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It’s Expensive Being Social

Written by on May 18, 2011 · 21 Comments

Recently I have been seeing many more friends than I usually do, and while I love and enjoy their company, it’s expensive being social!

Sure, there ways to be social without spending a lot of money. I’ve written about those ways before, as have 99% of personal finance bloggers out there. I love those ideas. Most of these ideas (game nights, potlucks, cooking at home), though, work for once-in-a-while get-togethers. But I argue that it is hard to consistently hang out with friends WITHOUT going out, and thereby spending money.

These past few weeks I have caught up with several friends that I haven’t seen in months. We caught over brunches, lunches, and dinners. We caught up over morning coffees, afternoon teas, and evening sangrias. All of this catching up has resulted in some very unusual spending. I don’t even want to look at my credit card bill right now.

For the most part, I don’t mind. I know as long as I don’t make a habit of spending $500 on food every single month, I will be OK. It is really nice to see friends and enjoy a delicious meal together.

It is really nice to be social. But it’s also expensive.

Categories: Behavior, Entertainment, Food - Tags: ,

20 Ideas for a Cheaper Night Out

Written by on April 7, 2011 · 15 Comments

Today’s guest post is by “Wojo” Kulicki, author of the personal finance blog Fiscal Fizzle. Thanks Wojo!

A lot of young people love to go out—whether it’s clubbing, bar-hopping, eating out, or a wide variety of other expensive entertainment options. Some people can still afford it, but more and more are finding that their income is having a hard time keeping up with their lifestyle.

I’m finding that many of us are willing to get very creative when put “under the gun” of a strict budget, debt repayment plan, or a cut income. Things that were needs suddenly become wants and get shoved to the side. Nevertheless, entertainment is still something we want to engage in, so what’s a 20-something to do?

Here is a list of 20 alternatives to going out—some I’ve tried personally, some suggested by friends and colleagues, and some learned by observation. If you’re finding it increasingly hard to entertain yourself by spending a night out on the town, maybe it’s time to give one of these a whirl:

Dance lessons.

If you’re like my wife, you love going out because dancing is fun. But she’s also perfectly content spending the night at a dance lessons improving her moves!

Board game night.

A staple of low-budget get-togethers, the right board or group game can really make the night last into the morning. My favorite? Catch Phrase.

Music session.

Do you sing? Got a buddy that plays piano? You’ve got yourself a night full of awesome music. </li>

Sports league.

While the bars and clubs are starting to fill on a Friday night, there are softball, soccer, and tennis tournaments going on right in your town!

Go to free community events.

At least once a week, there’s a free concert going on in the community park down the street. On the first Saturday of the month, there’s also a free movie night.

Tasting.

For many, one of the major appeals of going out is the alcohol. Why not attend a wine tasting instead, or better yet—have your friends bring over the wildest samplings they can and share!

Be in the vicinity.

Some people just love the buzz and atmosphere of nightlife. Head downtown and people-watch or walk the strip.

Be a designated driver.

If you just can’t pass up going out, but can live without the drinking, why not offer to drive everyone around?

Grab ice cream.

If going out to eat is your thing, but dinner’s too expensive, head to the creamery for some dessert instead.

Find a group activity.

Inexpensive get-togethers at the mini-golf course or the bowling alley could mean hours of fun that are light on your wallet.

Find an art event.

Organized art exhibits or downtown “art walks” can be great places to enjoy a nightlife atmosphere and maybe even score some free drinks.

Go to the movies.

Sure, it’s still spending money, but even a $10 movie is still competitive with most other night-out ideas.

Do a late night picnic.

When I think of picnics, a late afternoon at the park or the beach comes to mind, but a friend suggested that picnics late at night are an awesome way to pass the time.

Hold a bonfire/camp-out.

Those of you blessed with a country setting and a sizable back yard will have no problem pitching some tents to hang out in or setting up some lawn chairs around a campfire.

Organize a potluck.

Have friends who love food? Pick a house where you can crash and have everyone bring an awesome dish they’ve made.

Hold a Wii tournament.

Interactive games have changed the idea of game night forever. Now you can get everyone involved and moving.

Set up an outdoor movie.

If you have a projector, laptop, speakers and a large white sheet, you can create a DIY theater in about 10 minutes.

Head to the pool or the beach.

Water can be more exciting at night, especially with a few drinks and good company.

Hit the arcade.

Yes, they still exist! Once a staple of teenage life, arcades are a fun way to kick back, get nostalgic, and enjoy some simple fun.

Go cruising.

When I lived in Miami, we could spend an entire Friday night just driving down South Beach without ever getting out of our car.

Are you excited yet? A lack of money doesn’t have to mean a lack of fun! The list above is only a start—as you can see, there are tons of free or low-cost things you can do tonight instead of sulking about not having money at home. (Well Heeled Blog: or, for something fun and productive, how about enlisting your significant other in some spring decor to make your home cleaner and more stylish?)

What’s your favorite? What options have you tried that aren’t on the list?

