As college graduation is approaching, I’m asked with increasing frequency what my next steps are going to be.  Where am I going to live?  What do I want to do for my career?  How am I going to support myself?  It can be overwhelming.  One thing I do know, though, is that my finances are going play an integral role in my success over the next few years—who am I kidding… for the rest of my life.  So, I asked Get Smart’s financial expert Shannah Compton to help me come up with a few things I can add to my ever-growing to do list to secure my financial future.  Here’s what she came up with: Shannah: I can still clearly remember graduating from college. For me, that day was almost 11 years ago. I remember being so full of energy and excitement for what the world had in store for me.  I remember having the “senior swagger”, which for me was an untouchable feeling that I was on top of the world.  I also remember having absolutely no clue how I was going to operate in the “real word.” I always thought that on the day after I graduated a special fairy came down and tapped me on the shoulder and reveled this great plan for how my life was to progress from that point.  The special “graduation fairy” would tell me which job to take, where to live, who to marry.  And of course with that I would quickly have an ever growing account balance and know exactly which financial decisions to make. I know you won’t admit it, but don’t you secretly wish we did have a “graduation fairy?” My 20’s were pretty rocky, filled with a lot of trial and error, especially where my finances were concerned.  This learning curve can be pretty steep, especially when you don’t have your peers to turn to for advice—they are experiencing the same highs and lows as you are even if they don’t want to talk about it. So what do you do? How do you know where to start? Below is my 6 Point Checklist that I wish my “graduation fairy” would have whispered in my ear! 1. Create a Cash Compass: A cash compass, also known as your monthly budget, is the most essential item you can prepare on a monthly basis to get yourself pointed in the right direction. Would you be surprised to know that many of my million dollar earning clients still don’t have a budget? And even though they earn that much money, they are in worse financial shape than you and me! My point is that you never have too little or too much money to take this important step. So where do you start? It’s simple. Create a 12 month excel spreadsheet with tabs for each month.  The sheet should look like this: Income Expenses (Income items listed on the left side) (ALL expenses listed on    right side) Total Income - Total Expenses = Net Income *Your goal is for Net Income to be positive There are 2 important rules to your cash compass= (1) That you always list all of your expenses, even things such as haircuts, groceries, ATM withdrawals, etc. (2) That any positive net is put into a savings account each month. 2. Build Your Score: Your credit score is one of the single most important numbers that you will ever possess. This little 3 digit number will dictate how much you have to pay when you buy a car, a house, borrow a loan, etc. I joke that you should first ask your potential wife or husband what their credit score is. If acceptable, then you can marry them! You need to open a credit card in your name to begin building your score. Like most things in life you need to use credit to get credit. But you must remember to use it wisely and follow these rules: (1) Always pay off the balance every month (2) Apply for a credit card that offers some sort of reward program (cash back, airline miles, etc.) You should always be getting something for your money. 3. Savings, Savings, Savings: Most financial professionals will tell you to open a savings account and aim for saving at least 10% of your take home income every month.  This is your goal, but not where you start if you are new to saving. I suggest you start with a modest 2-3% of your take home pay for 6 months. Once you are comfortable with that, stretch yourself and see if you can increase that to 5% for the next 6 months. Once you have made savings a habit, increase your savings, if you can, to 8-10% for the following years. You may not always be able to hit this target every month but the goal is to put forth an effort and create a habit. Always look for ways to build your savings too. Great ideas are if you get a raise, or if you get money back from your tax returns. Another idea is to find ways to use any special talents you may have to make some extra money. For example, I love to cook and could offer weekend cooking classes to friends and charge them $20 each. There are tons of creative ideas once you start thinking about your unique talents. 4. Protect Your Identity: Identity theft is a real threat, especially since we do so much on our computers. You’re on Facebook- and then Twitter- and then Email- and then back to Facebook. You would be surprised how easy it is for someone to hack into your computer and steal your social security number, passwords, bank balances, etc. So, not only is it important to create your cash compass, build your credit, and save, but you have to also make sure that you are protected. There are many different identity theft programs out there. Most offer monthly payments or an annual payment at a discount. Be sure to make this an important item in your expense column for your cash compass. If you can’t afford an identity theft program, at least take a couple of steps to safeguard your information. (1) Make sure your computer is protected by a firewall of some sort. (2) Make sure you change your passwords frequently and keep a list of the passwords somewhere other than your computer. 5. Protect Your Most Valuable Asset- Your Health Make sure you are still covered under your parents’ health insurance plan once you graduate. You’ve probably never thought about it, but if you were ever sick or hurt and needed to spend time in the hospital, and you didn’t have health insurance, you could have a bill in the 10’s to 100’s of thousands of dollars. It could quickly bankrupt you and or your parents. This is no way to start out your financial future. Most colleges offer a discounted plan to graduates. If you are not covered by your parents’ plan, check out the plan offered by your college. At least put in place a catastrophe policy- meaning a policy that will cover you in the “oh my god” instances. These types of policies usually have a much lower premium but still provide you with enough coverage should you have a major accident or get sick. 6. Bonus Item- Read These Important Books 1.     Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill 2.     One Up on Wall Street, by Peter Lynch

As college graduation is approaching, I’m asked with increasing frequency what my next steps are going to be.  Where am I going to live?  What do I want to do for my career?  How am I going to support myself?  It can be overwhelming.  One thing I do know, though, is that my finances are going play an integral role in my success over the next few years—who am I kidding… for the rest of my life.  So, I asked Get Smart’s financial expert Shannah Compton to help me come up with a few things I can add to my ever-growing to do list to secure my financial future.  Here’s what she came up with:

Shannah: I can still clearly remember graduating from college. For me, that day was almost 11 years ago. I remember being so full of energy and excitement for what the world had in store for me.  I remember having the “senior swagger”, which for me was an untouchable feeling that I was on top of the world.  I also remember having absolutely no clue how I was going to operate in the “real word.”

