Howdy, Spring!

Here in the Big D, it is past spring. Those cool, clear, crisp days are gone, replaced by muggy, hot days... already. A little breeze, a lot of green, some rain.

In the past two weeks, I've produced my annual playwriting festival, complete with seven plays; co-planned my summer in London, teaching another history/theatre/performance course, including details about travel, coursework and packing; cleaned my house and done another round of Goodwill (brewing a third round, as I write); and bought a new mattress and box spring, to be delivered... tomorrow.

Old mattress set: taken away and disposed of.

My new mattress set!

New mattress set: put in place and sheeted up and... sigh. That's a happy sigh, by the way.

I cannot wait.

BTW: buying a mattress set was just like buying a car. My salesguy was a car salesman, basically, which is not really a compliment. I had done my homework, had two coupons (for discount and free delivery) and got a great salesprice. I bought a $2600 mattress for $1200, with free delivery. Another... happy sigh.

Damn, I've got too many clothes!

One of my goals this week is to clean out my drawers, shelves, bins and closets in order to take a hefty load of discards to Goodwill.

My reaction after three days of work: OMG! I have a LOT of clothes.

Mostly clothes I don't wear -- that's the ironic part. Clothes I used to wear but haven't included in my regular rotation for at least 18 months. Why are they still taking up space in my house and psyche?

Here's what I found:

• stockpiled white and blue button-downs, jeans, t-shirts and camisoles; all of these are doubles or triples I bought because I liked a particular style and planned ahead
• two bins of scarves and wraps I hadn't worn in a while
• two of every kind of coat or outerwear
• bins of wool sweaters in red, blue, turquoise and purple, unworn
• three pairs of boots, when I wear one
• a bin of winter hats I haven't yet worn this year

Solution: cull through everything, compare and discard. I've already gathered one big bin, the contents of which needs to be photographed and noted for tax purposes, then dropped off at my favorite Goodwill. There is at least another big bin of discards in my future.

It's easy to become overwhelmed with this kind of task. While it might be easy to throw out torn, stained and worn-out clothing ("should be," I note), it is less easy to let go of perfectly usable clothing and accessories that you (I) still like or which have good memories or that might fit if you (I) lost ten pounds, of course. It feels like throwing out money or wasting money already spent.

But one must let go of things in order to let new, positive items or energy come in. This is the basis of Morris's statement.

Plan of attack:

• Wear or toss: if I can't wear it somewhere in the next month, the piece of clothing goes.
• Toss one of the doubles: if I have two, get rid of one.
• Don't buy more: the t-shirts, the camisoles and the jeans are what I want... DON'T BUY MORE.
• Think color: with a limited palette, those things outside, no matter how pretty, can go.

More, I'm coming to grips with my own need to re-think how and when I spend on clothing. I keep talking about 20 pieces in rotation, minimalizing my wardrobe, focusing on my style... now it's time to walk the walk.

How to do it? I could go about it drawer by drawer or bin by bin, but I think I want to try a different tack. By focusing on the kind of piece, choosing to keep a limited number of such pieces, and holding to those lines. I think this will be more profitable: if I look at all my red sweaters, for example, I can discard 50% of them. That's a good initial goal, I think.

And where will they go? To Goodwill, to the dust bin, to friends and students. Fly free, little goods.

In the end, I genuinely want to get my wardrobe down by half. A wearable half, one with style full of clothes I genuinely like wearing. And that leaves me open to looking for (a very few) new, stylish pieces that are distinctive with oomph.

What a great idea!

Time and Drugstore Style

This is one of the busiest times of my year. We're coming up on Spring Break at My U but that only means a tremendous PUSH to make things happen, because when we get back there's about six weeks left of the entire semester/school year.

And when time gets short, certain habits fly out the window.

Like my morning make-up routine.

