but it's cheap

i am sick to death of this rebuttal when i say i can't   choose not to do something...'but it's only $10.00' (or $5.00, or $20.00, or whatever).

what i feel like saying is- quit spending my money for me you jackass!!!!

{credit}

but i don't, because i'm polite (generally). so...here's a little list of the things that are only "$____" and what that cheap little thing adds up to in a years time.
cabs- $10 one way for me to downtown ($520 twice/mo for a year)
netflix- $12.97 for 1 disc ($155.64)
myfooddiary.com- $9.50/mo membership ($114)
internet- $50/mo ($600)
happy hour- $20 for a moderate night ($1040 once/wk for a year)
fancy coffee- $4.25 ($221/1 a week for a year)
sirius satellite radio- $14.20/mo ($170.40)

so the short of it is that these things, over a year really add up....$2821.04
not so cheap now is it?!? spendy pants!
xoxo ashleycolean

twenty under $25-two

20 under $25.00 is the product of the still skeptical people in my life that think i must be rocking a pretty lame social life in order to do this budget. as i showed you in this post-you can, indeed, have a social life on a budget. it just takes a little more planning and creativity.

but-as i do all of these things i'll show you how!! 20 summer activities under $25.00!! now doesn't that sounds fan-tastic!

on friday night-i went to see natasha leggero at comedy works dtc with my friend, e. we also saw her three openers, who were all hilarious.

c/o natasha leggero

the tickets were $36.00 for two-but i had a significant coupon that i got downtown last summer (i've literally been carrying it around for a year). we had dinner before heading to the 9:45 late show!

so here's what i spent:
$0.00 dinner at home
$6.00 remainder cost for 2 tickets after using my coupon
$0.00 beers-e covered the drinks since i covered the tickets (thanks e)

total friday spend: $6.00

still got the chuckles.
xoxo ashleycolean

artsy and mindful

i was talking about my spending lockdown and all that goes along with it with bbe's husband the other night. he was super supportive and impressed with my plan but asked a good question: 'you're still living right!?'
he was worried that i was getting too focused on the lockdown and avoiding doing things to save money.

it made me think about it. was i? avoiding life to save money?

the answer is no. wholeheartedly, no. i do a great job (i think) of adjusting  my life to save money without avoiding life all together. when friends want to meet for lunch, i suggest a picnic in the park. when people want to go out to dinner or drinks, i suggest a home cooked meal. i try and find cheap or free activities around the city (there are tons). there are ways to have a social life on a budget they just require a bit more time, research and energy to figure out.

this weekend for instance i planned saturday for my girlfriends...
we went to the highlands farmers market in the morning, walked down to paris on the platte and had a cocktail and cheese on the patio, went to the larimer square chalk art festival and then headed to the rapids game for dinner and soccer!

check out these amazing chalk art artists...

gorgeous. right?!!

so here's what i spent:
$0.00 farmers market-we went for the sun...and samples
$0.00 paris on the platte-my amazing girlfriends took care of the bill because i covered the soccer game/dinner-and just because they are fantastic
$1.25 parking downtown at a meter
$0.00 chalk art fair was free
$0.00 shopping at american apparel-this was a miracle
$7.51  for some delicious fro-yo at kuulture
$0.00 rapids game/parking/dinner/drinks-i came into some great tickets and shared them with the girls

total saturday spend: $8.76.

staycations can be amazing and cheap!
xoxo ashleycolean