I always thought that on the day after I graduated a special fairy came down and tapped me on the shoulder and reveled this great plan for how my life was to progress from that point.  The special “graduation fairy” would tell me which job to take, where to live, who to marry.  And of course with that I would quickly have an ever growing account balance and know exactly which financial decisions to make.

I know you won’t admit it, but don’t you secretly wish we did have a “graduation fairy?”

My 20’s were pretty rocky, filled with a lot of trial and error, especially where my finances were concerned.  This learning curve can be pretty steep, especially when you don’t have your peers to turn to for advice—they are experiencing the same highs and lows as you are even if they don’t want to talk about it. So what do you do? How do you know where to start?

Below is my 6 Point Checklist that I wish my “graduation fairy” would have whispered in my ear!

1. Create a Cash Compass:

A cash compass, also known as your monthly budget, is the most essential item you can prepare on a monthly basis to get yourself pointed in the right direction. Would you be surprised to know that many of my million dollar earning clients still don’t have a budget? And even though they earn that much money, they are in worse financial shape than you and me!

My point is that you never have too little or too much money to take this important step.

So where do you start? It’s simple. Create a 12 month excel spreadsheet with tabs for each month.  The sheet should look like this:

Income Expenses

(Income items listed on the left side) (ALL expenses listed on    right side)

Total Income - Total Expenses = Net Income

*Your goal is for Net Income to be positive

There are 2 important rules to your cash compass=

(1) That you always list all of your expenses, even things such as haircuts, groceries, ATM withdrawals, etc.

(2) That any positive net is put into a savings account each month.

2. Build Your Score:

Your credit score is one of the single most important numbers that you will ever possess. This little 3 digit number will dictate how much you have to pay when you buy a car, a house, borrow a loan, etc. I joke that you should first ask your potential wife or husband what their credit score is. If acceptable, then you can marry them!

You need to open a credit card in your name to begin building your score. Like most things in life you need to use credit to get credit. But you must remember to use it wisely and follow these rules:

(1) Always pay off the balance every month

(2) Apply for a credit card that offers some sort of reward program (cash back, airline miles, etc.) You should always be getting something for your money.

3. Savings, Savings, Savings:

Most financial professionals will tell you to open a savings account and aim for saving at least 10% of your take home income every month.  This is your goal, but not where you start if you are new to saving.

I suggest you start with a modest 2-3% of your take home pay for 6 months. Once you are comfortable with that, stretch yourself and see if you can increase that to 5% for the next 6 months. Once you have made savings a habit, increase your savings, if you can, to 8-10% for the following years. You may not always be able to hit this target every month but the goal is to put forth an effort and create a habit.

Always look for ways to build your savings too. Great ideas are if you get a raise, or if you get money back from your tax returns. Another idea is to find ways to use any special talents you may have to make some extra money. For example, I love to cook and could offer weekend cooking classes to friends and charge them $20 each. There are tons of creative ideas once you start thinking about your unique talents.

4. Protect Your Identity:

Identity theft is a real threat, especially since we do so much on our computers. You’re on Facebook- and then Twitter- and then Email- and then back to Facebook. You would be surprised how easy it is for someone to hack into your computer and steal your social security number, passwords, bank balances, etc.

So, not only is it important to create your cash compass, build your credit, and save, but you have to also make sure that you are protected.

There are many different identity theft programs out there. Most offer monthly payments or an annual payment at a discount. Be sure to make this an important item in your expense column for your cash compass.

If you can’t afford an identity theft program, at least take a couple of steps to safeguard your information.

(1) Make sure your computer is protected by a firewall of some sort.

(2) Make sure you change your passwords frequently and keep a list of the passwords somewhere other than your computer.

5. Protect Your Most Valuable Asset- Your Health

Make sure you are still covered under your parents’ health insurance plan once you graduate. You’ve probably never thought about it, but if you were ever sick or hurt and needed to spend time in the hospital, and you didn’t have health insurance, you could have a bill in the 10’s to 100’s of thousands of dollars. It could quickly bankrupt you and or your parents. This is no way to start out your financial future.

Most colleges offer a discounted plan to graduates. If you are not covered by your parents’ plan, check out the plan offered by your college. At least put in place a catastrophe policy- meaning a policy that will cover you in the “oh my god” instances. These types of policies usually have a much lower premium but still provide you with enough coverage should you have a major accident or get sick.

6. Bonus Item- Read These Important Books

1.     Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill

2.     One Up on Wall Street, by Peter Lynch

--Tagged under: advice--

--Tagged under: personal finance--

--Tagged under: Shannah Compton--

--Tagged under: graduation--

This spring is my last spring as a college student, and it’s not proving to be easy.  20 credit hours, lots of coffee and multiple tearful breakdowns later, I’m trying to find ways to chill out and relieve some stress.  I think these CD’s are a necessity.  Finally, a way to listen to relaxing music without feeling like you have to pee (those babbling brooks aren’t messing around). First up on my list, the rock classics (solely for “Into the Mystic”)… but the Beatles compilation isn’t far behind.

