This should be illegal. However, according to current rules at the time, it was not, and they could not stop him. I'm sure they have closed the loophole by now.

So I have another co-worker, and she and I get along well enough. However, being fairly attractive, she tends to garner quite a bit of attention from the boys if you know what I mean.

We hang out sometimes, especially when she forgets to bring lunch to work, because she knows that I would be willing to foot her lunch bill. I don't mind that part myself, since it's not a regular occurrence, and even without money talking, we do get along at work.

But we certainly share different worldviews in the world of finances. I suppose I can't entirely fault hers seeing as how she is used to other boys constantly shower her with material gifts, in a bid to impress her.

So we were just talking about her love for toy dogs, and she "jokingly" mentioned how we could split the cost for one 50-50, and it would be like we are sharing a "child" together. Mmmmmmkay.

Purebreds for these.... Teacup Toy Maltese are like no less than $300 at the very cheapest. Some of the best ones command a price as high as $4000 each.

Wow.

I mean, paying for lunch because she hasn't eaten all day is one thing, but something like this? No way.

She says that she's kidding, but there is no doubt in my mind that if I ran out there and bought her one, she would happily accept.

Except, I don't think she understands MY financial worldview yet. I just don't make a very good sugar daddy....

I've seen a lot of co-workers throughout the years who supposedly claim to be financially savvy or even frugal, but in my eyes anyway, they are not really so.

That is until now.

And what makes this guy so remarkable is that he is in his early 20's. And yet, he is more frugal than I am.

So last night, I asked him how he became so frugal and why he remains so adamant to continue this way. His response was that he grew up poor. He parents were poor, and his grandparents were poorer still. Plus, I believe they've also worked as missionaries in poor countries as well, which may have helped shape his world view.

I knew I was looking at a true fruggie when I was telling him about my food budget (which I admit isn't that great, but is still reasonably frugal) and his response was, "You say you are frugal, but I don't think you are." Hahah! He called me out! Amazing, I love it!

So yeah, maybe we will talk about that some more later on, when we have the chance.

Hopefully, this entry will go through this time as I've been having trouble uploading it today.

Anyways, for those who didn't already know, I currently work at a jail. There are lots of interesting details about jail life, but the one I am interested in today is the inmate personal hygiene products. They seem perfectly functional, and I would imagine to be very affordable.

A quick google showed

the following prices. As you can see, the prices are insanely low. Toothpaste is as little as $0.17 per small tube, toothbrushes are a paltry $0.07 a piece, and soap is about $0.09 per ounce (or about $0.36 per typical bar).

For comparison sake, however, I decided to check out the bulk prices for similar items on Amazon. (These jail supplies have to be ordered in bulk as well, so this is a fair comparison.) The results really surprised me.

For example, I found toothpaste for $0.27 per equivalent tube. It's still quite good, but jail prices are better.

However, I also found toothbrushes for as little as $0.015 a piece! That's right, toothbrushes for as little as a penny and a half a piece! I thought something had to be wrong here, and according to some of the reviews, the brushes are considered disposable and will fall apart after a few uses at most. Not bad if that's all you wanted.

Soap turned out to be a little tricker, as the lowest price I could find right now is liquid body wash for what amounts to only $0.03 per ounce! I guess it's just as well since I prefer body wash anyway.

(Shipping and handling was not included in any of the calcuations.)

Well, regardless of which route I take, I have learned that it is indeed possible to get really good prices for personal hygiene products.

Once in a while, I still look at the possibility of living in a van full time. Yes. I know. I am crazy. This is not news. However, I recently stumbled upon this beautiful build:



And if I were to build it myself, it would not be terribly expensive either.

Of course, there are tons of challenges as well trying to live full time in a van. But everytime I am faced with the prospect of a mortgage or paying rent, it makes me wonder if I can pull this off....

In the meantime, here is a

hilarious out-take from Top Gear.

I admit I usually file my taxes much earlier than this, but it was going to be EZ so I didn't feel any particular rush either. I just waited for a day when I wasn't terribly busy and got it done... which was earlier today.

