So I'm finally on my way up to Portland. After running myself into the ground, I had to postpone the drive up, but it will be fine. I haven't seen my husband in over two weeks and, since I actually like the man I married, I can't wait to see him. During this transition, I will try to keep writing at least a few articles a week, but it seems like I'm not going to have the chance to slow down like I hoped.
First of all, even though Mr. MT's job has excellent growth potential, since it's the opening of a company, it will be slow for the first couple of months. Our emergency fund should offer us approximately three months worry free, but I still think I would rather find a job working a couple days a week or a temp position, than exhaust our resources.
Secondly, I have to take a few classes for my licensing to continue my vocation in Oregon as compared to Nevada. Not only will this cost around $1200 (there goes our debt paydown), it also takes about three months. However, my income generating potential would go up significantly compared to each hour of work, so it's worth it.
The good news is all of these things were taken into consideration when Mr. MT and I decided on this move. It is still scary to go into any situation knowing your emergency fund will be depleted and knowing that you won't have any spending cash for extras. Wish me luck. My panic attacks could use it.
Is Deprivation The Best Option?
While I'm gathering the energy to finish my last round of packing, I'm watching a repeat of Suze Orman on Oprah (I know, I know). I just heard her say until you have your savings, which she now has at 8 months worth, "all your wants go out the window." Are you kidding me?
Do people really think complete deprivation is the way to financial solvency? Spending disorders are more and more prevalent. I know all too well the endorphin rush that comes from an impulse purchase. Out and out deprivation sets the consumer up for a bulimic-style spending binge, complete with grief, sickness, and regret.
My solution: Learn to live a balanced and creative life as quickly as possible (unless you are in dire circumstances where you must cut out everything except food and shelter).
How long would it take to save 8 months of living expenses? For us, 8 months is approximately $16,000. Since our savings transfer is approximately $50 a month, it would take 320 months to save up the 8! So according to Suze Orman, for 20 years, I shouldn't go to a concert, have a nice dinner with my husband, or anything else.
All I hear from the TV entertainers these days (and that's what these people are; they need ratings too) is to cut, stop spending, yada-yada-yada, but they don't offer other lifestyle options. Personal finance really needs to include finding creative solutions to make sure you're not living a deprived life, ending with a several hundred dollar credit card binge.
What can a person do that costs little or no money?
I am always surprised how when individuals discover they can arrange to get some of their favorite entertainment for free, they would rather not spend money on frivolity.
So should we preach deprivation? Only if we want to create more shame, more debt, and less financial savvy. Creativity and hard work are always better options. We should be saying, "No one says you can't attempt to fulfill that wish list; you just can't use money to do so." That is allocated to savings, to debt repayment, to your future. We just have to be more ingenuitive with our now.
Do people really think complete deprivation is the way to financial solvency? Spending disorders are more and more prevalent. I know all too well the endorphin rush that comes from an impulse purchase. Out and out deprivation sets the consumer up for a bulimic-style spending binge, complete with grief, sickness, and regret.
My solution: Learn to live a balanced and creative life as quickly as possible (unless you are in dire circumstances where you must cut out everything except food and shelter).
How long would it take to save 8 months of living expenses? For us, 8 months is approximately $16,000. Since our savings transfer is approximately $50 a month, it would take 320 months to save up the 8! So according to Suze Orman, for 20 years, I shouldn't go to a concert, have a nice dinner with my husband, or anything else.
All I hear from the TV entertainers these days (and that's what these people are; they need ratings too) is to cut, stop spending, yada-yada-yada, but they don't offer other lifestyle options. Personal finance really needs to include finding creative solutions to make sure you're not living a deprived life, ending with a several hundred dollar credit card binge.
What can a person do that costs little or no money?
- Go to a local art walk.
- Listen to music in the park.
- Take advantage of student/senior discounts and passes.
- Save up mypoints for a gift card to a dinner out.
- Set aside a small amount of money for entertainment. You're more likely to stay within a small budget than you are no budget.
- Barter your skills for amenities. You can trade your bookkeeping skills for a couple's massage, or something similar.
I am always surprised how when individuals discover they can arrange to get some of their favorite entertainment for free, they would rather not spend money on frivolity.
So should we preach deprivation? Only if we want to create more shame, more debt, and less financial savvy. Creativity and hard work are always better options. We should be saying, "No one says you can't attempt to fulfill that wish list; you just can't use money to do so." That is allocated to savings, to debt repayment, to your future. We just have to be more ingenuitive with our now.
Frugal Packing Tip #3: You Don't Have To Take Everything
I've been making quite a bit of progress in my packing ordeal, but I must admit I've hit a bit of a wall. No matter how many garage sales I have, I am always amazed at how much crap we have when we move.
Granted, there were the items I couldn't sell at the last four garage sales for fear that a family member would come and see the wedding gift they gave us four years ago that we still haven't used and been horribly offended. Since I don't plan on living an ascetic life, I fear that I will always have knick-knacks and kitsch with me.
When I was talking to Mr. MT, I expressed my desire to light a giant bonfire with our remain possessions, and he said the words I wanted to hear most: "We don't have to move everything." It was like a giant flash of light, a complete epiphany. Just because I have it doesn't mean I have to keep it and move it.
What I am keeping I have divided into the following categories:
Eat: All of our kitchen supplies and utensils are high quality. We have chef quality Kershaw knives, an expensive waterless cookware set, and a Kitchen-Aid mixer to start. The cost of replacing just these items would be well over $1000.
Sleep: That first night when you're done moving I guarantee all you want is your bed, your pillow, and your favorite blankie.
Poop: All bathroom supplies are critical. You don't want a rash from a random body wash your first week in a new place.
Wear: Assuming you wear any measure of quality clothes it is always better to keep your clothes then to buy new ones. Moving from the slightly toasty (ha ha) climate of Las Vegas to the occasionally rainy (hardy-har-har) climate of Portland will include some definite wardrobe additions. Luckily we're moving in the summer which should mitigate some of these issues.
