I know how the exercising thing goes. I've been an endurance athlete for over 14 years(inline speedskating) and now cylcing/road racing for around 1. I love all that cool apparel and energy food! It's soo expensive to.. UGH.
CAP should be a vital new approach to ensure the lowest paid employee has a chance to build a future. This business model will survive whatever the markets choose to do based on the fact that the leader- CEO has given fairly back into the precise system that has allowed his/her wealth, causing balance and confidence in the total system. When asking what went wrong with our society and business markets and the trickle down of suffering to main st. you must take a look at who is at the top. Congress should ask the CEO's directly during meetings "how much personal wage did you make in 2008?" and Secondly "How much did your lowest employee make? These 2 questions will answer most of what many Americans are wondering. Cycles of markets based on ten year shifts shows some of this is normal however the chain of events that lead to collapses in markets must be analyzed and avoided and a CAP should be seriously examined and implemented, overseen and presented by Our US government which has done it's best so far to "rescue" the markets. I wish US all the best! Best in behavior that is!!
I coined a name for your wonderful informative on how Sweden has a cap ...so vital today for the US CEO to look in the mirror and be able tosay " I do right by all!" you know what I mean. Full Circle Waging should be brought into legeslation to remedy more future collapses. Controlled Accountability Project; puttting the CAP on Greed.
Julie, I really loved reading your lists. I found it an inspirational read and I'm so pleased that there are others out there, with an eco conscience who feel it's ok to keep some 'luxuries' in life.
There are things in my life too that feel like a sort of 'safety net' and I'm going to sit down over the next few days and think about my lists too.
I don't think you sounded ungrateful at all, Julie. And you certainly pointed out that you knew other folks' lists would be different from yours. Sure, there are people who would love to have some of the items on your list, but there's nothing wrong with setting additional health priorities when you are financially able to.
One thing that really spoke to me was your comment about food quality. Now that we are a tad more solvent than we were in the not too distant past in our marriage, we are factoring in a few more health items on the grocery list. But for the longest time however, it was the 20 cents a pound white rice, homemade French bread, and sixty-nine cent 10-pound bags of baking potatoes.
Yes, my weight suffered, but if it's hunger pains and headaches or white rice you do what you have to do to get through the rough patch. Now, with a little more financial breathing room (although rolling with this flood recovery is certainly dipping into that at an alarming rate) and a bit more knowledge of how to stretch healthier grains and legumes, I feel like once we are settled again I have more knowledge and resources to maintain some healthier grocery items in our budget. So, I hear you on the making better food a priority front. Particularly for health concerns and having kids to provide nutrition for as well.
Wine? Well, anyone who follows my posts know that a stocked bar is not something I scrimp too hard on, but when push comes to shove I know I can cut it out. However, like you, I have several other items I see others spend a tremendous amount of money on that I never would. So while I'm able to incorporate it now, I do. Do I feel guilty about it? No. And neither should you. (At least in my humble opinion.)
There are plenty of items on your go without list that others wouldn't want to eliminate. And just glancing at it, I notice a couple that easily provide the savings to put money in the areas you listed as a priority. We all have limited resources no matter what our income. It's up to each of us to decide what allocation method works best for our individual situations.
It's understood that many people have their backs against the financial wall right now, but I hope that others will continue to use this discussion as a way to toss around ideas and get support, which is what I understood your invite to be.
Oh, and P.S? Thanks for having the courage to go on record with all three of your lists and offering people a peek into what many would consider private information. It takes guts to be this open with your readers and invite them in to your private family decisions. I for one appreciate your willingness to share.
Oh goodness, I hope I didn't sound ungrateful and I do realize that there are people who can't afford housing, clothing, and cars. I am not sure if buying $2 shirts at Kmart (what I am wearing right now, functional and semi-fashionable fuschia) is lavish but everything is relative. There are 3 lists here, with one being what I never bought.
My main point: there are trade-offs that most people need to make and these trade-offs need to be considered but are going to be different for each person. One person may need a fabulous wardrobe to meet with clients; another a van so s/he can carpool. Right now I don't need either of those but my choices may free up money to spend on things that I perceive will have long-term benefits.
Get a grip. Julie's lifestyle is hardly lavish; she's a normal person with priorities. I hardly think that listing them constitutes a lack of gratitiude. Julie's being honest about her life and lifestyle and what she and her family want and need. Just because she's not living on the very edge of poverty doesn't mean that people can't relate to her.
You want lavish? Complain about MY blog posts. I'm the one who buys clothing for my dogs.
OK, #8, you were more reasonable and raise important points. But I still don't think that this list means that Julie would NEVER give up internet access if it came to that.
