"I wish I could not think once in a while"
~ MaryAnne Williams
Ahhhhh, wouldn't that be nice? I've longed for an off switch for my brain since I was in college. I was the responsible one; planning, saving, thinking, organizing, careful about my choices. I had friends that used school loan money to go on vacation - Aruba and Hawaii to name a few. They "deserved" it after all. Me, well I did go to Ft. Lauderdale my junior year in college, drove down and split the room with two friends to save cash. As I recall I brought a giant bag of grapefruit with me thinking I'd eat that for breakfast and save on eating out.
Another friend wanted to know if she was fertile so she decided after she was married to find out. It didn't matter that neither she or her husband had good jobs; in fact her husband was still in college when she became pregnant. They lived in her parents basement until her baby was about three years old because that's all they could afford. She once told me "I can always continue my education at a later stage in my life; I'm only fertile for so long". I knew it was an indirect dig at my choice to wait to have kids. Thankfully, even though I was in my late 30s before having my first baby I now have had two healthy children and a good, dependable job to help support them. I have no regrets waiting and establishing myself in a career before hand.
I've saved for retirement since my first job. Sure, I was only 23 years old but I listened when the old-timers at the office told me it was the best thing to do; that before I knew it time would be flying by and if I waited it could be too late. So I did. I also increased my contributions to absorb raises I received; I didn't miss the money since I hadn't see it anyways. Another friend, she'd laugh and say "how do you know you aren't going to die tomorrow?" Well... that's true. But how do I know I won't live until I'm 85? No surprise, I'd rather make the safer choice and save. Funny, she started medical school married to one husband and finished it married to another. Apparently in the second divorce she cleared a chunk of money (his since they were married hardly one year) and was able to pay off those school loans. Funny how that works.
Which brings me to current day - raising two young kids with my husband. I have less chance to stop thinking now that I'm thinking for both of us it seems. Thinking about saving for college (again!), budgeting, making sure the property tax bill is paid. Wondering are my kids developing normally? Do they have good manners? Should I sign them up for soccer? Are they eating well-balanced meals? Did they wash their hands before dinner? None of these things would get done if I didn't think of them first and do something about them. It's exhausting, as I'm sure many women would agree. It also makes me all the more in awe of women who can do it alone; while my husband may switch his brain off when he gets home he does play with the kids, take them to the park, cook a good part of the meals and loves to read them stories before bedtime. I'm grateful for that.
But I'd still, once in my life, I would like to know what it feels like to be able to turn my brain off. Just for a day or two.
Showing posts with label Smart Spending. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smart Spending. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Not So Smart Spending
After reading this article about posh dorms in the Chicago Tribune today I felt disturbed for a variety of reasons; however, the most annoying was this quote:
"You are going to be in debt anyways, might as well enjoy," said sophomore Ashley Hendzell of Tinley Park.
What?? Has she not noticed the financial crisis that so many people are currently facing? If she could talk to 10 of those families do you think they'd say "sure, go ahead! You'll be in debt after college anyways so why not throw a couple $5,000, $10,000 or more on those loans!" I'm sure more than one of them would grimly look at her and say "yeah, that's what I thought and look where I am now". I guess the mention of her 30 pairs of shoes kind of indicates she isn't the most fiscally minded student anyways.
I had a friend that went to a private school for both undergrad and graduate school. During those years she justified taking a nice vacation (Aruba and Hawaii are two that come to mind) by saying she "deserved" them; she was under a lot of stress, you know. And the money was, somehow, readily available via her student loans. Post graduation, after she married and tried to get a mortage her $120K in student loan debt made her enough of a liability that they left her off the mortgage altogether.
If you can pay for these posh dorms outright, than more power to you. If you need to roll the extra cost into your student loans then just say "NO". Isn't living in a cramped dorm room using milk crates as end tables kind of a college right of passage anyways?
"You are going to be in debt anyways, might as well enjoy," said sophomore Ashley Hendzell of Tinley Park.