Irreplaceable Sentimental Value: I have a sandcastle that my Dad gave me. This little castle is almost two decades old and will stay with me until it deteriorate into fine blue sand. An antique sea chest that holds my family history will also be making the trip. After an unfortunate theft four years ago, I have far less sentimental possessions, but I still hold what's precious to me, mementos from people who aren't with me anymore.
At this rate I might have to move every few months just to keep my cabinets clear. I found statements from 1992! I swear to you! What sort of child freaks out that the IRS is going to want to see the statements from her $100 CD? Maybe I should go find more things to shred and throw out.
Like my frugal packing tips? Check out:
Frugal Packing Tip #1: Mindless Entertainment Makes The Boxes Pack Faster
Frugal Packing Tip #2: The Best Things In Life Are Free
Granted, there were the items I couldn't sell at the last four garage sales for fear that a family member would come and see the wedding gift they gave us four years ago that we still haven't used and been horribly offended. Since I don't plan on living an ascetic life, I fear that I will always have knick-knacks and kitsch with me.
When I was talking to Mr. MT, I expressed my desire to light a giant bonfire with our remain possessions, and he said the words I wanted to hear most: "We don't have to move everything." It was like a giant flash of light, a complete epiphany. Just because I have it doesn't mean I have to keep it and move it.
So...
What I am keeping I have divided into the following categories:
Eat: All of our kitchen supplies and utensils are high quality. We have chef quality Kershaw knives, an expensive waterless cookware set, and a Kitchen-Aid mixer to start. The cost of replacing just these items would be well over $1000.
Sleep: That first night when you're done moving I guarantee all you want is your bed, your pillow, and your favorite blankie.
Poop: All bathroom supplies are critical. You don't want a rash from a random body wash your first week in a new place.
Wear: Assuming you wear any measure of quality clothes it is always better to keep your clothes then to buy new ones. Moving from the slightly toasty (ha ha) climate of Las Vegas to the occasionally rainy (hardy-har-har) climate of Portland will include some definite wardrobe additions. Luckily we're moving in the summer which should mitigate some of these issues.
Irreplaceable Sentimental Value: I have a sandcastle that my Dad gave me. This little castle is almost two decades old and will stay with me until it deteriorate into fine blue sand. An antique sea chest that holds my family history will also be making the trip. After an unfortunate theft four years ago, I have far less sentimental possessions, but I still hold what's precious to me, mementos from people who aren't with me anymore.
At this rate I might have to move every few months just to keep my cabinets clear. I found statements from 1992! I swear to you! What sort of child freaks out that the IRS is going to want to see the statements from her $100 CD? Maybe I should go find more things to shred and throw out.
Like my frugal packing tips? Check out:
Frugal Packing Tip #1: Mindless Entertainment Makes The Boxes Pack Faster
Frugal Packing Tip #2: The Best Things In Life Are Free
Frugal Packing Tip #2: The Best Things In Life Are Free
Since we discovered we would be moving, I've been stockpiling boxes and paper bags. We make a lot of our purchases by the case to save money, and I've been able to set aside those smaller boxes.
Smaller boxes and paper bags are my two favorite moving supplies (outside of bubble wrap) because:
In the meantime, I'm very excited to announce I'm about a third of the way through my packing and I think I'm maintaining a correlating amount of sanity. I am amazed to realize how little of my possessions I actually want when I have to pack them and schlep them. Minimalist living, here we come!
Smaller boxes and paper bags are my two favorite moving supplies (outside of bubble wrap) because:
- It allows me to limit how much I can put into a single walk up the stairs. For example, there's no way I can heft a box of books up the stairs, but a double-bag of books on each arm travels very easily.
- Smaller boxes are easier to stack in the back of the SUV. I think if I played more Tetris I would've been far better at this whole packing thing.
- The paper bags also give me a head start on garbage bags in the new place.
In the meantime, I'm very excited to announce I'm about a third of the way through my packing and I think I'm maintaining a correlating amount of sanity. I am amazed to realize how little of my possessions I actually want when I have to pack them and schlep them. Minimalist living, here we come!
Carnival of Love #4
Thank you to LAL at Living Almost Large for hosting the 178th Festival of Frugality. My post following up on garage sale rules called Helpful Hints for Garage Sale Shoppers was selected.
Thank you for the link love!
Thank you for the link love!
Frugal Packing Tip #1: Mindless Entertainment Makes The Boxes Pack Faster
I get very easily distracted. Sometimes it's hard for me to focus on anything for longer than 20 minutes. Unfortunately, the way I have trained myself to handle this it by keeping white noise around me: TV, radio, clanking dishes, filling my day with general distractions to keep my "Oooh, shiny!" complex to a minimum.
But without Mr. Modern Tightwad here (He's already in Portland going through training.), it's a little quiet and awfully lonely. Even FrugalPup is intermittently sighing and sulking without his daddy.
Enter my distraction trifecta: Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora. All three of these sites are completely free and offer quality mindless entertainment. I just set my laptop up in the shelf, turn on my favorite shows, and listen/watch while I roll glassware in newsprint.
Hulu is a widely known free internet TV site. Many of my favorite shows such as Fringe, Burn Notice, Chuck, and Dollhouse (three cheers for a season two) are available the day after airing. I've also found a new show called Kingdom that I adore. If I had to pay for cable to watch these, it would easily cost me almost $60 a month. Hulu saves me almost $720 a year, and it's watch on demand.
Netflix everyone knows. But did you know I've been watching this season of NCIS for the past few nights? While Netflix is known best as the "no late fees" company, it's "Watch Instantly" feature is easily my favorite. And it's included in my $8.99 monthly fee. Many people in the blogosphere seem to prefer redbox, but for me, I know better. Nine dollars is far less than I would pay in late fees, I don't have to go to a McDonald's, and I find some pretty rare and/or expensive dvds. How else can you watch every episode of Murder, She Wrote without a raised eyebrow from anyone?
