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Book Review: Rich Like Them by Ryan D'Agostino

Xin Lu — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:27:24 +0000

Rich Like Them: My Door-to-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth in America's Richest Neighborhoods by Ryan D'Agostino - Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (January 5, 2009)

One summer my mother showed me a series of articles in Money magazine by a reporter named Ryan D'Agostino who knocked on the doors of expensive homes to find out how the occupants became rich. These articles were quite memorable for me because I thought it was hilarious how the author literally invaded the private property of rich people. Now a couple years later, D'Agostino has collected the entire experiment along with his personal stories into a book called Rich Like Them.

I read this entire book in one four hour sitting since it was funny yet serious. Each chapter is divided into small sections headlined by words of wisdom that are often a bit cliche. For example, the author details the importance of networking in "Connect the people you meet", and the power of patience in "Perseverance doesn't take forever". If you have read any kind of self help book you would probably have heard these mantras before. What really made the book fun to read were the personal stories of the strange and wealthy people D'Agostino met after he knocked on hundreds of doors. My favorite two characters from the book were Harvey Jason, a first edition book seller in Beverly Hills, and Arthur Tauck, the chairman of Tauck World Discovery. Harvey Jason was an actor before he became a bookstore owner and he utilized his Hollywood connections to create a very success niche business. Tauck is a septigenarian who thought of interesting tours for the tour company his father founded. One of his most crazy and popular tours is helihiking for seniors. These people's innovative and sometimes wacky ideas and visions for their businesses were absolutely fascinating.

This book is also somewhat familiar to me because I live just a few blocks away from Atherton, California which happens to be the richest neighborhood in the United States according to the book. I have driven through the town several times and most of the homes there are hidden behind trees or gates. Once you cross the border into my neighborhood of Redwood City you would have no idea that such an exclusive pod of extreme wealth is so close by because the entire scenery changes. The closest I have gotten to "socializing" with Atherton residents is when they drive their expensive cars through the Taco Bell across from the Ferrari-Maserati dealership on El Camino Real. I have spotted a Ferrari, Porsche, and a Bentley with a driver at that particular Taco Bell late at night. I always found that pretty funny because these folks can definitely afford something fancier, but instead they favor greasy semi-Mexican fast food . With that said, D'Agostino's book appropriately ends with a chapter on humility. He found that quite a few of the people that chose to speak with him were humble even though they have "made it" so to speak. He profiled one Athertonian named Heidi Roizen who was a powerful venture capitalist in the Silicon Valley who would gladly grab a cup of coffee with a college graduate just to see if there is a good idea. She also owned her own company at one time and worried about her employees when there was a bad quarter. Her humility brought her positive relationships and opportunity and thus the author calls humility "the secret ingredient" in becoming rich. After reading this, I felt a bit ashamed of myself because the wealthy people I see at Taco Bell probably would not laugh at me for grabbing a few Gorditas in my Honda, but I am the one mocking their humble hunger.

In conclusion, this is probably a good book if you want to be entertained and enlightened by the personal stories of a group of wealthy people who are also surprisingly down to earth. However, I would not use this book as a guide to becoming rich because it is nearly impossible to replicate any one person's strategy to attaining wealth. This book repeats a lot of the basic principles to becoming successful such as working hard and being patient, but those are not exactly secrets. I recommend this book for people who like to read memoirs and personal blogs, but I do not think anyone would become "rich like them" just by reading this book.

Permalink | Comments | Xin Lu's blog | Channel: Personal Finance, General Tips, Lifestyle

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Bouncing Back When There's No "Bounce" Left

Kate Luther — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:17:48 +0000

By Kate Luther

We all have our ups and downs. We've all faced some pretty depressing odds and come out on top.

But sometimes, it feels like you just can't get ahead, no matter how hard you try. So what do you do?

Here's how to bounce back when the "bounce" is all gone.

Breathe. When stress rears its ugly head, we tend to hold our breath, figuratively if not literally. We tense up, we dig in, and our body kicks into survival mode while our mind races in sheer panic. What will we do? How will we survive? When will we see the light at the end of the tunnel? But what you need to do, above all else, is breathe. Just breathe.

