Modern Tightwad

The Great Pellet Stove Purchase

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:25:00 +0000

Apparently Gune kitty really likes being warm.

So I have the stove breakdown for you guys. I used a 10% off coupon and we got a pellet stove, vent pipe kit, and hole saw for drilling for $1250. Hearth pads run an average of $350-400, but I saw an ad on craigslist and got our beautiful solid stone hearth for $30 from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It panicked me to spend that money, right down to my cold, numb toes.

I have to be realistic about costs, though. With the inefficient heat pump, our electricity was fastly approaching over $300 a month. We estimate at the rate we're currently burning pellets, we'll save nearly $75-100 a month on our electrical bill alone. The stove we bought also qualifies for a $300 federal tax credit, so we should recoup our cost in total by the end of next winter. That even factors in purchasing the pellets.

We had been without heat for two weeks as our heat pump was so horribly inefficient that it was only blowing cold air into our home. Being warm is such a small thing, but so vital. It has made me appreciate more the roof over our head and the food on our table. If you have the opportunity this winter, please donate a blanket or a coat to someone in need. Everyone deserves to curl up someplace warm.

7 Things I Stopped Spending Money On

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:40:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

I went to Rite Aid yesterday to pick up deodorant for my husband and stood blankly in front of the makeup aisle for almost half an hour. I realized I hadn't really bought makeup in longer than I can remember. It was a luxury item I couldn't afford, and trust me, ten years ago they knew me on sight at the MAC counter. Now things are being plumped that used to just be lined and I have no clue what most of these personal care torture devices do. Since I can now afford the "or" and am not just "po," I treated myself to an eyeshadow kit and mascara. Granted it was buy one get the second item half off, and I managed to find the last double package of mascara, but it was still weird to spend money on something that had been so de-prioritized. Here are some luxury items I used to spend money on without thinking:

Makeup - God gave me a face and I'm lucky to be happy with it. When I was young I wasn't allowed to wear makeup because my Dad was worried it would ruin my skin. So of course the minute I hit my late teens I was two steps shy of Angelina Jolie in the movie Hackers. Now, I wear something for special occasions, and to even out the rosacea when I'm feeling a little too red, but that's about it.
New Clothes - I told my husband this morning, "Honey, I wanted you to know, I'm probably going to buy socks this week so I'll be spending money." He gave me the look, you know, the one that says, "Really? This is earth-shattering news?" But when you've stopped spending money for so long, indulging in a $3 pair of comfortable socks instead of a $8 6-pack seems overly luxurious.
Chocolates - Last week I bought a $5 box of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels. Not a need per se, but I'm pretty sure my husband thinks my PMS is more manageable with it than without.
Purses - I now have five purses. Total. The only reason I have a fifth one is my Aunt just sent me one in some hand-me-downs. I can only carry one wallet, so I can only carry one purse. If you really want to get technical, I have one purse, one beach tote, one clutch, one formal purse, and one gift purse. In my entirety of marriage (almost seven years), I've spent $45 on purses. It's a decent amortization.
Red Meat - My father was a steak and potatoes man, but unless it's an undesirable cut that I can stick in the crockpot all day to make something magical appear, we couldn't afford it.
Cable - While we used the internet, cable TV was unnecessary and way out of our budget. The cable guys are expensive. 'Nuff said.
Supplements - I remember at one point in my life I was taking nearly 14 supplements every day. I wasn't taking care of myself or eating right, so I needed them. The best thing about being in the working poor was it forced me to be more simple. I walk, I eat healthy in season food. And I don't spend ridiculous amounts of money on vitamins and minerals I should be getting in my diet.

What did/would you give up if poor?

When the "frugal" solution still costs

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:25:00 +0000

I'm in feetie pajamas, with a space heater next to me that I don't want to turn on, and our thermostat is set to 62. I'm pretty darn cold. Before you call me a baby I have poor circulation so I can be cold in the middle of the summertime, but Oregon winters are particularly hard on me. Our 1200 sf house has a rather inefficient heat pump, our electrical bill last month was over $250, and it's only going to be higher this month.

We examined our options and none are really great. To replace the heat pump would be approximately $4500. That's not realistic for us. Also, while it's not efficient, but it's not broken either, and I have a hard time spending more than I would on a car on something that's working. When we bought the house and I was starry-eyed, I thought about putting in a fireplace or stove as an ornamental feature. When I mentioned that to the tech who serviced our heat pump he said, "If you put a stove in your home, your heat pump won't ever need to turn on in the winter."

