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Things that are making me happy right now

1. I got our manager to lower our rent* and now I feel like a hardcore negotiating bad ass. I actually did a little fist pump dance when I got off the phone with him. Yes, it did make my coworkers feel awkward.

2. The phrase "Have a sleep." It was heavily featured on Flight of the Conchords the other week, and now I can't stop saying it. I want to get back into my bed and have a sleep. 3. Sweet Anne over at The City Sage did a give away and I won some fancy schmancy muffin liners! I can't wait to bake something special in them.

*I didn't just call him up and ask him to lower the rent. After reading all those NYT and WSJ articles about softening rents, I called around and got rent lists for apartments in the area, including one in our complex that is available, and then I wrote him a nice firm letter explaining that we could save a lot of money by moving but we would prefer to stay in our apartment (I also reminded him that we are great tenants). I asked for $100 off per month and he offered a $50 reduction and I took it. It might not sound like much, but that's $600 per year! One of my seldom mentioned obsessions is reading financial articles and then thinking about budgets and financial planning. Weird, right?
Posted by Rachel at 5:38 AM