A Quarter of a Million Dollars in Eighteen Years, They Say!

We hear ALL. THE. TIME. about how darn expensive babies are. But what no one talks about is the ways babies save you money.

Yes, you read that right: Gabe has saved us money.

Say WHAT?

Let's discuss:

- I feel like stopping for Starbucks on the way to get groceries, but Gabe has fallen asleep in the backseat and I really don't feel like waking him up. Money saved weekly: $5

- I'm running into Target for some mouthwash and Spin Pins (I lost my first set and they are essential for long-haired girls!). I don't feel like dealing with a cart, so I decide to just hold Gabe and run in and out, thereby avoiding checking out the clothing department, the baby department, and every end cap clearance section. Money saved weekly: $50

- In the first month Gabe was home, we didn't go out to eat like we normally do a few times a month. Instead of our usual budget of $75 for going out to eat, we spent $15. (Okay, so this hasn't really been as gigantic of a savings in the month since, but we certainly go out to eat less since it's more of a hassle with a baby.) Money saved weekly: $20

- While running errands, I drive past a cupcake shop/Target/fun little store and instead of getting out and indulging, I drive right by - since the hassle of getting Gabe out of his car seat and back in would negate any enjoyment I find in said cupcake. (I need a roller coaster harness in my car instead of a car seat. Push a button, Gabe is strapped in. Presto.) Money saved weekly: $10

- Buying new clothes for Gabe is far more exciting than buying clothes for myself these days. I know he'll look absolutely adorable in anything without having to try it on. I, on the other hand? Not so much. Since baby clothes are cheaper than adult clothes, I can spent $30 and get him six outfits. $30 would get me maybe three shirts. (Bargain shoppers, unite!) Money saved weekly: $20

Total money saved each week: $105. 

Plus, I'm hyper-motivated to cut corners so we can afford for me to only work part-time. (Hellooo, cloth diapering while traveling.)

Here's to half-full glasses, my friends. And money-saving babies.

Why We Live in an Apartment.

 Or, Yes, I'm Married, have a Child, am in my Mid-20s, and Don't Want to Buy a House Anytime Soon.

You get married, buy a house, then you can have kids. That's the way it works, right? Or, at the very least - you buy a house right after having your first kid.

It seems unpopular to rent instead of buy, and certainly after you've married and procreated. Though many twenty-somethings are working towards the financial goal of buying a house, it's not on our radar.  We hear that we're 'throwing away money' by renting. That a house is a good investment.  That homeownership is an American dream. That Gabe deserves a yard and lots of space. I even heard someone refer to the poorer kids at a school as 'apartment dwellers.' Really?

We are in the financial position to buy a home, but have decided for many reasons that it's not something we're eager to rush into. 

Why? 

Freedom. I once had a friend who got into a great graduate program in another state, but she wasn't able to move because it didn't sell.  Aside from difficulties selling, houses (especially here in Ohio) often aren't what they used to be in terms of a solid investment. And since we're not tethered to a mortgage, we are free to easily move if Mike gets a job offer somewhere else. Or if we finally get fed up with winters in northeast Ohio.  Or if we want to spend a year in southeast Asia. We also have financial freedom to work less without a large monthly payment.

Built-In Community. We live in fairly close quarters with probably hundred other people, sharing elevators, hallways, mailboxes, and laundry rooms with them. This means our paths and lives cross daily - and we get to know the other residents over time. The little old women who sit by the mailboxes commenting on how cute Gabe is ("Oh, I wish I had a camera!" Every. Time.), the maintenance men who ask about "Mr. Gabriel," the doctor who lives on our floor, and the man who likes to tell us about his own children he raised 40 years ago. I tend to be introverted, so living in an apartment is a great way to force me to interact with others. (And enables a bit of stalking: we secretly want to be best friends with the retired guys who order fair trade coffee beans.)

We're Lazy. We don't have to do yard work, and if anything goes wrong - we just call the maintenance guys and they're here right away to fix it. Literally, right away. The service in this apartment is great! There's no sidewalk or driveway to shovel, either.

Sharing is Caring. Since we share a washer and dryer with the other residents on the floor, we don't need to buy one. And there is an exercise room in the building, so we don't need to buy (or make space for) a treadmill in our apartment. Additionally, apartment living is often seen as a 'green' choice, since more people can fit into less space. It certainly keeps us warmer in the winter, without having to turn up our heat.

Simple Living. We have less space, so we accumulate (or keep) less stuff and less to clean. This apartment is just the perfect size for us. Plus, we don't need baby monitors, because our apartment is small enough that we can just hear Gabe if he cries. And I cannot stress enough how nice it is to not worry about having an emergency fund for home repairs - like a leaky roof, plumbing problems, a broken furnace or water heater, and so on.

Location, Location, Location. Getting a large house out in the suburbs with a long commute is a popular choice, but we opted for less space in a walkable area close to Mike's school. Though we don't have a yard, there are three parks and playgrounds less than half a mile away. Not to mention the public library, a coffee shop, several restaurants, our bank, and a movie theater less than a five-minute walk from our front door. In a world that is increasingly car-centered, it is my hope that Gabe grows up where walking, not driving, to get somewhere is normal, not a novelty (or worse, something to complain about).

So, my friends, that's why we live in our little apartment. (Though our current apartment isn't quite as little as our first itty bitty shoebox.) Sure, there are things I don't like about it - the lack of recycling in our building (and schlepping our recyclables to the recycling center) and there is nowhere to for Mike to put his ping pong table (except our balcony. yep.). Renting isn't the right choice for everyone, but for us, it is.

We choose to rent; we don't have to.

Answering Questions: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Mama Edition.

What the biggest challenge you have faced in becoming a mama?

Probably the whole job thing - realizing I couldn't do it and having to quit during maternity leave. That was probably one of the hardest conversations I've ever had to have. I adored my job and co-workers, and hated to surprise them like that. I know it was the right thing to do, but it was so difficult, especially since I'm a people pleaser.

What are your favorite must-have baby products you have purchased? Any brands/items that you swear by, or are worth the money?!

I haven't actually had to purchase many things myself (thank goodness for hand-me-downs and gifts!) But our favorites are: cloth diapers, Carters and BabyGap clothes, baby wearing devices, SwaddleMe swaddles, a Medela double electric breast pump, and the Arm's Reach mini co-sleeper. 

I've written about cloth diapers before - we use mostly FuzziBunz and prefolds with covers now. I absolutely love prefolds - thanks to a reader who suggested I try them. I get a weird enjoyment in changing the prefolds.

