Me, I am too frugal (er, cheap!) to buy coffee at the shops. I make a pot on Sunday, and microwave a cup every morning. But after reading this topic, the next time I walk into a DD or Starbucks, I shall carry my mug in. It's clean enough. Until now, this just never occurred to me. Besides, it's another way to embarrass my 9 year old.
JOE
Ron - in the grand scheme of things do you suggest we start looking for another planet to live in instead of doing small, easy, and accessible things to help maintain our home? I guess it doesn't matter that we're fighting a war over oil, because that's not really the grand scheme of things. Religion is based on things that we can't see. You can see our environment deteriorating. But maybe you're of that other religion I call "denialism." I guess if wearing blinders make you feel good, by all means, carry on too.
This reminds me of a strip club that I used to work at while in college. When it was time to tip out the club, the girls would be "but I had to go spend $100 on my shoes and this cute outfit cost another $150" and play a sad song about how it's changing now and how guys don't tip as well and always try to sneak free peeks instead of getting their own dances etc. Of course they'd always forget to mention that really rich guy that would give them $2000 every week too.
So come on photographers, why aren't you mentioning your go-to customers? You know, the one who lives in a mansion and gives you a couple of grand each time you take a few family pictures or at parties where you barely even break a sweat? I'm sure that guy doesn't care what you give him as long as they look good.
The business math on this post is horrible! Photographers need to look at this the same way the music industry and countless other industries have. Like the above poster said, PRINTS ARE DEAD. Yea, shure it's stealing. And so is driving 1 mile over the speed limit. And when you go to a coffee shop, I' better never see you reading a newspaper somebody left on another table. Photographers, you can't stop people in the long run. And if you try too hard to stop people, many will begin to go elsewhere. Hey, maybe you guys should start another dying tradition and start a union. As long as you can make a living doing it like you are doing it, brother press on. But keep an ear out for the canary in the coal mine. I applaud your ethics, but get real! The business model is changing. Cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, people want to manipulate their own photos in Photoshop, print their own photo albums from Shutterfly, etc..... It's about skill, not production. Find a way to charge for your skill. People will be willing to pay for that.
And by the way, $1,300 a month to live on? Come on! What do you do the other 5 or so days of the week? How about deductions for business expenses? If you are going to stand high on your pedestal, be honest about the situation. I teach a class at a gym 2 nights a week, and that only pays me $40 per class! It's a wonder I'm able to eat.
"Heh. The poster who linked to the gallery of "superior" photos they took themselves proved my earlier point that some people just have absolutely no clue or ability to discern between a good photo and a crappy one."
---
I'm not saying our photos are superior to anyone's other than our photographers. The photos we got back were dark, and of things we didn't necessarily want and there weren't photos of things we wanted - even photos we know we posed for. We made the mistake of not shopping around enough for a great photographer. And we "fixed" the problem by taking our own.
It's not a solution for everyone - it was a solution for us.
I am a 25 year veteran of a Midwest police department. Let me say first that this is my opinion. In no way do I speak for any other police officer or agency.
I would like to remind you that you commented about two poster’s opinions, not statements of fact, regarding their perceptions of how they should be treated when stopped for speeding. In one case, the person believes special treatment is deserved for contributing to a police-related entity and in another, the commenter says they that they did, in fact, receive “special treatment” for having a radar detector in their car at the time of the traffic stop. You then seemed to attribute this to highly unethical behavior on the part of police. You finished by giving examples in which you were caught breaking the law for reasons that were entirely the fault of others, not you. You obviously have an axe to grind.
I take many things into consideration when issuing a speeding ticket. This is not all encompassing but here are a few, with my comments:
1. The severity of the infraction – 30 MPH over is worse than 11 over so this is self-explanatory.
2. Complaints from residents in the area – I go where the complaints are and I write tickets to abate those complaints. To do otherwise would make people think I do not care about them.
3. Driving record – If you have a poor driving record and you are still speeding, expect a ticket. On the other hand if you don’t have a record at all or a relatively good one I really don’t want to add to it.
