baselle's Financial Diary

Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $3 coffee, bagel + $9 lunch

This weekend, I did my gym laundry. Note: I do it every second or third week... not just on holiday weekends. But I bet if I did my gym laundry less often I wouldn't have an issue with machines.

Normally I bring my gym clothes back on Sunday and then walk, but since Monday's a holiday and Monday's when I'm thinking of going, well, waiting until Monday and hitting the gym beforehand was hitting two birds with one stone. So I hit the gym today and did an upper body routine from November. It still whipped my butt. Definitely a labor-ed day.

Afterwards I had lunch at a pho place near Macy's (didn't go in), and wandered a bit.

Last Saturday, DH and I went over to visit our friends in Duvall. They confided to us that they could not, for love or money, get a HELOC from any Seattle bank (tried WellsFargo (WF) first) to fix their roof. They were asking for 12K. It was suggested to them, in all seriousness by WF, to collect 6 credit cards. Yikes. But it is very telling - the friend tell us they have credit scores in the 700 range, and have converted their loan from an ARM to fixed rate.

SillyOleMe blogged about this in her life, I want to mention it here to let her know that no one is loaning anyone anything. Don't take it personally. Its the recession talking, and its saying, "cash is king."

When I woke up this morning, I had a thought.

I've increased my 403B withholding up, near the limit of $15.5K. I did this to counter-balance the gains in my taxable accounts. (2007, I paid a bit of tax because of dividends, interest income, and capital gains).

Well, unless there is going to be a freak stock market rise, I'm not going to have a ton of gains for 2008. No gains to pay tax on and a big 403B increase in withholding means that I might be looking at a big refund.

Maybe I can treat this paper refund strategically. For 2005 and 2006, I put 5K in a traditional IRA. I'm thinking it might be better to convert these IRAs into Roths and balance the taxes on that against my refund.

Time to do a bit more research. I know I have to do this by the end of December.

Saving log - $4 tip box
Spending log - $7 lunch

Payday, and the pace of work is definitely gearing up. In case you missed it, I work booking and processing pledges for a large non-profit. The fall campaigns are gearing up, I'm seeing new faces and new projects are starting to pop up.

Today it seemed like it was meeting, meeting, meeting. Heard out a bit of venting from DJ friend about another co worker. I had a hour chat with several of the new temporary folks working the fall campaigns. I involved in an office collection for a gift certificate. We reviewed videoes of ourselves talking about our jobs (I will always look like a warthog. ), and I took a look at a new computer program that promises to be revolutionary...code word for being a pain in the ass.

An hour here, an hour there, and the day was gone. Time to be more protective of my time to get what I have to get done. At least we have a paycheck right before a three day weekend.

Wednesday
Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $7 lunch

Thursday
Saving log - $2 tip box
Spending log - $8 lunch

Keep on, keepin' on. Haven't done anything particularly frugalicious. Like BA, I'm a casual coupon user. I was handed a lunch coupon last week as I was walking toward another lunch and I used it yesterday. The press pot coffee is still working like a champ, and it saves a few minutes off my schedule when I first get in, to boot.

This afternoon, I worked out at the gym w/o the trainer. (Not the first time, but the first permanent time). I was about 10 minutes late so I worked out for the extra 10 to make up for it. I used a 8 month old workout routine (an L) so I added 10 pounds of weight to the machine settings. Worked well.

The tough parts were
1.) taking a bit of time to figure out where the machines were moved to (new machines and remodeling). It helped to take a few minutes before the set to look at the card, visualize the exercise and the find the machines.

2.) figuring out what to do when someone is exercising in front of your machine. I worked around her, but cripes, twenty minutes doing one thing is not very efficient.

I gave DH a belated birthday gift. He wanted a 20 Gig MP3 player just like mine. DJ friend was willing to sell me his (which he wanted because it was just like mine) for $80. It truly is just like mine, except for a bitty scratch at the bottom, so we can tell them apart. The delights of the old yet again.

Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $9 lunch + $1 apple + $6 for me and a co worker

I was walking to my bus when I stopped to look at a purse, and thought how great that purse was, how I would look with it slung over my shoulder, how I wanted it.

