It's the last day of the month, and I can proudly say that for the first time (as long as this blog exists) I have managed to save some serious money for my great travel plans!
To be honest, I already threw in some of next months paycheck. It's just an amazing feeling to be getting closer to my goal! I'm so sure I can actually do this now (and I've had my share of doubts!) - YAY! Tomorrow I'll celebrate in style and go out - I can't wait! :)
Free Virtual Hugs&Muffins for everybody!
(You get one if you follow me on twitter! Promise! :) )
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sneak Peek
It's like a tradition for me to go to one certain movie theatre with my friends, when they're in town. For years, that cinema had the same feature on mondays, 11 p.m., the Sneak Peek. You get in for half the money, and you get to see a movie that officially doesn't start in theatres until the next thursday. Awesome!
The catch is that you don't know which movie you are going to see. That way, I already ended up in horror movies, soppy lovestories, terrible cartoons and about everything in between. The worst by far was "Waiting for Angelina", by the way, I saw that last year. Oh my, the boredom. But in those movies, the audience simply takes over.
Just to give you an idea what that's like, imagine this: An old-fashioned cinema that still seems to dream of it's grandeur back in the days. The faded velvet seats are crowded with scruffy teenagers and young adults - almost everybody is under 25, holding a beer, the usual suspects for a pub rather than a cinema. And when the movie is crap, the commenting sometimes is louder and so much more fun than the actual movie.
I'm sorry I digress :)
So, this week I watched "The Horsemen", starring Dennis Quaid and Ziyi Zhang. Boy, was I scared. It's rather unappetizing, but here's the trailer for the not-so-faint-at-heart amongst you. Don't let the trailer irritate you though, it's actually not a bad movie. Dennis Quaid is the grumpy detective, Aidan Breslin, who has the worst of relationships with his sons because he can't deal with the loss of his beloved wife. When an extremely gruesome series of murders commences in the city, Breslin finds that all the evidence directs at his own family. From huge red writings on the walls at the crime scenes, Breslin deduces in a painstakingly slow scene, that the first Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are in town and they take their toll, so to speak.
If you're going to watch this movie, don't read the rest of this!
It's just a real shame that about halfway through the movie you can't stop thinking of it as "Revenge of the Emo Kids!" ... I guess they have a point, those kids had pretty crappy lives, but the measures they take seem very drastic. It's a well-made, entertaining though extremely bloody movie, so if you feel you can handle it, go and watch it.
I have to admit, I hid behind my jacket half of the time. I'm a scaredy cat :)
The catch is that you don't know which movie you are going to see. That way, I already ended up in horror movies, soppy lovestories, terrible cartoons and about everything in between. The worst by far was "Waiting for Angelina", by the way, I saw that last year. Oh my, the boredom. But in those movies, the audience simply takes over.
Just to give you an idea what that's like, imagine this: An old-fashioned cinema that still seems to dream of it's grandeur back in the days. The faded velvet seats are crowded with scruffy teenagers and young adults - almost everybody is under 25, holding a beer, the usual suspects for a pub rather than a cinema. And when the movie is crap, the commenting sometimes is louder and so much more fun than the actual movie.
I'm sorry I digress :)
So, this week I watched "The Horsemen", starring Dennis Quaid and Ziyi Zhang. Boy, was I scared. It's rather unappetizing, but here's the trailer for the not-so-faint-at-heart amongst you. Don't let the trailer irritate you though, it's actually not a bad movie. Dennis Quaid is the grumpy detective, Aidan Breslin, who has the worst of relationships with his sons because he can't deal with the loss of his beloved wife. When an extremely gruesome series of murders commences in the city, Breslin finds that all the evidence directs at his own family. From huge red writings on the walls at the crime scenes, Breslin deduces in a painstakingly slow scene, that the first Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are in town and they take their toll, so to speak.
If you're going to watch this movie, don't read the rest of this!
It's just a real shame that about halfway through the movie you can't stop thinking of it as "Revenge of the Emo Kids!" ... I guess they have a point, those kids had pretty crappy lives, but the measures they take seem very drastic. It's a well-made, entertaining though extremely bloody movie, so if you feel you can handle it, go and watch it.
I have to admit, I hid behind my jacket half of the time. I'm a scaredy cat :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
How to Fly for Free
Oh, I got your attention now, don't I? :)
Alright, so I exaggerated a little bit to keep you guys interested. Here's a little trick to get seriously cheap plane tickets on a proper plane, that's not covered in ads inside and out (I'm looking at you, Ryanair!) or overbooked.
I always think it's quite a hassle to get those "cheap" tickets that you have to book 78 months prior to the actual flight, and that only go from/to the middle of nowhere, like Frankfurt/Hahn. Ever been to Hahn? No? Good for you, because it's almost two hours away from Frankfurt on an overpriced bus.
