July 30, 2009
Would you rather spend $250 for two nights in a standard hotel, or redeem (all) 60,000 Hilton points and save the cash?
The points took six years to accumulate because I’m not focused on collecting hotel points right now, but it’s currently only enough to only pay for, say, half a room in a desirable location like NYC or San Diego. In another six, assuming no difference in spending patterns, I could maybe get one room in a nice hotel, for a single night.
I was in a total bind for my interview yesterday, I needed a black bag and haven’t had time this month to find and buy a good one.
Pros: 1. It was only $30. On an unemployed budget, that’s doable.
2. It’s not as shiny as in the picture, so less cheap looking.
3. It’s very lightweight.
4. It’s soft. Not Super Soft, but soft.
5. It’s the right size for basic interview essentials with room left over for the suit jacket in hundred degree weather.
6. I already have it: I hate bag shopping so this could save me a lot of time and money.
Cons: 1. It’s polyurethane so it’s going to have a slightly plastic look on the handles and that looks disgusting when it breaks down
2. The front side zip pocket is surprisingly shallow
3. The bag is a little on the thing side (3 inches wide?)
4. It’s very slouchy. Seems like the slouchiness would be less professional looking.
5. It’s a mag-closure. I want my bags to be all things in all situations, and mag closure means it’s not waterproof.
6. But still, quality is a question. [companion to Pro #6]
June 27, 2009
Griping on the phone about a recent Walgreen’s gift card purchase, I couldn’t understand why they actually require you to use either a debit card or cash. “Lucky I actually had some cash on me,” I grumbled, “what a waste of time that would have been to have to go home and come back again!”
The 4-minute drive distance aside because, yes, I am that lazy and gas conservative, I hate hate hate purchasing anything with cash. We know how cash disappears from my wallet; it’s my biggest PF blind spot in budget tracking. And using cash means no 5% cash back on drugstore purchases on the Chase CC. Boo and boo.
More griping ensued along the lines of “and they only offer a $50 GC option online. What is this? Do they just NOT want you to spend money there??” Given some of the attitudes encountered by fellow couponers and bloggers, this isn’t a totally unjustified question.
Then, “Ugh, I probably would have just called it a day, since I wasn’t going back to the bank to withdraw more cash so I could buy the darn thing. I never use debit cards, I don’t even know my PIN!”
“…… Didn’t you say you went to the bank?”
“Yes.”
“……. ??”
“What?”
“Isn’t that the same PIN?”
“As the what? …. oh. OH. *sigh* I’m an idiot.”
In my defense, for some reason I was thinking of my credit card cash advance PIN. I have no idea what those are because I never use them. Can I be forgiven for completing forgetting that I can use my bank card as a debit card because I never ever do? No, because I constantly see people using their debit cards and think to myself, “I don’t like debit!”
Had a stupid moment lately? Please do share! š
June 9, 2009
J. Money’s having a giveaway at Budgets are Sexy for three Amazon gift cards ($50, $30, and $20). I’d like y’all to head on over there and cast your votes for me.
Really.
I need a win here, people.
š
June 2, 2009
Blissfully Domestic is giving away one lovely Vivianne Tam HP Mini from Intel.
I hadn’t admitted it here yet, but I’ve been ogling Minis wherever I see them, and have firmly slapped my own wrist a number of times for wanting to pet them … and then own one! Especially since my new laptop from December would be decidedly jealous if I actually went out and purchased a travel sized. But winning one in a contest would be A-ok!
The contest ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, June 8, 2009. One winner will be chosen via Random.org. Please read the official contest rules here.
May 27, 2009
Just when it seemed like things were moving along swimmingly, I got the following notices in quick succession last week:
WAMU Investments: My rolled-over account is still alive, with 2 cents in it.
Ugh! Is it unreasonable that I just want m’darned account closed for good? No. No it’s not. Not long after the letter arrived, I saw that the brokerage account had been converted to a Chase account. Maybe I can get the two cents applied to my credit card balance. š
Citibank: My CD expired on May 15th and I have to call or send a letter via postal mail to make arrangements.