Carters and BabyGap make the cutest baby clothes. Gabe has more clothes than he knows what to do with (I do his laundry every two weeks and his closet is still full), but if I were in the market to buy baby clothes? I'd get Carters and BabyGap. So cute, such quality, and the sizing is accurate.

We have a sling, a wrap, and a backpack-style infant carrier and I love all three. I'm able to cook, clean, and walk with Gabe. It's great!

Gabe was swaddled every night from the day he was born until a few weeks ago. SwaddleMe swaddles worked best for us because of the Velcro - swaddle blankets worked when he was very tiny, as well. Miracle Blankets are okay, but he managed to always bust out. Ninja baby!

Nothing I need to say about the Pump-in-Style except it works fabulously and I love it. (Well, I don't love it, but I tolerate it and it works incredibly well for me.)

Gabe uses this co-sleeper for the first stretch of sleep most every night, and it has been wonderful having him so close to us. If he ends up in bed with me after eating (um, every night), then it provides a nice assurance that he won't fall off the bed.

He also used his swing a lot when he was younger, likes a few toys like this, has an activity gym that he loves, a play mat, and other such baby playthings. We didn't buy any of these until after he was born - it's a trial and error of what works for us and our baby, you know?

What is one thing that surprised you about pregnancy? Most people I talk to always have a story about something nobody had ever "warned" them about!

Um, since these is a family-friendly blog, I can't say what *really* surprised me most about it (email me to ask!), but probably the whole heartburn thing. I was unprepared to have to stop eating by 7pm every night in order to be able to go to sleep without insane amounts of heartburn. I downed tons of Pepcid and even got sick from heartburn one night. Yuck. Oh, and the sleeplessness. OH! The sleeplessness. I slept better with a newborn than I did pregnant. Miserable. Oh, and the whole after-birth healing process. Lots of ouchies I didn't expect.

Did you ever fear you wouldn't love being a mom? My husband and I are going to try to get pregnant soon, and I worry that the sleepless nights, fights, exhaustion, etc. will be too much and I will blame the baby...thoughts?

I definitely didn't approach having a tiny baby with rose-colored glasses; I expected it to be hard, hard, HARD. Much like you, I expected sleep deprivation to be just about the worst EVER. In fact, towards the end of my pregnancy, while most women are complaining about feeling huge and just wanting to be done, I'd tell everyone, "I know having a tiny baby won't be easy, so I'm in no rush!"

I was scared of never having time to myself again. I was scared my relationship with Mike would be more difficult. I was scared I'd be a miserable zombie.

Honestly, though? For me, I had a fairly easy transition to motherhood, aside from the usual stuff at first - pain from birth, figuring out breastfeeding, and fearing that everything possible might be wrong with this tiny little human that you're suddenly responsible for. (And you find yourself Googling questions about a 4-day-old's poop color. Yay for the internet.)

I got in bed at 9 every night, and got out at 9 every morning - figuring that 12 hours in bed with a newborn eating every few hours equaled about eight hours of sleep. I napped a bit, but really sleep hasn't been a problem. I eventually learned to nurse lying down in the dark, and stopped sitting up using the Boppy and changing his diaper at night. It made night feedings much quicker and I hardly wake up. You just figure out what works for you and your family.

Most of the time, I look at Gabe and could never be mad at him. I think the hormones are responsible for that. There are a few times where I'm more of the, "Gabe! Go to sleep! Oh my gosh!" mindset and if I lose my patience, I hand him to Mike. And vice versa. Thank goodness for husbands, am I right?

I was actually most afraid of losing myself when I became a mother - not caring about other things or being able to talk about other things. I really didn't want to alienate non-parents with my incessant parent-talk. Thankfully, that (mostly) hasn't happened.

Good luck! :) It's an awesome, awesome ride. I promise.

What would you do differently in mommyland, now that you've had a few months of experience?

Not worry about what Gabe is or isn't doing, milestone-wise. It doesn't mean he's smart if he's doing it ahead of schedule, and it doesn't mean he's intellectually compromised if he's behind schedule. Not worry so much about how 'they' say not to do, if it makes sense to me. Figure out how to make more friends with babies! And keep in touch better with all my awesome non-baby friends (or convince them to have babies. *cough*KatieandStephen*cough*).

Just wondering if you would recommend any particular book or website that you found helpful during your pregnancy.

I didn't read about my pregnancy as much as I read about birth. Probably more than is normal. My favorites were: The Birth Book by Dr. Sears, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, and Birthing from Within (a bit hokey, but good pain-management practices). Mike also read Husband-Coached Childbirth. I know some may roll their eyes, saying you don't need to prepare for childbirth, it just happens and you have no control. That birth plans are silly. That there's no need in overthinking things.

But I cannot say enough about the books I read in preparation for Gabe's birth. I do not exaggerate when I say they changed my life. I became more of an advocate for myself and my child, I started to look more critically at things, and I gained confidence in my abilities.

Aside from the typical Baby Center emails that I poured over each week, I read, and loved, the weekly online pregnancy calendar Zero to Forty, written by the fabulous and hilarious Amalah. 

How much did having Gabe cost, including what your insurance company covered? I have universal health care so am curious!

Prenatal care: $3,831.00, of which we paid $616.93 (midwife care is cheaper than OB care, woo!) (This doesn't include a few extra ultrasounds and non-stress tests that I took before I opted out - with a copay of $40 per weekly test.)

Birth stuff: $10,012.65, of which insurance paid $7,769.85 and we paid $1,072.80. (The remaining $1,170 was billed to insurance...which I assume means they paid it? It's all a bit confusing.) Plus, a $230 hearing test in the hospital, of which we paid $31.40. The hospital bill included $3,200 for labor and delivery, $2,474 for 'room and board' for one night, $29.35 for Motrin I took every 6 hours, $627.00 for 'supplies' like mesh panties for me and diapers for Gabe, and $67.00 for lab work. I had a normal, uncomplicated, unmedicated birth and we left 36 hours after Gabe was born. So, this is pretty much the cheapest hospital births can come!

(We also paid $150 for a 12-week childbirth class and $35 for a breastfeeding class - both great investments!)

Hi there! Thanks for an awesome blog :) I was just curious (and I know you've addressed this before) about how you budgeted etc to plan for Gabe's arrival. Its so confusing knowing where to start and how much baby related things cost!

