Final Tally: WEEK 4

Legions of Fans,

Sorry we were so lax updating last week. Donatella Versace as my witness, I was waiting for Ryan to post his Week 4 totals so he wouldn't CHEAT when he saw my totals. Honest. So blame him. I do (as usual).

To the 23 people (not counting myself and my mom) who voted for me: I have some bad news. I underestimated Ryan's solitude and reclusive ways, clearly. Apparently next time I am to have this challenge, I need to choose someone with a similar social structure -- one that involves a little more than work, the occasional hike and waiting for Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' tickets to go on sale.

On to Week 4 Totals:

Subway: $3.00 (veggie sub)
Zen Sushi: $5.95 (lunch)
Borders: $2.80 (latte)

Total: $11.75

I admit, if I had come at Recession Challenge '09 like this out of the gate, Ryan would be shaking in his stained, ripped Hanes boxers. I heard it takes 2 weeks to become acclimated to something new (literally have heard this uttered, maybe even in jest, ONCE 10 years ago and continue to repeat this as fact).

Somehow, though, I still feel like a winner.(half heartedly thrusts fist in air)
I feel like it's made me more conscious about money, how I spend it, where and on what. There's so much more of a definitive 'Want vs. Need' mentality when I go to purchase something now. That has to be good, right?! If this economic crash and resulting recession has taught us anything, it's that people's mentalities have to change. The one with the most toys at the end of the day doesn't win. The one with the flies following him because he's not showering to conserve water does! Declining property values, increasing divorces, more people living in smaller spaces, immigration's slowing, less health insurance, blah blah blah....recessions are predictable. I, for one, am enjoying my stance on Frugal Mountain, ready to propel down CheapLikeWoah Cliffs.

Our social experiment may be over, but make no mistake - we are still in the midst of a hopeless, soul-sucking economic decline. 254,000 private sector job losses in September. Put that trend in your pipe and smoke it.

Moment of Truth: Week 2 (aka I Hope Ryan Had To Bail Someone Out of Jail This Week)

Sooooo here we are at the end of Week 2! Wow, time flies when you're buying scratch tickets, renting textbooks, shoplifting and generally trying to survive in this Mad Maxian hellscape. (note to self: queue up "Mad Max" from Netflix. Classic.)

Recent reports have people investing again in art and stocks. However, the new census tells us something a little different, you snake oil salesmen. It tells us we won't be buying many stocks or art or anything else from "Bernd," because one in five kids under 18 live in poverty, and our median household national income has fallen to barely over $50k. That's not enough to buy Warhol's left nut, the one WITHOUT diamonds in it. We're all counting things we can't afford.

Which brings me to my Week 2 Receipt Roundup. Ryan said in a previous post that I would be offering excuses every week, and welp...he's right. The ol' chap was right. I'd like to preface this by saying my mother-in-law AND friend from Austin were in town this past week. I can't very well say "Hey I'm in this month long challenge with a friend(??) and I'm trying to wheedle my way out of paying for anything extra, so can you pay for me this week?" Hm. That sounded good actually.

Sushi lunch: $18.02 (it was Friday, I was feelin' peppy?)
Starbucks: $2.88
Gas: $20.00
Panini Cafe: $10.95
Coco's Cafe: $8.99
Aeropostle: $22.31 (Collegiate Blazer)
Whole Foods: $1.98 (2 bottled water)
Whole Foods: $32.00 (beachside picnic)

Total: $117.13

Ryan said if I want to win this thing I'm going to have to cut out coffee and sushi for the last 2 weeks to even have a chance. Interesting: I almost tripled what I spent in Week One. When I'm poor, dragging around my wordly items in my ripped paper bag, be assured I will be wearing my new blazer.

The Perils Of Shopping For A Good Deal:

A Worthy Adversary (aka Optimism Is For Stupid Idiots)

Look what day it is! It's our first Weekly Receipt Roundup for Recession Challenge 09!
Well, well, well. It looks like ol' Ryan chose to become a shut in for the past 5 days, merely blowing his wad (so to speak) at a Seahawks game. Well, everybody reading (or at least all 4 of you) I refuse to become a shut-in! REFUSE. I also am addicted to caffeine, so I should probably ditch this habit, post-haste, if I am to win this thing.

Here's my receipt roundup:
Sushi Lunch: $5.95
Starbucks: $2.70
Sushi Lunch: $6.82
Sushi Lunch: $7.12
Protein Shake @ Surf City Squeeze: $4.70
Corepower Yoga (drop in class + water): $9.84
Starbucks: $2.88
Starbucks: $3.33
Starbucks: $3.10

TOTAL: $46.44

Alright so ShutIn Ryan beat me. THIS WEEK. Now starts a whole new week where clearly I'm going to have to really dig deep and forgo my awesome lattes and my sweet sweet spicy tuna rolls. Rolled every so lovingly by strong Japanese man hands, with the perfect amount of cucumb---ok you know what? I CAN DO THIS.

Opinion Roundup of the Week: "Poised to grow." Seriously, is that supposed to be encouraging? Your beard is poised to grow, Bernanke. You're rich. You'll be fine. The rest of us? Tallying receipts.