And I had my Paris handbag already slung over my shoulder! Nothing wrong with my handbag, its still clean, I got a lot of compliments on it, at black and white it goes with anything, it cost me just 30 euros (when the euro dollar exchange was only outlandish and not frighteningly outlandish). Best of all, I still have my memories of buying it, and happy memories of using it.

What is it about the mind that it wants and wants even though you already have and that having is more than adequate?

I'm still thinking about the fact that our cushmobile, MILs 17 yr old white buick, still gets 29 mpg, has working power windows, power seat adjustment, crush velour comfortable seats, carpeting looks great... only the cassette tape player is busted. MIL bought a new burgundy-red Caddy, same size, heads up display (which confuses her so she doesn't use), leather seats, does the math on how long you can last on a tank of gas. Sure, new, equally large, some features not so useful ... but only 15 mpg. And the car is at least 50K.

Tyranny of the new, maybe? Did the math and figured that folks would whisper if she drove around in a (then) 15 yr old car?

I don't see the progress here. Progress if you have nothing and get something; progress if you buy 30K of improvements and technology. Not progress buying into the brand - Buick vs. Caddy; not progress if the new costs more to operate than the old.

Saving log - $1 tip box
Spending log - $9 lunch

Today my trainer and I worked together for the very last time at the gym acrosss the street from work. True to form, I was on an up cycle for my weight - at 187. Sigh.

I'm going to see if I can work out with a gym buddy. We don't have to work out together, I just need someone who would ask "where were you?" to counteract my natural "just one more thing". But for the gym buddy, I will to figure when I really want to go. Monday and Thursday, maybe with a Friday for an hour. I'm even toying with the idea of going every day for 1/2 hr.

I do have about 11 months or about 80 routines that my trainer wrote down. I've sorted them out by whether they are upper body (U), lower body (L), or a combo (U/L), and pick one out randomly. There are classes that you "just show up for" at about noon, which should spice things up.

I've spend a fair amount of money for over 2 years working at this ... time to really make it frugal and use all what I've collected.

Saving log - $0
Spending log - $3.50 bagel & coffee + $10.50 sushi lunch

Pigout during Friday's lunch potluck and Saturday's dinner potluck, so its time to get out there and work some of it off.

Bad news: rained all afternoon
Good news: rain cools everything down.

So I walked in the rain, stopping at dry spots under trees and eaves. It worked maybe for the first three miles, but then I got soaked.

Route was: Greenwood, Fremont, cross Fremont Bridge, 3/4 up Queen Anne Hill, Bigelow Ave, down to 5th Avenue. Ate a conveyor belt sushi lunch as a treat, then walked to my usual end point downtown at Dexter/Denny. About 6 mi in total with a mountain climb 2/3 of the way.

I only went up Queen Anne hill about 3/4 of the way because my glasses also got soaked, & it was hard to see. Dangerous when you are trudging up a hill. I did notice that the hill was a bit easier after walking about 4 miles. The first time I went up it I thought it would be easier if I was fresh for it so I took the bus to it. Wrong. Easier if the leg muscles are good and warmed up.

Decided on the Queen Anne conveyor belt sushi lunch. Plate prices were $1, $1.50, $2, $3. The other place I go to the prices are $1.50, $2.25, $3, $4. Not that much on the face of it, but it means that for $15, you can either eat until you are practically sick at the first place, or you've got to control yourself at the second. $10 gave me a very good meal.

After I got home I took a warm bath and took a preventative aspirin in water. Tomorrow I will burn off my last trainer appointment and then it will be me.

Lots of August birthdays in my life:

Ordered sister's birthday gift for her birthday next Saturday and will pop her card in the mail on Sunday. I also ordered a little something for myself - a relatively dressy black trenchcoat/ windbreaker.

Potluck tonight for a lawyer friends' partner's birthday. I made fried green tomatoes because I still only have 1 red tomato. Early girl? I have boy-waiting-for -prom-date girl. But it is nice that I have all the ingredients for a potluck dish.

Fried green tomatoes

3-4 lg green tomatoes sliced 1/4 in or so
1.5 c flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt and pepper (I like more salt)
milk (made it using dried milk powder)

canola oil

Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, milk into a heavy batter.

