The Financial Power of Clean Countertops & The Hidden Costs of Chipped Mugs

It's an annual ritual. We make promises on Jan. 1. And within a week, our resolutions look as promising as the discarded gift boxes.

But there's a secret to making your resolutions stick, according to Standolyn Robertson, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers and owner of Things in Place, an organizing consulting company in Massachusetts. Make organization your top priority, she says.
''An organized life is really connected to every goal,'' she told me during a recent telephone chat.


She suggests that we take a room-by-room tour of our home's public and personal living spaces. But the kitchen and the family room demand special attention.

The kitchen is the hub of the home, Robertson says. And she literally means business when she discusses the room's core value. She calls it the headquarters of the family business. The following steps will help you organize:

• Define your family goals. Do you want to increase the number of meals the family spends together? Are you trying to save money? Are you on a diet? Write down your goals (financial, health and entertainment).

• Brainstorm for ways the kitchen can support the family goals. If eating more meals together is on the agenda, examine your dining room table. Is the table cluttered and uninviting at mealtime? Are there enough chairs for everyone in the family to comfortably sit? Are your cabinets and refrigerator organized enough so that it's easy to take inventory and prepare healthy and/or frugal meals?

• Study your countertops. Too often kitchen prep areas are crowded with clutter. ''Don't underestimate the value of having a clear counter,'' Robertson says. ``It's your pallet for creating your meals.''

• Are your tools sharp and available? Dull knives and inaccessible pots will not encourage meal preparation. Without the right tools, the family is more likely to order take-out food, skip meals and splinter into self-involved groups.

• Toss your chipped mugs and purge your cabinets of dishes that are damaged or not used. ''Life is too short to drink out of a chipped mug,'' Robertson says.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.
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Previous Posts
Yesterday:
Finding Hidden Profits in Mistakes: a 10-Step Program
Year in Review: My Best Posts in 2007

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere! , which will be published in the Spring of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Finding Hidden Profits in Mistakes: a 10-Step Program

In the 1980s, I wrote a novel called Chameleon: The Memoirs of a Black American Princess. That unpublished project was a failure, but I earned valuable dividends from that creative effort. In fact, the experience taught me how to convert failure into success. Here's my approach:

1. Be patient: In my 20s, I wanted everything (money, love, creative success) right away. In a rush, I skidded around like a car out of control. But when I stopped spinning my wheels, I learned to recognize patterns and insights that I totally missed before.

2. Learn something new: After several agents offered devastating comments about my novel, I enrolled in a non-degree writing program at the Writers Studio in Manhattan. I've also attended workshops in Long Island, Salt Lake City, Miami and Key West. I've also taken courses in Spanish, finance, kickboxing, yoga and organization. The Goal: to acquire new tools and insights.

3. Get feedback: I requested advice from literary agents, editors, friends and family. More importantly, I was willing to hear what others had to say and to honestly evaluate the merits of their advice. My rule of feedback: Look for patterns. When several readers stumbled over the same chapters in my creative writing and when several managers mentioned the same problems with my work performance, I realized that I had major issues to address and alter.

4. Save what you can: My princess novel had one scene that consistently drew rave reviews from readers. It was actually based on a true story about my grandmother, who was a church minister. When I ditched the novel, I kept that one non-fiction scene and re-wrote it as a first-person essay. As such, 20 years after it was originally written, the essay was published in a major newspaper and is now included in my upcoming book: The Frugal Duchess of South Beach.

5. Start over: There's a grace in new beginnings: a new job, a new town or new notebook. Sometimes it helps to be a blank screen.

6. Look for lessons: My assorted failures during the 1980s offered clues, signs and emotional billboards. Some lessons were subtle; some were brighter than neon signs. But when I learned to pay attention, I acquired insights that improved my professional and personal life. I couldn't find the trail until I learned to look for crumbs.

7. Look for humor.

8. Seek diversity: During a Writer's Digest presentation, writer Jodi Picoult offered a very helpful overview of her writing life. Basically, she works on several projects at the same time. Each project is at a different stage of development. For example, while marketing one book, she edits a second book, writes a third book and researches a fourth.

Likewise, savvy investment managers typically select a diverse portfolio of stocks. This diversity provides downside protection. If one project or stock fails, there are other options and investments. Personally, I use a diverse portfolio of projects (non-fiction, poetry, short story and blogging) to avoid harmful obsessions.

9. Take time off: When I start spinning my wheels, it helps to park my car and take time out. As such, I've shelved projects for days, weeks and even years. The bonus: with maturity and distance, I often gain better insights.

10. Learn to let go. Some things can't be fixed. Thankfully, my first novel remains in a box and the box remains in deep storage. The experience was very valuable, but I'm working on a different narrative. I've moved on to different pages and new chapters.

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Year in Review: My Best Posts in 2007

From my Bag Lady Prevention Career Plan to debates over cell phones for kids, I've covered a lot of topics during 2007. Here's the best of my blog:

"So When You're Rich, You Won't Have To Be Frugal," He Told Me

I was on a street corner, when a reader stopped and offered kind words about one of my newspaper columns in the home & design section of the Miami Herald. Very nice man! But he concluded his praise with the comment: "What are you going to write about when you're rich and don't have to be frugal anymore?"

How to Demand Less, Live Better: A Financial Salute to My Natural Hair

We laugh about the long wish lists from kids. But we all have the gimmies: Give me a new car, a new home and new hair. The Fix: "Let Go of Wanting." It's a formula I spotted last night in a pass-along copy of Bottom Line Personal.

Say Sorry and Save Money: How I'm Shedding Emotional Debt in 2008:
Unresolved worries and regrets cost me at least $6,500 a year, but saying sorry will help me reduce that debt load and convert worries into dollar signs and personal growth....

What I Learned about Money from Writing a Book:After over 25 years of writing about Wall Street, investments and personal finance, I thought I knew a lot about money. After 40 years of writing, I thought I knew a lot about words. And finally, after 49 years of living, I thought I knew a lot about life.

Typing Class Regrets: My 10 Career Goofs: An English Major's Lament! My list of Bubble Head memories is long: I took a typing class in high school. I knew, of course, that only big-hair girls who wanted to be secretaries took that class. Now, I wish I had paid more attention to the typing drills.

