If this is your first time visiting A Gai Shan Life, you can read about me here, or follow me on Twitter. I've been blogging about all the personal aspects of money since July 2006 and hope you enjoy your stay!  

Your next host will be Suburban Dollar.

 

My regular readers know that I'm a huge fan of comic books, but I also love webcomics which are readily accessible to anyone with an internet connection.  There's such a wide variety that there's something for everyone.

With the guys out there putting my favorite comic characters and teams in the spotlight, most recently Brian Scheur's Personal Finance Spectrum, I wanted to share webcomics that intersect with our world of personal finance.  Maybe you'll find something that you'd like to follow! 


SS4BC (Small Steps for Big Change)
You shouldn’t buy a house if…
Small Steps sets out sensible financial guidelines for making the decision to buy a house.  No matter what shape the housing market is in, you and your finances will be on much better footing if you follow these suggested rules.

Baker (Man Vs. Debt)
There's Always an Excuse Not to Give
Charity is on Baker's mind, and he's evaluating his reasons for not giving as he feels he should.  

Silicon Valley Blogger (The Digerati Life)
Want To Day Trade? Try Paper Trading First
SVB suggests paper trading as the better method of dipping your toe in the day trading waters.


Jim (Bargaineering)
Lower the Interest Rate on Credit Card Debt
One of the best things you can do when trying to get out of debt is reduce the amount owed. 

JS (Smart Money Daily)
How to Stop Debt Collector Harassment
SMD offers tips on getting some power back in dealing with debt collectors.

Christine (Money Funk)
Bad Debt to Income Ratio
Christine says "Motley Fool’s Get Out of Debt worksheet is what started my family’s debt free journey and blogging about our personal finances. In the beginning, the family’s bad debt-to-income-ratio was approximately 112% paying $3496.27 in annual interest! Find out where your bad debt to income ratio stands."


Dr. Dean (The Millionaire Nurse Blog)
Buying a New Car: Is it Evil?
Dr. Dean takes on the new car vs. used car debate, and doesn't get sued.

Olivia (Independent Beginnings)
Sometimes Life Throws You Curve Balls
Olivia compares life's complexities to the challenges of baseball.

J.D. Roth (Get Rich Slowly)
The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good
Sage words from J.D. in Part Nine of his 13 part series on the basic tenets of GRS: "When you spend so much time looking for the “best” choice that you never actually do anything, you’re sabotaging yourself."

mbhunter (Mighty Bargain Hunter)
What money smells do you need to work on?
MBH is getting nosy! He's asking, "things aren't bad with your finances, but they're getting a little smelly. What's going wrong?"

MiddleWay (Early Retirement the Middle Way)
Fun Weekend
Musings from someone who is aiming for an early retirement.


Rainy-Day Saver (Rainy-Day Saver)
Tips for Getting the Best Deals on Christmas Gifts
A quick primer of how to make sure you're getting the best deal when shopping.

Studenomist (Studenomics)
Holiday Shopping Tips To Be The Perfect Santa
Tips for those still striving for the ultimate gift at a reasonable price.

Bob (Christian Finances)
3 simple ideas to save money

Amanda (My Dollar Plan)
How to Score Big on Cyber Monday
If you missed out or skipped out on Black Friday, perhaps Cyber Monday has something worth your while.


Simon Zhen (Realm of Prosperity)
Perform Your Annual Financial Checkup For Free



J. Money (Budgets Are Sexy)
The Mexican Fisherman
J. Money shares a favorite parable as a great example to appreciate what you have now instead of getting so caught up with your career.

Craig Ford (Money Help For Christians)
How To Evaluate Risk When Starting A Small Business
Craig outlines some methods to address risks as a potential small business owner.

Bret (Hope to Prosper)
Practical Advice for the Career Challenged
Bret offers "Simple and practical advice for those who have slipped off the career path."



David (Money Under 30)
Are FHA Mortgage Loans a Good Idea for First-Time Home Buyers?

