On the message boards where I post my No Buy thread, one of the other posters posed the question, "Have you ever thrown a budget temper tantrum?" It got me thinking about wants vs. needs, and wants vs. strong, strong desires. In order to throw a real temper tantrum, the object in question must fall into the strong, strong desire category.
Sometimes, responsibility sucks. We all know it. It makes for hard choices, or for some people, very easy choices. It depends on how responsible you are or want to be. I have a strong, strong desire to change our financial habits. But, what throws me in to a true budget temper tantrum is the unpredictability of life. Carpe Diem? Or retirement planning? *sigh*
I know that my own sense of Carpe Diem gets in the way of my money goals all the time. The older I get, the more I understand why. When I was a child, we had what I call the decade of tragedies, or the Seventies. While I have many, many happy childhood memories, the shadow of these things gives me a heightened sense of mortality. In the first part of the decade, my family lost seven members in a plane crash. In one phone call, I lost my grandmother, two aunts, an uncle and three cousins. A few years later, I survived in a dog attack when a St. Bernard attempted to remove my face. Move forward a few years, and my sister was shot but came away with no lasting damage. We capped off the decade with our restaurant being burned down by an arsonist.
By nature, I am a planner. I honestly believe I can solve any problem or do anything if I can just sit down, dissect it, and put it back together with a blueprint in place. Yeah, I may have to dig through a book, or ask a lot of questions, but once all the variables are in place, it's only a matter of completing the Sudoku puzzle. But, this planner is always in competition with Carpe Diem.
I know people who never go anywhere or do anything they talk and dream about. If you really want to go to Disneyworld, or Paris, or Italy or wherever, but you always say you can't afford it, you will never go. If you want to own a home, but just keep saying "someday" without taking action, you never will. If you are waiting for a surprise windfall, it may or may not ever happen. Even if it takes years, I believe it is possible to do anything or go anywhere, but you have to work for it. You have to take action.
When my sense of Carpe Diem conflicts with my planner, that's when I have the biggest budget temper tantrum of all. But, when I have a really big budget temper tantrum, that's when I know something really means a lot to me and I go back to the old drawing board. I may not give in, but you can believe I will spend some time crunching the numbers.
At the bookstore:
Last night, a twelve/thirteen year old boy discovered that we had a sexuality section. When I noticed him, he had out about 8 or 9 books. I walked up and asked him if he needed any help, he stammered "no"and fled. But, oh no, he was back just 3 minutes later. It was really cute how he thought he was sly, hiding behind the bookcase when I would come back. After 2 times of him slipping away as I approached, I cornered him and told him that the next time he came back over into that area, I was going to tell his mother. That finally did it. He never went back over, but I saw him head in that direction two more times, only to turn around when he saw me. I laugh when I think about his friends asking him what he did on Spring Break. I'm sure I will be portrayed as an ogre. I doubt that he noticed I was a highly amused ogre!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Garage Sale Blues
In two weeks, we are having a garage sale. My household usually borders on insanity. It's always a fine line from control to chaos and it doesn't take much to cross it. This garage sale, has pushed us to the edge and heaved us into the abyss. Like Alice before us, we have no idea when it will stop.
In the living room, we have boxes lining up to the ceiling behind the chairs. We have baby and toddler clothes in 7 boxes sorted by size. I have a big box of baby and toddler shoes. There are bibs, bottles, tummy mats, sterilizers, and so on and so on. Right now, it looks a lot like a junk heap because items that won't fit neatly into these boxes are piled on top. Just pile a baby bathtub and bathseat on even the neatest stack and you have instant dissarray. Throw in a few well used strollers at the bottom and a big box of toys DS just can't stay out of and you up your chaos ratio big time.
Why have I done this to myself? Why, oh why? I'm going to blame Dave Ramsey. When I first began the new No Buy lifestyle, I read several of Dave Ramsey's books: Financial Peace Revisited and The Total Money Makeover. I liked them both, but felt like they were the same book, but that Total Money Makeover had more true life stories. In both books, he talks about ways to raise cash for an emergency fund and for paying off debt. One of them was a garage sale. I remember he said to sell as much as you could of anything you could and something along the lines of selling so much stuff the kids begin to fear they are next. And what do you know? Seed planted.
I open a closet, see clutter and boxes of stuff that hasn't been unpacked in 2 1/2 years of living in this house and wonder, can I get a quarter for what's in that box? A buck, maybe five? It's like Monty Hall is going to try and make me a deal! I've got two dead mowers in the shed, would anyone give me $5 for a dead mower? Maybe someone fixes mowers and they'll snap them up. I keep pointing my beady little eyes at everything. Remember the old Looney Tunes cartoon where the two characters are in a lifeboat and they keep staring at each other? And as one looks at the other, he turns into a hamburger or chicken leg? Yeah, it's kinda like that. Only, I see a buck! Oh, Monty, Monty, pick me!
Pricing all this stuff is driving me insane as well. I walk the line between get something and be done with it and you're just giving it away. I'm leaning towards fifty cents for each piece of kids clothes, but dang, does that make some footed jammies a steal! However, I would rather get rid of it for a few coins than have to haul it away for nothing. I've already decided that whatever doesn't sell goes into a donation box. It's not coming back across that threshold if I have to haul away junk all night!
As I'm sorting, pricing, boxing and storing all this stuff, I am trying to decide what to do with our garage sale money. I'm optimistic, but who knows? The last garage sale I had was in the spring of 2003. It coincided with the first day of "Shock and Awe" bombing in the middle east. Talk about putting a bummer on a garage sale. We had almost no traffic as everyone was listening in or watching the reports. At any rate, I'm getting rid of a lot of stuff and that has got to be a good thing.
