Completed two triathlons. One sprint (pic below) and one International/Olympic distance, both local so no major travel expenses.

2012 Naperville SheRox Triathlon

… While I did not get any faster on the bike this year, with the aide of my wetsuit, and lots more practice in Lake Michigan, I managed to knock a full seven minutes off my mile swim time!  I was pretty happy with that.

Kayaked in the Fox River. We’ve kayaked on probably 10 occasions, and I always make man-friend rent a double kayak with me. This time, we rented singles. And aside from being a LOT slower than man-friend, I did just fine. Here are a few cell phone pics:

Kayaking in the Fox River

Man-friend and his kayak

Saw a LOT of my family. We’re talking like three parties a weekend. It got ridiculous. So we decided we needed a break from it. By… hanging out with each other more. In small groups. Here’s a few of us girls, minus our parents, significant others, kids, and pets. Notice all the sweets. We are so our grandmothers.

Round the dinner table with family.

Hung out with my boo-bear. One day my nephew will be too big to snuggle. That time is not now though.

My cutie pie nephew

Also went to some free street festivals, visited with friends, saw some live music, and spent a weekend in Grand Rapids Michigan.

My last post was about finding strength and resilience, and supporting the people you love. But you can’t do that if you can’t find a source of strength and drive within yourself, and the activities I’ve been keeping busy with are about finding my center and staying focused on what matters, as well as for stress relief. I’ve tried to keep a positive attitude, fill our days with fun and smiles, and focus on what’s important. And you know what? Despite all the craziness, I’ve managed to have a pretty great summer so far.

Things I did not do over the past few months? Drive myself crazy window shopping for things I can’t afford (no time!), feel sorry for myself, or spend too much time living outside the moment — as in, worrying about where I will be five years from now or where I should have been if only things had gone differently. Living in the moment is about discussing options, making the best decisions I possibly can, then moving on and not dwelling on what could have been had I taken the other path. There are far too many exciting things happening every day in this beautiful world to spend one minute thinking otherwise.

The post What I did during my blogging downtime appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

Me: This is my best headband. Not too loose, not to tight, stays in place, holds my hair back.

ManFriend: Sounds like what a headband should do.

Me: You’d think, but you have no idea how hard it is to fulfill those requirements. I must have more than 20 headbands here that don’t fit the bill. If I lose this one, I’m screwed.

ManFriend: Why don’t you just buy more of that same one?

Me: (Whining) Well, they’re six dollars or something expensive. (Pause) I feel like they should be two dollars.

Um, note to self, this is probably why I have 20 headbands I hate sitting in a drawer collecting dust. I will be adding “buy Under Armor headbands” to my next trip to the gym. Sometimes you have to spend a little more to get what you want.

The post Am I Cheap or What?: Headband Edition appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

Hello sandwich lunches, good-bye lunch outings. Hello beer at home, good-bye happy hour (like we were doing that anyway lately). Hello…. well, you get how this goes. Super frugal savings mode begins again for Sept-Oct-Nov.

Thank god I have savings. Thank god. And my health.

The post Good Riddance, August! appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

The post Hi from Charleston! appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

• MR from Money Reasons presents How Much Money Is a Lot of Money?, and says, “This story is about how different amounts of money has changed as we age. The root is that we will always want more, and what we view as a lot of money will always increase as we obtain more money.”
• Elizabeth (Modern Gal) from Modern Gal presents Coping with Frugal Burnout
• Miss T from Prairie Eco-Thrifter presents 7 Tips for Marital Money Bliss, and says, “Marriages have their financial ups and downs and when not properly managed can can take a serious toll. Here are 7 tips to ensure your financial health and relationship health stay in check.”
• FruGal presents Baby fever: inexpensive gifts for new mums

I’ve been trying to submit posts to the Carnival but I always seem to miss the deadline. It’s a fabulous group to be part of and I’m hoping one of these days I’ll manage to get my act together enough for my submission to qualify!

… and now, back to my comfy bed. I think it’s time to turn in for the night.

The post A Little Help From Some Financial Friends appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

Among my tasks: clean up the links, organize posts, update graphics and widgets, figure out my e-mail situation for the site and potentially even switch to another site host, provided I can learn HTML. And of course, there’s the issue of posting. During the last year, my writing has become uninspired. I need to find my voice again as a writer, rather than just posting thoughtless one-offs becasue I haven’t written anything recently. That’s a disservice to you guys, and a waste of all our time.

So, allow me this winter to grow and change and learn some new things. I’ll leave the old site up so it’s still searchable (I’ve heard about a few people finding the site through search engines), but I won’t be posting anything new for a while. Good luck to you all on your financial journeys, and see you soon.

The post Budgeting Babe on Hiatus appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

Spent $96.84 at Ann Taylor Loft on:
2 brightly colored, office appropriate cardigans
1 floral blouse
1 jersey knit shirt
1 skirt ($10!)
The total would have been $126.84 but I used a $30 gift certificate.
While in the store, I resisted the urge to buy a cute jersey dress and a fabulous but full-priced skirt. The clerk gave me a $25.00 gift certificate for my next purchase when I checked out, so maybe I’ll go back when they’re on sale.

Spent $136.11 on 39 items at Whole Foods. Yes, I know you hate when I shop there but they have the longest-lasting produce. My Trader Joe’s produce goes bad after three days. I was also stocking up on frozen Amy’s lunches for the next week to avoid spending $7-$10 per lunch in the office. TJ’s doesn’t have as many lunch options and all the other stores are more expensive for Amy’s lunches and meatless products.