Hi! Thanks. :) Oh, budgets. Yes, yes. They are important. About a year ago, I wrote a post with lots of details about how we spend (and save!) our money. Anticipating the arrival of Gabe, we were able to save $10,000 last year. A pretty big feat since that's more than a quarter of our combined income. (Whenever I feel poor, I remind myself that the average household income in the US is just above $50,000. So, we're not that far off. Anyway.) We generally tend to live fairly simple, but I also keep track of our spending with Mint and PearBudget. Some months I'm quite vigilant with this, and other months I just keep a lose watch on things.

As far as how much baby things cost, I think it's more about how much you want to spend. I've written before about how we keep things simple (and cheap!) when it comes to Gabe. We've spent less than $200 on things for Gabe. (Not counting maternity clothes. How sad is that?) We are lucky in that my mom watches Gabe for free (only for his first year, next year we have to figure out how we're going to pay for child care...let's not talk about it right now), which is a huge relief on our wallet. Many couples I know are in a financial position to spend hundreds on the nursery, hundreds on a 'travel system,' and hundreds on a crib. We just didn't want to, and were lucky to have family and friends who hooked us up with hundreds of dollars worth of hand-me-downs. Some may shudder at the thought of used baby things, but not us!

Got a question for me? Ask away!

Etsy, Starbucks, and a Shiny New Job!

Well. It's been an unexpectedly interesting few days around here. I interviewed, got, and negotiated a higher pay for a new part-time job and gave my two-weeks notice at Starbucks in the last 48 hours. It's a perfect job for me right now: double the pay, 20 hours a week, flexible scheduling, and weekends, holidays, and summers off.  Plus, it's at a high school, so it lines up nicely with my experience thus far.

I'm sad to leave my fun coworkers and endless supply of delicious beverages, but I am excited for this new adventure! It's really an amazing find - in my 'field,' fits around my schedule, and only 20 hours a week. I'll still have time to pursue my creative endeavors - which are keeping me fairly busy right now. I'm designing four blogs, two wedding invitations, two custom greeting card orders, and have booked my first photography gig, a trash the dress session! I'm so, so excited, you guys.

Since I had a little job update, I figured I'd answer some of the job-related questions I got from this post.

I want to know more about your Starbucks job and how you like working and being a full time mommy too. I bring my 3 month old to work with me so most days I think I have the best of both worlds but some days are harder than others.

Starbucks isn't a bad job for a mom, since I can plan my schedule around Mike's availability - which makes child care an non-issue. I have a lot to say about the job itself - the good, bad, and the ridiculous. That will be a post on its own. Bottom line: It's a fun job and involves a lot of caffeine. But also, some demanding customers. Being a part-time working mom is a great balance for me. I have something to do and contribute to outside of motherhood, but still spend most of my time with Gabe. I absolutely love it.

tell the truth: with all the talk about budgets and frugal living and working for little pay at starbucks, i'd be curious to know if you guys are getting financial help from your parents.

At first, I was quite offended by this question. Mike and I worked so hard to save money last year, and make a lot of sacrifices to be able to work less now that we have Gabe. I don't just talk about living simply on my blog because it upholds some sort of image I want to project. Living simply is far from glamourous, actually. It involves more cooking and less eating out; more staying home and less meeting friends for dinner. We have one car. We don't have cable. Or even Netflix (except this free trial. Woo!) We don't have smartphones. We can't purchase many non-essential items at Target anymore. We can't buy Gabe every cute toy and outfit we'd like. We end up eating beans and rice at the end of the month.

I don't say all of this because I want sympathy or to feel proud of what we've given up. It's just that I'd hate for anyone to get the impression that I'm touting living with less as some sort of fun and exciting fad. Though, for all that we can't do, there is so much that we can. And that is why, for us, we'd rather work less and live more.

We haven't asked for any help from our parents at all, to answer your question. Though, we certainly wouldn't be in this position without our parents' generosity - we both were able to go to college with help from our parents, and my parents provide our (free!) childcare when we need it. Not to mention the wonderful gifts we recieved from them this year. We are blessed with wonderful parents, but parents who know that we are responsible with money and are financially independent adults.

For how long do you plan to work at Starbucks - a year, two years, three years?

I had no plan, which tends to be the way I navigate my life. When I first took the job, I wasn't sure if I'd be there for a month or several years - my career has been fluid and changing as opportunities come along. I wasn't looking for another job, but something came along!

Do you make enough money doing etsy transactions to make it worth your while? I'm a mom of two (the youngest is exactly Gabe's age I think!) and am thinking of starting an etsy shop. I knit and craft banners and things but am wondering if it's realistic

A great question! I opened my Etsy shop since November of 2008, and it's been such a joy to create for it. I've enjoyed a fairly steady stream of business, but it's definitely on a small scale and I probably am guilty of underpricing my goods. For me, I enjoy it enough to keep it open, despite the fact that I don't earn a viable income from it. I love how I can explore my ideas and create new products to sell, especially because most of the products I designed. (Like my thank you cards, hobo bag, makeup pouches, coffee sleeves, and coasters - they were all created because I wanted them for myself!) I've mentioned before that I'm always busy with a million different creative pursuits, so my little shop might be abandoned some day in favor of more time to photograph or design, but for now? I'll happily sew and make jewelry for my little audience. (If you want to discuss exact numbers, I'd be happy to talk to you via email! Etsy also has lots of great resources for getting started. Go for it!) 

Ten Things about Cloth Diapers.

I've known since I was senior in high school that I would cloth diaper one day. That may seem a little crazy, but we had a debate in my Environmental Science class and I was convinced. The decision wasn't a big deal and figuring out what cloth diapering entailed was as easy as turning to my awesome cloth diapering aunts. By the way, cloth diapers are way, way different now than when we were babies. I don't claim to be an expert, as I've only been doing this for two months. This isn't as much of a how-to post as it is a how-and-why-I-do post. (For how-to guides, this is a great starting point, as is this.) I will try to answer any questions you have, though!

1. I don't have enough. But I don't have the money to buy more right now. Maybe we'll get some for Christmas? Our current stash is seven one-size and three smalls (mostly gifts). We do a load of diapers every or every other day, with some disposable supplementing thrown in.

2. Washing isn't gross at all. Since he only consumes breast milk, his poop is water-soluble and the diapers can just be thrown in the washing machine, no pre-rinsing required. If you can handle wiping a baby butt, you can handle dumping a bag of dirty cloth diapers in the machine. Promise. Our set-up involves this pail liner. You could probably just use the same trash bag over and over, too.

