Socialzing on a Shoestring

A few years ago a friend from work invited us to go out on the town for the evening. We were going to the opening of a new bar in our neighborhood. The other couple's combined income was twice as high as ours. Although we're not big drinkers with one thing and another we ended up spending $40 or $50 that night. When the evening Was over I looked at my husband and said"Never again." Thank Goodness he agreed. We just didn't want to leave forty or fifty dollars on someone's table every week.
For many years my mother in law did the holidays all on her own. After a while I suggested that we do it pot luck. She was getting older and it was hard work cooking for all those people. We did it one Easter and it worked out fine. There was a glitch or two but nothing major.
Unfortunately my mother in law never really liked the whole idea. She wanted to do it all, pay for it all and then complain about it. Personally I like pot luck dinners. But, I guess, they're not for everyone
Since we moved away a few years ago we have been trying to meet people in our new town. My husband is outgoing while I am more reserved. We recently joined a church chior. This has given us a great opportunity to meet people We chip in with cookies and stuff for fellowship hour. Next Sunday they are sponsoring a barbecue. I'll bring a tray of chicken and some pasta salad. It will be fun.

Credit Card Deadbeat

In the parlance of the credit card industry anyone who pays off the balance on a credit card at the end of the month is a deadbeat. That's right! In their view, you are not paying for their service unless you carry a balance and pay interest. I was shocked once when a store credit card banged me with a $5 charge when I owed only a couple of dollars. I immediately paid them off and closed down the card. Now some people think that having a bunch of credit cards is a good thing because it can raise your credit score. Tell you what, if you pay cash for everything including houses, you don't need to have a credit score. You can do all your buying with a debit card or cash. You can buy airline tickets or rent a car with a debit card. I recommend never having a balance that can't be paid off at the end of the month. I recommend this for two reasons. First no one knows the future. You can lose you job or have a medical emergency, etc. Secondly credit card companies are fond of changing the game at the drop of a hat. They can lower your limit or raise your rate and you are locked in and at their (no) mercy. Better to pay them off completely and tell them to go fly a kite. Pay off all your cards and deal in cash only.

Household secrets

One thing I have learned over the years is how to keep my clothes. I have a lot of older clothes that I keep because I can't replace them. I wash quite a few things by hand and have laundry bags for the other stuff. I never put any of my black clothes in the dryer. This spring I picked up a little black dress at Target for six dollars and change. I wore it a few times and it was time it got washed. I wash in cold water always and I use way less detergent than the manufacturer recommends. I started using less detergent after I took a high school chemistry class which explained how colloids function. It was enough for me and every housekeeping book I have ever read confirms my view. There is a law of diminishing returns with detergent. More does not mean cleaner. The only laundry product that I swear by is oxiclean. I have managed to talk my husband into wearing darker socks but for his t shirts the oxiclean can't be beat. I don't like using bleach because it is corrosive and bad for the environment. T shirts may come white in bleach but they also become thin and flammable and then must be replaced. I don't like dry cleaning, too expensive. But I have a couple of aran knit sweaters that I send out every few years. I keep them clean by not soiling them. I always wear something between me and the sweater, usually a cotton turtleneck. I take the sweater off to eat and every year I spot clean my sweaters, as necessary. Then when it is completely dry I put it in the dryer with a moist dryer sheet. That freshens it up for another season. Alhough I always read the labels sometimes I don't pay attention. For example most of the rayon dresses I own say dry clean only. I usually wash these by hand and hang them up to line dry. No problems so far. Just be careful with clothes that have inner structure or interfacing like jackets. Otherwise, I say wash away. To keep blacks black and jeans from fading line dry. The dryer deteriorates colors and dyes.
As for household cleaners, I believe in diluting those also. Most things are way too strong anyway. I get spray bottles at the dollar store and with one bottle of household cleaner and water, I make two. Another good trick on bathroom tile and bath surfaces is a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. This works well and is safe also. For the tub, I like straight baking soda. Baking soda also works in the laundry room on whites.
My mother is from Argentina. When I lived there in my youth I discovered a different way to mop. They use a squeegy and a sort of towel-like cloth to mop. The advantage of this system is that it is very easy to rinse and squeeze out the mop/towel part and there is nothing to buy really. No special chemicals, no special cleaning sheets, once you have the setup you're in business forever.

