After six months of unemployment and almost losing our home to foreclosure, DH has a job at long last. In fact, it's such a good job, we're scared to celebrate. It's one of those "too good to be true" jobs, doing what he loves and was trained to do, for a company that seems to appreciate an older military veteran.
We learned an important lesson we're passing on to my daughter Susan's boyfriend-almost-fiancee. In fact, we're telling every military person we know to take advantage of the military's college offerings. My DH could have had his degree in Electrical Engineering long before he retired. He was only a couple of credits away, but he hated "school" and felt it was beneath him. He was positive he could get an electronics job and work for some company until he reached age 65.
We found out very quickly upon his retirement from the Navy just how little civilian companies think of military service and education. Without the sheepskin, you're as low as those high school graduates, and twenty years of experience barely gets you a nod. DH had no "proof" he could wire and run any form of communications or detection electronics known to God and man, and teaching the subject for ten years was less than nothing.
To say the least, it was a bitter blow. We have suffered every hit on the economy because Randy couldn't find positions better than repairing ATMs or building fans in a factory. Every year, as his hair turns whiter, the jobs he can find become more and more menial. We're hoping at least this company can learn to appreciate him.
Showing posts with label Smart Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smart Money. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Doing the Hulu!
No, I didn't misspell anything in the subject line.
If you've had your head under a rock, then you may not have heard of the newest Thank-God-For-The-Internet sensation, www.Hulu.com.
I heard about Hulu.com first from my favorite personal finance blog, Get Rich Slowly. Then, my dear friend Terrie told me she'd signed up. Honey, Terrie is a cautious woman who trusts no one. If Terrie signs up for something, then I trust her judgment. She steered me toward Netflix.com, and I've never been sorry!
What's Hulu? FREE TV SHOWS! All my old faves, like Nova, Ghost Hunters, Dresden Files, Dark Shadows, Good Eats (just clips, for now), and Gardening by the Yard! Between Hulu and Netflix, who needs cable TV? Not me! I'm thrilled beyond measure.
Hey, it's FREE. (My favorite brand when I'm shopping, right up there with "On Sale.") What have you got to lose?
Lena
If you've had your head under a rock, then you may not have heard of the newest Thank-God-For-The-Internet sensation, www.Hulu.com.
I heard about Hulu.com first from my favorite personal finance blog, Get Rich Slowly. Then, my dear friend Terrie told me she'd signed up. Honey, Terrie is a cautious woman who trusts no one. If Terrie signs up for something, then I trust her judgment. She steered me toward Netflix.com, and I've never been sorry!
What's Hulu? FREE TV SHOWS! All my old faves, like Nova, Ghost Hunters, Dresden Files, Dark Shadows, Good Eats (just clips, for now), and Gardening by the Yard! Between Hulu and Netflix, who needs cable TV? Not me! I'm thrilled beyond measure.
Hey, it's FREE. (My favorite brand when I'm shopping, right up there with "On Sale.") What have you got to lose?
Lena
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Soup Skills from the Dinner Diva
I love Leanne Ely and her wonderful website, SavingDinner.com. If you haven't heard me bless this woman a thousand times, here's 1001. Because I subscribe and download her LowCarb meal plans, I also get the pleasure of a newsletter. Today's was worth sharing, in part. This is only a partial. There was also a recipe, which I don't have permission to share.
Soup MakingBy Leanne Ely CNC
Spring might be springing but it’s still quite cool outside. The daffodils are trying to convince us it’s warming up and maybe it is on occasion, but we still have cold days, rain (and snow) and sadly the last days of soup making before the weather becomes too warm.
So let’s make some soup! Understanding the basics of good soup will get your soup kicked up several notches and make you the undisputed queen (or king) of soup at your house!
Okay, let’s break it down. First up, mire poix. Say that with me-- meer uh pwah. All that is, is onions, carrots and celery all chopped up; the basic beginning of any good soup. I like the onion to be the lead veggie and the celery and the carrot about the same amounts, so for a pot of soup (using a quart of broth), I’ll use a large onion (about the size of a softball) and one rib of celery (about 8 inches long) and a carrot about the same size. Chop it up (no need to mince) and sauté it in the bottom of your soup pot before introducing the broth. You want the veggies to start to release their aromas, their colors to intensify and in the case of the onion, you want it to become translucent.
Now it’s the broth’s turn. I like homemade chicken broth like everyone else. I don’t always have it, but I always have several quarts of low sodium chicken broth hanging around in my well-stocked pantry (have I told you lately that a well-stocked pantry is a girl’s best friend?). My current favorite broth is Wolfgang Pucks Low Sodium Roasted Chicken Broth. It’s the bomb and lends a wonderful, homemade flavor to your soups.
I'm not as fond of onions as Leanne, and I make no bones about changing my mire poix to suit my family's needs and tastes. For me, the vegetables are all equal in volume. That's the right of any cook, IMHO. For those who read my blog, FatFrogDiary when I posted the "How to Make Homemade Broths and Cream of Veggie Soups," you already have the skills you need.
For those who don't know, go take a look at how many carbs and calories are in the condensed soups available in cans. I'll put on my earmuffs so when you scream, you won't deafen me.