Breathing allows you to think, it allows you to focus and it helps combat anxiety, something that more and more of us are claiming as an affliction. So, when you feel that "holy #&@*%" starting to set in, stop. And then breathe.

Count your blessings. A very old friend of mine used to say "so what... they can't take away my birthday." I've come to live by this motto. Before you try to analyze your situation, count your blessings, be it your good health, your loving family or your close network of friends. Do you still have a job? Do you have a roof over your head? If the entire world went to pot, could you go home again or join forces with a friend?

Seriously... what's the worst that could happen? Would you survive if it did? Its much easier to face your impending disaster when you've got all your "good stuff" backing you up.

Get Real. We all know the serenity prayer - change what you can, accept what you cannot, and be able to know the difference between the two - and its good advice to live by. Life is what it is. Yes, that's one of those "easy to say" statements but make it your mantra and you'll find it much easier to face problems with a clear head and a calm heart.

Figure out what options are available and then focus on those that will actually "better" your situation. We can all rant and rave for example, but will that really bring us closer to a solution. Anger, fear and doubt will never serve you. Instead, keep your head and look for viable options to turn things around.

Play Offense. If you watch football then you know that the offense's primary objective - besides actually scoring - is to dominate the ball and there's a reason for this strategy. One of course is that if we have the ball, the other team's offense doesn't but more importantly is that running around chasing offensive players makes a defense very, very tired.

Why?

Because the offense knows what play they're about to run - the defense on the other hand is simply "waiting to see what happens" and then reacting as the play unfolds. This can get exhausting very quickly and its equally tiring when its your approach to life.

Instead of reacting as events unfold around you, try taking the offensive approach. There is nothing more motivating than coming up with a new idea or plan that will make things better. If money is the issue - and isn't it always - then perhaps now is the time to start putting that new business idea of yours into action or take that second job that you've been tossing around. The point is, take control. Get the ball back and start driving down the field.

Formulate a plan. There is nothing more supportive than having a plan of action that you believe in. Pool your resources. Get back to basics. Implement a new budget or start sending out resumes. Whatever it is that you need to do, write it down and start putting things into action. When you have a gameplan, then you have a much better idea of what to expect.

Yes, the collection calls may still come or the layoff might still happen but you'll be "expecting it" instead of cringing in that "wait and see what happens" mentality.

And last but not least, remember to hang in there and look on the bright side. This isn't after all the first time you've hit a roadblock and I'm willing to bet that it won't be the last. Did you know for example, that we've had around nine recessions (including our current one) plus the Great Depression and that's just in the last one hundred years? And what do you know... somehow, we managed to pull through. I'm not saying its always easy and I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned, but the reality is that everything works in cycles... And if you're "down" now, then there's no where to go but up.

Permalink | 2 comments | Kate Luther's blog | Channel: Personal Finance, Frugal Living, Life Hacks, General Tips, Lifestyle

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Book Review: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Lynn Truong — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:42:58 +0000

By Lynn Truong

Malcolm Gladwell's most recent book, Outliers, is a fascinating look into the stories of people who seem at first glance to be Outliers, those who rose to the top through an extraordinary talent, vision, and intelligence. It is the American Dream that any one with enough ambition and talent can succeed, but Gladwell's argument is that ambition and talent alone is not what made the Bill Gates of the world. These Outliers may not be so by their own right, but by a convergence of events entirely out of their control. They came across extraordinary opportunities that they were able to take advantage of, and had it not been for those opportunities, they may never have become Outliers.

Gladwell uses several case studies to show how success resulted directly from outside events and opportunities. He points to popular studies that support his claims, including the idea that cultural legacy is an integral part of the success formula. Cultural legacy is not something Americans like to dig into, especially when it comes to explaining success. But Gladwell asks us to look at the evidence and the conclusion is apparent. One cannot separate the success story from a host of events both in a person's lifetime as well as his ancestors'.