I tend to agree with the two anonymous guests above. I hope you do realize that many of those things are luxuries, and that your lists might have to change if times got worse.
I live in the hometown of the three big businesses you mentioned above, so I perhaps have a similar perspective as you on the current financial conditions. In this area, if one is not dependent on income from a manufacturing job, SO FAR things aren't too bad. We traveled a few months ago to the state our family is from, and things we already much, much worse there...and this was before any of the crises involving Fannie, Freddie, banking, and bailouts.
There's a level of wealth in this area that has insulated those of us who are in the technical, medical, education, and perhaps a few other, fields. Our day may very well be coming quickly. I hope it doesn't, and I hope you don't ever HAVE to find out which items on your first list are really indulgences...but it might be wise to think about them ahead of time.
It might also be wise to consider location and relative incomes when you write a post like this.
I work for a health insurance broker and many of his clients would benefit greatly from reading this list! Health insurance premiums are very high, especially if you have had ANY reason to go to the doctor or recently had a baby. This is such a great resource for people because I don't think the public is educated enough on health care. A lot of people don't realize that simple exercise and paying attention to what you eat can make such a HUGE difference in your health and therefore your health coverage premiums as well. It's time that people get themselves informed so they can take better control of their lives! Thanks again!
I recently didn't a major audit of my expenses. Or rather, I should say, it's been a process of eliminating.
I canceled my netflix for free sites of entertainment.
I tried to cancel my TV (turns out my internet is $15 cheaper to HAVE TV than not have it)
I canceled my XM radio. I recently moved to a more metropolitian area that has good FM stations.
I use candles a lot in my apartment as opposed to lightbulbs.
I sold my air conditioner.
The biggest decision I have made is to go car-free. While my car has temporarily come back to me it will soon be sold. This eliminates gas, insurance, AAA, maintenance, registration, etc.
All of that to say, I can give up my car, but I can't give up my internet! And for that matter, I'm with you on good organic and natural foods. And I'm with you on my form of alcohol: craft beer.
I should have realized when the "Free Code" (I6L6V4N4T2) was the same for everyone, but it didn't really click with me until I clicked the dice 4 times (once for each family member) using separate logins. Each time a FIVE was rolled. Soooo, it would appear that the dice roll is not random per click but pre programmed per code. Am I the only one who thinks that is the same as rigging? The roll of the dice should be random and not programmed. I am no math genius, but I would think that there would be ways to program controlled rolls that would make it harder to win and less likely to win anything of value. I won a free hour of Wi-Fi. Aren't you jealousy!!! Did everyone else roll a five with their Free Code???
Paul Michael maybe this deserves another look or at the very least an article.
Very interesting post. Believe or not there are folks who would think even having what you won't give up a luxury. Finding money for day to day expenses... food, clothing and shelter..and gas are at the top of their lists. Be thankful for what you have.
And Carrie, I have been rethinking the HSA though I'll keep some form of health insurance. One tip that my agent passed along is to take the HSA fund deduction (reduces your AGI) and pay for health expenses outside of the HSA so that that can also (if it is high enough) reduce your AGI by whatever amount is over 7.5% of annual income. Still, it may be easier and better to fork over the $10,000 or so it would cost to get regular insurance.
I HAVE DVDROM IN MY LAPTOP AND IT HAS REGION 3 ON IT, AND I JUST BOUGHT A MOVIE BUT IT REQUIRES A REGION 2 OR 4 TO PLAY . I TRIED TO CHANGE THE REGION BUT IT WONT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE CAN YOU HELP ME ON THIS??
If you're trying to dry things indoors, turning on a fan can make a big difference. A ceiling fan is ideal, but other fans will work. Flipping the things over after the top feels dry can speed things up a bit. Using these methods, I can always get things dry in 24 hours or less (more like 12 hours in the summer). I live someplace warm (it rarely freezes outside) with medium humidity (around 50%).
Drying things outside (when it's not raining) can be amazingly quick. On a sunny, breezy day, all but the thickest items (cotton towels and jeans) can be dry in an hour or less.
**
Thanks for the list. Here are some of mine.
Things I won't give up (unless things are really seriously bad of course): living indoors, cooking with whole grains, chocolate, (some) pricey activities planned by friends, car (unless mass transportation improves or all my friends move back into town), laptop computer with fast internet service (and reading, but there are ways to do that for free)
Things I never got (and plan to never get): new car, big house, kids, lottery tickets, Microsoft software
Things I'm happy to give up indefinitely: eating out most meals, shopping in malls, hair cuts by others, daily make-up, not having a roommate, student loans, and TV and cable (I do watch some TV shows on DVD on a computer)
Things I'm considering changing for the better: growing more food, decluttering more, comparing prices on my favorite foods and making the cheaper (healthy) ones more often
Things I'm tired of doing without (and considering spending more on): dryer (I'm tired of lint being everywhere), dishwasher, covered parking, shade trees
Got to agree wholeheartedly that they are nothing more than a trap. I linked to your post on a post I made on my blog regarding a ballot referendum in Ohio this year. Thought it was a fantastic example of what a debt trap payday loans are.