We also haven't decided on what to do with anything we make. There are so many things we would like and need. A new mattress for us would be great. But, I am also putting my car in the shop tomorrow to get the oxygen sensor replaced and new brakes. And I'm finally breaking down and calling the a/c guy on Monday or Tuesday. *sigh* Guess we'll just wait and see how we'll do.
Current reading: I've just finished The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. I couldn't put it down. It was fantastic and I want to read more of her stuff. However, it was so good, I got even further behind on chores and garage sale stuff. I don't dare start another one of her books until after the sale!
Overheard at the bookstore:
Sir, this coupon expired last August.
It's okay, I just printed it today.
No, I'm sorry it is expired.
That's alright, just go ahead and use it.
I'm sorry I can't, it expired several months ago.
It's alright, I give you permission.
In the living room, we have boxes lining up to the ceiling behind the chairs. We have baby and toddler clothes in 7 boxes sorted by size. I have a big box of baby and toddler shoes. There are bibs, bottles, tummy mats, sterilizers, and so on and so on. Right now, it looks a lot like a junk heap because items that won't fit neatly into these boxes are piled on top. Just pile a baby bathtub and bathseat on even the neatest stack and you have instant dissarray. Throw in a few well used strollers at the bottom and a big box of toys DS just can't stay out of and you up your chaos ratio big time.
Why have I done this to myself? Why, oh why? I'm going to blame Dave Ramsey. When I first began the new No Buy lifestyle, I read several of Dave Ramsey's books: Financial Peace Revisited and The Total Money Makeover. I liked them both, but felt like they were the same book, but that Total Money Makeover had more true life stories. In both books, he talks about ways to raise cash for an emergency fund and for paying off debt. One of them was a garage sale. I remember he said to sell as much as you could of anything you could and something along the lines of selling so much stuff the kids begin to fear they are next. And what do you know? Seed planted.
I open a closet, see clutter and boxes of stuff that hasn't been unpacked in 2 1/2 years of living in this house and wonder, can I get a quarter for what's in that box? A buck, maybe five? It's like Monty Hall is going to try and make me a deal! I've got two dead mowers in the shed, would anyone give me $5 for a dead mower? Maybe someone fixes mowers and they'll snap them up. I keep pointing my beady little eyes at everything. Remember the old Looney Tunes cartoon where the two characters are in a lifeboat and they keep staring at each other? And as one looks at the other, he turns into a hamburger or chicken leg? Yeah, it's kinda like that. Only, I see a buck! Oh, Monty, Monty, pick me!
Pricing all this stuff is driving me insane as well. I walk the line between get something and be done with it and you're just giving it away. I'm leaning towards fifty cents for each piece of kids clothes, but dang, does that make some footed jammies a steal! However, I would rather get rid of it for a few coins than have to haul it away for nothing. I've already decided that whatever doesn't sell goes into a donation box. It's not coming back across that threshold if I have to haul away junk all night!
As I'm sorting, pricing, boxing and storing all this stuff, I am trying to decide what to do with our garage sale money. I'm optimistic, but who knows? The last garage sale I had was in the spring of 2003. It coincided with the first day of "Shock and Awe" bombing in the middle east. Talk about putting a bummer on a garage sale. We had almost no traffic as everyone was listening in or watching the reports. At any rate, I'm getting rid of a lot of stuff and that has got to be a good thing.
We also haven't decided on what to do with anything we make. There are so many things we would like and need. A new mattress for us would be great. But, I am also putting my car in the shop tomorrow to get the oxygen sensor replaced and new brakes. And I'm finally breaking down and calling the a/c guy on Monday or Tuesday. *sigh* Guess we'll just wait and see how we'll do.
Current reading: I've just finished The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. I couldn't put it down. It was fantastic and I want to read more of her stuff. However, it was so good, I got even further behind on chores and garage sale stuff. I don't dare start another one of her books until after the sale!
Overheard at the bookstore:
Sir, this coupon expired last August.
It's okay, I just printed it today.
No, I'm sorry it is expired.
That's alright, just go ahead and use it.
I'm sorry I can't, it expired several months ago.
It's alright, I give you permission.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Two days off the wagon
Yesterday and today, impulse purchases were made. Unnecessary meals were bought and lattes were consumed. Why, oh why?
On Sunday, I worked the mid shift and was giving the new glasses a good try. I was warned by the eye doctor, the glasses technician, and Tee that they would probably give me a few headaches. Since I haven't worn glasses for anything other than reading in a long, long time, I had to adjust to them being on my face as well. As the day drug by, I felt the headache creeping up and staved it off for a while with some Tylenol and lots of water. By about 4:30, my head was pounding. I went to the Cafe to buy my Sunday paper (for coupons) and gave in to impulse. I bought a latte and a brownie.
The latte was marvelous. Oh, how I've missed them. I had it slightly under steamed and it was, well, perfect. As I was sipping on it, I began to wonder about adding a little pocket money back into the budget. Or maybe I could buy a gift card at the beginning of the month so I could have a few treats when the going gets rough. I sat sipping and musing, and then started to nibble on the brownie. Let me first state that the brownie was very good in its own right. There was nothing wrong with the brownie. However, as a child, I have very fond memories of Sara Lee Brownies that you could buy in the freezer section. They came in the foil pan and I totally loved them. Alas, you cannot find these Sara Lee brownies anymore. Well, the brownie that I bought has a distant resemblance to those brownies of old. I guess I was expecting them to taste so much like them that I was disappointed. Combine that with guilt for spending money and well, it doesn't make for such a great treat. It wasn't worth the money, guilt, or calories.
