geekdaddy

Geek Daddy is feeling the effects of the economy just like most of the rest of you are. You have the Geek Daddy’s sympathy if you have fallen on hard times. I wanted to share 5 ways I have cut expenses in these troubled times.

5. Go on A Diet:
My wife and I are on a diet together to get healthier. An added side effect of this is we don’t go out to eat anymore. I was surprised at how much those lattes, bagels, and McDonald’s outings were costing. So cut out fast food. If you apply what you pay for fast food to your grocery bill, you can make your money stretch a long way. Savings: $40 a month.

4. Get Rid Of Your Cell Phone:
I am not advocating living like a caveman, and forsaking technology. I am asking you if you really need your cell phone. I’m talking about the one with the expensive plan, hideous overage fees, and time restrictions. I was paying 45 dollars a month through Virgin Mobile. I switched to a pay as you go phone from Tracfone. The phone was 10 dollars. I get to add minutes when I need them, not when the company says I can have them. Savings: $30 a month.

3. How much Cable do you need?
I have Cox Digital Cable. I like it. I got it with the variety tier, expanded DVR, and two movie channels. I then looked at what I watch, instead of what package I have. I got rid of the two movie channels, got the basic DVR, but kept the variety tier. I don’t miss the movie channels at all. Savings: $30 a month.

2. Shop at Goodwill.
I know thrift store shopping will always be anathema to some people. However, if you have a growing geek child they are invaluable. I buy all sorts of things there on a monthly basis. Clothing my girl comes at the top of the list. We got her four outfits that would have cost about 80 dollars at Kohl’s, or 40 dollars at Wal-Mart, for 20 dollars. These were not crap clothes either. The geek daughter thought she looked pretty sharp. Ka-Ching! Savings: 40 to 60 dollars a month.

ANNNNNNNNND…….The number one way your Geek Daddy is saving money is……change the electric rate plan. That’s right. I went from a 150 dollar a month electric bill to about 90 dollars a month just by changing my plan. Now power is a lot cheaper from 9 in the evening to 9 in the morning. We also save more on the weekends. This has saved us more money in the long run than any other cost cutting measure. The change in routine is far outweighed by the money we aren’t spending on power. Savings: 60-80 dollars a month.

  It finally happened. The other shoe dropped at my job. I am too injured to work ten hours a day tending pre-schoolers. However, I am not injured enough to warrant any kind of compensation from my corporation. So I resigned. Yea capitalism? As it stands, I am once again a stay at home dad.

 The first time it happened was in 2001. My daughter was born, my teaching job was shit, and my boss was a certifiable nutcase. So, I left High School teaching, to take care of my newborn daughter. Everyone was irritated with me for that. However, I got through it.

 I learned that I am essentially a great stay at home parent. I like being at home. I don’t mind doing domestic things like cooking, cleaning, and shopping. There is a poetry to getting everything in my wife and daughter’s life organized just so.

 This time it was a work injury in June that laid me out. I can no longer stay on my left ankle for any great length of time. Goodbye teaching! Goodbye customer service! Hello domestic warrior! (That is my wife’s term for me. ) That is what you call a major career shift to the left.

 I like being a domestic warrior. I wake up in the morning, to my snuggly, cranky, beautiful six-year old. I make her a PB&J, and help her get ready for the day. I make sure my wife has a lunch, she often forgets, and get everyone to their various schools and jobs.

 Then I come home, the house is quiet. The jungle cats are asleep after being up all night nibbling on my toes. It’s time to write.

 I generally spend the first half hour doing job related stuff. I answer emails, troll for blogging jobs, apply for said jobs, and do a little desk related housekeeping. Then I write for an hour and a half. This can be revising submissions, updating my blog, or writing new material.

 I then take a half hour to revise any drafts that I have put aside due to them pissing me off for some reason. I usually let projects like that have a two day cool off period, so I can look at them with fresh eyes.

 Then I call my wife, and find out if she needs anything from me. If the answer is no, I will head to the store for tonight’s dinner. Last night I made homemade pot roast. Tonight it will be crock pot spaghetti.

 I then get some reading time in by taking my favorite novel du jour with me while I wait for my daughter to get out of school. Right now I am reading The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson. I arrive ten minutes early to ensure I get a parking space. Even with a handicap placard this can be a crap shoot. Then my smiling girl runs out to greet me, and we start our afternoon. (To Be Continued)