If you haven't been reading Living Almost Large, you're missing an interesting and thoughtful financial blog. I'd say that even if she hadn't bribed me. But bribe me, she did. I received in the mail today, a copy of "Investing in an Uncertain Economy For Dummies," which I won by responding to a contest on her blog. Never mind that there were only two entries. Maybe if the title had been "How to Survive in an Uncertain Economy," there might have been more interest?
I doubt investing will be much on my mind during the next year, but I'm still glad I won the book, and I DO plan to read it. Thanks, LAL.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Christmas Confessions
They say that man plans, God laughs.
I should have kept that in mind when I made my Christmas budget.
This year, God not only laughed, S/he decided to give us WEATHER. I realize that folks who do not live in the pacific northwest already have WEATHER, but we residents of the rainforest just have wet or wetter. We do NOT usually have 14 inches of snow! The entire city shut down for the week before Christmas. I couldn't go to work, which was fine by me. But I couldn't get much else done, either.
Financially, there was weather-related good news and bad news. I saved a bundle on gas since I could not get my car out of the driveway. However, I spent way more than I wanted to on groceries since the only stores within walking distance were a local mini-mart and Whole Foods (what some accurately refer to as Whole Paycheck). We ate well for Christmas, but it was expensive.
Some of my adult children and their children couldn't get to my home at all. Others wore out their welcome as I played host for over a week--about five days longer than any of us wanted! More unanticipated expense.
Then there were the gifts that I had not yet purchased. Forget sales. The only thing that mattered was whether the store that sold what I wanted was reachable by bus. Then I paid whatever the price was. Naturally, that price was generally higher.
Interestingly, none of this bothered me too much because I still had some of my "garage fire" money. Funny thing about having funds that have not been earmarked--they not only give one a sense of comfort, but they are far too easy to spend. I did much better at sticking to my budget last year when I was worried about every penny.
Ah well--onward to 2009. My year-end wrap up and new goals are coming tomorrow.
In the meantime, I finally updated my links. Thanks for your help.
I should have kept that in mind when I made my Christmas budget.
This year, God not only laughed, S/he decided to give us WEATHER. I realize that folks who do not live in the pacific northwest already have WEATHER, but we residents of the rainforest just have wet or wetter. We do NOT usually have 14 inches of snow! The entire city shut down for the week before Christmas. I couldn't go to work, which was fine by me. But I couldn't get much else done, either.
Financially, there was weather-related good news and bad news. I saved a bundle on gas since I could not get my car out of the driveway. However, I spent way more than I wanted to on groceries since the only stores within walking distance were a local mini-mart and Whole Foods (what some accurately refer to as Whole Paycheck). We ate well for Christmas, but it was expensive.
Some of my adult children and their children couldn't get to my home at all. Others wore out their welcome as I played host for over a week--about five days longer than any of us wanted! More unanticipated expense.
Then there were the gifts that I had not yet purchased. Forget sales. The only thing that mattered was whether the store that sold what I wanted was reachable by bus. Then I paid whatever the price was. Naturally, that price was generally higher.
Interestingly, none of this bothered me too much because I still had some of my "garage fire" money. Funny thing about having funds that have not been earmarked--they not only give one a sense of comfort, but they are far too easy to spend. I did much better at sticking to my budget last year when I was worried about every penny.
Ah well--onward to 2009. My year-end wrap up and new goals are coming tomorrow.
In the meantime, I finally updated my links. Thanks for your help.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Use It or Lose It
My house is a mess due to the painters. I can barely walk in my living room where all the bedroom furniture is currently hanging out.
So, unable to keep things clean at home, I'm, instead, determined to tidy up my blog--specifically my links to other blogs.
Can I just say that when I like a blog, I like to read NEW posts in that blog? Some of you have fallen by the wayside. I miss you. Where did you go? I want you back.
Solitary Dancer at Bare Bones Living is gone, though she assured me in a private e-mail that she is still tracking her finances, just not so publicly. The guys at Engineering My Finances and The Platinum Years haven't posted since February and July respectively.
At any rate, if you're still alive and haven't posted in awhile, let me know.
If you have a blog that you think I should be reading (and therefore adding to the list), let me know that, too.
I'm giving it a week, and then--
Ruthless pruning will ensue.
So, unable to keep things clean at home, I'm, instead, determined to tidy up my blog--specifically my links to other blogs.
Can I just say that when I like a blog, I like to read NEW posts in that blog? Some of you have fallen by the wayside. I miss you. Where did you go? I want you back.
Solitary Dancer at Bare Bones Living is gone, though she assured me in a private e-mail that she is still tracking her finances, just not so publicly. The guys at Engineering My Finances and The Platinum Years haven't posted since February and July respectively.
At any rate, if you're still alive and haven't posted in awhile, let me know.
If you have a blog that you think I should be reading (and therefore adding to the list), let me know that, too.
I'm giving it a week, and then--
Ruthless pruning will ensue.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Hidden Costs Behind the Free Gifts
I was thinking about this as I marched through Walgreen's picking up several packages of Double A and Triple A batteries. (They are "buy one, get one free" this week.) Once the grandkids run through these batteries for their electronic Christmas gifts, their parents will be stuck supplying the "free" gifts with expensive batteries.
And then there's Grace. My baby sister is paying for my interiors to be painted--it's an expensive and welcome gift. BUT. . .
Who knew all the hidden costs?
For example--the drapes in the master bedroom. I've been here sixteen plus years and have never done more than occasionally vacuum them. But when I took them down for the painters (and recovered from the dust-induced sneezing fit), it was painfully obvious that they needed a professional cleaning. How is it I have survived 59 years on this planet and didn't know that dry cleaners charge by the pleat for draperies? Two sets of clean drapes later, I am out $180!
It also turns out that once the closet doors were painted, their hardware looked shabby. For a mere $48, I combated shabbiness throughout the bedrooms!
Yes, I love my free gift. I'm just a tad less enamoured of the unexpected expenses that came along with it.
And then there's Grace. My baby sister is paying for my interiors to be painted--it's an expensive and welcome gift. BUT. . .
Who knew all the hidden costs?
For example--the drapes in the master bedroom. I've been here sixteen plus years and have never done more than occasionally vacuum them. But when I took them down for the painters (and recovered from the dust-induced sneezing fit), it was painfully obvious that they needed a professional cleaning. How is it I have survived 59 years on this planet and didn't know that dry cleaners charge by the pleat for draperies? Two sets of clean drapes later, I am out $180!
It also turns out that once the closet doors were painted, their hardware looked shabby. For a mere $48, I combated shabbiness throughout the bedrooms!
