Trying to be frugal

It is hard for me to complain about money when I am sitting here looking at my portfolio spreadsheet and can see the value of my assets.  Yes, the market has been down, and so are most of my stocks, but overall, I should hardly complain.   While my VISA bills are large every month, I am also accounting for all of it on my expenses spreadsheet. (I call it "budget" but that's really not accurate).  I am covering part of my expenses by working, I know what I'm spending money on, and I am also appreciative of all the ways I'm able to save.
   For example:

• I got two Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards for Christmas - totaling $45. 
• Today at the dentist's office, Susan the office manager gave me free whitening gel to use in my Invisaligners, in return for me doing a 2 week before and after study, photos and interview.  They took my photo and I'll be in their newsletter.  And she didn't charge me for the $20 electric toothbrush I was going to buy anyway.   I had gotten a good deal on the Zoom teeth whitening when I was done with my Invisalign, and she sometimes gives me a break on the bill, as I no longer have dental insurance. They give me a lot of freebies - I think I got my electric toothbrush free, and they give me floss all the time,   I got a discount when I referred Alan as well.
• I buy things from Amazon, usually save shipping, and find things there for less money than in the stores.  I used some of my Visa points to shop last time, which did make paying for shipping at that time a lot easier.   
• I belong to Melrose Freecycle.  So far I've only taken an old radio, but I got Alan a George Forman grill, a Cuisinart Coffee maker, and a hair dryer. Oh I have also gotten a can of spray starch and furniture polish.  I think I got some sunscreen too.  
• I shop at Ocean State Job Lots, Building 19, Big Lots, Christmas Tree shop, etc.  I use coupons whenever possible, get freebies with points at places like Sephora, where if I'm going to splurge, it is nice to get something free as well.
• It's not much, but I've gone back to redeeming bottles and cans.  I try to take advantage of specials in the supermarkets, and I'm glad that there are so many choices around here.  Where Alan lives, there is no Foodmaster, Market Basket or Hannafords close by. 
• Losing weight on WW (which I was paying for and not going) will make it easier to buy clothes, and while I have gotten rid of some clothes that were too small, there are some I still have that I'll be able to wear.
• I work whenever I can.  I'm going in to work for someone tonight, who is out sick. I'd rather not, but I lost over a week's worth of hours when I went to Germany, and I was out sick myself on Monday.  So -- as much as I'd rather be home, if they ask me to come in I usually will (despite the price of gas at 3.35 and the Tobin bridge toll of $2.50)
• Buying fruit and veggies instead of snacks and not getting fast food. 

Update:     Although nothing has really changed in my financial situation (except for buying a new Mini!), I am trying to be more conscious about my spending.  I used to think , why does Alan buy from the clearance racks at the supermarket when he has plenty of money?  Well I get it.  I have money too, but it has to LAST.  I don't know if I'll ever work full time again if I don't need to.   But I still like earning extra money, and I like saving whenever I can.

For example, I can no longer spend $85- $99 to get my hair colored anymore.  So I bought Nutrisse, like I used to do and did my own roots. Unfortunately, my roots came out a little too orange, although the hair color overall was kind of nice.  But I do not need to be one of those older women with orange hair!  First I went to the beauty supply store, but then I decided to call Nutrisse.  They suggested a medium brown on roots, and it looked so much better afterwards. I've gotten compliments on the color. It's a little darker than what I had, but at only $8-10 every 5 weeks, I'll save so much money.

I don't get a chance to use coupons very often, but I do shop sales and I am lucky that I don't have to rely on one store.  I went to Shaw's and did not buy things that I thought cost more than I wanted to pay for them.   Like Alan, I also like the discount stores like Bldg 19, etc.  I buy a lot of things in Ocean State Job Lots, etc.

MONEY

Money.  I worry about it all the time.  Do I have enough?  How much is enough?
 I obsessively update my finanial spreadsheet almost every night after going to Yahoo and seeing how my stocks did that day, and how my funds did, and vanguard. et.

So, the total as of last night was about $X .  yes, that's right... things have been going pretty well but the market turns on you quickly. 

Also, I've worked some extra hours lately at Sunrise, so my pay wasn't too bad last week.  I work about 15.5 hours for $14 an hour. No raise (or review) happened this year.   But I'm also doing something else.  I'm going to visit Ethel Baker, my mother's cousin, who just turned 100 and lives in an assisted living in chelsea.    Her daughter hired me after meeting me at a small birthday party for Ethel in May.   We talked at length a few weeks ago by phone (she lives in VT) and she wanted me to name my hourly pay. I asked her  how much she pays another woman who goes there every week, ($18) we agreed on $18 an hour.   I'm only going to do  2-3 hours a week.  I'm close by and I'm willing to run errands or run interference or whatever she needs, since she lives so far away.   Today I was there from 1:30 to 4.   I did her nails, and put a heating pad on her shoulder, which can only be done when someone such as myself is there.   Then we went outside and sat for awhile, talking to another resident and her Jamaican private aide.  Just like so many women at Sunrise, this aide lives in Randolph!
  anyway, long story short, I'm making some extra money. Every little bit helps!

