Help! I Can't Pay My Bills: A New Book for 2007

Setting do-able goals for 2007, tops my agenda. With that to-do list in mind, I interviewed the author of Help! I Can't Pay My Bills for a few financial tips. We had a fun chat that developed into my latest column in the Miami Herald.

The problem is poor preparation, said Sally Herigstad, a certified public accountant and author of a forthcoming book titled Help! I Can't Pay My Bills (St. Martin's Press/2007, $13.95).

Many families jump into goal-setting and budget-planning sessions without a detailed review of household expenses, Herigstad said. She has met families who have incorrectly estimated their monthly grocery bills and other basic expenses. That creates a major cash flow problem.

''We know that we are sometimes short of money, but we don't know why,'' she said.

Source: Making Ends Meet, (by shr) Miami Herald

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New Wallet-Busting Tricks From Credit Card Companies for 2007

Fewer awards, additional balance transfer fees and stealth kiddie-marketing attacks. Those are just a few of the budget-busting tricks that credit-card companies have planned for consumers in 2007. That's the word from the Wall Street Journal.

"The bad news is that the companies are still finding creative ways to raise fees, in part to offset shrinking profits from interest paid on balances. For example, within tiered-rate schedules, the card companies are increasing lower-tier fees without changing the top tier, says Linda Sherry, spokeswoman for advocacy group Consumer Action.

Say a credit card charges a $15 late fee for balances up to $100; $29 for balances of $100 to $250; and $39 for balances of $250 and over. It jacks up the $15 and $29 fees, but not the $39 fee. This way, Ms. Sherry says, fewer people are likely to notice it and complain." source: Wall Street Journal

The article includes some frugal tactics for evading additional credit-card tricks.

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Kiddie Houses that Look Like the Big House

Forget the refrigerator box house, a blanket/tented villa or even the fabled tree house!The latest trends: kiddie houses that are real structures and exact replicas of mom-and-dad's house, according to this feature in today's Wall Street Journal.

The price tag: $15,000 for one mini-me playhouse and some price tags top $100,000.

"The lavish replicas, which can include such grown-up amenities as hardwood floors and media rooms with satellite TVs, generally cost from $10,000 to $100,000. Some run even higher than that, exceeding the median price of a single-family home ($218,000 in November."--Source: WSJ

In my house, we're divided over this issue. My husband, an interior designer/construction maven, is thrilled over the concept. "I kinda like it," he said, when I waved the hard copy of the WSJ under his nose.

Me? Give me blocks. Give me boxes. Give me blankets and give me the money that's spent on little houses that look just like the big house.

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Natty, but Cheap. Thrift-Store Tricks from a CQ Fashion Insider

How do you shop at Salvation Army, Goodwill and no-name thrift stores, but still look like something that stepped off the glossy pages of an upscale fashion magazine like GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly Magazine)?

I discovered a few answers to that question quite by accident when I picked up the November issue of GQ, which featured a cover shot of Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade. The entire issue, dedicated to sports legends and superstars, offers excellent profiles and smart features. Check it out at the library.

My favorite piece was a savvy and surprisingly frugal article called "The Art of Wearing Vintage." The article features fashion maven Derrick Miller, creative director of New York-based Barker Black shoes.

The author of the piece --The Sartorialist (www.thesartorialist.com) -- is "shocked" that Miller wears vintage (translation: thrift-store garments) but always looks as if his outfits are "tailor-made for him." Miller and his brother both look natty, but nice in the photo by Scott Schuman, who also wrote the piece.

The GQ question for Miller:
Q. How do you shop at thrift stores and "not end up looking like a dorky college student?"

Here are the style tips that answered that question:


1. Avoid Vintage stores, which are usually overpriced, Miller said. He loves going to the Salvation Army in upscale neighborhoods, even when he's on vacation.

2. Shop for quality fabrics.


3. Don't obsess about labels. If something is ugly or looks terrible on you, a fashionable, trendy or expensive label will not change that harsh fact. Put the ugly thing back.

4. Fondle the sweaters: "If you're hunting for sweaters, this is the one time it pays to touch every piece in the store."


5. Obsess about buttonholes and shirt-patterns: Make sure buttonholes work and are not frayed. Seek out shirt patterns you like.

6. Socks and underwear: Don't buy used socks and underwear!!!

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A Guide to Fixing Your Life in 2007

Note to self: Back up your cell phone directory, borrow money (if really needed) from Prosper.com or Zopa.com , investigate new college savings plans (529s) for my kids and learn how to recycle old electronic gadgets.

Today's Wall Street Journal has an excellent round-up of tips for improving our lives in 2007. The Headline is "Our Reporters Strategies for Saving and Time and Money," and the piece is a collection of ideas from different WSJ reporters, so it reads something line a best-of section. The tip sheet reminds me of Dumb Little Man, a site that I adore.

My personal mission is simple for 2007; I'm on a major clutter-busting expedition. Of course, paper is an occupational hazard for a writer (even in Cyberspace), but I've lost too much time and money to disorganization and clutter.

I have the best success with goals if I just target one major area and concentrate on that project. That's why, I've been reading 500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything by Sheree Bykofsky.

I purchased it several years ago and I am finally getting around to actually using it. I picked up the book at a B&N remainders bin, but it's available online for less than $2 at some online vendors.

Here's the link to my story about the book.

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I Told You So: Renters Gloating About Popped Housing Bubble, WSJ Says

Disclaimer: I'm a long-time renter. My apartment has golden handcuffs: large space, cheap rent and an ocean view. But still, I have major regrets about the little house (smaller than my apartment!!) that was selling for $200,000 in 1996. In about 10 years, that same house has appreciated to almost $1 million. OUCH!

Of course, now the market has dropped and some renters are gloating and singing: I told you so! Others are thinking about bargain-hunting. That's the gist behind this recent article from the Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ article has a great chart (from Fannie Mae) about the pros and cons of renting versus home ownership.

My vote for the smartest renter goes to Dean Baker --of Washington, D.C. -- who bought a place, sold at a huge profit, then rented for a while.

Dean Baker, an economist, believes that the slump validates his decision to sell a two-bedroom condo in Washington's Adams Morgan neighborhood two years ago. Mr. Baker says he received $450,000 for the unit, which he had bought for just $160,000 in 1997. Since unloading the condo, he and his wife, Helene Jorgensen, also an economist, have been renting an apartment nearby for about $2,300 a month. -- Source: WSJ

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Financial Lessons from Spike Lee, James Brown & Basketball Tickets

From a bio on James Brown (rest in peace) to money lectures to his kid about expensive courtside seats, movie mogul Spike Lee has been making some smart moves lately.

James Brown -- who passed away at age 73 on Dec. 25 -- was the G-dfather of Soul and called himself the "hardest working man in show biz."

But now, according to Variety magazine, Spike Lee will be directing a movie about the soul legend. Smart move for several reasons:


1) Movies about music legends have been major money makers and the darlings of critics, including blockbusters about Johnny Cash and Ray Charles.

2) The recent box office success of Dream Girls will probably launch other me-too movies about African-American pioneers in the pop music business. Here's a quick Dream Girl factoid, which featured Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy (playing a James Brown-inspired character) and Jennifer Hudson.

"Big-screen musical movie "Dreamgirls" took the Christmas Day box office by storm, grossing nearly $9 million its first day in theaters across North America, according to studio figures issued on Tuesday." --source: Reuters

Savvy Courtside Financial Talk

Us magazine reported that Spike Lee recently took his 9-year-old son Jackson to a Knicks basketball game (no-fight broke out) and offered this advice about courtside seats:

“Someday he’ll inherit my courtside seats, but he’d better be making some money,” Lee has said. “Them seats cost!” --source: Us Magazine

Here's a link to the Spike Lee and Kid at courtside photo. It's the second one down on the page.