What?? Has she not noticed the financial crisis that so many people are currently facing? If she could talk to 10 of those families do you think they'd say "sure, go ahead! You'll be in debt after college anyways so why not throw a couple $5,000, $10,000 or more on those loans!" I'm sure more than one of them would grimly look at her and say "yeah, that's what I thought and look where I am now". I guess the mention of her 30 pairs of shoes kind of indicates she isn't the most fiscally minded student anyways.
I had a friend that went to a private school for both undergrad and graduate school. During those years she justified taking a nice vacation (Aruba and Hawaii are two that come to mind) by saying she "deserved" them; she was under a lot of stress, you know. And the money was, somehow, readily available via her student loans. Post graduation, after she married and tried to get a mortage her $120K in student loan debt made her enough of a liability that they left her off the mortgage altogether.
If you can pay for these posh dorms outright, than more power to you. If you need to roll the extra cost into your student loans then just say "NO". Isn't living in a cramped dorm room using milk crates as end tables kind of a college right of passage anyways?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Depression Era Tips - They Still Work
I read this by Lou Carlozo in today's Chicago Tribune and thought it was interesting and reassuring.
Thankfully, most of these ideas have already been instilled in me by my parents although neither of them really were aware of the Great Depression as children - one wasn't born yet, the other just a toddler living overseas by the time the GD "ended". Something about seeing these tips in writing and written by someone else made me feel good - I guess reminding me that others out there think the same way and this way of thinking is good (although of course I already knew that :-) but it's always helpful to have a refresher.
10. Shop only for necessities. Ask yourself, “Is this something I want or need?” This comes in handy often - especially since I'm a sucker for a sale! I'll remind myself that no matter how cheap it is it still costs money - do I really need it? Usually the answer is "no".
9. Throw away your catalogs. Do this as soon as one comes in the mail. Purchase only necessities. Yes - don't even open them up because you will find something you want (but probably not need). Go one step better and save a tree by calling the company's customer service department and remove yourself from their mailing list. When I'm on a really tight budget I won't even look in the Sunday paper sale ads unless I need a specific item.
8. Avoid eating out at restaurants. Make family meals at home; establish a limit such as one restaurant meal a month. If it's too hard to only eat out once a month give yourself a budget and put that money (cash) in an envelope. When it's gone, you are done eating out for the month.
7. Don’t spend money you don’t have. Pay cash for as much as you can and avoid the use of credit cards. Pay down credit balances to avoid paying high interest fees. This one seems like a no-brainer: if you don't have the cash to pay for something, then don't buy it. I like to use credit cards when they benefit ME - one with no annual fee and gives me points for some sort of benefit that I find valuable. No more airline miles for me - too many black out dates, etc so I use a Starbucks Duetto Visa which gives me points for free Starbucks every month. It's a small benefit, but I run all my purchases through the card (pay it off in full each month) and enjoy the no annual fee and free coffee (plus quarterly coffee bonuses too!)
6. Don’t ever pay full price. With retail stores offering sales like never before, wait until a coveted item goes on sale—or ask a manager if the item’s price can be reduced. Oh yes. If it is not on sale, I'm not buying it. Even my 4-year old knows this, especially with groceries. When an item I use regularly goes on sale I buy a few of them so I don't run out when they are NOT on sale. It takes some forethought and planning but it's a great way to stay within your grocery budget.
5. Plant more gardens. A fun family project, planting a garden can save you lots of money on food in the long run. We enjoy having a garden - both vegetables and fruit. We don't plant enough to sustain all of our needs but when you can pick two pints of raspberries in one day it feels great, especially knowing those would cost about $8 in the grocery store (especially for organic fruit!)
4. Conserve on gas and become more energy conscious. Avoid long drives, and at home turn off lights and space heaters/air conditioners whenever possible. We use our programmable thermostat religiously which takes out the need to remember to turn the thermostat up or down at night or when we are leaving for work. I also try and plan my errands so that I can either walk to do them on the weekends or drive in one big loop so there is no back-tracking or return trips needed. I look at it as kind of a game.
