HisHersMoney

Being a frugal family buying new “toys” isn’t something that is front and foremost in our minds, but sometimes it just happens. Our new gadget is a Breville Juicer. I shopped around online for it to compare capabilities, reviews and prices. We ended up choosing this model which had a larger motor, more speeds and the fact that all the pieces were dishwasher safe!   

When we had narrowed it down to a few models we then turned to price. The Breville Ikon model seemed to be at a good price point in the market and the cost didn’t vary too much depended on where we bought it. We bought ours from SurLaTable which had a good price and had a store locally which meant we could drive right over and pick it up. No shipping costs and no waiting because they had it in stock.

So far for fruit juices we have made fresh orange juice which was so delicious, orange and strawberry juice and mixed fruit juice with oranges, apples and strawberries. FOr vegetable juices I made a carrot juice yesterday which was surprisingly yummy and we have also made a celery, cilantro and lime juice which I put too much lime in and a tomato, celery and carrot juice which I put too much tomato in.

A few adjustments are ongoing as to the balance between the fruits a vegetables but so far most everything has been really good. I foresee a future with lots of fresh fruits and veggies making their way to my home from costco!

Let me tell you, being strapped for cash totally bites the big one! The whole goal of living our frugal lifestyle is so that we won’t have to live paycheck to paycheck and yet, here we are, looking forward to pay day like the day will never get here quick enough.

We recently posted that we were buying a ski condo share in Colorado, Steamboat to be exact. Well we are actually buying a portion of a ski condo for $18,500 plus a few hundred in closing costs. We are paying cash for the condo which means we had to raid every account we owned to come up with the money. Not only our joint accounts but the individual savings accounts that we had from before we got married this past fall.

Well, we scraped together the cash. We were able to hold off on cashing in the savings bonds and scraping the bottom of all the barrels thanks to a $2700 tax refund which arrived prior to the closing date which was today.

We finalized the offer about three weeks ago and knew the amount we had to come up with so we have been in a cash is King mode ever since. Every time we even spend a dollar on groceries it required thought as to how it affected our bottom line and our ability to pay for the condo.

Once we were under contract we had our $2500 earnest payment on the line and we weren’t walking away from that. We also weren’t going to run up our credit card or get a loan so cash was the only way to go.

So, how did we do? The cash was wired to the title company yesterday in full and closing went through today without a hitch. Condo done.

Our living expenses while we pulled together the cash on the other hand were tight and I have to say we really didn’t do a very good job at “cutting back” during this time. In fact, our effort lacked all commitment on both of our parts! We ended up with about $550 put on the credit card this month. There are a couple grocery charges, a few eating out and social bills as well as a $200 Breville Juicer that I had to have (post to come).

We plan on paying off the bill before any interest is charged but it just means when we get back on our feet with our paychecks it will be another month before we get back ahead of the game and stop living paycheck to paycheck. Our lesson learned here is that we wish we had a bit more in savings because now our savings is cleaned out and we are starting from scratch but it’s also another opportunity to do the right thing.

The best part: we own a ski condo free and clear!!!

Just opened up a bottle Chimay Ale (Red). In case you haven’t heard of it before, Chimay’s origins reside with the Trappist monks of Chimay Belgium. It’s made from historical methods and ingredients even though they use modern technology alongside. Some friends had gotten it when we were out this past week and it was the first time I had tried it. Fairly appalling was the price at the bar. $28 for a 750ML bottle, or roughly double or more the price of a regular beer.

I happened to see it at a wine store this weekend when HERS and I were walking around Annapolis, MD after going for a drive with the top down to enjoy the nice weather. I decided to purchase a bottle after seeing the much more reasonable price of $10.49. For an occasional drink of a special variety for about the price of a bottle of wine, this is good value in my opinion and I’m looking forward to trying more of the Chimay offerings.

So a little over a week ago was that most American of holidays, Valentines’ Day. The hype machine of America is in full force telling our lovely ladies that they MUST have fancy dinners, chocolate, flowers, and who know what else bought for them. Now don’t get me wrong. I fully go along with this just like most every other male that’s involved in a relationship. And I have to admit it’s kind of nice to have a day set aside every year to be romantic. Sometimes we men forget about that sort of thing. So in the spirit of the occasion I made reservations for Hers and I at CityZen, one of the more well-respected eating establishments here in the DC Metro area.

Chef Eric Ziebold is relatively young for the industry but has already made a name for himself as a master of food. Hers had been wanting to go there ever since we started dating. I am not what I would consider a ‘foodie’ but Hers and I go out to a nice meal probably at least every two to three months so I appreciate the additional service and treats that are part of the fine-dining experience. The entrance to the restaurant is mostly hidden inside the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in downtown DC. There is no street or public parking available so it’s either hob a cab ride or use the valet, which is $7 if you are eating dinner. So still cheaper than the probably $18 or so cab ride from our apartment.