The real goldmine, however, is Pandora. Pandora is a music experiment of sorts. You do have to sign up, but so far it appears that handing them my e-mail address did not make a deal with the devil, telemarketers, internet spammers, viruses or other parasites of the universe. You plug in an artist, album, or similar, and they group together different songs, artists, and pieces you should like. If you don't, you give it a thumbs down or you skip it. Right now, my playlist has Jimi Hendrix, Zero 7, Gotan Project, Matisyahu, and a wide variety of others. What I appreciate is it gives me free access to music I like, and exposes me to music that I generally love.
All of these options are completely legal and, as of this posting, free. I would love to chat more, but Agent Gibbs is calling me.
But without Mr. Modern Tightwad here (He's already in Portland going through training.), it's a little quiet and awfully lonely. Even FrugalPup is intermittently sighing and sulking without his daddy.
Enter my distraction trifecta: Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora. All three of these sites are completely free and offer quality mindless entertainment. I just set my laptop up in the shelf, turn on my favorite shows, and listen/watch while I roll glassware in newsprint.
Hulu is a widely known free internet TV site. Many of my favorite shows such as Fringe, Burn Notice, Chuck, and Dollhouse (three cheers for a season two) are available the day after airing. I've also found a new show called Kingdom that I adore. If I had to pay for cable to watch these, it would easily cost me almost $60 a month. Hulu saves me almost $720 a year, and it's watch on demand.
Netflix everyone knows. But did you know I've been watching this season of NCIS for the past few nights? While Netflix is known best as the "no late fees" company, it's "Watch Instantly" feature is easily my favorite. And it's included in my $8.99 monthly fee. Many people in the blogosphere seem to prefer redbox, but for me, I know better. Nine dollars is far less than I would pay in late fees, I don't have to go to a McDonald's, and I find some pretty rare and/or expensive dvds. How else can you watch every episode of Murder, She Wrote without a raised eyebrow from anyone?
The real goldmine, however, is Pandora. Pandora is a music experiment of sorts. You do have to sign up, but so far it appears that handing them my e-mail address did not make a deal with the devil, telemarketers, internet spammers, viruses or other parasites of the universe. You plug in an artist, album, or similar, and they group together different songs, artists, and pieces you should like. If you don't, you give it a thumbs down or you skip it. Right now, my playlist has Jimi Hendrix, Zero 7, Gotan Project, Matisyahu, and a wide variety of others. What I appreciate is it gives me free access to music I like, and exposes me to music that I generally love.
All of these options are completely legal and, as of this posting, free. I would love to chat more, but Agent Gibbs is calling me.
MT Tips: Look For The Real Truth In Advertising
While eating my lunch this afternoon I was treated to a Kool-Aid commercial. Did you know that for the same price Kool-Aid goes three times as far as soda? I didn't. Do you know why I didn't?
Because I couldn't care less.
According to vons.com, the ingredients of Kool-Aid's Sweetened Tropical Punch Drink Mix ($4.19 makes 8 quarts) are: Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid (Provides Tartness), Calcium Phosphate (Prevents Caking), Artificial Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Artificial Color, Red 40 Lake, Natural Flavor, Red 40.
Prevents caking? That is not a good sign. Well at least it's kosher.... Because for some reason that's important.
So for $4.20 you can get two gallons of ADD inducing, sugar-filled, artificially flavored beverage.
Or you could drink water, which is.... free.
Or you could get around 4 black teabags and make a gallon of sun tea, which is.... about 50 cents a gallon.
Or you could get a lemon and some sugar (the amount which you can control) and make lemonade, which is.... between pennies and $1 a gallon depending on where you get your lemons.
Or you could get a couple limes and some sugar (Again, it's up to you how much your children bounce off the walls)....for nearly the same as the lemonade.
While Kool-Aid may go farther than soda for the same price (which I really think depends on the sale you may find), it is certainly not the healthiest or frugalest way.
And do you really want to digest something that's designed to prevent caking?
Because I couldn't care less.
According to vons.com, the ingredients of Kool-Aid's Sweetened Tropical Punch Drink Mix ($4.19 makes 8 quarts) are: Sugar, Fructose, Citric Acid (Provides Tartness), Calcium Phosphate (Prevents Caking), Artificial Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Artificial Color, Red 40 Lake, Natural Flavor, Red 40.
Prevents caking? That is not a good sign. Well at least it's kosher.... Because for some reason that's important.
So for $4.20 you can get two gallons of ADD inducing, sugar-filled, artificially flavored beverage.
Or you could drink water, which is.... free.
Or you could get around 4 black teabags and make a gallon of sun tea, which is.... about 50 cents a gallon.
Or you could get a lemon and some sugar (the amount which you can control) and make lemonade, which is.... between pennies and $1 a gallon depending on where you get your lemons.
Or you could get a couple limes and some sugar (Again, it's up to you how much your children bounce off the walls)....for nearly the same as the lemonade.
While Kool-Aid may go farther than soda for the same price (which I really think depends on the sale you may find), it is certainly not the healthiest or frugalest way.
And do you really want to digest something that's designed to prevent caking?
MT Tips: Helpful Hints For Garage Sale Shoppers
I'd like to start by thanking Karen Datko of MSN's Smart Spending Blog for featuring my post on Top Ten Garage Sale Rules, this week, and to everyone who cruised by to examine Modern Tightwad.
People's garage sale experiences have become legendary folklore. How many times have you heard someone say, "Did you see Antiques Roadshow last night? Some guy bought a table at a garage sale for $20 and they appraised it at $600. Can you believe it?!" While there are definite rules to benefit the seller that we explored, I don't want to sell the buyers out like sheep to wolves. So without further ado, these are my helpful hints to garage sale shoppers:
#1: Wear sunscreen. Not to beat this horse to death, but if you're out in the elements, you are as vulnerable as the individuals hosting the sales. No bargain is worth heat stroke or hypothermia so take care of yourself.
