Wanting what you have vs. having what you want......

I have spent many hours at the computer lately searching for a home for my husband and I. Homes are HUGE these days and HUGE translates easily into EXPENSIVE. Our first apartment together was less than 400 sq feet. We've upgraded to a rental that runs about 900 sq feet but we still don't have any air. Our longterm goal is to be debt free....not so shocking in todays economy but something we have been working on for a while.

I've read many articles on living debt free and living without credit cards and nothing annoys me more than when the article focuses on a family earning 125K/ a year who 'saves thousands' by downgradding cable and cell phone bills. I haven't paid for cable in years. We threw out our cell phones over three years ago. We share a car and its paid off.

I've been out there searching for different ways to save money and I am starting to think most of the advice out there is bunk and we've managed to get things down to a science. Now that we are planning on hopefully buying a home (the only debt we are willing to take on) I'm starting to focus on living more with even less. Less material stuff. We've amassed so many things over the years. I swore I'd never have storage but I do have a ton of stuff packed up at my moms house.

I think its good to store some things, christmas items and winter vs summer clothes. Utilizing some storage is just smart to save money long term. But you should not have so much that it requires to buy a bigger home. My goal is to start focusing on multi-use furniture, home items and ways of living.

I haven't scrap booked in years. I don't have the room to do it. All if it is packed up in a storage bin. Why? I say if I buy a tiny little home I'll carve up corner just for my crafts...well maybe I'll never get there so I'm going to start getting rid of stuff and find my corner somewhere......

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I was at the flea market recently and picked up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There are two Flea markets nearby and each sells used paperback and hardback books. The one on the Southside (Myrtle Beach Flea Market) sells books for $1 a piece and the one on the north side sells them for 2-3$ a piece.  This is by far the best book I have read in a while. It has a great story line, the characters are very well developed and it is well told. I was extremely excited to see the add for the movie coming out and Salandar on the front. The character they created in the movie looks exactly as I would have imagined Lisbeth to look. I'm excited to go see the movie.

Lisbeth Salandar is one badass chick. She has tattoos, doesn't take crap from anyone and rides a motorcycle. How awesome. She is also wicked smart with computers. She is strong, confident, and also childishly stubborn and insolent. She is a great character.

I am going to get the next book very soon. If I return this one to the where I bought it on (NMB Flea Market)  I get a credit towards a new book!