Kyle (Amateur Asset Allocator)
When An Adjustable Rate Mortgage Isn't Financial Suicide



Marie (Moneymonk)
Debt: Where to start?
This is the first of a five part series on Creating Your Financial Empire

Jason (One Money Design)
Convert to a Roth IRA in 2010?
Jason reviews the rules surrounding a Roth IRA conversion and when it might make sense.

Super Saver (My Wealth Builder)
What We Learned from the Financial Crisis
Super Saver reviews the key points we should apply to our investing strategies post-crisis.

Mike Piper (The Oblivious Investor)
Efficient Market Hypothesis: Strong, Semi-Strong, and Weak
Mike breaks down the three forms of Efficient Market Hypothesis.

D4L (Dividends Value)
7 Dividend Stocks To Take The Emotion Out Of Investing
Stocks didn't go on sale in October as D4L expected, so what's a rational investor to do? Is there such a thing?

The Dividend Guy (The Dividend Guy)
The David Swensen Asset Allocation Model
The Dividend Guy shares the Allocation Model of a man who, as the famed manager of the Yale Endowment Fund, has been able to generate a 16.3% annualized return during his tenure.

Darwin (Darwin's Finance)
Review: Flex CD Offers High Yield if the Dollar Tanks Against BRIC Currencies
Darwin reviews the benefits of a Currency-hedged CD.

FrugalTrader (Million Dollar Journey)
How To Buy Dividend Stocks
FrugalTrader shares an exploration into the world of dividend stock-buying strategy.



David (Credit Card Offers IQ)
7 Things To Consider When Applying for a Credit Card

Chris Holdheide (Stumble Forward)
What Is An Unsecured Credit Card And How Can It Benefit You

Mr. Credit Card (Ask Mr. Credit Card)
Credit Card Regulations and its Unintended Consequences


vh (Funny about Money)
Median Income, Median Savings
vh analyzes the discussion about the association between incomes and savings and how that affects the published medians. 

Bucksome (Buck$ome Boomer's Journey to Retirement)
Holiday Shopping Tips
Bucksome's shopping tips are good planning.

Miss M (M is for Money)
Saving Up for Christmas
It's not too late to start your saving plan for Christmas - even if it's just for next year!

ElizabethG (Modern Gal)
Avoiding Year-End Binge Spending
Just like the holidays can be dangerous for your actual waistline, they can be equally unkind to our pocketbooks and spending habits.

Mike (Minting Pennies)
Who Is On Your Naughty List?
Mike reminds us to be aware of the kinds of gifts we choose - specifically gift cards - and their limitations.

Big Ass Superstar (Big Ass Superstar)
Hooked up with a TFSA


Mrs. Money (Ultimate Money Blog- Save Green and Live Green)
Not the Time for Fantasies?
Mrs. Money is a bit of a dreamer, and wonders if now is the time to realize those dreams or would that become a nightmare?

Steven (Hundred Goal$)
What is the Value of Money? 
Steven's wondering "What is it that gives money its value, or even gold for that matter?"  Maybe the dinosaurs can help us out with this one.

PT (PT Money)
Ten Financial Moves to Consider Before 2009 Ends
As the year winds down, make sure you've covered all the possible tax-related financial bases.

Helen (Science and Money)
Giving Thanks and a Little Bit More
Have you made your charitable donations for the year? Be sure to get them in before December 31st to quality for the 2009 tax year.


Henry Stern, LUTCF, CBC (InsureBlog)
Helpful Carrier Trick: Aetna Edition
Aetna's new program to help people budget for health care.


eemusings (Musings of an Abstract Aucklander)
Getting the most out of mystery shopping
E gives us the basics of mystery shopping -- avoid scams!

FMF (Free Money Finance)
Are You Tipping This Holiday Season?
FMF is surprised that tipping at the holidays is such a controversial subject.

WellHeeled (Well-Heeled, with a Mission)
Restaurant Cuisine Hierarchy: Why Are There More Expensive French Restaurants Than Expensive Chinese Restaurants?
WellHeeled examines the reasoning behind restaurant pricing and marketing.

Hank (Own The Dollar)
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need To Buy?
Hank offers a few guidelines to use when determining your life insurance policy needs.