Yes, I love my free gift. I'm just a tad less enamoured of the unexpected expenses that came along with it.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Ah Warren--Say It Ain't So
A rather disturbing blog entry concerning Warren Buffett and his granddaughter appeared this morning on AOL. I don't know what bothered me more--Buffett's casual assumption than an "adopted grandchild" was less than a "real"--read that, biological--grandchild, or that one of the richest men in the world would allow a grandchild to go without health insurance.
As the mother of five daughters adopted from the foster care system, there is no question in my mind that these are my "real" kids. Nor do/did my parents, sister or friends ever question that. They didn't get a vote, either. What the heck does Buffett mean when he says HE didn't adopt her as a grandchild--um, Warren? YOU didn't have to--YOUR SON adopted her, and that makes her YOUR grandchild. Don't you have lawyers who can explain that to you?
Of course, the grandchild in question is an adult and apparently makes $40,000 a year, so it's not like Buffett owes her health insurance, but you'd think it would concern him that she doesn't have any.
I know it concerns me when my adult children or my grandchildren don't have health insurance, even though I am not in a position to provide it for them.
I dunno--even assuming that Buffett has more reason than a documentary film and an Oprah interview to dislike his granddaughter, his statements about adoption and his lack of assistance to her are disturbing. It's not like he's being asked to give her a Corvette--it's HEALTH INSURANCE, for Pete's sake.
As the mother of five daughters adopted from the foster care system, there is no question in my mind that these are my "real" kids. Nor do/did my parents, sister or friends ever question that. They didn't get a vote, either. What the heck does Buffett mean when he says HE didn't adopt her as a grandchild--um, Warren? YOU didn't have to--YOUR SON adopted her, and that makes her YOUR grandchild. Don't you have lawyers who can explain that to you?
Of course, the grandchild in question is an adult and apparently makes $40,000 a year, so it's not like Buffett owes her health insurance, but you'd think it would concern him that she doesn't have any.
I know it concerns me when my adult children or my grandchildren don't have health insurance, even though I am not in a position to provide it for them.
I dunno--even assuming that Buffett has more reason than a documentary film and an Oprah interview to dislike his granddaughter, his statements about adoption and his lack of assistance to her are disturbing. It's not like he's being asked to give her a Corvette--it's HEALTH INSURANCE, for Pete's sake.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Freemarket Kharma
Fortunately, I have never said I was a nice person. Or if I did say it, you should probably know not to trust me on the subject.
It's not nice to have warm, fuzzy feelings over the misfortunes of others.
But. . .
Mea Culpa. I couldn't help myself.
There I was, thumbing through my new issue of Vanity Fair (purchased frugally for a six dollar annual subscription rate on E-Bay) and I happened on Michael Shnayerson's article about the cutbacks the super rich are having to make in the wake of the Wall Street crisis.
I particularly liked the trophy wife gazing at shelves of $6000 handbags bemoaning the fact that she will have to cut back her maid service. She couldn't just sell one of those fancy bags? Pardon me if I'm feeling sorrier for the maid than I am for Ms. Trophyette.
Actually, it is the personal trainers, the nannies, the charities who depend on monies from the well-monied, the waiters and the real estate agents who are the real losers here. But the very wealthy, down to their last ten million or so, seem more worried about the upkeep on their summer homes than the fate of those they employ.
Poor, pitiful them.
And shame on Grace for having a laugh at their expense (both literally and figuratively!)
It's not nice to have warm, fuzzy feelings over the misfortunes of others.
But. . .
Mea Culpa. I couldn't help myself.
There I was, thumbing through my new issue of Vanity Fair (purchased frugally for a six dollar annual subscription rate on E-Bay) and I happened on Michael Shnayerson's article about the cutbacks the super rich are having to make in the wake of the Wall Street crisis.
I particularly liked the trophy wife gazing at shelves of $6000 handbags bemoaning the fact that she will have to cut back her maid service. She couldn't just sell one of those fancy bags? Pardon me if I'm feeling sorrier for the maid than I am for Ms. Trophyette.
Actually, it is the personal trainers, the nannies, the charities who depend on monies from the well-monied, the waiters and the real estate agents who are the real losers here. But the very wealthy, down to their last ten million or so, seem more worried about the upkeep on their summer homes than the fate of those they employ.
Poor, pitiful them.
And shame on Grace for having a laugh at their expense (both literally and figuratively!)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Errata
This is a list of bits and pieces that don't warrent an entire post but are too good not to put somewhere on this blog.
1. My total indebtedness went down in November, though not by much. I'll do a more thorough analysis at the end of December.
2. My 401(k) is back over $100,000 but the roller coaster is giving me a headache. I have made a decision NOT to increase the monthly amount I put into my 401(k) in 2009 but I'm not going to reduce it either.
3. On the job front, I will not be getting a raise this year, but I will get a lump sum payment in January. We are unionized and have a salary scale. I've been at the top of the scale for years, so rather than keep adding steps to the scale, I am more likely to get a lump sum that is a percentage of my annual wage. The truth is, I rather like this, though I would not want it to continue forever. I could get $120 more per month which winds up being about $42 more per paycheck or I could get one larger check. Sad to say, I am more likely to put the lump sum toward debt reduction than the regular monthly increase.
4. I did hit the major sales on Black Friday, and if I do say so myself, I got a lot of great deals and no lives were lost. In fact, it seemed to me that there were not as many folks out at 5:00 a.m. as I've seen in the past. One local store puts all their socks and bath towels on sale at half-price--I stocked up for the year. Another had comforters for $9.99. I got several since I never seem to have enough blankets, especially when I have guests. For whatever reason, GPS units are on everyone's Christmas list this year, so I bought several TomTom 125 units for $99 each--the lowest price I've seen for those. I also got 60% off on children's winter jackets, so guess what the grandkids are getting from Grandma Grace this year.
5. My sister (the rich one, and the provider of major gifts to moi!) came for Thanksgiving and gave me my gift early--a great gift it is, too! She is paying for my entire home interior to be repainted and rewallpapered. I've been in this home 18 years and have repainted only two rooms. After assorted children and grandchildren, some with serious behavior issues that impacted (literally!) the walls of my house, it badly needs refurbishing. Not to mention that the previous owners thought that blue plaid wallpaper would look good in the kitchen. Ahem! Since when is blue plaid wallpaper a good idea for ANY room? So Grace is knee deep in color chips and wallpaper samples. Pray for her, and keep her away from magenta accent walls!
6. I love cranky bloggers, so I particularly appreciated this one from Becoming Debt Free in 2009. The woman who griped about new hubby's child support debt annoyed me the most, especially because she may well be in the old wife's position some day.