Homeschooling

Kids are very expensive. I don't know what I would do nowadays to give my children the education they deserve. I probably couldn't afford to buy a house in a blue ribbon school district. And if I could afford the house, the taxes would kill me. One option would be to rent in a good neighborhood with good schools. But renting doesn't make any money in the long run. My sister in law bought her house in a blue ribbon school district and was paying $12,000 or more a year in taxes. But we all felt she was ahead of the game because she had four kids and her tax bill was less than the bill for private school would have been. Personallly if I had to do it now, I would seriously consider buying a house out in the woods. Then I would home school my children. Home schooling has a bad reputation. They say kids don't get socialized properly if they are home schooled. I think this is a lot of nonsense. Besides with all the bullying that goes on, maybe the socialization of the school house is not all that desirable. I know plenty fo lovely children who have been home schooled. For the most part they are a lot smarter than public or private school children. They will be the entrepeneurs of the future because their thinking has not been regimented to seek only the one right answer. They think for themselves and are not aculturated into thinking that things bring happiness. They don't need the latest gizmo to be happy. Much of what formal education does is ultimately negative. It is all about conforming and being just like everyone else by imposing rigid and undesirable values on children. Lately, it seems that everything is a fad. Do you have the right clothes? Do you live in the right kind of house? How much money do you make? Do you have the right TV, video system, etc. None of this is important. I don't think I would want my child socialized to feel inferior and insecure.

Too Much Technology

Always wait to buy the new technology. First of all they still have to get the kinks out of it and second after a very short amount of time the price plummets. What sense did it make to have an HD or digital TV when stations were still broadcasting in analog. Now they've been around a while and they're bigger, better and much cheaper. Wait to get the new gadget that you don't really need. Unless you have an internet based busines odds are you don't need to be on the web all the time. Forget the whole status thing. Just because everyone has one, doesn't mean you have to get it too. For a lot of people smartphones make sense, but for many of us it's just another status thing like the designer bag, etc. Forget that nonsense. Do what is best for you. I still have a flip phone. It's all I really need and I have a very cheap plan. When I want to talk to my friends, I call on my landline which lately is costing me next to nothing. I use internet telephony (magic jack). It's great and amaingly cheap, even international calling is inexpensive. I loved getting rid of Verizon. They were so expensive. And their bundling plans never saved me a dime. I don't trust them. All I really need is internet access. I can get Movies and television shows online. I get the phone off the internet too. That's two bills that are now easy to get rid of. Sometimes tech can save you money.

Get Involved

I am going to need my medicare. So is my husband. Right now things look bad for us. I have never been healthy and although I have paid for my own insurance most of m life. That is getting incresingly harder. I can't afford to live if they take away medicare. What can I do? The only option I have is to get involved, protest, write to Congress and assert political power. We have to Get involved when it looks like something bad is going to happen. If we say nothing, then we have effectively lost our voice.
Another issue, which concerns me deeply, is fracking. That's the new way to exploit natural gas resources. Although I'm all for home grown energy, fracking pollutes the ground water and destroys the environment. Living things need water more than energy. Here in New York State we have the best water in the world and ourt farmers work for a living. I have a farm a few miles away that depends on the ground water. If the moratoriumon fracking is lifted, upstste New York stands to lose all the water that supplies NYC. This is not the kind of pollution that can be cleaned up. Once a little of it gets released the water will be cancerous for generations to come. We all need to get involved in politics. Older people vote so that politicians are loathe to do anything to mobilize that voting block. But we all need to vote to preserve our interests. Big business votes with its wallet. We need to go to the polling places. Last November I spoke to a lot of young people who told me they didn't think they were going to vote in the midterms. My husband started working at age 14 and that's when he started paying into medicare. No he's being told he may not be eligible. That would put a serious wrench in our retirement plans.
Get involved in politics to make your life better or just keep what you've got.