The Smarter Wallet (The Smarter Wallet)
EverBank Review: Top Savings Bank Rates


Whew, I have a newfound respect for all previous hosts and hostesses of the Carnival, and thanks to all the bloggers who submitted!  I had fun discovering a whole slew of great blogs I'd never read before. 

Of course, you can't cook every meal when you're vacationing in Hawaii for the first time ever!  We had some very nice meals out and the prices reinforced our decision to be frugal at least half the time.

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on the North Shore: $13 per plate of shrimp scampi, $1 drink

Dinner at Cafe Sistina: $41 per person, included 4 shared appetizers and 2 bottles of wine; party of 9


Buffet lunch at Indigo in Honolulu: $25 per person; party of 7 [You might not be able to tell, but there are about 15 different items on that plate. I was stuffed.]

We also had a mindblowing dinner at Lucy's but I forgot my memory card at home.  *heartbroken*  We were treated to that meal by our local friends, and the entrees were around $25 each.  The ahi tower was beyond fresh, the braised lamb just feel off the bone, and the coconut cranberry rice was amazingly moist and flavorful.

The costs were shared for a number of meals - we took turns treating each other so that the spending was relatively even across the board.  Still, you can see how quickly you could spend hundreds just on eating!  Luckily, that's what a vacation is all about.  ;)

Thanks to our generous living arrangements, my travel companions and I economized on the food budget by taking advantage of the local Safeway two miles down the road, and the kitchen stocked with cooking supplies.

We made more than one grocery run but the first $250 worth of groceries yielded three days' meals for three to five people.

I cooked dinner for five on Sunday night: green salad dressed with a balsamic spritzer, green beans and red potatoes, baked basa (fish) with roasted tomatoes and pesto. The leftover fish made excellent fish sandwiches the next day with a dab of mayo, a couple slices of cheddar and crispy lettuce.

I cooked lemon chicken to go with rice pilaf, steamed broccoli, and used the remaining potatoes and green beans. Groceries are remarkably expensive. Even on sale, we paid $1.99 a pound for chicken! Three half breasts and seven thigh pieces yielded six dinner servings and a chicken sandwich lunch.

 More on the expenses of eating out in Hawaii next!

I'm home!  Or am I?

All good things must come to an end.  I'm back from this month's travels and amazing though it was, I'm glad to be home. My body's been frantically waving the white flag for a few days now.  It's had trouble coping with the demands of travel and living with a large mixed group so I had to make allowances like checking baggage  which costs extra money. With United, you can check your bags online and pay a reduced fee, but make sure that your credit card is accepted!  My friend's wasn't, and she ended up being recharged at the counter for a total of $70 instead of the $55 we were quoted online.

Meanwhile, my brain is still in Hanauma Bay.  For $7.50 per person, and another $9 if your face is too freakishly small to use borrowed gear and must rent a kit, you can go snorkeling!  Turns out, if you sink like a stone without snorkel gear, you will also sink like a stone with snorkel gear.  But if you have a swims-like-fish friend who'll tow you along, and can get over sounding like Darth Vader underwater which totally freaked me out (*shiver*), then it's not so bad.

Meanwhile, back "home," the brother left an envelope with $200 in cash, I wasn't attacked with updates of bad news upon walking in the door, and I settled in rather peacefully.  Even managed to vacuum an entire room without more than two interruptions.  Seriously, where am I?

If you haven't already, mosey on over to Fiscal Geek's and check out the Thanksgiving Survival Edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance!

Paul included my post on Rules of Money Engagement. 

And come back here next Monday, I'll be hosting the 233rd Carnival!  Please be sure to submit your best articles by Sunday (or well before that so that I can work on it before turkey coma begins). ;)

On my string of errands, I ran across a fantastic bit of news about my local library. The thing that always bothered me about donating old books was that they would inevitably end up on the sale shelf where it would bring in a hefty revenue of ten, fifteen or twenty-five cents.  Two dollars if it was a paperback. It's still income, but it felt like kind of a meager thing.

