The End of a Love Affair

For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored with Coca-Cola.  In my childhood I drank (what is now called "classic") sugar laden Coca-Cola out of frosty glass bottles.  When Tab was introduced in 1963 I became an instant devotee, when Tab was no longer available on the rock upon which I dwell I switched to Diet Coke, but my brand loyalty always stayed with Coca-Cola.  I collected Coke trays, during the hols Coca-Cola holiday screensavers graced my computer screen. 

It was a love affair I thought would last a lifetime.

But, sadly, Coca-Cola outgrew me.  I feel betrayed by the new can size.  Oh, you say, it's less than 1/2 inch... what difference can that make?  The old can was 4.83 inches high, the new can is 5.25 inches.  The soda shelf in my fridge holds two conventional 12 packs cozily nested side by side.  "Move your shelf," said a friend.  I tried that.  Repositioning the shelf to accommodate the new can height rendered the space below it almost unusable. 

As my supply of the old Diet Coke cans dwindled, I reluctantly sought a substitute.  A silver can winked at me.  "Try me."  Oh, why not.  Diet Pepsi.  Hm-m-m-m.  I could grow to like it.  And the cans fit my shelf.  As long as Pepsi sticks to the 4.78 inch can height, I'll stay true.  Otherwise, it's all over between us.

Penny Pincher

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Judy Garland singing to Margaret O'Brien in Meet Me in St. Louis... a holiday favorite along with Mel Torme crooning about chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  For Christmas movies, top on my list is Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck. 

My kitchen has been filled with the scent of gingerbread.  I found a wonderful, easy, recipe online for gingerbread baked in a square tin.  I had all the ingredients in my pantry and in less than an hour a pan of gingerbread was out of the oven, cooling on a rack.  It was SO good, I made a second batch yesterday.  My favorite holiday treat is peppermint stick ice cream.  When the local grocery stores stopped bringing it in each year, I started making my own in a Cuisinart ice cream maker I bought for myself a few years ago at a Black Friday sale.  Happy Christmas to me.

What wonderful things are you doing for yourself this holiday season?

However you celebrate, may it give you joy; and may your new year be filled with peace and prosperity.

Penny Pincher

Deck Us All with Boston Charlie

If you're of a certain age, and a Pogo fan, you'll recognize the header for this post.  If not, treat yourself here:

Pogo Christmas Carol

It's a cheap and cheerful Christmas in my house.  Yesterday, at the flea market where I volunteer four mornings a week, a woman donated boxes of unused holiday lights.  "My electric bill is so high, I can't afford to put up lights this year," she said. 

I know where this woman is coming from.  I just paid my monthly electric bill... $84.62, for 220 KWH.  That's $0.3846 per KWH.   For what?  I don't use my electric stove, only my microwave and (very seldom) a toaster oven.  I have an on demand water heater, for use in the shower only.  My main use in the warmer month is for the 5 fans that cool my apartment,  no a/c.  In the cooler months only my ceiling fan keeps air circulating.   Yes, I have a refrigerator, watch tv, my laptop is plugged in several hours a day, I charge my cell phone, but that's about it other than lights that are turned off when not in use.  The power company keeps promising lower rates.  Right.  And pigs have wings. 

But all is not gloom and doom.  I gave Black Friday shopping a pass this year - nothing I wanted or needed - and spent part of the day decorating for the hols, using old favorites from years past.  The only new item this year was a Thanksgiving turkey tea light holder I bought for $1.00 on a recent trip to the States.  My first trip off the rock in five years.  I'd forgotten what a PITA travel can be.  I had a great time away for a few days; but, like Dorothy said, "There's no place like home."

Penny Pincher

Giving Thanks - 2018

Thanksgiving is a scant three days away and I'm ready for it.  Pumpkin pie baked and chilling in the fridge along with whipped topping, cranberry sauce, brie, homemade hummus and a flower embossed bottle of sparkling rose.  In the freezer are boneless/skinless chicken breasts I'll be cooking ala Faith Durand* for Thanksgiving dinner.  Easy prep, easy clean up, maximum enjoyment.

I'm thankful for many things this year:

-- NO hurricanes
-- continued good health
-- the 485 square feet I still call home
-- another debt-free year with increased savings
-- and most of all, good friends

Wishing everyone the joy and bounty of the season.

Penny Pincher

*recipe here:

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891

Wise Sayings

Thinking of wise sayings (my personal rules to live by):

-- It’s okay to be happy.
-- Don't whine.  

-- Never put your eggs in someone else’s basket.
-- Don't set your watch by someone else's clock.
-- Never be less than you are for anyone.

-- Don't define yourself by age.

-- Never encumber your residence… you always need a place to hang your hat, keep it free and clear.
-- Condo living: Be considerate of your neighbors, follow the rules, pay your bills on time.

-- Don’t take crap from anyone. 

-- Never screw with people who can hurt you.  That includes the IRS and your dentist.
-- Eat your vegetables.

