What I Learned About Credit Cards, Teens & eBay From Disney's Hannah Montana

It pays to watch Disney shows with your children. I learned a lot about credit card debt, big-ticket shopping sprees and desperate cash-tricks by watching a recent episode of Hannah Montana at Disney.com. Through the Internet, my youngest children and I watched the program. (We don't have cable or standard TV). The story line evolved around credit cards, kids and consumer behavior. The 22-minute viewing time was well-spent.

Quick Plot Summary: Credit-card debt is dangerous/expensive and the financial burden forces you to work overtime and to sell your soul.

Here's my rundown of the show and the financial tips:

Series Summary:

The series focuses on MileyStewart / Hannah Montana played by Miley Cyrus, who lives a double life as an average teenage girl at school during the day and a famous pop singer at night, concealing her real identity from the public other than her close friends and her family. --From Wikepedia

The Cast:
1. Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana played by Miley Cyrus (The title character)
2. Robby Ray Stewart played by Billy Ray Cyrus (The Dad)
3. Jackson Stewart played by Jason Earles ( Hannah's Brother)


The Credit Card Episode: Basically, The Dad gives the two teens credit cards to be used for "emergencies only." Big Trouble.

Financial Follies:

1. The Brother loses his credit card repeatedly during the episode. He misplaces the card inside the piano and even inside an avocado sandwich.

Lesson: Don't give cards to kids who are prone to lose things.

2. Prompted by a friend, Hannah Montana/Miley goes to a flea market just to window shop.

Lesson: The road to financial trouble begins innocently even at a flea market. The main character did not intend to spend anything, but ultimately spent well over a $1,000. She would have saved money by just staying home, reading or playing sports.

3. Her spending spree began when she split her pants and that "emergency" prompted her to buy a new skirt, which launched the spending binge.

Lesson: Parents should define terms when dealing with kids and money. For example, teens and parents have different ideas about emergency.

4. After buying the skirt, Hannah/Miley purchased shoes, belts, a hand massage machine, carpet and bags of expensive and unnecessary stuff.

Lesson: One bad purchase leads to another. What's more, she had a tortured rationalization for each item. Personally, I winced with a been there/bought that moment of self-recognition.

5. Hannah tried to take back the merchandise based on her faith in the one-day money-back promise from a flea market merchant. No luck. The Flea market was gone the next day.

Lesson: Shop carefully. Know your stores.

6. To pay the credit card bill before her father found out, Hannah/Miley sold her own celebrity merchandise on eBay. Her online yard sales is big financial hit.!

Lesson: eBay is a quick source of cash. Hold your own flea market (online or traditional) to earn money.

7. The Dad finds out after tracking the sales of online merchandise linked to Hannah Montana

Lesson: We leave lots of fingerprints and footsteps on the Internet.




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I Washed My Tiles With Cola: A Follow-Up Report

Last week, I wrote about unusual uses for cola. In that item, I mentioned how some people use cola to clean tiles, jewelery and toilet bowls. Well I poured a can of Diet Coke w/Splenda around my home. I accomplished a lot of with a 50-cent can of soda that someone had given us. Here are the results of my money-saving clean-up efforts:

1) Cola on glossy white tiles: Someone or something (maybe the dog) left sticky grease spots on our glossy white tile floor. No problem. I spilled cola on a sticky tile and let the fizzy drink sit for about 10 minutes.

Following the cola clean-up directions, I cleaned up the mess with soapy water and paper towels. It works. The area of the tile with cola came clean faster. The grease slid off the tile quite easily, but the cleanup required more effort on the sections that did not have cola.

On the uncola sections, the soapy paper towel slid around without picking up all of the dirt and the cleanup required more effort than the cola-soaked areas with the same amount of grime.

2. The Toilet Bowl: Worked pretty well. Let the cola sit for 40-60 minutes, then cleaned.

3. Jewelry: An old dangling earring (steel or nickel) from the 1980s actually looked shiny after soaking in cola for about 10 minutes. Likewise, a pair of gold post earrings also gleamed after a 10-minute dip in diet cola.

4. Rust stains: I was able to remove some, but not all, of the rust stains on an outdoor corian tabletop. I scrubbed the stains with a piece of aluminum foil dipped in diet coke. This routine also lifted a rust stain from a wrought iron outdoor chair.

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Toothpaste for Zits & Stains: How I Fought a Zit, but Attracted Ants: A Tuesday Tip

Toothpaste does more than whiten teeth. Other uses include zit-zapping powers and stain removal. In this week's Tuesday Tip post, I'm reporting on unusual applications for toothpaste, including the money-saving suggestions that I have personally tested.