Make Your Own DYI

A few years ago I bought a pretty little murano glass bead bracelet. It was lovely and delicate. Unfortunately the beads were strung on a thin plastic wire. I was traveling abroad. I was in Spain when the bracelet broke in the Prado. To my shock and horror all the pretty little beads stanted bouncing and rolling around on the museum's granite floor. I started to pick them up one by one when one of the guards came over with a broom and dustpan to help me. I thanked her profusely and vowed never to buy such a bracelet again. That silly fishing line just is not strong enough. Since my ears were never peirced (long story) I had more than a passing aquaitance with jewelry making supplies. I often buy pierced dangle earrings and change them over to clip ons. It's very easy. All you need is a pair of pliers. I thought about restringing the bracelet on a plastic string with a metal core. But my real issue was my bad eyesight. I never had good vision but with age my vision has deteriorated signifcantly. How could I tie those knots? However, asking a saleperson, I found out about memory wire. Here was my solution. I bought some easy to handle memory wire and a few extra beads to replace any that had been lost and I made myself a new bracelet. It was a great experience, not only was I sure that my bracelet was strong enough to withstand anything, but I also got to enjoy that supreme feeling of accomplishment. The new bracelet was much nicer than the old one. It felt so good that I started trolling yard sales and dollar stores for beads. I made bracelets as gifts for Chiristmas. I've even managed to sell a couple on eBay, but I'm not all that successful. Anyway a little while later I decided I wanted a charm bracelet. They were all the rage. I started pricing them and found that I was way out of my price range. Of course I wanted one that was loaded with charms. They were in the range of $200. Too rich for my blood. I managed to pick up a rather thin sterling bracelet with only a couple of charms on it for less than $20. Then I started building. I bought charms and using split rings I put them on the bracelet. Silver was still pretty cheap and I built the bracelet for about $75 in total. I wear it a lot in the summer and have even made another with a Christmas theme. You never know what you can do until you try. And if you succeed. IT FEELS SO GOOD. So make your own stuff, if you can't afford to buy it ready made.

DOLLAR STORES

In the last thirty years, since the virtual stagnation of wages for the people who actually do the work in this country, discount stores and cut rate retailers have proliferated. Dollar stores and places like Walmart give the illusion of wealth, however these places can be a trap. Most of the time filling up the cart in these places is a waste of money. I almost never buy canned foods at the dollar store because they are much cheaper by half at the grocery store. I find many of the other ingestibles to be of inferior quality also. Vitamins and medications for instance should not be purchased at these venues. They were tested by Consumers' Report and found wanting. I purchased the store brand chocalate once and was disappointed. The brand name stuff like Dove is always delicious though and well worth buying. In general brand name items are worth purchasing at the dollar store. Sometimes I can get T shirts there on the cheap. But in general dollar stores are a disappointment and a shopper has to be careful not to over shop and over pay. It's too easy to get lured in the illusion of saving money when in fact the shopping cart is full of silly and wasteful spending on seasonal decorating and candles. Dollar stores are just a way to make people feel rich without actually raising wages. It's a cheap trick to fool us.

Buying Art

When I bought my first place, I had the good luck to meet a local artist who lived in my building. I met her on the bus stop on my way to the mall. I was going to look for home decor. I had refinished the floors and freshly painted my apartment, so it was time to find those finishing touches. I went the Mall that day and was appalled by my options. It was going to cost me a small fortune to decorate my walls with junk. I talked to my new friend the next day and and coincidentally she let me know that she was throwing out a painting. I rescued it from the garbage and lived with it for a couple of days. I loved the thing. I never got tired of it. I spoke to her later in the week and asked if she had more. I was in the market for florals for my bedroom. She had just taken down an entire exhibition of flower pieces that were beautifully framed. I quickly clicked through them and set aside four or five. I bought them on the spot. The artist was shocked and I was thrilled. I paid less than I would have paid for one framed print at the Mall.
I bought a lot of her work and was happy to have it. Then eBay and the internet came along and I started buying online. Buying art on eBay is admittedly a bit of a risk, but it can be done. I've bought junk too, but I have managed to re-sell most of it. Anyway, now I only buy listed artists. This works well for me. I have amassed a wonderful collection. I look forward to being on Antiques Roadshow one of these days with that wonderful and very valuable piece. I can dream, can't I? In the meantime, I have great stuff to look at everyday. I get up in the morning and step into the hallway going to the bathroom and it's happy time as I look at a whole wall covered in beautiful prints. The good stuff is definitely worth having in your home. Don't buy junk. Ugly stuff on the walls is very depressing. Buy good art. It will hold or increase in value.

