Lemonade: 5 cents

I remember being a little entrepreneurial at times as a kid. Sometimes, if I could convince them, the neighbor kids and me would set up a lemonade or Kool-Aid stand on the sidewalk. We NEVER had success, but we did attempt it more than once. We ended up enjoying the lemonade ourselves, with not so much as a nickel in our pockets.

Here I am a few years later with my own grown up version of my lemonade stand. Only this time, I'm not attempting to sell lemonade. On sale today- Fall Floral Arrangements. Here's the pitch:

Call it what you want: Fall Floral Arrangement, Pumpkin-O-Gram, Harvest Flowers- I don't care.
Use them for whatever purpose you want: Send them to someone you love this fall to express your thankfulness for them, display them at your office to show your festive side, or get them for your own enjoyment- I don't care.

Just get one, or convince someone you know to get one!
Here's what it is:
1 fall squash, otherwise known as a pumpkin, hollowed
flowers are placed in water in a removable container in the pumpkin for easy water changes
$35 delivered
(within 20 miles of my location)

So here I sit at my stand, waiting to make a few cents, hoping someone who reads this is either A. not on the Dave Ramsey Plan, B. is on the plan, but is on Baby Step 4-7, or C. is on Baby Step 1-3, but has $35 in their blow envelope. And like my lemonade, I am prepared to have little success and to enjoy these myself.

Here are a bunch of pictures of the same two arrangements: one for my home, one for my office. The photographer in me doesn't allow me to take just one picture per item. Dumb, I know, but I can't help it.

New all over again

I talked to our local FPU coordinator this week, and he said he'd do a class if we could get about 5 people to join.
So we got three of our friends to attend an orientation on Monday night. They were impressed enough to commit to the class.
Then yesterday I found out that they were impressed enough to convince another single girl and another couple to attend!
I'm still waiting to hear when the class will start, cuz I will certainly be there since membership is lifetime with FPU. Seeing that the change is possible among some more of my friends excites me like it's new all over again.

Just some stuff

Summer seems to have come and gone with no season of heat waves to bring overtime to hegazelle. This is disappointing, as we were counting on a big OT spike to catapult us through this car debt. However, I am thankful that there has been work at all. A couple that went through Financial Peace University with us have not had steady work at their jobs since Easter. Their troubles only compound further since they purchased a new home in December. It is now up for sale. Truly, I haven't much to complain about.
*Bossy Bonus- If you're going to sell your home, get a good realtor. Everyone thinks they know what their doing because they sold houses quickly in what was a hot market about two years ago. With foreclosures occurring at such an alarming rate, if you need to get out of your house to save your skin, don't try to save a buck by skipping a good realtor.

I didn't think I had a problem with a prideful spirit, but I am being humbled nonetheless. Since I got new brakes and rotors, I have had pride issues. Apparently, with the thickness of the new brakes and rotors and the calipers, there now exists a rubbing condition that makes NOISE. I keep looking around for an old Pontiac when I'm driving down the road, only to realize it's me. When I was told it would take a couple hundred miles or so to go away, I reset my trip odometer. 190 miles later, it hasn't quieted down a bit. Maybe at exactly 200 miles the noise will instantly cease. 10 more embarrassing miles to go...

By the way, I just realized- it's 10 after 6 and I'm home alone blogging because hegazelle is working still! Maybe a little OT will come our way after all!

ZZZzzzzzz....

The cooler it gets outside, the harder it is for me to get outta bed in the mornings, and the more I wish I were a rich bum so I didn't have to go to work.

Weirdness Woes

Last night, the opportunity for a money conversation presented itself, and hegazelle and I took advantage of it. We went out to dinner with 3 friends, whom I witnessed to about FPU. It just so happened that I knew an FPU class was scheduled to begin in my city on Sept 24- TONIGHT! So I told them to think it over and let me know if they would attend or not, and we promised to go with them.
Lo, and behold, I go on www.daveramsey.com only to find that the class has been cancelled! I emailed the facilitator to find out what the deal was, and he said the class was cancelled because no one attended orientation.
As Anne Shirley often found herself: I am in the depths of despair.

Poor lil' piggy

My poor little green piggy is getting stiff joints from not moving.
Certainly not the case with my emergency fund which has had plenty of exercise lately!

Money Behavior & Vocabulary

Today I was listening to the Dave Ramsey Show, and a lady called in with $150,000 in debt, not including her house. When asked what the debt was she said, "$30,000 is credit card debt, and $120 is a home equity loan." Then when Dave asked her about what the home equity loan was for the dumb woman said, "We used it for some remodeling on our house and we bought a car outright." She bought a car outright??! Dave of course let her know that indeed she had not bought a car outright, but rather put her house at risk by borrowing against it for a vehicle.
This call stirred my thoughts about the subject of behavior as it relates to money. Dave says all the time that winning with money is 80% behavior and 20% math. When your money behaviors change, you realize how ridiculous it sounds when a lady says she bought a car "outright" with a HELOC. You take on proper vocabulary as well when speaking about money.
Some may look at my new money behaviors as idiosyncratic. I take every dollar we make in a week spend it on paper (which is really not a paper at all, but an Excel spreadsheet,) and withdraw most of it in cash every Friday. We often ask for an odd dollar amount (i.e. ___hundred and eighty four dollars, with the last eighty four dollars broken down in bills smaller than twenty, all the way down to ones.) Then we put the dollar amount from our budget into the corresponding envelope.
Some probably think it's silly that I REFUSE to move money around between envelopes without first having an Emergency Budget Committee Meeting; the budget committee consisting of Hegazelle and me. I will not take a single dollar from "household goods" to buy lunch when the office is ordering lunch out. If it's in food, sure I'll spend it. Otherwise I'll have to join in next week.
I force myself not to deviate at all because I believe it is so important to the cause of correcting my money behaviors.
So when I buy my next car and tell you "I bought my car outright" you'll know that does not mean I took a HELOC out on my home, but rather that I paid CASH.

Don your party hats, please!

It's the birthday of mothergazelle and Pj!

Happy birthday.

3 Best Years

Tomorrow marks 3 years for hegazelle and me. I couldn't ask for anyone better- we are genuinely great friends, partners in crime, kindred spirits, and of course (keeping relevant to this blog) budget buddies. Here's to many more years- happy, healthy and, of course, wealthy!

Car Update

I will give you the very abbreviated story on my car thus far. So far we've had the brakes and rotors replaced and the transmission flush done. We've got some time on the other stuff, so right now we have waved good bye only to our emergency fund (not counting the recall refund check used for the 60K service.) Nonetheless, the little green piggy up there isn't gonna move for about a month.

If

Today I picked up a book of poems that belonged to my grandfather. I came across the following poem titled "If" by Rudyard Kipling; a poem that inspired me enough to share with you readers. I hope you enjoy it as I did.

If

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

I'm smitten

Holy cow...I so want this scooter...
**sigh** Isn't that the grooviest scooter ever?!

He was bound to visit sooner or later...

Murphy, that is. (If you do not understand who Murphy is, click here.)
The story goes like this:
I finally received the check in the mail from Volvo for the $630 recalled part I had replaced previously. So, being that I was just over 60K miles, I took this money of opportunity and took the car in for its factory scheduled maintenance. This is the service where they basically change your oil, spark plugs, and cabin air filter and inspect EVERY part of the car from the dome light to the transmission. Then if repairs are necessary, you go from there. I have already established that my local Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo dealership is inept in the area of customer service, a phrase which here means, they have a tendency to steal large amounts of money from their customers with little shame in doing so, so I did not take my care in to them for this inspection. (Sorry, I couldn't resist the Snicket-ism.) I have a mechanic, who much like my father, explains to me all the hows and whys, and will not release me from conversation until I assure him of my understanding. Said mechanic performed this factory scheduled maintenance today, and called me with the news that repairs are indeed necessary. I was aware before my purchase of this vehicle that repairs to European automobiles tend to be more costly than most other makes, and so I am not complaining about that exactly. My complaint is more that the previous owner decided to neglect maintenance and therefore I am being stuck with a larger number of repairs than I should be. I'll give you the short version: front and rear brakes and rotors, tie rods, shocks and struts, flush of my blackened transmission fluid and service of my cooling system so that my transmission fluid does not become blackened yet again from the heat. Sounds like I'm driving a junk heap, doesn't it? Well, it's most certainly not, but it will be if I don't make the proper repairs to maintain it. It is making these "proper repairs" that has me waving good bye not only to my recall check, but additionally to my ENTIRE emergency fund and also the next two months of paying down my car debt.
The term "a lot of money" can mean different things to different people. So when I say that $3300 is a lot of money to me, while it may not be so to you, imagine an amount that you would consider "a lot of money" going for car repairs, and you will certainly be able to feel my pain.
However, if you can imagine, there is a bright side to this automotive misfortune/financial beating. The bright side is that I even had an emergency fund at all! The bright side is also that I do not owe a car payment until December of 2008 because I have paid in excess of my monthly minimum, so I can now choose to skip payments while I wade thru this mire. If this would have occurred 7 months ago- well, it wouldn't have occurred because I would never have been able to afford to have my car serviced and inspected. But if I had, I would have had to choose to forgo the maintenance of my vehicle because money slipped through my fingers like water, and I basically had none to spare.
It's nice to only hurt a little when Murphy shows up, rather than his visit being equal to sudden financial death.
We'll be doing a couple repairs at a time over the next two months, so we won't be putting up all the money right away. I'll let you know how we fare as things progress.

Shegazelle: Honorary Post on Myndfood

I've provided a short rant today on Myndfood. I'm honored to have been asked to guest-post on a site striving to be nutrition for the mind.
In the spirit of promoting others who are striving to be debt-free, I suggest the purchase of a Myndfood T-shirt. All proceeds from your purchase will go towards changing the family tree for Lex and Gentry, aka. annihilating PJ's debt!

Good answer!

Judging from my poll at the right, any preaching I do here may be to the choir. But as we all know, even choir members fall, so I will do my best to offer encouragement as well as challenges in order to preserve this lovely harmony we currently have.

Sell So Much Stuff The Kids Think They're Next! Wait, I don't have any kids to sell...

In the first month of our "money makeover" we had a yard sale to boost our saving. We sold a ton of our stuff (and some donated items) in an attempt to hammer out baby step 1. What a shot in the arm that was! It was as though money was just laying around the house waiting to be had. Further, I must say I had the best yard sale sign campaign ever. Many who came to the sale commented on what great signs I had. Since my house is tucked away in the neighborhood, some people have difficulty finding it. Not so on yard sale day. With permission, I used type I barricades and mounted bright orange poster board signs at all the main streets and connecting residential streets to provide direction straight to the lady who needed their money. Me.
The cool thing about yard sales is not only that you can get a lot of cash, but also that you can clear a lot of clutter out of your house and garage.
In the months that followed we have continued the "sale" at our home in another fashion. At any given time, we put from 1 to 7 items on Craigslist. Any more than that becomes a full time job. You would not believe the junk that people will buy. And if the price is right, your phone will ring within 15 minutes of posting. Items we've sold include: 3 bicycles, a wedding cake stand, an oooold cordless drill and flashlight, an XM radio kit, a Dooney & Bourke cap, outdoor lighting sets and more. When the day comes for us to move, I don't think it will be too hard.
It's been about 3 or 4 weeks since my last Craigslist sale. I think that just may be the fix for this spell of blah I'm in.
Also, along the same lines- I discovered a consignment shop the other day. I'm probably like the last person to get a clue, since I've seen the store there for months, but never knew what it was. So on Monday, I wandered in. It's called Plato's Closet. They sell only gently used, brand name clothing such as Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Express, Hollister, American Eagle. This SO works for me on both sides: I can get a groovy Hollister shirt for hegazelle for $10, and they will buy our old clothes, shoes and accessories. They pay for your stuff on the spot- no waiting for your items to sell. How cool is that? I'll let you know how I fare when I get the chance to take some stuff in.
Just writing this post has me in the gear again...I think I'll get one more yard sale in before fall.

Random Thoughts

Breaking News: It has been verified by an unidentified woman that AT&T does indeed have an employee with a working brain cell.
It's true, folks. Today I finally met that AT&T employee who at long last has secured a connection to my residence. This is my first day on DSL at home. We shall see how it goes.

I'm in a "blah" spell mentally about my debt reduction plan. It's not that I'm giving up, it's that there's been no recent money spike or the like to fuel my fire. It's just been so-so, steady plugging along thru August towards the finish line. I suppose I should be grateful to be going forward instead of being stuck or going backward.

Have you ever read a book and thought, "Man, I wish I had written this book!" That is exactly what I'm thinking as I read Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid by Lemony Snicket. Mr. Snicket, I must say, is one of my favorite authors. I admire his style, and believe that perhaps we are kindred spirits.

I am wearing my last pair of contact lenses, and the lenses in my eye glasses no longer provide me with clear eyesight. One wrong move while washing my face over the sink could leave me in Blurryland. I am putting off the inevitable by not having a fund for this expense. I think I leave similarly necessary items underfunded as well when I squeeze every nickel for my car payment. If anyone knows where I could score a bargain on contact lenses or even lenses to replace those in my eyeglasses, please share. Maybe it will motivate me to stop procrastinating on this.

Oh yes, and my cousin had a charming wedding this weekend. I was proud. Further, I am certain that he and his new bride, armed with their own total money makeover, will make me prouder as their good decisions lead them to a life like no one else's. With continued focus, they will be debt-free, home owners, wise investors and examples of the way it's done. I love being related to intelligent life.

It had been 7 months since I had packed a suitcase and hit the road. My backside is so sore from driving all weekend that I've decided to wait another 7 months before I go anywhere.
I do not travel well.
And since my job involves excessive sitting, I'm getting no relief today.

I LOVE my car.

I knew I was meant to drive a Volvo since I was in junior high. Now I KNOW, I was meant to. Not only is it a terrific looking piece of machinery, it has terrific function as well. This 5 cylinder lovely that is my Volvo S60 averaged 32 mpg on our trip this weekend. Even with terrible traffic on the way there and MUCH driving while we were there, we used only a tank and a half.
Further confirmation that I was meant to drive a Volvo:
While perusing the shops at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, I walk out of Bloomingdales straight into my next vehicle- the Volvo XC90. We communed one with another. It was a beautiful moment as I sat behind the wheel of the vehicle I so often covet.
More exciting was the thought that I will be paying cash for this wonderful car.
What a lovely, lovely day.

(Did I mention that day is MANY days away?)