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College of Cash - finding money for college

February 2008 Grocery Challenge Update

February 21st 2008 11:04
I have good news concerning my grocery budget for the month of February. I came in under budget!

I had mentioned in My New Grocery Budget post that I was trying to keep my spending on groceries under $50 per month, and that I had already spent about $34. I spent another $10.14 at the store on Tuesday.

I bought:
milk - 2.09 (blah, I had gotten it for $1 the last time)
bread - 86 cents again
cereal - 1.89
toiletries - 5.00

That means I'm almost $6 under my budget. I shouldn't run out of anything in the next eight days, so that number shouldn't change. So, I'm announcing that in my first month of my grocery challenge - I CAME IN UNDER BUDGET!!!! Yay! Let's hope I can recreate this next month!



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This Feels Like a Moral Dilemma

February 12th 2008 21:44
...But maybe it isn't. I hate Wal-mart. I really think it is an evil empire, similar to the Yankees and the current Patriots.

However, at The Simple Dollar I was reading about the $4 perscriptions there. I just graduated recently, I don't have a full-time job, and that means no health insurance. A $4 perscription sounds amazing to me.

I've actually already gotten my doctor to call in my meds to the Wal-mart. It's bothering me because I hate Wal-mart so much, but right now I can't pay $32-$48 for some meds.


It feels like hypocrisy. Is saving money really worth it? Apparently, I've decided it is, for now. Hopefully it will change later. What do you think?
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The End Slices

February 11th 2008 11:52
I never used to use the end slices in a loaf of bread. They weren't "real" slices to me. But now that I have to pay for my own groceries on top of all the other bills I never had to pay before either, those end slices are magically "real" enough to eat.

There are some rules though. I only eat them as a grilled cheese because then I can't really tell. I put the end sides to the middle where the cheese is, and it's just like all the other slices of bread.

I even eat bread when it's a day passed it's "sell by" date. That never used to happen either. Although, that has to be made as a grilled cheese as well. Or toast. I can't use it with PB&J, or as a tuna sandwich or anything where the bread is supposed to be soft. By the "sell by" date, bread isn't so soft and I just can't deal with it. But at least I use all of the bread now.

Is there anything you didn't used to use all of, but now you do? (Whether it's for money saving, or just so you don't feel wasteful, or even for no reason at all). I'm curious.
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I Don't "Do" Valentine's Day

February 7th 2008 11:55
In my opinion, Valentine's Day is a waste of money. (Haha, the BF loves that about me. I also think "monthversaries" are stupid as well, but let's not go there right now). Anyway, let's look at all the things people would normally spend money on for this random, "retail card store appreciation day" and examine why we shouldn't spend money on them. (Feel free to disagree, I know I don't have a popular opinion on this one - at least with the females).

Cards. Why waste money on a card? The card and the envelope will wind up in the trash at some point in the near future. So, instead of wasting $3 by putting it in the trash and adding to the pollution of the environment, why don't you send those $3 to me via paypal. That would be fantastic.

Flowers. I hate flowers. Well, I don't really hate them, but why would you give me something that is going to die in a few days? Nothing says "I love you" more than a handful of dead stuff. Plant some seeds in a flowerpot and put it in the house for it to grow. I like that a lot better. Plus, I'm allergic to flowers.

Candy. Well, I like getting candy so we'll skip this one!

Expensive presents (or actually any presents). This one annoys me the most. Wow, so my boyfriend (or husband, etc) can buy me some crazy ridiculous present because a card company told him it was a good idea? Get back to me when he can do that just because he saw something and thought of me on a random day in June. Then it actually means something. Oh, and I don't like expensive things anyway. I don't wear much jewelry (only earrings) and, well, I just hate wasting money.

So how do we keep Valentine's Day frugal? (For those of us who participate that is). Maybe buy some candy. Watch a movie (a DVD) and snuggle. I think that works well enough.

How do you keep Valentine's Day frugal? Or do you even try?
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I Only Buy Clothes with Gift Cards

January 31st 2008 19:03
That's right. I only buy clothes when I have gift cards. (This is the post I mentioned coming up in Saturday's links about Mrs. Micah's post).

She wrote about how she doesn't really have the spending power right now to get more clothes for work. I'm the same way now, but I hardly ever spent money on clothes even when I had a "surplus" of money. Everytime I wanted to buy some clothes, I always thought about all the other things I could be doing with my money.

The clothes I needed for my new library job I bought with a gift card from Christmas. I knew I'd have to dress a little nicer than I had been for any other job I've ever had, so I bought black pants and some long sleeve sweaters and shirts. It's the only way I'll buy clothes because it's not cash - there's nothing else I can do with the gift card. Which is nice because otherwise I'd never have new clothes!

In fact, I have a gift card still waiting to be used. I think I am going to wait a little while longer to see if anything comes up that I really need to buy. Probably after I find a second job I'll go out and use it for some other shirts I want if I haven't spent it by then.

Who else waits for gift cards to buy clothes? Anyone?
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Putting My Tuition Cards to Good Use

January 24th 2008 11:21
If you've been here before you know about the tuition I put on some 0% APR credit cards. Well, the newer one of those had a rewards program. I usually don't pay attention to rewards programs much because I don't normally charge enough to make any difference.

However, charging $3000 on one card gave me 9000 points. (I think there was a bonus for the first time use, and then anytime after that it's $1 = 1 point). I had 9000 points. It was also almost Christmas and I was graduating and I didn't have a job lined up
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Sell Books Back or Keep Them?

December 12th 2007 14:13
I wrote at the beginning of this school semester that amazon.com was my best friend because I got most of my books there for cheap, as well as getting some for free.

But what happens at the end of the semester? Is it really worth it to sell the books back to the school bookstore? Yes and no


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So either the sickness came back, or it never left. Either way I'm sick of being sick.

I hope you enjoy the links today. I don't know that there are really any updates. I'm still working on getting all of the posts categorized, but that's about it


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Halloween on the Cheap

October 29th 2007 20:31
Maybe this post should have came before the weekend, when most of the parties happen. But Halloween itself is still looming, so maybe I'm not too late.

Have you ever noticed that the best halloween costumes are the ones people make up themselves? Anything you buy in a store can be bought by tons of people. The best costumes come from individuality and creativity. This means: there is no reason to spend money on halloween (unless you have to buy candy to pass out


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Having a Plan for After Graduation

October 16th 2007 20:17
Having a plan for after you graduate is definitely a good thing. You can’t just sit around without a job at your parents’ house forever, (or can you?). That is why I am happy to announce that I actually have a plan! And I’m taking my own advice on how to live cheap(er).

For starters, I’m moving in with someone else. It’s a two bedroom apartment, for $395 a month. (You all wish you could live in an apartment that cheap). That means I will be paying $197.50 a month on rent. That’s only $40 more than my car payment


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