I’ve got a whole crapload of links I want to write about later, but first a quick update on how the new job schedule is playing into my PF goals. The new schedule is 5a-1p. Insane, I know. I used to go to work at either 7am or 10am, so this is quite a switch for me. It also raises new challenges in brown-bagging it, because my choices are a little more limited. I think, however, I’ve stumbled upon a solution.
One of my guilty pleasures back in my spend, spend, spend days was breakfast from this little place in our food court. Heaps of food for what seemed like a cheap price. And it was, kind of. But I was being wasteful. For about $4, you can get French toast, eggs, bacon, and sausage, or you can try eggs loaded with cheese and mushrooms, potatoes, toast, etc. They have a pretty good menu, and each meal costs only $3-4. Not so bad until you consider that I could never finish the meals, and what’s worse, I simply threw threw the leftovers away. I know, I know. It simply never occurred to me to save them. I’m happy to find out that the breakfasts taste EVEN BETTER the second day, no lie. French toast warmed up is sublime.
My employer also caters breakfast for us once a week, free of charge, so basically I can buy 2 breakfasts a week, and keep my work-meals under $10. I figure I can’t really top that buying groceries and bringing meals. I can keep bringing leftovers from home or afternoon snacks when necessary, but I guess I won’t be buying cold cuts much anymore. Which are never that enjoyable to me anyway!
The new job also came complete with a new BlackBerry, with an insane voice plan, 900 minutes a month + free nights and weekends. Seriously, who needs all those minutes? Not I. I currently use a T-Mobile Sidekick 3, with a voice plan of $39.99 + $19.99 for unlimited Sidekick data service. I’m going to cancel my voice plan, and use the Sidekick strictly for data – web browsing, text messaging, instant messaging, email. This will run me $29.99/month. I’ll be saving about $30 or so a month. Sweet. My contract isn’t up until June or so, so I’ll reevaluate my options then.
Remember that entry I wrote about how much I didn’t want to move? I’m glad I’d already resolved myself to moving, because last week I was informed that my new rent rate would be $946, up from $819. And that was WITH signing another 12-month lease, something I didn’t want to do. Forget that! Instead, I will be enjoying my lovely new rental rate of $400/month. Move-out date is mid-November, so more on that to come later.
2 Comments
October 23, 2007 at 2:32 pm
wow -way to dodge a bullet on that rent increase!
October 23, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Plan is looking good. You sure you won’t get tired of all that breakfast food? Let me know how that meal plan plays out. You packed up? 4 weeks till move out time!