7. Gas is $1.69 and my 100 gallons of heating oil is now $189 rather than the $307 it was I paid the last time I put oil in the tank.
That's it for the small stuff. More, later.
1. My total indebtedness went down in November, though not by much. I'll do a more thorough analysis at the end of December.
2. My 401(k) is back over $100,000 but the roller coaster is giving me a headache. I have made a decision NOT to increase the monthly amount I put into my 401(k) in 2009 but I'm not going to reduce it either.
3. On the job front, I will not be getting a raise this year, but I will get a lump sum payment in January. We are unionized and have a salary scale. I've been at the top of the scale for years, so rather than keep adding steps to the scale, I am more likely to get a lump sum that is a percentage of my annual wage. The truth is, I rather like this, though I would not want it to continue forever. I could get $120 more per month which winds up being about $42 more per paycheck or I could get one larger check. Sad to say, I am more likely to put the lump sum toward debt reduction than the regular monthly increase.
4. I did hit the major sales on Black Friday, and if I do say so myself, I got a lot of great deals and no lives were lost. In fact, it seemed to me that there were not as many folks out at 5:00 a.m. as I've seen in the past. One local store puts all their socks and bath towels on sale at half-price--I stocked up for the year. Another had comforters for $9.99. I got several since I never seem to have enough blankets, especially when I have guests. For whatever reason, GPS units are on everyone's Christmas list this year, so I bought several TomTom 125 units for $99 each--the lowest price I've seen for those. I also got 60% off on children's winter jackets, so guess what the grandkids are getting from Grandma Grace this year.
5. My sister (the rich one, and the provider of major gifts to moi!) came for Thanksgiving and gave me my gift early--a great gift it is, too! She is paying for my entire home interior to be repainted and rewallpapered. I've been in this home 18 years and have repainted only two rooms. After assorted children and grandchildren, some with serious behavior issues that impacted (literally!) the walls of my house, it badly needs refurbishing. Not to mention that the previous owners thought that blue plaid wallpaper would look good in the kitchen. Ahem! Since when is blue plaid wallpaper a good idea for ANY room? So Grace is knee deep in color chips and wallpaper samples. Pray for her, and keep her away from magenta accent walls!
6. I love cranky bloggers, so I particularly appreciated this one from Becoming Debt Free in 2009. The woman who griped about new hubby's child support debt annoyed me the most, especially because she may well be in the old wife's position some day.
7. Gas is $1.69 and my 100 gallons of heating oil is now $189 rather than the $307 it was I paid the last time I put oil in the tank.
That's it for the small stuff. More, later.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Some New Blogs--Well, New to Me
This is essentially a wannabe retiree blog. As a result, most of my posts and much of my blog-reading is geared toward those saving for retirement, close to retirement, or already retired.
Thanks to Syd at Retirement Is A Fulltime Job, I have two new blogs to add to my blogroll:
First up is Analise,in Financially Free to be Me, a retired educator in her mid-fifties. I forgive her for being younger than me and for having larger savings than me. She picked a tough time to retire, but so far, isn't regretting the choice.
Another retiree's blog I've added to my list, is My Wealth Builder, a much more investment-oriented blog. I haven't read it long enough to know if I agree or disagree with the investment advice, but I particularly like this post regarding retirement during tough economic times. The author, having retired in October, 2007,(the peak of the market as it subsequently turned out) recounts mistakes made as well as what has worked out so far.
Thanks to Syd at Retirement Is A Fulltime Job, I have two new blogs to add to my blogroll:
First up is Analise,in Financially Free to be Me, a retired educator in her mid-fifties. I forgive her for being younger than me and for having larger savings than me. She picked a tough time to retire, but so far, isn't regretting the choice.
Another retiree's blog I've added to my list, is My Wealth Builder, a much more investment-oriented blog. I haven't read it long enough to know if I agree or disagree with the investment advice, but I particularly like this post regarding retirement during tough economic times. The author, having retired in October, 2007,(the peak of the market as it subsequently turned out) recounts mistakes made as well as what has worked out so far.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Color Me Cranky
Here's how NOT to be a good guest.
I've had an out of town friend spend the last three nights at my home while attending a training session. Understand that I like this person immensely, and I doubt she has any clue as to how she drove me crazy during her stay.
First thing: She came downstairs to my warm living room, threw open the french doors that close off the living room from the upstairs, and said, "It's cold upstairs. Let's get some heat up there."
Umm--let's NOT!
I deliberately close off the upstairs because I don't see the need to heat the bedrooms, especially when they are not in use during the day and there are down comforters for the night. I have oil heat, and though oil is coming down in price, it is still expensive. Why couldn't she see that all the doors were closed, and obviously I did not want the upstairs heated?
Then she took a shower, and suggested I get the water pressure checked because the shower was "slow."
Again, umm NO!
Both of the bathrooms in my home have low-flow showerheads. Get used to it. I have.
She picked up the phone to make a call, but discovered I was online. Yep--Grace still uses dial-up. My friend proceeded to tell me how much better a dedicated computer line is. Well, yeah, but it also costs a heck of a lot more.
Finally, she looked in my refrigerator for a Diet Coke. There was none because none has been on sale since I got back from my vacation. To be fair, every other time she has stayed with me, I've had soda but when I said it was too expensive, she made a comment about "not taking the current crisis so seriously that I deprive myself of small pleasures."
Sigh.
I know she means well, but I still found myself resenting her remarks. I wish that she had kept her observations to herself and assumed that I had rational reasons for doing or not doing what she thought should be done.
I'd be even crankier, if she hadn't treated me to breakfasts in restaurants three mornings running! Feed me, and I'll forgive almost anything.
I've had an out of town friend spend the last three nights at my home while attending a training session. Understand that I like this person immensely, and I doubt she has any clue as to how she drove me crazy during her stay.
First thing: She came downstairs to my warm living room, threw open the french doors that close off the living room from the upstairs, and said, "It's cold upstairs. Let's get some heat up there."
Umm--let's NOT!
I deliberately close off the upstairs because I don't see the need to heat the bedrooms, especially when they are not in use during the day and there are down comforters for the night. I have oil heat, and though oil is coming down in price, it is still expensive. Why couldn't she see that all the doors were closed, and obviously I did not want the upstairs heated?
Then she took a shower, and suggested I get the water pressure checked because the shower was "slow."
Again, umm NO!
Both of the bathrooms in my home have low-flow showerheads. Get used to it. I have.
