This is my favorite calculator from CNN Money. Yeah, I said it, my favorite (sorry TI-83 – I don’t know how to use you anymore). This calculator will let you know how much time you have and also how to accelerate your debt-free-ness. It’ll also make you look at your interest rates – which could have steadily snuck up on you.
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/debtplanner/debtplanner.jsp
Filed under Uncategorized
My jewelry has been a mess lately. And since I just started a new accessory business (Nerds of a Feather) – I have been desperately seeking a cheap and cute solution for storing my jewelry. I hate jewelry boxes because my necklaces get all tangled. I found this AWESOME DIY idea from lovelylittlethings:
My friend, Carol, and I went the easy, budget route and bought a $6 roll of wire mesh from Home Depot. The employee recommended treating the metal with white vinegar before painting it, so I did. Once the vinegar was dry, I spray painted the mesh white (along with a frame that I already had).
I used a staple gun to secure the mesh to the frame, and viola! It’s so functional! My dangly earrings just hook right on, and I used some tiny s-hooks to hang the necklaces.It is SO much easier to find my jewelry now. AND my necklaces are no longer a tangled mess!
I’m going to the home depot!
Filed under CheapTips
I’m so sorry it’s been so long. My cheapskatery has had to take a back seat to comedy and work (how’s about that?)
My wonderful bf, Matt, sent along a great article from lifehacker about how sleeping in on the weekend is good for you (is he trying to get out of our morning run?) – that is besides the point. I went to the site and what caught my eye was the article on “Best Thing to Buy in August” :
Older computers: John Morris of CNET tells MSN Money that July and August can sometimes yield savings on slightly older computer models, as AMD and Intel’s release schedules see computer makers ramping up to release new gear around this time of year.
Laptops: Per Gizmodo’s post, and the knowledge that this is when big-box retailers and direct-sale makers start piling on with the back-to-school deals.
Outdoor Toys and Camping Equipment: CNN’s Money site quotes eToys.com’s Sheliah Gilliland as stating that retailers are eager to move the space-hogging pools, playgrounds, squirt guns, and other summer toys for as much as 65 percent off as the pre-holiday season approaches. Yahoo! Finance suggests it’s also a good time to pick up your camping gear.
Kid’s Clothing: Because even if you don’t have a kid going back to school, you might have a kid you can buy gifts for now. If you do have kids, think beyond the immediate fall needs.
Wines: Somewhat obvious, sure, but you can also lock down some hard-to-find, small-run wines in the early fall harvest season, according to SmartMoney.com.
Linens and Storage Containers: They’re aimed at the incoming college crowd this time of year, as AOL Shopping suggests, but you don’t need to show a college ID to pick up some things you almost always find yourself in need of.”
So, run to your local Target and find some deals! The article also links to a nifty year round “What to Buy and When Guide.” But buyer beware, just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you need it. Always keep a list!
Filed under Uncategorized
It’s a pretty crappy economic environment out there right now. No one is doing AMAZING, but we’re all managing to survive somehow (even if it is rolling pennies – yup!)
As I continue to grow up, though I don’t think I’ll ever be fully formed adult, I am beginning to deal with “adult” problems and see my friends do the same. Mainly, it’s facing our debt. Most of us have credits cards and some sort of varying balance with some sort of horrible APR. Mine is relatively under control, but it wasn’t always that way. I recently checked my American Express which I had been paying on time since I was in college – and they raised the APR to 29.9%! I was baffled! I tried my usual begging, crying, pleading on the phone (which, I have to say, usually works), but they wouldn’t budge. So, now that credit cards are quickly opening up their foul credit lines to us folks again – I got a new card with 0% APR for the first 9 months and 11% APR thereafter. Thanks a lot AMEX – for nothing. I’m hoping I’ll be able to pay it off by the end of the 9 months. Or at least do some serious debt shrinking damage.