So, maybe this isn't the smartest move on my part either, but I file mine online with TurboTax, and it offered me a bonus if I transferred most of my refund to an Amazon gift card instead. Soo, that basically amounted to an extra $60. After some pondering, I decided to go for it.

I actually do most of my shopping online now (except for groceries). I am also an Amazon Prime member, and I do feel that it is worth the additional monthly cost....

I just hope it doesn't have a ridiculously short expiration date or something. Anybody know if there is one?

I still have some time, so I've decided to make another post.

* To start off with the bad news, my Vday was a bust, but at least I don't have to pay anything for anyone, nor deal with the holiday crowd. In fact, I had to work that day so I guess it turned out well.

* I finally figured out how my Reward Amex's autopay works. Basically, they take out the same amount from last month. It's almost funny (but not really) when the amount keeps fluctuating from month to month.

* My state has decided this year that everybody is only allowed to put down 0 for withholdings. It's pretty outrageous, but I'm not going to worry about it. No point getting upset about this so long as I get my money back, and when I could, I usually take only 1 anyways.

* My mom likes to cook, and because she's in town, I've been saving lots of money just hanging out at her place after work. The savings really do show at the end of the month.

* I am going to need to replace my car soon. My current Corolla is like 17 years old and has over 200k+ miles on it. Unlike other guys I know, I dread this part, because you know, expenses. Luckily, I should be able to buy the next car with cash but that doesn't mean I will enjoy losing said cash either. Oh well, I suppose that is a blessing I should be thankful for.

* My mom is also trying to talk me into buying a new house soonish. I have been dragging my feet on this for years because of my disdain for having a mortgage. However, it is inevitable I think, so hopefully I will be well-prepared by the time this rolls around. The upside is I should be able to cut my work commute considerably, depending on the location.

Recently changed to a new job a few months ago, working at the county jail. So far so good. I like my bosses and coworkers just fine, and while the pay isn't great, the benefits are pretty good. Dealing with some of the inmates can be a challenge, but overall, I've done worse and for less.

Still trying to be frugal at heart, and I think I've been reasonably good so far. I still have a lot of space to cover, so I am hoping to have a good year this year.

I am planning to switch over to all index stock and bond funds this year. Lowest expenses possible, and just let it cruise. I'm basically done with stock picking. Even if I still have the interest, it's been difficult keeping up with the work schedule to do the required homework for it.

Work's retirement program is... "interesting" to put it politely. They don't match contributions, but instead, they will mandatorily take out 5% of your pay and contribute it for you. Though some tout this as a benefit somehow, for me, it is not. Far from me being critical though, it just goes to show how few people here save for retirement that they would resort to such a tactic.

As for me, since they are not matching and already making me contribute, and considering the lowish tax bracket that I am in, I've decided to max contribute my own Roth instead, as well as increase my emergency fund. However, I have also set up a little bit of HSA for annual healthcare expenses.

As for dealing with the inmates, it's very interesting to say the least. Here, you have all kinds of people who have probably made mistakes, though some are trying very hard to find redemption. And then there are the few you have watch out for, and make sure they never get the chance to blind side you.

Ran across this and thought you guys might get a kick out of it.

I may come back and edit some more stuff, but yes, I just wanted to say that for now lol.

And while I am here, I thought this was a pretty neat video about

living a simple life.

In a passing conversation with the one male co-worker I know that actually balances his books, he said that his winter heating bills tend to range in the $200s, peaking sometimes at $300 a month.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, even for one guy, as that tends to be the norm around here. I should also be happy about my personal accomplishments of keeping my own heating bills no more than $100 a month, if only to make sure the pipes don't freeze and break.

Still, with every approaching winter (and summer for that matter), I invest a little each time, to continue the war to keep the bills as low as possible.

Starting back at the drawing board, I recalled what worked last winter (and what didn't). Most notably, I was rather pleased with my Walmart sleeping bag. And when things got really cold, I did turn to my electric blanket as well, but it was my sleeping bag that did most of the heavy lifting.