So we started examining stoves. To put a gas line to our house would cost $3000 because we live in "particularly rocky soil" according to NW Natural. Gas is out. We were down to a wood stove and a pellet stove. After looking at overall costs, a pellet stove seems to be the winner, but it's a winner that will cost $1200. We're hoping that with the reduction in our electricity bills, it will pay for itself within three years. Fingers crossed right?

My Secret Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:43:00 +0000

Image by j_mills via Flickr

No, it's not chocolate, excel spreadsheets, craigslist, beer, or bad puns. Those are all very well known obsessions. My secret obsession is shipping container homes. I'm obsessed with their design, their function, everything. When we bought our house, I looked at my husband and said:

"Guess what?"
"What?"
"We bought a manufactured home on real property. Do you know what that means?"
"I'm afraid to ask."
"We can put a SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME ON THE LOT!!!!!!"

I wish I could say the all caps wasn't me shrieking excitedly, but I'd be lying.

Why shipping container homes? Why not tiny homes? I'm a big fan of tiny homes, too, but I really love the concept of shipping container homes, their durability, modular construction, and if I'm being really honest, you can take the girl out of the playroom, but you can't take the legos out of her pockets. They don't have to look like modern boxes either, even though I'm a fan of that look.

I've been re-reading an ebook I bought called "Introduction to Container Homes and Buildings" by Alex Klein from The Life and Times of a "Renaissance Ronin." If you want the nitty gritty of this concept his blog is the go-to place. His book is even better. I don't get any sort of affiliate link or commission for saying it, I'm just a long-term lurker on his blog.

Besides, this is probably the only way a tightwad can afford an Hawaiian vacation home. ;)

Is Black Friday all it's cracked up to be?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:02:00 +0000

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Each year I consider going out shopping in Black Friday. I've done the 5 a.m. shopper insanity thing once, but it wasn't about the shopping, it was about the fun people I was shopping with. Now that it's more of a Black Friday weekend of pretty good deals, and you have to brave mobs, pepper spray, panicked security guards, and more, is it really worth it?

For the past few years, I've decided "H-E-to the Double Hockey Sticks NO!" Saving money isn't about going bat poop crazy one day of the year to be one of 200 people that gets a screaming deal; it's about making wise purchases all year round. Truthfully, I didn't see that many great deals this year (maybe I was looking in the wrong ads), but I had a much better time relaxing with my family, then I would have out among the retailpocalypse.

How was your weekend?

Totally Money Carnival: Scared Straight Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Image by epSos.de via FlickrWelcome to Totally Money's Carnival. Today, little whippersnappers will be running around the neighborhood in costumes ranging from scary to funny, to amazing to inappropriate. People seem to want to be scared one day a year, but no one wants to be scared when it comes to their money. Unfortunately, many of us had to get scared to get our finances in order. Hopefully some of these posts can scare you down the right path.

Editor's Choice

D. J. presents Advice on How to Gain Financial Self-Control posted at The Family Wallet.
Kelsey presents Frugal First-Aid posted at Money Mum.
Darwin presents Is Working Overtime Worth It? posted at Darwin's Money.
Suba presents This little piggy wants to retire posted at Wealth Informatics.

Frugality

Roger, the Amateur Financier presents Frugal Friday – Giving to Charity (Without Giving Money) posted at The Amateur Financier.
Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey presents 10 Tips to Save Energy and Money This Winter posted at My Personal Finance Journey - Personal Finance, Intelligent Investing, And Frugal Living Tips.
Pam presents Affordable Art: 3 Ways to Decorate for Less posted at Frugal Living.
Mike Holman presents Long Distance Voice Plan vs Skype With Roaming Data Planposted at Money Smarts Blog
Karen Bryan presents Are Average Miles Per Gallon For Real? posted at Help Me To Save.
Jeri Ford presents 2 Simple Steps to Go from Zero Miles to a Free Business Class Ticket to Europe posted at Help Me Travel Cheap.
Everything Finance presents 4 Tips to Help You Save Your Budget this Christmas posted at Everything Finance.

Credit

Marjorie presents The Best Credit Cards for Every Stage of Life posted at CardHub.com.
John presents Why Haven’t Credit Card Membership Fees Risen? posted at Wallet Blog.
FMF presents The Case for the Mileage Based Credit Card posted at Free Money Finance.
Crystal presents My Confession About Being in Credit Card Debt | Budgeting In the Fun Stuff posted at Budgeting In the Fun Stuff.
Marie presents Don't Suffer Because Of A Poor Credit Score! Take Charge With These Simple Steps. posted at Money Spending Mommy.

