The No-Spend Zone

All I Want For Christmas...is a Prison Sentence?

‘Tis the season to be jolly…and a thief, it seems.  As you may know I work at my local police department, and it is well known throughout my office that this time of year sees a drastic increase in the amount of shoplifting and general theft cases that occur in our city.  Knowing that this problem couldn’t be exclusive to our city, I did a little Google-searching and discovered that it’s not just the winter months but this entire year that has seen an increase in “middle-class shoplifting”.

According to a TIME magazine article, shoplifting has increased by 6% across the country – a small percentage, perhaps, but one that equals a retail loss of about $115 billion!  As the use of the term “middle-class shoplifter” might suggest, many of the perpetrators seem to be from financially struggling middle-class families, and the pilfered items are often used to supplement a budgeted (or, in some cases, a non-existent) income.  Most of the items that are reported to be the most sought after, though, are clothing, cosmetics, and quality food items - items that TIME magazine suggests are used to maintain a quality of life to which the shoplifters are accustomed…which makes the entire crime seem rather petty.  I understand the theft of food products, but “quality” food products?  These items are not being stolen to survive during a financial crisis, but to indulge one’s self beyond your means.

Any thoughts on this?  Do you have sympathy for these middle-class pilferers?

Theoretical Black Friday Savings

So, yesterday was Black Friday. For those not in the know, Black Friday is the Friday that follows after Thanksgiving. The start of the Christmas season and a day of ridiculous sales in stores all across the country. Feel free to check out the Black Friday Wikipedia page for more information on this magical day of savings.... and death.

Which brings me to a few days ago. My sister and I want to get my parents a new TV for Christmas. They've had the same crappy tiny one for years now and we strongly feel it's time for them to upgrade to bigger and better. Financially this seems a bit nuts because I'm out of a job and my sister is about to graduate college and is also jobless. But a new TV benefits the entire family. Also we could always use it as a trump card against the parents if the need ever arose. Anyway, my younger sibling gives me a call to inform me that Walmart would have a sale on Black Friday--as if that would be a surprise of any sort. However, the important information was that they'd have a 32" HD LCD on sale for $248. Obviously, that's a dang good price. My sister suggested that I should head over to my local store at 5 am, when the sale began to purchase one. She said I may have a better chance at both the purchase and survival as I live in a small South Carolina town and she lives in Pembroke Pines.

Sure my sister had sound reasoning, but I'd never been to the shops on Black Friday my entire life. All I knew about Black Friday was that people go completely insane. Like... devolve into dangerous animals insane. Still, this would help get my parents that TV. I thought long and hard about it, but last night, I got supremely tired and fell asleep, thereby missing the sale. Dang turkeys and their sleepy factor. I was a bit upset at first, but I found out that 75 people showed up to the Walmart near my house specifically for that TV. And Walmart only carried 30 of them. So in the end, it sort of worked out in my favor?

So, my tradition of non-Black Friday attendance continues. But I'm still short one TV. Anyone know of a good place to get a nice TV, be it online or at a store? How about some Black Friday madness? Feel free to share your stories of tossing children away or flipping old ladies.

Birthdays: A Day of Contemplation for the Unemployed

My Birthday past recently, and I finally turned 25. A quarter of a century old. Many might think, "You're still young. Your life is just beginning." And of course there's the, "Hey, at least you rent a car." Now, while this is all well and good, the only thing I thought about on my "special" day was that I was 25 years old and unemployed. Growing up, when I thought about myself at 25, I always imagined a successful writer penning the latest issue of SUPERMAN or working on his newest novel about space ninjas battling a race of super-intelligent monkeys... who happened to also be ninjas, but they used their ninja powers for evil and therefore must be stopped. At 25, I would have dabbled in writing for movies, acting in television. I was to be attending lavish parties dressed in a nice suit, grinning like a fool as I sipped on a rum and coke and hobnobbed with my fellow party-goers. And, yes, although all that was merely the fanciful daydreams of a 15-year-old with his whole life ahead of him, I certainly never imagined myself at 25 to be unemployed and living in South Carolina.

