1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on credit card payments. Poop. Not the most exciting, especially when it's combined with bad news from the bank. Why the world is determined to keep me beat down is beyond me, but I shall persevere!

2. Today I am thankful for my friends and my upcoming vacation. Even with the bad stuff I know Dragon*Con is there to keep me cheered up!

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was make dinner for a friend visiting from New York. Spaghetti might not be glamorous but it really hit the spot.

4. I will consider this week a success if I can manage to go to bed before 11pm.

5. The last thing I won was a was a set of three books from Michelle's Book Blog. It was a wonderfully random surprise and the books themselves didn't suck either, lol.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was rent and food. BUT I have an appointment on Wednesday that I hope will mean some positive things for my financial future. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

2. Today I am thankful for things finally going as planned! On Sunday I managed to successfully send two kids off to summer camp for two weeks. THANK GOODNESS.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was paint my Power Ranger helmet for Dragon*Con. I can't wait to get everything finished!

4. I will consider this week a success if I finish my helmet headband and go to yoga on Wednesday.

5. I am trying to incorporate more vegetables in my diet. I'm just lazy and hate veering off and trying anything new. But I did end up having a turkey burger for dinner on Friday night - super yummy!

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on home goods. A friend and I went to Potomac Mills and a store there was going out of business. The deals were literally more than I could handle and I ended up happily spending $120.

2. Today I am thankful for good books, good friends, and an apartment I'm really coming to love. Moving might not have been my first choice but it's really starting to feel like 'me' and that's been a lot of fun.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was start organizing my closet. My linen 'shelves' and the stuff they contain are now hidden by cute purple nylon bins.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to hang the short curtain across the top of my closet! I'm having height issues that I'm not totally sure how to overcome yet.

5. This summer has been so hot. SO HOT. I know it's a broken record with me and the rest of the world chiming it, but I really hate it. I can't wear anything without feeling like death the moment I step outside and I'm sick of sweating!

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was $100 at Ikea to organize my life - Hautelook didn't end up working out but this is definitely a start! My linen shelves/closet/whatever you want to call it is now organized with pretty purple bins and I have a curtain to put up over the top of my closet this weekend. There were a few other things I picked up too :).

2. Today I am thankful for good friends and Star Trek: TNG events.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was drop off clothes at Goodwill - I got to give back and get more floor space.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to fill an empty spot the organization I volunteer with currently has for a camp scholarship.

5. I am most looking forward to the ????? in the Olympics. Lame I know but I really haven't been paying attention. It's not a public statement, I just rarely watch any of  the sports. Maybe gymnastics? Even that I couldn't say with certainty....

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on crafting supplies for my Dragon*Con costume. Which would make me extra happy except I just realized that I bought more paint than I needed and it's so expensive to metro out to Rockville that I don't know if I'll ever take it back.

2. Today I am thankful for my health. I thought about this later in the day after posting my last weekly check up, but I am truly thankful to be able to walk around and do what I want to.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was spend Sunday dying a friend's hair. That counts right, since she spent the money on dye, lol?

4. I will consider this week a success if I make significant headway on my Dragon*Con costume - I will not be denied!(And do yoga twice - I've been slacking!)

5. One recipe I want to try soon is ...hmmm I don't know. The only one lately that I wanted to try was chicken katsu and I managed to pull that off. I like to look at dessert options on Recipe Girl but I haven't settled on any one specifically.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on rent and bills - though my quick weekend trip to NY did my budget no good.

2. Today I am thankful for good books. I picked up a few ebooks for the bus ride and then a used one at The Strand and I love knowing I have something great to read at hand.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was walk down to the National Mall to watch the fireworks on 4th of July! I didn't bother last year but I have to admit those 20min were pretty amazing.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to pick up the books I have hold at the library. I had to get them transferred when I picked the wrong library to begin with and I want them!

5. This week I am looking forward to being home! Sometimes I forget how much I like my couch and my bed, my bookshelves and my stuff. They're pretty awesome :).

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies. 

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on my phone bill. Verizon's testing me with its eternal 'how can we make our customers spend more money'-ness but so far I'm sticking with it.

2. Today I am thankful for a surprise 3:30pm closing time at work! I'm not sure I'll do anything monumental during those two hours but damn if I'm not going to enjoy having them.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was playing around with eye makeup last Saturday. Sometimes I love makeup and feel like I don't suck at it, and other times things aren't quite so clear but Saturday? That was a good day.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to do laundry before I head to NY this weekend.

5. This July 4th I am hanging out by the pool, having dinner with friends, and if the weather holds out heading to the National Mall for fireworks.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a mani/pedi. Which I haven't had in FOREVER and have almost not regrets about (the only slight regret I have is due to me being OCD about nails I pay to have other people do - I don't like asking for a redo, so I just exist a little upset with every f*ckup).

2. Today I am thankful for attending an unbelievably fantastic wedding this past weekend in NC. Two of my favorite people got hitched and I know I get to party with them and more cool kids in a few months.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was spend some time at my complex's pool. I'm not really  great at relaxing in the heat for more than hour but it was still glorious.

4. I will consider this week a success if I do what I mean and clean my room/apartment (& wash my hair because let's be real - it needs it).

5. My favorite part of the day is mid-morning (on the weekends). By this point I'm usually awake, have had coffee and some kind food, and start contemplating what makeup I want to wear that day.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a credit card payment. Sad but true, but at least now I can say I'm actively looking into getting a personal loan to consolidate things and get them out of my life!