Heat 1/2 of oil in cast iron pan. Dip tomato slices in batter, shake off excess, fry each side until golden brown - about 3 min per side. Drain on paper towels.

Best if warm, but I'm going to check if they microwave all right.

Saving log - $19 tip box
Spending log - (Thursday) $5 groceries + (Friday) $0

I strolled to the downtown WaMu to deposit my tip box this month ($49, a long way from FDIC limits), when I came upon this pair on the sidewalk.


Horse and rider followed me when I heard a "Harvey! Its you!" from the florist across the street.

I work in the basement floor; my office ceiling is directly under the 2nd Ave sidewalk, rather than directly under other offices (weird I know). Every couple of days during the afternoon I hear a "clop clop clop clop" right above me.

I'd like to think its Harvey.

Fiscally, my financial stock Drp is going to maintain its dividend, at least for this quarter. I'm putting $49 into savings from the tip box this month, and I've had a very low spend day and a no spend day right after each other.

Saving log - $2 tip box
Spending log - $9 lunch + $15 groceries

Noticed two good things tonight

1. More 10 for $10 deals on things I actually eat - fruit, salad, baby carrots.

2. CD rates in ING and my other brick and mortar bank are going up. Not talking about a lot of going up, more like .3 or .4% of a percent. Still, better it goes up than goes down.

Noticed one good thing (maybe) last night.

1. At the present rate of CPI-U inflation, my I-bonds should be bearing interest in 8% range this November. We'll see in October.

http://www.savings-bond-advisor.com/cpi-inflation-update/

Saving log - $7 tip box
Spending log - $9 lunch

Looks a little bare without the coffee entry!

Today was mostly fiscal clean up. I xeroxed the one piece of evidence that I had that proved that I had the KO stock in 1999. So I'm sending in the paperwork for the class action suit. All that effort and hassle for probably a .99 check.

Since my pay raise came in I looked at my stub. Increased pay, increased accrual of the 403B. All told its a $40 increase in accrual, so I calculate that I'll put in $15,320 into my 403B this year.

Saving log - $5 tip box
Spending log - $13 lunch

One of the other innovations we tried out at the cabin was using two combo press pot commuter mugs, one I got for DH and the other DH spotted for $10 at Fred Meyer.

Mine is clear plastic, instead of stainless steel. We weren't into firing up the wood stove and percolating coffee to bits - instead we heated up water, poured the water over the course ground coffee, gave the grounds a quick stir and added creamer, then pressed. It worked fantastically.

So I bought decent coffee, 1/2 and 1/2 for the work reefer and brought the press pot to work. Tried it out for the first time this morning and it worked like a champ. I figure that if the decent coffee lasts about 15 business days, that my cost per cup will be about 66 cents/day, a bit more if I factor in the 1/2 and 1/2.

Noticed a near record number of yard sales being advertised last weekend on one pole. Four in one view, 1 behind. What was the yard sale plus characture drawing like (top ad)?

There is fun to be had in noting some of the finances from the Montana vacation:

We drove 12 hrs from Seattle to Bozeman. Both DH and I have pretty good bladders - only a couple of "rest" stops. Special note: Near Exit 2 on I-90, the rest stop dependably serves coffee and cookies for "free" but they advertise a small donation. I missed giving the donation heading to Bozeman, so I put a $5 when we came back. After all, it takes a certain something to volunteer to serve travelers coffee and cookies.

DH had noticed that the gas mileage had been pretty crappy for the white 92 Buick Cushmobile in Seattle (about 15 mpg). He got it tuned up and we checked during the trip - 29 mpg! Speed limits varied between 65 - 75 mph; we kept our speed 3-5 mph over. Not the speed demon, but not the pokiest. Noticed that no one was doing the 100mph bit (the speed limit for Montana at one time was "cautious and prudent"). About $150 on gas.

We got about a week's worth of groceries for $75. Grocery prices seemed to run $1 - .50 cheaper for most things, and there's no sales tax on food. Restaurants, however, are just as expensive in Bozeman as in Seattle. Propane prices (electricity, the stove, and the refrigerator ran on propane) were about 50% higher than gasoline prices. $40 for propane.)