Categories: Budget, Entertainment, Life, Spending - Tags: ,

Starbucks Rewards Card: A Good Deal for the Frequent Drinker

Written by on March 11, 2011 · 44 Comments

Starbucks, you win.

My coffee shop fix has been a little over the top lately. I go to Starbucks about 3-4 times a week, in addition to sprinkles of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Nordstrom Cafe visits.

starbucks rewards Starbucks Rewards Card: A Good Deal for the Frequent DrinkerCB and I like to go to coffee shops during evenings and on weekends – he studies for his GRE, I work on my freelance work. All those $5 here and there adds up, and we show no sign of quitting the java. So night I finally caved in and signed up for the Starbucks Card rewards program.

With Starbucks Rewards, you will earn 1 Star every time you pay with your card. Once you get up to 5 Stars, you get a small offering of free services, such as free flavored syrups, free soymilk, free refills on iced tea, etc. I am probably most excited about the free soymilk, as I love my chai soy lattes. For every 15 Stars, you will get a free drink. You also get a free drink on your birthday. Plus, you can you can always exchange gift cards in case you want to get another one.

Since the Stars are based on per transaction, I wonder if I can break up all my purchases into separate transactions. icon wink Starbucks Rewards Card: A Good Deal for the Frequent Drinker In any case, I have sort of admitted defeat to the lure of Starbucks.

Anyone has a Starbucks Card and is earning the rewards?

photo courtesy of Starbucks.com

Edit: The winner of the Cholula 4-pack giveaway is Julia C! Congrats Julia. Winner is Hedy. Thanks everyone for entering!

Categories: Entertainment, Food

What One Night Costs at a Comedy Club

Written by on February 21, 2011 · 6 Comments
comedyclub What One Night Costs at a Comedy Club

dcmatt via flickr

A few weekends ago CB and I went to see a show headlined by Edwin San Juan. It was my first time in a live comedy club, and it was a good time. But I also realized that it can be a really EXPENSIVE time.

Cover charge: $20 / person.

CB and I got free admissions because the show didn’t sell out and the promoter wanted to pack more bodies into the room.

Here’s the real kicker, this club, as with most clubs, have a 2-drink / item minimum, per person. Each drink / snack on their menu cost between $5 to $16. It would be very easy to rack up a bill for $50 total.

Drinks & Food: $20-$30 / person

We decided got three appetizers ($6-$10 each) and a beer (Sam Adams, $6), and our total came out to $42 with tip.

If we had paid the door fee of $20 a person, though, the night would have cost us $80 all together. I am glad that we went, but I am not sure I can afford to go the next time!

Do you go to comedy clubs? How much does a night cost you?

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Categories: Entertainment

The Game Theory of The Bachelor Pad

Written by on September 14, 2010 · 7 Comments

Game theory is all around us, especially in reality television. The field of game theory “attempts to mathematically capture behavior in strategic situations, or games, in which an individual’s success in making choices depends on the choices of others.” Don’t believe me? Just watch the ending of The Bachelor Pad.

thebachelorpadabc 300x225 The Game Theory of The Bachelor PadI caught the finale of The Bachelor Pad (billed as the “The sexiest participants from the hugely successful “Bachelor” franchise reunite under one roof in a competitive reality series to compete for $250,000″) at a friend’s place. First of all, I am a little glad that there were no pretense of “finding the one for me” a la The Bachelor.

Secondly, since I’ve never seen an episode before this, I got to miss all the drama and instead focus on the neat little game theory twist the producers introduced at the end:  The winners, Dave and Natalie, are awarded $250,000 to share. But wait, how much they ultimately get depends on their choice and the choice of the other winner.

Imagine if you are Dave or Natalie, you have two choices – to “keep” or to “share”.  Without discussing the issue with your co-winner, you must decide whether to:

“Keep” the money for yourself or “Share” the money with the Other Winner.

What to do?

You: Keep the money

You: Share the money

Other Winner: Keep the money

You get $0. Other Winner gets $0. (the money goes to the losing contestants)

You get $0. Other Winner gets $250,000.

Other Winner: Share the money

You get $250,000. Other Winner gets $0

You get $125,000. Other Winner gets $125,000.

As the matrix shows, if you select Keep, you have a 50% chance of getting nothing and a 50% chance of getting $250,000. If you select Share, you have a 50% of getting nothing and a 50% of getting $125,000.

Now, the mathematically smart thing to do here (if you have no knowledge of the other person’s character) is to always select “Keep,” because you are maximizing your chance to get the most money.  But if both people though the same way, then neither of them will get any money.  So it boils down to the assumption: do you think the other winner will Share or Keep? If there is no trust between the two person, then you have nothing to lose by selecting “Keep.”

Still, there seems to be something unsavory about selecting the “Keep” – and besides, if both winners selected Keep, then the audience can say good riddance because then they both would have ended up with $0. But the losing contestants would have been very happy!

Dave and Natalie decided to share in the money. But can you imagine the fury that would erupt if one person selected Keep while the other one selected Share? Game theory – love it!

