Life as a Thriftie: Playin' the Game, and Savin' the Big Bucks

Having begun my career as a Thriftie very recently, I had been feeling a little defensive about the teasing, dubious reactions I had been getting from certain of my friends regarding my coupon-clipping, and ad-reading, and general preoccupation with frugality. However, a few nights ago I had something of an epiphany, and I'm pretty sure I won’t be insecure about the worth of my money-habits ever again. The "aha!" was threefold, and went something like this:

1) Being a Thriftie is an interesting, even challenging, hobby. Much like baseball cards or stamp-collecting, I put an investment of time into gathering and organizing pieces of paper that have significance to me. Some pieces of paper are more exciting than others, and some are very common, and I derive a sense of reward from having an excellent collection. I then use those pieces of paper in a game of saving money, pitting my wits against national corporations who are accustomed to being the Big Dawg in Town with docile consumers buying overpriced goods with nary a murmur. Not only can I “run with the Big Dawg”, but I can beat him, and regularly. The details and rules of this competition change drastically from week to week, making my hobby a particularly fast-paced and intriguing one.

2) It has impressive financial returns, often "paying" me (in money saved) as much or more as I would make in the same amount of time at my job. To confirm this, I go to exhibit A: the receipts (mostly from Publix and CVS, but a few from Kroger, Target, or Rite Aid) I have saved over the past four or five weeks since beginning in earnest to function as a Thriftie. The results are as follow: over the course of that month I spent $170.40 in food, cleaning products, papergoods, etc. According to the amount calculated at the bottom of each receipt from those transactions, I saved $194.77. If we figure that I probably spent 2-3 hrs a week on this hobby (including actual shopping), than for each hour of time invested, I net a return (in money unspent) between $16.23 and $24.34. My efficiency has certainly increased over the last month, so I'm excited to see what the numbers are like next month now that I’ve figured out what works best for me. Now that I've pinpointed my grocery expenses, I'll also be able to whittle down my food budget... Many of the more established Thrifties have gotten really great at this, including this couple in Brooklyn who have a $30 a week grocery budget for the two of them...

3) It's intelligent. It's just silly to spend $8 on contact solution when you could get it for free by using a coupon and CVS extracare bucks... or to pay 4.99 for a regularly priced bottle of St. Ives lotion when you could pay 1.49 by combining a coupon with a sale... or to pay full price for an online purchase when you could have gotten free shipping and 20% off by using retailmenot.com to find a coupon code. Being a Thriftie is a combination of common-sense street-smarts and the concrete application of study skills from our school days. In all of my classes in college, I would first figure out exactly the requirements for a good grade, then organize the steps towards getting there either in my mind or on paper, and finally try to pick up a few shortcuts or tricks to make the process simpler. That's all this is really -- a little research, a little organization, and voila! more money in my wallet, and less in the pocket of The Man. It’s actually kinda subversive when you think about it like that...

In summary: Being a Thriftie is a rewarding hobby that, unlike most hobbies, actually makes me money. It's really just the smart thing to do, unless of course you have vested interest in keeping corporate executives stocked with champagne and caviar... And I read somewhere that only about 13% of the coupons printed are actually ever used, so if you're worried about single-handedly bringing down our teetering national economy, don't be! Your own economy should concern you more anyhow. If you're still not convinced, check out some of the financial success stories here. Notice a trend? It might be the words "coupons" and "sales" scattered liberally throughout. And finally, check out this Clark Howard note for stats on how millionaires are nearly always Thrifties... Renounce your doubt, o gentle reader! For savings and fun, join the ranks of the Thrifties today – you’ll be in good company! :)

edit: One of my favorite Thriftie bloggers, Frugal Dr. Mom, posted in this same vein just recently. This is my favorite part of her post: "My sister recently said to me, once you learn how to do this, it's like being in a club of people who know and the other shoppers are clueless to their detriment. Another person online said that if you don't get strange looks when you shop, then you are doing it wrong. For 5k, I am happy to suffer the strange looks and be a member of the club!" Thanks for the inspiration Dr. Mom, and congrats on the debt repayment! For those just getting started "playing the game," be sure to check out her site for some great tips.
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Addendum to Thursday links...

