The most unnecessary expenses usually occurred on the weekends when I was hanging out with my daughter. I need to research cheap and free things to do with her. I also noticed that we still spend money on food PLUS the groceries which can rack up quite an amount also.

Granted, my daughter’s birthday was a large added expense, but in any given month there’s a good chance that there will be an extra expense of $100-200.  One month it’s the car. Another month it’ll be an emergency medical bill. There is always something. To me, this means that I not only need an emergency fund but a birthday/holiday gift fund as well. Someone’s birthday is always right around the corner.

The one expense that I can’t do anything about is the gas. I could be more diligent about finding cheaper gas and using the coupons for pennies off and that would save me some money. Otherwise I basically drive to work and home–no excessive spending there.

The purpose of Operation WITHIMMG was to find out how much money I actually spend in order to figure out if it would be worth trying the no spending at all for a month experiment. $600 would definitely be worth trying it, there are a lot of bills and things I could’ve used that for. The only thing is, there’s no way I could try the experiment around the holidays. I would definitely have to spend money in the next couple months on holiday stuff.

I’m considering maybe the beginning of the year since around February I can have my dish canceled also. I’m foreseeing 2010 as a very frugal year for me with spending being very minimal.

All in all, it was a great experiment to try out. You’d be surprised how much extra you spend, even for someone that is very conscious of saving and budgeting.

1.  Cheap Gifts

I’m all for saving money and not buying people extravagant gifts, especially when you can’t afford it. I can’t stand giving or getting gifts just for the sake of giving or getting a gift. As mentioned before, I can’t really think of a time that a gift from a dollar store is necessary. Save the buck and buy a meaningful card if you have to. The one exception to this rule is small gifts for young children. There are great deals on kids toys at the dollar store once in a while.

2.  Pain and Suffering

I can’t stand when people will put off health check ups or refuse to take their children to the doctor because of saving money. I admit that I do think hard about these things and I hate a medical bill as much as anyone but our health and the health of our families should not be held hostage to frugalness. I hate the fact that when I am sick or something happens to my daughter I do think of the cost, but if it’s time to go to the clinic or emergency room, you can bet we’ll be there regardless.

3.  Cheating to Save Money

Sure it saves money to sneak your own food into the theater or to lie about your age or a child’s age to get a discount at a restaurant but in the end, it is cheating. I’m sorry but if you have to have snacks at the theater than either buy the ones they offer or don’t go to the theater, rent the DVD and stay home with your own food.

As far as age discounts go, it isn’t setting a good example to children, obviously, but again, if you don’t want to cough up the extra money for the truth then maybe consider eating somewhere else, looking online for restaurant coupons and deals or not eating out at all.

4.  Washing Aluminum Foil

There are people that swear by this and will argue to the death that washing and reusing aluminum foil saves money and saves the earth at the same time. Fine, I’ll do my part and throw it in the recycling bin but I refuse to rewash and reuse it. I think anything that is painfully inconvenient or and does not save me more than $2 a year is not worth it. One of the reasons I have not yet tried the homemade coffee filter dryer sheets yet. I will have time one day to actually make them, but right now it isn’t on my ridiculously long list of things to do. In fact, a lot of homemade things that take too much time and effort are probably on my mental list of frugal things I hate.

5.  Cheap Food

Don’t get me wrong, I do like saving money on the grocery bill. But, I hate buying something cheap that doesn’t taste good. The perfect example would be those less than a dollar packs of sliced cheese. I know, sliced cheese costs almost $4 sometimes, but the other cheese doesn’t even taste like cheese. Besides, I’m pretty sure that if it doesn’t melt when you put it on broccoli and just kind of crumbles, then it might not be that great for your health either.

With that in mind, I also hate taking my lunch to work. I do it because it’s smart and healthy but don’t get me wrong, I’d much prefer to eat out everyday.

There is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. I think that we should consider why we’re doing the things we’re doing, if it actually saves us money and if it is worth living by the Frugal Gods’ standards. Some things you have to spend a couple bucks on, like it or not.

