When I had a stressful full-time job in the non-profit world, I used to joke how great it would be to have a job that was mindless, and that I could LEAVE behind at the end of the day. When I got laid off, I found one. It started as a way to help get some income, but thanks to a great boss I am able to do this job and freelance (I formed my own business at his advice) WHILE at work a few days a week. I try to schedule the visits to clients on the days I'm not at the office job, but getting to check email and reply to clients even when I am at the office job works out great.
Trying to find one of these could help you do your dream job. It worked for me! I'm not rich, but I am so much less stressed and healthier, happier, and making an honest living doing what I love.
As an actress, I always chose temp jobs where I could sit DOWN (as being less fatiguing) - & went on auditions on late lunch hours or disguised as doctors' visits! At the time, the plus was having an available PHONE (not a problem nowadays with cell phones...) I also chose to work in entertainment-related jobs so I could learn as much about the business as possible - and I worked with computers, which has come in very handy. The best take on this issue was a book I found in the 80's called FREELANCE FOREVER. It's the only thing I have ever found to tackle this problem realistically - & even though it was written for painters and such, I really learned a LOT from reading it.
When I worked days, living in a central location came in very handy, as I could go home, grab dinner & then NAP before I went out on my artistic afterhours work. (I also learned to NAP in my car at lunch hour - having a car being a perk of L.A.)That said, I think I acquired more valuable skills than I would have as a waiter...& I didn't have to expose myself to an unforgiving public....You have to make hard choices in order to survive. My pennypinching skills were vital to living on my modest temp income - I used to joke that I had 3 jobs - my acting, my office work & the job of living on my income! But I have survived - and avoided being frustrated and embittered, which is often the result of "selling out." It's a passion if not doing it leaves a gaping hole in your life. Otherwise, go for a more regular existence.
Actually the doubters do raise a good point. Carbon credits are not well regulated and there are many being sold that are of dubious value. So it is important to research the company or organization before hand and make sure that what you're paying for is legitimate. Above the Guest commenter cited an article from the Financial TImes. That same paper has an article citing a study that found that only 30 of 170 carbon credit programs studied had 'quality'. So there are a lot of low quality programs out there. But they did cite 30 that are quality programs. To declare it a 'scam' outright is to ignore the 30 good ones cause a bunch of bad ones exist. But there are a lot of low quality providers it seems. So if buying carbon credits then its important to make sure the projects are independently validated and that they are 'additional' (i.e. wouldn't have happened anyway), permanent, and generaly transparent.
I have a friend who freezes nuts after she buys them in bulk (she's like a mother to me) and she always offers me some when I see her. They always seem to be fresh in her zip lock bags.
Thanks for this great article - I love to eat healthy and am always looking for ways to save money while doing so and this article taught me things about barley I never learned.
Just bought the gluten-free grocery shopping guide and have found it very helpful. I try to buy whatever I can at Aldi for the cheapest prices, but even my local supermarket is carrying more and more GF at reasonable prices. Our local health food store is very good, but a bit more expensive. Main thing for me with GF is that the prepared foods are expensive, and sometimes I just don't have time to prepare all my own meals. It is getting easier, though, as GF awareness improves. Hang in there, Lauren, and keep looking around at the options you have now--things may be getting better.
I have made a simple 'Personal Budget' Excel spreadsheet add-on that automatically subtracts the little personal out-of-pocket stuff that you buy without thinking from the sum that I have allocatted for my 'Personal Spending Allocation' ( PSA, for short )for that pay cycle.
I can alter my PSA, BUT I can ONLY do this at the beginning of each pay cycle. That way, I can't cheat.
As I see myself getting close to the wire I simply curtail what 'I must have right now' instead of going to the ATM and getting a quick $20.
I was surprised how those Starbucks lattes and pizza slices added up AND how I really didn't need them!
Keeping track of every expenditure is excruciating. It's fun at first because your budget is a new project, but after a while, you know what your lifestyle requires.
How about this -- three steps:
(1) Track all your expenses for 3 typical months. Then you know about what you spend on incidentals -- things that occur over and over and are part of everyday life. Food, gas, dry cleaning, meals out, entertainment, etc.