This spring is my last spring as a college student, and it’s not proving to be easy.  20 credit hours, lots of coffee and multiple tearful breakdowns later, I’m trying to find ways to chill out and relieve some stress.  I think these CD’s are a necessity.  Finally, a way to listen to relaxing music without feeling like you have to pee (those babbling brooks aren’t messing around).

First up on my list, the rock classics (solely for “Into the Mystic”)… but the Beatles compilation isn’t far behind.

--Tagged under: stress relief--

--Tagged under: advice--

Food Network came out with the Top 50 Recipes of 2009.  So, to that end… Top 3 Reasons to Cook at Home: 1.  Save money.  Cooking at home is cheaper than going out to eat, plain and simple. 2.  Eat healthier.  When you know exactly what’s going into your food, you can control how much fat, salt, sugar, etc. there is in each meal you prepare.  You’d be surprised to see just how bad for you simple meals out can be.  Case in point:  A burrito from On the Border.  My roommates and I went to eat there just last week and what I thought was a healthy choice (I mean how bad can grilled chicken, rice and beans really be for you?) turned out to be disgustingly fattening.  One Chicken Bordurrito = 1970 calories and 93 grams of fat.  Needless to say, that’s the last time I’ll be eating at On the Border. 3.  Have fun with cooking.  Trying new recipes and mastering exciting dishes can be incredibly fun and satisfying.  Not only that, but you and your friends can do pot lucks, supper clubs, or “family dinner nights” as we like to call it at my house.  You get to try other people’s favorite recipes and have a great meal altogether.  What’s better than that?

Food Network came out with the Top 50 Recipes of 2009.  So, to that end…

Top 3 Reasons to Cook at Home:

1.  Save money.  Cooking at home is cheaper than going out to eat, plain and simple.

2.  Eat healthier.  When you know exactly what’s going into your food, you can control how much fat, salt, sugar, etc. there is in each meal you prepare.  You’d be surprised to see just how bad for you simple meals out can be.  Case in point:  A burrito from On the Border.  My roommates and I went to eat there just last week and what I thought was a healthy choice (I mean how bad can grilled chicken, rice and beans really be for you?) turned out to be disgustingly fattening.  One Chicken Bordurrito = 1970 calories and 93 grams of fat.  Needless to say, that’s the last time I’ll be eating at On the Border.

3.  Have fun with cooking.  Trying new recipes and mastering exciting dishes can be incredibly fun and satisfying.  Not only that, but you and your friends can do pot lucks, supper clubs, or “family dinner nights” as we like to call it at my house.  You get to try other people’s favorite recipes and have a great meal altogether.  What’s better than that?


--Tagged under: advice--

--Tagged under: cooking--

--Tagged under: Top 50 Recipes--

--Tagged under: Food Network--

--Tagged under: food--

"It is nice to see a love story work out— but for me, the applause line isn’t that I married him, but that five years after meeting in Bali, we are actually still happy together…. marriage won’t make you happy if you’re not already happy. You have to be completely yourself first…be as strong an individual as you can be."
— Elizabeth Gilbert in an interview with Glamour Magazine, January 2009 issue, page 66

--Tagged under: advice--

--Tagged under: Elizabeth Gilbert Glamour Interview--

--Tagged under: marriage--

Tax Advice from the brilliant Bill Bryson

If any of you have attempted to do your own taxes, I’m sure you will be as amused by this bit as I was.  This book is one of the funniest that I’ve read in a long time.  I highly recommend it.

An excerpt from I’m a Stranger Here Myself:

Enclosed is your 1999 United States Internal Revenue service Tax Form 1040-ES OCR “Estimated Tax For Self-Employed Individuals.” You may use this form to estimate your 1999 fiscal year tax if:

  1. You are the head of a household and the sum of your spouse and dependents, minus the ages of qualifying pets (see Schedule 12G), is divisible by a whole number. (Use Supplementary Schedule 142C if pets are deceased but buried on your property)
  2. Your Gross Adjusted Income does not exceed your Adjusted Gross Income (except where applicable) and you did not pay taxable interest on dividend income prior to 1903
  3. You are not claiming a foreign tax credit, except as a “foreign” tax credit. (Warning: claiming for a foreign tax credit for a foreign “tax” credit, except where a foreign “tax credit” is involved, may result in a fine of $125,000 and 25 years imprisonment)
  4. You are not one of the following: married and filing jointly; married and not filing jointly; not married and not filing jointly; jointed but not filing; other.

INSTRUCTIONS

Type out all answers in ink with a number two lead pencil. Do not cross anything out. Do not use abbreviations or ditto marks. Do not mis-spell “miscellaneous”. Write your name, address and social security number, and the name, address and social security number of your spouse and dependents, in full on each page twice. Do not put a tick in a box marked “cross” or a cross in a box marked “tick” unless it is your wish to do the whole thing again. Do not write “Search Me” in any blank spaces. Do not make anything up.

Complete sections 47 to 52 first then proceed to even-numbered sections and complete in reverse order. Do not use this form if your total pensions and annuities disbursements were greater than your advanced earned income credits or vice versa.

Under “income”, list all wages, salaries, net foreign source taxable income, royalties, tips, gratuities, taxable interest, capital gains, air miles, pints paid on and money found down the back of the sofa. If your earnings are derived wholly, or partially but not primarily, or wholly and partially but not primarily from countries other than the United States (if uncertain, see USIA Leaflet 212W, “Countries That Are Not The United States”) or your rotated gross income from Schedule H was greater than your earned income credit on non-taxable net disbursements, you must include a Grantor/Transferor Waiver Voucher. Failure to do so may result in a fine of $1,500,000 and seizure of a child.