However, there were downsides to it as well. Most notably, they only work when I am going to bed. Sure, I would tote it from room to room, but it would keep slipping off of me. I figure there must be a better way. SURELY, someone must have invented the Snuggie of sleeping bags, complete with arms and leg extensions. I couldn't be the only fool crazy enough to have thought of this. A quick trip through Google search revealed that, indeed, someone has already thought of it. Enter the Selk'bag.



So yeah, my Selk'bag just got delivered to my front door step today, and yes, I am typing this entry while wearing my lovely new Selk'bag. Yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds. No, I don't have any personal pictures for you. Sorry. Haha.

But take my word for it when I say that, wow, it does work as advertised. It warmed up quickly, the moment I slipped in and zipped up. There is a slit in each arm for you to expose your hand so you can... type your blog entries for example. It's also got a jacket hood so you can keep your head warm while you look into the mirror muttering, "Join the Dark Side, Luke!"

However, there are also some downsides that I think all prospective buyers should also be aware of. Somehow, the bottom reinforced pads doesn't like to line up with your feet... or perhaps more accurately, your legs don't articulate very well in this thing. Unlike the picture above may suggest, I had a slight bit of trouble walking upstairs without feeling like I might trip in this thing.

Also worth mentioning is that there is no "rear hatch" so to speak so that when you need to sit on the toilet, you have to unzip yourself out of the entire upper body to do so.

Also, I still don't know how to tighten the hood, and I have no idea what the velcros on the front of each arm is suppose to be for.

So, bottom line is, while I don't regret spending $100 to try this selk'bag out, I do recommend giving conventional winter clothing and sleeping bags a try first. See if that works for you before you try this route with your hard earned money.

There is a fancier version called the "Patagon", that includes removable feet, which would help immensely right now as my feet feels itchy from the heat and enclosure, and the only way to relieve that is to get out of this thing completely. The Patagon is also rated for colder climates, but it costs $250. Standard versions like mine, but rated for colder climate is about $160.

So, hope you enjoyed the review. To turn the tables around, how do you guys keep warm for the winter, besides turning the heat up? What do you wear that works for you?

In a previous post, I casually mentioned a friend of mine losing about $4k due to identity fraud. And because his rent was coming up literally within a day, he asked me to wire him some money. I've never done it before, so I learned what a headache that was.

Apparently, my bank simply won't let it happen unless I go into a branch to sign some paperwork. However, they close at 5pm, and I work until 6pm. Sooo, yeah, that did not happen.

As a crazy alternative, I set up a Paypal account, thinking I can just "wire" him the money that way. Unfortunately for me, banking institutions still take roughly 3 business days to link the accounts together, and I didn't have that kind of time.

The solution was this obscure little thing called a MoneyPak (like a prepay gift card), which you can load with cash, and then enter it online to have it post instantly. (MoneyPak cards are sold in drug stores and Walmarts by the way.)

Or rather, it should have worked if not for the keyword: CASH. You see, I don't normally carry cash, and I almost never use my debit card. That basically means I had forgotten what my pin number was, and it took me a while to figure it out. Even then, there was a daily limit to withdraw, which I guess I could have called my bank to have it increased, but by then, it was getting really late, and I still had work later.

Since then, I've reset my pin number, and apparently, my bank has actually approved of my wire transfer ability anyways. Alas, all this is still too late to save my friend from bouncing a rent check, but I guess he will survive. So, lessons learned from all around.

But yeah, I much prefer paying with my rewards CC anyway. Last week, it paid me $66 for using it, and not only that, but I also get fraud protection, which is what I am guessing as to how he lost his money; by using his debit card for everything like a credit card.

I realized something interesting with one of my previous posts. Basically, not everyone, including those in the frugality community, likes tiny houses.

Nothing wrong with that. I, however, actually prefer it... uh being no stranger to small spaces and everything. In fact, I'm really tempted to just go even smaller and consider in an RV....