Happy Eating!
Soup MakingBy Leanne Ely CNC
Spring might be springing but it’s still quite cool outside. The daffodils are trying to convince us it’s warming up and maybe it is on occasion, but we still have cold days, rain (and snow) and sadly the last days of soup making before the weather becomes too warm.
So let’s make some soup! Understanding the basics of good soup will get your soup kicked up several notches and make you the undisputed queen (or king) of soup at your house!
Okay, let’s break it down. First up, mire poix. Say that with me-- meer uh pwah. All that is, is onions, carrots and celery all chopped up; the basic beginning of any good soup. I like the onion to be the lead veggie and the celery and the carrot about the same amounts, so for a pot of soup (using a quart of broth), I’ll use a large onion (about the size of a softball) and one rib of celery (about 8 inches long) and a carrot about the same size. Chop it up (no need to mince) and sauté it in the bottom of your soup pot before introducing the broth. You want the veggies to start to release their aromas, their colors to intensify and in the case of the onion, you want it to become translucent.
Now it’s the broth’s turn. I like homemade chicken broth like everyone else. I don’t always have it, but I always have several quarts of low sodium chicken broth hanging around in my well-stocked pantry (have I told you lately that a well-stocked pantry is a girl’s best friend?). My current favorite broth is Wolfgang Pucks Low Sodium Roasted Chicken Broth. It’s the bomb and lends a wonderful, homemade flavor to your soups.
I'm not as fond of onions as Leanne, and I make no bones about changing my mire poix to suit my family's needs and tastes. For me, the vegetables are all equal in volume. That's the right of any cook, IMHO. For those who read my blog, FatFrogDiary when I posted the "How to Make Homemade Broths and Cream of Veggie Soups," you already have the skills you need.
For those who don't know, go take a look at how many carbs and calories are in the condensed soups available in cans. I'll put on my earmuffs so when you scream, you won't deafen me.
Happy Eating!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Ways to Annoy a Teen #1-- Short Showers
Hey Parents! Here's a new way to annoy the teens in your home! Just don't show them the reset button! No more gallons of water waste. Why didn't someone invent this when my girls were teens?
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/1022/showerhead-with-automatic-shutoff.html
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/1022/showerhead-with-automatic-shutoff.html
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Confessions of a Butcher-- Eating Well for Cheap
Confessions of a Butcher: Eating Steak on a Hamburger Budget
Posted: 14 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
Every week, I receive a couple of books in the mail from authors and publishers. (This week there were six!) They’re hoping that I’ll find time to review their work at Get Rich Slowly. I do my best, but it’s impossible to read everything. When John Smith offered to send me his book, Confessions of a Butcher, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few niche books like this, and they’re usually uninspiring. As a full-fledged carnivore, I’m please to report this one is different. Smith spent more than 30 years in the meat industry, and he’s used his experience to produce a short book packed with information. Confessions of a Butcher contains: 60 pages describing different cuts of meat and offering suggestions for cheaper alternatives. A glossary of meat-related terms. An appendix containing 30 pages of short articles, such as “What to do with leftover turkey”. The book has sections on beef (steaks, quality steaks, roasts, ribs, ground beef), pork (chops and steaks, roasts, ribs), lamb, veal, and chicken. Smith lists about 100 cuts of meat (most of which are beef). He briefly describes each cut, and then suggests cheaper (or higher-quality) alternatives. Smith granted me permission to reprint some examples from the book. Here are his entries for stew meat, ground beef, and lamb. Beef for stew Money-saving alternatives: chuck roast, rump roast, cross rib roast, round steak, brisket, flatiron, chuck flat strip. Stew meat is made from the trim that is left over from the day’s cuttings. Even when stew meat is on sale, it may not be as cheap as many other cuts. Boneless chuck roasts and round steaks on sale will be cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper. Find the cheapest and leanest cut of meat and cut into cubes for stew or ask the butcher for his assistance. I did this! Best darn stew meat for $1 per pound less!! Shocking, but true. Now having said all that, the best meat for stew, in my humble opinion, comes from the brisket, flatiron, or the chuck flat strip. These three cuts should cost you less than the stew meat in the counter but may not be the best deal you can find. They will however be the best stew meat you can find. Regular ground beef Money-saving alternative: boneless chuck roasts. Regular ground beef is 27 to 30 percent fat and usually priced to sell. However, you should be able to find boneless chuck roasts on sale for about the same price. Have the butcher grind some up for you. You may not save much, if any, money, but you will get a lot better product. Just about any cut of beef in the counter, when ground, will definitely make leaner and nicer ground beef than regular hamburger. LambMoney-saving alternative: see below. The best thing you can do to save money on lamb purchases is either watch the ads or shop for lamb in a store that is part of a major supermarket chain but located in a blue-collar neighborhood. Most major supermarkets have a meat counter schematic that is the same throughout the chain. In a blue-collar meat and potatoes kind of neighborhood, lamb is not a regular part of the diet, but the local supermarket still has to carry a lamb lineup. In these types of stores, you may find legs of lamb and the like reduced to sell. I have worked in several stores just like