September 12, 2007
My foodie friends, I have two questions:
1. Chez Panisse of Berkeley, excellent or just good?
2. Is it good value for the money? This basically means that the experience and the dining are on par with the money they’re charging. I’m not impressed by being fed inch size servings laced with pretty colors if the taste and eventual satiety isn’t there, in other words.
The sister-in-law proposed it as a dinner option, prefacing it with “I don’t know if it fits your budget” so I automatically selected it as a lunch option instead.
Does anyone have input/insight on this restaurant?
September 5, 2007
My future father in law is having surgery right now at a university hospital. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well without complications!
August 30, 2007
Sistah Ant’s favorite financial advice unexpectedly struck a nerve. She reminds us that it’s important to place pride where it belongs: firmly behind our goals. It should not get in the way of, or undermine, our efforts to carve out a stronger financial position. We shouldn’t let appearances or materialism take precedence over that which we truly value. That could be anything. For Sistah Ant, it’s a Home of Her Own. For me, it’s financial security. For you? Anything. Your castle in the sky, your early retirement, saying “I don’t have to take this, I’m going home!” to your boss when the job gets too uppity. Anything.
That car, those accessories, the pieces of plastic that enable you to spend more quickly, efficiently, and wastefully so that you don’t “look poor” in front of your family, friends, or complete strangers shouldn’t get in the way of what really matters.
This piece of advice resonates strongly with me. Growing up, my best friend never hesitated to state clearly “I/we can’t afford that.” This statement and attitude came from her parents who worked hard to provide for their children and set firm limits on how much they would spend on wants. This is how they live comfortably and own their home on one income. They would say “no, that doesn’t fit in our budget” and that was the end of the story.
Their attitude was as fundamental to my financial growth as my parents’: “We’ll make sure you get it, no matter what we have to sacrifice.” While my parents’ work ethic serves me well when I need to put my head down and bull ahead through obstacles, it ultimately wouldn’t make any difference without the ability to both identify priorities and be humble enough to admit that I can’t afford everything.
I’m sure it started out as honesty when we were twelve, but now that we’re adults, it’s a matter of pride. These things actually matter more to adults than they do to kids or teenagers; I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone. Every week, every day, opportunities to spend money comes up. Every week, I remind myself that I’ve a small allowance. After that, it’s money that I don’t have.
It’s not easy, even if I did expect to be my parents’ sole provider. It’s not always easy to say, “Sorry, I can go to a dinner OR a movie, not both.” Or not being able to give cousins “enough” for their birthdays and graduations. Not being able to gift that much for family weddings. Not buying lunch at work because it just adds up too fast. Or wearing the same suit to multi-day work functions, so that even your boss notices, because new suits and tailoring are too expensive.
It just sounds so petty, and who wants to look like a piker?
If, as a junior high student, as a high-school student, and as a college student, she hadn’t been consistent about knowing her limits and living within her means, if my best friend hadn’t been humble, I might not have seen that there’s nothing wrong with openly living on a budget.
To know how to spend less than we make, and save more than we spend is wisdom. Actually applying that wisdom to your life despite temptation is humility.
August 28, 2007
No, that’s not a band name. It’s just that the coworkers send me pictures like this:
August 21, 2007
Five minutes, and six clicks. That’s all the time it took to put nearly a thousand dollars’ worth of car insurance and registration for los PadresDuckies on my credit card. I give thanks that, for the most part, scrimping and saving every little bit is worth it and I haven’t been caught up short by “unexpected” expenses. And I’m really lucky to have a good job security, as much of my health as I’ve needed to work that job, and developed strong saving and planning habits. Well, ok, it wasn’t actually luck on that first or last. I have job security because I’ve worked my dang tushy off, and save like a fiend because I have bag-lady syndrome. Probably will for the rest of my life, too! As Blunt Money and SingleMa remind us, the three D’s have a lot to do with it, too: decisions, determination and dedication.
I’m reminiscent about this time four years ago when things were really tough. Four years ago, I was still at university working on my (lib arts, aka: won’t make much) degree, working 60 hours a week, had just lost my first dog to heart failure after two years of treatments, taken on a car payment and felt tied to my job because of it, and still lived with my brother so was losing an ounce of sanity a day. Stress was at a premium. I wasn’t ever sure I could make ends meet, and I definitely wasn’t saving anything.
A couple bills like this would have ruined my week. My months, even. Anticipation would have killed off a few weeks prior, I’d have a few weeks’ grace period because it’d go on my card, and meanwhile would have had to work even more overtime at my $10/hour job to cover rent, tuition, utilities and car bills.
Now? I sigh sadly that the money’s going out instead of coming in, and sigh with relief that I can say the most of that money is already sitting in the account designed specifically for that purpose.
Moral? If I can get from there to here, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t try to get from here to way … over … there (gesturing to greener pastures of people with health, wealth and wisdom)!!
August 15, 2007
Working late all week. And on the train ride, to and from. But I have this itchy urge to start breaking down my future budget and savings goals based on that raise that I haven’t got my hot little hands on yet.
This is also how I do my homework: based entirely on instinct and urges.
Namely, collecting child support! I’ve heard so many stories about how, if you’re not in utter, desperate need, the state simply doesn’t assist with collecting child support payments. They don’t have the time to help except those in absolute dire need. Well, if the “scofflaw” as this article refers to them had to leave the country, now, he or she will have to pay up. It’s probably only good for a couple of collections, and dependent on the person needing to travel, but that’s still better than nothing!
Unless of course, you’re this guy:
A boxer paid $39,000 in back child support to the state of Nevada last year to get a passport, which he lost. This year, his promoter had to loan him $8,930 so he could pay off his new child support debts and get a new passport to fight overseas.
I suppose that’s one reliable way to get money from that particular fellow.
