I found out at the hospital today that I have a bad sprain in my right foot. I have an ace bandage and an ice pack and a prescription for vicodin. My health insurance is covering everything so it doesn't cost anything, which is nice. I just found out the guy I am dating is moving to Amsterdam in a couple of months so it looks like he and I won't be dating any longer. That sucks, but what are you gonna do?

Emergency Room

I hurt my foot the other day and I have been wrapping it at night and soaking it in hot water in hopes that it would get better but so far it hasn't. In fact, it seems to be getting worse. I am going to sleep on it tonight and tomorrow if it doesn't feel better in the morning I am going to call into work and go to the emergency room instead while I know I still have a job and health insurance.

Here in a few minutes I am going to call the health insurance people and find out how much they cover for emergency room visits before I waltz on down there tomorrow. If they only cover 50% or something I will find another way to have my poor foot looked at by a medical professional. Hopefully they will tell me that they cover everything but the copay and that they will hire T.R. Knight and Patrick Dempsey to be my doctors, but somehow I don't see that happening.

New Release Movies

Today at the library I hit up the new release movie section. I found a copy of Enchanted! I thought that was an excellent movie and I am excited to be able to rent it at no cost. I also got season one of the show NUMB3RS and the movie Something New with Blair Underwood and Simon Baker (talk about sexy men!) I try not to check out more than 3 or 4 movies at a time, unlike some people (I'm looking at you, woman who rented 22 movies at one time) to make sure there are as many options for people as possible since the library isn't my personal video store.

I also picked up a copy of the book The Great Mortality which is about the spread of the Black Plague through Europe in the 14th century. I find history facinating so despite the morbid subject matter I will probably very much enjoy the book.

Excellent Opportunity

On my way home from work today I received a call from an agency looking for someone with my qualifications for a possible new job. I am going to set up an interview and hopefully I will be able to move from where I am now to this new position (which, btw, pays more and takes almost 3 hours off my total commute time for the day) and be able to get out of this horrible situation where I am working currently. I hate my boss and my job is incredibly boring so a change to a job that is a better fit and closer to home would be phenominal. Wish me luck!

It Never Hurts To Ask!

First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Okay, now that I got that out of the way, it is time to tell you all about my frugal birthday celebration! I went to the mermaid parade in Coney Island which was amazingly eclectic and absolutely free. Then we went to the New York Aquarium and the cashier let me in free because it's my birthday! Hooray! Thanks for that, aquarium lady! Then we went to dinner at a favorite haunt of mine in Hell's Kitchen called Vynl Diner. It is delicious with an absolutely phenominal musical decor. I got a bit of a sunburn but other than that I had a wonderful day full of food, mermaids, sea creatures, and good friends for less than $20. I opened presents got season 7 of The Simpsons, a digital camera, a check for $50, and new shoes. I had an excellent day and I wish you as much joy on your birthday as I have had on mine.

Good News and Bad News

First, the bad news. The cost of the food my cats eat went up $3 a bag! Talk about crazy! I can't switch their food though because changing food types gives Oliver ulcers. Joey wouldn't have a problem with it, he could be happy eating rocks if I covered them in BBQ sauce, but Oliver must have the same diet and they have access to both food dishes. I would starve before I would let them go without their Iams though so I guess I will live with it.

Now, the good news. I made the cashier at the drugstore laugh so hard she gave me a $5 coupon off of my next purchase! Since I am going to be switching jobs here in a couple of weeks whether I want to or not I asked about how much my prescription costs without insurance. I pay $59 a month right now and without insurance it costs $70. What kind of tiny, insignificant portion of the bill is that, Oxford Health?!? When she told me that I breathed a sigh of irritation and said, "Yeah, and I bet they cover all but $3 for Viagra prescriptions." She and the people in line behind me burst into laughter and she handed me a coupon for $5 off my next purchase. Thanks, pharmacy lady!