My Jane Austen Biz Plan: 10 Smart Career Moves: An English Major's Aria Jane Austen has made me a business maven. Tutored by Jane, I've become more than an air-head in training.

10 Reasons Why I'll Work at Starbucks: Late Bloomers Guide to Saving: Pt. 3
My latest fantasy: I wish I had 20 hours of week to work at Starbucks. (I would gladly grind coffee beans for health coverage.) My 10 Reasons for Working at Starbucks are below.

How I'm Conquering My Bag Lady Fears: My 10-Step Program
What keeps me up late at night? In addition to worrying about past mistakes and my kids and my work, I worry about becoming a bag lady. And I have plenty of company; a lot of women (and I imagine some men also) have secret fears about living on the streets without money or sanity. Even Oprah and other successful women have 'fessed up to bag lady fears.

Is it Wrong to Pay Kids for Chores?
To get our kids to do more around the house, my husband & I often link chores to allowances. But are we just bribing our kids to help clean up? In fact, a chores-for-allowance system is a bad move & I could be pushing my kids towards "financial illiteracy," according to The Financially Intelligent Parent, a book written by Eileen & Jon Gallo.

"But Mom...Half the Kids in My Class Have Cell Phones!"
There's a new school bell ringing in my house. Two of my children ('tweens) have started to lobby for cell phones. Here's a rundown of their arguments:The Whine:"Almost all my friends have cell phones...."

Do We Spend Too Much on Our Kids? A Quiz
For each child, the typical middle-class family spends about $1,200 a year on entertainment, personal care & misc. perks; and another $580 on clothes. Those annual figures --from a 2005 USDA report -- exclude food, ($1,900), childcare ($1,200), transportation ($1,600) and healthcare ($580).

Mommy I'm Bored: 25 Frugal Ways to Beat Summer Bordeom
My 9-year-old daughter does not go to camp until July 9. That's when her drama camp begins. But the plot has already thickened in my house with a steady chorus of: Mommy, I'm Bored!Here's what we're doing to cure the summer blues:

My Bare Face: How I Stopped Shrinking My Pores & My Wallet and Saved $400
I'm saving about $400 a year (probably more) by shedding my skin care routine and my skin looks better because I've jumped off a self-defeating so-called beauty product merry-go-round.

Goodwill Operates eBay Style Auction for Thrift Shopping
Many of us love thrift shops, but lack the time to hunt for treasures at second-hand stores. Goodwill addressed that problem with http://www.shopgoodwill.com/, an eBay-style electronic marketplace and auction platform. The merchandise, including antiques, is posted with photos by 71 Goodwill organizations around the country, according to Joan Dornbach, vice president of marketing for Goodwill of Orange County in California

Life Lessons from Oscar Peterson: Tribute to a Jazz Man Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, age 82, recently passed away and the details of his life offer many valuable lessons about growth, success and development.

Lessons From A Fire; What I Learned While Stuck on A Balcony
Fire struck the apartment building in which I live. The fire left one family homeless and taught the rest of us valuable lessons. And while stuck on my seventh floor balcony, I had plenty of time to digest a few frugal and life lessons.Here's what happened: A microwave on a lower floor blew up and created a huge flame. Because he was walking the dog, my husband was already out of the apartment and my children left the apartment, exiting through smoke. But I was in the shower, and by the time, I dressed and attempted to help an older neighbor, I was not able to leave the building. The stairwells were filled with smoke.

How to Make a Part-Time Job Work: Tips From My Dad
Many of us work part-time jobs in order to pay bills, cut debt or to build up savings accounts. -Last week, I wrote about different part-time jobs. But working extra hours is a really chore if you also have other careers and competing commitments.Here are a few tips about fitting part-time jobs into a full schedule.My Dad, for example, worked full-time as a teacher and school administrator during the day. At night he worked different jobs in restaurants, a store and even on a ship dock unloading cargo.He used these strategies to make his second job work:

Pennies & Finance: What a Former Bank Teller Taught Me About Money
I'm impatient with pennies. I round up; I round down. But I should pay attention to the money-saving power of a penny, a former bank teller told me during a recent conversation. In fact, it's important to balance accounts down to the penny in order to detect hidden errors and other oversights, the teller said.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in the Spring of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Links I Liked: My Favorite Posts for the Week

What's the happiest moment of your life? Is it possible to go shopping at the police station? How can we talk ourselves out of silly purchases? Those questions and other issues are featured in this weekly roundup of interesting personal finance posts. Here are a few links that caught my eye:


From Get Rich Slowly: Get Rich Slowly’s Greatest Hits (2007 Edition)

From Information Arbitrage: From the Mailbag: When Was I The Happiest in My Life?

From Wise Bread: How to buy all that stuff the police seize. And it's cheap.

From Tired But Happy: Freelancing: Diversifying your income streams

From MomAdvice.com: When Do You Let Your Car Go?

From The Simple Dollar: Talking Myself Out Of Frivolous Purchases
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Guest Post: How to Beat the January Money Blues

This guest post from Consumer Credit Counseling Service provides insights about reducing debt and managing money in 2008. My favorites from this list: the importance of a diversified savings plan and the establishment of budget priorities.

"CCCS offers these tips to help consumers get started on a strategy to reduce and eliminate debt:

Balance your checkbook each time you receive a paycheck to ensure that you are not spending more than the amount you make.

Keep track of your bills. Designate a filing cabinet or secured box for bills and financial statements. Make separate files for bank statements, tax documents, credit card bills, medical receipts, mortgage statements and other records. Keep up with due dates.

Create a monthly budget. Your budget is your spending plan. To create a budget plan, determine your monthly income and recurring expenses like rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, food, transportation costs, tuition, savings, entertainment and personal grooming. Then identify other recurring and periodic expenses like clothing, appliances and maintenance, gifts, insurance and vacations.

Prioritize your expenses and spending. After writing down your expenses, prioritize them based o­n your "needs versus wants." Set spending limits and estimate costs for each expense. If any funds are left over after monthly expenses are paid, split them between debt reduction and savings. Pay down high-interest credit card bills and loans. Use extra funds to increase your savings and look for ways to reduce daily spending. Bringing your lunch instead of eating out and skipping that morning coffee and muffin can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings each month.