As I finished my latte, I realized I was still contemplating "adding a little pocket money" back into my budget. Hm, that didn't settle very well, because I still give myself an allowance of $20 cash each week. I promptly deposit that allowance into a cookie jar and I love counting it every single week. I used this money to pay for Christmas presents last December and it's barely recovering. I am also contemplating buying a chest freezer with this money so I can buy my meat in bulk and save more grocery money. As I thought it through, it dawned on me that it would be breaking my own set No Buy rule. So, thought discarded and victory was mine. I dang sure didn't want a latte to set back into old spending habits.
This morning, DH & DS set out to take care of the flat tire on the Saturn. They went to Discount Tire and spent the morning there. They replaced the flat tire using the existing road hazard warranty, so it only cost $14 out of pocket. The last time we had a flat back in the fall, they replaced a tire using the road hazard warranty, but pointed out that we were not far off from needing to replace two tires on the car. So, I had DH buy one tire today and we will get the other one at the beginning of April. So, between the one they replaced last fall, they one they replaced today, and the new one we bought today, we are up to 3 new tires! Yippee! We spent a little over $130 today. Unplanned, but necessary. I can live with that.
After the tire adventure, DH & DS stopped by to see me at work. It's always a surprise when they come in and it breaks up the day. DH was tired from keeping up with DS at the tire shop and he rewarded himself with a mocha. Who was I to complain? It hadn't been 24 hours since I had sipped a latte and contemplated slipping off the wagon. So, he got his coffee and went on his way. By this time, it was rapidly approaching lunch. DS was a tad cranky, so they drove thru and bought lunch. *sigh* Another $18 down the hatch.
Tonight, when I got home from work, the headache was creeping back up on me. I laid down for a bit, but it's hard to relax with a 3 year old who hasn't seen you all day. He was all over me, I felt like crap, and everyone was hungry. It was oh, too easy to go out to dinner. As we climbed into the car, I at least had the good sense to go to our favorite El Cheapo Mexican food place, so it wasn't much at all. Just another $15.
But, again, it was just $2.75 yesterday, just $2 for the mocha, just $18 for lunch and just $15 for dinner. Wait a minute. It was just $37.75 that we have nothing to show for! Holy Guacamole. What was I thinking? When I look back at the old lifestyle and budget, I can see how often I just spent a few bucks for dining out. I can buy a lot of groceries for $37.75 and it would make more than two meals and two cups of coffee.
As I've spent a little time off the wagon lately, I have to wonder: Does the occasional fall from the wagon renew your desire to ride? I think it just might.
On the home front:
New pics! I have the new camera up and going. I've really missed having one around all the time.
It's nice he didn't give up his ability to ham it up for the camera!
On Sunday, I worked the mid shift and was giving the new glasses a good try. I was warned by the eye doctor, the glasses technician, and Tee that they would probably give me a few headaches. Since I haven't worn glasses for anything other than reading in a long, long time, I had to adjust to them being on my face as well. As the day drug by, I felt the headache creeping up and staved it off for a while with some Tylenol and lots of water. By about 4:30, my head was pounding. I went to the Cafe to buy my Sunday paper (for coupons) and gave in to impulse. I bought a latte and a brownie.
The latte was marvelous. Oh, how I've missed them. I had it slightly under steamed and it was, well, perfect. As I was sipping on it, I began to wonder about adding a little pocket money back into the budget. Or maybe I could buy a gift card at the beginning of the month so I could have a few treats when the going gets rough. I sat sipping and musing, and then started to nibble on the brownie. Let me first state that the brownie was very good in its own right. There was nothing wrong with the brownie. However, as a child, I have very fond memories of Sara Lee Brownies that you could buy in the freezer section. They came in the foil pan and I totally loved them. Alas, you cannot find these Sara Lee brownies anymore. Well, the brownie that I bought has a distant resemblance to those brownies of old. I guess I was expecting them to taste so much like them that I was disappointed. Combine that with guilt for spending money and well, it doesn't make for such a great treat. It wasn't worth the money, guilt, or calories.
As I finished my latte, I realized I was still contemplating "adding a little pocket money" back into my budget. Hm, that didn't settle very well, because I still give myself an allowance of $20 cash each week. I promptly deposit that allowance into a cookie jar and I love counting it every single week. I used this money to pay for Christmas presents last December and it's barely recovering. I am also contemplating buying a chest freezer with this money so I can buy my meat in bulk and save more grocery money. As I thought it through, it dawned on me that it would be breaking my own set No Buy rule. So, thought discarded and victory was mine. I dang sure didn't want a latte to set back into old spending habits.
This morning, DH & DS set out to take care of the flat tire on the Saturn. They went to Discount Tire and spent the morning there. They replaced the flat tire using the existing road hazard warranty, so it only cost $14 out of pocket. The last time we had a flat back in the fall, they replaced a tire using the road hazard warranty, but pointed out that we were not far off from needing to replace two tires on the car. So, I had DH buy one tire today and we will get the other one at the beginning of April. So, between the one they replaced last fall, they one they replaced today, and the new one we bought today, we are up to 3 new tires! Yippee! We spent a little over $130 today. Unplanned, but necessary. I can live with that.
After the tire adventure, DH & DS stopped by to see me at work. It's always a surprise when they come in and it breaks up the day. DH was tired from keeping up with DS at the tire shop and he rewarded himself with a mocha. Who was I to complain? It hadn't been 24 hours since I had sipped a latte and contemplated slipping off the wagon. So, he got his coffee and went on his way. By this time, it was rapidly approaching lunch. DS was a tad cranky, so they drove thru and bought lunch. *sigh* Another $18 down the hatch.
Tonight, when I got home from work, the headache was creeping back up on me. I laid down for a bit, but it's hard to relax with a 3 year old who hasn't seen you all day. He was all over me, I felt like crap, and everyone was hungry. It was oh, too easy to go out to dinner. As we climbed into the car, I at least had the good sense to go to our favorite El Cheapo Mexican food place, so it wasn't much at all. Just another $15.