If you were Dave or Natalie on The Bachelor Pad, what would you choose: Keep or Share?

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Guilty Financial Pleasure: keep your hobby on a budget and make money from it

Written by on June 22, 2010 · 5 Comments

This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide. Follow them on Twitter at @GoBankingRates.

Living for the moment is a rule that some people love to live by. However, since the onset of the recession, many people became serial penny pinchers, determined to hold money in their bank accounts until the banks crumble with their money inside (well at least it’s insured, right?).

Despite the choice many have made to tighten their financial reins, some people are still working overtime for their guilty financial pleasures, refusing to let high expenses stop them from nurturing their favorite hobby or interest. But is this an acceptable thing to do? How can we know whether we should always penny pinch or whether it’s okay to go ahead and dive headfirst into our guilty pleasures?

Determine Whether Your Guilty Pleasure is Worth the Money

Obviously there are tons of benefits to saving money, just as many as there are downfalls to spending too much on something that doesn’t necessarily benefit you. So if you’re spending an arm and a leg on your guilty pleasure, it’s good to at some point ask yourself if it’s actually worth the money you’re paying.

For instance, if you love to purchase stamp collections because you love the way they look, you may have to ask yourself if spending $1,000 here and $5,000 there is worth it, especially if you are left trying to figure out how to pay your mortgage.

The same goes for the love you may have for fixing up cars or purchasing the latest cell phone every time one is released. Just because you see it and want it doesn’t necessarily mean you should spend your hard-earned money on it. So before you throw money away, it’s good to make sure what you buy is actually worth the money.

Turn Your Guilty Pleasure into Profit

What’s one way to determine whether your guilty pleasure is worth it? It helps to see if your hobby can offer you a profit. For instance, we all know that stamp collections can be very valuable. But if you are spending hundreds of dollars on stamps that aren’t worth much then your pleasure is not worth the money.

To make your hobby financially worth it, you could conduct plenty of research on the stamps you choose to gain knowledge of what’s valuable. That way, you would know that your stamps are actually making you a profit.

Same goes for fixing up your cars or even purchasing the latest cell phones. You could fix up your cars then enter them into car shows with cash rewards. And as you buy cell phones, you could blog about all of their elaborate upgrades and rake in money through advertisements for offering your expertise.

After you’ve collected your money, you could open one or more high interest savings accounts or looking into some investment strategies that could help you grow your money even further.

Create a Budget that Loves Your Guilty Pleasure

If you are engaging in a guilty pleasure that you can’t seem to turn into a profit. then it’s good to consider making sure that your budget accommodates your hobby. Many people find that they have drained their checking account because they spend haphazardly on what they love.

However, if you place your hobby into your budget, you could find ways to make spending work without breaking the bank. Adding your guilty pleasure to your budget could help you:

  • Organize: By taking a closer look at your budget, you have the opportunity to look at how much you’re bringing in and need to spend on bills. This could help you determine just how much leeway you have to spend on your hobby.
  • Make adjustments: Working on a budget helps us take a closer look at items we spend money on unnecessarily. For instance, you may have five subscriptions to magazines that you don’t read. By cutting those loose, you might be able to create space for your guilty pleasure.
  • Become financially responsible: The key to good money management is learning to restrict your wild spending. By adding your hobby to your budget and allowing yourself only a certain amount to spend on it each month, you learn the value of money and what it means to be financially responsible.

There’s nothing wrong with having a guilty pleasure. For many of us, it makes us feel that we’re actually living our lives to the fullest. However, if your pleasure is causing you financial pain, it’s good to take a look at how it could be budgeted into your finances — or even turned into a profit — so that you don’t go broke having fun.

Categories: Entertainment, Spending - Tags: , ,

The Ugly Truth: Men, Guys, and Money

Written by on April 10, 2010 · 9 Comments

Who better to share with us the truth about men, guys and money than a man (or, er, guy) himself? This is a guest post by Eric, who maintains a personal finance blog, Narrow Bridge Adventures (RSS feed). He is a recent MBA and financial analyst.

Ugly truth The Ugly Truth: Men, Guys, and Money

Because this blog is read primarily by women, I thought it would be fun to give you all a fresh, manly point of view on how many of us guys look at money. There are already dozens of great blog posts out there on the difference between men and guys.  While they all come from a different perspective and offer a unique opinion, nothing is more descriptive about the difference between men, women, and guys than this quote:

“A woman will see a river and marvel at its beauty.  A man will see a river and try to build a dam in it.  A guy will see a dam in a river and climb on top will all of his friends to see who can pee off the farthest.”

I would define a man as someone generally at least in forties, financially stable, is housebroken (puts the toilet seat down), has kids, and is generally reaching that boring point in life that leads into retirement and being old.  Men are probably good companions and never forget birthdays or Valentine’s Day.  They are an important part of the world, but this post is not really about men, it is about guys.

There are two types of guys. There is the messy with no real goals in life other than making it to level fourteen in whatever video game came out last month guy and there is the career/driven black leather furniture and sleek Armani suit guy.  Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes.

