Suze Orman Has Nothing on Me!

Before I start my post, I need to share with you all the one major dilemma that I have encountered since moving to Kansas City: there is a serious lack of free coffee shop WiFi.  The only coffee shop I could find near my house today was a Starbucks which I do have great love for except for the fact that you have to pay for WiFi at Starbucks.  I know, outrageous.  

You might say, "Kate, go to Panera.  You love Panera.  They have free WiFi and they are all over the place now that you live in Missouri again."  And I would tell you that that is wonderful advice.  However, Panera has a seriously lacking coffee bar.  The only espresso drinks they do are regular lattes and mochas which are too expensive for me.  And if I'm going to drink regular coffee, I'm going to make it at home for free.

Two of my favorite establishments are horribly failing me.

One of three things needs to happen: 1) Starbucks needs free WiFi, 2) Panera needs a better espresso menu or 3) I need to find an awesome coffee shop that combines the two places and is not 20 minutes away.  I don't think that's too much to ask.  My happiness in this move seriously relies on this quest.  

On to my actual post:

I have turned into a financial wizard!  I'm not one to toot my own horn (what?) but I'm feeling pretty smug lately.  I have been reading Confessions of a Shopaholic and I spend a good portion of my time chuckling knowingly yet condescendingly at the antics of the main character.

Here's why:

As you most likely know, I am broke.  And I'm unemployed for an indefinite amount of time.  So you might be thinking that I would be a little stressed about how I'm going to live/wondering if I've been contemplating selling some organs.  But what you don't know is that I've got a plan.

No my plan does not involve anything illegal or even slightly questionable.  In fact, my plan does not involve me figuring out a way to bring in money at all.  My plan is quite simple.  I'm am going to spend essentially nothing until I have a job.

If you know me, you know that this is no easy feat.  I have not always been known for my financial sagacity, but I think, with a few simple guidelines, I will be able to weather this storm of unemployment pretty successfully.

Step #1:  Make lists.

Moves tend to cost money.  Even though this was a fairly low-maintenance move, there are always a few random things that you end up needing, i.e. a lamp or a shoe organizer.  For both a Wal-Mart trip last night and a Target trip today, I created a detailed list of everything I was going to get before leaving.  I then refused to stray from this list.  This can be particularly hard in Target because I want everything in the entire store.  But I did not succumb.  I passed on the new bath towels, the ShamWows and the lint roller even though I arguably need all of those things (especially the lint roller).  Strength is key.

Step #2:  Buy the cheapest.

I've never been one to buy the most expensive of something just to have it, but I do tend to go for the middle of the road price usually.  I figure it's going to last longer and be altogether better than the clearly crappy cheapest one.  However, I have to think a little more short term right now.  I needed a lamp, a tea kettle, a shoe organizer and some hooks, all of which come in several price points.  I bought the cheapest one of all of them.  Sometimes this required looking around quite a bit.  I had to go to 3 different areas of the store to find hooks that were $1.50 instead of the $6.99 ones I found first.  This is worth it.

Step #3: Use cash.

I think it is unnatural to have no discretionary funds.  That is why I have a set amount of cash each week for me to spend on anything other than what is strictly needed.  I pull it out in cash because I will always go over any budget I set for myself when using a credit card.  The cash I have in my wallet is what I have to spend this week.  Period.  No exceptions.  So if I have a lapse in judgement and buy the expensive coffee, I don't get to get a new book.  That's just how it goes.  I'm very strict.

So that's it.  Three simple steps and they are saving me tons of money.  Also, it didn't hurt that I had a birthday.  

And coming up with financial strategies distracts me from the fact that my days have no purpose.  I really want a job.