Shop 'Til You Drop

This year has taught me a lot about personal finances. No, I don't know the in's and out's of mutual stock options, hedge funds, or rollover 401k's, but I spent a good deal of time this year budgeting and mapping out my finances. You don't have to be a financial wizard to learn ways to save and spend your money wisely.

This year has also reinforced my love of finding a great deal. I remember clipping coupons out of the Sunday newspaper on my family room floor with good intentions of helping my Mom use them at the store. Coupon clipping is just one of the ways I have learned to save money this year. No matter how small something might seem, every little thing does add up in the end. Below are some of my "best practices" in savvy shopping.

*Before you do anything, create a free e-mail account that you use only for company coupons, sweepstakes, and other offers. This prevents your inbox from overflowing with "spam" and gives you the flexibility to check your inbox as often as you'd like. I've found that a lot of restaurants will send you a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert if you simply give them your e-mail. The same is true with clothing stores. Sites like Groupon or Tippr can also be useful if they are in your area.

*Coupons, coupons, coupons. If you look online, some stores will have coupons that you can print (but can only be used in their store) straight from the website. If you know someone who gets the Sunday newspaper, ask them if they use their coupons. Look for coupons/deals in free community newspapers or fliers that are near the entrance to the grocery store. Keep a small plastic expanding folder to hold your coupons. I try to either keep it in my purse or in the car for easy access.

*Sign up for loyalty programs. For example, I get most of my groceries at Stop n' Shop. For every $100 I spend in groceries, they take 10 cents off per gallon of gas that I buy. That might not seem like much, but do the math.... 14 gallons of gas per week x 52 weeks x 10 cents = $73 savings over the course of one year. Other companies will give you coupons based on what you buy in the store.

*Watch the store ads. If you don't get them in the mail (not signing up to get a newspaper = extra savings), sign up to receive them in your special e-mail account. I would also recommend shopping for groceries on Friday night if possible (very dorky but much more effective). This allows you to have the best pick of the sale items (especially with regards to produce and meat products that are on sale) *and* avoid crowds. If I go to the grocery store (or even Target for that matter) on another day of the week, I visit at night to avoid crowds and traffic, which allows me to go as fast as humanly possible down an aisle while still managing to fill my cart with the right items.

*Use store brands whenever possible. Many generic brands are made by the same company that produces the brand name product. For example, my company's brand of tissues is made by the leading brand name company that makes tissues. However, there are some times when you should not skimp, including peanut butter (nobody else does it like Jif), chocolate chips (proven in a taste test by my Mom), and barbecue sauce (only Sweet Baby Ray's for me!). That being said, I have found a couple of generic brands that I like more than the actual brand name. For example, the Malt-O-Meal version of Frosted Mini Wheats is crunchier, has more frosting, and is an amazing price.

*Free sample sites. Sign up for a daily e-mail from a blog that focuses on freebies and coupons. My favorite one this year is Free Snatcher- she does a fantastic job of providing her audience with deals and ways to even make money in stores. Two other great sample sites include Wal-Mart and P & G Brand Sampler. Free samples might not seem like they are worth it, but it adds up. I've probably gotten enough shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel to last me two months!! Plus, who doesn't love getting something in the mail? I usually forget that I have ordered a sample, and four weeks later I have a wonderful surprise waiting for me in my mailbox.

*Plan ahead. While you don't want to purchase something just for the sake of a deal, it is wise to anticipate your needs. If you can get something at little or no cost now and have the room to store it, why wait? If you don't have the room or don't need it, you can always give it to a friend, family member, or local shelter. You might not need something right this instant, but planning ahead is damage control. Maybe this is just me, but I am more likely to spend a higher price on an item that I need right away.

*Use your own reusable bag. Many companies now give you a small discount (usually 5 cents per bag) if you bring in a bag rather than use their plastic or paper ones. (Touted as earth-friendly but really focused on cost control.) If you use 4 of your own bags every week for a year, this adds up to $10. Again, it may only be $10 but that is $10 you can spend on something else.