I work as a secretary for a financial planner. Right now, virtually ALL of our clients are calling, and there is no way one person can reach them all for a phone call. "Reassurance" can take quite some time with some people! If you can't reach your financial planner on a day when the market is tanking, you are probably normal, and they are more likely working their way through a long list of clients to call than "hiding under the desk."
I realize that many planners only have 30 clients or so. Our practice is several times that size.
For me, the "indulgence" that increases my earning power is having the cleaning lady come.
Watch that high-deductible insurance plan as you age, though. My parents have to pay a 15% deductible, and it has gotten pretty burdensome now that they are in their early 60s. One year one needs cataract surgery, the next year a procedure to check for artery blockage, and every year they are forking over a lot of their income to the doctor. I just hope they limp along until they qualify for Medicare.
As a CFP I would say that your article is bang on.
I would add that by this point, if you haven't already moved to cash, you should hold on for the recovery. If you have been in cash, then this is the time to get into the markets. Warren Buffet invested 8 Billion dollars over the past 2 weeks. I think that he may know a thing or two about investing.
If you're not comfortable getting in right away, I would suggest dollar cost averaging in. If you're sitting on $60,000 in cash or money market, move $5,000 a month into the markets over the course of a year.
Well, there's at least a picture of a completed one here, although you have to scroll a fair way down the page to see it. It looks like something that could be done if you had the buckle accessories ahead of time. The article in the link does say that one was obtained on Etsy, so I'm thinking you could at least find a place to send away and have them created for you.
I know how the exercising thing goes. I've been an endurance athlete for over 14 years(inline speedskating) and now cylcing/road racing for around 1. I love all that cool apparel and energy food! It's soo expensive to.. UGH.
CAP should be a vital new approach to ensure the lowest paid employee has a chance to build a future. This business model will survive whatever the markets choose to do based on the fact that the leader- CEO has given fairly back into the precise system that has allowed his/her wealth, causing balance and confidence in the total system. When asking what went wrong with our society and business markets and the trickle down of suffering to main st. you must take a look at who is at the top. Congress should ask the CEO's directly during meetings "how much personal wage did you make in 2008?" and Secondly "How much did your lowest employee make? These 2 questions will answer most of what many Americans are wondering. Cycles of markets based on ten year shifts shows some of this is normal however the chain of events that lead to collapses in markets must be analyzed and avoided and a CAP should be seriously examined and implemented, overseen and presented by Our US government which has done it's best so far to "rescue" the markets. I wish US all the best! Best in behavior that is!!
I coined a name for your wonderful informative on how Sweden has a cap ...so vital today for the US CEO to look in the mirror and be able tosay " I do right by all!" you know what I mean. Full Circle Waging should be brought into legeslation to remedy more future collapses. Controlled Accountability Project; puttting the CAP on Greed.
I rolled a nine with my first roll on that same code.
no tomatoes?
"concentrated carbohydrate gels" Really? Maybe you run marathons, but running marathons isn't exactly necessary or even conducive to good health.
Julie, I really loved reading your lists. I found it an inspirational read and I'm so pleased that there are others out there, with an eco conscience who feel it's ok to keep some 'luxuries' in life.
There are things in my life too that feel like a sort of 'safety net' and I'm going to sit down over the next few days and think about my lists too.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I don't think you sounded ungrateful at all, Julie. And you certainly pointed out that you knew other folks' lists would be different from yours. Sure, there are people who would love to have some of the items on your list, but there's nothing wrong with setting additional health priorities when you are financially able to.
One thing that really spoke to me was your comment about food quality. Now that we are a tad more solvent than we were in the not too distant past in our marriage, we are factoring in a few more health items on the grocery list. But for the longest time however, it was the 20 cents a pound white rice, homemade French bread, and sixty-nine cent 10-pound bags of baking potatoes.
Yes, my weight suffered, but if it's hunger pains and headaches or white rice you do what you have to do to get through the rough patch. Now, with a little more financial breathing room (although rolling with this flood recovery is certainly dipping into that at an alarming rate) and a bit more knowledge of how to stretch healthier grains and legumes, I feel like once we are settled again I have more knowledge and resources to maintain some healthier grocery items in our budget. So, I hear you on the making better food a priority front. Particularly for health concerns and having kids to provide nutrition for as well.
