Somebody else said it better.

I've been thinking for a couple of days what my last prophetic post could be as we see 2012 out the proverbial door. Honestly, I've got nothing. I did come across this today though, and thought it very fitting for my current mindset. I hope you take something away from it too.

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. 

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. 

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete... 

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

George Carlin

The Sunday paper.

I purchased the Sunday paper last week and was shocked to discover there were no coupons! Either I got a dud, or maybe they thought nobody wanted to clip coupons right before Christmas. Maybe the elves stole them! Ha. Either way, that was a wasted $2. If I had made such a discovery two weeks later, I would have been angry for having wasted that money.

So today I went and got this weeks installment of said Sunday paper. I made sure to look inside for the coupons before I paid for it. Yep, they were there! Upon further inspection once I got the paper home, I found out that there was only one coupon section, where in the past there have been two. I wonder why.... Anyhow, the coupon booklet that I did get only had savings for personal care and household items, not food.  In fact, the local grocery stores did not have their ads included in the Sunday paper either. Is this a new development? Maybe I haven't been paying attention to the "deals" for too long... Perhaps "The Sunday paper" will become a weekly blog entry. I'm sure you'd all be thrilled to learn the "ins and outs" of my local Sunday paper! You're on the edge of your seat, aren't you? ;)

Since there are no food coupons my husband thinks he's off the hook for coupon clipping and meal planning this week. He's wrong. He just doesn't know it yet.

With a quick scan through the flyer I have added up $16 dollars in savings. That is just using the coupons for the items that I would already be purchasing. Not too shabby! That's a good start, I think. Should I go the extra distance and plan to use the coupons at the stores that already have those products on sale? Maybe someday, but today is not that day. I don't think tomorrow will be either.

Does anyone have any good coupons sources?

Before the ball drops...

In anticipation of our impending restrictions, I have been buying up things I know I won't be able to purchase in the next year. Am I cheating? Maybe. Maybe not. The "game" doesn't start until January 1st, so I'm still good...

I never said I wouldn't fight dirty. ;)

My husband has been lobbying for a smart phone for some time now. I went into the local cell phone store a few days before Christmas to get one for him. I discovered I too could get a new phone, and not only that, but I could get two of them for two cents! What a deal! So, I got two. One for him and one for me. Had we not been looking down the barrel of this experiment, I would have only gotten one for him. I am weak. Very weak.

I have been thinking of things that I might potentially "need" in the coming year, and won't be able to buy. Surprisingly, I haven't been able to come up with much. I really want to make a big hoarders shopping list. I want to go crazy before the first of the year. I'm sure that once I am not able to purchase whatever I want that list will be a mile long. Perhaps I am not very good at anticipating "need". Perhaps I just know deep down I really don't need much at all.

All of that aside, my big purchase as the year ends is this. It's an antique phone operator desk. If you know me, you would know why this is right up my alley. I'm hoping that seeing this everyday will help me make it through the next year. It's really unique, it speaks to me. I can use it everyday. I will probably sit at it to write this blog. It's super cool, nobody else has one. It's got all kinds of cool cubby holes and oddities. Plus, I did a good deed, it was purchased from a local small business, The Junk Refunkery. Share the love ($) locally.

See my little doggie there? That's Lucy. She's the best. :)

I also think I forgot to mention in my previous posts, this "Year of Austerity" doesn't begin until the first of the year. We're bringing in the New Year with our biggest resolution ever. It may just be our best year yet! Wish  us luck!!!

The Thumb of Austerity

As previously stated, there are some things we have decided on. Here's the short list of "The Rulez":


What we will do

1. We will clip coupons and do our best to plan our meals around the savings. I have a vast repertoire in the kitchen. I can work with lots of variables.

2. We will do all of our shopping together. It's very easy for me to justify "needing" any random thing that might fall into my shopping cart. We will be expected to save receipts of all purchases and be accountable for the money we spend.

3. We will sell things that we no longer need, want or use, and put the money received into a "fun money" account. This money will be used for purchasing said used clothing for my husband and myself, or for buying items outside of "the rules". This money will in no way affect our money stream which is working towards our goal.

4. We will spend money on car and home repairs. I'm not going to shoot myself in the foot when it comes to my families home and how we get to work. We have another "pot" of money (savings) which should address these concerns, however.

6. We will do a better job finding free and fun things to do locally. I am often amazed at how much we do not know is going on around us in our community.

6. Our families health will be taken care of no matter what the cost. 'Nuff said.

7. We will pay all of the money that is left over at the end of each month towards our mortgage.


What we won't do

1. We will not sacrifice on groceries. I will not start buying the cheapest version of what ever it is just to save a few cents. It has been agreed upon that what we eat should remain about the same as it has always been, however, we will limit ourselves to only eating out once a month. Also, we will have a beer budget as we fancy the micro brews. “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin

2. We will continue to buy (hopefully with coupons) the same, or similar,  household and beauty care products that we do now. I will not buy one-ply toilet paper. We should be able to expect to continue with the same level of comfort we have become accustomed to where paper products/shampoo/.laundry soap/cosmetics, etc are concerned.

3. We will not sacrifice our children's happiness, or their experiences growing up. They should be able to go to the pool in the summer. Our 9 year old daughter will be able to continue taking dance classes. We should be able to rent skis and take them cross county skiing for a day. We will continue to spend the same amount we have always budgeted for birthdays and Christmas. I will continue to buy them mostly new clothing. With the oldest graduating from high school this year, he should be able to have the things we have allowed him to expect. A (small) graduation party, a gift, a celebration of meeting one of life's milestones. They need to learn and grow, and sometimes that takes money.

