Paying for Concerts

I often get asked how I can afford to go to so many concerts. First, let's keep in mind that I am 25 years old and have a great paying job. But even when I was in high school I paid for all my own concerts (and sometimes had to pay for half or whole of my mom's tickets if she was going with me)

In middle school and high school I worked summers. I'd keep some of that money aside. I also found Hanson stuff at the mall and sold it to people online for more money than I paid for it. It might have been only $1 or $2 per item, but if you keep it all kept aside for a specific purpose (concert tickets) it would add up. Somehow if there was a concert coming, I always found a way to earn the money for my ticket (if I already didn't have enough saved).

Once I got an actual hourly job at 16, it was a lot easier to save money. I chose a certain amount per check that I put into a separate savings account that wouldn't leave me broke. (but it could be as easy as throwing $5 into an envelope after you cash your paycheck, just make sure it is in a safe place and not so well hidden that next week you can't find it! lol) Some weeks I was able to put in more. Other weeks I had to skip putting money in all together. If I got birthday money or money for holidays I would put some of that money away as well.

The key is trying to be consistent. Now that I have regular hours - it is easy to say that I want to put X amount of dollars away per week and stick with it.

I also used to cut back in other places as well - If you go to the movies every weekend with your friends, maybe cut back to every other weekend and throw the $9+ you would spend on your movie ticket in to your concert fund. Skip a trip to Starbucks here and there and throw that $$ in to your fund. I'm not saying don't have any fun ever, but pick and choose where you are spending your money if going to concerts is really important to you.

Even if you have no concert in mind to buy tickets for - chances are your favorite band is going to end up touring at some point. It is better to have all that money saved up front than scramble for it when tours and ticket sales are announced (especially if your favorite band is notorious for announcing dates just *days* before they go on sale!)

This method might not work for everyone - but I spent something like $1000 on concert tickets in 2009 (and this is NOT including my cruise to the Bahamas on the Rock Boat) so I know it works for me. Read more!

Baseball Scrapbook

For some not so smart reason I decided it would be a good idea to save all my baseball photos and "stuff" to scrap after the season was over. Of course then I didn't. (Maybe because the season was such a bust, I just wanted to keep distanced from it) But over the past couple of weekends I knocked out all of my pages (except for a title page) using my "Finished in a Flash" kit and some other pages I had as well. So under the cut.. there they are.































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Flashback Friday - 1998

I am slowly trying to get all my scrapbook pages scanned or photographed to post on my website which has been under construction for WAY too long. So one Friday a month I have decided that I will post old scrapbook pages. I chose to only do this once a month because some years I went to a LOT of concerts (although nothing compared to recently!) and it will take me time to get the free time to scan and edit the images.

Today is 1998 - I went to just one concert, Hanson. Check out the scrapbook pages under the cut. (Keep in mind these were scrapped long before it was the "in" thing to scrapbook so supplies were limited and all these old pages are done on construction paper!)



This is my first scrapbook title page. These will be thrown in here and there, though they aren't really all that interesting.


My first concert page comes with a fun M&G pass. A bit of a sign of things to come, I guess ;)

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Would You Rather Wednesday

Hard to believe it is already Wednesday again! I guess time does fly when you're having fun!

January 28
Have puma-like reactions with the remote control when watching something naughty, and someone walks in the room, and you need to change the channel
or
Expert precision with the cheek-kiss greeting

I feel like I already have both of these skills. But I guess I'll go with channel changing. Not that I EVER watch anything naughty!!!

January 29
Be Dr Grass, a superhero whose power is to induce grass stains
or
The summarizer, a superhero who can clearly and concisely describe any given situation?

I'm going to go with the summarizer because I think that is something my family definitely needs.

January 30/31
Melon ball your left eye out
or
drive two spikes into your knee caps with a sledgehammer

My knees are SO messed up, maybe the spikes would help?

February 1
Have a stable of remarkably sympathetic woodland creatures to confide in about romantic desires and dreams
or
Be capable of ending any relationship tension-free with no ensuing debate or discussion by pulling out a red card, like in soccer?

Woodland creatures, ftw!

February 2
Have elastic lips
or
Reflective calves?

Ooof. Reflective = shiny. which is good. But elastic lips might come in handy when I have issues with my braces! What to pick, what to pick... I think I'm going to go with elastic lips.

February 3
Be proposed to in the new york times crossword puzzle
or
with skywriting?

SKYWRITING. I would never ever finish a new york times crossword puzzle (or any puzzle, for that matter) so I would never see it lol Read more!

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Familytrees - Family search Read more!

Would You Rather Wednesday

January 21
Be able to draw like picasso, but smell intensely of raspberries
or
To compose like mozart, but have to always wear those really dark, tight designer jeans from the seventies?

Well, I love raspberries and hate tight jeans - so picasso it is!

January 22
Be incredibly charming, but only when discussing your bowel movements
or
Have an infallible pick-up line, but only with fuddruckers employees?

LOL. I guess I'll go with charming when talking about poop.

Saturday/Sunday January 23/24
You belly button double as an electrical outlet
or
Be able to swap your face at will with anyone else?

Belly button as an outlet. Definitely. That would come in handy a lot!

January 25
Have a flair for interior design, but wobble ceaselessly in the presence of small children
or
Be able to type 80 words a minute, but moan like chewbacca when you defecate?

Well, I can type 80+ wpm. And I do wobble in the presence of small children so really this one is a fail.

January 26
Have an anus that can function as a dust buster
or
Nipples that can act as universal light dimmers

Uhhhh. No comment?

January 27
Have a tongue that double as a retractable tape measure
or
A GPS built in to your crotch

Hmm, I can find either of these useful... lmao but I think I'm going to go with tape measure because I am constantly misplacing my ruler when scrapbooking. If it was always in my mouth I'd be all set! Read more!

Scrapbook Post - December

Under the cut are my scrapbook pages from Decmeber. Kris Allen, Grease and Honor Society.

The photos didnt come out that great - lighting was a bit too bright - but I think you'll get the idea :)




Kris TIC show


Kris KC101 show


Kris M&G


Grease got canceled


Alvin w/ Honor Society


Honor Society new years eve



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