Yes, I know I am the strange one here.

However, I want to at least make a case that, just because something is small, it doesn't mean it has to be an uninviting torture chamber. Take this, for example:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

The entire "house" is probably no more than roughly 200 sq. ft. But what it lacks in size, it certainly makes up for it in style.

Of course, to get around many city ordinances for something this small, this would have to be built on a trailer and be classified as an RV. Luckily, RV insurance is also much cheaper than homeowner's insurance. Alas, the obstacles don't stop there. I would still have to find a decent, affordable place to park it (arguably the most difficult part in owning a tiny house), and possibly having only RV toilets and showers inside such a place.

Still, things like this fascinate me to no end.

Haven't posted simply because there's not much to report.

Job is still stressful.

Home is still kind of messy.

Still not being all that frugal.

Having said that, I've moved things around in my room, and am trying to make another effort at being frugal and productive. Hopefully, things will get better.

Ok, so this being a frugality site, I should probably at least elaborate more on this "not being frugal" thing. I guess I've been feeling kinda down in general lately. And when I feel down, I know there's a danger of me buying stuff to try to feel better. While I do try to keep it in check, I am not always successful. For example, lately, I decided that I really wanted some audio gear, so I can do more music stuff or whatever.

For example,

here's something I did recently with my not-so-frugal self.

I do try my best to make what I believe are smart, meaningful purchases, even when I do spend money, but in the end, I also realize that excuses are still excuses.

Edit: On another front, my best friend got his entire checking account cleaned out. Again. He said this is the second time he's been a victim of identity theft. Lost $4000. Wow. Uh, buddy, you didn't learn from the FIRST time not to let your debit card out of your sight? Anyways, I wired him $1k in emergency cash. I wonder if I'll see that money back?

I've always been interested in tiny houses. They sacrifice very little in terms comfort or needs; They are just smaller. Oh, and very cheap as far as homes go. I also like how they are also generally very ecological. However, it is a niche interest, which is why I am all the more surprised that there is a small, local meetup group here for it.

Last night, I decided to actually attend one, and I met a new friend there. We ended up talking all night. Come to find out, this person currently lives in a 1800 sq. ft. townhouse with a $1400 per month rent... for just one person. Herself. And on top of that, she just bought a new car that costs somewhere between $32k to $35k.

To me, this is rather pricey for just one person, but it's nothing to write home about.

But what really shocked me was that, in order to pay for all that, she is taking money out of her IRA. Not even a loan against it, just straight money out. And yes, she is aware that she is taking the 10% early withdraw penalty hit!

I instinctively gasped in shock, and I think my reaction made her defensive as she tried to explain that she just moved to a new area, it's a really nice area (it really is), and she also needed a nice car to drive people around as she is a real estate agent, etc etc.

That's fine. Whatever the reasons are, it is not my concern anyway, but I just couldn't contain my initial shock when I first heard it. Take out money from an IRA? With early withdraw penalty? And really, just to feed some expensive wants? The very thought of it... is utter insanity to me.

Also, how long can that IRA money last? Based on the way she described it, she didn't have that much to begin with. But here is the real bomb shell: She told me she's deliberately not working right now because she can "afford not to".

Yes, you heard it right. She actually said that she isn't working right now because she can "afford not to".

Soooo yeah. It's always nice to meet new people though, and besides our wildly different views on money, she's a nice enough person. She mused how she has always dated poor musicians, and should try rich guys instead. I joked that I should too.

I saw this elsewhere in internetland, and I thought you guys might enjoy it.

So, anybody else watch their TV sort of through online streaming, like Netflix?

Anyways, it turns out that Amazon has been competing in that space as well, and what's interesting about their offer (Amazon Prime) is that it not only offers a bunch of live streaming shows (with a bunch of kid shows if you have small kids), but it also offers unlimited free shipping for anything you order from Amazon, and you also get to rent one free e-book per month if you have Kindle.

