Category: Assvice

Those who knew me well last year know that it was the “Year of Excess” (or YOE if you like acronyms).

In changing jobs from Corporate Cog to Spelunking Coordinator, I managed to swing myself a 30%-ish pay increase and I was fun, fabulous, and single! So you’d better believe I was livin’ large. After all, that sounded much more fun than paying down my student loans faster.

Oh what a year it was!

An approximate count of ticket stubs, photographs, and things in my closet indicate that I:

-Acquired J’Lo (and all of her expensive repair issues)
-Attended about 18 concerts, many at major venues, most of which included acquiring overpriced concert merchandise
-Cheered my way through at least 12 NHL hockey games (and consumed an average of 3 NHL priced beers at each)
-Had my hair done monthly at Valente Hair & Co, at an approximate cost of n-$1, where n = the cost to sponsor a half-dozen starving African children for a month
-Acquired enough wardrobe additions to shoe and clothe those starving African children – none of which are appropriate for the new job of course.
-Succumbed fully and completely to my new mistress, the TiVo.

Then all of that culminated in a 10-day Carribean Vacation.

And just when I thought it was all over, we went to Korea.

Aah, the good ol’ days.

And now this year (and don’t all new years really start around September? I far prefer it as a time of new beginnings to January, where after the clock strikes midnight there is nothing new, it still gets dark at 4:30pm, and no more vacation until like… Easter, so welcome to the most depressing 10 weeks of the year… but I digress…)…

This year is the Year of “oh holy hell, we bought a damn house and someone’s gotta pay for that shit (along with the last of the shit Visa paid for toward the end of the YOE) and I can’t believe I’m still making student loan payments.”*

Otherwise known as the “Year of Fiscal Responsibility”, because that other one seriously got way too long.

So steps are being taken to ensure that I can still be fun and fabulous, and acquire new shoes, on a slightly more realistic budget.

And this is where you, lovely readers, come in! If you’d be so kind, please be leaving your answers to the following questions in the comments box:

1. I’m no longer so keen on paying what I do to maintain the bleach beach blonde. What do you suggest I do for a lower-maintenance colour that isn’t just my boring, basic, natural, mousy, ash brown? Note that all drug-store dyes to date have turned my hair varying shades of orange. Current regimen for those who know/care: Full head of foils alternating with top-layer-only of foils every 4-6 weeks.

2. Do you know of any amazing and fabulous and CHEAP concerts coming to town that I can not miss? Because last year I simply bought a pair of tickets to everything – and that is just not gonna fly anymore. Some strategic planning is in order.

3. What are your favourite ideas for some fun, cheap things to do around town for the boy and I to entertain ourselves as the weather gets cooler and the beach becomes a less-viable option? Wanna do a book club? Movie Night? Games Night? We’re in.

4. What are your favourite recipes or meals to make yourself? Because we’ve definitely put the kaibash on going to Chambar or Tatlow’s “because we’re hungry” or “don’t feel like cooking.”

5. What do you feel is an acceptable number of pairs of new shoes for a fiscally responsible woman to acquire over any given season? I happen to think three is appropriate – however there are others who disagree.

6. If I were to have a kissing booth, what would you be willing to pay to pucker up with yours truly? Of course, kisses will be above the neck only, 10 seconds or less, with no tongue. Downside: if Neil gets wind of this idea, the dog may have to stand-in for me. Upside to that? LOTS of tongue.

Thanks all! Best answers get the fantastic prize of…. my undying appreciation!

(What, you thought it would be a prize worth something? I wasn’t kidding about the saving money thing!)
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