SO! Here’s the thing about debt. As much as I would like to believe that a bag of money will fall from the sky, I’ll book a job that’ll “pay for everything”, or a fat wallet benefactor will tell me to “live your dreams Kimmy! Go and make movies and live in a 2 bedroom condo – and leave the lights on all the time!” – it probably won’t. In fact, I can say for certain that it won’t (well, 2 out of 3 – I still look up in the sky every morning). The best thing you can do is deal with it realistically. And if any miracle job or cash prize from a game show comes your way, you’ll know how to invest it properly.
1. Here is my magical tool for calculating debt.
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/debtplanner/debtplanner.jsp
I love this thing. It’ll tell you exactly when you will get out of debt and exactly how much you need to pay. It’s not going to CHANGE your debt, but it will give you perspective. Did you know if you pay $10 more than your minimum you will reduce your interest paid significantly. No she didn’t…YES SHE DID!
2. Check your APR – DO IT! Call your company and make sure they aren’t screwing you. Sure, new laws say they have to send you a letter and you can agree or disagree – but the new law says that if you agree, you can use your credit card. If you disagree, you can’t use your credit card, but can opt to pay the rest of the amount on the APR you have. Bull-oney.
3. Consider switching to another company. If you can find a creditor who will give you a 0% APR for a while – do it – just make sure that the APR is lower than what you are paying.
4. Do a free credit check. Double check your score and see where you are. And then, when you start making headway, you can do it again and give yourself a gold star when it gets better.
5. Cut yourself off. Consider cutting yourself off from your credit card for a week. Then maybe a month. Then maybe a couple of months. Maybe it’s time to get a new job or cut your spending. I know for an artist, like myself, when things are good, you get accustomed to living a certain way. And when things are bad, you continue to live that way until you’re in debt again. Start thinking differently about how that beer (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) could pay the extra $6-10 on your credit card bill. I know. I KNOW! It’s the worst.
OK. We did it. Don’t panic. The credit beast is way scarier when you let it fester in the Interest building cave than when you yank it out and see it’s just a slimey flimsy bastard that you can tackle. Be persistent and be ok with it. Move on and I’ll see you in the parking lot drinking whiskey from a flask.
By the way, I’m not an expert – so if you’re in serious debt, consider contacting a debt relief agency. They can help you figure out the best solution.
Filed under Uncategorized
Thrift Stores are already a bargain – but check this out!
In Canoga Park, “Cool Trendy Thrift Store” (the actual name, not an witty re-naming of a thrift store), has $1 day the last Friday of every month. This is supremely dynamite news – especially when searching for bigger items like coats and/or shoes. And if you are any kind of crafty sewer – you could basically turn a bunch of shirts into fabric (which, fabric is way more expensive than I ever imagined).
http://www.cooltrendythrift.com/Events1Day.html
HOWEVER, my dear cheapskates – be careful of the PITFALLS OF CHEAPNESS! Don’t buy something “just because it’s a dollar!!!” Really consider the fit and the quality of the clothing. Think of shopping like the jail cafeteria (go with me now) “Take all you can eat. But eat all that you can take” – or in shop terms – “Buy all you can afford. But wear all that you buy.” (I really have watched Shawshank Redemption too many times).
Here’s another cute site I found with some suggestions.
http://www.travellady.com/issues/issue63/labargain.htm
OK! Talk to you later!
Filed under Uncategorized
Tomorrow is free pretzel day at Aunt Annie’s. So, now all the times of walking through the mall and fending off the horrendous/marvelous mass-produced buttery goodness smell – you can walk right up to Annie and ask for a pretzel. In fact, demand, and she will surely hand it over – FOR FREE (from 10-3) http://www.freepretzelday.com
Where and why did I find this delicious piece of cheap incentive? My two favorite places – yelp.com and LA Weekly. Every now and again I make sure to browse through my event sites because you never know when you’re gonna find something you LIKE or more importantly NEED.
For instance, last year, I happened to stumble upon “Hot on Yelp” which is 50% off of selected spa services – just as I was looking to buy my friend a facial for her birthday. I’ll try to keep you updated on the kitschy-goofy giveaways, and hopefully we’ll find some gems too!
