Artistic Attempt.

Before you start laughing, let me give you some background information. I used to be a good artist back in high school. I wanted to go on and study commercial art. My teachers as well as my parents used to scoff at such a meaningless choice in life. "There's no money in it", my father used to growl. "Well, at least you know what kind of art", bemoaned my guidance counselor. I went on to achieve a Liberal Arts degree (useless) and then another diploma and degree in ophthalmic sciences. "What? huh? and that's nice deary"! were the normal reactions to my parents-forced education. After receiving my last diploma (and shoving it in my parents face) I went on to work in a career I liked: money management! Thoughts of getting into an art career were long given up by then.

When it was time for my own daughters to select their college choices I was overwhelmed that both of them chose a career in the arts. One is a graphic designer; the other is an film editor. Both children chose what I could only dream of.

As I was packing for this week I came across some of my daughters art supplies. I found a palette of fresh, untouched canvas, drawing watercolor chalks and a box of French pastel pencils. 'Wouldn't it be nice', I thought to myself 'to quietly try to draw again?' I haven't picked up a brush in 30 years.

I drove out to the local light house here on the island and found a perfect spot to draw. For two hours I attempted to draw and capture what I saw. I know it's primitive but for those 2 swift hours I didn't think about a anything except color, lines and motion. I have often thought of taking a class in watercolor, acrylic or sketch. I usually sign up for the classes, pay the fee and then because of one thing or another, never get to attend. I often watch the painting-illustration shows on Public Broadcasting. I study the hand movements, brush techniques but never attempted to actually paint.

After today, I think I am going to give it the old high school try. Who knows what this may lead to? The island is full of artists, groups and clubs dedicated to nurturing the creative juices. I finally have the time to attend.

And so it goes.

Purging the Urge to Splurge.

It has been almost 2 months since my last spending spree. My 'urge to splurge' has been subdued. My spending and lack thereof seems to swing like a pendulum. I know it would be best to steer a course in the center but I am having a hard time doing so. I seem to go from massive spending sprees to nil expenditures. I go months (even years) without spending unnecessary dollars and then just explode when I come into money. I indulge myself with every extravagance I had gone without. I can't find the middle ground.

The only solution I can see to my spending swings would be to either constantly spend and indulge or move to another country. The pressure to spend is rampant in America. You can not exist in America without money. This past week I was performing a little experiment on myself. I've been living this week alone at my beach house and trying to see how little cash I could exist on.

I started the week with $40 cash, a half tank of gas and a pantry full of the food basics. My first urge was to buy a bag of chips and a have a beer. I haven't had a chip in over 2 years and I haven't had a beer in 3! Yet, somehow, after I dropped my husband off at the airport I wanted to well, celebrate. The chips cost $3 and unable to just buy 1 bottle of beer, a six pack cost me $8.50. On the first day I was already down to $28.50. Should I not have had the chips and beer? Why did the notion to celebrate have to cost me money?

The next day I wanted to go to the ocean instead of our local bay. The bay was free. The ocean was $10 to park. Should I stay home or should I indulge and enjoy a day at the ocean? The ocean won out and I now had $18. A trip to the ATM seemed imminent.



I withdrew $20 from my checking account and hoped that this would be the end of it. On my way back to my house I met my next door neighbor. I told her I was up for the week, alone and reminded her that we had promised each other a day at the capital (of the state) if we ever both had the time. Well, we both had the time. The capital has a plethora of things to do: museums, art galleries, historic neighborhoods, restaurants and of course, shopping in quaint little stores. She told me she could get tickets to the museums for free from our local library but I'd have to drive and use my car. "Is that alright?" she asked. "Of course", said I. Visions of the dwindling fuel tank flew across my brain as well as a lunch check and buying oh, just a little something at the mall. I quickly regretted speaking to my neighbor. Me and my big mouth!

Since I am self-employed money always fluctuates for me. I'm not scheduled to receive my next check till this Friday. Now, my little sojourn to the capital is going to require money. This meant a transfer of funds from my emergency account to my checking account. I went online and transferred the money. Now I was down $100. Should I not be going, I asked myself? I've been thinking of doing this for 2 years. Now, I have the opportunity. My neighbor and I will share and enjoy a special day.

The 'old' me would have thrown up it's hands and say 'You see, I can't save any money" and then go off and spend, spend, spend. The 'new' me is saying "Well, it's all in a days worth. I'll manage it. I'll control it and I'll enjoy it". It was foolish of me to think that I could exist without spending any money. I guess that is the message from this little experiment I conducted on myself this week.

And so it goes.

Feds: Inflation "uncomfortably high".

The Federal Government today finally admitted inflation is the main threat to the economy. Despite the elimination of food and energy from the Feds inflation calculations, the numbers don't lie. If the US Government admits to inflation, it's probably worse than what it really is. You can read the announcement here.

The Feds hinted they may be lowering their interest rates soon in order to help out the plunging housing market. That sent the dow to surge to it's highest levels ever. Back in the beginning of May I posted that inflation in the US is real here despite what the financial experts were reporting. You and I feel the pain every day we buy an item.

On the other hand though, my investments are soaring (I've already made back almost $3325 of the $5000 I spent on going to Europe and it's only been 8 weeks). My investment increases make up for all the extra cash I had to pay for gas, real estate taxes and the foreign exchange.

As inflation rises, cash becomes scarce. Banks will pay higher interest rates on your cash deposits. Back in 1983-1984, I was making 14% on my Certificates of Deposits with my local bank. That was good money then. Hopefully, it will be good again.

If you have any debt, get rid of it. If you have any cash, hold on to it. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

And so it goes.

Save Money. Grow Herbs.

In the summer I grow my own herbs. I buy them already sprouted. The modern ones already come in bio-degradable pots which disintegrate slowly after planting. Using fresh herbs in your summer cooking brings any dish that special zing. At the end of the summer season I dry out any remaining herb and use them during the winter months.

