Seriously though, I did some re-thinking about my spending.  And maybe I chose the “fun” route over the [...]]]> I think my credit cards are smoking right now. There has been a lot of spending over the past week. Planned spending, but still. Those credit card rewards are going to look awesome this month!

Seriously though, I did some re-thinking about my spending.  And maybe I chose the “fun” route over the practical route.  But I think it’s worth it.

So what did I buy?  Well, when I bought my house, I set aside some money to have a new fence put in around the backyard. I have a fence now, but it’s pretty old (or at least old looking) and a number of the boards have cracked and warped.  The gates don’t close securely, and they absolutely wouldn’t keep a dog secured.  This isn’t an issue now, as I don’t have a dog.  But the thinking was now that I have a house, I can get a new fence and then get a dog.

Then reality set in.  Yes, dogs are expensive, but that wasn’t the issue.  The issue is time.  With work alone, I leave the house before 7 am and am home sometime between 5:30 and 6.  That’s a long day for a dog to be alone.  Sure, many people have dogs and they do just fine with a schedule like this.  But I don’t know that I want to introduce a dog to that situation.  Plus I’m enjoying being able to just head out on the weekends and do whatever I want.  The cats?  Sure, they like it when I’m around, but even when I am home during the day, they’re just off sleeping somewhere or watching the birds and the squirrels.  They are less concerned about my schedule (plus they would hate me if I got a dog).

So I decided to wait on the fence.  Even without a dog, it’s something that will need to be done, but it’s suddenly less urgent.

What did I buy instead?  A treadmill.  And a bike.

Both are things that I have wanted for some time.   I run a lot, and I know that people say “Oh, that treadmill will become a coatrack in no time.”  But given that I have trained for spring half-marathons the past two years at the gym and run ten mile training runs on the treadmill both years, I think that the treadmill is probably an excellent purchase.  The bike is something new, but it’s an activity that I’ve wanted to take up for a while. I love being outside and I love being active, and I wanted some sort of cross-training to compliment my running (and I kind of want to do a triathlon, but that’s another story).  So the bike makes sense.  It’s going to take some work to get into biking shape, but I’m looking forward to it.  And like the treadmill, I can use it inside – I just have to buy a trainer and get it set up for the winter.  With these two purchases, I have already canceled my gym membership, which isn’t a huge amount of savings, comparatively speaking, but it’s something.

So I’m excited.  I’ve already used the treadmill a few times thanks to the record heat (9 miles this past weekend) and I’m going on a long bike ride tonight with a friend.  Should be fun.

But those poor credit cards.  (And don’t worry – they’ll get paid in full like always.)

Biggs & Featherbelle is a health conscious company that promotes the healing elements of Mother Nature by creating body care products free from synthetic fragrances, dyes and additives. Quality ingredients and research are infused in every handmade Biggs & Featherbelle product.

I first discovered this company at [...]]]> I love Biggs & Featherbelle. As they describe themselves:

Biggs & Featherbelle is a health conscious company that promotes the healing elements of Mother Nature by creating body care products free from synthetic fragrances, dyes and additives. Quality ingredients and research are infused in every handmade Biggs & Featherbelle product.

I first discovered this company at a local craft fair, and the two women who run it are incredibly friendly and their products are awesome.  I’m always buying their gift sets to use as gifts.  I’m lucky that they’re local, so they show up at a lot of events in the D.C. area.

On Monday, I realized I was short a few gifts for a gift exchange at work.  Unfortunately, this week, I’m only working through today.  I decided rather than go buy something stupid, I wanted to buy nice Biggs & Featherbelle gifts and if they were late, that was okay.  I ordered on Monday, delighted to see that they were offering free shipping.  They got the package in the mail that day and because they’re so close, it arrived on Tuesday!  The gifts arrived in time to be given.

I couldn’t be happier and the recipients are in love.

I love being able to support small businesses.  There are a lot of great indie crafters out there, and when I find one I love, I give them all the support I can.

I’m at work today, and on my way out of the building, I ran into a bunch of my neighbors, coming in after their morning shopping extravaganza.  It was just before 7am, and they had been out since before midnight!  They did have [...]]]> So, who’s reading this after a morning of shopping?  Was it worth it?

I’m at work today, and on my way out of the building, I ran into a bunch of my neighbors, coming in after their morning shopping extravaganza.  It was just before 7am, and they had been out since before midnight!  They did have a lot of bags in their arms, and seemed tired, but happy.

I went Black Friday shopping once.  A few years ago, I ate Thanksgiving dinner with a friend and her family.  Part of their tradition was to go to the outlet malls at midnight, then to Target at 6am.  Thankfully, it was just for the adventure of the shopping, not to fight their way to the super cheap tvs.  It was an adventure for sure, but I don’t know that I’ll be doing that again.  Problem number one was that we fell asleep after dinner, which meant getting back up for midnight shopping.  Then we fell asleep again, and had to get up for 6am shopping.  That was painful.