(2) Add up your monthly bills -- things you don't need cash for, things that don't pop up. Your mortgage / rent, insurance, cable, internet, phone, utilities, homeowners' fees, taxes, student loans, charitable contributions, etc. Only include things that you need every month like clockwork.
(3) Go through your whole life and figure out those things that happen once or twice a year -- things that surprise you. Car insurance. Magazine subscriptions. Parking tickets (well, 3-4 times a year for me). Your license plate renewal. Christmas / holiday gifts. Your flight home for Thanksgiving.
Now, how to manage all this? Take the amount you come up with in (1), add 10 percent as a buffer, and have it direct deposited into your checking account. Pretend that this is all the money you have available for the month, week, whatever.
Then, take (2), add a little buffer, and put it into some online account that you can pay bills from every month.
Take (3), add it all up over the year, divide by your number of paychecks, and add that to a savings account at each paycheck - preferably with direct deposit. Only draw on the savings account as you need it to pay for your annual events. It's a good idea to include an allowance for car repair, maybe a new phone, computer, whatever you have planned for the year.
I'd like to comment on the statement "Well, the cows at Horizon may have access to pasture but it’s a known industry fact that milk cows don’t spend their days grazing on green grass. They just get to look at it, cooped up in the usual factory-farming warehouses. Occasionally, when the press drops in, the cows may be allowed out for 20 minutes to make a good showing, but this is a rarity. For Horizon Milk to remain productive and profitable, they must keep their cows hooked up to the milking machines." This statement is irrational and biased and is obviously made by someone very unfamiliar with dairy farming. Recently my dad and brother signed an organic dairy contract and here's how it is: the cows are in the barn twice per day, for 45 minutes or less each time. After they are milked (which takes about 5 minutes, and they are certainly not "hooked up to the milking machines" all day; try learning some cow anatomy/dairy science), our cows are free to either graze on pasture, eat from feed bunks near the barn, or lay down in the freestall barn bedded with sand. In general, you will find better living conditions for dairy cows on small dairy farms than on larger dairies, and, in general, organic producers are smaller dairy farms. Don't rip on something you don't know anything about, please.
I just spoke with my Grandma the other day, and she was commenting about how large our family had grown. With over 15 great grandkids to shop for, she was welcoming the older ones asking for her Chex Mix gifts. (It seems that once the boys reach a certain age, they are automatically gifted with round tins of Chex Mix, and the son-in-laws especially love it!)
She has to look year-round at thrift stores for the reusable metal tins (the kind that gourmet cookies come in), but once she has enough for every one, it's one day making a big batch, and she's done!
I do buy nuts in bulk when they're on sale. If they aren't already in an airtight package, I use my vacuum sealer to seal them up (in bags or canning jars) and then I freeze them. I've never had any problem with it. They taste great, and the texture is unchanged.
Actually I think I'll invest in lumber processing companies. If this carbon credit thing takes off, they will have a much bigger supply in the years to come.
My mom used to make that tea every year, too. It just smells like Christmas to me.
I have a couple of other standby gifts when I am running low on funds. I gave a friend a great orange-cranberry vodka that, like the Kahlua, needs to sit for about a month. But the all time favorite that everybody requests is "White Chocolate Popcorn". It is easy and so wonderful. (It even won Class Champion at our local county fair.) The only ingredients are microwave popcorn and almond bark. (This is the only time of year that our stores have almond bark so I stock up for the rest of the year.)
The ratio is 2 squares of almond bark per 1 regular size bag of microwave popcorn. (Lite or butter is fine, just not kettle corn.)
Pop the popcorn. Put the popped corn into a paper bag after you have removed as much unpopped kernels as you can. (I put them in a colander so as much chaff and kernels will go the bottom as possible.) Melt the almond bark in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, so that it won't burn, and stir each time. When it it mostly melted you can stir it and the remainder will melt the last chunks. (You can also use a double boiler, but the microwave is faster.) When it is melted, pour over the popcorn-close the top of the paper bag and shake like crazy. Then pour out onto wax paper or aluminum foil so that it can set. Once it has set, just break into clusters and eat. One of my former bosses called it "crack popcorn" because it is so addictive. I already have people requesting it for Christmas this year. Enjoy.