Stain Removal: I was a bit skeptical when I read about this use of toothpaste in First for Women magazine. Here's the tip from the magazine:

"Brush away ink stains

The mild abrasives in toothpaste can remove permanent marker stains on cloth, wood or linoleum. Squeeze a dab on a soft cloth and gently rub in a circular motion on the stain. Let dry, then rinse with cool water." --First For Women magazine

My experience: I was interested in this tip because as a writer who traffics in pens and markers, I'm always getting ink on my clothing. I call it my Murphy's Pen Law: The more expensive the garment, the more indelible the ink.

So I wanted to try this tip in order to save money and clothes. As a test, I marked up my son's white school uniform shirt. (Just two small blue pen marks at near the bottom hem.) Next, I rubbed out the mark with toothpaste on my finger. I did three things wrong:

1) I used my finger to rub out the stain instead of the soft cloth recommendation. I switched to the cloth, which worked better.

2) I rubbed out the stain, but a flyer for Dell computers was on the table top surface. The ink stain faded, but the underside of the shirt was filled with newspaper ink. Fortunately, that mark also washed out.

3) I used pink toothpaste because I did not have white paste. Unfortunately, the directions also state:

"Be sure to use white paste --blue or green gels may cause discoloration."

That's true-- the stain faded, but the shirt had a little pale pink spot from the paste.

The Good News:
The pink spot (100% removed) and the blue ink (95% removed) faded from the shirt when I rinsed the area with cool water. I think I would have had better results if I had completely followed the directions and let the paste/ ink mark dry before the cool rinse. Also, I agree that white paste is best for stain removal.

2. The Zit Zapper. I have read that models love to treat pimples and blemishes with a dab of toothpaste. The rationale: the cavity-fighting, cleansing formula in toothpaste also fights zits. So I tried it.

My experience: As a day treatment, my skin seemed to improve from a dab of toothpaste on a random pimple. My face tingled and I enjoyed using a Super Model beauty tip.

But as a night treatment, I will never again apply toothpaste to my face!!! That's a recipe for disaster in a warm climate, where smalls pests like ants are attracted to the sweet flavor of toothpaste.

I woke up in the middle of the night, when I felt an ant (maybe ants!!) crawling on my face. I washed my face and slept much better.

This report from CBSNews.com features the use of toothpaste to clean gold and silver. The information from the CBS report came from WackyUses.com

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My Latest Miami Herald Column: How To Get the Most from Home Appliances

The air conditioner groans; the refrigerator leaks and the dryer is overheated. Avoid those problems through preventive measures, according to Mike Koszlowski, director of product quality and support at Sears.

Preventive care begins with the instructions in the owner's manual, which has many tips for getting the most from your appliances. If you have lost the user's instructions (for Sears products or other popular brands), go to: www.managemyhome.com, which has a library of instructions you can download for free. The site also has home appliance tips.

That's how my latest column in the Miami Herald begins. Here's the link to the Sunday paper, where my column now runs.

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My Favorite Post-its: Links I Like

I had fun reading all sorts of post this week. Here's my regular roundup of some of my favorite posts from other bloggers.


Y0ur Money to Keep has a thoughtful piece about the meaning of wallet contents. The author provides great insights about the financial significance of family photos, cash and other items in our wallets.

Gen X Finance has a super post that addresses this question: Would You Buy a $150 Raffle Ticket For a Chance to Win a $350,000 House?

The Simple Dollar provides a great post: The Only Thing You’ll Need To Spend Is Time: Ten Great, Free Hobbies

Blunt Money offers a snapshot of My non no-spend day.

The Digerati Life offers a fun piece: How To Throw A Kid’s Birthday Party Without Spending A Fortune
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How To See the Lion King & Other Traveling Broadway Shows For Free

The Lion King and other Broadway shows travel around the country. But even in our local theaters the tickets can cost plenty. A few years ago, my extended family (including my parents) saw a traveling Broadway show at a steep discount by purchasing SRO (standing room only tickets).

We really enjoyed the show and were quite comfortable. But there's a way to see traveling Broadway shows for free: Become an usher. This tip was sent to me via email in a news release that provides good info.

Here's the note:

"People wishing to see The Lion King for free (Broward Center April 19 – June 3) need only become an usher. The Broward Center uses an ALL-volunteer usher force for its three stages as well as the Parker Playhouse and the Miniaci Theater.