Develop a diversified savings plan. Savings should not be limited to retirement planning. It’s important to save for a down payment o­n a home or vehicle or for uncovered medical expenses. Make regular deposits in an interest-bearing account. Take advantage of employer-sponsored benefits, such as retirement and flexible spending accounts.

Recognize the early warning signs of debt trouble. You may be approaching a debt crisis if: you’re behind o­n the mortgage or rent and utilities, you’re using credit to buy items you should be able to buy with cash, you’re skipping some payments to make others, you’re getting notices or calls from bill collectors, or if more than 25 percent of your take-home pay is going to credit card debt."

source: www.cccsinc.org.
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Stripped Gift Card Scams: New Plastic, But Dead on Arrival

Gift cards are often easy to reach at store cash registers or on nearby racks. But that easy access opens the door for an unusual consumer rip-off, according to Bottom Line Personal. The problem: High-tech thieves enter stores and use small electronic scanners to read and lift credit codes from the magnetic strips on gift cards.

With the scanned and stolen information, digital thieves use the gift card data to finance fraudulent online shopping sprees, according to a report from scambusters.org. Meanwhile, unsuspecting gift card recipients are left with worthless plastic. One Wal-Mart shopper, for example, purchased gift cards for her grandchildren. But when the grandkids (eight of them) tried to use the cards for the first time, the family discovered that all of the cards had been drained of value, according to scambusters.org.

The store ultimately offered a refund and through a bit of detective work discovered how thieves had stolen the stored value dollar amounts from the gift cards.

Anti-theft tip: Avoid gift cards that are arranged on easy-access racks. Instead, request a card from the behind-the-counter stash. Save receipts and check in with your gift card recipients to make sure that all is well when they try to use the gift cards.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in the Spring of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Previous Posts

Today:
3 Reasons to Admire Bill Parcells & Why I Read the Sports Section First
Yesterday:
How to Demand Less, Live Better: A Financial Salute to My Natural Hair
My Miracle Treatment: Vitamin B for Writer's Cramp or CTS
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3 Reasons to Admire Bill Parcells & Why I Read the Sports Section First

My high school gym teacher would be surprised: The Sports Section is the first newspaper section that I read. And that's odd because I hated gym class, sit-ups and the stupid blue uniforms we had to wear for PE during the 1970s.

But I now realize that a lot of wisdom --about money, career management and life-- is contained in the Sports Section of newspapers (online and traditional). Consider these insights from NFL Legend Bill Parcells -- the new v.p. of operations for the desperate Miami Dolphins.

1. The Importance of Self-Acceptance

After fighting himself, Parcells has accepted the importance of football in his life.

''I've quit being ashamed of what I am,'' Parcells said. ``I think I'm a guy that likes football very much. I guess you call that maybe a male menopause, when you realize and you're no longer ashamed of what you are. . . . I can't get the game out of my system, really.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: There are a number games, scores and replays that I can't get out of my system. Like Parcells, I've learned to just accept my personal playing field and make it work for me.

2. The Role of Evaluation

As he plans to turnaround the Dolphins (1-14), Parcells is taking the time to analyze and review the team.

''I have to evaluate all the things that are here, first of all, and attempt to do that as expeditiously as possible and see where we go from there,'' Parcells said. ``I don't know where that's going to take us.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: From finance to personal development, it's important to consider the options and measure the risks. Lack of information and an absence of self-awareness have contributed to my worst errors. In contrast, my personal victories -- professional and personal -- occur when I have both feet on the playing field and my head in the game.

3. Live with urgency, but plan carefully.

From his new post, Parcells will soon make a number of changes.

''We've got things to do,'' Parcells said. ``I do feel a sense of urgency in that regard, but I'm going to make sure I'm as analytical as possible when it comes to that and hopefully not overlook something that I should have seen or make a mistake in an area that I shouldn't have made a mistake in.'' -- Bill Parcells

Lesson: We don't have an unlimited supply of time, money or natural resources. It's important not to waste opportunities and to find a balance between action and thought.

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My Miracle Treatment: Vitamin B for Writer's Cramp or CTS

It was good tip from another writer: Try a heavy dose of Vitamin B complex tablets for aching wrists, elbows and other ailments caused by extreme typing (aka carpal tunnel syndrome).

I was skeptical about her claim. But I had already unsuccessfully tried several remedies: $50 worth of wrist splints, a $12 elbow guard, $6 Velcro ice packs, $65 per hour massages and other tricks of the writing trade.


I was on the verge of acupuncture and was even considering a voice-activated software writing program. But then a fellow writer offered the Vitamin B solution, a tip that is popular in some newsrooms for dealing with the aches related to constant typing or carpal tunnel syndrome. [CTS]

My experience: It works. When I take vitamin B (about two tablets in the morning), my wrists, elbows and shoulders feel normal. (Yoga and rest also help). Likewise, a lawyer friend, who also sees heavy keyboard action, recently complained about her aching wrists. I recommended Vitamin B. Last weekend, I saw her and she told me that her hands have felt better since she started taking B-complex vitamins.


We're not alone: Using Vitamin B to treat CTS is becoming increasingly popular in some medical corners. Here's one quote:

"Even though over 100,000 carpal tunnel surgeries are performed each year, doctors who prefer a less drastic solution are slowly beginning to add vitamin B6 to their treatment regimens. "For those people who don't seem to have serious problems, I normally recommend they wear splints at night, take an anti-inflammatory and use B6 for at least two weeks," says Gary Tunell, M.D., chief of neurology at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Tunell estimates that 40 to 50 percent of people with CTS could experience some improvement using this therapy. "

--source

Here's are a few articles about Vitamin B, including the following piece from the National Institutes of Health, (NIH), a government agency: (Non-surgical treatments from NIH).


Here's an article from the University of Maryland Medical Center and a third source: All about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and alternative treatments.