MIL took us out for a couple of restaurant meals, and we made a Costco run (she LOVES Costco). I know she wants to "help", but I don't like being too gifted, and its a control issue for both of us. When she volunteered at the MOR and asked us to run some errands with her car, we filled her gas tank just to pay her back a little bit. The Cushmobile was formerly hers; her "new" car gets only 15 mpg!

And what is it about Costco that just makes me sleepy and make poor spending decisions? They must put something in the air or in the samples. Ten minutes in, and I wanted to drool over the cart and load things in mechanically.

The title taken from a Lewis and Clark entry. Every time I go to the cabin and people ask where it is, I get it wrong. We were 60 mi east of Butte, 50 mi west of Bozeman, in the Deerlodge-Beaverhead National Forest, in the Tobacco Root Mountains, near South Willow Creek, about 10 mi or so away from Pony, Montana. We also spent a little bit of time in Bozeman, Montana.

The Tobacco Root Mountains


The cabin in the woods. The idea from the Forest Service perspective is to have it melt away. Our project was to pull down a fence that DH's dad built and the Forest Service wanted it down. The X's out front are the cross posts with the nails that should head to the dump.


The back deck of the cabin in the woods. That lighter colored wood cube on the right is the shower.


A creek runs through it, but there is quite a cliff before you get to it.


Action shot of DH with the chainsaw.


This is not a happy picture. The forest is mostly spruce and lodgepole pine. All the red trees are dying from spruce beetle. Next year they will be gray and they will turn into vertical fuel for the next forest fire. Only two good weeks of killing frost at -40F can reliably kill the beetle. (N.B: I'll have to rethink that -40F comment - it was told to me in a casual conversation. See comments for more)


The stereotype of Montana. Works for me.


The better half of a Montana couple (a man and his dog), and at the Pony Bar, he's likely to have his own pint.


We got a little citified, too. This is Big Al standing guard at the Museum of the Rockies (MOR) in Bozeman. If you have a dino-mad child, MOR is the place to go.

I need the (again) because I used the title once already. I'm back from Montana, with a few focused pics (merch is so picky. ) I'll see if I can wrangle DH's pic of me with the chainsaw, massacring a fence.

It was cool and refreshing (70s), quite a change from what DH and I drove into in Seattle (90s).

Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $30 bananas, ground coffee, chocolate, trail mix.

I'm off to the Beaverhead National Forest for two weeks.

But I did make one last weird observation while DH got a pair of hiking boots, socks, and a water bottle: $45 flip flops.

Wha???

They weren't gold plated flip flops. And this store had several pairs of regular shoes w/uppers and laces for under $45.

No wonder why kids today assume flip flops are work attire - they cost the same as a work shoe.

Time to leave the store.

Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $.50 coffee + free lunch/coffee + $1.50 (3 bananas)

The day is done. Tomorrow is the first day of vacation, which will be taken up entirely by laundry, cleaning the house, and packing.

But wait. I sat in the back of the bus on my route home, zoning out, listening to tunes, avoiding eye contact and ignoring children misbehavior, all while scanning the bus placards.

Now bus placards are a class specific medium - you see the usual, devoted to the stereotypes of bus riders - the cheap and the poor. Tonight there was the Jobdango placard for the un- and underemployed, the change the world placard for the idealistic underemployed just out of college, the don't-be-an-ass-on-the-bus placards in matching English and Spanish, the alternate forms of transportation placards (on the not-in-your-car bus? Try the not-in-your-car train/amtrak, or even try the not-in-your-car car - the Zipcar). All well and good. The Moneytree payday loan placard fit right in.

But what do I spy? I blinked again.

A condo ad. Interesting. But it gets better. Said condo advertises studios and alcoves(?) for 200K, 1BD/1BA for 300K, 2BD/2BA for 400K, and work lofts for 500K. Notice the irony here? When the buyer shows up and signs and initials, signs and initials, and finally is asked "how did you find out about this condo" is anybody going to really say ... bus placard?

Sure.

I do love the fact that they are brazen about the prices. None of this old "prices start at xxxK" to lure you in before you are horribly trapped at the realtor. Brownie points for that. Just a glam upper class placard proudly slumming with the lower and middle.