In addition to Lion King, ushers at the Broward Center/Parker/Minaci could have seen Spamalot, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Joel Grey, Bernadette Peters, Kevin Nealon, Lewis Black and entertainers from all genres. Many of the regional theaters also have usher programs."
-- email note from Savannah Whaley of Pierson Grant Public Relations

Here's the actual news release. The details apply to South Florida, but the process applies to other regions of the country:

"The Broward Center for the Performing Arts will conduct the final volunteer
orientation sessions for new ushers for the current arts season on March 6th
and April 4th from 6 - 9 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering to welcome and seat patrons during performances at the Broward Center, the Parker Playhouse and the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University can download an application from the website: http://www.browardcenter.org/ or
contact the volunteer office (954) 468-2684.

Ushering offers volunteers the opportunity to expand their horizons, to contribute to the cultural community of South Florida, and in the case of high school students, to
earn community service hours toward their graduation requirement.
Volunteers commit for the entire season to one of 10 weekly time periods choosing from seven evening and three matinee performance schedules. When volunteering,
ushers receive free parking and, the opportunity to see performances.

There is a one-time $10 fee for a bowtie and name tag. Volunteers are required to attend one three-hour orientation session. The orientation includes a tour of the Broward Center, and an introduction to ushering. Volunteers are eligible to begin ushering performances upon completion of orientation."--source: news release

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How To Find Groceries at Dollar Stores & The Top 10 Items for a Buck

We buy some of our groceries from the dollar store and we're not alone. Many dollar stores have an interesting assortment of food items and I know of at least one dollar store that sells fresh produce also.

From our local dollar stores, we have purchased Kedem Grape Juice for 50 cents (full price about $3.), chips, cookies, canned goods and bottled water.

Here's how we do it:

• Check dates. I look for expiration dates, sell-by dates and best-if-used-by dates.
• Study the packaging: If the item looks "gently worn," we put it back on the shelf.
• Know the actual price at a grocery store. Not all $1 deals are really deals. Sometimes the unit price is actually the same or higher than the grocery store.
• Buy-one/try-one: After being burned by a batch of stale snacks, we taste-test dollar store deals first. We buy a sample. If it's either stale or hated by the family, we don't purchase more.
• Need-based test: If we need snacks for a party or grape juice for a Friday night meal ritual, then we'll buy the item on sale at the dollar store. But if we're just spending money on empty calories (more junk), we'll cut back on our dollar store deals.
• Stock up: When my husband found our brand of kosher grape juice for 50 cents (down from $3), he really stocked up and brought $40 worth, which lasted us for a year.

I've had bad luck buying water at one dollar store. The water bottles were super cheap, but I could taste the plastic in the water. Maybe the bottles were on the shelf too long. We try to avoid bottled water anyway and now have a cool filter on our kitchen faucet.

We've also picked up stale chips, but we've fixed that error by crisping up the chips in the microwave. We did not, however, stock up on the stale chips.

Meanwhile, from the book Treasure Hunt by Michael J. Silverstein here is a list of the

Top 10 Items Purchased at Dollar Stores:

1. Cleaning Supplies for the home.
2. Decorations for different holidays and seasons
3. Gift wrapping supplies (paper & bags)
4. Paper goods
5. Supplies for the laundry
6. Dishes and housewares
7. Containers for storage
8. Batteries
9. Beauty & Health Supplies
10. Dry goods

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A Coffee Recipe That Saves Me Thousands

I like Starbucks. I like the luxury and atmosphere of cafes that offer lattes made just for me. Those are my periodic treats.

But day in and day out, I love the coffee that we make at home. In fact, it actually tastes far better than lattes from the cafes and just as good as the authentic Cuban coffee shots in Miami. I estimate that our rich homemade coffee saves us about $1,200 a year and about $3,500 over three years.

Here's how we make great coffee:

The Ingredients

• Whole Beans: Forget the gourmet beans. Eight o' Clock coffee beans are super cheap and earned top marks for flavor in a blind taste test from Consumer Reports.
• Grind the Beans as Needed: Every morning with our bean crusher, we grind coffee beans into a fine powder. The aroma of freshly ground beans creates the ambiance of a cafe. The scent also reminds me of my grandmother, who loved fresh coffee.
• Bean shortcut: When rushed for time we do grind the beans and store them. This shortcut helps on super crazy mornings.
• Water: Filtered tap water makes yummy coffee. This step makes a big difference, especially if the water from your tap has a strong taste.
• Spices: For an extra kick, grind the coffee beans with either a little bit of cardamon, cinnamon or vanilla beans. This adds flavor and it's not hard to throw in a little bit of spice during the grinding process.
• Cream. I love Half-and-Half in my coffee. There are cheaper solutions with fewer calories. But I enjoy this luxury.
  

