After a rather lengthy hiatus--since 2008, I've thrown my financial statements into a box and said OMMMMMMMM--I just opened up a few. Well! My very conservative retirement account went up 6% in the first quarter. My go-go smaller retirement accounts went up as much as 18%--in just one quarter. Sounds great.
I notice, though, that the go-go account is about where it was in 2000, the time of the tech bubble bursting. So I have not achieved anywhere near the 26% annual returns (that would double your money every three years) that the Romney boys have made in their gift accounts over the last 15 years.
So I guess I have to keep saying OMMMMMMM, thank heavens Mr FS and I are still working, give a big thank you to Frugal Son and Miss Em for choosing state universities that wanted them badly enough to take them for free and throw in room and board, and a bigger thank you to my frugal forebears for instilling me with a frugal ethos.
I don't think I will ever recover from 2008!
Have you recovered? Do you open your statements?
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Monday, 9 April 2012
Potato Love
I just made a confession to Mr FS. I was cooking dinner: that wonderful vegetable hash you can find in Deborah Madison's The Savory Way. It consists of potatoes, greens, and tomatoes. My version also included a few slices of rendered bacon. This is a clean out the fridge recipe: I used up the remains of a bag of potatoes, 1/2 large can of Big Lots-sourced Muir Glen tomatoes, and greens from the garden. The bacon was brought home by Frugal Son, who rescued it from being thrown out by a friend who was moving.
I was cooking; Mr FS was gardening. When the concoction was done, I tasted it. Within a few minutes, I had eaten half. You cannot leave me alone in a room with a potato dish.
I confessed. Mr FS pointed out that a spouse who couldn't control herself around potatoes was a pretty inexpensive spouse to have around.
Luckily, there is enough for Mr FS and I am too full to eat his share. I have been known to do that.
What's your can't control yourself dish?
1 pound mixed greens -- approximately
salt
2 medium-sized potatoes -- scrubbed,
quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 small dried red chilies -- (1 to 2)
seeds removed and torn into pieces
OR 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 medium sized fresh or canned tomatoes -- chopped
2 garlic cloves -- minced
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated or sliced hard cheese such
as Parmesan or Asiago or Romano
extra virgin olive oil -- to finish the dish
Madison provides very detailed instructions, which I don't follow. I chop the potatoes and boil them for a while. I add the washed and chopped greens to the pot with the potatoes. I try to use very little water.
When they seem about done, I dump them into a pan in which I have sauteed either garlic and red pepper flakes OR bacon and the preceding. Mash them up and add some canned tomatoes.
I see that as usual I forgot to sprinkle with olive oil or add cheese. Oh well. Too late.
I was cooking; Mr FS was gardening. When the concoction was done, I tasted it. Within a few minutes, I had eaten half. You cannot leave me alone in a room with a potato dish.
I confessed. Mr FS pointed out that a spouse who couldn't control herself around potatoes was a pretty inexpensive spouse to have around.
Luckily, there is enough for Mr FS and I am too full to eat his share. I have been known to do that.
What's your can't control yourself dish?
1 pound mixed greens -- approximately
salt
2 medium-sized potatoes -- scrubbed,
quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 small dried red chilies -- (1 to 2)
seeds removed and torn into pieces
OR 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 medium sized fresh or canned tomatoes -- chopped
2 garlic cloves -- minced
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated or sliced hard cheese such
as Parmesan or Asiago or Romano
extra virgin olive oil -- to finish the dish
Madison provides very detailed instructions, which I don't follow. I chop the potatoes and boil them for a while. I add the washed and chopped greens to the pot with the potatoes. I try to use very little water.
When they seem about done, I dump them into a pan in which I have sauteed either garlic and red pepper flakes OR bacon and the preceding. Mash them up and add some canned tomatoes.
I see that as usual I forgot to sprinkle with olive oil or add cheese. Oh well. Too late.
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Frugal Kitchen Tool: Kitchen Shears
Yes, I own a Cuisinart Food Processor (actually, a Robot-Coupe, which is the precursor). No, I do NOT use it very much.
I am here to sing the praises of kitchen shears, a tool underutilized in these United States. These first came on my radar a few years ago. Frugal Son had come back from a summer in South Korea, where he stayed with the relatives of friends. He told me to get some shears. He said everyone used them for cutting scallions and bacon. You can cut right into the pot!
Eventually, I bought some at Goodwill for $1 (I later discovered you could buy the same exact ones "at retail" for $2). I kept forgetting to use them. Finally, I cut some scallions. Great!
