It seemed like a good idea.
After receiving a couple of unexpected bills, I decided to live frugally for a month. Nothing crazy, just cut a chunk out of normal, but unnecessary, expenses.
Luckily, there are a lot of great deals in Tucson — if you know where to look. And the savings only get better as the temperatures start to rise.
My typical entertainment and dining budget averages $1,000 a month. That includes movies, meals out, groceries, night life, other entertainment and spa services.
I was hoping to save about $300, give or take, without being miserable or bored.
And I did it. My activities weren't as devil-may-care as in a typical month, but living frugally also wasn't nearly as difficult as I envisioned.
From Day One the plan proceeded brilliantly and, as you can see in the tips box, I tried to play every angle. Lunch on that first day cost a mere $3.23 at Schlotzsky's for a water and a bowl of chicken and wild rice soup that came with a refill. Dinner that night was Taco Tuesday at Olive R Twist, where a giant Diet Coke ($2), nachos ($1) and beef taco (50 cents) set me back $3.50 (plus tip).
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There were some lapses, of course, like the $35 two-hour, six-course wine dinner and class at Bistro Zin one Saturday afternoon. But, hey, those were hours of food, wine, education and entertainment all in one. Not a bad deal. And it turned out to be Bistro Zin's last class before the restaurant closed.
When all was said and done, I saved more than $500 — enough to buy a new pillow-top mattress (no box springs needed).
Besides being great for your wallet and psyche, saving that much cash with so little effort makes me ready to do it again.
10 tips on saving cash
Cut out the Starbucks and sodas. That alone can save at least $5 a day, plus water is über-healthy. It might be boring, but add some lemon and suck it up. My total savings for the month: About $180.
Harvest them from the newspaper, online, in the mail or from fliers posted on your door. Then use them. I used coupons for Yokohama Asian Express, Ziggi's Restaurant, coupons from my friend's Entertainment Book and Quizno's Subs, among others.
Many restaurants offer amazing happy-hour deals. Be sure to bypass that beer, however, and order water.
At the very least, go to a matinee or wait until it hits the $3.25 theater. We caught the movie "300" a couple of weeks ago at Crossroads theater, 4811 E. Grant Road. Go on Tuesdays, when it's $2 to get in, or Wednesdays, when some concessions cost $1. Other specials include half-price popcorn on Mondays and half-price drinks on Thursdays. Cheaper yet, rent a flick.
The produce is fresh and often costs less than grocery stores. Plus, sometimes you can munch on free samples. We like the market in St. Philip's Plaza that operates every Sunday until about noon.
As someone who eats out every lunch and dinner, this took some adjusting. Surf the Internet for thousands of free recipes, check for sales at grocery stores, use coupons, don't be brand loyal, and have fun. I cooked a total of 12 nights and enjoyed leftovers at home for six nights. Total savings: At least $200.
Whether it's with your dog, a significant other, a group or by yourself, walking is as energetic as you make it and saves gasoline if you walk to do errands.
If you have extended cable, unlimited text messaging or even a land line, cut back. Go to basic cable (who can watch even 60 channels at once anyway?), slash your text messages to 300 or even 100 (again, who needs to text people more than 300 times a month?) and — for goodness' sake! — enter the 21st century and get rid of your land line. I ditched my land line years ago and don't have extended cable, so I only saved $5 doing this.
I normally get weekly manicures ($12, plus tip), weekly 20-minute massages ($22, plus tip) and monthly pedicures ($25, plus tip).
I cut down to one manicure-pedicure combo for the month ($32, plus tip) and one 40-minute massage ($40, plus tip). My total savings for the month (including tips): $106.
Also, my usual $35 haircut (plus tip) was slashed to $9.99 (plus tip) with the grand opening of Pro Cuts salon near my house. My total savings: $26.01 (including tip).
It's fairly easy to score free Laffs Comedy Caffé tickets. For example, you can "win" tickets by e-mailing laffsintucson@aol.com. There's a two-item minimum once you're inside, but make that your dinner and a soda, instead of six beers.
While bands are always fun to listen to, many have a cover charge. Seek out places that don't charge a cover — there are lots.
Although Texas Hold'em poker games aren't as popular as they once were, a bunch of bars around town still host free poker nights (see accompanying box).
If you need a beer fix, check out Thirsty Thursday on — you guessed it — Thursdays at Tucson Electric Park. A $6 ticket (discounts available) gets you in to watch the 2006 Triple-A Champion Sidewinders play baseball while drinking $1 beers, sodas and lemonade. Obviously, the offer only works if the team's playing in Tucson on a Thursday, which takes place about twice a month.
The Sidewinders play at 7 tonight against Sacramento. The next Thirsty Thursday will take place June 21.
If you'd like to unleash your inner artist or experience schadenfreude — amusement at others' expense — karaoke's free and entertaining in its own right.
Don't forget to always generously tip your bartenders and servers. Just because you're living cheaply doesn't mean others should suffer.
Plus, if you tip well, they couldn't care less if you're drinking soda instead of beer.
Sites that save you money
Designed for: People who shop online — and people who like to get free stuff they might or, ahem, might not need.
How it works: This blog is updated daily with coupon codes and links to valuable deals, discounts and rebates. Additionally, a "freebies" section lists things you can get for free each day — whether it's a free toothpaste sample or a free Starbucks gift card.
What you might find: A 20 percent discount code for Banana Republic; printable Best Buy coupons.
What we like best: Buying a Dell computer? Cheap Stingy won't just give you all the latest coupon codes. It'll tell you, step-by-step, how to add enough fancy upgrades to qualify for the next deeper discount. Nice.
