Gambling can save you money

 

I know this post comes a little too late and I apologize in advance. I should’ve provided this knowledge at the beginning of the football season. But like old people say….. It’s better late than never.

One of the best ways to convert your spouse into a sports fan is to make bets about the game. Some people find it hard to have interest in something they have no stake in.  So I’m sure your partner will find the Celtics versus the Lakers game more interesting if dinner depended on the outcome. This will intrigue them to care about the game and put a competitive edge on the date. You can use this tactic whenever dinning out  with a date viewing a sporting event. In college my best friend and I had an evening out with older women. I scrapped my change together trying to figure out how to compete with a woman making far more money than my student refund check. When I got to the counter I realized his date was paying. When we got back into the car, my friend told me they made a bet which she obviously lost. I immediately put that into my tool kit for dates. Even though things have changed and I can now afford to buy Moe’s at 2am for my date, I still enjoy the competitive excitement. Girls don’t typically care about sports (I’m blessed, my lady does *praise hands*) but they’ll enjoy it so much more when their money is on the line. Please don’t use this as a way to never pay for dates (my grandmother would kill me for leading the masses astray). On this date let the loser handle the check. You may get to trade places for the evening by allowing your lady to pay while enjoying the game you love! I know we live in a world where sometimes women make just as much money as men do but we should be men! Now once you’ve dated for a while, of course allow your lady to get her beyonce’ on and take you out sometimes. But be careful not to through this date into rotation to early with a new partner. If you’ve been involved for sometime the bowl game season is the perfect time for you to toss this into the date bag. Let’s face it by this point your NFL team is in the tank, so betting on meaningless college games could be fun and save you money.

-theNewCheap

Acts 20:35

 

The holiday season is upon us folks, which happens to be my favorite time of the year! Nothing but good food, football, and family. Oh and my birthday falls at the end of the holiday period. One thing you must come to realize during the holiday is what's most important! Remember, giving is the reason for the season! Recently I was asked what I wanted for my birthday, and folks I couldn't think of one single thing! At this point in my life I have everything I ever needed or wanted. So for me to come up with a list of items to expect from loved ones would be stupid. So lets change it up this year, instead of a wish list how about you volunteer for those less fortunate. I know what you’re thinking, what does this have to do with saving money? While you're volunteering sit down and talk with some of these folks and realize just how close you are to being in the same situation. We forget how easy it is to fall on rough times. Studies show that most people are just TWO missed paychecks away from being homeless. And during a season of love and happiness that is extremely saddening. No one ever plans on being unable to provide their family dinner on thanksgiving but it happens. So instead of blowing money on holiday "reunions" at bars how about you and you friends adopt a family for the holidays. Provide them with a turkey and fixings on thanksgiving or buy the kids toys on Christmas! Nothing makes you feel better than doing charity from the heart! What you’ll realize is giving is better than receiving. And knowing that you allowed strangers to have a good holiday experience would provide you with so much joy.

As you know, anything we tell you here at theNewCheap is something we do ourselves. So theNewCheap is looking for a family to adopt for the Thanksgiving! If you know of a family in Fayetteville, NC or Baltimore, MD area please let us know by emailing us! Now please don’t suggest yourself when you've been messing up commas for 56 nights straight on IG (if you didn't get the joke ask someone under the age of 25). We’ll provide two families with a full thanksgiving dinner. The email is provided below to let us know about the family needing a little help.

(The family doesn’t have to worry about being put all over social media for receiving the gift. We believe that good deeds shouldn’t be broadcasted for social media likes, we believe in a higher power who has us covered on the recognition.)

TheNewCheapGuys@gmail.com

20th Anniversary of the Million Man March

During the first million-man march I was only a child, but I grew up hearing about the historic event. I promised myself that I would attend the march if I ever had the chance. Well on October 10^th of this year, I got that chance! It was a blessing to be raised in a community of strong men. My father, uncles, and grandfather all provided me with positive role models. As the day grew closer my excitement grew about the potential of having a million men with similar feelings of community responsibility. 

This memorable day began rather hectic. Per usual, I was late even when I attempted to be early. I sped the entire way to the bus station blasting gospel songs hoping to flood the atmosphere with Jesus vibes to ward off potential tickets. I arrived just as the bus driver was preparing to close his door. I remember sweating from all the excitement as I sat in my seat. Once I sat down, gathered myself and looked around, a calm came over me that lasted the entire day. As I rushed off the bus and attempted to navigate the DC subway system, I was at a stand still with which way to go next. I looked up for help and my eyes were met by another man who shared the same gaze of confusion. A young man who favored this gentleman’s looks stood behind him consumed by his cell phone.  These two men joined me on this journey even though we did not share our names with one another. We greeted each other as brothers and began to navigate the subway.

