About sixteen years ago, I met him for the first time. My trainwreck sibling brought home this adorable puppy he had no business adopting because he had not one thing in his life that wasn’t a mess. I was furious at my sibling – he didn’t even take care of himself, how could he drag
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April 6, 2009
Well-Heeled is a bad influence. That’s right, I said it. She is an enabler! And … I’m weak.
I bought a handbag.
Hah, ok truthfully after three weeks of telling myself “no, no, noooo,” there was no guilt once the decision to Buy clicked. The sense of peace might have been relief that I was no longer obsessing over something. Whatever the case, this time, saying “I’m weak” and shaking a finger at my enabler is pure habit. This is despite the fact that it’s unbudgeted spending, hell-o, I’m still facing a layoff, and it cost approximately 6.875 times more than I have ever paid for any bag. (For those who care about percentages, it was 65% off. I only consider the final dollar price that I pay.)
It’s not an investment. It won’t yield any tangible, monetary returns, just personal enjoyment. And y’know something? It’s fine. How so laissez-faire? Well ….
1. I won’t go into debt for it.
2. This isn’t habitual spending: I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve purchased a large ticket item: three coats and a laptop in 9 years. [The car doesn’t count – that wasn’t entirely my choice.] Though, feel free to chime in “didn’t you just buy ….” if you recall something I don’t. My memory’s wacky.
3. While it’s a shock to the system, I’m finally buying a quality item that will last years instead of a cute bargain that’ll last months.
4. It’s only money.
:O
Yep. As hard as I’ve worked to save every penny, the having of which is highly highly comforting in these turbulent times, what’s the point if I only ever use it for rent, bread/rice, and water? And as much as I worry about it, this single purchase does not signal wholesale lifestyle inflation. I’ve needed a professional bag since becoming a professional, but would indefinitely continue lying to myself about buying one if I didn’t let go already.
I do this all the time (example circa October 2006):
[For months … I promised myself an iPod for the train ride when I started that new job: “when things get better, you can have *****.” I’m such a liar.]
Like I said about saving, you can’t reap the benefits of saving with actually saving, neither can you have nice things without spending money on them. Legally, I mean. Or without a sugar-daddy. That should go without saying, but I’m saying it anyway just in case.
My birthday bag is much loved, but after 6 months of constant use, it’s getting destroyed. There’s a gaping hole in the lining at the bottom, the fabric around the one side pocket is disintegrating, and the flaps/corners are fraying at an alarming rate.
Whether it’s because the materials were manufacturer-quality (aka: mass produced, cheaply), or I’m just too hard on my belongings is a moot point: this poor bag will be trashed by the end of this year from what I consider normal use. I really like it, so I’d rather not have to discard it, *sad face* because it’s fallen apart.
The bag I bought should arrive in about a week and it will have outside side pockets for my phone, keys, Bluetooth, headphones and mini-Snickers. That means the daily, post-work heart attacks while rummaging through current bag desperately searching for my phone? Can finally stop. *siiigh* For that alone, I might have just added an additional year to my life.
The leather will be saaaawwfft. Oh so Charmin’ soft. I might be found curled up with it tucked under my chin, purring, when it arrives. I make no promises. It’ll be sturdy, the liner fabric will be thick, it zips in case of inclement weather and pickpockets, and can be slung over a shoulder.
What’s that you’re saying? Stop talking and show pictures? Well … alright ….. there’s only one right now, though. Readers, behold my new friend!
Besides, doesn’t one need a bag to be a bag-lady? š
Note: I swore I wouldn’t do it, but I’m already tapping at the order-processing screen, and e-stalking UPS. I want my bag! It’s too late for the mini-Snickers, I’ve eaten them all. See? In the end, I’m all about instant gratification.
April 5, 2009
Crystal from Brunette on a Budget shared with me a bit of flattery on her blog a few days ago, naming me one of her favorite seven blogs. Aw shucks, thank you!
And courtesy of that list, I’m enjoying a listen-in to Madame Bonjour‘s playlist which features some tracks from Carla Bruni’s latest CD. I’ve never listened to French music before, it’s intriguing. I also can’t understand a word of it. š
Saturday morning I awoke to the exciting news that I’d won one of Flexo’s ten TurboTax Premier Online giveaway codes. My fingers were crossed because I wanted to provide this to a close friend, April 15th is fast approaching. Is it weird that it’s almost more exciting that I won it so I could give it to someone I care about?
Of all weekends to report, this has to be one of the laziest since I was nine.
Saturday: Spent a cumulative 3.5 hours on the phone catching up with random friends who called and wanted to marathon chat. Was astoundingly fatigued all day, so, I watched 5 episodes of Dollhouse. I meant to watch one, but … they had five posted. Sometimes I get obsessive like that. Oh yes, and I spent $140 (to start) on this bridesmaid dress in eggplant from Alfred Angelo. Of course it’s a junior bridesmaid size that I bought, so I hope it won’t need major tailoring. [And if anyone has a clue how to make my hair look like that? That’d be awesome!]