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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Previous Posts

Today:
How to Demand Less, Live Better: A Financial Salute to My Natural Hair
Yesterday:
Say Sorry and Save Money: How I'm Shedding Emotional Debt in 2008
First-Person & Public: How Writing in the First-Person Saves Money
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How to Demand Less, Live Better: A Financial Salute to My Natural Hair

We laugh about the long wish lists from kids. But we all have the gimmies: Give me a new car, a new home and new hair. The Fix: "Let Go of Wanting." It's a formula I spotted last night in a pass-along copy of Bottom Line Personal.

In her publisher's note, (May 1, 2007 issue) Marjory Abrams outlines a four-step process that is based on the Sedona Method. I tried it and it works. And I'll continue to use the system for dealing with my personal wish list. The process applies to assorted gimmies, including material possessions, professional quests, personal obsessions and irrational fears.

Here's out it works:

1. Identify your feelings. My hair example: Why did I straighten my hair for years at an estimated cost of about $1,500 to $2,000 a year for salon visits, plus tips. Bottom Line offers this menu of emotional options: "Fear? Anger? Shame? Envy? Some other emotion?"

My story: Straight hair is fine. But my need to chemically straighten my hair (with lye!) during the 1980s and early 1990s, did not come from a good place. Over a 15-year period, I spent about $30,000 (excluding interest, tax and tips) to alter my appearance because of negative feelings about my naturally nappy/curly hair.

2. Which "feeling" does the "gimmie" tap into: Am I looking for 1) approval from others, 2) control or 3) a way of changing things that are beyond my control?

Hair example: In my case, I think I was caught in Box No. 1: (approval from others). I actually liked my afro hair when I was in high school. But during the college years and 1980s, I bought into the idea that I needed to fix my hair so that it was long, straight and shiny. (That's a great look, but it's not really me).

Lesson: I let myself be lured into the billion-dollar-beauty industry-marketing-machine aimed at women, especially African-American women. The product pitch: You're not pretty the way you are. Spend, spend, spend to fix your cosmetic flaws. I totally bought into that pitch. My bad!

If I invested the money I spent on my hair, with a 10 percent annual return, I would now have about $46,000 in additional cash.

3. The reality check: I can let go of wanting, wishing, obsessing....but do I really want to? (It's a trick question posed by http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/)

Hair example: I have very sensitive skin and the chemicals used to straighten my hair often burned my skin.

The reality check: I could have walked out of the beauty salons at any time or I could have requested another service. But no, I paid for that abuse.

4. Can you Let Go Now? Finally, one day after an awful hair straightening session in Miami, I just cut off my hair. It was a total buzz cut. My hair has since grown back and is almost waist length and it's nappy/happy hair.

The Bottom Line Publisher's Summary:

"The more I work with this technique, the more it works for me," wrote Marjory Abrams, publisher.

Coached by actor Larry Conroy, Abrams used that four-step process to let go of stage fears after she was hired to do on-air business segments for NBC. (You can watch the segments by going to http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/ and hitting the WNBC menu option.

The Sedona method: It was developed by a physicist (Lester Levenson), who was given a medical death sentence in 1952: only a few months to live. Levenson did not accept that verdict and used the above four-step process to let go of negative feelings, including those linked to the "gimmies." He lived for an additional 42 years.

Beyond the feel-good medical story, business coaches and career consultants often discuss how negative feelings sour careers, business deals and other financial agendas. As for me, I've liberated my hair, my purse and my self-esteem. I'm now working on other gimmie-targets and I plan to tap into that four-step tool.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Previous Posts
Yesterday:

Say Sorry and Save Money: How I'm Shedding Emotional Debt in 2008
First-Person & Public: How Writing in the First-Person Saves Money

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Say Sorry and Save Money: How I'm Shedding Emotional Debt in 2008

Unresolved worries and regrets cost me at least $6,500 a year, but saying sorry will help me reduce that debt load and convert worries into dollar signs and personal growth.

Clearly, the high cost of regrets also eats into emotional and physical health, which can create additional financial tolls. What's more, if my subconscious mind is engaged in replaying old reels, I have less energy to devote to the here-and-now. It's not a Ferris wheel that you want to ride.

The remedy: Apologize, make amends, change behavior & move on. That's the formula suggested by business mavens such as Brian Tracy, author of the book: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. In that text, Tracy recommends contacting those that you have wronged in the past and simply apologize. Regardless of the response you receive, it's a very liberating process.

"Apologizing can have health benefits such as lower stress levels," according to Maria Neuman, author of the Art of Saying Sorry, an article which appeared in a past issue of Self magazine. She cites a report from the University of Michigan, which linked apologies to improved health. Neuman's article outlined three basic steps for saying sorry:

1. Express regret

2. Take responsibility

3. Be willing -- if possible -- to remedy the situation.

Personally, I subscribe to Brian Tracy's system: He urges phoning or writing someone that you have wronged and just lay it out: For example: I hurt you, I'm sorry... Just that simple. It's just good Karma to say sorry.

From experience, I will testify that it's a difficult process, but it's far harder to carry around a fat purse (or suitcase) of regret. It's also important, Tracy says, to forgive oneself. For me, that's the hardest part. And sometimes, I feel lost in a Grade-B movie of my worst moments.

But letting go of self-directed anger is a crucial step to moving on. On that account, Brian Tracy offers a helpful reminder: Either due to inexperience or immaturity, many of us made errors in the past (financial, professional or personal), that we would not make now. Quite simply: we're not the same person that we were back-in-the-day and we have far more resources to cope with difficult situations.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Previous Posts

Today:

First-Person & Public: How Writing in the First-Person Saves Money
Yesterday:
Park Carefully: 10 Frugal Tips for Post-Holiday Shopping

Holiday Zalute to Zo (Miami Heat!): 10 Reasons To Cheer for Alonzo Mourning

How to Recycle Christmas Trees: Mulch Conversion

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First-Person & Public: How Writing in the First-Person Saves Money

It's like going to the mall without make-up or even a smear of lipstick. That's how it feels to write a first-person column on finance under my real name. I recommend the process or other forms of peer group mentoring. Public discussion actually helps me to save money and to set realistic financial goals. Here's how:

The You vs. I bonus: A little while ago, Flexo of Consumerism Commentary wrote a column about keeping personal finance personal: (Thoughts On Finance Writing) Basically, he mentioned the importance of using the pronoun "I" instead of "you." He urged fellow personal finance bloggers to keep it real. Reading that column -- excellent as always -- had a profound impact on me. Here's the deal: I've written about stocks, bonds and the capital markets since the mid-1980s. I earned money by writing about OPM (other people's money).