In Outliers, I want to convince you that these kinds of personal explanations of success don't work. People don't rise from nothing. We do owe something to parentage and patronage. The people who stand before kings may look like they did it all by themselves. But in fact they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot. It makes a difference where and when we grew up. The culture we belong to and the legacies passed down by our forebears shape the patterns of our achievements in ways we cannot begin to imagine. It's not enough to ask what successful people are like, in other words. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn't.

From airline crashes to the birthdates of the best athletes, Gladwell uses studies that show an astounding significance of language, leadership, and cutoff dates. He cites The Matthew Effect:

It is those who are successful who are most likely to be given special opportunities that lead to further success.

This doesn't sound particularly unusual, since in any meritocracy, those who do better should be given more attention to cultivate the talent. But what if that success early on is a result of a random advantage? Like the month you were born? It seems that the best players have birthdates that are overrepresented to be random. Those born earlier relative to cutoff dates start out with an age advantage. For young kids, the difference of 6-9 months can be significant. In sports, that translates to relative size. Coaches will select the bigger, stronger ones. These boys will get more training, more time on the field. Not because they were lucky enough to have genes that make them larger, but because they have a 6 month lead in growth than the younger boys. In school, the few months of maturity lead translate into quicker comprehension, better behavior, and more likely to stand out as "brighter" than the rest, when really they're just older. But the proof is in the numbers, and Gladwell shows plenty of them.

Throughout the book he shows time and again that factors beyond the person's control offered advantages that created a better chance for extraordinary success. He explains why certain countries have better pilots. Why Asians are good at math. Why The Beatles became a success. Why students from upper middle class schools do better (it's not better schools and teachers). And why the smartest man alive wasn't able to finish college, and have still yet been able to convince the intellectual elite of his amazing mind.

Gladwell is not saying that talent, hard work, and determination is not needed to become successful -- he's saying that those only make up half of the formula. The other half, and perhaps the larger predictor of success, are opportunities, cultural legacies, and social class that are happenstance, but that were ultimately turned into advantages that were only available to them. He stresses that it's important for us to drop the conventional wisdom that talent and hard work alone determines success, because if we can recognize the impact of something as small as having a random cutoff date for sports teams, we can make changes in the system that would lead to twice the number of great athletes. He makes the claim that there is currently wasted talent.

It was a fascinating read, and changed the way I see the road to success.

Permalink | 4 comments | Lynn Truong's blog | Channel: Career and Income, Life Hacks

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Special Price for Wise Bread Readers at SoupBase.Com!

Myscha Theriault — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:56:13 +0000

By Myscha Theriault

Love to create restaurant quality food at home? Looking for an inside track to how the professionals pull it off? David Sievers at SoupBase.Com is stepping up to help. Read on.

Those of you who caught my recent post regarding Seafood on the Cheap will already be somewhat familiar with SoupBase.Com. They sell among other cool things, the Minor's brand professional flavoring bases made by parent company Nestle. Ready for the discount details?

The discount code is SEAFOODBLOG .
It apparently needs to be entered on the first page of the checkout, prior to anything else.
It's good for a 15 percent discount on any order over twenty-five dollars.
This code is good until midnight, February 8th, 2009.
If you have any problems or questions, the folks at SoupBase.Com want to give it their personal attention. In fact, David requested I provide their stateside number: 1-800-827-8328.
Also, if browsing offline is your thing, you can request a pdf catalog via return email.

A few of the neat tidbits about the Minor's flavoring bases? They are one hundred percent natural paste-style concentrates of freshly cooked meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables. They contain no artificial ingrdients, chemical preservatives or color. Most contain less than one gram of fat per serving, and they have up to half the salt of bouillon cubes, depending on the type of base.

One teaspoon per cup of boiling water is the recommended mixing ratio. And the cost? The data I received on the chicken stock was nineteen cents a cup, way less than canned or boxed stock. So if making your own doesn't appeal to you, or even if you stick to the seafood and clam stocks alone, the savings is significant. Free recipes for the Minor's bases are available here. For other ways to cut down on cooking costs, check out these articles on poultry and meat suggestions. Happy saving!