3. Be thankful for what you have. What truly matters isn’t accumulation of items, but relationships. Don’t spend on trinkets for fulfillment; invest in your friendships and relationships instead. I try to remind myself of this regularly, especially when I get jealous of a neighbor's new car, big house or fancy clothing. It's not easy to do all the time, but it puts things in perspective to remind myself of how lucky I am.
2. Pay yourself first. Put aside a defined amount from every paycheck into savings and investments. This one is another tough one to do, but if you wait until after you have paid all the bills to save something for retirement or to put in an emergency fund you will never do it. Take advantage of direct debiting to have money put into a 401K, IRA or savings account before you even see the money. My employer offers direct deposit (love it!) and also the option of me scheduling my paycheck to be diverted into accounts that I specify in advance. This allows me to not only put money in my 401K but my personal savings account too.
1. Look for ways to help others. The best way to overcome low feelings in this recession is to help those in even greater need. Acts of selfless giving and kindness cultivate riches no recession can steal away. Amen!
Thankfully, most of these ideas have already been instilled in me by my parents although neither of them really were aware of the Great Depression as children - one wasn't born yet, the other just a toddler living overseas by the time the GD "ended". Something about seeing these tips in writing and written by someone else made me feel good - I guess reminding me that others out there think the same way and this way of thinking is good (although of course I already knew that :-) but it's always helpful to have a refresher.
10. Shop only for necessities. Ask yourself, “Is this something I want or need?” This comes in handy often - especially since I'm a sucker for a sale! I'll remind myself that no matter how cheap it is it still costs money - do I really need it? Usually the answer is "no".
9. Throw away your catalogs. Do this as soon as one comes in the mail. Purchase only necessities. Yes - don't even open them up because you will find something you want (but probably not need). Go one step better and save a tree by calling the company's customer service department and remove yourself from their mailing list. When I'm on a really tight budget I won't even look in the Sunday paper sale ads unless I need a specific item.
8. Avoid eating out at restaurants. Make family meals at home; establish a limit such as one restaurant meal a month. If it's too hard to only eat out once a month give yourself a budget and put that money (cash) in an envelope. When it's gone, you are done eating out for the month.
7. Don’t spend money you don’t have. Pay cash for as much as you can and avoid the use of credit cards. Pay down credit balances to avoid paying high interest fees. This one seems like a no-brainer: if you don't have the cash to pay for something, then don't buy it. I like to use credit cards when they benefit ME - one with no annual fee and gives me points for some sort of benefit that I find valuable. No more airline miles for me - too many black out dates, etc so I use a Starbucks Duetto Visa which gives me points for free Starbucks every month. It's a small benefit, but I run all my purchases through the card (pay it off in full each month) and enjoy the no annual fee and free coffee (plus quarterly coffee bonuses too!)
6. Don’t ever pay full price. With retail stores offering sales like never before, wait until a coveted item goes on sale—or ask a manager if the item’s price can be reduced. Oh yes. If it is not on sale, I'm not buying it. Even my 4-year old knows this, especially with groceries. When an item I use regularly goes on sale I buy a few of them so I don't run out when they are NOT on sale. It takes some forethought and planning but it's a great way to stay within your grocery budget.
5. Plant more gardens. A fun family project, planting a garden can save you lots of money on food in the long run. We enjoy having a garden - both vegetables and fruit. We don't plant enough to sustain all of our needs but when you can pick two pints of raspberries in one day it feels great, especially knowing those would cost about $8 in the grocery store (especially for organic fruit!)
4. Conserve on gas and become more energy conscious. Avoid long drives, and at home turn off lights and space heaters/air conditioners whenever possible. We use our programmable thermostat religiously which takes out the need to remember to turn the thermostat up or down at night or when we are leaving for work. I also try and plan my errands so that I can either walk to do them on the weekends or drive in one big loop so there is no back-tracking or return trips needed. I look at it as kind of a game.
