Aug 12, 2009
The Daily Poverty Post
This is the store that started everything. One moment of boot weakness in a store in Vermont one year ago turned into a pledge to write one post every day dedicated to Bossy’s debt, and hopefully in doing so Bossy would begin to feel more accountable to her debt, while inspiring others in her situation to join her online support group.
The Poverty Party.
Well. One year is nearly up, and the idea to post every day fell away while the bulk of Bossy’s debt did not. But Bossy has definitely gained accountability to her balance sheet, and Bossy has often felt as though she is accompanied by each and every member of her council when deciding not to purchase something, or deciding to take on an extra painting job in order to pay down another bill.
It may warm your cold council hearts to know Bossy didn’t do any shopping this year in Vermont.
Camping is cheaper than most vacations Bossy can think of, given the reasonable rates of the campground sites and the perpetual discounts in the grocery store where all of the meal ingredients were purchased. But things add up, like the specific ingredients Bossy purchased, such as lobster meant to distract the family from the fact they were sleeping outside and pooing in communal restrooms, and the stack of wood Bossy purchased every few days for the campfire, and all the ice necessary to keep the gin cold. Did Bossy say gin? She meant milk.
In whatever case, may your vacations cost little and feel rich.
Good Girl Bossy! You’ve come a long way baby!
I’m pretty sure I take frugal vacations so I can eat that lobster with abandon while on that holiday!
Bossy, you’ve come a long way.
You chose not to spend this vacation spending. That’s New and Improved. You chose to pay down some of your bills with some extra work. That’s New and Improved.
Of course you didn’t eliminate all non-essential spending or completely erase your debt – but that would have been an unrealistic expectation for anyone. You have done well. You will do well this next year also – and I’m sure you can already see the benefits from your hard work.
Congratulations on taking the plunge. Thank you for the hints and suggestions. I’m looking forward to a debt-free-er year, and am certain you’ll be right alongside or ahead!
Ah… the Shoe Shop.
vuboq *hearts* cold … milk.
Bossy’s poverty party did several things for me:
1) I found out what my true debt actually was (and YIKES)
2) I was more mindful of my spending
3) I “found” $200 from the “lost money website” that Bossy showed us.
I’d call that a success!
Drinking a cold “milk” and tonic, with those boots propped up at a Vermont campsite sounds like a damn fine way to spend a few weeks in August!!
This year’s vacation is consisting of free meals at Mom’s and eating at my cousin’s restaurant in exchange for garage cleaning and schlepping my Mom to various Dr appointments.
In the spirit of commenter #6, Bossy’s poverty party has:
1) Given me the courage to talk to the scary student loan people about restarting/renegotiating payments
2) Got me to keep a running log of my debt/payments (and therefore gained accountability)
3) Taken some of the scariness away from being in debt because I know I’m not alone!
We took a little 3-hour drive to stay in our friends’ condo (free) at a nearby lake! Boy, are we cheap or what??? Took our own groceries in a cooler so we could make our own breakfasts and lunches, and ate simple dinners out. The whole 4 days didn’t cost enough to count. Although I did about $30 worth of damage in a lovely little quilt shop! (I SO deserve my fabric!) Bossy understands, right???
My 6-day vacation to DC cost me under $300! Stayed with a friend and took a cheap bus down, did mostly free sightseeing and only ate out for dinner most days.
If it makes you feel better I didn’t know the poverty party was supposed to be daily. Even though it does say that right in the title of each post, doesn’t it. Perhaps I should be in the Mental Poverty Party…
Anyway tomorrow we are going to a sandy, hot, and money sucking fun spot known as Jones Beach, Long Island. I’m packing drinks and fruit and limiting DuckyBoy to $20 worth of overpriced snack bar food. Wish me luck.
Actually heard Husband telling someone that we’re having “staycations” this year. I didn’t know that’s what we were doing. I just thought we were staying close to home and having fun on our teeny boat on the weekends.
Without mentioning the fact that I just bought a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s pair of boots that were completely unnecesary and yet called to me . . . .
Can I link you to a bargain-finding coup that I wrote about on my blog? Please??
http://twenty-firstcenturyhousewife.blogspot.com/2009/08/ok-so-staples-is-getting-ready-for.html
Camping rocks. Sure you buy a little more booze than usual and perhaps some nice steaks or what have you. But we all deserve some fun family vacation time I believe. Besides, you are not forking out $100 a night for a too small hotel room right?
Count me in on the poverty party. I’m bound and determined to get out from under debt’s thumb, and can use all the help I can get.
http://furflies.blogspot.com/2009/09/reigning-it-in.html
Dude, bossy! It is time for a new poverty post, whaddya say?