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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, General, In The Media, Savings |
09/3/2010
I vaguely remember learning how to read the stocks in a newspaper way back in elementary school, when newspapers still existed and dinosaurs roamed the Earth. That’s pretty much where my knowledge of investments stands today.
But last week I started reading this book, Moneyball. There’s a reason people use baseball metaphors—they’re effective. I think I’ve learned more about investment and the stock market by reading Moneyball than in a hundred (okay, a couple) of articles I’ve read on the subject in magazines. Granted the magazines I read mostly cover things other than the world of finance, because magazines about the world of finance…snore. Oh, sorry, I fell asleep just talking about it.
And now, I’ll get to the point. The general manager of the Oakland A’s, Billy Beane, along with a specialized and unusual staff, transformed the way good baseball is accomplished. They saw intricacies and truths about the game of baseball that amount, quite literally, to baseball theory. They figured out, as the lowest-budget club in the entire sport—seriously, they couldn’t afford the Yankee’s top three players, never mind a team of 25—how to make small investments that would yield major dividends. Instead of going for the glitz, glam and flash of a power hitter like A-Rod, they hired players who were young and untested (but whose college stats fit the bill) or washed up, “defective” or atypical players who had big numbers where it mattered: on-base percentages and walks, most prominently.
If you’re not a baseball fan, or only a casual one, my little summary up there might not have made a lot of headway for you. But what I’ve distilled from the book is this: If you do the legwork, you can find solid investments that cost little but will do a lot for you in the end.
A car is not one of those investments. A car is A-Rod: expensive, and sure to depreciate in value with time and use. An unsexy mutual fund, however, is one of those investments. A mutual fund is basically a low-risk way of investing your money; for all intents and purposes, it’s a high-interest-yielding savings account. Will a mutual fund help me get rich quick? Not likely. But it’ll take what I have and work it into something more valuable without the risk of getting burned.
Any other recommendations for low-risk, high-return investments?
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Debt, Erin E, Student Loans |
08/24/2010
Last night, my grad classes started up again. Actually, I should say, my grad class, since I’m only taking one this semester. Quite unfortunately, tuition has gone up unexpectedly. Which was a brilliant move, considering nobody can afford anything these days, least of all students.
I waxed nostalgic yesterday, remembering the time when school was the most important thing in my life, because that’s all I did. I was a full-time student. Now, the start of school sneaks up on me. I remember, “Oh, I should probably make sure I have a notebook and pen,” while I’m folding Buzz and Woody underpants or refilling a juice cup for the 900th time that day.
One of the major things that’s been different this time is the money aspect. I took three years off between undergrad and grad school, which meant I had three years of paying on student loans, loans that were a vague and distant idea when I was an undergraduate. This time, I’m paying as I go (because I can, because it’s less expensive), but that makes life harder in some ways. Now I have to consider the fact that we need a new refrigerator when I’m choosing how many classes to take. Appliances weren’t a concern when I was 18.
In other words, I can really identify with this Best of Craigslist posting (warning: foul language!).
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Special Events |
08/10/2010
Last night I dreamed I booked a trip to the Bahamas. The nightly rate of $35 at the beautiful resort was all-inclusive, and as I checked in they handed me a plate of shrimp that had been prepared by my personal chef.
Now that would have been quite a way to spend my sixth wedding anniversary with Noah (which was on Saturday), but quite unfortunately I’ve yet to find a five-star resort in the Bahamas with a $35 a night rate. Trust me, that’s what I’ve been doing all morning.
Instead, we celebrated by going to a local minor-league baseball game, and our team won.
Yesterday also happened to be my birthday. We celebrated that by going to a movie. We saw Eclipse, and had a grand time whispering and joking about all the silly bits, which are many. And to cap it off, we bought Twizzlers and caramel corn to snack on.
Lately I’ve found it’s the small indulgences that mean the most. The caramel corn and the joking around. Or yesterday morning, when my two-year-old and I spent an hour in our little blow-up pool. A $50 check in a birthday card or a new outfit feels like a bonanza.
And I only had to quit my job and cut my income in half to start enjoying the little things.
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family, Special Events |
08/3/2010
I know a lot of people like to make A Big Thing of their birthdays, setting aside the entire month as a season of celebration. Unfortunately for me, there’s too much else going on in August to make it all about my birthday.
The 7th is my wedding anniversary, the 8th is my parents’ anniversary, the 9th is my birthday, and the 16th is both my brother and cousin’s birthday. Of course, it’s also back to school month.