3. Be thankful for what you have. What truly matters isn’t accumulation of items, but relationships. Don’t spend on trinkets for fulfillment; invest in your friendships and relationships instead. I try to remind myself of this regularly, especially when I get jealous of a neighbor's new car, big house or fancy clothing. It's not easy to do all the time, but it puts things in perspective to remind myself of how lucky I am.
2. Pay yourself first. Put aside a defined amount from every paycheck into savings and investments. This one is another tough one to do, but if you wait until after you have paid all the bills to save something for retirement or to put in an emergency fund you will never do it. Take advantage of direct debiting to have money put into a 401K, IRA or savings account before you even see the money. My employer offers direct deposit (love it!) and also the option of me scheduling my paycheck to be diverted into accounts that I specify in advance. This allows me to not only put money in my 401K but my personal savings account too.
1. Look for ways to help others. The best way to overcome low feelings in this recession is to help those in even greater need. Acts of selfless giving and kindness cultivate riches no recession can steal away. Amen!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Weekend Update
We had a Big Garage Sale this weekend - we decided to part with all our baby paraphenalia plus a few other large items so we could make room in the basement for the kids to actually play in. I'm happy to say it was a success and we made a little over $500! Which is going straight into the Property Tax fund since the second half of the bill is due tomorrow. Oh well, at least we have more room in the garage and the basement.
The goal of the sale was two-fold; get rid of stuff and make some extra money too. We tried to mark stuff to sell, but not ridiculously low. I knew that whatever I had leftover would be going to charity (and would be a tax deduction) or I would eBay or Craig's List it and sell it that way.
Hand in hand with maximizing our "profit" was minimizing our expenses. We put an ad in the paper but also asked some neighbors to go in on it with us so after we divided it by five it ended up costing each family about $7. We also put a free ad on Craig's List as well as had the neighbor girls get their markers out and draw some colorful signs we posted on a few key streets in the neighborhood. We had only one folding table, so we borrowed a second table and Hubby got creative with a few leftover sheets of drywall, two sawhorses and some folding chairs to create two more large surfaces to put stuff on. For the most part Hubby watched the kids, but we took turns too and also juggled them between customers - not hugely convenient, but we made it work. I was really pleased that we were able to keep our costs down to less than $10 to put the sale on.
Sometimes I'm a little jealous of her reckless spending - I wonder what would it be like for just a day or a week to be in her body and spend that freely. 401K contributions? What are those? Kid's college fund? Oh, I'll worry about that when the time comes. Property taxes coming due? We'll just refinance the house and squeeze out a little more equity to cover it. Shop sales or clip coupons? Too much trouble and Whole Foods is right at the corner - very convenient to buy everything there.
Sigh... I've predicted to Hubby that they will be in bankruptcy within 5 years - I really hope I'm wrong, but the writing seems so clearly on the wall.
The goal of the sale was two-fold; get rid of stuff and make some extra money too. We tried to mark stuff to sell, but not ridiculously low. I knew that whatever I had leftover would be going to charity (and would be a tax deduction) or I would eBay or Craig's List it and sell it that way.
Hand in hand with maximizing our "profit" was minimizing our expenses. We put an ad in the paper but also asked some neighbors to go in on it with us so after we divided it by five it ended up costing each family about $7. We also put a free ad on Craig's List as well as had the neighbor girls get their markers out and draw some colorful signs we posted on a few key streets in the neighborhood. We had only one folding table, so we borrowed a second table and Hubby got creative with a few leftover sheets of drywall, two sawhorses and some folding chairs to create two more large surfaces to put stuff on. For the most part Hubby watched the kids, but we took turns too and also juggled them between customers - not hugely convenient, but we made it work. I was really pleased that we were able to keep our costs down to less than $10 to put the sale on.