Wine? Well, anyone who follows my posts know that a stocked bar is not something I scrimp too hard on, but when push comes to shove I know I can cut it out. However, like you, I have several other items I see others spend a tremendous amount of money on that I never would. So while I'm able to incorporate it now, I do. Do I feel guilty about it? No. And neither should you. (At least in my humble opinion.)
There are plenty of items on your go without list that others wouldn't want to eliminate. And just glancing at it, I notice a couple that easily provide the savings to put money in the areas you listed as a priority. We all have limited resources no matter what our income. It's up to each of us to decide what allocation method works best for our individual situations.
It's understood that many people have their backs against the financial wall right now, but I hope that others will continue to use this discussion as a way to toss around ideas and get support, which is what I understood your invite to be.
Oh, and P.S? Thanks for having the courage to go on record with all three of your lists and offering people a peek into what many would consider private information. It takes guts to be this open with your readers and invite them in to your private family decisions. I for one appreciate your willingness to share.
Oh goodness, I hope I didn't sound ungrateful and I do realize that there are people who can't afford housing, clothing, and cars. I am not sure if buying $2 shirts at Kmart (what I am wearing right now, functional and semi-fashionable fuschia) is lavish but everything is relative. There are 3 lists here, with one being what I never bought.
My main point: there are trade-offs that most people need to make and these trade-offs need to be considered but are going to be different for each person. One person may need a fabulous wardrobe to meet with clients; another a van so s/he can carpool. Right now I don't need either of those but my choices may free up money to spend on things that I perceive will have long-term benefits.
Get a grip. Julie's lifestyle is hardly lavish; she's a normal person with priorities. I hardly think that listing them constitutes a lack of gratitiude. Julie's being honest about her life and lifestyle and what she and her family want and need. Just because she's not living on the very edge of poverty doesn't mean that people can't relate to her.
You want lavish? Complain about MY blog posts. I'm the one who buys clothing for my dogs.
OK, #8, you were more reasonable and raise important points. But I still don't think that this list means that Julie would NEVER give up internet access if it came to that.
I tend to agree with the two anonymous guests above. I hope you do realize that many of those things are luxuries, and that your lists might have to change if times got worse.
I live in the hometown of the three big businesses you mentioned above, so I perhaps have a similar perspective as you on the current financial conditions. In this area, if one is not dependent on income from a manufacturing job, SO FAR things aren't too bad. We traveled a few months ago to the state our family is from, and things we already much, much worse there...and this was before any of the crises involving Fannie, Freddie, banking, and bailouts.
There's a level of wealth in this area that has insulated those of us who are in the technical, medical, education, and perhaps a few other, fields. Our day may very well be coming quickly. I hope it doesn't, and I hope you don't ever HAVE to find out which items on your first list are really indulgences...but it might be wise to think about them ahead of time.
It might also be wise to consider location and relative incomes when you write a post like this.
Yeah times are SO tough when you can still afford to live a lavish lifestyle. Get some perspective.
I work for a health insurance broker and many of his clients would benefit greatly from reading this list! Health insurance premiums are very high, especially if you have had ANY reason to go to the doctor or recently had a baby. This is such a great resource for people because I don't think the public is educated enough on health care. A lot of people don't realize that simple exercise and paying attention to what you eat can make such a HUGE difference in your health and therefore your health coverage premiums as well. It's time that people get themselves informed so they can take better control of their lives! Thanks again!
I recently didn't a major audit of my expenses. Or rather, I should say, it's been a process of eliminating.
I canceled my netflix for free sites of entertainment.
I tried to cancel my TV (turns out my internet is $15 cheaper to HAVE TV than not have it)
I canceled my XM radio. I recently moved to a more metropolitian area that has good FM stations.
I use candles a lot in my apartment as opposed to lightbulbs.
I sold my air conditioner.
The biggest decision I have made is to go car-free. While my car has temporarily come back to me it will soon be sold. This eliminates gas, insurance, AAA, maintenance, registration, etc.
All of that to say, I can give up my car, but I can't give up my internet! And for that matter, I'm with you on good organic and natural foods. And I'm with you on my form of alcohol: craft beer.
Thanks for this thorough list!