The Equipment:
We don't use fancy or expensive equipment. Our low-tech coffee production gear is low-cost, effective and pretty. Experts agree with our strategy.

The Bean Crusher: We spent $20 to $30.
The Plunger Pot also known as a French Press coffee-maker We spent about $14, marked down from $40.
Beautiful mugs. We've spent 50 cents to $10 for mugs.

In the book, The Joy of Coffee, writer Cory Kummer makes a big pitch for elegant, but frugal coffee equipment. In the chapter, "Low-Tech Solution, " the author writes:

"Before you take out a loan, consider the coffee-making method that has been
popular in Italy for more than half a century-- one that will require a layout
of less than $30

He refers to Moka stovetop brewers, which are widely used in Italy.

Our Coffee-Making Steps:

1. Boil about a teapot full of filtered tap water.
2. Crush about two fist fulls of coffee beans,** include powdered cinnamon or cardamon beans.
3. Place the ground coffee into the Plunger Pot.
4. Fill the pot with 16 to 18 ounces of boiled water. Let the hot mixture sit for five minutes.
5. Press the plunger down, a simple motion that filters the coffee and separates the grinds.
6. Serve coffee in ceramic mugs with cream, sugar or other spices.
   

** Kummer recommends:
1/4 cup of ground coffee (two scoops) for a single six-ounce serving of brewed coffee
3/4 cup of ground coffee (6 scoops) for 3 cups of brewed coffee (24 oz)

I need coffee is a site with excellent information, recipes and tips about coffee.
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Stingy Students: Cooking up a Festival of Frugality: My Samples From the Menu

With a tasty nod to TV cooking stars, the Festival of Frugality #63 is up at Stingy Students.

Here are a few of my favorite entrees from the lineup:

PF Advice has a super post about getting free plants for the garden.

Savvy Steward: A DIY Resource Guide

QueerCents has a yummy post about shopping for furniture, including a scratch and dint sale.

Tight Fisted Miser has a thoughtful piece: If I'm frugal, why am I poor?

I am honored to be included in the mix. Thanks to the host for stirring up a tasty festival. It's an excellent stew!
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Aldi, Julia Roberts & Her BYOB Shopping Plan for Save Pennies

Every Wednesday, I try to catch celebrities in the act of being frugal. This week, I found Julia Roberts, who takes a frugal approach to shopping and the environment. She is a BYOB --Bring Your Own Bag -- shopper, according to one media report. For example, in this photo from Us Magazine, Julia Roberts is buying flowers and using her own plastic bags to carry away her merchandise. She's in the third photo on the left column in this link.

JULIA ROBERTS picked up stems in L.A. Feb. 15. The environmentalist activist always brings her plastic bags back: "You can get a nickel for every bag!" she has said. -- source: Us magazine.

Many discount stores, especially in Europe, give shoppers a BYOB discount. Others such as Aldi-- a German based chain of steep, steep discount grocery stores, actually charge shoppers money for bags, according to the book Treasure Hunt by Michael J. Silverstein.

"People often bring their own baskets or bags because Aldi charges fifty cents for a paper bag and ten cents for a plastic one." -source: Treasure Hunt

With its cheap, cheap prices Aldi is gradually expanding in the U.S. On the website for its U.S. Operations, the company explains its BYOB strategy:

"ALDI does not hide the cost of grocery bags in our retail prices. Instead, we encourage you to recycle your grocery bags by bringing them back to the store each time you shop." source: Aldifoods.com

Aldi--according to Treasure Hunt --has not quite caught on in America, but it is slowly winning fans in some parts of the U.S. The Star News in Minnesota reports that an Aldi store will be opening in another midwest city.

"Plans for an Aldi discount grocery store in Elk River have cleared the City Council in a 3-2 vote." source: Star News

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Frugal Uses for Cola: Tuesday Tip

I've used cola to settle upset stomachs. But that's just one of several unusual uses for a popular beverage. The carbonic acid in cola is good for cleaning many items, including jewelery. In fact, for a science project my kid's teacher instructed the class to drop different items into cola to watch the change. A dirty penny, for example, was transformed into a shiny coin during the exercise.