Recently, I've been hunting around for time-and money-saving products in the cosmetics aisle. Since I grew out of my 20s, I've been skeptical about the big claims made by expensive make-up companies about the miracles their products can provide. Especially when these companies use 20 yr old models as their representatives. Let's face it: we all want our skin to stay fresh-looking and smooth, and our makeup to enhance our natural attractiveness. Do we need to leverage a bank loan to do so?

Not at all.

I started following Beautypedia, Paula Begoun's website a few years back. I haven't bought many of Begoun's own products, but the website reviews products from high-end and drugstore companies--and what you discover are the many exaggerated claims, harmful or irritating ingredients and ridiculous products out there. As well as the beneficial, helpful and worthwhile products in many different lines.

I also read all over the 'net, looking at blogs that focus on cosmetics, hair care products and skin care.

Here are a couple of products I've been using for at least 2-3 months that I like, from the low end of the cost scale:

• Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation. This has an SPF15 included, a creamy texture and lasts all day. It is light enough to feel like nothing on my skin but heavy enough to minimize large pores and cover slight imperfections in tone/color. No perfume-y smell, no chalky feel and it comes off nicely in the evening. This is as good as (if not better than) the Lancome, MakeUpForEver and Laura Mercier Tinted Foundation I spent ten times the price on--each. Believe it! About $5 at CVS. Beautypedia: GOOD rating.
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer. Again with the SPF15, this creamy prep/primer for skin works as well as the more expensive silicone-based primers from Smashbox and MakeUpForEver I used to use. It is creamy, smooth, lasts all day and extends the wear of your foundation, blush, or bronzer; if you never used a primer, there are multiple reasons for doing so if you're over 35: smooths your skin, fills in pores and lines, extends the cosmetics you layer over it, and (here) adding another layer of SPF protection. About $14 at CVS. Beautypedia: BEST rating.
• Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer. SPF15. A twist-up stick concealer that comes in several colors and works as a concealer for more than blemishes, especially when used under foundation. $8 at CVS. Beautypedia: AVERAGE rating. 
• Nyx Slim Eye Pencil. This is a fantastic eyeliner pencil. I love all Nyx products, but this is a superior eye pencil: color glides on smoothly without pulling, gives a bold and consistent color. The color lasts all day, washes off easily and the pencils are easily portable for touch-ups. It come in a variety of sparkle and non-sparkle options, as well, enough to make everyone happy! At $3.50 at Ulta, you can splurge in a handful of these and not go broke. And Nyx Cosmetics are not tested on animals: beautiful and kind.
• Nyx Single Eyeshadow/Nude Matte Shadow. Both of these are great alternatives to more expensive brands and, again, are cruelty-free. The colors are great and the texture of the shadow is fine-milled. Color lasts all day. About $4.50 per shadow at Ulta. Beautypedia: BEST rating.

These are a great start to finding effective alternatives to department-store or high-end brands of cosmetics. Again, anything that will be on your face all day needs to have some SPF and skin care benefits built in, but I'd rather spend my money on skin care and moisturizers than lipstick (although I do love lipsticks!). I have been very pleased with the look, feel and performance of these particular items, and I've been using each of them for over 2 months.

And they each save me time!

Making frugal changes for 2013

Making small changes can have a big impact in the bottom line.

1. Auto-payments. Checking my accounts to see the auto-payments and decide whether they are useful or not. If not, stop paying. This is actually a great practice to take up every six months or so, because I forget about those automatic payments I signed up for and then... under-used or never used.
2. Mondays. For whatever reason, I always get the urge on Monday to stop and spend. So either not having cards or cash with me on Mondays or having one or two small things I need, works for me.
3. Taxes. Someone like me who always gets a refund should not wait to turn in a tax return... because the payback is definitely bankable. A thorough and early return means the same for a refund, rather than delayed gratification.
4. Resale. Keeping a bin of books ready. Ditto tapes, records, magazines. When it fills up, go to the store. Or take everything in once a month as a treat.
5. Emptying the credit cards out of my wallet. Simple, yes.
6. Gift cards. I have cards for coffee, for movies, for resale clothes and accessories. Have I used them? No. Go for it, because unused gift cards are basically like money sitting on your dresser.
7. Bank/credit card reward points. Trade them for free gift cards. Another simple, no-brainer. They accrue and I've been using them for Christmas gifts but I am awash in points. Use or lose: gift cards, that then can be used... etc.
8. Cash. Pay cash for groceries, gas, fancy coffee -- anything that you might normally use a debit card for.
9. Re-discover what you own. CDs, DVDs, books, clothes.
10. Barter. Trade your skills or stuff for something you need. Craigslist, for example.