I had plans to take my kids to the Heat-Lakers game on Dec. 25 at American Airlines Arena. Ha! The $10 SRO tickets, which I have unwisely touted in newspaper articles and online were all gone. My secret is totally out. The only seats left were $302 each,which would have been about almost $1,000 total for me and my two boys.

Instead, we all watched the game for free at the Eden Roc, a luxury beach-side resort on Miami Beach. We don't have regular or cable TV. The outdoor sports bar was fun, and people kept buying my kids Shirley Temples. D-Wade scored 40 points and the Heat won the game.

Of course, there's another way to watch basketball games for free. I could emulate hip-hop Mogul Jay-Z (aka Sean Carter), who is part owner of the New Jersey Nets. He goes to a lot of courtside games with Beyonce. Check out this photo of Jay-Z and B from People magazine, a publication for which I occasionally report.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé whoop it up while watching the New Jersey Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers in New Jersey on Wednesday. It was a good night for Jay-Z, who's a part owner of the Nets: They bested the Cavaliers, 113-111.--source People magazine

I'm actually an old-school Springsteen-loving Jersey girl, but I can't cheer for the Vince Carter and the Nets! My brain has gone South!










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Tues. Tip: 500 Strategies for Organizing Home & Money

I'm a paper queen, and I'm always getting lost on my own convoluted paper trails. (Trails? What trails! my paper collection is more like a thick overgrown forest). Therefore, getting better organized tops my To-DO list for the next 12 months.

For advice, I turned to a book that I picked up for only $5.98 at a clearance table at a Barnes & Nobles store in Pittsburgh. The book is called 500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything by Sheree Bykofsky.

It's available super cheap (for under a dollar) on this link (one penny and up for a used copy at Amazon.com) and prices are also low here. ($3.53 at Biblio.com)

The book is so well organized with separate categories and outside-the-box suggestions. Sometimes tip books frustrate me because the texts are filled with suggestions that make me smack my forehead and go: DUH!

But I may actually use some of the following hints in the MONEY section, which starts on page 97 of the book.

Here are a few of my favorite financial tips for organization:

1. New check register for each month: This strategy is good for tax time, makes it easier to check old records and it's a good discipline. I'm going to try this tip in January 2007. This monthly review will also provide an excellent snapshot of my monthly expenses and prompt me to really study my spending each month.

2. Portable financial file: Keep your check register armed with the following, pen, deposit slips and calculator. Time is money and I've lost a fortune scrambling for supplies in my purse.

3. Credit card register: I don't shop with credit, but if I did (Sorry about OJ language), I would use a check register to track my credit card balance and statement. Payments, balances and purchases are recorded day-by-day, transaction-by- transaction just like a checking account. When your available balance on the credit card hits or nears zero: leave the card home!

4. Receipt drawer/bill-payment center: I am so over my creative artist-writer phase. It's time to get a grip on my paper castles. I will allocate one drawer for receipts and designate one area as my "bill paying station." The author has a few creative suggestions. I can collect my bills in: a napkin holder, a sterling toast tray or a box. But the wisdom is this:
designate one central place with bills and supplies, such as stamps, calculator, pen, labels or whatever.

5. Anti-theft device: Somewhere I read or heard this bit of advice from career criminals: Don't hide your valuables in your underwear drawer. Thieves always look there. The author of the 500 tip book offers these anti-theft hiding places for emergency cash and safe-deposit keys: try the pet food box (please warn family members and don't recycle the pet food container)..or stash valuables in an envelope taped to an inexpensive wall hanging.

I recommend those hiding places, but having made that recommendation, I'm not using either.

6. Photo records: Use either a digital camera or your cam recorder to take photo images of your valuables and key financial documents. In case of an emergency, theft or natural disaster, G-d forbid, this recorded information is valuable.

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Fixing the Link to My Last Herald Column

Hey:

My last post had an indirect link to my latest Miami Herald column about meaningful holiday gifts.

Here's a better link and a snippet of what I wrote:

A non-profit group suggests, ''Simplify the Season'' and offers a number of last-minute frugal, creative and meaningful gift ideas through a free brochure. It's available online from New American Dream, (www.newdream.org), a consumer watchdog group in Tacoma, Md.

Suggestions include tickets to a sports event, a concert, a museum or other cultural events available at the last minute. Inquire about discounts for students, senior citizens or groups.

Do-it-Yourself cultural and sporting events are another last-minute gift idea. You can book private court or rink time at a community center, gym, bowling alley or recreational facility for future dates. --My latest newspaper column

Cheers!

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Making the Season Meaningful

Here's my latest column from the Miami Herald. It's a different twist on the search for last-minute gifts.

The goal is not about frugal choices or money-saving tips, but to break outside the gift-wrapped boxes of commercialized holiday spending.

Cheers!




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Boxing with Rocky for Creative Retirement Income

Rocky Balboa -- that aged boxer-- is a fantasy role model for finding income in retirement years.

That's the word from BusinessWeek, which has this thoughtful piece about finding creative income during our senior years.

"This holiday season's massively hyped Sylvester Stallone movie, Rocky Balboa, finds the aging boxer -- and the actor who plays him -- beefing up their retirement accounts with one last return to the ring (wife Adrian, alas, isn't around to share the popular pugilist's golden years). Right now, many of the 77 million Americans nearing their golden years may be hoping for a similar yuletide miracle." --BusinessWeek

My retirement plan includes this menu of options:

1) Continue to Write, but taking only select assignments.

2) Tapping into teaching income as an adjunct professor.

3) Earning income from investments in real estate and the capital markets.

4) Working at an upscale bookstore that offers health care benefits, discounts on books and access to great parties in the publishing industry.

5) Become a Yoga teacher for senior citizens.


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Home Dry-Cleaning Kits...Do They Really Work?

I have a home-dry cleaning kit sitting in the bottom of my linen closet. And yes, it works fine for some laundry tasks: freshening up skirts and some suits.

But I've had mixed success with other clean-up tasks and some stains. Often, clothes laundered through my DIY efforts still need to be pressed when coming out of the dryer. In fact, I have a friend who really saves on her dry cleaning bill by either using the kits or hand-washing some items and then sending those clothes to the dry cleaner for a professional ironing. Iron-only service is far cheaper than a total professional dry cleaning bill.

Of course, I could skip the dry-cleaning bill (and chemicals) altogether by only wearing machine washable clothes and I know people who do this.

But meanwhile, this chart and fact sheet from the International Fabric Institute (IFI) has great tips about how to get the most from your money when using dry cleaning kits.

Here's a sample:

What can you expect [from DIY Kits]?

"In general, most of the products work well on freshening or removing odors such as smoke. Therefore, these products can be successfully used to freshen garments; for example, removing odors from sweaters after winter storage.

In terms of stain removal, IFI found that most of the products work well on water-based stains such as cola. Stains that are oil-based (ketchup, lipstick) presented more of a challenge for the home dry cleaning kits. In some cases, these products caused the stain to spread, which created a bigger stain. None of the products removed ground-in soils, which consumers typically see as "ring around the collar" or dirty cuffs." -- source: IFI

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Links I liked From the Wall Street Journal

Driven by a slump in the housing sector and a slowdown in consumer spending, the U.S. economy grew slower than anticipated, according to this economic story in the Wall Street Journal.

"The U.S. economy was a bit weaker during the summer than earlier believed as the sharpest housing-sector slump in 15 years took an even bigger toll on the slowest quarterly growth of 2006." -- WSJ

Here's the rest of my roundup of interesting stories in the Wall Street Journal.

College Savings Plans (529s) are a sweet flavor-of-the-month according to this WSJ report.

"Growth in the state-run college-savings accounts started to pick up soon after Congress acted in August to make permanent their federal tax breaks -- which were set to expire at the end of 2010. At the same time, states and plan managers have rolled out or expanded a number of incentives, such as richer tax breaks and lower costs." --WSJ

Trying to buy a home and struggling with the 20 percent down payment? Here are a few options.

