A Certain Point of View
10 years ago
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Hiho, Hiho, it's off to School I go.....
So, the whole housefrau thing just wasn't working for me, and several attempts at some sort of business didn't do it either. Yea, I made a bit of scratch here and there, but was becoming increasingly depressed and unhappy, so after lots of long hours thinking "What do I want to do with myself?", I have decided to return to school and finish out that particular dream/fantasy. Returning to school took a bit of retraining, as a few things have changed since I was there 15 years ago. Looks like I can take most, if not all of my classes online, which helps with saving gas. So I'm currently working my way through Intro to Archaeology, which means at the end of the course I should be able to at least spell it! More on return to school later, it's time to do homework!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Ok, so I suck.....
Yea, yea, I know, it's been forever! I totally suck at keeping up with these things! With that in mind, on to news....
I have decided to return to college and finish my degrees in nutritional anthropology. This willb e taking up the majority of my time, but I will try to post when I can.
I have decided to return to college and finish my degrees in nutritional anthropology. This willb e taking up the majority of my time, but I will try to post when I can.
Monday, March 2, 2009
How We're Surviving the Economic Meltdown for the Everyday Person
Welcome to the fist installment of my March month long series, How to Survive The Economic Meltdown For The Everyday Person 101. I looked around the other day, and it seems like while everyone else is tanking financially, we're doing ok, on half or less of what many other people are making at the moment. So I started thinking "Why is that?"
Turns out, many reasons. Some easy, others not so much, but all doable by just about anyone. We're doing our best to live within our means, and it's not always fun or easy, but so far has been worth it.
And what exactly does that mean? In most cases, effort. It takes effort to deny yourself something, and believe you me, I know, especially when looking down the barrel of a chocolate eclair. There's lots of things you can do, you just have to try everything and see what works best. Some things, however, are a must, like reducing your debt. First you have to stop creating it, then you have to whittle away at it until it's gone. It may never be gone, but it can definitely be made less of a burden. Here's some of the things we've used successfully so far to reduce our outstanding debt and still enjoy life;
1. Pay yourself first.
I can't stress this one enough. I'd heard this all my life from older relatives, and thought "What a silly outdated idea!" OK, so I was wrong. It really means 'Have cash/money in the bank at all times' which is a really, really good idea. I'm not talking Roth, 401k, money market accounts, etc. I'm talking the most basic of basic. There are a few ways to accomplish this on even the most limited budget. Cash is a good way to start out. For every day spending like food, gas, bus/cab fair, pay cash for anything you can. Now, get yourself a jar or can, and set a 'carry limit' for yourself, like you won't carry any denomination of cash with you larger than X. We started out putting all coinage in our jar. After awhile, it got to be a game, seeing how fast the jar filled up. We now put anything smaller than a $10 bill in the jar, and when the jar becomes full, it's off to the bank to savings. The jar is great for immediate emergencies where you have to have money RIGHT NOW, like for medical stuff, cab fare the day car breaks down an hour before you're supposed to be at work, less diapers in the box than you thought and it's all the money you have access to till Friday, fun things like that. We do sneak a fiver once or twice a year for something naughty, like Starbuck's. It is NOT for things like cigs and beer.
You can get a savings account with very little effort. I started out with a basic no frills savings account at the local branch of a national bank. It didn't pay much in interest (like next to none!) but it was a good place to park some money. We eventually opened a higher interest account with an online bank. We've found this has been a great way to save, since it takes 3 business days to get the funds from the online bank to our local branch national bank, it forces us to think very hard about using it. You will be surprised how fast this adds up to a healthy savings.
2. Limited credit card usage.
Credit card usage like it was meant to be. We try really hard to not use our cards, and to pay off any outstanding balances. Yes, weakness does strike when we see that Ultimate Thing we've been Wanting for Ever So Long. So if we do buy it, then nothing else goes on the card until that Ultimate Thing is paid off. And of course there are the unavoidable things, like my mother's death last year. Had to be dealt with, plastic was the solution at the time. We are still paying off debt from several years ago during a bad spell of no employment. It'll be a few years before that's gone, but it's shrinking, and that's the important thing. Small purchases are used to maintain the cards, like using it for gas and paying the balance every month. This will hopefully keep the credit card company from doing anything really nasty like dropping our limit or jacking the interest. Fingers crossed there, there's only so much when dealing with credit card companies that the consumer can do, except not use them at all, which can be it's own hassle, unless you've got enough cash in a debit account to cover things like rental cars, which need a credit card.
Tune in this week for the next installment, paying down/off outstanding balances.
Turns out, many reasons. Some easy, others not so much, but all doable by just about anyone. We're doing our best to live within our means, and it's not always fun or easy, but so far has been worth it.