Operation WITHIMMG:

Day 29-0

Day 30-0

I will be extending Operation Where in the Heck is My Money Going through the weekend and post the conclusion on Monday.

Okay, so yeah I had prepaid cell phone service years ago and it was a big pain in the arse. No one wants to worry about running out of minutes exactly when you need to make an important phone call. The good news is that you’ll be able to reload the phone at either the Walmart store or online at walmart.com or straighttalk.com. Reloading can be as simple as paying a bill online, right?

According to the press release there will be two phone plans. One will be the “All You Need” plan for $30 a month with 1000 minutes, 1000 texts, 30MB of web access and 411 calls at no extra charge. The other is the Unlimited Plan for $45 a month and includes unlimited minutes, unlimited text, unlimited web access and unlimited 411 Information calls. I will save a huge chunk of money even with the unlimited plan. Just the unlimited texting is probably worth almost $30.00 and the unlimited minutes are priceless, in my opinion, anyway.

Obviously there are drawbacks, the main one being that I have to either pay to get out of my AT&T contract, which I believe is $150.00 or wait until it is fulfilled. I’ll have to do the math and see if the savings will cover that cost or if just waiting it out is cheaper.

Another phone will need to be purchased as well. Straight Talk is offering cell phones that range from a regular LG Flip phone for $39.98, to a Samsung 451  QWERTY keyboard phone for $99.88. I’m not sure yet which cell phones if any will be compatible with their prepaid service.

My biggest concern though is the quality of service. Of course it probably isn’t worth it if you can’t get any service or calls and messages don’t go through as they should. After all, it is Walmart. I love em but they don’t always offer the best quality products.

Immediate Benefits:  My monthly cell phone bill will be cut in half and no overages to worry about (see previous post regarding) because when you run out your phone doesn’t work. I’m in love with the idea of unlimited minutes. Maybe I can stop texting so damn much and actually have a conversation…maybe.

I will have to weigh the savings and the drawbacks but I’m  happy and excited that there is a cheaper alternative to what I thought was a fixed part of my budget.

Other products/services I wish Walmart would offer:  Discount electricity/water/gas/internet/cable and any other utility services, breast implants and hair plugs.

Don’t ask.  Anyway, have a great weekend! (And Happy Anniversary mom and dad

Operation WITHIMMG: No expenses primarily because we’ve been cooped up in the sick house. My daughter is doing fine, I on the other hand have been a bit groggy.

Day 23-0

Day 24-0

Ironically, I had just received an email that included a cold vs. Swine Flu symptom comparison which I found to be helpful. Most of it we already know, but it’s surprising to me how similar and how different the symptoms can be.

If you are dealing with a sick child or have any of these symptoms yourself, drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. If you aren’t sure or believe you may have H1N1 call the clinic before you go to find out what their procedures are.

I just thought it was nice to see what the differences are the symptoms. I know it may seem slightly off topic and has nothing to do with being broke, but our health and the health of our loved ones directly affects our quality of life. After all, great healthy lives are the reason we even bother, isn’t it?

I also want to add that as a single parent, having a sick child can be a bit overwhelming. On the other hand, I couldn’t be more grateful that I don’t work somewhere that makes me feel guilty for not being at work, or is docking my pay. I have worked places with no sick time in the past and I sympathize with anyone in that position. Most people feel bad naturally for missing work, but the stress from not being paid at the same time would be unbearable.

From the looks of it, my daughter may just have a stomach bug. I’m not sure yet, but I do think she’s okay. Her only concern is that I wouldn’t let her go to school and made her hang out with me in the house all day.

Stay healthy everyone…

Operation WITHIMMG:

Day 21 0
Day 22 0

And after hosting a small birthday party for a 6 year old yesterday, I could use a cheap holiday. I’ll add the totals below for my expenses, but trust me, even a low-budget-not-quite-a-birthday-party party costs some green. I’m not quite sure how parents with children whose birthdays fall not on Christmas but a week or two around it could possibly manage. At least with Christmas Day kids, you can actually save some money by combining the birthday and Christmas presents.