A friend of mine had a large garage sale last month and she thinks so differently, it's sometimes painful to watch... kind of like a train wreck, but you can't turn away. I try to wave my arms and warn the conductor, but he just goes full speed ahead! Cutting costs just isn't an issue for her; she bought the most expensive ad for the newspaper ($60) and rented (it would never, in a million years, occur to me to rent tables for a garage sale) several tables at $14 a pop. She also prices stuff ridiculously low - like a full set of 6-month old Calphalon (purging this because of a new-found concern about the non-stick surfaces) for under $50. She bought it for $500. Of course it flew out of her sale, why wouldn't it? But I'm pretty darn sure someone would have paid more for such a nice set of almost-new Calphalon. But her goal was just to get rid of everything, who cares about pricing, just move it. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when you are living paycheck to paycheck that doesn't seem to be the smartest choice. She told me that after her expenses (including hiring a babysitter for her son so her husband could go and play tennis) she hardly broke even. It would have probably been a better option for her to just donate everything and get the tax deduction instead of sitting out in the blistering heat for two days.
A few weeks ago she mentioned they bought a new mini van, which surprised me because their old mini van was not even 3 years old. She said it needed new tires, was out of warranty and they had paid it off. So instead of buying the new tires, they bought a new mini van. My mind is still trying to comprehend the reasoning behind that purchase. To add insult to injury it was a Toyota; I've been a lifelong Toyota owner because of their dependability and longevity. My first car, a Celica, was 10 years old when I bought my current Toyota in 1999, which I still have, and plan to have for as long as I can. Would I like a newer, snazzier car? Sure, but my practical self can't justify getting rid of my current car which runs great and hasn't given me a stitch of trouble other than routine maintenance.
She is definitely someone that falls victim to Retail Therapy and has an excuse for why she needs everything she buys. It makes me sad, and we've talked about it but I think it's like losing weight. Once you hit a certain point it feels like you will never get to your goal weight, so why not just keep eating. Being deeply in debt probably feels like that; like you are never going to pay it all off, so if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.Sometimes I'm a little jealous of her reckless spending - I wonder what would it be like for just a day or a week to be in her body and spend that freely. 401K contributions? What are those? Kid's college fund? Oh, I'll worry about that when the time comes. Property taxes coming due? We'll just refinance the house and squeeze out a little more equity to cover it. Shop sales or clip coupons? Too much trouble and Whole Foods is right at the corner - very convenient to buy everything there.
Sigh... I've predicted to Hubby that they will be in bankruptcy within 5 years - I really hope I'm wrong, but the writing seems so clearly on the wall.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Almost Famous?
Wow, I just received a comment on my very first blog post from March of this year.
Not only was it from someone I do not know, but it was from the author of a book I mentioned in the post. Cool!
I'm flattered that he took the time to write a comment, albeit an unhappy one, but find it strange that he bothered posting on my little nobody-knows-me blog. He is, after all a published author and has even been featured on the "Today Show". I guess I touched a nerve (which was not my intent - blogging is all about your own opinions/thoughts/ramblings, is it not?) enough that he dashed off that comment.
I wonder how he found my blog - was he Googling himself? Did someone else read my blog and forward my post about his book to him? Either way, I feel kind of famous now and seeing his comment did make me smile. Thank you, Jeff!
Not only was it from someone I do not know, but it was from the author of a book I mentioned in the post. Cool!
I'm flattered that he took the time to write a comment, albeit an unhappy one, but find it strange that he bothered posting on my little nobody-knows-me blog. He is, after all a published author and has even been featured on the "Today Show". I guess I touched a nerve (which was not my intent - blogging is all about your own opinions/thoughts/ramblings, is it not?) enough that he dashed off that comment.
I wonder how he found my blog - was he Googling himself? Did someone else read my blog and forward my post about his book to him? Either way, I feel kind of famous now and seeing his comment did make me smile. Thank you, Jeff!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Quotable
"The future belongs to those who understand that doing more with less is compassionate, prosperous, and enduring, and thus more intelligent, even competitive.”
—Paul Hawken
I really like this quote - it reminds me (encourages me!) why Hubby and I try to live the way we do. We bought (by today's standards) a small house, we try and live below our means (and resist the urge to "keep up with the Joneses"), so other than a mortgage we carry no debt. We recycle, Freecycle, compost and try to generally live in a way that is kind to the earth. We still have a ways to go, but we keep trying to get better.