Read more about my carless experiment at www.goingCarless.com
I should have realized when the "Free Code" (I6L6V4N4T2) was the same for everyone, but it didn't really click with me until I clicked the dice 4 times (once for each family member) using separate logins. Each time a FIVE was rolled. Soooo, it would appear that the dice roll is not random per click but pre programmed per code. Am I the only one who thinks that is the same as rigging? The roll of the dice should be random and not programmed. I am no math genius, but I would think that there would be ways to program controlled rolls that would make it harder to win and less likely to win anything of value. I won a free hour of Wi-Fi. Aren't you jealousy!!! Did everyone else roll a five with their Free Code???
Paul Michael maybe this deserves another look or at the very least an article.
Very interesting post. Believe or not there are folks who would think even having what you won't give up a luxury. Finding money for day to day expenses... food, clothing and shelter..and gas are at the top of their lists. Be thankful for what you have.
Thanks for the tips and your lists.
And Carrie, I have been rethinking the HSA though I'll keep some form of health insurance. One tip that my agent passed along is to take the HSA fund deduction (reduces your AGI) and pay for health expenses outside of the HSA so that that can also (if it is high enough) reduce your AGI by whatever amount is over 7.5% of annual income. Still, it may be easier and better to fork over the $10,000 or so it would cost to get regular insurance.
I HAVE DVDROM IN MY LAPTOP AND IT HAS REGION 3 ON IT, AND I JUST BOUGHT A MOVIE BUT IT REQUIRES A REGION 2 OR 4 TO PLAY . I TRIED TO CHANGE THE REGION BUT IT WONT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE CAN YOU HELP ME ON THIS??
Thorough piece, Julie! I love that you had ten of everything. And I am totally with you on the internet and wine issues all the way, girl.
If you're trying to dry things indoors, turning on a fan can make a big difference. A ceiling fan is ideal, but other fans will work. Flipping the things over after the top feels dry can speed things up a bit. Using these methods, I can always get things dry in 24 hours or less (more like 12 hours in the summer). I live someplace warm (it rarely freezes outside) with medium humidity (around 50%).
Drying things outside (when it's not raining) can be amazingly quick. On a sunny, breezy day, all but the thickest items (cotton towels and jeans) can be dry in an hour or less.
**
Thanks for the list. Here are some of mine.
Things I won't give up (unless things are really seriously bad of course): living indoors, cooking with whole grains, chocolate, (some) pricey activities planned by friends, car (unless mass transportation improves or all my friends move back into town), laptop computer with fast internet service (and reading, but there are ways to do that for free)
Things I never got (and plan to never get): new car, big house, kids, lottery tickets, Microsoft software
Things I'm happy to give up indefinitely: eating out most meals, shopping in malls, hair cuts by others, daily make-up, not having a roommate, student loans, and TV and cable (I do watch some TV shows on DVD on a computer)
Things I'm considering changing for the better: growing more food, decluttering more, comparing prices on my favorite foods and making the cheaper (healthy) ones more often
Things I'm tired of doing without (and considering spending more on): dryer (I'm tired of lint being everywhere), dishwasher, covered parking, shade trees
Got to agree wholeheartedly that they are nothing more than a trap. I linked to your post on a post I made on my blog regarding a ballot referendum in Ohio this year. Thought it was a fantastic example of what a debt trap payday loans are.
I work as a secretary for a financial planner. Right now, virtually ALL of our clients are calling, and there is no way one person can reach them all for a phone call. "Reassurance" can take quite some time with some people! If you can't reach your financial planner on a day when the market is tanking, you are probably normal, and they are more likely working their way through a long list of clients to call than "hiding under the desk."
I realize that many planners only have 30 clients or so. Our practice is several times that size.
For me, the "indulgence" that increases my earning power is having the cleaning lady come.
Watch that high-deductible insurance plan as you age, though. My parents have to pay a 15% deductible, and it has gotten pretty burdensome now that they are in their early 60s. One year one needs cataract surgery, the next year a procedure to check for artery blockage, and every year they are forking over a lot of their income to the doctor. I just hope they limp along until they qualify for Medicare.
I blog at www.shopliftingwithpermission.com.
I liked your article Nora. Very well thought out.
As a CFP I would say that your article is bang on.
I would add that by this point, if you haven't already moved to cash, you should hold on for the recovery. If you have been in cash, then this is the time to get into the markets. Warren Buffet invested 8 Billion dollars over the past 2 weeks. I think that he may know a thing or two about investing.
If you're not comfortable getting in right away, I would suggest dollar cost averaging in. If you're sitting on $60,000 in cash or money market, move $5,000 a month into the markets over the course of a year.
Well, there's at least a picture of a completed one here, although you have to scroll a fair way down the page to see it. It looks like something that could be done if you had the buckle accessories ahead of time. The article in the link does say that one was obtained on Etsy, so I'm thinking you could at least find a place to send away and have them created for you.