So how do you fly in style, spontaneously, and don't spend the better part of your savings on the ticket?
Very simple. Ask a flight attendant in your circle of friends to take you along as they go. It's not much of an effort for them, and saves you so much money! I just saved over 100€ when I took that flight to Frankfurt last saturday. I had the most pleasant flight, chatting away to my stewardess friend as we each had one of those tiny airplane beers. Also, my friend didn't mind, actually she was quite delighted to have somebody to talk to during the (admittedly short) flight.
So do ask around. Nobody is going to be offended, if you ask politely to be taken along. You get to see some more of the world that way and you don't want to miss out on that, do you? :)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Why go to the gym ...?
... if you can have a fun workout for free AND without being in the same un-airconditioned room with 20 other sweaty people?
Staying in shape is not about hitting the hippest gym in town where skinny models break their behinds as they try to lose another half a pound. It's more about being healthy and looking fit, not thin. As I don't believe in gyms, but in a shapely figure, I had to find other ways of working out.
Here are a few, maybe you can incorporate them in your daily routine, too:
1) If there are stairs to climb, climb them!
Escalators are only allowed if you have more than 3 storeys to ascent. That's a great workout for your legs! Make sure to walk very upright, not leaning forward, that'll get the muscles in your bottom and tummy going!
2) Take the bike to work/school/everywhere!
My bike is one of my most prized posessions. I go to work on it, and almost everywhere else. Even if you only need 20 minutes to work, that amounts to 40 minutes of work-out for your legs and back every day!
I understand that people don't want to go to their job on a bike because you arrive all sweaty and gross. Recently, I solved that problem by depositing basic toiletries at work, but of course not everybody has the room to do that.
3) Walk like a Pageant Queen! In Heels!
Walking around in heels all day is an extremely exhausting thing to do, most men will never appreciate that :) I will not call myself an expert on the subject, but I do have some experience. On a normal day at work, I stand and walk for about 9 hours and I love my heels too much to not wear them.
For starters, wear tights or stockings, otherwise the shoes are going to give you blisters, no matter how comfortable they are when you first put them on. Again, make sure to walk upright. Get into the Pageant Queen Posture (PQP) : Hold your chin up high, shoulders back (but relaxed!), make your back long and straight, and suck in your tummy a little bit. Uh, that's not comfy. Now, try to tense the muscles in your buttocks. Still not comfy - but that's really the whole point. Consciously trying to throw yourself into the PQP will probably give you sore muscles in your thighs, tummy and bum. But it looks good while you're at it and even better when those muscles get in shape over time.
When you try this at work, bring flats, too. Surviving an entire day in high heels is not for the faint-of-heart.
4) Got a park nearby? Use it!
I'm very lucky to live within walking distance of Tiergarten, a huge park in the heart of Berlin. I go jogging there (Get yourself some proper running shoes if you go jogging. It makes such a difference!) and sometimes, I just hang out, play frisbee with friends, or play with my pois. Going out and playing something, anything really, from soccer to hit-the-pot with your friends is probably the best and most fun workout you can have. I promise, it won't even feel like a workout.
Oh, and please share your free workout tips with me :) It would be very much appreciated!
Staying in shape is not about hitting the hippest gym in town where skinny models break their behinds as they try to lose another half a pound. It's more about being healthy and looking fit, not thin. As I don't believe in gyms, but in a shapely figure, I had to find other ways of working out.
Here are a few, maybe you can incorporate them in your daily routine, too:
1) If there are stairs to climb, climb them!
Escalators are only allowed if you have more than 3 storeys to ascent. That's a great workout for your legs! Make sure to walk very upright, not leaning forward, that'll get the muscles in your bottom and tummy going!
2) Take the bike to work/school/everywhere!
My bike is one of my most prized posessions. I go to work on it, and almost everywhere else. Even if you only need 20 minutes to work, that amounts to 40 minutes of work-out for your legs and back every day!
I understand that people don't want to go to their job on a bike because you arrive all sweaty and gross. Recently, I solved that problem by depositing basic toiletries at work, but of course not everybody has the room to do that.
3) Walk like a Pageant Queen! In Heels!
Walking around in heels all day is an extremely exhausting thing to do, most men will never appreciate that :) I will not call myself an expert on the subject, but I do have some experience. On a normal day at work, I stand and walk for about 9 hours and I love my heels too much to not wear them.
For starters, wear tights or stockings, otherwise the shoes are going to give you blisters, no matter how comfortable they are when you first put them on. Again, make sure to walk upright. Get into the Pageant Queen Posture (PQP) : Hold your chin up high, shoulders back (but relaxed!), make your back long and straight, and suck in your tummy a little bit. Uh, that's not comfy. Now, try to tense the muscles in your buttocks. Still not comfy - but that's really the whole point. Consciously trying to throw yourself into the PQP will probably give you sore muscles in your thighs, tummy and bum. But it looks good while you're at it and even better when those muscles get in shape over time.