3. One-size FuzziBunz are my favorite. Now, I've only tried three types - FuzziBunz one-size, FuzziBunz perfect size and GroBaby one-size. My aunts have tried them all and found that FuzziBunz were the best for not leaking and have snaps instead of Velcro, and since I intend to use these diapers for future babies, I prefer snaps since they don't wear out like Velcro can. The GroBaby diaper inserts take longer to dry and tend to bunch up. Plus, FuzziBunz are soft fleece. I think I'll also try BumGenius 4.0, since they also have snaps.

4. Newborns CAN wear cloth diapers! Once he reached eight pounds - he was maybe 10 days old? He grows like a weed. A chubby weed. - I threw cloth diapers on him. We just made it work - adjusting the snaps as tight and small as possible.

5. He doesn't wear cloth overnight. In order to get our beauty sleep, I put a disposable diaper on him for 10-12 hours a night. Disposables hold more pee and wick the moisture away from his skin. (I think I've gone over the importance of sleep here before. When I was a rookie, I'd change his diaper and re-swaddle him and sit up to nurse him...now Gabe and I stay half-asleep while he nurses. Sleep is priceless!)

6. No more poop explosions or diaper rash. Period. (Though there is still some pee leakage now and then.)

7. We've saved money. Like, a lot. I've only had to buy two packs of diapers since he was born, which is sort of amazing since most people go through that much in a week. Saving money is the number one reason I cloth diaper (waste and keeping Gabe away from yucky chemicals are the other reasons).

8. So. Much. Less. Waste. I am amazed at how much waste we created when we used disposable diapers for a weekend while traveling. It's a little crazy, really. Babies create so much extra waste already (har har), no use in adding to it with disposable diapers!

9. We cloth diaper on the go. Usually. It's easy to throw used cloth diapers in a wet bag like this, and just bring along a few extra cloth diapers. If I'm leaving him with my mom, I bring disposables.

10. Big baby booty. The cloth diapers add some bulk to Gabe's behind, which means he tends to grow out of onesies more quickly.  No loss, really, since I get impatient for him to wear his cute clothes in the next size!

Affording Our Baby.

You may be thinking to yourself, "Doesn't Ashley work at a Catholic school? And isn't her husband working on his PhD? Then how the heck can they afford to have a baby??"

And you would be right. Between the two of us, we make less than many college-educated people make with ONE income, let alone two. And, yet, we just had a baby. Which many people will tell you is a little money-sucker. I'm sure you've heard the numbers - "in your baby's first year, you can easily spend $9,000-11,000!" 

But I wanted to share how we're making this whole having-a-baby thing way cheaper. In addition to all the other ways we try to save money (note: That post is old. I have no longer 'cut the caffeine habit,' happily.), we've done lots of other things that work for us and our baby.

First, we've (mostly) banned disposables. Like everything else in our life - we avoid things that you throw away after using just once, as they tend to be far more expensive in the long run. Which means we use cloth diapers and flannel wipes. (We do have some disposables for when we're out and about, when he weighed less than 8 lbs, and when all our cloth diapers are dirty.) They are super easy (seriously!), good for the environment, good for our wallets, and waaaay more comfortable on Gabe's little tush. Specifics? We have ten diapers for now - seven one-size and three small. We use mostly Fuzzibunz and a few Gro Baby diapers that were super cheap on BabySteals.com. I made the wipes myself from flannel fabric I had, but will be making more out of the billions of flannel receiving blankets that we have.

A couple of flannel wipes.

A few people have asked me to write a post about cloth diapers, so that's all I'm going to say for now. But, yay! Cloth diapers!

The cutest cloth diapered booty around. (Adorable husband not for sale.)

Second, we told everyone we knew that 1) we would love second-hand gifts (our baby shower invites even said this) and 2) we would love any baby things they were no longer using.

When people buy you second-hand gifts, they are cheaper, so they can get you more things. Woo! (The breast pump my Grandma got me secondhand - sterilized, don't worry - was a quarter of the price is it new.) Plus! Second-hand is better for the environment, and babies don't tend to wear out most things since they are tiny and not too mobile. Some of our diapers were gifts my aunts got from Craigslist and are in great shape, they hardly looked used. *Gasp!* Used diapers!

Taking a bath in his second-hand bath tub. 

Things we got second-hand from others include: cloth diapers, a crib (well, it was actually new since it had been recalled and Mike's brother got a voucher for a new one), a baby swing, a Pack n Play, lots of clothes, infant car seat carrier system (less that 3 years old and was never in a car accident), baby gates, a breast pump, a baby tub, a glider, and a diaper pail. Plus, plenty of disposable diapers that my cousin (who is five weeks older than Gabe. Yes, he is my cousin.) grew out of.

Gabriel in his infant seat.

Third, we simplified and bought second-hand ourselves.

In the process of creating our registry, I came across some great advice from Amalah about not getting too much before the baby comes and not putting too much on the registry. I got what I really wanted (like cloth diapers, a sound machine, and swaddles) by not putting tons of things on my registry. Baby registries are just like wedding registries in the sense that the stores want you to think you desperately need and CANNOT SURVIVE without tons of crap that, oh hey! how convenient! you can buy at their store. Unlike a wedding registry, though, you don't really know what will work best or what you'll end up needing for your baby - so it's best to wait to buy lots of things until after the baby comes.

Then you'll probably get gift cards, which is great because 1) you get to leave the house and spend money that isn't yours and 2) you get what you really need after the baby comes (ooooor, you buy snacks for the hospital like we did with a Target gift card that my sister bought us.)

And, after the baby comes, you realize, hey! we really should get some more of those swaddle blankets! Or maybe we should get a bouncy seat because this kid adores being bounced. And because you didn't buy tons of things before the baby came, you can afford it! Bonus points if you buy second-hand, like we did with his bouncy seat (which was less than half the price it is new from Once Upon a Child).

 

Scrawny baby chicken legs not for sale.

We also kept things simple by not really having a 'nursery theme'  (aside from a painting we did ourselves, a cute lamp, a crib canopy, and a few frames we filled with photos we printed off the internet, we spent nothing on his room) and opted not to register for things that are completely unnecessary but totally adorable, like a 12-piece bedding set. Again, Amalah did a great piece on the pressure to have a cutesy nursery (my favorite line: "My guess? DOLLAH BILLZ. Also: pregnant women like MATCHY!!1!").

(Also, we're tacky and returned some gifts we didn't need in order to have money to spend at Babies R Us on the things off our registry that we didn't get but really needed - bottles and a Moby wrap. You don't have to do this. But you can and I won't judge you.)

Fourth, I breastfeed.

Okay, so I'm not really nursing him in this picture, but it sort of looks like it. Let's pretend.