4. Time of day/traffic/accidents in area – If it’s a problem area you will probably get a ticket.
5. Demeanor – Yep, your attitude matters. Like it or not, this is what I think. If you are polite and concerned that you broke the law I assume you care and it was a momentary lapse of judgment. If, however, it is your desire to “put me in my place” for simply doing my job, I must consider the possibility that you selfishly believe you are above the law and are allowed to endanger the lives of the people I work for. I may not be able to change that attitude but I may cause you to alter your driving route through my community.
6. Discretion – Do I have the discretion to pick and choose whom I give tickets to? Yes, I do. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m not going to write my mother one. My wife will get a pass, too. It is my hope that they love and respect me and therefore sheer embarrassment will cause them to act more responsibly the next time. And whether you agree with this or not, I feel like I’ve given a lot of good people that I didn’t know a break over the last 25 years so if I stop my next door neighbor and decide to let him off with a warning I’ll accept your criticism about it with a shrug.
I am all for not wasting anything, including energy, which is what I always think about when I read articles like this. What a waste of your own "energy".
I guess if doing things like this makes you feel good, by all means, carry around your dirty empty cup for a refill. Why not also bring last night's unwashed dinner plate for a couple donuts while you are at it?
I realize this does not apply to everyone but I've seen some pretty nasty cups come across the coffee counter towards the guy in front of me who happily strolls out wearing sandals and a smile. Disgusting.
As with most things in this religion I call “Environmentalism”, I view the author’s suggestion to be pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
I used to work at Starbucks, and they had little sticky post-its with cup markings on them specifically for this purpose. Baristas need to be able to write down your order, because their first concern is getting your drink made correctly. If your coffee shop doesn't have these little notes...I would probably just get a paper cup. Or ask the manager really nicely about how they could solve this problem.
"It's not stealing when it's a picture of MY son. This law is so messed up. I have digital backups of all my family pictures whether they were taken last week or in the 40's. Do you think the guy who took those pictures in the 1940's has a to take that copyright to the grave with him too?"
Whether you agree with copyright law or not, it is stealing when you copy a portrait taken by a professional photographer without his permission. It does not matter if the portrait is of you, your son, or your Aunt Mildred. Unless the photographer transfers ownership of the copyright, he still owns it.
By your logic any photo you ever take of another human being would actually belong to that person. That's a bit ridiculous, don't you think?
And you should brush up on your copyright law. The copyright does "expire" 70 years after the death of the creator for many works. But you should visit this site for more information about copyright:
I can sympathize with people who had photographers up and disappear on them. It's a legitimate concern and one that affects both sides of the camera. I do agree with the person who asked where all the animosity towards photographers comes from. It's almost like watching a bunch of little kids throwing fits because they can't have something their way.
Professional photographers obviously DO still hold some value to people otherwise you would just turn over that responsibility to a family member with a camera. It's not just about going clickety click, though. And yes, anyone with any intelligence can understand the technical side of photography. But it goes beyond that...and it's not just about an artistic eye either.
For a wedding it's being able to anticipate those moments so you are able to capture them. It's about being a professional who respects the clients, their guests, and the other wedding vendors. It's about making the day go as smoothly as possible so the bride and groom don't have to worry about anything. And it's about preserving those moments...repeatedly...not leaving them to chance.
I agree that there are plenty of hobbyist photographers out there who do take excellent shots. But do they consistently capture those moments? We wedding photographers get lucky on occasion as well, but as a wise mentor once told me "luck favors the prepared."
I know the industry is changing, and I am willing to adapt to these changes as best I can. But I will do it in such a way that I continue to put a value on my profession and my services. And I will continue to attract clients who put a value on it as well.
It's not brain surgery to sing a song, either, but most people can tell the difference between Mariah Carey and the American Idol wannabes during the audition rounds who *think* they can sing like Mariah Carey but mostly make our ears bleed.
Indeed. Just like some people are tone-deaf, I honestly belief some people are art-blind.
