Well-Heeled Blog

When Stuff Weighs Us Down

WellHeeled — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:53:08 +0000

Have you ever looked around your house and wonder, how the heck did I accumulate so much stuff?!

I have. And I did.

Even though I have been going through a process of de-cluttering, I must have been adding to my collection of stuff because somehow, my apartment doesn’t seem any more simplified than it had been a year or two ago.

I like most of my things (that’s why I bought them!), but I don’t need them. I don’t even necessarily want them. They are clothes I’ve haven’t worn in a year. Books I’ve read and will not read again. Shoes that look cute but pinch my feet. Old papers I haven’t gotten around to shredding. Half-empty bottles of lotion past their expiration date. They are gathering dust, sitting idle. Even the items with sentimental value are surprisingly few.

For the past few days, I’ve been through my belongings with a more critical eye. Books, clothes, jewelry, shoes – everything is fair game. What is this pull that “stuff” have on us? Looking around my apartment, I realized that I want to pare down, even more. Just because I can have all this stuff doesn’t mean that I should. Though I don’t want to be able to pack my life in a suitcase, a la George Clooney in Up In The Air, I recognize that stuff obligates us, and not just in financial terms.

Think about it – whenever you buy something, you have to take time to look for stuff, make money to pay for stuff, and then find space to put stuff!

Big changes are coming up ahead. I may take a job in the States, I may move overseas. The possibility of moving crystallizes what is important – what I really love and what I’m lukewarm about. So I’m taking this time to shed some stuff. I don’t want to live ascetic lifestyle, I want to have nice things – I suppose the key is to have a clear sense of what stuff is important, what I really enjoy (which makes the cost worthwhile), and what is just extraneous.

image source: andreaharner.com

My Honey, My Money by Fabulously Broke

WellHeeled — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:11:09 +0000

Fabulously Broke, one of my favorite bloggers for her picture-laden posts and down-to-earth tone, gives us her take on her biggest money conflict.

——————————-

This might sound kind of silly, but our biggest money conflict is that sometimes I am willing to pay slightly more (nothing outrageously so) for an item.

Here’s a recent example.

We wanted to make duck for dinner, and basically scoured every possible grocery store and market before finally chancing across a couple of duck legs in a chic market.

Me: “We spent ALL DAY looking for this and finally found it. Let’s just buy it. This town is not made for duck eating. It’s our only hope. C’mere ducky!”

BF: “No. I know it can be cheaper than that. It should be worth $13/lb! I saw it somewhere, I KNOW I DID. No. Put it back, we’re going to find that duck.”

Me: “Damn it.”

In the end, he was right. We found the duck (a whole one) for $13/lb, but you can see where we have a conflict in money decisions there.

He wants to find exactly what he wants for the exact price he is expecting, and I am more laissez-faire in that I am willing to forgo a couple of bucks (not $20) just to pick up what we want. I don’t mind being wrong in that case if it saves me money, but I just think of the time and gas wasted and wonder if it’s worth it in the end.

It’s funny, but it all relates to what we’re buying.

He’s tough on the food, utility and gas prices, and he will spend the time searching for what he wants at the price he wants, whereas I am more like: “It’s duck. It’s not chicken. Just buy it.” I’m tough on personal purchases (electronics, makeup, toiletries), and I will spend time waiting for something to come down in price and delaying my purchases, whereas he will adopt my attitude towards food, and buy whatever they say the price is after checking all the sales.

Other than that, we don’t have money conflicts.

We each earn our own salary, and we save and spend it as we choose (although he has to remind me that I own a lot of nice things already). We each have our own retirement accounts and we are comfortable that we are both money savvy enough to not have to police each other, but to give money advice to each other instead.

We also split everything 50/50 because it works for us. The only things that we don’t is that I cover the cellphone and he covers the internet & parking.

I LIKE paying my share in the expenses because I feel less guilty when I go out to buy something for myself and I am not thinking about how that $20 could have gone towards paying my share of the expenses.

