I found something even better than pay day every other Friday.  No, it’s not payday twice a month, it’s payday when you’re freelancing.  It’s better than Christmas because you’ve already done the work, you’ve spent the money over and over in your mind, and then bam, finally you have it.  By this point in your life it’s like winning the lottery because you almost don’t remember doing the work.

This pay day stretches back to a project I started on back before I left my TV news job.  Yeah, that’s been a lifetime ago.  It actually took weeks to finish, but the schedule, was here and there, spread out enough that you never really felt like you were working for the man.  (In this case, I was working for several but it didn’t feel like it.)

I only held t he check for about 10 minutes before I ran to the bank and deposited it into my lonely bank account.  I am after all moving this weekend, and the expenses have grown about 10 times what I was expecting.  So even though it’s finally PAY DAY…Breaking News Dudes, I’m Broke, again, but as Anita Cochran now successfully self-employed, I know that someday I won’t be, and that my friends gives me something to work towards.

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I know you’re getting used to seeing me ask, “2.99 Are they OUT of their minds?” but the only deal better than the one I’m hawking in the Spangle’s commercial, is a FREE deal.  Yep, I almost forgot about free Wednesday at Arby’s but one of the blogs I followed reminded me of it, and I passed it along to my facebook and twitter friends.  Wednesday was Beef and Cheddar day.  You buy a drink they give you a beef and cheddar sandwich, free.

I am all about free food these days, in fact I ate free fish tacos at Long John Silvers a few weeks ago, because hey, it was free, and I don’t really even like fish.  So the fact that my favorite Arby’s sandwich was a giveaway pretty much made my day.  The BFF & I had a late lunch today, after some serious manual labor painting dressers, that’s another story.  So by the time we walked into Arby’s  we were covered in paint and probably smelling like something the cat would drag in, but they served us anyway, and what I liked, they EXPECTED us to order up the free eats.

The manager was even nice enough to take our picture for us, because even when we’re not camera ready, we’re camera ready.  Just a note to all you businesses out there giving out free food.  I don’t know what it costs you, but I know what you’re getting out of it.  Loyalty.  The easier it is to take advantage of the deal, the nicer your employees are when I show up to grovel for free grub, and of course, if  it tastes even slightly better than the cost, the more likely I am to come back.  I guess you buying us lunch for a change is a smart marketing move, I hope this little trend continues, because Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but I’m Anita Cochran and I’m not going hungry and neither should you.  I’ll keep tabs for you on any other free deals.

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I can’t believe I’m listening to the most awful elevator music possible, and have been, through the speaker of my phone….on hold now for more than 20 minutes with the City of Wichita, and still counting.   This is insane, granted, we’re all stretched thin, but at least Westar Energy had the kindness to take my number and call me back (they promised within 18 minutes)….and they did.

Actually as I’m writing this a nice lady named Tony helped me at the City, I think  the actual transfer of water service took 30 seconds, yet I held for almost 30 minutes.  Please City of Wichita do something.  I used to have a rule as a cub reporter I waited no longer than 15 minutes for someone I was going to interview, either found someone else to talk with or left.  I would have made an exception for the President of the United States but covering southwest Kansas meant there was no time to spare.  It worked great, and in return, I never expect anyone to wait for me more than 15 minutes.  Just a suggestion City of Wichita, just a suggestion.

Having gone through the whole nine yards to get my life transferred a mile down the road, just wanted to say “Go Girl” to the best customer service rep I worked with, all companies included here.   Her name was Meghan  and she worked at Cox Communications.  This chick knows her stuff.  She was smart, and nice, and actually wanted to make things better for us, so instead of switching to AT&T as we intended, we stayed with Cox.  Good for you Cox, I hope you’re paying Meghan at the west office enough, from my experience most companies let the good employees slip away, or at the very least take them for granted.

The best part of the whole moving mess was that all those moving costs and transfer fees I was expecting, are for the most part gone.  From the best deal, of free install with Cox to the highest connection charge of 20 bucks to Black Hills Energy, it’s good to know I won’t be broke just turning things off and on.  No, Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but the move is supposed to fix that, and at least when it comes to the bills, the new life is looking leaner.  I’m Anita Cochran.

