Have You Made Your Resolutions Yet?
Monday, January 5th, 2009 | personal finance | 1 Comment
Yeah I know, the New Year officially started last week - but since this is the first Monday of the new year I thought I’d take this opportunity to write a post about some personal finance tips to keep in mind for 2009.
Cool your jets. If you have to pay for something with a credit card - DON’T BUY IT. If it doesn’t merit a trip to the ATM machine it doesn’t belong in your closet, driveway, body, whatever. Had I followed this years ago I’d be sitting pretty on a huge pot o’ cash right now instead of selling my life’s detritus on eBay.
Start an “Emergency Fund” — now! I started mine last year and have been slowly adding to it each paycheck. Ultimately 3 - 6 months worth of living expenses would be great but $1K is a respectable start. Cut back on a couple Starbuck’s runs a month and put what you save in the EF.
Live for the right now, so you can live right tomorrow. Let me explain: I spent years accumulating beautiful antiques and housewares for a home that I’ve yet to own. If I had lived within my means and delayed that purchase of an All-Clad kitchen set for example, I wouldn’t have collected so much debt and wasted storage space. Not to mention, the really sweet down payment on a house I would have saved by now…doh!
Don’t ever be late on a credit card payment. Ever. Even paying a few hours late can jack your interest rate from 0 - 30% in the blink of an eye. At 30% you’ll be paying for that cute Rebecca Minkoff bag for years.
Care For A Mint?
Friday, January 2nd, 2009 | Uncategorized, personal finance | 1 Comment
One of my most favorite discoveries on my quest toward financial freedom has been Mint, a nifty website that allows users to track all of their accounts and set a personal budget. It’s an amazingly powerful tool - I’m blown away by it’s comprehensiveness - and the fact that it’s FREE.
I love watching my savings account grow and debt decrease, it’s a wonderful way to keep motivated because there is no way to hide; it automatically downloads all of your transactions…that latte you had this morning? It’s there, along with your latest credit card and IRA balance.
I swear it’s making an honest woman out of me…and isn’t that what taking control of your financial future is all about?
Tonight We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1999!
Thursday, January 1st, 2009 | job search | 1 Comment
Remember when that song came out and 1999 was like eons away…well, can you believe it’s been a whole 10 years since then? What gives?!
Though things are kind of cruddy on the job horizon at the moment I’m actually feeling really great about 2009. Sure, these are tough times but I’m convinced that attitude is everything and the past several weeks I’ve found myself slowly shifting to the “glass half full” camp.
Maybe it’s my renewed interest in spirituality, or just that I’m a wee bit older and wiser but 2009 is going to R-O-C-K. I can feel it.
Anyone with me on this?
Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy NEW YEAR 
I’ve been so bad!
Sunday, December 21st, 2008 | little indulgence, saving money | 1 Comment
So you may have noticed that I’ve kept a little mum lately. Well, I did a bad thing…I bought a new Macbook Pro. I’m not going to sit here and justify my behavior. It was stupid I admit it. The pathetic thing is, I’ve been so racked with guilt that I haven’t even used it yet. In fact, I’m pounding out this post on my old sled which is on it’s last legs, what with being 4 years old and all - that’s more like 20 in operating system years.
In my defense I will say this:
With all of the debt that I’ve cleared over the past few months this purchase doesn’t make my debt load higher — it just takes me back to square one. (what - I’m thinking on the bright side!)
and two:
I made the purchase through MacMall which is generally several percent cheaper than going to Apple; plus I used Ebates which saved me about $50. If you haven’t heard about them click on this link to sign up and start receiving rebates on everything you purchase through the site. Best of all, if you sign up through my referral we each get $10 - pretty cool huh?
See, I’m not all that bad.
Thrifty Chica
Thursday, December 11th, 2008 | thrift | No Comments
Be honest: what’s the first word that leaps to mind when you hear the term “thrifty?” Is it stingy, cheap, or miserly? In actuality, the word thrifty shares the same root as the verb “to thrive.”
Kind of gives you a fresh perspective, huh?
Think of it as the balanced middle-ground between stinginess and extravagance. As I dig myself out of debt I am working hard to achieve this virtuous balance.
And one caveat: If you’re drowning in credit card debt like me, be careful not to fall into the trap that generosity and thrift can’t co-exist. That simply isn’t true. If you can’t give money, be generous with your time and show some concern for others.
How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?
Monday, December 8th, 2008 | ebay | No Comments
Seriously, I really need to know.
You will probably remember these plastered all over every major fashion magazine last Fall - they were the MUST HAVE runway shoe - so I bought ‘em immediately. To the tune of $600. Then I wore them ONCE - for some fancy pants event, for about 5 hours…if you’re familiar with the concept of amortization then you are probably feeling my pain right now…I basically spent over $100 per hour to rock these.
Sigh.
Part of my get outta debt and getta life plan involves selling every gorgeous thing I own. These Prada Sfumata pumps are ripe for the picking.
Will you give them a good home?
Is Paying Someone’s Cable Bill A Tacky Xmas Gift?
Thursday, December 4th, 2008 | hot or not, sales | No Comments
What about buying a tank of gas? Groceries? Toiletries?
I’m kind of torn…I’m pretty practical I must admit - if the hubster gave me a new vacuum instead of a diamond studded tennis bracelet for Xmas I’d be thrilled but is this poor gift-giving form?
Please help me decide, gifting every day necessities, hot or not?
What I Really Want Today
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 | little indulgence | No Comments
When wearing your heart on your sleeve just won’t cut it there’s the “I Need Money” tote to drive the message home.
I adore this cheeky tote designed by artist Chris Caccamise for The New Museum. At a mere $35 clams, it is so, pardon the 1996 expression, “money.”
Will Work For…
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 | job search | No Comments
I met with the career counselor at my grad school today and learned the sobering news that NYC is projected to have a 9 - 10% unemployment rate by this March. There are hiring freezes and layoffs a plenty, and yet retail sales are up 3% from the same period last year. Go figure.
Do these little factoids make me regret my decision to leave my former job?
Nope.
I will admit that voluntarily quitting a good paying job at this time is pretty crazy - but I’ll take crazy and happy over well-fed and miserable any day of the week. When you’re in an uncomfortable work situation it spills over into all other aspects of your life - it just isn’t worth it.
I began cutting my lifestyle back in August and have been living like a frugalista, with a teensy weensy emergency fund and two fewer credit card bills coming in: I am feeling pretty confident about the future. I’m not entirely convinced it’s all gloom and doom to come, and I’m fortunate to have good friends to turn to for advice.
Anyone out there in a similar situation? Would love to hear about it. Until then, I’m off pounding the pavement.
Blackest Friday
Monday, December 1st, 2008 | In The News | No Comments
Have we all lost our minds?
What kind of person tramples over a helpless man in the name of $49 DVD players? I’m speaking, of course, about Jdimytai Damour, a 34 year old man who was brutally murdered while working at a Long Island Walmart this past “Black Friday.”
Blind Consumerism, 1,000,001 - Morality, 0
The whole event sickens me. I’m left wondering how we as a society could change the world if we shifted our values for things that actually mattered: making sure that people are fed, clothed, have adequate shelter, and are able to access quality health care without having to mortgage their lives to get it.
If you ever wondered what greed, apathy, self-absorption, entitlement, and a lack of personal responsibility looked like you’ve found it in living color.