Permalink | 4 comments | Myscha Theriault's blog | Channel: Coupons

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Back to Reality: Coming Down after the Holidays

Sarah Winfrey — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:55:41 +0000

By Sarah Winfrey

Whatever holidays you celebrate in November, December, and January, they're over now. The special food is eaten and the decorations are probably back in their boxes. The new year has come, though whether you see it with hope or fear is up to you. My point is, in most of the western world, January is a month of coming down. We spend November and December gearing up, getting ready, anticipating days off from work, travel, good food, and good times with people we love. Then January hits, and that's all over. Not only that, but the bills for all that hope and anticipation start arriving and we go back to our normal daily routine. It's no wonder if we sometimes look up and ask if the holidays really meant anything after all.

Seasons of letdown are difficult for the human spirit. They just are. There's not any way around that. But there are ways to lessen the impact of a letdown, any letdown, has on you.

Life Cycles

The truth is, our lives cycle and recycle all the time, though we don't often notice because we're too busy experiencing the feelings of wherever we are in the cycle. On every level--personal, professional, spiritual, financial, emotional--we are constantly going through ups and downs. We cycle as individuals, as family groups, as business groups, as friends, as a culture, as a country, and as a world. It's no wonder the patterns are hard to notice, what with all these cycles intersecting and influencing each other. But the cycles are true.

Sometimes, just knowing that we're at a particular part of the cycle makes being there easier. It's almost a relief to say, "It's January, and I'm on the downward side of the holiday season cycle. It's normal for me to feel tired, a little overwhelmed with everyday life coming back at me, and even a little sad. This will pass." While it can be hard to deeply embrace the truth that statements like these offer, there's some comfort in acknowledging, at least cognitively, that they are true.

Take Some Space

Take advantage of the lull in planned activities that often comes on the downward side of a cycle (like January) and even of any restricted financial resources you might have from your celebrating, find a quiet place, and hole up for a while. Part of what causes the downward side of the cycle is the onslaught of sights and sounds and people and experience that comes with the upside. Our minds get overstimulated, whether we're aware of it or not, and after a while they can't continue processing so much input without some rest. So taking some quiet time to meditate, journal, or read a good book helps our tired, taxed minds and puts us on the road to getting out of the downward part of the cycle.

Getting some personal space can also help us cement memories of the good times we've just had. Writing a memory down, looking through pictures, or even replaying something special in our minds cues our brains to remember it. And when we remember good times, it's easier to feel contented in the present.

Focus on the Present

Most likely, the tasks in front of us are not as loathesome as they seem when we're coming off a fun, exciting season like the holidays. Once we have memories cemented, the best thing we can do at the bottom part of a cycle is to focus on what is in front of us without longing for what we just had. Those times were good, maybe extremely, excessively good, but they aren't what's in front of us right now. In these January moments, we have tasks that need doing and people who need caring for. Focusing on these allows us to find contentment in our lives because we're not wishing for or straining towards something that isn't true in the present.

Actually focusing like this can be difficult, especially when we're so close to what was exciting. The key is to develop what I call a Meditation Mind. In meditation, practitioners are asked to focus and relax. When they find their minds wandering, they are asked to simply recall themselves to the focus. This kind of mindset can also serve well in focusing on the present, If you find your mind wandering, simply bring it back to the task at hand. Repeated practice allows our minds to attain focus easier and hold it longer.

Whether you're down or not after the holidays, I hope these thoughts and tips help you out whenver you're in the downward part of a cycle. Is there anything else you do when you're in that place? Let me know in the comments.

Permalink | 2 comments | Sarah Winfrey's blog | Channel: General Tips

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For Women Traveling to India: A Book Review and Free Copy Contest!

Myscha Theriault — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:58:24 +0000

By Myscha Theriault

Looking for an informative travel read? Need some hot tips to make your next trip flow smoothly? Hoping for something that addresses your unique needs as a member of the O.G.C? (Official Girlfriends Club) Help is on the way.

The latest in the Wanderlust and Lipstick collection, this title by Beth Whitman provides loads of tips for women who will be navigating the subcontinent solo. Bonus? Many of her tips are applicable to travelers in general and can be used in numerous developing countries. She covers such issues as working around festival schedules when booking tickets and accommodations, how to avoid harassment in movie theaters and tips and hacks for dealing with India's vast train system. She even covers some of the inside scoop on the emerging health care system in India via some of the women she met there, including Wise Bread's own Amy Scher. Wanna grab a sneak peek at some of the hot tips you'll find in this book?