To avoid sounding too glib though about the importance of Columbus Day, I will add that today is actually quite a significant holiday around the world, not just in the United States. It is also celebrated in the Bahamas as Discovery Day and in Uruguay as Dia de las Americas (Day of the Americas), which may be more appropriate to those that say Columbus didn’t really “discover” anything. To him it was new, so it depends on who’s looking at it.

Columbus Day is reinforced further as my favorite holiday, because under normal circumstances I would also have an extra day off from work. My office stays open though and closes on a different holiday, Black Friday (the crazy shopping day after Thanksgiving) instead. Black Friday doesn’t cost me much either though since I don’t typically participate in the festivities of day long line waiting and bumper shopping carts, but in a round about way, I wouldn’t have that day off if it weren’t for Mr. Columbus. And besides, who can’t use a day of rest after Thanksgiving.

So in honor of Columbus Day, my daughter and I ate a fancy mini corndog and peas and carrots meal and for dessert will probably have a small piece of leftover birthday cake. No cards or gifts necessary. There may even be a special holiday show on television.

Here’s to Columbus Day, friends. Hope you had a great one!

Operation WITHIMMG:
Day 18-expenses were actually for Day 19.
Day 19- Birthday AKA Budget Buster Day: $60 birthday presents, $11 Dairy Queen birthday cake. I did get a sweet discount using a coworker’s coupons. Not bad, I guess. Grocery Shopping afterwards was the icing on the cake (so to speak) with a whopping $150 which included my daughter’s birthday snack for school-$10 and delicacies like the mini corndogs necessary to celebrate Columbus Day. Total: $221.00
Day 20-0 take that expensive holiday people!!

Yes, I’m definitely a last minute person and actually intended on having her first big party this year since she’s in school now and can invite her friends. Unfortunately, I didn’t get organized enough for that and also didn’t research any ideas that wouldn’t cost me a big party amount of money. Birthdays are different nowadays. Now, you have to have gift bags and games with prizes and food and drinks and cake and ice cream…you get the idea. I thought of having it at a pizza place or something but again, didn’t look into the cost.

So this year, just like the previous years, I’m having cake and ice cream and inviting the immediate family over. I feel crappy about not having a party for her. I know though, that I’m barely even going to be able to afford the small get together that I’m planning.

As of this moment, birthday expenses consist of:

The cake, I’m getting her one from Dairy Queen. I know I could make one for a lot cheaper, but I’m already not having a party so a plain, undecorated cake would just make me feel worse.

Gifts. I haven’t bought any birthday gifts yet so tomorrow I’ll be running around shopping while she visits grandma and grandpa. As always, I know I should’ve shopped earlier so that I could take advantage of coupons and sales, but I didn’t and will probably end up paying too much for gifts. I’m going for books and activity books, something artsy because she likes to write and draw and maybe just a nice toy or Barbie to play with. Just bought her clothes and I think my sister and parents are getting her clothes so I won’t buy any of that for her birthday.

Decorations. I’m not going all out on themed paper plates and streamers, I do plan on getting balloons just because she likes them so much Not sure if I have wrapping paper supplies either.

Treat for School. I forgot that I need to buy a treat for her to take to class on Monday. Not sure what yet, there are 25 kids in her class and it has to be something prepackaged from the store. In my area, homemade treats are not allowed at school. I’m not exactly sure why or when that policy came into effect, but I’m not exactly a baker anyway so there’s a good chance I would’ve ended up buying something.

Seems like a short and simple list but when you think about it, celebrating a kid’s birthday is expensive. I’d save a lot of money if we just converted to a religion that doesn’t celebrate birthdays or holidays. I may consider that.

In the end, there are some things that we have to spend money on that are not always necessities. Sure I could cut out some of this stuff; I could even just not have a birthday party at all. When it comes to budgeting though, there are a few things that are worth spending money on. If she has a nice birthday and has fun, I’ll be happy and it’ll be worth every penny.

Operation WITHIMMG:
Day 16-$4 two dozen eggs from a coworker that has her own chickens.
Day 17- 0

I, on the other hand, was excited about the Tooth Fairy and I suddenly realized that I had no idea what the going rate for a tooth was nowadays.