Shopping: If you're a sci-fi addict or a Sarah Michelle Geller Fan, you can now re-experience a great blast-from-the-past by purchasing the original soundtrack from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode Once More With Feeling for a mere $5 on Amazon. I can't personally re-experience this, because, like a lot of things, I had a late start on Buffy and still haven't even seen that episode for the first time. In the Buffy Universe I currently inhabit, she and Angel still cherish hope for their mutual future, Faith just got a playstation from the mayor, Willow is proud of her new ability to twirl a pencil with her mind, and Giles disdainfully observes Wesley from time-out in the corner... In any case, even without the nostalgia factor, this CD looks amazing. I haven't yet decided whether to hold out, or break down and buy it...

More Mailbox Fun: Get a free diet Dr. Pepper coupon by mail! Your choice of two-liter or 20 oz it looks like...
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Clicking Through Thursday, a collection of the best.

TV: Lost was again a little frustrating for me... being a late-comer on the scene, I was still focused on catching up via internet when the previous season was actually airing, making this the first time I've actually watched the show on TV. And I can tell you, after going through the first four seasons like a sprinter on her way to a gold medal, being rationed to 40 minutes per week is a shock to my system. Being accustomed to watching a minimum of three shows in a sitting and experiencing the positive deluge of information, plot twists, and confusing revelations that that usually entails, I feel like things are kind of crawling along presently. At least this episode showed how they will deal with the Heroes issue of having too many main characters bouncing around -- it looks like they may be alternating episodes between island and not-island folks. I can approve of that, so long at they promise to move things along by feet and not inches because of it... However, *spoiler alert!!* I loved seeing Desmond and Penny happy, enjoyed the development of Faraday's plot-line -- I'm growing quite attached to him -- and had something of a psychological seizure when Widmore was revealed as an Early Other. (It makes sense now, but did anybody see that coming? Cuz, I was blindsided...) So, I'm not complaining about the pacing tooooo loudly.

In other TV news, a new Office-esque (but NOT spin-off!) comedy is in the works for 2009, starring Rashida Jones and Amy Poehler, but set in the Department of Parks and Recreation. Um, ok? Sounds... confusing. A female version of Michael, but bureaucratic, and outside a lot? Errr, sure. Actually, I hope they hurry up on that, now I really want to see what the heck that would look like...

Film: Are y'all ready for Veronica Mars on the big screen? To quote Paste, "When Veronica Mars was on its game, it had banter like Bogart, youthful sleuthing like Encyclopedia Brown, catty teen politics like My So Called Life, California beachfront snobbery like The O.C. " So true, and so well put! We wait breathlessly for this newest installment, and put the time to good use with a letter-writing campaign.

Dear Screenwriters:

Logan + Veronica = win. Have a heart and fix what you screwed up in the third season please. As for an FBI Veronica... don't do it. Kristen Bell is going to look 16 for the rest of her life, or at least until she turns 40. The whole thing would morph into a tear-jerker about the poor little thing trying to make people take her seriously, until in a last-ditch but ultimately successful effort to win everyone over, she finds herself forced to do something outrageous, like dismantle a ticking bomb Jack-Bauer style, or wrestle a rabid bear while herself locked in handcuffs. And then the audience wouldn't take her seriously, and would go back to watching their youtube user-generated promos of unfulfilled fantasies for season four (where you will also note the trend: Logan + Veronica = win). Please don't do that to Veronica. She deserves better.

Optimistically,
A Faithful Fan.
P.S. Yes, I am responsible for those brownies outside your door this morning. You may consider them a bribe.

Music: The new Bird & the Bee album only got a lukewarm review from Paste, but I like Inara George's voice so I'm enjoying streaming the tracks posted here. It's engaging light listening even if it isn't earth-shattering, and I actually like it a lot better than Inara's solo stuff.

Free Stuff For Grown-Ups: I have some fun free-and-legal MP3 downloads for y'all this week! Steve Martin is coming out with a banjo album, believe it or not, so check out that fun here (you have to log in to Amazon for that one). Depending on whether you agree that he pulls it off or not, I think this and the books he's written might qualify him as a Genuine Modern Renaissance Man. Next, a Gnarls Barkley download at 3hive, because who would turn that down? Finally, for an interesting, poignant download from Nigerian artist Asa, be sure to check out the Discovery Download on iTunes this week.
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Oh Lost, how we do love thee...