Under Section 890f, list total farm income (if none give details). If you were born after January 1, 1897, and are not a widow(er), include excess casualty losses and provide carryover figures for depreciation on line 27iii. You must list number of turkeys slaughtered for export. Subtract, but do not deduct, net gross dividends from pro rata interest payments, multiply by the total number of steps in your home and enter on line 356d.

On Schedule F1001, line c, list the contents of your garage. Include all electrical and non-electrical items on Schedule 295D but do not include any electrical or non-electrical items not listed on Supplementary Form 243d.

Under “Personal Expenditures”, itemize all cash expenditures of more than one dollar and include verification. If you have had dental work and you are not claiming a refund on the federal oil spill allowance, enter your shoe sizes since birth and enclose specimen shoes (Right foot only) Multiply by 1.5 or 1,319, whichever is larger, and divide line 3f by 3d. Under Section 912g, enter federal income support grants for the production of alfalfa, barley (but not sorghum, unless for home consumption) and okra whether or not you received any. Failure to do so may result in a fine on $3,750,000 and death by lethal injection.

If your children are dependent but not living at home, or living at home but not dependent, or dependent and living at home but hardly ever there and you are not claiming exemption for losses of maritime vessels in excess of 12,000 tonnes deadweight (15,000 tonnes if you are military personnel based in Canada) you must complete and include a Maritime Vessel Exemption Form. Failure to do so may result in a fine of $111,000,000 and a nuclear attack on a small, neutral country.

On Pages 924 through 926, Schedule D, enter the names of people you know personally who are Communist or use drugs (Use extra pages if necessary).

If you have interest earnings from savings accounts, securities, bearer bonds, certificates of deposit or other fiduciary instruments, but do not know your hat size, complete Supplementary Schedules 112d and 112f and enclose with all relevant tables. (Do not send chairs at this time.) Include, but do not collate, ongoing losses from mining investments, commodities transactions and organ transplants, divide by the number of motel visits you made in 1996, and enter in any remaining spaces. If you have unreimbursed employee expenses, tough.

To compute your estimated tax, add lines 27 through 964, deduct lines 45a and 699f from Schedule 2F (if greater or less than 2.2% of average alternative estimated tax for the last five years), multiply by the number of RPMs your car registers when stuck on ice, and add 2. If line 997 is smaller than line 998, start again. In the space marked “Tax Due”, write a very large figure.

Make your check payable to “Internal Revenue Service Of The United States Of America And To The Republic For Which It Stands, One Nation, Under God With Liberty And Justice For All” and mark for the attention of Connie. On the back of your check write your social security number, Taxpayer Identification Number, IRS Tax Code Audit Number(s), IRS Regional Office Sub-Unit Zone Number (unless you are filing a T/45 Sub-Unit Zone Exclusion Notice), sexual orientation and smoking preference and send to:

Internal Revenue Service Of The United States Of America
Tax Reception And Orientation Center
Building D
Annex G78
Suite 900
Subduction Zone 12
Box 132677-02
Drawer 2, About Halfway Back
Federal City
Maryland 10001

If you have any questions about filing, or require assistance with your return, phone 1-800-BUSY-SIGNAL. Thank you and have a prosperous 2000. Failure to do so may result in a fine of $125,000 and a long walk to the cooler.

--Tagged under: Bill Bryson--

--Tagged under: Tax Advice--

--Tagged under: advice--

A few months back, my adoring Mother bought these beauties, claiming they were the most comfortable shoes she’s ever worn that didn’t also make her look like she belonged in a retirement home.  Although the price tag was pretty steep, the saleswoman assured my mom that if she had any problems with them, she could bring them back in for repairs.  Three months later, the soles had grown a tad worn so mommy dearest decided she would swing by Nordstrom to see what they could do. Shoe Repair at Nordstrom, Take 1: Mom:  Hi, I bought these shoes a few months ago and I paid a lot of money for them, but I’m not very pleased with how they’re wearing. (Holds up the bottom of the shoe for salesman to see) Salesman: Wow.  What size are they? Mom: 39 Salesman: Let me go in the back and get you another pair. Mom: What?  You can do that? Salesman: We don’t want to just sell you a pair of shoes, Mrs. Parham.  We want you to be a lifetime customer.  Here is your brand new pair of $300 shoes for free.  Have a nice day! I don’t know what to say, except that from now on… I’m buying every last pair of shoes from Nordstrom.

A few months back, my adoring Mother bought these beauties, claiming they were the most comfortable shoes she’s ever worn that didn’t also make her look like she belonged in a retirement home.  Although the price tag was pretty steep, the saleswoman assured my mom that if she had any problems with them, she could bring them back in for repairs.  Three months later, the soles had grown a tad worn so mommy dearest decided she would swing by Nordstrom to see what they could do.

Shoe Repair at Nordstrom, Take 1:

Mom:  Hi, I bought these shoes a few months ago and I paid a lot of money for them, but I’m not very pleased with how they’re wearing.

(Holds up the bottom of the shoe for salesman to see)

Salesman: Wow.  What size are they?

Mom: 39

Salesman: Let me go in the back and get you another pair.

Mom: What?  You can do that?

Salesman: We don’t want to just sell you a pair of shoes, Mrs. Parham.  We want you to be a lifetime customer.  Here is your brand new pair of $300 shoes for free.  Have a nice day!

I don’t know what to say, except that from now on… I’m buying every last pair of shoes from Nordstrom.