If you are dating the sloppy type, do not expect much as far as motivation to do a lot.  This is likely not going to change for many, many years.  In my part of the world, Colorado, many of these guys end up bumming in the mountains doing the minimum work possible to get by skiing as much as possible.  They will likely suck you dry for money if you end up with one.  The best example I can think of for this is the group of guys including Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill in the movie “Knocked Up.”

The other extreme is a vain guy concerned solely with image and money.  They are going to work extremely hard, try to make a lot of money, and try to show it off.  If you want to be the “independent woman,” this guy might not be a great fit.  He is going to insist on paying for everything and frugal is not in his vocabulary.  An example is Charlie Sheen’s character in the movie Wall Street.

The Ugly Truth: Men, Guys, and Money

You probably want someone somewhere in the middle.  I would say that I am about 20% the sloppy guy, 80% the motivated guy.  I work hard to do well, and I will spend on things that make me (and my girlfriend) happy.  However, I enjoy a good couch day where my focus is Netflix and Guitar Hero.

So, as we wander in the long journey of love, think about what kind of guy you want and where he fits on the scale. Double down on the right man (or, guy?).

image source: (1) wikipedia.org, (2) moviehole.net

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Disney World Picture With Stitch

Written by on February 17, 2010 · 16 Comments

Our Disney World adventure concluded in December. Two months later, we finally printed out 200 – a fraction – of our pictures. Here’s one of my favorites.

disneystitch 1024x682 Disney World Picture With Stitch

A Disney World vacation isn’t complete until you get pictures with some of its characters. I don’t normally like to wait for pictures, but since we were in Disney World, of course we’re going to take as many character pictures as we can.

We never got a picture with Lilo, but it’s okay. We all know that Stitch stole the show in the movie! For this picture, we didn’t even have to stand in line and wait – most of the other character photo shoots at Disney World required at least 20 minutes of standing in line.

We did wait to take pictures with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Buzz Lightyear. At a dinner, we took pictures with the Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. We did see Lilo at a photo shoot, but decided we didn’t want to wait. I would’ve loved to get pictures with Woody, but he was no where to be found! Maybe Stitch scared him away? icon wink Disney World Picture With Stitch

P.S. I had wanted to get Mickey Mouse Ears for us, but they were really expensive (over $20 a pair). Luckily, as we were waiting for the bus to take us from All-Stars Sports Resort to Epcot, a nice Disney Cast Member gave us the pair of reindeer antler ears you see in the picture.

She assured us that many people will be wearing the same antlers because Disney was giving them out for Christmas Day. “You’ll be a herd of Santa’s Reindeers,” she said. Curiously enough, we never saw another person with those antlers. Could it be that that Cast Member was really an… antler fairy!? I think so!

Categories: Entertainment, Travel - Tags:

Movie Theaters, Ethics, and Snacks: Should You Bring Food To Movies?

Written by on February 13, 2010 · 43 Comments

The question is inspired by comments to my guest post at Free From Broke: 4 Ways to Enjoy The Movie Experience, in which I talk about the methods I use to keep my movie expenses down so that I can continue to enjoy movies on a budget.

Going to movie theaters is expensive. Ticket prices have gone up to the double digits. I have several ways to minimize movie expenses – one of the ways is to avoid concession stands, whose prices are usually marked up several hundred-fold. I frequently don’t eat anything during movies, but sometimes I’ll bring bottled waters and food (snacks such as oranges, pears, dried fruit) in the theaters for extra long movies.

But one commenter on the 4 Ways to Enjoy The Movie Experience got me thinking on the ethics of bringing food into theaters. Is it unethical to bring in my own snacks when the movie theaters usually say “no outside food or drinks”? I have no problem bringing in water – in fact, any place that won’t let me bring my own water (unless the prohibition is for safety purposes), is not a business I want to support.

Bringing food into movie theaters, however, is a stickier proposition. When I bring my own snacks into movie theaters, it’s for both health and budget reasons (did you know that one bucket of medium popcorn has anywhere from 600 to 1,200 calories?!), and I don’t bring any food that movie theaters sell. So while I might sneak in a small bag of orange slices, I won’t be bringing in my own popcorn, Coca-cola, or salted pretzels.

But maybe I’m just rationalizing my behavior. What do you think?

Do you bring food inside movie theaters? Is it ethical? Do you think it’s wrong but still do it?

image source: calorielab.com

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Lessons From Real Estate Intervention’s Tough Love for Homeowners

Written by on February 1, 2010 · 14 Comments

real estate intervention 300x116 Lessons From Real Estate Interventions Tough Love for Homeowners

Ever since I discovered that I can watch HGTV shows for free on hulu.com, I’ve been a big fan of Real Estate Intervention. On this show, real estate agent Mike Aubrey has the unenviable job of telling homeowners that their house is not worth what they thought it was worth.