She picked up the phone to make a call, but discovered I was online. Yep--Grace still uses dial-up. My friend proceeded to tell me how much better a dedicated computer line is. Well, yeah, but it also costs a heck of a lot more.
Finally, she looked in my refrigerator for a Diet Coke. There was none because none has been on sale since I got back from my vacation. To be fair, every other time she has stayed with me, I've had soda but when I said it was too expensive, she made a comment about "not taking the current crisis so seriously that I deprive myself of small pleasures."
Sigh.
I know she means well, but I still found myself resenting her remarks. I wish that she had kept her observations to herself and assumed that I had rational reasons for doing or not doing what she thought should be done.
I'd be even crankier, if she hadn't treated me to breakfasts in restaurants three mornings running! Feed me, and I'll forgive almost anything.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Financial Limbo Rock
I'm probably showing my age here, but I still remember all the words to Limbo Rock, including the chorus:
"How LOW can you GO?
Do the Limbo rock!"
Not that I was ever much of a dancer, but financially, it's clear I can go pretty dang low.
Today when I checked my 401(k) balances, they were below $100,000.
Did I mention that on October 9, 2007 they stood at $174,518?
Did I mention that I've been faithfully depositing $1000 per month through December, 2007? And after that to this very day, I have been depositing $1025 per month?
Did I mention how very scary this recession is? And how worried I am that my projected recovery time of 9 years might not be enough?
I'm ready for THIS dance to be OVER!
"How LOW can you GO?
Do the Limbo rock!"
Not that I was ever much of a dancer, but financially, it's clear I can go pretty dang low.
Today when I checked my 401(k) balances, they were below $100,000.
Did I mention that on October 9, 2007 they stood at $174,518?
Did I mention that I've been faithfully depositing $1000 per month through December, 2007? And after that to this very day, I have been depositing $1025 per month?
Did I mention how very scary this recession is? And how worried I am that my projected recovery time of 9 years might not be enough?
I'm ready for THIS dance to be OVER!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Where Were You During the Last Financial Crisis?
This is NOT our nation's first financial crisis. This is NOT our nation's worst financial crisis.
So why does it prey so heavily on my mind?
Well, it IS the first financial crisis where I've been paying attention to my personal finances.
I wasn't around for the great depression of 1929. My parents were, of course, and it affected the rest of their financial lives in a positive way. But their caution did not rub off on their daughter. Maybe a financial crisis is something you have to live through in order to learn from?
But I was present for the oil price surge of 1973-1975 where stocks slumped 45%.
Of course, 1973 was the year I finished graduate school and got my first real job--I joined VISTA, the earlier incarnation of Americorps, and set out to save the world while earning $200 a month (and getting food stamps!). Being poor was noble, I had no savings, and nothing going on in the stock market really affected my personal life. If there was an internet, I had no knowledge of it.
The leveraged buyout bust (and subsequent 36% drop in the stock market) occurred in 1987. Where was I? Not saving for retirement, that's for certain. I was deep into motherhood, caring for a seriously disturbed child (with all the attendent psychiatric bills) and merrily charging up my credit cards. I vaguely knew there was a crisis out there, but, again, it didn't seem to affect my personal life.
Then there was the tech collapse of 2000-2002 during which stocks dipped 38%. I heard about that one, but I wasn't invested in tech stocks. In fact, I had just started serious retirement savings and was sticking close to index mutual funds. I got quarterly statements, but had no easy way to check on my 401(k) balances daily.
Then came 2007-2008. Suddenly, I'm worried about retirement, blogging intently, and really, really paying attention to the stock market and my personal expenses.
I need to remind myself that the cyclical return on stocks will occur whether or not I'm watching, and that what goes down, will (assuming the historical record is correct) eventually go back up.
So why does it prey so heavily on my mind?
Well, it IS the first financial crisis where I've been paying attention to my personal finances.
I wasn't around for the great depression of 1929. My parents were, of course, and it affected the rest of their financial lives in a positive way. But their caution did not rub off on their daughter. Maybe a financial crisis is something you have to live through in order to learn from?
But I was present for the oil price surge of 1973-1975 where stocks slumped 45%.
Of course, 1973 was the year I finished graduate school and got my first real job--I joined VISTA, the earlier incarnation of Americorps, and set out to save the world while earning $200 a month (and getting food stamps!). Being poor was noble, I had no savings, and nothing going on in the stock market really affected my personal life. If there was an internet, I had no knowledge of it.
The leveraged buyout bust (and subsequent 36% drop in the stock market) occurred in 1987. Where was I? Not saving for retirement, that's for certain. I was deep into motherhood, caring for a seriously disturbed child (with all the attendent psychiatric bills) and merrily charging up my credit cards. I vaguely knew there was a crisis out there, but, again, it didn't seem to affect my personal life.
Then there was the tech collapse of 2000-2002 during which stocks dipped 38%. I heard about that one, but I wasn't invested in tech stocks. In fact, I had just started serious retirement savings and was sticking close to index mutual funds. I got quarterly statements, but had no easy way to check on my 401(k) balances daily.
Then came 2007-2008. Suddenly, I'm worried about retirement, blogging intently, and really, really paying attention to the stock market and my personal expenses.
I need to remind myself that the cyclical return on stocks will occur whether or not I'm watching, and that what goes down, will (assuming the historical record is correct) eventually go back up.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sticking with the Program
It gets harder and harder to just keep putting $1025 into my rapidly-dwindling 401(k) each month.
Intellectually, I understand that this is exactly the program I must maintain throughout our recession.
Emotionally, not so much.
But it helps to have Money Magazine on my side. In particular, I liked this response from senior writer, Janice Revell to a question by a similarly concerned reader. It helps to know that "in scary markets you tend to underestimate the risk of being out of stocks. In the long run - and that's what you care about - the risk of missing the upside poses a graver threat to your wealth than taking hits on the downside does."
Elsewhere in the December issue (but not online that I can find), the "Mole" (a regular columnist) writes, "Risk tolerance ebbs and flows. From 2003 to 2007, U.S. stock prices nearly doubled and international shares nearly tripled. During such good years, you tend to believe that you have a high tolerance for risk. At times like these [i.e. the current stomach-churning market], your willingness to take chances drops sharply."
No kidding!
I am squarely in the crowd these articles are addressing--I always thought I had a high tolerance. And for the time being, I'm hanging in there. But it's hard to keep the emotions out of the program.
Intellectually, I understand that this is exactly the program I must maintain throughout our recession.
Emotionally, not so much.
