I'm back!

Funny how I started this blog before I began school...

If you're thinking of going to grad school, you should be warned that time is a fluid concept times one-thousand once you start that phase of life.  Everything sort of fades into school, and your life revolves around it despite having multiple identities, roles, priorities, and relationships.

BUT I'm on fall break right now, which means that I've regained some of my sanity (mostly because I'm kicking back for eight hours of sleep most nights) and been able to do some great DIY projects and frugalesque things.  Stay tuned for posts (I need to take pictures.  First things first, and baby steps, my Friends!).

See you soon!

-Ash

Menstruation Station

WARNING TO SQUIRMY GIRLS AND SOME MEN:

  This post is about the menstrual cycle and alternatives to disposable feminine hygiene products.  Bloody details (pun intended but not intended) are not spared-Proceed with caution.

Let's talk Diva Cups!

(Oh yes, don't be mistaken, it comes with the lapel pin to be displayed loud and proud.)

After a friend's strong encouragement to "go green" in the feminine hygiene arena and her success with the product, I purchased The Diva Cup, which the website defines as a "menstrual alternative, [that] ends hassles with unreliable disposable tampons and sanitary pads in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles."  According to the directions, one can wash, insert, and wear the menstrual cup for up to 12 hours before removing, emptying, washing, and re-inserting.  The product intrigues me, so I give it a fair trial, all joking, skepticism, and initial gross-factor aside.

So what's my honest take on it? (After month two on the Diva...)

• The Learning Curve - Like any product the Diva Cup has a learning curve, and it takes a lot of practice to get it perfect.  I think after this cycle, I have it down.  That being said if you choose to go this route, store up some patience and prepare for leakage and frustrations.  And set aside some hours to devote to Google... it's been mighty helpful to read the LOADS of reviews/forums on this product.

• The Saver - When buying tampons and pads, I always went for the off-brand, cheapest ones available.  Despite buying the generics, I still racked up a $10 bill every other month or every two months for feminine hygiene products.  My period is heavy and long (even when I'm running like a marathoner), so I had to buy a multi-pack with different absorbencies plus a super-plus for the first few days. With my Diva Cup costing around $35 with shipping and handeling and the DivaWash (good for cleaning but not necessary), it will pay for itself in half a year.  As a penny pincher, I love it.

• The Traveler - I am a traveler and appreciate minimalism and convenience.  This solves all "girly" problems while abroad and keeps that suitcase light.

• The Relief - The drag of forgetting it's that time and realizing you're completely out of products is gone gone gone!  I'll never have to make another 10:42 PM run to the store for tampons ever again.

• The Tree Hugger - Disposable eco-conscious products are too expensive for my budget, and I hate pads.  The idea of a reusable pad is gross in the diaper sense and, oddly, way grosser to me in the re-usable aspect area than a menstrual cup... maybe it's the washing of the cloth thing?  Plus, using a menstrual cup cuts back on my landfill dumping and keeps any unwanted, nasty chemicals/materials found in disposable tampons out of my system.  I*Love*Trees!

• The Self-Proclaimed Differentiator - I like to be different for a cause or good reason, and this is yet another opportunity to be different for the good of the earth and my budget.  Plus, it gives my mom a good laugh :)

If you're okay with a little mess and think you can break past the "gross-factor" barrier, I'd give the Diva Cup a try.  Even if it fails miserably, you can try a different menstrual cup, or go back to disposables.  But I'll guarantee you this:  you'll have some good stories to share on the interwebs.  If you've used the Diva, leave some comments with suggestions.  And ask questions; I'll blog later with tips for use, after perfecting the process.

Revolutionizing the world... one menstrual cycle at a time.

Frugality and Ethics

Today we have seemingly endless choices in purchasing.  With the options comes consideration, and one of the hot-button questions is the local/organic/cruelty-free debate.  I've gone back and forth lots of times for a few years, and my opinion on this was largely determined by my financial situation at the time.  But now with no debt (aside from student loans), a steady job, and more awareness of the global economic and social situation around me, I've parked my consumer-self on the local/organic/cruelty-freed side. I've heard a lot of the arguments, and I agree with the following:  YES-it costs more, it can be a headache trying to procure some of these items, it might not make a difference in the big-picture of things.  But here are some reasons why I believe that going the "hippy love" route (or whatever you want to coin in sarcastically or affectionately) is both a financially-frugal and ethically-sound decision for me: (Keep in mind that a lot of these aspects are true in the overall and ideal sense of purchasing local/organic/vegan/cruelty-free)

1.  Shopping local decreases overhead costs (like transportation, market/trade prices, store mark-ups, chain rules, etc.) and supports the economy in Denver as well as small business-owners and entrepreneurs.  

2.  Buying certain organic goods (such as coffee, chocolate, etc.) promotes sound businesses practices abroad that protect and promote foreign workers.  Everyone benefits!

3.  Purchasing in this manner encourages ethical, straight-forward, and fair purchasing and market practices.

4.  The quality of this merchandise (especially in the area of food!) is higher, and I believe I am getting what I pay for.

5.  In terms of organic products, I know exactly what I am putting into myself and using, so I have a better idea of how my money is being spent.  I know I am purchasing something that could, in the long run, help me stay healthier and more fulfilled.

