Layout:
Home > Archive: March, 2006

Archive for March, 2006

Lightbulb Moment

March 29th, 2006 at 04:03 pm

Some people refer to a lightbulb moment as a moment in time when the fictional lightbulb in their mind illuminated. That moment when *bang* an idea hits you and starts you thinking. I am not using the phrase 'lightbulb moment' as a metaphor. I am literaly refering to the moment at which I turned off a few lightbulbs. Get it?

In both of my bathrooms, I have light fixtures that use those really big super bright like the sun bulbs. The guest bathroom has 4 and the master bath 6. These are 60 watts each, making the master bath light the third highest consuming device in my house behind the refrigerator and the air conditioner. My light bulb moment came a few months after one of those 6 miniature stars faded out.

I had not replaced the black hole (a dead star is a black hole, have to point out that reference.) and the bathroom was none the dimmer without it. I walked into the bathroom, with the lights out for a while to ensure those microscale suns were not full on flaming hot, and unscrewed another of the bulbs a bit to take it out of the loop of electric power, so to speak. After turning on the switch, I loosened another and the bathroom is still bright. With half of the bulbs not on, I am using half of the power thereby saving money every month. I may try one more bulb as well as loosening 1 or 2 from the guest bathroom as well. I shall have to cehck for savings on the monthly electric bill to determine the 'value' of my lightbulb moment.

Respect

March 28th, 2006 at 05:30 pm

I see kids walking down the street four feet away from the sidewalk and I wonder why their parents never taught them respect. Respect for the fact that my car is a lot heavier then they are and can hurt them pretty bad if I hit them. Respect for the fact that I should not have to wait for them to get out of the way, they should be on the sidewalk! Respect for the fact that my Mother or Father would have given me a lecture all night long if they ever saw me walking down the street.

You wonder why society is going downhill, start with the kids, and in particular the lack of involvement in the kids' lives by their parents. The way the kids glare at you as you drive by, like you owe them more space and your car should not be getting that close to them, disgusts me. When I was a teenager, I was happy, I did not scowl at every car that drove by. My parents talked to me, they also , get ready for this archaic word, *read* to me as a child. I did not sit in front of a television all day, and what I did watch had actors, humans that were like me, Morgan Freidman on the Electric Company teaching me.
Today kids watch teletubbies and boobas or whatever other alien freak contraption that makes stupid irritating noises and numbs the minds of society. I do not want my toddlers making irritating sounds, why do I want their TV shows to teach them to?

What good comes out of watching a show with no words?? I think the Wiggles are completely and utterly worthless, but at least a kid watching them can see humans being stupid and not things that do not exist in this nor any other world. Maybe if the boobahs walked in the street and got run over and maimed by some freaky looking alien vehicle it could at least teach the kids, 'whoa stay off the road...boobah. *insert giggling baby faced sun here*'

They go from mind draining children's shows to violence and absurdity in their youth while mixing in a lot of MTV which glorifies said violence and gangs, drugs, the life that we do not want our kids to grow up to have. Without a parent or grandparent, I add this because of my grandfather, to verbally challenge the images in the minds of our youth, they all grow up wanting to be Puff Daddy, err Puffy Puff, errr Pimp Dilli, err you know who I mean. Nothing against Sean Combs, but his lifestyle is not for everyone.

To elaborate on the Grandfather reference. I recall watching a video on MTV when I was but a wee lad, and I stared in amazement, jaw open codfish style to quote Mary Poppins, and audibly said 'wow' while watching whatever band it was jamming on their guitars while zooming down the highway in a convertible, and disobeying all laws in the process. My Grandfather saw my expression and quickly said, 'if they drove like that in real life they would all be dead and then what would you watch on TV? Who would you listen to on your walkman if all of your favorite musicians and bands went around breaking the laws and were all either dead or in jail?'

I answered 'Johnny Cash' because my Grand Father liked Johnny and because I was a smarta$$. His point sunk in. It was cool to watch the video, but to actually drive like that or emulate the fantasy on the TV as if it were reality would not be so cool. Perhaps this is why I have respect, and the youth of today, without the aid of their parents or grandparents, do not.

Hamburgers

March 24th, 2006 at 03:16 pm

Went to a Hamburger joint to get Hamburgers as a treat for the kids - and myself. First of all, why is it so hard to get my order right. I even went inside this time. I want one Cheeseburger just pickles. They have to say ok that is one cheeseburger with no ketchup, no mustard, no onions. How do I know what the thing comes with, all I know is that my 2 year old little princess wants beef, cheese and pickles only. Give me that so I can be a hero in her eyes please.

Next comes my son, he is easy. Cheeseburger, that is all I need to say. Whatever it comes with he will eat. I used to get the Thickburger but you are paying extra for better onions, mayo(which is not healthy for him), lettuce and tomato, which he takes off the tomato and the lettuce becomes slippery once the ketchup and mustard gets on it. Rather than have his burger sliding off the bun I prefer no lettuce. The lady still has to repeat back to me 1/3 pound cheeseburger with everything on it. This makes me wonder, why she just says everything on this one but can not just say pickles only on the other one.

