Meet a Reader | Midwest Andrea
Hey everyone! Today we're meeting a reader who only found my blog a few months ago; I love that she already volunteered to do a Meet a Reader post.
Here's Andrea:
1. Tell us a little about yourself
I'm Andrea, I'm in my 20s. I live in the Midwest with my fiancé (soon to be husband in March!), two cats that look identical but are not biological siblings, and one unruly golden retriever.
I have an English degree and I work in scholarly book publishing as an editor (developmental and acquiring editor, not the grammar and spelling kind of editor). I mostly work remotely which is very, very nice.
In my free time, I (probably obviously, considering my career) love to read, and I'm in a local book club. I just received my 200 hour yoga teacher training certificate, and I look forward to teaching yoga in the future!
I also love to visit family (all our family is between 2 and 4 hours away) and friends, bake, and play board games.
I really don't like crafts, despite years of attempting scrapbooking, knitting, etc, but I do like advising on my fiancé's woodworking projects. He's made furniture, a mug shelf, a catwalk, bookshelves, and much more!
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
Only a few months! I've been a years-long reader of Frugalwoods, and I think that a Frugal Girl article on piano playing popped up as a recommendation based on my membership in the Frugalwoods Facebook page.
I've since spent much time going through the archives.
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
I got into minimalist content in high school, and somehow found Dave Ramey through there just before I went to college.
Over the years I've developed my personal philosophy of money and lifestyle through a combination of minimalism and simple living content, the FIRE movement including Frugalwoods and The Simple Path to Wealth, Dave Ramsey.
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
Currently, my fiancé and I are working to pay off the house early. Our long-term goal is to retire in our 40s, and the first step is to pay off this mortgage (in addition to recommended retirement investing).
We aren't interested in the aggressive investing that is often common in the FIRE movement, but rather creating an enjoyable life below our means, and saving the difference.
He wants to retire early so he can do more woodworking, electronic fixing, and maybe work at a winery or brewery part-time.
I don’t plan to fully retire, either. I would like to pursue higher education in some way, maybe a History PhD, or a library science degree? I haven't decided yet.
All I know is that academia doesn't seem to me to be stable or secure enough as a primary career for me, but I do not want to completely write off a potential future of research and writing.
Essentially, we're saving up a nest egg so that we have future freedom!
5. What's your best frugal win?
My college education.
I went to a unique program at a state university where my tuition was fully funded, and I also received a lot of attention from faculty. The interim dean introduced me to the internship at that college that led to my current career. I got a lot of bang for my (nonexistent!) bucks through that program!!
6. What's an embarrassing money mistake you've made?
This is recent. Last year I bought a manual car for $14k in cash, thinking I would learn to drive manual. (Manual cars are generally cheaper than automatic and have better gas mileage because they are lighter weight).
My dad taught my mom how to drive manual, my uncle taught my aunt, my fiancé even taught his ex how to drive manual. I really assumed I would get it. And I did learn, but I utterly DESPISE driving manual!! Everyone said "it's so fun, it's like driving a race car, you really get to be active in driving, etc. etc". Well, I never wanted to be a race driver.
So, I sold the car to a friend for $12k in less than six months of owning it, and then went back to the same dealer and bought almost the same car, except in automatic for $18k.
(The manual was a 2016 Impreza with 98k miles, and the automatic was a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek with 66k miles, for any car enthusiasts. Though, I don’t think there are many here based on other Meet the Reader Posts haha).
So, I lost $2k on the sale and ended up with a more expensive car in the long run. But it's a car I'm willing to drive, so I'll take it!
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
I guess automatic cars LOL.
But also, yoga. I started simply doing free Youtube classes with a Walmart mat. I even cleaned the studio for 6 months in exchange for free classes!
But now that I've progressed in my practice these 5 years, and have the room in my budget, I have a $130 mat, a few sets of nice yoga clothes, and $2500 teacher training.
It’s all worth it to me, this practice has been extremely beneficial for my mental and physical health.