Not only will you want to carry your own TP in India, but your own disposable tote bags for it as well. Since the waste water infrastructure often can't handle the extra bulk, you'll frequently need to put your used toilet tissue in a knotted bag and toss it later if a waste receptacle is not available.
Use the overwhelming number of people vying for your business to your advantage. This is your chance to get the absolutely best price possible. Basically, bargain your ass off.
Find a quiet retreat that is not your hotel room. The hustle and bustle of India can be overwhelming. While it's perfectly understandable to need a reprieve, nobody wants to spend their whole trip alone in the hotel room. Consider a temple, park or university library.

Beth Whitman is also the author of Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, founder of the Wanderlust and Lipstick web site, and a blogger for the Seattle Post Intelligencer. She's also a kick butt tour guide. Can't wait check out this title for yourself? Here's a link. To enter the contest, simply post a comment sharing a funny travel anecdote, a trip you've been dreaming of taking, or a hot tip for life on the road. The deadline is January 13th, at 9:00 a.m. EST.

Permalink | 15 comments | Myscha Theriault's blog | Channel: Art and Leisure, Freebies

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Inside the shady world of cheap iTunes gift cards

Torley Wong — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:04:08 +0000

By Torley Wong

It all started so innocently: I recently purchased an iPod Nano as an Xmas present, and also wanted to include the gift of music. A casual search on eBay led to attention-alarming auctions shouting at me, tantalizing me with the possibility of getting iTunes gift cards for CHEAP! How cheap? Apparently, if I shelled out US$5-8 dollars, I could get a "guide" with info telling me where to purchase these cards for up to "80% Off!!", one listing yelled. Yet another auction cautioned me while hawking its own ware, "How to NOT get scammed w itunes gift card code auctions". What was going on here?

I had to admit, the in-your-face attitude and numerous typographical errors turned me off — and I'm too thrifty to plunk down a few bucks to be told what URL to type in. (Nevermind the fact that some of these discount cards are listed on eBay… duh, how obvious.) So I did the most natural next thing: a Google search, and soon dove deeper into the dubiousness.

Several minutes later, I collected numerous pages pointing to iOffer, sort of like eBay, but a rockier road in terms of usability. Searching for "itunes 200" yielded numerous matches for $200 gift cards as low as $38. Alas, that seller was on vacation, so I had to settle for a $47 one. I placed an offer and watched the screen anxiously, refreshing the page and also checking my email. I noticed this seller was quite an inconsistent replier, attending to the newest offers bidding on his quantity of 50+ cards while not getting to first-come offers until much later. At last, I was served up an invoice, and PayPal'ed it through. A few minutes later, I received an email with the code. Terse, cryptic, and from a Chinese email address, it read:

Hi , here is the code .
$200
[CODE REMOVED]
pls use it asap.
and pls leave me a feedback.
thanks!

Too good to be true? I pondered. Why the urgency to use it? Only one way to find out. After I refreshed the page again and noticed the hotbed of activity piling up, I mused "They must really want their music!" and booted up the iTunes Store myself. I plunked in the code, and without hesitation, it was credited. My account balance now stood at $200.00, and as any music fan would naturally do, I began snapping up tracks.

But is there a darker side to this? Some would say yes. Feeling ethically conflicted, my curiosity got the better of me and I dug deeper. More info-nuggets were just a google away, such as:

US iTunes gift certificates bought with stolen cards
People on Ebay are selling itunes gift cards for %40 off? – Interesting behind-the-scenes report.

For a brief moment, my pupils dilated as wide as Dramatic Lemur's. Was I now linked to criminal activity? I don't want to be a knowing participant in the cycle of identity theft and fraud. Alas, it's hard to say.