Then the wife, she wants bacon and cheese only. So I say I need another 1/3 pound cheeseburger, plain. Add bacon. This threw the cashier off course. She actually asks, 'just plain with bacon? Do you want cheese?' I said cheeseburger, thus implying the request for the fake processed yellow stuff that you call cheese in this establishment. I refrain from using big words like fake or cheese and just answer, 'Cheese and bacon.' Her response astounds me. 'No meat?' Since I am inside, I can not see the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck shaped clouds in the sky of my previously joyful day, but I know they are LOL or ROFL or whatever you want to say.

I answer directly this time, 'It wouldn't be a burger without the meat. CHEESEBURGER (said slow and well enunciated) with just bacon.' She still seemed confused so I noted that I was not paying until she repeated this, what I thought to be simple, order back to me. She started to tell how how much I owed her, but I interupted, 'now for me I am easy to get along with, I just want a six dollar burger.' Then I think, why not take advantage of the situation and confuse this girl a bit more, so i ask. 'Oh wait Six bucks for a burger, hmmmm maybe I don't have enough.' This brought out exactly the response that I wanted from her as she replied, 'Oh the six dollar burger only costs $3.85'

'Wow that is like a one-third off sale on a one-half pound burger. I bet the name six dollar burger scares off a few customers though as they may think that it realy costs six dollars.' She is confused even more, but I do not stop there. 'Why not call the thickburgers the four and a half dollar burger, then I feel like I am getting a good deal when I find out they are less than $3' She ignored this and read back the order, correctly, and the price. I also got 2 large curly fries.

Twenty bucks once I added that cookies -n-cream milkshake because I am not just trying to be a great father, but a great husband as well. Twnety bucks, now those are some good burgers and all but twenty bucks buy a lot of ramen noodles, peanut butter and bread. Imagine if I had gotten the combo meals for the sugary drinks to make my kids, and myself, hyper. I don't want kid's meals or toys that are only 99 cents with any purchase. I don't want to add the local college team's basketball hat for only $4.99. I certainly do not want an apple turnover with its molten contents sure to do permanent damage to my tastebuds for 89 cents. All I want is maybe to be able to get a nice meal for my family once in a while without having to say goodbye to Andrew Jackson in the process.

Not always a catch ...take 2

March 24th, 2006 at 02:23 am

I have an Ing account as many readers of this forum do. If you do not , why don't you...it is a savings account..you want or have a savings account right? You deposit $250 or more and if *cough* someone *cough* invites you, you get an extra $25 and I, err, the person who refers you gets $10. Then you can refer someone else and get your own $10. The interest is better than any standard, or as they say in the business, brick and mortar bank.

So I mention all of these benefits to my Mother...her response of course was 'What's the catch?' Why does everything have to have a catch?

I explain that they don't have banks on every corner for you to drive by and think 'oh yeah I need a savings account,' so they pay account holders, like myself, to say 'Hey, you need a savings account' for them.

She still hasn't asked for a referral.

Savings challenge

March 22nd, 2006 at 06:28 pm

I took books back to the library, and did not pay a late charge. There were 14 books at a dime a day for seven days means if I forgot and had to wait until next week to take them back, I would have to pay $9.80. This means I saved $9.80 today by not forgetting the library books, when I drove past the library.

Come to think of it, I did not get a ticket for going through the stop sign because I came to a complete stop. This saved me another $142.50. Then I drove by McDonald's, and even though I was hungry, I did not stop. This saved me another $5.75. I also went straight home after the library and did not drive all the way to BJs to buy milk. Everyone knows you can't go to BJs without spending >$50 so that comes to $207.05.

Then there is the gas I would have used going past my house to get to BJs, which would have been $2.76 and I would have then had to stop to buy gas, meaning another $8 for that super duper car wash because I would have pressed the Y button by mistake. So all total I saved $217.81 today. Not bad.

Gas pumping rant part 2

March 16th, 2006 at 03:57 pm

I pull up to the pump the other day. I can hear those birds chirping the happy sound. I can see the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck shaped clouds. I am smiling. I am having a great day so far, and pumping gas can not take that away from me can it?

I am standing there after swiping my card through the reader and notice that even though it is sunny, it is chilly and I am not wearing a jacket. The cool wind is blowing my hair all up in my face, but I do not mind, as I am having a great day. The card reader beeps the pump says I can choose my grade and begin fueling, which I do. The digital display shows that the gas is pumping at about the same rate that I could fill my tank if I were using a teaspoon to pour gas into my tank.

The money side of the reader, well with the prices these days, that is still counting up pretty quickly, but not the gallons. I look again, through the strands of hair across my face and I swear that every once in a while the numbers are counting backwards! Now the cold wind is annoying. It has been three minutes and I have successfully added one gallon of liquid refreshment to my thirsty vehicle.