Banking

Philip presents Free Online Checking Accounts posted at PT Money Personal Finance.
Justin presents Advantages of Credit Unions posted at Money Is The Root.
Beating Broke presents Back to a Cash Economy? - Beating Broke | Beating Broke posted at Beating Broke.
Jeremy Vohwinkle presents How to Change Banks posted at Generation X Finance.
Tim Chen presents NerdWallet’s Best Checking Accounts and Debit Cards, Fall 2011 Edition posted at NerdWallet Blog - Credit Card Watch.

Business

Eric J. Nisall presents Try This Technique To Get People Talking About Your Business posted at DollarVersity.
Financial Uproar presents Blogging Is The Worst Business In The World » Financial Uproar posted at Financial Uproar.

Employment

SB presents 20 things to do before being laid off posted at One Cent at a Time.
Money Beagle presents Worst Hallmark Card Ever posted at Money Beagle.
Kevin presents Getting Laid Off for the First Time: What I Learned from the Experience posted at Invest It Wisely.

Taxes

Daniel presents Social Security Taxes May Increase in 2012 posted at Sweating The Big Stuff.
Alexander Peter presents 4 Things You Should Know About Your Self Assessment Tax Return 2011 posted at TaxFix.

Housing/Real Estate

Tim @ Faith and Finance presents Should I Rent or Buy a Home? posted at Faith and Finance.
Jon the Saver presents Getting that Security Deposit Back! posted at Free Money Wisdom.
Kyle Taylor presents How to Buy Plots of Land for $100 or Less posted at The Penny Hoarder.
Jason presents Winning the Mortgage Game | Live Real, Now posted at Live Real, Now.
Dave presents Can I Buy A House With Dividend Stocks? Part II posted at Dividends For The Long Run .

Investments/Retirement

Marie presents Should I start a family investment club? posted at Broke Professionals.
Bob presents 2 Important Questions To Ask Your Financial Advisor posted at Christian Personal Finance.
Neal Frankle presents Do You Need A Financial Planner or A Money Manager? posted at Wealth Pilgrim: Money Management Advice, Financial Stess Management, Addiction Recovery Plan & Resources.
YFS presents 10 Common Characteristics of Millionaires You Can Follow posted at YourFinancesSimplified.
Money Cone presents HOWTO Do A 401K Rollover Correctly posted at Money Cone.
Corey presents What Should Your First Investment Be? posted at 20's Finances.

College Corner

Teacher Man presents The Monopoly On Education posted at My University Money.
Squirrelers presents Unlimited Food plus College Students = Financial Mess posted at Squirrelers.
N.W. Journey presents College Savings 529 Plans posted at Networth Journey.

Miscellaneous

Mr. Money presents 4 Crucial Tips To Help You Save For Your Next Car Purchase posted at Smart On Money.
Sustainable PF presents Help Raise Money for Charities Selling Your Old CDs posted at Sustainable Personal Finance.
Evan presents Is Paying Car Insurance in Full Really Worth the Savings? posted at My Journey to Millions.

If you liked this carnival tune in next week when CanadianFinanceBlog hosts. You can submit posts here.

It's Simple Choices

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:03:00 +0000

by A.B.

Sometimes I think people have learned nothing from the distressing economy. I've been looking for a dining room table in our local craigslist. We've decided not to run up credit cards on everything we want, but it's getting a little difficult to cut chicken on our card table.

I came across an ad for the type of table I want but noticed it was priced about the same as it was new. I clicked on it out of wonder ("Is it obscenely good quality?") and was a little disappointed in the answer. It was almost new, never used because they purchased it shortly before they lost their home.

I've considered buying this table before. Brand new, it's a $300 dining table.

Not to be high and mighty, but I'm standing on the soapbox this morning. If you don't have a secure place to live, spending hundreds of dollars furnishing it is probably an unwise use of your funds and time. I am not unaware that I am saying this sitting in my house that we bought this year, and some may find that callous. But there have been many times in my life that I had to decide if something was a need, or just something I found nice.

Expense vs. Cost

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 04:18:00 +0000

by Andi B.

