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Archive for the ‘budget’ Category

I complained a few blogs ago about my inability to part with our budgeted Christmas money. Two years of no Christmas spending has formed some serious tightwad habits – and not in a good way.

I did buy a couple gift cards to restaurants for my siblings and I bought a shirt on sale for my husband. He also asked for a few small tools to add to his work bench so I stopped by the hardware store and bought him a gift card. I was $50 under budget and extremely proud of myself.

Shortly before Christmas, my husband called me at work and asked how much was left in the Christmas budget. When I told him, he asked if he could donate it to Rady Children’s Hospital. He had been listening to the radiothon all week and felt the kids needed it more than we did.

We donate a set amount to charity each month and in my compulsiveness, I hadn’t even thought to be more generous over the holidays.

I have become the Christmas Scrooge.

We gave the last $50 to Children’s Hospital.

Fortunately for me, I married a compulsive giver. Somewhere in the middle, I think we’ll turn out OK. Maybe next year, I’ll be a little less Scrooge-ish.

My company is sending me out of town for training after the 1st of the year. I have to successfully complete one month in accelerated courses to pass my probationary period.

Funny. They still haven’t ‘officially’ given me the job, but they are organizing my training.

As we sorted out hotel accommodations, they reviewed my per diem rates for food, gas, etc. The budget manager tapped on my plastic company card, ‘OK Rebekah, we both know you don’t eat much and you’ll never get anywhere near spending all of your allowance. Don’t be tempted to drink the difference. Alcoholic beverages are not covered’ he said with a wink.

They take away all the fun.

It’s been a while since I’ve flown on tickets purchased by my employer.

Traveling on someone else’s dime is always a lot more fun.

Each month our cable bill has inched higher and higher. This month, it reached the highest amount we’ve ever seen.

Fortunately, our roommates cover half the bill plus their pricey premium channels but once they move out, I don’t think I can justify spending so much on a luxury.

I decided to look into other options.

We don’t watch TV much, but we both really enjoy staying in on a Saturday night and laughing at our favorite comedies. It sort of makes us less miserable about the whole “we don’t spend outside the budget” thing we’ve got going. Sure I could say we will start playing card games, doing crafts together, or cooking by candlelight but… um… we won’t.

I’ve heard about Hulu.com and Netflix streaming via the Wii but I haven’t actually tried them. So, I’ve got two options. I, the tech idiot, can try to figure it out on my own OR, I can see if any of you folks have made the switch and see how it worked for you.

I may be a tech idiot, but I’ve got common sense at least.

Share your cable cutting ideas!