this and have been eating lamb (and saving lots of money) ever since. Ask the butcher if the store ever reduces lamb and when to look for it. Another alternative is to buy lamb from the farmer and have it processed at a local custom meat plant. Be ware that you will lose more than 50 percent from the processing. I think this is great information. Kris and I have always been puzzled why our friend AJ produces better stews than we do. It’s likely that she’s just a better cook, but maybe she uses a different cut of meat. Also, I had my first ground sirloin burger last month. I’m not sure I can go back to regular ground beef after that. (Yes, I realize ground sirloin is more expensive.) Note: Did you notice something about each of these three tips? They all involve speaking with your butcher. This is true of many of the book’s suggestions, and in a way it’s disconcerting. Kris and I discussed this, and we realized that we don’t “have a butcher”. We go to the supermarket to pick up meat. Sometimes we ask the person behind the counter for a particular steak. That’s it. We’ve never thought about asking to have meat ground. What about you? Do you have a butcher? Although I found the book interesting, Kris was less enthused. “If you had a recipe and were looking to save money, this would be handy book,” she told me. “But it assumes too much on the part of the reader. It uses a lot of meat-related terms, many of which aren’t in the glossary. Plus, I would have liked more detail on what recipes each bargain cut would be good for.” “Would you pay $11.95 for this book?” I asked. “No,” she said. “But I might if it were beefier — with charts and hints and recipes.” (Note: Kris didn’t really say “beefier”. That’s just me being funny.) I, however, would pay $11.95 for Confessions of a Butcher. We buy a lot of meat, and if the book saved us even a few bucks, it would have paid for itself. I do agree, however, that it’s a bit jargony and could benefit from some diagrams and recipes. (Rumor has it there’s a sequel in the works that will address some of these concerns. I’d rather see a revised edition that lumped everything together.) I’ll leave you with my favorite piece of advice from John Smith. In the chapter about butcher etiquette, he writes: To really butter up your butcher, always leave a nice comment on his helpfulness and professionalism as you go through the checkstand…Some homemade cookies once in a while won’t hurt either. Come to think of it, bloggers like homemade cookies too! For more on this subject, check out these articles from the archives: Making the most of cheap cuts of beef and How to buy a side of beef. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: Is Eating Out Cheaper Than Eating In? Learning to Eat More Meals at Home Just Say No (to Patronizing Ads) How to Buy a Side of Beef Making the Most of Cheap Cuts of Beef
Posted: 14 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
Every week, I receive a couple of books in the mail from authors and publishers. (This week there were six!) They’re hoping that I’ll find time to review their work at Get Rich Slowly. I do my best, but it’s impossible to read everything. When John Smith offered to send me his book, Confessions of a Butcher, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few niche books like this, and they’re usually uninspiring. As a full-fledged carnivore, I’m please to report this one is different. Smith spent more than 30 years in the meat industry, and he’s used his experience to produce a short book packed with information. Confessions of a Butcher contains: 60 pages describing different cuts of meat and offering suggestions for cheaper alternatives. A glossary of meat-related terms. An appendix containing 30 pages of short articles, such as “What to do with leftover turkey”. The book has sections on beef (steaks, quality steaks, roasts, ribs, ground beef), pork (chops and steaks, roasts, ribs), lamb, veal, and chicken. Smith lists about 100 cuts of meat (most of which are beef). He briefly describes each cut, and then suggests cheaper (or higher-quality) alternatives. Smith granted me permission to reprint some examples from the book. Here are his entries for stew meat, ground beef, and lamb. Beef for stew Money-saving alternatives: chuck roast, rump roast, cross rib roast, round steak, brisket, flatiron, chuck flat strip. Stew meat is made from the trim that is left over from the day’s cuttings. Even when stew meat is on sale, it may not be as cheap as many other cuts. Boneless chuck roasts and round steaks on sale will be cheaper, sometimes a lot cheaper. Find the cheapest and leanest cut of meat and cut into cubes for stew or ask the butcher for his assistance. I did this! Best darn stew meat for $1 per pound less!! Shocking, but true. Now having said all that, the best meat for stew, in my humble opinion, comes from the brisket, flatiron, or the chuck flat strip. These three cuts should cost you less than the stew meat in the counter but may not be the best deal you can find. They will however be the best stew meat you can find. Regular ground beef Money-saving alternative: boneless chuck roasts. Regular ground beef is 27 to 30 percent fat and usually priced to sell. However, you should be able to find boneless chuck roasts on sale for about the same price. Have the butcher grind some up for you. You may not save much, if any, money, but you will get a lot better product. Just about any cut of beef in the counter, when ground, will definitely make leaner and nicer ground beef than regular hamburger. LambMoney-saving alternative: see below. The best thing you can do to save money on lamb purchases is either watch the ads or shop for lamb in a store that is part of a major supermarket chain but located in a blue-collar neighborhood. Most major supermarkets have a meat counter schematic that is the same throughout the chain. In a blue-collar meat and potatoes kind of neighborhood, lamb is not a regular part of the diet, but the local supermarket still has to carry a lamb lineup. In these types of stores, you may find legs of lamb and the like reduced to