Growing up, I always loved this time of year. At the end of July, you still had a month of summer left to enjoy with your friends, but you also could start thinking about the new school year: your teachers, your classes, and of course, what you'd wear on the first day back.
Those days are long gone for me (I'll date myself by saying how cool I felt when I got a Trapper Keeper in the 5th grade), but students and non-students alike can take advantage of "tax holidays" for school supplies, clothes and shoes. Many states have days set aside for this; in Virginia, where I live, the tax holiday is this weekend, August 1-3. You won't pay taxes on school supplies less than $20 per item and on clothes and shoes less than $100 per item. In these tight times, that's a good reason to stock up on things you need -- just make sure it's what you need, not want. Maybe the best part? No geometry tests this fall.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Christmas in July
On my refrigerator is a comic strip that ran in January many years ago featuring Sally and Charlie Brown from "Peanuts." Sally is all dressed up and, when Charlie Brown asks her where she's going, she tells him to see Santa Claus. You're either a few weeks too late or 11 months too early, he responds.
I take the Sally approach to Christmas by planning early for it. Yes, I love the holidays, but the nickname of "Stressmas" seems all too appropos these days. So to help reduce the inevitable pressures the season brings, and to save money, I start planning what I'm going to get family members and friends in July. It seems a little ridiculous, I know, but this way I'm on the lookout for sales throughout the fall. I also can space out my spending by purchasing a few items per month rather than all at once. And I have enough time to make homemade gifts -- after all, it's the thought, not the money, that counts in a present.
I started making my list the other day. No doubt I'll be checking it and making tweaks throughout the fall. But when the malls are filled with harried shoppers in the days before Christmas buying whatever is left on store shelves for their loved ones, I plan to sit at home with a cup of hot chocolate, take a deep breath and focus on what Christmas is really about. Hint: It's not shopping.
I take the Sally approach to Christmas by planning early for it. Yes, I love the holidays, but the nickname of "Stressmas" seems all too appropos these days. So to help reduce the inevitable pressures the season brings, and to save money, I start planning what I'm going to get family members and friends in July. It seems a little ridiculous, I know, but this way I'm on the lookout for sales throughout the fall. I also can space out my spending by purchasing a few items per month rather than all at once. And I have enough time to make homemade gifts -- after all, it's the thought, not the money, that counts in a present.
I started making my list the other day. No doubt I'll be checking it and making tweaks throughout the fall. But when the malls are filled with harried shoppers in the days before Christmas buying whatever is left on store shelves for their loved ones, I plan to sit at home with a cup of hot chocolate, take a deep breath and focus on what Christmas is really about. Hint: It's not shopping.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Fun with food
As a lifetime Weight Watchers member, I'm always looking for new ways to make delicious, healthy food. And if I can find those recipes for free, all the better.
I'm now a big fan of "Hungry Girl," to which a co-worker introduced me. Hungry Girl not only has a best-selling book but her e-newsletter each weekday includes yummy, low-cal recipes, as well as tips on new food products (Splenda now comes with fiber), how many calories certain foods are worth (warning: her answers are often surprising and sometimes scary) and info on freebies (such as a gratis smoothie at Jamba Juice). To sign up, visit www.hungry-girl.com/subscribe/subscribe.php. It's an easy way to come up with some new ideas about what's for dinner.
I'm now a big fan of "Hungry Girl," to which a co-worker introduced me. Hungry Girl not only has a best-selling book but her e-newsletter each weekday includes yummy, low-cal recipes, as well as tips on new food products (Splenda now comes with fiber), how many calories certain foods are worth (warning: her answers are often surprising and sometimes scary) and info on freebies (such as a gratis smoothie at Jamba Juice). To sign up, visit www.hungry-girl.com/subscribe/subscribe.php. It's an easy way to come up with some new ideas about what's for dinner.
Friday, July 25, 2008
The joys of summer
Fresh blueberries, peaches, green beans and tomatoes ... yum!
One of my favorite things about summer is enjoying just-picked fruits and veggies. Fortunately, there's a farmer's market steps from my office that operates on Fridays during lunch in the summer months. Last week, I got all of the above for $6.50. The peach was one of the juiciest I'd had in years and the blueberries were a perfect topping for my cereal in the mornings.
I like the farmer's market because you can actually meet the people who work on the farm that grew your produce; buying local products is better for the environment, too. And while food from the farmer's market may be a tad more expensive than grocery-store produce, you'll support the local economy and may even spend less than if you took another trip to the grocery store (and ended up with a few extra things in your cart you hadn't planned on).
Chances are, there's a farmer's market near you. It's an enjoyable way to spend an hour. And a great way to taste the best summer has to offer.
One of my favorite things about summer is enjoying just-picked fruits and veggies. Fortunately, there's a farmer's market steps from my office that operates on Fridays during lunch in the summer months. Last week, I got all of the above for $6.50. The peach was one of the juiciest I'd had in years and the blueberries were a perfect topping for my cereal in the mornings.
I like the farmer's market because you can actually meet the people who work on the farm that grew your produce; buying local products is better for the environment, too. And while food from the farmer's market may be a tad more expensive than grocery-store produce, you'll support the local economy and may even spend less than if you took another trip to the grocery store (and ended up with a few extra things in your cart you hadn't planned on).