I contacted over a dozen of these gift card bulk sellers. A few replied with unhelpful or cryptic answers. I chalked part of it up to their non-native English (a disproportionate amount claim to be Chinese or Eastern European), and the other part up to wanting to keep a tight lid on their profitable secrets. The most "comprehensive" response I got, after asking "How did you get such a great deal on these iTunes gift cards?", was:

Hi, I bought it from my friend . hehe
its price is realy low .
if you like, you can buy from me and then selll it on ebay.
I saw they sell about $100 for $200 card on ebay
hehe
thanks!

No shortage of "hehe" in the responses I received, that's for sure. Like the myths behind virtual gold farming, they add color to the tales, but that's where my trail went cold. Wherever there's riches, you can count on not just greed to be present, but bizarre human behavior.

Returning to eBay, I scoured around some more. I rummaged through the gift card auctions, and was hard-pressed to find any as popular or as below-expected-price as iTunes. I even found some big names that went substantially above their value, like this $530 winning bid on a $500 Amazon.com gift card. (What's the point?) But iTunes ones can be consistently, suspiciously found for much lower. Since the majority of these sales are digital codes, not actual cards (as one seller made sure to remind me he couldn't send the card), a physical object isn't necessary to use them. Which makes them harder to trace.

What's Apple's gospel word on this? None. Apple's Gift Card FAQ says nothing about the matter yet, but it's been happening for years. This has been bubbling beneath the surface and hasn't gotten broader attention. There's been articles about iTunes phishing, but that's not the same as the underground gift card/code phenomenon.

This is especially ambiguous because we can't rule out that there is a legit channel for these cards, or that they're so affordable for another, non-criminal reason which isn't understood by all parties involved. True, the factors I mentioned above make them look very shady. And even if you don't have a tight budget which strangles luxuries like music, the goal is always to buy low… so how low is too low? Branding someone as a crook just because they don't speak fluent English is unfair, considering that they may've genuinely gotten the codes from an associate and are genuinely unaware if it's unlawful. I'll understand if Apple gets in touch with me about my account, as they apparently have with some others, and in the meantime, I'll continue to use my store credit — and ethically, look for better ways to reward the artists directly. (Which is a discussion for another time.)

The moral of the story: from "it fell off the back of a truck" to gift codes in cyberspace, there can be more than meets the eye when it comes to an unbelievable deal.

Permalink | 9 comments | Torley Wong's blog | Channel: Shopping

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The Real Value of Forever Stamps

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:27:08 +0000

By Linsey Knerl

I’m horribly unorganized to the untrained eye. I’m a “stacker”, which means that while I know the general vicinity of any given piece of paper, it must be culled from a heaping pile of similarly-group items before I can use it. It’s my own method of organization, one that gives my husband the heebie-jeebies. It’s also the reason that just recently I’ve vowed to forever and always purchase the forever stamps.

What are forever stamps? For those who don’t know, they are first-class postage stamps that never decrease in their supposed value. If I buy them today at 42cents, they are good for first-class letters. If I keep them until the price of sending the letter goes up to 43cents, they are still good for first-class letters – no need to hunt down those pesky penny add-on stamps to legitimize my mailing.

Are they a good investment? There’s much debate to this topic. Financial experts claim that it’s an investment better made in something else (like canned goods, maybe?) I agree that postage stamps probably won’t be the next big investment vehicle; they only earn you something when you don’t use them, and then the price of postage goes up enough to justify buying scads of them in the first place. If you’re not a heavy mailer, you’ve really saved nothing.

But if you are a hopeless paper-collector (like myself), they may have a value above and beyond what can be measured by your annual postage budget. There is a certain “I did it again” factor that can be completely avoided by buying these puppies. Here’s how it works:

I am searching frantically for a stamp. Any stamp will do. (It doesn’t have to have Disney princesses or the latest wildlife habitat to tickle my fancy. It just has to be worth 42 cents.) The mail is arriving in 10-20 minutes, and since I’m located 6 miles from the nearest civilization, I’m hoping to find precious postage that will keep me from having to make the drive to town. (Back in the golden days, I could put an unstamped letter and pocket change right in the mailbox, and my postman would mail it for me.) After finding a crumpled-up sheet of stamps, I realize that I don’t know how much they are worth. They simply say “First-Class” but don’t have a monetary value printed on them. I head to the USPS website and do a search on their online store for a stamp that looks like mine, only to find that it is worth 41cents (or possibly even 40cents.) I continue rummaging through my files to find a 1cent stamp that I remember buying just a few months ago. Nothing.