What are you favorite resources for free events in your city?
In my cheapskate research, I’ve learned a lot about BEING NICE TO MY STUFF! I grew up a rough and tumbly kid, who didn’t really care about my looks (but now, I’m SOOOO Hollywood). I never really cared about my shoes, until I started ruining the ones I loved. And living in NYC for 9 years, I wore down a LOT of shoes. I was always sad to see another pair bite the dust – and then had to go on a search for another pair of uber-cheapies that I prayed wouldn’t give me blisters or longingly look at the $100 of leather boots that I hoped would go on sale one day…and have my size…
So, I got a tip from my new pal Erin Gibson (who is a fantastic, affordable, and incredibly entertaining photographer) http://encphotography.com/ – she recommended Willie’s Shoe Repair (or as I lovingly refer to it as Willie’s Cobbler).
I meandered into Willie’s on Wednesday in hopes that Willie could fix my beat up boots, my beat up shoes, a broken hand bag, and rubberize my dance shoes (that’s right, rubberize my soles). I don’t know if Willie is a real person, but a kind gentleman named Raoul helped me out (in a dashing mustache no less).
Here’s how it broke down.
Boots: I paid $30 at TJ Maxx 4 years ago
Repair: $40 for new heels.
This is a tough one. Raoul told me they were good Frye boot replicas (which run about $200-$300). Frye’s are a really, really good quality boot made of leather and whatever else they use in shoes. Mine were mostly plastic and paint. Since I don’t have the moola to commit to Frye’s, I have to choose. Either I can get the heel fixed for $40 or I found an upgrade of the same boots for $50 at Target. I may just meander to Target and see how they looks. To be continued…
Shoes: $35 bought on sale in Portland 6 years ago
Repair: $30 for new heels
I tried looking for a replacement for these shoes (Indigo by Clarkes – cutest!), but they are nowhere to be found. I think I’m going to get them repaired because I still wear them a lot.
Dance Shoes: $65 on sale 2 months ago
Rubberizing: $25
This is a necessary evil, so I don’t slip on stage! My shoes came with the matching rubber, but he is going to reinforce the heel with super rubber (not the real name, but that’s how I remember it).
Bag: Gift one year ago
Repair: $15
I LOVE this bag. I put too much crap in it and tore one of the handles. It seems a little much, but this is a straight-up carpet bag that none of my household needle are fighting through. I’m glad I’m getting it fixed before it gets worse.
Cheapskate lesson: I got to speak to Raoul for a couple of minutes about shoe repair and upkeep. He told me if I had come in a little earlier for my boots and shoes (before they were crooked nubs) the repair would have been cheaper AND the repair itself would last longer. The heels have gotten to a point where I will probably have to bring them more often because the rubber will wear down.
He equated shoe care to car care (Another thing I’m trying to get adjusted to). You have to change your oil and check the fluids. Shoes (a lot less complex than a car), you have to keep the heels and pads in good shape. He recommended next time I get a new pair of shoes, bring them in and get the heels reinforced.
It was nice chatting with an expert who is passionate about his craft. We got to chatting about how there are a lot of disposable shoes out there that we don’t take care of and throw away. If I had the foresight to take care of my Payless shoes, they might actually turn out to be a good investment (that I could even pass down to a friend or Goodwill store after I get bored with them). Now, I know I won’t go running to get every pair of shoes I own rubberized, but the next time I buy some shoes I’m going to think about:
1: Do I really need them? (Yes=Go to #2. No=End)
2: Are these once a month shoes or every day shoes? (Once a month=#3. Everyday=#4)
3: You probably don’t need to go to the Cobbler. However, if you start to notice some wear and tear and STILL love them, go ahead and move to #4
4: Go to the Cobbler. Now remember, an extra $20-$30 now can save you $50-$100 in the long-term – AND your shoes and back with love you for it.