--Tagged under: Nordstrom customer service--

--Tagged under: shoe repair--

--Tagged under: advice--

What a great idea!  This is such an inexpensive, thoughtful (assuming you pick books from a list that suits the recipient) gift!  Thanks for the idea, jaclynday! jaclynday: NYCLust, I have a fabulous idea for your book gifts (love it, by the way—books are the best presents). Pick a theme from Goodreads.com lists. For instance: Books That Everyone Should Read Once. Pick the top 2-5 books and look them up on Alibris.com—my absolute favorite book shopping website. Arrange the books in a package, with the theme written on a clever gift tag. Now: let’s estimate the price of such an endeavor (based on the list above). To Kill a Mockingbird - $1.99 Pride & Prejudice - $1.99 Catcher in the Rye - $1.99 Jane Eyre - $1.99 Gift Tags - $4.50 Book shipping: either discounted or free Total - $12.46

What a great idea!  This is such an inexpensive, thoughtful (assuming you pick books from a list that suits the recipient) gift!  Thanks for the idea, jaclynday!

jaclynday:

NYCLust, I have a fabulous idea for your book gifts (love it, by the way—books are the best presents).

  1. Pick a theme from Goodreads.com lists. For instance: Books That Everyone Should Read Once.
  2. Pick the top 2-5 books and look them up on Alibris.com—my absolute favorite book shopping website.
  3. Arrange the books in a package, with the theme written on a clever gift tag.

Now: let’s estimate the price of such an endeavor (based on the list above).

Total - $12.46

--Tagged under: Gift Ideas--

--Tagged under: advice--

The Talk: What you and your significant other should be talking about

I read a story in Glamour the other day about different discussions every couple should have at some point in their relationship.  Now, if you know me, you know I tend to lean more toward cynicism in relationships than fairy-tale endings— I’m sorry, it’s just not likely a relationship will last (and you both will be happy) if you get married after 4 dates.  It’s not altogether impossible, but “It’s all about increasing your probability”, as my Dad would say.  That said, I am not anti-marriage (as some of my friends would like to believe) and I am definitely not anti-relationships.  I do wish that people would be slightly more realistic when selecting a mate and realize that marriage does not solve all of your problems or grant you freedoms you did not previously have (or so I hear, I suppose as a single twenty-something I am no expert on marriage), but I do actually want to get married someday.  I just want to stay married, so I’m taking my time.  And, as we’ve all been told countless times, communication is key.  So… to take a page from Glamour, here are 6 conversations that every couple should have:

1.  What did you really think when you first met?

2.  Do you believe in God?

3.  What little things do you love about each other?

4.  What was missing growing up?

5.  What would you change about each other?

6.  What are your greatest fears?

Plus… a few of my own:

7.  Are you a spender or a saver?  And furthermore… do you have any debt?

8.  Tell me about your parents’ marriage.

9.  Tell me about any significant relationships you’ve had (but spare me the gory details)

10.  Where do you see yourself in a year? How about 5?  How about 25?

--Tagged under: Relationship advice--

--Tagged under: lists--

--Tagged under: advice--

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

--Tagged under: laundry advice--

--Tagged under: advice--

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

--Tagged under: laundry advice--

--Tagged under: advice--

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

More Laundry Tips from Real Simple

--Tagged under: laundry advice--

--Tagged under: advice--

Real Simple is a regular Mr. Rogers this month with all of their neighborly advice— you already read their dishwashing tips and now we’re moving on to (cue the drumroll) dry cleaning and laundering tips.  It doesn’t get more exciting than this.  If you’re like me and my roommates, then you like to avoid the dry cleaners as much as possible, always convincing yourself that that dress doesn’t have to be dry cleaned, rather a simple hand wash cycle will do just the trick.  Sometimes we’re right… other times… well, you get the gist.  But with this guide, you’ll never have to put your prized possessions in jeopardy again.  As a side note: I don’t care what the cleaning instructions on the tag say; there is NO WAY that I am taking a $3 shirt from Forever 21 to the dry cleaners.  Some rules are meant to be broken. Herewith, 6 truly laundry-friendly tips to help you decide whether a trip to Sudz is really worth it. (Forewarning: As I quickly discovered, a trip to Sudz is NEVER worth it… but you can insert your dry cleaner of choice here instead.  Don’t have a dry cleaner?  Find out which ones are the best in your area here) ** For a list of cleaners in your area that use less harsh methods to clean, visit http://epa.gov/dfe/pubs/garment/gcrg/cleanguide.pdf From the editors at Real Simple: 1. Interpret the label. Most manufacturers are required to list just one way to clean a garment. If the tag says DRY-CLEAN ONLY, obey it. If it says DRY-CLEAN, that means that is the recommended method, not the only method. 2. Consider the fabric. Unless the label suggests otherwise, bring silk, acetate, velvet, wool, and taffeta items to the dry cleaner. Cotton, linen, cashmere, polyester, acrylic, and nylon can usually be washed at home. Just check for colorfastness first: Moisten a cotton swab with mild detergent and dab it on a hidden seam to see if any dye comes off.3. Test the detailing. Often care instructions are for the fabric only―not the accents, which may be tacked on at another factory. That’s why you see EXCLUSIVE OF DECORATIVE TRIM on some tags. Before you wash anything with beading, sequins, and the like, make sure they are sewn on (you’ll see stitches, not glue) and colorfast (quickly dab a wet cotton swab over each type of accent to see if any dye comes off). Determined to Wash It at Home? Here’s How 1. Machine-wash the garment if you’re certain that’s OK (always check first before washing). To minimize agitation, turn the item inside out, place it in a mesh bag, and run a short, delicate cycle.2. In every other case, hand wash. Use cold water to prevent shrinking and bleeding, and a mild detergent (try Ivory Snow 2X Concentrated liquid detergent; $4.50 for 25 ounces).3. Always―always―skip the dryer. Too much heat harms the accents and the fibers. Instead, gently push out excess water (don’t twist) and lay the garment flat to dry on a white towel to prevent discoloring. Or let a garment air-dry on top of a working dryer. The moderate heat given off by the machine will speed up the process.