sell. I have worked in several stores just like this and have been eating lamb (and saving lots of money) ever since. Ask the butcher if the store ever reduces lamb and when to look for it. Another alternative is to buy lamb from the farmer and have it processed at a local custom meat plant. Be ware that you will lose more than 50 percent from the processing. I think this is great information. Kris and I have always been puzzled why our friend AJ produces better stews than we do. It’s likely that she’s just a better cook, but maybe she uses a different cut of meat. Also, I had my first ground sirloin burger last month. I’m not sure I can go back to regular ground beef after that. (Yes, I realize ground sirloin is more expensive.) Note: Did you notice something about each of these three tips? They all involve speaking with your butcher. This is true of many of the book’s suggestions, and in a way it’s disconcerting. Kris and I discussed this, and we realized that we don’t “have a butcher”. We go to the supermarket to pick up meat. Sometimes we ask the person behind the counter for a particular steak. That’s it. We’ve never thought about asking to have meat ground. What about you? Do you have a butcher? Although I found the book interesting, Kris was less enthused. “If you had a recipe and were looking to save money, this would be handy book,” she told me. “But it assumes too much on the part of the reader. It uses a lot of meat-related terms, many of which aren’t in the glossary. Plus, I would have liked more detail on what recipes each bargain cut would be good for.” “Would you pay $11.95 for this book?” I asked. “No,” she said. “But I might if it were beefier — with charts and hints and recipes.” (Note: Kris didn’t really say “beefier”. That’s just me being funny.) I, however, would pay $11.95 for Confessions of a Butcher. We buy a lot of meat, and if the book saved us even a few bucks, it would have paid for itself. I do agree, however, that it’s a bit jargony and could benefit from some diagrams and recipes. (Rumor has it there’s a sequel in the works that will address some of these concerns. I’d rather see a revised edition that lumped everything together.) I’ll leave you with my favorite piece of advice from John Smith. In the chapter about butcher etiquette, he writes: To really butter up your butcher, always leave a nice comment on his helpfulness and professionalism as you go through the checkstand…Some homemade cookies once in a while won’t hurt either. Come to think of it, bloggers like homemade cookies too! For more on this subject, check out these articles from the archives: Making the most of cheap cuts of beef and How to buy a side of beef. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: Is Eating Out Cheaper Than Eating In? Learning to Eat More Meals at Home Just Say No (to Patronizing Ads) How to Buy a Side of Beef Making the Most of Cheap Cuts of Beef
Thursday, March 12, 2009
How I Cut My TV Bill in Half
How I Cut My Television Bill in Half
Posted: 19 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
I’ve had several requests lately to update my two-year quest to find cheap alternatives to cable television. In March of 2007, Kris and I were paying $65.82 for a deluxe digital cable package that we rarely used. “$65.82 a month isn’t a fortune,” I wrote at the time, “but it’s a lot of money to pay for something that doesn’t get used. If we were big TV watchers maybe the cost could be justified. But we aren’t. And it can’t.” To save money, we cut our cable to just the basic channels, which reduced our bill to $11.30/month. We also began to use the iTunes Music Store to subscribe to the shows that we wanted to watch. And over the past year, I’ve become a fan of Hulu, an online service that allows users to watch many past and current shows for free. Here’s an overview of the tools we use, and how much money we’ve managed to save. The iTunes StoreWhen we cut our cable bill from $65.82 per month to $11.30, I knew we would save over $50 per month. I also knew that we’d miss a couple of shows we really like. We don’t watch a lot of television, but we do like our Battlestar Galactica. So, I made a deal with Kris. “If you’ll let me cut back to basic cable,” I said, “then I’ll purchase any shows you want from the iTunes Store.” She was reluctant at the time, but over the past two years, we’ve found that there really aren’t that many shows we want to watch. Since we started, we’ve purchased eleven “seasons” from iTunes, totaling $398.42 (or about $36.22 per season). This works out to about $16.60 per month. When added to our $11.30 basic cable bill, we’re paying $27.90 each month for television. That’s less than half of what we were paying before. Note: Kris and I also use Netflix to watch television. Over the past year, we’ve consumed seasons of MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Foyle’s War. I’m not including that $16.99/month in these calculations, however, because we were already using Netflix to do the same thing before we cut our cable. Just be aware that we’re spending another $200/year for DVDs by mail. (And, yes, we do get our money’s worth.) HuluWe’ve also found a way to watch certain shows for free. For a short time last year, NBC/Universal and Apple got cranky with each other. NBC/Universal pulled its shows (including Battlestar!) from the iTunes Music Store. What’s a geek to do? Answer: watch the shows for free through Hulu, which features content from NBC, Fox, and many other sources. Crisis averted. Over the past year, I’ve come to love Hulu. It took some GRS reader encouragement for me to actually explore the site’s potential, but now that I know how it works, I’m hooked. Here’s the basic premise: Hulu allows viewers to watch new and classic television programs for free. (The site also includes a small selection of feature films.) Each program includes the normal commercial breaks, just as on television. However, instead of being bombarded by two minutes (or more) of commercials at each break, you’re subjected to a single 15- to 60-second ad (that you cannot interrupt). To me, that’s a fair trade