Simple enough - but we're going to save hundreds of dollars by not feeding him formula. That stuff is expensive, yo! Breastfeeding was definitely challenging and far more difficult than I expected it to be  for the first few weeks- but my biggest motivation to stick with it and not give up is that it is FREE. (Uh...I mean, that it's good for my baby. That, too.)

And that's how we can afford Gabriel. (Of course, the actual giving birth in a hospital is an expense, too! One which I just saw the bill for, and whooo boy. I didn't have an epidural and left after one night and it was still way, way expensive. Good thing our insurance will cover 80%.)

If you have lots of spare money and want all the trappings of baby-world, more power to you! I am definitely not judging people who decide their baby needs everything new, a fancy nursery, and a new car to hold their $1,000 car seats - I just wanted to share how we're doing it. And if you want to have a baby, but think it isn't the right time, maybe you'll be encouraged that your baby doesn't need $11,000 worth of contraptions to survive. I promise he'll be okay.

Shampoo Free. Seriously.

If you follow me on Twitter or read my blog, you may think that I am consumed by my pregnancy. Not so. (Okay, mostly so. Let’s not address my complete and utter inability to focus on anything work-related. Ask me my opinion about a project that’s happening in September and I’ll probably stare at you with glazed over eyes. I’m busy Googling birth stories, thinking about maternity leave, and wondering what taking care of a newborn will be like. Sorry, boss.)

I’ve done lots of non-baby or pregnancy related things this summer. I had a tire blow out on the highway. We went camping. I worked a lot. We redecorated our apartment and I love it. We went across the state to visit with Mike’s niece and nephews. I created a new budgeting system. We saw my extended family a lot. My commute became really freaking long. My sister moved back across the country and asked me to be her maid of honor (yay!). I continued to take on blog design work and have new hopes and ideas for how to grow my little business. And I stopped using shampoo nearly four weeks ago.

Let’s talk for a minute about that last one. First, I promise you I’m not a scuzzball. See?

So maybe I haven’t used shampoo or conditioner from a bottle, but I have used baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water to keep my hair clean.

Why?

I ran out of conditioner and was trying to figure out if there was a plastic-free option for conditioner when I stumbled across this great post (the whole website is fabulous, by the way). Intrigued by the idea that baking soda and apple cider vinegar could get my hair clean, I figured I’d give it a shot. If it worked, I’d be saving tons of money, not using any chemicals, and reducing my waste. If my hair became greasy, tangled, or dirty – I’d just wash it. No commitment, nothing to lose.

That was on July 22nd. I haven’t touched my (giant!) bottle of shampoo since.

How?

Tsh recommends a mixing a tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water for the shampoo part. (I have thicker, wavy hair, so I increased the baking soda.) I keep the mixture in a plastic squeeze bottle that used to hold chocolate syrup. Just squirt and rub into your scalp, massaging as you go. The baking soda acts as a clarifier on your scalp and removes dirt and oil.

For the conditioner, mix a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar per cup of water. I keep this mixture in an old conditioner bottle and apply mostly to ends of my hair. I have even stored it in a cup and dipped the ends of my hair in the cup to really make sure they get good and conditioned. I have pretty dry hair, so I make sure and apply lots of it and leave it in for a few minutes while I finish showering.

Since my hair is typically pretty dry, I sometimes use a teensy bit of coconut oil (we’re talking a dab on my finger) and rub it through my hair to get rid of flyaways and such. It’s sort of like this stuff, minus the cost.

What are the results?

My hair is soft, clean, and manageable. I don’t have to choose between chemically-laden, but cheap or expensive, natural shampoo. My new ‘shampoo’ and ‘conditioner’ cost me very little and create hardly any waste.

I am going to continue on my happy shampoo-less existence until a problem arises.

Wanna try?

I've told a few friends what I've been doing, and one of them tried it out as well. Here's what she said:  "Also, Teej and I have been 'poo free for a week now! Just baking soda and apple cider vinegar! I LOVE the vinegar as conditioner... I think it works WAY better than store bought conditioner."


Check out this post for more details, ideas, and links to other blogs. And let me know how it goes!

The "Right Time."

This isn't the right time to have a baby.

It just isn't.

Mike will be starting a PhD program this fall and I currently earn 75% of our income. My job provides our health insurance.  I always thought work would be optional for me when when we had kids one day; that it would be a choice to go to work if I wanted to. It seems like *so* many women are able to do that. Nearly all of my aunts, mother, and 99% of the moms on the "mommy blogs" I read stay at home and take care of their kids. Then, I saw this post this morning, and I wallowed for a minute. This isn't a choice for us. It isn't a matter of living more simply or getting rid of a car or downsizing to a smaller apartment - we've done all that - it's just impossible to live with 80% of the poverty-level wages.

I think it's the lack of choice that's the hardest for me - because honestly? I think it will be good for me to get out of the house, see other adults, and have a sense of routine to my days. I love my job and I feel successful at it. I'm expecting to work full-time, but hoping and praying we'll be able to finagle part-time. And it's looking as though we'll end up in the same city as my family - which means my sister and mom will be close and cheaper than day care. 

We said we'd wait until next fall to start trying stop avoiding pregnancy. But I have a feeling that wouldn't have felt like the right time, either.  I think we'd have postponed things a little longer, slightly freaked out by making such a huge decision and slightly worried about financing a new addition to the family. Mike is going to be in school for four or five more years before he gets his first post-PhD job. That's four or five more years we might have postponed starting our family because the time just isn't "right." Though, it's never an easy time to subject yourself to a financial burden, sleep deprivation, and full-time responsibility for a tiny little human, of course.

The "right time" is a myth, I think. A myth that forces us to put on hold what we most desire - whether that's a career change, a relocation, a baby, returning to school, or getting married. We put these things on hold for the wrong reasons. We're told we need to have x, y, and z in place before we go after what we really want.

I got married right after college - and so many people told me I was too young; that I should wait - live life! be single! be young! "Why settle down? What's the rush?" For them, being twenty-two wasn't the "right time" to get married. I have never once felt "settled down" - I just feel like I get to spend lots of time with my favorite person in the world. If I hadn't married Mike right after college - I have no idea where we would have ended up. Likely not together. I would have stayed in my college town, and he would have gone to grad school in another state. We would have lived our lives separately - and probably wouldn't have stayed together. We were 2,000 miles apart for a year and that was more than enough long distance relationship for me.

This added stress is undeniable - but as long as I have someone who hugs me and whispers, "I know you're worried about money, but I promise you it will all work out. We will make it work and it will be amazing," I think it will be worth it.

