Just ask!

Note: This blog post appeared on my guest blogging column on GirlPowerHour.com. 

Smart, savvy professionals know that you have to ask in order to get what you want. Whether it’s in the boardroom, at a networking event, or in your personal life, nobody is going to read your mind and just give you what you’re hoping for.

So why are we so shy when it comes to asking for things related to money? I’m talking about discounts, sales, bargaining, and returns. It’s time to speak up. You work hard for every last dollar you make, so why would you be so lax about letting it slip out of your hands?

Here are five places you can save some cash just by asking:

Pick up the phone and get to work!

Your TV and Internet service: Cable and Internet eat up a big portion of a lot of people’s monthly utility budgets. Luckily, unless you’re in a long-term contract, you can call your cable or Internet provider and ask for a discount. Tell them your bill is too expensive, and ask if they have any current promotions that can be applied to your account. I’ve saved upwards of $100/month doing this. Note that most deals are for three, six, or 12 months, and then a higher rate will kick in automatically. To avoid the shock of a large bill after the end of the promotional period, set yourself a reminder in your Outlook calendar to call them back a month prior and ask for another new deal.

Credit cards: If you’ve been a long-time customer of a credit card company or bank and always pay your bill on time, call and ask if they can offer you a better interest rate. A lower interest rate will save you actual dollars every month as you chip away at that pesky balance you’re carrying. If they can’t lower your interest rate, they may be able to give you a balance transfer offer to help you consolidate your debt at a lower rate.

Medical bills: Americans fork out a lot of cash paying for out-of-pocket medical expenses each year. This may be especially true if you have a high-deductible health plan, or are self-employed. Do a little research online about the true cost of procedures you’re having done, and then ask your doctor or dentist if the rate can be lowered at all. Additionally, many smaller medical offices may offer a discount for paying with cash instead of a credit card.

Fitness membership: If you’re currently paying a month-to-month gym membership or forking out the drop-in fee at your favorite yoga studio, ask the manager if they can offer you a lower monthly rate if you agree to a contract. Of course, only agree to a contract if you’ll actually use the membership enough to make it worth it.

Retail stores: Many big-box stores offer weekly coupons via email or in the Sunday newspaper. But, if you lose interest somewhere between clipping coupons and actually remembering to use them in the store, just ask instead. Now that more coupons are online, stores are getting more flexible about the rules for using coupons. Just ask, “Do you have any coupons available that would work on my purchase?” If they’re not able to type in the discount code at the register, just whip out your smart phone and see if you can find a digital coupon online.

So, it’s time to be bold, be brave, speak up, and ask for great deals. Remember – companies love loyal customers, and if they help you find a great deal, you’re much more likely to return in the future, and tell your friends how great the experience was! 

I refuse to go to the grocery store...

Horrible photo, delicious muffins

Yesterday, the Mr. and I were out shopping. Well, errand-running that turned into a full-blown shopping trip (new pillows, tablecloth, napkins, etc at Macy's with one of their ridiculous holiday weekend coupons). I have been wanting a mini muffin pan for a while (my life is so exciting) and I finally found one at Cost Plus for $8.99. I love Cost Plus for many many reasons, but that's a whole 'nother post entirely.

Fast forward to today. After brunch with the girls, taking my dog for a long walk, cleaning the kitchen, and doing some work stuff, I really wanted to use my mini muffin pan, but I refused to go to the grocery store. 

I found some walnuts, oatmeal, eggs, and bananas that were turning brown and whipped up some delicious and semi-healthy banana walnut muffins with oatmeal and brown sugar streusel on top (Recipe can be found on Cooking Light). I love it when I can figure out something to make with ingredients I already have. It cuts down on unnecessary trips to the store, saving money on both gas and food!

Note that I used white flour, since I didn't have any wheat flour, and I'd recommend making extra streusel for the top, since what the recipe called for wasn't quite enough. And, if you are making mini muffins instead of regular, they only need to cook for about 10 minutes.

Now I'm on to organizing my closet. Productive little Sunday!

Trader Joe's: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I first started stopping at Trader Joe's when I lived in San Diego. The Pacific Beach Trader Joe's is HUGE (especially in relation to the Queen Anne one in Seattle...shoebox!). Trader Joe's has so much going for it - great wine, affordable food, tasty appetizers, great quick meal options, and much more.