Precautionary Steps

Since it looks like I will be out of work soon I started taking steps to protect myself and my money. I had our office manager cancel the drafts from my paycheck that were being taken out for pretax transit dollars so that if worse comes to worse I don't have money I need for groceries or rent tied up on transit cards that must be used for subway or bus fare.

I called in a prescription refill at the drugstore since my company provides an extra $4,000 a year for medical expenses of any kind so I will use some of that money for my birth control pills as well as an extra bottle of NyQuil, Pepto Bismol, antihisthamines, and anything else I might need in the next 6 months. (The birth control is being stockpiled since I am not seriously dating anyone and I don't want to start taking it if I don't need it. I will have about 6 month's worth in a drawer if and when I need it again someday. I might as well get it now while someone else is paying for it!)

I am still applying for jobs online and I called a couple of friends today to see if they have any openings where they work. This weekend I will buy a Sunday paper, despite the $4 cost, to see if there are any jobs in the classified section that I would be eligible for coming available in the future.

I am also going to take some steps to see if I can maybe hold onto my job for a bit longer if possible. I will start getting to the office a little earlier and trying to accomplish more during the day to see if maybe they will hold off on the firing. I don't know if it will help but it can't hurt!

Everyone keep your fingers crossed and think happy thoughts for me finding a new job!

Job Problems

Damn. I was told in no uncertian terms today that in 2 weeks I will be unemployed. My boss basically explained that I don't fit in with the office culture and that at my annual review in 2 weeks, maybe 3 at the most, I will no longer be employed with the company. It was very nice of them to give me some warning so that I can search for a job now while I am still employed but it still sucks to lose my job.

I applied for 3 positions so far today and I am going to try and apply for 2 more before I go to bed. I am going to make a point of applying for 5 jobs every day and tapping into my network of friends to try to find a position somewhere else. If I am lucky I will find a second shift position so that I can go to school during the day and get my Ph.D.

If anyone out there knows of an open position in NYC where they could use a creative individual that is good with people let me know!

Do It Yourself Beauty Tips and Tricks

I am not the kind of woman who is generally hung up on appearances. I don't wear make up unless it is a special occasion or event, I believe in dressing casually whenever possible, and I am a big fan of the ponytail. There are, however, several things I feel are important when it comes to appearances that make a big difference in how people percieve you.

1.) I pluck my own eyebrows. I used to go once a month and have them professionally waxed, tweezing here and there in between appointments. This cost me $15 per month (including tip) that I now handle completely on my own. My eyebrows still look well groomed, I just don't have a bright red bar across my forehead from where my skin got irritated by the waxing process anymore. And as a bonus, I never end up taking a chance on a new beautician who then waxes my eyebrows so thin that you can barely tell I have any! This happened to me twice and I am looking forward to never dealing with it again.

2.) I keep my nails painted a light color. Nail polish is an absolute must for me (I have psoriasis so the beds of my nails look funny. It isn't dangerous or contagious, just weird looking) but nail polish tends to chip, peel, and smear if you aren't incredibly careful. Light colors don't show damage nearly as drastically as dark colors so I tend to stick to light pinks primarily.

3.) I take good care of my skin. I drink plenty of water, use lotion and moisturizer when necessary, wear spf 30 or higher when outdoors for more than half an hour at a time, and take care to wash my face only once a day in the shower to prevent drying out my skin. You would be amazed at the difference between clean, healthy skin and oily or dry, damaged skin and the effect on your appearance. It is easy to go from drab to glowing if you can just make sure to take proper care of your skin.

Free Movies

Tonight is Free Movie Night at Bryant Park. They will be showing Dr. No (one of the Bond films) and I will be there! I have never been a huge Bond fan but the couple of Bond movies I have seen I liked so it will be interesting to see this one as well, especially since it won't cost me anything. I will be meeting a date there and he is making me dinner so that is kind of exciting too! A whole evening of free will be quite nice, though when I get home I will have to do a load of dishes and laundry so I might be up kind of late. I think it is a small price to pay for free entertainment though so I won't complain.

