Friday Five (sponsored by the Home Shopping Network)

[angledge]

Today's answers are long & rambling, so they are getting lj-cuts.

1. What's the first thing you can remember buying? Where did you get the money?

I'm sure I bought things earlier than this, but my first clear memory was buying fish for my aquarium. I had a shelfload of books about fishkeeping & the different species, & I would debate for weeks about what kind I wanted. I saved up money from babysitting & my allowance. Then I had to harass my mom into driving me to the pet store. Once there, there was always a long process of deciding which individual fish to get. It was a big production. I enjoyed it immensely.

2. Were you ever involved in fundraising sales as a kid (Girl Scout cookies, magazine subscriptions, etc.)? Were you good at selling? Was it fun?

Yeah, I did all kinds of fundraising, but I especially remember selling Girl Scout cookies. When I was a Girl Scout, they still did door-to-door sales. I loved doing cookie sales & I was pretty good at it; I always got the Super Seller badge. I remember delivering cookies to my neighbors in my red wagon - how Norman Rockwell!

I also sold magazine subscriptions to raise money for school & chocolate bars to fund my soccer team. I also used to go around asking for sponsorships for swim-a-thons ... wait, I still do that today.

3. Do you consider yourself a disciplined budgeter or an impulse shopper?

I'm a very disciplined budgeter. Especially now, when I am so strapped for cash. My only impulse purchase weakness is books.

I have crafted some lovely Excel workbooks for tracking all my spending, which I'm usually fanatical about updating. This year I haven't been using them very much, mostly because I find it frustrating to try to figure out how to go back & forth between currencies.

4. What's the last major purchase (say, over £50 or $100) you made?

A big amazon.com purchase, last week. But I was getting books for my dissertation! It's actually cheaper to buy books from amazon.com & have them shipped here than it is to buy them from amazon.co.uk. Soon I will be receiving a box full of such bestsellers as Getting To Know ArcObjects, Advanced Spatial Analysis, & ArcObjects Developer's Guide. Pulse-pounding excitement!

5. What big purchase(s) are you planning to make in the next few months?

When I get home, I would like to buy glasses, a new computer (I want BD to help me build my own), & some new clothes (I am so tired of the clothes I brought to Edinburgh). Also, Stacy & I are planning to do some major renovations to the house, which will mean lots of Home Depot purchases. Whee! I better get a nice, high-paying job ....

Notice that I did not list a car among my anticipated purchases. I really want to stay car-free ....

Comments

[heatherpaige.livejournal.com]

1. I don't remember my first purchase. It probably was buying a fist-full of one cent red fish candy after church when I was little- it was a bribe... my parents would give us 50 cents if we were good during the service when I was really young.
2. I never really did any fund raising.
3. Disciplined- unless it happens to be at Monsoon's on Princes Street.
4. Last big purchase- ah, theology books. yes, I'm a dork.
5. Next big purchase- a plane ticket home this summer to see the to visit my family...and more theology books.