Another two minutes goes by and the wind picks up. Dust is now blowing around the station and thanks to my hair, I am the only person not shielding their eyes. The wind is blowing so much that the Mickey Mouse cloud waves sadly as he is pushed out of sight. On second glance, he is not waving, that is only one of his fingers that he is shaking at me. The nerve of that mouse. I am getting strange looks from the other patrons as I give the one finger salute back to the sky.

The entire process of adding twelve gallons of fuel takes ten minutes and you know I had to laugh when the pay at the pump computer asked if I wanted to get my car washed. By the time I get back on the road, it is now rush hour traffic.(which lasts two and a half hours but is still called rush hour)So it takes my twenty-five minutes longer to get home just to stop and get gas, and I am freezing to death in the process.

Bottles vs. Breast milk...no contest.

March 16th, 2006 at 03:22 pm

*disclaimer* As man I am not equipped with milk makers. This rant only poses my opinion, purely from a cost perspective.

I am not going to look up the actual costs because I have no idea how much a container of formula powder lasts!

Let us analyze the costs of nursing vs. bottles. My Brother's wife bottle fed, My wife nurses. My wife's breasts are not only visually appealing, but God gave them to her for free! The bottles, while you may get a bunch of them as shower gifts, you will undoubtedly not like them and have to buy a different more expensive brand and more nipples. The SIL had to have the bottles that are angled and with a grippy surface so the infant can hold the bottle by itself. My wife's nipples wipe clean in the shower, the bottle nipples must be boiled. Boiling my wife's *censored* is not a good idea.

While boiling those bottles and nipples, there will come a time when you step away, probably to tend to the baby, and when you return you will smell burning rubber and notice that the water is all gone. This scientific experiment in evaporation, will cost you the price of a few nipples, a bottle or two, and maybe a new pot. My brother had to get the new pot. My wife has yet to have to replace either of her *censored*. Minor cost added to the brother's total for electricity for his stove and very little cost for the water. My wife was going to take that shower anyway, so no cost for me.

Then they have to buy the formula, my wife makes hers all day long (comment from wife: All night long too!) They have to add water, ok my wife drinks water too so we will not count this against them. I will however note that drinking this water keeps my wife healthy, and putting the water in the bottle does nothing for my SIL. This formula is expensive and they always seemed to run out meaning my brother had to spend gas money in the middle of the night to get more. If I wake up in the middle of the night I get my baby, hand him or her to the wife and hold the flashlight while she attaches our baby to her *censored*, then I go back to sleep.

Go out to the mall, my wife will never forget her breasts, nor will they ever need to be thrown out because the milk was left in them too long and you are afraid that even boiling them (again the bottles not the breasts) will not make them reusable. Her *censored* may leak, and her shirt will get cleaned when she washes it anyway, if the bottle leaks, it may ruin everything else in the pack, like my peanut butter sandwich, or worse the older kid's snacks.

Once the infant is older they will, and I guarantee this, use the bottle as a means of distributing the formula to the floor. This will inspire them to make a Picasso-like image on the carpet that will need to be deep cleaned if it is not noticed right away and blotted up. The odds of my wife painting like Picasso with her *censored*- not likely at best.

I will never find one of my wife's *censored* with old milk in it lying under the bed or behind the bookcase, ever. The child will never have to be scolded for throwing one of her *censored* and knocking something valuable over.

My wife feels a special bond with the child while she is the sole source of life. My SIL puts the baby down with a pillow on its belly to help prop up the bottle and reads a magazine on the couch next to the cute little guy or girl. Not much bonding there.

And last but not least, once the child is off the bottle, which may take a while as they are used to carrying it around with them, the bottles go back to taking up space until they are needed again. My wife's *censored*, well I get them back!


The post has been censored at the wife's request - twice. How do I feel about this? I am *censored* and *censored, censored* that the *censored* word *censored* can not be used in this *censored* blog!! Oh yeah *censored*

Parking Space is paying for itself

March 13th, 2006 at 01:36 pm

Wow, In addition to all of the other great benefits that I mentioned about parking in the farthest space from the building, I found another one. Saturday when I left work, it was very windy. Leaves were blowing all around and I had to kind of look down to keep the dirt out of my eyes. Looking down was to my good fortune as I found a $1 bill wedged in the pine needles that they put around all of the trees on the islands in the ashphalt sea. No doubt someone in a closer space had it fall out of their pocket and the wind took it all the way across the lot, where my car sits all alone. Had I not parked all the way out there, that dollar would have been claimed by the landscaping team the next time they fluff up the pine needles.

Now can I claim that Dollar as savings due to the fact that I use that parking space to save gas?

Yes I do need ketchup with that and get my order right please

March 10th, 2006 at 09:27 pm

You are hungry, in a hurry, and for the sake of this story you have a mail-in rebate that will pay you back every penny that you spend at Burgers-backwards R-Us.

You pull up in the drive through, the window is already open because the weather is beautiful. It takes you a second or two but you can find those Mickey and Donald shaped clouds up there in the blue sky. The cars in front of you pull in, talk to the big burger, and drive on. The line is moving so fast that you had not noticed the chorus line of robins that are once again whistling that happy tune. You get to the big burger and...