"It's very simple. prints are dead. Aside from the frame and 5-10 shots for an album, people can do what you do very easily with point and shoots or various flavor of pro-sumer cameras. The old days of having to stay in the red room developing pictures are gone."
Heh. The poster who linked to the gallery of "superior" photos they took themselves proved my earlier point that some people just have absolutely no clue or ability to discern between a good photo and a crappy one. There's no accounting for bad taste. I'll continue to market myself to and work with clients who know and appreciate the distinction between mediocre snapshots and high-quality, professional photography.
If you only put enough into savings each month so that, even in the months when you have a big insurance or tax bill, you still have enough left after savings to pay all your bills, then you're not saving as much as you could in the other months.
That's what eventually pushed me into sending money off to savings after the bills were paid--that's when I knew how much was available for saving.
I'm a convert to CVS/Pharmacy ExtraBucks, thanks to you! I had never even noticed them and I shop there all the time.
A few weeks ago I took my $2.00 ExtraBucks and scored - big time. According to the shelf tag, the $10 Christams-themed personal care products form Essence of Beauty were half-off, and they had already been marked down 50%. I liked the "Sugared Pulm" scent so my thinking was I would score some hand lotion for $.49 plus tax.
Wrong.
The hand cream scanned at $.49. So did the shower gel, the body cream and the perfume. I got five items for $.49! My reciept (which I am thinking of framing) says I saved $33.50.
It's a good point, save how ever you can save. I think paying yourself first can work well if you are making enough to cover the bills after your savings, but for a lot of us that just doesn't work out each month. At least saving something is better than saving nothing!
i too use to be a member of the MVP program at hollywood video, but we ended up quitting that. The redbox opened at the mcdonald's down the street, and since it was basically free, it didn't make sense for us to go all the way across town to get our movies.
On a side note, the HV is still open, however, they have now started using redbox like machines at our local cub foods grocery stores. So it looks like those little rental machines may be the future - instead of the pricey HV or BB strip mall type stores.
It's not stealing when it's a picture of MY son. This law is so messed up. I have digital backups of all my family pictures whether they were taken last week or in the 40's. Do you think the guy who took those pictures in the 1940's has a to take that copyright to the grave with him too?
Very interesting thread. This is when I wish I could be a car maker instead of an image maker. You see, if I make a damn car, even if it's a knock off Yugo, I could sell it at a price I like (and you buy it if you like the price), and NO ONE IS GOING TO MAKE A COPY OF IT and give it to their relatives or hang it up in their living room. For those who complains they pay too much for pictures, and are "force" to steal, I'd like to point out places where you get what you paid for - JC Pennys, Walmart, etc. They offer very affordable portrait sessions, it's so cheap that it's not even worth your time to go through the trouble scanning the pictures. Or maybe their pictures aren't worth scanning to begin with. OK, back to the car scenario. If you want a Mercedes but can only afford a Ford, you'd probably end up with a Ford. So buying the Mercedes and complaining it's too much is just silly. But if it makes you feel better, go take a picture of the Mercedes and email to all your friends, your coworkers, or what the heck, spam the entire internet. More importantly, don't teach your kids your "tricks".
There is a third option: a combination of the two. Every time I get paid, I have an automatic transfer mainly into my stock market account and automatic investment in mutual funds set up there. This makes up the bulk of my long-term savings. Then, around the time when I get paid the next time, unless there is a large bill coming up I literally empty the transaction account and dump all of the money that is still left into the savings account, which acts both to collect money for larger investments as well as a short-term buffer.
This works well for me: the bulk of my investing is on autopilot, so the purchase cost averages out, and if I spend less than anticipated I also get to see how the amount in my savings account grows more than it otherwise would have.
I think alot of professionals that are on here (who charge by the print and refuse to give out the originals) have the mentality that they can't be replaced and so customers are left with no choice to hire them if they want quality. Thats the famous last words of any business because the fact is if you don't change your business strategy to give customers what they want and need, they will get it.