Lost airs again tonight, and I for one am looking forward to some further elaboration. Not that I felt like we got any last time... right now I'm afraid that Lost might experience the problem that has dogged Heroes -- too many characters, too little time in an episode to advance the plot. The premiere was a hugely tantalizing teaser for me, but I don't feel like we really had much forward motion. Except that I'm a little more willing to buy the island "disappearing" if they're going full-out time-travel with it.

For a little Lost fun as you're waiting for the episode tonight, check out this great review of the premiere at one of my favorite new blogs.

Also watch this savory slideshow of the "enduring mysteries" of the show. Whenever I start getting a big head, and thinking I understand what's going on, I'm going to go look through this slideshow for a nice healthy dose of the inscrutable reality.
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Free coffee and samples at Panera today!

Head's up on free coffee and samples at Panera today...

http://www.panerabread.com/breakfast/index2.php?pf=coffeeflash

:)
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Peanut Butter Recall...

So, this thing affects more than just the little crackers I thought it did... Even some pet foods apparently...

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm#PeanutButter

My boyfriend has a huge box of Clif Bars from Costco, so we'll be checking the dates on those. Otherwise, I think we're good. It appears that nearly five hundred people have gotten sick from the contamination -- check your pantry to be on the safe side!

Edit: Oh and now it looks like the plant was aware of the contamination, and shipped anyway... stupidity knows no bounds?
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A Frenzy of Taxation

Recently I discovered that, up until a few weeks ago, a certain peer of mine didn't know what a W-2 was. (??!!) (I love you unnamed dear friend!! I just think its kind of impressive...)

Anyway, for your tax-season pleasure, I have compiled some useful links.

First, everyone look here for an explanation of the tax brackets to gain a clearer understanding of the workings of our tax system... and then please tell me if you don't think there ought to be another bracket in between 32,500 and 76,000? That's a rather ludicrous gap in my opinion, one that might easily mean the difference between juggling to break even and having a beach house... I exaggerate of course, but still...

Then, if your income is under 56,000, go here to find links to free online federal filing.

To qualify for free state e-filing in the state of Georgia, your income must be under 30,000. Check that out here.

I've used TurboTax in the past, and it was great. Clear, easy, thorough -- it took all the Big Bad out of Tax Preparation. I used it for free before, but I'd probably even pay for it just for the peace of mind... And with online filing, you get your tax return back so fast! Well worth it.
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A Revelation of the TV Kind: 30 Rock

Gentle Reader... I have a confession. I am loathe to make it -- loathe to admit to you and all humanity that my television discernment skillz are so much weaker than I had previously realized. From Firefly to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, from Dr Who to Flight of the Conchords, from The Office to disdaining 24 on principle -- forgive me Gentle 24 Fans, I only ever watched one episode all the way through, and that Jeopardy-style ticking bomb noise and constant barrage of near-death encounters just never managed to captivate me -- I've always thought my tv watching habits were fairly laudable, and rather cutting-edge. I might have even called them a bit esoteric, if I was feeling insecure about some other area of my life, and trying to reassure myself in this arena.

But now I see the error of my ways. Now I understand, in one of flash of illumination, just how foolish I was!

Friends, I have encountered 30 Rock.

It is truly a revelation unparalleled in modern history. People had tried to explain to me -- knowledgeable people who's opinions I should have trusted, had kindly attempted to enlighten me to no avail. I had been meaning (probably along with half of America) to check out the show ever since Tina Fey's SNL skits made political history, but I had put it off, blinded in the busy bustle of everyday life. I vaguely planned to add the first few seasons to my Netflicks queue, ignoring the advice of friends who patiently attempted to explain to me that I would enjoy the show regardless of where I started watching. I was determined, in my television-watching arrogance, to view the show on my terms.

