We Want to Know Wednesdays

We Want to Know Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Mamarazzi and Crazymama.  I thought I'd give it a try, because when I'm reading blogs, I love reading about the host opinions on books and characters and what's coming out soon, but I'd also like to get to know a little  more about the people behind the blog.  So I'm going to throw in some personal, about me, types of things to keep things interesting.

This week's questions and answers are:

{1} What is something that you currently spend money on that you consider a splurge or frivolous?

There are two things that I consider to be frivolous or splurge spending.  The first thing is, kindle books.  I usually only download the indie books for my kindle.  99 cents or $2.99 doesn't seem like a whole lot at the time - but at the end of the month when I'm balancing my check book, all those small amounts add up to quite a bit.

My second splurge is Lush.  Lush is a natural, environmentally conscious, socially aware company that makes bath and body products such as this bath bomb, which runs $6.45.

Yeah, I know.  $6.45 for a bath bomb that I use one time is ridiculous.  I hear it all the time.  I've tried other companies, and they just don't have the same quality.  Taking a nice long bath with moisturizing, gorgeous smelling water while reading a book is how I relax after a really hard day.

I have cut back on the Lush lately.  There are a lot of other things I need the money for (like kindle books - lol).  I've also recently learned that I'm allergic to lemons and strawberries (among a whole slew other things) and because Lush is natural - they use a lot of lemon in their products, which has vastly limited what I can use from them (and B&BW and VS).


{2} Tell us about your first paying job. How old were you?

My first paying job was when I was eleven.  My grandparents owned a farm in Ohio, and during the summers my cousin and I would spend time there.  Out front they had a little farmer's market kind of set up where they sold some of the crops they grew.  My cousin and I were paid to sell the produce during the day.  It wasn't much, but to kids our age, it seemed like we were rich at the end of the day.

At fifteen I was an Au Pair for a family we knew.  They had one daughter, Maddie, and I babysit while her parents worked, ironed, cleaned the house, did laundry, and sometimes cooked their meals.  The mother had an advertising agency and the father an insurance agency.  I worked for both of them doing office work as well.


{3} Do you plan date nights and extras into a monthly/weekly budget?

I have tried making a budget before, and I'm just not good at sticking to it.  Something always comes up and I have to put out unexpected money.  I do have a savings account that I don't touch, so it's not like I don't plan for things to go wrong.  It's just really hard for me to want to tap into my savings...so I'd rather take the money out of my checking and have less for other things.  I don't know that I necessarily have to have a budget.  I work full time and go to school full time, and my boyfriend and I go out to eat once a week.  It's not like there is anything to spend my money on.  We save up for small vacations.


{4} Share one of your money saving tips with us.

Before I buy anything, I look online to find out where it's cheapest.  If it's something I can only get at a particular store, I look online to see if there is a printable coupon.  If I'm going to be ordering something online, I go through Memolink or Mypoints first so that I get points back on all online purchases, and then I also use an online coupon if I can find one.  By using these point sites, I get back approximately $250 in gift cards a year.

Another way I save money is by knowing when my favorite stores have sales - like Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret's semi-annual sales, and then I tend to stock up while items are at the lower price.And finally, Christine @ http://cmgendreau.blogspot.com wants to know:


{5} If you won the lottery - would you spend it frivolously or use what you need and save the rest? Why?


This question really depends on the amount of money that I win in the lottery.  If it's a small amount, of course, I'll treat myself on something - like a few new outfits.  I would pay off most of my debt and save the rest.  If I win a large sum, then I would treat myself in a bigger way - like a trip to Europe.  I really want to see Italy, Ireland, and Greece and if I won enough money I would travel.  Otherwise, I'd still pay off my debt and save the bulk of the money.  I would probably buy investment property.  I grew up with a real estate family, so investing in real estate seems like a good idea for some of my money.  I would still finish school, and I would still work.