The piece de la resistance was: the glam condo was a 1/2 placard. Pulling the punch a bit. I can't imagine that even a full size placard costs all that much. If you are selling a series of 1/2 million dollar anything, along with a larger series of slightly cheaper apartments aren't we talking about 30-40 M worth of construction? Spring for the full size bus placard. You're good for it ... if you sell one.

Its almost as if the glam placard is destined to do exactly the opposite of what advertising supposed to: no one swayed by it could do anything about it or would admit to having seen it, and there is the strong possibility that the developers are sending signals that they will have to drop the price.

Saving log - $2 tip box
Spending log - $2 coffee + $12 lunch

Today was another training day. What is it about training that is both so "yes, that makes sense" and so tiring at the same time? Also, when I was in my 20s and it was my job to get trained (college/grad school), I was adept at learning something then keeping it in my head for months and months while I learned the connecting thing. Now? Unless it is solving a problem that has been bugging me, its gone from my head in a few days.

I must need that vacation. Aug 1 through the 15. Don't say you weren't warned. Montana, a cabin in the mountains, and a creek runs through it.

Also got an email from the COO that I will get that 2% extra equity raise along with the 4% raise. Word to the wise - always document your projects...and if someone gives you a kissy thank you email (especially if your boss sends you one), save it.

Saving log - $2 tip box
Spending log - $1.86 coffee (1 more!) + $12 lunch + $1 apple

My trainer is leaving the gym to start her own training business. Quite a shocker on the friendship basis, but my credit card is cheering. I feel a little guilty about that.

I've learned a lot from her. I've worked with all but a couple of pieces of equipment, learned a lot of exercises and calisthentics, the form I should have, the muscles I should work, how to put together a workout routine, and she would write out the workout routines as do them. I've saved them all.

Her official last day will occur when I'm gone on vacation, but since we have three sessions to burn off, she's going to come back in to the gym for those. Yet another reason not to burn a bridge on your old job - you never know when you need the infrastructure.

I'm going to aim working out at the gym on my own for a few months, use the workouts as written and get a routine - weigh myself weekly. My clothes give me a decent reading - about as good as a tape measure.

My fear is that routines will become too routine and that I'm more likely to blow them off because I will only have the feel better aspect, not the feel better plus holy crap I'm throwing away money if I blow this off - especially when my schedule gets crazy. We'll see.

I am getting better though. I enjoy my cheap long walks and enjoy the fact that a few people have told me that six miles is long ... it really isn't. I still have the goal to begin to jog them. I'm starting to run for buses...and catch them.

Good luck to you, trainer. Birdie's out of the nest.

Saving log - $1 tip box
Spending log - $1.86 coffee* + $6 curry

*A co worker gave me a $5 coffee card as a thank you for helping her out on a project. Because I buy the 12 oz straight drip coffee, I figure I have about 2 1/2 servings of coffee.

Very useful this week. I'm again at the end of the month with $40 to spare so I'm feeling the frugal burn.

Decided to again go to the curry place. I looked more deeply at the menu and discovered that all the curries not on special all went up about 10%. I know how the owner's funding the $3.99 special. I would have eaten the special, but brown lentil curry is not my thing.

Going on vacation August 1 through the 15th, so I've suspended heavy duty saving and buying DRP stocks until I get back.

Saturday
Saving log - $0 tip box + $35 drp
Spending log - $15 brunch/coffee + $12 produce

Sunday
Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $3.25 coffee & bagel + $4 latte & cookie

This morning we stopped into our local Sunday coffeehouse, expecting a fairly quiet coffee and Sunday newspaper reading. People were swinging from the rafters! We asked what was up ...

Owner: We got refugees from the Tully's Coffee across the street (87th/Greenwood). They closed.

Us: Huh? That was quick.

And it was quick - Wednesday nothing was amiss. The notice went up on Thursday. By Saturday they were closed. By Sunday, you can see the newspaper shroud along all the windows. About as fast as the Alaska Deli downtown...although at Tully's least there was a note.

There seems to be a spectra of closure styles.

You have the never-ending closure style of the Oriental rug stores in Pioneer Square. It wouldn't surprise me if those stores have only two signs - an Everything Must Go Sign and a Grand Opening sign - and the owner flips a coin to determine which one they put up for the month.