But it helps to have Money Magazine on my side. In particular, I liked this response from senior writer, Janice Revell to a question by a similarly concerned reader. It helps to know that "in scary markets you tend to underestimate the risk of being out of stocks. In the long run - and that's what you care about - the risk of missing the upside poses a graver threat to your wealth than taking hits on the downside does."
Elsewhere in the December issue (but not online that I can find), the "Mole" (a regular columnist) writes, "Risk tolerance ebbs and flows. From 2003 to 2007, U.S. stock prices nearly doubled and international shares nearly tripled. During such good years, you tend to believe that you have a high tolerance for risk. At times like these [i.e. the current stomach-churning market], your willingness to take chances drops sharply."
No kidding!
I am squarely in the crowd these articles are addressing--I always thought I had a high tolerance. And for the time being, I'm hanging in there. But it's hard to keep the emotions out of the program.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Age 89? I Could Live With That!
Thanks to Meg at World of Wealth, I took this calculator to see what my current activities portend for my lifespan.
Their answer is that I should live to age 89. Sounds good to me!
The good news is that I was scrupulously honest in answering the questions even though it meant admitting that I'm a couch potato who snacks far too much. (Maybe I should have stayed in Japan longer, where veggies and fish are always available but Snickers bars are harder to find.)
After getting the calculator results, there is a link to suggestions for changes that could lead to a longer life. One suggestion surprised me--it said that taking iron supplements (which I do, both to prevent pica which I've had in the past and because my doctor keeps telling me my bloodtests show low iron) actually lowers one's lifespan. Something to ask my doctor about on my next visit.
Their answer is that I should live to age 89. Sounds good to me!
The good news is that I was scrupulously honest in answering the questions even though it meant admitting that I'm a couch potato who snacks far too much. (Maybe I should have stayed in Japan longer, where veggies and fish are always available but Snickers bars are harder to find.)
After getting the calculator results, there is a link to suggestions for changes that could lead to a longer life. One suggestion surprised me--it said that taking iron supplements (which I do, both to prevent pica which I've had in the past and because my doctor keeps telling me my bloodtests show low iron) actually lowers one's lifespan. Something to ask my doctor about on my next visit.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Out of the Ashes
Wow!
Not that I recommend burning down one's garage as a way to make money (and such an action might provoke a pesky arson charge!) but. . .
I came home to a huge stack of mail. Midway through it was a statement from my insurance company AND a check. Now, understand that the company that rehabbed my garage also did an inventory, as best they could, of all the burned items they tossed in the dumpster. They got everything I could remember and a lot that I had forgotten. I was asked to price the items, which I did for those things I had either recently purchased or could remember. But with so much of it, like my deceased parents' 70's era furniture, I had no clue. So the company told me to leave those items blank and they would figure it out.
Boy, did they!
While I would happily have accepted a couple thousand dollars for everything, they paid me replacement (as opposed to actual cash value) costs, which came to an amazing $9000.
Again, WOW!
After I recovered from my shock, and got that baby deposited, I figured out where it was all going:
$2000 to two of my daughters who lost their items.
(That should teach them NOT to store their stuff at
Mommy's house);
$800 to bring my "baby steps" emergency fund up to
$1000, where it has not been since April;
$1600 to pay the property taxes on my rental house
at the coast; This will be the first time in years
that I am current on those taxes and will get the 3%
discount for paying it all off in a timely manner;
$2000 for Christmas. This is a large amount, but
I am the chief provider of presents for five daughters,
six grandchildren, two spouses and one sister, as well
as the one who buys the Christmas dinner, lights, trees,
etc.; and
$600 for heating oil--I am determined that this will be
the year I do NOT run the tank dry and incur repair
charges for clogging the lines.
So that leaves me $2000 to apply to debt.
Not to mention that my neighbor is now renting my garage from me, and providing me with an additional $250 a month in income.
Pretty good, huh?
Umm--I think you should put those matches down, NOW!
Not that I recommend burning down one's garage as a way to make money (and such an action might provoke a pesky arson charge!) but. . .
I came home to a huge stack of mail. Midway through it was a statement from my insurance company AND a check. Now, understand that the company that rehabbed my garage also did an inventory, as best they could, of all the burned items they tossed in the dumpster. They got everything I could remember and a lot that I had forgotten. I was asked to price the items, which I did for those things I had either recently purchased or could remember. But with so much of it, like my deceased parents' 70's era furniture, I had no clue. So the company told me to leave those items blank and they would figure it out.
Boy, did they!
While I would happily have accepted a couple thousand dollars for everything, they paid me replacement (as opposed to actual cash value) costs, which came to an amazing $9000.
Again, WOW!
After I recovered from my shock, and got that baby deposited, I figured out where it was all going:
$2000 to two of my daughters who lost their items.
(That should teach them NOT to store their stuff at
Mommy's house);
$800 to bring my "baby steps" emergency fund up to
$1000, where it has not been since April;
$1600 to pay the property taxes on my rental house
at the coast; This will be the first time in years
that I am current on those taxes and will get the 3%
discount for paying it all off in a timely manner;
$2000 for Christmas. This is a large amount, but
I am the chief provider of presents for five daughters,
six grandchildren, two spouses and one sister, as well
as the one who buys the Christmas dinner, lights, trees,
etc.; and
$600 for heating oil--I am determined that this will be
the year I do NOT run the tank dry and incur repair
charges for clogging the lines.
So that leaves me $2000 to apply to debt.
Not to mention that my neighbor is now renting my garage from me, and providing me with an additional $250 a month in income.
Pretty good, huh?
Umm--I think you should put those matches down, NOW!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sayonara Japan
Tokyo is our last stop--we spent five days there, but that included one side trip to Kamakura and another to Nikko.
Both Kamakura and Nikko are small tourist towns. Both were filled with Japanese tourists busy sight-seeing in their own country.
Kamakura is home to Daibutsu, otherwise known as the Great Buddha, and probably one of Japan's more famous images. It is every bit as awe-inspiring as its picture. What you don't see is that the bronze statue is hollow and can be entered, which, of course, we did. This buddha is somewhat smaller than the one at Todaiji, but because it is now outdoors (it's hall having burned down, as many wooden temples and buildings have, in Japan), it is the more breathtaking Buddha.
Nikko has many culturally significant shrines, both Buddhist and Shinto, all within a relatively small area that is easily walked (although, like many temples in Japan, they all seemed to be at the top of enormous stone staircases with no railings!). A number of families were at the Shinto shrines getting blessings for their three year old daughters. The little girls were made up like beauty pageant contestants with sprayed hair, make-up, and elaborate kimonos. But they were obviously three years old, running around and kicking their shoes off. They were having a great time posing for pictures, particularly for western tourists. Other school groups would accost me (but never my ethnically Japanese traveling companion) with little booklets containing questions with which to practice their English. "My name is Kosumi. May I ask you some questions, please? Do you like Nikko? Do you like Japan?" Of course they were so busy practicing for the next question that they didn't listen to my answers!