I remember a couple years ago that my nephew lost a tooth and got $10 and a new DVD. I also remember wondering if it had to do with inflation. (A coworker responded to this with, “What the hell, was it a gold tooth?!) What do I know though, it’s been over twenty years since I’ve been visited by the Tooth Fairy or known anyone that has.

So I asked on Twitter and Facebook. I asked at work and I asked family. Here are the results of my very scientific Tooth Fairy Poll:

1 person said the last she heard it was $10, but it could depend on the parents because they’re both doctors. (Although, I’m pretty sure the Tooth Fairy doesn’t care who your parents are.)

4 people on Facebook said $1.

My sister said $1.

Coworkers all said $1, but suggested that quarters, change or a silver dollar are more fun.

1 person on Facebook said not to lie, there is no Tooth Fairy and your kid will hate you for lying.

During the time that I was taking this very important scientific poll, my daughter continued to wiggle that tooth and tell every random person, everywhere we went that she had a wiggly tooth. Something else I noticed, every male person in my family responded with, “well come here so I can punch it out.” Seriously, all at different times and in different locations. Weird, huh. Wonder if maybe the Tooth Fairy wasn’t so nice to them when they were younger.

Monday night I told her that she had to get that tooth out. I mean it was practically waving back and forth by itself. She grabbed a tissue, held her breath and pushed…and it came out. I was pretty proud of her, and she was more excited than if SpongeBob himself moved in. We wrapped the tooth in a tissue and put it in a baggy under her pillow. If she had fallen asleep any faster I would’ve thought she was popping pills.

Well, long story short, the Tooth Fairy left her $2. She walked into my room at 4 a.m. to show me and then sat on my bed just looking at the two single dollar bills. To me, she seemed a little disappointed. Not that she expected more, but because it seemed that the long exciting journey was over and all she had left was 2 pieces of paper. To her, money doesn’t really mean anything. She quite possibly would’ve been happier with a cheese stick.

I found myself remembering what the one person on Facebook said about not lying to her, and I’ve been considering coming clean about the scam of creatures leaving gifts in our house. Sure it’s fun. Maybe more fun for me than her. What happens when someone at school tells her the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus aren’t real? I certainly don’t want her arguing with anyone over anything so ridiculous. I also have to admit that it was more fun talking about the loose tooth and getting it out then pretending a fairy was going to drop off a couple bucks. She was happier with the “I Lost a Tooth” sticker she got at school than what the Tooth Fairy had left her.

I also think it’s interesting that in 30 years, the general consensus is still that a dollar is sufficient. I seem to remember getting a dollar myself. Is it because of the bad economy that the tooth rate is still the same after all of these years? If things hadn’t gotten so bad, would everyone be giving their kids $10 for their teeth? I don’t know.

I learned quite a bit more from my poll than just how much to give my daughter for her teeth. Sometimes things don’t change as much as we think, and sometimes the simple truth is way more fun.

Operation WITHIMMG
Day 14-$2 pretending to be the Tooth Fairy
Day 15- $32 gas. Didn’t last as long this time. Did a lot of excess driving over the weekend.
$12 protein drinks and 2 boxes of granola type bars.

I may be a shopaholic too. I found myself watching the Home Shopping Network late one night and decided I really needed to order some wrinkle cream. I paid the HSN credit card off months ago and for some reason cannot locate it now. I hid it from myself and can’t find it. After searching through drawers and purses and wallets in the middle of the night, I realized that there was a reason I had hidden that damn card. I also realized that I didn’t need any wrinkle cream.

So I’ve been thinking of the things that make me feel good that are free and healthy.

On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl, by Haruki Murakami-
Most everyone that knows me knows that this is my all time favorite short story. It’s not a happy story but the fact that it’s a seize the day kind of, take advantage of the now story, makes me feel good. Give it a read, it’s only a about a page.