I was so wrong! And now I am duly punished, by being the very opposite of avantguarde in recognizing the greatness of this show. True, I spent most of the first episode seeing Sarah Palin wandering around a tv station and doing writerly things, but I got past that soon enough. And is Alec Baldwin just playing himself? I could totally see his character leaving that strident voicemail for his daughter... A friend tells me that Tracy Morgan is also pretty much playing himself, but I hadn't heard of him before watching the show (oops, did I just unknowingly make another confession about how behind I am on my pop-culture?) so I can't vouch for that one. Kenneth is also incredibly funny... and he's local too! I'm pretty sure "South of Stone Mountain" would mean he's an Atlantan... though his family back home purportedly spends most of their time battling back killer inbred hogs from their farm, which makes the geography of his childhood a little more nebulous.

In any case, the show is gold. Horribly behind or not, I officially endorse it. And I'm kind of pleased I'm catching it late... I now have three seasons of amazingness to catch up on at my leisure.

If you are behind on this phenomenon as well take the opportunity to more fully enter the 30 Rock universe here, with tidbits like "Kenneth the WebPage" or Frank's blog, as well as full episodes.
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Towards a darker shade of... green. A monthly environmental awareness inventory.



Over the last six months my shade of green has deepened considerably. Six months ago I had a lukewarm, half-imaginary commitment to recycling that manifested in only sporadic trips to the recycling center. I liberally used commercial cleaning products and paper goods with only occasional pangs of conscience, and I hardly ever put to use the canvas grocery bags I had bought on a whim. I did walk to work nearly every day though, bought a lot of my clothes at thrift store or on ebay, and was managing to keep two plants alive for the first time since Ophelia III died at the paws of my cat (rest in peace, oh glorious, though perpetually bloom-less, daisy!). However, since becoming more aware and moving to a part of the city with curbside recycling pickup (the angels sing!), things have changed considerably. Recycling, for example, I regard with a fervent passion that recently sent me on a thirty-minute internet goose-chase trying to discover what type of plastic my old contact case was made of, so I could dispose of it with a clear conscience. Emboldened by the huge success my boyfriend and I had at making my own laundry detergent, I am presently transitioning into solely homemade and natural cleaning products as well (more reports on that on that topic to come, as I discover what works best). I have resolved to use only recycled paper products and environmentally safe dishwasher detergent, but have only partially stayed faithful to that aim... I confess to straying momentarily after being tempted by "coupon + sale = free" toilet paper and a "c+s=.75" box of Cascade. (Oh I am weak, so very weak!) I'm also currently trying to coax four baby herb plants into feeling at home on my windowsill. In any case, great strides have been made, and I hope will continue further.


Goals for this year:

Go organic on the all the majors, as listed here by the Environmental Working Group

Plan and execute a small kitchen garden

Use only recycled paper products and natural cleaning products.

Consistently use alternative transportation and walk to destination whenever possible.

Always use canvas grocery bags, unless deliberately "restocking" plastic bags to use as wastebasket liners.


Goals for February:
When purchasing spinach and apples, only buy organic.

Research what vegetables are most foolproof, and decide whether to buy a potato bin grower thing.

Purchase petri dishes to test first batch of homemade cleaners as scientifically as possible (ha! I'm not even kidding...)

Consistently use alternative transportation for commute at least four days a week.

Use canvas bags for grocery shopping at least every other trip.

Make a new batch of homemade laundry detergent.



Am I missing anything horribly important and/or blatantly obvious? I'm excited to have disembodied cyber accountability with all this... Also, I've yet to name my herbs. For now I'm going to try to steer clear of the names of any Shakespeare heroines who went insane and died tragically (that's a weighty heritage for any plant, and none of my herbs appear to be sufficiently hardy or personable for that as of yet), but I would love suggestions. The herbs are basil, cilantro, dill, and chives. The cilantro is the most enthusiastic so far, with the poor lil chives working hard to peek over the edge of the pot.

For some more ideas and input on green resolutions for the new year look here. Granted, it's published by 7th Generation, so they aren't exactly unbiased...
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5 Favorite Moments of President Obama's 2009 Inauguration

Hopefully by now everybody's gotten to see it... I enjoyed it immensely! Here I have compiled my five favorite moments of the event, in roughly chronological order.

