Grouchy Grouchy Grouchy

So, do you ever read those wonderful money saving hints and tips that they put up on yahoo news every once in a while? For me, I always click on them, eager to see how I can save another penny or two, especially when money is tight. What do I find? Nothing. Oh, they have tips. Ones that are probably good for (I'm trying not to sound snobby here) rich city people who spend their money on $200 pairs of shoes, a latte every morning at Starbucks, and going out ot PF Changs or the Cheesecake Factory for lunch every day. Hints like, "Take a brown bag lunch", "Drink tap water instead of bottled water", "skip your morning latte and drink regular coffee", "carpool", and other wonderful tips to help funnel your spending money into savings. Some people are so spoiled and don't even realize it. Of COURSE they can save money! Live like I do, you'll be SHOVELING it in to your savings account! (For clarification, we're a long way from poverty. Between J and I, we live on about $56,000 per year, gross income.)

So, what if you don't do any of that in the first place? Give me some more hints! Ones that will work for someone who already takes lunch to work every day, not only cut out coffee but every other drink but tap water, doesn't have the luxury of carpooling most of the time, cannot FATHOM spending more than $100 on a pair of shoes on the best pair of shoes she owns and is STILL having trouble making ends meet? Where are the tricks and tips for us? I spent $22 on clothes the other day and felt REALLY BAD....even though I got two pairs of jeans and three tops that all looked AMAZING on me...for $22! But I still can't believe that I spent so much! Meanwhile, I read about women who go spend $250 on a new bikini and have to "break it to" their husbands, who tell them they deserve it. WTF?! I spent $30 on a new bikini and felt horribly indulgant. (Now, I really need a new winter coat. I have my eye on this one. I can't bare to spend the money, so I'll probably be wearing my mom's old one again this winter. I also love this one. See a trend?)

There are a few ways we could cut down. J is a fan of motors. Truck, Car, Jeep, Motorcycle....we could conceivably cut down to just one car. That would save a heck of a lot and I know it. But two of those are paid for and the bike is almost paid for. Forget walking or biking anywhere. It's 10 miles to the nearest ANYTHING. I could put up clotheslines and not run my dryer as much. But where the heck am I supposed to come up with the money for the poles and lines? I've already adjusted the thermostat - we sweat in the summer and shiver in the winter and fight the whole time. We have cut eating out almost down to 1/3 of what we did. Maybe once or twice a week, usually because we're out and about running errands in the city and it's not conceivable to drive an hour home for lunch and then back to the city again to finish our errands. We don't get massages, I don't get my hair done by a "professional", no mani/pedi morning, no weekly trip to the theatre. I have a cat. I spend a little extra money on food and water for her. She eats Friskies dry. We do not eat crab and lobster and steak. We eat a heck of a lot of hamburger, chicken, rice, veggies, etc. My mom and I canned and froze until there was no room this summer.

So tell me, how am I supposed to save money without completely depriving myself of EVERYTHING - car, an occasional meal out, etc?

WHERE ARE THE FREAKIN MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR POOR PEOPLE????