Tokyo is the New York of Japan--loud, lively, full of advertising. Sights are less important than people-watching. And the people-watching was great.
So what were my final impressions?
On the surface, the Japanese are wonderfully polite, their country is famously safe and clean, and they have assimilated much of western culture. But they remain inscrutably alien, which makes for a fascinating tourist experience.
What I learned that I didn't know--the Japanese drive on the left side of the road, like the British; their western toilets, whether in private homes or hotels or ryokans have heated seats, bidet functions, and will play sounds (rushing rivers or music) while being used; virtually every car has a GPS system, which in addressed-challenged Japan, has been very useful (some neighborhoods have houses or buildings numbered by the order in which they were built); and being treated with great courtesy everywhere makes one, in turn, more courteous. It just felt good being in Japan, which I attribute to the high level of politeness, whether or not it was genuine.
Financially, I made out like a bandit. I spent less than my budgeted $2000, due entirely to housing and meals provided by my friend's relatives. While Japan can be expensive (first-run movies are $18!), meals weren't, and splitting the hotel costs (which ran from $50 per person per night to close to $100 but often included dinner and breakfast) helped keep costs down.
I did wind up spending about $200 to buy Yukatas (Japanese cotton bathrobes) for all my kids.
I am so glad I went, even if it wasn't the most budget-conscious decision. I don't know when or if I'll get to the far east again, but even if I do, it is unlikely to have the same opportunities to be in local homes that this trip afforded me.
Both Kamakura and Nikko are small tourist towns. Both were filled with Japanese tourists busy sight-seeing in their own country.
Kamakura is home to Daibutsu, otherwise known as the Great Buddha, and probably one of Japan's more famous images. It is every bit as awe-inspiring as its picture. What you don't see is that the bronze statue is hollow and can be entered, which, of course, we did. This buddha is somewhat smaller than the one at Todaiji, but because it is now outdoors (it's hall having burned down, as many wooden temples and buildings have, in Japan), it is the more breathtaking Buddha.
Nikko has many culturally significant shrines, both Buddhist and Shinto, all within a relatively small area that is easily walked (although, like many temples in Japan, they all seemed to be at the top of enormous stone staircases with no railings!). A number of families were at the Shinto shrines getting blessings for their three year old daughters. The little girls were made up like beauty pageant contestants with sprayed hair, make-up, and elaborate kimonos. But they were obviously three years old, running around and kicking their shoes off. They were having a great time posing for pictures, particularly for western tourists. Other school groups would accost me (but never my ethnically Japanese traveling companion) with little booklets containing questions with which to practice their English. "My name is Kosumi. May I ask you some questions, please? Do you like Nikko? Do you like Japan?" Of course they were so busy practicing for the next question that they didn't listen to my answers!
Tokyo is the New York of Japan--loud, lively, full of advertising. Sights are less important than people-watching. And the people-watching was great.
So what were my final impressions?
On the surface, the Japanese are wonderfully polite, their country is famously safe and clean, and they have assimilated much of western culture. But they remain inscrutably alien, which makes for a fascinating tourist experience.
What I learned that I didn't know--the Japanese drive on the left side of the road, like the British; their western toilets, whether in private homes or hotels or ryokans have heated seats, bidet functions, and will play sounds (rushing rivers or music) while being used; virtually every car has a GPS system, which in addressed-challenged Japan, has been very useful (some neighborhoods have houses or buildings numbered by the order in which they were built); and being treated with great courtesy everywhere makes one, in turn, more courteous. It just felt good being in Japan, which I attribute to the high level of politeness, whether or not it was genuine.
Financially, I made out like a bandit. I spent less than my budgeted $2000, due entirely to housing and meals provided by my friend's relatives. While Japan can be expensive (first-run movies are $18!), meals weren't, and splitting the hotel costs (which ran from $50 per person per night to close to $100 but often included dinner and breakfast) helped keep costs down.
I did wind up spending about $200 to buy Yukatas (Japanese cotton bathrobes) for all my kids.
I am so glad I went, even if it wasn't the most budget-conscious decision. I don't know when or if I'll get to the far east again, but even if I do, it is unlikely to have the same opportunities to be in local homes that this trip afforded me.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Sushi Chronicles, Parts One and Two
These entries will be short, and may be incoherent, given that Japanese keyboards are just different enough to make me crazy.
Part One:
I`m in Kobe, Japan, having spent two days there, and one in Himeji at an onsen (natural hot spring) Ryokan. I should probably put some links here, and if I get a chance, I will, later. In the meantime, both cities are intriguing.
Kobe`s recent history is forever colored by the huge earthquake that devastated the city and killed nearly 6000 people in 1995. Thirteen years later, the city is almost entirely rebuilt, but the earthquake is certainly not forgotten.
This is where my traveling companion`s relatives live. An aunt and two cousins died in the earthquake. The relatives that are showing us around have very strong memories of the quake.
We visited the quaintly named Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Museum which is staffed by quake survivors who are anxious to tell their stories. There is also a highly effective movie, complete with special sound and motion effects to convey the chaos that the city endured.
Almost as good was another earthquake museum on the nearby island, Awagi, which is actually built over the faultline, which is covered with glass, so that one can follow it over the course of a hundred feet or more.
Using Kobe as a base, we visited Himeji Castle, which you may have seen if you watched Tom Cruise chew up the scenery in The Last Samurai. The six-story wooden castle was very impressive, even without Mr. Cruise.
In terms of money, I`ve spent fairly little so far, given that my friend`s relatives have been taking us everywhere. I should also mention that when it comes to food, the cliched Jewish mother has nothing on a Japanese housewife determined to make sure her international guests don`t starve.
Part Two:
I am now in Kyoto, having spent the previous day in Nara. I saw no women in kimonos in Kobe or Himejii except for employees of the Ryokan who wore Yukatas (cotton bathrobes) everywhere, as did we while staying there. But in Kyoto, there were a surprising number of women of all ages, wearing kimonos. And carrying, and using cell phones. Quite the ambiguous image!
The emperor was in Nara the same day we were but we were too busy trekking to various temples to see him. It is difficult to describe the combined effect of the temples in Nara and Kyoto. I expected to get templed-out at some point but it never happened. The spareness, the size, the sense of foreignness was impressive and awe-inspiring.
