Sometimes I go from one extreme to another when it comes to money. I worry about us spending too much, and then sometimes I worry we’re not enjoying life enough because we’re being too thrifty. I don’t want to be cheap. This weekend I spent the day with my friend.  We did a lot of things that didn’t cost money (attended a craft show, a free knitting class, and came back to my house to knit), but we also did spend a little money.  We bought yarn, had amazing chai tea, and went out to dinner.  And you know what?  I enjoyed every second of it, and it was worth every penny we spent. Sometimes after we spend money I get nervous.  I feel like I shouldn’t have done that.  It’s ridiculous sometimes, and I worry even after we buy groceries! On the other hand, I don’t have a problem with us spending $20 on dinner out. It’s the $100 or so on groceries that makes me nervous, even though that food will make enough meals to last us over [...]

This post was included in the Carnival of Personal Finance over at The Centsible Life. Awesome! It seems to me that saving money on your laundry is probably one of the hottest topics when someone mentions frugality. Whether it’s making your own laundry detergent, air drying, or shopping at thrift stores, clothes and their care seem to spark numerous conversations. Personally I love making my own laundry detergent and I don’t think I’ll ever turn back. I try to air dry our clothes to not only save money, but to help save the Earth and make my clothes last longer.  Another tip that I follow is to wear clothes more than once. I’ll wear a pair of pants a few times before I wash it.  Shirts normally I wash after I wear them every time (I worry about being stinky!).  Jeans are better when you wear them a few times.  Please launder your undergarments after wearing them.  Don’t reuse them!  Socks, same thing.  These are generally the rules I follow.  As I was putting my pants back on the shelf [...]

I’ve known for a few months now that my position is being eliminated. After the initial shock, I decided I’m going to have to do something so I might as well figure out a plan. As the merger draws closer, I’m presented with new opportunities, and I’m trying to decide which will be the best decision for me. Here are my choices: -Sales Position (Banker who sits at desk and opens accounts and does loans). Basically this is the position I’ll map over into if I do nothing. I will keep the same pay. However, I don’t know if I will stay at my current branch or I’ll have to go to another branch. Positives for this position: I would be at the desk every day. Not managing crazy people. Negatives: I’m doing sales all day. If we don’t get the traffic, I’ll have to call customers to get them to come in for appointments, and to be honest, I don’t think that is something I like. -Teller Supervisor (Manages tellers, is second in charge). Keep my same pay here [...]