The women of Cheap Women.

Carrie

Is this a financial biography or a general one? I feel like a general bio would make me look more like I have things together: I spent a couple years after college as a successful copyeditor and designer and a couple years after that turning a small, financially depressed bookstore into a small, tentatively thriving bookstore.

Or, at least, I'm a trendy, crafty hipster - I started a screen printing company (Sugartop Gumdrop), ran a T-Shirt Bar, bought a Vespa, wrote for an independent weekly paper, and invented a pattern for the best knitted beer coozie ever.

I've really enjoyed the past few years, and I've grown as a person while proving myself dedicated and talented at both my jobs.

Financially, I'm another story. I'm ridiculously in debt, due as much to my organic food and ironic t-shirt addictions as to overspending to start my businesses. I make terrible financial decisions, both big (working 60-hour work weeks for a salary of $25,000) and small (ordering pizza because I'm lazy) and I'm in a lot of trouble because of it.

How much trouble? I'm not ready to say. But hopefully, by the end of these next four months, I'll be ready to admit it É and I'll be able to see my way out.


Elisa

28 year old blonde who enjoys poetry and slow dancing. Really I am simply a 28 year old woman who is trying to make it without selling her soul. If you want some relevant background, here it is. I came out of college (LSU) and immediately started my career in retail. My major was Econ and my passion was for fashion, so I became an Accessories Assistant Buyer for Parisian, a now non-existent department store. I was extremely good at what I did (really). However, with every promotion, I wished that instead they would fire me. The company was on the block to be purchased, so I decided that now was my chance. Freedom from corporate oppression! Rocking Bohemian existence! ANYWAYÉ I gave this career up and tried teaching at a small start up Christian school. That proved to be disastrous (not the teaching, but the school itself). Fast forward to now: I am a shift manager at Starbucks Coffee. I love it. I make $8.50 an hour. I used to make $40K. I am trying to make a go at financially supporting myself through my art. I screenprint, sew (am trying), and make other usable art. This is new and scary. I am realizing that being broke suits me, but am trying to figure out how long I can sustain this. This project is (hopefully) going to shed some light on the dilemma/drama of pursuing a dream vs. paying the bills.

Contract:

I agree to give up MY ENTIRE LIFE for 4 months. Or, maybe I just agree to spend as little as possible. I am agreeing to be honest, about my finances, my habits and my obsession with magazines. I understand that this will be hard, although I am probably underestimating just how hard this will be. I know that sometimes I will break down and cry, or break down and buy. I am willing to have people not understand and possibly sto hanging out with me due to my newfound frugality. I will allow myself to go on bad dates for free food, and to feel sorry for myself often.