Some things just cost a little *ExTrA*

So lately I've been coming to realize that some things in life you just have to pay a little extra for. And realizing that has been a little difficult for me! I hate spending large amounts of money on things that I believe should be cheaper and more affordable. For instance, I had this new digital camera that wasn't even six months old. It got dropped and was going to be 130 dollars to repair it. That was CRAZY for me to think that I just paid 170 dollars for a camera, and now it was going to cost pretty much the same price to get it fixed! How lame. So I thought it over for a while and came to the conclusion that it would just be well worth my money to buy a different camera (brand new) for only 50 dollars more. It makes sense, right? I get a whole new camera + a whole new warranty for give or take 50 dollars. And then we have the clothing issue. I just HATE spending a whole lot of money on clothes. Sure I can drop 110 for a Ralph Lauren jacket, but I feel that is rediculous to pay 75 dollars for 2 pairs of jeans from American Eagle. Am I missing something? because something just doesn't feel right at all. I've just realized that sometimes it is worth spending more money on something that will last than paying 20 dollars here and there and everywhere all year to fix some cheap thing that was broken or useless to begin with. So for entertainment, I am going to put a list of things up here that I will spend a little extra $$$ for and some things that I just can barely spend a penny on without cringing.

WORTH MY MONEY

-Jeans
-Bras *cringe* i hate to say it because i don't act it out, but they are just something you can't buy cheaply!
-Cell Phones & Cameras
-Cars & Computers
-Make-up (who wants to look like an orange pumpkin all day long?) NOT me
-Healthier Food


SOOO NOT WORTH MY MONEY

-Bathing Suits
-Tennis Shoes
-Lotions & Perfumes
-MOST purses *I do divulge about once a year / year & a half*
-Lip Gloss
-Car Stereos & anything else to "sup" it up inside OR out
-Nail Polish

So out of curiosity, what would YOU spend money on & what could YOU care less about?

- b -

Annoying Neighbors

Have you ever had that one set of neighbors that just constantly drove you nuts? If not, you're lucky, but I'm sure everyone has had there share *or will get their share* in the future. I'm sure people think we're annoying because we have 4 - 5 - 6 dogs at a time, but I would just like to vent on what has been happening over the past few months. Our old neighbors moved out last summer I think. I really didn't care because I was going to college and wouldn't be around that much, but boy should I have. Our new neighbors are 2 brothers in their 20s or 30s. They're never around except when they're smoking on their back porch or mowing the grass. The only problem I have with them is their PARENTS. Gram and Gramps are over 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!!! They are constantly doing yard work and cleaning and hiring people to fix their house and rebuilding. I can understand if their sons were helping them do all this, but they aren't. The parents are over every second of every day and they don't even live there! It's not their house, and I think it's about time Timmy and Tommy learn to break away. No wonder I've never seen any girls (ahem, women) over spending time with them because they are too consumed with their mommy & daddy! It's just frustrating especially when every time we pull into our driveway, their parents are up at our window wanting to talk to us for no reason at all. THEN the other day we were getting our driveway repaved and enlarged. I guess mommy next door wanted the guy that was doing our driveway to do hers to, but when she called he was busy so she got someone else! Well the moment he pulls up to our house, she stomps over to his truck and starts throwing a little temper tantrum and yelling at him .. IN OUR YARD!! Finally he tells her off and says, "Lady, I don't have time to deal with you. Stay on that side of the grass." Oh, I wish I had beaten him to it. :] So she just stomps over to "her" yard and supposedly calls the BBB & corporate on this man and his company. Come on lady; get a life! Let your boys fend for themselves, and leave our workmen out of it. We are getting our house ready to put up for sale, and I cannot wait. Because every time I see her when I pull in, I want to run and hide forever. I would absolutely LOVE to hear any of your! annoying neighbor stories :]

- b -

Do NOT Be Fooled!!

So today I was driving home from shopping at Target, and I decided to stop by Wendy's to get a salad for dinner! Good choice, right? .... WRONG. That's what I thought at first, but once I got home I was curious to how "healthy" I was actually being. I was SHOCKED to read on Wendy's Nutrition Guide that my beloved salad contained 53 grams of fat and over 750 calories! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!? It was a BLT Grilled Chicken Salad for goodness sake! Well come to find out, most of the calories and fat grams came from the salad dressing (Honey Mustard), but still, I thought it completely rediculous. The drive-thru workers don't even tell you there is another option for dressing (Lite Honey Mustard) that is SO much better for you!!

I've never been the junk food police, and I've never been obsessed with checking calories and fat grams and all that junk, but it can never hurt to look! After what I learned today, I can still get the same salad in the future, just ask for the Lite dressing instead of the regular packet that comes with it! Also, if you compare, the exact SAME salad from subway, it is so much healthier for you especially with a lighter dressing. I work at Steak 'n Shake, and so many companies JUST LIKE the one I work for are so tricky when they advertise. For example, our new Light Fruit & Frozen Yogurt shakes are absolutely NOT good for you. They are over 350 calories each, some over 400. The only reason they are "healthy" as advertised, is because they are healthier than lets say, a mocha shake or a vanilla shake. But they still aren't healthy!!!! So I am just encouraging everyone who is reading this to be aware of what you are putting in your body. It's not wrong to eat fast food or have a burger every once in a while, just try to make wiser decisions and decrease portion size. Doesn't everyone feel so much better when they are at a normal weight & happy with the way they look? I sure do WITHOUT a doubt. So don't fall into the trap of thinking that you are being healthy because you are eating a salad. Restaurants do not care if you are being healthy; they only want your money. Be aware; be wise; be smart.

- b -