How We're Spending Our Time

My Fella and I have been in southern Arizona for about six weeks now. 

The only local attractions we've seen are Kitt Peak National Observatory (home of the cool monstersize telescopes) ...

... and of course we've checked out the national desert parks.

Over the next few months we also wanna visit the local zoo, the Pima Air and Space Museum and the little mining town of Bisbee, Arizona.  We have 2 for 1 coupons for both the zoo and air museum so the total cost will be $22.50.  And touring Bisbee will only cost us the gas to get there.

We've spent most of our days doing free things:  hiking the desert, walking Shelbert, touring local streets and neighbourhoods and playing tennis at the public court, which is free and always empty.  

It's not all fun and games of course.  We still have our daily chores, plus I wake up early for the biz news and to watch the markets and try make some money.  Speaking of cash, we've certainly been good for the local economy.

In six weeks we've spent:

• $134.95 on gas for the car (under budget)
• $453.46 for outdoor RV purchases - solar lights, rope lights, patio mat, a ladder, tire covers, bungee cords, valve covers, cleaning supplies (most of these are one time items, on budget)
• $390.52 for indoor RV stuff - drapes, curtain rod, bedspread, blankets, sofa cover, candles, poinsettia, rugs, a rolling computer stand (one time items, on budget)
• $871.51 - clothes and shoes (seems like a lot of cash but we buy all of our clothes/shoes in the USA so we're still under budget for the year ... AND we're both sick of clothes shopping)
• $112.78 for Shelbert - doggie stairs, doggie shampoo, grooming, snacks (on budget)
• $996.66 for food, booze, snacks, toiletries, household items, laundry (way under budget)

We go grocery shopping a few times a week and are still amazed at the cheap prices compared to Canada.  We buy lots of fresh fruits and veggies (similar prices in Canada) but other stuff we eat is super cheap in the USA - beans, rice, tortilla shells, salad dressing, cheese, bolillo buns, canned corn, burritos are all half the price they are in Canada.  Beer, pop and wine is half or a third the price.  We don't eat a lot of snacks but nuts and sunflowers seeds are cheap and a super-size can of reduced fat Pringles (my fave snack) only cost 99 cents at Fry's.

Fast food is pretty cheap here too but we haven't eaten out at all - the smell of most drive thru places makes me gag.  Next week we may join the owners of this RV park and hit up the cheap casino buffet where two people can eat for $8.30.  I have no problem eating MY WEIGHT in salad and boiled shrimp  :) 

There were a couple weeks of cool daytime weather but it's back to sunshine and +25C (77f) so we're spending lots of time outside.  

My Fella on his patio chair and The Bert on her ... Box?

Our RV site backs right onto the desert and our neighbours include bunnies, coyotes, roadrunners and snakes. Luckily the bunnies and coyotes don't visit at the same time.

Here's the daytime view from our patio chairs.

And at night...

Interesting tidbit: the RV resort we chose isn't fancy shmancy, but it's clean, quiet and the lots are much bigger than any we've seen so far.  About 2/3 of campers here are American and 1/3 are Canadian.  And at least half the American campers have guns.

One fella we've gotten to know quite well carries his pistol on a holster in plain sight.  Like he's on the set of Gunsmoke.  It's kind of strange to see.  

Yesterday I asked him why everyone had a gun.  His reply?  

"Because of the bad guys."  

Oh.

Comments

[Rick]

Hey Radio Girl, I enjoy your blog and it looks like a very nice camp you have set up there. Please remember that other desert visitors include scorpions but you are probably in more danger from gun toting lame-brains than any natural critters.

[Don]

Try to stay on the good side of Mr. Gunsmoke!

[Jacq @ Single Mom Rich Mom]

When I was importing the RV from the states, I saw the list the border guy had for confiscated guns. There was a few listed that had brought in 7 or more - and one of 22!

So did you do any Black Friday sales? And do you have some kind of system for getting rid of stuff when you buy (like one item in, one item out)? I was just thinking that if you don't have a house to bring stuff into and get absorbed, it could be easy to overdo it on clothes and stuff.

I still remember stopping at a fast food place in AZ - Burger King and ordering 2 whoppers for the oldest kid and I. They were SO HUGE - one was a meal for both of us (1/4 for me, 3/4 for him). When we were in Montana earlier this year, we did buy fast food once. I took a bite of the burger I bought and had to spit it out. It tasted like chemicals. Sparky didn't want to eat it either, which kind of tells me something.

[kelsi]

Rick - We haven't seen any scorpions yet but we are very familiar with their cool hieroglyphic looking little bodies since we saw so many in Mexico last year - we will definitely stay away from them.
On the other hand if the scorpions DO get out of control, all of our neighbours are armed so we'll probably win that fight :)

[kelsi]

Mr P - I've started calling Mr Gunsmoke 'The Sherriff'.
I think he likes it, so for now I'm on his good side...