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
Race cars? LOL.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
Put it towards mortgage overpayments.
10. What's the easiest/hardest part of being frugal?
Easiest: Giving up things that don't align with my personal values. It's not hard for me (anymore) to avoid expensive stores or fast fashion sites such as Shein and Temu, and instead shop at thrift stores or use my local BuyNothing group.
Hardest: I find it hard to balance saving money with making memories. The book Die with Zero has really affected my mindset on this. I'm working to allow myself to spend money on experiences that I value, and determining exactly what those experiences are.
Concerts, I learned I don't really enjoy, but I do love musicals and plays, so I've started asking for tickets as birthday or Christmas presents. I love travel, but more so because I like trying new foods and spending time with loved ones.
I don't need an expensive cruise to satisfy this itch but getting an AirB&B a couple hours away with friends for a weekend will make some really amazing memories.
11. Is there anything unique about frugal living in your area?
One of my friends in my book club lives about 20 minutes from our city limits and does not have access to a free library membership! I was ASTONISHED, I thought everyone had access to a library.
I even have access to my childhood and college town libraries' digital collections, in addition to my city library and county library. I read a lot, around 65 books a year, and the majority of those titles are free from one library or another.
I'm also really lucky that my social circle does not pressure AT ALL to "Keep up with the Joneses". This same book club does a secondhand white elephant exchange at Christmas time, where all items must be sourced secondhand (through their own collections, thrift store, BuyNothing, etc) and no more than $10.
I love it.
12. What frugal tips have you tried and abandoned?
I now eat lean meat (chicken, turkey, fish).
For a while after college, I was vegetarian and relied on beans and dairy for my protein, but it was not enough for my 5'7, active frame. On the advice of a registered dietician this year, I drastically increased the protein in my diet.
This has increased our grocery bill but has also led to major health benefits that I think are worth it.
13. What's your funniest frugal story?
Even though I had a car at the time, a friend and I took a bus to a nearby big city (about 2 hours away) for a weekend trip, because she is European and convinced me public transportation is amazing.
Well. The bus trip there was uneventful, but on the way back our bus was delayed by over 3 hours, meaning that we didn't get home until after 2am. I vowed to never trust my sleep schedule with the Midwestern public transportation system again.
(I did get to experience European public transportation with this same friend later, and I entirely understand her advocation for it haha. The Midwest has a lot to learn!)
14. What single action or decision has saved you the most money over your life?
I think not wearing makeup has saved me a lot of money (and time) and will continue to do so.
I grew up during the height of beauty culture on Youtube, and during my teens I was definitely influenced into buying makeup I did not need. In college, I made the decision to stop wearing makeup (for a variety of reasons).
15. What is something you wish more people knew?
I think many of the biggest frugal wins in my life have come through letting other people advise me.
I went on an amazing trip to Europe with that friend for two weeks, where we stayed with her family and used public transportation, and generally lived like locals. I only got to experience that trip because a coworker introduced me to that European friend, and I took them up on that offer of introduction.
I had an amazing college experience, but I only knew about that program because I took the advice and recommendations of my advisor in high school, and I also took the recommendations of faculty members for internships and student organizations.
I think what I'm saying is, I've learned that many of my frugal "wins" were not my original ideas, but rather advice and recommendations I took from other (trusted!) people.
Now, I wouldn't take financial or life advice from someone trying to sell me something, but academic advisor, coworkers, family friends, etc, are all vetted individuals I trust.
16. How has reading the Frugal Girl changed you?
I've started leaning more into baking! I recently made the blueberry bread recipe for my yoga cohort, and I'm making the cheesecake recipe for my fiancé for Valentine's Day.
17. Which is your favorite type of post at the Frugal Girl and why?
I LOVE Five Frugal Things.
I think it is so important to celebrate the small wins while working towards larger savings goals. Similarly, I really appreciate the posts on contentment and gratitude, and often re-read those for motivation.