The "less is more concept" applies mostly to our material possessions. When we lived in the house before this one - I called it Hubby's "bachelor pad" - it had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a teeny kitchen, living room and no basement - a total of 940 square feet. It was tiny! But it was cozy too and except for the limited closet space we liked living there. It was cost effective to heat and cool, not too bad to clean and maintain either - less square footage means less space to clean.
When we were looking for our current house (and I was pregnant) we kicked around the idea of staying put - after all, the family that originally lived in the house (in the 1950s) raised two children there. I don't know where they put all their "stuff" but then maybe they didn't have a lot of "stuff" to store - what a concept!
The people that sold us our current house moved to a home that they built; it is roughly three times the size of the one they sold to us. They only have one more child then we do and I often wonder how the heck they have filled all that space; lots and lots of stuff to be sure. Incidentally they tore down a house across the street to build this mansion and they are now our neighbors - sometimes it feels like we have their hand-me-down house. But when property taxes are due, I'm especially glad to be in the littler house.
I look at this way of living as a challenge - doing more with less; less space, less stuff, less waste and (hopefully) less expenses. Hubby and I were (are) intrigued with a concept that Sarah Susanka writes about in her book "Not So Big House Blueprint" . We hope that the popularity of her line of "Not So Big" books means that more and more people will come to embrace this way of living.
Now if only could get my brain wrapped around the idea of applying "less is more" to my chocolate consumption, but that's another post.
—Paul Hawken
I really like this quote - it reminds me (encourages me!) why Hubby and I try to live the way we do. We bought (by today's standards) a small house, we try and live below our means (and resist the urge to "keep up with the Joneses"), so other than a mortgage we carry no debt. We recycle, Freecycle, compost and try to generally live in a way that is kind to the earth. We still have a ways to go, but we keep trying to get better.
The "less is more concept" applies mostly to our material possessions. When we lived in the house before this one - I called it Hubby's "bachelor pad" - it had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a teeny kitchen, living room and no basement - a total of 940 square feet. It was tiny! But it was cozy too and except for the limited closet space we liked living there. It was cost effective to heat and cool, not too bad to clean and maintain either - less square footage means less space to clean.
When we were looking for our current house (and I was pregnant) we kicked around the idea of staying put - after all, the family that originally lived in the house (in the 1950s) raised two children there. I don't know where they put all their "stuff" but then maybe they didn't have a lot of "stuff" to store - what a concept!
The people that sold us our current house moved to a home that they built; it is roughly three times the size of the one they sold to us. They only have one more child then we do and I often wonder how the heck they have filled all that space; lots and lots of stuff to be sure. Incidentally they tore down a house across the street to build this mansion and they are now our neighbors - sometimes it feels like we have their hand-me-down house. But when property taxes are due, I'm especially glad to be in the littler house.
I look at this way of living as a challenge - doing more with less; less space, less stuff, less waste and (hopefully) less expenses. Hubby and I were (are) intrigued with a concept that Sarah Susanka writes about in her book "Not So Big House Blueprint" . We hope that the popularity of her line of "Not So Big" books means that more and more people will come to embrace this way of living.
Now if only could get my brain wrapped around the idea of applying "less is more" to my chocolate consumption, but that's another post.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Steps to Becoming Debt Free
I love this recent post about becoming Debt Free on Blissfully Domestic.
I agree (and try to live by) each and every one of the 10 tips they list. It's not always easy but it's well worth your while. Check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.blissfullydomestic.com/2008/05/the-simple-doll.html
I agree (and try to live by) each and every one of the 10 tips they list. It's not always easy but it's well worth your while. Check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.blissfullydomestic.com/2008/05/the-simple-doll.html
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Free Stuff
Occasionally I get coupon mailers from stores - 99% of the time I toss these in the recycling bin but I always do a quick check because sometimes, depending on the coupon terms, it can end up being a freebie. I have seen these type coupons for Bath & Body Works, Sears, JC Penney, and even restaurants such as Stir Crazy, Buca di Beppo and Red Lobster.