Now, not only can you still support them in the traditional ways, they've added the option of donating new books to the library via an Amazon Wish List!  That's pretty awesome.

Books purchased from the wish list are mailed directly to the Library, and a book plate stating that it was a donation is placed inside.  At the point of sale, you've got the option of selecting a personalized book plate to dedicate your gift, or asking to be the first borrower of that book.  Once the book is processed, you'll be notified that the book is on hold for you.  In this electronic age, I love that we're able to use technology to help the lending library.  And remember: your purchase is a tax deductible donation. 

Other ways our library appreciates help

• Volunteering: to help around the library; for the Adult Literacy Tutoring Program; with the Book Cellar program
  
• The usual old book donation method.  Anything they can't shelve for lending purposes goes into the Friends of the Library Book Cellar Sale
  
• Buy books from the Book Cellar Sale 
• Become a member of the Friends of the Public Library organization:  you pay dues, and volunteer time raising money for the library
• Donating to the Endowment Fund by purchasing equipment, furniture, etc. that are already existing in the library, and making the item a gift in perpetuity. 
• Purchase a book plate that will be affixed to a new hard cover book at the library with any name you like.
  

I love my hometown library. I spent days holed up in there during elementary school summers, and lugged a metric ton of books to and fro over the years.  I'd like to be able to give back in a substantial and long-lasting way, and donating new books that other people can enjoy is right up my alley. 

If you've benefited from the library's lending, please consider supporting them in some small way within your means.  Public libraries do a lot of good, and they deserve our patronage.

My trip thus far has been an exercise in patience, worry, and discovery.  As I mentioned on Twitter, my travel companions were unusually irate with each other just about the entire trip over, so I was stuck in the middle awkwardly trying to make myself as small as possible, or mediating a little bit.  Much of the grumpitude was powered by physical discomfort from various ailments of the internal growths sort + temper on one side, and oscillating glucose levels + temper on the other.  I love them both, so I did my best, but phew, I was looking forward to the arrival of another couple to defuse the tension.

Unfortunately, things were to get much worse before they got better on that front. Things did finally get better today, but more importantly, the circumstances allowed me to become very intimately acquainted with the new couple's lives. It's utterly heartbreaking.

A few years ago, she lost her mother and aunt, horrifically, due to a possible psychotic break of one sibling. Two years later, she lost her father to depression and a series of massive strokes, and to all appearances, has lost another brother to the collective horror of the past few years.  They moved from their home with two high-paying jobs to an extremely high cost of living area and both accepted 40% pay cuts to take care of her remaining family. She's heroically fighting to keep the family intact but, at this rate, it feels like there soon won't be anyone left functioning.

She tells me that my family story, told in part before she shared hers, made her feel less alone.  Now I know that my life doesn't even begin to compare to the series of ongoing tragedies that compose her reality, but it freed her to share with me some of her many trials in the life of becoming an untimely mother substitute for a younger sibling who can no longer cope with the world he's living in.

All I can say is, I have to be more grateful.

Not for the fact that her story isn't my story, because in a surprising number of ways, it is.  We share much the same concerns, fears, and trials.  But I remember what it was like to sit alone in the mental dark, wishing there was someone I could talk to, wondering if I had the strength to make the right call in the next situation.  So I should be grateful that in experiencing the things that I have, in a small way I can help her with her narrative.  Having fought through debt, bankruptcies, and plain old messed up deteriorating family relationships, I can share what decisions I made and why. I can teach her what I know about finances, I can just be there to help her through some tough chores that need doing.

These are no more than scraps in the grand scheme of things, but thusly do I find some comfort in paradise today.

This year's updated Comparison of Medical Coverage and 2010 COBRA rates have been published, and the results are not pretty at all.

Hitting the highlights of the changes:
Before: $20 copay
After: $25 copay for primary care; $40 for specialist 
Comment: I only see a specialist, so this is a major uptick in cost.  100% increase in cost; $100 v. $200 for 5 visits a year.

