Why I Became a Brunette

I just became a Brunette. My coworkers were struck at how different I looked today, and many asked why I made the change. I told them that I'm re-inventing myself like Madonna. The truth is that I can't afford highlights anymore, so I had my hair dyed my natural color. Ever since I bought my adorable condo in a south bay town I have been learning more clearly than ever where my money goes. $110 every-other month for highlights was not going to fit my budget anymore.

To clarify, I'm not as poor as I make myself out to be. I can technically afford highlights on my current take-home income. (net for mortgage, property tax, utilities, etc) However, I have undertaken a make-over that my coworkers don't see. I recently made a commitment to God that I would (finally) stop robbing him, and actually tithe. Yes, this is a very scary thing to do, but the Bible says that we must do it. It is a very real and important act of worship. Malachi 3:8-10 says:
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it"

So out of obedience to God comes my methods for cutting out the fat in my bills.
Here are some of my cost-cutting discoveries that I have made this month. Enjoy:

• Buy non-perishables in bulk--tampons, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. (a perk with my condo is a ton of storage space, so this is viable for me)
• Freeze food before it goes bad -- chicken, left-over berries, bacon, soup, broth, etc.
• Make meals that have a base of really cheap yet filling ingredients: split pea soup, beans, rice, polenta, cous cous, etc.
• Lower the thermostat, and cut out times that the heater runs (I'm blessed to live in California)
• Lower the temperature on the water heater
• Buy commuter tickets pre-tax using wage-works
• Buy potted plants to brighten your home instead of cut flowers (they're usually cheaper, and you get multiple rounds of flowers)
• Get your boyfriend/parents to buy you as much as possible
• Get Netflix and have at-home entertainment
• Drink at home: alcohol is so expensive at bars! It's so much cheaper to hold a recessionista happy hour in your own home. (plus you don't have to worry about driving anywhere)

Split Pea Soup on a Rainy Day

This weekend it was raining, and I decided that it would be the perfect time to make soup. I made split pea soup from a recipe I found in Martha Stewart Living's February 2009 issue. It's so flavorful, hearty, and delicious. It's great to make soup at home because there is such a feeling of accomplishment that follows. Not only that, but it's healthier for you too. This week I read a statistic that there is 25% of your daily intake of sodium in one serving of canned soup. Home made soup is nowhere near that.

So I fought hypertension, made some delicious soup, and am now set for dinner for the week on only $16.

Good Friday

Today is the day that Christians remember how Jesus was handed over to the Romans to be crucified. It is a holiday, but I've never been able to figure out how to greet people on this day. Do you say "Happy Good Friday?" It doesn't seem right since we're remembering the darkest day in history.

Anyway, I've decided to work from home today, being that it is a holiday,and my boss is taking the day off...or so the rumor goes.

Tomorrow I'm having some girls over for an Easter Tea Potluck. I'm not sure how I'm going to decorate the appartment, only that I wish I could be more elaborate. I'm on a budget, so it's probably not a good idea to spend money on things that I really don't need....Especially if I want to save my money for a potential vacation this summer.

Twentysomething

I feel like the oldest twenty-three year old in the world. With the possible exception of my boyfriend. Except he's twenty-four. My day after work pretty much goes the same way every day: get home at 7:00, make dinner, sit on ass in front of computer, go to bed at 10:00.

I feel old except for the overwhelming sense that I don't know anything.