-1. Like others, I agree "objective" has no place there unless it's compelling. Most people write bland objectives and everyone knows the objective is to get the job. But if you're a star fund-raiser, you might write, "Objective: Become CEO of a struggling non-profit agency, turn around the organization's finances, jumpstart fund-raising, and establish a long-term capital plan." That would be a compelling objective that would get a board's attention. But most people just use vacant platitudes and waste the space.
-2. It is implied with any professional that references are available. You don't want to include a reference phone number on every resume because that is rude to the reference: he may get a ton of calls from employers that may or may not be interested. It also takes up valuable space.
+1. Technology or computer skills. It is assumed that everyone in a professional setting has basic computer skills. In many professions, it's assumed you have basic familiarity with other programs like Excel. But you could use this space to demonstrate your level proficiency by saying, "Advanced Excel skills to create financial models, pivot tables, and dashboards." You could also run through the basics on some other programs like: "Also proficient in Argus for financial modeling, Tableau for data visualization, and IMPLAN for economic impact." They are great conversation-starters.
2 bottles of 80-proof vodka (750ml each)
zest of 15-20 lemons
3 cups water
3 cups sugar.
Mix together the lemon zest and vodka, and let them sit in a sealed container for 2 weeks. Then mix water and sugar in a saucepan under low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Let this cool and then add to the vodka and lemon zest, and let it sit for another 2 weeks. Strain out the zest. Pour into pretty bottles with pretty labels.
This one can be made well in advance. I've seen some recipes that recommend letting the mixture sit for a full 6 months.
I think it may be feasible to "do what you love" if one of the things you *also* love is marketing and promotion (and you are really, exceptionally good at it). In Gary's case, I think it was also helpful that he was passionate about something his family already owned a successful business in. If he were a complete introvert whose family ran a chain of car washes, would he have gotten where he is today?
The other (and I guess related) thing to consider is that making a successful living in a field that you love is not exactly the same thing as "doing what you love." I assume Gary's business is driven by his love for wine, but I bet he doesn't spend the whole day drinking :-). Let's say you have a passion for cycling: the number of people who make a lucrative living riding bikes is, I imagine, vanishingly small. Of course, you could open a bike shop or be a mechanic or write books about cycling, but at that point you're not really "doing" cycling as much as being a bike-related salesperson or tinkerer or writer. Which is probably a fine combo if you also like selling or tinkering or writing!
MDP, I'm sitting here laughing about the tea. Sometimes I make it and people are like "what the heck is this?". Nice to know there is someone else out there who has had it. And: you are right -- it kind of is like chai!
John,I make so much of it, after the first batch I am not even tempted.
@wildgift - it might help people on an individual level to know why they get out of debt, but on a societal level we just need to regulate and force banks to take their own losses on bad loans so they tighten up credit.
Individuals might be bad at judging their ability to handle debt, but banks are in the business of making good decisions about credit - or they should be.
This is amazing, the vitriol that came out about this.
I mean, I really hate Christmas. I hate having to buy gifts for people, I hate having to travel in winter weather, I hate the whole commercial crapfest. It's a HUGE money sink.
I know lots of people who feel like me - and yet none of us are going around calling Christmas a scam or telling people they're stupid for wasting their money buying crap for people who either love them anyway or don't love them at all.
Hope y'all are invested in some greentech companies so when the cost of climate change hits you have something to pay for basics with.
When I had a stressful full-time job in the non-profit world, I used to joke how great it would be to have a job that was mindless, and that I could LEAVE behind at the end of the day. When I got laid off, I found one. It started as a way to help get some income, but thanks to a great boss I am able to do this job and freelance (I formed my own business at his advice) WHILE at work a few days a week. I try to schedule the visits to clients on the days I'm not at the office job, but getting to check email and reply to clients even when I am at the office job works out great.