Cost is $79 per year, or comes out to roughly $6.67 per month, which is cheaper than Netflix as well.

So yeah, I'm going to give the 30 day trial a spin, and if I don't like it, I'll just cancel it before the 30 days are up.

Sooo, it's not always easy to eat healthy and keep food costs down at the same time. This is especially true for us guys who want to maintain a certain minimum protein intake level.

After having my food budget free-wheeling out of control for a while, I finally sat down to reign it in, update my diet, and right now, it still comes out to be around $10 a day. Yes, I know it's still high, but I'll keep trying.

Actually, the hardest part will probably be staying on the diet. Hopefully that will work out as well. In the meantime, I will keep looking for cheaper, but quality diet alternatives.

Among other things, I finally bought a small pack of Stevia to try out. In case you didn't know, it's an all-natural sweetener that, because it's so sweet, does not require a whole lot to achieve a similar level of sweet taste as normal sugar. Thus, it contains next to no calories, and is cheaper than, say, buying soda all the time.

Unfortunately, I also learned the hard way that the main ingredient in most commercial Stevia products are either dextrose, or this more sinister thing called Erythritol. The latter is suppose to be some kind of "sugar alcohol" substitute that has been said to be partially indigestible, and in large doses, could cause like diarrhea or something.

Great, huh?

And yet that's usually the main ingredients in Stevia products, whereas the Stevia extract itself is typically second or third.

Nonetheless, it wasn't terribly expensive, and I'd be lying if I said that I can stop eating sweets for the rest of my life. As such, if this Stevia thing works, then this would help both my budget as well as my diet.

I decided to mix a packet with a glass of milk (which is realistically what I may use it for), and unfortunately, I really can't taste it all that well. I mean, I can taste it, but it's rather faint. Oh well, I still have 49 of those packets left to experiment with, so we'll see.

Life is a strange thing, isn't it? Time moves on, people move on, the world keeps on turning. And yet, life itself is a currency that is so finite and so precious. I hope you are all doing well in your life's travels.

So I got a new crockpot recently. Did not realize that new ones now operate much hotter than older ones. According to the internet, that is deliberate is apparently there were food safety concerns of older crockpots not cooking the foods hot enough.

On the upside, I can now add "burning food in a crockpot" to my magnificent list of other ways I have burnt food in the past. And yes, that's on the "warm" setting. I can't even imagine what "hot" would do to it.

A chart on how many hours of minimum wage it takes to afford....

I guess it gives us a rough idea of the cost of living, sorted by state.

omg I wouldn't be caught dead with colors like that.

Some people may think I am crazy, but I've always had a thing for tiny living space.

This particular one inspires me, especially when considering its low building cost.

Of course, there are concerns regarding some of its details, and I wonder if I can actually do that some day myself. Either way, the narrator has a flair for poetry.

I don't know who this is, as

I just found it over the internet. However, this is very cool, and on top of it all, is not expensive to set up.

With the end of the year approaching, how are you guys doing?

I am still here, though I must admit this has been the worst financial year I've had... in years.

Nothing catastrophic. Just stupidity on my part. Made a major mistake playing the Netflix stock and lost a bunch of money there. The rest had to do with me trying to improve my diet and fitness, which sadly does cost money, so I don't entirely regret that part.

On the upside, I once again saved up enough to contribute to my Roth IRA by January. However, I am not sure if I can pull that off again for 2014. I guess we will have to see.

Also, I am still gainfully employed and am working on improving income. Still recovering from the recession, this hasn't been an easy task, but it's going.

To end on a more positive note, I have learned things about diet and fitness that I've never known previously in my life. Whey protein, omega-3, quinoa, tempeh, HIIT, pre-hab, leangains, even P90X. These are terms that I didn't understand or even knew existed at the beginning of the year. It gives me a strange kind of hope for next year I guess.