______________
Andrea, it was lovely to meet you. I'm so impressed with how you and your fiance are setting yourselves up so well at such a young age. Good for you guys!
I am curious...if you feel comfortable sharing, I'd love to hear more about your no-makeup decision.
I think your wedding dress is lovely! Do you plan to wear it regularly even after the wedding? Since it's more on the casual side, it seems like it could be worn on many types of occasions other than a wedding.
Readers, the floor is yours!
P.S. If you want to participate in this series, just drop me an email (thefrugalgirl@gmail.com) and I'll send the questions to ya.
Andrea, Thank you so much for sharing your story. I spent to first 30+ years of my life in the Midwest, mostly in Iowa. There are a lot of good things about living, and visiting, there.
I love your wedding dress and the fact that your thrift purchased it. When I was married 35 years ago I bought a tea length dress (though not used and not something you'd wear again) and I loved the ease of a dress that length. I also bought shoes that I was able to wear for years afterwards.
My first three vehicles had manual transmissions and I did enjoy driving them (I did teach my then boy friend now husband how to drive them). After we moved to a major metropolitan area with lots of traffic and beltways I switched to owning cars with automatic transmission because it felt safer to be able to speed up quicker to merge with traffic. You have to do what works for you.
I too have tried going meatless but I am just too hungry if I don't eat meat (chicken with fish occasionally and turkey once in a while). I am an active 65 year old and I am happy for those that can go vegetarian but I just can't do it. I try to keep my meat consumption to the lower end of the environmental cost spectrum.
Hello, Andrea. Nice to meet you!
I absolutely love your wedding dress. When I was married (20 years ago), it was hard to find a simple dress. I had one made, but longer, from a simple pattern. Luckily the seamstress knew how to the alter the pattern so I could have the sleeves to be just like the sleeves on your dress!
Your post-retirement plans resonate with me because in about 10 years, my youngest will graduate from our homeschool. I have many things running through my head about what I'd like to do for employment after I retire from homeschooling, but I know that life changes, circumstances change. Who knows what life will throw at me! 🙂
And if it makes you feel better, I don't want to drive a manual either, but it's not because I was successful in my attempts to learn.
Hi Andrea! I don't have practical access to a library, either. I do have a library card, but it's in a town 90 miles away that I just can't get to much. We also have a bookmobile that comes once a month, and a books by mail program, but both of those have very limited collections of mostly books I'm not interested in. While I do buy (used) books, I don't read as much as I would if I still had a library convenient. It's one of the major drawbacks for me of where we live.
Hello, Andrea. It sounds as if we have several things in common. I too worked from home (before retiring in 2020) for a scholarly book publisher, and though my official job title was copyeditor, a lot of my work veered over into developmental editing because I was always assigned the worst manuscripts. And I too never learned to drive a stick shift car--even though my late DH was, at one point in his varied career, a driving instructor!
@A. Marie, I do believe we have a lot in common!
I try to save my copyeditors from developmental editing! Their jobs are time-consuming enough.
Hi Andrea! Your dress is very pretty and looks good on you.
I haaaaaaaaaate driving a standard transmission. My ex and I always had them for the same reasons you opted for one; having chronic fatigue syndrome, driving tired me out badly. Plus it always seemed like we had to replace a clutch. It wasn't till I had our second child and we simply had to have a bigger car--an Outback--that I realized I like driving, as long as it has automatic transmission. We'd ordered a manual Outback from the dealership, but it was taking forever to arrive, so we caved and took the automatic they had on the lot. Thank goodness!
However, I have always wanted to drive a race car! I secretly think I'd be great at it!
Nice to meat you Andrea! Lovely to read about you. Congratulations on the yoga certificate.