But, there are a few "room for improvement" areas at Trader Joe's, meaning that, unfortunately, you always have to go to two stores if you're doing massive grocery shopping to get everything you need.

Over the years, I've introduced many people to the wonderful world of Trader Joe's, so here is my unofficial, highly biased guide to shopping at Trader Joe's:

Snag It:

• Frozen appetizers: pick up frozen pot stickers, mini-tacos, spinach dip, edamame, and shrimp to have in the freezer for when you need something to take to a party, or you have last minute guests.
• Fresh pizza dough: for about two bucks, you can find fresh, ready-to-toss pizza dough in a couple different flavors (whole wheat, herb, sourdough).
• Wine: it's well known that TJ's has a huge selection of wine at really great prices.
• Frozen rice: I love brown rice, but it takes forever to make. TJ's frozen rice comes with three packets that you throw in the microwave for three minutes. 
• Vegetarian items: you'll find that garden burgers, veggie sausage patties, and the like are significantly cheaper than the grocery store. 
• Cheese: whether it's shredded cheese, nicer cheeses for making a cheese plate, or string cheese to put in lunches, there's always a good selection and it's affordable (no Tillamook cheese though). 
• The List Goes On... in the interest of brevity, also buy these items at TJ's instead of somewhere else (just trust me!) frozen berries, oatmeal, fresh/refrigerated pasta, frozen waffles, yogurt, nuts, dried fruit, protein powder, imported beer, easy lunch items, frozen crab cakes)

Skip It:

• Fresh produce: it's more expensive than at other grocery stores, and sometimes it comes packaged oddly (for example, you can't buy one zucchini, but you can buy six in one package!)
• Fresh herbs:Trader Joe's never has fresh cilantro, and they don't have as large of an herb section as other stores.
• Bread: I'm just generally not impressed with the selection. 
• Canned goods: The selection is pretty limited, and you'll find better prices at larger stores. 

I love a lot of things about Trader Joe's, including the fact that the employees are always friendly, they have a lot of organic choices, and that they don't have any gimmicky sales or little plastic membership cards I have to keep on my keychain. 

Oh, and there are a bunch of Trader Joe's Cookbooks that are on my wish list. Love it! 

Traveling in 2012

It's no secret that I LOVE to travel. And, over the last couple years I've gotten the Mr. pretty hooked too (Turks & Caicos and Italy will do that to a person!). We love to take one big trip a year, and then sprinkle in some smaller trips - San Diego, road trips, lying on the beach in Kauai, etc - in between.

2011 took us (sometimes together and sometimes separate) to many interesting places: Mexico and Chile (for work), Vancouver BC, Lake Chelan, St. Louis, San Diego (twice), Port Townsend, Kauai, and Italy. Phew!

Now I'm looking at a wide-open 2012 and wondering where we should go next. I love to have a big trip on the horizon so that we can start planning (and saving!) with plenty of time. But I'm not sure where! Luckily, I came across the New York Times' list of 45 Places to Go in 2012. Head over to their website for the full descriptions, but here's a list of all 45. I've commented on places I've already been (to make me feel accomplished!) and noted those that I'm dying to visit. Places I've visited are in italics, dream destinations are in bold.