#2: Make a shopping list, divided into categories: need, want, dreaming. If you head out with a goal or a purpose, you're less likely to get sidetracked and create a "transfer of crap." A "transfer of crap" occurs when you spot something out of the corner of your eye that you have absolutely no place or use for, but it comes home with you anyway. It then goes out on a table at your garage sale and the transfer continues. This isn't to say you can't purchase anything that isn't on the list (or maybe you're a shopaholic and you really can't), but it at least makes you think twice before you purchase something random.
#3: It's okay to set a max price. If you know you can buy a desk for $10 on craigslist, is it really worth it to spend extra for something that's right there? This is also where the list comes in helpful. A quick ebay, craigslist, and google search before you leave should give you a reasonable estimate as to value. Then you can decide that, yes, it is worth it to spend $12 on a desk so you don't have to haul yourself across town tomorrow, but it might not be worth spending $20.
#4: Go with a friend. It's more fun when you have a friend, and it's nice to search other people's list items. It's like shopping without having to buy and it turns the day into a treasure hunt. FYI, leave the four-legged friends at home. You don't want to be the guy who accidentally created a dog fight, and you don't want to be the guy that caused the seller's throat to close.
#5: Bring transportation only big enough to haul the largest item you need. If you don't have a place to put it in the car it's not going home with you. Simple as that. If you know you need a piece of furniture, bring a truck, but if you don't need furniture stick with the Honda.
#6: Bring snacks (no mayo) and water. I would think the mayo thing is self-explanatory to anyone who's let a sandwich sit in a hot car all day. The water is so you're not subject to predatory eight-year-olds selling drinks. However, you should expect to buy a fresh bottle sometime during the day if you're not splitting your trip.
#7: Map your sales, and be a profiler. If you map your sale areas you can make your home base a half-way point. For example, you go out to the east for the morning, come back for a snack and potty break, and then head to the west for the afternoon. Profile your areas based on the items you're looking for. If you would like to find expensive linens and antiques, you're not going to find them at the UNLV dorm cleanout sale, but you might find them at that multi-family sale in the gated community.
#8: Have small bills separated into different pockets. (It's hard to haggle when someone knows your sporting a hundie.) I had a guy ask what I wanted for a mirror two weeks ago. He was lucky I had it priced and I'm an honest person because the three hundreds in his wallet could've given him a much different price point at a different sale. When you have small bills in your different pockets, it gives you more room for everyone to feel like they got a good deal, vs. beating a seller down to half what they wanted and pulling out a large wad of cash. You don't want them to say, "Nevermind, I'm keeping it." You want them to say, "Nevermind. Keep the other dollar."
#9: Don't be afraid to negotiate, offer less, the later it gets. Many of the items you see that you like will drop drastically in price as the day goes on. The more likely it is that they're going to be stuck with that random "transfer of crap" or Great Aunt Phoebe's hideous kitsch, the more likely they will take a lesser offer. Part of the fun of a garage sale is the haggle, and the worst they can say is, "No. That's a firm price."
#10: Look for tags on clothes. Tags= Little to no use. Self-explanatory.
#11: Ask for a senior/student discount. Seriously! As my mom says, "Don't ask; don't get." The only time anyone ever asked I gave them 10%. Why not? It takes serious huevos to do that and lastly......
People's garage sale experiences have become legendary folklore. How many times have you heard someone say, "Did you see Antiques Roadshow last night? Some guy bought a table at a garage sale for $20 and they appraised it at $600. Can you believe it?!" While there are definite rules to benefit the seller that we explored, I don't want to sell the buyers out like sheep to wolves. So without further ado, these are my helpful hints to garage sale shoppers:
#1: Wear sunscreen. Not to beat this horse to death, but if you're out in the elements, you are as vulnerable as the individuals hosting the sales. No bargain is worth heat stroke or hypothermia so take care of yourself.
#2: Make a shopping list, divided into categories: need, want, dreaming. If you head out with a goal or a purpose, you're less likely to get sidetracked and create a "transfer of crap." A "transfer of crap" occurs when you spot something out of the corner of your eye that you have absolutely no place or use for, but it comes home with you anyway. It then goes out on a table at your garage sale and the transfer continues. This isn't to say you can't purchase anything that isn't on the list (or maybe you're a shopaholic and you really can't), but it at least makes you think twice before you purchase something random.
#3: It's okay to set a max price. If you know you can buy a desk for $10 on craigslist, is it really worth it to spend extra for something that's right there? This is also where the list comes in helpful. A quick ebay, craigslist, and google search before you leave should give you a reasonable estimate as to value. Then you can decide that, yes, it is worth it to spend $12 on a desk so you don't have to haul yourself across town tomorrow, but it might not be worth spending $20.
#4: Go with a friend. It's more fun when you have a friend, and it's nice to search other people's list items. It's like shopping without having to buy and it turns the day into a treasure hunt. FYI, leave the four-legged friends at home. You don't want to be the guy who accidentally created a dog fight, and you don't want to be the guy that caused the seller's throat to close.
#5: Bring transportation only big enough to haul the largest item you need. If you don't have a place to put it in the car it's not going home with you. Simple as that. If you know you need a piece of furniture, bring a truck, but if you don't need furniture stick with the Honda.
#6: Bring snacks (no mayo) and water. I would think the mayo thing is self-explanatory to anyone who's let a sandwich sit in a hot car all day. The water is so you're not subject to predatory eight-year-olds selling drinks. However, you should expect to buy a fresh bottle sometime during the day if you're not splitting your trip.
#7: Map your sales, and be a profiler. If you map your sale areas you can make your home base a half-way point. For example, you go out to the east for the morning, come back for a snack and potty break, and then head to the west for the afternoon. Profile your areas based on the items you're looking for. If you would like to find expensive linens and antiques, you're not going to find them at the UNLV dorm cleanout sale, but you might find them at that multi-family sale in the gated community.