'wbelejdcome dotro toto fcof tjgf j order?'

'Excuse me?' You politely ask for a repeat even though you know what they said, because you want them to know that you can not hear them to alleviate future discrepencies, just in case.

'WELCOME TO BURGERS ARE US MAY I TAKE YOU ORDER!!' This is so loud that the robins fly away and land on the roof all the way on the other side of the drive through line. There is now a ringing in your ears that may never go away. You shake off the stunning affects of the sonic waves and proceed to place your order.

'I would like a number two combo please.' The sun shines on and aside from missing the birds chirping you can almost taste that double bacon cheeseburger with extra everything and life of course is good.

'YOU WANT THAT BIG ASS SIZED???' He called out in a deep voice that echoes throughout the passenger compartment of your vehicle.

'Sure thing and thank you for asking.' You reply nicely to get him to stop thinking that you are annoying him.

'ANYTHING ELSE!' the attendant obviously thinks you are deaf since you could not hear him at first and will most likely continue to scream as long as he talks to you. YOu have no problem hearing him now, nor is there any issues in hearing him chewing his gum, open-mouthed.

'No that will-' You notice on the convenient display that the price for your combo which should be $4.98 shows as $5.59. Then you trace its origin to the fact that it says number 1 combo instead of number 2. 'Umm I wanted a number 2 combo please.'

'SO YOU SAY NO THAT IS ALL, BUT THEN YOU WANT TO ADD A NUMBER 2?!?' He is obviously being overworked and underpaid and taking it out on you. The sun slowly fades behind that fanged Mickey cloud. Donald is gone, probably chased from the sky by the ominous storm clouds shaped like the Beagle Boys.

'I do not wish to add a number 2, I wanted to point out that I ordered a number 2 combo and not a number 1...please...if it is not too much trouble.' That last comment was to put a spit shield over your burger and Whirly- curly fries.

*SIGH* That sigh nearly pops the speaker but it does not end there. 'SO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOU ORDER TO A NUMBER 2?'

You do not get into an arguement and agree. This should make things better, right?

'WHAT KIND OF DRESSING ON YOUR SALAD?'

'Ummm salad, a number 2 is the double bacon cheeseburger.' You hope you are correct and confirm this on the handy oversized menu that hangs next to the giant screaming burger of doom.

'SORRY ABOUT THAT I THOUGHT YOU SAID NUMBER 4.' A quick scan of the sign shows a 4 to be chicken shaped nuggets of mystery meat and still no salad but you do not want to digress, so you remain quiet. 'YOU WANT EVERYTHING ON THAT?'

'Yes please.' rain drops begin falling on the hood and windshield of your car.

'SEVENTEEN EIGHTY-FOUR PLEASE PULL AROUND TO THE FIRST WINDOW!!' This is not right obviously you you interupt.

'I thought a number 2 was Four Ninety-eight, unless they increased the tax rate that much.' Your humor and quick wit are wasted, probably because he doesn't get the joke. He has charged you for The number 1 2 and 4 meals. The 1 and 2 disappear leaving only the chicken nuggets, which somehow are one of the few things on Earth which do not taste like chicken.

'SORRY ABOUT THAT, SIX BUCKS EVEN PLEASE PULL AROUND!!'

'The screen still shows number 4?' You inquire knowing that they are looking for the grease-soaked fries left over from this morning to put in your bag.

'YEAH I WOULD NEED A MANAGER TO OVERRIDE THE DISPLAY BUT I GOT YOUR ORDER AS A NUMBER 2 WITH EVERYTHING ON IT. WOULD YOU LIKE KETCHUP WITH THAT?'

'yes please.' You say just knowing that you are going to have to go inside and talk to the manager. You drive around the side of the building hand the smiling man the $6 and pull up to the second window. The birds do their business on your roof while squawking that annoying song by the wiggles, and the man slams a beat up bag of squashed fries and a mystery product that is not wrapped in the double bacon cheeseburger paper. Then a loud crack of thunder booms and a monsoon-like rain starts. It is blowing sideways and if you get out of your car to go inside to speak to the manager you will be soaked from head to toe.

'Have a nice day.' Mr. Smiley says softly.



Something to think about.

March 10th, 2006 at 02:51 pm

If I told you that you won the Mega Power Great States lottery and your prize would either be $1 million or I could give you a penny on the first of the month, 2 pennies on the second, 4 on the third and double it every day for the rest of the month, which would you take?
Date DailyDollars Total Dollars
1 0.01 0.01
2 0.02 0.03
3 0.04 0.07
4 0.08 0.15
5 0.16 0.31
6 0.32 0.63
7 0.64 1.27
8 1.28 2.55
9 2.56 5.11
10 5.12 10.23
11 10.24 20.47
12 20.48 40.95
13 40.96 81.91
14 81.92 163.83
15 163.84 327.67
16 327.68 655.35
17 655.36 1310.71
18 1310.72 2621.43
19 2621.44 5242.87
20 5242.88 10485.75
21 10485.76 20971.51
22 20971.52 41943.03
23 41943.04 83886.07
24 83886.08 167772.15
25 167772.16 335544.31
26 335544.32 671088.63
27 671088.64 1342177.27
28 1342177.28 2684354.55

That is more than $2.68 million in February and that would double 2 times in the months with 30 days to over $10.72 million and again to over $21.44 million in months with 31 days. Those pennies add up fast when increasing exponentially!!