But, again, it was just $2.75 yesterday, just $2 for the mocha, just $18 for lunch and just $15 for dinner. Wait a minute. It was just $37.75 that we have nothing to show for! Holy Guacamole. What was I thinking? When I look back at the old lifestyle and budget, I can see how often I just spent a few bucks for dining out. I can buy a lot of groceries for $37.75 and it would make more than two meals and two cups of coffee.
As I've spent a little time off the wagon lately, I have to wonder: Does the occasional fall from the wagon renew your desire to ride? I think it just might.
On the home front:
New pics! I have the new camera up and going. I've really missed having one around all the time.
It's nice he didn't give up his ability to ham it up for the camera!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Six Eyes!
Sometime during the first few months of No Buy, I misplaced my reading glasses. I remembered having them as I left for work, but couldn't find them there or in the car. So, with life being a disorganized mess at the time, I turned my house upside down and inside out. Two days later, I parked in the driveway instead of up on the carport. Guess what I found? I've gotta say, those Titanium bounce back frames bent right back into place, even if they were lopsided. The lenses were not so lucky. I figure that if I lost them that first trip out of the carport, I ran over them at least nine times! The lenses were intact but after all that grinding into the concrete, you couldn't see through them at all.
Since I only wore my glasses for reading, I staved off an eye exam by purchasing a cheap pair of magnifiers at Target. They weren't the best, but they did the job and I paid less than $10. They also didn't last long. DS is obsessed by glasses and I would tend to leave them on my bedside table when I fell asleep. As DS is usually my alarm clock, I woke many times to him playing with my glasses. I was back at Target just before Christmas getting another $10 pair after he broke them.
When the New Year's resolution time was in fever pitch, I promised myself a visit to the eye doctor and new glasses. January rolled on and before I made the appointment, open enrollment for benefits happened at work. For the first time, I was eligible for a flexible spending account with my health plan. I took the entire enrollment period to decide how much I wanted to dump into the new account. Finally, on the last day, I dropped a grand into the account. Then I had to wait until I received all my information and make sure the account was active.
March came along, and determined, I made the appointment for today. I was a little apprehensive because I don't really care for dental, medical, or eye appointments. They always make me a little crazy. But, here it was, glasses time.
I arrived at the appointment early so I could shop around for frames while I waited. I got a great technician who pulled me tons of frames and walked me through my vision plan coverage. Frames have really changed in the last ten years. So many big designers have frames now. Dolce & Gibanna, Anne Klein, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Farragamo! And, I had a license to buy! Ooh, my inner shopper came out with a vengeance. I almost forgot to pause and get my eye exam.
So, I fill out my paperwork, get my eyes puffed and hit the dreaded chair. I spent another 20 minutes playing "better or worse" and then he hit me between the eyes. OK, maybe not really, but it felt like it. "I think you'll find the progressive bifocals will really help you at work." Um, excuse me? BIFOCALS? Yep, that's what he said. I guess he thought I liked the sound of that because I was too stunned to speak. I pulled out the unused MasterCard, paid my bill and stumbled into the mall.
Bifocals. Not four eyes, but six eyes! Dear God, how old am I? When did this happen? Can I lodge a complaint? WTH? I just kind of rambled around in the mall for a few minutes, trying to let it all sink in before I went back to the glasses store.
I sank myself back into the bliss of sanctioned shopping, but I could still feel a bit of panic. I mean, I was totally not prepared to decide between lined or progressive. I called Tee and without preamble, blurted out my question about which to get. Now, between you and me, I think she took it harder than I did. Her little sister was old enough to need bifocals. But, she convinced me to go with the progressive lenses because I didn't need to "look like an old woman!"
In the end, I picked out my frames without looking at the prices. I had gone over my vision plan earlier, and I was only going to have to pay 60% of the frames cost, and I had my flexible spending account to pay the bill when it came due. But, again, I was unprepared for all the decisions and costs associated with bifocals. I picked a sharp pair of Ray Bans for $160 thinking they would cost me just under $100. Now came the time to pick lenses.
Really, they need some kind of wall chart explaining all the different types of lenses, complete with prices. A menu would be great. A menu with explanations, prices, scratch resistance ratings, weights, well, I could go on and on. Given DS's obsession with my glasses, I figured I needed superior scratch protection. Given the fact that I haven't worn glasses daily since I was in elementary school, I wanted something light. Given Tee's suggestion, I wanted progressive. I was totally lost. Without a clear cut menu, I chose Featherweight Plus, Progressive lenses. I felt like I was Mr. Magoo bumbling along.
And, here's where the money got nasty. We ran the numbers on everything using my vision plan, paying 60% on the frames and I forget the percentage on the lenses. It came out to about $345. Then, my technician ran the numbers using a coupon that had been mailed out for 50% off of lenses, and the total came out to be $309. So, I used the coupon, and handed over my MasterCard.
On the way to the car, I was starting to second guess myself and the vision plan. Sure, the exam was cheap, but I didn't have to buy my glasses from them. I should shop around. I was getting out my car keys when I decided to turn around and cancel my order. Then, I saw it. The flat tire on the Saturn. Talk about the last thing I needed. I totally put all thought of glasses out of my head and focused on the immediate problem.
I pulled out the cell phone and started to dial AAA. I carry AAA because our cars are higher mileage and I never want to be stranded out with DS. But, I almost never use it except for discounts, and since I'm not shopping, I've barely used it this year. I used them once about a month and a half ago, when DH & DS locked the keys in his car. The response time was about 40 minutes. Well, it wasn't too hot and I can change a tire in under 10 minutes so I set to work.