Trying to find one of these could help you do your dream job. It worked for me! I'm not rich, but I am so much less stressed and healthier, happier, and making an honest living doing what I love.
As an actress, I always chose temp jobs where I could sit DOWN (as being less fatiguing) - & went on auditions on late lunch hours or disguised as doctors' visits! At the time, the plus was having an available PHONE (not a problem nowadays with cell phones...) I also chose to work in entertainment-related jobs so I could learn as much about the business as possible - and I worked with computers, which has come in very handy. The best take on this issue was a book I found in the 80's called FREELANCE FOREVER. It's the only thing I have ever found to tackle this problem realistically - & even though it was written for painters and such, I really learned a LOT from reading it.
When I worked days, living in a central location came in very handy, as I could go home, grab dinner & then NAP before I went out on my artistic afterhours work. (I also learned to NAP in my car at lunch hour - having a car being a perk of L.A.)That said, I think I acquired more valuable skills than I would have as a waiter...& I didn't have to expose myself to an unforgiving public....You have to make hard choices in order to survive. My pennypinching skills were vital to living on my modest temp income - I used to joke that I had 3 jobs - my acting, my office work & the job of living on my income! But I have survived - and avoided being frustrated and embittered, which is often the result of "selling out." It's a passion if not doing it leaves a gaping hole in your life. Otherwise, go for a more regular existence.
Actually the doubters do raise a good point. Carbon credits are not well regulated and there are many being sold that are of dubious value. So it is important to research the company or organization before hand and make sure that what you're paying for is legitimate. Above the Guest commenter cited an article from the Financial TImes. That same paper has an article citing a study that found that only 30 of 170 carbon credit programs studied had 'quality'. So there are a lot of low quality programs out there. But they did cite 30 that are quality programs. To declare it a 'scam' outright is to ignore the 30 good ones cause a bunch of bad ones exist. But there are a lot of low quality providers it seems. So if buying carbon credits then its important to make sure the projects are independently validated and that they are 'additional' (i.e. wouldn't have happened anyway), permanent, and generaly transparent.
I have a friend who freezes nuts after she buys them in bulk (she's like a mother to me) and she always offers me some when I see her. They always seem to be fresh in her zip lock bags.
Thanks for this great article - I love to eat healthy and am always looking for ways to save money while doing so and this article taught me things about barley I never learned.
Just bought the gluten-free grocery shopping guide and have found it very helpful. I try to buy whatever I can at Aldi for the cheapest prices, but even my local supermarket is carrying more and more GF at reasonable prices. Our local health food store is very good, but a bit more expensive. Main thing for me with GF is that the prepared foods are expensive, and sometimes I just don't have time to prepare all my own meals. It is getting easier, though, as GF awareness improves. Hang in there, Lauren, and keep looking around at the options you have now--things may be getting better.
I have made a simple 'Personal Budget' Excel spreadsheet add-on that automatically subtracts the little personal out-of-pocket stuff that you buy without thinking from the sum that I have allocatted for my 'Personal Spending Allocation' ( PSA, for short )for that pay cycle.
I can alter my PSA, BUT I can ONLY do this at the beginning of each pay cycle. That way, I can't cheat.
As I see myself getting close to the wire I simply curtail what 'I must have right now' instead of going to the ATM and getting a quick $20.
I was surprised how those Starbucks lattes and pizza slices added up AND how I really didn't need them!
Keeping track of every expenditure is excruciating. It's fun at first because your budget is a new project, but after a while, you know what your lifestyle requires.
How about this -- three steps:
(1) Track all your expenses for 3 typical months. Then you know about what you spend on incidentals -- things that occur over and over and are part of everyday life. Food, gas, dry cleaning, meals out, entertainment, etc.
(2) Add up your monthly bills -- things you don't need cash for, things that don't pop up. Your mortgage / rent, insurance, cable, internet, phone, utilities, homeowners' fees, taxes, student loans, charitable contributions, etc. Only include things that you need every month like clockwork.
(3) Go through your whole life and figure out those things that happen once or twice a year -- things that surprise you. Car insurance. Magazine subscriptions. Parking tickets (well, 3-4 times a year for me). Your license plate renewal. Christmas / holiday gifts. Your flight home for Thanksgiving.
