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Note To Self
Why I Vowed to Buy More Toilet Paper
Posted on Sep 2, 2008 4:06:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

The most cryptic of my Twelve Commandments is “Spend out” (it’s also one of the commandments that I have the most trouble trying to keep). I have a hoarding, score-keeping nature, and Spend Out reminds me to put things to...

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Note To Self
Twelve Tips for Spending Less
Posted on Aug 5, 2008 4:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

These are tough economic times, and lots of people are feeling the stress. If you’re trying to cut down on your spending, try following some of these strategies: 1. Pay cash. Studies show that people find it much easier to...

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Note To Self
Have You Experienced the “Expensive-Gym-Membership” Effect?
Posted on Jul 17, 2008 5:01:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

I’ve been thinking about the relationship between money and happiness, and I was struck by a phenomenon I’ll call the “expensive-gym-membership effect.” The expensive-gym-membership effect is when you pay money for something in order to force yourself to make time...

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Note To Self
Avoid Being a Bore
Posted on Apr 24, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

The immortal La Rochefoucauld wrote, “We are always bored by those whom we bore,” but I think he was wrong about that. I find it all too easy to be so interested in what I’m saying that I don’t notice...

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Note To Self
Note to Self: No Eating at Kids’ Parties
Posted on Apr 15, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

Moderation is pleasant for the wise, but I find it easier, in many cases, to give something up all together rather than to try to enjoy it moderately. For example, we keep cookies stashed away as an occasional treat for...

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Note To Self
Trash the Wedding Dress – Why Am I So Enthralled?
Posted on Mar 13, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

The phrase “trash the wedding dress” has been floating through my mind for a while, and the other night when I was cruising around the Internet (when I should have been brushing my teeth and getting into bed), I decided...

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Note To Self
Leave 3 Things Unsaid: The Secret to a Good Marriage
Posted on Mar 11, 2008 2:00:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

When I got engaged, a friend passed along a piece of advice that she’d heard from her boss: “In a good marriage, both spouses leave three things unsaid each day.” I was surprised. I thought her advice would be something...

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Note To Self
Get Professional Photos of Your Children
Posted on Mar 3, 2008 5:08:00 PM  |  By GretchenRubin

I’ve never forgotten an invaluable piece of advice that I heard from an older friend right after my first child was born. She told me, “One of my greatest regrets about my children’s childhoods was that I didn’t have more...

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About | Note To Self
Note to Self: Make Time for Happiness
Posted on Mar 3, 2008 6:05:00 AM  |  By GretchenRubin

In the tumult of everyday life, it can be hard to remember what really matters. In this blog, Note to Self, I write about trying to remember my true priorities—while also trying to remember to pick up some milk. I’m...

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