And what exactly does that mean? In most cases, effort. It takes effort to deny yourself something, and believe you me, I know, especially when looking down the barrel of a chocolate eclair. There's lots of things you can do, you just have to try everything and see what works best. Some things, however, are a must, like reducing your debt. First you have to stop creating it, then you have to whittle away at it until it's gone. It may never be gone, but it can definitely be made less of a burden. Here's some of the things we've used successfully so far to reduce our outstanding debt and still enjoy life;
1. Pay yourself first.
I can't stress this one enough. I'd heard this all my life from older relatives, and thought "What a silly outdated idea!" OK, so I was wrong. It really means 'Have cash/money in the bank at all times' which is a really, really good idea. I'm not talking Roth, 401k, money market accounts, etc. I'm talking the most basic of basic. There are a few ways to accomplish this on even the most limited budget. Cash is a good way to start out. For every day spending like food, gas, bus/cab fair, pay cash for anything you can. Now, get yourself a jar or can, and set a 'carry limit' for yourself, like you won't carry any denomination of cash with you larger than X. We started out putting all coinage in our jar. After awhile, it got to be a game, seeing how fast the jar filled up. We now put anything smaller than a $10 bill in the jar, and when the jar becomes full, it's off to the bank to savings. The jar is great for immediate emergencies where you have to have money RIGHT NOW, like for medical stuff, cab fare the day car breaks down an hour before you're supposed to be at work, less diapers in the box than you thought and it's all the money you have access to till Friday, fun things like that. We do sneak a fiver once or twice a year for something naughty, like Starbuck's. It is NOT for things like cigs and beer.
You can get a savings account with very little effort. I started out with a basic no frills savings account at the local branch of a national bank. It didn't pay much in interest (like next to none!) but it was a good place to park some money. We eventually opened a higher interest account with an online bank. We've found this has been a great way to save, since it takes 3 business days to get the funds from the online bank to our local branch national bank, it forces us to think very hard about using it. You will be surprised how fast this adds up to a healthy savings.
2. Limited credit card usage.
Credit card usage like it was meant to be. We try really hard to not use our cards, and to pay off any outstanding balances. Yes, weakness does strike when we see that Ultimate Thing we've been Wanting for Ever So Long. So if we do buy it, then nothing else goes on the card until that Ultimate Thing is paid off. And of course there are the unavoidable things, like my mother's death last year. Had to be dealt with, plastic was the solution at the time. We are still paying off debt from several years ago during a bad spell of no employment. It'll be a few years before that's gone, but it's shrinking, and that's the important thing. Small purchases are used to maintain the cards, like using it for gas and paying the balance every month. This will hopefully keep the credit card company from doing anything really nasty like dropping our limit or jacking the interest. Fingers crossed there, there's only so much when dealing with credit card companies that the consumer can do, except not use them at all, which can be it's own hassle, unless you've got enough cash in a debit account to cover things like rental cars, which need a credit card.
Tune in this week for the next installment, paying down/off outstanding balances.
Ok, so I'm bummed now....
Reading an article about what celebrity chefs like to eat at home, I saw a link to Rocco DeSpirito's mini bio. So I clicked and read. I was doing great until Rocco talks about creating a yogurt pop for an 8 yr old girl, using SPLENDA!!!!! Rocco, Rocco, what were you thinking??? First off, SHAME ON YOU for using the stuff, and second, giving it to a child! Rocco, we just might have to not like you as much dude. Which makes us sad. :(
Monday, January 19, 2009
It's been awhile
OK, so I've been really lazy and not posted anything for awhile. That doesn't mean that nothing's been going on tho. The holidays went by smoothly, we puppy-sat for my ex, which was fun, like having a grand-puppy to play with for a couple of days then sending it home.
January and Febuary '09 are going to be our major stocking up months for this half of the new year. Come March, we enter another frugal period. We're shooting for two months this time, we'll see how it works out. Everything's getting stocked, right down to hobby items. We will be doing lots of cleaning/catching up projects around the homestead, and working on shifting our lifestyle back to a more home grown flavor.
January and Febuary '09 are going to be our major stocking up months for this half of the new year. Come March, we enter another frugal period. We're shooting for two months this time, we'll see how it works out. Everything's getting stocked, right down to hobby items. We will be doing lots of cleaning/catching up projects around the homestead, and working on shifting our lifestyle back to a more home grown flavor.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Happy 2009!
Happy New Year everyone! So far this year is shaping up to be a good one. Last year as so-so, so we're hoping for a better one this year. We did realize some of our short and long term goals, and are right on track for our Debt Free in Five plan. (Become nearly debt free in five years, 4 1/2 left to go).
Garden plans are coming right along. Producing your own food is a full time job, no doubt about it. This year we are going to concentrate on using the gardens to reduce our food costs even more. The chickies are doing well and eggs are steady at the moment, at least until the spring molt. The winter garden is growing away, and we are once again eating something we've grown.
No actual resolutions thing year, we're just continuing our long term plan, and it's working. I am hoping to get some things done, like making soap from scratch.
Hope everyone has a safe and sane year!
Garden plans are coming right along. Producing your own food is a full time job, no doubt about it. This year we are going to concentrate on using the gardens to reduce our food costs even more. The chickies are doing well and eggs are steady at the moment, at least until the spring molt. The winter garden is growing away, and we are once again eating something we've grown.
No actual resolutions thing year, we're just continuing our long term plan, and it's working. I am hoping to get some things done, like making soap from scratch.
Hope everyone has a safe and sane year!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tipping Resentment Rant
So I have to take my son to get his hair cut today. I'm scrambling around trying to dig up enough cash to pay for it, and then I realize I'll have to tip the stylist too. Now, I understand that they have to pay booth rental, supplies, etc., but come on, why should I have to bribe them to do a good job?? It's not like they are wait ppl, making $2.45 an hour. ( and they actually WORK for their tips!) The way they whip through a cut in 10 minutes or less, they are making $25+ an hour! I'm seriously thinking about learning how to cut hair, adding yet one more thing to my already busy day. Ggggrrrr.
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