Patent abuse

March 10th, 2006 at 02:07 pm

I read an article where a boy had patented a

Text is certain way to swing on a playground swing. and Link is http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2178
certain way to swing on a playground swing. and I got thinking. If I patent something rather mundane I could get rich suing everyone for infringing on my patent. For instance, I want to get a patent on a certain way to knock on a door. Like this 'Knock Knock Knock' Now anytime I see a movie where they knock like that I will sue the director, the editor, the actor/actress knocking in my patented way, the actor/actress opening the door for not seeing the infringement and warning the knocker, and the film companies responsible for producing and distributing the film.

Then there is the greeting on the teelphone, not everyone greets the caller the same way and I think I have a right to get a patent on the simple yet heartfelt greeting 'hello' when answering my phone. Then, not only can I watch for my patented greeting in movies, but I can make hundreds of calls each day from my lawyers office to celebrities and other wealthy people, filing a grevience on any and all who answer with my special welcoming hello.

Then I can patent a way of walking with my feet shoulder width apart, and a pattern of breathing where I go in then out.

Idea for Dasani

March 10th, 2006 at 01:13 pm

I think they should color the water...They could flavor it but that has been done.

Instead of cherry coke and vanilla coke and coke twist, they could have Bright Blue Dasani, Pretty Pink Dasani, Ohhhh Orange Dasani, Petal Purple Dasani, Hello Yellow Dasani, and Really Red Dasani. Still tastes the same still has 0% everything on the back still just water, but now in colors to show off your mood, or individuality. 'Why drink clear water like everyone else in your office, when you can show them you feel pretty today with your pretty pink Dasani on your desk!' 'Let the boss know that you stand out from the team when he sees your Really Red Dasani on the boardroom table.'

Yeah then take it a step further and let the color be like the color in Kool-aid so that your tongue and teeth would be Birhgt Blue for the rest of the day. That way not only the people lucky enough to see the cool bottle of blue water on your desk, but anyone who sees your smile, would know that you are not drinking Evian (naive backwards) or fountain water.

Gas price difference across the street

March 10th, 2006 at 12:51 pm

I am sitting at a traffic light, and I notice competing gas station on either side of the street. This is not so uncommon,but the differences in prices was. The station on the left was charging $2.21 for low grade, $2.31 for mid grade and the expected $2.41 for Super Duper V power techron octane up the wazoo grade.

The other station is $2.16 for low grade, that is a whole nickel cheaper just for crossing the street. I would sit there, blocking traffic with my left indicator blinking to cross a not so busy street to save a nickel per gallon. Then I read on this station is not going the dime per grade level increase, they are only charging $2.21 for mid grade. Wow that means I can either save a nickel or get 2 higher octane for the same price at the Eastern station. The good stuff was only 7 cents higher at $2.28.

If I were the type to spoil my car with the good stuff, I think I'd buy that dasani first, I would be saving 13 cents per gallon at that station. The best part of the story is that a half mile up the road I can turn right and go one block and get the 87 octane for $2.11, so I wouldn't be stopping at either of these stations but I never saw that much difference in price at two gas stations across from each other before.

Home grown in the garden

March 10th, 2006 at 12:42 pm

Seeing the markup in the grocery stores, I am thinking of growing something myself to save money. The problem is what to grow. I have a small yard with a cliff in the back, so no amber waves of grain shall by seen out my back window. Potatoes? We grew those when I was little and I do eat a lot of potatoes, but I have clay not good quality potatoe growing dirt, so I imagine that I would end up with with spuds in such a size that they could be considered 'popcorn' potatoes...I could probably market those, have Jessica Simpson sing 'one of these days these spuds are gonna...' Anyway..

Tried carrots once they ended up the size of my thumb, acceptible, but cleared out the whole garden to get two salads and a carrot cake. I want something more substantial, then it hits me. I went to BJs and looked at the spices going for something expensive so even if I only get a little bit of viable spice from my garden I am getting a good deal in worth. This goes double when you figure you don't go through them as much so one batch of a spice could last a while.

I came to bay leaves and whole basil leaves, those puppies are so light that they end up being $50 a pound...wow. I figure if I am growing leaves worth that much in my garden the FDA or DEA or someone will be staking out my patio waiting for me to harvest. Peppers? I really like red and orange peppers but really never buy them because they cost so much more than green peppers, which I rarely buy because, umm, well because they aren't free. Wonder if I could grow red peppers. Oh banana peppers, that would be good, I like them in sauces or on pizza and burgers, and I don't need a lot, one pepper covers a meal.