There's also the high holidays, for whih I may do more and get paid more this year... still waiting on that but starting to work on it since I really want to be good - and professional - this year.  It is time I stopped just being  the  member who can sing and really act like a cantorial soloist.  A leader.

And then there's the Rossi - not a whole lot of work but we will probably start up and do a few gigs next year.  Only problem is that we won't really get paid much from these gigs.  But whatever we get is still good, and helps.

Happy Birthday to me.

Ok.  I just read the post that I wrote on my last birthday, and this year's birthday is coming up in two days.  Nothing has changed.  Same health issues, same Alan issues, same Zamir issues. I don't know what to do with my life, I'm feeling really blah lately.  I'm not enjoying Zamir anymore, I don't care about finishing the cantorial certificate ( for a variety of reasons - money, lack of interest, change of feelings about religion in general).
         some random stuff
---Concert Thursday night "Touch the Dream", celebrating 65 years of Israel, and honoring Cantor/Doctor/Rabbi Scott Sokol.
---Work is the same, residents are different. Many have passed since last year.  RIP Agnes Higgins, Dorothy Trott, I can't remember who else right now.
----

Randomness

Have not written in forever so here goes.

Took Marlee to her voice lesson tonight. I decided to stay and watch.
If I "kvelled" anymore, I think I'd burst into flames. I couldn't love her more if she was my own daughter. It makes me cry

Last week, April 15th, two brothers from Chechnya, who are citizens of the US, and had promising lives, set off bombs at the marathon finish line. 3 people died, and an MIT policeman was killed in a subsequent shootout, and many others lost limbs. Through the diligence of people taking photos plus video cameras, the suspects were found, but there were actual shootouts, manhunts, a carjacking, and attempted robbery before one brother was killed and the other finally surrendered after he was found hiding in a boat in Watertown. the younger one was shot and has guards around his bed, to which he is handcuffed.

This was Bostons own little 9/11 in a way, and every news agency was here.
It was covered by everyone in the world. I smell a TV movie.

Work exhausts me. I think it's the commute. I'm so tired after working a full day on Monday that I usually fall asleep when I get home.
Tuesday is a long day- class at 11am and rehearsal at night. On wednesdays I sleep really late.

I really really need to lose weight and it isn't working. I had a small pizza for dinner.

I think about men a lot. I love Alan but we are getting stale. Everything we do revolves around temple- this service and that service. We sit at his house and do crosswords. It's not sexy or fun anymore.

I am not getting enough done in my house. I have literally given away "50 things" and yet I still have so much stuff. And I never take the time to do it. I waste time by sleeping late and spending time on the computer.

It is 2:30 am. I must try to sleep.

July 2012post

Haven't written in a while.  Started a running blog but haven't run much yet.  Just no time although sometimes I do have time but no energy.

It is now July 10th - where does the time go?
Here's what's been going on.

This past weekend Alan and I drove to Maryland for a bat mitzvah. Hotel in Aberdeen, synagogue in Havre de Grace.  Low key, nice musical service, luncheon at hotel.  Later that evening we went back to Havre de Grace, which is on the Chesapeake Bay, and had seafood at a somewhat expensive restaurant.  It was HOT all weekend.  Alan drove, we got lost a few times, but all in all it was a nice getaway.

Weekend before we went on a harbor cruise in Boston on a bus tour with Beth Israel in Waltham and a couple Lexington temples.  After that we went up to Gloucester for lunch and then about 45 minutes walking around Rockport, then our bus took us back to Waltham.

I need a new car, so today I went to Mini of Peabody and test drove the new Mini.  I do not know if I want another Mini, but I thought I'd start there.  I'll have to spend at least 22K and I'll have to sell securities to buy it.  Why is it that even with an $850K portfolio, I still worry about spending money?  My condo is assessed for the same amount as my mortgage so I don't even know if I have equity, and I'm not sure if I want to live with Alan.  If I did, I'd probably be there already, and I don't even know if he wants me to.  So I can't save the $1500 or so I'd save if I rented this place.  Plus I need to spend some money to fix it up, more money to move, and to have a realtor help me list it for rental. I couldn't do it alone.

How did I get so busy?

I'm amazed to have an entire Sunday off.  I still can't believe how busy I am sometimes.
My schedule for the week goes like this:
   Monday  work 8-4.  Usually nothing in the evening, except sometimes a Sisterhood meeting or Board Meeting (of which I'm recording secretary).
   Tuesday - 11:15 Survey of Jewish Music 505 with Josh -
                 7:15 PM - Zamir rehearsal
   Wednesday-Normally nothing planned (yay) but School of Jewish Music has their weekly Community Time meetings at 1:15 to 2:45. As a certificate student, I'm encouraged, but not required, to attend. They sometimes have special programs which are interesting.  It's not a big group, but they are very dedicated and intense and I sometimes feel like an outsider although the certificate students are encouraged to attend.
   Thursday is work 4-8, so I usually go to Newton first if only because it's easier to go there earlier and then drive 128S to work.  Just less traffic stress.
   Fridays I'm usually free.   I've spent most of the last week at Alan's in Newton because our parking lot was being paved at Briar Hill.
   Saturdays I usually work 4-8, and in the morning, go to services in Malden or Waltham, depending on where I am.
    Sundays depends on what comes up - Today I'm supposed to meet Wendy at the SOWA market in Boston, but it's not as nice a day as I thought it was going to be, so I'm not sure if I really feel like it.  I could stand getting out of the house and the exercise.



