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BA of the Week: Alexandra Naughton

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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.

This week we shine a spotlight on Alexandra Naughton, a lovely SF broke-ass who hangs out with Elks, bumps Wu-Tang, loves the Gold Dust Lounge and references Freaks and Geeks. She was also super sweet and said this at the end of her email: “Thank you for the feature! I’m proud to be a frugal Broke Ass :)” Let’s see what kind of insight she can share with us today:

Name: Alexandra Naughton, but you might have seen me on the net as theTsaritsa.

Age: 26 going on 27, which is crazy to me because I still think of myself as being a little kid.

Occupation: I’m an office manager for the San Francisco Elk’s Lodge (the oldest continuous Lodge in the country) by day, but by night I write a blog called The Tsaritsa Sez, as well as work on my own hip-hop music.

What are you listening to these days?: Jean Grae, old Marilyn Manson, and Wu-Tang Clan. Forever.

What neighborhood do you live in?: The Panhandle.

Best money saving tip: Make your own coffee at home, and bring a lunchbox to work.

What do you refuse to spend money on: Bus fare and movie tickets. Instead I walk and have a Netflix subscription.

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: A new bed from Ikea.

How’d that feel?: I had to apply for an Ikea credit card, because I didn’t have a credit card at the time, and didn’t have nine hundred dollars plus tax on hand. It took me two months to pay it off, but I did it.

Favorite cheap eat: I cook at home a lot, but I will enjoy a French dip sandwich at Grubstake.

Favorite dive bar: The Gold Dust Lounge. (Save the Gold Dust, sign the petition!)

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: Designer clothing from Thrift Town. I love that store.

Favorite free thing to do: Lay in the sun at Dolores Park.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: A house in San Francisco, but for that I’d have to be a multi-millionaire.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: Yes! I have an awesome boyfriend, a wonderful kitty named Sookie, great friends and a good number of hobbies. I would love to get paid for my passions, but in the meantime I try to make the most out of every day.

Do you own my book?: No, but I follow you on Facebook and regularly read your website!

Best hangover cure: A bottle of Mexican Coca Cola and lots of greasy food.

Are you a hipster?: In the world of Freaks & Geeks, I’d be a geeky freak. I’ve always felt like an outsider, but as I just referenced a TV show that only lasted one season, I guess some would call me a hipster.

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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.