Why can’t I just log into my account and click on a box that says: cash out my CD! or Rollover! The CD department had the nerve to question my cashing it out saying, “we have excellent interest rates, and you won’t be earning nearly as much interest in your checking account.”
Uh, I’m not an idiot. I’m not leaving that money in my checking account, duh, and your interest rates are Not Nearly Awesome Enough. Hmph! I was perhaps a little huffier than the situation called for since I was in no mood to hear a sales pitch.
Prudential: A letter in the mail stated that they never received my long-form and that my application was being closed. Lies! I’d already gotten a letter from my employer stating that my increased life insurance was approved and in effect. But I called anyway to be sure, and found that sure enough, my policy is in force. Chalk another one up for wasting my time.
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Emigrant Direct: In a fit of pique, I started to transfer all my money out. Except it gets marginally more interest (0.05%) than ING Direct, and they’ve both peeved me something special with their blockage of Yodlee. So I guess most of that money can stay put. But I feel like locking up about 10K in a CD at 2.25% APY. No, it’s not great, but it’s a full percentage point above my Citi savings accounts.
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Today’s the day. Y’know. The Day.
May 26, 2009
Are y’all tired of clothing posts, yet? How about we change gears to something even more mundane? Groceries!!
That’s right. Groceries are wonderfully life-sustaining and delicious. I’m happy anyway.
The Target run was ostensibly only to get *ahem* stockings, otherwise known as thigh-highs, for my skirt suit. I’m gonna need to be demure and professional-like sometime this week. As you may know.
In the checkout lane, I remembered that last week I promised myself one bag of candy. (What? I never buy candy.) I’ve been suffering from Snickers mini/Kit Kat deficiency. This could turn into a serious problem, and prevention is the best defense! Or something like that. Non-spending fail, but that won’t be what I think when I reach into the candy pocket of the purse and find Transformer Snicker Minis! It remains to be seen if the yellow nougat freaks me out.
As usual, giving this mouse one goody meant that it almost turned into a major case of impulse buying: the baked sea salt and vinegar chips were irresistible, Colby Jack string cheese sounded perfect …. luckily, friend was on the phone with me and told me to Leave Now. I even managed to put the goodies back, as well.
The trip to the local grocery went a little better, nutritionally speaking. Fresh corn on the cob was on sale, 4/$1. Corn = summer, and good deals on corn are even better. That’s what the green beans (1/2 lb), oranges (2), bananas (3), whole wheat bagels (6), and eggs (12) are for. My grocery shopping can be a bit haphazard, if you can’t see a meal in there, not to worry. Neither can I.
May 21, 2009
Friend’s husband, let’s call him A, causes the funniest conversations:
A’s wife: Did you see that Dilbert cartoon A sent me? He asked if that was why I married him.
A: Well, I AM financially stable.
A’s friend’s wife: Well, you know, financial stability is how those nerds get the hot wives. Even the really ugly ones!
A: Hey!
A’s friend’s wife: No, I mean, you know, my husband is a nerd! [Her husband and A work together.]
R: Good job, friend. I think this means you’re the hot one.
A: HEY!! Why are you calling me ugly??
R: Hey guys, how long does your dishwasher take to run a full cycle?
A and wife: Dunno.
A: R, you’re such a calculating person.
R: [pause] Are you sure that’s what you mean?
A: Calculatory?
R: I don’t think that word means what you think it means. Does it? Do YOU?
A: Uhhhh……
R: Ok, did you mean it in a mean way?
A: Uhhhh……
R: Never mind. I’m doing laundry now.
POLL:
Should I sell my 30G video iPod? I haven’t used it since I got my iPhone, but I do not plan to keep the iPhone forever, or upgrade to the latest & greatest iPhone, either.
A fellow train rider offered to look at and buy it.
[I wonder if the iPod function still works on the iPhone if the phone is deactivated. Must go Google this ….]
Edit: According to AppleInsider, deactivated phones can still be used for all non-cellular phone activities, rendering it a default iPod Touch. I won’t be able to restore iTunes or upgrade it, but I doubt that I would bother anyway. Also, it can still access Wifi. Sweet!
