About

So I guess it’s pretty common to put an “About the Author” page on these kinds of sites, but I’m pretty private by nature, so I think I’m going to remain reasonably anonymous. But since I haven’t mentioned my name on this page, or where I live, I think I can share a few things about myself with you.

I like to read, and one of the few extravagances that I allow myself is the purchase of books. When I was younger, and I had no money at all, I spent a lot of time at the library. I still think that’s a valid, frugal option for most people. I’m just a bibliophile, though.

I like to eat, and I’m lucky that my spouse is a good cook. We eat a lot of home cooking, but we do have an occasional meal at a restaurant, too. If you calculate what it costs to eat a good home-cooked meal and compare that with what it costs to eat a restaurant meal, it will blow your mind.

I love movies, and one expense I don’t regret is the cost of movie tickets. Few experiences compare to seeing a really great film on the big screen. That being said, don’t waste your money watching crap on the big screen. For example, if a film stars Adam Sandler, and it’s not titled Punch Drunk Love, it’s not worth the cost of a theater ticket.

I like to play games, both board games and roleplaying games. The money spent on a board game is one of the most frugal choices you can make, especially when you calculate how much money you’re spending per hour on that entertainment choice. If you buy a board game for $30, and you play it with your kids for an hour a week for 18 years, then you’ve gotten over 900 hours of entertainment for your $30. That’s minimal compared to almost any other form of entertainment. (And yes, there are plenty of board games that have enough replay factor to warrant spending 900 hours playing them. Classics like chess and checkers count, but newer games like Blokus and Ingenious would also qualify.)

I enjoy the Internet, and I have the best personal computer I could afford when I bought it. That being said, this computer is now 3 years old. But it works fast, so I don’t see any reason to buy a new one or to upgrade this one. Although I did have to hire someone to clear up some virus/spyware issues.

I’m not sure what else you could possibly want to know about me. I like to read the blogs listed in my blogroll, so be sure to check those out. Even the ones that aren’t updated regularly any more have excellent archive that are worth reviewing.