My Financial Accountability: Day 3

Today...was more difficult than the past two days. But because I have awesome friends (and, apparently, a suddenly raging social life) who tend to foot the bill for booze when the spirit moves them, I spent roughly $57 less than I would have if I were going it solo.

And here we go:

Newbie to NYC's Spending Journal for Mid-April (cont.)

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Breakfast, two hard-boiled eggs and a cup of grapes: $3.16

Lunch, a turkey burger sandwich and a Diet Coke: $8.44

Bud Light at neighborhood bar: Free (thank you, Red)

Cab to fancy downtown restaurant I really had no business dining at: $8

Glass of malbec at fancy downtown restaurant I really had no business dining at: $13

Tip for meal at fancy downtown restaurant I really had no business dining at: $20

Roundabout cab route back from fancy downtown restaurant I really had no business dining at: $10

Total for 4/11/2007: $62.60

I consider today a success, well, considering. And not an espresso shelled out for yet. Take that, New York magazine grad student!

My Financial Accountability: Days 1 and 2

You know what's disappointing? Having to pay the IRS a somewhat hefty sum due partly to a ton of freelance work one did in the year 2006. That scenario, coupled with my desire to buy plane tickets to see my friends who are states away this summer, has caused me to reevaluate -- or at least become more aware of -- how I spend the mad money that's in my pocket. And, friend, I want you to join me on this journey. (This, of course, does not include the money I save regularly for my emergency fund, rent/bills, random money I add to my mutual funds, and my 401(k).)

So, in the spirit of New York magazine and other budgeters who have come before me, I present:

Newbie to NYC's Spending Journal for Mid-April

I want to do this for a week at the very least. Let's get on with it, shall we?

Monday, April 9, 2006

Banana -- $.35

Laundry (washer and dryer -- heck yes, I do my own laundry) -- $5.25

FICO credit score online at myfico.com (this was something I've been meaning to get for some time, and thanks to my new favorite website retailmenot.com, I saved 20 percent) -- $12.76

Total for 4/9/2006: $18.36


Tuesday, April 10, 2006

Breakfast, two hard-boiled eggs and a cup of grapes: $3.16

Lunch, falafel sandwich and Diet Coke: $5.75

Two glasses of wine with roommate at a steakhouse in the neighborhood: $20

Total for 4/10/2006: $28.91

Heckles/words of encouragement/bursts of creativity welcome in the comments section.

Two Fantastically Educational Stories on Money

I was genuinely affected by two stories about money I read today:

One is "American Roulette," Kurt Andersen's Imperial City column in this week's New York magazine. As Americans, we can do our share of generalized bitching and moaning about the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer and spout off over expensive goblets of malbec about social stratification -- Lord knows I've done my share of that -- but Andersen's column is the most incredibly well-written and well-thought-out observation and call for change regarding our current economic problem that I've read in recent memory. It's poignant and filled with appropriate metaphor, and I wholly agree with him in the hope that someone will bring the country together under an umbrella of fairness and hope after the 2008 elections.

The second is a great Moneybox Slate article called "The Wall Street Self-Defense Manual" by Henry Blodget. Blodget comes off as equal parts curmudgeonly and time-strapped, but the tone works in this bare-bones, chart-illustrated guide to how not to waste your money when investing in mutual funds. Like most people new to investing, I think I know more about the market than I actually do, and this article was a nice wake-up call. In fact, thanks to Blodget, I'm currently panicking about the high-ish fees (just below what he would call "average") on two mutual funds I bought earlier this year. It's not to late to change it, of course, but damn it if I'm stubborn about admitting I was wrong.

(To buy these super-hottt money glasses -- Maureen Dowd mannequin not included -- collect $12 out of your couch cushions and click here.)