One of my main and most used herb is basil. I use basil in my tomato salads, on pizza and in sauces. When I have at least 2 cups growth of basil I make my traditional pesto sauce. I do this several times during the summer and freeze small batches for winter use. It's great to be in the middle of a snow storm and whip out some pesto sauce over pasta. It's a great reminder of the summer.

To purchase bunches of basil at the grocery store cost $4 per bundle. Each basil I planted only cost me $2.49 and will bear at least 4 to 5 bundles over the summer. I just keep plucking from the top of the plant and new growth appears almost instantly.

Another herb that I like to grow in abundance is parsley. Fresh parsley gives any dish great flavor. I use it in salads, soups and as a garnish. I also grow Greek oregano which I use as a spice for grilled meats, chicken and fish. I grow dill which tastes great in potato salad and rosemary which I use in many fish recipes.

This year I am trying something new. I am growing French lavender. I haven't found a recipe yet that I would like to try it in. I would, however, like to grow an abundance, then dry them out and savor their aroma. I may use them as room fresheners.

You can grow herbs anywhere there is light: a kitchen window, a front or back porch/deck, a living room or bedroom window. I purchased mine at the garden center in my local Wal Mart. I planted them in organic potting soil in plastic containers that I use over and over again every year. In addition to saving money, your food will taste amazing with just a touch of natural, home grown herbs and spices.

And so it goes.

Festival of Frugality.

Check out all the great entries in this weeks' Festival of Frugality here.

My entry on low cost redecorating by using paint to save lots of money, was named BEST PICTORIAL OF FRUGALITY IN ACTION. You can read it again here.

And so it goes.

A Week At The Beach.

I decided to spend this week at the beach house. Alone. My husband will be off on another week long business trip and I thought it would be a good idea to spend my week at the beach.

The beach house is only 756 sq. ft and used to be a summer shack. In 1992, the previous owner, a woman, transformed it into a year round home complete with electric heat and a propane fireplace. It's only one bedroom and one bath, but we have since made a storage closet into a half-bath and a storage room into a tight 2nd bedroom. It works for us since it is not our main home.

This week I am going to take many walks along the ocean, visit the nearby town and go window shopping. Perhaps I'll take my laptop to the local cafe and write this weeks posts from there. I also brought along my digital camera and art supplies.

The beach house is only one block from the beach. It's a nice walk there. The beach house sits on an island that is only 7 miles long and 2 miles wide. There is a ferry and a bridge that connects us to the mainland. The beach house almost sits directly under the entrance to the bridge. If there is an event going on in the mainland, the traffic noise can be quite intolerable. It was this noise that got the seller to lower his price almost $60,000. I kept complaining about the noise and we were really the only interested buyer. On the days when the traffic bothers me, I tell myself it is the traffic that got me this great, cozy beach house at a great, fantastic price. Without that traffic, this beach house would still only be a dream.

I like to sit on the front deck on a white rocker and have my morning coffee. I usually have my iPod on, listening to French or Italian music while reading the local paper. The house is a corner property and sits on a double lot. That may sound like it's big but the lots are very tiny. The close proximity to the other houses means I am friendly with all my neighbors. When we are here they invite us over for tea and coffee. They love to hear the news from the big city.

Two years ago a developer was trying to buy the last remaining lot behind my house. The neighbors asked my husband and I to help them fight the developer and keep this one remaining parcel open. They didn't have the money to hire an attorney. So, we hired a local attorney, read the developer the riot act, made a higher bid on the property but still lost in the end. Another house got built but sat idle for 2 years. In the end the developer had to lower the price in order to sell thus taking down all our property values.

The new owner closes this week and I'll have a brand new neighbor.

And so it goes.

Monthly Food Bill Revisited.

This past month I decided to do something different with my monthly food bill. I was only going to buy the food I absolutely needed and only double up on my sales stock items. In other words, loss-leader sale items like chicken cutlets, toilet paper and coffee, I only bought 2 of instead of say, 10.

If you have been following my posts, I have been spending around $600 a month on food for just two people. Here is my original post and how I was able to lower my food bills down to $500 or so. My new method, however, revealed a starting discovery. My food bill this month was only $392. That's a big substantial drop.

I've noticed that the loss-leader sales sell the same discounted items over and over again. It was financially foolish then to stock up on items that usually went on sale every three months or so. It was better to only buy a few of those loss-leaders to tide me over till they went on sale again. My local supermarket always has chicken cutlets on $1.79 sale every other month. Same holds true for my favorite toilet paper, coffee and canned items. Why was I using my valuable pantry space to store items the grocery store could do for me otherwise.

Here is a run down of my expenditures:

Once a month I go to Wal Mart and buy my monthly grocery/cleaning/pet supplies. Normally I spend between $150 and close to $200. This time, I planned out my meals better, (made my own cleaning spray by mixing one part Mr. Clean to three parts water and refilling my spray bottle)and only bought pet supplies to get me through the month. Total: $124.97.

Each week, I went to my local grocery and vegetable/fruit stores and only bought what I needed for a few days. Here are the dates and amounts I spent:
5/1 $18.76
5/4 $56.82
$23.08
$16.00
5/11 $22.23
4.32
9.33
5/15 $16.10
8.00
5/21 14.00
21.00
16.00
5/27 11.00
9.76
20.67

I went out to eat three times this month. The total for all 3X was $27.60.

I'm going to keep up this new found way of buying food and see what happens over the next six months. I'll keep you posted.

And so it goes.

Tithing. Being Kind To Others.

I tithe between 10% to 25% of my gross income to several religious organizations. I am a born again Christian but I do not attend any church. My relationship with God is personal and I very rarely discuss it with anyone.