I drink so much tea my middle name should be oolong. As I've stated before I come from a long line of tea drinkers. I'm also absent minded. My mother has literally melted a tea kettle to the stove before and I'm not much better. When we moved I had to get rid of my old tea kettle, so we've had a few touch and go moments at the new house when I was boiling water in a small pot and forgot about it. Luckily the dog is as paranoid that I'll burn down the house as I was about my mother, so he alerts me to the stove I forgot.

I wanted to treat myself to a Keurig coffee maker. Many of my friends have one and it is such a treat! But I know I won't spend the money on those tiny coffee cups. We were at a local discount store and I saw exactly what I wanted, an electric kettle with automatic shut off. Pure heaven. Best, at the outlet center, our kettle was only $15!

In the long run, I would burn down the house in pursuit of a cup of tea if I did not purchase that kettle. $15 is well worth the value of my home. Sometimes it's interesting when you way expense vs. cost.

Sometimes Expenses are Guided by the Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 04:03:00 +0000

by Andi B.

Since we bought the house I've been ever so careful about expenses. We've had to purchase appliances, and both my husband and I felt it was important not to go crazy just because we bought a house. Horror stories abound regarding people who racked up tens of thousand in debt furnishing their house just the way they want. We've made it our goal to furnish as much as we can either used, or under $50, never turning down anything free that we needed. In fact, we've been extremely rational until last night. Last night we committed to future expenses with our heart.

On Wednesday a kitten walked into my kitchen. She was malnourished, recently infested with fleas, had a bum leg, and such personality. When I saw kitten I realized that I haven't been anyone's second chance in a while, and the least I could do was find her home or find her a home. I posted an ad on craigslist and knocked on my neighbor's doors with no good response. (To the neighbor who came to the door, looked out the window, and walked away, if I do have your kitten you rescinded your right by being a jerk.)

Then, she started cuddling my dog, and the dog let her. Then, we went to the vet and took care of the flea treatments. Then she started cuddling my husband, and he wasn't allergic. He suggested putting her outside and seeing if she ran home....she ran back in the house. Finally, we realized that her bad leg created a special needs situation, and we didn't trust anyone to do right by kitten as she gets older.

While this shouldn't be ridiculously expensive, we do have to add food, litter, flea treatments, and spaying to our budget, with the potential for pain meds and vet visits down the road. There are ways to mitigate this with low-cost shot and spay clinics, and I just couldn't let her go. I couldn't risk the kitten that tries to pet my dog would go to a bad home, or get put down at the pound.

You see, three days before "kitten" came into my life I found out children are not in my future. I'm not obtuse enough to think I can replace children with animals, but the universe has a strange way of reminding me that there are infinite and unexpected opportunities to provide love and comfort, and that's priceless.

A House Is Just the Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:17:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So we made it...we purchased and moved into our house. The scary flower basket wallpaper and mint green paint had to be taken care of immediately, but we are very happy to be home owners.

People keep asking me what it's like to be a homeowner and to be honest I'm not sure I know. Nothing's broken yet. ;) There's really not much difference in being a renter and an owner until something breaks or falls apart.

We did take on a bit of extra debt which I'm not proud of (but apparently we can't live without a refrigerator), however since we were fortunate enough to have equity in the home we purchased, we actually have positive net worth for the first time in years. Our housing expense is also fixed and we don't have to worry about it doubling on a management company's whim.

It has already been a real gift, though. We were fortunate enough to buy a home with an apartment on the property. (Although since I've read my new favorite blog My Tenant From Hell, I'm not sure fortunate may be the right word.) We had family that needed a place to stay, and are able to provide a space that affords everyone privacy. It also gives a chance to see if we like having people stay there and we can always put a pool table in there and turn it into a woman cave if it doesn't work out.

I'd love to update more, but there's a god-awful wallpaper border that has to go. Thank you for checking in with me.

Packing!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:13:00 +0000

With any luck there will be a sequel to this post called moving. In the meantime, we're saving money on packing by:
Using moving and packing supplies that were given to us
Using shredded junk mail for packing when needed
Throwing out things that we don't need

Also, having to live out of boxes reminds us how little we really need.

Where we aren't saving money is all the eating out we've been doing. At this point the only thing that isn't packed is two plates, two bowls, two cups, and our silverware. I'm slowly going insane.

Setting Aside Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:36:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

by Andi B.

So I'm thrilled to announce that we will be owners of a house soon. Due to constant unforeseen occurences that keep popping up we don't know when, but it should be in the next couple weeks. I've actually been more than a little nervous because of upcoming expenses.