1. The beaming faces of Sasha and Malia as they walked out to take their seats. SO CUTE and so ecstatic, it just kind of set the tenor of the whole inauguration for me. The combination of your dad becoming Really Really Important and getting a new puppy would be a heady experience for any kid. Where is that promised puppy anyway? Isn't it about time for it to make an adorable appearance in the lives of the Obamas? And can we have a webcam please, or would that be creepy? If I were Sasha or Malia, I would already be making plans to take President-Dad to school as show-and-tell... That would totally make up for the fact that First-Lady-Mom says they still have to make their own beds every morning...

2. The ridiculously pleased expression on Bush's face as he relinquished power. His step was unusually light and jaunty as he walked on to the platform, and his relief seemed nearly palpable. Good to be off of the hot-seat Mr. President? I imagine your rear has been rather scorched for a while now...

3. Aretha Franklin's hat (classic and amazing!). And her wonderfully soulful serinade. By this point in the event, I was getting goosebumps and vaguely going through the motions of working as I watched the live feed from my desk. Also somewhere around this point, my whole building got a warning email from our IT guy, informing us that we were "hammering" the network with all of the inauguration-viewing, and could we please switch to lower bandwith so some people could actually get work done? Riiiiiiight.

4. President Obama's speech. This one is a given right? But it was just so good... Goosebumps again, and perhaps an inclination to shed tears, but if so it was steadfastly resisted.

5. John William's arrangement of "Simple Gifts." I'm pretty sure what happened was this... a hush-hush committee was closeted in some dim back room and suddenly somebody was like, "Y'all, we need a THEME. Get that Star Wars / Indiana Jones guy in here, and make that music SWELL with EMOTION." And of course, that's just what they accomplished.

I was thinking that this inauguration is different from any other, because regardless of politics, all Americans had reason to be joyful today. We do carry in our historical wake many national wrongs, and it is beautiful to see them put to right, even when that process has been far too slow. Tomorrow and the next day will be time enough for partisan haggling, but I hope today everybody was able to pause for a minute and just be glad! Today was a hopeful day. And maybe now America will have more room to grow. :) Happy inauguration Tuesday everyone!
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Realm of the Edible, Week 2 (retrospect...)

The most notable culinary attempt of the last week combined two new "firsts" for me -- cooking lamb and using a slow cooker /crock pot. Growing up I had lots of crock pot experience vicariously through my mother, but any direct contact with the slow cooker was limited to me turning it on or off at specified times... and often getting yelled at for forgetting to do even that much. So, having purchased one (for more than half off during the after-Christmas sales :P), I first had to convince my boyfriend that it was a worthwhile purchase. This I did mostly by emailing him a barrage of lamb, curry, and beer-braised ribs slow-cooker recipes and describing in vivid detail how nice it would be to come home from work with the savory scent of any of the above floating through the house to meet us. After he was convinced -- nay, rendered a devout disciple in the Way of the Crock Pot -- by my clever marketing schemes, then we got to try to figure out how to use the thing.

We chose a Mediterranean-inspired Leg of Lamb recipe, and prepared everything the night before with eager anticipation.... but I'll admit, it fell a little short of my high hopes. However, this was mostly due to me failing to think through the fact that my 8 hour work day doesn't necessarily correspond with 8 hours away from home. In fact, if I turn on the crock pot even moments before sauntering out the door on a chilly Monday morning, the time spent commuting to and fro, eating lunch, etc, will keep me away from home for more like 10 hours. (Kind of a duh, right?) So, if a recipe says 6-8 hrs on high, and I leave it at that temperature while I'm at work, the time it will spend cooking away oh-so-efficiently is actually closer to a withering 10 hours. The long and short of it... the lamb was edible, but the broth/gravy was cooked to a brown and gummy mess, and the meat itself was as dry as the Sahara at high noon. Believe it or not it was still pretty good, which means that 10 hours on low just might make for one amazing dinner... but it was kind of a let-down in the moment.

(That photo is from a more successful cook's rendition of Leg-of-Lamb... click through for the recipe!)

In retrospect: Carefully choose the setting for a slow-cooker if you're going to be away. This precaution may also cut down on the amount of time you spend at work wondering if your house is burning down even as you type and file... Can you tell I'm the anxious type?