…and vice versa.

Other than that, we’re both pretty good with keeping expenses low (he calls me cheap, but I know otherwise).

Run ‘Round The Blogosphere 2/4/2010

WellHeeled — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:09:20 +0000

My Honey, My Money

Do you have a story to share about money & relationships? If so, please contribute to this new series by sending me an email with your stories! Budgets Are Sexy and Fabulously Broke are already participating, don’t you want to be as cool as them?

Personal Finance

2010 means tax benefits for the first-time homeowner. Free From Broke has information on how to claim the first-time home buyers tax credit. If you’re ready to buy, this tax benefit can sweeten the pot even more. But don’t buy a home just for the tax credit.

Networking is important, but many people find that making small talk with strangers can be, well, awkward. Investing Newbie has some tips on networking for the anti-socialite (hint, have a drink in your hand!).

Miss M is debating between two hotels for her honeymoon: a hotel that includes kitchens in the rooms, or a traditional hotel without. Making food will save money, but who wants to cook and clean on their honeymoon? Which hotel should Miss M pick?

Author & personal finance expert Manisha Thakor hosts a guest post by National Endowment for Financial Literacy on how to deal with the 3 most common credit card problems: missed credit card payment, inability to pay bills, and low credit score.

Join people, not firms, so says Financial Samurai. I have to agree – while a big-name firm can definitely open doors later on, the people you work with will be a big determinant of how happy and fulfilled you are at your job. A constructive work environment is important, period.

Giveaways

Want to file your taxes for free? Mapgirl is giving away free Turbo Tax state & federal filing. Hurry, the contest ends tomorrow, February 5. My Next Buck is also having a Turbo Tax giveaway that ends Monday, February 8.

Fabulously Broke is giving away a set of 3 Ninja Star hooks. Contest ends February 28.

No More Free Checking?

WellHeeled — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:24:17 +0000

Growing up in the 2000s, I, like most of my peers, have come to take free checking accounts for granted. In fact, when a big brick & mortar bank started instituting monthly fees on my checking account a few months ago, I closed that account and turned all of my checking business to a bank that didn’t have any monthly fees for their accounts.

But free checking can become “endangered animals,” says a New York Times article:

The biggest impact on checking accounts, however, is likely to come from new regulations governing overdraft protection. Starting in July, banks will need explicit permission from customers before allowing them to use their debit cards to spend more than they have in their bank accounts on a one-time purchase. Similar restrictions will apply to A.T.M. withdrawals.

Banks earn billions in overdraft fees, money that helps pay for free checking.

20 years ago, most checking accounts had fees or very high minimum balance requirements for a free account. Washington Mutual brought free checking to the masses in 1990s and subsidized the free checking by selling more profitable loans and services. Other banks followed suit.

The article goes on to say, however, that debit cards (and the revenue from fees retailer pay to accept the debit cards) might be enough to pick up the slack from the overdraft fees, so banks can still maintain free checking for most of their customers. Personally, I am becoming more and more interested in debit cards, especially if I can’t have a free checking account without using debit cards.

As a consumer, I definitely hope free checking is here to stay.

My two questions:

1. If you had to choose between free checking with deep overdraft charges, or low monthly fee (less than $10) but with overdraft protection, which would you choose?

2. What can banks do to keep your business even if they don’t have free checking? (i.e. identify monitoring services? better customer service? other perks?)

Save Money by Embracing Your Natural Hair

WellHeeled — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:51:13 +0000

During my middle school years, the gold standard for hairstyle among girls were pin-straight locks that fell like a curtain down the back (think Gwyneth Paltrow’s hair below):

My hair, however, was thick and wavy and unruly. Despite spending $30 on a straight iron and anti-frizz serums (a considerable sum when you’re 12 and have no income) at the local drugstore, my hair remained stubbornly wavy. 10 years later, I got a straight (magic) perm at a Korean salon. After sitting in the stylist’ chair for 3 hours, not touching, washing, or pinning my hair for 3 days, and paying $250 for the privilege, my waves were finally coaxed into submission.