[Photo courtesy of alfredangelo.com]That expense was a complete surprise. I was informed via text message that very afternoon that our plans to “wear whatever you have” had changed to “we need your sizing to order your dress right now.” *sigh* O, Bridesmaidery….
Grocery shopping on the way home was consciously restrained: I was starving and didn’t want to go overboard. I’m trying the TJ’s enchiladas (cheese, beef and chicken) for $1.69/package. Also, their Thai yellow curry and garlic naan bread. I’m thinking of trying scrambled eggs and potatoes with the yellow curry for lunch. Ooh, also, I bought a ten-pack of frozen hash browns. Yummm… total spend was $11.97.
Sunday: Another laaaazy day. Walked over to Fresh and Easy to pick up some eggs (99 cents/dzn) and asparagus (99 cents/lb). The weird thing was they’d clearanced out the old 9-oz. asparagus bundles, as they do, for 50% off, but it was more expensive than the 1-lb sale packages. I’m glad I was paying attention to the pricing and packaging!
And talk about your friendly neighborhood store! I discovered that they have this little Kitchen section where an employee cooks foods for sampling. They had iced lemonade with strawberries, Clementines, and lemon iced cakes laying out for sampling, with a ham in the oven. My timing was excellent. When I asked the lady about her opinion of the breads since I hate trying new, disappointingly dry, sandwich breads, she grabbed a new loaf off the shelf and made me an open-face ham and cheese sandwich! She reminded me to be sure and sample anything else I might be unsure about in the store; the employee running the Kitchen is allowed to open and serve any foods. Isn’t that cool? I didn’t end up buying the bread right away because I’d intended to buy a small package of ham to go with it; they only had ham shanks the size of 1.5 heads.
On the walk home, I played with the neighborhood Chihuahuas running through everyone’s yards. Really, they played with my feet.
Made a quick stop at Vons for a box of $4.88 Clementine Cuties and a block of sweet butter for the next batch of Mac’n’Cheese.
I think this week’s menu will include breakfast burritos, hash browns, roasted or steamed asparagus, some sort of creative curry (scrambled eggs and asparagus? and potatoes? and tuna?) and garlic naan, TJ’s enchiladas, and a lot of Clementines.
Now I’ve got my feet up waiting for the wash cycle to complete and debating how much I like these Charles David shoes (on sale for $20).
[Photo courtesy of 6pm.com]
April 3, 2009
My eyebrows still haven’t crept back down from my hairline after reading the positively dismal comments on FMF’s article posted over on Consumerist.com: 50% Of Americans 2 Paychecks Away From Having Big Financial Problemos
I knew that some people took exception to financial advice, but didn’t realize that there were people who took personal finance axioms so personally. At first, the comments started out fairly benignly, with understandable exasperation at uncomfortable or tight living circumstances. Been there, you know?
Saboth: I’m actually surprised that it isn’t “0 paychecks”. Most people I know barely have enough money to pay their bills currently.
edwardso:@Saboth: Sadly I am one of those people, between rent, student loans, credit card utilities I can only save about $50 per month and most of my friends (1-2 years our of college) can’t even save that.
Then people started getting agitated:
nakedscience: Seriously, ThickSkinned. People just go, “SAVE! You have to SAVE!” acting like it’s easy — but it’s not. Especially if you barely have enough money month-to-month to cover the bills as it is! This is especially true for people with kids, or for those who were doing fine, got sick, then lost their jobs or something.
Not all of it is because people are irresponsible. Some people just can’t get above water enough to save.
But at some point, it took a plunge into outright anger and labeling the presumably financially responsible as “smug bastards.” To whit:
edwardso: I can’t wait until some smug bastard gets on here and proclaims that they pay off their credit card every month and make x amount of dollars through bonuses or remind everyone of how much they would save if they canceled cable, used prepaid cell phones, etc.
jake7294: @edwardso: So true…we already have the “I pay myself first” and “when I get a raise I put the increased income in savings” comments
Yikes. Yes, everyone’s having a tough time. But after working my tushie off to overcome many major obstacles (ie: major health problems, business failures, family bankruptcy, supporting a household), it’s unsettling to see such vituperative comments skewering the fiscally aware. Actually, I think it’s gross.
That energy could be channeled towards something more productive, like, say, learning. Fine, being told “save” isn’t helpful in and of itself. But it’s a basic concept: if you want the products of saving, ie: money to spare and not living paycheck to paycheck, then you have to save. Unless there’s a whole other world that allows reaping the benefits of saving without actually doing it. I sure don’t live there. I’d love to! I had to sweat through endless trials to create a situation where I could save and pay my bills on time. And don’t think I don’t understand catastrophic situations while trying to build a career. Flip through the archives. That doesn’t even include the years I spent putting myself through school and food on the table. It’s been 9 years of working since high school, 17 if you count the years of unpaid labor at my parents’ business, and many more to go.
There is a way. Do not dismiss those of us who made savings, and paying bills on time, and not carrying a credit card balance a priority in our lives. Maybe there are a few who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, but by and large, it’s work, dammit. It’s sacrifice, and making choices, and being mindful, and exercising willpower. It is NOT easy to reach the point where we get to be referred to as “smug bastards” for paying ourselves first. And those with silver spoons? Still don’t deserve to be called bastards.