Before: $15/generic and $30/brand name for a 100-day supply
After: $15/generic and $30/brand name for a 30-day supply
Comment: With 2-3 prescriptions going at any given time, we're looking at 200% increase; $157.5 v. $540

Before: $20 copay
After: $25 copay
Comment: I'd probably skip this if my meds didn't carry a risk of eye damage.  Not worth skimping on $5.  25% increase; $20 v. $25.

Before: $125 allowance every 24 months for eyewear purchased from HMO
After:  $125 allowance every 24 months for eyewear purchased from HMO NONE. No coverage at all.
Comment: It's a darn good thing I've already replaced my reading glasses and only rarely need them.
Before: 324.82
After: 352.98
Comment: 9% increase on top of doubling and tripling my copays, and nearly killing off the vision care benefit. When ARRA expires and I'm paying the full price, we'll be looking at an additional $28.16/month.
Before: 49.18
After: 51.90
Comment: 5% increase with no stated changes in coverage.  To be fair, I have not been particularly on the ball about researching this area.  The summary of benefits provided on the website is here:

The maximum annual benefit paid under the Dental Plan is $1,500 per each covered person. There is no deductible for services at the Employer School of Dentistry and a $50 per person deductible ($150 for families of three or more) for services at any other Dental provider. When you use a Plan dentist (about 93% of dentists in California), the plan pays eligible, reasonable and customary dental expenses as follows:

• 100% (no deductible required) for diagnostic and preventive services, such as exams, cleanings (up to two times in a calendar year), fluoride treatment, and space maintainers.
• 80% for basic services, such as oral surgery, fillings, endodontics, periodontics, and sealants.
• 60% for major services, such as crowns, jackets, fixed bridges, and dentures.
• 50% for implants up to a lifetime maximum of $1,500.

If you use a non-Plan dentist who charges more than Plan’s allowance for service, you must pay the additional cost. Under the Plan, you also may use the services of the Employer School of Dentistry (including the faculty practice). At the Dentistry school, you get 100% coverage of most expenses and a 50% orthodontia benefit ($1,500 lifetime limit).

So if I were willing to travel 50 miles into the city and use the Employer's students, I could save quite a bit. $50 right off, and then up to $200-300 if I have to have real work done beyond the basic cleaning.


My ARRA [temporary discount on COBRA rates] expires in March 2010, and if I'm still with this HMO, I should expect to spend no less than $3500 in premiums alone, and another $800 in routine check-ups and prescriptions through 2010. Going without medical coverage is pretty much not an option for me so I'll either have to continue with this coverage in the absence of an employer-sponsored plan or research individual health plans.  *shudder*

I know it's kind of a terrible picture, but the lights twinkling in the dark, the palms blowing in the wind, and the waves of the lagoon are just so pretty.

On one friend's crises [feeling overwhelmed, needing someone to talk to, going to the ER, reporting back from the ER] alone, I've squandered at least 6 study hours over the past two days.  Add to that my serious lack of concentration, and you might see why my highly productive run-up to the NY trip was so very much NOT duplicated today. 

I meant to study a new section, do the homework and take the quiz.  Now I've run out of time to study and take my quiz since it's a forced completion deal online - once you start, you MUST finish.  Crap.

It's not like I've gotten nothing done since my return nearly 96 hours ago.  Au contraire!  I have ....

• donated books to the library 
• collected and donated two boxes of stuff to Goodwill
• rounded up and junked two more boxes worth of trash, old decrepit mementos from the junior high era 
• printed dozens of coupons for MoneyMateKate 
• scanned and filed away a sheaf of paperwork
• sorted out half a ream's worth of used paper for the printing of coupons 
• made a Walgreen's run 
• helped a friend sort through some troubles [unspecified for privacy's sake] 
• counseled a friend on family money matters [a bequest, an educational fund, investing, banking] 
• run two loads of laundry 
• read 5 new comic books 
• watched 7 episodes of Sports Night 
• began to normalize a sleep schedule of 12 am- 8am
• had a delicious burger dinner one night, an even more delicious BBQ dinner another night 

Admittedly, not everything on that list was really truly being productive.  But I should get points for honesty, even if not buckling down?  Or not.  It doesn't really matter because my books are coming with me to Hawaii and *sob* that should be punishment enough.  I won't even ask the professor for an extension, I'm just going to [finally!] bite the bullet and get it done one way or another.

