Bills, bills, bills

Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo. No, not those Bills. I'm talkin' money. Surviving in this world, financially, is simply not acceptable for me. It's just not enough. My recent obsession has been discovering the ways and means to earn money and save money, as in combination you can create wealth. I'm a worrier by birthright (Lue Yen side), so the sooner I can be financially comfortable, the sooner I can enjoy life more. Is that kind of redundant? Anyhow, in recent months, Dan and I have taken up a few new tricks in order to preserve what money we have, while employment was questionable. After all, moving to Austin was our first step toward being independent.

Firstly, I have taken to cutting coupons in the Sunday paper. My grocery doubles and triples coupons depending on the value. This, combined with weekly sales, has made for some very cheap food. This sometimes has me buying food that I would not have normally tried or have been interested in but could not afford. We have built up stockpiles of meats and pantry items this way. Secondly, I have become aware of rebate items at Walgreens and sale/coupons/Extra Buck deals at CVS. I've gotten many free items after learning deals on websites such as HotCouponWorld.com. Additionally, I frequent forums/websites (divagirlsdeals.com, Yahoo Texas Couponers Group) that discuss local deals and suggest websites that give away free samples. Thirdly, Dan and I have looked into supplemental income jobs that we can do from home/nearby. He has signed up for a website called Cha Cha, where he finds answers online in response to questions people text in through their phone. He looks up anything from jokes to directions to trivia and more! This is low paying, but a fun way to learn while earning AND watching the tv at the same time! I recently joined a mystery shopping group. I signed up for my first try - Papa John's pizza! It was a small commission and a free pizza, something I cannot turn down. Well, I called the store to order my pizza and they denied my order! Apparently, I have to order from the store that is 0.77 miles away rather than this one at 1.47 miles away. It blows my mind to have 2 options for 1 delivery store. At home in NJ we couldn't get pizza delivered (Domino's does not count as pizza)! Anyhow, I wasn't able to complete the order and my status was downgraded/suspended on the site. Worse yet, we hadn't planned on making dinner and it's time to eat! (Update: we have leftovers from The Salt Lick, all is well again!) I sent an appeal email, because I really think this is a wonderful opportunity!

Otherwise, we both have the bulk of our money sitting in a low interest savings account (ING). I hope we are able to achieve and sustain the quality of life and standards that we are both accustom to. This is one of many reasons for my "career-change" to nursing. The flexibility, personal satisfaction from helping others, decent pay, and huge chance for growth are all attractive to me. I often look to these blogs for inspiration:
JANE4girls
*about a woman who gave herself an $800 budget/year for her family of 4; inspiring
Spilling Buckets
*about a couple on a quest toward financial freedom (who even share their numbers!); quirky and honest
I also frequent the Money section on MSN.com. Dan is picking up on my hints and has even found enjoyment out of finding the item and price that matches my coupons. I make it a game for him and we both enjoy grocery shopping together. Dorky, huh?

The goal is to not only prepare for an relaxing retirement, but to have fun our entire lives. Have we started yet? I think so, and I can't wait to enjoy the rest! Any suggestions?