The elderly man spoke of how he attended the first march 20 years ago and how excited he was to experience this nostalgia again with his son. I saw the pride in his eyes as he mentioned the first march he attended, telling his son how amazing the atmosphere was back then. He went on to say how monumental today would be and the enormous amount of men who will be in attendance today in Washington DC. We arrived to the march within moments of the keynote speaker taking the podium. Did I want to hear this speech? Absolutely, but I really wanted to see the beautiful faces of those who supported the cause.

  

As I walked around I was greeted in peace and love, called King and Brother by strangers. I saw my people in every shade and age ranging from the elderly being escorted through the crowd to babies on their mother’s hip. I saw white people with their children, Native Americans in their traditional clothing, same sex couples holding hands, and interracial couples embracing each other all the while listening to the keynote speaker. What I saw and felt on this day was love. I have never felt that much love from strangers. It was so overwhelming; I had to have a seat to reflect on what I was experiencing.  This was about the right for every American to pursue happiness! 

I sat there overlooking the masses of people thinking about the past, present and future. I thought about the beauty of this moment. I envisioned what it would be like to share this moment with my future wife and children and suddenly tears began to rapidly fall from my eyes. I couldn’t control these feelings and I didn’t want to. I began this day intending to fully embrace the moment and every emotion that came with it. An older man sat down beside me and put his arm over my shoulder. We did not speak to each other, just sat in silence embracing this powerful moment. Thoughts were flooding my mind, why couldn't it always be this way? Why cant people of all colors come together in peace and love outside of an organized event? Why couldn't this love be felt every day all over the world? I thought about the dreams the enslaved had for their children of freedom and the many marches and protests their children endured for us to have equal rights.

 I thought about the present, about my life as a black man. My future and if my children will still need to march for equality regardless of ethnicity, gender and who they love. While the elderly man stood up, hugged me and continued on his journey, I wondered if we shared the same images in our minds as we looked around the crowd. I wondered if he felt hope seeing how far we’ve come but still felt sorrow of where we need to go.

October 10^th was my call to action. I will love more, forgive more, understand more and feel more. My purpose is to ensure we don’t need another march in 20 years. My duty is to help in any way possible to ensure every person has the same opportunities as the next regardless of what they look like and where they are from. Happiness and love is the ultimate goal here. The love felt on 10.10.15 should be felt every day. I’ve accepted my call to do my part, and will make that goal a reality.

Please see the 1568 visuals from Million Man March
20th Anniversary of the Million Man March


-@TheNewCheap

Let’s buy a suit- but FIRST, you need a tailor...

 

 

Let's buy a suit- but FIRST, you need a tailor….

 

There is no better feeling than getting out the shower listening to James Brown’s “The Payback” (if that’s not your wave, maybe “Suit and Tie” by Justin Timberlake), thumbing through your closet, looking for the suit you’ll wear for the day. This is the reason why if I have to wear a suit to an event, you better expect me to be at least thirty minutes late. It is a FULL ON dance party while getting dressed. For those of you that are judging right now… don’t judge me on my vices (IF you can call it that) and I won’t judge yours. I’ve never stood in line for a different color of a sneaker that came out when I was middle school (No Shade). Like any person trying to get you addicted to something, I won’t attempt to jump you to my level of affection for wearing suits. Think of this as the “Gateway Drug” of Suit Addiction. So we’ll start with the very first thing you need to do before you worry yourself about fabrics, three buttons or two buttons , double or single breasted; finding a tailor.

A tailor is one of the most important people in your life! Why, you may ask? Because a good tailor will not only make you look good in a suit but they will also save you time and money! And if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that’s very near and dear to us! If you don’t have a tailor, you may not fully understand the duties or benefits of having one dedicated tailor. So allow me to educate. I buy suits like most men buy sneakers. I’ve never been into sneakers (but don’t test me, I have a collection that would still impress), suits have always been my thing. Like most children I looked forward to Easter, but only because I looked forward to getting that brand new suit. Of course the suits were Stacey Adams collection (think Kings of Comedy- baggy, loud colors), but I was happy none the less to be in a new suit. As an adult male, events where you’re required to wear a suit will sometimes pop right up on you. For example, I was recently invited to a black tie gala, and didn’t own a black suit (Black suits are like air force ones, if you have a pair cool- but it’s not like you really need them). So I had to run to my tailor and drop garments off to be tailored. Most tailors would require at least two weeks, which if I relied on the stores tailor, would’ve caused me to miss my event. But with my personal tailor knowing the way I like my suits cut, this allowed me to get garments altered within a day.