I will say though, there were some great deals to be had.  I bought some clothes that I still wear, and some great dishes that are in constant use in my kitchen.

This year, my Black Friday shopping will all be online.  Well, at lunch, I might hit up some of the stores near my office to see what’s left.  While the super deals might not be available, there might be something that’s been on my list for a while available on sale.

Did you go Black Friday shopping?  Did you camp out?  Was it fun, or awful?

For once, I didn’t have to watch Lost alone!  [...]]]> This weekend was the Lost finale.  I stayed up last night to watch it and now I am absolutely exhausted.  I won’t spoil, for anyone who still plans to watch, but I’m definitely satisfied with the ending.  It was a long journey, but definitely a fun one.

For once, I didn’t have to watch Lost alone!  A friend was in town this weekend, not specifically for the Lost finale (though it was convenient timing), and I have to admit, right now, my wallet is filled with unfiled receipts.  There’s just something about having a friend in town that seems to require splurging.  Going out to neighborhood restaurants together, getting fancy cake for dessert, and of course, hitting the mall and spending money on some new clothes for work. 

Okay, so that last one doesn’t really flow.  But for the first time in a while, I had someone to come with me to help pick out things to wear.  I’ve become very good at purging my closets of things I don’t wear, at least in terms of work clothes.  Fun clothes are a different story.  But the problem is that I end up doing so much purging that I end up with very little to wear!  I know that there are people who say you only need X number of items in your professional wardrobe, but I think that some variety is important.  Plus, things wear out.  You need to buy new things.  And sometimes a girl likes to look pretty.

I bought five new items, which isn’t that huge of a shopping spree, but I feel much more set with work attire for the summer weather.  And I can finally toss a few items that are starting to look a little too worn.

I hate shopping.  I’m terrible at it.  I know a lot of people love the adventure of bargain hunting, but I hate digging through sale racks to find those gems. I know they’re there, but I just don’t want to!  So instead, I spend less time and buy fewer things.  Maybe I spend more money than I should, but it’s worth it to not have to shop for hours and hours.

And it’s way more fun with help.

Wait, no!  That pharmacy is terrible! 

Instead, [...]]]> Last week, I mentioned my frustration with my local CVS.  Yesterday, I had to get a new prescription filled (for a sinus infection that will not die), and when the nurse asked me where I wanted the prescription sent, I found myself pulling out the phone number for CVS again.

Wait, no!  That pharmacy is terrible! 

Instead, I went online and pulled up the phone number for the pharmacy at the grocery store right next door to my CVS.  Equally as convenient, and I figured I would give them a shot.  When I went to pick up the prescription, I was pleasantly surprised.  They were incredibly polite and much better about privacy issues (at CVS, everyone can hear what you’re picking up).  The prescription wasn’t ready when I showed up, but they gave me a number and told me I could wait or I could shop and they would call me when they were done.  I chose to wait, and it wasn’t even ten minutes.

I got my prescription, paid my miniscule co-pay, and was on my way.  The best part?  Because I was a new customer to the pharmacy, they gave me a coupon for a free rotisserie chicken and bagged salad, good until the end of the month.  And as a gal trying to save money, I love me some free food! 

I will definitely be going back to this pharmacy.  I was reluctant because I just wasn’t sure about a pharmacy in a grocery store, but they are staffed just as professionally as any other pharmacy, and even more professionally than the CVS next door.  So sometimes, trying new things is worth the risk.

I am at the point where I think my local CVS has my name on a list behind the counter along with the words “Provide the worst service possible.”  And yet I keep going back.

My issues with the local CVS are primarily with [...]]]> How many chances do you give a store before you completely give up?

I am at the point where I think my local CVS has my name on a list behind the counter along with the words “Provide the worst service possible.”  And yet I keep going back.

My issues with the local CVS are primarily with the pharmacy.  The rest of the store is just okay (nothing like the shiny new CVS stores that are popping up all over the place), but the people are nice enough and the shelves are well-stocked.  But the pharmacy.  Wow.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are some friendly, competent people working there.  But their good work is overshadowed by their much less capable counterparts.

The worst experience I had at this pharmacy was when they filled a prescription with an expired medication.  I only realized this because it was a pre-packaged prescription and I noticed the date on the package.  While I check expiration dates on over the counter medications, I can’t say that I pay attention to the dates on prescriptions (aside from the date printed on the label by the pharmacy).  Or I should say, I didn’t.  Now I do.