The perm did it’s job. My hair stayed stick-straight for a year. When my hair finally grew out, however, I decided against spending another $250-$350 for a magic perm. That’s a fair deal of money, and besides, I’m no longer in middle school. The cool girls won’t pick on me because my hair doesn’t conform to their ideal. Another reason is I’m afraid of the damage consistent chemical treatments will do to my hair.

So, I went to my hair stylist and I asked her to give me a cut that will play up my naturally wavy hair. She did, and it looks great. Best of all, I don’t have to do anything – I let my hair air dry, scrunch in a bit of a curling creme at the most, and it falls into nice waves.

The best way for me to keep both my hair healthy and my wallet happy is to get a cut that works with my hair length and texture (and when in doubt, go for longer cuts). This minimizes the time and energy I have to spend on my daily hair routine, so I have more time and money to do other things. Though I can’t say I’ll never head back to the salon for treatments (this Brazilian Blowout sounds intriguing), I am happily embracing my natural hair for now.

Do you like your natural hair? Did money influence your hairstyle decisions?

image source: askmen.com

Do You Have a Story to Tell on Money & Relationships?

WellHeeled — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:47:30 +0000

Inspired by the month of February (Valentine’s Day always makes me think about the intersection between warm fuzzy feelings and cold hard cash) and my recent Q&A series with personal finance expert Manisha Thakor on money & relationships, I want to start a new series of reader-contributed material on this topic – the My Honey, My Money series.

Please email me with “My Honey, My Money” in the subject line. Posts should be around 500 words long. I’ll be happy to include a link to your personal blog or website and twitter account. If you’d like to remain anonymous, please let me know as well. I want to post 2-3 guest articles a month.

The first My Honey, My Money question is: What is the biggest money conflict in your relationship?

I’m so excited to hear all your stories!

Lessons From Real Estate Intervention’s Tough Love for Homeowners

WellHeeled — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:26:29 +0000

Ever since I discovered that I can watch HGTV shows for free on hulu.com, I’ve been a big fan of Real Estate Intervention. On this show, real estate agent Mike Aubrey has the unenviable job of telling homeowners that their house is not worth what they thought it was worth.

But a tough market calls for tough love. Real Estate Intervention gives prospective buyers very good information on what to do and what not to do when it comes to buying, renovating, and selling a home. Here are some lessons I’ll be taking from the show when I purchase my first home (not for a while!):

Beware of unconventional financing structures. So many homeowners have taken out 100% financing, so that when the real estate downturn occurred they have no equity to ride out the storm. One lady took out a negative amortization loan in which her monthly payments don’t cover her interest, so that every month a little bit of principal is added to the loan. Instead of paying down the loan, or only paying interest, she is actually INCREASING her loan amount as time goes on. *blinks*

The market doesn’t care how much you paid for the house or how much you need to sell it for to break even. Buyers can’t price their homes based on what they need; worth is a measure of what the market will bear. Sellers aren’t stupid – they won’t buy a home for $300K if the place next door is selling for $240K and the size and features are comparable.

What a majority of buyers want are very formulaic: neutral walls, hardwood floors, updated kitchens with stainless steel appliances, double vanities in master baths, adequate closet space. If you are renovating and you want to make back part of your renovation dollars when you sell the house, invest in kitchens and bathrooms, and remember not to personalize too much! Bright blue tile walls in the shower might be an attractive look to you, but most buyers want neutral colors.

Appropriate pricing is important. In a declining real estate market, sellers need to set the market by listing the house at the correct price from the get-go, not chase the market by setting the price too high, then let the home languish on the market for months, then do periodic price cuts.