Ashley Starts Budgeting | The (Totally Awesome) Plan

First! Check out my hard work this weekend - I'm in the progress of redesigning this little  blog and am unreasonably proud of the new menu bar I created. It took days - but I finally got it looking exactly as I'd imagined. Roll your mouse over the links and see how fun it is! (It's okay to toot your own horn if it took days of work to create, right?) I still have lots to do - but I've got a header, footer, and menu bar done. And rounded corner sidebars. Whee! 

Okay, now on to budgets.

 

Goal:

Our basic goal is to save $10,000 for an emergency fund. You might laugh at how little that is, or you might only DREAM of having $10,000 in a savings account. We've been passively holding the goal of saving $10K in the back of our minds, but never acted on it until recently. I decided it was time to get serious and buckle down.

The Details:

People don't often talk details about money - how much they make, how much they spend, and how much they owe. I'm going to break that taboo and divulge these "secrets".

Four Months. One Awesome Experience.

photo credit.

I did it!

I went four whole months without buying one new article of clothing. In fact, I ended up only going shopping for secondhand clothes twice, spending a total of $50. From October until February, I spent $50 on clothing. Booyah.

Ashley Starts Budgeting | Struggling with Living Simply.

Here’s the bottom line: I’m pretty good with money, I’ve just never made much.

We don’t follow a strict budget – instead, we’ve casually kept an eye on our spending. We spend modestly on groceries, restaurants, and trips to Target each month and manage to save a smidgen here and there.

I’d like to We need to save drastic amount of money, so we will start paying closer attention to just where our money goes this year. Starting now. Using a very simple budgeting sheet, I’ve determined how much we can save a month and still have enough money left over to pay our bills and buy food, and enjoy a tiny bit of “fun” money. In coming posts, I’ll discuss the details of the plan and how things are going; but today, I’m struggling. I'm struggling with living simply and still not having enough saved. I'm struggling with living simply and comparing my life to others.

Sunday Domesticity | Foolproof Granola.

I haven't had much time to cook lately, so I made sure to spent lots of time in the kitchen this weekend. I made cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, pumpkin pancakes, scrambled tofu, and an amazing pizza.

And....granola.

Oh, granola.

(Cooking with bad lighting can't be helped. Alas.)

This stuff is amazing. So amazing it usually only lasts about 48 hours in our house. And warranted a 20-minute Google session to find it again. It's ridiculously easy, too, so anyone with an oven can make it.

I promise.

(Uses less packaging and is cheaper than store-bought, too!)

The Kitchen Sink Granola

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweeteend
3 tablespoons flax seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup toasted mixed nuts, chopped (I used almonds)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups mixed dried fruit (I leave this out or add some raisins)

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (I didn't line it - no mess and saved some foil. Win!) In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the dried fruit. Stir well to incorporate.

Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the depth of goldenness you’re looking for), stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and and cool completely, in its pan, on a wire wrack. Once the granola is cool, mix in the dried fruit.

Enjoy with milk, yogurt, or by the handful.

Oh, you don't even know how delicious you will become...

Recipe source.

I'll Be the Bag Lady Sipping a Latte.

This post is a part of 20SB’s Blog Carnival: Can’t Live Without, and Alice.com is awarding prizes to lucky bloggers and readers!

It’s no secret that we tend to be cheap frugal around here. I’m currently only buying second-hand clothing, I’ve bragged about a twelve dollar outfit, I rarely buy books, I don’t have a TV, we only have one car, and I make lots of gifts myself. I’m not a fancy-nice-expensive handbag girl, a fancy-nice-expensive shoe girl, or a fancy-nice-expensive car girl. I do my own nails, dye my own hair, and cut my own bangs. And I’ve never spent more than $50 for an article of clothing – shoes included.

I never feel deprived, though, or all, “Woe is me, a poor peasant who shall never own a Coach bag.” Because: I allow myself to splurge on things that really make me happy. (Honestly, I couldn’t care less about Coach, anyway.) When thinking about what I couldn’t live without, no matter how poor we get, I realized it all comes down to one thing: Good Food.

Whether it’s a morning mocha, grocery shopping at Trader Joes and Whole Foods, Friday night take-out Thai, or brunch with Mike – I spend money on food.

Maybe it’s silly to spend money on something that won’t last, that I won’t treasure for years or show proudly to my friends, but I love the social aspect of eating (and drinking coffee, of course). Grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend is glorious, as is leaving our house to go out to dinner or brunch with Mike. It's so much more interactive and social than spending time together just watching television.

Plus, supporting a local restaurant makes for a unique experience. And I look forward to grocery shopping at a place that supports my values with options like organic, local, fair-trade, and vegetarian goods– and by treating their workers well. Last time I was at Trader Joe’s, I had a 20-minute conversation with the cashier about how much she loved her job –having the freedom to show her tattoos, wear jeans, and enjoy work. She even thanked me for shopping there so she could have her fabulous job.

Give me good food and grocery shopping experiences over McDonald’s and Walmart any day!

And sometimes, a yummy latte is just the perfect treat. Sometimes, going to Chipotle with my husband makes a Tuesday night just a bit special. Sometimes, a difficult day is improved when I go out and pick up lunch for myself.

I guess it’s all about priorities, and I love good food. Food that brings people together, that is a treat, that is produced and sold sustainably, and that makes my day better.

I won't judge you for your Christian Louboutin addiction, and you won't judge me when I don't know how awesome your shoes are. Or how to pronounce the designer's name. (Or having to Google the designer to see what exactly she/he designs.)

I won't judge you for drinking crappy coffee and buying processed, white bread and you won't judge me for shopping in Whole Foods or buying a latte. Or planning my vacation around finding good restaurants and taking photos of it. Deal?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PS: Have you entered my Starbucks giveaway??

I Wear People's Old Clothes And You Should, Too!

Since I’m three weeks into my four months of second hand-only clothing purchases, I thought I’d share why I’m doing it, how it’s going, and my tips. I’m a huge fan of tips.

Why?

Think about all the energy and chemicals that go into producing cloth, sewing a shirt, packaging the shirt, and then marketing and advertising the shirt. Not to mention the fuel used at as the cotton is shipped to a production plant, then the cloth is shipped to a factory, then the shirts are shipped to a warehouse, and then out to stores. Whew!

Compare this to a second hand shirt which likely traveled from a person’s house to the second-hand store. Also, by reusing the shirt, it diverted from a landfill. Winner!