When I was young and dumb, I bought my very first Subaru, a manual transmission hatchback and at 18.9% financing! (You would not know those times, but this was the early 80's) But then again, I was driving a gas gussler that was the old family car, so this seemed like a dream. My boyfriend (now husband) had to drive it out of the showroom because of the manual transmission. When we lived in Upstate NY with all the snow, sometimes the manual transmission (on different cars) paid off. But when we moved to Florida and a high traffic area, the manual transmissions were a bear. And now Subaru does not make manual transmissions anymore (just bought a pre-retirement car) except for the little sports car.
Re no makeup: Honestly it was a feminist theory course that fully pushed me over (why am I wasting time and energy on makeup when men can leave the house without needing makeup to feel "put together"?), but also time-saving, money-saving, confidence-building, and minimalist reasons contributed as well!
Re wedding dress: I haven't decided yet! I might wear it on anniversaries, or I might pass it on to a friend who needs a simple white dress for a bridal shower or something. I was just thrilled to get something white with those sleeves!
@Andrea, My non-makeup ways started with the same feminist and minimalist ideas. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also developed skin allergies (to everything!) and my face is much happier without regular makeup.
@Andrea, I stopped wearing makeup sometime in my early thirties; I was tired of spending money on stuff I didn't really know how to use, and my skin was always breaking out. Once I stopped wearing makeup my skin improved immensely, so I have always suspected there's a conspiracy between the makeup companies and the "skincare" companies to make our skin look horrible!
@Andrea,
I was never much of a makeup wearer and have not worn any in many years (possibly decades).
I generally have a similar sentiment about clothing. Why do women buy a new dress for an occasion while their husbands wear what they already own? I have tried hard not to worry about what to wear to special events over the past several years. I have a couple of black dresses (one long and one that hits at/just below the knee) that I have worn to many events sometimes varying the accessories. I also do not shy away from wearing pants even if most women will be wearing dresses/skirts/suits. I choose not to spend time, money, and energy on it.
@Andrea,
I stopped wearing makeup when I was pregnant. The smell of it made me extremely nauseous. Then I just never went back to it (that baby is eight now.) Once I stopped, I realized how much time I had spent worrying about it (is my nose shiny? Are my eyelashes clumping or is my mascara running?) It was nice to jettison an entire category of things to buy, maintain, and worry about!
@Andrea et al., I'm with the rest of this subgroup re: no makeup and simple wedding attire. I ditched makeup in my college years for reasons similar to Andrea's. And I hope she'll keep her lovely, simple, classic wedding dress for special occasions for many years to come.
@K D, Because it's fun to buy a new dress? If other people choose not to, that's fine, but I like it. And I'm the person who refused to wear a veil or be given away when I got married because of feminist principles.
@ et al, and I was always getting clumps of mascara in my eyes!! The freedom to itch my eye without messsing up eye makeup is something I still relish in.
@Andrea, I have stated this before but it bears repeating. My father was a chemist and he begged his 3 girls not to put those chemicals on our skin. He said they seep into your body. And of course he was correct but it took awhile for the 3 of us to stop using makeup. I do use concealer under my eyes or people ask me why I am so tired.
Nice to meet you, your wedding dress looks so nice on you. Forty years ago I bought a brides maid dress and ordered it in white for my wedding.
@Andrea, As a pretty much die-hard feminist, I am sort of embarrassed to admit that I stopped wearing makeup because my husband said he liked my face better naked, not because I came to the realization by myself. I grew up feeling very smart but very homely (one of my step-mothers used to tell me only a stable hand would love me because I had such a horse face) so I piled on the makeup to try and look attractive. The result was I looked like a kabuki actor. I'd had other boyfriends, none of them stable hands, but no one had ever said they loved my face just the way it was.
@Lindsey, You know what? I'm pretty much a die-hard NOT feminist, and I think the makeup "issue" transcends feminism. I think it's a people thing. We should not be made to feel that we have to change our looks to suit a certain standard. If folks want to wear makeup because they like it, then fine. As for me, I'm in the no makeup camp--- for many reasons. I figure if somebody doesn't like me because of how I look, why should I change for them?
@Lindsey,
What a horrible thing for that stepmother to say to you!