4. We will not buy new clothes, shoes or accessories for my husband or myself. No new home decor items. No new electronics. If we really and truly need a new article of clothing, we will purchase it used, or second hand. We won't buy new electronics, music downloads, sunglasses, jewelry, etc. We have more than enough clothing. We have clothing that is acceptable for most every social situation. If I have to wear a dress twice to a wedding, I will not die. Nobody ever comes over, if my house looks "outdated" nobody will notice. Seriously, I need to get over myself.

That all seems pretty simple, right? Surely I'm forgetting something...I'll let you know what that is when it smack me squarely in the head.

What we will tell you


My lovely husband is 100% behind this blogging project. However, he is a very private person and would prefer our financial situation not be discussed publicly. You can see how this might cause a problem for me.

We have agreed that our expenses vs. our income, our savings and amount of the mortgage paid can be shared as long as we use percentages instead of numbers. I hope that this is as encouraging to you as raw numbers might be. I can respect his position. Hopefully, you can too.

I'll probably report percentages to all of you at the beginning of each month, as that is when our mortgage is due.

Bear with me. I an neither a mathematician or an economist.

The best Christmas present. 2012 edition.

Christmas morning this year was the same as it always is. We like things that way, the same as before. We opened gifts, I remembered a couple I forgot to wrap and scurried to get those to their recipients. This year, my husband had one he had forgotten to wrap, and it was for me!

He gave me a plain brown box, then went into his usual second-guessing explanation about how he thought the gift was a good idea, but I might think it's dumb....

It was a cup and two pieces of paper. In fact, the cup was broken.

"This is my most important gift to you. My feelings about Christmas and society's expectations on us to spend are well known. I agreed to get you 'something you want, something you need, something to keep you warm and something to read'. This is all of those things but it's mostly something you need. It's symbolic on numerous levels. It's just an empty cup with a beautiful flower on it. It's chipped and imperfect. We are chipped and imperfect but that doesn't make me love you any less. It makes me love you more because you are unique. On a different level, the song "Comes A Time" addresses the human condition of shutting off emotions and giving up in the face of challenges. That isn't exactly what this is about but we will face challenges in the next year or two. We are strong. "You got to make it somehow on the dreams you still believe". The song goes on to say "Don't give up, you got an empty cup only love can fill". So this is my gift to you. An empty cup that only love can fill. I promise you that no matter how challenging things get, you will always have my undying love. We can do without much of the things around us but I hope this simple cup represents to you what is truly important. I love you!"

The other piece of paper had the lyrics to the song he mentioned in the note "Comes A Time" by the Grateful Dead.

What a good man.

Why would anyone do this?

So I jumped in feet first. That's part of who I am. When I get an idea in my head I run, really fast with it. This is no different.

But, why? 

Why would I subject myself, my (willing) husband and my (unwilling) kids to this kind of fiscal lock down? 

There are two reasons that make me think this is a great idea.

1. How awesome would it be to be 38 years old and not have a mortgage? Not too many people can say they are in that situation. I love to be unique. I love to be able to say I have achieved something different than other people. Self serving? Totally. I'm cool with that.

2. Paying off our house means that my incredible husband does not have to work so hard to give us the great life that he does. His job is very physically demanding. He has been doing it for 20 years. It is starting to take a toll on him. If buckling down over the next year means that he can work part time, or take a different, lower paying job, then I'm all for it. I love him. I'd like to have him around and in good working order for as long as possible. See, this part is redemption for the self serving part above. 

Both of the reasons listed above are good for us. They are good for our family. That's all that really matters in the end, right?

I shall repeat this to myself.

He had this crazy idea...(the beginning)

A few weeks ago, over brunch at our favorite cafe, my husband posed this question to me, out of the blue. "Do you think we could do with less? If we didn't spend so much money, I think we could pay off our house in a year. I think we could really do it. What do you think?"

Hmm...

That particular weekend we had really been spending it up. We went out for dinner on Friday night, then went shopping, then went to the local brewery for a few drinks. Friday night probably cost us around $200. Saturday morning we woke up, went shopping again, ate lunch out. Saturdays cost? Around $200. Sunday, we went for brunch (hence the above proposition), and then went to "The Nutcracker". Sundays cost comes in right around $150. We had just spent nearly $600 in a weekend. We were just having fun. We didn't need any of the things that we had purchased while shopping. We could have eaten at home. We could have rented "The Nutcracker" on DVD.

My husband thought that I'd never go for it.

Now, I will admit, I am a spender. No doubt about it. I love to go shopping. I love to wear new clothes. I love to buy new shoes. But, I also love to find a sale...

Over the next few days I thought about his theory. I really thought about it. I thought about all of the things I would have to go without. I thought about all of the things we could do to reduce our monthly living expenses. I thought about clipping coupons. It started to turn into a game in my head. "How much money could we save?".

So, we started to talk about it. We talked about how we had grown up with so little. My husband and I both lived in poverty as children. How had that shaped our current spending habits? We talked about what we are teaching our children about money. With a 17 year old, who's about to venture out into the world on his own, we have been feeling pressured to be "up in his business" where money is concerned. Certainly our kids would garner some great information having gone though this experiment with us. We talked about how our friends would laugh, and think to themselves we were crazy, and how this sounded exactly like something we would do. My husband are and are a little unconventional as a rule...

We started to make a plan. We started to negotiate what was and what was not a "necessity". I will laughingly admit, one sticking point was wrinkle cream. At 37 years old, I need it. I really do! We talked about getting rid of cable TV and our house land line. We talked about looking for a cheaper Internet provider as ours was bundled in with the land line. We made a plan to sit down on Sunday afternoons to clip coupons, plan meals and go grocery shopping. We decided that we should always do the shopping together, as a matter of accountability. We considered all of the ways we thought this experiment would affect us and our children. I considered blogging about our experience.

There are some things we have decided on.

We're doing this!

We're doing this?