However, if there is one thing I can say is great about being unemployed on your birthday, it's that the gifts mean so much more. My dad, in his infinite generosity, paid for my plane ticket home for Christmas, which came out to around $140. My mom, loving as always, decided to cover the $90 I owe fellow blogger Amanda for the "Phantom of the Opera" ticket she purchased for me. My sister... well, she's unemployed as well and about to graduate college, so she baked me a cake. But still, free, delicious food! My buddy Fernando took me for a night on the town to cheer me up and covered my drinks the entire night, running up a bill close to $60. Amanda and Bridget got me the Catwoman Ame-Comi statue I've desperately wanted since I first heard about it's impending release back when I was working at Wizard. Then of course there's the usual money from the grandparents and aunts and uncles.

So, what's the point here? Well, basically, being unemployed on your birthday is a two-edged sword. Sure it's depressing, but hot-damn if you can't milk it for all it's worth for your friends and family.

Freeing Up Space with Donations

Since I've been slowly going through my belongings in preparation for the big move to my new house, I've come across a variety of items that I no longer want or need (or simply don't have the room for).  My first impulse would be to chuck these things into the garbage, but since the majority of them were in great shape I decided to take the time and head over to my local Salvation Army store.  This is only the second time I've been there, but the process takes less than a minute - just show up with a bag of items, fill out a small form with your information and a brief description of what you're donating, and then head out the door.  Not only are you doing a good deed, but you get a tax write-off and extra space in your house!

Another good idea for unwanted belongings is to throw a yard sale, but this option takes more planning and preparation than I was willing to give.  My parents are fond of throwing yearly yard sales, however, so keeping my larger (and more expensive) items around might earn me some needed cash whenever my parents feel the need to throw another yard sale together.  Whatever your choice, these are both good ways to get something out of your discards.

Treasure In Trash

When I had my bathroom remodeled I asked the workmen during deconstruction to kindly place anything they could salvage (such as the wall cabinets) in my bedroom.  I knew that most of it would prove useless, but I was hoping that I could positively repurpose some of the items for another use.

For example, the original mirror in my master bathroom is a huge piece of glass almost 6ft across.  Even though the edges are discolored my walk-in closet is large enough that if I turn the mirror on it’s side it provides a perfect floor-to-ceiling dressing mirror!  An easy solution to the edge discoloration is by crafting a makeshift frame or border by using some thin pre-cut pieces of wood, some paint, and a glue gun (all of which can be found at a craft store).  A mirror of this size bought at any retailer would end up costing me hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

The bathroom cabinets, however, are proving more difficult to recycle.  They’re corner cabinets, and I’m thinking that if I remove the doors and repaint the interior I can attach it as shelving in my downstairs living room.  My main concern is that while I could definitely use the extra storage space, the cabinet frame might look too “bathroom-y” for another room.  I do enjoy my craft projects, though, and I’ll keep you updated on whether or not this proves to be a diamond in the rough or a disaster.

The Cost of Perfect Teeth

On a recent trip home, around the time of Halloween, my mom made me a dentist appointment as I hadn't been in a while. The appointment was a for a cleaning, but as the lovely dental assistant cleaned away at my pearly whites she exclaimed, "Umm.... what's with your second to last molar on your right lower jaw?" Confused, I said, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't how you wouldn't have noticed this, but it's majorly chipped," she told me. "I think the doctor should take a look at this."

"Oh that," I responded in an almost nonchalant manner. "That's been like that for about five years now. No one ever said anything before about it when I used to go to my other dentist."

After giving me a disbelieving, quizzical look, she responded with, and I'm paraphrasing here, "What the crap?"

The doctor came over and took a look. Besides having a cavity on that tooth, as one would expect, the chipping led to a cavity on the lower corner of the adjacent tooth, a place that normally wouldn't have a cavity unless it was exposed as it was. Also, the tooth was slowly decaying. I needed to get it fixed ASAP. If not, I could lose the tooth which could led to tons of other problems, which would ultimately destroy my "perfect smile" (their words, not mine. well....mine, too). Understand, I have a teeth thing. I have reoccurring nightmares about losing my teeth. So, needless to say, I was ready to get this stuff fixed that day. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. They could fill my cavities, but they needed to take a mold of my teeth and send it off to get a proper ceramic cap for it. So, it would take at least a week to get that back. Either way, I was in. I had to save my teeth. But let me tell you, preserving a great smile costs quite a bit.

At first the cost came out to $950, but since I was a new customer, I had no insurance and because these guys were extremely nice people, the doctor decided to not charge for the fillings. The cost dropped to $700--still expensive for someone like me, but reasonable from what I understand. So, I got my cavities filled and for now have a temporary cap on the tooth to keep it safe until they get they permanent one in.