Once inside, you walk past a little seating nook that is part of the bar and are met at the end of the bar by a host, asking if you have reservations or are going to sit at the bar. Note that this is no ordinary bar, the menu is a prix-fixe three course meal that is still more expensive that the majority of restaurants out there and there is still a dress code as well. We had reservations and were escorted back to the private dining area that I assume is normally for larger parties or for a chefs’ table when Mr. Ziebold is doing that.

Originally I had wanted to do the six-course meal along with wine pairings. However the extreme price ($125 a head just for the food portion) along with the fact that Hers didn’t find some of the options appetizing made us choose the $75 a head, three course option. We were started off with a wonderful little amuse bouche and a few options of different kinds of bread and butter, all of which was delicious. I forget exactly what either of us had ordered as appetizers but I had Emerald Farms Rabbit Loin
Braised Swiss Chard, Anson Mills White Grits and Hers had Paupiette of Stoltzfus Ranch Nature Fed Veal, Russet Potato Gnocchi Gratin, Arrowleaf Spinach and Périgord Truffles for the main entrees. Dessert was whipped brie and black truffle for myself and a chocolate-filled soufflé for Hers.

Overall the food was well prepared and the service was excellent also. For those kind of prices I hope you get well taken care of. However we both thought that the food acould have been seasoned a little more and been a bit more adventurous. I want to taste things unusual and exciting when I have a meal like this. The rabbit I thought was by far the best part of the meal as it was just so tender and flavorful. In the end we were both overly stuffed and satisfied, but left wanting more out of it. So we probably won’t be back anytime soon. There are some other restaurants locally where you get almost the quality of food at about 1/6th of the price. It wasn’t a bad experience, just not good value.

We are currently trying a cash only system in order to help save us money. Whether it works or not we’ll see over the next two months. Our plan is to take a certain amount of money out in cash every two weeks and then have to live on it.

We started out with $200 last Sunday and currently have $35 left. I don’t have the exact amounts of what everything cost but here’s pretty decent estimates of where it went so far:

Rx and vitamins $16

Sunday morning breakfast $15

Tip for valet $5

groceries $50

eyebrow wax $12

Dry cleaning (we had a lot this week) $35

Sushi take out $32

So far I think we are doing ok but I’m not sure how the $35 is going to last us all week but I’m sure we’ll survive. I think our long term plan will be to go with $150 a week which needs to include food, misc expenses and entertainment but this week we had an expensive meal out for Valentines day which we used the debit card for so we left more in the account.

I will leave HIS to post about the valentines dinner and other valentines related info.

Today is Black Friday which should mean some of the greatest retail deals of the year. I have to say I’m not overly impressed. I did find a great deal at my favorite clothing store Martin & Osa. An additional 30% off even on top of sale and clearance prices. I picked up a great cashmere and soy sweater. I have a blue one already and wear it both to work and out and about casually. It is so comfortable and fits great. Normally $70 and I got it today for $21. I also picked up a tee and two tanks to wear under my sweaters. Shipping was free so my total cost was about $35.

I looked around both online and in the flyers and really didn’t see anything else we needed or that was on the Christmas list that was a great deal. Him found a computer game that he wanted that was on sale for $10 with free shipping from Best Buy so we picked that up as a stocking stuffer.

I was surprised to see that a ski jacket that I bought from Sports Authority a couple of weeks ago was actually more expensive today even though it was on the cover of there Black Friday ad. Just goes to show that you really need to know your prices before shopping.

I saw on the tv this morning that they were giving a few holiday tips. Some of which were basic: wear comfortable shoes, duh. But a couple were good tips: If you find what you want buy it now and keep all of your reciepts so if the price comes down you can get a price adjustment.

I am basically done all of my xmas shopping and stayed pretty close to budget. Him and I budgeted $225 each for each other and I came within 10% so that works for me. We ordered some photo albums from MyPublisher online with some pictures of us to give to family which included engagement and wedding pictures so those will be going out to the parents and grandparents. We shopped ahead of time with them and got 50% off.

Other than that there are just a few small things I might need to pick up such as office gifts but nothing that will break the budget. We put away $25 every two weeks into our INGDirect savings account so the money was ready and waiting for us when it came time to shop!

I am not a fan of Whole Foods, I just don’t find what I’m looking for and personally won’t pay their prices. In the Northern Virginia area we have many food stores to choose from, my favorite being Harris Teeter. It can be pricey but I just shop the sales and they have great sales. This week I just stopped in for s few things that we needed that were the best deals. We had already picked up most of food items in another trip so this was a special trip just for some sales items.

The store is only a mile from the house so I don’t have to spend a ton of gas to go over there to take advantage of the sales. This weeks items:

2 – 409 Granite Cleaner Reg Price $3.39 Sale Price 2.00 $1 off two Coupon = $1.50 each ($3.00)

2 – 409 Multi-Surface Granite Cleaner Reg Price $3.39 Sale Price 2.00 $1 off two Coupon = $1.50 each ($3.00)

2 – Green Giant Box Veggies Reg Price $1.99 Sale Price 1.00 ($2.00)

2 – Electrosol 20 pack Dishwasher Tablets Reg Price $5.49 Sale Price 2.50 $2.25 off each Coupon = $0.25 each ($.50)

4 – Goldfish Bags Reg Price $2.19 Buy 1 Get 1 Free = $1.09 / $1.10 each ($4.38)

Total Bill = $15.73 Savings $16.94

Obviously the Dishwasher Tablets were the biggest deal this week, $0.25 a package! We we’re currently running low but I couldn’t pass them up. I was in need of the 409 cleaner and will use the extra ones in the future.