CNN Article - How To Beat Inflation

This CNN article gives 18 ways to save money and try to fight inflation a bit. There is some interesting stuff here but much of it doesn't apply to me. I don't have a car or kids so the college savings and gas savings don't really help me at all but the grocery tips and the energy saving tips could come in handy.

I have to say that I love all the articles online about ways to save money and how the economy is having an effect on people and their everyday lives. I think it really helps people to know that they aren't alone in their problems and that there are other people in the same boat.

Book Review - Cash In The City by Juliette Fairley

The book Cash in the City: Affording Manolos, Martinis, and Manicures on a Working Girl's Salary has plenty of information for a woman living in a big city environment. Since I moved from a decent sized city to a city of epic proportions I thought I should read this book.

The author talks a lot about making sure you have a handle on your money, keeping a budget, and not running up credit card debt. She makes a lot of good points but also tries to make sure that the readers understand they can still look good and live a bit of the high life on a budget. I think she makes some good points, though nothing earth shattering, and that she is helping perpetuate the Sex and the City image that so many women feel they need to keep to live here. Life can be great without the Manolos and I wish more women understood that.

All in all it was informative but not the most wonderful financial book I have ever picked up in my life. The recommendations seem sort of dated at this point but she does make some very good points and she also dedicates the book to addressing the needs of young, single women instead of families which is nice because so many financial books and sources dedicate their time to older individuals and people with children.

Google Ads Coming Soon

I signed up with AdSense and they will be placing ads on my blog here in the next day or two. If you see anything you are interested in feel free to click the ad and see what is available. If not you can ignore them the way you do the ads on every other site. If they become too distracting I will cancel them since this blog wasn't started in the interest of making money, simply as a way to have a place to talk about my money issues and connect with other people who are in the same boat. If the ads are profitable and discreet I will keep them around but rest assured that the second an ad for something I have a moral issue with shows up or one of those annoying ads that follows your mouse around the screen so you can't click on anything else (I HATE those!) they will be removed from the site with extreme predjudice. If you see anything in the ads that bothers you or that you think is inappropriate let me know so I can address the issue post haste!

Library Day

Today before Shakespeare in the Park I am going to the library to return some books and check out their DVD section to see what they have available. I was out late last night so I am very tired and I don't have the energy to do much else today. I am just going to lay around and pet the kitties until later this afternoon when I leave for the show.

Tomorrow I am going to do some cleaning and go to the grocery store and try to do a few loads of laundry so that everything has time to dry before work on Monday. It will be boring but necessary. Maybe I will paint my nails and take a bubble bath to make the day more enjoyable! I might also make some brownies because that would be delicious. Mmmm, chocolate.

Oooh, Stuff Is Awesome

So my roommate left a bunch of stuff behind when she moved and will not answer my calls or emails so I can't give it back to her. It is now all officially mine. I have a new blue tooth and headset for my phone, a pair of diamond earrings, and some really expensive shampoo and conditioner, not to mention all the other stuff I am still sorting through. I am loving my new bluetooth!

Also, I found a nickel on my walk home today. Everything is coming up Rachael! :)

Date Night

Hi folks! Sorry I dissapeared yesterday but I have been really busy. I met a guy about a week ago! A really wonderful guy! He is funny and intelligent and responsible and sexy and everything I could ever want in a man, so of course I have been on the phone with him until the wee hours in the morning every day (after 8 pm when my unlimited minutes kick in, of course!) We are going out tonight for our first "date" and I am really looking forward to it.

We are going to the planetarium at the AMNH and he has already bought the tickets for the show so I am already ahead the cost of the planetarium ticket, but honestly I just want to spend time with him. We could just ride the subway all evening and it wouldn't matter to me. Wish me luck tonight! (I might need it since we decided to have our first date on Friday the 13th!)

Tomorrow I am going to Shakespeare in the Park with some friends. It is a free show that moves locations every 10 minutes, so the actors and the audience pick up their things and troop along from place to place in Central Park to see the show. It sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon! If it ends up not being very interesting it won't have cost me a dime so I have no complaints.