for free programs. Most current NBC and Fox programs are available on Hulu, though each show seems to have its own schedule. Older shows offer full seasons. Some shows, like 30 Rock, only offer the “trailing 5 episodes”. That is, you can only watch the most recent 5 episodes from the series. Others, like The Biggest Loser (which I’m now addicted to thanks to readers at Get Fit Slowly) only allow one episode to appear at a time — and it’s last week’s episode. (So, please — no spoilers about what happened Tuesday night!) Although Hulu doesn’t directly host content from ABC or CBS, it does index these shows, and link to their source pages. So, for example, if you want to use Hulu to watch Lost, you can do so. When you look for the latest episode of Lost, Hulu will redirect you to the ABC website. This is a nice touch. Hulu offers a nice library of classic television, including Adam-12 For me, though, the best part of Hulu is its library of classic television. When I was sick with the flu in early December, I spent two days plowing through old episodes of Adam-12. (Which was much better than I had remembered.) Hulu also includes shows like: Battlestar Galactica (new and classic) Arrested Development The Bob Newhart Show Miami Vice Hill Street Blues And even The Dave Ramsey Show! Actually, I just noticed that Gary Vaynerchuk’s video wine blog, The Thunder Show, is available on Hulu, too! My biggest complaint with the site is that navigation is clumsy. It’s sometimes difficult for me to find what I’m looking for. (The “browse TV shows alphabetically” view is most useful for me.) Disclaimer: I know I sound like I’m shilling for Hulu, but I promise you: I’m not being paid to write this. I just think it’s a great service, and it’s one I would never have fully explored if Get Rich Slowly readers hadn’t encouraged me to do so. Other optionsThough these are the tools that Kris and I use for our television consumption, there are other options available. For example, I’m a big fan of the public library for books, but I haven’t used it for TV on DVD, though I’m sure that’s possible. I’m also aware of Veoh and Joost, though I haven’t tried either of them. Those of you in Western Europe may want to explore Zattoo, a free downloadable app that lets you watch certain television content on your computer. (And, via the comments, Jeremiah Bell notes that Canadian readers can find streaming television at CTV and GlobalTV.) None of these is going to satisfy those who truly enjoy television. If you must see your show right now, or if you are a fan of live sports, you may have to fork over the dough for a deluxe cable package. I’m content to wait. It saves me money, and it lets me watch shows on my terms. Footnote: After I finished composing this article, I learned that GRS reader Mike Panic has drafted a fantastic list of websites that stream full TV shows and movies. This is a colossal list, and well-worth bookmarking. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: links for 2007-03-23 How 15 Minutes Saved Me 15% on My Television Bill The 9 Strangest Tax Write-Offs Tip: Pay Your Bills as They Arrive The New Math: Cheap Alternatives to Cable Television
Posted: 19 Feb 2009 05:00 AM PST
I’ve had several requests lately to update my two-year quest to find cheap alternatives to cable television. In March of 2007, Kris and I were paying $65.82 for a deluxe digital cable package that we rarely used. “$65.82 a month isn’t a fortune,” I wrote at the time, “but it’s a lot of money to pay for something that doesn’t get used. If we were big TV watchers maybe the cost could be justified. But we aren’t. And it can’t.” To save money, we cut our cable to just the basic channels, which reduced our bill to $11.30/month. We also began to use the iTunes Music Store to subscribe to the shows that we wanted to watch. And over the past year, I’ve become a fan of Hulu, an online service that allows users to watch many past and current shows for free. Here’s an overview of the tools we use, and how much money we’ve managed to save. The iTunes StoreWhen we cut our cable bill from $65.82 per month to $11.30, I knew we would save over $50 per month. I also knew that we’d miss a couple of shows we really like. We don’t watch a lot of television, but we do like our Battlestar Galactica. So, I made a deal with Kris. “If you’ll let me cut back to basic cable,” I said, “then I’ll purchase any shows you want from the iTunes Store.” She was reluctant at the time, but over the past two years, we’ve found that there really aren’t that many shows we want to watch. Since we started, we’ve purchased eleven “seasons” from iTunes, totaling $398.42 (or about $36.22 per season). This works out to about $16.60 per month. When added to our $11.30 basic cable bill, we’re paying $27.90 each month for television. That’s less than half of what we were paying before. Note: Kris and I also use Netflix to watch television. Over the past year, we’ve consumed seasons of MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Foyle’s War. I’m not including that $16.99/month in these calculations, however, because we were already using Netflix to do the same thing before we cut our cable. Just be aware that we’re spending another $200/year for DVDs by mail. (And, yes, we do get our money’s worth.) HuluWe’ve also found a way to watch certain shows for free. For a short time last year, NBC/Universal and Apple got cranky with each other. NBC/Universal pulled its shows (including Battlestar!) from the iTunes Music Store. What’s a geek to do? Answer: watch the shows for free through Hulu, which features content from NBC, Fox, and many other sources. Crisis averted. Over the past year, I’ve come to love Hulu. It took some GRS reader encouragement for me to actually explore the site’s potential, but now that I know how it works, I’m hooked. Here’s the basic premise: Hulu allows viewers to watch new and classic television programs for free. (The site also includes a small selection of feature films.) Each program includes the normal commercial breaks, just as on television. However, instead of being bombarded by two minutes (or more) of commercials at each break, you’re subjected to a single 15- to 60-second ad (that you cannot interrupt). To me, that’s a fair trade for free programs. Most current NBC and Fox programs are available on Hulu, though each show seems to have its own schedule. Older shows offer full seasons. Some shows, like 30 Rock, only offer the “trailing 5 episodes”. That is, you can only watch the most recent 5 episodes from the series. Others, like The Biggest Loser (which I’m now addicted to thanks to readers at Get Fit Slowly) only allow one episode to appear at a time — and it’s last week’s episode. (So, please — no spoilers about what happened Tuesday night!) Although Hulu doesn’t directly host content from ABC or CBS, it does index these shows, and link to their source pages. So, for example, if you want to use Hulu to watch Lost, you can do so. When you look for the latest episode of Lost, Hulu will redirect you to the ABC website. This is a nice touch. Hulu offers a nice library of classic television, including Adam-12 For me, though, the best part of Hulu is its library of classic television. When I was sick with the flu in early December, I spent two days plowing through old episodes of Adam-12. (Which was much better than I had remembered.) Hulu also includes shows like: Battlestar Galactica (new and classic) Arrested Development The Bob Newhart Show Miami Vice Hill Street Blues And even The Dave Ramsey Show! Actually, I just noticed that Gary Vaynerchuk’s video wine blog, The Thunder Show, is available on Hulu, too! My biggest complaint with the site is that navigation is clumsy. It’s sometimes difficult for me to find what I’m looking for. (The “browse TV shows alphabetically” view is most useful for me.) Disclaimer: I know I sound like I’m shilling for Hulu, but I promise you: I’m not being paid to write this. I just think it’s a great service, and it’s one I would never have fully explored if Get Rich Slowly readers hadn’t encouraged me to do so. Other optionsThough these are the tools that Kris and I use for our television consumption, there are other options available. For example, I’m a big fan of the public library for books, but I haven’t used it for TV on DVD, though I’m sure that’s possible. I’m also aware of Veoh and Joost, though I haven’t tried either of them. Those of you in Western Europe may want to explore Zattoo, a free downloadable app that lets you watch certain television content on your computer. (And, via the comments, Jeremiah Bell notes that Canadian readers can find streaming television at CTV and GlobalTV.) None of these is going to satisfy those who truly enjoy television. If you must see your show right now, or if you are a fan of live sports, you may have to fork over the dough for a deluxe cable package. I’m content to wait. It saves me money, and it lets me watch shows on my terms. Footnote: After I finished composing this article, I learned that GRS reader Mike Panic has drafted a fantastic list of websites that stream full TV shows and movies. This is a colossal list, and well-worth bookmarking. ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly: links for 2007-03-23 How 15 Minutes Saved Me 15% on My Television Bill The 9 Strangest Tax Write-Offs Tip: Pay Your Bills as They Arrive The New Math: Cheap Alternatives to Cable Television
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Proactively Protect Yourself from Credit Fraud
This came from my bank.
How can I proactively protect myself against fraudulent card activity?
VyStar Credit Union and Visa® are working closely together to catch any fraudulent
behavior and protect your account. And remember, your Visa Check Card and Credit Cards
are backed by Visa's Zero Liability policy, so even if your card or its number are ever lost or
stolen, you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges. There are also some simple
things you can do.
Protect your Personal Identification Number (PIN):
• Never write down your PIN. Memorize it as soon as you get it.
• Do not disclose your PIN to anyone. No one from any financial institution, the police
or a merchant should ever ask for your PIN.
• Beware of phishing emails. These are emails that appear to be from your credit
union or online merchant asking for account information. Do not reply to them or
click on any links. Visa, your credit union or any other legitimate online merchant will never ask for your PIN or other personal financial information via email.
Note from Lena: Never click on a link in an email purportedly from your bank. Open your browser and use your bank's regular URL. They almost got my mother with this trick!
• At an ATM or PIN pad, enter your PIN discreetly, shielding the key pad with your
hand.
Note from Lena-- Beware! Cell phones with cameras can capture a picture of your PIN. Shield your entry with your hand.
What do I do if I spot suspicious activity on my account?
1. Review your monthly statements to spot any unauthorized purchases. You can
also monitor your account activity online at any time within Internet Banking.
2. Review your credit scores for accuracy. Call any one of the three credit reporting
agencies to receive your free annual credit report.
Equifax 800.525.6285
Experian 888.397.3742
TransUnion 800.680.7289
3. If you spot any charges that you did not do using your credit card or check card,
please contact your bank ASAP.
4. You should also contact the three credit reporting agencies above to notify them of any
suspected fraud or identity theft.
5. Should you become a victim of identity theft, please contact your bank and their Theft Resolution group will help you through the necessary steps to resolve the
issues.
How can I proactively protect myself against fraudulent card activity?
VyStar Credit Union and Visa® are working closely together to catch any fraudulent
behavior and protect your account. And remember, your Visa Check Card and Credit Cards
are backed by Visa's Zero Liability policy, so even if your card or its number are ever lost or
stolen, you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges. There are also some simple
things you can do.
