Finding the Money

Dean's landlord loves me. He tells Dean, "You got yourself a good girl. She's very practical. Always thinking of ways to save."

It's not that I don't have the money. Believe me, I have enough cold hard cash to buy a $1,425 dress and a $1,200 veil right now if someone put a gun to my head. But because I was raised clipping coupons and only buying things on sale, I just don't have it in me. It's simply a matter of principle.

I really couldn't justify the exorbitant price of the dress. Other bridezillas can because dresses can be re-sold. A typical dress size is 10. Many future brides out there can easily buy that dress at a consignment store and get it altered to fit them. But once a dress gets midgetized into a size less than zero with my flat chest and 23 inch waste, it cannot be resold. Unless some midget Martian lands here and decides she wants to play dress-up with my wedding gown.

The veil? I can actually justify. I know I can sell it. It's like no other veil I've ever seen. My b-school friend this weekend assured me that the veil would go quickly. "My wedding dress? Can't sell it no matter how much I reduce the price. My veil? It sold instantly."

The bridal attendant reduced the price of the veil from $1,200 to $1,000. No sales tax if she ships it to me. I'll try to negotiate it down further.

But my mental calculator is already running.

The Elysian charged me a discounted rate of $150/night. Instead of the three nights I was there, they only charged me for one night. That's $300 I saved right there.

As soon as I got home, I posted an ad on Craigslist. SOLD OUT RAY LAMONTAGNE SHOW - FIFTH ROW SEATS. I hocked our tickets and that night, I had an extra $130 toward my veil. I do want to point out that I profited nothing from this transaction. I abide by the ticket-selling rules of selling for face value. I hope the karma works in my favor.

There's a new, but ill-fitting velvet J.Crew blazer sitting in my closet. I found the receipt and that thing is on it's way to being returned for $70.

Dean and I haven't hired a cleaner the past two months. That's $120, we've saved.

I am more than half-way there. And tomorrow? I'm taking half a dozen bags full of clothing to a consignment shop. If my good karma holds up, that veil will be mine.