What do you all think of this? Was that a reasonable price for what I'm getting done? Also, seriously, who flosses? Cause apparently, I need to.

Cutting Costs for Kitchen Reconstruction

After receiving my much awaited first-time homeowner's check from the government (that's $8000+ in my pocket!) I've started hunting around for a new kitchen.  The refrigerator and dishwasher are in working condition, but both them and the oven appear to be the original appliances that came with the house upon construction (which dates them back to about 1983), so obviously they can use a facelift.  The cabinets, countertops, and lighting in the kitchen are also dated and in need of either repair or replacement. 

The problem with that?  None of the quotes I've gotten so far fit within my budget of $8000!  Go figure, but redoing an entire kitchen seems to be expensive.  The lowest quotes I've gotten thus far is from Smart Buy USA in Doral, that quoted me at $6700 for cabinets and granite countertops.  They also offered a $1999 package deal for all of the kitchen appliances (Frigidaire), in stainless steel.

My father says this is a good deal.  My mother says the price is completely ridiculous.  I'm not purchasing anything yet - and I probably won't come to a decision until I scrounge up some extra money - but these conflicting opinions aren't helping me.  I've never redone an entire kitchen before, so how am I supposed to know what is reasonable and what is over-priced?  At this point all ll I can do is keep shopping around and comparing prices. 

Any advice from people who know a little something about home reconstruction, or someone who just knows where to get a good deal on a small budget?

Coupons, Groupons

Right after I asked you guys to tell me how you find the best deals, I found out The Miami Herald created a page that aggregates some of the good deals around South Florida.

There are restaurant deals, coupons -- such as $1 off cereal and $1.50 off frozen pizza, classified ads for items under $500 and the like.

Here's the link. I did notice that one of the links to a restaurant discount offers a deal that expired in August, so like any new thing, apparently there are some kinks. But I do want to know if you find this site useful.

Another site I'd love your feedback on has deals that depend on many users to survive. Groupon, as it's called, offers daily deals on everything from restaurants, the theater, spas, classes, sporting events, bars, museums, concerts, gyms and other things. An example from an offer this week: For $15, you could get $35 worth of Italian eats at Fratelli La Bufala on South Beach. The coupon was only available on Monday, but it lasts for a year. If you find a deal you like, you can share it via Twitter or Facebook.

Tell me if you find a deal that's too good to pass up.

No Trick, But a Treat at Taco Bell this Halloween

As I was watching television, as I do, I noticed a commercial from Taco Bell announcing a special Halloween Day tie-in to their new Black Jack taco. Apparently, if you come into your local store today after dark--from 6 pm to midnight--you get a FREE Black Jack Taco. I've considered getting one before just to try it, but never really felt committed enough to go to get one. But heck, if it's free, why not? I may even buy a chalupa to go with it. That's still a thing, right? Chalupas?

Anyway, check out the Taco Bell Web site for an official announcement. And get to your local eatery for some free deliciousness.

DELICIOUS UPDATE:

I Fought The Law, and...yea...

This weekend myself and a bunch of friends traveled up to Disney World for the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween parade (think Halloween Horror Nights, but not scary in the least).  Unfortunately my foot was a little over-excited to get us up to Orlando, and I was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol doing 79 in a 70 MPH zone!

Some of you might know that I work for the Pembroke Pines Police Department, but this particular lieutenant was having none of it.  Despite my smiles and the batting of my eyelashes I received my first ever speeding ticket!  Perhaps it was because of the festive mood but the aftermath of this event didn't quite reach my brain until we were settled in our hotel room at Disney.  The cost of the ticket alone is $131, not to mention whatever additional fees I'd have to pay for a drivers school to remove points from my otherwise impeccable record.

Luckily I know a little something about the procedures needed to clear up a ticket, and as soon as I came home on Monday I looked up a recommended online drivers school & took my exam.  The course cost $9.99, with an additional $5 shipping charge for my certificate.  In total my lead foot is costing me $146, on top of the money I already planned on spending during my Disney vacation (my ticket, hotel room, food, etc.).  However, because of this citation, I made an effort to curtail my souvenir spending sprees.  I ended up only getting two or three items during the entire trip - a huge difference when compared to my previous Disney excursions!  It's just unfortunate that this prudence had to come on the heels of a traffic ticket...

Side-note: Happy Halloween, everybody!

Deal or no deal?