But writing about personal finance is trickier when I put myself under the microscope. The process demands a different set of skills and disclosure than those I developed as a financial reporter. And although I continue to rely on news releases, industry studies and expert interviews, I've also started to write more columns about my own mistakes, triumphs and experiences.

That means I have to try many of the tips that appear in this space and then report on the process. For example, it's great to write about a money-saving, all-natural hair dye (cold brewed coffee on my greying hair). But to make it real, I actually poured coffee on my head. The experience provided a fun story and enhanced my life. And besides, the scent of coffee in my braids keeps me alert.

The Folks Factor: Because I write under my real name, I know that my Mom and Dad can easily track my personal accounting. Besides, they really know me and hold me accountable. (My phone will ring about 30 seconds after my folks read this post.) For example, earlier this year when I wrote about adding more money to an emergency fund, my parents wanted to see results not just words. Bottom Line: Pleasing M&D still matters to me.

The Mirror Factor: My blog reflection has to match my inner mirror reflection. Fears of sounding insincere or false keep me up at night. Therefore, if I write about saving energy, I feel obligated to turn off unnecessary lights throughout my home. And in fact, I just walked around my apartment and hit the off switch in two rooms and a bathroom. As such, blogging in the first person saves money.

The quest for new material: I write on a dining room table that faces the ocean. (I live in a low-rent building in a high-rent neighborhood.) I see a lot from this view point, but without constantly reading and reporting, my blog, life & finances get stale and stagnant. Therefore, in order to hunt down new topics and personal finance tools, I have to live a fuller life.

This year, for example, I'm plan to enroll in a 529 college savings plan for my middle-school son and elementary-age daughter. Maybe I'll also enroll in a DRIP stock program or some other investment. I also plan to try a new budgeting process that I read about in the Weekend Millionaire Mindset. My goal: Live it; earn it, save it & blog it.

Embrace the "YOU" pronoun: Of course, I'm not abandoning the second-person "you" pronoun and in 2008, many of my posts will continue to read like this: "You should try... or You should do... or You should save.... " But in those cases, that you means me. I'm not lecturing or preaching to anyone but myself. That understanding helps because as I blog about personal finance, I'm constantly reaching to improve my own financial portrait.

Other interesting posts on this topic:

From The Simple Dollar: Why Talking About Myself Is Important When Writing About Personal Finance

From Flexo: Why Do I Share My Finances Every Month?

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Previous Posts

Yesterday:

Park Carefully: 10 Frugal Tips for Post-Holiday Shopping
Holiday Zalute to Zo (Miami Heat!): 10 Reasons To Cheer for Alonzo Mourning
How to Recycle Christmas Trees: Mulch Conversion:

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Park Carefully: 10 Frugal Tips for Post-Holiday Shopping

If you plan to hit the malls tomorrow, here are 10 tips that have saved me time and money:

1. Find original packaging. You'll have a better chance of returning merchandise if you present the original box.

2. Collect your paperwork: Come armed with credit-card receipts, store receipts and tags. With the right paperwork, I've received dollar-for-dollar value for returned items in the form of cash or a credit on my account. Without receipts, you could lose money. Here's the scenario: You paid $35 for the dish set. But in the post-holiday markdown, the set has been reduced to $18. With a receipt, you'll get $35 back for the return. But without the receipt, you'll receive an $18 store credit.

3. Don't give up if you lack documentation. Many stores offer flexible return policies, even if you don't have a receipt or the original packaging. However, without a receipt you'll only get store credit, at best.

4. Collect names: If you have problems returning an item, start a new paper trail at the store. Collect names and speak to a manager if necessary. Remain polite.

5. Stay home: I save the most when I skip the post-holiday sales.

6. Get a head start: December 2008 is only 12 months away. Holiday merchandise will be marked down. Pick up gifts for steep discounts. Shop with a list.

7. Wait 'til January: If you think prices are low now, just wait until January. From thrift stores to upscale chains, January is a great time to pick up bargains.

8. Eat before you shop: Don't shop on an empty stomach. If you're hungry, even the little box of Godiva chocolates will look like a good deal. Trust me: Once at Macy's, I was so hungry that I purchased super-rich chocolate for an amount that could have been applied to a college fund.

9. Park near the stores you will visit: Limit your walks through the mall. I know one bank analyst who parks near the exterior doors of each door he plans to visit. This discipline makes him less vulnerable to impulse purchases because he spends less time walking through malls.

10. Start a gift closet. Instead of returning unwanted presents, why not just stash them away in a re-gifting closet? Build an inventory for the future. This step will accomplish two things: 1) you'll save money on future presents and 2) you won't be tempted to spend more money during your latest shopping trip.

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Previous Posts

Today:

Holiday Zalute to Zo (Miami Heat!): 10 Reasons To Cheer for Alonzo Mourning

How to Recycle Christmas Trees: Mulch Conversion
Yesterday:
Life Lessons from Oscar Peterson: Tribute to a Jazz Man
Beyond Fruitcake: 25 Frugal Things To Do When You're Bored After Opening Presents
Sell Your Home Faster with DIY Home Staging: Make Your Home Look Like a Hotel

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Holiday Zalute to Zo (Miami Heat!): 10 Reasons To Cheer for Alonzo Mourning

Happy Holiday Shoutout to Alonzo Mourning, the heart & soul of the Miami Heat (and a fellow Georgetown University graduate.) He may be injured, but Zo remains a giant in the world of basketball, community service and motivation. Zo gives new meaning to the concepts of determination and achievement. From wealth management to career development Zo is a stellar role model.

Here are:

My 10 Reasons for Cheering for Alonzo Mourning:

1. The 3-Ps: Zo is a model of patience, persistence and perseverance. After years of pursuing an NBA Finals Championship title, Zo earned his ring in 2006. I'm the biggest Dwyane Wade fan, but the sweetest part of that championship run was watching Zo get his ring. He never gave up and I learned a lot about goal-setting and determination from watching Zo take the court.