Use code CMAAWARD to get any song by a CMA Award nominated artist priced at or below $1.29

Offer valid from November 9, 2009 12:00 AM PST through November 22, 2009 11:59 PM PST. You must redeem the credit by November 22, 2009 11:59 PM PST.

Go here to get the code and redeem. The promotion is limited to specific songs: find the list here. 

I'm trying to decide between Cowboy Casanova [because I like Carrie Underwood] or Chicken Fried [because it's so peppy!].  Oh!  Or Lady Antebellum's I Run to You. This is going to be a disaster.

Hat tip to Cents in the City for posting the code. 

After a day of gettin' things done, it was time for the best burger and onion rings in town.  Two towns over. My share was $8.46, the full meal for two was less than $17.

Yes, eating at home is much more economical, but it's been months since I've had this bacon cheeseburger, and it was delicious.

What's your favorite foodie indulgence?  Take out?  Dining out?

NYC was wonderful.  No new ode, I still feel the same way.  There was perhaps less glitz sparkling in my eyes, but only because the trip was shorter and it took a little longer for the rigors of traveling cross-country to wear off.

May I recommend, by the by, always using SeatGuru.com before selecting your seats?  It's truly my own fault, but I felt like I was being punished for using an award ticket to travel.  The outbound flight was ok, but the seat I was squished into on the return flight: a] wouldn't recline (way to pick the row in front of the emergency exit), the overhead light was broken, and b] was right next to the galley where business class's delectables were prepared and wheeled past me. Pasta, garlic bread, and brownies, oh my!

First, in pictures.....


Woefully underdressed upon my arrival, TopShop and I immediately became acquainted.  Those tights were really expensive but oh-so-warm.  They were daily wear: kept my legs warm AND kept my feet from blistering up a storm in the new flats.


Citi sponsored free ice skating in Bryant Park.  Am I the only one thinking that Citi shouldn't be sponsoring anything at all right now?

Mamoun's [just off the Astor Place subway stop] makes a mean schwarma sandwich. That was some amazing deliciousness for $5.

Gorgeous weather in the city ...

















I truly wish that I'd inserted my ARM in the photo for scale.  That rib bone lying across the top was the size of my forearm.  That platter was well worth the $22.  [Blue Smoke restaurant, home of the first time I've had an amazing oyster.]

"Not to rub it in, but my treat because I can get this any time. I live here, you don't!"
I hate you, friend. I love you and I hate you.

You, Ippudo, I love. Always.  Home of the snarkiest [in a good way] waitstaff ever.

Waiter overhearing a reference to San Diego: "You're from CA?"
"Yes."
"I knew it. I just knew it'd play out like that!"
"??"

Waiter: "Miss?  Miss? Would you like an extra bowl of noodles?"
Me: *mouth terribly full of pork*
Friend: Uh, she can't talk right now, she just stuffed herself full of pork.
Waiter: Runs Away.
Me: *mouth still full* Wait!

Waiter to my sloooow-eating friend:  "Can I take this away already?"
We: point and laugh at her.

Then, in numbers .....
Ticket: $7.50
Day One: $29
Day Two: $62.50
Day Three-Five: $0
Day Six: $30
Day Seven: $95
Day Eight: $44.50
Total: $ 268.50

It's a total budget cheat that I paid next to nothing for transportation [about $40 for airfare and Metro] and nothing at all for lodgings due to the repeat generosity of my friends.  What kind of advice could really be derived from this?  Have good friends in strategic places?  For what it's worth, I absolutely intend to pay it forward.

I spent a ton on clothes: $55 at TopShop for 2 pairs of tights and a pair of leggings. They're all super comfortable and made of good material which is not the case for the discounted stuff I found at Filene's [and they made me look funny.]

There was also a Blitzkrieg trip to H&M where I picked up a grey sweaterdress, black belt and white long sleeve for another $50. The sweaterdress replaces a black cowl-neck dress (circa 2002) and is now falling apart. The long sleeve is the beginning of my replacing ratty old long sleeved layers (circa 2004).