My Japanese language skills (dusted off after 30 years of non-use) have been laughable but I have yet to meet one rude person in Japan. Everyone has been kind and several strangers have gone out of their way to keep two middle-aged ladies on track.
This part of the trip, my friend and I have been on our own, so I`m spending more money. The exchange rate has not been in our favor. But I am still well within my original budget. I could, if I have to, use my Bank of America debit card, but with a five dollar fee plus a three percent foreign transaction fee, that`s one card I`ll avoid.
Next stops: Kamakura, Nikko and Tokyo.
Part One:
I`m in Kobe, Japan, having spent two days there, and one in Himeji at an onsen (natural hot spring) Ryokan. I should probably put some links here, and if I get a chance, I will, later. In the meantime, both cities are intriguing.
Kobe`s recent history is forever colored by the huge earthquake that devastated the city and killed nearly 6000 people in 1995. Thirteen years later, the city is almost entirely rebuilt, but the earthquake is certainly not forgotten.
This is where my traveling companion`s relatives live. An aunt and two cousins died in the earthquake. The relatives that are showing us around have very strong memories of the quake.
We visited the quaintly named Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Museum which is staffed by quake survivors who are anxious to tell their stories. There is also a highly effective movie, complete with special sound and motion effects to convey the chaos that the city endured.
Almost as good was another earthquake museum on the nearby island, Awagi, which is actually built over the faultline, which is covered with glass, so that one can follow it over the course of a hundred feet or more.
Using Kobe as a base, we visited Himeji Castle, which you may have seen if you watched Tom Cruise chew up the scenery in The Last Samurai. The six-story wooden castle was very impressive, even without Mr. Cruise.
In terms of money, I`ve spent fairly little so far, given that my friend`s relatives have been taking us everywhere. I should also mention that when it comes to food, the cliched Jewish mother has nothing on a Japanese housewife determined to make sure her international guests don`t starve.
Part Two:
I am now in Kyoto, having spent the previous day in Nara. I saw no women in kimonos in Kobe or Himejii except for employees of the Ryokan who wore Yukatas (cotton bathrobes) everywhere, as did we while staying there. But in Kyoto, there were a surprising number of women of all ages, wearing kimonos. And carrying, and using cell phones. Quite the ambiguous image!
The emperor was in Nara the same day we were but we were too busy trekking to various temples to see him. It is difficult to describe the combined effect of the temples in Nara and Kyoto. I expected to get templed-out at some point but it never happened. The spareness, the size, the sense of foreignness was impressive and awe-inspiring.
My Japanese language skills (dusted off after 30 years of non-use) have been laughable but I have yet to meet one rude person in Japan. Everyone has been kind and several strangers have gone out of their way to keep two middle-aged ladies on track.
This part of the trip, my friend and I have been on our own, so I`m spending more money. The exchange rate has not been in our favor. But I am still well within my original budget. I could, if I have to, use my Bank of America debit card, but with a five dollar fee plus a three percent foreign transaction fee, that`s one card I`ll avoid.
Next stops: Kamakura, Nikko and Tokyo.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Off on an Asian Tangent
For the next three weeks, this space will be devoted to GRACE--the Asian Edition.
It's not my intent to bore folks with a travelog and I will try to keep my focus on the financial aspects of foreign travel during a recession. I'm also thinking it will be interesting to watch the US election from foreign shores. (Yes, I already sent my ballot in.)
This trip is a dream for me, but the timing could have been a whole lot better.
Fortunately, I did save for it. Unfortunately, I may not have saved enough. We'll see.
My airfare was prepaid last March. My sister gave me a $500 prepaid VISA card for "fun stuff." I have $1600 of my own to cover lodging, train travel, food and expenses. I'll be gone 18 days, but lodging is covered by my travelling companion's relatives for six of those days. To the extent there is a cost for this, it's $180, my share of two Pendleton blankets we're bringing as gifts to the two families taking us in.
The most important thing, for me, is not to become obsessed with how much I'm either spending or not spending. That's my tendency, and it can ruin a vacation if I let it.
The Japanese Yen is very strong against the dollar. That's good for the Japanese, less so for Grace. I bought $800 worth of yen yesterday at a rate of 97 yen to the dollar. Two days ago, it was 107 yen to the dollar.
The Japanese know about recessions. They were in one for ten years and it destroyed the retirement plans of many individuals. So I don't begrudge them their current prosperity. In fact, I'm eager to see it.
Sayonara for now. Watch this space.
It's not my intent to bore folks with a travelog and I will try to keep my focus on the financial aspects of foreign travel during a recession. I'm also thinking it will be interesting to watch the US election from foreign shores. (Yes, I already sent my ballot in.)
This trip is a dream for me, but the timing could have been a whole lot better.
Fortunately, I did save for it. Unfortunately, I may not have saved enough. We'll see.
My airfare was prepaid last March. My sister gave me a $500 prepaid VISA card for "fun stuff." I have $1600 of my own to cover lodging, train travel, food and expenses. I'll be gone 18 days, but lodging is covered by my travelling companion's relatives for six of those days. To the extent there is a cost for this, it's $180, my share of two Pendleton blankets we're bringing as gifts to the two families taking us in.
The most important thing, for me, is not to become obsessed with how much I'm either spending or not spending. That's my tendency, and it can ruin a vacation if I let it.
The Japanese Yen is very strong against the dollar. That's good for the Japanese, less so for Grace. I bought $800 worth of yen yesterday at a rate of 97 yen to the dollar. Two days ago, it was 107 yen to the dollar.
The Japanese know about recessions. They were in one for ten years and it destroyed the retirement plans of many individuals. So I don't begrudge them their current prosperity. In fact, I'm eager to see it.
Sayonara for now. Watch this space.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Festival of Frugality is Up
The Festival of Frugality, hosted by Mighty Bargain Hunter is up and running.
My Tracfone post is included, along with a multitude of great money-saving posts.
My Tracfone post is included, along with a multitude of great money-saving posts.
Friday, October 17, 2008
On Track with Trac
I'm something of a Luddite when it comes to cell phones. I didn't even have one until my oldest daughter gave me a Tracfone for Christmas, 2006. She was so excited for me, she actually snapped a picture as I unwrapped it--capturing forever a shot of me with my best "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?" look on my face.
Over time, I have come around--no longer would I want to be without my cell. I particularly like the idea of having it available for emergencies.
Still, I'm not one of those folks you'll find chatting away on the bus, on the street, or even (much!) in my car.
I pretty much use my cell only to keep track of my kids (or to be more accurate, they call me to keep track of me!) or when I'm running late for appointments, or to be in contact with my office.