But a tough market calls for tough love. Real Estate Intervention gives prospective buyers very good information on what to do and what not to do when it comes to buying, renovating, and selling a home. Here are some lessons I’ll be taking from Mike‘s advice on the show when I purchase my first home (not for a while!):

  • Beware of unconventional financing structures. So many homeowners have taken out 100% financing, so that when the real estate downturn occurred they have no equity to ride out the storm. One lady took out a negative amortization loan in which her monthly payments don’t cover her interest, so that every month a little bit of principal is added to the loan. Instead of paying down the loan, or only paying interest, she is actually INCREASING her loan amount as time goes on. *blinks*
  • The market doesn’t care how much you paid for the house or how much you need to sell it for to break even. Buyers can’t price their homes based on what they need; worth is a measure of what the market will bear. Sellers aren’t stupid – they won’t buy a home for $300K if the place next door is selling for $240K and the size and features are comparable.
  • What a majority of buyers want are very formulaic: neutral walls, hardwood floors, updated kitchens with stainless steel appliances, double vanities in master baths, adequate closet space. If you are renovating and you want to make back part of your renovation dollars when you sell the house, invest in kitchens and bathrooms, and remember not to personalize too much! Bright blue tile walls in the shower might be an attractive look to you, but most buyers want neutral colors.
  • Appropriate pricing is important. In a declining real estate market, sellers need to set the market by listing the house at the correct price from the get-go, not chase the market by setting the price too high, then let the home languish on the market for months, then do periodic price cuts.

I’d suggest current and future home buyers to watch Real Estate Intervention for a good dose of perspective. Most of the homes they profile are concentrated in the D.C., Virginia, Maryland area. I’d love it if the show broadened it’s geographic reach and came to California!

Categories: Entertainment, Real estate - Tags: ,

Disney World Recap

Written by on January 5, 2010 · 15 Comments

disneyworld Disney World Recap

I realized that I haven’t really talked about my Disney World adventure (aside from the Dining Plan review) on this blog yet… and well, that oversight must be rectified! If you have any specific questions about Disney World, please ask away and I’ll do my best to answer.

We Got To Disney World…

CB and I went to Disney World for 5 days between Christmas and New Year’s. It, was, in a word, FUN.

We took a red-eye from the California to Florida on Christmas Eve, and we were both so excited that we couldn’t sleep on the plane. We landed in Orlando at the crack of dawn on Christmas. Then we took the Magical Express (Disney’s bus line between airport and the Resort hotels) to our hotel. We were the only ones on the bus, which made it extra cool.

Our hotel was All-Stars Sports, a Value Resort (read: the cheapest). It was comfortable and roomy with two double beds, a big TV, and a small sitting area. The bathroom was a bit small, and thought the room itself was plenty big for the two of us, it would be tight for a family of 4. The bad thing about Value Resorts is that they are situated farther from the parks, but the bus rides are really convenient (they come around every 20 minutes), and it was a relief not having to worry about car rentals or directions or parking.

And Visited ALL the Parks…

We spent two days at Epcot (really a day and a half because we just had to take a nap after a night of not sleeping on the plane), and a day each at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

Magic Kingdom was absolutely magical. The Magic Kingdom is very similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, but it just seemed… even more magical. Cinderella’s Castle was bigger, and at night, the entire castle was aglow in lights. Then at night, it started “snowing” – small bubbles that floated down from the sky and made you feel as if you were in a winter (but still not too cold) wonderland. We saw so many shows and fireworks at all the parks, including Hollywood Studios, where we caught an extreme stunt show and saw the big fireworks show Fantasmic.

Animal Kingdom is what your zoo would be like if it had billions of dollars, hundreds of acres of land, and the Disney marketing machine at it’s disposal. It’s the park that is most unlike any of Disney’s other parks. It’s also the largest park in terms of sheer size. CB and I did pretty much everything in the park in one day, but a family with young children who really wants to see all the attractions might be better off spending 2 days here.

I loved the Kilamanjaro Safari ride – we saw real animals (rhinos, giraffes, ostriches) lounging about. The experience made me want to go on a real African safari (like Madame X did). Better start saving! We had buffet dinner at Tusker House – it was okay. Probably the least memorable meal of the trip, although the food was good enough. We also went on the Dinosaur ride – we were sent off to retrieve a dinosaur and of course run into all sorts of adventures on the ride. A nice lady just gave us her FastPasses because she couldn’t use them, and so we zipped through the lines in less than 10 minutes.

How to explain Epcot - it’s a huge park, made up of two areas FutureWorld and WorldShowcase. It was CB’s favorite park. The FutureWorld portion is devoted to space travel / technology themed rides. We went on the Test Track ride and Mission Space ride (where CB swears it’s at least 4 G’s). It’s so fun to just walk around and see the small buildings of each nation in WorldShowcase. The Mexico spot was house inside a giant pyramid, and we took a boat ride that featured Donald Duck as a singing caballero.