Now, how to manage all this? Take the amount you come up with in (1), add 10 percent as a buffer, and have it direct deposited into your checking account. Pretend that this is all the money you have available for the month, week, whatever.
Then, take (2), add a little buffer, and put it into some online account that you can pay bills from every month.
Take (3), add it all up over the year, divide by your number of paychecks, and add that to a savings account at each paycheck - preferably with direct deposit. Only draw on the savings account as you need it to pay for your annual events. It's a good idea to include an allowance for car repair, maybe a new phone, computer, whatever you have planned for the year.
Lauren--Hmm....that would be an interesting topic. If I get the chance, I'll see what I can find.
Guest--The vacuum sealer sounds like a great idea. I'm assuming it comes in handy for quite a lot of things.
The recipe is, get out of debt, reduce fixed expenses, have some income, save some money.
John DeFlumeri Jr
I'd like to comment on the statement "Well, the cows at Horizon may have access to pasture but it’s a known industry fact that milk cows don’t spend their days grazing on green grass. They just get to look at it, cooped up in the usual factory-farming warehouses. Occasionally, when the press drops in, the cows may be allowed out for 20 minutes to make a good showing, but this is a rarity. For Horizon Milk to remain productive and profitable, they must keep their cows hooked up to the milking machines." This statement is irrational and biased and is obviously made by someone very unfamiliar with dairy farming. Recently my dad and brother signed an organic dairy contract and here's how it is: the cows are in the barn twice per day, for 45 minutes or less each time. After they are milked (which takes about 5 minutes, and they are certainly not "hooked up to the milking machines" all day; try learning some cow anatomy/dairy science), our cows are free to either graze on pasture, eat from feed bunks near the barn, or lay down in the freestall barn bedded with sand. In general, you will find better living conditions for dairy cows on small dairy farms than on larger dairies, and, in general, organic producers are smaller dairy farms. Don't rip on something you don't know anything about, please.
agreed-- I'd just add more water or veggies to the soup.
I just spoke with my Grandma the other day, and she was commenting about how large our family had grown. With over 15 great grandkids to shop for, she was welcoming the older ones asking for her Chex Mix gifts. (It seems that once the boys reach a certain age, they are automatically gifted with round tins of Chex Mix, and the son-in-laws especially love it!)
She has to look year-round at thrift stores for the reusable metal tins (the kind that gourmet cookies come in), but once she has enough for every one, it's one day making a big batch, and she's done!
Super inspiration, Marla :)
Linsey Knerl
I do buy nuts in bulk when they're on sale. If they aren't already in an airtight package, I use my vacuum sealer to seal them up (in bags or canning jars) and then I freeze them. I've never had any problem with it. They taste great, and the texture is unchanged.
Actually I think I'll invest in lumber processing companies. If this carbon credit thing takes off, they will have a much bigger supply in the years to come.
My mom used to make that tea every year, too. It just smells like Christmas to me.
I have a couple of other standby gifts when I am running low on funds. I gave a friend a great orange-cranberry vodka that, like the Kahlua, needs to sit for about a month. But the all time favorite that everybody requests is "White Chocolate Popcorn". It is easy and so wonderful. (It even won Class Champion at our local county fair.) The only ingredients are microwave popcorn and almond bark. (This is the only time of year that our stores have almond bark so I stock up for the rest of the year.)
The ratio is 2 squares of almond bark per 1 regular size bag of microwave popcorn. (Lite or butter is fine, just not kettle corn.)
Pop the popcorn. Put the popped corn into a paper bag after you have removed as much unpopped kernels as you can. (I put them in a colander so as much chaff and kernels will go the bottom as possible.) Melt the almond bark in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, so that it won't burn, and stir each time. When it it mostly melted you can stir it and the remainder will melt the last chunks. (You can also use a double boiler, but the microwave is faster.) When it is melted, pour over the popcorn-close the top of the paper bag and shake like crazy. Then pour out onto wax paper or aluminum foil so that it can set. Once it has set, just break into clusters and eat. One of my former bosses called it "crack popcorn" because it is so addictive. I already have people requesting it for Christmas this year. Enjoy.