Banana peppers would not be saving me as much money as I would like though. You get a whole jar of pickled peppers for $2 or so with coupon Wink. Red or orange peppers would be a few bucks worth, but what I really need is to grow beef. Where can I get some steak seeds? Two summers ago I got some decent 85% lean beef for 99 cents a pound on several sales. Last summer the best I found was the not so good 80% lean for $1.79. What gives with beef prices? I could grow some 93% lean to grind along the perimeter and some tenderloin in a few rows in the center.

Oh well I will think of something to grow that will be worth my time.

Why do we pay so much for food?

March 10th, 2006 at 02:45 am

I remember buying ears of corn direct from a farmer's market and thinking why are these so expensive in the grocery stores. Well The store buys them in bulk so the farmers would give them an even better deal. Then they have to ship them from the farm to their distribution center.

They pay workers there to inventory and seperate the corn based on hos many ears each store needs in the region. THey are shipped again and deisel fuel is pretty expensive now days. The store has to pay a stocker to unload the truck and put the corn on the shelf. They pay a 'visual team' to analyse how they should be stacked. No one will buy corn if it is 25 cents in a bucket, but they will pay 40 cents if it were lined up like a train all the way around the store. Then they have a loss prevention team to make sure no one steals said corn.

The managers at the store get a bonus if enough of the corn is bought, and of course they have to pay to have their carpets cleaned and floors waxed, because no one will buy food from a store that is not spotless. Pay the cashiers and the baggers and the dudes who have to go out in the lot and round up the carts. After all of this that corn costs 3 times as much but it is so much more convenient to drive 6 to 8 miles in the gas guzzling SUV than it would be to get out to that farmer's market.

Besides since so few people are buying from the market, the farmers have to raise the prices there to make it worth their time.

Parking in the farthest space from the door.

March 9th, 2006 at 02:57 am

In an effort to save on gas and therefore the gas money portion of the monthly budget, I started parking in the first space by the entrance. I do this for three reasons actually.

First, because they would tow my car if I parked on the side of the road before I entered the parking lot. Second, because that space is .125 miles from the good spot that I can usually get because I go in early in the morning. Third, it gets me an extra quarter of a mile walking distance a day to keep me in shape.

That 1/8th of a mile doesn't seem like much, but it is a quater mile per day or 1.25 per week times the 50 weeks that I work is 62.5 miles per year, which translates into ~$2.50 in gas per year. But wait there's more! I also save 62.5 miles per year on each of my tires meaning that I am extending the life of each tire by 2 weeks! I am also giving myself approximately two minutes longer before the change oil light goes on.

As if this were not enough, I get an extra two minutes of time each day as I walk that extra distance on the asphalt to reflect and get into a deep sense of calming 'me' time. This translates into time and money saved by not having to see a psychiatrist. Of course I have to fight the urge to get a recordable mp3 player so that I can record my thoughts as I walk alone, beyond the vehicles belonging to the rest of my collegues, who wasted gas, tire life, and reflective thoughts by parking close to the door.

Where does the money go

March 8th, 2006 at 05:58 pm

I remember growing up in a two income family where my Father worked hard in a steel mill but was paid well to justify it. I was always good at math, numbers, calulations, finances and the like came natural to me. My Father used to take me to the bank and I would collect one of each of the pamphlets that they had on the tall turning wheel of information. They do not have those now days because banks want you to go to bankname.com to get the information as they can not outsource the paper pamphlets, or fill those pamphlet pockets with overseas staff to answer all of your questions cheaply.
From reading all of those information leaflets, I had quite the vast knowledge of all things bank, for a nine year old. It became the norm for my Father to discuss things with me that I assume most kids my age were not privy to, so that he could get my input. I helped him decide when the time was right to move his money from the old passbook account to a money market account. I had to do a little persuading, but I drew up the numbers of how much interest his money would earn in each, and he opened that MM account a week later.
I was distraught that I did not have the $1,000 minimum required to open the Money market account, but I did have more than $250 so I switched my own blue passbook account over to what they called the Money Manager account. I got half the APR and my interest was componded quarterly instead of monthly like that MM account, but it beat the passbook acount. I am talking about the early 1980's when that money market account was upwards of 6% interest, a number you would have a hard time matching on a 10 year CD today.
As the years went on, my Father went from moderately well paid when he was not laid off during the 'lean years' from the late 70's to early 80's, to working a lot of overtime and making a very respectable wage. Once the steel mills cut back the staff to a certain point, everyone left had virtually unlimited OT to actually keep the mill running while being understaffed.
What always struck me as odd, was how much money my parents made once this change occured. My Mother worked in the Hospital, starting as so many others in Dietary, delivering patients food, and slowly moving her way up. After two or three such upward moves, she made respectable money, and he doubled her salary. This was a lot of money for a smoke-free family of four. My Dad is a jack of all trades handy man so his car maintenace, home remodelling, and etc are all done for cost. If he bought a case of beer for the summer, it lasted the summer. So where did all of this money go?
There was no internet back then, and therefore no Savingadvice.com. But that is not where the money went. My Dad packed his lunch for work every day, he bought used cars or cheap cars like the Plymouth Horizon. I owned two of those myself as he had a veritable parts store for them in his garage. He did nothing to any form of extreme that would waste money. If he bought a car, he would have it for 10 years or more. He has two that were bought in '89 and '91 respectively to this day, along with a few more newer ones, but I am still thinking about the late 80s, when they went through what I thought was a lot of money and did not live high on the hog.
My Mother has too many shoes, that is a given. We threatened to COUNT them one day and she got VERY defensive. Clothes is her addiction, and clothes shopping, but not all for herself. She loves to buy cute things for her grandchildren. Her excessive wardrobe did not drain all of that money, so I had to look on. I mentioned my Father has a few cars, but back then he had a Truck, and two cars one for each of them to drive to work. Nothing too excessive there. Do you know what cost the most money....time. I had a great childhood, my parents have been married for longer than my brother has been alive, which is saying something.
The time my parents spent with us cost money. They took us to circuses and sporting events and science centers and bought us the things that we were interested in. My Brother and I both shared an interest in music with our Father. We all had nice stereo setups and got upgrades most Christmases. Christmas, that is where most of that money went. We can not afford to buy all of that stuff for our kids, but you know neither could my parents at first either. So instead of wondering where that money went I will remember were we went as a family. My parents are doing quite well financially, and one day, using a lot of the things I learned from my Father, with my Father , or for my Father, as well as from places like savingadvice.com (plug), we will too.