Likewise, from beautifying bathrooms to cleaning tiles, cola has a variety of unusual uses. Over the next week, I will test out some of the stranger tips and report back next week during my Tuesday Tip feature. Here are a few of the suggestions, I've collected from First for Women and other sources.

Dirty Floors & Bathrooms:

1. Spill out a can of cola on a tile floor and take special aim at the grout between the tiles. Let the soda sit for about 10 minutes and then mop up the floor with a sponge filled with soap.

2. Apply a half cup of cola to grease spills and oil stains on a garage floor. Let the cola sit for a quarter of an hour. Hose down with warm water.

"The soda's carbonic acid seeps into the porous concrete and dissolves embedded dirt."--First For Women Magazine.

3. For the toilet bowl: Pour a can of soda into the the toilet. Let the soda sit for 60 minutes. Then swirl and scrub the bowl with a brush.

"The soft drink contains citric acid, a chemical compound that filters into the pores of the porcelain bowl and dissolves the dirt and rust that cause ugly spots and stains."
--First For Women Magazine.

4. Anti-Rust

"One unusual use for Coke is as a rust-control substance — the phosphoric acid in Coke converts iron oxide to iron phosphate, and as such can be used as an initial treatment for corroded iron and steel objects being renovated, etc."-- Answers.com

This list also has a variety of uses for cola, including cleanups for the car, the bathroom and greasy clothes.

Likewise, HGTV (Home & Gardens TV) offers it own tips for cola in this list:

"TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham points out various ways to use
cola around the home.

• Substitute cola for water in a cake recipe and in the icing.
• Need a quick and easy marinade? Soak a ham overnight in cola. This will
  leave the meat nice and tender.
• Make a cola fruit salad. Fill a bowl with citrus fruit and pour cola over
  it.
• Use cola as a substitute for one cup water in gelatin mixes. Make cherry
  cola-flavored gelatin by mixing cola with cherry gelatin.
• Fill a spray bottle with cola, and spray on a window or mirror to remove
  grease buildup.
• Crumple a piece of aluminum foil and dip it in cola. Rub the foil on chrome
  to remove rust spots.
• Loosen a rusted bolt with the help of cola. Soak a rag in it, then apply to
  the bolt. It should loosen in just minutes." --source: HGTV

Coca-Cola trivia:

A drugstore owner from Georgia originally sold coca-cola as a cure-all during the late 1800s:

Coca-Cola was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents a glass. [John Stith Pemberton, the drink's inventor,] claimed Coca-Cola cured myriad diseases, including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence.--
Answers.com

There are also several urban myths about Coca-cola, Answers.com (linked above) highlights some of the myths.
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Celebrity Mug Shots at The Carnival of Personal Finance

Binary Dollar has created a red carpet line-up of posts for the Celebrity Edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance. The lineup includes celebrity mug shots, great categories and a touch of humor. Excellent job!

Here are a few of the posts that caught my eye:

Million Journey has an insightful post about the cost of having a baby. Very helpful and very real.


My Two Dollars has a great piece about why we save money.

Money for the Rest of Us has a thoughtful piece about the definition of "rich."

"I’ll know I’m rich when I can do whatever I want without thinking about the financial consequences.

This doesn’t work either. I will never be able to just ignore the price tag of something. I will always think about the financial consequences. It’s just my nature."-- Money for the Rest of Us

I'm happy to have a post in the carnival. Look for me in the photo next to Michael Jackson. I think I'm Katharine McPhee from American Idol or maybe I'm Marie Osmond. Help! (see photo above) In the next carnival, I want to be Halle Berry. But in this round, I'm just grateful to be included.

Anwyay, excellent job and congrats to the host for taking the time to create a fun and helpful carnival.

Red Carpet Payola & Other Financial Lessons from the Oscars

Forget the speeches and the statutes. When it comes to the Oscars, it's all about the money. Even the red carpet fashion show is lined with dollar bills. Industry insiders actually have a name for the dollar dance executed between designers and celebrities. It's called Red Carpet Payola and I have learned a lot about personal finance and business by studying the cost of an Oscar.

Here are a few snippets of facts, with the bottom-line lessons that I have acquired from the Academy Awards.

The Name Game
Marketing is important, albeit expensive. For example, the New York Daily News estimates that it costs about $75 million to market a film, including a $25 million kicker for the Academy Awards.