Oh, so trying to make these work.

The point is not denial but minimalism: focusing and streamlining to make things work better. It is also about thoughtful application of money, which is after all simply a measure of where I have put my time and energy. That's all money is, in the end. It is not the work, but the measure of the work, the value to yourself and others of how you spend your time and how well you do what you spend your time on.

New frugality and the Pantry Challenge, February 2013

Having realized that the Congressional delay on solving the budget issue (a.k.a. "Fiscal Cliff") has resulted in a reduction of my monthly paycheck of $400 (#*%@!), I am definitely working this  month as a Pantry Challenge.

Good pantry:

The good news is that I have a ridiculously stocked pantry and freezer, due to my greed and fear of waking up in a world with no more grocery stores. Or something like that.

Bad pantry:

Thus far, I've been able to make the following without adding anything but on-sale produce last week and for this coming week:

• lentil soup, using lentils & canned tomatoes from the pantry, bacon from the freezer, and seasonings (including red wine) from the herbs/spices cabinet;
• chicken-artichoke lasagna, without the lasagna noodles, so really a kind of chicken-artichoke casserole, using chicken breasts from the freezer and a can of artichoke hearts from the pantry;
• poached pears, using same red wine, spices, and three on-sale pears;

• chicken-eggplant-tomato stew, a variation of Mediterranean cuisine incorporating on-sale eggplant and freezer chicken (whole chicken cooked in crockpot and used in this dish, plus lunch salads, omelets, and more to come all this week);
• blueberry-oatmeal breakfast bars, using frozen berries, bulk oatmeal,  milk and an egg (all on-hand);
• soup from boxes, based on sale I mashed up a month ago, where my favorite organic box soups were discounted; potato-leek, carrot-ginger, butternut, potato-garlic.  

Since each of these dishes (including the boxes) produced 3+ meals, the cost is minimal (especially if everything is on-hand) and life becomes simple, even on nights when I come home exhausted from battling for the life of the mind (harder than it sounds!).

My goal is to spend less than $40/week on my groceries: that doesn't sound unreasonable, but in fact thanks to impulse shopping and the greed-fear combo, I usually end up spending $15-$20 more per week.

I'd rather not.

So now I'm on the prowl, so to speak, with my groceries. This week, I spent $30, which is great, but partly because I put back everything I already had -- even if it isn't abso-poso fresh -- and determined to man up about what is already in the pantry-fridge-counter.

I'll keep you in the loop.

2013 Resolution Bunch #1: Resources

Resources: time, money, energy, skills, talent.

For 2013, my resolutions include some management of my old favorites, those you can't ever completely "conquer."

• Pay off credit cards and maintain my good credit rating.
• Save some now and for retirement.
• Work smarter, not harder -- in terms of time.
• Cook smarter, not harder -- in terms of using time and money.
• Continue to develop frugal and minimalist habits and mind-set.

These are all rather general, of course, so let's be specific.

1. Make a current will, power of attorney, and other key documents, "just in case."
2. Meet with retirement reps and get a sense of my forward progress (changes?)
3. Save two months' worth of salary (for emergencies).
4. Develop/strengthen my freelance writing work-brand.
5. Develop six new habits of frugality (TBA).
6. Budget time to include work/job, work/freelance, community, health, solo time... and stick to it.  

And a new one for 2013: Take the first three steps to building my own house, which include

• talk to friends who have bought and sold houses
• meet with the company who make the pre-fab houses I want to build
• visit the Northwest and look at the area in detail, with the notion of buying land