Buying Real Estate

This is the best time in a long time to buy real estate. If you can afford it, the time may be now. If you can't afford it save up because it seems more deals are coming. As I've written here before, I'm looking for a retirement home in Florida. Right now I'm looking only on the internet. In a few months I will be flying down to look at actual properties. What I will be looking for is someplace clean and safe. I want an apartment. Low maintenanace is important. I will want to talk with the super and see what kind of person he is. I will also try to chat up the residents for their take. We will park outside the building and watch the traffic. What's it like on a Saturday night? That sort of thing. I will buy the best apartment in the most convenient location for the least amount of money. I will have a budget and I will stick to it. The realtor will not be very happy with me because I won't be spending big money. With any luck this will be a cash deal. I will ask the Board pointed questions about the roof and any upcoming assessments. I will look at the building to see if minor maintenence issues are being addressed. Little things can become big things if left unattended.
My husband prefers to buy a house. If we go that route, things will be more complex. We will need a home inspection, though that is not a guarantee that something isn't terribly wrong. But in my experience what gets missed is minor and remediable. Then we will check out the neighborhood. We will be looking for pride of ownership. Neat well kept yards with flowers, painted and well maintained houses are important. Though neighborhoods do turn around. A few years ago, we moved into a house and started fixing soon everyone down the block followed suit. But I would rather join a trend than start one. Although I could probably buy something pricier and pay it off before I need to move into it. I plan to avoid getting in too deep. If I can't afford what I want this year, I will wait.
Look for that diamond in the rough. I got a great deal on the last house I bought because it wasn't showing well. The house was cluttered and needed new flooring in the entrance. The sink in the bath was cracked. But we knew how little it would cost to replace thes things. Also the kitchen looked shabby. Sometimes you have to have a vivid imaginaton when buying real estate. But stick to the cosmetic fixes. New paint and new flooring. I stay away from structural changes. Even a kitchen can be redone on the cheap, if you know how. Buy property in a town that has some jobs or at least jobs nearby. The town I'm looking at in Florida is near a major city and has a couple of new museums so it will attract tourists. It's okay to be poor in a rich neighborhood. It's not okay to be poor in a poor neighborhood. So always buy the worst house on the best block.

Always ask for the discount

We had to buy a new television a few months ago and spent some time shopping around. We got the Best Deal at Sears, but only because we asked for it. Don't be afraid to ask for a markdown. My husband was looking at a $1000 clearance big screen and asked for a further markdown. They had to call a manager but the Sony Bravia 46" ended up costing only $800. That's a significant 20% savings. It costs nothing to ask. The Psychology of money works like this; At yard sales, thrift stores and even department stores, look for any slight damage. Point this out, give a reason why you do not have to have it, and then offer a fair discount price. I see people offer way too low and that insults the seller and they queer the deal. Also smile, joke and always ask please. My brown puppy dogs eyes never fail me. Also be clean and do not dress up, look as though you need the discount. Hope these time proven tips help in your bargain hunting. People look at me like I have two heads when I tell these stories, but it's all true. There is no shame in asking and it costs nothing. We also ask the workers when the next price reduction will be. This is important information. Have empathy and treat everyone with respect. Being appreciated is worth more than money. Read Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence People" and watch  the deals flow. I hate paying full price and I love getting a good deal. We never get things the regular way, that is full price. I sometimes see people in stores looking at things that are full price and just too expensive. I want to tell them about getting discounts, but I usually mind my own business because I don't want to offend anyone. On rare occasions someone will ask me how I got such a bargain and I will tell all. That is what this blog is all about. I'm telling. The first thing I have to tell people is to leave false pride at the door of any store you walk into. Things are only worth what people are willing to pay. Cash is king. Better to get something on the cheap than to be saddled with enormous debt. There is no self esteem to be found in debt, only misery and shame. If you can not afford to pay cash or pay it off right away, you do not really need it.

Cheap Movie Tickets

We hate to pay full price for anything. Since we own a car and sometimes take it on trips, we have a AAA membership. One of the perks is discounted tickets at Regal Cinema. For $6.75 we get tickets to the movies. That price is lower than the Matinee price in our area. On a new release there is a two weekend waiting period or a $1.50 surcharge, which is fine for us. We don't like crowds and don't mind waiting. One good thing about my hubby is that he is not ashamed of getting a bargain. I had one person tell me that she would never use such a ticket. The Regal club card also gets us the occasional free movie ticket. We've used coupons at restaurants. My husband loves getting a deal and has no problem asking about the specials or sharing the plate with me at restaurants that pile the food too high. Sometimes we get an appetizer to fill the gap. We don't worry what other people think. I'm just happy to have a night out and not have to work as hard as my waitress. Though we may be cheap with menu, we are extra generous with the tip. I have done that work and so has my husband. We believe in giving good tips because wait staff seldom gets paid decently.