#8: Have small bills separated into different pockets. (It's hard to haggle when someone knows your sporting a hundie.) I had a guy ask what I wanted for a mirror two weeks ago. He was lucky I had it priced and I'm an honest person because the three hundreds in his wallet could've given him a much different price point at a different sale. When you have small bills in your different pockets, it gives you more room for everyone to feel like they got a good deal, vs. beating a seller down to half what they wanted and pulling out a large wad of cash. You don't want them to say, "Nevermind, I'm keeping it." You want them to say, "Nevermind. Keep the other dollar."
#9: Don't be afraid to negotiate, offer less, the later it gets. Many of the items you see that you like will drop drastically in price as the day goes on. The more likely it is that they're going to be stuck with that random "transfer of crap" or Great Aunt Phoebe's hideous kitsch, the more likely they will take a lesser offer. Part of the fun of a garage sale is the haggle, and the worst they can say is, "No. That's a firm price."
#10: Look for tags on clothes. Tags= Little to no use. Self-explanatory.
#11: Ask for a senior/student discount. Seriously! As my mom says, "Don't ask; don't get." The only time anyone ever asked I gave them 10%. Why not? It takes serious huevos to do that and lastly......
#12: Life rewards the bold, the brave, and the bargainers.
MT Tips: Count The Injury Cost
One of the things Mr. Modern Tightwad and I were the most excited about with his new job, is the prospect of benefits. Mr. MT likes outdoor activities like snowboarding, skateboarding, and "freestyle walking." (Check out this video from BBC's "Top Gear" for one of the coolest examples...ever.) Our rule had been,"No extreme activities without health insurance and life insurance."Granted, either of us could get taken out by a cross-town bus, but we try to make sure we don't engage in high-risk activities. Frankly, the only reason skateboarding is on the list is Mr. MT's near broken ankle the last time he tried it. We call this "counting the injury cost." If it's a greater likelihood that we will hobble out of it, we walk the other way. For instance, when I attempted snowboarding and broke my tailbone, I literally hobbled off of the mountain, and around work for nearly two weeks. (Even though I did have health insurance, my doctor said there wasn't anything they could do for that particular location anyways.)
Why? Medical debt scares us to death. I know a woman who is still paying off the bills from her 15-year-old twins' birth. And we both want to make sure that our pursuit of happiness doesn't leave the other alone and destitute.
So while the "injury cost" has been way too high, some much needed work benefits will provide us with freedom to enjoy our favorite activities, knowing we're both taken care of.
What are you unwilling to risk without insurance?
Photo Courtesy of e-buzin
7 Things You Didn't Know About Me
Abby at i pick up pennies tagged me with this. Since I don't usually talk about myself, this should be interesting.
1. I am an only child.
While that may mean I was spoiled with my family's attention, it did not mean I was a "spoiled child." I was expected to go to dinners and different events with my family, and I was expected to be gracious, respectful, and appropriate. I was more like a carry-on pocket child. My parents taught me good lessons from an early age, that I hope to pass on to a child of my own someday. (FrugalPup doesn't listen too well.)
2. I'm slightly decrepit.
One of the reasons I adore ipickuppennies and have so much respect for Abby is I understand what it's like to be falling apart at the seams. In fact, my driver's license came with a complimentary handicapped parking placard. When I was younger I blew out both my knees attempting to run track. The technical term is patellofemoral disclocation, i.e., my kneecaps dislocate from my knees and it hurts crazy bad as I watch my knees swell up like grapefruits. So maybe a bit more than slightly.
Along with a couple hereditary conditions (thank you genetic lottery), sometimes life keeps me off my toes, but thankfully I inherited a healthy dose of stubbornness as well.
3. I was a "race track brat."
My dad raced a vintage MGB at Sears Point Raceway (now Infineon) and Laguna Seca in the SCCA San Francisco region. Like any British car it spent more time going around the track on a tow truck then it did under its own power, but we all had more fun than should be allowed. My folks worked on the Course Marshall crew, banding tires and laying down kitty litter for oil spots when there was an accident. I was one of the youngest kids ever (many moons ago) to work on the Timing & Scoring crew. I even had the opportunity to volunteer at the Monterey Historics. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Talk about a frugal lesson from my parents. Can't afford to go to the auto races? Volunteer. Only the enthusiastic, and those not easily offended, need apply.
4. I always wanted to be a writer.
When I was little a family friend gave me a pocket journal and I used to write poetry in it. In my cynical teen years when I started to give up on my dreams of being a writer, I pulled out the pages and shredded them. I never completely gave up, though. In college, I stumbled into the journalism lab and fell into a heavenly diversion of writing every day for a weekly newspaper. I wrote, took photos, laid out pages, designed graphics, and anything else I could learn to do. After several awards for writing and layout design, my tenure had run its course. It wasn't until I found this blog that I really started to write again. I hope it will continue.
5. I prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front of it.
Maybe it's from being an only child, and therefore the only subject of my mother's lens, but I love photography and I hate having my picture taken. I have an older model Ricoh SLR (not digital) that I'll be dusting off and using once we're up in Oregon. I might even take up some freelance projects. It never hurts to work at something you enjoy.
6. My father passed away ten years ago this year.
My father passed away from lung cancer ten years ago this November. It's very hard for me and there are times where I still want to call him or tell him things. I look like him now, so I see him everyday in the mirror. He passed away many years before I met my husband, but I "introduced" them by pulling out some videos so my husband could see the sort of man my dad was. He was a truly great man.
7. I've done a lot of different things.
I have had many different types of jobs in my life. I worked as a Park & Recreation assistant for summer programs, an administrative assistant for an architectural company, a temp for a payroll company and a dental insurance firm, a project engineer for a commercial construction company, a manager for an animal boarding, grooming, and daycare facility, and as a massage therapist. I've learned incredible things from every job, and from every co-worker, and am a more well-rounded person for all of it.
So now that the painful part is over, who should I tag?
I'm going to have to reserve the right to tag seven bloggers later, as it appears all of the people I follow have done this. This is like being the kid at the prom who doesn't know who to ask. Oh well, I'll fix this soon and update.
And thank you, Abby. This was a good experience.