You have the political statement closure: a news-worthy proprietor who is retiring or the rent's going up. I call it a political closure because it usually takes several months with some local ain't-it-a-shame or shed-a-light-on-other-issues press. I lump the Starbucks closures in that category. Anybody go to that Starbucks on Dexter and Aurora? Its on the list.

You have the clear must get out by the end of the month sale and closure. My CD place was one of those. Burn off as much inventory in that last month as you can, with the goal of leaving only dirty carpet on the first.

To me, the oddballs are the really quick closures. Last year, the Denny's in Ballard closed with incredible speed and no particular warning. One Saturday we ate there, the next Saturday that Denny's sign was down, and the place was boarded up. Now this Tully's. Perhaps it makes a little bit of sense when a multi-branch company does it - they move the inventory out within a few hours, leaving cricket chirps behind.

But the Alaska Deli? Still a mystery - it was in the midst of construction, but it had been in the midst for a month or two, it was clearly marked Open with clear sidewalks. Frankly, with all the construction guys swarming around it should have been doing the business of its life. May 30, it was selling coffee; June 2 the door was locked. The extra mystery is that the Alaska Deli's stock is still mostly there even now. (this pic was taken in early July)


I'm probably reading too much into these quick closures. But a business has some sort of relationship with its neighborhood, and its customers. Do these quick closures tell us that we don't care or that we might care too much?

Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee + $11 lunch

No bankers falling out of the sky...


(WaMu Tower on the left; WaMu Center on the right. I took this snap in December when it was nice and gloomy)

Saving log - $4 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee + $22 groceries & lunch

Peaches were at .99/lb at the downtown supermarket, so I picked up some along with a plate of california rolls for $3.79. Nice to see 2004 prices for a change.

My mail contained a notice for a class action lawsuit for Coke shareholders of record between 1999 and 2000. During that time, KO dropped from $80/share to $30-$40 and so far hasn't recovered completely from it. Plantiffs are suing that KO misled the company finances, etc. I'll have to research this a bit more - the possibilities are to take it, ignore it, or file for exclusion. This was about the time that DH gave me a share and started me off of DRiPing. I had one share and was working on a bit of another at the time. I'd be shocked if I get a check for more than single digits.

Savings log - $2 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee + $11 lunch + $4 dinner for two.

Not much is happening at work in these past two days. But this morning I walked to my stop and found this:


Which means only one thing - the Greenwood Seafair Parade. DH joined for a bit this year - I sprung for Greenwood Market $2 brat special for each of us: brat, potato chips, bottled water. The parade suffered a bit from timing issues, as in "when the (*&)(*& is this starting?". I told DH the only way to make it go faster was to walk backwards along the route. Most of my pictures are blurry, of which I will now bore you forthwith.

The motorcycle drill team:


The QFC shopping cart drill team:


The Seafair Pirates are now equal opportunity. A little something for the three guys who are reading - besides, we are a family blog.


And finally, keepin' it fiscal:


Bonus points that adults would dress up as checks and tax forms.

Saving log - $1 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee + $8 lunch

The shorts I bought yesterday didn't fit, so I returned them. Their sizing fooled me. I did manage to find another pair of shorts that did fit. So I recouped $19.

I had a hair more than 100K in my community bank account. I trimmed that down to under 99K and put the proceeds into ING. Just didn't want someone to say, "why didn't you keep it under the limit?"

Found an interesting article in the paper today.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008063100...

First of all: this isn't particularly bad yet. And I haven't really noticed all that much frugality out and about. I see folks afraid but still driving around. I still see very few pedestrians, few bicyclists, and now its again easier to get a seat on the bus. I hear more complaints, but little clever thinking. I see a bit more fear - concentrated if you have lost your job or your house - but the fear feels spread out and low grade from the average person. Kind of like "nothing to see here, move along.."

I'd like to think that a new wave of permanent frugality is at hand, but right now everyone appears to be hoping against hope that they won't have to stoop to the tricks.

Speaking of tricks - my PDA off/on button now refuses to work. I thought about replacing it, but DH taught me that the all the buttons turn on the PDA. The sneaky way of using what you already have. Turning the PDA is a bit more problematic, because none of those buttons turn things off. You have to set the automatic shutoff to 30 seconds or a minute and let it shutoff by itself. Better to teach myself a little laziness than spend on a new PDA.

