So, like most Americans, I tend to crave entertainment when I have a bit of free time. Now that I am pregnant, rock climbing and wine tasting are out, so I’ve been trying to figure out a way to keep myself adventurously busy, without spending much money.
While pondering this– like a vision (or actually just using my vision)–I looked out the window, and saw a kayak languishing out back behind the house where it had been unused for 2 years. I also looked in a closet (that needed to be cleaned to make way for baby stuff), and noticed a soccer ball, tennis racket, roller blades, bike locks and other assorted sports equipment. What if I decided to treat this stuff like it actually has value, and get excited about using it?
This was a long shot, but after hosing down the kayak, and force-ably jetskiing out some of the biggest bugs I’ve ever seen, I went for a nice little paddle. Okay I also went without a life preserver, but seriously, the river was only 3 feet deep. So an adventure was to be had for nothing but a tiny bit of effort… and I even got to run from Mr. Law while I was at it for an added sense of excitement.
Take that, expensive movie house!
What equipment do you have hanging around?
Tags: low budget ideas, sports, use what you have
So, after my big low budget debut, I had this exciting feeling (enhanced by my mother’s early review) of “we’re gonna be rich!” So we promptly went out and blew our entertainment budget for the week. Not to say that we were flying to catch 1st row tickets at a Broadway show or anything. For us, a big day out was the bargain matinee of Bruno followed by a 5 pm dinner at our favorite Asian restaurant.
Truly, there was value in the operation, but now, I am left feeling slightly phony as I write this, clinging desperately to the fact that I had cheapo smoked bluefish on my bagel instead of the 12.99/lb smoked salmon lox this morning. I also decided (and was immediately noticed by my husband) that if we were going to “blow it” in one area, that it was appropriate to get right back on the horse and get frugal in another area… normally, I would have bought our bagels out on the way to the dog walk.
If there are bonus points top be earned in the world of pseudo luxury, I hope I get some for smearing an oily gray fish, instead of an oily coral colored one onto my bagel…. I do have to say however, that this is a very good substitute for real lox, and so if nothing else, is a solid, lowbudget gourmet ingredient.
Tags: cheap eats, food, recipes
So, I’m about to become a first-time mother at 40. For the majority of my adult life, I’ve been used to being single, living cheaply, working 2 jobs (like waitressing + non-profit assistant, freelance coach+waitressing, artist +bartender, you get the idea). Now, I’m married, living pretty simply, but used to splurging on a good coffee now and again (yes, I do go to “fourbucks“), yoga classes, and even an occasional fancy oriental rug once in a while.
Life has gotten a bit easier being married and sharing expenses and incomes, but …..
I’ve had a bad feeling this is going to have to stop…. aren’t babies supposed to cost a lot?
So, here’s my problem: I grew up feeling that having “adventures” were important. In recent years, this has meant a bit of travel, learning new things and going new places, peppering life with handy gadgets and technology. In homage to my mother, I think “adventure” used to mean going to the library, checking out new bugs in the woods and identifying the snakes that lived in the swamp behind our row-house in the flats of Dedham, Mass. Perhaps she was better suited to writing this blog than me… but you are stuck with the kid of the original “lowbudgetus” master.
I guess what I’m trying to say, is how am I going to afford to have adventures once I have a kid? How are my husband and I going to get all these kid-things like changing tables, breast pumps, college funds and oh yeah, food and shelter, and still have a little quality of life?
Hence the origin of this blog…. I’ve always heard it is best to teach what you need to learn most. and so I need to learn how to:
- enjoy lots more adventures more cheaply
- bring a kid along and
- afford at least a reasonable standard of living without spending a fortune.
I’m challenging myself– and all of you– to live and share ideas of how to live a rich life on a dwindling discretionary budget. Perhaps this will be handy for those of you who are facing downsizing too…. not just us new parents.
So my little invocation is this: may this website be helpful, inspiring, entertaining, original and chock full of cheap adventures for my readers and myself.
Bon Voyage to lowbudgetus!!
Tags: adventures, babies, family, introduction, lifestyle
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