Happily, no jet lag, but definitely a little discombobulation after returning home late.  The suitcase remains unpacked which is distinctly odd - opening mail and unloading the suitcase are usually the first things I do when I get home. 

Some ramblings for y'all 'til I get it together ....

Audio
Had Ramit on in the background for 45 seconds.

Water Bill
48% decrease.  What happened? 

Piperlime
These shoes came in, but the day after 7 hours of travel and fat feet is not the time to try on new shoes. I mostly ordered them to check for fit (they have free shipping and free returns), and for the $25 off next purchase coupon.

Returns pile
I went to the trouble of buying a pack of AAA batteries in NY for my mouse. That I left at home in CA.  And then found out that I actually just needed a single AA.  Back to Walgreens later today.

Cobra/Open Enrollment
This is a whole other post - but turns out I still get to participate in O.E. this November.  Oh goody!  New rates!  Oh wait. ...

Netbook lust
I was woefully out of touch this past week because my regular laptop [which I love!] is just too heavy to schlock around the city.  The longing for a netbook is pushing me to consider .... dun-dun-duuunnnn.... BLACK FRIDAY!

Feel free to weigh in on that last topic, folks, recommendations, warnings, etc.  No enabling necessary!  I have set the boundary: it has to be under $200. 

Aren't these tomatoes beautiful?  Eight ounces of mini mozzarella balls cost the same as a 8-oz chunk of the cheese that I'd normally buy; I'm glad I went with these little dollops instead. They were much easier to serve, just peel open the jar and plop - place gently - on the sliced tomatoes.  A dash of olive oil and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar finished the plating nicely.

This salad was served with a side of buttered crumpets that I have no photos of because, er, I devoured them.  They were awfully pretty, toasted, but you'll just have to take my word for it. Sorry!

The flats-finding mission: When my last pair of flats destroyed my feet, the objective was simple: a pair of basic black flats, comfortable, fashionable, flexible for most events, $40 and under.

Thanks to Chelsea Bea's online shopping ninja-ry, we put together The Deal.

DSW.com
+ Free shipping for orders over $35 [FALLSHP, no stated exp. date]
+ $5 off $49 or more [OCTPKG, code implies it's good until end of Oct]
+ 30% off any single purchase of $35 or more [code expired, via RetailMeNot.com]
+ ebates.com (4% cash back)
= 29% savings after DSW sale prices


This is what they looked like online:

A) Mia Hepburn Reptile Flats 
B) Seychelles Frayed Ballet Flats

And this is how they fit:


A) The reptile flats were hands-down soft and comfortable, but that very squishiness may be cause for concern.  Will it be sturdy enough to last?  The shoe is stamped "leather upper" but the part around the heel is less leather and more ... cardboard? I can't really tell. It's really soft, again, but seems more papery.  I have to pick up something from my shoe repair/tailor shop, I can ask the shoe guy to take a look and give me his opinion. (listed $39.95, paid 27.97 after all discounts.)

B) The ballet flats were very cute, and interesting, and did not squish my toes at all.  The downside was that the sole was hard as concrete, and the upper was just about as forgiving.  Though I knew size 6 was probably a little generous when I ordered, this brand's 6 definitely does not fit me, at least not in this style. Too hard, too roomy, and my heel slid out too easily.  These guys are getting dropped off back at the next DSW I pass by. (listed $29.94, paid 29.57 after all discounts. To be fair, it was because of adding this shoe to the order that I got the free shipping [$7.95] and the extra $5 off to cover all taxes.)

The guest post on Money Tips from Poker at Bargaineering gave me a different perspective on the conversation we're having at Fabulously Broke about personal spending limits.

As a once and former overachieving student, I like rules.  Not because they're limiting and I like to obey, but because they offer a benchmark to measure performance and the opportunity to go you one better, much like the Stretch goal is to the SMART goal.  You've got to set the original goal first before you can beat it. [Note: I like my rules best.   Who doesn't?] 