2. Shot-blocking machine: The American Airlines Arena rocked every time Zo zwatted away a shot. The Lesson: The best offense is a good defense and Zo is as good as it gets.

3. Yoga man: Alonzo Mourning prolonged and preserved his body through a daily routine that included yoga and vitamins. That commitment to physical and mental health apparently enhanced the passion and performance in Zo's game.

4. The Great Warrior: Dan Le Batard offers an excellent zalute to Zo in the Dec. 25 edition of the Miami Herald. In that piece, Dan called Zo "Miami's Greatest Warrior." With equal doses of grace and ferocity, Zo elevated the playing field on the basketball court.

5. Life after the kidney transplant: Not many transplant patients lead a full-court-press athletic life after surgery and very few, if any, have returned to play with the excellence and skill demonstrated by Zo: "Mourning always pushed his muscled body well beyond the limits of what was reasonable," Dan Le Batard wrote in the Miami Herald: "...it is the cold truth of time and sports that the body eventually and always pushes back. That is not a fight the athlete ever wins, but Mourning fought it with more will and stamina than just about anyone who has ever graced this section of the newspaper." That says it all.

6. Mr. Mentor: During the first home game of the 2005 East Conference Finals, the Detroit Pistons virtually shut down Dwyane Wade. After the game, Shaquille O'Neal and Zo paid a home visit to D-Wade to encourage the young ball player. That bit of mentoring worked and Wade rebounded to play much better in subsequent games. Likewise, Zo is involved in community mentoring programs.

7. Optimize Gifts: We all have different gifts. Some of us are photographers; some of us are excellent jazz musicians and some of us have a gift for teaching. Zo was blessed with a talent for basketball and a 6-10 frame to execute plays. But being born with either wealth, talent or looks is not enough. We all face a mandate to make the most of the talent, time and opportunities we have been given. Through discipline and hard work, Zo provided a model on making the most of our God-given talents.

8. Mr. Community Service: This summer with my oldest son, I attended Zo's Summer Groove in Downtown Miami. I was so impressed! It was a beautiful community service event that Alonzo Mourning offers every year. (The photo on the right is courtesy of the Miami Heat. Here is the caption: "Alonzo Mourning greets an Overtown resident during the HEAT’s 16th Annual Thanksgiving in Overtown celebration. The HEAT players, wives and front office handed out Thanksgiving dinners to approximately 600 underprivileged families.")

From ritzy golf tournaments to sports clinics for low-income kids, Zo is all over the court when it comes to giving. "He brings celebrities and sponsors and wealth to the abused, neglected and abandoned. He asks his powerful friends for help, time and money so that he can rescue those who don't have any power at all."--Dan Le Batard

9. Mr. Entertainment: I so loved watching Zo pump his fist and flex his bicep muscle after blocking a shot or making an old-school three-point play (the Zo-and-one!). He's just a joy to watch. His enthusiasm made me feel as if I too were on the bench waiting for my number to be called by Head Coach Pat Riley.

10. Defending the Title: Don't worry about dry run from last season or the felled knee in the current season; I will always, always be impressed with Zo's willingness to come back and return to defend the team's 2006 championship. It doesn't matter that the team was eliminated during the first round of playoffs in 2007. What matters is that Zo played with heart and provided a lasting lesson for kids, namely: It's really not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. We are all winners if we play like Zo.

And because Alonzo Mourning provided that court-side lesson to my boys and other younger basketball fans, I'll always be grateful to Zo! We are all better people because he's been on the court.

Happy Holidays Zo !!! Hoya Saxa

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How to Recycle Christmas Trees: Mulch Conversion

After the holidays and the eggnog, don't toss away the live evergreen tree. Many municipalities offer Christmas tree recycling programs in which post-holiday evergreens can be converted into fragrant mulch, according to a report in the Miami Herald.

Throughout the U.S., various organizations have tree recycling programs at different municipal trash and recycling centers. Some public parks also provide a chipping service for undecorated trees. And some programs last through mid-January. Earth911.org has an online search for tree recycling centers in your area.

Here are links to articles with details about recycling Christmas trees:

Recycling Christmas Trees


Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Recycle your Christmas Tree (TreeHugger)

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Previous Posts

Yesterday:

Life Lessons from Oscar Peterson: Tribute to a Jazz Man

Beyond Fruitcake: 25 Frugal Things To Do When You're Bored After Opening Presents

Sell Your Home Faster with DIY Home Staging: Make Your Home Look Like a Hotel

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Life Lessons from Oscar Peterson: Tribute to a Jazz Man

Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, age 82, recently passed away and the details of his life offer many valuable lessons about growth, success and development.

Here's what I learned from reading about Oscar Peterson:

Humility counts: Despite his development into a world-class pianist, with "rapid-fast" keyboard hands, Peterson remained very modest, according to those who knew him best:

"He was very shy, very down to earth. You didn't know you were with a world musician by any means," said Hazel McCallion, a friend and the mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, a Toronto suburb where Peterson lived.

Other lessons that apply to finance, career development and personal growth:

• Get an early start: Peterson learned the piano as a child. His older sister--Daisy-- provided early lessons. By the age of 14, he started to perform on the radio.


• Set high standards: Reportedly, his father issued a challenge. His father's words: "You have to be the best, there is no second best." Oscar Peterson lived by that advice.
  
• Maintain discipline: Peterson maintained a demanding traveling and recording tour schedule. He played with some of the top musicians in the industry.


• Rebound from difficulties: Even after suffering a stroke during the 1990s, Peterson continued to perform. Despite his initial handicap, he continued to excel as a pianist: "Even with a weak left hand, critics said he outshone many pianists with two good ones," according to the Reuters report.


• Keep the Faith: "When I started I had great belief, and there were quite a few bruises and disappointments along the way, but I never lost the belief," according to a quote from Reuters published in 1999.


• Develop technical expertise. Peterson's technical mastery of the piano is legendary. He believed in developing a "musical vocabulary" through constant practice: "You learn to play the instrument so you have a musical vocabulary, and you practice to get your technique to the point you need to express yourself."