I’d suggest current and future home buyers to watch Real Estate Intervention for a good dose of perspective. Most of the homes they profile are concentrated in the D.C., Virginia, Maryland area. I’d love it if the show broadened it’s geographic reach and came to California!

How to Find The Right Tango Teacher

WellHeeled — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:14:58 +0000

So.. you want to learn tango?

I’ve been dancing 2-5 hours a week since last September, and I’ve found a handful of great instructors and practicas that I like. Finding a great instructor is so important for one’s development and enjoyment of tango. If you are a beginner who is just starting to get into the dance, and you want to know how to find the right tango teacher, here are my suggestions of what to keep in mind:

Argentine tango is a different animal than ballroom tango. They are two separate dances – different music, different techniques, different steps (I am partial to Argentine tango, although I love watching both types of dance). If you want to learn Argentine tango, don’t go to a ballroom dance teacher! My personal preference is for teachers that teach Argentine tango exclusively.

Google – many big cities have websites with long lists of tango instructor and classes. (See New York, Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C.). This might be your first stop. Make a short list of classes that work with your schedule and check out at least 3-4 teachers when you first start.

Ask around. Once you begin going to classes and practicas, you can ask the other students there who they study with and which teachers they like – some teachers are wonderful at teach big, complicated, flashy dance moves, but other teachers are master technicians. If you are starting out, I’d recommend the technicians. The big flashy moves will come later if you have good fundamentals. I found my favorite instructor by asking a student about his experience.

Try it out. I’d suggest going to each teacher at least twice to get a feel of their teaching style, and just as importantly, the type of students they have in their class. It’s important to feel comfortable with the instructor and your fellow students, especially when you’ll be dancing in such close proximity.

Costs: It doesn’t have to cost much for you to get started in tango. Classes will cost $10-$20 each, and usually runs from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. Most classes are pay-as-you-go, some instructors offer discounts for buying classes in bulk. Tango shoes cost $150+, but you can hold off on getting the shoes until you are certain you want to stick to the dance. In the meantime, heels with stable straps for the ladies and leather shoes with slick soles for the men should suffice. Otherwise, all you need for your first class are breath mints / gum and a smile!

image source: flickriver.com

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

WellHeeled — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:37:18 +0000

So the holiday of love (or over-commercialization, depending on who you ask) is coming up.

I am trying to think of some good gifts for CB, as this Valentine’s Day will also mark our seventh year together. We almost never celebrate our anniversaries, though last year CB bought me an absolutely delicious bottle of ice wine. And, on our first Valentine’s Day together, CB left a rose on my desk in one of my class and boy, did I get teased that day! High school kids are merciless.

Unfortunately, for this Valentine’s Day I seem to be fresh out of ideas on what to get him. The likeliest gift would be AAA membership. CB has an old car prone to problems, and I’ve suggested to him that AAA might be a good idea. I’ve had my member for a few years and it makes me feel better to know that if something happens to my car, help is only a phone call away. At $47 for basic coverage or $64 for premium, it’s not a cheap gift by any means, nor will it win any Romantic Gift of the Year award. But I think it’s a gift that will be most practical.

We’ll both be trying to keep this day on a budget – we might splurge for a nice dinner at a tapas place we love, but I’d rather we go out to eat after Valentine’s Day weekend.

A few other budget / useful ideas I had were: a Nerf rocket-launcher (do they make those? CB engages in Nerf warfare with his friends. Sometimes I join in), movies (fun for everyone!), flask (very Mad Men, I think), a trip to the shooting range (this is something we’ve talked about since college but have never done), or wine-tasting (mmm wine).

What are you getting your partner for Valentine’s? Maybe we can get a brain-storm going in the comments.

image source: ehow.com

Run ‘Round the Blogosphere 1/28/2010

WellHeeled — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:24:19 +0000

Personal Finance

Bundle.com – this is one fun site to poke around in. Lots of visually appealing data on spending by demographics, location, income level, etc. You can drill down to individual zip codes and check what people around you are spending on clothes, food, car, insurance, etc.