Today, I put them to the ultimate test. I cut some bacon into a pan. Greater! No icky fatty cutting board to wash.
I told Frugal Son that I had really junky shears and should probably get some more befitting my status as serious (sometimes) cook. He pointed out that the many shears he saw in use in Korea were probably of the same quality as the ones I had.
Do you use kitchen shears? Am I the last person to get with the kitchen shears program?
Should I get some snazzier ones? Like these red ones?
I am here to sing the praises of kitchen shears, a tool underutilized in these United States. These first came on my radar a few years ago. Frugal Son had come back from a summer in South Korea, where he stayed with the relatives of friends. He told me to get some shears. He said everyone used them for cutting scallions and bacon. You can cut right into the pot!
Eventually, I bought some at Goodwill for $1 (I later discovered you could buy the same exact ones "at retail" for $2). I kept forgetting to use them. Finally, I cut some scallions. Great!
Today, I put them to the ultimate test. I cut some bacon into a pan. Greater! No icky fatty cutting board to wash.
I told Frugal Son that I had really junky shears and should probably get some more befitting my status as serious (sometimes) cook. He pointed out that the many shears he saw in use in Korea were probably of the same quality as the ones I had.
Do you use kitchen shears? Am I the last person to get with the kitchen shears program?
Should I get some snazzier ones? Like these red ones?
Friday, 6 April 2012
The NEW GIMMICKY Credit Union??
Many of the finance stories of the past few years present BIG BAD BANKS vs LITTLE VIRTUOUS CREDIT UNIONS. One area credit union even runs an ad saying, "People not profits." Yeah, I'm a fan.
But a recent experience makes me wonder if the credit unions are going the way of the big bad banks with confusing products, over-complexity, and incompetent reps.
Both my kids have checking/savings accounts at a credit union. I opened these to accommodate the dribs and drabs of money they occasionally received as gifts. I also appreciated the FREE CHECKING. So this is what they have.
Here is the latest missive. LACAP will no longer offer the FREE CHECKING. As of May 1, you will be automatically transferred to an XXX account. Checking will remain free if you have 10 NON-ATM Debit transactions per month or Direct Deposit. If you don't use your debit card enough, you will be charged $8.00/month.
Well, guess what? Frugal Son can't have his French salary direct-deposited! He needs the debit card for occasional cash withdrawals.
Miss Em doesn't have an income to be direct deposited. And she doesn't need the hassle of keeping count of her debit transactions.
So I called. The first rep suggested that I set up a Direct Deposit from MY checking account for them--say $5/month. Good idea! Of course, when I called back the next day, the new rep said that would not be permitted.
She referred me to their range of checking accounts. All were of the DO THIS AND YOU GET THIS, but if YOU DON'T DO THIS, YOU GET THIS (GREATER) PENALTY.
My head started spinning. This is a sign of over-complexity and deliberate efforts to confuse.
My favorite is their IRA. WITH A 7% RATE. The small print says the 7% rate is good till the end of 2012--so for 8 months. After that--still tiny print--it reverts to the regular rate of .5%. That's POINT 5, not 5.
P.S. Don't tell me I'm being a helicopter! Frugal Son is in France and can't deal with this. Miss Em is in Alabama and working hard. I'm hoping they will return the favor* when I'm too old to manage.
*Example of returning the favor: Frugal Son will be meeting his Grandma in the Vienna airport in a few days. They will be visiting the city of her birth. He has planned the whole trip, made all the reservations, and will be taking her around with his German friend Floh.
But a recent experience makes me wonder if the credit unions are going the way of the big bad banks with confusing products, over-complexity, and incompetent reps.
Both my kids have checking/savings accounts at a credit union. I opened these to accommodate the dribs and drabs of money they occasionally received as gifts. I also appreciated the FREE CHECKING. So this is what they have.
Here is the latest missive. LACAP will no longer offer the FREE CHECKING. As of May 1, you will be automatically transferred to an XXX account. Checking will remain free if you have 10 NON-ATM Debit transactions per month or Direct Deposit. If you don't use your debit card enough, you will be charged $8.00/month.
Well, guess what? Frugal Son can't have his French salary direct-deposited! He needs the debit card for occasional cash withdrawals.
Miss Em doesn't have an income to be direct deposited. And she doesn't need the hassle of keeping count of her debit transactions.
So I called. The first rep suggested that I set up a Direct Deposit from MY checking account for them--say $5/month. Good idea! Of course, when I called back the next day, the new rep said that would not be permitted.