After talking to Tee later in the day, I realized that I came out pretty cheap versus what she has to pay for her glasses, but it still makes me crazy. I've already gotten my forms to get my reimbursement and it'll go out in the mail on Monday. I'm really glad that I didn't decide on a pair of sunglasses today. I'm going to really shop around before I buy them. I've already spent time at Zenni Optical and I expect I will experiment with them for sunglasses and a pair of plain reading glasses.
Now, I have to admit, the glasses look great. They fit great. They are light and I have already started to effortlessly wear them only four hours later. But, two phrases keep running through my mind:
Guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses.
Four eyes! (or in my case, Six eyes!)
Overheard at the bookstore:
Do you have some sort of Rolodex or something where we can look up stuff? We don't really know how this place works.
Since I only wore my glasses for reading, I staved off an eye exam by purchasing a cheap pair of magnifiers at Target. They weren't the best, but they did the job and I paid less than $10. They also didn't last long. DS is obsessed by glasses and I would tend to leave them on my bedside table when I fell asleep. As DS is usually my alarm clock, I woke many times to him playing with my glasses. I was back at Target just before Christmas getting another $10 pair after he broke them.
When the New Year's resolution time was in fever pitch, I promised myself a visit to the eye doctor and new glasses. January rolled on and before I made the appointment, open enrollment for benefits happened at work. For the first time, I was eligible for a flexible spending account with my health plan. I took the entire enrollment period to decide how much I wanted to dump into the new account. Finally, on the last day, I dropped a grand into the account. Then I had to wait until I received all my information and make sure the account was active.
March came along, and determined, I made the appointment for today. I was a little apprehensive because I don't really care for dental, medical, or eye appointments. They always make me a little crazy. But, here it was, glasses time.
I arrived at the appointment early so I could shop around for frames while I waited. I got a great technician who pulled me tons of frames and walked me through my vision plan coverage. Frames have really changed in the last ten years. So many big designers have frames now. Dolce & Gibanna, Anne Klein, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Farragamo! And, I had a license to buy! Ooh, my inner shopper came out with a vengeance. I almost forgot to pause and get my eye exam.
So, I fill out my paperwork, get my eyes puffed and hit the dreaded chair. I spent another 20 minutes playing "better or worse" and then he hit me between the eyes. OK, maybe not really, but it felt like it. "I think you'll find the progressive bifocals will really help you at work." Um, excuse me? BIFOCALS? Yep, that's what he said. I guess he thought I liked the sound of that because I was too stunned to speak. I pulled out the unused MasterCard, paid my bill and stumbled into the mall.
Bifocals. Not four eyes, but six eyes! Dear God, how old am I? When did this happen? Can I lodge a complaint? WTH? I just kind of rambled around in the mall for a few minutes, trying to let it all sink in before I went back to the glasses store.
I sank myself back into the bliss of sanctioned shopping, but I could still feel a bit of panic. I mean, I was totally not prepared to decide between lined or progressive. I called Tee and without preamble, blurted out my question about which to get. Now, between you and me, I think she took it harder than I did. Her little sister was old enough to need bifocals. But, she convinced me to go with the progressive lenses because I didn't need to "look like an old woman!"
In the end, I picked out my frames without looking at the prices. I had gone over my vision plan earlier, and I was only going to have to pay 60% of the frames cost, and I had my flexible spending account to pay the bill when it came due. But, again, I was unprepared for all the decisions and costs associated with bifocals. I picked a sharp pair of Ray Bans for $160 thinking they would cost me just under $100. Now came the time to pick lenses.
Really, they need some kind of wall chart explaining all the different types of lenses, complete with prices. A menu would be great. A menu with explanations, prices, scratch resistance ratings, weights, well, I could go on and on. Given DS's obsession with my glasses, I figured I needed superior scratch protection. Given the fact that I haven't worn glasses daily since I was in elementary school, I wanted something light. Given Tee's suggestion, I wanted progressive. I was totally lost. Without a clear cut menu, I chose Featherweight Plus, Progressive lenses. I felt like I was Mr. Magoo bumbling along.
And, here's where the money got nasty. We ran the numbers on everything using my vision plan, paying 60% on the frames and I forget the percentage on the lenses. It came out to about $345. Then, my technician ran the numbers using a coupon that had been mailed out for 50% off of lenses, and the total came out to be $309. So, I used the coupon, and handed over my MasterCard.
On the way to the car, I was starting to second guess myself and the vision plan. Sure, the exam was cheap, but I didn't have to buy my glasses from them. I should shop around. I was getting out my car keys when I decided to turn around and cancel my order. Then, I saw it. The flat tire on the Saturn. Talk about the last thing I needed. I totally put all thought of glasses out of my head and focused on the immediate problem.
I pulled out the cell phone and started to dial AAA. I carry AAA because our cars are higher mileage and I never want to be stranded out with DS. But, I almost never use it except for discounts, and since I'm not shopping, I've barely used it this year. I used them once about a month and a half ago, when DH & DS locked the keys in his car. The response time was about 40 minutes. Well, it wasn't too hot and I can change a tire in under 10 minutes so I set to work.
After talking to Tee later in the day, I realized that I came out pretty cheap versus what she has to pay for her glasses, but it still makes me crazy. I've already gotten my forms to get my reimbursement and it'll go out in the mail on Monday. I'm really glad that I didn't decide on a pair of sunglasses today. I'm going to really shop around before I buy them. I've already spent time at Zenni Optical and I expect I will experiment with them for sunglasses and a pair of plain reading glasses.
Now, I have to admit, the glasses look great. They fit great. They are light and I have already started to effortlessly wear them only four hours later. But, two phrases keep running through my mind:
Guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses.
Four eyes! (or in my case, Six eyes!)
Overheard at the bookstore:
Do you have some sort of Rolodex or something where we can look up stuff? We don't really know how this place works.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A Bulldog of a budget book!
