So, I’m renewed in my quest to become more frugal. Last week, I blogged about my new, lower interest rate on one of my credit cards. Many readers commented that they didn’t carry a credit card balance. I had an "aha" moment. I told Keith who blogs at Dollar out of $.15 about my posters. We both decided it was time for us to step it up. He’s made it his mission to kill his roughly $25,000 credit card/student loan debt by December 2009. As for me, I am going to keep on the frugal track and slay a credit card by this time next year.

For the month of April, I vow to spend $50 per week on food. While my apartment is getting fumigated, I’m couch surfing for two days instead of getting a hotel room. Last weekend, I did a home ‘do, styling my own hair. I haven’t shopped for clothes since January. I tried clipping coupons on Sunday but that was a bit much. Coupon clipping is no small feat. Thanks to FF readers for the coupon advice. Please send in more coupon tips. I just thought you look in the newspaper and most of what you always buy is there on sale. But now I know, it doesn’t quite work like that.  It’ s an art.

What is your motivation for frugality?  Do you like the comfort of being comfortable? Does it bother you to owe people money?  Let’s talk about it.

Happy Sunday morning. So, after posting last week about cutting back on the grocery/food bill, I am checking out the Sunday newspaper for coupons. I’m starting to think this may be counterproductive. I got my income tax return Friday, so my bank account is quasi-flush. All these Office Depot and Best Buy ads for LCDs, GPS’ and laptops have me drooling. All I wanted to do was check out the big box and grocery store chains so I can stay within my $50 food budget this week and now I am tempted to spend hundreds.

*sigh*

Anyhow, please let me know your coupon clipping strategy. Coupons are all the rage. I’ll let you know how my clippings go, but I think there’s an art to this.

How do you find grocery deals?

Blogger Connie Prater sent me over this link about how to tell if your boo is deep in credit card debt. It’s the 11 Signs Your Mate has Credit Problems. I know I carry a credit card balance, but I’m not as bad as the mythical person in her post. I’ve bought a meal or two for a friend, but rarely do I buy a round of drinks. My drinking fund will not be compromised. heheh.

Now, I DID go on a date with a gentleman, who wanted to order the entire menu at a sports bar and drink Patron. Did I mention he was a former athlete? So anyway, after grubbing away, the bill came. Gold card declined. Instead of walking over to the ATM machine in the complex, said guy asked me for $20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because I was looking too cute to wash dishes that night, I gave it to him. HE NEVER OFFERED TO PAY IT BACK. Trust,  I don’t communicate with the ex baller anymore. It was only a second date. I guess the previous Thai lunch date drained his account. I dodged a bullet on that one.

Do you know any people who are maxed out on credit? What are some of the signs?

Happy Friday

Ok, so my apartment complex is getting fumigated next week. Guess who’s going to be homeless for two nights? Yes, me. I am vexed, but I knew it was coming. My neighbor had his apartment fumigated already, and I babysat his four boxes of groceries. Good thing I was out of town last week. I was tempted to sizzle up some of his chicken. So now, I’m in a bind. I love my friends, but most of them are like me. We are single women who love our space. Being independent is costly, I think. One friend just moved into a new building and still has packing boxes. I’m scared to ask to park on her couch. She may be a little overwhelmed. My other friend is sweet, but her mom is in town. Mama trumps party friend, for sure. I have cousin who lives down here, but we talk every blue moon. I have a good network  of names, but let’s be clear, we don’t do sleepovers.

I called around to different hotels nearby. The prices are WAY too high. I just don’t want to spend $180 staying at some gross chain. I will reconcile, I’m sure. Sometimes being frugal means being friend dependent. What do you think I should do?

Should I ask to bunk with:

a) The long-lost cousin who recently got married
b) Gross hotel chain
c) Friend who recently moved and has unpacked boxes. She’s also a workaholic attorney who goes to bed early
d) The friend with the two bedroom but has complained to me about our other friends always bunking with her
e) Some great find/ choice you will suggest

So in the interest of saving money, I did a balance transfer on one of my high interest rate cards. For years, I’ve been miffed at this credit card I’ve had at a big bank. I would have canceled the card, but I’ve had it since college. I cancel that card and I cancel my credit history. If I shut down that card, my credit score would plummet.