When you try this at work, bring flats, too. Surviving an entire day in high heels is not for the faint-of-heart.
4) Got a park nearby? Use it!
I'm very lucky to live within walking distance of Tiergarten, a huge park in the heart of Berlin. I go jogging there (Get yourself some proper running shoes if you go jogging. It makes such a difference!) and sometimes, I just hang out, play frisbee with friends, or play with my pois. Going out and playing something, anything really, from soccer to hit-the-pot with your friends is probably the best and most fun workout you can have. I promise, it won't even feel like a workout.
Oh, and please share your free workout tips with me :) It would be very much appreciated!
Pimp my Balcony!
Having a little refuge, something that belongs to you and nobody else, is a great luxury. To me, it's my balcony. I might not have the best of views (my neighbors ^^) but I love sitting out there and read, think, have an after-work-glass-of-wine or my sunday breakfast.
But I neglected my balcony this year, and by mid-june it looked somethings like this :
Not so pretty, and definitely not the right place to be spending relaxing afternoon hours on. It actually looked like this, I did not mess it up more for effect.
So I went to buy some flowers at my local florist, and got a little discount because I bought so many plants. Also, that gave my the satisfying feeling of supporting small local businesses. Try it, it's a good feeling ;)
These beauties will even come back next year. Isn't that one amazing colour?
The hibiskus I got for my birthday. It has three huge pink blossoms by now and by the looks of it, there's going to be more of them!
Star of Bethlehem and lobelia make a great colour combo. Who said you can't have flowers that clash? :) The pink hibiskus sits right next to them...
Of course, you can get edible plants too. They are not quite as pretty usually, but having them also means having free organic food all autumn - rad! I have a tiny chili tree that's more like a chili bonsai, but has great super-hot chilis, some herbs (all legal ;) ) and tomatoes. I wanted to get more, but ran out of room for plants. Instead of giving up, I got this wrought-iron shelf and now have more space than plants. I'm sure I can solve that problem soon!
Growing your plants from the seeds and being able to enjoy the results as a dinner is probably the most gratifying thing you can do on a balcony that won't cause your neighbors give you cross looks :)
I cleaned up some more and planted new flowers since I took the pictures and will update you soon with a few tricks to make balcony-fit furniture out of almost nothing. Now go outside and enjoy the sun!
But I neglected my balcony this year, and by mid-june it looked somethings like this :
Not so pretty, and definitely not the right place to be spending relaxing afternoon hours on. It actually looked like this, I did not mess it up more for effect.
So I went to buy some flowers at my local florist, and got a little discount because I bought so many plants. Also, that gave my the satisfying feeling of supporting small local businesses. Try it, it's a good feeling ;)
These beauties will even come back next year. Isn't that one amazing colour?
The hibiskus I got for my birthday. It has three huge pink blossoms by now and by the looks of it, there's going to be more of them!
Star of Bethlehem and lobelia make a great colour combo. Who said you can't have flowers that clash? :) The pink hibiskus sits right next to them...
Of course, you can get edible plants too. They are not quite as pretty usually, but having them also means having free organic food all autumn - rad! I have a tiny chili tree that's more like a chili bonsai, but has great super-hot chilis, some herbs (all legal ;) ) and tomatoes. I wanted to get more, but ran out of room for plants. Instead of giving up, I got this wrought-iron shelf and now have more space than plants. I'm sure I can solve that problem soon!
Growing your plants from the seeds and being able to enjoy the results as a dinner is probably the most gratifying thing you can do on a balcony that won't cause your neighbors give you cross looks :)I cleaned up some more and planted new flowers since I took the pictures and will update you soon with a few tricks to make balcony-fit furniture out of almost nothing. Now go outside and enjoy the sun!
Concerning Brands
Today I want to share some common sense with you. Maybe you are going to read this article, nod, and wonder why on earth I had to write down something so obvious. In that case, I'm sorry for wasting your time, because you already have what it takes to be a fabulous budget hedonist! :)
Maybe not though. Find out!
I have been marveling at the concept of brands for a long time. Just because, say, a pair of jeans has a certain name printed on the inside (!) it's more expensive. The only claim the company makes to justify the price is the qualities described in the respective commercials - and more often than not it's a "lifestyle" rather than actual characteristics of a product, for example the sturdiness of you new jeans or the taste of the joghurt you are supposed to buy at the supermarket.
My favourite example for this phenomenon is perfume ads. Watch any old perfume ad on youtube, and afterwards you'll know exactly what kind of style the brand's art director wants you to live - but do you know what the perfume actually smells like? Even have an idea? Nope. Usually not.