One of my new favorite people is Larry Winget. I first noticed him when I was shelving new releases several years ago. I pulled the book Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life off the cart and thought, "Oh, please, please, please, be a self improvement book!" There is a photo of Larry on the cover that is all tough guy. I will say that while I didn't ever read the entire book, I immediately thought of several people that I thought should read the book. Really, for me, the title said it all.
Then, one day some time later, I pulled a new release off the cart called It's Called Work for a Reason and recognized the tough guy on the cover as the "Shut up" guy. Again, I thumbed through it, looked around at some of my fellow employees and thought, if you were on my Christmas list...
Then, at the beginning of this year, I pulled You're Broke Because You Want to Be off the cart and smiled. I was really beginning to like this guy and I hadn't even read one of his books. I picked up the book that day.
Since last October, I've been reading more and more personal finance books. I worked my way through Dave Ramsey's books, one of Suze Orman's books and several that aren't worth mentioning. Larry's book was just the kick in the butt that I needed to re-affirm my No Buy project. If you're looking for kinder, gentler inspiration, this is not the book for you. If you are serious about making changes and need to face cold, hard facts of life, it just might fit the bill.
As I read Larry's book, I couldn't help but get my financial butt kicked. Some of the examples made me physically cringe as I read about people blowing thousands of dollars on clothing and keeping Neiman Marcus credit cards as their emergency credit card. Even if you aren't a living the "high life" of some of these people, you can see and apply these principles to your own situation.
There is not a bunch of new information in this book. There is no magical formula, no get rich quick scheme, or repair your credit in 30 days here. It's just a simple telling of the truth. Well, maybe not simple. It's a kick butt telling of the truth. If you want money, earn it. If you want to be rich, stop blowing it, save it and invest it.
I wish that I had A&E so that I could watch Larry's show Big Spender, but somehow, I think he'd be proud I won't pay for that much cable!
You can check him out on NBC's Today Show on March 24th. You can bet I will.
Heaven help me if he writes a diet book.
On the home front:
Last week, as the opossum slowly picked his way across my porch without a care in the world, I noticed a second opossum out in the honeysuckle bushes. The second opossum was behaving naturally, hiding in the shadows, avoiding human interaction. But, I am a bit concerned. Last time I saw two opossums was a few years ago, when Old Opossum was still alive and would surprise me on the carport. Then Old Opossum met his match with a car and the current opossum, just a tiny thing then, was spotted on my window sill just two nights later. Yes, it was very circle of life. Now, I am wondering if there will be little opossums soon.
Then, one day some time later, I pulled a new release off the cart called It's Called Work for a Reason and recognized the tough guy on the cover as the "Shut up" guy. Again, I thumbed through it, looked around at some of my fellow employees and thought, if you were on my Christmas list...
Then, at the beginning of this year, I pulled You're Broke Because You Want to Be off the cart and smiled. I was really beginning to like this guy and I hadn't even read one of his books. I picked up the book that day.
Since last October, I've been reading more and more personal finance books. I worked my way through Dave Ramsey's books, one of Suze Orman's books and several that aren't worth mentioning. Larry's book was just the kick in the butt that I needed to re-affirm my No Buy project. If you're looking for kinder, gentler inspiration, this is not the book for you. If you are serious about making changes and need to face cold, hard facts of life, it just might fit the bill.
As I read Larry's book, I couldn't help but get my financial butt kicked. Some of the examples made me physically cringe as I read about people blowing thousands of dollars on clothing and keeping Neiman Marcus credit cards as their emergency credit card. Even if you aren't a living the "high life" of some of these people, you can see and apply these principles to your own situation.
There is not a bunch of new information in this book. There is no magical formula, no get rich quick scheme, or repair your credit in 30 days here. It's just a simple telling of the truth. Well, maybe not simple. It's a kick butt telling of the truth. If you want money, earn it. If you want to be rich, stop blowing it, save it and invest it.
I wish that I had A&E so that I could watch Larry's show Big Spender, but somehow, I think he'd be proud I won't pay for that much cable!
You can check him out on NBC's Today Show on March 24th. You can bet I will.
Heaven help me if he writes a diet book.
On the home front:
Last week, as the opossum slowly picked his way across my porch without a care in the world, I noticed a second opossum out in the honeysuckle bushes. The second opossum was behaving naturally, hiding in the shadows, avoiding human interaction. But, I am a bit concerned. Last time I saw two opossums was a few years ago, when Old Opossum was still alive and would surprise me on the carport. Then Old Opossum met his match with a car and the current opossum, just a tiny thing then, was spotted on my window sill just two nights later. Yes, it was very circle of life. Now, I am wondering if there will be little opossums soon.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Vampires!
Today, I was sitting at my desk and opening up bills in preparation for finalizing my March budget. At the top of the stack was my BTU bill, which is my electricity, water, sewer, and garbage bill combined. I was blissfully looking over this bill of $146.91 and musing to myself how much I didn't want warmer weather to come.
Our air conditioner unit stopped cooling at the beginning of October last year. I know that some of you in colder parts of the world will be wondering how I even know, but down here, we tend to kick on the a/c a couple of times a month during our colder months, with the possible exception of January. I tend to fuss over this with DH, as he will kick it on when opening a window would suffice. So, this year, when the a/c quite cooling, I saw my chance to "win" all winter long! I would be a fool to say it was just about saving money. That was just a bonus to "winning" the point. And win, I did. Or so I thought.
The bill that came less than a week after the a/c did was $244. A welcome relief after the hot summer bills hovering around $300. The next month, my bill was down to $151! Woohoo. Now, the paragraph above you should tell you there was a bit of gloating. Yes, and dancing, and paper waving, and tons of smack talk. But, it was all in good fun and since it was about saving money, it was humorously accepted.
