Professor Preston says "Try to Cut Costs!"

This pic was taken after bath. Preston was sitting on the potty and took my glasses off and put them on. I hate to take a picture on the potty but he really wanted to see himself in the glasses. Silly goose.

Renay and Mandy wrote blogs about trying to cut costs in this lovely economy we have here. I am one of those people who takes gas prices personally. Cheryl and I were discussing this recently how going to the pump makes me rage. I just take it so personally. Apparently this is a syndrome (I heard on news radio). People do become psychologically affected by the sticker shock, but doctors say that we should try to think of happier thoughts. Like what-when I was in college in Albany paying $.98 to fill my Chevy Cavalier? I get so angered as I watch the gas stations literally raise their prices nightly even though no gas has been friggin delivered! New York right now is between $4.21 to $4.59 for a gallon of regular. REGULAR!

I only buy regular. I am of the belief that there is no such thing as super or Plus. Reason? Well when a truck happens to pull up to fill at the station, there is ONE main tank on the truck, not three. So where is the plus and the super? I also think it is going into one big hole underground and this is all a big scam. I also lease my car so if I needed plus (which I don't), but if I did, by the time my engine started to supposedly break down, it would be returned. And with plus and super twenty to forty cents more, I would not care about making the car run better.

What gets me about the gas is I tried to Google why prices are so high and there is really no concrete answer. I understand the principles of supply and demand. There is no drought of gas. It's politicians and Wall Street brokers short trading and the states making HUGE profits. If there truly is a drought is there any reason we are not drilling in Alaska? I for one am ready to sacrifice the caribou. I mean I am sure they are nice animals and all,but truly I care more about my wallet. I wish I could commute by public transportation, but working in the 'burbs just does not afford me the opportunity. So I tried to think of how I could costs.

Land Line-I could get rid of my land line. I never use it. Only my grandmother calls on it the three times a year my grandmother actually picks up the phone because she still thinks she gets charged long distance from Queens to Westchester. Yet there are those nights that I forget my cell phone in my car. It does not happen often, but I cannot bear to not have a phone for even one night. So that is about $35 I am not going to save.

Cell Phone-People are downgrading their plan. My phone is a fifth appendage. Literally-I live on it. I have a great plan though and the lowest I can pay is $99 before taxes and fees. If I go any lower, I'll talk over the allotted minutes, thus paying like triple what I pay now. Besides I love my phone about as much as I love my IPod.

Cable-Can't cut it. Truly I cannot. I love my TV. Come to think of it, I love my TV,IPod and cell phone a lot. If I had to have an affair though with one of the objects I guess it would be the TV. (Although the cell phone loses by a very small margin). I watch so much television and in the summer I need to catch up on movies since I just do not have time during the main season. (This Renay is why I don't have any summer commentary. I could comment on movies I have seen though). Second, the Yankees are on cable. They have their own network that is only on cable. It is not even an option to not watch the Yankees. And watching Derek Jeter in HD right now is as satisfying as a McDonald's large fries when you are famished. Pretty darn satisfying! I could get rid of the premium channels but I like watching movies. I then thought I'll call my mom and ask her how I can cut costs and I say-ok I'll get rid of HBO On Demand. She laughs. It's $4.95 a month. I mean really. Might as well just keep it. So the cable bill would go from $170 a month to $165. (Please be advised the Internet and phone are also included on the cable bill). Besides if I get a hankering for Curb Your Enthusiasm I can get Larry at my fingertips. Also Preston loves Disney and I just cannot takehim away from Little Einsteins.

Food-Here is where I do try. I do go through the circulars and buy on sale. I also don't cook that often. In fact Mel told me my eating habits are deplorable. She is right. I eat like crap. I am also now 30 so I do worry it is only a matter of time that I have to start eating healthy. I usually splurge on a good lunch about three times a week with the girls and I cannot eat three huge meals a day, so I eat a pop-tart for dinner on those nights. I know, I know. I just don't like cooking after a long day. Preston has two prepared meals a day and I pack him a dinner. I guess as he gets older I will have to cook but for now who says M&Ms are not a meal? Although since I skipped lunch today since I had a deposition, I did cook dinner for myself.

Retail-You all know my obsession for sales. I think I am a great shopper. I'll always use coupons too and scour sale racks!

So basically nothing is changing. I am paying more for gas and food (prices on the rise), but I have not changed my ways. I am not going out spending money like a drunken sailor though, so I guess I am making a change. No major purchases like a new bag since I tend to use the same two over and over while the others collect dust. Probably because I pay a designer bag's worth of tuition every month to the day care Preston attends. Let's not even begin with my rent that could buy me a five bedroom home on three acres in another state. Oh well. I do save though. Especially for Preston. Knowing his account is growing for college even despite this cruddy economy makes me happy.

I am bending over and taking it I know. But after a long day at work I still have my vices...and my tank is almost empty again. *Sigh*