We currently live in a 500 sf studio and are moving into a 1200 sf house. While I love the simplicity of our lifestyle it doesn't allow us to entertain, and I'd love to have friends over. Our space has also limited the possessions we can acquire. Looking at the new house, I know we'll be needing a dining table and chairs, a couch, a guest bed, a refrigerator, and more. In fact, due to space constraints, we've haven't had a toaster or microwave for over two years. I plan to get as much as I can off of the free section of craigslist or through freecycle, but some items will need to be purchased.

Last night I decided to take the dog out to potty at 11:30 PM when I realized he probably had to go, even though he hadn't asked. It was odd...I'm not usually that generous and I make my husband do it. One of our favorite neighbors was moving out this week, and was throwing things away in the dumpster. We said our goodbyes and then she asked, "Hey do you need a microwave?"
"Actually, we do."
"Really?"
"Yeah, how much would you like for it?"
"Um, free."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'd rather see it go to a good home, come on up and get it."
I thanked her when I came upstairs to get the gorgeous microwave that now sits in my living room, waiting to make its journey to the new house. It's saving us $100, and it's helping me to mitigate my fears. I'm not going to have to empty my bank account for creature comforts. Everything's going to be okay.

House-sitting is Going to Save me Money

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Sat, 21 May 2011 21:36:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

This week we've been house-sitting for some friends, and it's been a great experience. I love their dog, and it's nice to be in a different space sometime. They also have something we don't have that I'd officially like to....a microwave.

Yes, I've lived over two years without a microwave. That's nothing new for me, though; when I was a kid, our microwave broke and my mom refused to fix it. I've never noticed it as a need. I can pop fresh popcorn on the stove and I just plan ahead.

This morning, I had a micro-ephiphany. I was wandering the aisles of Trader Joe's, and realized that even though I think of TJ's as more of a specialty niche store, I could actually use it to save money, if we have a microwave.

My husband and I work eight hour shifts that begin early in the morning. We're lucky to grab a quick early meal, and by the time we realize it, we're past famished. This usually results in the uber bad habit of stopping for fast or fastish food on the way home which can easily ramp up to ten or fifteen dollars for lunch a few times a week.

If I go to Trader Joes and pick up several pre-made frozen or refrigerated microwaveable meals, we can just head straight home. We'd be eating within the same amount of time, and knocking at least a third of the cost off the top.

I figure if we get a decent microwave, we'll be able to pay for it with food savings within two-three months. Today is pulled pork sliders with mac & cheese. I could get used to this.

Moment of Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:05:00 +0000

by Andi B.

With (supposedly) one week until closing on our house, I was standing at the top of the hill waiting for my dog to relieve himself and reflecting on my life. My father passed away eight days after I turned 18. I was lucky enough to have a father that I could respect. He was firm, followed through on his word, and made sure I knew he was proud of me before he died.

For a long time I've wondered if he'd be still be proud of me. I know my life hasn't turned out the way I expected, let alone the way he may have hoped. For some reason as I stood at that hill and my dog refused to go to the bathroom I realized he still would be. My life is simple, I love my husband and my stubborn dog, but more than that, I'm happy. I know how truly blessed I am.

I don't measure my life in dollar signs or the number of zeros in my bank account. I measure it in fresh-baked bread and half-baked ideas. I know that he'd appreciate my entrepreneurship with MealPlanRescue.com, my willingness to put myself out there on this blog. I invest myself in my family. I kick arse and take names. I am my father's daughter.

Keeping your life simple is never an easy task. There's always more things to buy, a new gadget, something's wearing out. Prioritizing makes it easier. Being able to cook dinner for my family is a priority. I could work more hours to pay for a nicer place, but I couldn't necessarily still care for my family the same way. It's amazing how defining what you care about can make all the other static melt away.

One of my favorite personal exercises is:

Write down the three things you want out of life.
Write down what you need to have those three things.
Write down what interferes with what you want.

What is your moment of reflection?

Yakezie Swap: What would you do if you were homeless?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:00:00 +0000

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This is a blog swap chain letter organized through the Yakezie network. There are 4 stops. Check out my post "A Homeless Plan to Guard Against Hopeless" at the next stop!

The following is a blog-swap guest post by CT, who formerly co-created Broke Professionals and now blogs about his freelance business and blogging at FreelancePF.com; CT's personal finance blog is debtpayer.com.

For this Yakezie BlogSwap, we had to state what we would do if we were homeless to try and get out of that situation. I decided to write it as first-person narrative fiction. I hope that makes it a little more interesting, although I feel nervous writing about a subject I do not know about. What I realized while writing this is just how difficult of a predicament this would be to get out of. And yet it is something that faces a higher percentage of our population than we would ever care to believe. Please comment on what you would do in that situation.

I wake up to the smell of piss. My metropolitan jail stretches out above me in towering skyscapers--where those who still have jobs will soon be starting their day of work. I view it all through windburnt eyes.

I start up 34th and hope for a miracle. People either cross the road to avoid me or walk fast while looking away. I am a spector--one of many. The numbers are increasing every day.

How did I get here? The question is too complex and time is the only commodity I have. It can't be wasted. You'll just assume I'm an addict or a mental case anyway. The more important question is how do I get out?

Who's going to hire me? Who would give me an interview? What options do I have?

It's almost summer now and that's good. I should stop walking to save calories--but what else is there to do? I can't stay in one place too long before I start getting bothered. My gut no longer rumbles. It knows the drill.

As I walk I see so many people.

What is it about this city? It's as though everyone became convinced there is nowhere else to live. What promise does it hold for them? The promise from past glory pays out less than the lottery. I know it because in that way I am like this town. Maybe I should save up what I can and move west.

Underneath a highrise where I use to live--and near where I used to work--I sit down and start contemplating my options. Here's the way I see it:

I can go to a shelter.

I can go to the government offices and review my options.

I can sit out with a cup and hope for some quarters to drop.

I can beg for jobs--perhaps offer to work for some charity to start. Save up for some clothes and shower in a public sink. Do my best to score an interview and start making an "honest" living. I just need a few things to go right. If I want back onto the grid I will have to take action.

The libraries offer free computers and internet. That might be a consideration. It's better then what I have going right now. I look as homeless as I am and I do not have a hidden singing voice. Expectations must be kept to a minimum.

I trudge back to wear I woke up and am glad to make it through another day. I huddle in my corner and think about previous lives. Then I reflect on this one: a lonely life amongst the masses. But not without hope.

Saving on a Wedding: Dollar Store

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:16:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

by Andi B.

According to the knot, the average cost of a 150-person wedding in the United States is $25,000. Saving on a Wedding is our series on how to have a beautiful wedding on a tightwad budget.

Yesterday I was with a friend, shopping for wedding supplies at the Dollar Tree. While a wedding is a once in a lifetime (hopefully) day, you don't have to pay for that wedding for the rest of your lifetime. A dollar store is one way you can keep your budget in check. Items we saw yesterday:

Favor Boxes
Candy (They had special wedding buttermints that said "Thank you for sharing our special day.")
Cake Topper
Card Box
Baskets
Vases
Ring Pillow
Faux Flower Petals
Ribbon
Tulle
Bags
Even Garter Belts

Some of these items were even 50 cents. Many of these same items were five times as expensive at the local craft store. If you're willing to be a DIY bride and have a few friends to help out, you can save literally thousands of dollars on your wedding.

Let's take favor boxes as an example. A package of 12 favor boxes at the dollar store cost $4.00 at a craft store. For a 150-person wedding that means you can spend $13 or $52. Each of these expenses begin to add up. Utilizing the dollar store may require a measure of simplicity in your affair, or some creativity on your part to get exactly what you want, but the cost benefits are far and away worth it.

It Can't Be That Expensive

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Image by sarflondondunc via Flickr

by Andi B.

Due to a personal baby scare last month, the cost of raising kids has been on my mind. Last year, the results were astounding. A middle income family could be expected to pay a little over $286,000 from birth to "outta my house." A high income family (over $98,000 before taxes) should expect to shell out over $475,000. This does not register for me.

First of all, I don't see at any point why the child costs more based on your income. That sounds like "childstyle inflation" to me. The child doesn't cost more because Nordstrom's Rack is beneath you.

Now some of this may sound snarky because I am not a mom, so I asked the person who I go to when I have a frugal parenting question...my mom, because I know my folks loved me, but they didn't quarter of a million dollars love me.

My mother reminded me that many expenses add up: food, clothes, field trips, and more. However, she also said that the amount of money spent on those items can be a matter of choice. For example, when kids are having rapid growth spurts it makes sense to buy clothes secondhand.

So I'm writing a baby emergency plan, and no, this has nothing to do with Dave Ramsey. This is a straight up "pull in case of baby" fire drill. Diapers, clothes, food, field trips, daycare, music lessons. Anything and everything I can plan on, I'm going to. My poor husband has no idea what's about to hit him.

