Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Introducing MyFitWallet.com
Hey everyone, this will be my last post on Blogger as I just launched my new self-hosted blog, MyFitWallet.com! Thanks for making blogging here so rewarding, and I hope you'll follow me to my new (very green) location--it only takes a second to sign up for the new feed. I imported all of the posts I made here so the discussion can continue without a hitch. See you on the flip side!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Changes...
After a few months of blogging here, I decided to take the plunge and buy my own domain. This blog has helped me stay on track with our family finances, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the discussions with readers and interacting with the personal finance blog community. Now that I've proven to myself that I could keep this up, I'm ready to try a platform with more flexibility and control.
I'm not out to make a bunch of money, get 5,000 subscribers, or come up with "top 10" lists of frugal ideas to boost search engine ratings. I just want to keep trucking with this little blog so I can stay accountable. I'm going to continue working on the new site for the next few days and will hopefully be able to launch it soon. I'm also in the middle of a transition at work, so things might get slow here for the next week. But for anyone who reads regularly, I will be sure to let you know about the changeover and hope that you'll follow and subscribe to my new feed. Thanks for making this fun :)
I'm not out to make a bunch of money, get 5,000 subscribers, or come up with "top 10" lists of frugal ideas to boost search engine ratings. I just want to keep trucking with this little blog so I can stay accountable. I'm going to continue working on the new site for the next few days and will hopefully be able to launch it soon. I'm also in the middle of a transition at work, so things might get slow here for the next week. But for anyone who reads regularly, I will be sure to let you know about the changeover and hope that you'll follow and subscribe to my new feed. Thanks for making this fun :)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day for the Rest of Us.
Okay, I admit it: I'm that scrooge who really hates Valentine's Day. I can't stand the cheesy cards, the stale candy, the cutesy stuffed animals emblazoned with "I Wuv You Beary Much" and "Bee Mine," and the fact that so many people feel forced to acknowledge their significant other or risk being labeled cheap.Well, call me cheap all you want, but L and I don't celebrate the day at all. Never have, never will. I like to think that if I tell my partner I love her year round, I don't need to spend extra money today just because Hallmark says I should. Instead, we're having a friend over for a casual dinner. This friend has offered to trade gardening lessons (from her) for cooking lessons (from me), so this is the first installment. I'm so excited to get gardening advice! Tonight I'm teaching her how to make a simple carrot and sweet potato curry soup and figured I would share. So for any other cheapskates out there, here's a delicious, healthy recipe you can enjoy with your S.O., a friend, or all alone:
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1lb bag baby carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into smallish cubes
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 can light coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- salt & pepper to taste
Chop the onion and saute over medium heat in a large soup pot for about 5 minutes, until the onions are turning translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and saute for another minute or two. Add the carrots and cubed potatoes and cover with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-3o minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are very tender. Turn off the heat and blend with an immersion blender, or if you're like me and don't have one, puree the soup in batches in a regular blender. I keep a big bowl next to the blender and move the pureed soup there until you've finished blending everything in the soup pot. With the pureed soup back in the pot, add 1/2 can of coconut milk and stir. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper, and spices--you might like more curry, or maybe even a little cayenne pepper if you like your soup spicy. If the soup is too thick, add more vegetable broth, a 1/2 cup at a time. Serves about 8 people, provides tons of vitamin A and C, and costs about $5-6 to make, if you already have the spices on hand.
Friday, February 13, 2009
I Never Win Anything.
No really, I don't! But this week I was the lucky randomly-selected winner of the Valentine's Day contest over at Lazy Man & Money. I received a $20 Amazon gift certificate for a comment I left there on last-minute, cheap V-day ideas. (Thanks, Lazy Man!) I put the money to good use, buying a pizza stone (I've wanted one for a while now) and a much-needed garlic press for $5.94 and free shipping. Sweet.
I heard Amazon has fared well thus far in the economic turmoil. Considering that I've spent $380 there in the past week, I guess I'm doing more than my fair share to keep the company afloat!
I heard Amazon has fared well thus far in the economic turmoil. Considering that I've spent $380 there in the past week, I guess I'm doing more than my fair share to keep the company afloat!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Savings Goals
Yesterday I learned that in addition to the 12% raise for my new job, I will receive a $2,500 annual bonus for some required extra hours. Counting two other small raises from last year, my gross income has increased almost 25% since last February. It's still a nonprofit salary, but I'm not complaining at all!
With that in mind, it's time to think about some short-, mid-, and long-term saving goals. My hope is that we can continue saving 10% each month, even after we lose our rental income and increase retirement contributions to 5%. Once our emergency fund is up to $2,500 and the home repair is complete, I'd like to tackle the following goals. For the purpose of prioritizing I have labeled them as needs and wants.