Garbage Picking

It's amazing what people throw out. I loved living in a big apartment building. The garbage room was always magical to me. I would go down on Sunday night and always found the paper. I stopped my subscriptions and saved myself $20 a month. Then there was the stuff. I found two ottomans which I had recovered. I found a beautiful painting by a local artist. We became friends and I bought more of her work. When I first started dating my husband one of our first experiences together was stopping by the side of the road to go through someone's garbage pile. It was a Sunday and we were still dressed for church. People drove by and yelled "garbage pickers" at us. But I didn't care because these folks had actually thrown away money. I found a coffee can full of pennies which I kept and finally cashed in when I got sick. It came to more than $20. I was never so happy for the little extra money. I couldn't go back to work and I was waiting for my social security to kick in. My husband found some old toys which he sold at a flea market the next week for over $100. It helped pay his support. I didn't care what people yelled. Later my husband got a job as a building superintendant. That's where we found really amazing stuff. People threw out jewelry. I've been selling it on eBay lately. I just sold a 14K gold bracelet for $150 and other random pieces that I found in the garbage. Our success has emboldened us and we have graduated to dumpster diving. We scored a cache of Boy Scout memorabilia once for which we netted about $450. All I can say is that garbage has been good to me. One person's trash really can be another's treasure. So if you see something good by the side of the road, don't be ashamed to grab. No one will ever know or care. Like today I went to a curb alert and pulled a row boat electric motor out of the pail. It has battery clips, varible speed, forward reverse and a light. Just hook to a battery and works like a charm. 8/7/11.

USE THE LIBRARY

For many years I lived in New York City which has one of the greatest library systems in the world. I liked using the library. I probably got my first library card when I was eight years old. I always had a library card. I always had a library within walking distance of either my home or job. It was a necessity for me. It helped me save money. I cut corners on book purchases for college with the library. When books, which used to be cheap started getting more and more expensive, I started using the library. Later when I met my husband and we needed entertainment, the public library was the way to go. I would pick up a stack of movies on Friday and we would have entertainment for the entire weekend. And it was free. What a deal! I never rented from Blockbuster because it just didn't make sense. Many times we had seen everything that was new on video. The library, however, always had the movies with more limited releases like foreign and independent films or documentairies. Now that I have moved out of the city, I live three blocks away from a library. I occasionally rent movies and now I have discovered instructional videos. I can learn anything. They also have exercise videos. I don't have to pay for a Pilates class. Also if I find a really good video, I can buy a copy and not get burned. There's nothing worse than buying a video and finding out it stinks. This way if I buy something, I know that it's good.

BUY A USED CAR

Never ever buy a new car. Even with 0% financing it's a very bad deal. Because the minute you drive the thing off the lot, it loses 60% of its value. Inflation would have to rocket up to 12% over five years for you to just break even. If you want that new car smell spend a couple of hundred to have it detailed and buy a can of new car spray for the interior. Also pay cash for the thing. You'll get a better deal and you won't be saddled with financing. Lately, I'm so down on the banks that I want to pay cash for everything, including houses. With all the tricks the banks played on home buyers, I just don't trust them. I have boycotted the major players and shut down a slew of credit cards. The crooks should go out of business. That's why I want to buy my condo with cash. Buy with cash and you'll sleep better. I'm so glad we don't have a mortgage or a car payment. In this economy it would be too stressful. Buy a good reliable, fuel efficent car that gets you from point A to point B safely. Buy the smallest car you can. We have a fuel efficent car now, but I want our next car to be a hybrid. You can't trust the banks and you can't trust the oil industry. Why is the price of gas so high? Industry is at a standstill and nobody has money anyway. I see a lot of staycations in my future. Who is using all the gas? Who is eating up the supply and raising prices?

Known Your Stores

Yesterday we needed at new back door. The old door was beyond repair. It had already been fixed two or three times. First we checked Craigslist. We had no choice but to get a new one. We went to Home Depot. But just because we had to buy new, it didn't mean we had to pay full price. We went to the Depot and looked around first. When someone asked if we needed helped, we immediately asked if there were any discounted or returns available. The worker walked us right over to the discount section for doors and windows. After a few minutes we found the right door. Originally priced at $800, we picked it up for $180. That's a hefty 75%+ discount, which is good enough for me. I like buying at a deep discount. Furniture stores have a back room where they keep stuff that has gotten ever so slightly damaged in transport. You can get the best for less. Paying full price doesn't neessarily make a thing is any better. The same principle applies to food. Grocery stores have loss leaders in every department. That is the merchandise stores sell nearly at cost in order to attract customers. Even smaller more epensive stores follow this policy. I once lived down the street from a small boutique market. None of my neighbors dared shop there because it was so expensive. I went every week and scoured the sales circular and managed to live out of there even on a budget because I kept a pantry and a freezer to stock up on the sales. Learn your stores and find out how to get the most out of them.