You may be thinking there’s no way you’ll ever need a suit in your line of work. Sure, you can wear a shirt and tie to that wedding, but you’re not a teenager anymore bud, that isn’t going to fly. Think of it this way, you know when your lady puts on that black dress how much you like it. She feels the same way when she sees you in a well-tailored suit. Your tailor is the person that can provide that look! Now here’s how you save money…

Idiots will tell you that you need to buy a name brand suit. If it’s not made by some fancy designer, then it isn’t a good suit. I call bullshit! No matter who a suit is made by, a (good)tailor can make it look like a designer suit on you! Don’t go wasting your money on a suit, thinking the more it cost, the better it will be. Whenever I have time to kill in a city, I normally stop into suit shops and browse their inventory. I’ve came across some great finds on clearance racks. Are these suits made by the who’s who of the industry?? Nope. But do I get the same reaction when I put them on?? YUP! Why?? Because I take these suits to the tailor so that I can get the cut that looks good on me.

So don’t spend too much thought into getting expensive suits, but focus on getting a great tailor. If you see a guy that wears suits often and you like the cut of his suits, ask him for his tailor’s contact. One of the cool things about the suit community is we don’t mind sharing our tailor’s information, which might not be the case in the sneaker head community. Once you have the contact information of the tailor, give him a call and set up a meeting. Going into this meeting, you need to bring your ideal look. Your ideal look should be a picture of what you want you suits to look like on you. But fellas PLEASE keep in mind, if you’re big and tall, don’t take a picture of Kevin Hart in a suit. Be honest with yourself and your tailor. Also discuss turnaround time and price.

Final word of advice, take your lady with you. Sure you’re having a suit tailored, which is a normally a man event, but as men we have to understand who it is we’re putting the garments on for. Not one time have I ever cared about what other men think of me in my suit. Men get dressed in suits for women because they are the only ones who care. And if you’re in a committed relationship, your lady’s is the only opinion you care about, but she cares about what the other women think of her plus one. So bring her along to save embarrassment later on at her friend’s wedding.

 

- @theNewCheap

The New "Lit"

You're getting old- it's time to face it!!

 

Listen folks, it's time we wake up and smell the coffee. We're getting old. Either you can bow out gracefully or end your career looking like Shaq in a Celtics jersey. We had a good run- a hall of fame worthy one, but it's time we retire. What are we retiring from? The idea that weekends should be spent “turning up” in bars and clubs. Listen, I’m no saint on this issue. I’ve been there and have two t-shirts to prove it! There was a time I would walk out of the office on Friday and become a different person. Gone was the quiet guy sitting at his desk listening to smooth jazz and here was hype man for the rapper Future, ready to spend the weekend messing up commas. Nowadays the turn up days are few and far between. While I’ve known this day would come, this summer was my first year of full retirement. All things considered, I probably had one of the greatest summers of my life. Sure I had a couple of bar nights in there but those weren’t the highlights. The highlights were baby gender reveal parties, laser tag birthday parties, and these two past weekends.
The past two weekends were spent with family and friends. One weekend was spent in my hometown for a family reunion and the other sitting around a house watching Disney movies with my friends and their two year old daughter. No craziness. Life is all about progression. You have to grow to a point where you realize what’s important. These days I realize watching Aladdin with a 2 year old who's never seen it is far more rewarding than being drunk in these city streets. With this growth, you will save money for what's important. Instead of buying a round of fireball shots, you can buy ingredients to make smores with the children in your life. That is a memory that they you will hold on to forever. Everything that happened this weekend was monumental and will be remembered forever. Trust and believe, I am not telling you to give up drinking on weekends! Because after that UGA and BAMA game, we ALL needed a drink (Go Dawgs!). But as you sip on that drink and look at your surroundings, can you really be upset? You’re amongst family and friends having a dance party to Beyoncé and your wallet hasn't left your pocket all weekend. Some would call that lame or boring- the complete opposite of "lit" aka a good time. As you know, we at the new cheap like to change the meaning of words. With that said, my weekend of Disney movies, football, and takeout was "lit"!!  It's lit because you’ve grown to adulthood and realize it is good time spent with the people you love.   And I will never chastise your spending when it's TIME with people you love. So enjoy growing up!

- @TheNewCheap

It’s time to buy an engagement ring…..

 

It’s time to buy an engagement ring…..