In addition to my tithing, I help anyone who needs my help. Whether they ask for it or not. Oftentimes, I will meet people who are in distress and in dire straights. If I have the expertise to help them, I do so without asking anything in return. Some times it could be just a simple act of listening to their problems without judgment. Other times it may be representing them in small claims court trying to get back unused deposit money or contacting the Attorney General to report some form of financial abuse.

I once encountered a fellow co-worker crying at her desk. Rather than keep on walking, I stepped into her office and asked her what was wrong. Her husband and she were going through financial hard times. I took the time to go through her finances with her and found out she was paying $330 a month for whole life insurance. A simple switch to term life saved her family $300 a month which freed up cash for food, energy and better health insurance for her daughter. Every time after that when we would pass in the hall, she always thanked me for saving her life. And marriage.

At another job I had, I overheard the school cook complain to her friends that a department store had been overcharging her credit account $10.99 a month for some sort of dental care she never requested. The total over the years had come to over $527. Despite all her calls to the company, she couldn't get the fees refunded and she couldn't afford an attorney to help her. I stepped in immediately and together we kept sending certified letters to the company, the CEO and then finally the Attorney General. The woman got her money back (which was an enormous amount to her) and she thanked me profusely for never giving up or taking no for an answer. She never ordered the dental plan and the company had no proof that she ever did.

My husband and I have sat many times in restaurants and observed many people struggling, trying to pay their checks. If we especially see an elderly couple counting out their coins, my husband and I always call their waitress over, quietly pay their bill and tip and make the waitress promise NOT to tell the couple who picked up their tab. Same holds true for a struggling parent with children. My husband and I always pick up the tab, in secret. I do the same thing when I am waiting on line at the grocery check out. If the person before me is struggling to pay the bill, I pick up the difference for them. End of story.

Most of the time I try to help the elderly as much as possible. I volunteer at our local hospital here in the Assisted Living division. I have made friends with several women there, one of whom is suffering from MS and tries desperately to live on her own. I know that sometimes just a simple phone call to ask how a person is doing or just to say 'hello' can be very important to someone. When my own father was dying, I would call him every night, read to him a passage from the bible over the phone and just tell him I loved him. Those phone calls meant the world to him and they meant the world to me. His last three weeks of life were spent just holding my hand. There are no financial amounts you can place on helping people. I know that God has blessed me with several talents and I try to use them to the best of my ability.

This week was no exception. A co-worker of my husband is leaving for Iraq in a few weeks. Despite my feelings towards our government and this war, I will never discuss them or display them to this fine, young man. He knows that I pray for him each and every night. He came here yesterday to say goodbye to my husband and I. While we were standing outside of the garage he noticed that I had a brand new 4 ft. pool stored inside. He casually mentioned his team would sure love to dip in a pool in the 180 degree dessert. Without even thinking I told him the pool was his. He immediately made a phone call to his division and in the midst of their cheers they made room in the container for the pool. I know that several of our soldiers will find comfort and joy in that 4 ft. pool. This was but a minuscule thing I could do for them compared to what they will be doing for us. Again, please no comments on the war or this government!

One of my favorite stories is an explanation of how rich people get into heaven. "If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me". Rich people can't, won't or don't do this. But I did.

In 2001 I gave up (whether voluntary or involuntary)every single thing I ever owned or possessed until I was just left standing with the very clothes on my back. I lost my home, my business, my car, all my money, all my furniture, even the hard drive on my computer. It was as if my previous life had been wiped clean off the face of the earth. I moved to a rural area where my new neighbors judged me by my personality NOT my clothes, car or bank account. They accepted me for me. I literally was reborn and started living life as if I were a new creature. It's been an amazing journey to say the least and one I would highly recommend. You would never cast a stone at another ever again.

And so it goes.

End Of Week Savings Round Up.

I had 2 over ripe bananas left, so I used them, along with 2 last remaining eggs and the last bit of organic yogurt and baked a banana bread. I use one part whole wheat flour to 3 parts white flour to make it even more healthier.

In the day-old vegetable bin, I picked up two pounds of mixed peppers for only .81 cents. I made a frittata with most of them (frying up the peppers with onions and then covering them with beaten eggs and baking all in a 350 degree oven). The remaining pepper mixture I put into a recycled, glass preserve jar, covered it with olive oil and will store in my refrigerator for a later use as a sandwich condiment.

I dropped off my husband's once-a year dry cleaning clothes and saved $2.90 by paying cash, up front.

I bought 2 packages of natural, free range chicken breasts, that was on sale this week for only .79 a pound vs. $1.19. Each package contains 6 breasts. I roasted one package, the other I froze. I had three roasted breasts left, which I made into chicken salad for the next day's lunch. I added in bits of brocolli, carrots, celery, red onion, low fat mayo and made it as healthy as I could. The left over bones, I boil and get a great chicken stock out of it which I later use to make risotto.

I also bought 2 packages of whole, de-boned chicken cutlets for $1.79 a pound vs. $3.79. Each package equals two dinner meals. We horizontally slice the cutlets and pound them to make them thinner. We usually grill or saute the cutlets in a few of our favorite recipes.

My wedding savings I've already outlined here.

The last thing I did this week was find another use for my soap bars when they get down to little pieces. Rather than throw them away, I cut them in little pieces and put them in a washed out Oil Of Olay pump dispenser. I poured in enough warm water to cover the soap bits, shook the dispenser and made a great soap dispenser which I placed by the kitchen sink.

All of these things are not time consuming to me. I get them accomplished without giving much energy to them. The banana bread I whip up in my Kitchen Aid and the cooking and clean up I share with my husband.

All the money we save is money that we don't have to earn. That means more time off and more time to pursue our dreams.

And so it goes.

A Penny Saved Is A Dollar Earned.