'Movie studios traditionally spend up to $25 million a year per nominated film in an attempt to secure Hollywood's highest honor. This time around, Fox Searchlight ("Little Miss Sunshine," "The Last King of Scotland") and Paramount ("Babel," "Dreamgirls") are leading the pack. With marketing budgets commonly running around $40 million to $50 million for high-profile films, that extra $25 million smarts. But many studios feel it's worth it.' -- Daily News

Indeed, winning an Oscar adds about $60 million to a film's profitability, according to the Daily News.

Bottom-Line Lesson: I'm going to work harder to market my services as a writer. A higher profile can pay handsome dividends. The same strategy applies to other business efforts. Even in corporate and cubicle circles, there's a certain value to face time and self promotion.

Getting Paid
At a Nascar race, the drivers visibly wear endorsements. Likewise, in Hollywood some actresses are getting paid to wear certain labels, according to the Globe and Mail.

'Every Hollywood starlet wants to look like a million bucks at the Oscars. Now some are demanding red-carpet paycheques to match. '

It's rumored that many actresses are paid several hundred thousand dollars to wear a designer's dress to the Oscars and a multi-red carpet contract (repeat wearings of a label) can be worth about $1 million.

'Susan Ashbrook, whose Los Angeles firm pairs up-and-coming designers with celebrities, says no one in Hollywood questions the cash-for-couture system. Her clients simply can't afford to compete with the big fashion houses at the Academy Awards.

“I tell them, the Oscars are like the Super Bowl. There are other football games throughout the whole year, and those are the ones we'll play in. That's my strategy,” she says.

Ms. Ashbrook doesn't think getting paid to wear gowns is as widespread as Ms. Cutrone believes, but she says the trend is growing. “It's just like Tiger Woods has a deal with Nike.” --source: Globe and Mail

Personal Finance Lessons: From the actresses, I've learned that there's an art to getting paid for what you love to do. It's also important to know the value of your work and/or presence in the market.

The Secret Deals:
Designers and stars don't fess up to their dresses-for-dollars arrangements. Why?

"The better to preserve the fantasy image of Hollywood glamour. Designers want the public to believe celebrities have good taste. Knowing the price tag might cheapen the fantasy."--source: Globe and Mail

Lesson: As a consumer, it's important to look past the hype and the fantasies. The world of fashion and finance is filled with a lot of smoke and mirror tricks. I believe in complete transparency.

The Art of the Deal:
Even Donald Trump could learn a few tricks from Red Carpet Payola. The exchange of clothes for exposure began as a simple win-win barter. Stars scored free clothing; designers pulled in free publicity. But the transaction quickly evolved into six and seven-figure contract deals.

'Ms. Cutrone says she has seen celebrities sign detailed contracts for payments from clothing designers. Stars are no longer content with getting expensive couture gowns for free.

“It's a natural evolution,” Ms. Cutrone says. “First, they say: ‘Ooh, can I borrow it?' Then it's: ‘Can I keep it?' Then it's: ‘What else are you going to give me?' And then it's: ‘What are you going to pay me?'.”

Lesson: Contract negotiations for homes, jobs and other perks often resemble a a chess game. It's important, I see, to have a clear picture of long-term benefits and trends.

Also, I can see that the stars aren't afraid to push the envelope. I would have been content with the free designer dresses. But many celebs are getting the hot clothes and getting paid also.


And Finally: Don't Sweat

CBS News also has an interesting piece about the cost of botox (into the armpit as an anti-sweat measure) and other Oscar night economics.

Lesson: I don't do botox and I don't even believe in anti-perspirants. (Not healthy). But on a metaphorical level, I see the value in sweat-free living. I work best when I relax and enjoy the Red Carpet.


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Getting Poor & A Personal Wealth Strategy

_The numbers are out and the picture is not pretty. There are more folks in the poverty line. What's more, if we're really honest, many of us are just a paycheck or two away from financial hardship. A sudden illness, loss of job or other personal problems (G-d forbid) could dramatically disrupt our relative grip on financial comfort and stability. Those thoughts disturb my sleep.


And it's not just a nightmare. The Miami Herald reports that:

'The percentage of poor Americans who are living in severe poverty has reached a 32-year high, millions of working Americans are falling closer to the poverty line, and the gulf between the nation's ''haves'' and ''have-nots'' continues to widen.

A McClatchy Newspapers analysis of 2005 census figures, the latest available, found that nearly 16 million Americans are living in deep or severe poverty.'

Oddly, enough the spike in poverty parallels a spike in corporate earnings, the Herald reported today.

'The plight of the severely poor is a distressing sidebar to an unusual economic expansion. Worker productivity has increased dramatically since the brief recession of 2001, but wages and job growth have lagged behind.