I see many of you on here chuckling at the thought that an amateur with a camera could possibly take pictures that come out anything close to what you do. You might want to think about that one again because I know some damn good photographers who just do it as a hobby and have a scientific (ie. non artistic) backround so they could probably explain more about focal lengths and depth of field and any of your other buzz words better than most pros could even do. It's not just uncle bob with an ego and a Rebel camera. There are some serious amatuers out there who can do just as well as you.
Don't get me wrong, their time is valuable too so they might not WANT to do it, but if they had to (ie. as a gift to a poor couple who only has a $800 to spend on pictures while starting out) they could. That doesn't stop at weddings either. How much business do you think you're losing in the portraiture market when expirienced amatuers can take great pictures and hold on to them. Would YOU pay someone $600 for a photo session only to get a few copies? It's not like a wedding so if you mess up a shot, just try try again. I took 500 shots at a little family gathering and 30 of them are in frames. I don't have anything to prove so I just deleted the rest.
Even in the high-end market of people who live in $5 million houses, if you don't deliver what people want, they're going to go with another guy. In big cities you can throw a stick and hit dozens quality photographers. Of course each one thinks he's the absolute best but egos really do sink ships.
In Italy, it was a loaf of bread and a 2-liter bottle of orange Fanta in a backpack supplemented with fruit from street markets and cheeses from little shops.
In Russia, it was shaverma (like the shwarma).
In Germany, it was the hotel breakfast as late and large as possible (broechen, Nutella, pate, meats, cheeses, coffee, etc.).
In England, it was pub food, curry nights, train stands, full English breakfasts, beans on toast, and Tesco for their ready-made meals.
Also, don't spend change until you have to. Near the end of the trip, when you're feeling broke and wondering how to pay, you simply pull out your bag of change and can pay for nearly everything. Added bonus, loose change makes for a GREAT souvenir for people back home!
We do something similar, scheduling savings contributions to retirement funds/sinking funds early in the month, and the sweep any additional savings from our checking account that we've managed to accumulate at the end of the month.
Me, I am too frugal (er, cheap!) to buy coffee at the shops. I make a pot on Sunday, and microwave a cup every morning. But after reading this topic, the next time I walk into a DD or Starbucks, I shall carry my mug in. It's clean enough. Until now, this just never occurred to me. Besides, it's another way to embarrass my 9 year old.
JOE
Ron - in the grand scheme of things do you suggest we start looking for another planet to live in instead of doing small, easy, and accessible things to help maintain our home? I guess it doesn't matter that we're fighting a war over oil, because that's not really the grand scheme of things. Religion is based on things that we can't see. You can see our environment deteriorating. But maybe you're of that other religion I call "denialism." I guess if wearing blinders make you feel good, by all means, carry on too.
This reminds me of a strip club that I used to work at while in college. When it was time to tip out the club, the girls would be "but I had to go spend $100 on my shoes and this cute outfit cost another $150" and play a sad song about how it's changing now and how guys don't tip as well and always try to sneak free peeks instead of getting their own dances etc. Of course they'd always forget to mention that really rich guy that would give them $2000 every week too.
So come on photographers, why aren't you mentioning your go-to customers? You know, the one who lives in a mansion and gives you a couple of grand each time you take a few family pictures or at parties where you barely even break a sweat? I'm sure that guy doesn't care what you give him as long as they look good.
The business math on this post is horrible! Photographers need to look at this the same way the music industry and countless other industries have. Like the above poster said, PRINTS ARE DEAD. Yea, shure it's stealing. And so is driving 1 mile over the speed limit. And when you go to a coffee shop, I' better never see you reading a newspaper somebody left on another table. Photographers, you can't stop people in the long run. And if you try too hard to stop people, many will begin to go elsewhere. Hey, maybe you guys should start another dying tradition and start a union. As long as you can make a living doing it like you are doing it, brother press on. But keep an ear out for the canary in the coal mine. I applaud your ethics, but get real! The business model is changing. Cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, people want to manipulate their own photos in Photoshop, print their own photo albums from Shutterfly, etc..... It's about skill, not production. Find a way to charge for your skill. People will be willing to pay for that.
And by the way, $1,300 a month to live on? Come on! What do you do the other 5 or so days of the week? How about deductions for business expenses? If you are going to stand high on your pedestal, be honest about the situation. I teach a class at a gym 2 nights a week, and that only pays me $40 per class! It's a wonder I'm able to eat.
"Heh. The poster who linked to the gallery of "superior" photos they took themselves proved my earlier point that some people just have absolutely no clue or ability to discern between a good photo and a crappy one."
---
I'm not saying our photos are superior to anyone's other than our photographers. The photos we got back were dark, and of things we didn't necessarily want and there weren't photos of things we wanted - even photos we know we posed for. We made the mistake of not shopping around enough for a great photographer. And we "fixed" the problem by taking our own.
It's not a solution for everyone - it was a solution for us.
I am a 25 year veteran of a Midwest police department. Let me say first that this is my opinion. In no way do I speak for any other police officer or agency.
I would like to remind you that you commented about two poster’s opinions, not statements of fact, regarding their perceptions of how they should be treated when stopped for speeding. In one case, the person believes special treatment is deserved for contributing to a police-related entity and in another, the commenter says they that they did, in fact, receive “special treatment” for having a radar detector in their car at the time of the traffic stop. You then seemed to attribute this to highly unethical behavior on the part of police. You finished by giving examples in which you were caught breaking the law for reasons that were entirely the fault of others, not you. You obviously have an axe to grind.
I take many things into consideration when issuing a speeding ticket. This is not all encompassing but here are a few, with my comments:
1. The severity of the infraction – 30 MPH over is worse than 11 over so this is self-explanatory.
2. Complaints from residents in the area – I go where the complaints are and I write tickets to abate those complaints. To do otherwise would make people think I do not care about them.
3. Driving record – If you have a poor driving record and you are still speeding, expect a ticket. On the other hand if you don’t have a record at all or a relatively good one I really don’t want to add to it.
4. Time of day/traffic/accidents in area – If it’s a problem area you will probably get a ticket.
5. Demeanor – Yep, your attitude matters. Like it or not, this is what I think. If you are polite and concerned that you broke the law I assume you care and it was a momentary lapse of judgment. If, however, it is your desire to “put me in my place” for simply doing my job, I must consider the possibility that you selfishly believe you are above the law and are allowed to endanger the lives of the people I work for. I may not be able to change that attitude but I may cause you to alter your driving route through my community.
6. Discretion – Do I have the discretion to pick and choose whom I give tickets to? Yes, I do. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m not going to write my mother one. My wife will get a pass, too. It is my hope that they love and respect me and therefore sheer embarrassment will cause them to act more responsibly the next time. And whether you agree with this or not, I feel like I’ve given a lot of good people that I didn’t know a break over the last 25 years so if I stop my next door neighbor and decide to let him off with a warning I’ll accept your criticism about it with a shrug.
I am all for not wasting anything, including energy, which is what I always think about when I read articles like this. What a waste of your own "energy".
I guess if doing things like this makes you feel good, by all means, carry around your dirty empty cup for a refill. Why not also bring last night's unwashed dinner plate for a couple donuts while you are at it?
I realize this does not apply to everyone but I've seen some pretty nasty cups come across the coffee counter towards the guy in front of me who happily strolls out wearing sandals and a smile. Disgusting.
As with most things in this religion I call “Environmentalism”, I view the author’s suggestion to be pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
I used to work at Starbucks, and they had little sticky post-its with cup markings on them specifically for this purpose. Baristas need to be able to write down your order, because their first concern is getting your drink made correctly. If your coffee shop doesn't have these little notes...I would probably just get a paper cup. Or ask the manager really nicely about how they could solve this problem.
"It's not stealing when it's a picture of MY son. This law is so messed up. I have digital backups of all my family pictures whether they were taken last week or in the 40's. Do you think the guy who took those pictures in the 1940's has a to take that copyright to the grave with him too?"
Whether you agree with copyright law or not, it is stealing when you copy a portrait taken by a professional photographer without his permission. It does not matter if the portrait is of you, your son, or your Aunt Mildred. Unless the photographer transfers ownership of the copyright, he still owns it.
By your logic any photo you ever take of another human being would actually belong to that person. That's a bit ridiculous, don't you think?
And you should brush up on your copyright law. The copyright does "expire" 70 years after the death of the creator for many works. But you should visit this site for more information about copyright:
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.html
I can sympathize with people who had photographers up and disappear on them. It's a legitimate concern and one that affects both sides of the camera. I do agree with the person who asked where all the animosity towards photographers comes from. It's almost like watching a bunch of little kids throwing fits because they can't have something their way.
Professional photographers obviously DO still hold some value to people otherwise you would just turn over that responsibility to a family member with a camera. It's not just about going clickety click, though. And yes, anyone with any intelligence can understand the technical side of photography. But it goes beyond that...and it's not just about an artistic eye either.
For a wedding it's being able to anticipate those moments so you are able to capture them. It's about being a professional who respects the clients, their guests, and the other wedding vendors. It's about making the day go as smoothly as possible so the bride and groom don't have to worry about anything. And it's about preserving those moments...repeatedly...not leaving them to chance.
I agree that there are plenty of hobbyist photographers out there who do take excellent shots. But do they consistently capture those moments? We wedding photographers get lucky on occasion as well, but as a wise mentor once told me "luck favors the prepared."
I know the industry is changing, and I am willing to adapt to these changes as best I can. But I will do it in such a way that I continue to put a value on my profession and my services. And I will continue to attract clients who put a value on it as well.
It's not brain surgery to sing a song, either, but most people can tell the difference between Mariah Carey and the American Idol wannabes during the audition rounds who *think* they can sing like Mariah Carey but mostly make our ears bleed.
Indeed. Just like some people are tone-deaf, I honestly belief some people are art-blind.
If you knew anything about the law, the acting of violating copyright is called "stealing".
"It's very simple. prints are dead. Aside from the frame and 5-10 shots for an album, people can do what you do very easily with point and shoots or various flavor of pro-sumer cameras. The old days of having to stay in the red room developing pictures are gone."
Heh. The poster who linked to the gallery of "superior" photos they took themselves proved my earlier point that some people just have absolutely no clue or ability to discern between a good photo and a crappy one. There's no accounting for bad taste. I'll continue to market myself to and work with clients who know and appreciate the distinction between mediocre snapshots and high-quality, professional photography.
If you only put enough into savings each month so that, even in the months when you have a big insurance or tax bill, you still have enough left after savings to pay all your bills, then you're not saving as much as you could in the other months.
That's what eventually pushed me into sending money off to savings after the bills were paid--that's when I knew how much was available for saving.
I'm a convert to CVS/Pharmacy ExtraBucks, thanks to you! I had never even noticed them and I shop there all the time.
A few weeks ago I took my $2.00 ExtraBucks and scored - big time. According to the shelf tag, the $10 Christams-themed personal care products form Essence of Beauty were half-off, and they had already been marked down 50%. I liked the "Sugared Pulm" scent so my thinking was I would score some hand lotion for $.49 plus tax.
Wrong.
The hand cream scanned at $.49. So did the shower gel, the body cream and the perfume. I got five items for $.49! My reciept (which I am thinking of framing) says I saved $33.50.
And I smell _marvelous._ *grin*
It's a good point, save how ever you can save. I think paying yourself first can work well if you are making enough to cover the bills after your savings, but for a lot of us that just doesn't work out each month. At least saving something is better than saving nothing!
i too use to be a member of the MVP program at hollywood video, but we ended up quitting that. The redbox opened at the mcdonald's down the street, and since it was basically free, it didn't make sense for us to go all the way across town to get our movies.
On a side note, the HV is still open, however, they have now started using redbox like machines at our local cub foods grocery stores. So it looks like those little rental machines may be the future - instead of the pricey HV or BB strip mall type stores.
Now that's just too sweet, you guys! It really is a cool post, Linsey.
It's not stealing when it's a picture of MY son. This law is so messed up. I have digital backups of all my family pictures whether they were taken last week or in the 40's. Do you think the guy who took those pictures in the 1940's has a to take that copyright to the grave with him too?
:P I always have some free drinks jejjee
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2336538
Very interesting thread. This is when I wish I could be a car maker instead of an image maker. You see, if I make a damn car, even if it's a knock off Yugo, I could sell it at a price I like (and you buy it if you like the price), and NO ONE IS GOING TO MAKE A COPY OF IT and give it to their relatives or hang it up in their living room. For those who complains they pay too much for pictures, and are "force" to steal, I'd like to point out places where you get what you paid for - JC Pennys, Walmart, etc. They offer very affordable portrait sessions, it's so cheap that it's not even worth your time to go through the trouble scanning the pictures. Or maybe their pictures aren't worth scanning to begin with. OK, back to the car scenario. If you want a Mercedes but can only afford a Ford, you'd probably end up with a Ford. So buying the Mercedes and complaining it's too much is just silly. But if it makes you feel better, go take a picture of the Mercedes and email to all your friends, your coworkers, or what the heck, spam the entire internet. More importantly, don't teach your kids your "tricks".
There is a third option: a combination of the two. Every time I get paid, I have an automatic transfer mainly into my stock market account and automatic investment in mutual funds set up there. This makes up the bulk of my long-term savings. Then, around the time when I get paid the next time, unless there is a large bill coming up I literally empty the transaction account and dump all of the money that is still left into the savings account, which acts both to collect money for larger investments as well as a short-term buffer.
This works well for me: the bulk of my investing is on autopilot, so the purchase cost averages out, and if I spend less than anticipated I also get to see how the amount in my savings account grows more than it otherwise would have.
sflattem - in the URL, delete everything after "retire" and you'll find part one. I wanted to see it, too :)
I think alot of professionals that are on here (who charge by the print and refuse to give out the originals) have the mentality that they can't be replaced and so customers are left with no choice to hire them if they want quality. Thats the famous last words of any business because the fact is if you don't change your business strategy to give customers what they want and need, they will get it.
I see many of you on here chuckling at the thought that an amateur with a camera could possibly take pictures that come out anything close to what you do. You might want to think about that one again because I know some damn good photographers who just do it as a hobby and have a scientific (ie. non artistic) backround so they could probably explain more about focal lengths and depth of field and any of your other buzz words better than most pros could even do. It's not just uncle bob with an ego and a Rebel camera. There are some serious amatuers out there who can do just as well as you.
Don't get me wrong, their time is valuable too so they might not WANT to do it, but if they had to (ie. as a gift to a poor couple who only has a $800 to spend on pictures while starting out) they could. That doesn't stop at weddings either. How much business do you think you're losing in the portraiture market when expirienced amatuers can take great pictures and hold on to them. Would YOU pay someone $600 for a photo session only to get a few copies? It's not like a wedding so if you mess up a shot, just try try again. I took 500 shots at a little family gathering and 30 of them are in frames. I don't have anything to prove so I just deleted the rest.
Even in the high-end market of people who live in $5 million houses, if you don't deliver what people want, they're going to go with another guy. In big cities you can throw a stick and hit dozens quality photographers. Of course each one thinks he's the absolute best but egos really do sink ships.
In Italy, it was a loaf of bread and a 2-liter bottle of orange Fanta in a backpack supplemented with fruit from street markets and cheeses from little shops.
In Russia, it was shaverma (like the shwarma).
In Germany, it was the hotel breakfast as late and large as possible (broechen, Nutella, pate, meats, cheeses, coffee, etc.).
In England, it was pub food, curry nights, train stands, full English breakfasts, beans on toast, and Tesco for their ready-made meals.
Also, don't spend change until you have to. Near the end of the trip, when you're feeling broke and wondering how to pay, you simply pull out your bag of change and can pay for nearly everything. Added bonus, loose change makes for a GREAT souvenir for people back home!
We do something similar, scheduling savings contributions to retirement funds/sinking funds early in the month, and the sweep any additional savings from our checking account that we've managed to accumulate at the end of the month.