I’ve never been one for lavish gifts or large parties, for sure, but as I’ve gotten older (I’m coming up on the big 3-0 in a couple more years), when somebody asks me what I’d like for my birthday, the list tends toward stuff I actually need, or stuff for our house.
At the moment, I’m absolutely dying for a flagstone patio of sorts at the bottom of our deck. Now that I’m home with Ethan, we spend a lot more time in the backyard than ever before. Plus, that particular part of the yard turns into a big mud puddle in the fall and winter through which the dogs romp joyously. I have a feeling a few flagstones would keep that at bay.
In the same vein, I’ve come up with a list of 28 things I want to do before turning 28 next year. One of them is to build something all by myself, and I have an outdoor chaise longue on my radar. I can see it now: sipping a cool drink while reclining on my handmade chaise, watching my kid and dogs play on my new flagstone patio. But how does one ask for lumber?
As for the actual day, all I really want is a small family dinner—maybe at Carrabba’s?—and one of my mother-in-law’s famous German Chocolate Cakes. If at the end of the festivities I happened to receive a truckload of flagstones topped with some wood, well. I’ll be a happy camper.
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, General, shopping |
07/29/2010
On Monday my brother came over to baby-nap-sit while Ethan was taking his siesta, so that I could venture unfettered into the fray I like to call home decor shopping.
I drove to Hanes Mall Boulevard—our area’s most bustling retail zone—where I was certain I could find a stand for our new patio market umbrella. I’d been harping on about one for so long that when Mom came across a lovely smoke blue one on sale for $40 (at Food Lion, no less!), she bought if for me as an early birthday prez. Food Lion didn’t carry any stands, but let’s not get picky, it was already going above and beyond the call of a grocery by stocking a good-quality patio shader.
My official second stop was Lowe’s; the first stop, the Lowe’s by our house, was completely out of stock. Unfortunately, this one was too. My third stop was the Home Depot across the street. No dice.
My fourth stop was Target.
My fifth stop was Costco.
My sixth stop, Kohl’s.
Pier 1 for lucky number seven. No luck.
Home Goods rang in at stop eight.
Walmart was the ninth stop, and they did have one umbrella stand in stock, but it was hideous, and although I’m by no means the next Design Star, my ethic of style is something above Grotesque. Moving on.
World Market was stop ten. I nearly wept when I saw a stack of market umbrella stands that matched perfectly my black wrought-iron patio furniture and my unfussy style. I wept in earnest when I saw it cost $10 more than the umbrella itself.
No matter; I had something up my sleeve for stop eleven: Casual Furniture World. This is a store dedicated year-round to the patios and pools of the apparently uber-rich, because who else buys lounging furniture off-season. I walked in only to discover that their particular model of umbrella stand is specific to their umbrellas. In other words, there was no guarantee that this, the priciest of my very few options, would work for my Food Lion umbrella.
I called and consulted with Noah. He gave me the go ahead for World Market.
When I got home, I couldn’t wait to put to use my new goodies, so I had Kyle help me assemble and place the stand under the table. Only to discover that the stand is an inch too tall to fit.
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family |
07/21/2010
This morning Ethan and I went to my friend Callie’s house. Callie and I used to work together, and now we’re both stay-at-home mommies. Her little boy is just a couple months younger than Ethan. Also, she’s far crazier than me, and her newborn baby boy is proof.
In seriousness, the boys are precious, and Ethan and his little buddy play well together while I get to coo at the baby. Callie and I spend most of the play date commiserating. We both love staying at home, but it’s also a balancing act.
Mainly, we balance having no money and a mom-to-a-toddler’s need for Stuff to Do. I laughed heartily/completely understood when Callie revealed that, in preparation for becoming a stay-at-home mom, she put together a spreadsheet of every free story time within a 20 mile radius.
While I won’t give away her parenting secrets, I will admit that I am not beyond bribing Ethan. Because a once-weekly snack bag of Doritos to get through a trip to the grocery store is worth the 75-cent price tag. When he starts asking for an Xbox in exchange for a tantrum-free trip to Walmart, well. I’ll just stop taking him to Walmart with me.
I kid! Sort of.
Honestly, though, I don’t believe I spoil Ethan. He doesn’t throw many tantrums; he hasn’t displayed many traits of The Strong Willed Child; he doesn’t get whatever he wants when we go into a store. And because I don’t spoil him, I don’t feel bad about the occasional, non-extravagant bribe. He doesn’t eat junk food all week, so a bag of chips or M&Ms is more of a treat and a reward than a manipulation tool.