Do you troll the web for coupons? Follow super savers on Twitter? Clip furiously out of the Sunday paper? Hold on to every direct mail deal you get? Sign up for e-mails from stores where you actually shop, in the hopes of a sales pitch or discount?

It seems like there's a confusing array of ways to get info about the best deals out there. I'm looking for your ideas on how you do it.

I haven't posted many of the deals and coupons that have come through my inbox here because I want to tell you about the ways I'm saving. I can't vouch for all of those deals if I don't use them. But if that would make you take a peek at the blog a little more often, I'd be curious what kind of deals you want to know about -- and which ones really made a difference in your budget. I just found out today that a major pharmacy chain (with a large presence in South Florida) will give you $1 to spend in their stores if you buy one of their reusable shopping bags -- every fourth visit.

Is that a good deal? If you go there all the time anyway, maybe. But they don't give you cash -- the money goes right back to them, and you have to spend about $1 to buy one of the reusable bags in the first place.

Please share your tried-and-true savings measures and tell me if you want me to share all of the deals, good or not so good, here at the No Spend Zone.

My big, yearly Disney trip is coming up this weekend, and I've already spent massive amounts of money in preparation for this trip.  I'm the designated driver for this adventure, and I spent $898 having various things replaced and repaired in my car.  (Little known fact: apparently vehicle water pumps are made out of solid gold.  I mean, why else would it cost me over $600 for the replacement part & installation?)

I also handed over a small fortune to Jo-Ann Fabrics and Michael's during my quest to construct the perfect Ursula (as in The Little Mermaid) outfit for this year's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween event.  The final cost to create my outfit is a figure lost in obscurity at this point, but know that the fabric alone was $70 and the dress I'm using was purchased for $60; this is not including the additional clothing items, jewelry, sewing necessities, etc...but feel free to assume that whatever budget I had going into this project has well since been blown.

And as if that wasn't enough, my father is throwing an added monkey wrench into the mix by telling me to purchase a seasonal pass for Disney ($249) instead of a 3-Day Park Hopper ($160).  I guess that he'd like me to accompany the family on future Disney trips, but my budget wasn't really anticipating any additional expenditures (not to mention my work schedule might not allow for such trips).  However, taking into account that I plan on going to Disney World next October (2010) for the Halloween event...it may be worth it in the long run, but my wallet sure doesn't seem to think it's a good idea.

So what should I do?  Plan (and spend) for possible future savings, or hold-out for what's monetarily efficient for me now?

Free cookies

Don't get too excited. I don't have any to give away. (Or do I? Keep reading to find out.) But I made some that didn't cost me a thing the other night. Or so it seemed.

Every once in a while, I get a real hankering to bake something. Some of my friends are far more expert at this than I am, and my mother used to make these fantastic fancy cakes for my sister and me growing up. I don't even own a muffin pan. But give me a simple recipe and I'm in.

On a recent Friday night, with the significant other at his high school reunion, I got one of those hankerings. But I did not want to go to the store, even though I live about two miles from a host of shops.

Digging through my fridge, I came up with an unopened box of unsweetened chocolate, found some butter in the freezer and had a decent supply of sugar and flour. I don't always have eggs, but this night, I got lucky.

I looked around online for a recipe. There are a plentiful supply of websites that let you enter the ingredients you have on hand, and then the site will spit out a recipe to match. Nothing was quite the right fit -- and I wasn't in the mood to do anything that involved using a piping bag, making a separate topping or involved a pound of chocolate on top of what I had on hand.

So I turned over the box of chocolate.

I found a fairly straightforward recipe that didn't require me to leave the house. It had a glaze component which I ignored (in part because I don't keep Cool Whip in the house; in part because the idea of heating up Cool Whip seems like a bad idea.)

A little while later, I was in baker's heaven.

I challenge you to bake yourself something today without going to the store. Or just try to make three meals in one day without a shopping trip. If you really can't, your cupboard might be understocked, and you're buying meals out because you have no choice. Here's one idea of what must-haves are in the pantry.

Or you're lacking in creativity. Which I know you really aren't.

Be sure to tell me what you come up with. And maybe I'll bake you some cookies.

Family Versus Finances

For those in the know, my friends Amanda and Bridget went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween at Disney World in Orlando a few years ago dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland. The next year, they graciously extended the invite to myself, my sister and some other friends and since then we've turned it into a bit of an annual tradition, where we now plan on making the trip each year around October and spending a few days in the park for the usual Food & Wine Festival and the Halloween adventure.