I believe that spending both time and money frugally promotes the well-being of ourselves and the public at-large.  By shopping local/organic/vegan/cruelty-freed, I am validating that belief.  And if frugality is about living wisely, I think that should impact the kind of things I buy.  As much as I want to save money, get the most "bang for my buck," and have convenient and splendid shopping experiences, I want to use my money well in a manner that doesn't violate my ethical and moral conscious.  And for me, going local/organic/vegan/cruelty-freed aligns with that value system, so it is worth the extra dollar.  Don't get me wrong; I don't always purchase these products in every area of my consumer life, but I am slowing phasing out the non-hippy stuff and bringing the hippy stuff in :)  Call me a yuppy or a trendist, whatevs, I'm okay with it.

Read Me.

This book is great.  The text is straightforward, simple, practical, and informative for any young person wanting to be more financially-literate.  Fowles covers everything from paying off educational debt in a timely manner, improving credit scores, managing/eliminating credit card debt, investing options, saving plans, budgeting, and making major financial decisions wisely (like buying a house).  Aside from the practical advice and her game-plan style for implementing better financial practices, Fowles defines financial lingo (such as "net worth") in a way that's easy for the most financially-illiterate individuals-i.e. self-to comprehend.  So, if you're looking for a crash-course on personal finance that costs less than Financial Peace University and has everything in one place that hours of Googling might procure, pick up this book for $10.85 on Amazon, or request it from your local library (Go Penny Pinchers!).  One of my many mottos:  The more you know, the better you grow.  Happy Reading!

Three In One!

Nutritious eating is high priorities for me, and I believe a healthy diet and lifestyle can be achieved on a budget with a little research and planning.  After looking through my kitchen stock and spending some time with Google, I got some ideas for making some of my own staples for much cheaper than the grocery or value store price.  Confession:  I like the idea of relying less on packaged items, whether or organic or not, and love the opportunity to say, "Oh I did/made that myself!"  Plus, doing-it-yourself can be significantly cheaper than prepared versions, and the preparer has the advantage of knowing exactly what the product is comprised of.  This week I had healthy food success!  I created a three-in-one meal base for quick meals.  

Phase One:  Vegetable Broth - Recipe Base
I followed a guide published on Squiddo and threw in potatoes, celery (including the stems), whole carrots, an onion, whole garlic cloves, and a bunch of spices.  I didn't bother peeling the vegetables, the skins are full of nutrients and vitamins.  The kitchen smelled wondrous!  When finished I strained the vegetables, put them in a freezer-safe container, and poured the broth into another container.  The recipe made enough broth for about four batches of homemade soup, and I froze half of it to use in the future.  Advantages:  low-sodium, organic, easy, used up past-due produce, cheap!!!

Phase Two:  Egg Drop Soup - Monday Dinner
After trying a recipe I wasn't thrilled with, I attempted this one and was more impressed.  This meal is super frugal, and dinner is on the table in less than 15 minutes.  Instead of the red onion called for in the recipe, I chopped up some white onion leftover from the vegetable broth and substituted sesame oil for olive oil (already in the pantry...).  Before I began the soup, I threw in some quick brown rice for an easy, filling, and nutritious side dish.  The batch made four meals, so I had leftovers for the rest of the week! (Warning:  the oil rises to the top of the batch, so this is probably not the greatest leftover meal.  I drain the fat out, heat the soup, and eat as is.)

Phase Three:  Veggie Burgers - Tuesday Dinner, etc.
I grabbed the leftover vegetables from the broth, removed stems and skins, and mushed/chopped the rest into a vegetable mixture.  I added spices, a can of refried beans, an egg, and bread crumbs (you can sub crackers, quick oats, rice, etc.) to the bowl and stirred again.  Then I formed the mixture into patties!  Veggie burgers voila!  With the veggies and single can of beans, I made about ten, good-sized burgers for less than $2!  The packaged burgers in the freezer section are tasty and easy but way expensive (about $.90 a patty) for my budget.  I buy a box or two when on sale to have a on-hand for quick meals.  But after this attempt at my own burgers, I'll be making my own more frequently!  I can't wait for summer grilling.  Check out this website with lots of DIY veggie burger recipe variations:

Bon appetite y'all!

Student. Social Worker. Savvy.

Hello!  I'm Ashlee, and I begin graduate school to be a social worker in September 2011.  Social workers aren't rated as the wealthiest professionals, since we do it for the love not the money!  But let's get real:  making little money isn't an excuse to live in debt, and working with the poor doesn't mean I have to be poor.  With remaining undergraduate debt accumulating graduate debt, I am determined to live frugally during my two-year academic program and for the five years following to eliminate all my student loan debt by age 30.  Is it possible?  Yes.  It is realistic?  I am going to make it so.

Like most young Americans I could benefit from a few more lessons on personal finance and frugal lifestyle to balance to messages of instant-gratification and consumerism I have been spoon-fed since infancy.  I accumulated a decent credit-card debt during my first two years of college (because of silly, unnecessary spending) and paid it off with earnings from a summer job (I won't give you the specific number, but it was a large portion of that salary).  I have lived paycheck-to-paycheck.  I have saved too little and spent too much.  I have frozen credit cards (and subsequently burnt them in the microwave-yeah, that's called a move of desperation, Folks).  And I have wondered where the cash went.  But there's hope!  For the past year, I have lived according to a (gasp!) budget and begun a savings plan.  It's been a little rocky, but I'm on my way with much to learn.  I confess this as encouragement:  If I can make a financial turnaround at 23, so can you!

Join me on my frugal adventure, as I learn and practice the basics (but profound necessities) of personal finance for young adults and frugality to create a foundation of financial freedom for life.  Yep, I'm going to include the nitty-gritty details.  Feel free to comment, suggest, question, and advise!  I'm out to learn as much as you all.

Cheers.