You can buy wine at Italy and France, beer in Germany, and sake in Japan. We saw many adults holding plastic wine glasses… the funny (though not unexpected) thing is, they were mostly the harried parents of young children. Disney offers something for everyone! Epcot also has the best restaurants of any of the parks. There are several excellent sit-down places, especially at the France, Italy, and Japan spots.

At night, over the large lake in the middle of the park, is a fireworks show called IllumiNations. On Christmas Day, we watched the fireworks from our table at a French bistro in “France.” Then CB whipped out a pair of beautiful brio earrings. It was a Christmas present – he had went back to the store by himself after we looked at it in the store because he saw how much I loved the earrings. There, you see, Disney World can be tres romantic!

For our last proper sit-down meal at Epcot, we went to Teppan-Edo. It was most entertaining meal I’ve had at Disney World. Our chef was a petite Japanese girl – she was hilarious. I ordered sirloin steak and shrimp – both were grilled to perfection. Then CB ordered a ginger chocolate carrot cake and I ordered green tea pudding. Both were good, but the green tea pudding was exceptionally rich and creamy. It was so so delicious that CB kept stealing bites.

Where We Ran Around Like Kids…

Disney World has a lot of romantic and picturesque spots, but aside from the romance, it’s just fun to act like kids for a while. We even took pictures with many Disney characters – Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger.

Plus, if you are only in a party of 2, you can zip through everything quickly. It’s easier to get everyone up and ready and be the first ones in the park in the morning (when you can get through 2 rides in less than an hour), and for many attractions you’ll be sitting in front because a party of 2 is the easiest number to slot in different rides. We sat in the front on 5 or 6 rides and have skipped over 10+ people on a few rides because they all had larger parties and there were 2 seats open.

And For That We Paid A High, But Not Unreasonable, Price…

Aside from our package costs, we really didn’t buy anything else while at the park. We purchased 2 rain ponchos for $16 total our first day there because it was raining (it was an oversight on our part, we could’ve gotten the ponchos for much cheaper at home). Then in Italy, CB bought us two small chocolates for $2. We spent ~$70-$80 on tips (you have to tip, even at buffets).

We probably spent another $20-$25 on magazines, snacks, drinks for the trip and at the airport. So Disney World is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be unaffordable, especially if you consider that we went during THE most expensive time of the year (between Christmas & New Year’s) and our cost included $1,200+ in airfare for the two of us.

But It Was So Worth It…

If you go during less busy seasons, or if you live closer to Orlando, you can easily knock off $400-$800 per person. But I have to say that nobody does Christmas like Disney World does. The lights were amazing. The whole place was just infused with this sense of – cliche to say – holiday magic. Plus, Orlando in December is nice and cool, and there is no threat of hurricanes!

We took thousands (yes, literally!) of pictures during our 5 days there. Now we’re in the process of culling the pictures down to a more manageable 200 or so that we can put together in a photo album. icon smile Disney World Recap One more thing – if you can avoid checking any luggage, do so! It was great breezing through check-in with only our carry-ons when there was a huge line for all the passengers checking luggage. For the 5 days, I basically lived in 3 pairs of pants and 2 jackets / sweatshirt.

Bottom-line, I had an absolutely wonderful time at Disney World.

We are already talking about going back! (In ten years, when hopefully we can afford to stay at a Deluxe hotel. icon wink Disney World Recap CB likes the Contemporary Resort while I would love to check out the Wilderness Lodge).

A lot of people think of Disney World as primarily a family vacationing spot. It’s true, Disney really goes out of its ways to make things easier for parents and more memorable for young children, but Disney World is also a really good place for couples. It’s the perfect place for our first big vacation together. Once you’ve paid for the trip – especially if you buy the Dining Plan, you don’t have to worry about anything. You’ll eat pretty well and with A LOT of food. Everything is taken care off – transportation, meals, all the entertainment within the parks. Disney Resort is a well-oiled machine!

image source: babble.com

Categories: Entertainment, Travel - Tags: , ,

Bubble Calendar Is Best Calendar Ever

Written by on December 14, 2009 · 8 Comments

Bubble calendar is awesome. Now, do you have a compulsive bubble popper in your life?

Speaking as one (once I have my hands on a sheet of bubble wrap, I cannot stop popping the bubbles until every. single. one. has been popped – they are just that irresistible), this bubble calendar from Urban Outfitters might just be the best calendar ever.

It might also be a way for me to practice self-control. Because I can only pop one bubble a day, you know.

bubble calendar detail Bubble Calendar Is Best Calendar Ever

image credit: Urban Outfitters

At $24, the price is a bit steep for a calendar. Though it’s not just any ol’ calendar. It’s a bubble calendar! Still, I know the prudent thing to do is to wait until after the New Year’s and see if prices drop. If I buy the calendar, I can pop 3-5 bubbles at once to catch up!

Bubble wraps are fun, but this bubble calendar might be even better, because I’ll feel a satisfying pop! with the passing of each day. Quite a productive bubble popping, wouldn’t you say?