Bigger Emergency Fund. We should really bump it up to $10,000 or more. The only reason we're leaving it at $2,500 right now is because we have steady jobs. I don't see this happening before the next two goals are met, so I would classify it as a long-term goal. Still, if I'm being honest then this is definitely a need.
New Bath liner. I really hate this project, but it's a short-term need. Our shower liner is cracking badly and needs to be replaced before the drywall behind it starts to get moldy and water-damaged. I'm hoping we can just caulk it for the time being, but it will have to go soon. I think a new liner would run about $500-800, depending on quality, and I will attempt to install it myself.
Privacy fence. Next on my list is a combination want/need: a 6-foot privacy fence in our backyard to block out our horrible neighbors. We have a tiny city backyard, separated from two other yards by only a chain link fence. On the one side we have quiet, considerate neighbors; on the other are noisy, messy, awful people. I almost consider this a need, because it would significantly improve my quality of life and mental health to block my view of them (and prevent their kids from climbing into/throwing trash into our yard). Our yard is concrete, so building a fence will also require breaking that up and hauling it away. My guesstimate for this project is $4,000-$5,000, so this will have to be a mid-term goal.
New Furnace. Our gas furnace is about 25 years old and horribly inefficient--last month we were billed $425 to keep our 2,160 square foot house at 58 degrees. January was an unusually cold month, and that also includes hot water and cooking gas, but it's still outrageous! It would be nice to replace the old workhorse with a more efficient model down the road, before it goes kaput. This is another combination want/need and a long-term goal. Estimated cost: $4,000-5,000.
Clothes. Finally, we have a goal suggested by L! This goes mostly in the want category, but that's debatable. Our wardrobes have been horribly neglected for years: sweatshirts with holes, dress shirts a size too small, pants with the cuffs walked off, faded sweaters. Buying clothes is always on the bottom of our to-do list. I try to look decent for work, but it's hard to these days, when most of the clothes I own are 2-5 years old. $300 each would go a long way, so let's call this a short- to mid-term goal.
These goals will undoubtedly change over the course of the next year, and we may experience some kind of emergency in the meantime (knock on wood) that sets us back. But this time next year, we hope to have at least a few of them completed. I can't wait!
With that in mind, it's time to think about some short-, mid-, and long-term saving goals. My hope is that we can continue saving 10% each month, even after we lose our rental income and increase retirement contributions to 5%. Once our emergency fund is up to $2,500 and the home repair is complete, I'd like to tackle the following goals. For the purpose of prioritizing I have labeled them as needs and wants.
Bigger Emergency Fund. We should really bump it up to $10,000 or more. The only reason we're leaving it at $2,500 right now is because we have steady jobs. I don't see this happening before the next two goals are met, so I would classify it as a long-term goal. Still, if I'm being honest then this is definitely a need.
New Bath liner. I really hate this project, but it's a short-term need. Our shower liner is cracking badly and needs to be replaced before the drywall behind it starts to get moldy and water-damaged. I'm hoping we can just caulk it for the time being, but it will have to go soon. I think a new liner would run about $500-800, depending on quality, and I will attempt to install it myself.
Privacy fence. Next on my list is a combination want/need: a 6-foot privacy fence in our backyard to block out our horrible neighbors. We have a tiny city backyard, separated from two other yards by only a chain link fence. On the one side we have quiet, considerate neighbors; on the other are noisy, messy, awful people. I almost consider this a need, because it would significantly improve my quality of life and mental health to block my view of them (and prevent their kids from climbing into/throwing trash into our yard). Our yard is concrete, so building a fence will also require breaking that up and hauling it away. My guesstimate for this project is $4,000-$5,000, so this will have to be a mid-term goal.
New Furnace. Our gas furnace is about 25 years old and horribly inefficient--last month we were billed $425 to keep our 2,160 square foot house at 58 degrees. January was an unusually cold month, and that also includes hot water and cooking gas, but it's still outrageous! It would be nice to replace the old workhorse with a more efficient model down the road, before it goes kaput. This is another combination want/need and a long-term goal. Estimated cost: $4,000-5,000.
Clothes. Finally, we have a goal suggested by L! This goes mostly in the want category, but that's debatable. Our wardrobes have been horribly neglected for years: sweatshirts with holes, dress shirts a size too small, pants with the cuffs walked off, faded sweaters. Buying clothes is always on the bottom of our to-do list. I try to look decent for work, but it's hard to these days, when most of the clothes I own are 2-5 years old. $300 each would go a long way, so let's call this a short- to mid-term goal.
These goals will undoubtedly change over the course of the next year, and we may experience some kind of emergency in the meantime (knock on wood) that sets us back. But this time next year, we hope to have at least a few of them completed. I can't wait!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Booze and the Budget
I found this post about alcohol consumption on Financial Hack, and it got me thinking. This post is a little uncomfortable for me to write, so bear with me.