Plus, I have honestly enough clothes. I really do. (Uh, just don’t tell my husband I said that.) With a small closet and a dresser full of clothing – I’m not going naked any time soon. I examined the reasons I buy new clothes – for a specific occasion or because I’m bored with my clothes. I’m not a huge shopper, anyhow. (Malls give me hives. It used to be fun to ‘hang out’ there in middle or high school, but now I never go unless I have to get something specific to pick up. Like H2Ocean at Hot Topic. And let’s not talk about how much I stuck out like SORE THUMB at Hot Topic in my little floral skirt and purple-streak-less hair. I felt like shouting, “DON’T JUDGE ME! I HAVE NOSE RING! AND BELLY BUTTON RING! I’M REBELLIOUS, TOO!” See, that’s what malls do to me. I feel utterly un-cool at them. And overwhelmed. Moving on.)

So, How’s It Going?

AWESOME!

I mentioned that sometimes I buy clothes because I’m bored with my wardrobe. And then sometimes I don’t even wear the new clothes much. And then sometimes I realize I’m getting rid of things I HARDLY WORE. It’s a painful cycle of mistake clothes bought out boredom. Buying second-hand makes this a little less annoying, because at least if I get rid of something I hardly wore, I didn’t buy it brand new – wasting all of the resources (including MY MONEY) that went into the clothing.

It still makes me mad at myself, though.

I also tend to fall into that terrible trap of not wearing everything I own because I have too much of it. Paradoxically, when I have less clothes cluttering up my closet, I wear more things! It’s amazing!

Simpler = better, once again.

I satiated my clothes boredom by shopping at Plato’s Closet twice this month – a grand total of $50 for a pair of shoes and half a dozen shirts. Win.

Tips!

• Try not to rule out second-hand clothing because you think it’s OMG! SO NASTY! to wear other people’s clothing until you check out a consignment shop for yourself. There are plenty of higher-end consignment shops that even a person who would never THINK of stepping foot into a thrift store would adore.
• Be prepared for thrift stores that don’t have changing rooms. Sad, but true. I’ve been known to wear a skirt and leggings to try on pants – just hike up the skirt and wiggle into those jeans! Or try on shirts over a tight tank top. Or have a friend hold a sheet around me. I have no shame. But I’m fun in a thrift store!
• Scope out stores in nice suburbs or neighborhoods – the kinds of places where people might shudder at the thought of wearing Banana Republic clothes from last season. Their loss, your gain.
• Take your clothes to a consignment shop or second hand store and you might just make a little money. If all else fails: Goodwill! Never throw away what can be reused…or Mother Earth will smite you.
• For young adults: Plato’s Closet. Yeah, it’s for juniors – but I’ve found tons of insanely cute, name brand clothes in there. Just be prepared for feeling like a teenager.
• Wash it before you wear it. Yep. Do it.
• Clean out your closet! I cannot say it enough - simple is better. You will be happy. I promise you.
  

Everyone Deserves A Trader Joe's Binge.

So, my parents never acknowledged the sparkling nubbin on my nose when I saw them ALL DAY Saturday.

They always told me in high school and college that if I got a belly button piercing or tattoo, college would be paid for by me alone. So I did what any reasonable person would do. I got my belly button pierced before leaving for college. And promptly hid it from them for, oh, six years now. (Mom, Dad – if you happen to read this: Surprise! But at least it was my one and only rebellious action, right?)

After getting my nose pierced Thursday, I continued my thrilling weekend by packing all. freaking. day. on Friday.

Yep, I’m a fiercely competitive runner. Watch out, old men, you may just get beat by a tiny 24-year-old. I somehow managed to get second place in my age group. (I’m not going to tell you my time – because I am SLOW.) When it was all over, I felt sort of awesome. Having a pint glass emblazoned with, “WINNER” helped, I think.

After the race, the Big Move commenced. The big move consisting of two-point-two miles. With seven people and three vehicles – it was the easiest move ever. Seriously. I’m considering renting out my parents and three siblings to help other people. When it was over, we rewarded ourselves with a Trader Joe’s binge and some ice cream.

My family was impressed with our new little house. (Okay, it’s the bottom floor of a house – but what are you supposed to call that? Is it an apartment? Suite?) It’s seriously cute and gorgeous all at once – when we finish unpacking, I’ll show you. It’s within 10 minutes walking of the library, a yoga studio, over a dozen different restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs, and an amazing movie theater. It's Walk Score? Eighty-freaking-nine, baby.

I'm so excited to be able to walk places in the evenings and weekends when we want to go out to eat instead of driving. How awesome is that?

The Art of the $12 Outfit.

This is the kind of girl I am: When I was traveling last week, a girl came up to me at Jamba Juice in the airport and told me she liked my shoes.

My reply? "Thanks. They were only five dollars!"

Yes, that was my response to a stranger. I am obviously classy. (Do you also feel inclined to tell random people just how little you spent on an adorable piece of clothing? Let's be friends.)

So when I realized that my casual, comfy, but still work appropriate outfit today cost me a mere twelve dollars, I knew I had to share.

Shirt: Forever Twenty-One, via Plato's Closet, $5
Pants: The Limited, hand-me-down, $0
Hair: A hot mess.


Shoes: SO, via Plato's Closet, $7
Red Feet: WTF?


Earrings: Made my me, soon to be in my shop, $0
Hair: Messy buns rock.

I adore second-hand, consignment, and thrift stores. Not only are you getting an amazing deal, you're recycling (or would it be reusing? I get confused about the 3 R's).

So Fresh and So Clean Clean.

Laundry is one of my favorite chores to do. Weird? Maybe. Here are six tips to make laundry day a tad more eco-friendly.

1. Line dry | I stopped doing this for a while, because, well I am lazy and we had free laundry. I am so happy I've started this again in the recent months. It takes very little effort and makes me so very happy. For more on how I line dry inside check out this post.

2. Soap nuts | OH EM GEE. Get some of these and get them NOW. I am amazed that something this natural could actually work, but, they so DO. Soap nuts grow on trees and you toss them in your laundry in a little linen bag. After a few loads of laundry, the soap nuts break down and you can compost them. How awesome is that? Check out their website for more info!

3. Dry cleaning shmy cleaning | I wash EVERYTHING in the washer - including my wool winter coat, dress pants, and bras. As long as I use cold water and line dry, it works great! Wool is a natural fiber, so it can be wet. Dry cleaning processes use TONS of nasty chemicals, anyway. Yuck.

4. Wash full loads | If you wash smaller loads, you waste water. And we don't like wasting water.

5. Don't wash clothes unless they're dirty | Wear your clothes as many times as you can before you throw them in the washer. Simple, right?