 

Fall is upon us- winter is right around the corner. Your Facebook timeline will be filled with engagement pictures with the same hashtags #isaidyes (vomit). It seems like we can’t enjoy a day of football and home cooked meals without pictures of holiday proposals. I wont knock your cliche hustle but if this sounds like something you are attempting to do… start shopping NOW. The biggest rackets in the world are the makeup and engagement ring industry. Of course the diamond folks at your local jewelry store know what time it is, so engagement rings will be marked up during the winter months. So if you’re looking to lock in with bae, start looking for that ring now (I only used “bae” because my little cousin told me it was cool, I apologize if it was used incorrectly). While this is no attempt to sway you over to my methods, I am providing the strategy I plan on using.

Fellas and Ladies who are looking to propose ( #lovewins), the number one thing you have to realize is, the ring isn’t about what you think. Sure you have to “pick”, but the opinion ultimately lies with your spouse’s friends and families. I suggest bringing these folks and getting them up to speed. There’s always that one friend your girlfriend has that you would still call your friend regardless of the common connection with your partner. You should call that person up and ask them to accompany you. Girls tell each other EVERYTHING, and I’m willing to bet my life that this person knows exactly what your partner wants. Next, you need to bring a family member of yours. Family involvement is essential to a union; why not include them in the ring selection process? Last, but not least (arguably, the most important), bring the BOUGIE friend. We all have that one friend, always asking what you’re wearing and if it isn’t designer they aren’t wearing it! This friend is most often single. Why do you invite her?? If this bougie person signs off, you have the blessings of the upper (middle) class. Now I know what you are thinking, this is a runaway train to a jewelry store. To avoid spending your life savings, go to the jewelry store alone first to have a discussion with the jeweler. Explain a few things, start off by telling them how much your lady means to you. Remember, you aren’t buying a car, it’s not about having a stare down over offer sheets. This is the love of your life, and if you’re buying an engagement ring, you’re planning on spending the rest of your life with her. By telling the jeweler how much you care about your partner, this lets them know that you and the team should be a priority. And you’d be amazed what jewelers do for true love….. The last thing you need to discuss is the price. When your team comes in, have all of your preselected rings put in front of them for their choosing. They are only going to pick out of the batch that you chose and can afford. Ask the jeweler to remove the prices so the bougie friend doesn’t use that as a measuring stick. This is done months in advance to the actual date that you want to propose!!!! So start now, outside of wedding season. You then talk with the jeweler about pricing, get the discounted price he’s offering you. Most stores get their Black Friday sales around October, so don’t be afraid to ask what they will be offering. THEN check online to see if this discount can be used elsewhere. Sure, you have a relationship with this jeweler at this point but you also have to keep in mind the cost of the wedding and the house. If you’ve read the blog and follow our suggestions, you have a ring fund saved up. Go into the store and purchase the ring with your rewards credit card. As soon as you get into your car, PAY THE RING OFF (and use the rewards dollars to start the wedding fund).

 

You’re welcome.

 

$ave Dat Money

One of my good friends and supporters of the New Cheap sent me this song a while back. I listened while at the office and completely forgot about it. I just can’t see myself telling my coworkers I'm
listening to the new "Lil Dicky" mixtape- I swear it's NOT because he's white! I support white rappers in hip hop! (Eminem's verse on renegade was the only time I've heard Jay-Z get worked on a song).
But back to Lil Dicky. I like the concept of the song and can see what he's attempting to do. I applaud his efforts to provide financial literacy over a catchy beat. I actually agree with just about everything in this song. As you can guess, saving money isn’t really a thing in hip hop, but throw it over a catchy beat and I'm sure people will dance to it. Supporters of trap rap say that the music doesn't make people want to trap, and that’s fine by me. Let's hope Lil Dickey has the opposite effect. Either way  “$ave Dat Money” satirically delivers a breath of fresh air to the genre.

                                                       $ave dat Money

Ruby Tuesday luv the Kids......

 

Free kids’ meal. At Ruby Tuesday, parents can score a free meal for their child with the purchase of an adult entree every Tuesday after 5 p.m. all month long.

Tweet us at @TheNewCheap if you take advantage of this deal!!!

-@TheNewCheap

Should Kids be Paid for Good Grades?

Should kids be paid for good grades?

 

I grew up old school.......We weren’t given an allowance or money for good grades. The only incentive for doing well in school was the possible avoidance of the belt and living another day. I understand what my parents were attempting to do by not awarding us for every achievement. However, I also believe there are lessons for kids to learn by providing money for accomplishments such as good grades.