@Jody S.,
THIS. ♥♥♥I wish I could "Like" this and retweet it. ☺
@Liz B., She said horrid things to her own kids, too. Her daughter had ears that stuck out, like President Obama's. Her mother called her elephant ears. I remember my poor step-sister trying to pin her ears back to her head with gum and double sided tape. She was a very damaged woman and why the kids stayed behind with my father when she left.
@Lindsey, so sorry you had to experience this.
Hello Andrea! Tho I tried and tried, I too could not comfortably drive a manual transmission. My sister sure can tho!
Your cats are so cute!!!
Congrats on your upcoming wedding.
Hi, Andrea!
I fully support thrifting a wedding dress, and think it looks quite nice on you.
I drive an automatic now, but several of our cars were manual by choice, and I first learned to drive a car with my brother-in-law's stick shift avocado green Pinto (that dates me!), which is probably one reason why I don't mind manual shift. Manual shifts are not for everyone, though, and I'm glad automatic shift is the usual option now. I know two people, each missing a limb, who would be in real trouble if automatic wasn't available.
Those cats really do look alike. Do you mix them up?
I think you and your fiancé are on the right financial path. These are difficult times to start out, but your good choices are paying off. How do you handle expensive things like tech devices?
@JD, they have many differences, so one can be trained to differentiate them haha! I almost never mix them up, only if there's bad lighting and they are asleep. Their eye colors are different, one has a fluffier tail and a croaky meow, the other has a tuft of fur on her nose and sweet little meow. Also the croaky one is kinda... stupid? So she looks around vacantly a lot. The sweet-sounding one is quite intelligent, but also feisty.
Our tech strategy is similar to investing strategies: buy and hold! My phone is 4 or 5 years old, and I'm hoping to just replace the battery this year to extend its life further. Same with my Kindle, I got it several years ago and it's doing fine even though it's not the newest model. I just sold my personal laptop from college, actually, and use my work-provided laptop for anything my phone can't do (taxes, Christmas card designs, there's not much a phone can't do, though!).
Our TVs we got for free because they were broken (either side of the road, or someone we know) and fiancé likes to fix them. Fiancé is on call for work frequently, so they paid for his phone.
Hi Andrea - I really like your point about realizing what you value in life, so you know what you want to spend money on. I used to think I would just "know" it, but it turned out I had to actually take some time to think about and flesh out what I value. Took me years to realize all that. And if you have a partner, making space for them to think about it too, and have conversations... It wasn't as simple as I thought!
All that to say - I love how intentional you already are in your 20s!
And, your house with its rows of mugs and shelves of games looks like it would be a very fun place to hang out (as long as your cats approved, because they kind of look like they could control humans if they both stare at the same time : )
@Suz, we do love hosting friends for game nights, and often serve tea or hot cocoa! The cats most certainly do not approve of visitor (nor do they approve of the dog), but they are small and easy to overrule 😉
Andrea,
I love the fact that you are apparently being very wise about your wedding decisions -- no over-the-top extravaganza costing goodness-knows-how-many thousands of dollars that would rival a royal wedding. I imagine your nuptial ceremony will be a wonderful, heartfelt event. Your thrifted wedding dress is very attractive and just right! Best wishes on your wedding next month. May you live happily (and frugally!) ever after.
Love the mug shelf idea! If your soon-to-be bridegroom can make/repair things around the house, you will save a boatload of money over the years.
I hear you on the manual shift thing -- I can't walk and chew gum at the same time, so driving a manual would be far out of my skill set, LOL.
Your book editing career sounds fascinating!
@Fru-gal Lisa, he is an excellent repairman! He's an engineer, so he has a good concept of how things work, but also knows when it's worthwhile to let the professionals handle it.
@Andrea,
That's really fantastic.
It's also a really good thing to know when to let the pros handle it.
My mom was always telling my handyman father, "If you ever attempt plumbing again, that's grounds for divorce!"