Pennies from Heaven

So far today I found 2 cents on the train ride to work. Well, I found 2 other pennies but they were in a pile of something wet and gross so I passed on those. I have gathered all of my things that I borrowed from the library so I can take them back on Saturday and get a whole new set of movies and books. I am also doing a couple loads of laundry and some dishes tonight. Lots of frugal things going on in my house today!

Holy Cow, It's Hot Outside

The past 3 days have been so hot that even just sitting at home has been unpleasant. I have kicked on the AC and keep a glass of chilled water with me at all times but MAN, that is some crazy heat! Take your heat wave back, American South! I moved here to get away from that stuff.

In this heat I have found that sitting on the couch in front of the AC while wearing as little as possible is the only sane idea, also possibly submerging myself in a cold bath. I have not even considered leaving the house for anything but work in the last 48 hours which is an excellent way to prevent spending money.

Last Night

Last night I had a date with a very nice guy. He took me to a wonderful restaurant where I had some really delicious lasagna! He is too old for me and might be moving out of the country in 3 weeks so I am doubting that this will go anywhere but it was good to have an evening of italian food and pleasant conversation.

**He is aware that this is not going anywhere, I did not lead him on for free pasta, I promise!**

Pets in the Recession

In this article they discuss how the recession is affecting pets and pet owners. The effect on animals is something I hadn't really thought of until recently when my own cat got sick and I had to take him to the vet but it is true that the financial state of our nation is impacting our fuzzy friends as well.

They mention people at both ends of the spectrum, those who delay getting their own prescriptions refilled and cut back on their food budget to buy food and medicine for their pets as well as those who simply abandon animals in foreclosed homes and release them into the wild. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those people doing what they can to take care of their pets. It is a hard decision to make but one that must be made none the less. People who are picking up tuna at the food banks not for themselves but for their cats and scrape their left overs into their dog's dish at the end of the night because they can't afford to feed them have my sympathy and compassion.

Those people who are just abandoning their animals should feel ashamed though. Leaving a dog in an abandoned home to starve to death or chaining them up in the yard and then leaving forever is animal abuse and those people should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. There are hundreds of animal shelters, animal foster homes, vet clinics, and big-hearted individuals who would be glad to take your pet for you. If you don't love them enough to find them a proper home when you can no longer care for them you don't love them enough to have them in your life in the first place. If you could ever see yourself just leaving an animal behind don't get one. Leave them to people who will love and care for them properly.

2 Weeks to Go

In 2 weeks it will be my birthday! I will be turning 26 this year. I have not yet decided what I want to do to celebrate though. I will be going to the Mermaid Parade on Coney Island during the day but in the evening I have no plans as of yet. I am trying to find some coupons or something to take myself out to dinner or a show but I won't go out unless I can bring down the cost to something affordable. If anyone has any recommendations for an affordable dinner in NYC or a discount on a Broadway show let me know!

Nap Time

Today I spent almost the entire day asleep. I didn't spend any money because I spent most of the day in bed. Okay, I spent a little bit of money. I spent $29.12 at the grocery store for a week's worth of groceries and cat litter. I have a pot roast in the crock pot right now, actually. I want to go back to bed but I have to wait for food to be finished so I can put it up but I have to wait until it is done cooking. I might nap on the couch for a bit while it finishes what it's doing though. I don't know why I am so tired today! I am going to take a multivitamin just in case.

Friday Money Saving Ventures

So far today these are the financial decisions I have made:

1.) I didn't call in sick to work due to a lack of sleep. Though I was so tired I almost fell asleep in the shower I still made a point of going to work. I don't get paid by the hour but I also don't need a reason for my employer to think negatively of me so I got up and went to work just like every other day.