Frugal Dreamer is spending less than $4,000 on her wedding ceremony and honeymoon. How does she do it? By having a small, intimate wedding and sticking with less expensive services. If you need inspiration for managing your wedding costs, take a look at Frugal Dreamer’s budget.

The Legal Dollar is a new blog (started at the end of 2009) that I have recently discovered. It’s a very insightful blog by a lawyer on finances, legal academia, and a legal career. If you are thinking of law school or are a law student, this is well worth a read.

Brad at Enemy of Debt has decided to become a stay-at-home dad and pursue his passion of financial coaching. Congratulations!!

SS4BC says dating is expensive! I agree… just the eating out expenses add up so quickly. I do find that I get a bigger “happiness return” eating out with CB than just by myself, so I try to be frugal during the week so we can go out more often on the weekends.

Interesting News / Articles

[New York Times] Would you sell your house and buy a smaller place, then donate 1/2 of your proceeds to charities? One family did.

[LA Times] Cheap cruises? They are available depending on where you look.

[Slate] Haiti’s earthquake was devastating to its people and infrastructure, but what does it mean for the environment?

Weird / Cool Things That I Would Not Spend Money On

WellHeeled — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:59:01 +0000

Because sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

A “jackpack” – jacket-backpack combination: multi-tasking is great but I believe in jackets OR backpacks. Pick one and stick with it.

An iPod table: a wee bit too trendy, I think. I like the shelf, though.

A love handles chair: the outline of the body reminds me of a sweat stain. ><

A wedding cake wedding dress: looks good enough to eat. Which it is.

Phone fingers: WHY?

I AM, however, partial to these mustache mugs. Would make a cute set. (You can buy them directly from the designer).

Hope you guys all enjoyed this.

image source: likecool.com

Annual Mileage Estimate Can Lower Car Insurance Premiums

WellHeeled — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:35:20 +0000

This post has been Consumeristed!

There are many financial issues to consider after you’ve been laid off. Filing for unemployment benefits. Signing up for COBRA or researching health insurance options. Rolling over your 401k. Reviewing the household budget.

I didn’t realize, at the time, that reviewing your auto insurance policy is also a great idea. I’ve been paying around $75 a month for coverage. When renewal time came, I called my insurance carrier to see if there’s any way I can get my premiums lowered without a decrease in coverage levels. Because of my layoff, I did not have daily commute. Even with treks to interviews and job fairs, my new mileage estimate is still far lower than my original figure.

With lower mileage estimates, I decreased my premiums to ~$60 a month and I will be getting a $135 “overpayment” refund from my carrier. I’m only sorry I didn’t do this sooner!

So, the lesson is this: if anything changes in your life that would affect your annual mileage estimate, tell your insurance agent! Some of these changes might be (of course, these changes might also increase your mileage):

Change in job situation (ex: layoff, new job at a closer location)
Change in relationship (ex: if you are in a long-distance relationship but you have now moved in with each other)
Change in living location (ex: you used to live in a rural area but have moved in a city where more nearby amenities)

A reduced annual mileage estimate can very well lower car insurance premiums.

Is Pet Insurance A Good Idea? (or, Would You Go In Credit Card Debt To Treat Your Sick Pet?)

WellHeeled — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:33:38 +0000

People buy medical insurance to protect themselves from the costs of catastrophic illnesses. Now that pets are such an important part of many families, should you also buy insurance for your furry friends?

One option is to self-insure, i.e. put away money periodically for your pet’s future medical costs. As treatment options (and their corresponding prices) increase for pet illnesses, however, steady savings might not be enough to pay for the most up-to-date medication or surgeries for your dog or cat. Personal finance expert Liz Pulliam Weston says the question to “does pet insurance make sense” depends on what type of pet owner you are [MSN Money]:

I still believe most people are better off forgoing pet insurance and instead putting the money they would have spent on premiums into a savings account. Pet coverage can cost $2,000 to $6,000 over the life of an average pet, and the chances are slim you’ll ever need to shell out that much for treatment.