[kelsi]

jjolie -
Nope, we stayed far away from the stores on Black Friday. I don't understand the appeal of being pushed around in a crowd and then pressured to make an impulsive buying decision. Just being in a Walmart on a busy Saturday makes me want to run for the door, screaming. We still look for good deals and sales but I'd rather shop on a slow Tuesday afternoon instead of the weekend.
We gave away tons of 'stuff' when we first moved into JohnnyDisco in February so we were traveling pretty lean. Most things we bought here were needed for the RV to make it 'our home' if you know what I mean. And a lot of the items were one time purchases (tire covers, winter bedspread, outdoor mat, etc.) and will be used until they wear out. We don't buy new things like dishes or lamps or tools until the old ones break and can't be repaired.
By the way, I followed your link to your post at GRS. Great writing - hopefully you got some new traffic from that.

[Mave]

Glad to hear it's warming up. Vic and Bev made it here ok on Wednesday last. Thanks for the balls. I've already lost about four of them. One of them Derek made me throw away. It was so lopsided, lol.
We've been golfing like crazy. Almost played enough games that we are paid and playing for free.
Dad and I both won money on sunday at golf. His team came in first and my team had a three way tie for third.
Auntie Ella and Uncle Greg are in Yuma until the 15th. They are really enjoying themselve.
We are too. Dave, saw Lynn McLeod today in the new farmacia in La Penita. He knew he recognized us but we had to tell him our name. Mike didn't know who he was but I did.
Take care, give the Berts a big hug from me.

[DON SMITH]

We favor a shotgun, a pistol will get you jail time, but a shotgun is considered "hunting" and therefore, lot less hassle.

Kelsi, bless your heart girl, I noticed you converted the Celsius over to Fahrenheit for all of your American dummies.

You are okay.

DS

[kelsi]

Mavey - good to hear from you guys ... we were a little worried about you two. Sounds like you've been lost at the golf course for the past 3 weeks :)

Did you ask Geraldo if he remembered Dave? How's the internet reception at El Savage?

[kelsi]

Boxcar - I think I'm gonna have to compile a book of all your amusing/wacky comments on this blog... you'll get a share of the profits of course :)

[Jacq @ Single Mom Rich Mom]

I'm the same way, I get kind of anxious when I'm in crowds like that. I always used to take a day off work and go Christmas shopping (and let's not even talk about the Calgary Stampede nowadays...)
I like going to Calaway Park then because it's D.E.A.D. :-)
Re. the post, it was okay. I don't like all the spam. Or not saying what I'd like to say in comments... Most people were very nice tho. I was going to link to you in one comment, but thought you might not like it.

[kelsi]

jjolie - did you hold back in some of your response comments? Were you asked to?
What really surprised me were that some of the readers comments seemed kind of naive. I don't read GRS but for some reason, I expected the GRS audience to be very financially savvy.
Or am I just being a frugal, early retired snob? :)

[Jacq @ Single Mom Rich Mom]

Yes, you are being a frugal, early retired snob! And a Canadian at that! BAD Canadians. :-)

Oh yeah, I held back and bit my tongue / fingers (backspace, backspace... pause...) LOL I wasn't asked to though, in real life I'm pretty blunt, but overly marshmallowy too.

Sometimes things that people say - say more about them and their fears and neuroses than they do about you. Plus you have to be careful with that audience and not say you make much money, it brings out the green-eyed monster. And the excuses I guess. Can't tell anyone that you can make as much in 2 months or paid more in taxes last year than they make in a year. (Which I do recognize is my own damn fault - the taxes part.)

I don't really read those blogs either (certainly don't need "how to's), just once in a blue moon. I thought it was something I'd never seen anywhere else that I thought was important - and kind of the very reason for even wanting to cut back spending, isn't it? To be free? If I hadn't seen it myself as an example years ago, I'd never have gone for it. And I don't mean living like these extreme retired frugal people that live like they've taken a vow of poverty.

You should be on there though or writing a book, not me. You've done it right, I had way too many U-turns.

[John Calypso]

I remember a BIG hole in the middle of town in Bisbee. Some neat stores to shop. Looks like you two are still having fun!

[kelsi]

jjolie - I made tons of mistakes too. Luckily I wasn't blogging about my finances at the time, so they're still part of my secret dark past :)

[kelsi]

Senor C - we are still having a hoot. It helps that the weather has been sunny and warm, the beer and burritos are cheap and we really like each others company :)
Off topic - did you see my question about your thoughts on Mex after your recent highway experience?