Penny Pincher

One Year After Maria

It's been a year since Maria devastated the rock on which I've lived over half my life.  I was fortunate, a little water, no real damage.  I have friends who are still waiting for the insurance payouts necessary to repair their homes.  That's unconscionable.  Especially when we're in the middle of another hurricane season. 

I look back on the past year, my life has definitely changed for the better since Maria.  Changed my diet during the two months we were without power; lost weight, kept it off.  That's a plus.  I have a part time volunteer position that I enjoy.  Another plus.  Less spent on food means more for savings.  Again, a plus.  More exercise, more stamina.  Plus, plus. 

As much as I dread the thought of ever having to go through another hurricane, I know I can survive.  That's a plus in itself.

Penny Pincher

Cash Still Works

Over the weekend I had the unsettling experience of having my credit cards declined online when I tried to pay a utility bill.  Huh?  What gives?  I never did find out why they were declined.  I am a long time customer of the utility, had previously paid by a different credit card without a problem.  I called the utility customer service... a very pleasant real live person tried to pay the bill with the same results.  Declined.  It was frustrating, embarrassing and annoying.  I have good credit!  I pay my credit card bill in full every month (my FICO score is above 800); there is $$ in my bank account to cover my debit card.  But no dice when it came to using the credit or debit card to pay a simple utility bill.  I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall.

Cash to the rescue.  Bright and early Monday morning I trotted my happy self to the utility office, cash in hand, where I discovered a miracle of technology: a payment machine.  Accepts credit cards OR cash (even gives change if required).  Didn't bother trying to use my credit/debit cards.  Fed that lovely machine cash, paid the bill, set up a cash credit to cover four months of future bills and left, receipt in hand.  In the future I will feed that machine cash on a quarterly basis to cover monthly billing.

Good to know that when the chips are down cash still works.   In my house it will always be king.

Penny Pincher

It's All About Character

Like many golf fans, I was disappointed for and by Phil in the 2018 U.S. Open Championship that ended yesterday.  We had hopes for Phil: his desire to finally win the Open and grab the grand slam accolade he's sought for so long.  But what happened on 13 Saturday afternoon burst the Phil fan bubble for me.  When character counts, Phil's tank was empty.

I won't belabor the details - you can get them here:

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-phil-mickelson-no-dq-us-open-putt-2018-6

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2018-the-usga-still-got-it-wrong-when-it-didnt-dq-phil-mickelson

Phil may have acted impulsively at the moment he took a swat at his still moving golf ball; but his smug posturing at the press conference after the round was a character test he failed miserably when he told his fans to "toughen up" because he bent the golf rules to his advantage.

This isn't the first time Phil has slithered through a sticky wicket:

http://cheapncheerfulliving.blogspot.com/2016/05/phil-phil-phil.html

Saturday was Phil's 48th birthday, the best present he got was the 2 stroke penalty from the USGA.  Phil should have had the maturity and strength of character to DQ himself from the event.

Penny Pincher

Home $weet Home

It was nine years ago that I bought my condo... the 485 square feet I call home.  It was one of the best things I've done for myself. 

It was love at first sight: the layout, the ocean view, the private balcony.  The price was right.  I made an offer, it was accepted, I started packing.  For 21 years prior I had lived in a studio guest apartment slightly smaller than the one I bought so I was used to cozy spaces.  When my former landlady died, her heirs wanted to sell the house; it was time for me to move. 

I have no regrets.  Nor have I had one day of buyer's remorse.  I love my home.  The sunrise flooding my east facing ocean view windows, the sunset streaming into my kitchen and bath.  The days I sit on my balcony reading, the nights I stargaze. 

I crunched the numbers and discovered that my monthly home ownership expense (I paid cash, no mortgage involved) is cheaper than my former rent, by 33%.  Wow.  That much.  It's extra $$ in my savings account every month. 

Best of all, I will never have to move again and I'll never be a bag lady.

Penny Pincher

The Price of a Vice

An acquaintance was diagnosed this week with COPD and told to quit smoking.  As of now she says she hasn't smoked in 12 days.  But she's whining about quitting.  To which I say: get over it!

I quit 11 years ago (cold turkey after 5 non-smoking days in bed with bronchitis) when I was clinging to a wall, gasping for breath, after climbing a flight of stairs.  It was the best decision I've made for myself.  I was over the 5 day "gotta have a ciggie" hump; ok, I was a raging bitch for awhile and put on a few pounds... but I stopped coughing almost immediately, gradually built up my stamina, started walking every morning, and the money I saved???  After 11 non-smoking years?  Thousands.  

I was lucky... no lingering after effects.  Finally lost the excess weight, haven't had bronchitis since I quit.  My acquaintance may not be so lucky... medication and oxygen may become staples of her life.  I hope not and wish for her the same luck I had when I quit. 

It's mind over matter... bad habits can be broken.  Overall, the price of a vice may be too much to pay.