FB makes a wonderful point in her recent post Forget Earth Hour? about taking control of your money, and the predominant attitude of those who rely on denigrating others and complaining about their less-than-legitimately “poor” circumstances:
Not only that, I find it strange to be proud of being cash-poor, broke, overdrawn, maxed out and generally penniless working paycheque to paycheque.
Maybe it’s just a mechanism for people to nervously deal with what they know is a hot financial mess.
The principle of saving, and the people who point it out or live it, is not the problem here. The problem lies in a situation you’re not happy with. That cries out for a solution. Ask questions, ask for help and be willing to figure what part of that help is applicable if you want an answer. But don’t put us down because all you see is the end result of countless hours of toil.
There are as many ways to find help as there are to save. Heck, I’m sure if you were open to any of the PF bloggers so forcibly disdained, some of them might even have some useful information. If you ask.
April 1, 2009
I’ve been working on making an habit of bringing decent lunches on a very short attention span. The best way to form a habit is to actually do it. Repeatedly. Simple? It should be, but it’s equally easy to fall out of the habit of say, going to the grocery store every Sunday. Things come up, y’know?
Sometimes the bringing of lunch works out wonderfully throughout the week, sometimes groceries are supplemented by leftovers from dinner, other times I have to get creative or purchase a meal or two. Here are a few of the oddities that prove I don’t always eat well. š
Normal: Leftovers from dinner.
Creative: Egg and spinach on a whole wheat bagel, 91 cents
I’d failed to plan for lunch one week, and had brought disparate ingredients that were supposed to magically coalesce into a meal. It sort of did. My unboiled egg was microwaved just long enough to make a little scramble, spinach meant for a salad served double duty as greens for the sandwich and leftover bagels brought for breakfast become sandwich bread.
This was so yummy I did it again the next day, this time mixing in leftover string cheese, for some dairy.
A huge helping of spinach topped with sunflower seeds (that I’ve had in my desk forever) and some balsamic vinaigrette rounded out those meals.
Deal and Coupontastic: Quiznos turkey sandwich and deli sandwich on Dutch crunch, $5.60
Armed with a Quiznos free small sandwich coupon, I picked up a small turkey sandwich (terribly puny, if you ask me), a small drink, and a small Italian sandwich at a deli joint (twice the length and width of the Quiznos sandwich) to make a lunch for two. The deli sandwich was quite a good deal, it was only $4.50 for a substantial roll and hefty meat filling. If we’d gotten the equivalent meal at Quiznos, sans coupon, it would have cost about $14.50.
Filling at the time: Bags of salad (usually $1/bag) are great when topped with some chicken or tuna, and other veggies. It’s satisfying, but for a much shorter period of time.
I could use some good ideas for what to try next!
March 31, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $4,212
401(a): $5,399
403(b): $12,751
Total: $ 22,362 (20,415)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 28,721
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $ 29,721 (24,816)
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $1067
Insurance: $2,178
Travel/Con: $401
Taxes: $3,522
Moving: $1,465
Total: $ 8,633 (7,278)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $101
|
| Investment Loans |
Prosper-ish: $12,630
Personal Loan: $3,000
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $ 15,992 (16,992)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $ 22,362
Semi-Liquid: $15,992
Liquid: $29,721
Expense Acct: $10,133
Goals Savings: $8,633
Total: $ 86,841 (78,640)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
Citi 2: $255
Chase: $171
Rent: $1,360
Total: $1,786 (1,807)
|
| Net Worth |
$ 85,055 (76,833)
|
One might wonder from the wildly inflated numbers above, based on my less than abundant salary, if I am some sort of saving genius. Savant, even. They would be incorrect. I’m simply a modest saver hugely motivated by the soon-to-end income stream. More transparently, the rest of my salary from the past quarter came in yesterday, and was quickly deposited into the insurance, maintenance, expenses and savings funds. In the pursuit of obtaining life insurance, the car insurance fund is simply meant for all insurances, now.
So, the plan is to have as much cash on hand as possible. That’s meant seriously paring any and all expenses down to bone, to the marrow even, in the budget. That might be a little too extreme, some of the monies in savings might have to migrate to the expenses fund.
Plus, I made some stupid mistakes like forgetting to pay my DMV registration. After six years of car ownership, paying for three car registrations, this year I managed to forget my own registration and ate a $91 late fee. Ugh. Pray for me. Even better: the registration is always due on Valentine’s Day! I managed to forget a major commercial holiday and it cost me nearly a hundred dollars. The only side effect of recent health issues is that I’m too drained to get as worked up about it as I normally might.
Speaking of stupid fees, this time in the sense that I think the fees are stupid rather than paying a fee because I’m stupid as above, Chase was gifted with a solid $100 for the privilege of giving me back my money. Thusly the Rollover IRA has disappeared, rolling further over into the 403(b). At least it was a relatively simple process.
At a time when hoarding and squirreling away money is Priority Numero Uno, I’m sure wasting a lot of it on fees. *annoyed with self* There are way better things I could have spent that money on.
March 30, 2009