Saving log - $0
Spending log - $50 clothes + $30 groceries

This weekend I walked about 4 mi each day. My itineraries:

Saturday - Golden Gardens/ Shilshole Marina/ top of the Burke Gilman along Skyview Ave/ Hiram Chittenden Locks/Fish Ladder/ Market St in Ballard

Sunday - north on Greenwood Ave/ 105th to Northgate/ Mineral Springs Park/ Northgate Mall

Didn't find any change on the sidewalk, but there was no admission to get into any of the parks, the fish ladder, or the Locks. So they were both nice, cheap urban hikes. I will still have to think about the ultimate destination. If its to a mall, then there's the thought of shopping. It sounds so dang obvious, but if you want to avoid spending discretionary money, you have to avoid going shopping.

I'm trying to figure the big pieces of this economy out.

In the last few years, we've had a big expansion of money (dollar bills are only a small bit of the money supply) as folks buy houses and re-fi and HELOC. Banks bundled it up and sold it to other entities, then used the proceeds to make more loans. In other words, they expanded credit and manufactured money.

Now, as banks write down their debt, that "paper" money is being destroyed. So if money is being destroyed, that should be deflation. Inflation is the increase of the money supply, deflation is the decrease in the money supply.

Deflation usually causes lower prices. When fewer dollars chase the same amount of stuff, those dollars are precious - they buy more. Therefore prices are supposed to go down.

Clearly they are not - there is another, stronger element going on.

Deflation is also supposed to strengthen the dollar, because again, fewer dollars buy more stuff. But if you compare the dollar to the price of oil... well, you could look at it from the perspective of the oil - that barrel of oil has the same value, yet if it takes more dollars to buy it, those dollars are weaker.

So what we have here is a deflated (fewer) in number, yet weaker dollar.

Saving log - $3 tip box
Spending log - $1.70 coffee + $5 lunch

Had $10 in my pocket today to finish the week. My cheap curry place kept my cheap week on track. I began the new tip box cycle by adding $3.

I managed to spend only 40$ this week, including lunch with friends and few groceries. It required buying a foot-long sub and eating it over two days, hitting the free lunch going away party, and hitting the cheap curry place.

I haven't been to the cheap curry place in several months - miracle of miracles, its still running its any-vegetarian curry and a drink for $3.99 + tax (and I tip decently). Its line, as usual, was huge. Next door, the $5 sub place: crickets.

Saving log - $2 tip box ($42 in total)
Spending log - $0

Had a good cash flow day; all saving, and no spending.

Breakfast was taken care of by the all staff meeting, where I presented DJ friend with his 5 year service pin. Lunch was taken care of by a going away party, where I grabbed a couple of extra wraps for afternoon snack. I also went to a meeting where there were many mini candy bars, which I promptly scooped up and set in a cup by our printers and copiers. After all our printers and copiers know when you are upset.

In between free meals from the workplace, I found out that: I lost my own service pin (pooh!), I'm now back down to 184, I can compose an okay haiku under the gun in 15 minutes, and as I ducked out to deposit my tip box earnings from this month I found out that my WaMu branch (the main one in downtown Seattle) looked serene and calm.

Deposited $42 into brick and mortar savings this month.

Tonight I found out that I hit it lucky, of sorts, in buying more MI. The transfer agent on that one buys on the 14th of every month. My 100$ bought at its very low on Monday. The stock rally yesterday and today of bank stocks is mystifying on a broad scale, not so baffling on a day to day. This week everyone's relieved that its only bad, not apocalyptic. Mr Market is particularly manic depressive this week. Time for folks like us to keep on an even keel.

I also discovered tonight that I set up my monthly buy of IP for the middle of the month. After this buy, I now have more than 25 shares, so could and did opt for full dividend reinvestment.

Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $1.50 coffee + $1 apple

Actually, the apple was 85 cents. Honestly, that was the only exciting thing to fiscally happen today.

Discovered that my Early Girl and my possible black tomato plants are starting to set fruit. So far, no blossom end rot!