At the same time, the share of national income going to corporate profits has dwarfed the amount going to wages and salaries.

That helps explain why the median household income of working-age families, adjusted for inflation, has fallen for five straight years


....since 2000, the number of severely poor has grown ''more than any other segment of the population,'' according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine' -- Miami Herald

I'm not wealthy, but I live in relative comfort. What's more, I have the safety net of a loving and generous family. Yet, with all those blessings, I feel the pinch of reality in our paycheck-to-paycheck economy. To help me sleep better at nights, I have put together a strategy for maintaining a healthy personal balance sheet.


1. Diversify income sources. A business with just one major customer is vulnerable to the whims and financial fortunes of that customer. Likewise, a worker with just one income stream is overly dependent on that employer, venture or contract.

2. Save, save, save. The importance of emergency funds is often stressed by many bloggers. I'm committed to building a $10,000 emergency fund. I like to go to pfblogs.org to search and study the emergency fund plans of other bloggers. There are so many excellent posts on the topic.

3. Live frugally. Over the last few years, I've cut a lot of excess expenditures from my budget. I will continue to do so.

4. Commit to continued education: I've made a dedicated push to stay informed of major changes in my industry and in the world of finance. I will also continue to upgrade my technology skills.

5. Give to charity. I have enough to share. It's good karma to give. Generosity makes me feel wealthy, even if I only have a quarter or a dollar to share.

6. Hunt for passive income: Days are short and my to-do list is long. I need to find more ways to make my money work for me when I am asleep.
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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

Off Topic Rant: Leave Britney Alone

There's a growing list of bloggers who are posting Leave Her Alone items about Britney Spears, according to Time. I'm joining that camp. The poor girl is obviously have an emotional breakdown. But we've all had our less than pretty or sane moments. Fortunately, we did not have Culture Vultures documenting every move.

Bottom Line: The Britney meltdown coverage is a waste of time, money and energy.

So here's my off-topic list of 5 reasons why the photogs & the press need to leave Britney Spears alone.

1. The girl deserves to get better in peace.

2. You've all made enough money snapping her pictures. Take your profits; put the money in a 401k and make money on real interest.

3. There's a growing number of people who don't want to see more photos of Britney melting down & don't want to read the details of her rehab. Get This: I don't want to see another photo of Bald Britney, Bawling Britney or Bashing Britney.

4. The coverage is just mean.

5. We're getting bored with the drama. We have a life. Hey Stalkers: Get your own life.
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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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Making Our Way Hosts Carnival of 30s and 40s

The Third Edition of the 30s and 40s Personal Finance Carnival is up at Making Our Way.

Here are a few of the posts that caught my attention:

Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog : Real Estate Myths that home owners fall in love with.

Debt Free: How to protect yourself against job loss: 5 Tips

Brian C. Fleming: How to Open an Online Savings Account.

The Carnival also includes two posts from me. I'm honored to be included in the field. Thanks to the host for taking the time and effort to put together the carnival.

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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Appealing to a Higher Shopping Power: Call the Manager

During a recent shopping trip for work supplies, a sales clerk initially challenged my right to use a professional discount. His argument: 1) I had to apply online first, 2) It would take a few weeks for my discount card to arrive and 3) I should buy the merchandise at full price and then apply for a refund later.

My argument: Thanks and where's the manager?

Conclusion: I found the manager. He handled my online application for the professional discount, printed out my enrollment form and in less than three minutes, I had my discount papers.

Lesson: Be polite. But appeal to higher powers -- managers and supervisors-- when the initial customer service staff fails to address your issues. I've used the art of polite complaints when dealing with utility companies, hotel staff and retail stores.

We must find "The Yes" person, according to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Winning Through Negotiation by John Ilich.

"Most employees lack the authority to give you the satisfaction [for dealing with a store-related problem]....Insist on dealing directly with the "yes" person --usually a store manager or owner.-- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Winning Through Negotiation .

Rules of Engagement:

1. I try not to be overbearing. If I use a loud voice or broad gestures, I could come off as a "crank or crackpot," according to Winning Through Negotiation.

2. Make sure the manager knows that you are a loyal customer.

3. Clearly and calmly provide a time line of your purchase and problems.

4. Layout the paper trail.

5. Make a request: Sometimes I just want my money back, a replacement item or a rain check. Sometimes, I just want the advertised discount or a resolution of the conflict.

