Survey says...

Wow, I can't believe that it's been a week since my last post! Yup, I've been really busy. I've been job hunting and taking care of some exciting business dealings. When it's all wrapped up, I'll tell you about it. [UPDATE--I just found out that I am now employed. Whether it'll become a permanent thing is another story, but it's a great job and it'll pay the bills.]

If the rising costs of utilities don't urge you to conserve, maybe extra freebies will. My astute roommie told me about a program from the Southern California Gas Company--if you take an energy survey, you'll get a free energy and water saving kit comprised of several aerators for your faucets, which reduce water use by up to 30%, and a free showerhead which also cuts down on water usage. We just installed them. Not only is there an improvement in water flow (beats the old crusty aerators that came with the apartment), but we're saving water. The widgets are incredibly easy to install. All you need is a wrench.

Since the offer ends at the end of the year, and the kits are available only while supplies last, you might want to take advantage of it. If you're not in the SoCal area, look up your local utility company's web page to see if they have a similar offer. It's totally worth it!

Front page treasury (again)

I was pretty stoked when the Treasury I created was picked for the Etsy front page this morning! Unlike last time, when I missed my own item being featured, I caught it this time.


The theme I used was 2047, inspired by "2046," the movie I got with my LexisNexis points (yay for free DVD's!). It's a good arthouse flick for those so inclined, but it's definitely not something to watch when your parents or children are in the same room with you...

When my friends and I were watching the movie, we were ooohing and ahhhing at the clothes and shoes the women wore. The setting was Hong Kong in the 1960's, so the wardrobe was a mix of East and West. Notwithstanding what *some* of the characters did for a living (or maybe because of it...I don' t know), they looked glamourous. I'm typically not into the beehive hairdo, but when combined with a form-fitting cheongsam or swingy dress and heels, it works. You can take a look at some of the pics here.

While the 1960's wardrobe had me drooling, my inspiration for the treasury came from the futuristic scenes. Wong Kar Wai's idea of the future is apparently very colorful--much more preferrable than the sterile, colorless minimalism that other sci-fi movies feed off of. The colors are combined with the typical metallic surfaces, which reflect the colors stunningly. I like metallic--if you recall, I took a chance on that silver cropped jacket, and I have a metallic green bag from Target. The green bag made its appearance when I took it with me on the wine trip, and I can't wait to do more with the metallic jacket soon.

I've been on a futuristic kick lately. I made these, but alas, I can't wear them. There are just some things clip-ons can't do.

Which movies inspire your style?

My $140,000 sheet of paper

A recent trip to the post office is a fine example of what the magical "Number 11 bus" can do, as my family jokingly calls it. The 11 is formed by the two stilts called legs. There are so many benefits--some obvious, some not.

My very expensive piece of paper arrived in the mail a couple of days ago. I had to go to the post office to pick it up because it was too big to fit into the mailbox. Being mindful that I've already paid a lot for this sheet of paper, and will have to spend many many more years paying it off, I decided to save money by walking to the post office instead of driving. I need the exercise anyway, since I spend each day sitting in front of the computer (looking for jobs) or making things for my store.

When I got to the post office, I finally saw how huge it was. At least it looks like I got what I paid for.

The supermarket was nearby, so I walked there with my big envelop under my arm. I had a hard time fitting it into the grocery basket...silly me, probably should have gotten the groceries first.

Walking is such a great way to save money, and when I don't have time to hit the gym, it keeps me healthy. It's an environmentally-friendly way of travelling. It's also a time and sanity saver, especially during gridlock time. It's a great way to see the sights of a town we usually hurriedly travel through; there are so many details I miss while zooming by at 35 MPH. Finally, there was an unexpected additional benefit for this particular case. I went to the market to buy cream cheese to make another cheese cake (much smaller this time), and I was hoping that the heat and all the time spent walking would get the cheese to be nice and soft when I got home. It didn't get all mushy (which is good), but it did help soften a little.

Given how frugal I try to be all the time, why would I be so extravagant with a piece of paper? I call it a good investment. To protect my investment, I'll work hard for years to come, and I'll get a stylish frame not from the place that sent me that piece of paper (the prices are absolutely ridiculous for a single embellishment at the bottom), not from a customized place, but from an affordable and stylish outlet such as Target, Marshall's, or Ross (which, despite of the daily chaos, has a very decent home goods department...more on that on another day). I've spent enough money already on this piece of paper, so I really don't need anything expensive and grand. No one is going to go up close to look at the frame anyway, and all a frame does is hold a piece of paper--a pane of glass, a frame, and some sturdy backing is good enough.

In case you were wondering, that piece of paper happens to be my spankin' new law degree =).

Gift cards for the drought

After experiencing the euphoria of being done with school and the bar, I'm feeling the blues from the state of unemployment. It's really hard to not feel helpless and hopeless after sending off cover letters (which I hate to write) and resumes (should I include this or that); after they leave my hands, I can do no more other than waiting and sending more resumes. I did quite a bit of planning before this stage, so financially I've been OK for the last few months, but a couple of monstrously large student loan payments have hit me hard and I'm really feeling the crunch now. It does light a fire under me and spur me to diligence on most days, but some days it only causes stress. The blistering heat certainly doesn't help matters.

As a result of all this, I've further tightened my purse strings. I try to avoid using the credit card so that I won't overspend, and I've further cut back on purchases. Fortunately, my Etsy store provides a little bit of monetary relief and allows me to indulge a little from time to time, but for the most part my spendings are for bare-bones necessities. I've drastically reduced the amount of supplies I bought and I'm making myself work with what I already have, which is actually quite a bit.

This is also a time when my saved-up gift certificates/gift cards come in handy, some for wants and some for pressing needs. It's a good thing to save a few for big retailers in case you really need something and not have the funds for it. I'm able to do this in CA because the gift cards don't expire here, but they might in other states, so it's best to check. Two types of them were in my possession--a gift certificate from Fred Flare (a Christmas present) and a couple of gift cards from Best Buy.

I've let the Fred Flare gift certificate gone unused for so long because I couldn't find something that I really wanted, and I saw no reason to buy something just because. But that changed last month, when Lucky magazine gave readers a 25% discount. A long time ago I talked about my strategy with maximizing the bang for the buck--I'd typically wait for a sale before spending money on something, and gift certificates are just like money (except it's your friend/family/etc.'s money), so I'd wait for a sale before spending mine. This time is no different from any other.

I tried to stay as close to the gift certificate limit and ended up getting this adorable, warm hoodie, which is perfect for the Fall, and a book. Total out-of-pocket cost was a little more than a dollar. Close enough. When I came home from the wine trip, the box was left at the door. Good thing it wasn't stolen.

The Best Buy gift cards really bailed me out this time. Electronics are expensive, so I saved my gift cards for the drought (I wish it were rainy right now...it's too darn hot). I absolutely need a working printer to print out resumes and such, and while I don't typically like the selection at Best Buy, that's what I have money for. Not that I foreclosed other options--I went to a few stores to look for better deals, and there was none to be found. So, I settled for an inkjet for now; I'll upgrade when I have the money. After using up both gift cards, I paid $12. That would have been pretty good if it came with a USB cable, but I didn't find out about the deficiency until I got home. I ended up going to Staples to buy a short one (which was also the cheapest) for $10. $22 total is not bad for a printer, but I wish I had more time to shop around for the cable.

Got a couple of interesting topics coming up, so stay tuned! Sorry about the infrequency of my posting lately, but I just have a lot of things to worry about right now. At the very least, there'll be one post a week.