Why o’ why didn’t I just buy forever stamps? (Or maybe you’re wondering why I don’t put my stamps in a special place where I can always find them.) Since it’s easier to change one purchasing habit than it is to reprogram my filing style, I have vowed to do just that. There is one catch:

Some post offices are reluctant to sell them. They won’t deny them to you. They just won’t offer them, either. Similar to other forms of cheap postage (like parcel post), they won’t suggestively sell this budget-friendly option. When I ask to buy a book of stamps, they whip out the beautifully-rendered holiday nutcracker stamps or my weakness, the Jim Henson Muppets series. I usually don’t even consider asking for “forever stamps.”

But all that will change. While many New Year’s Resolutions involve vows to eat less carbs, I’ll promise myself to always buy forever stamps. It will save a few pennies here and there, but it will also save some face. I’m investing in my self-esteem here.

Permalink | 15 comments | Linsey Knerl's blog | Channel: Personal Finance, Frugal Living, Life Hacks, Budgeting, General Tips, Investment

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Oprah's Best Life Week $250 Goodies Giveaway

Will Chen — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:57:56 +0000

By Will Chen

This week Oprah kicked off her "Best life Week" series featuring top experts who will help you start 2009 with renewed commitments to personal finance, wellness, health, spiritual insight and sexuality.

My favorite financial expert Suze Orman will be on the show this Thursday, January 8th, and she'll be doing a webcast with Oprah on Oprah.com at 8pm CST on January 15th.

The prize package

One Wise Bread reader will win this nifty gift package (approximate value $250):

“Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan” Signed by Suze Orman

The Oprah Store Logo PVC Tote: exclusive cream colored shoulder bag features an illustration of "the Oprah store."

Paper Mache Bowls - Dark Blue: hand made Paper Mache bowls made in South Africa by Wola Nani.

Travel Mug: double walled for temperature control and thumb ridge provides for extra grip.

Ilala Grass Basket with Lid – Large: handmade grass baskets from South Africa.

How to enter

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Recession Journal Part I: 'Fast' Money in the '09

Jabulani Leffall — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:11:29 +0000

By Jabulani Leffall

The year 2008 is history in every sense of the word.

History in that it’s finally over and has been for several days as stated by “Capitan Obvious” who is standing over me as I bang this post out.

The swashbuckling officer of the conspicuous also wants me to point out that 2008 is history because of the dramatic political changing of the guard, bank failures and job losses of historic proportions the world over, unprecedented industry bailouts, volatile equity, debt and commodities corrections and the worst credit conditions in perhaps the last century.

So what’s next?

You’re decision, that’s what. What’s next is the choices you will make, how you will handle yourself, whether you’ll be resolved to resist predictably deviating from usually empty resolutions made about this time -- specifically involving your moolah.

Rather than the usual about face, 180-degree-turn most will claim to fulfill this year, why not do it gradually?

Let’s face it, you’re thinking losses and gains right now, correct? Weight loss and financial gain, perhaps in a different order but please keep it real, these are the two most common areas, the biggest rooms for improvement and renovation every 365-days.

Well, in that sense, the dietary master cleanse with the cayenne pepper and maple syrup that goes down so violently and emerges so odiously can just as easily be applied to the way you spend your money.

But instead of deliberating and doting on doing a drastic, detailed, (and apparently alliterative) debt-diet, why not just try fasting as you would with a master cleanse.

But instead of decaying food on the walls of intestines being flushed out, what’s being expunged here is the pain derived from manic-depressive spending, which can also leave you doubled over in agony. Spending like a maniac when times are good, feeling bad about spending like a maniac when times are bad?

We’ve all been there. The week in between paydays, the three days on three digits until payday, the two integers in the account, including the decimal point; the nail biting between tuition checks, the “wait-a-minute-mr.-post-man” swan song familiar to many an independent contractor looking for checks in the mail to put them out of their misery or into the misery of immediately seeing the whole check disappear.