Categories: Entertainment, Gifts - Tags:

The Ordeal of My Disney World Vacation Planning

Written by on November 3, 2009 · 8 Comments

fairy godmother disney The Ordeal of My Disney World Vacation Planning

Wait. You mean this isn’t a Disney movie?

Okay then, well, let me tell you how planning really went down.

Planning Take 1

The first steps were really smooth. I searched for our plane tickets through kayak.com and bought a pair of United tickets. CB and I did our own research, pricing different options, including staying off-Disney Resort at a Downtown Disney hotel.

Then I got an online quote from Small World Vacations, a specialized Disney-certified travel agency that were recommended by MouseSavers.com.  The SWV quote came out to be a few hundred dollars lower than anything comparable we could’ve cobbled together. So I booked my trip through the agency. Best of all, the service is free.

I have never worked with a travel agent before – but I am SO GLAD I did this time (you’ll see exactly why in a few moments). There are so many different types of vacation packages, dining plans, ticket options that I wanted to have a professional in my corner. My agent was friendly and knowledgeable. She didn’t try to upsell us. There was no pressure, just a lot of helpful information. I liked that.

Planning Take 2

Then, today, after our tickets and packages were booked, CB called me to let me know that he got his vacation dates mixed up by a week. *blink* So that’s when I went into the Rescheduling Mode. United charges $150 a person to change / cancel a flight (not to mention their automated voice recognition system annoyed the heck out of me). I managed to rebook us on a flight that is cheaper than our original flight, but with the change fee the flights came out to be around $70 more than our original cost.

Then, the package cost more too, because of the difference in dates. So, the grand total of our vacation will come out to be $3,400. CB very nicely offered to pay for the change fees, so I think my part will be slightly less at $1,600. The trip is still doable, and I’m still excited. This was just a snafu that fortunately got resolved with some (but not insurmountable) mental stress and financial pain.

Why I Am Glad I Worked With Small World Vacations

My agent at Small World Vacations was great. She immediately called Disney and rescheduled our package and managed to get the $50 Disney change fee waived. Having a professional Disney planner working with me helped me stay calm. I don’t want to imagine trying to navigate the Disney system on my own. Now that all this planning is done, I am going to start daydreaming about the lovely sit-down dinners we’re going to have.

Moral of the Story

Make sure of your vacation dates before you book. And I highly recommend Small World Vacations. At least one good thing came of this change in schedule – we’ll be spending Christmas Day at Disney World!

Categories: Entertainment, Travel - Tags: , ,

Disney World in December will be a Christmas to Remember

Written by on November 3, 2009 · 17 Comments

Did you know that Disneyland in Anaheim, California is known as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth” while the Magic Kingdom park at Disney World in Orlando, Florida is known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth”?

couples in love at disney world copy Disney World in December will be a Christmas to Remember

Money Can Buy Me Magic

This Christmas, CB and I will be heading to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for the magic that only the corporate juggernaut Walt Disney Company can manufacture. And yes, I am checking one off my You Only Live Once travel list.

Let’s Talk Money

The costs will run $2,800-$3,000 for the both of us. We got a 5-day ticket,  5-night hotel stay package at an Value resort including a dining plan for ~$1,400. Plane tickets were ~$1,200 (we splurged for an red-eye with no layovers). Add in travel insurance, allowances for tip, transportation between from home to airport, and miscellaneous costs, I estimate the total cost should come in under $1,500 per person. For planning, I’ve found that mousesavers.com is extremely helpful – it’s a great resource if you’re a Disney fan like me!

Obviously, this is a big, big travel expense. I don’t know if this is the wisest financial decision – I mean, I don’t see how I can argue that it is. I am still job-hunting and thus still income-less (aside from some freelancing). Before I was laid off, I’ve earmarked money for a “big” vacation for 2009. And then I got spooked by the economy and had to study for the GMAT and decided not to do it. (and I really can’t imagine how much Suze Orman would rip me a new one for going to Disney World while unemployed).

***Okay, true story: I was actually a little apprehensive about writing on my decision to go on an expensive trip right now because of what happened with Krystal and the car. But after balancing many considerations (personal, financial, timing, etc.), I’ve decided that Disney World is an okay decision for me. If you disagree, please don’t be too harsh!

Disney World certainly isn’t the lowest-cost destination we could’ve picked (think Vegas, Mexico, Grand Canyon). So we are doing things as cheaply as we could given certain parameters: (1) we’ll be going during the expensive Christmas season, (2) we want to stay at a Disney Resort hotel to take advantage of extra park hours and ease of transportation (we won’t have a rental car), (3) we are getting a dining plan.

The Bottom Line

Despite the big financial commitment, I am so, so, incredibly excited about this trip. This will be our first big vacation together, and probably will be our last vacation until CB comes to visit me in China in 2010 (more details will be forthcoming on that front as plans are firmed up – but in short, there’s a very very high chance I’ll be working abroad in a few months). I don’t know anyone else my age who’d be as excited about Disney World as CB is – I am so happy we’re going together.

When I get back, I’ll be sure to do a detailed write-up of Disneyland costs.