Despite the fact that I have two (2) college degrees, I've never been able to earn more than $30,000 a year (working for other people).I hovered at $29,000 for many years and when I gave my then boss an ultimatum: pay me $30,000 or I am out the door, I was shown the door. He replaced me with another woman that he paid $40,000 a year plus a CPA that he had to pay $60,000 a year. He had me doing both jobs for only $29,000. Whose the idiot here?

Because of my low pay, I became very adept at giving a buck the buying power of a hundred bucks. I used to amaze all my fellow co-workers that during my working years I was able to take my family of four on yearly winter vacations to the Caribbean, own a home in the Hamptons plus a townhouse in the Catskill mountains (it was a foreclosure and I got it for $46,000) have elegant dinner parties and wear designer clothes. I also drove great cars. It could have been that because of my ability to stretch a dollar my employers saw no need to boost my pay. They may have figured that I didn't need the money as much as the next guy did. I don't know. I do know that they were very jealous.

One time when I came back from 10 days in St. Croix, my boss called me into his office to ask about my vacation. He listened while I told him of our snorkeling adventure, lobster dinners and hidden treasure hunting. Here are his actual words "Well, if you continue to save your pennies, you'll be able to go back one day". I then proceeded to tell him that I already booked for the next year because I got a 25% discount to return. I don't think he liked me much. A few years later, when I bought myself a new, red 1995 Mustang, he fired me four weeks later. Go figure.

Since that firing (and a lawsuit-I sued the bastard for wrongful discharge) I have been happily self employed. I still do not earn $30,000 a year but I am happier. And I am a powerhouse master of stretching a dollar bill!

A slick accountant once taught me the power of 'A penny saved is a dollar earned'. When you calculate how much a person has to earn dollar wise, then calculate in payroll taxes and the like, you realize it is more attainable to save money than earn it. I have become quite adept at seeking a certain lifestyle and then finding an alternate, less expensive way of achieving it.

I know when people look at me they don't know the bargain hunting that went along with my presentation. They may recognize my Oscar De La Renta scarf. What they don't know is it's the only one I have and I got it at a thrift store in an upscale neighborhood several years ago. Appearances can be deceiving.

And so it goes.

Memorial Day Wedding.

I'm going to a family wedding this holiday weekend. Perfect way to mess up everyones' holiday weekend, right? I know the couple is having their reception on Sunday because the rates are cheaper. I can't blame them. And they shouldn't blame me if I am not as generous as I would like to be.

Last summer I went to his brother's wedding, so I can't wear the same dress as I did then. The dress will show up in both sets of photographs and may prove to be embarrassing. Women aren't supposed to be seen in the same dress twice. My husband, however, is just having the suit he wore last year cleaned and pressed for $15. Oh well.

The wedding is in the next state and the couple reserved a block of hotel rooms at a reduced price for the wedding party. Even with the discounted price, it's too expensive. So, we will be staying with a relative who lives near by in order to save some money. Attending weddings is a very expensive proposition.

I shop for clothes at a discount designer outlet. I got this really great dress which retails for $330 for only $69. It's from the Dana Buckman line and it's a petite. It's a little clingy so I bought a full length, slimming body suit to wear underneath. The suit retails for $50 and I bought it for slightly under $12. I'll wear some stockings that I got from Wal Mart and finally wear my black leather, sexy Italian shoes. A little borrowed black clutch bag and I'm done.



I'll be doing my own hair and nails. I dye my own hair a golden blonde with a $2.92 bottle of Revlon's ColorSilk that I picked up at Wal Mart. By the time I get through paying for the gas, tolls and the wedding gift (in addition to the dress and dry cleaning bill) I'm lucky if I have $50 left over for the week. Normally for a wedding gift, I'll call the caterer and ask how much per person the wedding party is paying. I double the amount, tack on a bit for good measure and voila' I have the amount to give the happy couple. This year it's different. I'm doing the best I can. I know the happy couple is feeling the economic pinch because there will be no limousines and the guest list was cut dramatically. They just bought a condo and the real estate reality has already reared it's nasty head.

Good luck, to the happy couple. Your financial life is just getting started.



And so it goes.

My Attitude Towards Money.

My attitude towards money is not a healthy one. It's a depressing one. I had 2 hardworking parents who sacrificed their lives for the pursuit of money. I watched my mother die of esophagus cancer at the early age of 58. I was six months pregnant at the time. My parents ran a sweat factory that manufactured small plastic parts. There was no heat in the winter and air-conditioning was non existent. We always blamed the plastic fumes for my mother's death but we never spoke about it out loud. As my mother lay in her death bed, I thought it odd that all the money in the world my parents had accumulated couldn't save her life. It just went to pay her exorbitant medical bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Many years later when my father died, inheritance taxes took away 55% of his hard earned estate. Lawyers, accountants, executors, brokers and the like took away another chunk. By the time it dwindled down to his three children, we got practically nothing in comparison. What was all that hard work for?

I grew up watching my parents work hard, sacrifice and save only to see them die horrible deaths. It is no wonder that I am reckless with money. I don't respect money. To me, it has no value. Because of my attitude, I haven't used my life as a means to procure more money. I found that life offered me more benefits and enjoyment if I lived it in the lower middle classes. Less income means less taxes and less procurements of material possessions. I was free to enjoy nature and my family. We had nothing but each other and that was just fine.

I have this simple prayer that I say to myself each and every night. If my life can accomplish these things every day, I know I am living a happy existence to my full potential:

Thank you Lord,for this comfy bed
And the roof above my head
Every morning, a hot shower, three meals I am fed
Thank you God, for this homestead.