He'd turn beet red.
I never was told what plumbing disaster had befallen that made her say this, they kept that secret to the grave, but I bet it must've been a humdinger!
@Andrea, As someone married 40 years to a guy who can fix almost anything, I want to warn you that when they reach 70 (which happens a lot sooner than you think it will!) they still try to fix things that they have no business doing anymore. This is why neighbors once witnessed me screaming at my 70+ husband to come down off the roof or I was never going to make him hamburger gravy (his favorite) ever again.
Your wedding dress is lovely!
Thank you for sharing some of your life. I'm with you on the make-up thing, I just use foundation with SPF and when going out draw on my non-existent eyebrows.
Learned to drive a stick shift growing up on a farm. Will drive one if I have to but preferably in a rural setting, they stink in a higher traffic area. Coordinating left/right feet with shifting plus dealing with hills, give me an automatic too.
@Jennifer G, I think I could drive stick if I was the only one on the road LOL. But any traffic made me feel panicked.
I drove stick for a number of years, and while I was fine at it, it's not something I enjoy. I love having an automatic transmission!
Nice to meet you Andrea! Love the mug shelf your fiancé built, that's great to have such easy access to them and have the bottles away from cluttering drawers.
What is the board game you are playing in the photo? We are also board game enthusiasts but haven't bought any new ones for a couple of years.
I worked in academic research publishing for many years, and crazy enough sometimes miss it 🙂 If I ever did return, it would be great to be able to pivot more into what you do, if you have any tips on that. My career was more on the production and copy editing side, ensuring quality and handovers between all parties in the publication process. Now I have moved on to documentation which is more lucrative, but I miss the process of improving text and helping authors.
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!
@Kristina M., that game is Camel Up!
@Andrea, oh and I forgot to mention: we've started finding board games we're interested in on Ebay. My fiancé really likes Scythe, but that's an expensive game. We found it for 30% off on Ebay, all pieces intact!
@Andrea, ooh, thanks for the tip on checking Ebay for games, and I will have to look up Camel Up for next time we add a game to our selection!
*waves from the Great Lakes, which some people call the Midwest, ha* Nice to meet you Andrea! I completely agree about the superiority of public transport across the pond. DH and I were so impressed by the trains in Ireland and the public transport in London (and I've been to Paris, where the subway is just efficient and easy, if not clean). Our bus system is sad in comparison.
I think your job sounds lovely. I remember wanting to be an editor back in high school and college--my mom had an old college friend who was a freelance editor--but my mom discouraged me, saying it wasn't a stable career. Even though her friend had been an editor for 20 years...now I "freelance" by editing my son's books, which is quite a job sometimes! But fun.
Your cats are beautiful, and that is an impressive mug collection and shelf! I was completely vegan for years, in my 20s and early 30s, and then was diagnosed with a severe carnitine deficiency after having my third baby. I went back to a more omnivorous diet for my health, but still prefer to lean more plant-based.
@Karen A., I'll admit, I call the Great Lakes the Midwest! I'm in a Great Lakes state!
@Andrea, Yep, I grew up calling my home state the Midwest and when I went to college I kept getting corrected!
Loved your interview! I'll believe you that your golden is unruly, but what an adorable face. I'm sorry the manual didn't work out for you, I had an opposite experience when we briefly owned an automatic and my left foot was so lonely we traded back almost immediately.
@Bobi, my fiancé misses his manual!
That dog is a criminal and she gets away with all of it because she's so cute 😉
Hi Andrea. I, too, am getting married in April, Lord willing, and I also thrifted my wedding dress. It is an old (1970s-1980s), gown that we think was originally intended for a mother of the bride dress, (white background with tiny blue flowers).
$10.
I just shudder to think of the money people spend on wedding dresses, and on weddings in general.
I have been to a lot of thrift stores, and most of them have a section of formal gowns with at least two to three nice wedding dresses.
I am so glad we have options like that, and the freedom to think outside the box for traditional events like a wedding.