Protect your Personal Identification Number (PIN):
• Never write down your PIN. Memorize it as soon as you get it.
• Do not disclose your PIN to anyone. No one from any financial institution, the police
or a merchant should ever ask for your PIN.
• Beware of phishing emails. These are emails that appear to be from your credit
union or online merchant asking for account information. Do not reply to them or
click on any links. Visa, your credit union or any other legitimate online merchant will never ask for your PIN or other personal financial information via email.
Note from Lena: Never click on a link in an email purportedly from your bank. Open your browser and use your bank's regular URL. They almost got my mother with this trick!
• At an ATM or PIN pad, enter your PIN discreetly, shielding the key pad with your
hand.
Note from Lena-- Beware! Cell phones with cameras can capture a picture of your PIN. Shield your entry with your hand.
What do I do if I spot suspicious activity on my account?
1. Review your monthly statements to spot any unauthorized purchases. You can
also monitor your account activity online at any time within Internet Banking.
2. Review your credit scores for accuracy. Call any one of the three credit reporting
agencies to receive your free annual credit report.
Equifax 800.525.6285
Experian 888.397.3742
TransUnion 800.680.7289
3. If you spot any charges that you did not do using your credit card or check card,
please contact your bank ASAP.
4. You should also contact the three credit reporting agencies above to notify them of any
suspected fraud or identity theft.
5. Should you become a victim of identity theft, please contact your bank and their Theft Resolution group will help you through the necessary steps to resolve the
issues.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Checkbook Sweep-- Brilliant!
This article came from Get Rich Slowly. It's brilliant!
Posted: 10 Feb 2009 12:00 PM PST
At dinner the other night, T.S. told me about a new trick she’s developed to force herself to save money. It used to be that she’d just spend whatever she had in her checkbook. She didn’t spend more than that, so she wasn’t accumulating debt. But like many people, she wasn’t saving either. She spent whatever she had on hand.
Because T.S. wants to save, she’s opened an account at ING Direct. She wants to build a balance so that she can earn interest.
But in order to save, she needs to stop spending. Over the past few months, she’s developed a system that let’s her do that. Here’s how it works:
When T.S. gets her first paycheck every month, she deposits it into her checking account. She uses this money to pay bills and to fund her lifestyle, as normal.
When she gets her second paycheck, she does the same thing.
At the end of the month, just before she receives her next paycheck, she sweeps whatever remains in her checkbook into her savings account.
“I make myself feel like I’m living paycheck-to-paycheck,” T.S. told me. “If I move the money over to savings, I almost forget that I have it. I know it’s there in the back of my head, but it’s not in my checkbook ready to be spent.”
This monthly checkbook sweep might seem too simple to some readers, and it might never work for others. But for T.S., it’s one way to meet her goals.
Because each of has different goals and different mindsets, we each have different approaches to money management. We develop our own tricks — or money hacks — to circumvent our personal weaknesses. The important thing is to keep trying new methods until you find a few that work for you.
***
I have a different system. I have debts and some very large expenses that aren't paid regularly and must be saved for over the long term. So, I keep cash "savings envelopes" on my desk in an envelope sorter. Here are their labels:
Gas and minor expenses: $20
Insurance: $20
Mortgage: $75
Natural Gas: $30
State Tax: $15
Groceries: $140
Every week, I deposit those amounts in cash into those envelopes. The rest of the paycheck is deposited into the bank account to cover my online bill paying. The money isn't in my purse in any form (cash, check, or debit card balance), so it's not available to spend foolishly. Some months have five Fridays, so I end up with an "extra payday" deposited into those envelopes. Sure. an extra $15 made toward my state tax bill isn't much, but that extra goes straight toward the principal owed. It's like making an extra payment directly toward debt reduction.
Also, by using cash to buy groceries, I have a hard limit on what I can spend. Needless to say, I'm paranoid about those treats anyway, so this cash limit really helps.
Note I simply said, "The rest of the paycheck" is deposited in the bank. It's not a hard and fast number deliberately. Sometimes my DH and/or Dante gets a bonus. I deposit the paychecks and don't even try to budget.
From now on, I'm doing a checkbook sweep at the end of the month. What a brilliant way to save!
Lena
Posted: 10 Feb 2009 12:00 PM PST
At dinner the other night, T.S. told me about a new trick she’s developed to force herself to save money. It used to be that she’d just spend whatever she had in her checkbook. She didn’t spend more than that, so she wasn’t accumulating debt. But like many people, she wasn’t saving either. She spent whatever she had on hand.
Because T.S. wants to save, she’s opened an account at ING Direct. She wants to build a balance so that she can earn interest.
But in order to save, she needs to stop spending. Over the past few months, she’s developed a system that let’s her do that. Here’s how it works:
When T.S. gets her first paycheck every month, she deposits it into her checking account. She uses this money to pay bills and to fund her lifestyle, as normal.
When she gets her second paycheck, she does the same thing.
At the end of the month, just before she receives her next paycheck, she sweeps whatever remains in her checkbook into her savings account.