I'm sure to anyone who has ever lost their home, either to a hurricane, some disaster or even a foreclosure can understand my prayer. We don't realize that just a simple thing as having a comfy bed to sleep in at night is a big deal. Getting a hot shower or a hot meal every day is an amazing luxury. The only way you would know that would be if you didn't have it at some point in your life. When I went through my divorce, I literally had to spend nights in my car. Meals consisted of pasta and margarine on many occasions. When my business failed back in 2000, it was very frightening to know that the days under my roof were numbered. I lost most of my possessions to a water leak while they were in storage. I had to start all over again from the bottom. I was fifty years old and very tired.

No one is immune from losing it all. The ultimate loss is your life. Money doesn't mean anything if your dead. And that's my attitude towards money.

And so it goes.

Look Ma, No Wrinkles.

As a woman of 50 plus, I am often complimented on the fact that I have very few wrinkles. I do have a low cost secret to this wonderful skin: the power of Vaseline! When I was 16 years old I watched a beauty special on TV that did a comparison of Vaseline to high-cost, so-called, beauty creams. The Vaseline won each and every time. So, at the age of 16 I decided to rub my eyes in Vaseline (petroleum jelly) each and every night. I also put a dab on the area directly above my upper lip and a little dab on my forehead, since these seem to be the two other areas that show wrinkles first.

I also use a daily moisturizer with a 15% SPF sun screen. I always wear sunglasses throughout every season when I go outdoors and I always wear a hat with a brim in the summer months. In other words, I always protect my face.

There is another thing that I do which I feel greatly contributes to my great, firm, wrinkle free skin (including my neck) and that is I never put on makeup. NEVER!!!! I do not clog my natural face with any of that crap! If I have a special event to go to, I put on mascara, a bit of eye shadow and colored lipstick. That's it! I wear plain lip gloss each and every day (I also smudge a bit of it on the skin above my upper lip). I carry a small tube of Vaseline with me at all times. When I feel the skin around my eyes getting tight, I smudge a bit of Vaseline on them.

I used to only use Oil Of Olay products (like face scrub, soap, astringent, night creme and day creme) but found that the cheaper, less-expensive Wal Mart versions work just as well. Other knock offs don't work as well as the Wal Mart Equate brand. My daily routine consists of the Equate Daily Facial scrub, followed by a 50/50 mixture of Oil Of Olay astringent and witch hazel, and a close up with either a nightly application of Equate Night Creme or day application of Equate Daily Moisturizer. A dab of Vaseline around my eyes and I am set.

I also do facial yoga stretches (The Lion), neck rolls and full body twists that stretch the upper body and face. I also try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. preferring to wake naturally each morning without the sharpness of an alarm. (hint: my doggie nudges me). I do not drink anything with caffeine (except one cup in morning of half caffeine/half decaf) and at least two quarts of bottled water a day.

Apparently, all of this is paying off. Give it a try.

And so it goes.

Money Attracts More Money.

Ever since I decided to stop being a victim and more of a victor, strange things have been happening to me. As soon as I started to admit to who I was, faults and all, and make the decision to handle my money better, my life has been taking on a more positive attitude. I've been attracting more money to come my way.

First, my old boss called me back in to do some part time work and fill in for this summer. I raised my hourly (after reading Suze Orman's Woman and Money book) to what I felt I deserved, which was 8% more. My old boss didn't blink an eyelash and paid me what I asked for. Ka-ching!

Second, since the transfer of all my stock holdings into European-based companies six weeks ago, I amassed almost $3000. Gulp.

Third, when I went to the local supermarket to cash in some coins (and cans), the person before me left a plastic envelope of foreign coins. Obviously, the coin machine rejected them. I looked through them and found 2 Susan B. Anthony dollar coins. Score!

Fourth, as I exited from another store last week I saw a familiar glimmer of green paper scrunched on the sidewalk. I picked it up and shoved it in my pocket. When I got in my car and looked, there were two $20 bills. Double score!!

Fifth, last Friday, when I got home, I found a letter from my insurance company. In the letter was a check made payable to me for $86.30. The company said it was a dividend check thanking me for my good driving record. Go figure.

Sixth, and lastly, this is the best, best one, folks. Yesterday, as I was leaving the food store, I was thinking and planning in my head how I was going to write this post. How I always search the ground for coins, how I stoop for pennies, how I found that forty dollars while recognizing that pale, faint green color of money, when I noticed another pale, green bit of paper in the center of the driveway. I looked down and saw a folded piece of paper and some zero's. I picked it up, put it in my pocket and slowly walked back to my car where my husband was sitting and waiting for me.

"Lock the doors", I whispered. "Let's Go". As he started up the engine, I pulled out the little green piece of paper and there before me was a $100 bill! Immediately, my disbelieving husband said it was a fake. But a quick detour to the bank revealed otherwise. It was the real, genuine thing.

The tally for the week (less the stock market) was $228.30. Not bad. Not bad. It's true what they say about the Law Of Money. Money begets money.

And so it goes.

PS: I almost forgot. I wrote a thank you email to an online site that podcasts free 'Learn To Speak Italian' lessons at www.learnitalianpod.com. The owner was so impressed with my accomplishment, he offered me a one year subscribers membership, which has the value of $120. Now, I can learn to read and write Italian as well as speak it.

And so it double goes.

Saving Money With Paint.

My husband and I have this conversation practically every day: "You paid too much money for the beach house", he says. "Fine", say I. "Go see if you can buy another beach house for the same price". You can't. I paid $60 thousand LESS than the asking price. End of story.

The prices of the homes around me, though, have come down substantially. The beach house could really use a new kitchen, but with the lower value of the homes, it would be insane to invest $20,000 into a new kitchen. Enter the paint can.

A new coat of paint is an amazing thing. The proper color and a new coat of paint can transform any room from horrid to spectacular. For under $1000, we transformed a dated kitchen into a beach house cottage masterpiece. Judge for yourself.