Have you guys have positive/negative experiences with Cobblers? (by the way, ‘cobbler’ is my new favorite word)
-cheapskatewood
Filed under Shopping
I have worked in the service industry for most of my life. At age 15, I told myself “I’m going to be an actor, so I should probably learn to wait tables.” It’s really too bad I didn’t say “I should really learn how to rebuild cars!” or “Invest money in long term investments that will pay off when I’m 30.” If you are 15 years old, do yourself a favor and learn a trade like reupholstering. Am I projecting? Yes. I need a chair reupholstered.
Back on track! Since I’ve been on the “service” side of the service industry my whole life, I figured I’d talk about tipping etiquette.
1. 20% is the new 15%. I know Oprah said 15% is good enough, but it ain’t! But Kimmy, what if my service is crappy? Refer to number 5.
2. DON’T EAT AT A RESTAURANT IF YOU’RE TOO POOR TO GO!
I’m serious douchebags. DON’T DO IT! When you eat a restaurant or go to a bar, you HAVE to keep in mind that it’s just not the price on the menu you are paying for. Basically, your bill will be 30% higher than what you order. First, tax (wherever you are, it could be 10%), plus tip is 20%. And if you get booze, you add 10-25% to your bill with every round, plus
SO -If you want to spend $100 on a meal, you should only spend $70. Service is something you have to account for. Am I venting out loud?
4. DON’T DRINK AT A BAR IF YOU’RE TOO POOR TO GO!
Old Etiquette: $1/cocktail or beer
New Etiquette: $1-20%
There are a lot of different types of bars out there.
CLUB: I’m not sure what to say about clubs. Listen, if you go to clubs that charge $14 for a crappy gin and tonic or a beer – please don’t complain about tipping. Remember, you can choose where to throw your money. If you don’t at least leave $1, I’d be very very mad at you. It’s usually the worst service and no one cares, but for the love of Booze, don’t punish the employees for their crappy club. Just don’t GO there. Remember, these places overcharge – all booze costs the same. You are paying a “cool” tax. You have officially been schooled.
DIVE BARS: Sometime you can get really good deals, like $1-$4 beers. Why NOT tip a dollar? I have a soft spot for dive bars. The staff is usually super friendly and they usually give out free snacks. What’s not to love? Would you really eat all of your friends food and drink all their booze without offering some cash. Probably – BUT STOP. Be good and TIP.
CRAFTED COCKTAILS: I work at a really fancy bar with only 12 tables. It’s not your “flag down the bartender with your tits and a twenty” kind of joint. It’s a real nice place for real nice people. The bartenders spend 2-5 minutes on every single drink they make, cutting ice, muddling fruits – no short cuts. These kind of bars are popping up around the big cities and officially deserve the 20% per cocktail. These places are much more like restaurants for cocktails, so start thinking of them that way.
There’s a great article about this in the New York Times about the great tip debate. Give it a gander. http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/a-dollar-a-drink-and-a-debate/
5. IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE SERVICE. SAY SOMETHING.
I think one of my worst pet peeves is finding out people were dissatisfied when I see a passive aggressive “fuck you” in the form of a $2 tip on $100 bill. Yep. That happened to me not long ago . The girl drunkenly gestured her cigarette at me and told me (misspellings/grammatical errors intentional) “You’re are the WUUURST waitress of all times. I like that OTHER GIRL and that GUY…youb didn’t do nuth…how dare you ask me what wuz wrong and tip you not.”
Yeah.
Anyway, my takeaway, was that, from my prospective, everything was fine. We pool tips, so we help each other out and trade off we can tell we’re just not getting along (as was the case here). HOWEVER, I would have really appreciated if they had voiced it to me earlier.
Here’s the thing, most of the time, waiters and waitresses have no idea how mad or upset you are – because you PRETEND everything’s ok, EXPECTING them to know what’s wrong. Talk to us, we will not spit in your food – unless you’re a douchebag.
So, things you CAN complain about:
*You’re dissatisfied with your meal/cocktail. Say something right away!!! However, if you’re picky, for the love of Sanity – just don’t go out.
*Something is wrong with your order.