• Give back to the community: Peterson was involved in many social causes and worked hard to get minorities better represented in Canadian advertisements.

This post is based on details from the article: Jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson dead at 82 from Reuters. Additional reading: Oscar Peterson, Virtuoso of Jazz, Dies at 82

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.
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Previous Posts:
Today:
Beyond Fruitcake: 25 Frugal Things To Do When You're Bored After Opening Presents
Sell Your Home Faster with DIY Home Staging: Make Your Home Look Like a Hotel

Yesterday:
My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents
Insights on Suze Orman & Other Links I Liked: My Weekly Reader
Jan. 1: New Financial Aid Season for Students Begins: Tips for 2008
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Beyond Fruitcake: 25 Frugal Things To Do When You're Bored After Opening Presents

Your living room looks like a field of discarded boxes and ribbons. Your teeth are gritty with sugar and you've even eaten the fruitcake. Now what? Here's my list of 25 frugal things to do when the boxes are untied and you're undone.

1. Hold a gift swap: Your sister received a soap on a chain. You want it; she hates it. Why not swap? This gift swap works best with a large circle of friends, relatives and neighbors. Agree in advance to a no-feelings-hurt swap. Re-gift with care.

2. Recycle paper, cards and ribbons. Salvage what's usable. Some cards can be turned into postcards; ribbons and bows can be re-used. Look for paper and gift bags that may have a second life.

3. Build a box city for the kids. It's true: The boxes are much cooler than the actual toys. When we were kids, my siblings and I played for hours in old gift boxes.

4. Read a book. During holidays, it's easy to get peopled-out. Recharge your emotional batteries by retreating with a book.

5. Start a family blog or an online scrap book. Take pictures and upload them for all.

6. Visit relatives and friends. Phone calls are also treasured. Share the emotional wealth.

7. Go for a walk or hit a nature trail. Get exercise.

8. Play boardgames. Start a Boggle or Monopoly tournament.

9. Start a re-gifting closet. Quietly and discreetly tuck away presents that you want to recycle. Make a list; check it twice in order to avoid a re-gifting disaster, namely re-gifting the person who originally gave you the present in the first place. Re-gift with care.

10. Deliver food baskets to EMT crews, the fire station or others who have to work on the holiday. Suggested contents: fruit and pre-packaged goodies.

11. Make a scrapbook or finally put family photos into a scrapbook.

12. Visit an old aged home or a homeless shelter.

13. Bake cookies. Make candies, breads and other goodies.

14. Write Thank You notes and letters.

15. Purge. Make room for new clothes and toys by putting together a give-away bundle for a thrift store or nonprofit organization.

16. Make goals for next year.

17. Memorize a poem. Write a poem. Read a poem.

18. Start a journal. Write down everything that happened from breakfast through late evening.

19. Take family videos. Holidays provide a classic backdrop for memorable videos.

20. Watch family videos.

21. Go to the movies.

22. Create a family skit.

23. Listen or play music

24. Dance to 70s music or classic rock: Par-tay! Here's a link to my favorite old school mix. Enjoy!

25. Get fit & meditate. Have a family yoga class.

Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Sell Your Home Faster with DIY Home Staging: Make Your Home Look Like a Hotel

If you want to sell a home, look at a hotel. Most specialize in depersonalized and clutter-free areas designed for mass appeal. That concept is a winner in residential real estate, say home stagers.

''Staged'' properties sell about 50 percent faster than homes stuffed with quirky collections, unique interiors and personal photographs. Many professional tricks are easy and affordable.

• Create curbside appeal. An unkempt lawn, dying plants and a dirty walkway will discourage sellers, says Angelina Perez, owner of Bertone, a home-staging company based in Aventura. She recommends sprucing up the lawn with affordable plants, fresh mulch and the use of a pair of clippers.

• Hire or rent a pressure cleaner. Clean the driveway, walkway and exterior walls. Consider new paint for the facade. And look out for small handprints or paw prints on doors and windows.

• Depersonalize. Remove personal collections, one-of-a kind accessories and even family photographs, says Mark Baratto, a certified home stager and real estate agent at http://www.binnovational.com/, a South Florida-based home staging company.

• Streamline. Too much furniture and clutter detract from the basic bones of a home. ''If you can't see it, you can't sell it,'' Baratto says.

• Hit the sales. Baratto recommends buying vases, candles and generic art from the sales section of Pier I and other retail chains. Look for generic items. ''You gotta think hotel,'' Baratto says. Also keep an eye out for lightly scented candles, especially those that smell like just-baked apple pie or chocolate chip cookies.

• Spruce up the bathroom. Toss out the old shower curtain and replace unmatched, thread-worn towels. Shop for looks and don't fret over the quality of the towels, Perez says. ``It's more of a show. You're showcasing your home.''

• Clean, clean, clean. If you're not a competent housekeeper, hire a professional crew to do your dirty work. Rent a carpet cleaner or hire a professional.

It all goes back to the hotel-room concept. If a room appears dirty or untidy, hotel guests promptly check out and leave.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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Previous Posts

Yesterday:

My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents
Insights on Suze Orman & Other Links I Liked: My Weekly Reader

Jan. 1: New Financial Aid Season for Students Begins: Tips for 2008

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere! , which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press.

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Jan. 1: New Financial Aid Season for Students Begins: Tips for 2008

Applying early for financial aid can give you extra credit. That's one of several tips on this fact sheet about financial aid for college students. This guest post provides excellent suggestions:

"FAFSA Tip Sheet

Students can apply for financial aid by completing a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so that they can get as much free money for college as possible. Grants (do not have to be repaid) are available from the federal government, state governments and higher education institutions, yet more than 8 million students miss out annually because they do not complete the FAFSA form (“Missed Opportunities,” American Council on Education, 2006.)

• Know your deadlines: Deadlines vary by school and state so make sure you are aware of them. Some schools require applications in addition to the FAFSA, so check with your target schools to make sure you have completed everything.


• Apply early: The earliest you may submit the FAFSA is Jan. 1. The closer to Jan. 1 you apply, the better your chances are of getting money for school you’re entitled to from the government, the state or your school.


• Apply online@fafsa.ed.gov: This reduces mail time and reduces the chances for error.