I don't routinely give out my cell phone number.
I apparently have the capacity on my Tracfone to text. I wouldn't really know because I've never done that.
I don't have a fancy phone--the $9.99 price for the Motorola phone is the first clue! It doesn't take pictures, it doesn't have fancy ringtones and I can't have George Clooney as my wallpaper.
But what it does do, it does well. It gets reception virtually everywhere. I notice that when I return to my old hometown on the coast, my daughter's Cricket phone stops working about an hour out of our city. And in spite of all those "Can You Hear Me Now" ads, her husband's Verizon phone doesn't get reception in many places in that town either.
Another of my daughters has replaced her phone three times while mine was only replaced once and that's because I ran it through the washing machine. (This is NOT recommended). Then, of course, my replacement was still $9.99. I have dropped the phone innumerable times and even cracked the back plate, but a small piece of duct tape later, it still works just fine.
The per minute price is high. A 60 minute phone card retails for $19.99. There are always codes to be found on the internet that will add anywhere from 20 minutes to 60 minutes to this time. The nice thing about the codes is that you can "try them out" if you use Tracfone's online site to refill the minutes. You can ignore everything Tracfone says about codes being 'only good for one use' or the dates they say the codes can be used. I always try the old codes and often, they continue to work. Oddly, last month, when I couldn't get my minutes credited on the website, I called Tracfone. The operator used the bonus code I gave her, which was supposed to give me an additional 30 minutes, and it gave me an extra 60 minutes. Go figure.
Target sometimes offers the 60 minute cards for $18.99. E-bay is often cheaper than that. My lowest price on E-Bay was $14.50 but that was some time ago. Lately, I haven't been able to get better than $17.50 at auction. I have never been burned buying cards on E-bay for my Tracfone. After the auction, and once my paypal account makes the payment, the seller e-mails me with the code off the card and I use it. I don't bother asking for the card to be mailed because that adds to the cost and so far, it hasn't been necessary.
But with any Tracfone, and even with discount prices and bonus codes, the per minute price remains high, around 16 cents a minute.
That would never work for my kids and some of my colleagues, who seem to run around with their cells glued to their ears--literally, for those addicted to Bluetooth!
However, for me, not having a two year contract or overage charges, actually saves me money. I've been tracking my expenses since January of this year. During that time, I've spent $74.50 for four 60 minute cards that have actually given me 400 minutes. Depending on my use, I need a new card every six to eight weeks.
Trac is keeping me on track with my money.
Over time, I have come around--no longer would I want to be without my cell. I particularly like the idea of having it available for emergencies.
Still, I'm not one of those folks you'll find chatting away on the bus, on the street, or even (much!) in my car.
I pretty much use my cell only to keep track of my kids (or to be more accurate, they call me to keep track of me!) or when I'm running late for appointments, or to be in contact with my office.
I don't routinely give out my cell phone number.
I apparently have the capacity on my Tracfone to text. I wouldn't really know because I've never done that.
I don't have a fancy phone--the $9.99 price for the Motorola phone is the first clue! It doesn't take pictures, it doesn't have fancy ringtones and I can't have George Clooney as my wallpaper.
But what it does do, it does well. It gets reception virtually everywhere. I notice that when I return to my old hometown on the coast, my daughter's Cricket phone stops working about an hour out of our city. And in spite of all those "Can You Hear Me Now" ads, her husband's Verizon phone doesn't get reception in many places in that town either.
Another of my daughters has replaced her phone three times while mine was only replaced once and that's because I ran it through the washing machine. (This is NOT recommended). Then, of course, my replacement was still $9.99. I have dropped the phone innumerable times and even cracked the back plate, but a small piece of duct tape later, it still works just fine.
The per minute price is high. A 60 minute phone card retails for $19.99. There are always codes to be found on the internet that will add anywhere from 20 minutes to 60 minutes to this time. The nice thing about the codes is that you can "try them out" if you use Tracfone's online site to refill the minutes. You can ignore everything Tracfone says about codes being 'only good for one use' or the dates they say the codes can be used. I always try the old codes and often, they continue to work. Oddly, last month, when I couldn't get my minutes credited on the website, I called Tracfone. The operator used the bonus code I gave her, which was supposed to give me an additional 30 minutes, and it gave me an extra 60 minutes. Go figure.
Target sometimes offers the 60 minute cards for $18.99. E-bay is often cheaper than that. My lowest price on E-Bay was $14.50 but that was some time ago. Lately, I haven't been able to get better than $17.50 at auction. I have never been burned buying cards on E-bay for my Tracfone. After the auction, and once my paypal account makes the payment, the seller e-mails me with the code off the card and I use it. I don't bother asking for the card to be mailed because that adds to the cost and so far, it hasn't been necessary.
But with any Tracfone, and even with discount prices and bonus codes, the per minute price remains high, around 16 cents a minute.
That would never work for my kids and some of my colleagues, who seem to run around with their cells glued to their ears--literally, for those addicted to Bluetooth!
However, for me, not having a two year contract or overage charges, actually saves me money. I've been tracking my expenses since January of this year. During that time, I've spent $74.50 for four 60 minute cards that have actually given me 400 minutes. Depending on my use, I need a new card every six to eight weeks.
Trac is keeping me on track with my money.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Syd Gets it Right--I Hope
If you're not reading Syd's blog, Retirement: A Fulltime Job, you're missing some interesting and timely posts. Her latest one on the current market (Syd did pick a spectacularly inauspicious time to retire) is one I particularly appreciate.
Of course, I do look for posts and experts that back up how I prefer to see what is happening in the stock market.
But I think that it is an advantage to have been on this earth for 59 years. It gives me perspective.
I have witnessed the stock market and the economy in general do a lot of crazy things. Heck, I remember having CD's that earned 15% and I remember thinking that was not nearly enough interest! I remember when a mortgage rate of 10% was not considered unreasonable. Finally, having worked in non-profits dependent upon public funding for many years, I am all too familiar with the ups and downs and political whims that have governed my paycheck.
This, too, shall pass.
I hope.
Of course, I do look for posts and experts that back up how I prefer to see what is happening in the stock market.
But I think that it is an advantage to have been on this earth for 59 years. It gives me perspective.
I have witnessed the stock market and the economy in general do a lot of crazy things. Heck, I remember having CD's that earned 15% and I remember thinking that was not nearly enough interest! I remember when a mortgage rate of 10% was not considered unreasonable. Finally, having worked in non-profits dependent upon public funding for many years, I am all too familiar with the ups and downs and political whims that have governed my paycheck.
This, too, shall pass.
I hope.
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