Broke-Ass of the Week – Candy Chu

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’s broke-ass, San Francisco local Candy Chu, may think she’s going through a quarter-life crisis, but there’s no doubt her twenties have been good to her.  She learned in college to be a “certified baller-on-a-budget” and a true happy hour connoisseur, and also how to get around (but not in that way).  Plus, she once got a round-trip ticket from SF to New York for $16o, so she’s an automatic role model for all of us scroungers!

Name: Candy Chu

Age: 27

Occupation: Property management

What neighborhood do you live in?: Inner Richmond

What are you listening to these days?: Nothing nowadays — almost everything on the radio is crap. I’m open to suggestions.

Best money saving tip: Buy as much as you can from Chinese stores and Chinese supermarkets (household items, fresh fruits and groceries). We’re the best money savers out there, I promise. Everything you buy is usually made in China anyway.

What do you refuse to spend money on?: Haircuts and color — my sister is a hair stylist, so she does it for free.

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: My desktop computer with 19” LCD monitor and speaker set.

How’d that feel?: Awesome – It was $350 brand new and I only use it to download music and go online, so I don’t need fancy programs that I don’t know how to use (I mean, really Mac folks…)

Favorite cheap eat: D and A Café on Clement. Chinese café food that is about $2 a plate during happy hour. Can’t beat it really.

Favorite dive bar: The Page – although the back sometimes smells like pee.

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: Round-trip ticket to New York for $160 (taxes and fees included)

Favorite free thing to do: Visit the De Young on Friday nights. They usually have free cultural performances and an independent film showing.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: A house.  Everyone needs a house.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: My life is amazing. I love everything about it (Almost. The broke part sucks.)

Do you own my book?: Not yet. Still broke. Maybe if I bought it I wouldn’t be as broke? Something for me to consider the next time at Borders.

Best hangover cure: Anything greasy – the greasier the better.

Are you a hipster?: Nope. I’ve tried dressing like a hipster, but couldn’t do it right so it was just ugly and mismatched but not in a cool way – or is that the cool thing to do? Can’t tell cause I’m not a hipster.