Here is the before:


Here is the after:


The first thing we did was paint the old style bead board a shiny gloss white. Next, we painted the walls a soothing Vale Mist green. The stove was in the wrong position so we moved it to the other side of the kitchen. Next we sold the old, clunky refrigerator on Craig's List for $150 and used that money to buy a stainless-type, 10 cu foot, energy efficient, new refrigerator for $376 (with tax). We hired my girlfriend's boyfriend to sand, prime and paint the kitchen cabinets (after we removed one cabinet above the stove and removed one of the front cabinet doors to create a modern shelf area).


That cost us $375 which included the paint, primer and sanding tools. My husband did all the electrical work, which was quite extensive since the stove and matching exhaust fan had to be moved to another side of the room (he spent many hours on his back in the crawl space). The price for the electrical parts was $157. Both windows have inexpensive, plastic bamboo shades which cost $4 each. Lastly, and most notably, I replaced all the door handles with expensive (to me) but with attention-to-detail black knobs, which are shaped like little clam shells (perfect for a beach house) at a total cost of $77 for 22 handles.

The total cost for the remodel came to $993, less the $150 Craig's list for a total of $843. That's a hell of a lot better than twenty grand for a new kitchen! The black, asian-style benches, I bought last year at Wal Mart (yes, Wal Mart) for $24 each. The last finishing touches, I think, to fully complete the renovation would be a new ceiling light and maybe a more asian-styled dish drainer. The kitchen does not have a dishwasher, but hey! it's a beach house, right? You're supposed to be roughing it, yes? The stainless sink is a double sink. So, I soak and wash on one side and rinse off on the other side.

Next year we are going to relaminate the center isle. The original plan was to tile it with sea glass tiles but the price was over $300. For $40, we can glue a new laminate down over the old one. But that's on the agenda for next year.

Every year we plan on doing a little bit of updating. This keeps the costs down and our cash flow flush. Last year we installed a brand new bathroom inside a center hall closet for under $400 (just for the parts). It took us 2 weeks to complete (again my husband spent many hours on his back in the crawl space) but the rewards are spectacular.

See for yourself:


The towel rack was from a 'going-out-of-business' sale that I picked up for $5 (yes, five bucks!). The curtain is a dish towel that I attached loops to and hung over the window. The plates are really plastic eating dishes that I picked up for $1.50 each. The blue wooden lighthouses I picked up at some beach flea market.

Oh, I know how to save money and all. And I certainly know how to make money. I still have to work on my spendthrift habits (like buying the beach house in the first place!).

And so it goes.

Living With Arthritis.

I was diagnosed with arthritis when I just turned 40 years old. I was heavy into data entry then and I felt strange painful aches in my fingers. My doctor at first diagnosed lupus and demanded I go on steroids. I adamantly refused and only took over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or Tylenol. As the years progressed, and my pain increased, I went to another doctor who told me I had rheumatoid arthritis and prescribed prescription drugs. Again, I refused medication and would still only take OTC medication.

A few years ago, and several crooked fingers later, I again went to a doctor, this time a rheumatologist and was finally correctly diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This time I wanted and took the prescribed medication because I was in serious pain and faced possible deformity in my hands. That drug was vioxx and it was pulled off the market only 2 weeks after I was prescribed. The recall only reinforced my reluctance to take prescribed medications. I went back to OTC medications and slowly watched my precious fingers continue their downward bend and deformity. My doctor did tell me, however, that typing was the best exercise so my career never languished.

Two years ago, I started a strange (to me) diet promoted by Marilu Henner (www.marilu.com) click here. Marilu's parents had both died in their fifties due to severe arthritis and it's complications. Her parents death prompter her to seek out a healthy alternative to successful weight management and living a disease-free life. Marilu's premise is simple. It's the elimination of 4 key food groups from your diet and the incorporation of more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish into your daily intake. The 4 items to be eliminated from your diet are red meats, sugar, caffeine and all dairy products. I had no trouble with the first three but being Italian, I had a problem with the elimination of all dairy. Cheese is a big staple of my life. But, alas, I gave it the old college try and made the switch to soy products.

One of the happy side effects for me on this new found diet, other than the loss of 20 pounds, was that the swelling and pain in my fingers all but disappeared. After being diary-free for several weeks I found out through eating a single slice of cheese that I would feel sharp, shooting pains in my hands almost immediately. As per Maililu, if one were to go off the wagon and succumb to dairy cravings, the ingestion of a fresh pineapple would cleanse the system of all dairy sins. Pineapple contains enzymes that flushes the digestive system free of dairy.

I don't know if this program will work for you but it did work for me. I do believe that proper health can be achieved and maintained through proper eating. Marilu has a plethora of reasons why dairy, red meat, sugar and caffeine corrupt the human system. I recommend reading her books, especially '30 Day Makeover", which I bought from Amazon, used, for only a few single bucks. It was an excellent investment in myself. Marilu also has several episodes airing on FIT TV called 'Shape Up Your Life'. The woman is nearing her 60's and she looks fantastic!

And so it goes.

Interview With A Generation Y'r.

Good financial management can be passed down from generation to generation. Most Baby Boomers have learned from their depression-surviving parents how to avoid debt, save and manage their finances. I'm no exception. Most of my management skills have been learned by observing my mother and father (both multi-millionaires). My parents accumulation of wealth, however, was achieved during the industrial revolution in America. Today's wealth is accumulated in the technology sector. My parents never used a computer and had no desire to. I often wonder, if they were alive today would they still have become millionaires.

