Spend less, have more!

I just listened to this week's installment on NPR of Kevin Mckiney. He always ends his show with those words. I listen to him and also Zorba Paster while taking my weekend naps-funny how I miss half the show however. :) They are both good common sense money and health shows. My New Year's resolution has been "fiscal and physical fitness" for many years, probably because I have trouble doing either! :) Now that I have a full-time job and get paid for the first time next week, I'm going to have to resist the urge to regain my spendthrift ways! Will I be able to do it? Stay tuned!

A New Beginning

I started a new job this week-it has benefits and a pension and health care. The pay is much lower compared to what I used to make, so my frugal habits of the past 2 years should come in handy. I spent too much at State Fair last night, including $5 for fried beer (which wasn't too good). I did use some half price tickets, so that's my rationale. :) Today we're heading down to the Third Ward for Summer Sizzle, which is free, but will probably spend some money on lunch snacks and a beer or wine, I'm sure. Tonight is a patio round robin in Brewer's hill. $10 for the two us and each of five patio stops will have drinks and appetizers, so I'll probably come out ahead with this one. :) Here's to my future frugality!

A Frugal Weekend

Friday night I went to a Brewer's game, for free, of course! A friend's law firm had a tailgate party. Lots of great food, and drinks, and the weather was great. After the game we went downtown and shared some sparkling wine on the rooftop of cafe Benelux-a great view of the third ward.


We had some great collaborative meals over the weekend. Lots of good food at a reasonable price. While shopping at Metro Market, especially on weekends, I take advantage of all the free samples. This weekend had free salad, wine tastings, cheese tastings, some great whole grain bread. Tonight, Monday, I'm going to a free screening at the Oriental. Not sure how I'm score a free meal out of this-may have to dip into a Groupon or find somebody I know to buy me some popcorn. :)

A Frugal Summerfest

I had 2 free tickets to Summerfest and the weather was beautiful, so we decided to go to Summerfest. We parked free outside the Public Market in a loading zone spot that opened up at 6pm-perfect timing. On our walk in we sold one ticket for $7, since Roger can get in free. We pocketed $4, which helped because Roger dropped his first beer! :( We walked over to information where we picked up our free small Journal/Sentinel replica and also got $20 off our subscription-didn't know they did that at Summerfest. At the Frontier Airlines we spun the wheel and I got a chocolate chip cookie and Roger got a $5 debit card. Unfortunately (for us) the person in front of us got $248 in a voucher. We both got coupons for $20 off our next flight. We found relief from the walking on the 2nd floor of the Waterstreet Brewery restaurant-maybe the old people scare the kids off? We sat up there for a while enjoying the breeze and resting our feet and drinking a beer and eating a soft pretzel before venturing off. On the way past the Miller stage we caught  "Here Come the Mummies"-a great Latin-infused, Ska, Funk band that was real high energy. We left and used a Groupon at Karma on the Eastside, where we sat outside and shared a Greek burger and some sangria. A fairly reasonable evening indeed. Tonight I'm going to a free Brewer's game. A friend's law firm is having a free buffet and drinks at the tailgate party and tickets to the game. I just have to watch my beer spending once I get in the stadium. :)

Here Come the Mummies

Back from San Francisco

As usual, we stayed at our friend Gary's house, so no hotel costs. We shared some meals out and had the last meal at a friend's house where we had a collaborative meal. I got us in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art with my Milwaukee art museum membership, so that saved us $50. I picked up a class at Carroll University, but won't be paid until the end of August, so will start depleting my savings. I'd like to visit Becky in NY, but will have to use airline mileage to accomplish that one-lets see if I do. :) Summerfest starts tonight. I got a free ticket by attending an early event. Roger gets in for $3-the advantage of getting old. ;)

The Summer of Todd!

Well, no teaching at UWM this Summer, so I'll have to go into super frugal mode. We'll see how I do. I'll update the blog as my savings slowly dwindle. I need a super Groupon! My goal is to concentrate on getting my stuff together-hopefully doing better than George Costanza did. :)

George: I'm really going to do something with these three months.
Jerry: Like what?
George: I'm gonna read a book. From beginning to end. In that order.
Jerry: I've always wanted to do that...
George: I'm gonna play frolf.
Jerry: You mean golf?
George: Frolf, frisbee golf Jerry. Golf with a frisbee. This is gonna be my time. Time to taste the fruits and let the juices drip down my chin. I proclaim this: The Summer of George!

Riverwest Spaces and Traces Walking Tour

Saturday was the Historic Milwaukee Spaces and Traces walking tour of the Riverwest area. Luckily there was a Groupon for this so I snatched it up-glad I didn't get my ticket early. :) One of the houses we toured was Thallis Drake's house (featured in last week's Journal/Sentinel). Roger knows her from an early music program she founded. We took a lunch break and shared an omelet at Stonefly Brewery which was packed because of the walk. They were so busy one of the bartenders left a bloody mary, unspoken for, in front of me. The frugal part of me wanted to take it-I asked a few times but got no response. ;( After a few more houses-we'd been at this since 9am and now it was 2pm-we went to Waterford wine for a free Rose' tasting. We finshed the last few houses, and went to a fundraiser my niece was having-Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale. I got a big bag of cookes for only $10. Now I have to give them away so I don't eat them all! :) Sunday we went to the Haggerty art museum-the last day of a great photgraphy exhibit. The Haggerty is always free-a real gem of a museum in Milwaukee. Tonight heading to Ned's for leftovers-Roger doesn't approve (some beans and potato salad from a party), but I do-it's free. Plus, plenty of wine! :)