I'm not buying into people anymore.

The biggest thing I notice is coffee. In my mid-late 20's I was a Starbucks coffee whore drinking mochas, iced beverages, etc. to the tune of anywhere of 10-20 bucks a day. Now I drink my coffee the way the gods intended - black - and have probably saved a few thousand dollars in the process as well.

I'm trying to avoid buying into any more trouble.

Not working out too well, though.

1. expensive toys - laptops, etc
2. doing Burning Man the expensive way
3. little stuff that I feel literally no benefit from but which adds up

I also have a list of things I will never scrimp on:

1. Food.

That's the only item on the list right now. But in essence I decided that going to a nice hippie grocery is worth the extra 10-15% it costs. You learn to adjust what you buy so you don't get screwed as bad. And you enjoy it more. And it's healthier, often more esthetically pleasing. The line item also applies to eating out when I feel like it, and splurging on hospitality stuff like picking up the check, ordering extra for people, not quibbling over a few cents at the deli.

I am convinced this is essential to the good life. And after analyzing my finances over 6 months, I have learned it's not that big a part of my budget.

1. Shoes
2. Drugs


But I REALLY NEED both of them. Seriously. I could explain it if you'd give me a chance.

What? No butter to put in the shoes?

It's either guns or butter, or some combo of the two

Nair. It doesn't work and it's disgusting. Every few years I think, hm: maybe they've improved it, so that it works and isn't disgusting? And every few years, I am wrong, and out $5.

Nair. It doesn't work

Not true! A friend of mine told me a fantastic story about the days when he was in basic traning for the Marines, and a guy was a total asshole to him. The dude was also very vain about his hair, so my friend spiked his shampoo with Nair.

Hilarity ensued.

I've resolved to not buy anymore Putumayo cds. Never again.

I'm never buying Secret deodorant again.

Books for me, too. I love books, but once I buy them, it's a long hard road for me to get rid of them. So I'm trying to borrow as much as possible. Also, I'm a pretty fast reader so I get through 4 or 5 a week. Gets expensive.

I am never going to buy pilates/yoga/work out in your own home dvds again. I hate working out at home! I like to run! All the dvds I've ever bought end up used once and filed.

Hmm. I can only think of things that I have to force myself not to buy for the time being, but I know perfectly well I will buy again as soon as I can justify it.

Chocolate-covered almonds, brie cheese, and beautiful notebooks (notebook fetishist here, have several on hand) are a few of those things.

i've recently stopped buying and drinking soda. i used to buy a 12/24 pack of mountain dew/mello yello every other day or so. yeah, go me.

of course, i drink coffee now (black, like my men). caffeine ftw!

surface-to-air missiles.