I had the opportunity to interview a modern, well-to-do Generation Y'r. She's a twenty-something woman who has managed to keep her high paying job in Information Services (computer) despite five corporate downsizings. That alone is a great accomplishment in today's standards. She has low interest student loans that will be paid off in 4 more years. She owns her own condo (after borrowing the downpayment from a family member at 4.5%, first payment due in five years). Has only has one credit card with zero percent interest. Here are her thoughts on successful money management:

1. Your mother considers you to be quite financially adept. Do you agree?
How did this come about?

Well, considering my family makes fun of me for not letting Washington out of my wallet, I'm flattered. I would say that over the years I've just figured out what I can afford and what I cannot. I try to buy things using cash/debit card only so if I can't afford it, I don't buy it. If I fall down the wrong path and use my credit card, I remove it from my wallet and pay it off as quickly as possible. for me, it's out of wallet out of debt philosophy.

2. Do you have financial goals? How are you achieving them?

yes, i'd like to save more money which i have slowly started to do. it's hard to save for tomorrow when you need the money today but i'm trying.

3. Do you have a financial role model, hero or icon that you admire?

you mean like donald trump? nope. no financial role model but i do take advice from suze orman. i met her once and she gave me good advice on what to do
with my small inheritance. she, in a way, helped me be better prepared when
it came time to get approved for a mortgage. because i had no debt, i was
able to obtain a 30 year fixed mortgage at a great rate that i can afford.
so thanks suze!

4. What are your financial secrets? If any?

i don't really have any secrets other than i don't like the stock market and choose not to invest aggressively. slow and steady wins the race for me but i do have the luxury of time being that i'm not even 30 yet.

5. Is there one word of advice you would say to your fellow
twenty-somethings?

status is fake but peer pressure is real. sometimes owning that really-expensive-to-die-for-designer-handbag will make you happy but if you can't afford it, it's out of your reach. my best advice is to
save, save, save and then buy it. it's better to know that you've paid for
it in full. also, by the time you're ready to make your purchase, it's sooo
last season so why not leave the money in your savings account and let it
work for you by earning a decent interest rate. if you still love it at
least you can buy it guilt free knowing it's yours. all 100% of it.

Thanks to the Generation Y'r for her informative answers!

And so it goes.

How To Retire At Fifty.

In a word: you shouldn't. I did and it was stupid. I retired at fifty and did all the things that people dream of doing at an early retirement. I am happy to report, five years later, that all you really need to do at 50 is take a year off, down shift, regroup and then go back to work. No matter how much money I amassed in savings and investments, the money could not keep up with rising costs and inflation. Plus, I was bored to tears! Here's the list of what I did after I told my boss adios:

1. Stayed up late and slept late. Wasted my days.
2. Bought an RV, traveled up and down the eastern seaboard and parked at every major beach from Maine to Key West. Yawn. (sold RV for an $8000 loss) Double yawn.
3. Started a catering/service business with my 47 year old girlfriend. Learned the business first by working 6 months for a top notch caterer. After 14 weddings and countless grueling hours discovered that partners (in business) are only good for dancing. Closed business after 9 months.
4. Attended Lifetime Learning Institute for seniors and attended writing classes. I was the youngest student and listened to countless fellow classmates cry and reminisce about their childhoods.
5. Joined the local Garden Club, was elected their Vice President after only 5 months because they wanted 'young blood' in their membership. Couldn't get a single new event accomplished because most of the members were too old to do anything.
6. Volunteered at the local hospital Assisted Living section. After 8 weeks, quit because all my co-workers came down with pneumonia and I couldn't take the chance to get sick also.
7. Traveled to Paris, France and Milan, Bologna, Florence and Venice, Italy. Travel expenses quickly put me in the poor box.
8. Bought a beach house. Although nice, still requires costly upkeep and maintenance. Portfolio liquidator.
9. Bought a sail boat and found out my arthritis disables me from handling the lines. Another portfolio liquidator.
10. Realized part time work was necessary in order to maintain my new found retirement and spent six months at each of these jobs before going back to my original employer and begging back my old job (at part time hours): insurance data- entry clerk, car wash bookkeeper, non-for-profit budget administrator, newspaper office assistant (after employer told me I reminded him of his mother!)

MORAL OF STORY: don't give up your day job! What you really need at the age of 50 (or 55, 60, 62, 65 etc. etc. etc) is just a sabbatical. All I really needed was to take time off, perhaps a year, then just down shift into a newer role. The notion that you can retire at 50 and go live the good life is pure utter folly! And I had half a mill in the bank! It wasn't enough. Plus, I was too young, too energetic and have so much more life in me to live to quit.

The main thing I did that proved to be the most successful was sell the family home, cash out and down size into a smaller home without a mortgage at the age of fifty. That was the greatest achievement. Without a mortgage, I was able to amass a generous portfolio. Luckily for me, my husband is younger than me, kept on working steadily, so we still have his career salary to sustain us. I had tried to convince him to retire with me but now in retrospect I realize that would have been a fatal error.

After realizing that I needed to go back to work, I went on countless interviews only to be shunned at the interview. I heard things like "You're overqualified" (you're old), "You remind me of my mother" (I'm not hiring my mother!) "You'll never be happy with the pay" (you're old).

Thankfully, my original boss is in his mid 60's and most of his employees are in their mid 50's or high 40's. Age wasn't a concern. Only talent and qualifications are. He is sympathetic to my arthritis flare ups and constant quests for individual personal freedoms. (like my yearly quests to Europe and long weekends at my beach house) So, I am blessed and fortunate to have found an employer who understands the baby-boomer generation.

My life is in perfect balance right now. I have no intention ever of stopping work again. I think the real true secret to early retirement is to find some type of employment you love and work part time till death do you part. It is the only way to keep up with inflation, rising costs and most important, to maintain your brain! Working keeps you young, keeps you involved in the real world and with your fellow man.

And so it goes.

The Fine Art Of Saving Money.

Saving money is hard. Living below your means is even harder. Once you get the taste of the good life, it's hard to cut back when things get tight. I always blame myself when money gets scarce. I tell myself if I hadn't spent this, hadn't gone there, hadn't eaten those, if I had lived in constant restraint, I wouldn't be in the current predicament.