For example, I "bought" these two bottles of shampoo from Bath & Body Works this weekend. They normally cost $7.50 each and were on sale 2/$10. The coupon that B&BW sent me was good for $10 off a minimum $10 purchase. Since I was careful to only select items that added up to $10 I didn't have to pay a dime, not even sales tax!
The trick (and this is important!) is to decide BEFORE you go into the store that you will not select anything that is over the required minimum purchase. Of course this is not what the B&BW company wants you to do, they want to lure you in with the coupon and have you spend money that you originally were not planning on spending in their store.
Unfortunately for them I refuse to do this and just make the minimum purchase to get my freebies. I also tend to buy basic toiletries like soap or shampoo, items that I would normally be purchasing anyways. It's tempting to go with a splurge like a special hand cream or lip product, but do I really need those? Nope and of course I risk finding something that I decide I can't live without and then go back and actually buy the items with my (ACK!!!) own money??
Between these type coupons from B&BW and getting free shampoo and hair products from the Walgreens monthly Rebate Club (see link below for my earlier post on that) I don't think I have actually paid for shampoo or hair products in YEARS and I'm A-OK with that. http://wingingitinthewindycity.blogspot.com/2008/04/free-stuff.html
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Free Stuff
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to think I'm a smart spender. I also admit that I get an abnormal amount of satisfaction from finding an amazingly great deal, which doesn't get much better than FREE!
Walgreens runs a monthly "EasySaver" Rebate Club http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jsp
This monthly booklet contains a bunch of coupons, which I usually skip over, but what always intrigues me are the freebies listed at the top of the rebate form. Every month they include at least one item that is completely free.
Walgreens runs a monthly "EasySaver" Rebate Club http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jsp
This monthly booklet contains a bunch of coupons, which I usually skip over, but what always intrigues me are the freebies listed at the top of the rebate form. Every month they include at least one item that is completely free.
The picture above are three of the choices for the April rebate - in all there are EIGHT items that are completely free this month. In addition to the toothpaste, toothbrush (which they frequently include as freebies) and snack bar there were "Wal-itin tablets", "Wal-Zyr Allergy Relief", "Tums Quikpak", "Just for Men Touch of Gray Hair Color" and "Jane Be Pure Mineral Blush" or "Kabuki Brush".
Sometimes I see something that is free and although I don't personally use it I'll still pick it up, get the rebate and pass it on to someone else or donate it to a charity. Just about any toiletry item is a welcome donation to many charities.
The other great thing about the Easy Saver program is that Walgreens lets you submit all the rebates on one form in one envelope - how easy is that? You can also use manufacturer coupons, so in some cases they have actually "paid" me to buy the items! The three items above cost $9.08 + .30 tax for a total of $9.38. Walgreens will refund me the $9.08, plus I had two coupons for an offset of -$1.75 plus Walgreens gives you an extra 10% back (.91 cents) if you take your rebate in the form of a Walgreens gift card (which I always do).
So even after paying .41 cents for a stamp to mail the rebate and absorbing the .30 cents for sales tax I get these items for free and have am still ahead by $1.04. As you can tell, this is somewhat of a game for me and I love it (I know, that's weird).
If you are like my husband you tend to not shop for something until the minute you need it which is, of course, not a smart way to shop. When you do this you tend to miss out on sales and end up paying top dollar. He also been telling me "no more toothpaste and tooth brushes!!" for about a year but I say "I don't care if we have 6 of them already, they don't go bad and we will eventually use them, won't we?". If we get too many stock piled I pull some out and put them in a charity collection. My motto is, if it's free, why not? If you can't use it someone else can - just pass it on!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Less Is More
I like to think of myself as smart with my money. Not "cheap" or "frugal" just a smart spender.