1. I am an only child.
While that may mean I was spoiled with my family's attention, it did not mean I was a "spoiled child." I was expected to go to dinners and different events with my family, and I was expected to be gracious, respectful, and appropriate. I was more like a carry-on pocket child. My parents taught me good lessons from an early age, that I hope to pass on to a child of my own someday. (FrugalPup doesn't listen too well.)
2. I'm slightly decrepit.
One of the reasons I adore ipickuppennies and have so much respect for Abby is I understand what it's like to be falling apart at the seams. In fact, my driver's license came with a complimentary handicapped parking placard. When I was younger I blew out both my knees attempting to run track. The technical term is patellofemoral disclocation, i.e., my kneecaps dislocate from my knees and it hurts crazy bad as I watch my knees swell up like grapefruits. So maybe a bit more than slightly.
Along with a couple hereditary conditions (thank you genetic lottery), sometimes life keeps me off my toes, but thankfully I inherited a healthy dose of stubbornness as well.
3. I was a "race track brat."
My dad raced a vintage MGB at Sears Point Raceway (now Infineon) and Laguna Seca in the SCCA San Francisco region. Like any British car it spent more time going around the track on a tow truck then it did under its own power, but we all had more fun than should be allowed. My folks worked on the Course Marshall crew, banding tires and laying down kitty litter for oil spots when there was an accident. I was one of the youngest kids ever (many moons ago) to work on the Timing & Scoring crew. I even had the opportunity to volunteer at the Monterey Historics. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Talk about a frugal lesson from my parents. Can't afford to go to the auto races? Volunteer. Only the enthusiastic, and those not easily offended, need apply.
4. I always wanted to be a writer.
When I was little a family friend gave me a pocket journal and I used to write poetry in it. In my cynical teen years when I started to give up on my dreams of being a writer, I pulled out the pages and shredded them. I never completely gave up, though. In college, I stumbled into the journalism lab and fell into a heavenly diversion of writing every day for a weekly newspaper. I wrote, took photos, laid out pages, designed graphics, and anything else I could learn to do. After several awards for writing and layout design, my tenure had run its course. It wasn't until I found this blog that I really started to write again. I hope it will continue.
5. I prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front of it.
Maybe it's from being an only child, and therefore the only subject of my mother's lens, but I love photography and I hate having my picture taken. I have an older model Ricoh SLR (not digital) that I'll be dusting off and using once we're up in Oregon. I might even take up some freelance projects. It never hurts to work at something you enjoy.
6. My father passed away ten years ago this year.
My father passed away from lung cancer ten years ago this November. It's very hard for me and there are times where I still want to call him or tell him things. I look like him now, so I see him everyday in the mirror. He passed away many years before I met my husband, but I "introduced" them by pulling out some videos so my husband could see the sort of man my dad was. He was a truly great man.
7. I've done a lot of different things.
I have had many different types of jobs in my life. I worked as a Park & Recreation assistant for summer programs, an administrative assistant for an architectural company, a temp for a payroll company and a dental insurance firm, a project engineer for a commercial construction company, a manager for an animal boarding, grooming, and daycare facility, and as a massage therapist. I've learned incredible things from every job, and from every co-worker, and am a more well-rounded person for all of it.
So now that the painful part is over, who should I tag?
I'm going to have to reserve the right to tag seven bloggers later, as it appears all of the people I follow have done this. This is like being the kid at the prom who doesn't know who to ask. Oh well, I'll fix this soon and update.
And thank you, Abby. This was a good experience.
Carnival Love #3
Cheers! Modern Tightwad is featured in two carnivals this week.
Savings Not Shoes hosted the 177th Festival of Frugality, and was kind enough to include my post my Top Ten Garage Sale Rules. Remember: WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!
Over at Earn What You Spend, the 204th Carnival of Personal Finance includes my post on Doing With as Little as You Can. It's important as the economy bounces back (supposedly) that one of our best lessons is how little we really need to survive and be happy.
I want to thank the hosts for looking over so many posts that come across their desk, their hard work, and for their great taste! :)
Savings Not Shoes hosted the 177th Festival of Frugality, and was kind enough to include my post my Top Ten Garage Sale Rules. Remember: WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!
Over at Earn What You Spend, the 204th Carnival of Personal Finance includes my post on Doing With as Little as You Can. It's important as the economy bounces back (supposedly) that one of our best lessons is how little we really need to survive and be happy.
I want to thank the hosts for looking over so many posts that come across their desk, their hard work, and for their great taste! :)
MT Tips: Kick it Old School
I tried something last night, that I will do again and again. I made my own raviolis, from scratch. I remember when I was younger, one of my friend's moms was second generation Italian-American, and they used to invite me over to make pasta from scratch. We always had so much fun, and the pasta tasted so much better. Sometimes the old ways are the best.
The recipe I used was 2 cups flour, 3 eggs, and a half teaspoon salt. You mix the eggs and salt together, form a little volcano in the flour, and mix the eggs/salt into the flour, working it into dough. I took a rolling pin and rolled the dough to 1/16" thick (what a workout), and cut out ravioli squares (I use cookie cutters, a jar lid, or just slice it into even squares). When it comes time to put the squares together, put a little water on the edges and press them together.
The filling was ground turkey with garlic, salt, pepper, sweet basil, and mozzarella, and I used the leftover filling with the tomato sauce over the top. The raviolis took 4 minutes to cook, and tasted as good as anything we've had at Postrio or some of the finer hotel restaurants here in Vegas.
Rolling out that dough was a nice way to get some of the stress I've been having out of my system, and it was truly satisfying to cook a gourmet meal for my family, especially at such a reasonable cost (around $7). I think we really overlook some traditional methods in favor of technology and convenience.
Cooking isn't the only way we've taken on some traditional methods in our house. Mr. MT uses a double-edge safety razor for shaving. Instead of spending large amounts on razor blade cartridges, he spends pennies on double edge safety blades. I'll let him tell you more about it himself, but the short version is, closer shaves, not breaking out, saving money, and he enjoys his shaves.