My nieces and nephews are smart kids and good athletes (Thank you sweet baby Jesus). They work hard and as their favorite uncle I want to reward them. Recently my niece attempted to renegotiate the terms of our reward agreement. She wanted to decrease the amount of money acquired for A’s and begin receiving payment for B’s. This was obviously rejected on the basis I don’t reward second place. It may seem harsh but if I allow my niece to be rewarded for B's before I know it, I'll be handing over cash for C’s. (Yes, she's that good of a negotiator!) So how does this correlate with the cheap life by giving kids your cash? Providing my niece with reward money does a few things; it gives her positive incentive to do well in school while allowing me to teach her proper money management. Too often kids spend all their money on goodies and toys the second they receive it. These same children turn into adults who prefer shopping malls over savings accounts. The children growing up under my supervision will learn the value of a dollar early on while still in the safety net of their parents. After my niece receives her money, I will encourage her to think of ways to increase her cash flow. Maybe she should could start her own local lawn care service by cutting grass and raking leaves. I will remind her that she has two brothers and cousins she could hire to do the work. This allows her to manage the boys while she gets paid the lions share. If she’s making moves like this as a child, imagine what she will be capable of as an adult. There’s no limit to a kids potential if you start the financial literacy conversation early. My niece is already on the right track for the simple fact she's already renegotiating the terms of the deal. Unfortunately for her when it comes to negotiations I’m a tad better at it.



- @TheNewCheap

It takes a village to make a care package

It takes a village to make a care package.

There are many joys to college life, the first two weeks (a father's nightmare) , homecoming weekend and spring breaks etc. But nothing is better than arriving to the post office to find that you have a care package. For those of you that never went off to college, this is the highlight of the mail experience.  After college you will grow to hate the mail experience due to that crazy woman Sallie Mae. Relatives often send a package of everything they think you may need while off at school. In my care package was always a years worth of roman noodles , pop tarts, candy and deodorant ..... basically all of the essentials niave adults thought I needed while studying to change the world . Why am I telling you folks about this?? Because you should come together and send a kid a care package. Why?? you may ask, should you care about some kids receiving a care package? If the entire family came together once every month to send a kid a care package it would save everyone money. It would  also help a college kid focus on his/her studies (plus allow them to spend their money on what counts.... booze and  club cover charges).

So send out an email to all of the family and notify everyone that you’re putting together a care package for your kid cousin, who’s away "studying hard". If everyone drops in a $10, imagine what could be purchased for the kid?

Does giving $10 a month provide you with some type of financial return? NO but one of the cool things about living the New Cheap life, is having extra money to do good for others.You cant spend life always thinking of what you will get in return. But for those of you that need a little extra incentive , college kids  often get  college sporting event tickets for free. If you’re the organizer for these care packages, I’d imagine you may get a few tickets for free.

-TheNewCheap

Not @thenewcheap Approved - Most Expensivest Shit : All-Time Favorites

 

 

We've been  fans of the GQ x 2 Chainz  Youtube series " Most Expensivest Shit" from the very start. So this week we're hitting you with the all time favorites from the series. A lot of laughs here, but that's all it should offer you.... dont EVER aspire to F*** your money up this way!! Seriously under no sitatuion should you spend $15K on a suit. Just watch the video  to see how the other side lives, then continue on your path to living the New Cheap life.

GQ x 2 Chainz: Most Expensivest Shit - All Time Favorites

 

-TheNewCheap

This ain't got nothing to do with money - Kendrick Lamar

Like most of you, I grew up in the golden age of Hip Hop. I can remember riding to school to Wu-Tang records in the back of my cousins Honda Civic. Some of the greatest memories of my life are surrounded by music. Unfortunately much of  the music today doesn't  give that same feeling as the first time you hear Big's Juicy. But this young king Kendrick Lamar reminds you that hip hop is still alive. Streaming services allow you to hear an album in its entirety prior to purchasing it. So when " to Pimp Butterfly" came out I went to give it a listen and got that old school hip feelings. Those songs made me feel something that hasn't been felt since Lauryn hill's MTV unplugged album. I spend money for quality, theres no cheap way to buy a new  record and in supporting an artist like Kendrick I don't need one. Because if you don't support the artist saying something, you will get alot more of the bullshit.

Kendrick preformed for the late show with Steven Colbert and we wanted to share with those who have been living under a rock missing out on this great talent.

Kendrick Lamar Performs ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ Medley on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Suze Orman

SUZE ORMAN

 

 

BAE...........

 

Suze Orman: To really save money, do this...

Get Familiar - Quinta Brunson

 



Quinta Brunson is hilarious! If you haven't seen her work, you need to spend some time watching her. We love her here at @theNewCheap because of her "he got money" sketches. Its funny to see what she's able to do making us laugh at situations we've all been in. Seriously every person has been in a "you got money" situation. Take some time and get familiar with Quinta Brunson!