I do have my indulgences (shoes for my 3 year old daughter, yarn, Starbucks mochas and a bi-weekly cleaning service) so I'm certainly not a diehard by any means. However, I admit to getting an abnormal amount of happiness from saving money - sometimes so much that it can make or break my day which I know is not good and is probably an indication of some sort of deep-seeded childhood trauma or other disorder.
In light of that admission I've noticed that it seems that being "cheap" is beginning to be popular. Recently I have come across several movements that are popularizing "cheapness" like "Freegans" http://www.freegan.info/ or "The Compact" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecompact/ . Actually, their purpose is larger - not just to be cheap, but also keep stuff out of landfills and be good to the environment.
I read about groups such as these with a lot of respect and admiration for their commitments to their beliefs and actually doing something to put those beliefs in action. I also recognize that these are two extreme examples and realistically I know my limitations. At this point in my life I probably won't be able to go quite that far, but it's encouraging to me to know they are out there, trying to counter some of the consumerism and waste.
Today I read an article about Jeff Yeager and his book "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and Fun) Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less".
I read the article with interest and even nodded my head in agreement a few times, especially with his suggestion that everyone have regular "fiscal fasts".
Then I glanced at the photograph in the article and he lost me.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0324cheapskatemar24,0,1335225.story
It was a picture of the author holding a pastry syringe in one hand and a donut in the other. The caption read something like "To save money he buys day-old donuts and fills them with jelly himself".
My first thought is "another weirdo, making us smart spenders look bad" followed by "does he REALLY need to eat jelly donuts that badly??" to "hey, that is a donut with a hole in the center - how can you inject that with a filling and not have it squirt out all over the place?"
I don't believe that he really does that - buys donuts and fills them with jelly himself - I think that was a dumb publicity photo. Maybe the book is really supposed to be humor and not about smart spending.
Anyway, I won't be buying the book but I wouldn't have anyways since I prefer to borrow my books from the library. That's ironic, isn't it? If his target audience are really cheapskates they will all be checking this book out at their library or splitting the cost of the book with several friends and sharing one copy.
I do have my indulgences (shoes for my 3 year old daughter, yarn, Starbucks mochas and a bi-weekly cleaning service) so I'm certainly not a diehard by any means. However, I admit to getting an abnormal amount of happiness from saving money - sometimes so much that it can make or break my day which I know is not good and is probably an indication of some sort of deep-seeded childhood trauma or other disorder.
In light of that admission I've noticed that it seems that being "cheap" is beginning to be popular. Recently I have come across several movements that are popularizing "cheapness" like "Freegans" http://www.freegan.info/ or "The Compact" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecompact/ . Actually, their purpose is larger - not just to be cheap, but also keep stuff out of landfills and be good to the environment.
I read about groups such as these with a lot of respect and admiration for their commitments to their beliefs and actually doing something to put those beliefs in action. I also recognize that these are two extreme examples and realistically I know my limitations. At this point in my life I probably won't be able to go quite that far, but it's encouraging to me to know they are out there, trying to counter some of the consumerism and waste.
Today I read an article about Jeff Yeager and his book "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and Fun) Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less".
I read the article with interest and even nodded my head in agreement a few times, especially with his suggestion that everyone have regular "fiscal fasts".
Then I glanced at the photograph in the article and he lost me.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0324cheapskatemar24,0,1335225.story
It was a picture of the author holding a pastry syringe in one hand and a donut in the other. The caption read something like "To save money he buys day-old donuts and fills them with jelly himself".
My first thought is "another weirdo, making us smart spenders look bad" followed by "does he REALLY need to eat jelly donuts that badly??" to "hey, that is a donut with a hole in the center - how can you inject that with a filling and not have it squirt out all over the place?"
I don't believe that he really does that - buys donuts and fills them with jelly himself - I think that was a dumb publicity photo. Maybe the book is really supposed to be humor and not about smart spending.
Anyway, I won't be buying the book but I wouldn't have anyways since I prefer to borrow my books from the library. That's ironic, isn't it? If his target audience are really cheapskates they will all be checking this book out at their library or splitting the cost of the book with several friends and sharing one copy.
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