Real Simple is a regular Mr. Rogers this month with all of their neighborly advice— you already read their dishwashing tips and now we’re moving on to (cue the drumroll) dry cleaning and laundering tips.  It doesn’t get more exciting than this.  If you’re like me and my roommates, then you like to avoid the dry cleaners as much as possible, always convincing yourself that that dress doesn’t have to be dry cleaned, rather a simple hand wash cycle will do just the trick.  Sometimes we’re right… other times… well, you get the gist.  But with this guide, you’ll never have to put your prized possessions in jeopardy again.  As a side note: I don’t care what the cleaning instructions on the tag say; there is NO WAY that I am taking a $3 shirt from Forever 21 to the dry cleaners.  Some rules are meant to be broken.

Herewith, 6 truly laundry-friendly tips to help you decide whether a trip to Sudz is really worth it. (Forewarning: As I quickly discovered, a trip to Sudz is NEVER worth it… but you can insert your dry cleaner of choice here instead.  Don’t have a dry cleaner?  Find out which ones are the best in your area here)

** For a list of cleaners in your area that use less harsh methods to clean, visit http://epa.gov/dfe/pubs/garment/gcrg/cleanguide.pdf

From the editors at Real Simple:

1. Interpret the label. Most manufacturers are required to list just one way to clean a garment. If the tag says DRY-CLEAN ONLY, obey it. If it says DRY-CLEAN, that means that is the recommended method, not the only method. 

2. Consider the fabric. Unless the label suggests otherwise, bring silk, acetate, velvet, wool, and taffeta items to the dry cleaner. Cotton, linen, cashmere, polyester, acrylic, and nylon can usually be washed at home. Just check for colorfastness first: Moisten a cotton swab with mild detergent and dab it on a hidden seam to see if any dye comes off.

3. Test the detailing. Often care instructions are for the fabric only―not the accents, which may be tacked on at another factory. That’s why you see EXCLUSIVE OF DECORATIVE TRIM on some tags. Before you wash anything with beading, sequins, and the like, make sure they are sewn on (you’ll see stitches, not glue) and colorfast (quickly dab a wet cotton swab over each type of accent to see if any dye comes off).

Determined to Wash It at Home? Here’s How

1. Machine-wash the garment if you’re certain that’s OK (always check first before washing). To minimize agitation, turn the item inside out, place it in a mesh bag, and run a short, delicate cycle.

2. In every other case, hand wash. Use cold water to prevent shrinking and bleeding, and a mild detergent (try Ivory Snow 2X Concentrated liquid detergent; $4.50 for 25 ounces).

3. Always―always―skip the dryer. Too much heat harms the accents and the fibers. Instead, gently push out excess water (don’t twist) and lay the garment flat to dry on a white towel to prevent discoloring. Or let a garment air-dry on top of a working dryer. The moderate heat given off by the machine will speed up the process.

--Tagged under: dry cleaning tips--

--Tagged under: find a dry cleaner--

--Tagged under: laundry advice--

--Tagged under: advice--

I don’t know how things go at your house, but at mine we get in “fights” about how the dishwasher should be loaded.  I know… it doesn’t get more petty than that.  On the plus side, we don’t seem to argue about much else— except of course whose turn it is to take out the trash and replace the decaying sponge in the kitchen sink…aaah, the joys of living with roommates.  Needless to say, when I came across this article while reading Real Simple, I couldn’t help but post it to Get Smart— secretly wishing that my roommates would stumble upon it.  It’s one of those boring articles (I mean let’s face it… there’s nothing sexy about doing the dishes) that is actually incredibly useful.  I don’t think many people know there is even a “right” way to load the dishwasher, or if you’re like the five girls in my house then everyone has their own “right” way to do so.  But, fear not, Real Simple has saved the day once again and now all of your dishes will come out sparkling and hopefully sans chips in the corners.  ”Oh are you not supposed to balance plates on top of bowls?” They even came out with an interesting article about what really goes on in your dishwasher after you turn it on, dishwasher settings to try, and 22 surprising uses for your dishwasher. Who knew kitchen cleaning could be so fun, interesting… screw it… it’s still kitchen cleaning, but at least now you can do it right!

I don’t know how things go at your house, but at mine we get in “fights” about how the dishwasher should be loaded.  I know… it doesn’t get more petty than that.  On the plus side, we don’t seem to argue about much else— except of course whose turn it is to take out the trash and replace the decaying sponge in the kitchen sink…aaah, the joys of living with roommates.  Needless to say, when I came across this article while reading Real Simple, I couldn’t help but post it to Get Smart— secretly wishing that my roommates would stumble upon it.  It’s one of those boring articles (I mean let’s face it… there’s nothing sexy about doing the dishes) that is actually incredibly useful.  I don’t think many people know there is even a “right” way to load the dishwasher, or if you’re like the five girls in my house then everyone has their own “right” way to do so.  But, fear not, Real Simple has saved the day once again and now all of your dishes will come out sparkling and hopefully sans chips in the corners.  ”Oh are you not supposed to balance plates on top of bowls?”