When You're Broke But Still Killing The Game

Buy a Flask

Buy a flask

At this point in life, you should have a quality mattress, savings account and a flask. This summer I realized the importance of the flask. The older you get, more events you attend will not serve liquor and that’s alright. It should never be an expectation the host to provide you with endless amounts of liquor. In those situation it's great to bring a flask. Most flask fit in the lining of suit jackets and even the most tapered suits. No matter what the event, you always have your personal bar. BUT don't bring a flask inside the church, I'm all for a sip or two but I doubt God would categorize my bourbon with the wine used for communion.There is nothing better than sneaking liquor into a concert. Can I pay for drinks at the show?! Of course!!!  But I rather gamble and attempt to sneak my trusty plastic flask in. If they catch me with it (which never happens), then I give it up and charge it to the game.

 I pour straight liquor into my flask and place it in my pocket.  If mixed drinks are your thing order some soda to go along with the contents of your flask.This my friends is a lot cheaper than buying drinks all night for the two of you. For long flights purchase airplane size bottles prior to arriving at the airport. Airport prices for a sandwich can cost your first born child, imagine what a mixed drink would run you. Airplane size bottles fit snuggly in your carry-on and mix great with the complimentary soda provided.

 I know we’re all responsible adults here but I must say, Don’t drink and drive folks! Don’t ruin your good time with a DUI or harming yourself or others. Paying for an uber is always cheaper than a DUI! Just take a taxi after that good time. If you know me personally, call me! And I’ll pick you up no questioned asked! Just know you will be paying for waffle house on the way home!

It's time you start drinking like a man

                                        

 

   It's time you start drinking like a man

 

When I first started drinking my older cousin taught me the art of drinking for cheap (Don’t worry mom, I was of legal drinking age and it was a  "play" cousin that you've never met;) . He let me know that I should always drink straight liquor or "neat". This was not done in an effort to get more liquor but to provide a governor for you consumption. It's no secret that mixed drinks go down easier. Which is why we've all woke up to our bank accounts being minus 10 crown and cokes. Drinking your liquor neat will make you "man up"and sip rather than inhaling your savings account. Buying your drinks neat also allows you to control your intoxication level. Stronger drinks are harder to drink so in theory you drink less. 

 

Boyce Watkins on The Breakfast Club

a GREAT conversation  between Dr. Boyce Watkins and The Breakfast Club! YES the Breakfast Club does more for the community than handing out "Donkey of the Day" awards. This conversation should be played loudly  amongst your friends and family. Even if you dont agree with everything being said ,  at the very least  this will start the conversation on financial literacy .

 

Boyce Watkins on The Breakfast Club

How a CHEAP man buys a wedding gift

 

This has been the summer of weddings. It seems like every weekend this summer; I was either attending a wedding or missing one. Don't get me wrong, weddings are an amazing time! The weddings I've attended are the highlight of my summer. Seeing two people make a lasting commitment while catching up with friends and family is the best way to spend a Friday/Saturday.

While weddings are a time of celebration only one issue remains, purchasing the gift. In the past my girlfriend would be responsible for this task but I wanted to switch it up for my cousins big day and take it upon myself. The phrase “Where are you registered? ” should never be spoken between two men. Therefore, I decided I wanted to find something personal and unique. A good friend of mine Tiffany Webber immediately popped into my mind.  Tiffany recently  started a calligraphy business ( IG: @inkpursuit ) and when I needed to purchase a wedding gift, I knew exactly who to call. After speaking with her briefly regarding my cousin and his soon to be Mrs., she came up with something I'm sure they will cherish forever. The gift is a representation of their two lives becoming one. Thankfully I ended up with an amazing gift for my cousin and was able to support a friends business. That to me sounds like the good ol sayin, “ kill two birds with one stone.”  

Without saying, if you need a gift for any occasion, contact Tiffany Webber! Seriously, I described the two lovebirds and she came up with this great gift and even took care of all the shipping and handling. Fellas lets be honest, if you're a single man, you've never seen a wedding registry and don’t want to start now. Trust me, you could benefit from a business that takes care of their customers like this! Did I mention her and her husband Ryan are good friends of mine??  

#friendssupportfriends while living #thenewcheap life 

 

-@theNewCheap

It's time you end your relationship with your barber.....