NO DEAL: Economic Repricosity

Sometimes when I tell people about how I manage my money and how we live, they get irate. Their complaint is that if everyone did what I do, the economy would collapse. I never really had an answer for that claim, except to say that it works for me, but you are free to do things your own way. Nevertheless people felt that I was cheating the system by not fully participating in it. Until the recent economic meltdown, I could almost see their point. This economy is after all largely consumer driven. However since 2008, I feel a little differently. So much wealth was destroyed and so many people were hurt without any real consequences to the people in charge, that I have changed my mind and I am calling for a consumer boycott. They shipped our jobs to China, so don't buy their merchandise. Go to garage sales, church sales and shop in your community buying from local artisans and recirculate the money in the community. Figure out ways to get around the treadmill of working and spending. The treadmill might function for you if you have a job. But what if you don't.
In the forty odd years from the Great Depression till the advent of Ronald Reagan, the American economy was growing and very stable with a very low unemployment rate. Then American Business decided that the best way to innovate was to figure out ways for one employee to do the job of three. Instead of creating the new must have product, they looked to cutting costs. Instead of investing in Research and development, Big Business started investing in lobbyists, to get out of paying taxes. Don't like paying taxes, why don't you move your business to Russia? See how that works for you. As far as I'm concerned Big Business has been strangling the goose that laid the golden eggs. Henry Ford had it right. Pay your workers enough so they can afford to buy your product. American Business has lost sight of that bit of wisdom. Instead it's all about blaming workers. GM went bankrupt because it's salaries were too high? No, GM went bust because it made crappy cars and didn't pay it's taxes, but paid management. Now they're after the public sector employees, who were cheated out of pension money by Wall Street. Create jobs and pay taxes or we won't go to the mall. Somethings gotta give. I'm tired of the whole blame the worker thing. I think you should pay people well. If you can't afford to pay workers a living wage, then , quite frankly, you have flawed business plan. It's important to pay the people who actually do the work and not the managers and CEOs who run companies into the ground with short sighted notions about what really is good business. So until I see real investments in our community, I say stop shopping. Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or Do Without.

Creative money solutions

Life is very random. although we all like to believe that nothing bad will happen and that there are no forces in our lives beyond our control. The truth is that life is random and a lot of stuff can go wrong. Just look at the financial meltdown which blindsided everyone especially the smart alecks on Wall Street. Even if you did the right thing you could have ended up losing you job and your house. This post is about having other ways of making money. For my family it is eBay. We buy and sell. We started as buyers but when we had to move, we started to sell. I was thrilled to find out there were people out there willing to give me money for my stuff and pay to move it too. It saved me a lot of headaches when we moved. I got paid to pack and I didn't have to unpack. We also gave a lot away to charity. And we had a lot of good stuff because we were both inveterate junk collectors. What was great is that I could sell the stuff that no longer suited me and buy new stuff. I shop at garage sales and church sales for the things I can't otherwise afford like some clothes, silk scarves, vintage jewelry. We don't really run it like a business. I buy stuff , use it for a while and then sferentell it when I grow tired of it. I 'm happy to get back what I paid for an item, which is minimal. It's not a lot of money, just a little play money, enough for an occasional dinner out or to get something we need for the house.