We’ve all heard it takes money to make money, and I often have to agree, but I had no idea it was going to take money to SAVE money. Yep, as we get ready for the big downsizing move this weekend, I’m burning through the check book and money I don’t even have. I know that living the Dave Ramsey, “Total Money Makeover” way means that isn’t possible, but I’m doing it anyway. I’m even considering paying the movers with our once banished credit card.
I can’t wait to see if, in a month or two, if this is just a temporary, moving sucks the life and money right out of you, kind of funk, or whether this is just the beginning of my life being broke. I thought I saw a light at the end of the tunnel with a future that includes no house payments, but I wonder now if that will be enough to cover the expenses I’m tacking on just for the move itself. Ooops that would really stink if I’m making all this worse, trying to get to a less expensive place. Oh well, it’s too late now, I know because I talked with the movers this afternoon, and they’ve already met with the people they’ll be moving into our current home. Yeah, small world, isn’t it. One family moving up, the other trying desperately to stay afloat. Oh well, Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but I’m Anita Cochran and if this well-thought out plan of mine backfires, somebody take video, cause there’s gonna be a lot more collateral damage than I first accounted for….starting with every single one of my bank accounts.

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I don’t know if you remember when I went public with my obsession with scissors.  It’s not a conscious thing on my part, it’s just an accidental overspending mechanism that seems to kick in whenever I’m around shiny new cutting equipment.  Well that’s not my only problem it seems.

This week the BFF and I went to one of those in-home parties.  Not one of the name brand,Tupperware, Cookie Lee Jewelry or Pampered Chef kind, but the kind where some entrepreuner sets up shop with her picks from market.  The question was what will I buy?   Not WOULD I buy, but what, because we all know you don’t go, and go home with nothing.

Here’s my choices.  Purses, which were knock-offs, that were cute, but as is the style these days were HUGE.  I lobbied for Melissa to buy one so she could carry me around it, but she put the fake Prada back in the end.

There was jewelry but my sister, Shasta Wewe, sells Cookie Lee jewelry so if I’m gonna buy costume stuff I’m gonna have to get it from her.

The final choice was sunglasses.  Your pretty basic knock-off  Dolce Gabana’s caught my eye, and the purple color really made my blonde hair spark, for 12 bucks those babies were mine.  Melissa got the same pair in a brownish color, and since it was her friends party, she decided to go ahead and splurge and buy something else.  She opted for a knock off Tiffany key necklace that was quite cute for 13 bucks, and besides that, Jennifer Anniston wears a real one just like it in Gold.  (Melissa would have paid twice that, had the chick told her that in the first place!)  Anyway, as home parties go, we got out pretty cheap, but when I got home, boy did feel like a loser.

I tossed the purse on the bench, took the sunglasses off my head and as they hit the shelf I heard a clink.   No they didn’t break they just landed on about a half dozen other sunglasses.  I needed sunglasses like I needed a hole in my head.  Breaking News folks, I’m Anita Cochran, and I’m broke, but if you’re havin a party and selling sunglasses invite me, apparently I find them irresistible.

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My Spangle’s commercial has hit the airwaves, and let’s just say it’s a little bit freaky!  You’d think after having been on local TV news for 20 years seeing oneself on television would be no big thrill, but think about it folks, most of the time I was on TV I was LIVE.  I never really had a chance to watch me.  Granted, we did a few promos a long the way, but never enough to get used to seeing myself on the tube.  (Or maybe I just never tired of it.)

Anyway, many of you are seeing the commercial nowadays too.  My facebook friends are asking who I was talking to.    They noticed I’m not looking at the camera when I wondered “if for 2.99, are out of their minds? ”   The answer is, well I wasn’t looking at anyone, but there were at least five people behind the camera, a couple of customers and some Spangles employees lurking nearby, so for the sake of the argument  that I’m not crazy, eating alone and TALKING to myself, let’s pretend I’m talking to Rene Steven.

We all know Rene is THE Spangle’s lady.   So I thought I better set the record straight right now, many of you are gushing WOW, how cool that you’re the new Spangle’s lady.  Dude’s I’m not.  It was a one time appearance.   No this was not my break into the big time money world of commercial modelling…..  I’m still broke, and I’m still just Anita Cochran, but for the next few weeks, wouldn’t it be fun if everytime we went to Spangle’s we all said, “Hey, Anita sent me!!!”   That’s what I’d really like people to say!!

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Back when we were working full-time and spending full-time, I’d look at other families and think, “How do they make it on ONE income?”   Now, I know.  They spend less than two income families (all of whom are also quite capable of racking up huge credit card debt, but that’s another story.)    One thing that is among the first to go, vacations.

I fear for my children as they head back to school and are asked, “What did you do for summer vacation?”

I can hear the answers now.  ”Clipped coupons, went to the pool with our unemployed Mom…..NOTHING!”  Before we always had a story to tell from our last trip, whether it was a visit to Worlds of Fun, or a trip to New York as long as we travelled it counted.  This year we went to Grand Lake, TWICE, but my kids have conveniently forgotten about those lazy days in the sun.