*Someone is really rude – on this note – make sure YOU, the customer, are following the RULES as well. When you enter a bar or restaurant, you are entering someone else’s house. Just because you’re paying for it, doesn’t mean you can spit on the floor (also happened recently).
Sooooooo, there you go! Please chime in with your thoughts and questions. I hope to do a series about tipping in other places. Just remember, just because you’re a cheapskate, doesn’t mean you don’t tip.
BAM!
-kg
Filed under Uncategorized
Holy crapnards!
I just stumbled over bing cashback!
More on that in a sec –
Good ol’ Cheapskatewood is NOT doing a very good job this Christmas, in the art of Christmas shopping. And I apologize for my horrendous example. I’ve left my most important people until the last minute, leaving me in the dangerous “convenience tax zone.” I have officially overthunk (not a word) my decisions and am running late with everything.
HOWEVER! Yes, there’s hope! I have found some terrific things online. There are a lot of good deals online right now. Target is offering a lot of free shipping and percentages off.
If you are in the market for a Wii (fingers crossed) J&R (http://www.jr.com) is offering no tax and no shipping. Holy mother of tax-free!
Also, if you search through bing.com/cashback – they will give you something like 4-8% of your money back.
You search through bing.com, order what you want and then they’ll deposit money through paypal or direct deposit. Man, thank god for the google/bing wars – the deals are starting to FIRE UP.
http://www.bing.com/cashback
That’s a quickie from cheapskatewood. I hope it was good for you.
Filed under Uncategorized
Being a starving artist has its ups and downs. Mostly, emotional ups and financial downs. It’s tough to wake up to “hopes and dreams” and go to bed muttering “Ahhh, sleep for dinner again.”
However, this economy has certainly made it very artist friendly. Now EVERYONE understands what it’s like to hustle day in and day out. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying THIS ECONOMIC MELTDOWN IS AWESOME. But THIS ECONOMIC MELTDOWN IS AWESOME.
Around the holidays, it’s always embarrassing and guilt inducing asking for a plane ticket home for your Christmas present. Then everyone insists on giving you something to open, adding to the guilt parade. I used to spend WAY too much money at Christmas to compensate for all of the generosity and support my friends and family give me throughout the year. Then this year, I got a card from a family member — and realized that was really all I needed from them. I know they just had a baby and don’t have tons of money. Call me a slow learner – but hey, I’m a late bloomer.
*Cue fountains and swell music* Not having a lot of dough doesn’t make you a cheapskate! It makes you creative!
*Children’s chorus enters and sings Silent Night*
My friend Paula told me what she’s giving her extended family. She’s doing a “Cozy Night In” gift basket. She got some mugs, hot chocolate, a bottle of wine, and a DVD. I thought that was brilliant! A little bit of thought goes a long way. Especially if you have lots of performer propaganda like I do! (The Apple Sisters have a CD! Just in time for the holidays!)
Here are some ideas:
“Pick Me Up Basket” – Some coffee, an aromatic candle or lotion, chocolate, DVD of “Up”
“Spoil Yourself” – Manicure set, nail polish, eye pillow, bottle of wine
“Holi-boozy” – Six pack of beer, Aspirin, Snacks, “Hangover” DVD
“Propaganda” – Apple Sisters CD, some Pink Wine, a pair of tickets to the Apple Sisters, and a candy apple
Come on, I had to!
Here are some additional tips for making your own gift baskets:
*Steer clear of bubble baths. I don’t know anyone who actually uses the bubble baths they receive.
*Use DVDs, books, and music to build a theme.
*Don’t over think it. Pick 3-4 items and you’ll be great!
*No need to overspend! Go to Trader Joe’s or Target and get what you need. Wine is only $3-$4 at Trader Joe’s – and it’s good. Unless you’re buying for a wine connoisseur, don’t sweat it.
*Make your own cookies and snacks. This is always a nice touch. And also good on the wallet.
That’s all from Cheapskatewood headquarters. I’m assembling my Apple Sisters themed gifts now!!
Filed under Shopping