I will admit that I scoffed when I read the above article. Two beers per week? I wouldn't bat an eyelash at spending money on that! L and I spend a decent amount of money each month on fancy beer and bottles of wine, and we have several drinks a piece, three to four nights per week.
There's nothing good about consuming alcohol this often. It's terrible for my body and my wallet. So why do I continue to do it? I think it's a combination of poor self-control, social influences, and just plain old bad habits. Almost all of our friends drink, so most of our social occasions involve alcohol. It's hard to limit consumption when everyone around you is drinking liberally. I find myself saying, "I really shouldn't have another glass of wine," but then I do anyway, the same way I might eat another cookie or have another helping of dinner.
L and I have limited our drinking in the past, but we always seem to find an excuse to have a drink if we really want one. That would be fine once in a while as a treat; slipping back into old habits is not. Winter makes it even harder--we're stuck inside with the heat at 58, too cold to get out from under the blankets on the couch to do much.
So what's the solution here? Well, I do know that when I exercise regularly, I drink a lot less. Not only do I consider how many empty calories I'm consuming, but I think about how I will feel the next day when I try to get on the rowing machine or lift weights. Evening exercise also tends to curb my desire to eat/drink at night, when a cold porter and a snack sound great. In my experience, exercise is the only thing that has successfully limited my drinking (and bad eating habits) in the past.
The problem is that, with the exception of playing sports in college, I have never successfully maintained an exercise regimen for more than about six months. Last year was the closest I've ever come to maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle. I exercised almost daily, stopped drinking/eating crap, lost 20 pounds in six months. Then I injured myself and slowly slipped back into old habits. If I'm going to try changing my habits for good, I need to find a way to stick with it. I'll have to think about this and come up with a plan.
I will admit that I scoffed when I read the above article. Two beers per week? I wouldn't bat an eyelash at spending money on that! L and I spend a decent amount of money each month on fancy beer and bottles of wine, and we have several drinks a piece, three to four nights per week.
There's nothing good about consuming alcohol this often. It's terrible for my body and my wallet. So why do I continue to do it? I think it's a combination of poor self-control, social influences, and just plain old bad habits. Almost all of our friends drink, so most of our social occasions involve alcohol. It's hard to limit consumption when everyone around you is drinking liberally. I find myself saying, "I really shouldn't have another glass of wine," but then I do anyway, the same way I might eat another cookie or have another helping of dinner.
L and I have limited our drinking in the past, but we always seem to find an excuse to have a drink if we really want one. That would be fine once in a while as a treat; slipping back into old habits is not. Winter makes it even harder--we're stuck inside with the heat at 58, too cold to get out from under the blankets on the couch to do much.
So what's the solution here? Well, I do know that when I exercise regularly, I drink a lot less. Not only do I consider how many empty calories I'm consuming, but I think about how I will feel the next day when I try to get on the rowing machine or lift weights. Evening exercise also tends to curb my desire to eat/drink at night, when a cold porter and a snack sound great. In my experience, exercise is the only thing that has successfully limited my drinking (and bad eating habits) in the past.
The problem is that, with the exception of playing sports in college, I have never successfully maintained an exercise regimen for more than about six months. Last year was the closest I've ever come to maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle. I exercised almost daily, stopped drinking/eating crap, lost 20 pounds in six months. Then I injured myself and slowly slipped back into old habits. If I'm going to try changing my habits for good, I need to find a way to stick with it. I'll have to think about this and come up with a plan.
Economic Stimulus Overload
I know the government is about to spend a bunch of my hard-earned tax dollars. This economic crisis, and this stimulus package, are unprecedented; the effect on our country for generations to come is unknown.
Yet I just can't bring myself to read about the stimulus package, much less voice my concerns to my congress critter. I spent the entire election cycle glued to the TV and news programs. Now the thought of reading about political posturing and grandstanding over this bill gives me a headache.
Maybe part of it is feeling helpless and powerless in the process--every political player has his or her own agenda, and it seems out of regular Americans' hands at this point. And like most Americans, I'm hoarding cash and trying to dig out of my own financial hole. Thinking about the government's financial problems is more than I need right now.
Anyone else out there taking the ostrich approach these days?
Yet I just can't bring myself to read about the stimulus package, much less voice my concerns to my congress critter. I spent the entire election cycle glued to the TV and news programs. Now the thought of reading about political posturing and grandstanding over this bill gives me a headache.
Maybe part of it is feeling helpless and powerless in the process--every political player has his or her own agenda, and it seems out of regular Americans' hands at this point. And like most Americans, I'm hoarding cash and trying to dig out of my own financial hole. Thinking about the government's financial problems is more than I need right now.
Anyone else out there taking the ostrich approach these days?
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