I am currently talking to my husband about doing some math tutoring on the side for a few more bucks. It's like running a small business. There are plenty of people in need of certain skills whether it is cooking or baking (read catering) or sewing or fixing. A little side business can be a godsend as long as you are not totally dependent on it. Because that is the key. Don't be too dependent on just one thing. Have a few different baskets for your eggs. Don't even be dependent on the full time job. Though they are nice to have, but be prepared with options if something goes wrong, which it can. If the financial meltdown taught us one thing, it is that things can go wrong in an awful hurry. Gas is through the roof right now. That is something that could kill this fragile economy. My advice is to have an emergency fund and a backup plan. Cutting excess spending in this time of uncertainty, is a good start. Make saving money fun. Make beating the system a game. Lots of things are available online. I wanted to get a pair of shape-up sneakers last fall but I didn't want to spend over $100 for them. So I looked online and got a new pair delivered to my door for less than half the store price. I was thrilled. You can have it all with less. And have fun doing it. Next wek the town down the road is having a city-wide yard sale. I will be ready with my big bag, my singles and small change to shop for treasures. I will look for the stuff I really want and stuff to sell. I can take the brand name clothes to the consignment shop or sell it on eBay. Then with the money I make I can get something I really want. Or maybe I'll find what I'm really looking for at a yard sale and call it a day. Either way, I'm going to have a great time. I love saving money and finding corners to cut. I love having it all with less.

HOME FARMING

Gasoline prices are through the roof. This is a good time to do a little backyard farming. I've been planting fruit trees and we have a few tomatoes plants as well as some strawberries. I've always been big on planting herbs like basil and parsley. I don't like having to pay two or three dollars for a handful of the stuff. I have also taken to planting lettuce. I got some heirloom arugula from a neighbor. The nice thing about heirloom varieties is that they reproduce unlike hybrids which are sterile . I have to pick them out of the lawn every spring and put them in my growing pot. But essentially it's free food. If the price of gas stays high things that need to be shipped cross country will become more and more expensive. Another option which I am considering is joining a local farm coop. For a substantial fee you get tons of fresh produce for the season. Doing the math, it seems like a good deal. I an apprehensive only because it would be something new. I think I may try it because the food is grown locally and the transport costs are minimal. I sometimes get my fruit and vegs from the discount bin at the supermarket. This can be tricky but can have huge payoffs. I get blood oranges which are pretty expensive for pennies. But check the fruit as carefully as possible. Never buy anything that is visibly spoiled. It's not worth the money. I only buy discount bananas if I plan to bake bread. My supermarket also discounts fish and meat which is even dicier to buy than fruit. If you do this be very, very careful. Use your nose and cook immediately that same day. I've had stuff turn green in the fridge. Can't eat that. Just throw it out. Better safe than sorry. Having said all this, I find expiration dates to be flexible. I've often bought expired food that was perfectly fine. Bread is something that generally holds up well. However, if you see even a speck of green on baked goods, you must throw the entire thing out. Be careful, but scan for discounts. It can be fun. My supermarket uses yellow stickers. I like nothing better than rolling down the aisle snapping up the bargains. Look for the manger's specials too. That is how I tried out Greek yogurt for the first time. It was great. Now I buy it whenever it's on sale.

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Tag Sale season is upon us. If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that people don't know how to put things together anymore. If something requires the simplest of skills to assemble, it is sure to end up at a deep discount at a yard sale. We picked up gorgeous towel bars and etc for our bathroom last year, still in the package because it required a little assembly. We would otherwise not be able to afford the stuff but at a yard sale we got it at a fraction of the retail cost. So some basic skills come in handy and now with advent of the internet and the proliferation of online videos, getting those skills is a lot easier. You can learn how to do just about anything. online. My advice is to start with small household repairs. Sure you can pay someone for the service, but why not learn how to do it yourself and use that money for another purpose like saving for a better car or paying down the mortgage. Or saving up to buy that first place.
Real estate is a sore point these days. A lot of people are under water. I have been through this before. Even though I got a good deal on my apartment in 1991, by 1996 I was under water. My place had lost half of its value. Ouch. This did not bother me too much because I liked where I was living and knew I couldn't live any cheaper elsewhere. I stuck it out and waited for the upcycle to sell. I believe we're in that same situation now. Things look pretty bad but they are bound to change. This for me, is the time to invest. I want to buy more real estate even though I'm not convinced we've touched bottom. Prices may continue to drop. I figure housing will be it's cheapest in 2014. In any event, I'd rather pay slightly more than miss the boat. Anyone who says they bought at the bottom is, as they say, a liar. My plan is to be ready when real estate comes roaring back. I'll have somewhere cheap to live and be able to sell without worrying about having to buy back in at the top of the market. So save, but with a plan. Have a goal and purpose for scrimping. I've ridden the real estate roller coaster three times in my life. I still think housing is the best investment, particularly if it's rental property, that puts money in your pocket. Right now my paid off house is probably worth less than I paid for it, but I'm renting it out so it doesn't really matter