Matisyahu-Jewish Reggae

I’m not Jewish and reggae music isn’t my top choice for music, but the music of Matisyahu completely clears my mind and enables me to regain my hope and outlook on my life. To be honest, I don’t even know what he’s saying most of the time, it’s just a sound that I adored the second I heard it. Guess you could say it’s my present day Enya. Check out his new song…guaranteed to make you feel good.

sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it’ll all turn around
-Matisyahu, One Day

Christmas Movies and Kids Movies

My parents occasionally listen to Christmas music and I could watch Christmas movies any time of the year as well. There’s a reason that people continue to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, it’s just that not many people realize that they can watch these movies any time of the year. Okay, so unless you’ve TIVOd it or recorded it, movies aren’t always free. I have DVRd a couple so I can watch them anytime of the year though.

There are also kids movies that aren’t seasonal and almost all adults have a favorite. Finding Nemo is one of mine. I also have to admit that I actually crave Mary Poppins and Pollyanna once in a while.

Feed the Spirit

Whether it’s going to church or just meditating, taking a break and focusing on our own spirituality can help refocus and get us back on track. We forget that our spirit gets tired and run down and needs nourishment just as our bodies and minds do. It is also reassuring that in the end, it is all in a higher being’s hands, whether you believe in God or Buddha. We can only do what we are humanly able to. After that it’s up to Him.

Blogging and Journaling

Maybe it’s the writer in me. I had my first diary in elementary school and since then have found that writing is cathartic, even if I’m not writing about my immediate problems. Putting everything on paper puts it into perspective and I can find solace when I look back later and realize that things always work out.

Always. See, I feel better already.

For anyone that’s going through the doldrums or are just plain tired, take a look at some of the things in this post. Most of all, keep your head up. It’ll be okay.

Operation WITHIMMG
Day 11-fast food dinner $10.00
Day 12- Walmart jeans and long sleeved shirts for my daughter and misc. items I probably didn’t need. $67.00
Day 13-bought soup for lunch $5.00 and cranberry juice (2 for $1.00)

There are a few basic supplies you’ll need that don’t cost much and can be used over and over again. Here are the basics:

Nail Polish Remover and Cotton Balls- Obviously to remove old polish.

Hand Lotion- any kind will do, nothing fancy is necessary. Keep some of the little bottles to refill and carry in your purse or keep at work. Moisturized hands and fingers will keep them looking young.

Nail File- I like the ones that include buff and shine edges in case I don’t want or have time to do a full manicure. I suggest a stronger grade file for toes as sometimes they seem to be thicker than fingernails. Maybe it’s just my toes.

Nail Polish – Most manicures include a bottom clear coat, a nail polish, and a clear top coat. I’ve found that the bottom coat isn’t necessary unless you’re using a color of polish that will stain your nails, like Fire Engine Red. If you’re really in a hurry, the clear top coat isn’t necessary either, it does give the nails a nice shiny finish. It will also look more like a professional manicure with the top coat as well as seal in the polish so it’ll last longer.

Steps for the Home Manicure and Pedicure

1. Wash and dry hands. If you have time soak your fingers for a couple minutes to make the cuticles soft and easy to push down. This step can be done anytime you’re in the shower or bath also. I should also mention that all nail polish should be removed before you wash your hands.

2. File your fingernails, straight on the sides and across the top for square nails (which don’t break as quickly) or round the edges if you prefer the oval shape (which makes the nails look longer). Use the buffing edge or a buffing nail file to smooth out any ridges in the nails. This will help the polish go on easier and will look better.

3. Apply the polish, one stroke in the middle then one on each side. Let dry and apply a second coat of color and after that one has dried apply the top coat.

4. Lotion your hands after the polish is completely dry. If you put the lotion on before the polish, it could mix with the polish and become oily.

Tips for Pedicures:

1. If you’re giving yourself a home pedicure, soak your feet for a while. It’s a nice relaxer after work and will help loosen any dry or rough skin on the feet and toes. There are inexpensive buffers for the rough parts of your feet that are a good investment and will help keep off the dead skin.

2. If you have extremely dry skin on your feet, try soaking them in a bath of water and then applying vaseline to them before bed. Cover with warm socks and wash off in the morning.

