The Power of Seeking Deals

I've never really been a big "coupon girl"...frankly i never had to be. But as "the economy" worsens and my life as an artist continues i realized that i should make friends with discounts and sales!

Now the past 2 years I've been in New York...having hardly any money, i would find deals sometimes, but for the most part just save enough to do something really special every once in a while. But looking at my week this week i've realized how much money i really do save now!

*Membership at NYSC: did the first week for free with Tenka, then 35 days for 35$ online-vs 69$

*since I applied for the Starbucks gold card i get a free drink every 15 stars! free coffee-Vs.5$

*Went to a really nice tanning salon and used a Tenka coupon spent $10-vs. $40

*Got a Bikini and leg wax for $45 going to a place that uses student discount- Vs. $50

*filled out online survey for free "O Coffee"-vs. 5$

*walked a few places vs. taking the subway (like 40 blocks)-Vs. 2.25 each time

>>>>>>>>>That was just this week and I could have spent=$171. 25!!!! But instead I spent:$90.00!!

(and of course I babysat 4 times this week so I wasn't just charging my life away...it's gotta go in the pocket if it's gonna come out)

The deals don't mean bad quality, they just mean smart buying

P.S. Also I would recommend having your own personal checkings acct. that you treat like a savings acct with some random bank. Since we are in college and are always switching money around it's better to have multiple checkings than savings if your going to be moving money a lot...like me. For example, I have 2 checkings with Chase. One for Rent money and One for my personal spending (food utilities movies etc...)

Then i also have a checking in Bank of America where money only goes in! My goal is to have my bottom line equivalent to 2months rent, 2 utilities and 2 groceries which is about $2,200. Then after that just continue putting a little in at a time, unless i have a salary of course. But i made it a checkings because you never know when an emergency is going to happen and need some extra cash but don't want to be charged a certain amount for pulling out of a savings and loosing interest. So instead...for now...I keep it as a checkings acct (that works for me as a savings acct.)

For us artists you never know what kind of jobs you'll be booking so i think it's super important to have a large savings at all times. My family and I lived off our savings for 10 years!!!! My mom was so good about saving! She must've had one heck of a savings to have a family of 5 live in LA off of it.... but who knows where we'd be if she didn't save?!?! She was one smart business woman and i will learn from her whatever I can :)