A new twist in corporate mentoring: Real big brothers and sisters. Real-life siblings can provide a career edge.

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Paris Hilton & Your 2007 Salary Raise: Thin is the Word!

Paris Hilton -- pictured here in route to an acting class -- is doing something a lot of us should consider when we think about a recent Wall Street Journal report about upcoming salary hikes and bonuses-linked to performance.

The WSJ headline says it all: "Companies Strive To Find True Stars For Raises, Bonus." Basic pay raises will be a bit thin next year:

"In a survey of 227 midsize and large employers to be released today, Philadelphia-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting found that companies expect to dole out average annual pay raises for 2007 of 3.6% to 3.7%." --WSJ

However, performance-related bonuses will be generous for those who outshine peers, dramaticially improve in job-related tasks, sales or business development. That's where the "real money," is according to the WSJ. In the past, fat bonuses have gone to senior executives and other rain makers in the executive suite, who earn as much as 45 percent of their annual income from merit bonuses.

But now, the Wall Street Journal reports, more and more companies are expanding that bonus pool and regular rank-and-file workers will receive smaller base-rate raises, but potentially larger bonuses based on performance.

And that's why I think Paris Hilton is so smart. Obviously, she feels as if her acting skills need a bit of finetuning. So she's taking classes to become better at her craft:

Paris is brushing up her acting chops before heading to the set for her upcoming role in "The Hottie and the Nottie." The 25-year-old blonde was snapped leaving a Beverly Hills acting class on Monday with script in hand. --TMZ.com

We can all borrow a page from Paris Hilton's binder by taking a class or seminar in our field. Industry trade groups and associations offer a wide assortment of continuing education classes, even free sessions. And if there is a fee, your company may even be willing to pay that charge for you.

When I was a staff business reporter for assorted investment-related publications in New York and Miami, my employers often paid for me to attend seminars on venture capital financing, priviate equity markets, initial public offerings (IPOs) and capital markets regulations.

What's more, those seminars, trade shows, and industry meetings can be a great way to network and develop contacts for your next career move.

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More Label Snobs, Brooke Hogan & Payless Shoes

So I've been chatting with a sales executive from the Orlando area and she gave me another priceless Payless story. Here's the drill. It's a toe-to-toe faceoff between a Fashionable Frugalite and a Big-Ticket Fashionista.

The situation: The Fashionable Frugalite looks great from head to toe: Corporate/but cutting-edge hair, tasteful make-up, cute suit and -- bless her soles -- a pair of Payless shoes. How cute are the shoes? Her footwear wins five-star comments from a passerby, who demands to see the label.

Now Ms. Frugal is savvy and knows the enemy territory. She knows the Fashionista wants to see a brandname label or evidence of some type of triple-digit-price tag footwear that the girls on Sex in the City would wear. Ms. Frugal declines to play the name game, keeps her shoes on, and keeps pace with her crowded agenda.

We can all relate. I've been confronted about labels also. Likewise earlier today, I wrote about Brooke Hogan's recent shopping trip at a Payless store and I offered my own run-ins with frugal shoe haters.


Some readers of TMZ.com totally trashed Brooke Hogan for shopping at Payless.

"What a slob!" --A TMZ.com reader

But others defended Brooke:

"I own about 15 pairs of $2.50 flip flops from Old Navy and damn proud of it !!!!

why pay more, when you can Payless !

:))))))))))"
--A TMZ.com reader

Another defender:

"Funny, and the shoes I bought the other day at PayLess and am currently wearing are actually incredibly cute and comfortable and very stylish. And I paid under $40 for them. Any shopper in their right mind loves a good bargain. And if you are buying things that are just trendy, you're an outright IDIOT to pay the high end price.

Save your cash and pay the big bucks on classic things that last through several seasons, and those things that will go out of style before the month is over buy as cheaply as possible. Otherwise, you're just stupid.
I fail to see why shopping at PayLess or Sears is cheap and/or trashy."

--a TMZ.com reader.

More comments:

"hey...there is nothing wrong with Payless....they actually have some nice shoes in certain locations.....we all don't shop @ Barneys or Prada......(although I do Louis V)...hehe"
---another TMZ.com reader

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Brooke Hogan: Lessons from Payless Shoes & Anti-$500-Pump Rants!

I like the South Beach section of Miami Beach and some of the most fashionable people I know, shop at a Payless shoe store in the heart of the trendy South Beach shopping district.

In fact, this photo of Brooke Hogan browsing in Payless seems to be taken at the Payless store where I also shop. (Through a friend of a friend, my oldest son met Brooke at a VH-1 party at her Miami Beach home. And yeah, she's really tall.)

TMZ.com featured a shot of Brooke in Payless, followed by a number of snarky comments about Brooke's Payless shopping trip from some readers. The anti-frugal crowd ranted and laughed about why she was so cheap to shop at Payless. What's next: Clothes from Sears?

Fortunately, there were a few sensible commenters, who realized the importance of a good value. Why do you have to pay $500 and up for a pair of shoes in order to step out fashionably and proudly?

I've also been hit by the anti-frugal boo-birds. I own shoes that range from expensive handmade leather shoes from Italy (steep discount at Marshall's) to pumps from Payless. One day, I really looked pretty decent and a label-conscious Fashionista raved about my shoes.

Fashionista: Cute shoes! Where did you get them?
Me: (Internal debate over possible answers: A small store in South Beach or Payless? Honesty wins out.)

Me: Ummm....Payless, you know, the one in South Beach.
Fashionista: (Face registers shock, then disgust) Oh. Well. Those shoes do have a little too much hardware on them!

Stage Direction: Fashionista walks away with attitude. I study my shoes: Too much hardware? Do they look cheap? But why didn't they look cheap when she thought they were Manolo Blanik ($500 to $795 and up per pair)

That's an honest, almost word-for-word transcript of my encounter. Likewise, here are the comments from the anti-thrift crowd at TMZ:

"SHE [Brooke]is disgusting.
but its not like she doesnt have the money to shop at high end stores.
this is part of the hogan marketing. be caught at cheap stores to attract the middle class american trash to buy into her and get her cds kinda like they did with jessica simpson."

And here's another commenter:

"SHE'S JUST SOOOOOOO TRASHY LOOKING. DOES [she] ALSO SHOP AT SEARS FOR HER CLOTHES???"

Fortunately, there were a few voices of sanity, like "Bogart,"

I just don't get why it is "abnormal" for a celebrity to shop in a run-of-the-mill-standard-store? What is the big deal about this?. . ???. . . Personally I think it is cool. . to me it says they are NOT better then us, just because they have money it does NOT mean they have to spend a $1000 on a purse that anyone can buy for $24.95. . true they can but they don't have too!

Besides I think it is good for the younger generation to see you can go to run-of-the-mill-standard-store & buy products & still look nice. . too much the celebs do is put in the public eyes & too many of the people are thinking they need or should have that too.

Anyhow my point. . she was in a Pay-Less store shopping. .& your point?

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Tip Tues: Stupid Pet Tricks & Other Uses for Old Newspapers

As an old-school journalist and a big-time reader, I still have stacks of newspapers and magazines around my house. My piles drive my family crazy, but fortunately, recycling is always an option. Of course, there are also other uses for old newsprint pages. From reshaping wet shoes to cleaning glass windows, old newspapers have assorted uses.

Lately, I have been rolling them up into a small log and waving them as a threat for our puppy Scruffy, who has hit a major barking and chewing stage. I think we need a puppy training course. But beyond my pathetic dog training efforts, I've put together a few lists for assorted uses for newspapers.

Woman's World --a frugal publlication with lots of money-saving tips and $1.49 price tag-- recommends:

1) Wet Shoe Saver: Stuff your wet or damp shoes with newspaper. When the shoes dry, they'll maintain their shape. Oh by the way, fake leather shoes (upscale plastic) hold up really well in the rain. I got soaked leaving the Miami Heat Game last night and my pleather shoes from Payless are fine. We won at the last 1.9 second due to an awesome shot from D-Wade. Quite a buzzer beater!