This year, my sister Melissa planned on coming with us the entire weekend. Previously, she only came on Halloween night, but as she finally turned 21 this past September, she wanted to come along for the whole weekend and partake in the Food & Wine extravaganza. She was really excited about it, up until about a month ago when she realized her finances, like pretty much everyone in my family, were lacking. First, she cut down and said she could probably only come for Halloween day. As time went on, she began to think she might not even be able to go to that. Tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween cost around $56. A costume--Maleficent for her as we're all going as Disney villains this year--runs around $44. Last year she made her own costume, but considering Maleficent's headdress my sister knew she needed to make a purchase this time around. Then there's the hotel room, which thankfully would only be $15 per person, and whatever other expenses she managed to find while in the park.

Suddenly I found myself in quite the quagmire. On one hand my sister was really looking forward to this trip. She had a great time last year and with all the stress she's getting from school, she could really use a nice break to relax and have fun with some friends. On the other hand, money is tight. But really, the decision wasn't tough. I offered to pay for Melissa's Halloween ticket. She'd have to buy the costume and pay for the hotel room and such, but eliminating the ticket cut her cost in half. After much discussion, she agreed and now she's able to join us for at least Halloween night. Despite my own financial situation, this was my sister. And sometimes, making your little sister happy is worth the sacrifice.

The Cost of Culture

A week ago it came to my attention that The Phantom of the Opera stage show was coming to the Broward Center of the Performing Arts.  I have seen it twice in the past (the second time being while I was still in college, so fairly recently), but I have a few friends who I've been wanting to take along.  I made a few calls and sorted out that my father, my sister, my roommate Bridget, and fellow No-Spend Zone blogger Kevin, will all be coming with me.  This is all well and good, but then we come to the seating arrangements.

Ticket prices were going for as low as $30.75 for nosebleed balcony seats, but I know from experience that paying the extra price for orchestra seating is well worth it.  Unfortunately that bumps the price up to $78.75 a ticket, so the total cost of five tickets (plus an insane $50 "processing fee") amounts to $445.95.  I put it all on my credit card to be repaid at a later date (the show itself isn't until early January!), but I can't honestly say that I feel guilty about the price.  Kevin might have something to say about it, as he's more in need of pinching pennies at the moment than I am, but I know it'll be a great experience for everyone. 

So how about you?  Would you hand over the cash for a chance to hear the music of the night?

Getting credit where credit is due

My friend and colleague Hannah Sampson is on a worthy mission in the midst of this recession: erasing her debt. So she's leaving no charge on her credit card bill unchallenged.

It's already paying off.

In the midst of a recent bill-scrutinizing session, she found an errant four-month-old charge for $215. The culprit, a Milwaukee hotel, had charged her the day she made a reservation -- and then again when she actually showed up for a friend's wedding about two weeks later.

The person at the other end of the phone was downright pleasant, looked up the charges, and took Hannah's word that she hadn't taken two jaunts from South Florida to Wisconsin in one month. The cash is a tidy sum. As she put it, "$200 is a month of food, a shopping spree, an airline ticket." The next battle is getting her credit card company to repay any finance charges they billed her on the money.

Fresh from a convo with her cellphone company, which netted her a $20 credit, Hannah has rolled up her sleeves for future financial combat.

"I try not to be a pushy person, but at a certain point you just have to fight for your money," she says. "Nobody has been offended with me. People have been kind and even apologetic."

Have you had the same experience? Tell me about it.

Free Community Spooks

All dressed up for Halloween with nowhere to go?  Well, if you happen to be a resident of Pembroke Pines (or just live in the area) you might want to consider attending the Pembroke Pines "Boo-Ville" Halloween family event.  Entrance is free, and activities include a costume contest, Trick-Or-Treat stations, a pumpkin patch, rides, Halloween arts & crafts, and a DJ Dance Party!  Refreshments are available with purchase, but no word on food items.  Did I mention entrance is free??

Boo-Ville begins on Saturday October 31st (lasting from 6pm to 9pm) at the Pines Recreation Center (7400 Pines Blvd).

Fanning the Flames of Needless Spending

Since buying my new home I've experienced several occasions where my wallet comes into conflict with my personal taste.  This week is no exception, as I'm searching for ceiling fans for both upstairs bedrooms.  I've already browsed Home Depot and Lowe's, and even though the prices are reasonable (none of the models that I liked cost over $99) I didn't end up finding what I wanted.