Now, March is almost upon us, and miser I may be, but there is no way I am going another month without a/c. We have already had some mid-80's temp wise and it's just a matter of time. I promised I would call the a/c people at the beginning of next week. I'll book a Spring check-up and mention the cooling. But, I have been dreading what this will do to my electric bill.
Tonight, I was talking to DH about turning in the service call next week and I mentioned the low bill. He started asking me questions about what we could do to keep our electric bill low year round. (Really? He's actually thinking about saving money now? How can I tell if he's one of the Pod People? We've come a long way, baby!) We started in on thermostat settings, but then we got off onto the subject of electricity vampires.
What's an electricity vampire? It's an appliance that quietly sucks electricity even if it is turned off. The television is the best example I can think of. If it is turned off, it still uses electricity. The remote sensor is constantly awake so that it will turn on the TV when you hit the button. Any appliance with a clock or tiny red standby light is also a vampire. I have even heard that cell phone chargers are vampires, even when not plugged into the device that it is supposed to be charging. Almost any type of appliance can be a vampire.
What's the garlic? You can fix this seepage of money by unplugging or plugging these items into a power strip and flipping the red rocker switch to the off position when you leave the house or go to bed. But, you may loose some convenience.
I am perfectly happy with some of my vampires. Tivo and a small cable package are our most constant luxury items. Tivo must stay plugged in to record and receive updates. We can count on one hand how many movies we've gone to since DS was born. We don't rent movies anymore because we are rarely home together to enjoy them, so we ended up with Tivo. (Oh, Tivo, how I love you and could devote an entire post to your glorious purpose.) I have other vampires that I adore. The coffeemaker has beautiful abilities to brew coffee before we wake. The dishwasher will start at 2 am. The cordless phone is a biggie. All of these items lend themselves to a happier home.
I am considering purchasing a few more power strips, with the rocker switch to provide a true "off" when thrown. I would love to keep Tivo plugged into the wall and move the stereo and TV onto its own power strip. I could unplug the washing machine and power down the computer at night. But, how much of a difference is this going to make?
Since I've been thinking about this topic most of the night, once I began to write, I signed on to my utility company's site and pulled up my 12 month history. I was thinking of vampires and air conditioning and saving money. Then, I saw it. (OK, what you are about to read, it's confidential, or should I say DON'T TELL DH!) Last years bill for the same time period, $6 more! That's it. I saved $6 by not having a functional a/c. Now, I know my kilowatt hour pricing has changed a bit, and my water pricing may have changed as well, but dang!
So, now I'm wondering, if I tame the vampires, will it make a significant change in my bill? I've got to decide if I want to invest in a few more power strips if I really want to make a change. Is it going to be worth it? Maybe I'll root around and see if I can't come up with some strips that may be hiding away. I'll definitely be watching my 12 month history closer.
Oh, and unless it costs a million, billion dollars to fix the a/c, it's getting fixed next week. However, unless they come when DH is home, I'll probably tell him they couldn't make it out till the end of the month, or our first 90+ degree day. Which ever comes first.
Our air conditioner unit stopped cooling at the beginning of October last year. I know that some of you in colder parts of the world will be wondering how I even know, but down here, we tend to kick on the a/c a couple of times a month during our colder months, with the possible exception of January. I tend to fuss over this with DH, as he will kick it on when opening a window would suffice. So, this year, when the a/c quite cooling, I saw my chance to "win" all winter long! I would be a fool to say it was just about saving money. That was just a bonus to "winning" the point. And win, I did. Or so I thought.
The bill that came less than a week after the a/c did was $244. A welcome relief after the hot summer bills hovering around $300. The next month, my bill was down to $151! Woohoo. Now, the paragraph above you should tell you there was a bit of gloating. Yes, and dancing, and paper waving, and tons of smack talk. But, it was all in good fun and since it was about saving money, it was humorously accepted.
Now, March is almost upon us, and miser I may be, but there is no way I am going another month without a/c. We have already had some mid-80's temp wise and it's just a matter of time. I promised I would call the a/c people at the beginning of next week. I'll book a Spring check-up and mention the cooling. But, I have been dreading what this will do to my electric bill.
Tonight, I was talking to DH about turning in the service call next week and I mentioned the low bill. He started asking me questions about what we could do to keep our electric bill low year round. (Really? He's actually thinking about saving money now? How can I tell if he's one of the Pod People? We've come a long way, baby!) We started in on thermostat settings, but then we got off onto the subject of electricity vampires.
What's an electricity vampire? It's an appliance that quietly sucks electricity even if it is turned off. The television is the best example I can think of. If it is turned off, it still uses electricity. The remote sensor is constantly awake so that it will turn on the TV when you hit the button. Any appliance with a clock or tiny red standby light is also a vampire. I have even heard that cell phone chargers are vampires, even when not plugged into the device that it is supposed to be charging. Almost any type of appliance can be a vampire.
What's the garlic? You can fix this seepage of money by unplugging or plugging these items into a power strip and flipping the red rocker switch to the off position when you leave the house or go to bed. But, you may loose some convenience.
I am perfectly happy with some of my vampires. Tivo and a small cable package are our most constant luxury items. Tivo must stay plugged in to record and receive updates. We can count on one hand how many movies we've gone to since DS was born. We don't rent movies anymore because we are rarely home together to enjoy them, so we ended up with Tivo. (Oh, Tivo, how I love you and could devote an entire post to your glorious purpose.) I have other vampires that I adore. The coffeemaker has beautiful abilities to brew coffee before we wake. The dishwasher will start at 2 am. The cordless phone is a biggie. All of these items lend themselves to a happier home.
