This is going to sound like such an awful entry. but I figured it would be the most appropriate/annonymous place to discuss such a topic.

I am in love and live with my boyfriend of 3 years. I work in academic research and he manages his families 3rd generation 75+acre orchard for work. We both live and commute 30 miles to our respective jobs (i work in the city, and he works in the country). And there really are NO jobs of my nature near his work. And, we will be lucky if he EVER makes more than 45K/year. There is obviously no mobility for our future because he plans to stay at the family farm for the rest of his life. And I am scared and stressed out about our financial future-scared that we will forever be in a financial rut.

So here I am working for a big university and who do I randomly meet, but a young cute Russian Cardiologist who clearly has a crush on me-he has big plans for his medical career and plans to travel.

No, I have not and do not plan on cheating on my love. But, it just makes me feel very sad, confused, and slightly helpless about my situation. Can somebody please give me some advice or at least knock some sense in me?????

Hello everyone. The holidays are coming and I am freaking out about what to do for gifts. My new job consists of about 15 acquaintances all who are very earthy and into cultural awareness...and then I have 3 close co-workers, 1 who is my boss-who are very formal. What to do what to do????

I dont have much cash this year so I figured it would be a good idea to plan early. I also absolutely hate providing gifts that people dont use. Therefore, I have decided to become an expert in canning and give out jarred applesauce, jams, and dill pickles as little "gift baskets". I have the HUGE advantage that my boyfriend's family owns an Orchard/Farm with apple picking currently in the prime. I could probably get most the fruit for almost nothing. I figure my acquaintances will get one jam, sauce, or pickle-and then my closer network of co-workers will get a more personalized basket of jams, applesauce, and maybe a gift certificate.....

What do you all think? Am i too cheap this year?

Over the weekend I returned a bunch of soda cans/bottles and made $13. I also developed arachnaphobia. Apparently, if you store your sticky cans in your basement, spiders like to create little webs and make babies that live around the pile. While taking a break from sorting Shaws vs Stop and Shop cans, I went to use the restroom. As I am on the..you know...I turn my neck to see this qiant (larger than a quarter) sized black spider crawling up my shoulder towards my face!!!!!! I freaked out, ripped my clothes off, and freakishly ran around the house swirling my arms around my body and screaming...hoping that there weren't any more crawling on me.

I returned what seemed like hundreds of sticky, smelly, moldy cans for a measily $13. I returned home, avoided the basement, and took a shower. The boyfriend wanted meat for dinner and conveniently "forgot" his wallet at home...so i quickly lost my $13 for a large roast.

That night, I woke up screaming and wailing my arms around...because i had convinced myself that there was a spider crawling up my neck. Now all I can think is "great, you work with schizophrenics at a psych hospital, and now you have also developed hallucinations of spiders. Check me in!!!"

So let me list the ways I have become a mental patient since starting the "Savings Adventure":
1. Developed arachnophobia (from sorting cans in the basement)
2. Developed agoraphobia (fear of leaving house) because if I leave the house I will spend money.
3. Developed OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) because I am obsessively cleaning the house as a "new hobby" since all my other hobbies cost money.
4. Bad eating habits (dont want to pay for expensive healthy food, so have been on the "mac n cheese" diet
5. Possibly developed high cholesterol and weight gain due to unhealthy eating and not leaving house.

Has anyone else developed crazy new habits from saving???

my best friend's apartment after work. Everyone is freaking out that gas prices after Hurricane Rita will be up in the $4 range again. I have been filling up twice a week as it is from the long work commute, and have become so obsessed with saving money that im not even visiting my friends...that seems sick, doesnt it?

This really is week 3 of my strict savings and frugalness. Now that I have been obsessed with not spending, I have been afraid to leave the house. There is so much I want: new bed linnens, a black cardigan, some new itunes, etc. im afraid that i will be tempted to buy something i dont really need.

The worst part is that i dont know how to act or what to tell people when they invite me out for drinks, dinner, lunch...i want to spend time with friends and go out with co-workers, but I really cant afford it right now. Have you ever gotten the "eye roll" from your co-workers when you say you can't afford to go out? I know that i have certainly given the eye roll to co-workers of mine in my pre-frugal days. So anyways, because i have been basically avoiding friends and long car rides, I have become obsessed with cleaning and organizing everything in my house. i think it is to keep me from thinking about how anti-social i have become over my current financial situation...

The University that I work for offered a free seminar on managing budgets and credit. It was quite depressing to imagine how low my FICO score probably is at this moment. Although I am excellent at paying bills on time I recently shopped for auto loans for my new car. i didnt realize how much of a hard hit having the various companies looking at my credit would cost my credit score. I think it was 4 or 5. well, i guess i better take the plunge and find out the truth!

No money spent today-that is a first in a very long time! But, can I avoid Starbucks another day?

Got home, didnt do any house cleaning, and never went to the grocery store to return those cans either. Instead R and I went on a Long Island sound fishing adventure...didn't do too bad either. Now we have dinner and I can avoid the grocery store one more night. And the best part is-HE COOKS THE FISH! YESSS!!!! What a great deal for me!

Ladies-find a man who will fish and cook it- you will save money on not having to buy meat, and you get to put your feet up for a change (until the dishes are dirty at least!)

Goals for tomorrow:
AM: avoid Starbucks
Lunch-time: Avoid Cappuccino's
Late-afternoon: Avoid shopping malls
Evening: Avoid the grocery store AGAIN
remember to watch the finale of Rock Star.

Well...thank you thank you to all those who advised me in getting an ING savings account. I made the move today and am excited to have started my little nest.

I also have taken up a part-time job at Borders Outlet for now figuring that I will make enough money to pay for gas to get to my full-time job and get some good holiday discounts as well. that takes care of x-mas presents. I have to say, it was so funny filling out the 5 page application. I hold a Master's Degree and have a great position at a respected University..they looked at me like i was joking when i told them i wanted a job with my background. But I really need the extra income right now.

my plan for this evening is to take our beer bottles/cans and soda bottles/cans to the store and grab some grub with the cash. I have taken a new love for Jiffy's 3 for $1 cornbread mixes.

what triggered all this motivation, you ask? A night out with the girls, a $200 bridesmaid dress for my best friend's wedding, and a little too much fun playing carnival games at the Big E! The weekend was a little spensive.

Hello, my name is Christine. I am 24yo from Connecticut, and joined this site for many reasons. I have been working full time for the past two years while earning a graduate degree, and have recently been promoted at my job.

I now have a high rent, car loans, student loans, credit card debt (fortunately, one Mastercard, but almost maxed out), and many many bills that I tend to "forget" about. Not too mention the high gas prices and a 30 mile commute to work. I live with my boyfriend who doesnt have time to grocery shop (so I pay for food), and I really do enjoy a few alcoholic beverages a week (which certainly adds up). And, although I feel like I'm always being stingy-I don't go on shopping sprees, I try not to stop for coffee on my way to work, I don't go out to dinner or lunch, I don't even travel much or go to the movies, etc-I feel like the debt is endless. And, I cant save a darn penny.

What bother's me the most is that I pay $1100/mo to rent a house when I know that I pay more in rent than some pay in a mortgage. Therefore, my biggest reason for joining this site is to learn tips for saving in general, and advice for saving on a down payment for a home.

So this journal is going to be an outlet of goals, dreams, desires, frustrations, etc. Im sure it will be a wild adventure!