Chances are, there's a farmer's market near you. It's an enjoyable way to spend an hour. And a great way to taste the best summer has to offer.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Test-drive new books (for free)
I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it hard to follow the advice, "Never judge a book by its cover." If I'm in a bookstore or library, and there's a new book (particularly fiction) that sounds interesting and has great cover art, chances are I'll pick it up.
It's hard to know at a glance, though, whether I'd want to read beyond the first few pages. So I was excited to see Bit o' Lit, a new, tiny magazine available for free in D.C., and also online (www.bit-o-lit.com) that contains excerpts from new books. The current issue features two fiction books, "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," which has been getting great reviews, and "Seal Woman," as well as the non-fiction "Grand New Party." If you're looking to test-drive some books at your leisure, or just spend an enjoyable lunch hour reading outside, I highly recommend adding a Bit o' Lit to your bag.
It's hard to know at a glance, though, whether I'd want to read beyond the first few pages. So I was excited to see Bit o' Lit, a new, tiny magazine available for free in D.C., and also online (www.bit-o-lit.com) that contains excerpts from new books. The current issue features two fiction books, "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," which has been getting great reviews, and "Seal Woman," as well as the non-fiction "Grand New Party." If you're looking to test-drive some books at your leisure, or just spend an enjoyable lunch hour reading outside, I highly recommend adding a Bit o' Lit to your bag.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Cut 'em up!
One of my favorite things to do is browse in a bookstore. The rows of shiny book jackets that hold such promise between their covers, and the stacks of magazines guaranteeing that if I buy them, I'll learn 50 ways to look more sexy and be able to drop 2 dress sizes in 10 days without doing any exercise. If only.
Until recently, I was a Barnes & Noble member. That meant I "saved" 10 percent on everything in the store. Of course, I had to pay $25 a year to be able to do that -- do the math and that means spending at least $250 a year to break even. But, of course, it was easy to focus less on the one-time, $25 fee than on the 10 percent discount I received each time the register rang cha-ching. Every time I went into the store, especially on my lunch hour, I would get that great rush of adrenaline every American consumer knows -- the satisfaction of having gotten a deal.
Only, since I've cut up my card after it expired, I find myself going into the bookstore less, and to the library (which has no such member fee) more. I'm spending less on impulse purchases -- which feel great in the store, but less great when I come home to a bookshelf stuffed with books that I just had to buy but never actually got around to reading.
I'll never lose my love for books. But having cut that card up, I'm not as easily tempted to spend money on new books, and am looking forward to reading some of the ones I already own. Barnes & Noble can have their 10 percent -- I'll keep the other 90.
Until recently, I was a Barnes & Noble member. That meant I "saved" 10 percent on everything in the store. Of course, I had to pay $25 a year to be able to do that -- do the math and that means spending at least $250 a year to break even. But, of course, it was easy to focus less on the one-time, $25 fee than on the 10 percent discount I received each time the register rang cha-ching. Every time I went into the store, especially on my lunch hour, I would get that great rush of adrenaline every American consumer knows -- the satisfaction of having gotten a deal.
Only, since I've cut up my card after it expired, I find myself going into the bookstore less, and to the library (which has no such member fee) more. I'm spending less on impulse purchases -- which feel great in the store, but less great when I come home to a bookshelf stuffed with books that I just had to buy but never actually got around to reading.
I'll never lose my love for books. But having cut that card up, I'm not as easily tempted to spend money on new books, and am looking forward to reading some of the ones I already own. Barnes & Noble can have their 10 percent -- I'll keep the other 90.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Resist temptation (easily), Part II
Over the weekend, the latest L.L. Bean catalog arrived. Now, I love L.L. Bean's clothes -- they're comfortable, durable and warm, which was especially important as a college student in New England, where it snowed until well into spring my senior year. As I paged through the catalog, I marked a number of pages containing items I wanted to order.
The next morning, though, I realized that all of the items I marked were items I wanted -- not items I needed. And items I never would have thought about were the catalog not right in front of me. So, to resist the temptation to order anything on impulse in the future, I called L.L. Bean and asked to be removed from the company's mailing list. This catalog is going in the recycling pile.
I'm certain I'll buy future items from L.L. Bean -- as I said, they make great products. But the next time I buy something, I want it to be something I go out of my way to buy from them -- either by searching for it on the Bean Web site or visiting the nearby store. Making this phone call was free and easy, and it's a step I plan to repeat when catalogs arrive from other companies. I'll not only save money but I'll make smarter shopping choices, too.
The next morning, though, I realized that all of the items I marked were items I wanted -- not items I needed. And items I never would have thought about were the catalog not right in front of me. So, to resist the temptation to order anything on impulse in the future, I called L.L. Bean and asked to be removed from the company's mailing list. This catalog is going in the recycling pile.
I'm certain I'll buy future items from L.L. Bean -- as I said, they make great products. But the next time I buy something, I want it to be something I go out of my way to buy from them -- either by searching for it on the Bean Web site or visiting the nearby store. Making this phone call was free and easy, and it's a step I plan to repeat when catalogs arrive from other companies. I'll not only save money but I'll make smarter shopping choices, too.
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