2) Anti-mud pit: I still have issues with driving. I don't drive, but if I did, I would try out this trick. Carry newspapers in the trunk of your car. When you get stuck in mud, put the newspaper under the back tires for extra traction. If and when, I learn to drive, I will try this out.

3) No-tech pencil sharperner: Allegedly, you can make an instant pencil sharpener out of old newspapers by rubbing and rotating your pencil point on the newspaper. Using hard copies of the Wall Street Journal and the Miami Herald, I just tried this trick and it's a great way to exercise my wrists and arms. I think maybe the pencil point was a little sharper. Maybe. I should try the New York Times tomorrow.

4) Kitty Litter Liner: Well this stupid pet trick works. I'm so not a cat person, but it seems that newspapers are excellent for lining the bottom of a cat's litter box. The newsprint lining absorbs stuff that sticks to the bottom and is more durable than plastic liners.

Source: Woman's World


Meanwhile, Reader's Digest has a wonderful round-up of uses for newspapers.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Store sweaters and blankets

Don't treat moths to a fine meal of your homemade or store-bought woolen sweaters and blankets. When putting them into storage, wrap your woolens in a few sheets of newspaper (be sure to tape up the corners). It will keep away the moths, and keep out dust and dirt.
Clean and polish your windows

If you're like most folks, you probably use a lot of absorbent paper towels for drying off your just-washed windows. Did you know that crumpled-up newspaper dries and polishes windows even better than paper towels? And it's a lot cheaper too.

Deodorize luggage and containers

Do you have a plastic container or wooden box with a persistent, unpleasant odor? Stuff in a few sheets of crumpled newspaper and seal it closed for three or four days. You can also use this technique to deodorize trunks and suitcases (using more newspaper, of course).
--Source: Reader's Digest.

And here's another helpful link: 25 Extraordinary Uses for Newspapers


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Posts I Liked Last Week

Frugal Weddings, DIY holiday baskets and financial role models are on the lineup today as I look at some of my favorite posts from other bloggers. I could spend hours reading, because there's a lot of great info out there.

Get Rich Slowly offers this excellent primer and behind the scenes look at the nuts and bots of blogging. He spends about 40 hours a week on his blogging habit. I enjoyed this piece very much. I've just bookmarked it.


Blueprint for Financial Prosperity has a fun piece about why he hates paper checks. He taps into some strong arguments for doing away with old school checks: stamps are expensive, your account number is on the check. It's a great read.

Single Ma offers an insightful piece that addresses this question: "Are personal finance bloggers role models?" I appreciate her honesty. We're on the same page:

I have a limited income.
I like to shop.
I have debt.
I have made bad financial decisions.
I do not possess any special skills or abilities.
I am not an expert.
Most importantly (gotta CYA), I am NOT a licensed financial adviser.---Single Ma

Binary Dollar provides wonderful tips about
planning weddings and saving money. Lots of good frugal options: don't wed on Saturdays or in June; get married in the morning and skip the over-the-top dress. I was married in June, but we picked a Sunday service at noon and I wore my sister's dress, with a few modifications.

I'd love to chat with the author for a future print column.

No Limits Ladies has a cute, fun piece about DIY holiday gift baskets. She reads upscale catalogues and then duplicates the idea with items from the supermarket. Really, really fun piece.


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Trading Gift Cards: My Chat with Golbguru

This is how my latest column begins in the Miami Herald:

Like the stock market, trading has also become brisk for gift cards that recipients don't want.

With gift-card sales expected to reach $24.8 billion this year, chances are high you'll be a recipient. If you get a gift card from a store or sector that holds little interest for you, there's a market for unexpired gift cards.

You can trade or sell that unwanted gift card at a number of websites, according to Golbguru, author of the popular website, Money, Matter and Musings (www.TheTaoOf MakingMoney.com).

I was inspired to write that column after hosting the Festival of Frugality and spotting Golbguru's column about giftcards. I had read other pieces and information about the secondary market for gift cards and it was a topic I wanted to tackle.

So via email, I interviewed Golbguru. Here's the reply he sent me:

Q. What should a consumer worry about with these card trading services?

Golbguru: If you directly sell your cards to the websites, there is not much risk involved. The websites are up and running to do business and they take effort to see that they don't earn a bad name early on and usually they will address all problems quickly. However, make sure that the website has a phone number in place where you can call and ask questions if things go wrong. I would not do business with a website that does not have a customer service email and a phone number displayed.

PayPal Protection

-Even if you sell your cards in auctions or to a third party through these websites, you do not have too much to worry about since all buyers will have to pay (usually through PayPal) before the transaction is considered complete. So there is no such thing as "I didn't get paid for the card I sold." Also since most third-party transactions will be through Paypal, some seller protection is available. You can read more about this on Paypal's website.

-Before you sell your cards, make sure they are not "non-transferable" and also that they are not expiring soon. Usually, websites will have clear guidelines on these issues, so check these guidelines first to avoid getting into trouble.

Buyer Protection

-If you are a buyer, then you need to be more careful when you deal online. If you are buying your card from an auction on one of these websites, make sure that you buy it from sellers who have a positive feedback. Potential problems here are with buying gift certificates that are no longer valid or buying gift certificates that do not have the full promised value (for example, you buy a $50 gift certificate but later realize that it has only $30 balance on it).

For such instances, most websites will offer some kind of a buyer protection. The buyer protection amount varies from website to website, so you need to check that before you start buying. Again, most of these transactions will go through Paypal and there are some buyer protections in place.

Fees

-Most websites have some fees associated with buying/selling/trading transactions. These fees are either percentage basis (based on the value of your card) or a fixed value basis (say $3.99 per transaction irrespective of the value of the card). Usually, for selling low value cards websites offering percentage basis fees are preferable, whereas for selling high value cards, fixed fee websites are preferable.

-Some gift cards have transaction fees, closure fees and "no-activity" fees associated with them. Make sure you are aware of these fees before buy/sell you card through these websites. The trading/buying/selling websites are not responsible for these fees and they won't be able to help you later if you loose the value of your cards through such fees.

The most important thing:
-Always read the fine print.
-Golbguru of Money, Matter and Musings

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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Early Career Crisis: Payoffs & Deficits

Early Career Crisis? Count me in that cubicle clique. And I'm not alone, according to this article about under-40 career shifts from the New York Times.

"Midcareer workers — those 35 to 54 — are most likely to feel dead-ended and the most likely to feel they’ve got too much on their plates at work,” said Robert Morison, director for research at the Concours Group, a research, education and consulting firm in Kingwood, Tex. --New York Times

My scenario: Shortly after 9/11, in early 2002, I realized that if I wanted to accomplish any of my major personal, professional or financial goals (a national column and a book contract), it was now or never. So I quit my post as a very, well-paid staff writer for a business publication and started a new freelance writing career.

The Financial Upside: Great earnings potential as I work on assorted book projects and other goals. I've also launched a career as a columnist for a major newspaper and I've become a happy blogger.

The Downside: No benefits (insurance, paid vacation, or retirement perks) and I used my retirement savings to finance my new career.

The Payoff: It's great to be my own boss; I enjoy the extra time with my family and the potential to test new markets.

What I would change: In hindsight, I would not have tapped into my retirement account and I would have saved more while fully employed.

I totally agree with these summary from the New York Times:

Liz Bywater, president of her own organizational consulting firm in Philadelphia, said, “Today’s workers are increasingly looking to find their passion, and they’re not content to simply bring home a paycheck.”