Happy wedding planning! I hope your day is gorgeous, memorable, and sweet.
@st, wishing you the best in April!!
@st, and andrea,
My theory is that the more brides spend planning those ridiculously expensive, elaborate weddings, the less time they spend planning the MARRIAGE, and this often leads to divorce.
Case in point: Princess Diana and (then-)Prince Charles.
Also, spending tons of money on a half-hour ceremony lets you start off married life in debt -- not a good situation.
@Fru-gal Lisa, preach it, sister!! I'm here in the Amen Corner on all you said about elaborate weddings.
Andrea,
Thank you for sharing today. I loved your car comments. I hadn’t driven a manual in 20 years. The airport offered me either a Tesla or a manual. I then freaked my teen out as I remembered how to drive a stick shift at midnight in a foreign city. We still laugh about it.
I was terrified of the Tesla. lol
I’m confused about the zero mentality. Is there mention of leaving a legacy for children or that’s discouraged?
Happy wedding!
@April, If I remember right, the author believes it's better to give any financial gifts when the child could most use it (i.e. college tution, or downpayment on a house in their early career), rather than promising an inheritance that will likely come when they're more established in their career. He also believes in spending some of that would-be inheritance money on extended time with family, either a long vacation or a nice birthday party.
I think when a woman wears makeup they trick their brain into thinking that's how they should look and when they see themselves without makeup they think they are ugly. I didn't want to feel that way about myself so I decided to forgo makeup all together. And I have 3 daughters and I wanted them to see you can be happy with yourself without artificial assistance.
Hello, Andrea! You write a lovely story of being comfortable with yourself and your life. Thank you!
Re: Make-up: A (feminist artist) friend long ago pointed out that women are taught to compartmentalize their bodies, such as having a beauty product for each part of the face, and men are not. For example, men don't fret about whether something makes their rear look big.*
As long as I am clean and mostly tidy, I am comfortable looking at the whole of me, without the time and money and patience and frustration into putting on make-up.
(*Has this changed for young men today?)
@Heidi Louise, My son makes a lot of jokes about his badonkadonk. Because when he was getting fitted for a suit, the tailor said he had a "prominent seat." No, I won't ever let him forget that.
He went to church today in his camelhair overcoat, suit, white shirt, white silk tie, gold tie clip, etc. I said, having just come back from feeding my feral cats, "Make sure you put on gloves; it's really cold out!" But he wouldn't because he only has black gloves and his suit is navy. Just call him Beau Brummel.
What a lovely Meet the Reader!!
I stopped wearing makeup during the pandemic and now can't bring myself to even consider it anymore. I never thought I would get used to seeing myself without mascara, but I did. I will always wear color on my lips and have started a cream blush (just a tad for color) but I'm much more concerned with skin care these days. A face full of makeup is no longer for me.
Andrea, it's so nice to get to know you. I enjoyed your post and love hearing about younger people who have it together, which you do in spades. Your thrifted wedding dress is terrific. Best wishes on your upcoming marriage!
What a nice introduction, Andrea. I'm so glad and impressed that you and your fiance seem to have communicated well about your financial values and beliefs. Way back when I was engaged, I found a beautiful wedding dress marked down to under $100. I loved that dress and was so excited to show my fiance. But all he could focus on was that I'd bought a mark-down. He took it to mean that I didn't value him! He wouldn't believe me when I said (truthfully) that it was my favorite of all the dresses I'd tried and I hadn't even looked at the price before making the decision. (Young and dumb.) Bad sign but I married him anyway....and now happily divorced for many years!
Anyway, congratulations to you and nice to meet you.
@Ringo, I'm very lucky that fiancé has the same enthusiasm for saving money as me!!
I'm so happy that you decided to share. No one needs to be LTR to share, we want to hear from everyone!
