Thrifty living

Finances used to never be a problem... until I started living on my own. Rent, utilities, car payments, insurance, and food are manageable. Then there are those unexpected expenses such as wisdom teeth removal plus anesthesia, car maintenance, and high interest rates on credit cards. Additionally, there are those frequent trips to the hair salon, nail spa, and personal enrichment meetings. At the end of the month, I cringe at the accumulated costs. Welcome to my world...

Holiday overspending and an upcoming trip to the Big Apple compels me to manage my finances better. It’s been challenging, but it has also been very fun.

I am approaching an entire month devoid of shopping. Despite this, I still managed to put together new sets of outfits. It’s interesting how resourceful I become when forced to be. I also found a large amount of “new” clothes, with tags still attached. It was also surprising to find many similar clothes. At least my taste has been consistent.

Expenditure for outings is also controlled. I like to equate “thrifty living” with “becoming aware”. One begins to look for fun, yet affordable activities. This then leads to becoming cultured. Who would have thought entrance to the Getty Museum was free? What a great way to appreciate art, spend the day with others who are just as mesmerized, and come home truly inspired. There are also plenty of independent films that are not only good, but intellectually stimulating. The DVD place near my apartment rents movies for only $1. The choices are a bit limited, thus compelling me to look outside my usual movie genre.

Then there’s community. I have been inviting friends over for dinner instead of eating out. This works out perfectly because I enjoy hosting, and I get to cook.