For the rest of the week we pretty much limited our cooking to making a tater tot casserole with the leftover lamb, and then making pasta primavera and The Best Garlic Bread Ever. We did make a couple of changes to the pasta recipe as posted on the site, substituting College Inn white wine and herbs chicken broth for the bouillon and actual wine -- it seemed to work really well, while saving the actual wine for actual drinking... Oh! And I hadn't planned for dessert, so I threw together some imaginative pumpkin tarts with Pillsbury biscuits and a container of pumpkin pudding I bought on a whim recently... They were pretty good too, though I will tell you now that an attempt at reheating the aforementioned Pillsbury biscuits will result in a kind of taffy-like consistency that isn't appealing at all, so eat 'em while you can.

And journeys in the realm of the edible continue.
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The secret life of the Savvy CVS shopper...

First, I'll admit to exaggeration. None of which you're about to read is actually a secret. CVS advertises this little technique in their fliers nearly every week, scattering "free" this and "free" that on nearly every other page. If you've even glanced at one of their ads, you've seen it -- On sale, 2.99! With Coupon, $1.99... after extracare bucks, FREE!

However most people are completely missing the tiny piece of the puzzle that can work this drugstore marketing ploy into quite literally getting you that item for free. Initially, sure, you have to spend money. But once you buy that advertised, red letter item, and get the receipt print-out of the promised $2.00 extracare bucks, you are free to use that store credit on whatever you want. Including more items advertised as free... only this time they actually will be. The cycle can go on as long as you want, spending credit on items that give you back credit, and enjoying huge reductions on your purchases. You aren't even being devious or underhanded -- you're doing exactly what the CVS marketing masterminds promote so enthusiastically.

If you don't believe me, here's an example. Right before Christmas CVS was doing some heavy advertising promotions, and had an entire page devoted to this type of "free" merchandise. Having already accumulated $9 of extracare bucks, and by employing the clever clipping of strategic coupons (all that scissor time entitles me to a pat on the back...), I waltzed into CVS and came out with two bags of Natural Halls Lozenges (for the inevitable winter sore throat/cough combo...), a 20 capsule bottle of excedrin (which I refer to as "painkiller." is that odd? people tell me that's odd...), and two Revlon lipsticks (gotta look good!), all for free. Everything was on sale, I had a couple of buy-one-get-one-free coupons, and I used extracare bucks for the rest. (I did buy another item or two in addition, so to avoid a possibly uncomfortable moment at the counter when I would have had nothing to pay but the sales tax). My hour or so spent glancing through the ads and doing the initial coupon-gathering racked up to the tune of $30, with another $8 back in new extracare bucks.

It was a rush, I can tell you. :P

Helpful hints for outsmarting CVS:
1. Check out the ads and plan strategically. You want to pick up the monthly Extracare catalog too, which specifically highlights month-long extracare bonus items. Usually there will be at least a few that give you back the whole of your purchase price... and if you pair it with a coupon, you'll actually end up getting back more credit than you spent!
2. Try to start out with a purchase that will get you at least $2 or $3 extracare bucks so it might be possible to use them to pay for your next item entirely.
3. Extracare bucks ring up on the register like CVS coupons for that dollar amount, and like coupons have expiration dates, so make sure to keep an eye on that. You also don't get any return on them -- ie, if you use a $4 extracare coupon and your total purchase is only $2, you will loose that extra $2. So beware!
4. Read the fine print! There's obviously a difference between 8 oz and 16 oz... but also a difference between metallic eyeshadow and regular (this one I know from personal experience) and that will effect whether your extracare bucks are issued successfully.
5. After nearly every purchase, CVS will print out additional coupons at the bottom of your receipts -- $5 off a $25 purchase, $2 off a skincare product, and the like... and then things really get interesting!

Walgreens and RiteAid have similar programs with mail-in rebates, so the technique can be adopted for either of those places as well, its just a little more complicated.

Credit (or blame... :P) goes to my friend David for having me explain all this, and making me think that maybe other people would be interested in it too.
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Flight of the Conchords lifts off for season two...