So many things I love about your story, although I am one of those people who hates driving an automatic. I pay a lot more attention to driving when I use a stick shift; with an automatic I zone out and can arrive at my destination (so obviously one part of my brain is still driving) unable to recall the trip. Thank you for the Trolley Parton shot. My favorite Dolly saying is the bumper sticker: Don't be an Elon, be a Dolly.
Congrats on your upcoming wedding and your thrifted dress!
@Lindsey, Dolly Parton is such an amazing philanthropist, I think her children's book initiative is great. We're actually going to Dollywood on our honeymoon road trip...
Hi Andrea
When I got my license, oh so many years ago, I had to get it on a standard transmission because the only car I would be able to drive in the family was my mother's. She had a standard on the column. My brothers (both of them, who were much older than me) had accidents with my father's cars in the past and he did most assuredly need his car to get back and forth to work. In order to drive standard, the license had to be obtained on a standard. I do own a Crosstrek now. I did buy new. It should last me 10 years like my last car did.
In this day and age, it does surprise me that not every has access
in some way to a free library. I can go to my local, my regional and have a card for the Boston Public Library. Then there is Hoopla too. Books can be so expensive and not everyone can afford to own each and every book they would like.
I never thought of my not wearing make up a savings; but now that you mention it, I think of the prices I see on make up products. And my closet has a lot of thrifted clothes.
Congratulations on your goals and on the opportunities for your education that you took advantage of. The more effort one puts into goals, the more benefit one can obtain.
I love the hobnail milk glass vase in the mug rack picture. By the way, the mug rack is nice too--it's neat.
I will have to check out some of those money saving sites you mentioned. I'm long past worrying but there may be a tip or two that I can share.
Andrea, you sound like you'd be lots of fun to hang out with! I'm sighing over your cats. They look so much like my dearly departed Max Cat. Are they Maine Coons? Thanks for sharing!
@Kris, they are not Maine Coons, they are just rescued domestic long hairs! I think they kind of look like Siberians too
Andrea, so glad you shared yourself with us. Loved your points of view on education especially. It provides a solid basis for many disparate things from earning potential to ditching makeup.
Congrats on your upcoming wedding! The dress is delightfully pretty and will work afterward in lots of situations. What a coup!
I always love seeing the pets and yours are cuddly (that fur on the kitties!) and your pup has such a sincere face.
Andrea, thank you for sharing your intentional, non-drifting sort of life, which seems remarkable for someone in her 20s.
I only drive 3-pedal cars and am worried that I won't be able to find one (must be Honda or Toyota) when my current one croaks. It is so interesting to read all on the Commentariat who hate manual transmissions!
About makeup: isn't it amazing to see how fake eyelashes are now considered normal by all women on teevee? And those puffed-up lips. . . yikes. I'm fine with waterproof mascara, and will NEVER wear lipstick.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! It will be simply perfect. (pun intended)
Call me getting old, cranky, or pragmatic but FIRE isn't what it is cracked up to be. You'll still need health insurance (dental/vision a bit easier on the pocket book but dental can add up). The ACA does exist but I just don't trust the lunatics in charge of the asylum.
We paid off our house early BUT every six months *please* check with your mortgage holder that extra payments were applied to principle (make sure to write it on the memo line of the check/e-check and enclose a note to that effect if snail mail). At first I did not check - extra payments not applied properly. Person at the bank did not fix it right the first time - she had to reverse off *all* payments going back to the first incorrect and reapply properly. AND forgot to 'check the box' to no report to the credit bureaus (which didn't affect us since we weren't borrowing any money).
I'd kill (well not really) to have a stick shift again but the better half's knees can't take it. Subaru is good choice, manual or not.
@Andrea - Midwest person here too.
I agree with a lot of the no makeup perspectives but I wear minimal makeup for professional reasons. My job as a scientist does not require it, but I have found (and I think studies have shown also) that women are perceived more positively and considered more competent when they wear some makeup. As I grow older and move into leadership positions it has become more important actually because older women also tend to be more invisible to society. Just adding another perspective to this interesting discussion!