Ms. Bywater and other career specialists say the Internet is partly responsible for the job fluidity. Technology has allowed people to telecommute, so they are no longer beholden to an office the way their parents were. What’s more, having witnessed or participated in the dot-com revolution, the midcareer workers know that risk-taking is always an option, and that failing is O.K. (It’s even kind of cool, if you do it right.) But most important, they refuse to spend their lives stuck in a career that does not mean anything to them.--New York Times

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Repaying Mortgages to Pay for School & Other WSJ Links I liked

Here'a rundown of stories that caught my eye today in the Wall Street Journal.

I liked this story: when to repay your mortgage from writer Terri Cullen, who goes through the nuts and bolts of her family's plan to pay off their mortgage early in order to finance her young son's college education.

She does a great job of walking the reader through an important financial and personal situation, with real numbers and heart.

Gerry and I will be that much closer to paying off our 20-year fixed-rate mortgage, a process we're hastening by making additional principal payments of $195 a month. (Why the odd figure? I'll get to that later; the short story is that it is part of $395 a month in spare cash we debated over where to invest. ) Our goal is to have the loan paid off before our seven-year-old son Gerald enters college in 2017, leaving us with income available to meet any potential shortfall in our college savings. --WSJ

Want hot custom-made clothes for less? Go to Asia! That's the word from this piece called "Jetrosexual" about tailor-made bargains in China and Hong Kong. It's a cute piece and a fun read.

Business travelers have long frequented tailors in Hong Kong for conservative attire like suits and French-cuff shirts. But as a new crowd of young jet-setters flocks to Asia's growing tourism hubs, like Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City, they're discovering their own tailoring bargains. Carrying pictures ripped from fashion magazines and originals bought at home, they're requesting customized knockoffs of everything from Marc Jacobs cords to "Project Runway" dresses -- and treating Asia's tailor shops as a personalized version of H&M, the Swedish discount chain that has made high-fashion designs accessible to the masses. -WSJ

I also enjoyed the weekly Tastings column. This week, the libations menu includes finding (relatively) affordable, mixed cases of wine. Great info with links to online wine vendors.

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Don't Cut These Five Corners

When to spend and where to save? It's hard to split a penny, but we pay more in the long term if we low-ball certain pockets of our budgets. That's the wisdom behind a past post from Flexo
at www.consumerismcommentary and a more recent post from Liz Pulliam at MSN, who wrote a piece called 10 Things You Can't Afford to Skimp On.

Flexo's list of 10 included: preventive health care, tax preparation, and shoddy wardrobe. Here's a sample:

Saving money by taking advantage of tens of thousands of dollars in 0% credit card balance transfer offers to gain a few hundred dollars, but being offered a higher mortgage percentage rate because of the temporary decrease in your credit score, costing thousands.--Flexo

Pulliam's List includes many of the same items such as: "classic clothing," and "health" She also adds sections on car maintenance and family safety vs thrift.


In that spirit, I've created:

Five Uncuttable Corners

1. Family vacations. Even if you have no money, become a tourist in your own town. There are many free civic and community events that will make you and your kids feel like you are on a holiday.

One of my best vacations was a family cruise with my parents and siblings in honor of my mom's recent 70th birthday. The value of those memories is priceless and my parents were generous enough to make our tickets a gift. Thanks M&D. Love you guys!

We also had a great vacation at a high-end resort in Miami. We went off-season and scored a $600-a-night room for about $149.

And I've also taken advantage of no and low-cost community activities in Southern Florida. It's not the money, or the place, but the time spent together.

2. Preventive health: Eat organic vegetables, exercise and be aggressive about healthcare & checkups. I take Yoga classes to reduce stress, a factor in many illnesses.


3. Home computer system: For work, kids, and recreation, a home computer system is invaluable.

4. Home gourmet coffee set-up; I love Starbucks, Cuban coffee and other caffeinated treats, but I spend less for take-out coffee because we have an excellent home set-up, including fresh beans, a bean crusher and a French-press coffee maker. The savings far exceed the $40-plus investment.

5. Buy a home. This is my big regret. Living in a beautiful ocean-view apartment with a cheap rent had a hidden downside. We were too lazy and too comfortable to buy a home. Now the $200,000 home we almost purchased is selling for about $1 million. Don't make my mistake.

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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Financial Tips from a Crack Addict

You can learn a lot about personal finance from a crack addict. I did when I read Confessions of a Crack Addict, in today's Wall Street Journal. But the subject is not drugs, but rather mountain climbing -- scaling cracks in tall, vertical surfaces.

"Perhaps I should explain. I've been hooked on crack for two years now. To get a fix, I've done things I'm not proud of: spent money I didn't have, blown off friends and family, traveled across oceans, lied to bosses about my whereabouts, risked my life in scary places most people with common sense would be afraid to set foot.

I'm talking about rock climbing, of course. Crack climbing, to be precise." --Wall Street Journal.

From that excellent piece by Micheal J. Ybarra, I've mined a few frugal and financial lessons.

Here's what I've learned:

1) It's good to be a girl. "Climb like a girl," is a tip the author received from a crack maven.

...use technique and finesse instead of trying to muscle up a route -- WSJ

In my personal finance efforts, I've had the best results when I've taken an easy-does-it, very modertated approach to my budget. Overly strict fiscal measures prompt rebellion and then I shop like a Paris Hilton-type of girl, albeit without Hilton's cash, extensions, blue contact lenses or expensive pumps. Oooh.. and I get snarky also.

2. Inches count. I save the most when I look for extra frugal and financial frothy inches in my budget. I look for the small cracks, which as the author explains can ruin your manicure:

And then there's crack, where you wedge your body or whatever parts of it you can -- fingers, hands, arms -- into fissures and inch your way up. Crack climbers have lousy manicures and many scabs. --WSJ

3. Recognize your addictions: Hi, My name is Sharon and I'm a former addictive shopper. That knowledge is power and therefore, I try to avoid my favorite crack houses: Ann Taylor Loft and Anthropologie (except for my once a year, end of season, massive sale splurge).

But otherwise, I'm careful. I can even do serious damage at CVS or Walgreens, where I've been known to spend $50-$80 on so-called sale merchandise.


5. Enjoy the process. It's just a game. It's just money. It's just stuff! The process, the discipline and fellow climbers are the real deals.


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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Wii Wii Lessons

My 14-year-old son has played Wii (at a friend's house) and has given the product (a new electronic game station) rave reviews. I'm in a Wii-state of mind because of this story from the Wall Street Journal.

Wii has become a surprise hit of the holiday season for several reasons and has become the darling of those seeking a frugal option to the higher priced PlayStation 3 from Sony.:

"In fact, the Wii -- pronounced we -- has proved more popular and harder to nab than Sony Corp.'s higher-tech, higher-price and highly touted PlayStation 3, which has superior graphics and a built-in, next-generation DVD player. The Sony machine comes in two models, priced at $500 and $600....The Wii, which retails for $250, has emerged as this year's biggest must-have game console for Christmas.
-- WSJ

Here are a few frugal and marketing lessons I've pulled out of this electronic drama and hype.

1. Price matters. People care about value
2. Cool commercials count. (Those Wii commercials are good!).
3. Simplicity, scarcity and hype can turn consumers into sheep.

"It may be because the PS3 is so scarce, consumers have given up looking for one and are going after the Wii with a vengeance," theorizes John Taylor, a videogames analyst at Arcadia Investments Inc., in Portland, Ore. He says that reports of Sony's production problems and consumer confusion over some of the PS3's technology has driven shoppers to the simpler and less-expensive Nintendo machine. -- Wall Street Journal

The Frugal Duchess Boutique

Part-Time Job Lessons from Demi, Bruce & Ashton

How important are summer & part-time jobs to the financial education of kids? Very important and some celebrity parents agree. According to TMZ.com, a popular celebrity blog that is owned by Time Warner, Bruce and Demi's daughter, Scout, has a job. And it's not about the money.

Summer jobs and part-time jobs offer valuable lessons about discipline, frugal living, organization and other real-life lessons. Those jobs also provide easy lesson plans on personal finance.