1. Panama - yes please! Central America is my fave part of the world.
2. Helsinki, Finland
3. Myanmar - my brother got to visit, and I'm jealous!
4. London - check! One of my favorite cities.
5. Oakland, California - check!
6. Tokyo, Japan - check! Well, I've been to Japan, but not Tokyo.
7. Tanzania - big check! Going on a safari was a big dream, accomplished in 2003.
8. Chilean Patagonia
9. Lhasa, Tibet
10. Havana, Cuba - check! I'm eternally grateful to Semester at Sea for getting to visit Cuba.
11. Moscow
12. Glasgow
13. Puebla, Mexico
14. San Diego - major check. Lived there for 4 years.
15. Halong Bay, Vietnam - semi-check. Been to Vietnam, but not Halong Bay. I've heard it's beautiful.
16. Florence, Italy - check. Love.
17. St. Vincent
18. Moganshan, China
19. Birmingham, England
20. Space
21. Kerala, India - semi-check, again.
22. Paraty, Brazil - semi-check.
23. Koh Rong, Cambodia - I would love a trip to Cambodia. Southeast Asia is amazing.
24. Vienna
25. Chattanooga, Tennesee
26. Dakhla, Morocco - Oh, Morocco, you've been calling me for years.
27. Maldives - this is my rich-person fantasy.
28. Malacca, Malaysia
29. The Algarve, Portugal
30. Lake Tahoe - check
31. Wales
32. Antarctica
33. Uganda
34. Ukraine
35. Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic - unspoiled beaches and sunny weather? Count me in.
36. Dubrovnik, Croatia - TOP of my list! Can I super-bold this?
37. Chiloe Island, Chile
38. Jordan
39. Crans-Montana, Switzerland
40. Montpellier, France
41. Nosara, Costa Rica - been to CR, not Nosara
42. South Korea
43. Lodz, Poland
44. Dalarna, Sweden
45. Portovenere, Italy

What locations are on the top of your list?

Follow-up: On Plane Tickets

A couple months ago I blogged about a new site I found, Yapta. Check out the original post here.

They send you weekly emails to let you know if any of the flights you've registered on their site have dropped in price. The Mr. and I are going to Kauai this fall, and I had registered our flight information and the price we paid on the site.

Last week, I got an email from Yapta saying the price had dropped. I logged on to the site, and it gave me a direct link to Alaska Airlines' website. In two short minutes, I had a $50 credit for my next flight on Alaska Airlines--the amount that the tickets had dropped! It's linked to my frequent flier account, so next time I go to buy a ticket, I'll apply the credit online.

The one caveat is that this process doesn't work on every airline, but I was surprised at how easy it was to get the credit! The best part? The tickets are now back up to the price we paid for them. It pays to be on top of things!

The Spender vs. The Saver

I believe that in every relationship, one person is the saver, one person is the spender. The degree can vary, but I think it's rare that two people have the exact same outlook on the big M (that's money, if you're new to my blog).

In my relationship with the Mr., I'm the saver. Some might even call me cheap, penny-pinching, overly thrifty, whatever. I take that as a compliment, thankyouverymuch! My dear husband is the spender in our relationship. He loves nothing better than to buy "something nice" after payday, bonus time, tax return time, or hell, just because it's a Tuesday night with nothing to do. In my opinion, there are pros and cons to each side:

Saver
Pro: it's good to save money for a rainy day. You never know when you'll have a financial emergency
Pro: Some people (read: me) get a thrill out of transferring money from checking into savings. Victory!
Pro: Most Americans are bad with money. I'm planning for the future.
Con: Money issues really stress me out. Bad.
Con: I have a hard time letting loose and treating myself to something nice once in a while.

Spender
Pro: You worked hard for that money! You deserve to have some fun. The Mr. reminds me of this frequently.
Pro: As long as your bills are paid, what's wrong with going on vacation, buying nice Christmas gifts, or sprucing up your wardrobe. The Mr. is also very generous with gifts for loved ones. This is something I really admire.
Pro: Sometimes higher price does equal higher quality.
Cons: Bankruptcy. (Okay, I'm probably being a little dramatic)
Cons: When the economy is unstable, you never know how long the big and/or steady paychecks will last.

The Mr. and I are trying to reconcile my obsessive love of frugality with his appreciation for the finer things in life.

I've come to the conclusion, though, that when we are going back and forth about buying something we "need", he's right more often than not. (Don't send him this link! I'll never live it down!)

Here's a quick example. I have long hair. We also own a golden retriever. Between the two of us, all the hair broke our vacuum cleaner. Sigh. Of course, the Mr. wants a top-of-the-line Dyson. I want whatever's on clearance at Target. I finally give in and tell him we can get the Dyson, but I WILL find it on sale.

Fast forward one week. Between Macy's summer sale and some extra coupons, I score a Dyson for $200 off. I am pretty proud of this. I get home, assemble it, and I swear to you, I vacuumed up enough hair to make a whole dog. Maybe sometimes paying a little extra for quality is worth it.

I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Does your family have a saver and a spender?