I guess my point is that my parents didn't have a lot besides a family at first and they cherished that family. They gave up a lot for family, and as times got better they never stopped putting family first.

It is called a savings account

March 8th, 2006 at 04:59 pm

It is a savings account not a holding account right?

I have a friend who has a slight difference of opinion with his wife regarding what the saving account is for.

He is old school and thinks it is for umm saving. YOu know put money aside for emergency purposes or protection in case of an unfortunate event or a great deal. If that 1965 car that he has always wanted to own was being advertised for $2000 it would be nice to have that $2000.

His wife seems to think it is for anything that they need but can not aford. She planned this trip to Disneyland and when he said where are we going to get that kind of money, even though she found some great deals and it was much less than he thought it would be, her answer was the savings account. They bought a bigger house (growing family can not blame them there) and she went and made a list of everything that they 'needed' to buy to have it just the way she wanted it. Again she turned to the savings account to pay for this instead of slowly acquiring the items as they atually were needed instead of 'needed' or went on sale.

Now I just hope he doesn't see that '65 Chevy out there cause his $2000 is long gone.

I just want to buy gas!

March 8th, 2006 at 04:51 pm

You go to the gas station and want to use your debit card to fill your tank. You have to click 'pay here-debit', then enter your pin number. Then you select the grade of gasoline you want and commence with filling the tank. All is going well, birds are chiping off in the distance, the sun is shining between a pair of clouds that are shaped like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Then the pump stops.

You place the handle back where it goes and screw your gas cap back in place. All you want now is your receipt and to be on your way continuing with your happy day. You hear the beeping indicating that the pay at the pump computer wants input from you. You smile and get ready to hit yes to the 'Do you need a receipt' question but just before you press that Y button you catch a glimpse of the display.

'Do you want a $9 Ultimate Super Dooper car wash Y/N' What the.... You almost got a $9 car wash!?! You am glad you looked before pressing the button. THat was close You press N and beep beep, there goes the computer again. The finger is going to the Y button and you read the display. 'Do you want a $6 pretty good car wash Y/N?' You sigh and press N again. Now you know better and wait for the beeps. 'Do you want a $3 cheap ass car wash Y/N'

The sun has faded and Mickey Mouse has grown fangs...Donald Duck is turning into the likeness of Satan. You press N again and notice that the birds are squawking that annoying song that the wiggles sing, yeah any of those songs, pick one. You will not be able to stop thinking about that song all day now. 'Do you want cash back Y/N?' Ok we are getting somewhere now. You press N and get ready for that receipt question.

Instead the display starts slowly scrolling the marquee 'Milk $3.28 1 Gallon' This takes twenty seconds to scroll across and you figure that if you press anything on the display it may skip the receipt question and you will have to go inside to get one, so you wait.
'Marlboro cigarettes at state minimum prices!' This is thirty seconds more. 'Do you want a receipt Y/N'

You smile and know that good things come to those who wait. Your hand confidently reaches out and you go to press the Y button. The display quickly changes 'Please select payment type.' What? You have to wait for all of that but you only get three seconds to hit the Y button?? Now you have to go inside to get the receipt.

All I want is to buy gas, if I wanted to wash my car I would get out a bucket and a sponge!!!

People eating out and complaining they are broke

March 8th, 2006 at 04:17 pm

I am starting to get annoyed listening to the people around me complain about how hard it is for them, and then watching them go out to get fast food at lunch.

