Restaurant.com

I’ve been reading about restaurant.com for a while now in various saving money advice places, but hadn’t checked it out. Today, someone posted in one of my communities that you can get 80% off with the code SANTA, and I had no food for lunch, so I figured I’d give it a shot.

I ate delicious cornbread for free! photo by xandert

The site offers discount gift certificates to tons of restaurants. I doubted many places I know would be on there since I don’t go to many chains, but there were tons of places less than a mile from my work, including a place I’ve been wanting to go to for a while. I ordered the gift certificate-$10 value, normally $3, but $0.60 with the code! Sixty cents! There were a bunch of qualifiers, but they didn’t matter to me-you had to go for lunch, which was my plan, and spend at least $15 total, which was no problem. I went with a friend and split a huge delicious lunch. We even had leftovers. The total per person ended up being less than $5, including the $0.60 spent on the gift certificate.

So totally worth it.

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The point here is not just to check out restaurant.com, which you should. The point is, I’ve been reading about this site for probably over six months and always figured it’d be too much work, but it was super easy. It reminds me of starting my savings account; I put that off for months and then it took about two minutes. If there’s a way to save you’ve been meaning try but think it’s too much effort, give it a shot. Go do it now, I dare you.

If the thing you’re doing is starting an ING account, by the way, let me know. If I refer you I get a bonus and you get a bonus (this also works if someone else refers you, but then I don’t get anything.)

Getting Back on Track

In February, I started trying to improve my financial situation. Until about October of this year every month I got a little better. I found new ways to save, I did new things to keep me on track, my savings grew. My original plan was to save up enough to be able to afford my rent when (if) my boyfriend went away to law school. I saved enough, and got good enough at cutting costs, that I didn’t have to touch that savings when he moved away. I haven’t given myself enough credit for that.

I started slipping though. I created unrealistic goals to try and save even more, and failed, and felt defeated. I stopped tracking every expense. I haven’t come up with a new trick or motivational tool in over a month. I slowed down posting on the blog, when part of the point of the blog was to keep me on track.

It’s okay. I have to forgive myself, move on, and keep getting better. I realized I’d stopped reading new posts new places all the time and had started just reading my favorite blogs. I got really excited the other day when I spent about an hour going to different sites and reading about tips & tricks, and also pitfalls.

I also have a deadline now. I am leaving my job to go to grad school. I am going to look for a part time job, but until I get one I have to use my savings. I am incredibly excited about grad school, and I will do whatever it takes to be ready. So I am making Dec.15th to Jan. 15th a no-spend period.

It’s hard. I want to buy new bags and clothes and organizational things and pens and everything for school. I am going to try & make do with what I have, and maybe pretty up some old things. I want to go out to eat everywhere I love in the city, but I’ll be back after I’ve found a part time job, and going out to eat will be a perfect way to visit my friends. I want to keep buying gifts, but the plan is to stick to a budget and be done by Dec. 15th (that’s mainly psychological.) I will be reducing my rent by about $800 a month-all that money is for savings.

I am allowed to spend on gas, and buying dinner for people helping me move. I can buy groceries, and food for my cat. I think I will need to spend money on some toiletries. I will need to spend money on laundry, probably a bit more than usual. I am trying to decide if I am allowed to go out to eat at all, and if so, what the budget for that should be. But the plan is, no fun spending.

Which doesn’t mean no fun! I’ll be living with two of my favorite people, and we can stay home and watch movies and cook meals. I think instead of the cooking taking turns thing Ill just plan an old-fashioned pot luck. My boyfriend will be home. There will be Hanukkah and Christmas to celebrate. I just have to remind myself that that is enough. It is wonderful, and I am fortunate. Plus I don’t need to buy new things because I will be getting presents!

Now, I need you guys to help me stick to this. And in the future, I think I will give myself planned vacations from saving (instead on unplanned, like this one.) Not going crazy spending, which I haven’t done in years. Just no need to blog about it (although I can), no need to rack expenses, no need to follow a set budget. That way, just like a real vacation, I can come back rejuvenated.