 

It’s Saturday morning and you hurry off to spend a few hours talking sports with the fellas at your local barber shop. Even though you're about to spend $25 on a haircut, you enjoy the male bonding, and not to mention the time away from your respective girlfriends. Getting a $25 haircut every two weeks can put a huge dent in your budget.  Buying Andis edgers and Wahl clippers would cost you roughly $80 and the blades would last an entire year. Doing so would enable you to cut your hair whenever you felt the need to trim off unwanted hair. As with anything in life, there are some risks...... like messing up your hair line and being the butt of jokes until the hair grows back. One solution to reduce your risk would be to get online and look up the proper way to cut the hair style you desire. Then follow up by practicing the cut, knowing that it will take some time to get it right.


- @theNewCheap

Going to the Club

COLLEGE YEARS......

Back in college before we would catch the free party bus to the no cover college club, we would travel to the local ABC store to pick up the spirit for the night. We would return back to our apartment and drink while we got dressed. Playing music and snacking on  whatever left over-food that was in the fridge at the time. Before we arrived on the party bus,  we would be at a comfortable level to carry us through out the night.  Once we arrived at the club we would purchase whatever drink that was on special and sip that for the remainder of the night. All this was done because we were flat broke. The entire night cost about 15 bucks. Sidenote, burnetts liquor is sure to have taken years off my life.  Avoid at all cost.

So the question is why does this change? Why is that  just because you have a steady job, do you now feel the need to change a practice that saved you money ? Why dont we continue "Pre-Gaming" prior to our arrival at night spots?  Yes I know as young singles looking to attract  the opposite sex,  inviting a brand new love interest over prior to the club could be a little creepy.   Also I know that buying drinks is  what some use as their "in" for meeting people. Trust me.....you will go broke if you do not  follow the SOME of  practices used during your college years in your post college life.

How do you do it?? Easy.

Continue pregaming at your house prior to the club ( promise to use better liquor). Invite your crew over to your  place prior to the departure for the club. This allows you to “buy the first round”.  I drink makers marker when im celebrating at  $25 for 750 ml, if your walk into a bar and by a shot for a party of five you’ve already brought a would be bottle……  Inviting everyone over to my apartment allows for me to pay for the first couple of rounds for  far less than the price I would pay for at the bar. It also allows for the designated driver to be decided. If everyone wants to drink, then  you will save on the cab fare splitting it.  Never attempt to cut cost by driving tipsy!  Studies show that a DUI can cost  an average of  $10,000. That is not living cheap!  Also by taxing you will save on parking later in the night!

So you’ve decided to cab to the bar, finishing the bottle. You’ve brought the first couple of rounds and everyone is feeling great. You shouldn’t buy a drink the entire night!  Accept drinks, but don’t buy any drinks! Enjoy knowing the fact that you  got your drinks for the discounted price! Enjoy the music and good times with your friends.

THIS IS THE PART FOR THE FELLAS.....

Now what  about buying drinks for a beautiful woman??  Of course, because who goes to the club just to hang out with  the fellas anymore (read with sarcasm)…  first of all buying a drink is never the entry into  a conversation! One of the first times in a bar as a 21 year old, I spot this gorgeous  woman across the bar ordering a drink. I grab the bar tender mixing her drink and tell him I’m paying for her drink. I slide him my debit card and he delivers the drink to this woman. I play coy as she offers her payment and the bar tender declines pointing in my direction. This is one of the smoother things I've ever done........ I act as if I didn’t see the entire exchange and  had forgetten about the jester once she walks up. She greats me, thanking me for her drink and ask me my age….  I tell her im 21 and she comments how I'm just a baby and she walks away with my $15 investment in hand. Lesson learned the hard way......... That was 15 double cheese burgers, 15  dollar fries that she took from a college kid!  So how do you avoid a similar fate? Meet and mingle with  the ladies in the bar/club. But only buy a drink for a woman once she has brought her own drink during  your encounter or once a spark has been recognized between the two of you. Don’t be a drink sucker, you’ll go broke trust me!   There are women  who go to clubs flat broke hoping that men will buy them drinks in the club. A slight smile doesn’t mean she’s interested, she’s prob attempting to grab a drink. If there's a natural connection, be a gentleman buy the woman a drink!!!

Split the  cab fare on the way home,  and wake up  not scared to check your debit account the next morning.