An episode of the Flight of the Conchords we all know and love just wouldn't be complete without a poignant song about the delicate aspects of organic toothpaste designed for women... or the excitement of Mel heading an irate mob.... or the drama of Maury estranged from the guys and living in his car... or the sight of Bret and Jemaine smeared in pastel body paint and emerging from massive tubes of toothpaste. Perhaps you are personally of the opinion that your life would still be complete without that last one, but you'll probably come around to my way of thinking after an early viewing of the "premier" here. Quotes around premier, because what they really mean by that is "an episode in the same vein as always, to start off the new season!" It's great nonetheless, though if you are previously unacquainted with the exploits of these two New Zealand (illegal?) imports -- as they wander vaguely towards a big-time music career accompanied by their faithful agent Maury and their stalker/fan Mel -- initially you may have your doubts. But as long as you aren't expecting high-speed car chases or fast-paced dialogue, you'll probably be won over by this zany, albeit somewhat spaced-out, series -- and I'll tell you now, any scene with Mel is pretty much guaranteed to be priceless.

Note: In this episode, you have my permission to skip past Maury's song, because he just goes on and on like a bad 80s movie and that just isn't my thing... Otherwise, knock yourself out!
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Mailbox fun... samples straight to your door!

Did anybody else have that Free Stuff For Kids book that came out each year, and had lists and lists of things you could write away and request "for free or under a dollar"? I got a ton of stuff from that book, stickers, paperdolls, vegetable seeds (never sprouted), little bead kits... I've always loved getting stuff in the mail. So, this next list isn't so much a money-saver as it is a free way to get some fun stuff in the mail, and try a few new products, and sure, maybe save a buck here or there.

Free samples:
Cream of Wheat: http://cow.promotionassociates.net/
Yogi tea: http://www.yogitea.com/Pages/FreeSamples.html
Teasta: http://www.teasta.com/free-samples
Bear Naked granola: http://www.bearnaked.com/postcards/sample.asp
Soy Joy bar: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid63152.aspx
Tide Total Care: https://tidetotalcare.safeprocessing.com/?sw=1&utm_source=identitysite

I'm careful to make sure that any links for 'free' items seem to check out, and only participate when they are established companies and the samples are clearly available from their main websites. Its really pretty much a public service... we're helping the postal service stay in business!
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Holy mackerel, music just got a little more interesting again...

http://www.fictionfamily.com/

In a surprising new twist in the world of music, the former frontmen of Switchfoot and Nickel Creek have combined forces in a two-man-band going by the moniker of Fiction Family, and producing a sound that wouldn't have been previously expected from either. Though primarily upbeat, catchy pop, their songs are musically complex (a banjo here, a piano there) and lyrically thoughtful, showcasing a fearlessly sensitive side and a sense of humor. Fans of M. Ward pay special attention to track 6, "War in my Blood."

Curious? Elated? Visit their website and join their email list to download a track free, or check out the whole album, streaming here until its release on the 20th.

And then buy tickets for their Atlanta concert appearance at the Variety Playhouse on the 29th. Hallelujah, after what feels like months, good music has returned to Atl! If you have concert-hunger and/or money burning a hole in your pocket, also note the Andrew Bird, Lucinda Williams, and Anthony and the Johnsons shows upcoming... it would be hard to go wrong with any of those.
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Is Lost just wandering aimlessly...or searching for a definite but unknown destination??

A metaphysical distinction worth pondering, yes, but also a question pertaining to my second favorite love-hate relationship (the first being Paris Hilton, and her new BFF, which I hate to love, but also love to hate...). For clarity I shall rephrase my question thus: What on God's green earth is going on with Lost this season????? Sure, sure, maybe you're one of the uninitiated who likes to laugh at the obsession, or maybe you just caught a bad episode or two or sixteen and have good reason to despise it. I'll admit it, there's plenty of fodder for mockery in Lost and many of us regularly wonder if they're just making each episode up as they go along, perhaps aided by a temperamental six year old with a hyperactive imagination... but its also pretty much CRACK so if you're one of the addicted then you're indubitably waiting on the edge of your seat to find out what's up next. I mean, that last episode, with all the weird flash-forwards of regret and confusion, and people unexpectedly dead and other ones unexpectedly alive, was pretty much designed to leave the poor innocent viewer with serious withdrawals (or a serious migraine, depending on your metabolism) just when you thought they were finally going to get off that dang island and be happy.

If perchance too much Christmas pudding has clouded your memory, check out this review of the upcoming premiere for a tantalizing refresher on all the drama and suspense, and a peek at what we can expect... but no need to worry about finding out more than you wanted to know, because the reviewer is a true believer (with the complex combination of warring doubt and faith that that often implies) and knows better than to commit spoiler sacrilege.