And don't try to steal "childstyle inflation." You know it's awesome.

Restaurant.com 80% Off (+ BONUS) Killer Deal Expires Today

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:03:00 +0000

by Andi B.

If you jump on Restaurant.com and apply code "BLOOM" to your checkout, you can get 80% off your gift certificate. That means a $25 g.c. will only cost you $2!! But it expires today, April 14, 2011. For a total bonus, you can also get 15% cash back if you link through Ebates.com, reward points if you link through MyPoints.

Our $117 Playstation 3

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:03:00 +0000

by Andi B.

Thank you to Free Money Finance for hosting the Festival of Frugality and featuring this post!

Yes, you read that right. My husband finagled a PS3 for a grand total of $117. Last year, our anniversary present to each other was an Xbox360. We bought the 360 in a bundle pack and "saved" about $100. When my husband started talking about how great a PS3 is for its Blu Ray player, I just gave him the raised eyebrow.

A few months ago we were talking to a friend who was given a PS3 with a broken Blu Ray drive. He purchased the drive for $60 and repaired it. I looked at my husband and said, "I'm okay with that, but I'm not spending $300 for another gaming system."

So three weeks ago, my husband asked if he could purchase his co-workers PS3. "It has a broken drive and he only wants $60 for it." Around this time of year our xbox live accounts are due at a cost of $110. I can live without playing games with my family in California (almost), but I can't live without netflix. The Playstation allows access to services like netflix without an additional account charge. After my husband said that the drive would run $57, I told him to run with it. We were going to spend a little over $100 whether it was on xbox live accounts, a roku type player for netflix, or on this PS3.

Two weeks later, the drive arrived. Two days and several youtube videos later, my husband stood up, put his hands in the air and shouted "Steve Holt!" which meant success. We now have a completely working PS3...for a whopping $117. We were lucky that the timing aligned to allow us to purchase it, and that my husband is electronically handy.

I was struck by how frugality can mean being willing to take a risk. A lot of people wouldn't want to attempt what my husband did, but I guess when you want something bad enough and your wife gives you the eyebrow, you'll try almost anything.

Buying a Bank-Owned Home Requires Infinite Patience

noreply@blogger.com (a.b.) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 05:30:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So I just wanted to keep you guys updated, since you've been so gracious about hanging in there with me. Putting an offer in on a bank-owned home is an exercise in patience. Even though they expect you to respond to any issues within 30 hours, they take two weeks to think about anything you send them...and then they think about responding.

Two weeks after we put in an offer, we received a pretty pitiful counteroffer, but we took it because we were in competition for limited government funds for a down payment assistance program. It was a great little cottage on a third of an acre. It needed a roof patch, the floors refinished, but that was what the special program was about; the county would have contributed funds as part of a 0% loan, deferred until the sale of the property.

I actually got excited about the house. Big mistake. Within ten minutes of the county inspector coming to look at our house I knew we were done. Apparently any lead paint has to be completely abated in the strictest of standards. Any wood that had lead paint on it would have to be removed, from the window trim, to the built-ins, to the kitchen cabinets, to the siding. It would have been cheaper to completely rebuild the house.

So we had to walk away. As wonderful as the house was, as excited as we were about making a life there, it was no longer economically feasible. We could have spent a couple hundred dollars to confirm there was or wasn't lead, but at some point you're throwing good money after bad. Don't worry, we were within the inspection period and will be receiving our earnest money back shortly.

The frustrating part for us was the time we wasted. We literally spent almost a month trying to get into a sales agreement to have it fall apart in 10 minutes. However, I shall not be deterred!

So we went looking again and found a different house. I could have been a snob and refused to look at this one because it's a manufactured home, but it's a really incredible property. It's in a highly desirable area, closer to our family, work, and church. The bank will get our offer on Monday, so keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully we'll be in our new home by June, whether it's this one or another.

This deal can still go down in flames, too. As a manufactured home, it needs to have a special certification for lending. The hardest part about this whole process has been trying to find a house that we like without getting attached, especially because I want to picture us living somewhere, fixing things up, having barbecues and parties, but if I do, I risk severe disappointment.

Infinite patience, I'm telling you.

We Made An Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:43:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So this morning we put in an offer on a house. We've been attempting the house-hunting process essentially since September with limited to no success, but I'm really hopeful that this will be the end of our journey...at least the "find a house" stage.