Spent $33.18 on cat food at PetCo. We have to spend a little more on special food for our meow, but it’s way better than having to pay for and give her insulin shots. She’s now 100 percent off insulin and we’ve been able to get her blood sugar back to normal through diet alone. It’s crazy but true.

Spent $12.22 on a pound of coffee at Blue Max roasters. Clearly more expensive than Folgers, but it’s our daily indulgence. Plus, I’m hoping to ween myself off the $2 per cup fare at Au Bon Pain. Brewed a few pots at home last week before dashing out the door and think I can maintain it.

Finally, I need to get a new backpack for work so I’m going to shop for discounts this afternoon online. I’m dreading it though — why do backpacks have to be so fugly? (Thanks to Bobby Breidholt’s Flickr stream for the pic.) Can’t we transfer one or two of our best purse designers to the backpack team? Seriously. My laptop is way too heavy to carry every day in handbag that lopsides my posture.

So there you have it, my spendy day. If it sounds like I’m living a little larger than someone called “The Budgeting Babe,” (lest you think I should be buying my groceries at Aldi and my clothing at thrift stores) know that it’s because I budget for it! Sometimes spending a little more on groceries means spending a little less on expensive lunches, avoiding nights out at the theatre or walking around town to avoid paying for gas. No matter what you plus up or reduce from your bottom line, how you choose to spend is your perogative. Sometimes expensive cheeseballs do the trick for me.

When it comes down to your bottom line, you can live well and still live below your means. Life is all about choices and your wallet is no exception. So, dear readers, run your errands with aplomb this week. Just be sure to budget for it.

The post Doing my part to stimulate the economy appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

While a company can write off 2009 as a down year, it’s infinitely harder to write off a year of your life. In 2009, for instance, I’m celebrating my 30th birthday, one of my best friends is getting married, my youngest brother is graduating from college and I’ve got two mini-vacations planned with friends and family. We may all face the possibility of financial setbacks this year, but that doesn’t mean life stops. Enjoy what you can, and celebrate what you have – don’t lament what you’re missing.

***

My sign of the times: I found out yesterday that my cash balance plan (kind of like a pension) is being frozen for good. I didn’t quite understand the mailing I received in the mail that shared the news, so I made B read it for me (being a law student with a background in finance FINALLY came in handy!). He confirmed what I thought I read… I can keep what I have, and it will earn interest moving forward, but no more will be put in. Another casualty of the recession.

***

I’m seeing lots of articles on how to have a fun, money-savings games night in your home. The formula goes like this: make some dip, pull out Scrabble and Taboo, grab some wine and yuk it up! (Really.) But lately, even those money-saving get togethers result in exasperated, anxious conversations about the economy, savings accounts and 401ks. Until a recent party I went to that featured a tournament-style couples night; eight couples competing in trivia, bags (or cornhole), beer pong and ping pong. There were point systems, losers’ brackets and payouts, but not a lot of time for our between-jobs friends to discuss their employment status. The lesson? Keep it competitive, casual and complicated to get your mind off work!

***

I’ve decided I hate the word stimulus. It’s creepy and I don’t want to see it any more. Thank you.

The post Random Thoughts: We’re Writing Off 2009 Edition… appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

Now that we’re officially in a recession, as companies cut thousands of jobs every month and Americans reduce spending, everyone from Vogue to MTV seems to be writing, talking or offering advice about personal finances. It’s a scary, unsecure world out there and nobody seems to know when it’s getting better. My challenge is to figure out where The Budgeting Babe fits into the new dichotomy. Neither an expert nor someone who’s struggling to start out anymore, what can this site offer to girls and guys who are trying to find a place in the world?

Well, I’m someone who has been affected by the recession – my 401k is tanking, I’ve decided not to buy a place this year due to all the economic uncertainty and now that B’s laid off, we’re soon to become a one-income household – but I’m not overwhelmed and living month-to-month, either. I’m navigating the waters just like you, and hoping that we all come out OK in the end.

That said, I think a lot of smart, talented, young men and women are just now learning that in order to survive on their own in this new economy, they must live on a tight budget. Many of my friends who were living the good life a few years ago – partying every weekend, eating expensive dinners out, buying trendy clothes – are now being forced to develop a budget and (gasp!) stick with it.

Thankfully, that’s one area where I can help. So I plan to go back to basics and write more about what it takes to create a budget, how to stay to true to your plan, how to occupy your time when you have no cash and, of course, how to find a great deal (and look good doing it). Things will still be scary out there and we’ll continue to talk about what’s going on since so many of us are affected by it. It’s a new world, but I’m still the same girl.

The post Feb: Starting Again. appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.

The Ethics of Being a Tightwad
Amid the economic slump, don’t feel bad about putting saving ahead of spending. In fact, it’s unethical to squander money you can’t afford to spend

I’m thankful for the post. Although I’d love to allow myself to spend more under the guise of “doing it for my country,” I know it’s not the best for my wallet, which is ultimately what’s best for the people I love and potentially will want to take care of in the future.

I never thought “ethical dilemma” would apply to anything I write about on the site, but interestingly, this article takes a scholarly look at an issue a lot of you may be thinking about. Take a read and let me know what you think.

The post Did you read this? "Tightwad Ethics" appeared first on The Budgeting Babe.