Money

“It’s a shame that money has to mean so much down here, because I’m pretty certain it doesn’t mean a damn thing up there.”

Kudos to Russ

Today? Try everyday.

August 6, 2009
Shifting Into Abundance
Capricorn Daily Horoscope

You could feel distressed about financial obligations today, and this could cause you to feel nervous and stressed. It might be helpful to review your financial situation in more detail and see if you can come up with a workable plan that can ease your burden. Even if you are unable to change anything quite yet, just having a greater understanding of what you are dealing with can help you feel more in control. At the same time, choosing to release your worries about finances and focus on the abundance you do have today will help you feel more positive and optimistic about your situation. You might want to take a mental inventory of the blessings in your life and express heartfelt gratitude for them, as this can attract greater abundance to you.

It take HOW much a month to raise a child?

Oh, the luxurious life of celebrities. More support from her ex in a month than I make in a year.

Kelis to get baby money from Nas

Ms Rogers will receive monthly payments of $30,741 in spousal support and $9,027 to raise their son.

Call me not very American

Americans Can’t Live Without Their Cable TV

“We live in a time when cellphones and cable TV are considered necessities,” he said. “But they really aren’t,” Jeff Wise, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southern West Virginia, told NBC affiliate WBOY.

The Denver Post similarly advised readers that if they want to avoid bankruptcy, they need to “eliminate … luxuries that we pretend are necessities” such as “visits to the spa … and cable television.”

VISITS TO THE SPA? I’ve been to the spa ONCE and it was a gift. Are you kidding me? Who are these people? WHO out there pretends that a visit to the spa is a necessity?

“Video and broadband are no more discretionary for most families than running water or electricity,” said Berstein Research analyst Craig Moffett, in a note to investors.

RUNNING WATER OR ELECTRICITY? Really? Um, ok.

As soon as the writing was on in ink on the wall the FIRST thing I did was cancel cable. AND WE WERE PAYING FOR “cheap” cable without DVR. When I move to my own place? I’m not even thinking I will be able to afford high speed anything. And I surely won’t be getting cable on my own. I rarely watch TV as it is and actually liked our life much better when we didn’t have cable the first year in the apartment.

I do love the internet though and living on my own after living with a partner will be quite lonely for sometime I’m sure.

Bah.

But a necessity? Wow. Wake up America.

Christmas Cards

I love sending Holiday Greetings. I really, really do. I also love getting them and look forward to the wall of happy greetings from friends and family far and near. (Of course these days the number of cards have dwindled and the wall pictures o’ children has multiplied by at least 1000.) I’m just at that age I guess!!!

However, this year? I’m quite late in sending out our cards. The list of cards from the house of Jen and Mark is at about 250+ I would say. So postage alone is easily over $100. (Some of these we hand out at work.)

And then we have the cards, ah the cards…I LOVE AND ADORE AND SUPPORT WITH ALL MY HEART the Paint Box Project from Roswell Park. I think there has only been one year in the past, gosh I can’t remember how many, that there hasn’t been a PENGUIN card for me to send out to my loved ones. I buy the card every year, no surprises, tis my signature! However a pack of 15 cards costs a little over $10. Which turns out to be about 16 packages for about $165. The $$$ goes to charity so I never have a problem spending more, when I have the $$ available. I also buy cards at the end of the year on special to use as well so not every card is a Paint Box Card.

Now, let us all remember the joy that was the breaking down of my truck a few weeks ago. $265 for Holiday Greetings (ONLY CARDS this cost doesn’t include packages of cookies!) just didn’t happen earlier this month when we put $850 into our lovely truck.

Yes, cards are coming…they have to be sent out tomorrow, which is PAYDAY (and my first full paycheck from the new place of employment.) Marky and I used to be on opposite weeks so $ was always coming in (this is important when you are paycheck to paycheck kind of people!) But this month, we needed to adjust.

So to Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. And all the other friends who might have sent us a card and are wondering where the heydiddlediddle is the Penguin Card from Jen (and Mark by default) this year? Um, you might be getting it after Christmas, but it will be in the mail, I promise.

Oh and if you’re a bill collector reading this? Yeah, yeah you’re *card* is in the mail too. He he he. I do realize the proper fiscal thing for me to do would be to: buy cheaper cards, cut down the list of recipients or forgo all together this season, but since when have I chosen to be fiscally responsible over being festive?

Aside: As you can see these are reasons why planning a wedding is um, impossible. One must have $$$ to plan a party!!! We will work on that a little better this year, maybe.

Oh, and this includes the gifts of joy to my commenters…Eden, Samantha, Jenn(ifer) and Erin.

Although costly, the sending of the cards and receiving is a tradition that I personally hope will never fade away.

What are YOU doing with Christmas Cards this year?