What if you held, stored and did without for just one week or one two-week interval every month? Fast. That’s the solution. Just like the master cleanse, all you need is a calendar. Pick a ridiculously low financial threshold and an applicable time period. Test it, stay home, take public transport, avoid eating out, go shopping for clothes in your closet or for purging, or for altruistic purposes. Barnes & Noble your own damn book shelf for a change because you know you ain't read all them books. Go to sleep. Who actually losses money by sleeping more except a toll-booth operator with narcolepsy?

With food we are reminded that a diet is what we consume not what we don’t consume. With money it’s both.

Find a realistic comfort zone and try it, stick to it, clam up, tighten up, get fit, challenge yourself. Because while we all know spending habits die harder than Bruce Willis signing on for one too many a sequel, attitude in money management trumps aptitude every time. Don’t worry I’ll let you think about that last stanza. Who spends money thinking?

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Making the Most of Imitation Crab Meat

Myscha Theriault — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:41:42 +0000

By Myscha Theriault

Ready to take this stuff from behind closed doors to center stage? Wanting a few more options for seafood on the cheap? This consistently affordable protein source has more flexibility than I could have ever dreamed. Read on to find out which recipes made my personal cut.

More formally known as surimi, imitation crab meat is what many people on a budget reach for when they are craving seafood. It's affordable, flexible and doesn't need to be cooked ahead of time. So how do you sex it up? Following are a few suggestions.

Appetizers and Snacks

The options in this category were almost overwhelming. When attempting to select the best of the best, I managed to narrow it down to less than twenty. Included in the snack and appetizer category are stuffed mushroom caps, a recipe or two for seafood nachos, chilled crab-stuffed veggies and cucumber canapes (delish, by the way – we tried them this weekend), sushi, regular and Vietnamese style fish ball appetizers, quesadillas, hot dip, party spread and stuffed jalapeños. A few others that made a rock star impression?

Savory seafood cheesecake appetizer.
Stuffed phyllo cups.
Unique crab flavored cheese ball rolled in sunflower kernels or your favorite chopped nuts.
Homemade crab rangoons.

With this many seriously grown up snack options, imitation crab meat is clearly seafood product that can hold its own.

Main Events

Ready to bring this stuff center stage on the dinner plate? I found numerous options in both the side dish and entrée categories, including stuffed shells, quiche, spinach and seafood egg rolls, regular and Italian style crab cakes, lasagna roll ups, casseroles and seafood stuffing. Several others made the cut as well:

Seafood and artichoke orzo.
Fish balls, both curried and served up with Chinese cabbage.
Crab and couscous stuffed peppers.
Korean seafood and vegetable pancakes.
Seafood stuffed chicken breasts.

Also, since my love affair with potatoes is well documented, it should come as no surprise that a few potato based meals made the list as well. Here are a couple from Taste of Home and CD Kitchen.

Light Lunches

Salivating for something that celebrates the sea while sipping your pinot grigio? I'm happy to report that I had quite a bit of luck in this department as well. How about open faced seafood sandwiches on English muffins, hot toasted oven subs, a slaw, salad, ceviche or even a crab pizza? Also of note were this California wrap, Asian seafood tart and several soup ideas. Three of my favorites? A winter squash and crab bisque, cream of seafood and celery soup, and a cheesy corn and crab chowder, all of which would be great with some homemade batter bread.

Savory Breakfasts

There weren't a ton of options in this category, but these three unusual sounding ones did manage to float to the top of my internet radar.

Crab and cheddar waffles. (These should definitely take the breakfast for dinner concept to the next level.)
Creamy crab sauce on corn pancakes.
Seafood strata. (Great for a brunch buffet and coffee bar event.)

While I didn't run into recipes for them, I would think a seafood and horseradish crepe or Swiss cheese and surimi frittata would be easy enough to invent on one's own.

So there you have it. Four main categories with detailed suggestions on making the most of imitation crab meat. For those of you who have been craving more fish in your diet and wondering how to make it happen on a budget, I trust I've covered the concept in the last couple of articles. Got another great budget tip for imitation crab meat? Feel free to share below.

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