I would add one thing and take two away:
-1. Like others, I agree "objective" has no place there unless it's compelling. Most people write bland objectives and everyone knows the objective is to get the job. But if you're a star fund-raiser, you might write, "Objective: Become CEO of a struggling non-profit agency, turn around the organization's finances, jumpstart fund-raising, and establish a long-term capital plan." That would be a compelling objective that would get a board's attention. But most people just use vacant platitudes and waste the space.
-2. It is implied with any professional that references are available. You don't want to include a reference phone number on every resume because that is rude to the reference: he may get a ton of calls from employers that may or may not be interested. It also takes up valuable space.
+1. Technology or computer skills. It is assumed that everyone in a professional setting has basic computer skills. In many professions, it's assumed you have basic familiarity with other programs like Excel. But you could use this space to demonstrate your level proficiency by saying, "Advanced Excel skills to create financial models, pivot tables, and dashboards." You could also run through the basics on some other programs like: "Also proficient in Argus for financial modeling, Tableau for data visualization, and IMPLAN for economic impact." They are great conversation-starters.
This is great. Now if you can tell me how to stock a gluten-free/dairy free pantry cheap, that would be a keeper! Thanks for the info....
This is great. Now if you can tell me how to stock a gluten-free/dairy free pantry cheap, that would be a keeper! Thanks for the info....
Homemade limoncello (Italian lemon liquer)
2 bottles of 80-proof vodka (750ml each)
zest of 15-20 lemons
3 cups water
3 cups sugar.
Mix together the lemon zest and vodka, and let them sit in a sealed container for 2 weeks. Then mix water and sugar in a saucepan under low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Let this cool and then add to the vodka and lemon zest, and let it sit for another 2 weeks. Strain out the zest. Pour into pretty bottles with pretty labels.
This one can be made well in advance. I've seen some recipes that recommend letting the mixture sit for a full 6 months.
Perhaps it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but it still should be factual. Otherwise, the author just comes off as looking ignorant, not amusing.
I think it may be feasible to "do what you love" if one of the things you *also* love is marketing and promotion (and you are really, exceptionally good at it). In Gary's case, I think it was also helpful that he was passionate about something his family already owned a successful business in. If he were a complete introvert whose family ran a chain of car washes, would he have gotten where he is today?
The other (and I guess related) thing to consider is that making a successful living in a field that you love is not exactly the same thing as "doing what you love." I assume Gary's business is driven by his love for wine, but I bet he doesn't spend the whole day drinking :-). Let's say you have a passion for cycling: the number of people who make a lucrative living riding bikes is, I imagine, vanishingly small. Of course, you could open a bike shop or be a mechanic or write books about cycling, but at that point you're not really "doing" cycling as much as being a bike-related salesperson or tinkerer or writer. Which is probably a fine combo if you also like selling or tinkering or writing!
MDP, I'm sitting here laughing about the tea. Sometimes I make it and people are like "what the heck is this?". Nice to know there is someone else out there who has had it. And: you are right -- it kind of is like chai!
John,I make so much of it, after the first batch I am not even tempted.
@wildgift - it might help people on an individual level to know why they get out of debt, but on a societal level we just need to regulate and force banks to take their own losses on bad loans so they tighten up credit.
Individuals might be bad at judging their ability to handle debt, but banks are in the business of making good decisions about credit - or they should be.
This is amazing, the vitriol that came out about this.
I mean, I really hate Christmas. I hate having to buy gifts for people, I hate having to travel in winter weather, I hate the whole commercial crapfest. It's a HUGE money sink.
I know lots of people who feel like me - and yet none of us are going around calling Christmas a scam or telling people they're stupid for wasting their money buying crap for people who either love them anyway or don't love them at all.
Hope y'all are invested in some greentech companies so when the cost of climate change hits you have something to pay for basics with.
My family always had "Russian Tea" at Christmas too, same recipe. I'm sure it was some sort of midcentury attempt to approximate chai.