My next stop is to Dan's Fan City, a retailer specializing in - you guessed it! - ceiling fans.  The problem that I'm having is that I'm scared (yes, scared) to stumble across something I really like...only to discover a much heftier price-tag than the models I spotted at Home Depot & Lowe's.  I have a bad habit of listening to my impulses whilst ignoring my resources when I come across something I love, and I'm nervous that this instance will only prove my point.  Dan's Fan City offers some pretty elaborate fans, and unfortunately my ultra-modern aesthetic more often than not comes with a not-so-fabulous price-tag.

Hopefully all of this won't be the case, and I may find a fan I love with an equally lovable sales price.  However, I'm dreading the chance that I might have to wage another war between my impulses and my common sense...and all for the sake of a ceiling fan!

We wish you a merry... sigh

I think I'm going to be paring my gift recipient list even further than I did last year, which I had pretty much boiled down to family anyway. But an additional group of people are going to end up feeling the sharp end of the Christmas tree, I fear.

I know, I know, I'm as a bad as places that have been selling Halloween candy since August. It's awfully early to be talking presents, right? But I got this little gem in my Inbox today so the holiday hand-wringing came around a little sooner than I hoped.

These are things I won't be buying -- or getting -- this holiday season, courtesy of the 2009 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

Become an Artisan Napa Valley Winemaker – Learn the craft of precision winemaking using artisan standards, small-vine viticulture, and Earth-friendly practices. You and a guest can immerse yourselves in the art of organic, artisan winemaking, tour the estates of HALL Wines, and enjoy tastings of exclusive private vintages. There is also the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create your own personal vintages in a private blending session led by HALL Winemaker Steve Leveque. Ambassador Kathryn Hall, vintner of HALL Wines, will then lead you on a personal tour of her world-class contemporary art collections and host you for a private gourmet dinner and wine event at HALL’s breathtaking Rutherford Estate cave which is lined with Austrian crystals. Accommodations are provided at the Auberge Resorts Calistoga Ranch. ($20,000.00)

Master Distillers For A Day – As Master Distiller of Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon you and a friend will have an all-access VIP experience like no other, with Master Distillery Kevin Smith as your host. Participate in the unique whisky-making process step-by-step. This gift includes a two-bottle memento of the rarest Maker’s Mark bottles ever: Two golden bottles will be etched with your likeness and dipped in gold wax with 24-kt. gold flecks. You’ll also get to hand sip six of your own Maker’s Mark bottles in signature red wax and take this home. This experience includes luxury accommodations in Louisville, KY and a gourmet dinner hosted by Bill Samuels, Jr. – 7^th generation bourbon barron. ($7,500.00) 

Host an Algonquin Round Table Featuring The Brightest Minds Of Modern Literature, Journalism, & The Arts – An exclusive private dinner party of fine food, engaging wit, and sparking conversation at NYC’s legendary Algonquin Hotel. You and a guest will be part of an extraordinary gathering drawn from an impressive array of literati, including Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron, Malcolm Gladwell, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Adam Gopnick, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith, George Setphanopolous and Ali Wenthworth. ($200,000.00)

To be fair, the company says 40 percent of the items in this year's book cost less than $250.

I hate to sound even cheaper than I'm sure I already come across, but that, to me, is not a bargain. That's a month or three worth of groceries.

On what, and on whom, are you willing to splurge this season?

Cash In The Closet

Improvements continue to be made to my new house, and I recently have attempted to tackle the closet in the 2nd upstairs bedroom.  For whatever reason, the closet (which is a fairly large size - nearly 11ft across - had all of the shelving removed prior to being sold.  Since I'm planning on having a roommate in my new home, getting the closet ready for them is a necessity before my big move-in.

I headed to Lowe's to check out my options, and I came across several shelving kits that on the surface seemed to suit my needs.  The problem with most of the kits, however, was that they either didn't match the length of the closet or they were too expensive for what I was willing to spend; the kits that were best suited for the space were being sold from $93 to as high as $178.  In the end I decided to opt out for something more basic (and hands-on), and I purchased a standard wire shelf (12ft) for $17.88.  The mounting brackets and clips were an additional cost of $25.97, making a grand total of $43.85. 

I have yet to mount the shelf inside of the closet, but I've already sawed off the excess length and it's ready to go as soon as a find the time.  And (unless I completely screw up the installation) at under half the price of a pre-packaged kit I'll end up having a respectable closet that any incoming roommate can enjoy.