6. Get the manager's name.

My Best Frugal Friend Melisa Neuman also has an excellent strategy for resolving customer conflicts. Here's the link.
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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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Carnival of Money Stories

The field of Carnivals included The Carnival Of Money Stories #5, hosted by The Digerati Life. The lineup includes very engaging stories about folks and their money. The host has done a great job of screening and categorizing the different posts. I like the story snippets that follow each link.
Here are a few of my favorites posts from the Carnival:

Money, Matter, and More Musings provided a thoughtful tale about his motorcycle, his lunch and his commute.

The Money Blog Site posted an insightful piece: What To Do With a Bonus

I'm happy to be included in the crowd. Thanks to the host for taking the time and energy to compile the Carnival!

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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Frugal Supplies: Office Depot's 50-Cent Bin, Coupons & Professional Discounts

In search of a padded bag for my laptop, I went to Office Depot yesterday. I saved a lot by tapping into assorted discounts. And while we were there, I hit the 50-cent bin near the front of the store.

To compete with dollar stores, many mainstream stores are offering steep discount bins. For example, Target, Walgreens, Toys R Us, and other national chains, now have sections where merchandise is only a buck or less. (I once found the cutest flip-flops at Target for 25 cents.) Some of the stuff is just junk, but there are a few finds. (I noticed this trend on my own and I also read about the concept in the book Treasure Hunt by Michael Silverstein (with John Butman).

The dollar bins at Target are located toward the front of the store. Office Depot's 50-cent bin is near the front of the store also. Here's what we found:

1) A telephone charger for my oldest son's phone. He's a teen and his charger frequently disappears. For 50 cents ( versus about $25 full price), we have a frugal backup.

2) School supplies: report covers (50 cents) and an elegant mechanical pencil for my husband.

We picked up and put down other items for 50 cents because the merchandise was nice, but not needed.

Meanwhile,we saved on the laptop case by:

1) Using a $10 off coupon that we received in the mail.
2) Enrolling in a special discount program for teachers. I teach two writing classes at a local school and qualified for the additional 5 percent off from Office Depot. If you teach (volunteer or otherwise) in a local school, you may be eligble for the discount, which is good for your personal purchases.

While at the store, I noticed other discounts and promotions, including a frequent shopper program, which is ideal for those of us with home offices.

"Star Teacher Program++: Teachers who participate in Office Depot's Star Teacher Program receive everyday discounts on qualifying in-store purchases and are included in a variety of special events and promotions during the year. Sign up for the Star Teacher Program by visiting your local Office Depot store." --Office Depot

Applications are also available online. I applied in the store at the customer service desk and received a printout of my discount enrollment number. The process does not take long, (less than a minute) and I instantly used the discount.

Star Teachers receive: a) an instant 5% discount on qualified in-store purchases, which excludes purchases from www.techdepot.com and purchases of Gift Cards, computers, postage stamps and wireless, satellite, Internet, mailing and shipping services; and b) an instant 15% discount on all qualified Copy & Print Center services, which excludes mailing/shipping services and postage stamps. Star Teachers can also receive Rewards, a maximum of $50 per Reward Period or $200 per year, granted on qualified purchases, exclusions and minimum purchase levels apply. Rewards accrue based on Reward Period purchase level and are distributed quarterly in the form of an Office Depot® Reward Card. See the Star Teacher Program

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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Insurance 101, Anna Nicole Smith Coverage Overload: Random News Wrap

I wish the Miami Heat had a special insurance policy on Dwyane Wade, who was injured in last night's game against the Houston Rockets. Insurance is part of my daily random news wrap, which includes a report about Wade, the Anna Nicole Smith news overload and more details about the spike in medical costs.


1. Do you have the right insurance? A great how-to from MSN

"Nearly 60% of U.S. homes are inadequately covered. But it's not all about adding costs; sometimes life changes can save you money." --MSN

2. Medical costs jump in January and push up Consumer Index.

"[M]edical costs rose 0.8 percent, the steepest increase since a matching 0.8 percent gain in August 1991. The rise in medical costs was responsible for 60 percent of the gain in core prices, the Labor Department said.-- Reuters"

3. Miami Heat Guard Dwyane Wade suffers shoulder injury.

"Dwyane Wade flew home from Houston early Thursday, his season in limbo after he dislocated his left shoulder in Miami's game against the Rockets. The prospect of Wade's extended absence left in jeopardy the Heat's bid to repeat as NBA champions."--AP at Forbes.com

4. Consumers protest Anna Nicole Smith coverage

"Coverage of former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's death has gone overboard according to U.S. consumers, but media experts warn there is more to come." --Reuters

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues

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