I guess what I’m saying is, as long as I’m bribing him, and not the other way around, it’s all good.
I’d make a great politician.
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family, Vacation Budget |
07/15/2010
By the end of our first day in Our Nation’s Capital, I’d drafted a list of grievances to take to President Obama, at the top of which was the price of a soft pretzel and a beer at the Nationals game ($13.50).
So. I didn’t have a soft pretzel and a beer at the Nationals game.
I did have pretty great seats just behind the third-base foul pole that weren’t too expensive at all. It’s tempting to go for seats nearish to the diamond at baseball games, but I learned it’s just as fun—if not more so—to sit by a foul pole and see outfielders up close and possibly catch a long ball, or to sit by the outfield and be within spitting distance of a bullpen.
Another grievance, though: Stephen Strasburg did not pitch although he was scheduled to, and Kyle specifically chose the Thursday night game just to see Strasburg. His start had been pushed to Friday night’s game. After the Capitol Hill Assault and an Incident on the Subway Involving My Mom Getting Into a Fight (read about that on my personal blog), this was a crushing blow. So we threw in the towel and bought five bowls of Edy’s ice cream.
We headed back to the hotel during the 7th, shortly after the San Diego Padres’ pitcher hit a home run off the Nationals’ Strasburg-replacement hurler. In case you don’t know anything about baseball, a pitcher getting a home run is like Pamela Anderson getting a book deal—offensive to opponents, yet strangely commendable. OH! And the kid who caught the home run ball? He’s the one who brokered a trade with the bull pen: He’d give them the homer ball in exchange for four game balls. (The trade was discussed thoroughly on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption.) So I got a free lesson in business deals while I was there. Bonus!
On our way out we stopped to take pictures on a little outfield overlook. Ethan, taken by the rhythm of between-innings music, started to dance in my arms, so I followed suit. And then a park worker told us there was no dancing on the platform.
Off screen, stage right: Disgruntled Nationals Park worker whose job is to defend national security by not allowing fans to dance on the photo platform.
On the train back to the hotel, we vowed that our second day in Our Nation’s Capitol would go better than the first.
Don’t get me wrong, we definitely had fun. But we were determined to wring every last ounce of fun out of the vacation if it killed us—which it nearly did. Stay tuned.
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family, Vacation Budget |
07/13/2010
I’m back from the Nation’s Capital!
Our first day in D.C., we took the metro to Union Station…
…where we also picked up our hop-on-hop-off trolley tour. If you feel confident enough to travel on a subway when visiting a big city, I highly recommend it. An all-day metro pass is a lot cheaper and easier than driving and parking. However, there’s always the grumpy locals to deal with, but it’s a give and take, right?
Anyway, our first stop was the Capitol Building.
Someone told us there was a cafeteria inside, so we hopped off at the West Entrance, where all inaugurations have been held since Reagan, and hiked the roughly four miles to the East Entrance, where visitors are permitted.
Let me rephrase that. We hopped off at the West Entrance and hiked the roughly four miles to the East Entrance, where visitors are diddled.
Noah had cleverly brought along a bag of beef jerky for snacking, which the guards made him throw away.
“Or you can eat it now,” they generously allowed.
Seeing as he couldn’t quickly eat a pound of salted beef without water in desert conditions (it was approximately 123 degrees that day), he begrudingly took the bag of jerky to the conveniently located trashcan.
“That stuff is expensive,” one of the guards added helpfully.
In addition, Dad had to throw away the bag of M&Ms he had packed in Ethan’s Emergency Kit. And their brand-new spray bottle of suntan lotion.
Lunch at the Capitol cafeteria was worth its weight in gold—and I don’t mean that figuratively. A salad, a sandwich and two sodas cost us upwards of 20 bucks. Even though I wasn’t hungry anymore, I forced down a slice of boiled egg and a broccoli floret because, being among the heavier items in the pay-by-weight salad, I knew they had cost me big.
On the plus side, most of the major attractions in D.C. are free admittance. Something about patriotism or whatnot. Truly, the architecture and history are so spectacular, it makes up for $40 lunches.
We slogged back to the West Entrance (during which I sweated off my entire lunchtime caloric intake) and hopped on the trolley. Still sore from being told to bend over at Capitol Hill, our next stop—the National Air and Space Museum—was a welcome diversion.