Categories: Entertainment, Travel - Tags: ,

Happy Halloween Costumes

Written by on October 22, 2009 · 11 Comments

Halloween’s almost here! Given that the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, I am even more excited about dressing up. I don’t like to buy pre-made outfits, though, so I’ve decided I’m going to try my hand at one of three costumes (see the details on this BlogHer post). This year, I’m deciding between a Black Widow, a Cowgirl, or a Ballerina (specifically Odile – the black swan – from Swan Lake).

In my Halloween’s past, I’ve been a witch (all through out middle school and high school), a baby (middle school), a very covered-up belly dancer (elementary), a political bride protesting domestic violence (I dressed up in a white gown and had a sign that says Love Shouldn’t Hurt – college), a princess (college), and a leprechaun (last year).

I’ll be assembling my own outfits because commercial offerings can be quite expensive ($40+), and because I am just not adventurous enough to wear some of those outfits! I might send some pictures of my costume to my grandma, and, well, I don’t want to make her blush!

Who / What will you be this Halloween?

Categories: Entertainment

Let’s Talk About Weddings

Written by on October 10, 2009 · 7 Comments

Jim and Pam’s wedding, of course!

jim and pam wedding Lets Talk About Weddings

I thought Thursdy’s episode was pretty close to perfect. And the way that Jim and Pam looks at each other? Just, wow. I don’t think two people has portrayed a modern, healthy relationship that’s full of quirks and love and support so well. I know these are fictional characters, and yet I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited about a wedding as I was for the marriage ceremony of Ms. Beesley to Mr. Halpert.

Jim’s speech to Pam at the rehearsal dinner was also just perfect (except for that little slip to grandma, oops!):

Four years ago, I was just a guy, who had a crush on a girl, who had a boyfriend and I had to do the hardest thing that I ever had to do, which was just to wait. For a really long time, that’s all I had; just little moments with a girl, who saw me as a friend and a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl who I worked with. But I think, even then, I knew I was waiting for my wife.

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County Fairs: Spend Money To Spend More Money

Written by on September 7, 2009 · 2 Comments

Boyfriend and I made the long drive to a county fair yesterday and it was great fun. Even though we got discounted admission tickets, bought our own water, and did no shopping, we still spent almost $80 between the two of us (we ate so much).

Admissions / parking: $17 (discounted tickets)
Food / drinks: $45
Rides: $17

Fairs are so expensive – it’s strange because basically, you’re paying money to get into a place where you’ll need to pay more money to enjoy the attractions. I guess I just got used to the amusement park model where one price gets you access to all the rides.

At the fair, I rode a mechanical bull for the first time. It always looked so fun when people did it on TV. I knew it would be difficult, but it was a lot harder than I anticipated… my balance was okay, but I would need much stronger leg and core muscles to stay on longer. After several seconds (during which the attendant went pretty easy on me), she turned on the controls. I got thrown off, of course. icon wink County Fairs: Spend Money To Spend More Money

Categories: Entertainment, Spending - Tags: ,

Entertaining At Home > Restaurants (Sometimes)

Written by on August 23, 2009 · 8 Comments

Lately, I’ve been trying to cook more. As a rite of passage into “adulthood”, I’ve began inviting friends over and hosting dinner parties.

In the past 3 months, I’ve had a housewarming party, a brunch gathering (featuring eggs benedict with homemade hollandaise sauce and cinnamon swirl french toast), two dinners with a girlfriend, and a dinner party, all held at my much-beloved apartment, which includes a common area with a patio set surrounded by 3 tiny fish ponds, small planted trees, tomatos ripening on a vine, and a miniscule fresh herb “garden”.

Of course, it’s much cheaper to have friends over at home than to go out to a restaurant. But I’ve realized that the joy of entertaining at home isn’t really about the savings, per se. The best part about having dinner parties instead of heading out to restaraunts is this: there’s no waiting for a table, no feeling pressure to finish dinner quickly, and no need to figure out how to split the bill. 

Of course, there are special dining occasions, but many of the restaurants I’ve been to had uninspired choices. I went to those restaurants more for meeting with friends, not for the food. But hey, I can make mediocre food at home! My last dinner party lasted almost 4 hours – even when the food was all gone most people stuck around and talked. This would’ve never happened at a restaurant. Dining at home is a much more relaxed experience.

I make it even more relaxed by:
(1) having some premade treats on hand (Trade Joe’s sweet potato fries are a huge hit) and
(2) using paper plates, plastic forks, and disposable cups for larger gatherings (my set of dishes only has 4 place settings).
(3) inviting friends to bring wine or desserts if they’d like.

So my dinner parties are not exactly impeccable masterpieces a la Julia Child, but the food is all eaten up, the wine is free-flowing and the laughter’s contagious. And at the end of the night, isn’t that what makes dinner with friends an awesome experience?

The bad part about entertaining at home (sans dishwasher), though, is all the dirty pots, pans, and plates!

Categories: Entertainment, Food - Tags: ,

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