There is nothing sane about buying a house in the current financial industry. When we lived in Vegas we knew we had no business buying a house, but no one cared and kept trying to sell us million-dollar condos. (Because they were only going to keep going up in value and we were going to be priced out of EVER getting a home.) We did everything right, and now when we've gone to buy a home we've been pooped on at every turn by a mortgage industry attempting to look intelligent.

Luckily, we have a wonderful broker and excellent realtor who have really gone out of their way to make our home buying happen. We're attempting to use funds from a special down payment assistance program, but there's a whopping four loans available for the entire county! We really need those funds so if you can keep a good thought for us we'd really appreciate it. :)

So we tried to put an offer in on "the" house, but someone else got their first. We found another house, that meets all of our qualification (although not all our dreams), and it's within our price range. A little dollhouse on a large lot that still looks like it's in 1950, it needs some work, but has a lot of potential. It will take at least a week for the bank to decide if they want to take our offer, so I'll keep you posted.

The Strangest Things Make Me Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:55:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So today I realized grocery shopping makes me happy. Who knew? I've been incredibly stressed out with house hunting, preparing to launch Meal Plan Rescue, and once the dog puked on the carpet I had to get out of the house. Luckily, I needed to grocery shopping. As I walked back and forth through the aisles I felt an odd sense of calm. Everything around me was going crazy, but everything started to coalesce from random aisles and sales into meals and days and evenings with friends. I didn't even really care that I got a wedgie on the second aisle.

Luckily the grocery store buzz lasted through when I got home and discovered the garbage disposal broke and the sink was backing up. It's been a day, to say the least.

I wonder what other random things make people happy.

No more clues...we have a winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:07:00 +0000

by Andi B.

After clues that led to additional responses of "couponing" and "a shopping list" came, Judy got the closest with "having a plan." My friend and I are launching a company on March 1st that offers seasonal weekly meal plans to the public for $5-8 a month. Each week, a meal plan based on healthy, in-season produce, containing 7 dinners and a dessert appears in your inbox. A shopping checklist is included for total convenience. We will have a vegetarian option, and plans designed around store sales to save you the most money.

So for guessing the closest, Judy Lee will receive a 3-month subscription to her choice of meal plans, and for guessing a shopping list (which is part of the plan) Crystal will get a 1-month subscription to a meal plan of her choice.

Over the next couple weeks we'll preview some of our favorite website features and tastiest recipes building up to our grand launch of Meal Plan Rescue, LLC. Thank you for your support!

Super Secret, Wonderful, Money-Saving Project and Giveaway Second Clue

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Modern Tightwad) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:35:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So far we've had some great guesses on our Super Secret, Wonderful, Money-Saving Project and Giveaway. Crystal from Budgeting in the Fun Stuff guessed cooking, food or grocery shopping, and Patti guessed cooking. The next clue is:

There's something important you should do before you go to the grocery store.

Super Secret, Wonderful, Money-Saving Project and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (a.b.) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:17:00 +0000

by Andi B.

So Modern Tightwad has been a bit quiet because we've been working on a super secret, wonderful, money-saving project. Our project can help anyone save money and be healthier. If you can guess what it is, you'll get a free crack at it. In fact, the person who comes closest will.

Here are the hints:
1. We all spend money on it.
2. We all wish we took a healthier approach.
3. Most people wish they were as good at it as their mother.
4. You get something every Wednesday and Sunday that helps you with it.

We'll add another hint everyday until someone gets it or we launch.

Modern Tightwad

The Great Pellet Stove Purchase

7 Things I Stopped Spending Money On

When the "frugal" solution still costs

My Secret Obsession

Is Black Friday all it's cracked up to be?

Totally Money Carnival: Scared Straight Edition

It's Simple Choices

Expense vs. Cost

Sometimes Expenses are Guided by the Heart

A House Is Just the Beginning

Packing!

Setting Aside Fear

House-sitting is Going to Save me Money

Moment of Reflection

Yakezie Swap: What would you do if you were homeless?

Saving on a Wedding: Dollar Store

It Can't Be That Expensive

Restaurant.com 80% Off (+ BONUS) Killer Deal Expires Today

Related articles

Our $117 Playstation 3

Buying a Bank-Owned Home Requires Infinite Patience

We Made An Offer

The Strangest Things Make Me Happy

No more clues...we have a winner!

Super Secret, Wonderful, Money-Saving Project and Giveaway Second Clue

Super Secret, Wonderful, Money-Saving Project and Giveaway