Financially, not a whole lot happened besides seriously denting my net worth. I did finally consolidate and streamline my finances, so that's another upside.

http://justwebware.com/powerball/powerball.html

Something that has taken me quite aback are fitness people, especially body builders, and their attitude towards money. People like that tend to be seriously goal-orientated and even narrowly focused, to the degree that money means nothing to them if it means bigger biceps for example.

The battlecry, "Go big or go home!" summarizes the prevailing attitude rather well.

To be fair, their attitude isn't entirely without merit. For example, they tend to be much healthier due to their advanced regiment of diet and exercise. It should go without saying that our body is one of the few places where it is worth investing into.

Still, the extreme "devil may care" attitude seems to be why the fitness field can be so lucrative. Mental note: Must look into owning GNC franchises.

In fact, some guys even poo-poo on the idea of doing cardio, quipping sarcastically that such activities are for bunnies. Cardio! Come on now.

Luckily, I do think it's possible to get decent diet and supplements without breaking the piggy bank. Mind you, decent whole foods and vitamins will always cost more than hot digs and ramen noodles, but I don't think it is unreasonable to invest in one's own health.

For example, though I stick with a reputable company, I basically buy bulk and slightly off-brand. For example, I love Now's multivitamin gelcaps and whey protein isolate. (I don't get a single penny for saying that by the way.) They make quality products, and don't charge an arm and a leg for it.

I almost never go into GNC anymore. Their prices range anywhere from reasonably competitive to prettt outrageous. You know they have to charge a premium somewhere just to pay for the store's lease.

I also try to eat whole foods, and while there is always a price to pay for it due to the on-going health food craze, it seems that you can still get good deals for component foods, such as buying beans or oatmeal in bulk to make your own meals. Poultry, luckily, is still a fairly cheap source for protein.

In the end, I am trying to balance both my physical health with my financial health, just as I try to balance strength training with cardio. Hopefully, more people will adopt that attitude as well.

So it appears that I've gotten to a point where I think I'm dieting and counting calories now. Interesting since I wasn't planning on doing so, but it's always amusing to see where life takes you when you follow certain paths.

However, I've never dieted before, so all this stuff is just new-- and yet fascinating-- to me. All these numbers and categories, it's like learning defense from the dark arts or something.

For example, one online calculator is telling me that I should have a daily intake of roughly 1700 calories, with 230g of carbs, 55g of fat, and 65g of protein. Being new, I have no sense of how accurate this is, but it seems good enough.

Based on these numbers, and noting the supplements that I am taking from a prior entry, it would appear that I have absolutely no problem taking in enough protein (and often times, take in more than I need), fat can be ignored completely, but it still leaves me about 1000 calories and about 230g of carbs to work with and fill in (ideally over breakfast).

I am still not sure what to make of all this yet, but so far, I think I can adjust to replacing two of my three meals with protein supplements. And best of all, they're not expensive. Just $1.00 to $1.50 per bar or shake.

and as anyone who has tried or is trying knows, it's not easy and it's not cheap!

Or maybe it is. You tell me.

I think for guys, it's also slightly different as well, such as more protein intake to promote muscle growth versus trying to slim down.

So, here's my basic diet plan thus far:

I eat regular food, but a big meal first thing during the day. I try to make it breakfast, but life being how it is, sometimes it is pushed back to lunch.

For my late lunch (or more like supper since sometimes it gets that late), I am recently trying out just a meal replacement bar, which I think is enough, but really, only time will tell.

And then for dinner (which is sometimes late night after my workout), I just down a whey protein shake.

How's it working out? Not sure yet. I've only started this diet about a month ago, but I am optimistic that it is doable. From a numbers perspective, it should work out in terms of daily nutritional intake, but the hard part will probably be not giving into the temptation of eating more food than I am suppose to.

Oh yeah, and I also take sport multivitamins. Wow, if there's anything out there that can get truly expensive, it is this right here. To save money, I have to special order mine, in bulk, from online sources because it's hard to track down EXACTLY what I am looking for.

Here it is by the way.

However, all this is a work in progress, and any nutrition and health advice is greatly appreciate it, and of course, that it can be done affordably. What do you think?