*Keep your receipts. I've noticed stores getting much more strict about their return policies within the past few years. If you should have a reason to return something, this will prevent you from being reimbursed what the product is worth now. If you don't have a receipt, the company gives you its current selling price, which may be majorly reduced. Also be sure to understand a store's return policy before you purchase something you're not 100% about.

True story: last weekend I went to the drugstore to pick up some items. Between store sales and coupons, I only paid $6.89 for 2 boxes of Kleenex, a stick of deodorant, 2 full size bottles of John Freida (one shampoo, one conditioner), and a giant roll of paper towels. Normally, this would have cost me over $38!!! I had the biggest grin on my face when I left the store.

Hope these tips have helped inspire you to start saving money. If you have any great websites or ideas, I'd love to hear them. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check my mailbox... I might have a sample waiting for me.

P-Town

Last weekend I spent some time in Provincetown (aka P-town), a town on the very tip of Cape Cod. Almost everyone I had talked to said to make sure I checked out this area when I mentioned I wanted to do some traveling around the Cape. It is definitely a free-spirited town- very friendly to alternative lifestyles and lots of local art. During the kayak tour, I made friends with a group of people my age that were also visiting the area for the weekend. I met up with Brett, Faith, J.J., and Luke in Truro (rhymes with "churro") for dinner. (Luke's parents have a house in North Truro- thank goodness I had my GPS, or I may never have found it... very peaceful wooded area.) After kayaking they had picked up seafood to make a boil- corn, sausage, shrimp. They also had lobster (cooked separately). Luke was trying to kill the lobster before putting them into the water (I've been told that they make a noise that sounds like screaming) by cutting part of their head, but the knife was pretty dull and wasn't doing the greatest job. Yuck.

After some bocce ball and more cooking, we sat down for dinner. I didn't give them too many details about my picky habits, but they knew I wasn't huge on seafood. However, I did manage to try a piece of lobster. Luke gave me a piece of the claw, which I think is supposed to be one of the best parts. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan.

Sweet corn is in season somewhere around here (much earlier than Indiana)

J.J. attacking the lobster

The aftermath

After dinner (and some serious clean-up), we headed into Provincetown to hang out with the locals. We decided that we'd play a game of cards...I don't think we ever really finished what we started. Luke was trying to teach us cribbage, but we weren't very focused students.

Okay, so I couldn't get everyone to pose for the camera... sometimes candid photos are the best

How about these poker faces?

On Sunday, I met back up with them so we could see more of the town. Our first stop was one of the most interesting stores I've been in over the years. The artist uses old metal scraps to create sculptures, but these aren't just any old run-of-the mill pieces. I mean, I've seen birds made of shovels and metal flowers, but nothing compares to this man's talent. He had spiders that were bigger than me! Below are a few of his pieces... (If anyone can remember the name of this place, please let me know! I'm not sure that I even saw a sign...)

A lighthouse that doubles as a birdhouse

There were lots of metal flowers and lawn ornaments (where else would you put a giant bird, fish, or spider?). A restaurant in the middle of town had a custom fence made of his flowers and grasses.

The ship weather vane was my favorite by far

Like many small East Coast towns, there was a lot of unique (at least to me) architecture and landscaping. You'd never know that there were gardens tucked away behind people's homes unless you looked. I really liked that the town was walking and bike-friendly. We stopped on the main "strip" for a bite to eat at Spiritus Pizza, a must if you are in P-town. It was a *wonderful* place to people (and dog) watch- everyone seems to congregate in this area when the weather is nice, and they bring along all kinds of dogs.

I liked the gated entrance to the door of this house. You can't see it in the picture, but the portico overlooks into the ocean.

Charming, isn't it?

How about this view while you're eating dinner outside on your deck?

I absolutely loved this- I'm sure people thought I was crazy when I stopped to take a picture. The sign reads and I quote: "Burn fat, not gas- walk/bike"

Thanks for a fun weekend, P-town!