Manicure and Pedicure Extras

If you feel like trying something different, there are cheap kits to do your own French manicures. Also consider trying the stencils or decals. There are rhinestones, flower stickers and all sorts of artsy things you can try for usually just a couple bucks. Way cheaper than going to the salon and you can usually buy a packet that will last a while.

There is also a number of types of quick dry sprays that you may want to buy just to keep on hand if you’re in a hurry. This isn’t a necessity though, I’ve found that most polishes dry relatively quickly.

Always keep a bottle of clear polish on hand. Clear nail polish has saved me many times and can be applied without giving yourself a full blown manicure. It will appear as though you do have perfectly manicured nails even if you don’t.

Stained nails can be freshened up by soaking them in peroxide for a while. Clean nails with a coat of clear nail polish can sometimes pass for a light French manicure.

My daughter and I actually do manicures and pedicures together on the weekends. It’s a fun and cheap activity that makes us feel pretty. Once you get into the habit of doing your own, you’ll see how much more relaxing it is at home…and save a ton of money.

Operation Where in the Heck is My Money Going? (WITHIMMG)
Day 9-30.00 gas, filled up the car. Actually cost 29.40 for some reason there was some kind of discount. I’ll stop at that gas station more often.
Day 10-2.00 juice and chips
5.00 stopped for fast food. I have an excuse but I’ll leave that out.

These are not tips from the customer service agent to save money on my cell phone bill, just some things that I realized during our conversation.

Watch Your Minutes

You could probably guess that I’m on the lowest plan possible. I do pay extra for unlimited texting and generally I’m a hardcore texter. It is a rare occasion that I actually talk on the phone. Sometimes, though, for example you have to talk on the phone during the day. Medical facilities for instance, will not discuss your bill via text and are not open on nighttime or weekend minutes. Credit card companies also will not correspond via text messaging. Unfortunately, these are times when you may find yourself on hold for a long period of time, thus eating up your daytime minutes.

Make sure you use the handy code on your cellphone to check your usage if there’s a question. Also check online, AT&T allows you to see how many minutes you’ve used and how many are left. You do not want to end up paying for over your minute calls because in my case, they are about .45 cents per minute.

Reject Incoming Calls

Not a big deal, but if you don’t want to rack up minutes in the daytime, reject incoming calls. Even if you just let them go to voicemail, messages are counted in your anytime minutes.

Pay Your Cell Phone Bill Online

Either pay your bill online or through the automated selection on your phone. If the customer service rep has to take your payment there is usually a fee, AT&T charges $5 but will sometimes waive it. Paying online also cuts out postage . I usually pay my bill over the phone, especially if I’m close to the due date.

Check Your Bill for Unnecessary Features

With most bills, there is usually something extra being billed that you’re not aware of, or do not use and aren’t aware that you’re not using it. Take a look at your next cell phone and see if there’s anything you can cancel or switch around. For instance, my unlimited texting costs $30.00 a month. If I text less and need more minutes, I may need to change the plan. I have also never had an expensive phone so I don’t buy the insurance and can’t speak of whether it’s necessary or not. I wait for the special free phone deals usually.

As you’ve probably guessed, I got a surprise on my bill from last month. I never pay attention to my minutes because I don’t usually talk on the phone. When I received my bill, however, I had around $65 in overages. After studying my bill and talking with the customer service rep, I still have no idea how it went over so much. I have incoming calls but no one could tell me where they were from and I honestly still can’t think of anyone that called me so much.

Luckily, after much patience and a lengthy 40 minutes on the phone, the customer service rep agreed to remove the overages. They could tell that in the many years I’ve had my cell phone with this exact number that I’ve never gone over nor racked up so many minutes. I also think it was because the rep for some reason or another couldn’t tell me where the calls came from. Still, it was a learning experience and even though I still have no clue what happened, I vowed to pay more attention to my bill.

One last note…I found out that it’s also possible that my 40 minute phone call to AT&T could count toward my anytime minutes unless you call through a certain number or the code on the phone. That’ll be the next thing I call them about…tomorow.

Operation WITHIMMG: Edited Friday Day 5 for spending
Day 6: McDonald’s with daughter $10
Day 7: 0
Day 8: 0