But if you’re the type of person who would do anything to save your pet, including spend thousands of dollars on medical care, pet insurance might be a preferable alternative to going into debt.

Pet insurance is still a minority among pet owners. Personally, I don’t know of any families that carry pet insurance policies. I don’t have any pets right now (I have my eye on a Welsh Corgi in a few years), but if I were in a situation where my dog is very sick, I will have to balance the medical costs with the likelihood of success, the quality of life after the treatment, my dog’s age, and my financial ability to afford the treatment.

A pet – especially a dog – is a huge emotional and financial responsibility. That’s why if I get a dog I will definitely put away savings for routine and unexpected medical costs. Not carrying insurance does not mean that I won’t make adequate financial preparations for my pet. On the other hand, I can’t say that I would pay everything to treat my dog.

A Gai Shan Life raised this very question in her post: where do you draw the line on pets and money? The post details the situation of a lady whose puppy has Parvos, a serious disease that may require thousands of dollars in treatment for an uncertain outcome. This lady is suffering financial difficulty and does not have that kind of money unless she turns to credit cards.

Here’s my answer to the question: If my dog is near the end of its lifespan and is suffering a life-threatening illness, the treatment costs are high but the chance of survival are low, and the prognosis for quality of life after recovery is poor, then I would probably not proceed with the treatment. My focus, at that point, would be to ensure my pet spends the rest of its time, however limited, in comfort. My first financial responsibility would still be to my family.

What kind of owner are you – would you spend thousands, even tens of thousands, on a sickly pet? If so, do you have pet insurance? Would you go into credit card debt to pay for a pet’s medical expenses?

(If you do decide to purchase pet insurance, here are some sites with helpful information and discussions: Dog Time, Yelp Question & Answer, Country Living, and Consumer Tips Reports.)

image source: innocentenglish.com

Copyright 2010 Is Pet Insurance A Good Idea? (or, Would You Go In Credit Card Debt To Treat Your Sick Pet?) is a post from Well-Heeled Blog - Savvy Living Through Personal Finance. This feed is for non-commercial purposes only.

Why Saving for Retirement is My Biggest Financial Priority

WellHeeled — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:09:41 +0000

Perhaps the title is a little misleading – saving for retirement is by no means my only financial priority, nor am I dismissive of the fact that I might never reach retirement. But given the choice between saving for retirement in 4o1Ks and IRAs, and saving money in taxable investment accounts or cash accounts, I will almost always choose to save more for retirement.

Even though money is fungible (i.e. you can use money you’ve saved for X and spend it on Y – there’s no difference. The value of that money is still the same), the psychological impact of retirement savings and everything else is very different.

Because retirement is so far away for me, a twenty something – it’s easy and sometimes tempting to put it off. A 25-year-old may tell himself, “I can start saving when I’m 30, right now I am paying student loans.” A 35-year-old might say, “I’ll start after I’m 40, right now I have to save for a down payment.”

Every time you save for retirement, you’re making a choice to give up something now (a nicer car, a fancier apartment, a vacation to Paris) for an uncertain payoff decades down the road. That’s exactly why I stretch myself to put more in retirement. Because if I save for retirement first, the hard part would be done.

As an example, let’s say in a year I can comfortably save $10,000. I want to start saving for $40,000 down payment in 4 years. I could put the $10,000 towards the down payment, then try to scrape together some savings for the Roth IRA. Or I can put $5,000 in retirement, $5,000 in the down payment, then try really hard to save another $5,000 for the down payment.

If I really want a house, it would be much easier to forgo meals out and cute clothes if I see that the payoff is an extra $5,000 in a down payment. I might be able to push myself and save $15,000 instead. That payoff is more immediate than a retirement 40 years away. On the other hand, if I save for the down payment first, I might not be motivated enough to put another $5,000 in retirement funds.