They also used to get left at relatives when Mom and Dad would travel.  We make Las Vegas and Mexico stops regularly or at least we used to, and there was always a good story from staying at the Wewe farm while we were away.  Well, not anymore at least not for awhile.   I miss that, the getting away, the feeling of seeing something new, the feeling of having enough money to TRAVEL.  Even if we charged all the souvenirs we brought home and didn’t pay it off for a year, there was this powerful feeling of, “I am a world traveller, successful enough to pay to get away from all the people I know and love.”  Now, not so much.  It’s the one thing that could drive me back to full-time work, the love of getting away for a much-needed vacation.  Of course, mentally  I’m sharp as a tack living this life of freedom and self-expression so I’m not needing a vacation, just a getaway….but Breaking News folks:  I’m Broke so for now, I’ll just pull up some old vacation photos and pretend.  I’m Anita Cochran

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As I was freaking out over the size of our new house, which I lovingly refer to as our Barbie House, I have been gathering the goods to make the move.  I remember now, why I decided to do it in the first place.

The whole point of downsizing, for me, was cutting costs,   most importantly those monthly expenses that tie you to working whether you want to or not.    Well, let me just say, we’ve yet to see the lower costs but they are coming!   We will begin with property taxes.  We will save about three thousand dollars a year on our property tax alone.  Then when we got the quote from our insurance man for the new house, we cut our annual insurance premium in half, there’s another thousand.

I’m now whittling away at the monthly drains, keeping Cox but cut everything but a clear signal and 911 access will save another 30 bucks a month.  I’m pretty sure it takes less electricity, gas and water in a Barbie house, if it doesn’t I’ll be turning all those things wayyyyyyyy down, and since it will be winter soon it should be easy to keep warm in that little place, well just breathe on each other.

I’m learning that if you TRY, you can live with less and on less money.  The question remains, once we get down to a more manageable size, and frankly, dudes it took me about three months longer to do that than I expected…..will life still be good?  I’m wondering how different the lifestyle will be?  Right now, it’s drastic, my children are hearing things like, “Don’t eat that hot dog, that has to feed all four of us,” and “What do you mean you need underwear?  No one sees them anyway.”    Well, Breaking News Folks, I’m Broke, and being Anita Cochran anything is fun for awhile, but am I really ready to do this forever?  Stay tuned, it shouldn’t be long now before we find out.

Okay grocery shoppers, at the risk of sounding like a commercial, I can’t help but point out my favorite, Breaking News: I’m Broke buy of the day.  I’m telling you, one of the areas hitting our budget hardest since we’ve been pinching pennies is my daughters ice cream habit.  They both have to have it almost every night.  We used to go out for ice cream but that can really add up, so more often than not we just buy it and keep some at home.

Since Braum’s made their packages smaller, we’ve opted not to drive over there, because we run out to often.  We recently fell into Baskin Robbins yummy chocolate chip, it’s more shaved chocolate than CHIPS, and if you buy the already packaged you can get several servings out of two cartons, for the price two people could get a dougle dip.  However, hold the phone, we’re eating Breyer’s these days.

I was strolling down the ice cream aisle looking for a bargain, and I spied my pretty Breyer’s fat free vanilla, which I wasn’t going to get because I eat it, and LOVE it, and I’m back on the skinny jeans diet….anyway, I saw the price 2.27 and thought, wow, I can save 2.27 off a carton of ice cream, then I looked again, no darling, you’ll save 3.72 and just pay 2.27.  I think I squealed with delight.  Then I picked up two fat free vanilla, a cookies an cream, a snickers, a chocolate chip cookie dough, and another vanilla for the rest of the family….I saved, almost 20 bucks and those kids are gonna swim in ice cream at least for next couple of weeks.  Breaking News folks, I’m Anita Cochran, and while I may be broke, you don’t have to be, Breyers Ice Cream, Dillons…NOW.

Okay, there’s a little bit of good news in my Breaking News:  I’m Broke story of late.  But, Twitterfession, let’s start with the bad news.  I’m using the debit card in an UN-Dave Ramsey like manner these days just to get the kids back into school fully clothed. Let’s just leave that be, it’s a temporary fix, to what  I hope is a short term cash flow problem.

Hang with me here, here comes the good news.   What I am doing, while absolutely necessary, is making me sick to my stomach.  I know I shouldn’t be spending the money, I know that I’ve been preaching wait until you have the cash until you blow it, but at least now that my new habits are forming, I recognize when I’m doing something wrong, and what I need to do to correct it.  Back in the free spending days, I’d just wait till the credit card bill came in and then give myself a tongue-lashing.   Alas with debit cards, you get to beat yourself up that much faster.

Really though, while my accounting skills are shaky at best, and I’m playing with financial fire, I’m just a payday away from being back to just being broke.   Thanks to my recent broker days, broke itself doesn’t sound half bad, it’s beginning to sound like my life.  I’m Anita Cochran.

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