Embrace Your Inner Cheapness

It's okay to be cheap. If you walk up to the counter and find that something is just too expensive, put it down and walk away. It's your money, you have a right to say no. Embrace your inner cheapskate. I had a friend once who was literally homeless. She was sleeping on my living room floor. She finally gets a job downtown. I tell her save every penny for a deposit for an apartment rental. She gets her first paycheck and comes back to my place showing off a pair of gloves she bought. That wasn't bad in itself, but her reason for buying the gloves was that she didn't want to leave the store without buying something. Personally, I thought that was crazy. I can walk out of a store without buying a thing. Hey, I can leave a garage sale without buying anything at all. My husband used to have trouble doing that but he has since learned to embrace and nourish his inner cheapness. The first time he did it, he felt a little bad for the people. In some ways garage sales are tragic events. People spend money on junk which has to be gotten rid of at any cost. I ofter see $10 and $20 candles unused with the price tags on the bottoms not selling for a dollar. It's kinda sad to see what folks throw money away on. But if I don't need it. I don't buy it. I don't buy something out of pity that I don't really need. My strong and nurtured inner cheapskate won't allow it. I'm cheap and I'm okay with it.
I'm not okay with credit card debt or past due notices. I'm not okay with debt of any kind. I have an old TV and that's just fine until I have the cash to buy a new one. Being cheap keeps me grounded and makes me feel safe. I have an emergency fund which makes me feel safe. I know that whatever happens, I have enough to make it for a year or more. When I was young I didn't have that security and life was pretty scary. My emergency fund gives me freedom. It means I can splurge if I want to or need to. Savings mean the ability to grab opportunities that come along. One day I was in a big department store, JCP or Macy's, when they were having a sale. They had end of the season rock bottom prices on some really nice cashmere sweaters. I grabbed one in each color in my size and an extra for a Christmas present. I got to the counter and the sales girl was amazed and said. "If I had the money, I would be doing the same thing." And she would get them for even less with her employee discount, but she couldn't afford it. I felt sorry for her, but happy for myself and all those lunches I packed for work. For me, it was the best payoff. Don't worry about what people think. Worry about what's really important. A clean, warm, safe place to live is important. Having security is important. What the sales girl thinks is not important.

Second hand roses

Okay so any money saving book or blog is going to tell you to shop at second hand stores. But I want to warn you about some of these places, they can be very expensive at times. and not at all worth the money. I have a few rules for thrift shops. Never buy anything at a thrift shop that you can afford to buy new. No use buying a t-shirt from Kmart (Basic Editions) at the Salvation Army for $5 bucks when you can get it for $6 brandy new and in the size and color you really want. Only buy the stuff you couldn't otherwise afford in thrift shops. Look at the labels. I am particularly fond of buying stuff from SAKS FIFTH AVENUE and other fine stores. I find their clothes to be of excellent quality and superior workmanship. When it comes to coats. I gravitate to the men's department. Men's clothing is better made and has more luxurious details than women's wear. In addition they get inside pockets which I like because I can leave my purse at home.
When it comes to dressing well, Men have another advantage over women: the uniform. Men are practically dressed the moment they open their closets. They have to wear a suit which eliminates much distraction and a plain shirt. The only bit of self expression allowed is in the selection of a tie. They can dress with their eyes shut. This is marvelous.

Years ago I decided to invent my own female version of the suit. I call it the sheath. You pick a neutral base color like black. Buy interchangeable tops and bottoms in your base color. I have a collection of black sweaters, slacks and skirts which I mix and match throughout the week. Then all I have to do is pick an accent color. I throw on a sweater or a jacket in a bright color. Add some jewelry and a scarf and I'm done. Nothing could be easier on a busy morning. I always look good because all of the problems have been worked out in advance.Whenever I buy another piece of clothing, I work out how it is going to be worn immediately. I don't want to get caught trying things on before going to work. Who has time for this. I have a 2 hour plus commute. Better to get it over with ahead of time and just know what to do without thinking. I leave for work while it's still dark and my husband is still sleeping .


For the summer I change my base color to white or navy blue. I still use my accent color, but I am even less subdued and generally go for hot pink and bright orange. Summer is time for color gone wild. I decorate my home in much then same way as well. Choosing neutral bases and finishes like cream and throwing colorful accents all around. The restriction actually gives a lot of freedom because you're not limited to being all matchy matchy.