So let's first of all try to ignore the suggestions of commercials. Do you really and honestly care if celebrities show their faces in combination with some sort of product? Does it improve the product? No.
I claim that consciously ignoring ads when going shopping makes you happier. It takes away the pressure. The other day I went out to buy a pair of grey skinny jeans, and I could've gotten those for 150€ I'd seen on that ad, that had a fancy brand name on it. I went for the cheaper ones, and now have exactly the jeans I wanted for 20 bucks, without the brand name. What is a brand name good for, anyways? Impress your friends?! If they can be impressed by the money you spend on things, think again if they are really good friends and therefore people you WANT to impress.
However, I'm not against spending money (and lots of it) in general. Sometimes you see something in a shop window that you need to have this second or else you won't be happy for the rest of the week. That's ok. Or you really want to order the most expensive dish they serve at the restaurant. That's ok, too. Just make sure to listen to what YOU really want, not anybody else.
Trust you own taste, that's as simple as it is.
And if you really want something and it's not ridiculously overpriced, go for it.
Just like I really, really wanted to have this fun and colourful beverage instead of the bland table water when I went to the café yesterday. It was more expensive, but it made me happy that moment.
Figure out what you spend your money on. How much do you care for the brands you buy? Does it matter what company puts their name on your baked beans? No. Does it matter to you to get a certain brand of joghurt? Yes, because your mom always bought that kind? Then get it. Otherweise go for the no-name version and you'll find out it's probably just as tasty :)
Finding out your own priorities takes a while, but is well worth it.
Maybe not though. Find out!
I have been marveling at the concept of brands for a long time. Just because, say, a pair of jeans has a certain name printed on the inside (!) it's more expensive. The only claim the company makes to justify the price is the qualities described in the respective commercials - and more often than not it's a "lifestyle" rather than actual characteristics of a product, for example the sturdiness of you new jeans or the taste of the joghurt you are supposed to buy at the supermarket.
My favourite example for this phenomenon is perfume ads. Watch any old perfume ad on youtube, and afterwards you'll know exactly what kind of style the brand's art director wants you to live - but do you know what the perfume actually smells like? Even have an idea? Nope. Usually not.So let's first of all try to ignore the suggestions of commercials. Do you really and honestly care if celebrities show their faces in combination with some sort of product? Does it improve the product? No.
I claim that consciously ignoring ads when going shopping makes you happier. It takes away the pressure. The other day I went out to buy a pair of grey skinny jeans, and I could've gotten those for 150€ I'd seen on that ad, that had a fancy brand name on it. I went for the cheaper ones, and now have exactly the jeans I wanted for 20 bucks, without the brand name. What is a brand name good for, anyways? Impress your friends?! If they can be impressed by the money you spend on things, think again if they are really good friends and therefore people you WANT to impress.
However, I'm not against spending money (and lots of it) in general. Sometimes you see something in a shop window that you need to have this second or else you won't be happy for the rest of the week. That's ok. Or you really want to order the most expensive dish they serve at the restaurant. That's ok, too. Just make sure to listen to what YOU really want, not anybody else.
Trust you own taste, that's as simple as it is.
And if you really want something and it's not ridiculously overpriced, go for it.
Just like I really, really wanted to have this fun and colourful beverage instead of the bland table water when I went to the café yesterday. It was more expensive, but it made me happy that moment.Figure out what you spend your money on. How much do you care for the brands you buy? Does it matter what company puts their name on your baked beans? No. Does it matter to you to get a certain brand of joghurt? Yes, because your mom always bought that kind? Then get it. Otherweise go for the no-name version and you'll find out it's probably just as tasty :)
Finding out your own priorities takes a while, but is well worth it.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
What happened to ...
... the Cash Jar?
I know I promised to keep you guys up-to-date about my savings and I tried very hard to save all that money to put a new piece of candy in the jar. However, I'm standing in my own way in this case by being my forgetful self... I locked myself out of my apartment the other day and calling the lock and key service actually cost me 211€. Ouch.
The money that was supposed to go to my Australia-savings now went to the lock&key-guy who took about 3 minutes to open my door. I'm grumpy about it, but I learned my lesson about forgetfulness.
I hope everybody had a great week-end so far! :)
I know I promised to keep you guys up-to-date about my savings and I tried very hard to save all that money to put a new piece of candy in the jar. However, I'm standing in my own way in this case by being my forgetful self... I locked myself out of my apartment the other day and calling the lock and key service actually cost me 211€. Ouch.
The money that was supposed to go to my Australia-savings now went to the lock&key-guy who took about 3 minutes to open my door. I'm grumpy about it, but I learned my lesson about forgetfulness.
I hope everybody had a great week-end so far! :)
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