Broke-Ass of the Week

Broke-Ass of the Week – Sonia Mansfield

The Bay's best newsletter for underground events & news

Every week we feature a different person from the community shedding a little light on their life of brokeitude.  Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about the human spirit'probably not.

Wanna be a Broke-Ass of the Week?  Holler at us here and we’ll send you the questionnaire.

photo by David Tracy

Sonia won’t buy expensive wine, has gotten tons of free DVDs and loves cheap yoga.  Plus she’s been one of Julie Michelle’s sujects at I Live Here SF.  Sounds like my kind of broke-ass!  Read all about her below:

Name: Sonia Mansfield

Age: 39

Occupation: Content editor, social media marketing maven and star of The Sonia Show

What neighborhood do you live in?: Dogpatch

What are you listening to these days?: Some racing game my husband is playing on his PS3. [I asked … Apparently, he is playing two different racing games: One is called 'œBlur' and another is 'œSplit Second.' How could I possibly confuse them?]

Best money saving tip: I love yoga, but at $15-$20 per class it can really add up. So, my good buddy Kate and I like to take advantage of the introductory offers at yoga studios all over city. It’s a great way to get cheap yoga and discover cool yoga studios. Plus, in this town, you never run out of yoga studios.

What do you refuse to spend money on?: I believe the correct answer is sex. Also, I refuse to buy expensive wine, and by expensive I mean more than $10. I only buy what’s on sale.

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: My college degree. It’s a really expensive accessory that I only use into tricking people into thinking I’m smart.

How’d that feel?: Exhausting. Working two jobs to pay for college = no sleep.

Favorite cheap eat: I love stuffing myself with all-you-can-eat pizza at Goat Hill Pizza.  On Monday nights it’s only $10.95, and if you are sly you can sneak out with a couple of slices to have for lunch the next day.

Favorite dive bar: Broken Record in the Exclesior has a crazy selection of whiskey for cheap. Plus, they’ve got really tasty, affordable bar food in the back room.

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: When I worked as a TV critic for a newspaper, I got a ton of free DVDs: movies, TV show box sets.  Almost every DVD I own I didn’t pay for. HBO sent me a massive, elaborate 'œSex and The City' box set of the complete series in a velvet pink case. I gave it to my sister for her birthday. She still thinks I’m the coolest sister ever.

Favorite free thing to do: Walking my dog, Homer, along the Embarcadero is my favorite thing to do in San Francisco, and it’s free.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: I’d like to say 'œa house,' but I’m not sure $1 million will get me a house in San Francisco.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: Who answers no to that question? I think I have an amazing life. I feel lucky to have it.

Do you own my book?: I do not, and I’m only doing this questionnaire in the hopes that you will float me a free copy.

Best hangover cure: Coffee and beignets at Just for You Café in Dogpatch. I also believe in the power of ginger beer.

Are you a hipster?: What’s a hipster? I think that answers your question.

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Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke-Ass Stuart, is a travel writer, poet, TV host, activist, and general shit-stirrer. His website BrokeAssStuart.com is one of the most influential arts & culture sites in the San Francisco Bay Area and his freelance writing has been featured in Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, The Bold Italic, Geek.com and too many other outlets to remember. His weekly column, Broke-Ass City, appears every other Thursday in the San Francisco Examiner. Stuart’s writing has been translated into four languages. In 2011 Stuart created and hosted the travel show Young, Broke, and Beautiful on IFC and in 2015 he ran for Mayor of San Francisco and got nearly 20k votes.

He's been called "an Underground legend": SF Chronicle, "an SF cult hero":SF Bay Guardian, and "the chief of cheap": Time Out New York.