Adventures in Beantown

Wow! So much to catch up on! I'd start from the beginning but that would take much to get you up to speed. Instead, I'll start with my Mom's visit to Rhode Island.

Over her spring break, my Mom came to visit me for a long weekend at the beginning of April. I was a little concerned that I wasn't going to be able to pick her up at the airport because of the flooding in Southern Rhode Island, but none of the roads (no pun intended) were blocked. My mom's plane was right time (wasn't expecting that), so we had to stall a little before our reservations. I thought we should eat at an authentic Italian restaurant in Federal Hill, so we had a lovely dinner at Pane e Vino. Besides the fact that we were right next to the waiters' station (Mom has always had some bad restaurant luck), it was a wonderful, relaxing meal.

Since I took my Mom down to Newport when she visited before, we decided to head up to Boston for the day. I had been wanting to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum since a) I read about it in my '1,000 Places to See Before You Die' book and b) my friend Courtney said it was one of the most beautiful places in Boston (she goes to school in the city, so I trust her as an accurate resource). Ms. Gardner was an avid collector of art from around the world. Within several years, both her husband and father died, leaving her with almost $3 million dollars (this is back in the late 1800's- who knows how much money that equals now!). She used her money to build the museum and buy additional pieces to add to her collection. The only stipulation of the museum was that everything had to be left where she put it, even after her death. The second part of the "contract" was that there was to be a celebration on her birthday every year. (This woman was very particular. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure she and I would get along.)

My favorite part of the ISG museum by far is the courtyard. It opens up to all three floors of the museum. It is just as much a piece of art as the rest of the building- fresh flowers, marble statues, and a fountain, to name a few highlights. Above the courtyard is a ceiling made of glass.

The museum doesn't look like much from the outside... you probably wouldn't even notice that it was there if you weren't looking for it.

Here is a picture of the courtyard, although it is not my favorite. They won't let you take pictures inside (it was torture!), so this is the best one I could find online. Wouldn't this be a gorgeous place for a wedding?

There were paintings by many famous artists- this picture was done by Michelangelo.

"El Jaleo" This is a very interesting piece by Stewart. The painting itself takes up an entire wall- a small recess was built just to highlight this painting. It is much more beautiful in person- the fabric looks so fluid, and full that it almost reminds me of a wedding dress.

After several hours at the museum, we had a quick lunch after checking into the Park Plaza Hotel. When I was talking to my Mom before her trip, she realized two things 1) I had not spent the night in Boston and 2) I had never experienced room service in a hotel! If you haven't ever had a chance to use it before, I highly recommend using Priceline.com to find a last-minute deal on a hotel or flight. We were able to book a room for less than half of what we would normally pay if we booked through the hotel's website. Priceline allows you to select where you'd like to be (it even goes down to the neighborhood level in bigger cities like Boston, New York, etc), the number of stars of the accommodations, and the price you'd like to pay. If you have gone too low, it will come back and tell you to change some of your options. Otherwise, if all parameters can be met, the hotel is booked right away and it tells you where you will be staying. You have to be a little bit flexible, but it's definitely worth a try.

The Park Plaza Hotel- it was a perfect location... close to a T stop, Boston Common, and Paper Source (I swear I did not even know that it was less than two blocks away!)

Isn't it nice to know that there will always be someone to open the door for you?

On Saturday night, we stayed in to watch the final game of the NCAA tournament. I asked my Mom if she wanted to go to a sports bar or restaurant to watch the game, but she preferred to stay in and relax (fine by me!). When she was growing up, one of her favorite memories was ordering room service with her Mom. My Grandpa did quite a bit of traveling, and my Grandma would go with him from time to time. She was able to sleep in, read all day, take a nap, and, her favorite, order room service. :) It felt special to share something with my Mom that she shared with my Grandma.

