books upon books upon books upon books

I dedicate this post to bookworms constantly on the prowl for a good read armed with nothing but a heavy wallet bursting with pocket change. I have a soft spot in my heart for bookworms on a budget. So drop those cereal boxes and follow my lead. Time to stock your library with books upon books upon books.

Living in the world of the written word does not come cheap. I used to spend an hour reading book reviews online before heading to Borders. Parting with your money to buy a book only to realize halfway through that it is not to your liking is painful, annoying and downright appalling. Borrowing books from the public library is a good alternative, but if, like me, you are often oblivious to the passage of time and on intimate terms with “overdue fine”, you might want to spare yourself the trouble.

I am an advocate of independent bookstores – home of great reads, used books, low prices and fascinating shopkeepers with a voracious appetite for reading and whose heartfelt recommendations do not sound eerily like the NY times bestseller list. But if your meager resources border on absurd, head back to the library and binge your budget on an eclectic collection of obscure titles, rare finds commercially out-of-print, and popular reads of a bygone era.

As you enter public libraries in San Diego, you will oftentimes find a haphazardly stocked bookshelf by the door with a box encouraging you to “Make Any Donation You’d Like!" My favorite is the South Chula Vista library where I’ve unearthed books of different genres from the 40s to the early 21st century that I never even knew existed. And these books are anything but ordinary.

If you’re looking for a little-known book that makes you go “woooow”, the kind of book that you spend a few minutes contemplating about after finishing it with a relish while trying to unhinge yourself from the suspension of disbelief with much difficulty (whew!) – then this is the place for you. The librarian hath spoken and the suggested courtesy donation of acquiring these books is 25 cents for paperback and a dollar for hardbound. It’s an honor system, really, and we bookworms are men and women of honor. This is our just reward.

budget-friendly on-the-go gastronomic treat

Trader Joe’s is a specialty grocery store with a cult following. It’s a fun place to shop. It has the cozy atmosphere of a farmer’s market and is rife with unique products you wouldn’t typically find in generic grocery stores. They firmly believe in giving the best of what nature has to offer through organic and preservative-free products that appeal to the taste buds as it does to the health and the environment. While it offers a smaller variety of goods, it is a cheaper alternative to Whole Foods.

So what in particular am I tooting their trumpet for? The heat and eat microwaveable vegetable jambalaya rice that comes in a plastic pouch!!! It lives up to its claim of "a classic Cajun dish with black eyed peas, corn, green peppers, rice and Cajun spices.” The proportions are generous for something that hardly makes a dent on your budget shield. The best part? Its rich and spicy flavor. The vegetable bits have a distinct texture and do not taste frozen in time, as typically is the case for TV dinners that come in cheap packages. For $1.89, it’s a small price to pay for a hefty heap of intense heat and authentic flavor.

bargain hunter makes debut appearance online, feel free to join the pack

Pinch your pennies and tighten your belts as we usher an era of austerity. Conspicuous consumption is a thing of the past, and now is the time to spend every dollar as if it were your last. Woe to the unfortunate souls who live in places where survival costs an arm and a leg. So how are we San Diegans coping?

Some resort to shunning the existence of restaurants and retail outlets while professing utmost devotion to the nearest Walmart. While Walmart deserves bragging rights to the best deals in town, it certainly isn’t the only place to spend money wisely. Where’s the fun in that?

Off the beaten path of frugal consumption are deals and steals in the most unlikely places. The time is ripe to unleash the power of my predatory instincts as a bargain hunter hailing from a rare breed of have-nots. Hiiiyaaahh!

So follow the journey of this insignificant speck in cyberspace as she tries to live creatively on a tight budget in the heart of quintessential California, where the cost of living is a whopping 45% above the national average.

Happy Saving, SD! And remember, we have-nots have!