In other words, if I just sit in my kitchen, with my hands folded in my lap for the rest of my life, I'd be a multimillionaire. The odds of me doing that is zero. As I get older, I want to do more, see more, experience more and go for things I never did before. The gloves are off. For the past few posts I have been lamenting over $156.25 I spent on 2 pairs of Italian leather shoes. The truth is, when I was 16 years old, my parents sent me to Italy for a summer with my 21 year old brother. I spent most of my time with my Aunt Elsa in a small Italian seaport. When it was time to go back to the USA, I begged my brother to let me buy something Italian. I wanted leather shoes. My brother, the ultra conservative, told me no. It was something I regretted for the next 40 years.

So, naturally, at the age of 55, I bought myself leather Italian shoes upon my return to Italy. I may never wear these shoes but I love the fact that I have them. I can look at them at any time. They are safe and sound inside my closet. It's silly of me to be lamenting over BUYING the shoes now after living so many years lamenting over NOT BUYING the shoes. I am wracked with guilt over saving enough money for retirement.

I live a certain lifestyle now and I fight hard to keep it at the status quo. I don't want to give up anything. I don't want to go without. I keep finding different routes through this maze we call life in my constant quest to keep my life as it is. I want to have a croissant and coffee on a late Sunday morning. I want to travel to France and Italy every year and wander through the cobbled streets of Florence and Paris. I want to wear Italian sexy jeans, a Parisian scarf and wear comfortable handmade leather sneakers. I want to take a bath and use a French soap whose formula has been secretly handed down from generation to generation from the days of Napoleon. I want to keep drinking Tuscan wines with my dinners. I don't want to give any of these things up.

So, I scour closeout sales from uptown European stores and find the designer clothes, the soaps and trinkets that make me so very happy. Or I buy from the local bargain basement-type stores in Paris and Florence. In other words, I keep my lifestyle intact but at reduced, sale prices. You can read further about this style of self-imposed savings here. It's called 'Saving Without Misery'. I couldn't have said it any finer.

In the meantime, I have been able to get my emergency fund back up to $10,000 and my 'fudge' money fund up to $200. I've squirreled away over $500 into my retirement fund and I am dreaming and planning towards my next European vacation next spring. This year I want to go to the French Riviera, St. Tropez, Cannes, Nice and then take the train over to the Italian Riviera side. Istria, in Croatia seems to be the hottest rage right now. People, I'm almost there!

And so it goes.

I Almost Got A Credit Card Today.

I am bombarded daily with credit offers in the mail. It's almost on the verge of 'disgusting'. Normally I shred the offers. This has been going on for almost 7 years. Lately, however, with my rising costs I've been finding myself tight for cash. I've accidentally spent my 'fudge' money on my trip to Europe by buying clothes (Italian leather shoes, etc.) I didn't need. I keep tapping into my emergency funds to pay current bills. I've been noticing that it's been getting harder for me to replenish these accounts. My emergency fund is $10,000 and my 'fudge' money is usually $1500 to $2000 above that. I use the 'fudge' money when things get slow. I'm self employed and spend a good deal of time waiting for my checks to roll in.

In these past six weeks, I've only managed to put $125 into my 'fudge' money account. That's not good. I'm in the midst of getting my houses spruced up for spring. Gardening projects, winter repairs and small remodeling projects have become quite painful financially. I just can't afford to do most of the work, so I had to prioritize the most important ones for this year and reschedule the remainder for next year. This is also not good. I need a new small, 10 cu ft. refrigerator. The cost is $352 and I just don't have the cash to get it right now. I estimate it will be the first week of June I can comfortably buy this without starvation.

So, it was in this light that I was starting to think about all those charge card offers. I sure could use a charge card now to get some things to tide me over and then pay the bill, in full, at the end of the month. I just need a little bit of help. Right on time, I get an offer for an American Express card through my business. Boy, was it tempting. Points, rewards, travel bonus miles, fees waived. I'd have that new refrigerator. Then I was thinking about restaurant meals, airline tickets to Croatia, car rentals in Europe, clothes..........see what I mean? This was not a good thing either.

I am a spendthrift. I am a shopoholic. Technically, because of this flaw in my personality, I don't own anything. I can't trust myself. I am in my current mess because I overspent on my recent trip to Italy. These are the ramifications of my overspending. And what was I thinking of? Getting a charge card which would get me into more trouble. Even though I have been off credit and debt for 7 years, I was started to succumb from my own stupidity.

Luckily, I have a buddy system in place. I emailed my oldest daughter. She is my rock and can literally talk (scream) sense into me. I told her of my plan to apply for an American Express card to get me through these rough parts and in her infinite wisdom she immediately emailed me the simple answer: NO! IT'S A BAD IDEA!!!!!!

She's right. It was a very bad idea. I got myself into this mess and I have to get myself out of it. You'd think that because you are on a cash basis you wouldn't have the same problems like a credit person does. But you do. I've increased my billable hours and stopped all expenditures. I've got to get my 'fudge' money back up to where it was before. I have to wait till June to get a new refrigerator. I'll have to keep using the old one. I've also thought of selling the old one and perhaps having a little yard sale to come up with the extra money. Oldest daughter said she will help out if I do.

And so it goes.

You Can't Argue With Adjusted Numbers.

We all know that inflation is rearing it's ugly head. We all are feeling the pinch. That doesn't stop, however, the 'powers that be' to adjust the books, play down the inflation card and watch the stock market surge here.

A recent blog post from 'Get Rich Slowly' and his readers, including me, feel otherwise here. But who can argue with 'success'? The market is up, inflation fears have been calmed and I'm sure my investments will make money today.

I going to need that extra money in order to pay off the high costs of everything else.

And so it goes.