Still, I hate the card at the big bank. It’s interest rate was 11.9 percent. I know it’s not the worst but I knew I could do better. After shopping around on sites such as bankrate.com, I found a card that could do a balance transfer and give me a 4.99 percent rate for the life of the balance. Mini-yay. I can’t give myself a high five because debt is debt, low rate, high rate, it’s still money you owe someone.
I did the balance transfer, but I’m a little upset that it had a $99 transfer fee. I tried to fight the fee, but I lost that battle. Since I’ve transfered the money, the big bank has increased my credit limit by $4,000. I really don’t need a higher credit limit, I needed a lower rate. Meh.

I have one other card with a balance but that rate is 2.99 percent. I *heart* that card. It’s with a credit union so I don’t feel like they are "sticking it to me" every chance they get. But still, I look forward to the day when I don’t have ANY balances. I know that day is coming, soon. *thinks positively*

So, what’s your credit card situation? Are you happy with your rates? Do you do balance transfers? Are you one of the good people who don’t carry balances?  I showed you mine, show me yours.

Dear Frugalites,

I’m writing from the road. I am in Kansas City visiting a friend who is fighting a terminal illness. I spent yesterday at the hospital and will probably head back there in a bit. The flight and car for this trip is costing me $400, but you can’t really put a price tag on telling a loved one what they mean to you. After doing the no-buy month in February, I had the extra money to pay for this trip in CASH.

I am here with my friend, Greg, and we are staying in a hotel. Greg is also on the frugal plan, too. We are swapping paying for meals, and luckily I get to pay for lunch, which is cheaper. We don’t have a kitchen at the hotel and we can’t eat at the family’s house because they are at the hospital with us.

At the airport, I parked in remote parking, which is the cheapest. I know it would have been cheaper to have a friend drop me off at the airport but my flight left at 6 a.m. on Friday. I would have fumed if someone woke up late and made me miss my flight. I know my independent streak can be costly, but no way I was going to miss/delay this trip.

So, how do you plan for travel and cut back on expenses?

One of my former editors- Scott Andron- wrote a story today about clues that we are in a recession. I, for one, most certainly believe we are in a recession. There’s a reason why I’m doing this blog.

But not to get too alarmed, there are somethings that I am doing differently to make myself feel less anxiety.

1)Washing more clothes (even silk) at home. Unless it’s a suit, I pretty much wash it.

2)Think about the cost of entertainment. I don’t really pay to have fun, other than parking or maybe a drink. The Erykah Badu concert is a perfect example. Fun has to be free.

3) I made my friend converts. I only hang with frugal-minded people. Or, if my friends like to spend, they know not to ask me to go out. There are no popping bottles on my excursions. If my friends and I must break bread in public, it has to be lunch.

4)Side hustling. At my job, I’ve been doing extra assignments for extra cash. Cutting expenses plus earning more money makes for a very happy Frugalista.

So, fair frugalites, what are you doing to make yourself recession proof?

Yay, good news after that depressing post about my car.

Looking for free stuff next weekend? There’s a
free concert by Erykah Badu on Miami Beach on March 28. For more information, click here.  If you know any freebies coming up, please post. Free and fun is my mantra.

Living in South Florida pretty much means you need a car. Working as a journalist down here, guarantees it. My beloved ride, God bless it, is a money drain. It works great. But to keep it running great, means regular maintenance check ups and all that jazz. *Sigh* I intend to keep the ride until it dies, but I’m still not happy that it needs a $109.95 minor service. I need to rotate and balance my wheels, inspect the brakes, change the wheels, and get minor adjustments made. Did I ever disclose that part of the reason my credit bill is high is because of the $500 tires and major service for $300 I had to do last November?  In addition to the minor service I need, one of my keys for my ride has died. I need a back up. The key is all high-tech, so a new set of keys will run me about $200. My mechanic advised that I get two keys this time in one swoop. Luckily, this no buy/frugalistic thing has my account fatter. More and more, it seems that living frugal means that I am able to stop using my credit card (good thing), but I’m not really able to "get ahead." I’m trying to stay positive, but there are so many other things I want to use this money for. I know, worse problems to have. I just needed to vent.