They even came out with an interesting article about what really goes on in your dishwasher after you turn it on, dishwasher settings to try, and 22 surprising uses for your dishwasher.

Who knew kitchen cleaning could be so fun, interesting… screw it… it’s still kitchen cleaning, but at least now you can do it right!

--Tagged under: Dishwasher Loading--

--Tagged under: Real Simple Tips--

--Tagged under: advice--

The Prologue to Bertrand Russell’s Autobiography

My incredibly intelligent friend, Yelena, sent me this excerpt and I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever read, so I thought I would share it with you all.  I hope you can take as much from it as I have.

What I Have Lived For

Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a great ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair.

I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy - ecstasy so great that I would often have sacrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of this joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness—that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it finally, because in the union of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that saints and poets have imagined. This is what I sought, and though it might seem too good for human life, this is what—at last—I have found.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of men. I have wished to know why the stars shine. And I have tried to apprehend the Pythagorean power by which number holds sway above the flux. A little of this, but not much, I have achieved.

Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate this evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.

This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered me.

--Tagged under: Bertrand Russell--

--Tagged under: What I Have Lived For--

--Tagged under: advice--

My Dad sent me an email with this article in it and I thought it was great and very relevant to to all aspiring/recent/way-out-of-college grads.  Enjoy! Here’s the actual text, in case you can’t read it: Advice I’ll Pass Along to My Daughter December 10, 2006 In 1985, I graduated from college. This past August, I dropped off my daughter Hannah for her freshman year. Despite the two decades in between, I can still vividly recall the financial struggles of early adulthood, including grappling with credit-card debt, scrambling to come up with a house down payment and watching as one of my stocks plunged 80% in a few short months. Hannah, of course, will have her own financial struggles, and those will teach her far more about money than I ever could. Still, there are nine key financial insights I’m hoping to pass along — and most have precious little to do with picking stocks and buying mutual funds. 1 More isn’t always better. Money may not make you happy. But it could make you desperately unhappy. Lots of folks stagger through life, buffeted by credit-card debt, unpaid bills and gnawing fears about their financial future. Sure, these worries are more likely to hit those with lower incomes. But don’t kid yourself: Collecting a handsome salary won’t necessarily save you from financial stress. How you handle money is far more important than how much you earn. 2 Forget appearances. That brings us to the family down the road, living in the McMansion with the pristine lawn and his and her European sedans gracing the driveway. You can’t be sure the family has a boatload of money. But you can be absolutely certain they’ve spent a boatload. In fact, the cars may be leased, the house may be fully mortgaged and the couple may spend their evenings huddled over the kitchen table, sweating over how they will pay the bills. 3 Save yourself. All of this is a reminder that the secret to financial success isn’t much of a secret: You’ve got to spend less than you earn. And, no, you won’t be missing out. You may get a brief thrill from the new sofa or the faster car. But, as everybody eventually learns, the thrill doesn’t last and soon enough you are lusting after something else. Indeed, it is one of those basic life choices: You can spend your days chasing after material goods that will always ultimately disappoint — or you can step off this treadmill, reduce your financial stress and instead devote your energies to far surer roads to happiness, such as seeing friends, pursuing hobbies and helping others. 4 Buy right. I am not suggesting that you constantly defer gratification and that you always pinch pennies. This isn’t just an unpleasant way to lead your life. It can also be shortsighted, especially when it comes to possibly the biggest financial decision you will ever make: buying a home. If you are purchasing a house in an area where you foresee staying for a long time, consider stretching to buy the home you really want, even if it is a little more expensive than you can truly afford. The fact is, trading up is enormously expensive, so your best bet is to buy the right house the first time around. 5 Valuable lesson. If you can develop some financial competence, you will save yourself a lifetime of heartache and a heap of money. Suppose that, over the course of your adult life, you have an average portfolio balance of $250,000. If you use a broker or financial planner, you might pay the adviser 1% of that sum each year, or $2,500. That is $2,500 you would save if you learn to manage your own money. Maybe more important, by learning to build your own portfolio and pick your own mutual funds, you will have that comforting sense of control that comes with fully understanding your finances. 6 Give it time. As soon as you enter the work force, start saving and investing. Initially, your financial progress will seem agonizingly slow and the sacrifice involved will hardly seem worth it. But if you sock away 10% or 15% of your salary every year for 10 or 15 years, you should hit critical mass — and suddenly your portfolio will start growing by leaps and bounds. 7 Buy yourself options. This burgeoning wealth could come at just the right time. At age 22, your career may fill you with excitement. At age 42, the excitement will likely have faded and you may be hankering for a change. If you have money, you have options. What if you have little or no savings? Put it this way: It’s pretty depressing to be in your 40s, stuck in a job you hate — and knowing it will be decades before you can escape. 8 Sit quietly. We all tend to think we’re better-than-average drivers, pretty good looking and smarter than most. This overconfidence spills over into our investing and fuels our headstrong pursuit of market-beating returns. Yet this is almost always self-defeating. Trying to beat the market typically involves a heap of investment costs, and those costs mean our efforts to beat the market usually fail miserably. Indeed, you will probably fare far better by sitting quietly with a handful of low-cost mutual funds, preferably market-tracking index funds. But it isn’t just that efforts to beat the market are usually self-defeating. They are also unnecessary. Want to retire rich? All it takes is time and regular savings. 9 Know yourself. Overconfident investors misjudge not only the markets, but also themselves. It is easy to talk tough and act brave when the market is going up. It’s a completely different story when prices are headed the other way. The reality is, until you have been through a brutal bear market, with your portfolio deeply underwater and everyone around you filled with doom and gloom, you won’t truly know how much risk you can tolerate. Self-confident, decisive action may serve you well in the work world. But in the financial markets, it will leave you with a fistful of disappointing stocks and a longer road to retirement. My advice? Try humility.