2.) I brought breakfast and lunch with me. My lunch was pizza my roommate ordered on Saturday night that I have been eating 2 slices at a time over the past week and my breakfast was yogurt that was on sale 5 for $2. I tend to avoid caffeine in general but today I needed it so I grabbed a soda in the breakroom (they are provided to the employees free of charge) and I have been refilling my water bottle all day to keep hydrated.

3.) I will do a few loads of laundry in my tiny washer of awesomeness tonight when I get home which will cost me nothing but the few cents worth of soap I use.

4.) Instead of renting movies I will watch a DVD I already own and make some popcorn-the good kind you make in a pot on the stove, not the overly buttery and expensive kind that comes in a microwaveable bag.

5.) I will call my parents after 8 tonight to make use of my night and weekend minutes so that the call is free.

My Evening So Far

The paper back swap was a huge success! I brought 5 books and left with 15 at the end of the night (including one I am sending to my dad as part of a father's day gift) and I enjoyed a piece of apple pie and 3 mint chocolate cookies, all for $5. I got some really good books including High Fidelity, Catch Me If You Can, I Know This Much Is True, and a guide to Broadway. I met some really wonderful people and I am looking forward to getting to see them all again in the future. I don't have anything else planned until next Thursday so I am going to take the next week and really clean the apartment so that it is a bit more comfortable living environment. At least cleaning is still free, right? :)

Book Swap Tonight

Tonight is my book swap meeting! Once a month some friends and I get together and bring books we no longer want and exchange them with one another so we all get fresh reading material at no cost. This month is even better though, because I found a woman in my building throwing out books. I took them from her and I am taking them to the swap as opposed to leaving them in the garbage to rot and fester in a dump somewhere. I am doing my part to save the earth and save some money to boot! Hurrah for free books!

Emotional Roller-Coaster

Life is very strange sometimes. I am already so stressed out and dealing with all of the crap that has been going on for the past few days and now it looks like my old roommate, who I like as a friend but had serious problems living with, has decided she doesn't want to be my friend at all. I shouldn't really care and it is her decision to make so I can't let it bother me but it makes me sad that I can't get a hold of her. I want to stay her friend and send her back some of her expensive stuff! She left a blue tooth, her spare glasses, her iPod charger, etc. I want to give it to her but if she won't call me or email me an address where I can send her things I can't really return them. If that is the case I will sell them and make some money to pay for rent I guess. I wish it was next week and I could be done with the emotional crap and have moved on to better things.

As far as saving money goes I got a new phone with my new contract with Sprint so I set that up today and it didn't cost me one dime. I am going to keep my old phone so that I can have a spare in case this one breaks at any point. That's all I have for you today.

Kitties

Today I found a very embarrassing way to save money. I took the cat to the vet and they presented me with a payment breakdown for $650! I immediately started sobbing and cried while the vet tech broke the procedures down and told me what was absolutely necessary. They decided that I would just be charged for the necessary things and after the labwork came back they would determine if anything else needed to be done. Instead of $650 I ended up paying $330. More than I would have liked to have spent but less than I was originally presented with so I am satisfied with the amount. I just wish I could have been eloquent about it instead of sobbing like a child.

Taste of Times Square

Yesterday I spent the day being depressed that I live alone now so I didn't really get off the couch. I allowed myself 1 day to wallow in sadness and self-pity and now I am done with that. I feel like it was a good thing to embrace my feelings and allow myself to work through it all and now I feel much better. I still prefer to live with a roommate but I feel much less out of sorts.

Today I went with some friends to the Taste of Times Square. About 100 restaurants in Times Square set up booths on 46th street and gave out (rather large) samples of their food for $1-$3 per sample. I had chocolate cake, a steak sandwich, M&M's and Fiji water. I also won a 1 month membership to a gym downtown with a free session with a personal trainer. I had a good time and got a chance to spend some time with some interesting people.

I also had someone attempt to pick pocket me. He unzipped my backpack and when I turned around to find out who was in my bag he ran. He didn't get anything but it was still a creepy feeling to have someone try to take my things. I am very observant though so I was able to figure it out before he got any of my stuff.