Penny Pincher

Cautionary Tales for Women

The following articles should be required reading:

From the LA Times:

http://graphics.latimes.com/retirement-nomads/

From The Atlantic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/02/pensions-safety-net-california/553970/

From Marketwatch:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/many-older-americans-are-living-a-desperate-nomadic-life-2017-11-06

I am saddened by lives that could have been mine and gladdened that I had the foresight and wherewithal that they are not.

There are many things in life that are beyond our control -- unforeseen health problems -- but financial planning is not.  Get a grip on your finances.  If you don't have a budget, make one.  Know where you stand on retirement income... social security?  How much can you expect to receive?  Will it be enough to cover your living expenses?  If you need additional income, where will you get it?

I am grateful every day of my retirement that I planned ahead, waited until 70 to start collecting social security, and worked for another two years, socking away as much as I could into savings.  Is it enough?  Who knows?  But I sleep well, my current needs and caprices are covered by my monthly income, and I continue to save every month.

Are you a grasshopper or an ant?  Your retirement is at stake.  Start planning for it now.

Penny Pincher

Borrow to Buy Stock? Are You Nuts???

I read in the financial press that investors are borrowing to buy stock - hoping for a quick profit, no doubt - then are forced to sell, often at a loss, when margin calls force them to liquidate which may account in part for the roller coaster ride the stock market has been on of late. 

Are they nuts???  Borrow money to gamble?  Would you borrow to go to a casino?  I view the stock market as a crap shoot, with the odds favoring the house, not the players.  It's not a guaranteed win.

I can think of many reasons to borrow money -- buy a house, buy a car, pay for an education -- but borrowing to buy stock is crazy.   It's stupid spending. 

When did debt become an accepted way of life?  In my house it's still a dirty four letter word.

Penny Pincher

As Good as It Gets

It's been three years since I retired.  I discovered recently the two words that make retirement a daily joy:

GOOD HEALTH

Without it, retirement is a slog.  I feel extremely fortunate that I seldom get sick.  Glad that I quit my pack-a-day smoking habit over ten years ago.  Yes, it would have been better for me to a) quit sooner or b) never have started.  But that's hindsight, a boot in the bum.  Any breathing problems I had are gone.  I feel great!   I realize I have no control over the future or what may befall me -- I have friends with major health problems that have cropped up in the past year -- but I am grateful for my current health status and work to maintain it through diet and exercise.  And daily vitamins.

There are other factors that contribute to my current state of well-being:

-- I love where I live.  I can no longer tolerate the eternal pissing and moaning over weather -- like Goldilocks' porridge it's either too cold or too hot -- that online acquaintances engage in daily.  If you're not happy where you are, STFU and MOVE.  Find a place that warms your soul.  Life is too damned short to be miserable over something as easily remedied as weather. 

-- $$ in the bank.  Again, I listen to stupid spenders pissing and moaning about how they will never be able to retire.  Why not?  Because they're ass up in debt and accept it as a way of life.  Get a grip.  Work to achieve a debt-free life.  You'll sleep better and live happier.  I'm debt free, budget my money with an approximate 50-50 spend/save ratio.  I don't feel deprived. 

-- Insurance.  A necessary evil.  Health insurance, auto insurance, home insurance.  I have it all.  And because I have it, I don't need it.  But - knock on - if I were to cancel my policies, I'd need them.  Go figure. 

Penny Pincher

Hurricane Diet & Exercise Plan

Want to lose weight?

Want to really feel good?  More pep in your step?

Want to cut your grocery bill?

Want to spend less time in the kitchen?  Minimal cleanup?

It's all possible with the Hurricane Diet & Exercise Plan.  Here's what I did as a result of two hurricanes in September, no power for two months (no refrigeration, daily ice run to keep food/drinks chilled in two coolers) and minimal food selection available in the supermarkets.

-- Eat the same thing every day.  It's pretty much what I'd done pre-hurricanes.  I'm not a foodie, I eat to live, not live to eat.  But I cut out frozen food (no refrigeration, remember?) and stuck to basics.  Low fat unsweetened yogurt, wheat germ, tuna, peanut butter, cheese and rotisserie chicken (no power for cooking, remember?).  Drank lots of water, iced tea and diet soda.

-- Exercise, in addition to my daily morning walk, I now put in 8 hours a week walking, lifting, bending, sorting, shelving books at the flea market.

-- When power was restored in mid-November, I stuck to the hurricane diet, but dropped rotisserie chicken in favor of my pre-storm dinner standby: boneless, skinless chicken thighs which I poach in my microwave. The resulting chicken broth is strained and frozen for future use.  I restocked frozen burgers for my Saturday night burger/beer fest, chicken nuggets and sour cream for Friday/Sunday dinners. The hurricane diet takes me less time to shop, less sticker shock at the check-out, less food waste.  It's a win-win-win.

Best part?  I have lost weight, I feel great and it's easy to stick with the diet.

And... less spent on food means more $$ for treats!  Another win.

Penny Pincher