There is always a line at this pharmacy.  And I understand things get busy.  But the reasons lines are so long is that they continually misplace prescriptions.  More than once, I have had to return two or three times to pick up prescriptions because they either can’t find them or forgot to fill them.  I dropped off a prescription yesterday afternoon and was told it would be ready by 4:00.  I joked that I would come back at 5:00 and the tech laughed.  I came back at 6.  Guess what?  Not ready!  I went back again on my way home last night around 10:30.  I waited 20 minutes while they searched and searched for the prescription for the person in front of me in line.  Finally, I gave up.  I went back this morning around 6:45 on my way to work.  First I was told there was no prescription for me, based on the information in the computer and that I had not dropped anything off.  I insisted that I had.  The person working then checked the baskets of prescriptions, starting with the one that should have contained my name.  He took about ten minutes to slowly dig through various baskets.  Then he went back to his computer again and asked me what the prescription was for.  He then went back to the same baskets and went through them again and finally found my prescription.

While this was going on, I joked with the person behind me in line that my name must be on a list somewhere and that coming back was clearly insanity (defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result).  After all, I have complained multiple times about the service at this pharmacy, and have been reassured that things will change and that they are working on the problems.  Over a year later, nothing has changed.  For the most part, I’ve moved my prescriptions away from this pharmacy.  I now use the mail-order service provided by my insurance  company for any regular prescriptions.  But when I have a prescription for an antibiotic, I don’t want to wait for the mail-order processing.

I have watched people burst into tears while waiting for prescriptions out of frustration.  Parents who need medication for their children.  A husband waiting for a very important prescription for his dying wife.  People who are clearly sick and having trouble standing long enough to wait for their medications.  Sure, we all have to wait in lines, and sometimes mistakes happen. But that should be the exception and not the norm.

I have said this before, but I think this is it.  I have given this store enough chances.  They provide terrible service.  The only reason I keep going back is because it is extremely convenient.  Of course, it’s not convenient when I have to come back multiple times.  I believe the grocery store I use has a pharmacy.  I think I’m going to be taking my next prescription there.  I need to break the cycle and stop the insanity.

(Not to [...]]]> I have a coworker who I adore, but who is very gullible when it comes to small scale scams.  She’s not going to wire money to Nigeria or anything, but she’s a sucker for a good pitchline.  She has purchased a lot of infomercial items, and she’s always talking about the latest miracle cure.

(Not to bash all informercial items – I have seen infomercials and then researched the products and found that hey, these have pretty good reviews.  For example, I have used Bare Minerals makeup for years after watching their infomercial and checking it out in the store.  Also, as a joke, years ago, my mom bought us all FlipFolds.  I have to admit, I still use that thing to keep my drawers organized. Necessary? Not at all. Does what it claims? Sure does.)

I try not to pry, but I wonder just how much money my coworker is wasting on all of these things.  It’s her money and she is getting something for her money.  Those specialty spa treatments probably aren’t doing any good, but she is still getting a nice massage and an enjoyable afternoon.  But on the other hand, that $3.00 bottle of miracle water is really just water that could have been purchased for much less.

Of course, it’s her money.  And if these things make her happy, that’s all that matters.  I just try to slowly slip in information where I know I have the proper information.  She’s going to buy a computer in the next few months.  Two of us in the office have looked at what she’s picked out and said “Okay, you need this and this and this.  If they try to sell you something else, don’t buy it.  If you think you might need it, call one of us first.”

My coworker is an intelligent woman.  She’s got a great education and lots of real world experience.  But she’s also a bit naive.  She believes that a salesperson has her best interest in mind rather than the idea of selling something.  Don’t get me wrong, there are salespeople out there who are looking out for their customers (such as the tire salesman who told me if I wanted to, I could buy only two tires and wait 6 months for the other two when I wanted to buy all 4).   But I think you always have to be a wary buyer.  Do your research.  And hey, if you decide you still want to buy that salt lamp, go ahead.  It might not be a cure-all, but they can be very pretty.

Oh, it’s not hard to get there either.  But I have to get in my car and drive (or get on a super long metro ride), and it’s out of the way of anywhere I [...]]]> I joke that one of the great things about where I live is that it’s not easy to get to Target.

Oh, it’s not hard to get there either.  But I have to get in my car and drive (or get on a super long metro ride), and it’s out of the way of anywhere I usually do drive.

But today, I had the day off and needed to take my car for emissions testing.  So I did that, and by the time I had paid my $14 fee, my testing was done, so I decided to run some errands.  Of course, what did I see just beyond the testing place?  That’s right, Target.

I love Target.  Well, nice Targets anyway.  I have been in some sketchy ones that I did not love.  But for the most part, Target and I are BFFs.  I can walk up and down every aisle and always find something I must have.

But today, today I was good.  Sure, I spent money.  But there were very few splurges.  I found some cute running shorts to replace the ones I have that are falling apart.  I found a bin to wrangle my shoes.  I found a few other odds and ends, and yes, it added up.  But I didn’t buy the cute lamp or the fun storage system for my closet.  All in all, a pretty good trip.

Unfortunately, before today, I did not know just how easy it was to get to this particular Target.  And now I know.  And knowledge is dangerous.

Have a great weekend everyone.  Come back Monday for a book review and giveaway!  (Guess I had better get reading!)