This past Saturday I worked as the Activities person at Sunrise all day, so Fran took my night shift.  It was fun - just balloon tennis, Bingo, trivia games, talking, painting.  Putting in the movie, encouraging people to join in, and then helping residents - wheeling them to the dining room for meals, and doing anything else I can do to help out.

One Sunday Alan and I went to the JF&CS in Waltham and packed food distribution bags at Family Table and then delivered two to Brookline.  Honestly it took 2 hours all together, and it was nice to do something like that for a change.

I'm also working on the Temple Sisterhood's first Holiday Fair, and it's coming along really well.  I like the women I'm working with, and we have been getting a lot of interest from vendors - we've got 17 interested and checks are starting to come in.  So, I've got a Wednesday night meeting next week on this.

Of course, there were also the high holidays, and before them I had some meetings with some cantorial students where we talked and shared music etc.    I went out to Worcester one Saturday to check out the WCUW yard sale to which I had donated a ton of stuff.  I also visited Jen Niles, who was Eden's college roommate so I've known her for 30 ish years.  She is an artist.  We went out to a cute hot dog stand for lunch.  She was busy preparing for a show so I didn't stay long, and I had to get back in time for work.

So I drive a lot.  Malden to Newton to Braintree, to Newton or Malden and back again.
Sometimes I'm not sure where I should be - do I want to drive back to Malden, or stay in Newton.  We are status quo here, not moving forward or back, which is ok with me, except for the driving.

So this week I have a holiday Fair meeting Wed night, other than that a normal week.
The next week, 10/26, is my class reunion.  I'm supposed to help set up but I might go to a workshop at Hebrew College being given by Eleanor Epstein.

On 10/28 instead of singing in the Zamir children's concert (which I usually loathe) I'm in a sisterhood fashion show at our membership luncheon.  I am not feeling the Zamir love lately.  I hardly ever talk to anyone (or they don't talk to ME) and so I'm starting to find excuses to skip concerts. (and rehearsals).  Maybe it's time to take a break, but I love singing the music. What else would I do?

Just a big ol' update

I know that I am a big time waster and procrastinator, but I do spend a lot of time getting things done in between napping, eating, playing Angry Birds, etc.   Today was a day to get things done and so far, not sure I've been as productive as I'd like.

I stayed over Alan's last night so that I could get my hair cut this morning - at Supercuts.  For $16 (minus $3 coupon but plus $3 tip), I had my hair cut but not styled or shampooed. Works for me and beats the heck out of the $85 or so I was spending for cut and roots every five weeks - I've been coloring my own the way I used to.  A bit of a pain, but glad to be saving the money.

After that, I went in search of a book I'm going to read for my term paper for Josh's Music Class.  I'm enjoying the class as there are only 8 of us (all women) in it.   When he said yesterday that he had just "remembered' that he had to assign us a term paper, we all groaned.  Of course the other women take more classes than I do, but they are all in it for serious reasons; to become cantors.     They are there from sunup to sundown, and usually end up with 2 or 3 papers or take home exams per semester.  I would so hate that!

So Josh gave us options for the paper and I've chosen what I consider to be a bit easier - to read a book we discussed a bit in class and write a review.   I want to do a good, thoughtful review, but I still need to read the book.  So I went to Hebrew College and was so glad to see they had it and I can keep it for a month!.  I haven't written a paper since college, so this will be so much fun.  (not)

I also thought I'd go to the gym today, not sure if that will happen.  I bought lunch at Big A - a chicken wrap, which is healthy, but not when you eat all the fries in the car on the way home!
I had a bowl of cereal at 9 AM so by 1 PM I was starving. I wanted a shwarma wrap but the place i used to get one in Brighton is no longer there and I didn't know where else to go.

There are so many other things I want to do today.  Gym, homework for class (not just the paper - discussion questions, reading etc),  I had to call my broker and ask him about one of my stocks, which has gone from $12 to 2.63 per share.  He says don't sell... how much lower can it go????

I bought another pair of lovely stretchy pants from Dress Barn but they will need to be hemmed, so tomorrow I may do that, plus i need to bring food and candles to the JFCS in Waltham, then go early to work for a clothing sale they are having.

I've also offered to help Lisa, our activities director, post some stories to the Sunrise website.  I wrote something and I need photos now to submit.  
AND, I also got an email from someone at Hebrew College who is looking to pay someone to scan a box or two of papers which were damaged by flood waters at her parents home in NY.   I thought that might be a great way to earn a little extra money too, but it turned out that she found someone else.   OH well.  Still looking for ways to earn money...