I was truly delighted by Ethan’s reaction to the museum. He loves airplanes and frequently points them out in the sky above our house, and seeing some up close was a real treat for him. Even more delightful was his joy at seeing all the “rocket ships” in the museum’s space exploration wing. I got to show him the inside of John Glenn’s historic Mercury capsule, as well as the command module of the moon-landing Apollo 11. He even got to touch a sliver of moon rock. I know he probably won’t remember any of this, but it’s something I’ll never forget.
After that it was back to the subway headed to Nationals Park for a ballgame. Kyle had chosen Thursday evening’s game because Stephen Strasburg was scheduled to pitch, a sight wondrous to behold.
Little did we know, Mom was about to get into a throw-down on the D.C. Metro…
Stay tuned for more dispatches from D.C.!
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family |
06/17/2010
Tonight we had dinner at my parents’ house, and my mom mentioned something about how whenever she goes into my 21-year-old brother’s room…to make his bed…she thinks what a charmed life he has.
“Um, why do you make his bed?” I asked.
“Erin, shut up,” Kyle hissed.
“Because I can’t stand looking at an unmade bed,” Mom told me.
“How about you don’t look at it?” I suggested.
“Because I always see it when I go in to get his dirty dishes.” And then we all busted out laughing.
Not to pick on my brother (more than I already do), but isn’t this a major factor in increasingly advanced-in-age kids being totally dependent on their parents? I believe my generation calls it “helicopter parenting,” where you hover around your kid(s) like a news chopper on a car chase.
But seriously, how many people in their mid-20s and even early-30s do you know who A) Still live at home out of necessity (and not because of the economy), B) Took 8 years to get a degree in gen ed, C) Have no idea how to manage money, or D) All of the above.
Maybe this will be a controversial opinion, but I have a feeling helicopter parenting started with my parents’ generation, and once their kids go off to college, they’ve got little to no life skills. Helicopter-parented kids live off credit cards because all through high school the credit card fairy (aka Mom or Dad) gave them plastic. Or they totally mismanage money because fiscal responsibility has never been a priority instilled by their parents.
But this gets me wondering…do you guys think there’s a benefit to teens having parent-sponsored credit cards? How about cell phones for which they never see the bill? Or cars they don’t pay for? In other words, is there any validity to the “I’ll give my kids what I never had” mentality?
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Posted by Erin E.,
under Erin E, Family |
06/8/2010
I’ve decided I need a manager. Not a boss, but a celebrity-type manager who organizes my affairs while treating me like a royal toddler. In other words, I’d like to be a boss with no responsibilities.
Today, I accidentally overdrew on our checking account because I was lazy about depositing some checks and forgot Bonnie’s next round of immunizations was this morning. I could have transferred a little from savings until I deposited the checks, but that would have been clever. All was well in the end since I realized it just a couple hours later and made a deposit to cover the overdraw, but it reminded me of the most basic rule of personal finance: organize.
My mom and my cousin are two members of an almost extinct species: They check their online bank statements at least once a day, so diligent are they about accounting. I’m a little too laissez-faire for that, which is why Noah handles the bills. But it’s not fair for me to depend and count on Noah to always have everything straight. Which is why I’d like a manager.
Anyway, today brought back a tense moment just before Noah and I were married. We still had separate bank accounts (now we have a joint), and we were juggling the deposits for our apartment and all the utilities start-up fees, as well as a few last-minute wedding expenses. We were distracted, to say the least, but our inattention nearly led to a disaster.
We used the wrong checking account for two nearly identically priced purchases, and the check bounced. Here’s the kicker: Either we were about to bounce a check on our apartment deposit and so risk losing our apartment before we’d even moved in, or we were about to bounce a check for the last same-as-cash payment on my wedding/engagement rings and be hit with a year’s worth of accrued interest. Yeah.
It turned out to be the check for our apartment (we figured it out by the change, because the dollar amounts were the same), and we were able to go immediately to the clubhouse and explain. They graciously thanked us for letting them know and waived our fees since we paid from our other funded checking account. I have a feeling it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly with the jeweler.
I guess financial disorganization—or even plain old disinterest—is my Kryptonite. But see if I had a manager, I could pay her to take care of my affairs and cover up my misdeeds. I wonder if any of them do pro bono…
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I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?
Glad you’re somewhat enjoying my town.. and it seems you were here to truely experience DC summers!