Friday Forecast

For whatever reason, the Enginerd and I have an extremely difficult time sticking to our “Entertainment” budget. It has always been the intention to use this budget for date nights – going to a movie, out to a nice dinner, a concert, etc. But somehow it often comes up empty when we actually want to do any of these things. The culprit?

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Those long, stressful weekdays when we both arrive home from work. Enginerd asks what I want for dinner. I tell him I don’t know, and return the question. He doesn’t know either. We sit in a numb daze, until one of us suggests the place down the street. A few of these long stressful days, and suddenly our entire entertainment budget is wiped out.

Lessons Learned the Hard Way: Ebay

It all started when I discovered Banana Republic Outlet.  I had gained a little love-weight, and my skinny clothes didn’t fit quite right.  While in Texas to visit Daddy G last November, I dragged my sister and the Enginerd out to the outlet mall.

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It was the weekend after Thanksgiving, and while Black Friday it was not, many of the sales were still active.  I usually tend to avoid Banana Republic, even the outlet, because it tends to fall outside my Ross-style budget.  But on that fateful Sunday, I noticed the sign that said 50% off.  The entire store.  How could I resist?

Ran Out.

I can remember a time, not all that long ago, when I truly loved to run.  Enginerd was always skeptical of these claims, and often described his dislike for the sport.  You wouldn’t know it, looking at photos from our September marathon.

He did it because I did it, and because he had some weight he wanted to lose.

But lately, I’ve had some major running fatigue.  I’ve even been dreading the three-miler.  I’ll try for a minute to blame it on my hectic schedule, or long work hours, or familial obligations – until I remind myself that last year, despite purchasing a home, planning a wedding, and a major project at work, I still managed to force myself outside for a seven-mile weekday run.

The problem with this, of course, is that I’ve signed up (and paid!) for a half-marathon.  In a little less than a month.  And I haven’t even pulled on my running shoes in over three weeks.  Yikes!

The Right Way to Save?

I’ve recently reached my five-year mark with my employer – let’s call them Negundo (there’s good reason for that, I swear).  Why is this news worthy of a blog post?  Because at the five-year mark, my 401k match increases.

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We have a lot of amazing benefits, but none compares to our 401k.  Negundo will match 50% of my total contribution, up to the annual IRS maximum.  Yes, that means that if I put $16,500 annually into my plan – the maximum, until the catch-up years beyond age 50 – my employer will ice that cake with an additional $8,250.  How could we possibly not to max it out?

But “maxing it out” means contributing right around 30% of my gross income. Dave Ramsey would be proud.  The rest of my budget?  Pretty pissed.

Welcome!

If you landed here from Weddingbee, welcome!  Things are a little sparse right now, but I promise there’s a lot to come.  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope I see you again soon!

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♥

Ginger (formerly known as Mrs. Husky)

Where Rusty Went Wrong

For Christmas a couple of years back, Mama Ginger gifted me with five gorgeous skeins of Millefili Fine she had brought back from Italy.  Despite being such a “boring” material as cotton, this yarn feels so luxurious.  Its subtle silky sheen and fine drape made it the perfect candidate for Petrie, who had been living in my queue ever since she was first published.

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The problem was, my gorgeous rust-colored yarn was Sport weight, and the pattern calls for DK.  When swatching, I found the knit far too loose with the needles needed to obtain the correct gauge.

Denver Wedding Vendor Review

Photography: Mark Hayes Photography

As you may have already seen from the Ginger-Nerd Recaps, we hired Mark of Mark Hayes Photography to capture the meaningful moments of our wedding day.  I cannot speak enough praise for Mark’s professionalism, unique eye, and genuine passion for his craft.  After our pool hall engagement session, we had high expectations for our wedding photos, and he more than delivered!

{Mark Hayes Photography}