Of course, some commenters at TMZ.com made that connection, but others made snarky remarks about Scout's appearance. (The mean comments made me crazy. Let's be real. Many of us, myself included, looked pretty dorky/awkward as teenagers.) So, I agreed with this reader called "stix&stones:"

Who cares what she looks like?? At least she has a job and doesn't just sit on her ass like most celeb's kids do, expecting to have everything handed to them. Good for her, getting a job of her own.--reader (stix&stone) scomment from TMZ.com

This past summer, my boys, (11 and 14) both had summer jobs. My oldest worked at a pizza store, where he picked up lessons on deadlines, multi-tasking and math--just from working at the cash register.

My 11-year-old was a mother's helper for a woman with three active children under the age of three. Wow. He came home every night exhausted and wealthier.

Note: I wrote the above with permission from my boys, who approved, but insisted that I add that they also went to camp and on a summer cruise with my parents.

Bottom line: They had fun and really learned a lot from their summer jobs.

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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Tip Tues: Beyond Lunch; Other Uses for Brown Paper Bags

Today the brown bags are filled with a slice of pizza, a red organic apple and a granola bar. That's the brown-bag lunch menu for my kids today. We're brown bag people because we've lost way too many lunch boxes. I'm frugal to a point: When the hard realities of life battle against my frugal/green bent, sometimes I opt for practical, albeit costlier solutions. Therefore, I have conceded the battle over the lunch box.

But beyond lunch, there are lots of things we can do with a brown bag. Alternative uses include: carpet cleaners, mop cleaners, book covers and of course, the rainy day, mom-I-am-bored puppets, fashioned from decorated brown bags.

I've collected a few unusual brown-bag uses from Reader's Digest. Here's the link to the brown bag article.


Meanwhile, a past issue of Woman's World also contains a few good ideas for brown bag uses.

1. Clean your carpet: If you have a wax drip on your carpet, cover the drip with a bit of brown paper bag, then zip back and forth over bag with a warm iron (forget the steam). The heat from the iron should melt the candle wax, which will be absorbed by the brown paper bag.

2. Scrap paper: I would be embarrassed if any of my editors requested to see my notes. I take notes on anything: old envelopes, recycled paper and old magazine pages. I should try brown paper bags. Woman's World recommends cutting up paper bags and using the scraps to write grocery lists, daily to-do list and other notes.

3. Book Covers. I did this when I was little. You need the old-school big paper bags from the grocery store to cover most textbooks.

4.Masks: Paper bags of all sizes can be used for masks, costumes and all sorts of inside-the-house/outside-the-box activities for kids.

source: Women's World.

And here's a snippet from the Reader's Digest article:

Dust off your mops
Dust mops make it a breeze to get up the dust balls and pet hair around your home, but how do you get the stuff off your mop? Place a large paper bag over the mop head; use a piece of string or a rubber band to keep it from slipping off. Now give it several good shakes (a few gentle bumps wouldn't hurt either). Lay the mop on its side for a few minutes to let the dust in the bag settle. Then carefully remove the bag for easy disposal of your dusty dirt.

Make your own wrapping paper
Need to wrap a present in a hurry? You don't have to rush out to buy wrapping paper. Just cut a large paper bag along the seams until it's a flat rectangle. Position it so that any printing is facing up at you, put your gift on top and fold, cut, and tape the paper around your gift. If you wish, personalize your homemade wrapping paper by decorating it with markers, paint, or stickers.


Reuse as gift bags
What to do with those small gift bags with handles favored by most boutiques? Why not use them to package your own gifts? They're ideal for holding items such as bath supplies, jewelry, perfume, and even most books. Simply add some shredded crepe paper, a personalized card, and you're all set.
Source: Reader's Digest

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Posts I liked Last Week

I've been reading about coin collecting, grocery strategies and stock-voting rights. One of the best perks about blogging is being connected into a network of smart people. Some of the best and well-read minds in the personal finance blogsphere are posted at pfblogs.org: A super news aggregate for info on real estate, personal finance, investments and frugal living.

Here's my weekly roundup of some of my favorite posts from other bloggers, with a caveat: I started teaching a new journalism class last week and therefore, my reading time has been contained. So of course, there's other good stuff out there, beyond my weekly roundup.

The Mighty Bargain Hunter has a thoughtful piece about state coin collecting programs. Hint: Fun coins to collect, but not a savvy financial investment.

1st Million at 33 featured an interesting piece about second-class shareholders at Google and other public companies. Frugal does a good job explaining how public shares aren't all created equally; some have 10 times the voting power of other classes of outstanding stock.

I liked the Simple Dollar's post linking weight-loss programs and debt loss. Diet and Debt.

2 million has an insightful post about establishing multiple income channels.

Molly's Brother on a Budget has a cute post on how to save more with everyday strategies. The piece offers his plan of segregating his shopping list into perishables and non-perishable items.

And I really, really enjoyed Frugal Girl's list of the best financial moves she has made.

PS. My own post about lessons I learned from a recent air flight and holiday packages is also decent.


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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Avoid Air Travel With Gifts. Ship Early; Ship Cheap!

A few weeks ago, I went to my high school reunion in New Jersey. I traveled by plane and while going through airline security, I lost my toothpaste. It was confiscated. My little tube didn't clear security because it was a 4 oz container instead of the 3 oz standard required under the new TSA rules.

So I faced the cost of the buying a new tube in order to show up at my reunion looking fresh and bright. This experience contributed to my latest column in the Miami Herald.

What would have happened if I were shipping holiday gifts that did not meet the airline security requirements? That's the question that I was asked by my editor Kathy Foster. Here's the column I wrote in response to her question:

When traveling with holiday packages, you can easily become a bundle of nerves, especially if you're headed for the airport. Even basic gifts such as fruit cakes and scented candles are subject to higher levels of scrutiny from the Transportation Security Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

How strict are the guidelines? Gifts should remain unwrapped so that security officers can inspect your package. And don't even attempt to carry on gift sets of food, toiletries or perfume that exceed three ounces. As carry-on bundles, toiletry gift sets or food items must fit into a single quart-size plastic bag with a limit of one bag per passenger.

Bottom line: Ship your presents before you leave home and leave enough time to meet the most affordable rates for domestic shipping. The post office says ground-package rates are the cheapest; delivery time ranges from two to nine days.

Of course, after clearing airport security, you can always shop for gift sets and other items in the shops near your ticket gate, but you might not find the cheapest deals.

Here are some suggestions from the TSA about carry-on and checked gift items. Of course, each airline may have additional size and weight requirements, so check with your carrier before departure. TSA has also prepared a free holiday travel publication, which you can download at www.TSA.gov.

• Do not wrap gifts. Security officers may want to inspect your package. Wrap at your destination.

• Food gifts -- salsa, jams, syrups and other edible products -- must not exceed three ounces and must fit into one quart-sized plastic bag. TSA recommends shipping food gifts before you travel.

• Scented candles, perfumes, snow globes, oils and toiletry gift sets must be three ounces or less. TSA recommendation: Ship gift sets before you travel.

WHAT'S ALLOWED

You can carry on: cigar cutters, corkscrews, toy robot transformers, umbrellas, walking canes, camcorders, PDAs, laptops, cellphones and tools such as pliers that are less than seven inches long.

WHAT'S FORBIDDEN

The following cannot be carry-ons: kitchen gifts with sharp objects, baseball bats, hockey sticks, ski poles, golf clubs, hammers and saws.

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Don't Quit Your Day Job & Other Advice from Retirees

I laugh when I think about retirement. Why? a) I love working, especially writing and reporting, which is good because b) I'll be working for a long time as I fatten up my anorexic retirement account.

But keeping your day job is a bit of advice offered by some retirees in this piece about happy retirements from the Wall Street Journal.

"First, no matter how much you hate your job, it is likely providing you with far more than just a paycheck. Work gives a structure to your day, lets you exert influence and garner praise, offers friendships with colleagues, and provides a sense of purpose and identity." --WSJ

I also received this email with advice from retirees. Some of it made me laugh, but all-in-all here are a few valuable comments from a book How to Love Your Retirement.