6. Wash with cold water | Most clothes can be washed in cold water, which uses way less energy.

The best part about all of these? They'll save you money, as well!

When the Economy Forces Us to Care About the Environment.

Last December, we got an email about the financial situation at work.

It was full of grim statistics about our loss in endowment, stocks, and other news not fit for maintaining one's holiday spirit.

Attached to the email was a document outlining a dozen of ways we could immediately reduce costs, in hopes of avoiding layoffs.

Nearly 100% of those suggestions were measures that would benefit the environment. Instead of cutting salaries or employees, we were urged to cut our electricity and paper use. Among the suggestions and changes:

• Turn off lights when rooms are unoccupied.
• Shut down computers and monitors overnight and especially over breaks.
  
• Travel less.
  
• Don't heat buildings that aren't in use.
• Use the web instead of print publications to share information.
• Don't change the trash in offices everyday. (Thank goodness! I hated that they would change a whole bag for one little cereal bar wrapper. Annoying.)
• Email direct deposits - less paper.
• Reduce printing, reuse scrap paper, and print on two sides.
• Spend less money on bottled water. Hallelujah!

I've also noticed other small changes happening around here - the heat was lowered over Christmas break. And there is less wastefulness in general. For example, instead of throwing away (perfectly good) envelopes left over from the annual Christmas card - we're using them. How novel! (Although I did see dozen of perfectly good brownies and other goodies tossed in the dining room trash last week. I was half-tempted to pull a George Costanza. I didn't. Or did I? You will never know. Mwahaha.)

(I didn't.)

All of this just proves that reduce, reuse, recycle isn't some hippie thing, it isn't just for a few of us, and it doesn't just "Save our Mother Earth!". It can be simple and save money.

It shouldn't take a huge financial crisis to get an organization to carefully examine their spending and waste - but I am content if it means a little less waste and a little more consciousness.

Worth it Wednesday: Free is Even Better than Cheap, Yes?

I've always loved to read. When I was little, my mom had to strictly enforce "no books at the dinner table" and "no reading after bedtime" rules. {Which, apparently my dad was right. Reading by my dim little nightlight did strain my eyes. Oops.}

It only follows then that I adore public libraries. I've been a card carrying member of half a dozen different libraries. Even when we were only in the States for the summer, we hit up the library in my grandparents' town. Even when I was in Honolulu for only four months, I got myself a library card. Even when there was a library on my college campus, I got myself a public library card. (Until I racked up seventeen dollars in fines, then I was classy and stopped going to that library. I'm a terrible person.)

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Worth: Nada. Zip. Nothing. Freeeee! (Minus any fines if you forget to turn something in, of course. They are usually fairly minimal, though.)

Works For: Anyone old enough to sign their name, and likes to read, listen to music, or watch movies.

What I Love:

• It. Is. Free. Seriously, can you top this?
  
• I can see if a book is worth buying by checking out from the library first. (Hello, Anti 9-to-5 Guide!)
  
• Less clutter in my house because I don’t BUY every movie or book I like.
  
• Longer loan periods than most video rental store.
  
• You might stumble across a book, movie, or CD that looks interesting. Amazon just can't do the same for you.
  
• Did I mention it costs NOTHING? Well, it's TRUE.
• It's a quiet place to study.
  
• Libraries are an awesome asset to any community - they provide computers and internet access, story times, activities for teens, craft activities for preschoolers, book clubs, classes, and more. Why wouldn't you support that?
  

What I Wish: That you’d get a library card already. Sheesh. (I love you. Now go get a library card!)

Saving Money. So Hot Right Now.

I’ve been voraciously devouring two fantastic books: Craft Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco and The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman. I am alternating between the books at whim, but I just can’t get enough of them. They are seriously amazing. Part of me worries that I’m getting my hopes up too much – they make it seem quite possible to do what you love for a living. I’m admittedly a wee bit nervous to allow myself dream up grandiose ideas – what if they don’t come to be? What if I am disappointed? And worse, what if I fail?

Anyhow, we’ll talk about my career aspirations another time. I noticed that both books, particularly The Anti 9-to-5 Guide, place a lot of emphasis on downsizing your lifestyle in order to do what you want. To not be limited by your Starbucks habit, shoe addiction, or huge cell phone bill, but be free to pursue your deepest desires and aspirations.

Let’s say you despise your job, so you invest heavily in retail therapy. But then you're trapped in your job in order to maintain your standard of living (like those pretty designer handbags and those yummy lattes). Would you be happier with a job that you dread and lots of expensive things or a career that you adore and living simply?

Many of the authors’ suggestions on how to downsize your lifestyle or spend less are things we already do, so I thought I’d share some ways that Mike and I are frugal and ask you to share your ideas as well!

• No cable. We had free cable last year, but when it came time to choose spending $40+ a month on TV? Nope.
• Library instead Netflix or buying books and CDs.
• One car for the two of us. (I walk to work.)
• Biking to the grocery in the summer. Mmm, summer.
• Aside from washing dishes, I do all our cleaning with baking soda and vinegar.
• Buying in bulk – rice, oats, almonds, etc.
• Dried beans instead of canned beans. So super cheap it’s amazing!
• I cut the coffee habit a few months ago – which means my coffee runs have drastically reduced.
• Planning meals – less waste, more eating healthy, and less chance we’ll decide to just order a pizza instead!
• Reusing everything you could ever imagine. I reuse packaging and brown paper bags for my Etsy and Amazon packages, I rinse out Ziploc bags, I reuse aluminum foil, our “Tupperware” is reused yogurt containers, and we have almost no disposable paper products in our house.
• Love hand-me-downs, thrift stores, consignment shops, and ridiculously cheap clothing stores.
• Never spring for manicures, pedicures, salon hair cuts or coloring (Best Cuts is my friend. As is hair dye-in-a-box!).
• No pre-cut, pre-washed veggies or fruit. I'd rather do it myself and save a lot of money.
• Try to make do with what I have. (My husband is laughing at me right now. I kind of like Target. And Joann Fabric.)

Here’s to spending less money and living more.

[ETA: I think it's important to point out that I don't advocate cutting costs at the expense of human rights, the environment, or so on - I choose to spend my money more intentionally - instead of buying a whole lot of junk I don't need from Wal-Mart, I buy it from Target one nice, quality item that is fair-trade, made locally, or something like that. :) I'd never want to promote saving money above all else. It's about spending it more wisely. Right?]

{Don’t forget to share your frugal tips. Be proud of your penny-pinching prowess!}