She referred me to their range of checking accounts. All were of the DO THIS AND YOU GET THIS, but if YOU DON'T DO THIS, YOU GET THIS (GREATER) PENALTY.
My head started spinning. This is a sign of over-complexity and deliberate efforts to confuse.
My favorite is their IRA. WITH A 7% RATE. The small print says the 7% rate is good till the end of 2012--so for 8 months. After that--still tiny print--it reverts to the regular rate of .5%. That's POINT 5, not 5.
P.S. Don't tell me I'm being a helicopter! Frugal Son is in France and can't deal with this. Miss Em is in Alabama and working hard. I'm hoping they will return the favor* when I'm too old to manage.
*Example of returning the favor: Frugal Son will be meeting his Grandma in the Vienna airport in a few days. They will be visiting the city of her birth. He has planned the whole trip, made all the reservations, and will be taking her around with his German friend Floh.
Thursday, 5 April 2012
DESENCOMBRER: French Lessons and Memories
That's the word for declutter in French. Accent on first e. Sorry beloved French teachers of my past.
I wrote a post a few days ago on decluttering my inbox. Unsubscribing. Much to my dismay, I discovered I had written almost exactly the same post in 2009. Of course, I had no recollection. Obviously, the lesson did not stick, since my inbox has been gradually filling up again. UGH. Will I ever get this stuff under control?
French Lessons. In spite of the lack of graphics, I have been having a lot of fun with the FREEEE Foreign Service language lessons. I open two windows and have the text in one and the audio in the other. I actually have a good foundation in French and it's IN THERE SOMEWHERE. I don't know how the program would work for someone who is starting from scratch.
The best thing about it: it is fun when I am too tired even to read. I have been sick for over a week now and I am sooooo tired. And my accent--which I used to get so many compliments on--is so bad.
I'm hoping that I will be able to speak a bit more on my next trip to France. I only came up with one good sentence last summer. Apropos my organized daughter, I said Elle fait ce qu'on doit faire. (She does what she has to do/what needs to be done). My own jaw dropped when I said that.
Later, I realized why that excellent and idiomatic sentence emerged from the depths. In college, I took a very difficult course: French Romantic and Symbolist Poetry. With my favorite teacher (who no doubt has no recollection of me, his admiring student) M. Samuel Danon. Oh, the material was so hard.
In the little Apollinaire book we had for the class, I found a simple poem.
Avec ses quatre dromadaires
Don Pedro d'Alfaroubeira
courut le monde et l'admira
il fit ce que je voudrais faire
si j'avais quatre dromadaires
Guillaume Apollinaire
For some reason, I memorized it. If you take a look, you will see the template for my one good sentence of Summer 2011.
One thing about trying to resurrect my French: it's a no-clutter activity!
I wrote a post a few days ago on decluttering my inbox. Unsubscribing. Much to my dismay, I discovered I had written almost exactly the same post in 2009. Of course, I had no recollection. Obviously, the lesson did not stick, since my inbox has been gradually filling up again. UGH. Will I ever get this stuff under control?
French Lessons. In spite of the lack of graphics, I have been having a lot of fun with the FREEEE Foreign Service language lessons. I open two windows and have the text in one and the audio in the other. I actually have a good foundation in French and it's IN THERE SOMEWHERE. I don't know how the program would work for someone who is starting from scratch.
The best thing about it: it is fun when I am too tired even to read. I have been sick for over a week now and I am sooooo tired. And my accent--which I used to get so many compliments on--is so bad.
I'm hoping that I will be able to speak a bit more on my next trip to France. I only came up with one good sentence last summer. Apropos my organized daughter, I said Elle fait ce qu'on doit faire. (She does what she has to do/what needs to be done). My own jaw dropped when I said that.
Later, I realized why that excellent and idiomatic sentence emerged from the depths. In college, I took a very difficult course: French Romantic and Symbolist Poetry. With my favorite teacher (who no doubt has no recollection of me, his admiring student) M. Samuel Danon. Oh, the material was so hard.
In the little Apollinaire book we had for the class, I found a simple poem.
Avec ses quatre dromadaires
Don Pedro d'Alfaroubeira
courut le monde et l'admira
il fit ce que je voudrais faire
si j'avais quatre dromadaires
Guillaume Apollinaire
For some reason, I memorized it. If you take a look, you will see the template for my one good sentence of Summer 2011.
One thing about trying to resurrect my French: it's a no-clutter activity!