Book Review: Generation Earn

I've come across quite a few personal finance books, and color me generally disappointed. I find a lot of personal finance books to be either inaccessible and over-complicated, or the exact opposite--dumbed down to a point where their best advice is "open a savings account."

A few months ago I came across a book called Generation Earn, by Kimberly Palmer. Palmer is a personal finance columnist for US News & World Report and has been on the Today show, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Quite the resume. Check out her blog here.

I was initially drawn to the tagline on the cover: "The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back." Love it!

The author offers a realistic diagnosis of the financial situation of today's young people, including discussing the significant burden of student loans.

The book discusses everything from twentysomethings moving back in with mom and dad, to moving in with a significant other, to saving for children and retirement. She covers a lot in 215 pages.

Some of the best tips I found in this book are:

• Don't forget to keep an eye on your 401k and rebalance your portfolio when the economy swings significantly in either direction. 
• How to be frugal--from date nights in, to affordable cooking at home. She recommends looking at your grandparents for ideas--most of them grew up in the depression era, and are experts at reduce, reuse, recycle (decades before it was trendy!)
• The importance of discussing finances when you are moving in with a partner. Will you keep everything separate or join accounts? What about your thoughts on loaning money to relatives? How similar or different are your spending habits? 
• Before you decide if you are financially ready to have a child, practice living on $1,000 less per month--the average monthly cost for childcare. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book for twenty- and thirtysomethings who want a crash course in personal finance. The author profiles a lot of real couples in different financial situations, and she really lays all the details out on the table. It's an honest, frank discussion about the realities of financial planning. 

My only criticism of this book is that it seems like most of the people she profiles and examples she gives are of people who are making $100,000 or much more per year--a little unrealistic for most young adults, and honestly, a little intimidating. 

Have you read this book? What did you think? 

Guilt

It's just me and the Mr. in our big ol' house. Yet somehow, the house gets disastrously dirty, including more dust than you've ever seen. Between my husband working long hours (sometimes out of town), and me working the last weeks of my 9-to-5er and getting my freelance business up and running before and after work and on the weekends, there is no time to clean the house. 

I finally hired a house cleaner to come and clean our house, and today was her first day. She did an amazing job, and our house is cleaner than it was when it was brand new. For some reason, I felt incredibly guilty about spending our money on getting our house cleaned--it seemed like an upper-crust, spoiled thing to do--not to mention the fact that I am incredibly frugal; why pay someone to do something I could do myself?

But, the thing about it is that now I am more relaxed than I have been in weeks. My house is cleaner than I ever could have gotten it, so I have time focus on more important things--taking my puppy for a long walk, making good dinner, getting ready for friends to come into town, and getting caught up on some freelance projects. I think that makes it all worth it.

On plane tickets

Buying plane tickets is a special kind of hell. It's always a gamble. Should I buy tickets now at the current price? Or wait a few more weeks for a lower price, just to risk the flight I want being full? With gas prices as high as they are, and the summer travel season upon us, plane tickets are just not cheap. Period.
In the last month or so, I've bought three sets of tickets--Kauai, St. Louis, and San Diego. I feel like I got pretty good deals, but I'm never sure. 

Most handy travel websites track prices before you buy, and predict if the prices will go up or down. Only one website I've found tracks prices after you buy. Check out Yapta.com. Did you know that Alaska and Jet Blue offer refunds on ANY price drop after you buy your ticket? I had no idea, and I fly Alaska all the time (they must really not publicize this!). Also, AirTran and Virgin offer refunds for price drops over $75, and Hawaiian airlines offers refunds for drops over $100. A lot of other airlines will offer credits for future trips.

All you have to do is create a free Yapta account, and enter your flight dates, times, and numbers for upcoming trips. Enter how much you paid, and Yapta will automatically email you if the price drops enough for a refund! 

Yapta's website boasts that since May of 2007, they have saved their members over $250 million, and that the average annual savings per Yapta member is $334.16. 

I'm tracking all of my upcoming trips on Yapta, and I'll report back if I'm able to cash in. Currently, my flights now cost more than what I paid for them, which at the very least, makes me feel like I got a good deal!