I am considering purchasing a few more power strips, with the rocker switch to provide a true "off" when thrown. I would love to keep Tivo plugged into the wall and move the stereo and TV onto its own power strip. I could unplug the washing machine and power down the computer at night. But, how much of a difference is this going to make?
Since I've been thinking about this topic most of the night, once I began to write, I signed on to my utility company's site and pulled up my 12 month history. I was thinking of vampires and air conditioning and saving money. Then, I saw it. (OK, what you are about to read, it's confidential, or should I say DON'T TELL DH!) Last years bill for the same time period, $6 more! That's it. I saved $6 by not having a functional a/c. Now, I know my kilowatt hour pricing has changed a bit, and my water pricing may have changed as well, but dang!
So, now I'm wondering, if I tame the vampires, will it make a significant change in my bill? I've got to decide if I want to invest in a few more power strips if I really want to make a change. Is it going to be worth it? Maybe I'll root around and see if I can't come up with some strips that may be hiding away. I'll definitely be watching my 12 month history closer.
Oh, and unless it costs a million, billion dollars to fix the a/c, it's getting fixed next week. However, unless they come when DH is home, I'll probably tell him they couldn't make it out till the end of the month, or our first 90+ degree day. Which ever comes first.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Buying Big
Once upon a time, Sam's Club and other big warehouse discounters were a strange, hot new concept. I can remember the first time I heard about one of these behemoths. It was so foreign and different. A co-worker of my father's was telling the tale of his incredible new tire deal. He saved over $100 bucks by buying his tires at a "Sam's" and was all atwitter. He told the unreasonable tale of getting his shopping cart from the parking lot and carrying the tires to the check out stand, which consisted of a podium and a register. We marveled at the talk of cases of toilet paper, bread sticks, and motor oil. You didn't bag your purchases, you picked up a box from a giant bin. It was new and slightly shocking. Why? Because you had to buy a membership in order to indulge in these great savings. And in the beginning, not every one could buy this membership. You had to own a business or be provided the opportunity through your employer.
Now, times have changed with these Mega-retailers. There are actual check out aisles with conveyor belts. Tires no longer have to be carried around to the side of the building, and anyone willing to pay the price can march in and save big. But, the membership fee and jumbo cases of toilet paper are still there.
I loved my Sam's card when my baby was a baby. He was a formula baby and, praise the Lord, Sam's carried his brand in the big bulk containers. Unless someone was having a heck of a sale, it was hands down cheaper to buy it there. Between the formula and diapers, I was saving between $50-$65 a MONTH shopping at Sam's. To make things even better, Tee (our nickname for my DSis) put me down as her spouse (God bless political correctness- no one asked, no one told) and I didn't even pay for the card.
These days, I pay for my own card. I have been waffling on my warehouse membership for a while. There are things that I buy that save me lots of money. For most of the last three years, I have been buying the brown industrial paper towels. I spend about $18 for a case that lasts me close to 8 months. I also drink bottled water which is much cheaper there. And I have scored some great deals such as a store brand shampoo closeout. I bought 6 mega pump bottles for $8. That was over two years ago, and I'm just now on the last bottle.
Since No Buy, I tend to stay out of stores. I have not been to Sam's since early December. The out of sight, out of mind game works well with me. I also feel spatially challenged when it comes to storing some bulk items. That being said, I am down to the last bottle of shampoo and four bundles of paper towels. EEK!
I am more aware of my money and local pricing than I have been in a long time. I've always been good about not believing that buying in bulk is always a cheaper way to go. But, sometimes it is. At the beginning of March, I'm going to make a Sam's run. I'll be armed with a calculator and hopefully be alone. This will allow me to really dig down into some of the prices and see if it will be worth another year in membership fees. As No Buy rolls along, I need to keep evaluating everything.
Overheard at the bookstore:
Does this come in a smaller version?
That's not the book, it's just the Sparknotes.
Do the Sparknotes come in a smaller version?
Now, times have changed with these Mega-retailers. There are actual check out aisles with conveyor belts. Tires no longer have to be carried around to the side of the building, and anyone willing to pay the price can march in and save big. But, the membership fee and jumbo cases of toilet paper are still there.
I loved my Sam's card when my baby was a baby. He was a formula baby and, praise the Lord, Sam's carried his brand in the big bulk containers. Unless someone was having a heck of a sale, it was hands down cheaper to buy it there. Between the formula and diapers, I was saving between $50-$65 a MONTH shopping at Sam's. To make things even better, Tee (our nickname for my DSis) put me down as her spouse (God bless political correctness- no one asked, no one told) and I didn't even pay for the card.
These days, I pay for my own card. I have been waffling on my warehouse membership for a while. There are things that I buy that save me lots of money. For most of the last three years, I have been buying the brown industrial paper towels. I spend about $18 for a case that lasts me close to 8 months. I also drink bottled water which is much cheaper there. And I have scored some great deals such as a store brand shampoo closeout. I bought 6 mega pump bottles for $8. That was over two years ago, and I'm just now on the last bottle.
Since No Buy, I tend to stay out of stores. I have not been to Sam's since early December. The out of sight, out of mind game works well with me. I also feel spatially challenged when it comes to storing some bulk items. That being said, I am down to the last bottle of shampoo and four bundles of paper towels. EEK!
I am more aware of my money and local pricing than I have been in a long time. I've always been good about not believing that buying in bulk is always a cheaper way to go. But, sometimes it is. At the beginning of March, I'm going to make a Sam's run. I'll be armed with a calculator and hopefully be alone. This will allow me to really dig down into some of the prices and see if it will be worth another year in membership fees. As No Buy rolls along, I need to keep evaluating everything.
Overheard at the bookstore:
Does this come in a smaller version?
That's not the book, it's just the Sparknotes.
Do the Sparknotes come in a smaller version?
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