This guy and his wife both work. so they have 2 incomes, but they have to pay daycare and 2 car payments and had to get a house with a bigger garage for the 2 cars. He now has to pay twice as much for gas as I do, of course I only have 1 income but that is somehow looked over. He can barely scrape by, but that chick-fil-A sandwich sure smells good while I am eating ramen noodles for lunch. You know he is drinking that $1 water, too!

I am not even going to start on the guys who comiserate about money troubles while they are on the smoking deck.

I just smile at how much I have and how well I live on what I live on, and thank my wife for cooking extra at dinner so I can take a lunch to work the next day. That $5 a day lunch even just every Wednesday, which is 'order out' day at work would tighten my budget, but I get good home cooked lunches every day, except the days when the dinner was so good that there are no leftovers or when we had things that I don't like the next day like fried eggs or pancakes, then I eat ramen noodles.

Late charges

March 8th, 2006 at 04:03 pm

I hate paying late charges on anything. They are stupid. It is a fine like getting a speeding ticket. The librarian says 'Do you know how stupid you were back there buddy?' Here is your ticket.' You pay the overdue charges and go on about your business. The clerk at the video store snickers and says you owe us $2 for being stupid.

There is nothing I hate more than paying my hard earned money for doing something stupid.

Most libraries will let you extend your books online. As for the video rental places, you can just drop off the movies on your way to work. Bank charges? If letting yourself go into overdraft protection costs you $10, then work a little harder to not go into overdraft protection.

Freebies: Too good to be true, or just free stuff?

March 8th, 2006 at 03:38 pm

I know I am putting this under the heading that has the word scams in it, but so many people think that everything that has to do with getting money is a scam.

My Category name is a play on the fact that anytime my friends or I had a money making idea, either my Mom or Grandma would call it a scam, so we just started calling them scams to, even the legit ones.

You talk to someone about signing up for an ING account and mention you can send them a referral and they will get a $25 bonus. The first thing they say is either 'can I trust an online bank?' or 'what is the catch?'

If you see something that you think someone will like on the freebies (thanx Kimmie) and send them the link, they will reply saying what is the catch. I talk to them and say hey did you get the free samples from that link I sent you and they tell me that they did not sign up because they did not want to be bothered with all of the junk mail and email that they figured they would get, or they read it twice and didn't see what the catch was.

The thought that someone, particularly a large company with a lot of money will give away something free or at a good discount, like a dealer, and then get you hooked before turning you lose to pay retail price, does not compute to most people.

Dove can and will send you a free sample of their new calming soap, because they want you to try it and like it and pay full price for it after that. Pampers sends out a free diaper in the mail to all addresses that they get for newborns from hospitals but there are still those out there that will not sign up for freebies at pampers.com because 'there must be a catch'

Take advantage of all the samples and freebies that you can get.

Coupon madness

March 8th, 2006 at 03:13 pm

There are a lot of great coupon deals out there. But buying something you do not need and then claiming the $5 off from that coupon does not constitute an actual savings of $5.

I can recall going to visit my Aunt one time, she was a huge coupon freak. She asks my brother and I, 'Do you boys like Orange Crush?' We nodded expecting to get a glass to drink. Instead she takes my father to the basement and they come up with over a dozen bottles of fizzy orange goodness. She got them for a quarter each with a coupon but no one in her family drank the stuff.

My brother and I decided we had to go down and see what else she had in that basement that we could pillage from her. She a pair of very nice cabinets built in the wall and two shelves that ran a good eight feet long on either side of the cabinets and these were all stocked like a supermarket with goods she bought with her coupons.

She had dozens of boxes of this or that, scores or packets of dog treats and, her prized possession, about thirty travel sized tubes of Colgate toothpaste. You see she is the reason why coupons now say not to exceed value of the product on them. She bought trial sized Colgate that was on sale for 49 cents with a 25 cent coupon on double coupon day meaning the store gave her a penny for each tube of toothpaste that they had in stock that day. She got a lot of great deals, but some things that she bought and did not use, or need took away from her actual savings.


Look for a coupon for eveything you buy, but do not buy everything that you have a coupon for!

Ing account

March 8th, 2006 at 03:01 pm

Anyone with an Ing account and children who did not refer their children and open an account in their names did not get as much out of the deal as they could have. Anyone out there saying but you have to put in a minimum if $250 to get the bonus needs to know that they only have to leave the $250 in the account for a month after the bonus posts and then they can take it back.

Did you know that the accounts you opened for the kids have their own 25 referrals to use?

Bottled water

March 8th, 2006 at 02:56 pm

It is water ... why is it so expensive?

Why does everyone pay $1 for a 20 oz bottle of Dasani and look down on me like I am standing next to Sally Struthers while she says 'for just the cost of a cup of coffee....' when I am filling up my cup at the water fountain next to the vending machine instead of buying one too?

And the funny part there Sally, is that the water costs more than the cup of coffee!!

Drink free water from the fountain, save your Dollars for something useful.