Women and the Economy

The opening segment of the "Sheconomics" event I went to last night was this video. I think it brings up a lot of interesting points about women's buying/saving/investing power, and how it affects advertisers' priorities (or doesn't!) I'd love your thoughts on this topic. Watch the video, and comment away!

Coming up!

I'm super excited that this Thursday I'll be attending a networking event with the ladies from Girl Power Hour. GPH is a women's professional networking group in Seattle that throws super fabulous events every few months.

I'm excited for this month's topic, "Girls Just Wanna Have Funds". It's right up my alley, with speakers about financial priorities, "why we buy", and "money makeovers".

Looking forward to reporting back on the blog on Friday!

Weddings: Everyone has a budget

There are lot of expenses that young adults face, and for a lot of people, a wedding is one of them.

Shameless plug: This blog is a re-post from my company's blog--I own a marketing & events company with a business partner and we help a lot of brides and grooms navigate the world of weddings. Check it out. 

I thought it was a pertinent topic here, as well.

Reading wedding magazines or watching shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" may make you think that you're the only one on a budget, and that every other bride (or groom) in the world can spend, spend, spend on an over-the-top wedding.

In real life, however, everyone has a price point. Every couple we've worked with has a limit, regardless of who is paying for the wedding. It's important to keep a little perspective as you're planning.

Here are our top five wedding budgeting tips that we always tell all of our clients.

1. Spreadsheet, spreadsheet, spreadsheet. The very first thing you should do (after calling all of your family and friends, of course) is talk about your budget. No, it's not glamorous, but you must do it. Knowing how much you are willing to spend from the start will help you navigate all of the options in front of you, and be realistic about what you can afford.

2. Stop comparing yourself to other couples. So what if you went to a wedding last weekend where you drank from a Cristal champagne fountain, the bride wore a custom-made Vera Wang gown, and U2 was the live entertainment. Who cares. Your wedding will be special, because it's yours. The rest is just details.

3. Decide what is most important to you. Maybe you love photography so you want to book the city's most famous wedding photographer. Perhaps you love the look of letterpress and calligraphy invitations. Whatever it is, every couple has one or two must-haves on their list. That's great--fit them into your budget if at all possible, but something's got to give. Decide which wedding details aren't that important to you. Maybe you have a friend who can do the flowers. Perhaps you don't even like wedding cake and can settle for cookies from a local bakery. Sit down and make a list, from most important to least important, and go from there.

4. Always ask for discounts. Anytime you are in conversation with a vendor, ask if they have any specials. Many photographers will throw in a free session of engagement pictures. Your venue may give you a better deal if you get married in low season, or on a Friday or Sunday. Ask your florist if they can substitute in-season flowers for exotic ones that have to be flown in. Worst case, they say no, but at least you've tried!

5. Pay for a day-of wedding coordinator. We're not just saying that because we want your business (which we do). You've spent months planning your big day, counting your pennies, and scrutinizing your guest list. Don't let all of your hard work go to waste. Save enough money in your budget to hire someone to handle all the details on your big day. You want to enjoy the time with your new husband/wife, hang out with your wedding party and family, and really ENJOY! You only get to do this once, after all!  And a bonus: We provide unlimited phone and email contact to all of our day-of clients. We can help you find great vendors, give advice on budgeting, and more.

On Sharing Money

It's a well-known fact that I'm a huge fan of Slate. I love it for its fresh take on news, its advice columns, and its interesting blogs and bloggers.

There is a regular column called "Home Economics" about personal finances, and recently there was a 5 part series about a couple deciding how to manage their money together (or separate).

She broke couples up into three types: Common Potters, who have one joint account for everything; Sometimes Sharers; and Independent Operators, who maintain their separate accounts throughout life.

The Mr. and I are Common Potters--we joined our accounts when we bought our house, before we were married, and never looked back. However, the data calculator says that, in our demographic, 50% of people are Sometimes Sharers, 40% are Common Potters, and 10% keep separate accounts entirely.

Check this out:

• Common Potters have, on average, been together 11 years (we're at a whopping two).
• Percentage who are married: 94.1% (got it).
• Average age: 34.5 (our average age is 29.5...close enough).
• Percentage with children: 45.8% (not yet!)

Read the rest of the article here. It's a little different for everyone. What works for you? Let me know in the comments below!