PREPARE FOR IT AHEAD OF TIME. Use your vacations to try out
retirement ideas. Visit communities you think you might like
to live in. Meet happily retired people, find out how they put
their lives together in new ways, and learn from them. I took
a sabbatical in my 50s and rode my bike in New Zealand,
England, and Ireland and led bike tours for Vermont Cycling.
I loved the tours so much I knew that I had to do more of
them in retirement. My sabbatical helped me figure out
things I wanted to do and didn't want to do in retirement. It
also influenced me to retire while I was young enough to do
these ambitious things (60) and to save every penny so I
could have enough money to do them.
-EMILY KIMBALL
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
52

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I DID BEFORE RETIREMENT was
pay off my condominium. I have no mortgage payment,
which means that my housing costs are only the condo fee
plus property taxes. I also was frugal, tracking my expenditures
and cutting back in creative ways. This enabled me to
retire with sufficient savings to travel and have adventures. I
know how to live solely on my pension. I am spending my
first year trying to figure out what I can do when I grow up!
-DALE SUSAN BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C. ........

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE THE MONEY you're saving in an IRA
to pay for certain expenses that your kids might be running
up. But if the grandkids need money, they should talk to their
parents.
-PEGGY WEHR
WOODWORTH, OHIO
YEARS RETIRED: 7

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How Money Buys Happiness From the WSJ

Can money really buy happiness? Yes! But hint: we've got to have it & save it before carefully spending it. That's the verdict from a recent column in the Wall Street Journal.

The column by Jonathan Clements featured several so-called Happiness Experts from academic circles. The experts concluded that money can finance happiness.
Here's are a few examples:

"Take your dad to the Super Bowl. Buy a home near the office. Get married. Go out to dinner with the family. Take a memorable vacation, and be sure to buy souvenirs." --WSJ

Bottom Line: When we mindfully spend our money, we create concrete memories that enhance our lives. I call it making a deposit in my memory bank account and I don't have to spend a lot to make a small defined contribution to that account.

Here are two of my memory account deposits over the last year:

*$12 Standing room tickets to see first-round Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls 2006 NBA playoff game with my sons. We spent $36 for three playoff tickets. That's way less than some people pay for one playoff ticket. Plus, the Heat won and we had a great time.

*Gourmet ice cream on Lincoln Road. It's weird, I know, but a scoop of cappucino/ chocolate chip ice cream on a sugar cone makes me feel so rich, especially when I'm walking with my kids & husband on Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach.

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Lessons from Harrison Ford's DIY Home Project

Harrison Ford did his own remodeling on his old home in Hollywood Hills, which is now reportedly selling for $1.3 million, according to the Dec. 11 issue of Us magazine.

The Star Wars and Indiana Jones star is apparently taking on another fixer-up project, according to Us, which offers this photo of Harrison Ford (third picture down on the left) with a cart of hardware store supplies.

"Carpenter turned actor Harrison Ford picked up drywall supplies in L.A. November 18." --Us Magazine.

My husband is also big into DIY home projects and we have a few rules about our own fix-up efforts.

1. Be realistic about the time commitment. If you don't have time to finish a project (like a kitchen or dining room), hire someone to do the job right. A prolonged kitchen makeover, for example, could lead to expensive takeout meals or empty-calorie meals like instant soup.

Figure out how much time & money, the project will cost you in terms of your hourly wage rate. Unless you really, really enjoy DIY projects, hire someone else if the cost of your time/lost income outweighs the expense of a professional.

I imagine that Ford must do his handy-man act during gaps between movies and other entertainment production projects.

2. Be honest about your skills. Harrison Ford is a former carpenter. He has the right technical skills to do his part with the hammer and drywall. But if you lack the right skills or tools, the do-over may be more expensive. Both Lowe's and Home Depot offer DIY courses on line and in their stores.

Here's a link to an earlier post about free DIY classes



Also my husband loves Ready Made magazine, a hip publication with lots of cool DIY projects.

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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Updated Version of the Festival of Frugality!

**Festival of Frugality: Updated with additional comments and links!***

Wow! The Frugal Holiday Gift guide (Plus More!) is here at the Festival of Frugality. Personally, I feel so smart this morning, because I have been reading Festival entries. I've separated the entries into bite-sized categories: Back to Basics, Food, Holiday Shopping/Saving; Generic Shopping, Medicine, Cars/Gas/Energy, Green Living and more.

Plus there is a huge money management section. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the festival and to my education. Thanks to Jim of Blueprint for Financial Prosperity for letting me host.


The posts were great and I have something to say about each one. Next week's FOF host: Penny Nickel of Money and Values.



Back-to-Basics/General Frugal Living

David presents Sometimes the simple things can save the most money. posted at My Two Dollars.
Comment: I really enjoyed this piece about a simplified life. It's a keeper!

Money Walks presents 50 Smart Money Tips That You Never Want to Avoid posted at Money Walks.
FD comment: Great roundup of frugal living! I'm clipping this one.

*****

Car, Gas & Home Energy Tips

Joe Caterisano presents 13 ways to save on gasoline posted at penny pinching.
comment: Short,informative list with gas-saving tips!

The Frugal Law Student presents Share a Ride, Share a Smile posted at The Frugal Law Student.
Comment: Thoughtful piece about ditching the expense of an extra car! I'm a big fan of public transportation, so I loved this one. It comes with thoughts and numbers.

FMF presents Simple Tip to Save on Heating Costs posted at Free Money Finance.
Comment: Sweet, short piece on the energy value of space heaters and ac room units.


***

The Food Aisle

Nina presents Save Money by Cutting Down on Food Waste posted at Queercents.
Comment: Loved, loved this piece about wasted food. Lots to chew on!

Mom in Israel presents The wonders of cholent posted at A Mother in Israel.
Comment: This is a yummy story about one of my favorite food dishes. My family eats cholent almost every Sabbath! (Saturday) B"H!!

Binary Dollar presents 7 Ways To Eat Cheap In The City posted at Binary Dollar.
Comment: Super wonderful tips about saving money while dining out. I highly recommend this list for travelers or for those with out-of-town guests.

****


Holiday Gift Guides & Season Savings Plans

Jeremy Waller presents 6 Tips For Frugal Gift Giving posted at WallerBlog.com - Simple Financial Advice.
comment: super list; quick list with helpful gifting and re-gifting tips.

Golbguru presents Don?t Like Your Gift Cards? Trade Them Or Sell Them For Cash posted at Money, Matter, and More Musings.
Comment: Oooh! I like this one also and would like to interview the author for a print column!


Dean presents Mr. Cheap Stuff posted at Mr. Cheap Stuff.
Comment: There's a lot of frugal wisdom in this piece about paying for holiday presents with a cheap strategy. This post gives lots of dignity to the word "Cheap!"

Ryan C. Fleming presents Money In The Bank posted at Bryan C. Fleming.
FD comment: Solid how-to and why-for about Christmas Club savings accounts.


Penny Nickel presents Frugal gift-giving: holiday cookies with a personal twist! posted at Money and Values
Comment: An outside the box guide to creating and gifting unusual cookies. Take a bite out of this post.

Frugal Babe presents
More Christmas non-shopping
Comment: Great tips about making and finding frugal holiday card options.


*****
Shopping Bag Tips & Retail Therapies

Silicon Valley Blogger presents A Fantasy Shopping Experiment posted at The Digerati Life.
Comment: I enjoyed this fantasy shopping trip. It's a real exercise in mind over matter. Check it out.


Stephanie presents My shopping trip posted at Stop the Ride.
Comment: I loved this piece about shopping and sell stuff at re-sale shops.


Scott On Money presents Internet Shopping Bargain Challenge posted at Scott On Money.
Comment: Shopping with Scott is fun on the Internet. Plus, he makes a good argument about comparison shopping.