On Sunday morning, we went to Easter service at the Park Street Church on the other side of Boston Common. I had done some research ahead of time (imagine that!), and it looked like a place that we would enjoy. It was a fairly traditional service, but it had one of my favorite ceremonies in the church- baptisms. There was a girl from China who was baptized- her story was very beautiful.

The church is actually a part of the Freedom Trail- it was founded in 1809!

After church was over, we took the T to get breakfast in Cambridge. I know, not exactly the closest place to eat, but there was a place that I didn't want to miss after I did my research (ha!) on the best places to catch brunch in Boston. There were a lot of fancy (and therefore, $$$$) places that were on the list, but another one caught my eye when I read that it was voted both "Best New Restaurant" and "Best Brunch" by several Boston area magazines. The Friendly Toast is not a chain (there are only two of them total- the other is in New Hampshire) and is kind of in a weird location (not easy to find by any means). Thank goodness they had an extra sign to guide you to the back of the building, or we never may have found it.

The Friendly Toast has a relaxed atmosphere, filled with 50's and 60's memorabilia. My chair had a green, metallic plastic covering the seat, and there was a small ceramic cow holding our salt, sugar, and pepper on the table. I had butterscotch hot chocolate with marshmallows (to die for!) and "Hansel and Gretel waffles"-- gingerbread waffles with pomegranate molasses and whipped cream! Mom had the "Drunkard's French Toast"-- French toast topped with a Grand Marnier and raspberry sauce. Click here to see more of the menu.

A picture of the inside of The Friendly Toast- it would have been a blast hunting for the decorations!

It doesn't look like it in this picture, but it was packed! Thank goodness we got there before 10:00 AM.

A picture of a magnolia tree in bloom in Cambridge

We drove back to RI on Sunday afternoon and took a long nap- all that running around made us exhausted. I had to work on Monday, but we did get to make dinner together on both Sunday and Monday nights. On Sunday, we had homemade pepperoni and banana pepper pizza, and dinner on Monday night was tacos with fresh salsa and guacamole and margaritas.

We got to the airport on Tuesday when I realized that we hadn't taken a picture of the two of us on my camera the whole weekend! (We had one taken of us in front of Park St. Church, but it is on Mom's camera.) To make up for it, we took the picture below while waiting for our flights.

Thanks for a great weekend, Mom!

Identity Crisis

With less than 15 weekends left (18 weeks left of work - 2-3 weekends in Indy - 1 weekend in Washington D.C. for work - the weekend I move home), I decided that I have got to step up my exploration efforts. There are still a number of things I want to see and/or do in the area before I leave, and I'm running out of time. On top of that, some of the places are best appreciated during warmer weather- Cape Cod and Block Island. (I was updating my travel binder the other day, and Block Island was on Real Simple's list of the 10 Best Hidden Gems in the U.S.)

Today I tackled the Boston Museum of Science (BMOS). I became a member of the North Smithfield Public Library about a month ago (I know, it took me a good 6 months to get a membership- their hours aren't the greatest, and I used to sleep in most Saturdays past noon), and they have passes to several local museums and attractions that let you get in for free or at a very reduced price. I woke up around 10:00 AM and decided that if they had any passes left for today, I was going. Instead of paying $20 for adult admission, I got into the regular exhibit halls for $5! I did have to pay extra to see an IMAX movie, but the total was still less than I would have paid for my total admission.

Like most museums, the BMOS has both regular and special exhibits (with the special exhibits being extra, of course). They were featuring a Harry Potter exhibit that was filled with costumes and props from the Harry Potter movies. Since I have not read any of the books or seen any of the movies, I did not have any interest in this matter. However, thousands of other people did (it felt like that many!) and were rushing to see the exhibit before it closes tomorrow. The BMOS is very kid-friendly, so I had to remember not to be such an uptight adult. (Ill-behaved children drive me up the wall.)