That's why I kept moving my savings goals up as soon as I reached them - it's boring not to have something to reach for. That's not to say my rules don't know how to limbo, they totally do.  And have.  And probably will again.  It's ok, as long as I don't completely shatter the major ones.

When talking about the upper spending limits we set and why, it seems we all have a personal comfort level up to which we can spend.  Spend more than that and we're big squirmy excuse-making babies trying to justify the price tags.  Or maybe that's just me ......

But I don't know anyone who has a mathematical reason for why this can cost up to $100, but that can only cost $15.   The general levels rise and fall according to the feeling that one set of pricing is ok and the other is not, but why not set rules with a basis in fact?  Mathematical rules?  Ones that are rational?  I'm talking about the bankroll management from the article. 

I love the idea of setting your levels of spending by multiples of your available cash.  In the article, the example is between 30-50 multiples of the bankroll. I'd like to steal that formula as is, but it doesn't quite work out because my expense budget is vastly smaller than my entire bankroll.  I'm protective of my savings, the multiple would be something insane like 300.  

In our cases, that formula could translate into a percentage of the clothing budget.  If you're planning to save $100/month for clothing, perhaps each season gets 25%, or a weighted percentage because coats on sale tend to cost much more than bathing suits on sale.  By a ratio of 5 to 1, in fact.  If I were doing this, Winter would get 40%, and the other 3 seasons get 20%.  That's not precisely fair, but it's probably more true to shopping reality than people realize.  Breaking that down:

Winter: $480
Spring: $240
Summer: $240
Fall: $240

Right off the bat that tells you not to spend $400 before tax on a winter coat unless that's the only thing you're going to buy.

Of course, seasonality is only one way to break that down.  You could just take that whole annual budget of $1200 and allocate 80% for staples like jeans, daily wear shoes, accessories, etc.; 20% for specialty items. 

Truthfully much of this is hypothetical for me because I don't yet have a clothing budget.  I'm definitely still just saying "$100 is too much for jeans, I'll pay up to $40 for them" and "No summer dress can cost more than $20."  As soon as my budget changes, though, I think it'd be great to implement a set of rational rules that I didn't just make up as I encounter sales.

I got a free Nintendo DS Lite (2nd gen)!! A friend bought himself a brand new DS, we were chatting about the pricematch he got on it thanks to his new Google phone the other day, and out of the blue, he offered to mail his old one to me.  It's darling.  White, shiny, little, probably fits in a jacket pocket.

This pretty much requires that I spend money.  Oops.  I won't be rushing out to buy everything immediately because I didn't budget anything for fun accessories and don't have time to play it anyway but this is the wish list:

First, a screen protector: The Hori Protector runs about $10.

Second, a protective skin: Perhaps Depths by Lawrence Yang?
Loose Leaf by Derek Prospero?
Sugar Head In The Sky by Brandi Milne?
The Enamored Whale by Alberto Cerriteno? 

Third, A Game!  I have no idea what game I want yet. I'm just pretty much elated to have a little gaming device of my very own for the first time. We shared a Gameboy when I was a kid, but all the games were pretty much my brother's, so I played on sufferance.

I liked Professor Layton when I tried it on one friend's DS, was completely bored by Cooking Mama when I tried it on another.  Should I go with a puzzle game?  I hear there's a form of Bejeweled coming out sometime, or perhaps an RPG? The World Ends with You could keep me occupied for-ev-er.  Ooh or! I could maybe get My Japanese Coach! 

Whatever I choose, it'll have to wait until I've saved up enough Swagbucks to redeem for Amazon gift certificates.  And I only have 89 SB right now so... this could be a while.  S'ok, I'm happy enough for now. :)

Kelly's hosting the Carnival of Personal Finance at The Centsible Life this week, go check it out!

My money this weekend was the opposite of my five No Spend weekdays.

My haircut (months overdue) and eyebrow wax (weeks overdue): $25 after tips
Snack: $3.72
Tailor: $37
Returned items: -$32.86
Fruit: $0.98
Pizza: $5
Total: $39.88 [I'm not using the return to offset the spending, it's part of another transaction entirely.]