“I make myself feel like I’m living paycheck-to-paycheck,” T.S. told me. “If I move the money over to savings, I almost forget that I have it. I know it’s there in the back of my head, but it’s not in my checkbook ready to be spent.”
This monthly checkbook sweep might seem too simple to some readers, and it might never work for others. But for T.S., it’s one way to meet her goals.
Because each of has different goals and different mindsets, we each have different approaches to money management. We develop our own tricks — or money hacks — to circumvent our personal weaknesses. The important thing is to keep trying new methods until you find a few that work for you.
***
I have a different system. I have debts and some very large expenses that aren't paid regularly and must be saved for over the long term. So, I keep cash "savings envelopes" on my desk in an envelope sorter. Here are their labels:
Gas and minor expenses: $20
Insurance: $20
Mortgage: $75
Natural Gas: $30
State Tax: $15
Groceries: $140
Every week, I deposit those amounts in cash into those envelopes. The rest of the paycheck is deposited into the bank account to cover my online bill paying. The money isn't in my purse in any form (cash, check, or debit card balance), so it's not available to spend foolishly. Some months have five Fridays, so I end up with an "extra payday" deposited into those envelopes. Sure. an extra $15 made toward my state tax bill isn't much, but that extra goes straight toward the principal owed. It's like making an extra payment directly toward debt reduction.
Also, by using cash to buy groceries, I have a hard limit on what I can spend. Needless to say, I'm paranoid about those treats anyway, so this cash limit really helps.
Note I simply said, "The rest of the paycheck" is deposited in the bank. It's not a hard and fast number deliberately. Sometimes my DH and/or Dante gets a bonus. I deposit the paychecks and don't even try to budget.
From now on, I'm doing a checkbook sweep at the end of the month. What a brilliant way to save!
Lena
Thursday, February 12, 2009
My Frugal Valentine
There are just some days where someone else has already said it better. This is one of those times. The article from Get Rich Slowly entitled My Frugal Valentine covers all the bases I can think of, plus some. I can't add to this one. It's just too good.
Lena
Lena
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Winner of my Frugality Contest-- Angie Stubbs
Angie said:
we cut out money off coupons and buy 2 for 1 bargins
we turning off lights and things off standby
we doing the shopping in one day instead of going out 2 or 3 times a week only buying the things we need and not the things we want Angie
Very smart things to do!
Just unplugging the appliances not in use and turning off the computers at night can save something, even if it's only a buck or two. Coupons can save you much more!
The one I was impressed with was the shopping suggestion. It works. I saved more when I was able to grocery shop less often, especially if I bought from a carefully written list.
Angie has won a free ebook from my currently available books. Congratulations, Angie!
we cut out money off coupons and buy 2 for 1 bargins
we turning off lights and things off standby
we doing the shopping in one day instead of going out 2 or 3 times a week only buying the things we need and not the things we want Angie
Very smart things to do!
Just unplugging the appliances not in use and turning off the computers at night can save something, even if it's only a buck or two. Coupons can save you much more!
The one I was impressed with was the shopping suggestion. It works. I saved more when I was able to grocery shop less often, especially if I bought from a carefully written list.
Angie has won a free ebook from my currently available books. Congratulations, Angie!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Get Rich Slowly-- Commitment or Cost, Your Choice
I've posted about the Get Rich Slowly blog before, but this idea is too priceless not to share. You can read about it here: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/01/08/commitment-contracts-and-stickkcom/
I'm a firm believer in goal-setting, but I realize that sometimes you need an incentive to give you that extra push of motivation. How about a wager where you lose money if you don't make your goals? OUCH, right?
You set the goal and the wager. It's a bet with yourself. You say who you pay, whether it's a charity or person. Me, I'd make the check going to my worst enemy or something I despise, like the Moral Majority. Yeah, really make it hurt.
There's no requirement to wager money, ever. However, if you're going to set a goal and mean it, shouldn't you punish yourself for failing?
Oh, and BTW, in case you didn't guess, I'm out of the hospital and recovering from surgery.
Lena
I'm a firm believer in goal-setting, but I realize that sometimes you need an incentive to give you that extra push of motivation. How about a wager where you lose money if you don't make your goals? OUCH, right?
You set the goal and the wager. It's a bet with yourself. You say who you pay, whether it's a charity or person. Me, I'd make the check going to my worst enemy or something I despise, like the Moral Majority. Yeah, really make it hurt.
There's no requirement to wager money, ever. However, if you're going to set a goal and mean it, shouldn't you punish yourself for failing?
Oh, and BTW, in case you didn't guess, I'm out of the hospital and recovering from surgery.
Lena
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Get Rich Slowly-- The Blog
OMG! Did I just find the coolest blog for these economically challenging times:
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/
I love the self-warranty idea especially. Since I buy appliances on a cash basis, declining the extended warranty and putting the money I would have spent into my emergency fund makes a lot of sense. Then I get the interest instead of some company that puts up too many restrictions on my being able to collect on the warranty later.
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/
I love the self-warranty idea especially. Since I buy appliances on a cash basis, declining the extended warranty and putting the money I would have spent into my emergency fund makes a lot of sense. Then I get the interest instead of some company that puts up too many restrictions on my being able to collect on the warranty later.
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