Run ‘Round The Blogosphere 1/21/2010

WellHeeled — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:09:22 +0000

Personal Finance

Formspring.me is a new feature that lets people ask questions anonymously. Single Ma and Jen @ Paying Myself have an account. So do Krystal At Work and MoneyMateKate. I don’t, but if you have questions you are always welcome to ask. If you are a personal finance blogger and you have a Formspring account, let me know and I’ll include it here.

Me, Debt Free? TeacHer Finance can pay off all her debt in 3.5 years if she put her money towards the debt and stops saving in the meantime. She is excited about the prospect of becoming debt free, but worried about stopping savings. What would you tell her?

Save Money on Your Heating Bills Single Guy Money has some good tips on how to lower your heating bills. Fortunately, all utilities are included in my rent.

Guide to Viva Las Vegas Want to save money in Vegas? Serendipity at Saver Not Spender lives in the Sin City and has plenty of tips on how to conserve your cash on lodging, food, and entertainment options. So you can use all the money you save at the roulette table and win back the cost of your trip have a fun trip that won’t break the bank.

Financial Foulups Brian at My Next Buck has a great series on the financial mistakes he or other bloggers have made. I just found his blog, so I’m really excited in reading more. Head on over and check it out!

How Much Is That Wine in the Restaurant post has been syndicated on BlogHer. Woo!

Interesting Articles / Links

DNA evidence can be fabricated [New York Times]: Shocking, but true. Scientists have able to create fake DNA blood evidence that has fooled crime labs, “undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases.”

Ledasha, legends, and race [Baby Name Wizard]: Have you heard the story about a baby named “L – a”, pronounced Ledasha? It’s an urban legend, and Laura Wattenberg of the Baby Name Wizard has a thought-provoking 3 part writeup on names, legends, and race. It’s a must-read.

Tango burns 200 calories an hour [LiveStrong] Need another reason to start hitting the dance floor? According to LiveStrong’s Daily Plate, ” Tango steps include deep lunges, side steps, small jumps and fast-paced walking that will keep your entire lower body engaged in a calorie-burning routine.” When I first thought about tango, I thought it was all dramatic poses and slow, gilding steps. No sweat, right? HA! Speaking from experience, tango is absolutely a cardio exercise.

Winner of The Constant Princess Giveaway

Vee! Congratulations. Please email me your name and mailing address so I can ship you the book.

Don’t Let Small Setbacks Get In Way of Big Goals

WellHeeled — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:30:58 +0000

How many times have you made a goal – to exercise every day, perhaps, or to stop eating out for 3 months, and then mid-way through you slip up? It can be discouraging when that happens, and many times our first instinct is to think, well, I already had a donut / bought a new shirt / spent a day lazying on the couch instead of working out, so why not just do it again?

The point of all that is that, well, I missed Day 8 (yesterday) of the 30 Day Shred. I know! I am disappointed in myself too. Though I first tried to justify that surely 2 hours of tango (i.e. traveling across the dance floor at the speed of music) will suffice for one day’s exercise allotment, I started hearing Jillian’s voice in my head “that’s a false message of lethargy that does you no favors!”

So I’ve decided to do Day 8 & Day 9 of the Shred on, well, the actual Day 9. I finished Day 8 just now, and will be hitting the mat at around 8pm for Day 9. That means I can still say I stayed on the wagon, right? I’ve also decided I’m going to work ahead and finish Friday’s workout on Thursday, so I don’t have to lug a heavy laptop to NYC. Here is my Shredule (get it?) for the week:

Monday (Day 8): Fell off the Shred wagon. No excuses.
Tuesday (Day 9): Make up Day 8 & finish Day 9 workout.
Wednesday (Day 10): Day 10 workout.
Thursday (Day 11): Day 11 & Day 12 workout
Friday (Day 12): No need to worry while I’m in NYC!
Saturday (Day 13): Back on schedule with Day 13.