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Learning Language with the Foreign Service: FREEEEEEEEEEEEE
My colleague Merton--a linguist and all-around frugal guy--told me a while ago that Rosetta Stone--the ubiquitous language learning program--is based on material in the public domain: the language learning programs developed by the Foreign Service. Merton even dug out his old copy (looked like the dittos of days of yore) that he got in his Peace Corps days in the 1960s.
I've been sitting on this for a while. I really should practice my French. It is lurking just below the surface of consciousness. Mr FS listens to French radio, but his French is a lot better than mine, having lived in France for several years in youth and young adulthood.
I found the site that has the Foreign Service lessons. It looks like an on-line ditto! You can look at the book and listen to the lessons.
Does anyone know how this compare to Rosetta Stone? I've never looked at their materials.
The left-hand column gives you quite the assortment of languages from which to choose. In the meantime: Asseyez-vous!
I've been sitting on this for a while. I really should practice my French. It is lurking just below the surface of consciousness. Mr FS listens to French radio, but his French is a lot better than mine, having lived in France for several years in youth and young adulthood.
I found the site that has the Foreign Service lessons. It looks like an on-line ditto! You can look at the book and listen to the lessons.
Does anyone know how this compare to Rosetta Stone? I've never looked at their materials.
The left-hand column gives you quite the assortment of languages from which to choose. In the meantime: Asseyez-vous!
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Decluttering Your Inbox and Minimizing Shopping
Ah, the olden days: when you went shopping (with your mother or your girlfriends) a few time a year. The rich girls went at the beginning of the season. Most of us went at or near the end, so we could get things on sale. For blackbelt shoppers like my parents, there were also perhaps two trips a year to Orchard Street in New York City, noted for its discounts. The tiny shops had mean owners, who would badmouth the customers in Yiddish (my mother--a German speaker in childhood--could translate the insults.) We were once kicked out of a shop for not buying anything quickly enough! The abuse was part of the experience. And, of course, we would get a sandwich after the ordeal at the famous Katz's deli. which had--and still has as it happens--salamis hanging from the ceiling emblazoned with streamers:"Send a salami to your boy in the army."
In the old days, shopping was contained! Then came catalogs, some of which presented pastoral worlds where everything matched or everything was eccentric. At least you could throw them out after mooning through them.
But now! I hardly need to tell you that in internet has broken all boundaries. So even if you never set foot in a physical store, you can shop all the time. And--if you ever recklessly sign up for email so you can get free shipping or a discount--well, your inbox will be full of offers.
I recently realized that I seldom set foot in a store these days, with the exception of thrift shops. But I--perhaps from those Orchard Street days--am hardwired to check out the bargains. So I have removed myself from almost all email lists: good-bye J Jill, Gumps, Banana Republic, Pier 1, and the rest.
The only ones that remain are LL Bean and Garnet Hill. I shop at those stores now and then because of their unconditional guarantee.
This boundary-violating is a real problem. I find myself answering desperate emails from students on weekends. This weekend, for instance, one student asked me when the paper was due. UHHHH, look at the syllabus, which is on-line. I don't mind responding to student requests on weekends (although I often refer them to the syllabus!), because then I don't face a crew of students on Monday having major meltdowns.
But honestly, I already have too much stuff. And, as we learned in the olden days on Orchard Street, even if you miss a bargain--or even if you get kicked out of the store--there's always one next time!
Have you decluttered your inbox? What's left?
In the old days, shopping was contained! Then came catalogs, some of which presented pastoral worlds where everything matched or everything was eccentric. At least you could throw them out after mooning through them.
But now! I hardly need to tell you that in internet has broken all boundaries. So even if you never set foot in a physical store, you can shop all the time. And--if you ever recklessly sign up for email so you can get free shipping or a discount--well, your inbox will be full of offers.
I recently realized that I seldom set foot in a store these days, with the exception of thrift shops. But I--perhaps from those Orchard Street days--am hardwired to check out the bargains. So I have removed myself from almost all email lists: good-bye J Jill, Gumps, Banana Republic, Pier 1, and the rest.
The only ones that remain are LL Bean and Garnet Hill. I shop at those stores now and then because of their unconditional guarantee.
This boundary-violating is a real problem. I find myself answering desperate emails from students on weekends. This weekend, for instance, one student asked me when the paper was due. UHHHH, look at the syllabus, which is on-line. I don't mind responding to student requests on weekends (although I often refer them to the syllabus!), because then I don't face a crew of students on Monday having major meltdowns.
But honestly, I already have too much stuff. And, as we learned in the olden days on Orchard Street, even if you miss a bargain--or even if you get kicked out of the store--there's always one next time!
Have you decluttered your inbox? What's left?
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