2. Today I am thankful for my neon jeans. I'm super tired and feeling all allergy-y so I can't say I'm particularly thankful for that, but my neon jeans I like.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was visit two museums - one in Dupont and one in Georgetown. I can't say I'd ever pay for them but for a free trip I can't complain.

4. I will consider this week a success if I survive it? Lol, I've got a wedding to attend next weekend and I'm defintiely not prepared outfit wise. I don't want to spend a lot of money but there are very specific things I want....we're gonna see how that goes.

5. I am currently reading The Shadowing by Joan Overfield. I picked it up for $.50 at the Gaithersburg Book Festival because of its ridiculous cover. So far so good, it's actually turning out to be better than I expected.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

The question of 'worth' is interesting to me. I like to shop. As a hobby it is an activity that I enjoy taking part in, because not only do I like finding new pieces that make me feel pretty, I like knowing that I've found a bargain. But bargain, just like worth, is incredibly subjective.

During the month of May I didn't buy any new clothes. But do I feel like I saved any money? If I really think about that question my answer would probably have to be 'ehh' because even though I may not have spent it on clothes I don't think I worked to put that money into anything else either. Not buying new clothes did more for my mental sanity, as I was growing increasingly frustrated with the size of my closet, than my budget. And I probably spent a good half of the month annoyed that I wasn't allowing myself to shop at all.

It's not as if I don't understand debt or interest or all of those other annoying little words that lay out in black and white the state of one's finances. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind it's almost inconsequential since the debt itself doesn't feel real to me. I chose to pay off family debt in my name because the option of fighting with them to resolve it was worse. I picked my mental health over fiscal responsibility and while I'm sure there are people out there grinding their teeth, I'd have to say that given the same circumstances I wouldn't make a difference choice.

What does all this mean? Not a lot. I'm returning some stuff to J.Crew because even though I like it, I don't think I like it enough. Or at least I don't think I'd wear it enough to make even a good investment piece worth it to me. But do I regret the capris or the skirt that I'm going to keep? No, because they're new interesting pieces that I'll get a lot of wear out of that I really like. Do I regret the skirt I picked up at LOFT this weekend or the hot pink trench coat from Marshall's? No again, for the same reasons. I want to feel confident that I'm making smart thoughtful choices for my wardrobe and the style I think I want to project. I can't predict if I'll love everything with the same enthusiasm next year as I do right now but I don't want to live in a state of regret that I didn't get it because oh 'that money could have gone somewhere better'. My happiness is a pretty damn big 'better' to me and I like it that way.

Though this roundabout conversation with myself has inspired me to take the money I'm going to get back from J.Crew and split it between my savings and my credit card.



1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on clothing. Or possibly the ticket I bought today to Hong Kong!

2. Today I am thankful for my stomach not hurting. Boy do I take that for granted.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was go to yoga. I almost died but I did it!

4. I will consider this week a success if I get Star Trek TNG tickets!

5. One craft I’d like to master is cooking. Does that count? I'm trying to introduce new recipes and combinations into my repertoire. It's kind of working if I do say so myself.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on J.Crew. Maybe. I'm not doing well on this 'no shopping' bit as it's running smack dab into holidays sales and a general dissatisfaction with my wardrobe. Nothing's definitive, goodness knows I could take it all back, but we'll see.

2. Today I am thankful for the beach. God DC is hot. And humid. VA was much better.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was spend time with friends :). By the pool or at BBQ it cost me nothing but time and was incredibly rewarding to the soul.

4. I will consider this week a success if I go to Yoga on Wednesday. (And maybe if I clean my house/do laundry)

5. This Memorial Day weekend I went to the beach, played by the pool, and went to a (Korean) BBQ! Awesomesauce all around I tell you.
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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

A day late but not a dollar short!



1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on paying off a credit card. I got a small bonus from work and used it to pay off some fun sun-dress spending from last month.

2. Today I am thankful for the parts of my body that don't hurt? I know that's a bit of a cop out but my knees really hurt ok? I'm happy that they're the only part of my body that hurts right now.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was go to an outdoor concert at The Yards Park! Last Friday was a beautiful day and to spend the time after work next to the water listening to music and watching children dance along was pretty awesome.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to figure out how to get my pool pass. My apartment complex's office is only allowing people to pick them up 11am - 4pm MONDAY THRU FRIDAY. Which is, you know, when I'm at work. Joy.

5. I am really trying to start going to yoga. My friends have heard me complain about how I don't enjoy exercise - and I don't - but I think maybe this could be a good option. We'll see.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.

I have no idea how many of these posts I'll do but since I'm trying (trying) to be better about my budget and finances in general, I thought a little self-help couldn't hurt.


1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on groceries. I thought ahead this time and planned out a few dinner/lunch combo meals for the week but the ingredients were a bit pricier than I anticipated.

2. Today I am thankful for my friends. Not all of them are perfect, in fact I have to work on accepting it when things change in a way I might not have wanted, but the good ones I have are really good and I am lucky to have them.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was go to the Bolivian Festival! Completely accidental but I spent hours there on Saturday enjoying a beautiful day and incredible performances.

4. I will consider this week a success if I continue with my goal to Unf*ck my habitat. I was a BAMF (for me) this weekend and washed my sheets and towels in addition to flipping my mattress - which I've been meaning to do since I moved into my apartment.

5. My favorite Disney character is Mulan. She's so kickass and not only saved China but also got the guy. Win-win.

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Weekly Money Check-Up is a weekly series on My Pretty Pennies.