You Know Me

So, if you know me, you know that I would love to live in San Diego again and for a longer time. Two summers and a year just wasn't enough for me - friends, weather, culture, people's attitudes, surfing, mountain biking, desert adventures, nearby skiing, etc., etc., etc.. And I'd like to do it without MRSA, unemployment, swine flu, and other problems, but that's besides the point.

I don't know why, but I've been thinking a lot about budgeting and financing and purchasing a home and living well within my means and whatnot recently. So, for my birthday, instead of all the fun stuff I asked for - how about helping me with my new Get Back to San Diego Fund! Stocks, bonds, T-bills, pennies, nickels, dimes, dollar bills, gold nuggets, professional sports teams, old  sneakers, diamonds, snow plows . . . I'm accepting any and all donations.

Other ways I'm going to build my fund are:

1. Pass the CPA exam and increase my earnings potential (and not waste money on failed sections).
2. Encourage Ashley to keep on couponing!
3. Take shorter showers, using less shampoo and soap.
4. Downgrade our internet speed (saves a few bucks a month . . . everything helps!).
5. Get serious about this garden thing (so far, I've got a few sprouts, but that's not going to feed us for long).
6. Live by the adage, "Fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
7. Keep healthy to avoid ridiculous health costs.
8. Eat more leftovers.
9. Drive more conservatively (driving style and distance).
10. No mid-afternoon convenient store purchases, even if I'm craving the snacks!
11. Look for more free stuff.
12. Set the thermostat one degree higher or lower, depending on the weather - or just not use it.
13. Use fewer paper towels and less toilet paper.
14. Wear my shirts and pants an extra time before washing (don't worry - I won't let them stink!).

Any other suggestions?