• Apply even if you think you may not qualify: Every high school graduate with a social security number is entitled to free or cheap money to pay for college. Money for college comes as need-based funds or non-need based funds. Income is only one of the criteria on which money for college is based; you can’t make too much or too little money.


• Do not rule out schools based on price: Last year there was approximately $150 billion available to help families pay for college (according to the College Board). Generally, the higher the total school costs, the more money you are entitled to receive. When selecting a school, consider several factors such as academics, size, location and cost so that you find the school that is the best fit for you. For additional information:


• Check out CollegeAnswer.com. The website features advice and tools to help pay for college including FAFSA assistance and a free scholarship database with more than 2 million scholarships worth $15 Billion. "

Source: OLSON – For Sallie Mae

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Previous Posts

Today:
My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents

Insights on Suze Orman & Other Links I Liked: My Weekly Reader

Yesterday:
Guest Post: Don't Waste Money on Insurance for Rental Cars
Out of Balance: Overdraft Fees Sting Consumers for $17.5 billion
Kiplinger's: Top Retirement Scams

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Insights on Suze Orman & Other Links I Liked: My Weekly Reader

A thoughtful post about the personal side of Suze Orman and other great articles caught my eye this week. Here are a few of my favorite links this week:

From The Digerati Life: Cool Gifts For The Real Estate Lover, Investor, Homeowner: A Photo Gallery

From AskDong: Checking in on My Not So Passive Income Streams

From Consumerism Commentary: Christmas Kittens: Not A Bargain

From Queer Cents: Susie Bright on Suze Orman

From Lazy Man and Money: Surprise Honey, I Just Added $60,000 to Our Debt

From Simplicity in Kansas: Recession and Inflation

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Previous Posts
Today:

My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents

Yesterday:

Guest Post: Don't Waste Money on Insurance for Rental Cars

Out of Balance: Overdraft Fees Sting Consumers for $17.5 billion

Kiplinger's: Top Retirement Scams

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My Mom Fired Her Holiday Presents

This year was a bit unusual. My mom did not hit the malls for holiday presents. She hit and fired up clay instead. Large clumps of clay were flattened, rolled, pressed, imprinted and even tossed on the floor. That’s how my mom describes her holiday gift activities.

Clearly, my mom has had her manicured hands full creating terracotta angels and glazed salad bowls. That’s because she has four adult kids, who celebrate three different holidays. Consider the evidence: My younger sisters celebrate Christmas; my brother, a fellow blogger and a philosophical man with waist-length dredlocks, celebrates Kwanzaa, and I celebrate Chanukah.

My parents —Ben and Barbara Harvey (in the pictures) —have a very busy holiday season. With such children, my parents have learned seasonal flexibility. Like clay, they mold their holiday cheer with shape-shifting adaptability.

So it’s just perfect that my mom retreated to a pottery studio to make holiday presents. She says that shaping clay is good physical therapy for her hands, which were fractured last year. Hitting clay, she says, is also good for anger management, which is not her issue, but appears to be something that other pottery makers in her workshop are working through. Handmade pottery has now become another holiday tradition for my family.

Since my childhood, the family rituals of the holiday season have meant a lot to my parents. Christmas meant Nat King Cole singing about “chestnuts roasting over an open fire.” Christmas was the smell of chocolate chip Slice’n Bake Pillsbury cookies baking in our oven and the scent of a fresh pine tree in the front room. And on Christmas Eve, we’d decorate that tree with red, green and gold balls on hooks, strings of multi-colored electric lights and painted wooden ornaments, including the little blue moon that my parents bought when I was a baby.

Everything leading up to Christmas was magic, even the Sears catalogue, which was packed with a thick toy selection. Every page had something we wanted. My brother Ben Jr., and our little sisters, Karen and Debbie, spent hours studying the toys.

“Make a list,” Mom or Dad told me when I was about seven and we still lived in Philadelphia. I was in the middle bedroom and the Sears catalogue was on my lap. Bengy was about five; Karen and Debbie were pre-schoolers; I took their orders as they pointed to toys on the glossy pages. The list was for “Santa,” and M&D promised to mail it off to him. “We’re his helpers,” they always told us with such pride.

This year in the pottery studio, my mom again molded herself into Santa’s helper. The process involves far more than I ever imagined. In addition, to pummeling clay, pottery also demands finesse and creativity.

For example, to create textured wings for a terracotta angel my mother used a piece of crocheted cloth and imprinted the fabric into the soft clay. Likewise, the leaves from a palm tree were pressed into service in order to mold a large salad bowl.

That process – like parenting — also demands patience and time. Before going into the oven, each piece requires at least three coats of glaze and it’s a real wait-and-see process.

“In between coats, we use a hairdryer to dry out the glaze,” mom says. “It takes patience.”

As a pottery student, my mother was especially impressed with the patience shown by her teacher, the Ever-Patient Phyllis in the Heritage Isle Club House.

"She gave us all individualized instructions and attention," my mom says.

My parents, however, know a bit about patience. My siblings and I were raised with equal doses of special attention, instruction and care.

The molding process is also a lesson in frugality. Every bit of clay is used or recycled for other projects that are twisted, snapped and pounded into shape.

“We never throw away extra clay. Everything is recycled,” my mom says. “You add piece by piece and you work it out.”

During the process, my mother has worked out the little idiosyncrasies that makes us unique and she has designed each piece to match the quirks of the designated recipient. For my youngest sister, a religious Christian, my mother created a brown cherub with textured wings.

For my new-age brother with the long dredlocks, my mother created a large blue salad bowl for his leafy green meals. And for my middle sister, a sales executive in the Orlando hospitality industry, mom made a beautiful showcase bowl that will look elegant on a coffee table or a display case.

And of course, my mom has made a piece for me. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m guessing that maybe she’s fashioned candle sticks for my Sabbath table, a small menorah for my children to light next Chanukah or maybe an elegant salad bowl. But the gift doesn’t matter, because she’s already given me this narrative as a holiday bonus.

Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach:How to Live Well and Save Money Anywhere You Live, which will be published in May of 2008 by DPL Press. This piece includes an excerpt from that book.

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