Ben presents Shopping Your Way Out of Debt posted at Money Smart Life.
Comment: This blogger offers a challenge and a game. Super strategy for having your cake and saving it too.

Trent presents Hot Tips On Thrifty Shopping From... The New Yorker?! posted at The Simple Dollar.
Comment: You have to love a blogger who pulls frugal tips out of the New Yorker. I'm going to hang out here.


Yan presents Amazon shopping tips and hacks posted at ProBargainHunter.com.
Comment: Wow! This is an excellent on-line shopping guide. It's one of the best I've seen with real insider tips.




Lazy Man and Money presents Ebay on the Razor?s Edge posted at Lazy Man and Money.
Comment: A concete example of how one frugal man shopped on eBay and saved.



****
Family Issues

Jane Chin PhD presents What Causes Elderly Parents to Get into Debt? posted at Parents in Debt.
Comment: Insightful tips about older parents & money. Excellent!


****
Green Living


Clink presents $.05: What do rodents and shredders have in common... posted at Coins On The Pavement.
Comment: Very funny piece about re-using material. Recycle!

******
Medicine & Insurance

Dr Kavokin presents Insurance Expert Discusses Health Care Crisis. Sort of. posted at RDoctor Medical Portal.
Comment: An insiders view about soaring health care costs with some practical suggestions.


Wenchypoo presents “All I Know I Learned Way Back in Medical School” Part Four: The Financial Ties That Bind posted at Wisdom from Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.
Comment: An inside look at the money side of drug companies and doctors. Ouch! Those conflicts of interest could hurt us all.


*******

Money Management

Sagar Satapathy presents 101 Financial Tips you Never Learned in High School (but should have) posted at Bankruptcy Reader.
Comment: I wish I read this one in High School. I wish I wrote this also! Great Read.

Joe Caterisano presents How To Budget Your Money posted at penny pinching.
Comment: Helpful list of frugal strategies

Barbra Sundquist presents Outsmart Credit Card Companies at Their Own Game posted at HomeBusinessWiz.
Comment: Great credit card strategies for business owners and consumers.

andy presents Smart ways to save money in a divorce posted at exchange-ingredients.
Comment: Very insightful piece with a link about money & love.


And Finally...

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To Prosperity posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.
Comment: Clever poem!

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The Frugal Duchess Boutique
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Festival of Frugality is UP!!!!

Wow! The Frugal Holiday Gift guide (Plus More!) is here at the Festival of Frugality. Personally, I feel so smart this morning, because I have been reading Festival entries. I've separated the entries into bite-sized categories: Back to Basics, Food, Holiday Shopping/Saving; Generic Shopping, Medicine, Cars/Gas/Energy, Green Living and more.

Plus there is a huge money management section. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the festival and to my education. Thanks to Jim of Blueprint for Financial Prosperity for letting me host.


Note: I will circle back this morning to finish my comments. The posts were great and I have something to say about each one. Also on my updated version, I will post the name of next week's host.



Back-to-Basics/General Frugal Living

David presents Sometimes the simple things can save the most money. posted at My Two Dollars.
Comment: I really enjoyed this piece about a simplified life. It's a keeper!

Money Walks presents 50 Smart Money Tips That You Never Want to Avoid posted at Money Walks.
FD comment: Great roundup of frugal living! I'm clipping this one.

*****

Car, Gas & Home Energy Tips

Joe Caterisano presents 13 ways to save on gasoline posted at penny pinching.
comment: Short,informative list with gas-saving tips!

The Frugal Law Student presents Share a Ride, Share a Smile posted at The Frugal Law Student.
Comment: Thoughtful piece about ditching the expense of an extra car! I'm a big fan of public transportation, so I loved this one. It comes with thoughts and numbers.

FMF presents Simple Tip to Save on Heating Costs posted at Free Money Finance.

***

The Food Aisle

Nina presents Save Money by Cutting Down on Food Waste posted at Queercents.
Comment: Loved, loved this piece about wasted food. Lots to chew on!

Mom in Israel presents The wonders of cholent posted at A Mother in Israel.
Comment: This is a yummy story about one of my favorite food dishes. My family eats cholent almost every Sabbath! (Saturday) B"H!!

Binary Dollar presents 7 Ways To Eat Cheap In The City posted at Binary Dollar.

****


Holiday Gift Guides & Season Savings Plans

Jeremy Waller presents 6 Tips For Frugal Gift Giving posted at WallerBlog.com - Simple Financial Advice.
comment: super list; quick list with helpful gifting and re-gifting tips.

Golbguru presents Don?t Like Your Gift Cards? Trade Them Or Sell Them For Cash posted at Money, Matter, and More Musings.
Comment: Oooh! I like this one also and would like to interview the author for a print column!


Ryan C. Fleming presents Money In The Bank posted at Bryan C. Fleming.
FD comment: Solid how-to and why-for about Christmas Club savings accounts.


Penny Nickel presents Frugal gift-giving: holiday cookies with a personal twist! posted at Money and Values
Comment: An outside the box guide to creating and gifting unusual cookies. Take a bite out of this post.

Frugal Babe presents
More Christmas non-shopping
Comment: Great tips about making and finding frugal holiday card options.


*****
Shopping Bag Tips & Retail Therapies

Silicon Valley Blogger presents A Fantasy Shopping Experiment posted at The Digerati Life.
Comment: I enjoyed this fantasy shopping trip. It's a real exercise in mind over matter. Check it out.


Stephanie presents My shopping trip posted at Stop the Ride.
Comment: I loved this piece about shopping and sell stuff at re-sale shops.


Scott On Money presents Internet Shopping Bargain Challenge posted at Scott On Money.
Comment: Shopping with Scott is fun on the Internet. Plus, he makes a good argument about comparison shopping.


Ben presents Shopping Your Way Out of Debt posted at Money Smart Life.
Comment: This blogger offers a challenge and a game. Super strategy for having your cake and saving it too.

Trent presents Hot Tips On Thrifty Shopping From... The New Yorker?! posted at The Simple Dollar.
Comment: You have to love a blogger who pulls frugal tips out of the New Yorker. I'm going to hang out here.


Yan presents Amazon shopping tips and hacks posted at ProBargainHunter.com.

dean presents Mr. Cheap Stuff posted at Mr. Cheap Stuff.


Lazy Man and Money presents Ebay on the Razor?s Edge posted at Lazy Man and Money.
Comment: A concete example of how one frugal man shopped on eBay and saved.



****
Family Issues

Jane Chin PhD presents What Causes Elderly Parents to Get into Debt? posted at Parents in Debt.
Comment: Insightful tips about older parents & money. Excellent!


****
Green Living


Clink presents $.05: What do rodents and shredders have in common... posted at Coins On The Pavement.
Comment: Very funny piece about re-using material. Recycle!

******
Medicine & Insurance

Dr Kavokin presents Insurance Expert Discusses Health Care Crisis. Sort of. posted at RDoctor Medical Portal.

Wenchypoo presents “All I Know I Learned Way Back in Medical School” Part Four: The Financial Ties That Bind posted at Wisdom from Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.
Comment: An inside look at the money side of drug companies and doctors. Ouch! Those conflicts of interest could hurt us all.


*******

Money Management

Sagar Satapathy presents 101 Financial Tips you Never Learned in High School (but should have) posted at Bankruptcy Reader.
Comment: I wish I read this one in High School. I wish I wrote this also! Great Read.

Joe Caterisano presents How To Budget Your Money posted at penny pinching.
Comment: Helpful list of frugal strategies

Barbra Sundquist presents Outsmart Credit Card Companies at Their Own Game posted at HomeBusinessWiz.
Comment: Great credit card strategies for business owners and consumers.

andy presents Smart ways to save money in a divorce posted at exchange-ingredients.


And Finally...

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To Prosperity posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

_______




The Frugal Duchess Boutique
_______