When we go grocery shopping we don’t go empty handed. We have a list, our coupons and a plan. This weekend’s grocery shopping trip is an excellent example of what our bill looks like. This is for two people and we are not starting from scratch as we have things in the freezer / pantry / fridge at home already that we are augmenting. I look at what’s on sale, what coupons I have and what we need.

This week’s trip was to Safeway but we don’t always shop there. It all depends on who has the rights things on sale that week.

• Ketchup $.99
• Cheez-Its $1.47
• Cranergy Juice $2.50
• Canned Cat Food 6 – $.33 each
• Kraft Cheese Singles – 2 – $1.50 each
• FF Half & Half $4.49
• Yummy mini ice creams 2 – $1.00 each
• Limeade $1.25
• Duracell 8pk AA $2.49
• Men’s Shave Gel $1.50
• OM Hotdog – 3pks for $1 total
• Lean Hamburger $6.11 for 4.8lbs
• Jumbo Raw Shrimp $5.39 for 0.9lbs
• Green Onion $0.99
• Ginger Root $0.25
• Cinlantro $0.99
• Beer 24pk $12.99 (July 4th parties)

Our total was $50.24 and obviously the beer at $13 was the biggest item but with July 4th parties coming up next weekend we grabbed it at a good price to bring to a big party we are attending. The shrimp was a treat for us which we will grill up for dinner and the hamburger has already been mixed up and made into hamburger patties and in the freezer for later use.

Our receipt claims that we saved $61.34 (56%) off of our bill which in fact we did but we wouldn’t have bought some of the items if they weren’t on sale and had coupons to go along with them. The hot dogs for example we couldn’t pass up at 3 Oscar Myer packs for $1, I just threw them in the freezer for later use. The same thing with the cheese slices, I’m not a huge fan of that kind of cheese but at that price I’ll make so for a couple weeks!

So as you may have read previously in this space, Hers and I will be heading to Jamaica in less than two weeks for a much-needed vacation. Neither of us has been there before and we are very much looking forward to. In order to be able to relax more we decided to go the all-inclusive route and will be staying at Sandals.

The price is most definitely not cheap. However, if we do it right and do not go adding on extras once we are there then I think it is reasonable. We get 3 meals a day and all drinks included while at the resort. Our plan is to mostly just relax on the beach or by the pool for the majority of our time there. This is not one of those vacations where we have a strict schedule of things to see. We just want to sit and enjoy each others’ company.

Now about those extras. Sandals offers everything from guided island tours, horseback riding, dinner ON the beach, and in-room massages. These are all great and obviously we would love to do them all. However, that is where most people make the mistake. They think “We’re on vacation, we should enjoy ourselves and do whatever we want!” The problem is that usually this is where they will pull out the plastic to pay for it as these were unplanned expenses on the trip. If you have things that you absolutely MUST do while on vacation make sure to budget for those expenses so that the month after you get back there is not a huge charge on your credit card that you can’t remember what it was for.

Once we return from our trip I’ll share with everybody how well we were able to limit our expenses.

So in our lovely new apartment I finally have a room to myself to call an office. It’s actually our second bedroom which is quite spacious. We also have an office area which is a smaller alcove which HIS uses an office. I decided I would like a tv for my office space in hopes that I would spend a bit more time getting stuff done in there if I had a tv.

Now, there’s many options available to me to procure said tv. I could go to the mega mart and by a shiny new flat panel tv which would cost a fortune but that’s really not in my budget nor is there really any reason to go that route. We do have a nice new flat panel tv in our living room and that’s really all if not more than we need.

So I went onto craigslist today and simply searched for a tv for sale. Let me tell you, there were a ton of them! With everyone getting their new mega mart slat panels it seems there are a ton of those old fashioned tube tvs out there for just pennies on the dollar. I got a 27″ name brand tv with a dvd player, a stand and all the necessary cords for $75. I am more than pleased. The guy even carried it from his apartment to the elevator and then out to the car for us. This tv will more than fill my need and I paid about 10% of the cost of a new one.

I really do like craigslist and have gotten a number of things off of it. Most notably my KitchenAid stand mixer which was always a dream of mine. I was so happy the day it became a reality for me especially since I got it for only $100. I have also sold a couple tickets on there that we were unable to use as well as a spare dining table and chairs. I also got my wedding dress on craigslist for only $260! Brand new, never worn and it fit nearly perfect requiring only $75 in alterations (I found the women who did my alterations on craigslist as well). We also have gotten a bike rack for the car and sold a nearly new cell phone.

No matter what I am looking for I always turn to craigslist first! If you can find what you want it’s almost always worth it.