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Archive for June, 2009

The accidental frugalist

June 28th, 2009 at 04:32 am

Sometimes you go with the best of intentions, and things don't work out. Then other times you aren't even trying, and things just fall into place.

The above was certainly the case tonight. I went to the local Safeway with the plan of getting the 10 bottles for 80 cents each sale (the store is less than a mile away, so I can go just for sales). I had two buy one, get one free coupons, so I figured... 8 X 80 cents is $6.40 + tax (for 10). Not great, but I wasn't in the best mood, and just wanted to spend a little on something I thought I would like.

When I got there I found four bottles of Propel that had coupons on them, so I picked them up as part of my purchase. At the register the on bottle coupons doubled, and the lady used the original price for the amount off of my BOGOF coupons (instead of the sale price). At the end I paid $1.04 (4 Sobe, 4 Propel, 2 Fuze). The lady at the register said "wow" four times. I was afraid she was going to redo everything because I was paying too little. Its weird how these things work sometimes.

How much do I really need to save?

June 25th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

Here is an interesting article dealing with some people saving too much for retirement.

Text is How much is too much? and Link is http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2009/06/25/how_much_is_enough_for_retirement_consider_whats_important_in_your_life/
How much is too much?
While I can feel there can never be too much saved for retirement, it does make the point that you need to enjoy your money a bit, if you have it to enjoy of course. Before I used to think that if I kept saving as I did, once I hit 50 I at least wouldn't feel like I had to be saving more. I would have enough that as long as I wasn't wasteful I would be fine. Now I'm not so sure about that time frame (for the obvious reasons). My home should still be paid off for before I hit 50, so thats good.

Anyway, after saving so hard for a few years, and knowing that I have a solid job now and semi solid savings, I would be happy to splurge a little, but there is so little I want now, and no one to enjoy it with, eh - what am I to do? No crying here, but sheesh, boy do I feel out of sync with society as a whole.

I expect to be single a very long time.

June 22nd, 2009 at 10:00 pm

Damn, if that isn't a depressing title, I don't know what is. As has been reported here by other single guys, meeting single women with, well shall we say common sense and some manners, is so near impossible that it really has effected me mentally this past month. (oh, plus the fact I was going through the dirt and junk of my father's estate this weekend didn't help.)

Before this month I just concentrated on family issues and meeting someone was sorta outta sight, outta mind, which seemed to work for me. But with my life getting back to normal (finally) it is just getting to me being alone all the time, and this time its affecting much more than it ever did. You go online at these match making sites and all you get is obvious scams its ridiculous. I hear its the same for women, but I just don't buy it. And worse, I live in a supposed area of many more single women than single guys. Really? Are they part of the packs of girls doing their best Valley Girl impersonations in the malls while they spend, spend, spend? If so, man, shoot me now.

And to end this on a somewhat better point of view, I have been trying to keep up the with P90X regimine (see my last post) and now I splurged on one (and only one!) of their high priced recovery drink mix canisters. I'll be trying it this week and coming back with a review. And btw, I have lost almost 10 pounds in two weeks, and there is starting to show signs of the workouts.

Well wish me luck, I haven't given up yet. Is expecting a reasonable woman my age too much to ask?

Save some money, cut your grass

June 13th, 2009 at 03:57 am

Boy, its been a long time since I wrote anything here. Alot of crud going on in my life, and that sort of leads to the title of this. While I was out cutting the grass tonight, I did what I always do, sorta get into a mental zone, let my body go on autopilot to do the work, and let my mind go through a little self analysis. OK, maybe a lot. Anyway, as I was going over the mess of my life at the moment, I realized this is probably much more productive than going to a psychiatrist (Actually I am very much against going to one, unless you have severe problems ... but that is MHO). And of course the cost is $0 too.

My alternate title for this was going to be "I'm living in a Billy Joel song". Basically the song is (and I'm guessing the title here) "Only the good die young". Everyone "good" in my life in the past year has either died or gotten very ill. Not looking for sympathy, but really, for so many years I had so little of this go on close to me, and then wow, WTF happened? OK, I gotta stop going down this road.

One last thing - not to be an advertisement, but if you are looking at workout routines, and see the one called P90X, OMG is that insane. I thought I was in, well... maybe passable shape. After doing this for a few days I feel like a wimp. If you're not in so-so shape don't try it - I think they have an easier (and older) version called P90. Thats good to get started - I was using that as I found it at a yard sale last year. If I can keep up with this P90X, even if I don't do it as hard as they make it out, I have to get in better shape. I'm hoping I will be able to walk ok tomorrow morning. Aghhhhhh!