My Dad sent me an email with this article in it and I thought it was great and very relevant to to all aspiring/recent/way-out-of-college grads.  Enjoy!

Here’s the actual text, in case you can’t read it:

Advice I’ll Pass Along to My Daughter 
December 10, 2006 
In 1985, I graduated from college. This past August, I dropped off my daughter Hannah for her freshman year.

Despite the two decades in between, I can still vividly recall the financial struggles of early adulthood, including grappling with credit-card debt, scrambling to come up with a house down payment and watching as one of my stocks plunged 80% in a few short months.

Hannah, of course, will have her own financial struggles, and those will teach her far more about money than I ever could. Still, there are nine key financial insights I’m hoping to pass along — and most have precious little to do with picking stocks and buying mutual funds.

1 More isn’t always better.

Money may not make you happy. But it could make you desperately unhappy. Lots of folks stagger through life, buffeted by credit-card debt, unpaid bills and gnawing fears about their financial future.

Sure, these worries are more likely to hit those with lower incomes. But don’t kid yourself: Collecting a handsome salary won’t necessarily save you from financial stress. How you handle money is far more important than how much you earn.

2 Forget appearances.

That brings us to the family down the road, living in the McMansion with the pristine lawn and his and her European sedans gracing the driveway.

You can’t be sure the family has a boatload of money. But you can be absolutely certain they’ve spent a boatload. In fact, the cars may be leased, the house may be fully mortgaged and the couple may spend their evenings huddled over the kitchen table, sweating over how they will pay the bills.

3 Save yourself.

All of this is a reminder that the secret to financial success isn’t much of a secret: You’ve got to spend less than you earn.

And, no, you won’t be missing out. You may get a brief thrill from the new sofa or the faster car. But, as everybody eventually learns, the thrill doesn’t last and soon enough you are lusting after something else.

Indeed, it is one of those basic life choices: You can spend your days chasing after material goods that will always ultimately disappoint — or you can step off this treadmill, reduce your financial stress and instead devote your energies to far surer roads to happiness, such as seeing friends, pursuing hobbies and helping others.

4 Buy right.

I am not suggesting that you constantly defer gratification and that you always pinch pennies. This isn’t just an unpleasant way to lead your life. It can also be shortsighted, especially when it comes to possibly the biggest financial decision you will ever make: buying a home.

If you are purchasing a house in an area where you foresee staying for a long time, consider stretching to buy the home you really want, even if it is a little more expensive than you can truly afford. The fact is, trading up is enormously expensive, so your best bet is to buy the right house the first time around.

5 Valuable lesson.

If you can develop some financial competence, you will save yourself a lifetime of heartache and a heap of money. Suppose that, over the course of your adult life, you have an average portfolio balance of $250,000.

If you use a broker or financial planner, you might pay the adviser 1% of that sum each year, or $2,500. That is $2,500 you would save if you learn to manage your own money.

Maybe more important, by learning to build your own portfolio and pick your own mutual funds, you will have that comforting sense of control that comes with fully understanding your finances.

6 Give it time.

As soon as you enter the work force, start saving and investing. Initially, your financial progress will seem agonizingly slow and the sacrifice involved will hardly seem worth it.

But if you sock away 10% or 15% of your salary every year for 10 or 15 years, you should hit critical mass — and suddenly your portfolio will start growing by leaps and bounds.

7 Buy yourself options.

This burgeoning wealth could come at just the right time.

At age 22, your career may fill you with excitement. At age 42, the excitement will likely have faded and you may be hankering for a change. If you have money, you have options.

What if you have little or no savings? Put it this way: It’s pretty depressing to be in your 40s, stuck in a job you hate — and knowing it will be decades before you can escape.

8 Sit quietly.

We all tend to think we’re better-than-average drivers, pretty good looking and smarter than most. This overconfidence spills over into our investing and fuels our headstrong pursuit of market-beating returns.

Yet this is almost always self-defeating. Trying to beat the market typically involves a heap of investment costs, and those costs mean our efforts to beat the market usually fail miserably. Indeed, you will probably fare far better by sitting quietly with a handful of low-cost mutual funds, preferably market-tracking index funds.

But it isn’t just that efforts to beat the market are usually self-defeating. They are also unnecessary. Want to retire rich? All it takes is time and regular savings.

9 Know yourself.

Overconfident investors misjudge not only the markets, but also themselves.

It is easy to talk tough and act brave when the market is going up. It’s a completely different story when prices are headed the other way.

The reality is, until you have been through a brutal bear market, with your portfolio deeply underwater and everyone around you filled with doom and gloom, you won’t truly know how much risk you can tolerate.

Self-confident, decisive action may serve you well in the work world. But in the financial markets, it will leave you with a fistful of disappointing stocks and a longer road to retirement. My advice? Try humility.

--Tagged under: Advice I'll Pass Along to My Daughter--

--Tagged under: Getting Going--

--Tagged under: Jonathan Clements--

--Tagged under: advice--

Theme created by: Roy David Farber and Hunson. Powered By: Tumblr...
1 of 2
Email No spam please. -->