Well, this is the first post of "Money Saving Grad," a blog about saving money and having fun, while navigating the maze of doctoral education. I'm a third-year PhD student in Geography and along with being a student, an instructor, and a wife, I also manage our finances and cook most of our meals. We have the usual student loans (which we used to pay for our wedding and car) and like most college students, don't have a large amount of disposable income. So, back when we were undergraduates, I decided that I would be as thrifty as possible with our money, which would allow us extra money to travel, go out to eat, or spend on entertainment. I used to be proud of myself when I saved 10% at the grocery store off the retail price. Now, many years later, 40 to 50% is generally my goal.
This blog will detail my spending and techniques for saving more of your hard-earned money. I'll also discuss some of my trials and triumphs as I progress through graduate school. I went directly from my undergraduate program to a doctoral program, and let me tell you, I am ready to graduate. Will I make it in four years? Who knows... If you'd like to follow the academic-side of my graduate education more closely, feel free to check out my other blog at http://geographyreligion.blogspot.com/.
In addition, like most women, I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise more. I didn't gain the "Freshmen 15".... but I did get hit with the "Over-Stressed Grad Student 10." Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, maybe it's because I so love chips and dip, or perhaps it's because I'm a constant worrier... whatever the reason, I'm trying to shed some pounds and get fit! I'll include exercise tips as well as recipes - both thrifty and/or healthy (but hopefully both!)
I like to make New Year's resolutions every year, but this year was a bit different. This year, my husband and I made two, over-arching resolutions, rather than a list of specific ones. This is the year of "Happiness and Adventure." I'm reading through Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, which details her journey through a yearlong resolution to be happier. I'm not an unhappy person per se, but I would like to worry less and be more content with life. Hopefully, this Blog will help!
In order to have more adventure, we have to go out and do more - travel, try new restaurants, be spontaneous - but all of that takes money. Since we can't get a raise or get another job, our only real option is saving as much as we can on the necessities! I'm hoping that this Blog will keep me more accountable. If I decide to blow some money on a trip to WalMart on junk food or clothes I don't need - you'll know about it. I'm hoping the fact I have to write it down will prevent me from backsliding in the first place!
So, in summary, here are my goals for this Blog:
- Detail my saving triumphs (and pitfalls) in order to share helpful advice on saving money, and help me to be super-thrifty!
- Discuss my graduate school journey. Graduate school is just crazy sometimes, so this should make for some amusing stories.
- Include great, thrifty and healthy recipes that are easy to make and tasty, along with my workout and overall fitness progress.
- Talk about my "Happiness Project" progress. Feel free to comment if you're reading along, too!
- Since this is also the "Year of Adventure," discuss my thrifty travels, and offer ideas for frugal fun.
Hope you enjoy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment