Strange weather here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. We had a nice mid-August hot spell, which is to be expected, but ever since, it’s looked very much like autumn: rain, wind, and clouds. Coupled with our late spring, this is wreaking havoc on our tomatoes, as Saturday’s garden update will reveal. But we’re still harvesting blackberries! The mind boggles.
Speaking of mind-boggling, here are some great money stories from around the web:
First, ABC News has a short piece explaining why you shouldn’t “rent-to-own”. This sort of scheme can be convenient for those with poor credit, but “in the long run it is a lousy way to buy something,” says consumer correspondent Elisabeth Leamy.
Several people sent me the story of two California girls who are trying to fight city hall. Katie and Sabrina Lewis have been selling surplus produce from the family’s garden at a roadside stand, which is a violation of local laws. I have mixed feelings about this. I applaud the kids’ initiative, and I love to see people taking steps to make extra cash. But I also can see why the city feels it needs to stand its ground. Interesting stuff.
SHP pointed me to an article from MP Dunleavey at MSN Money. Dunleavey wonders if debt is your destiny. She says that credit changes the way we think, and that if you’re broke already, chances are you’ll remain broke.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that when a purchase and the payment for it are closely linked — as when you spend cash — you are more aware of how much you spend and tend to spend less, says Dilip Soman, an economist and professor of marketing at the University of Toronto.
Dunleavy recommends using cash, tracking your spending, and not playing games with your money as the best ways to fight against a mental addiction to debt.
Finally, Free Money Finance offers his advice on the best way to get a raise. It’s not the typical recommendations, but it’s what he founds works for him.
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Nope, it’s typical government bureaucracy. Can’t let anyone do anything without approval. Why, people might start noticing that government approval is meaningless, and vote in representatives who would scale back government! We can’t have that!
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More likely that neighbors were ticked off at the traffic. I suspect there is more to the story.
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MP Dunleavy’s story makes good points, but I think it missed one key piece: Living without debt requires that you learn to have money without spending it.
Unfortunately, many people seem to feel that if they have money they MUST spend it. A raise? They increase their spending. Or they “fool” themselves by putting the raise into their 401(k) or using direct deposit to put the raise into savings. I’m not saying that saving is bad, but if someone says they have to save automatically “so they don’t spend it”, I wonder. Why can’t they have money without spending it? Is this a skill they need to practice?
See also: Delayed Gratification.
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Tell me about. Up here, near Hillsboro, I’ve got dozens and dozens of green tomatoes doing nothing; just sitting there.
Can’t wait for your update.
Thanks
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Why can’t they have money without spending it? Is this a skill they need to practice?
There’s a fantastic billboard in Vancouver BC for either ING or VanCity credit union. It states:
“No one ever suffers from saver’s remorse”
I love, love, love that statement. If I buy another pair of shoes or a dress (which I occasionally do) they will go into the closet with the other shoes and dresses. The shopping is fun, the wearing is fun, but then… meh-h. Another dress and pair of shoes in the closet.
But when I buy a 30-day term deposit, I watch my bank account *grow*.
PS – the 30-day papers eventually get converted to investments etc etc etc
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In Gladstone,
I’ve been harvesting tomatoes for the last couple of weeks, but I’ve got a ton of green ones. I’m thinking about trying to make them a plastic tent. My wife is looking into pickeling the green ones if they don’t ripen. It’s been a horrible year in our garden
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In Seattle:
I’ve had 2 red tomatoes so far! I’ve placed a few green ones on the windowsill in the kitchen to ripen, but I think I’ll be looking at a lot of green ones.
My mum swears that putting them in a brown bag with a banana ripens them up. Think I’ll need a very large bag and a huge bunch of bananas though!
I have heard that bringing the vine inside and hanging it up helps the tomatoes ripen if the frost comes early. Failing that I’ll be making green tomato chutney and eating fried green tomatoes for weeks.
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Amusingly, this month’s Smart Money magazine recommends buying Rent-A-Center stock. :p
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Personally I’ve been loving the weather (eug/springfield). If we go too long with no rain I start to dry out.
Thanks for the continued postings. It has been great following the blog this last 2 or 3 months.
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My mom’s getting red cherry tomatoes out in Troutdale, but the bigger ones are still mostly very green.
I can’t believe some of the people I have met – otherwise reasonably intelligent people – who have been lead into the rent-to-own trap. They have no insurance that they will ever own it, practically speaking, and they pay through the nose for stuff. It’s sad.
Jerry
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Sorry. The girls are right, and the Clayton mayor sounds like an idiot. Just the typical example of government doing its best to discourage personal initiative in hopes of perpetuating dependence on the the state.
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