Huh? What are these people talking about? Enjoy rolling dough? Enjoy shaving? Are they on drugs?
Just a couple advil for moving stress. The truth is I think these "old school" methods are also ways to take time out for ourselves. I kicked everyone out of the kitchen and played in dough like I was a kid. My husband kicks everyone out of the bathroom and takes some quiet time out for personal grooming.
When was the last time you took time out for yourself? Got in touch with your childhood? Made something with your own two hands that you were proud of?
There is a lot to be gained from taking a step back in time.
The recipe I used was 2 cups flour, 3 eggs, and a half teaspoon salt. You mix the eggs and salt together, form a little volcano in the flour, and mix the eggs/salt into the flour, working it into dough. I took a rolling pin and rolled the dough to 1/16" thick (what a workout), and cut out ravioli squares (I use cookie cutters, a jar lid, or just slice it into even squares). When it comes time to put the squares together, put a little water on the edges and press them together.
The filling was ground turkey with garlic, salt, pepper, sweet basil, and mozzarella, and I used the leftover filling with the tomato sauce over the top. The raviolis took 4 minutes to cook, and tasted as good as anything we've had at Postrio or some of the finer hotel restaurants here in Vegas.
Rolling out that dough was a nice way to get some of the stress I've been having out of my system, and it was truly satisfying to cook a gourmet meal for my family, especially at such a reasonable cost (around $7). I think we really overlook some traditional methods in favor of technology and convenience.
Cooking isn't the only way we've taken on some traditional methods in our house. Mr. MT uses a double-edge safety razor for shaving. Instead of spending large amounts on razor blade cartridges, he spends pennies on double edge safety blades. I'll let him tell you more about it himself, but the short version is, closer shaves, not breaking out, saving money, and he enjoys his shaves.
Huh? What are these people talking about? Enjoy rolling dough? Enjoy shaving? Are they on drugs?
Just a couple advil for moving stress. The truth is I think these "old school" methods are also ways to take time out for ourselves. I kicked everyone out of the kitchen and played in dough like I was a kid. My husband kicks everyone out of the bathroom and takes some quiet time out for personal grooming.
When was the last time you took time out for yourself? Got in touch with your childhood? Made something with your own two hands that you were proud of?
There is a lot to be gained from taking a step back in time.
MT Tips: Top Ten Garage Sale Rules
So in an effort to de-clutter (and because we have no desire to schlep all our stuff to Oregon), we had a garage sale. Garage sales, yard sales, moving sales are all things I've been heavily involved in. In fact, my first entrepreneurial activity was at a family garage sale when I was about 8. I bought flats of bottled water and generic sodas (to increase my profit margin). I put them on ice and sold them for 50 cents each. I netted $40. I wanted to sell lemonade like they showed on TV, but my mother graciously explained contamination and poison concerns to me.
After last weekend's sale, I've discovered there are certain rules to having a good sale.
#1: WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! I am a human lobster. In the two hours it took me to set up the garage sale and then go put on sunscreen, I laid the base for a very painful, peeling sunburn. I cannot emphasize this enough, wear sunscreen. Consider the elements, whether they be sun, rain or wind when choosing the date and setting up your sale.
#2: Get your neighborhood involved. A multi-family yard sale will always bring more interest, and someone who's only looking for sales with tools might buy your crystal vase as an impulse buy for a friend. We also use garage sales to get to know our neighbors better. After we all close up, we invite everyone into our driveway for a barbecue. Nothing brings people together more than making money followed by hot dogs and beer.
#3: Make sure you're not doing this on your own. You will need at least one other person for pee breaks, water and food runs.
#4: Have change available the night before. This is self-explanatory; if you can't make change, you can't make the sale.
#5: Follow the 10% rule. You might have paid $100 for a crystal vase, but at a garage sale you can usually expect to make 10% of the original price. It used to be (and sometimes still is) 10-30%, but people are really looking for a bargain. Case in point: People used to come to my garage sales with a handful of ones budgeted for "garage sale money." This last one I had several people come with handfuls of change.
#6: Don't think you can put vintage or antique and all of a sudden the 10% rule vanishes. Seriously, I know they now play 90's grunge music on the classic rock stations, but that doesn't mean your 1980s juicer is a priceless relic. If people are looking at you like you're crazy when you say the price, you very well might be.
#7: Advertise. Post your sale on craigslist, in the newspaper if it's big enough, but more than all else have good signs. Park your car on the corner with a big neon poster on the back. Put your signs on boxes so they don't blow away. And while we don't like to think about it, send your extra person to check on your signs every once in a while. Some people like to take good signs for their garage sales or turn arrows around.
#8: Keep track of the money. If you plan on donating all proceeds to charity, then all the money can go in one jar with no worries, but if you have multiple people participating it's important to keep track of dollars and cents. We put all the money in a jar, but keep a piece of paper divided into columns with each party's name at the top of a column. When an item is sold, the amount is written in the individual's column. At the end of the day you tally the numbers and give everyone their total. If you have a hard time keeping track of whose the items are, divide your garage sale geographically, and just ask, "Where did you find this?"
#9: Be friendly. As we started to run out of things to sell, people would drive up to our sale, slow down and look, and keep on driving. A wave and a smile encouraged most to stop. Part of the garage sale culture is meeting new (and unusual) people, a chat, and maybe a good find.
#10: Know when to fold 'em. We had scheduled our garage sale to run from 8 am-4 pm, but we also didn't plan on running out of things to sell. We were seriously depleted by noon, and by one, there was no reason to keep anything open. So at 1:30 we picked up our signs and boxed up the few things we had left for donation to a thrift store that supports abused families.
Garage sales can be a lot of fun, but they are hard work as well. Stay organized and think about the tips above, and it should go easier.
Photo courtesy of man pikin
After last weekend's sale, I've discovered there are certain rules to having a good sale.
