Random hint of the day - do not skimp on healthy food, no matter how eager you may be to save money. Personally, I don't have time to cook three proper meals a day...whenever I've moved, I end up pigging out on pizza at the end of the day because I'm starving! Which brings me to my new find -

Organic fruit on the bottom and lowfat yogurt? With a cute wallaby on the package? YES. Hello breakfast! A friend dropped off a couple for me knowing I am way too busy to cook. Mango Tangerine! Genius. It's also a perfect thing to eat while on the phone, computer or anything. Get a spoon, and there is no mess, no fuss, just some tasty yogurt.

Disclaimer : I'm not saying this because I'm getting paid! Unless someone wants to pay me for it...

Other snacks I suggest are dried fruit and nuts, veggie slices with dip, hummus and pitas...anything you can have on hand to have a quick snack. Get some fuel in you before you work! :)

Money, and how we need more of it

Let's face it - if you're reading this, you probably can't or don't want to employ an assistant to handle every detail. Hold that thought - you want it, but, like the title says...MONEY.

My goal is to have enough money on hand to easily pay for every fee, plane ticket and random expense that flies my way. I'd also love for my last month of living in the US to be, for the most part, fun! Movies with friends, my favorite restaurants, the beach, lounging by the pool with my best friends to shoot the breeze...Fly my best friend in for the wedding, take my bridal party to the spa...

This is likely to come back and bite me in the ass soon.

My first suggestion is this : BE DESPERATE.

By this, I mean, let everyone you know that you're on the lookout for some cash. Can you clean, sew, fix cars, make web pages? The very fact you're able to read this tells me you have some sort of skills. Let it be known that you, reader, are on the prowl for some money. Don't forget that bartering can be a great option. Someone might be more than willing to trade you enough frequent flier miles to get a ticket in return for working in their garden. That elderly man next door might love if you could help him navigate Amazon.com, and order takeout for you both.

My SECOND suggestion is : CUT BACK.

I'll admit it, I pay more than I should for my cable subscription. Blah blah, cut down to basic channels...but this is my main form of entertainment most nights. A quick call to the cable company, however, saved me $10 a month. I also admit to being the type who will buy my cat's favorite food despite the fact it's almost twice the price. Coupons. Sales. In the end, pick what you want and decide what you can save money on.

My THIRD suggestion is : DE-CLUTTER

(I'm not even sure if that's a word.)

Take a look at your bookshelf, your DVD shelf, the piles of things in closets, pull them out and see what might sell. You're paring down here, do you want to pay to move that sweater that almost fits, but not quite, but it's a really pretty color...NO! Ebay, Amazon, yard sale, donations. That DVD that was so funny? If you want to keep it, by all means do. Otherwise, get it the hell out of there!

Obligatory first test and introduction post!

Navigating the logistics of marriage and moving from Los Angeles to Scotland is, like everything else involving governments, moving companies and money, insane! I've already learned a few things along the way and (hopefully) will be learning more as things move forward. I aim to post about everything I can think of - getting paperwork in order, hiring shipping companies, weeding out possessions...ALL OF IT.

While some things are definitely regional, a lot of the things being posted are useful for ANY move. Just skim over the parts where I sit at the passport office for hours and be glad you don't have to.