A reader said that doing the 30-Day Shred is as mental as it is physical. I agree. After missing the workout yesterday, I realized how easy it is to get off track. But I’ve committed to the 30 Day Shred, and I’m going to do 30 workouts in 30 days even if Jillian kills me. Setbacks shouldn’t mean that we should let go of our big goals, if anything, the victory will be all the sweeter having had – and overcome – these setbacks.

At least that’s what I’ll be telling myself over the next 22 Shred workouts!

How To Shred On The Road

WellHeeled — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:54:44 +0000

This week, I’ll be in NYC for an extremely short trip – flying a redeye on Thursday night, getting in on Friday morning, and leaving Saturday morning to be back at home by noon. A company that I’ve done some freelancing for is having a cocktail reception to mark a business milestone, and they’ve invited me out there. I am really excited.

In a display of fitness dedication that I have never experienced before, I’ve decided that just because I am on the opposite coast for one day does not mean that I have to miss the Shred (Friday would be Day 12 for me). So, I’ve decided I’m packing up my old and heavy laptop (because the new Lenovo laptop I got in August 2009 is being shipped for repairs for the third time) and my DVD and I’m going to do the Shred in the hotel room.

Now, if I do not bring my weights, and I do all the exercises without the hand weights, do you think I can legitimately say that I’ve finished Day 12 of the Shred? I hope the answer is yes… because I am committed to doing all 30 days in a row, but I don’t relish the prospect of packing 4 extra pounds in my carry-on. Hmm. I suppose I can bring 2 empty water bottles with me, then fill them up in the hotel room and use them as 1 pound weights? What do you think?

In addition to The Shred, I can never head into another city without partaking in the tango scene (my biggest regret about the Austin trip was not going to a milonga. It was a really busy trip, yes, but I could’ve squeezed in a couple hours of tango if I tried really hard and planned better). Last time I was in NYC I danced in Central Park. This time, I’ll also be dancing. So, tango shoes, into the bag!

Jewelry For Gifts

WellHeeled — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:10:51 +0000

This Christmas, I received a pair of gorgeous ruby earrings (and separate gifts for my birthday). They sparkle like a vampire of the Twilight variety.

These are “created” rubies, i.e. stones with the same chemical properties as naturally-occurring rubies, except these stones were made in the laboratory instead of dug from the ground. This means that rubies of exceptional color and size which previously were only available to royalty and the ilk can now grace my earlobes. I think it’s a brilliant (pun intended) idea.

Jewelry is a funny thing. I’ve heard of ladies who would dislike to have their engagement ring purchased at Costco, or ladies who would prefer “natural” gemstones to lab-created ones. (I think the Costco aversion is funny because Costco carries really high quality stock – CB and I looked at their jewelry selection one night for fun and everything is expensive – though likely less expensive than they would be at other retailers).

We imbue jewelry with whatever meaning we want, a meaning that is usually culturally-sanctioned and historically-promoted. Some say that jewelry might be a cliche gift (Sarah Haskins does a hilarious parody of jewelry commercials), but, well, I guess I’m mainstream because I love my earrings!

It’s also extra special because I’m fairly tightfisted when it comes to buying jewelry for myself. The most I’ve ever spent is $20 on a necklace. Whenever faced with more costly pieces, my thoughts always turn to whatever else I can be using the money on instead. But to receive nice jewelry as a gift is wonderful. I don’t feel guilty over spending money on something that’s – let’s face it – purely an adornment, and instead I get to bask in the glow that CB picked out a thoughtful (and beautiful!) present for me.

I believe in valuing experience over stuff, and at the end of the day a ring or necklace or bracelet is just made of sparkly rocks with little intrinsic value of its own beyond what people are willing to pay for them. Still, I hold that the act of wearing jewelry from someone who loves me is an experience after all.

Do you like giving – or getting – jewelry as gifts?

image source: overstock