T minus six days and counting. In the mean time, check out previews here.
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If money grew on trees, we sure wouldn't have to worry about deforestation...

I view saving money as a new game to play -- a fun hobby I'm working to master. However, unlike scrapbooking, or kickboxing, or even writing, this hobby has a certain edge of urgency propelling it... and if I neglect practicing the game, I will fall behind in something a lot more dramatic than numbers on a scoreboard. If I'm not careful, I could fall behind in life. I realized this very starkly after reading some blog or article, when the writer pointed out that he was in his late twenties, and had little to show for his life besides a degree and a few thousand dollars in the bank. He calculated the amount of money he had made over the space of time he had been working, and yet now somehow still had very little to show for it. I'm not quite at that same point in life, but I'm far enough along so that I need to get my bearings and figure out where exactly I'm headed. Or at least... the general direction in which I'm headed. And that includes getting a handle on how much I'm spending, how much I'm saving, and how much progress I'm making in paying off my school loans. If that seems simple to you, then kudos on having a clearer head than I do, or maybe just initial advantages I lacked.

If however, you're floating along in the same boat as me, a little foggy on where exactly your money goes and how to stretch it further, or a little apprehensive about whether the sails are taking you in the direction of your future or just around in circles, then please join me for a day at sea... but with the shore in sight! Already I've gotten my bearings somewhat, and have learned a few of the most basic skills needed for successful navigation, so I know it can be done... and the company would be very welcome.

Perhaps in time we will journey far enough to even venture into the land of IRAs and 401ks and dream-jobs, but for now I will be focusing on the day-to-day of getting by, and getting ahead, and getting where I want to go. Basic, but entirely essential. And incredibly empowering! Come along and see. :)
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Adventures in the realm of the edible... week 1

My quest for food exploration and domination began anew in my vacation time right after Christmas... In the space of that week and a half I was a little preoccupied with holiday ingredients served in non-seasonal ways, and played with recipes for Sweet Potato French Fries and Pumpkin Tortilla Soup. I was really pleased with both -- the fries were nearly effortlessly (I thought chopping the raw potatoes might be a pain, but it was no big deal) and the pumpkin tortilla soup is worth the work I think... It is kind of more tomato-y then I was expecting, but I love the home-fried tortilla strips and the thick consistency of the soup. I improvised with beef broth instead of vegetable -- I don't know if that changed the flavor at all, but next time I'll probably either follow the recipe more closely just to give that a go, or figure out a way to add meat and see if I can trick my boyfriend into tasting it. He was pretty anti-pumpkin when I broached the topic of trying the recipe initially, so I made it solo and currently have a good bit of soup in my freezer on standby for future lunches. Which works fine too!  In case you don't believe me, see how good it looks?  Photo is from thekitchn's website, click through for the recipe!



I also gave Balsamic Poached Chicken a try, and wasn't quite as happy... I love balsamic dressing, but actual balsamic vinegar is a little too zangy for me. Plus, they aren't kidding when they say it will "perfume" your entire house... I can't approve of a vinegar-scented living room, thanks anyway. The roasted new potatoes and asparagus were great though! Awesome way of cooking vegetables, imo.

I still have stacks and stacks of recipes, to say nothing of the wide wide world of the interwebs, so my cooking journey begins here! And off we go...
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Twittering merrily...

The story about Obama's hacked account inspired me to give Twitter another go... You should join the fun! Be on the cutting edge, and tweet with me for a beautiful melody... :P

In other news, the only thing better than hearing that Obama is on Twitter is hearing that he's going to be joining Spiderman for an issue... Can we say, most collectable thing ever?

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Gettin' that morning buzz...

One caffeinated hot cocoa later, I am able to report that the "arise oh sleeper" results of java are indeed largely psychological. This is because disguising "as much caffeine as a cup of coffee!" in liquid chocolate pretty much rendered it ineffective in the wake-up sleepy-head! department. Don't take it too hard though Swiss Miss... I like to think positive, and I like chocolate, so I'm sure I'll give you ample opportunities to prove me wrong in the future.
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