I started with the exhibit "Identity," which discusses the environmental, genetic, and social factors that make us individuals. I examined my fingerprint patterns, found people across the globe with the same skin tone as me, and tried to match pictures of children with their parents (much harder than you think!). Part of the exhibit looked at the range of five basic traits that some psychologists use to categorize individuals- organized vs. impulsive, wired vs. relaxed, traditional vs. something, . You could then find out what type of music and smell fit your personality based on where you selected your trait to be in a continuum. My music was a mix of classical and a bright beat. (I decided not to do the smell portion- people were saying that they couldn't get the smells off of their hands.) Another part of the Identity exhibit explained the differences between male and female brains, which apparently are different even in the womb. (Even though I did not know the difference started so early, I am not surprised.)

Two of my favorite parts of the exhibit were even more interactive. The first exercise allowed you to change your face into a different gender, race, or both. You first took a picture of your face lined up with marks on the screen. Then, you moved shapes to fit your mouth, eyes, nose, eyebrows, etc. Thirty seconds later- voila! A new you.

Here is my face before the transformation...

This is me as a black male. (I think the hair just throws everything off.)

The second exercise used similar technology to the previous tool I described, but this would show the effects of healthy aging or poor choices- smoking, not using sunscreen, or unhealthy eating. Even though I regularly wear sunscreen on my face, I thought a refresher of what *could* happen would make me even more faithful to sunscreen. The results speak for themselves.

My face after healthy aging... (Someone please tell me that this is not in the near future.)

Wow- so thankful that science has showed us how UV rays can be dangerous. This is awful!

While at the museum I also learned about wind and solar power, saw a woman give birth underwater (don't get excited, it was just a video), witnessed a chick hatch, and attempted to solve visual puzzles. I really enjoyed the visual puzzles. Most of you may have seen the black and white picture that shows both an old woman and a beautiful young girl- one of the two jumps out at you depending on your personality.

A view of the Charles River from the museum

Nothing like being in two places at once!

I had really wanted to see the planetarium, but it is closed for renovation until 2011. Instead, I decided to learn about "The Greatest Places." The Greatest Places is an IMAX film that featured six of the most amazing landscapes on Earth- Madagascar, Tibet, the Amazon River, Iguazu Falls, Greenland, the Namib desert, and the Okavango River Basin in Botswana. I love learning about the landscape of the other parts of the world and have always wanted to do lots of traveling (I have two life to-do lists, one of which features places I want to see before I die), and this movie definitely spurred the little travel bug I've been experiencing lately. I can't go anywhere abroad until this fall/winter, so for now I will set my sights on exploring New England.

In an effort to save money (and avoid a multi-car crash), I decided to take the commuter rail into Boston. There's a line that takes you straight into the city, and it's only $7.75 each way. I parked my car at the Providence Place Mall parking garage, which ended up costing me $20 (I just missed the 10 hour mark- I think it would have been $8-10 instead.) However, parking alone for 8 hours in Boston would have *easily* cost me over $35 (If I had to bet, I would say it would have been even more than $40). Plus, the gas alone would have cost $11. (Triple A has a calculator that takes the make, model, and year of your car into account.) It was nice not to have to worry about driving in the city, especially on my way home- I was exhausted!

After I finished at the museum, I went to Copley Plaza and did a little shopping. Lord and Taylor was having an *amazing* sale on winter coats, but I was strong and was able to convince myself that I could wait until next year. I did, however, find something I couldn't pass up- Footzy Rolls. Footzy Rolls are rollable shoes designed to be small enough to fit inside your purse. This allows you to wear the slippers/shoes while you are on your way to go out and have to walk, change into your heels when you arrive at your destination, and change back into your slippers for the walk home. I am going to Washington D.C. in a couple of weeks, and these will be perfect!

The how-to's of wearing the Footzy-Rolls...

The newest edition to my footwear wardrobe

Who knows where I will go next! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Live Free or Die!

Okay, it is already 10:45 PM, and Mike is picking me up at 5:30 AM to head to the airport for a business trip to California. I am putting these pictures up now for the sake of time, and I'll write more about my adventures with Dan in New Hampshire when I get to my hotel tomorrow. Cheers!