rich like them

part of the new frugality means revisiting what i guess was the old frugality... i've always loved going to the library and i love it even more now that i get to celebrate it as a money saving venture and pat myself on the back for it... i'm always happy for another reason to tell myself "good job"! i've been revisiting the movie section of the library and checking out movies for free instead of renting them AND i signed up for email reminders so that i won't forget when they are due back and accumulate those (unusually) hefty fees. 

recent rentals:

a good funny time waster as always

my first time watching it. robert redford made me swoon despite 

his passionless, stand-for-nothing character.

don't bother. i feel asleep. 

haven't watched it yet... p and i have almost broken down and purchased this one on apple tv seeing as how it's not for rent but then i found it in the library - yay! probably watch this weekend. 

and today i came across this book:

it's called Rich Like Them: My Door-To-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth In America's Richest Neighborhoods by Ryan D'Agnostino

i almost laughed out loud when i saw it because i cannot tell you how many times p and i have driven round the rich neighborhoods that sit just over the hill and joked about knocking on one of the mansions' doors and asking "so, how did you get this rich?".... and i have a feeling this book is going to tell me that most of those people would respond by somehow saying that they too had a crazy idea like that one and just DID IT and got rich... like i'm sure this ryan guy did. i bet if we had actually knocked on those doors and asked those questions we could be collecting old ryan's checks! 

another thing i find funny is that i work in some of these mansions and i know for sure that when ryan went and knocked on the doors the homeowners did not answer - their housekeepers did. And i also know that one of my more.... let's say "interesting"... clients once called the cops on a strange person knocking on their door! turns out it was a girl scout!

kiddding! 

but just barely....

at any rate, i'll be reporting back next week on how we can all be tremendously wealthy and live in mansions - stay tuned!

oh, and i did splurge a bit on some online retail therapy at american apparel yesterday but i am still coming in under the clothing budget i set for myself. i got these things:

striped dress with pockets

grey athletic shirt

basic black mini

three good basics, i think.... AND i got free shipping and 15% off for signing up for the email newsletter. not so bad! 

starbucks & racial profiling?

well, I filled out the Starbucks online survey to get my free coffee code and I was totally okay with taking the survey and answering questions about my experience at their store but I was *not* okay with the personal questions about my age, gender and RACE?! i know they probably just use it do decide if they need more "ethnic" folks in their commercials and print ads and such but it just felt so wrong! Luckily, they did provide the option "prefer not to answer" for those questions and I was able to choose that. 

Does anyone else think that it's a bit weird to ask that? I mean, hopefully their employees have had enough sensitivity training (along with some decent manners) not to exhibit racist, sexist, or ageist behaviors while slinging coffee, no? And what do my personal details have to do with whether my coffee was hot, how clean the store was, or how quickly I was served? Maybe alot - maybe S-bux is secretly besieged with human resources problems and racist, sexist, ageist employees... dunno. 

Nonetheless, free drink for me Monday morning.... hopefully that nice girl at the drive-thru won't call me a "smokin' hot old honey with nice tits"... 

or then again, maybe she will...