Okay, perhaps LOVE is a strong word. How about, NOTHATEIT?
Tip Of The Day: Once a week, we at The Cheap Chick Empire make this site all about you – your thoughts, your opinions – with the Hump Day Opinion Poll. This week’s Poll deals with having fun with the recession. What are you doing to get a kick out of tough times (and not champagne)?
Tip For Tomorrow: I’m on the Morning Buzz tomorrow, talking about my favorite grocery-savings program, Fare For All. I’ve written about this food-share opportunity before, and now I get to talk about it on TV. Woot! Tune in to Fox 9 at 9 AM to watch, then stop back here for more details.
Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal: Wednesday is Hump Day, the perfect day to stop mid-week and reflect on the frugal world around us. This week’s reflection deals with enjoying life, even when it sucks – that whole making-lemonade-n-vodkas-out-of-lemons thing we’re always hearing about. In short, how are you enjoying the recession? As always, please leave your comments in (where else?) the Comments section below. Or don’t, this is a very low-pressure website.
The Hump Day “I Heart Having No Money” Opinion Poll:
1. What expenditures were you secretly okay with/pleased with/down-right joyful to give up? I’m actually fine with not getting pedicures anymore. I haven’t had one in probably a year, and my feet have not turned into callused cloven hooves, like I feared. It appears I’m perfectly capable of painting my own toes, saving $35 per pedi.
2. Now that your entertainment dollars are lacking, how are you and your family rocking a good time for less? Every time I visit, I’m astounded anew at the free fun options available at my public library. Free magazines, free books, free CDs, free DVDs – and I can reserve the stuff that’s not checked in. Meaning I have something to look forward to when it’s returned. Kind of like Christmas, only much, much cheaper. And less tinsel-ly.
3. Have you found new ways to party for less with your friends? One of my favorite Posse Parties is Dinner with El Jefe (my BFF Larue’s husband, and my oldest male friend – known him since I was a tender lass of 19). El Jefe will ask his guests to bring over a variety of ingredients – they can be anything you want – and he’ll make a full dinner out of them. It’s a cool spin on Ye Olde Potluck, plus I don’t have to cook a THING.
4. What other random, tasty drinks have you made out of Recession Lemons? For example, when the real estate market started its downward spiral in 2007, I started a frugal living blog. Then I got a gig as the frugal living expert on Fox 9. That’s one delicious lemony drink, my friends. Now if I could just get on Oprah…
I told you how I’m rocking the recession, now it’s your turn. How are you and your family having fun in these frugal times?
4 Comments
I’m happy to be saving money by not getting my hair colored at the salon. I’ve been doing it myself for several months, and it looks great. I found some great stuff at Sally Beauty Supply, and spend a mere fraction of what I was spending at the salon (which I still patronize for eyebrow appointments — I can’t get my brows as good as a salon can.).
As for entertainment, I’ve found lots of goodies at the library too, either by checking things out, or by a purchase.. Just today, I bought a 2-cd set of Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive” and an old library book for a dollar, total. I’m not a huge Frampton fan, and probably wouldn’t have bought his music, were it not for the 50-cent price I saw on it today. No better reason than to expand my horisons, especially nowadays. Being I’m a huge book-a-holic, anytime I can get a good read, and for almost free, is good entertainment to the “Nth” degree.
I e-mailed the Oprah Show today and put in more than a few good words for you, Erin!
Grrr. I meant, “horizons”. The pitfalls of a BlackBerry means dealing with teeny-tiny keys, and not always catching typos. Maybe BlackBerry was being frugal by making the keys miniscule.
(1) I’ve gladly given up swapping gifts with adults in the family – we only buy for the kids now. I avoid the stress of looking for something for them as well as acting happy that I got a hand painted quail egg necklace.
(2) We spend more time staying home and cooking with each other. We’ve really enjoyed our home more; we have always been ‘nesters’ but we love watching movies together and trying cooking a new dish.
(3) Several couples rotate hosting a game night and dinner. Once a month we go to someone’s house and have a meal – nothing fancy but it is home cooked – and play games. Turns out a lot of us are pretty competitive!
(4) Well, I have to admit that it isn’t all good. We’ve put a needed renovation on hold and my husband may lose his job in the next year but I think we have reprioritized our goals and place much less emphasis on ‘things’. Our TV works just fine even though it isn’t a flat screen super duper HDTV. It’s just an old fashioned 32 inch TV. No super cable, just basic. We’ve read more, talked more and enjoyed what we do have. I am on a personal quest to not buy new clothes for 12 months. I’ve done fairly well in the first few months but did have to purchase a few winter clothes and a coat. But starting November 1 I’ll try to not buy any clothes for a full 12 months. I’ll see how I do!
1. What expenditures were you secretly okay with/pleased with/down-right joyful to give up?
I made myself check and see what better prices I could get on my cell phone plan and car maintenance–my car goes through a lot of oil and Jiffy Lube does free top offs in between changes.
2. Now that your entertainment dollars are lacking, how are you and your family rocking a good time for less?
$5 movies at AMC theaters Mon-Thurs are amazing. Also, Netflix. And Hulu.
3. Have you found new ways to party for less with your friends?
Costco! Trader Joe’s! Deliciousness on the cheap. We had a crescent roll party, even. As host I provided dough, and everyone brought fillings.
4. What other random, tasty drinks have you made out of Recession Lemons?
It lit a fire under me to pay off my credit card for good and host a Suze Orman-themed costume party to celebrate…which led to being on the front page of the Pioneer Press AND I filmed a segment for Suze’s show!