#1: WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! I am a human lobster. In the two hours it took me to set up the garage sale and then go put on sunscreen, I laid the base for a very painful, peeling sunburn. I cannot emphasize this enough, wear sunscreen. Consider the elements, whether they be sun, rain or wind when choosing the date and setting up your sale.#2: Get your neighborhood involved. A multi-family yard sale will always bring more interest, and someone who's only looking for sales with tools might buy your crystal vase as an impulse buy for a friend. We also use garage sales to get to know our neighbors better. After we all close up, we invite everyone into our driveway for a barbecue. Nothing brings people together more than making money followed by hot dogs and beer.
#3: Make sure you're not doing this on your own. You will need at least one other person for pee breaks, water and food runs.
#4: Have change available the night before. This is self-explanatory; if you can't make change, you can't make the sale.
#5: Follow the 10% rule. You might have paid $100 for a crystal vase, but at a garage sale you can usually expect to make 10% of the original price. It used to be (and sometimes still is) 10-30%, but people are really looking for a bargain. Case in point: People used to come to my garage sales with a handful of ones budgeted for "garage sale money." This last one I had several people come with handfuls of change.
#6: Don't think you can put vintage or antique and all of a sudden the 10% rule vanishes. Seriously, I know they now play 90's grunge music on the classic rock stations, but that doesn't mean your 1980s juicer is a priceless relic. If people are looking at you like you're crazy when you say the price, you very well might be.
#7: Advertise. Post your sale on craigslist, in the newspaper if it's big enough, but more than all else have good signs. Park your car on the corner with a big neon poster on the back. Put your signs on boxes so they don't blow away. And while we don't like to think about it, send your extra person to check on your signs every once in a while. Some people like to take good signs for their garage sales or turn arrows around.
#8: Keep track of the money. If you plan on donating all proceeds to charity, then all the money can go in one jar with no worries, but if you have multiple people participating it's important to keep track of dollars and cents. We put all the money in a jar, but keep a piece of paper divided into columns with each party's name at the top of a column. When an item is sold, the amount is written in the individual's column. At the end of the day you tally the numbers and give everyone their total. If you have a hard time keeping track of whose the items are, divide your garage sale geographically, and just ask, "Where did you find this?"
#9: Be friendly. As we started to run out of things to sell, people would drive up to our sale, slow down and look, and keep on driving. A wave and a smile encouraged most to stop. Part of the garage sale culture is meeting new (and unusual) people, a chat, and maybe a good find.
#10: Know when to fold 'em. We had scheduled our garage sale to run from 8 am-4 pm, but we also didn't plan on running out of things to sell. We were seriously depleted by noon, and by one, there was no reason to keep anything open. So at 1:30 we picked up our signs and boxed up the few things we had left for donation to a thrift store that supports abused families.
Garage sales can be a lot of fun, but they are hard work as well. Stay organized and think about the tips above, and it should go easier.
Photo courtesy of man pikin
MT Tips: Do With As Little As You Can
Mr. Modern Tightwad and I have an apartment! The most stressful part of our move is now behind us. It was also an interesting adventure in budgeting and choices.
Our maximum budget for an apartment in Portland, Oregon was $600/month. As always, our goal was still to spend as little as we possibly could. In a small southeast suburb of Portland, in an area we are familiar with, we found a 500 sf. studio for $500. We could have gone to a different part of the area and spent closer to our limit for a larger studio or one bedroom. Instead, we sat down and examined what we need, what our goals are, and what we were willing to compromise to reach them.
We need a safe place to live with a full size kitchen that would accept large dogs.
Our goals are to be as close to my husband's family (who live in a suburb of southeast Portland) as possible. We have had to suspend debt repayment and deplete some of our emergency fund for an apartment deposit. We would like to continue our debt repayment, even if it's only $100 a month.
So what did we compromise? I compromised a bathtub and closet space. We compromised being able to have people stay with us, as an open 500 sf studio isn't conducive to "stay-over company." Since Mr. MT isn't going to be home that much he's not overly particular. His major concern is always safety, which is not something that we would ever consciously overlook.
Since this studio met our needs, and saving $100 from our budget will allow us to keep meeting our goals, this was an excellent decision with us. We are not just living within our means, but we are doing with as little as we can.
This philosophy has been extended to as many aspects as possible. We're doing without cable TV, but keeping cable internet. We're doing laundry at his parent's house, but keeping the option of last minute loads at the complex. (It's $1.50 for each wash AND dry. Gee whiz!)
According to many pf gurus, living within your means is a path to wealth, however, I firmly believe that managing with as little as you can is a great step to a simpler, happier life. Regardless, I'll let you know how it turns out!
Our maximum budget for an apartment in Portland, Oregon was $600/month. As always, our goal was still to spend as little as we possibly could. In a small southeast suburb of Portland, in an area we are familiar with, we found a 500 sf. studio for $500. We could have gone to a different part of the area and spent closer to our limit for a larger studio or one bedroom. Instead, we sat down and examined what we need, what our goals are, and what we were willing to compromise to reach them.
We need a safe place to live with a full size kitchen that would accept large dogs.
Our goals are to be as close to my husband's family (who live in a suburb of southeast Portland) as possible. We have had to suspend debt repayment and deplete some of our emergency fund for an apartment deposit. We would like to continue our debt repayment, even if it's only $100 a month.
So what did we compromise? I compromised a bathtub and closet space. We compromised being able to have people stay with us, as an open 500 sf studio isn't conducive to "stay-over company." Since Mr. MT isn't going to be home that much he's not overly particular. His major concern is always safety, which is not something that we would ever consciously overlook.
Since this studio met our needs, and saving $100 from our budget will allow us to keep meeting our goals, this was an excellent decision with us. We are not just living within our means, but we are doing with as little as we can.
This philosophy has been extended to as many aspects as possible. We're doing without cable TV, but keeping cable internet. We're doing laundry at his parent's house, but keeping the option of last minute loads at the complex. (It's $1.50 for each wash AND dry. Gee whiz!)
According to many pf gurus, living within your means is a path to wealth, however, I firmly believe that managing with as little as you can is a great step to a simpler, happier life. Regardless, I'll let you know how it turns out!
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