Dine like a King

 

Dine like a King

 

Fellas football season is coming up, and our free weekends will suddenly be taken up with football games and managing fantasy leagues. One thing we can’t ignore is the ladies in our lives.  If you plan on making it out of the football season with a girlfriend, you better put in that time now! You have to get your date nights in while there isn’t any football. And so this requirement doesn’t tap into your craft beer and wings fund, I’m giving you one of my date secrets. Girls love themes, girls love dates and if you’re lucky………… they love being around you even though you’re weird. One of the ways to combine all of these things is, my themed date night. And I’ll be honest themed date nights have always been something I enjoy as well.  This themed night is “Dine like a King”, where the goals is to have an entire date for under $25.  A female friend of mine dated a cheap guy in college. They made it a point to have a monthly date where they could only spend $25 dollars on the entire evening. The wealthiest man I know, tells a  story of how he and his wife had to eat with whatever money they had left in their pockets for the day while building their empire. Regardless of this date being a want or a need, this should be added to your bag of dates!  Make it a challenge for your partner, to see if you can stay under the $25 limit for dinner and activity.  This practice will benefit you when your budget gets tight due to kids or saving for major purchases in the coming years.  There is a miniature golf park by my house that cost $10 with an ice cream shop next door. If this is done on a Monday, the local Italian restaurant offers two meals for only $10. There we have it folks, an entire night cost me less than $25, and we’ve had golfing, dinner and dessert. Your partner will get a kick out of it, its something different than the norm and it adds to the excitement of the date to see if you can stay under the $25.

-@theNewCheap

The Bucket List

 

 

"First world problem" alert!!!!!

I’m freakishly close to completing my bucketlist that I made at 13 years old. Seeing that I cannot go through life without chasing goals, I need to create a more modern bucket list.  Now, I must take account for this New Cheap lifestyle I’ve chosen to live.  I want to continue doing great things but I don’t want to risk the next 15 years on those plans. That’s selfish to the little people who will be popping up in my life in the next few years. At the age of thirteen it was acceptable to have selfish  and egotistical goals but now that has changed. I  will be using this second bucket list to benefit others and to help me spend time with the people in my life.

My first addition will be seeing all 128 division 1 football teams play a game. I can’t think of spending my Saturdays in any better way. The road trip playlists, the tailgates and the sports debates with random drunk fans. Don’t worry New Cheap family, I will be documenting each trip I take! Of course I plan to keep all of these trips under a budget to ensure no interference occurs with the goals I’ve set for my future family. The chase to this goal begins this upcoming fall. I currently live in the Baltimore area, so I will be setting my sights on the Big Ten & ACC conference teams first.  Don’t be afraid to hit me up when you see I’m coming into your town, or even join me for the game. As much as this goal is about seeing a sport that I love, it’s about getting to see friends and family across the country that I’ve been blessed to have in my life.

And for the record, I will be wearing different college gear from multiple teams, but don’t be confused I will always and forever be a UNC-Chapel Hill and University of Miami fan. But if it’s free, it’s for me…

 

-@theNewCheap

Dating Advice from a Cheap Guy - Gone Fishing

 

GONE FISHING

"You won’t find any sharks fishing in your local pond."

I’m not here to give you dating advice, but I will point out how your current dating practices affect your finances. So here’s the scene, it’s Friday night, you get all “jazzed up”, put on your best cologne/perfume and head out to the bar. You stand in line to pay a cover just to stand there, maybe hit a two-step here and there, until the DJ says last call and you go home. This leads to sappy posts on social media about “God is saving me for the chosen one” (vomit). While this can be true, you have to analyze your part in the situation and adjust. Maybe you’re fishing in the wrong location for what you want to catch.

 If I was on the market, I would look for a potential mate in places where I frequent myself. Unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t double as a dating service so you’ll have to venture outside of your house.  (Netflix dating site should def be a thing) If you enjoy art galleries attend them alone and I’m sure there will be other singles there as well. It’s a waste of money to frequent bars looking for a soul mate while losing your dignity on social media with those emo posts. Sporting events are great to socially meet like minds and what man wouldn’t love a woman who can attend a game and half way enjoy it?!  It’s ok if she doesn’t quite understand politics but she can talk for hours about football, oh that’s a winner! If you enjoy working out, then join a local gym. This is a two for one special, you’re getting in shape and still looking for potential mates. This is a better way to spend your money than pouring atrocious amounts of liquor down your throat that you are now at the gym to burn off.

 Besides all that, you’re too old to be looking for love in the club. News Flash, sane people don’t attend the club scene looking for a lifetime love. If that’s what you’re looking for, quit wasting your time looking for it in a club. Recently a good friend found her fiancée in a rest home. I’m serious, a rest home! She was a fellow youthful single leaving the club scene in hopes to find love. She began volunteering at her local rest home. Guess who has a rolodex of young single men?? The elderly who get frequent visits from their grandchildren.

The moral of the story is quit wasting money and time fishing in the wrong holes.