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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Frugality Meets Simple Indulgences

You always hear people say 'it's the simple things in life', and I never believed that more until I became a parent.  There's something about having a kid that makes the simple things you once enjoyed (think cardboard box at Christmas) enjoyable again.  So, where is all of this going?
Well, I was reading through my Parenting Magazine the other night.  They have a May calendar with a 'guilt free indulgence' on each day (for mom) for Mother's day.  I thought to myself, "Hmmm, what a thought, something small to look forward to everyday?"  And I decided to create my own 31 days and bring you along for the ride.  Don't get me wrong, it's not that their ideas were bad, some were just not my thing and some were not quite frugal enough (or guilt-free enough) for this couponing queen. 
This is going to be even more fun for me because I've made it a challenge.  Aside from my mother's day gift from Aaron and Bryton (my day at the spa), I'm allowing myself only my 'blow' money to indulge myself each day for the month of May.  This will make 30 days of indulging (because one day will be the spa day) for less than $50.  Some things won't cost any money and some will cost a little. 
So I've thought and thought and brainstormed and brainstormed, and here is what I've come up with... my 31 days of May (in no particular order because, of course, we need some spontaneity in life and have to work around the best sales and coupon bargains ;)
1.  The spa day gift by Aaron and Bryton
2. Enjoy a snuggle from Mark's bakery, not an affection, a confection ;)
3. Treat myself to a warm bath, something I haven't done since BEFORE we went on the road.
4. Go to a movie.  When and with who?  I don't know.  Maybe with Aaron.  Maybe by myself.  Maybe with a group of girls.  But I want to do a movie.
5. Get a tan, laying out with a good magazine.
6. My own quiet trip to Barnes and Noble... I'm a geek at heart I think, I wanna find a good book and curl up with some Starbucks and just sit there.
7.  Two words.  New underwear.  Even if it's just one pair.  I recently just got the two pair for almost nothing, but it's rare that I ever buy myself new underwear.  (Yet it's one of my favorite things ever!) I usually get all new underwear once a year with a gift card to VS from my mom for my birthday.  Now I'll get one pair on one day in May, too ;)
8.  I'm going to find some cardinal tickets.  Cheap.  Either through Stubhub or ebay, or friends, or maybe even being the first 550 to show up at a game.  We'll see. 
9.  I want a convertible ride with my husband, with the top down, on a nice night.  Whether that be in Du Quoin, Carbondale or St. Louis, doesn't matter to me, but I want it to be just the two of us.
10.  A trip for 3 to the zoo please!  Bryton's old enough that he's digging animals now.  And when Bryton's digging anything I am digging life.  So one of my indulgences is going to feed off the happiness of my offspring ;)
11.  New music on itunes.  Some new tunes for mom.  I'm getting the ipod ready!
12. Girls random trip anywhere.  I can't elaborate on this one because I don't even know what it'll be.  I just know it'll be cheap and spontaneous... something we don't always do... or ever do.  Woo hoo, here we come!
13.  Movie night in with the husband.  I'm ashamed to admit I don't know how long it's been since we've curled up on the couch and watched a movie.  It's about time.
14.  Game night.  It used to be a simple pleasure that I took for granted.  Now, it's hard for me to fathom getting a sitter to go somewhere else and play games, but it's also hard to fathom doing them here after Bryton is in bed because I worry about waking him up.  One way or another, it's too much fun not to do it, so game night it is.
15.  Video game night with the hubby.  This one is expected, as Super Mario Galaxy 2 should be making it to our door soon.  It was one of our favorite things to do in our dating life ;) Me beating him at Tiger Woods Golf on Playstation.  Now it's me helping collect Star Bits on the Wii.  The times they are a'changing ;)
16.  We're going to ride the Amtrak.  It may only be to Carbondale, but by golly, I've always wanted to do it and it sounds like fun.
17. I'm gonna write a book (like the grammar?)  I don't think I say enough how much I LOVE writing.  If I could do anything for the rest of forever I would blog and write books (and make money doing it).  So, I'm going small scale here, and I'm going to write a children's book and maybe see if I can get a student to illustrate it for me.  Maybe I'll even 'publish' some copies of it and try to sell them here in town.  That'd be great fun!  But for this particular day, just writing the book.
18. Have a yard sale (or find a way to sell some stuff).  This may seem like it would be more of a nuisance than an indulgence, but school is out at the end of May and I'm worried about funding the basement for 3 months while I'm not working.  So this is an indulgence too.
19.  Dairy Queen. 
20.  One piece of costume jewelry.  This is something I don't buy hardly ever.  But I want a staple piece that is CHEAP.  (Cheap because I always say I'll wear it and then I never do.)
21.  Antiquing and yard sale hopping.  Aaron and I went when B was little this time last year.  I want to go again this year.
22.  Homemade doughnuts.  Okay, so they are kind of homemade, they are biscuit doughnuts.  I can literally finish off a whole can by myself if someone would let me.
23.  Naptime in mid-day.  You know that whole 'sleep when the baby sleeps' thing.  I've never done that and thought maybe now at the age of 18 months would be a great time to give it a try.
24.  I'm going to get something free off of Craigslist.  Who knows what, but it'll be fun looking ;)
25.  I will forgo some kind of craft project for the basement.  Maybe I'll find an old bench to paint or make some wall hangings.  We'll see.
26. Do something nice for a stranger.  Something out of the ordinary.
27.  Do one thing I have never done before.  Could be anything. 
28., 29., 30.,  31. I'm allowing myself these for indulgences that 'come up' through couponing or what not.  There's no telling what I'll end up with!
So there are my 31 things.  We'll see how they turn out!  What about you?  What things would you do to indulge yourself for 31 days?

1 comment:

  1. Hi Alicia! I just noticed that someone visited my blog coming from yours. I didn't recognize the blog name so I just had to come and check you out. I love meeting new bloggers and I love linking to new bloggers. I am going to add you to my blogroll so my readers can visit you too.

    By the way, your little guy is absolutely adorable!! :)

    ~Amber

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