Queercents

Summer is winding up and everyone seems to be heading off to school or finishing up vacations. It’s a slow time, which makes it all the better to go out on an evening hike or a weekend afternoon bike ride. So without further ado (so I can get to the bike ride and hike) here’s the roundup!

•  It’s always sad when a human rights pioneer passes away, but hearing how Del Martin was able to marry her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, was quite touching. She leaves an incredible legacy. (Read it at Common Dreams)
• It feels like old news now (almost a full six days ago!) but Matthew Mitcham’s upset over the Chinese in the ten meter platform was absolutely amazing to watch. On his pentultimate dive he had two perfect tens, followed by four of seven on his last dive to take the Gold. (Read it at Out Sports)
• I’ve never been brave enough to intentionally haggle (inadvertent haggling has gotten me free products but since it’s never intentional I couldn’t say how), but if you do try to talk down prices, Lifehacker has a great article on it. (Read it at Lifehacker)
• If you’re sick of the cliched dating ideas that always seem to come up when you’re planning a evening with a significant other or are just starting to see someone, this ideas have you covered and sound cheap and fun. (Read it at WiseBread)
• Tent’s post that buying things because they’re on sale is an awful way to save money  is an interesting read for me because I generally fall on the side of not buying things on sale and waiting until I need something until I buy a quality product with a long life, while my sister will buy things on sale and then maybe find a use for it later. Trent breaks it down to differentiate getting a good price on something you want versus money spent on a false bargain. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)

Queercents Flashback: I love iTunes U and have been using it for the past couple moths now, so I was really excited to see that Nina had written an article on it.

At long last, the weekend is here. Time to work on projects, do some cleaning, sleep in, or all of the above.

• Right on the heels of Ellen and Portia’s wedding, Hallmark is now selling gay marriage cards. On a foray into the store, I also noticed that there are congrulatory coming out cards as well. (Read it at The Advoctate)
• I always love little reminders to find happiness in every day. No matter how stressful or lousy your day has been, little tips like those found on Leo’s list go a long way to improving it. (Read it at Zen Habits)
• Here’s a follow up on my recent post about NSF fees. Consumerist has a breakdown on sneaky ways your bank can hit you with overdraft charges. (Read it at Consumerist)
• Summer is my favorite time to pick up a new hobby, and it takes a lot of discipline to not go overboard with getting accessories for that hobby. Sometimes it can be handy (purchasing a set of bike gloves saved my left hand from some really nasty road rash that my elbow wasn’t so lucky on) and sometimes it can be a money pit. JD offers some thoughts on not getting too caught up in spending money on hobbies. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• Despite the notorious difficulties of working on a Beckett play, particularly with the elaborate stage directions, Beckett felt that people were most creative when they worked within a set of constraints. Steve at Brazeen Careerist agrees. What do you think? (Read it at Brazen Careerist)

Queercents flashback: As is often the case, what is needed tends to appear when it is needed most. So of course as I’m clicking through archives, I discovered Paula’s series “Career and Money” while endlessly debating the question of whether or not to apply for graduate school. Paula advice is great, particularly for those worried about impending career choices.

I will definitely admit to having Olympic fever hardcore. All of my free time has been devoted to watching, and I’ve even tried to arrange my list of things to do so I could multi-task while watching.

• In case you were wondering, here’s a list of all of the out Olympians. (Read it at OutSports)
• Well, Ellen and Portia are just too darn adorable. (Read it at After Ellen)
• Bank failure and hypnotists? Two things I never thought I’d read in the same article. (Read it at Slate)
• Fundamental money skills everyone should know. (Read it at Kiplinger)
• Tyler Durden’s dad in Fight Club said the first thing he should do is graduate college, then a job and then marriage. Now joining Trent of The Simple Dolar is suggesting that college may not be necessary. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)

Queercents flashback: And since right now my one track mind is focused on the Olympics, in case you weren’t paying attention this week, Paula did a really interesting article about the cost of being an Olympian.

Recently I talked about how to try and save money while going out, but if hitting up clubs and pubs isn’t your thing, I love picking up new hobbies as a way to keep busy and learn valuable skills. For instance, I’m working on learning to sew so I can customize my apparel and learning to tune bikes. With that in mind, here’s a round up with a hobby inclination.

I discovered this watching a video feed called Crank My Chain! on Miro, a free program that essentially turns your computer into a tv. It uses “upcycling,” to create an awesome looking messenger bag out of those plastic bags that collect everywhere. (Be warned, it takes a while to get the ironing bit down.) (Read it at 5.)

Trent has fifty ways to entertain yourself, with links to a few more. Excercise caution though if trying #2! (Read it at The Simple Dollar)

If you’re just looking to get in shape without spending the money on a gym membership or equipment, Leo has the answer for you. (Read it at Zen Habits)

This survey by Mr. Credit Card is absolutely fascinating, and illuminating for anyone who has a credit card. It even has graphs. (Read it at Ask Mr. Credit Card)

Chris Schonberger and Stuart Schultz over at Brazen Careerist have some good advice if you’re just starting a new job. (Read it at Brazen Careerist)

In the continuing trend of FDIC concerns, fivecentnickel, attempts to answer the question of what happens to your CDs when a bank fails? (Read it at FiveCentNickel)

Other items of note: If you’re in New York City, The Frugal Duchess will be chatting up her new book at a Sip ‘n Save book party at Starbucks on Park Avenue.

Queercents flashback: If you have an old hobby you’re no longer into (in this case, comic book collecting), Dawn has suggestions for making money from it.

I love, love, love summer. Biking, rock climbing, and frisbee are bike sources of happiness in my life right now, but the best part is definitely the extended hours of daylight. It may be overcast where I live right now, but that doesn’t seem like enough to bring me down off the high that is running around barefoot in the grass.

• With the heat though has come an oppressive humidity. Fortunately, the internet offers up some ways to save the day with recipes for delicious frozen drinks. (Read it at Good Housekeeping via Lifehacker)
• The Olympics are coming up, bringing an out Olympian. (Read it at Edge New York)
• Sort of like the time my friends and I protested Starbucks forcing out a local coffee shop by same-sex couples PDAing in a conservative town, this woman is using an unconventional way to express her dissatisfaction with the local Wal-Mart. She’s got some series ovaries… (Read it at Bike Forums via Consumerist)
• Always good for analyses and graphs, fivecentnickel has offered up some interesting information about the recent raise in minimum wage. (Read it at fivecentnickel)
• For some people, when it comes to picking their bank, the rates are more important than anything. J.D weighs in on the importance of “rate chasing.” (Read it at Get Rich Slowly) Read the rest of this entry »

I’m about to head off to Maryland to meet with my Dad and help him move into his new apartment. After being given early retirement from his job, he took a mini retirement and was then able to get a new job working in pollution control. Before I go though, a roundup.

• The other week I was just talking about the benefit of libraries, and it turns out there were a couple of points I missed. (Read it at Consumerist)
• A customer at our bank makes weekly deposits into what he calls “The Slush Fund,” an account he deposits the weeks change and a few bills. After a few years he’s built up a solid emergency fund. Using a similar method, one woman, mentioned in the Boston Globe managed to save thousands of dollars. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• Philip Brewer also has some thoughts to contribute about whether or not you track your expenses. (Read it at WiseBread)
• Buried in the middle of the article are three fantastic tips for leading a more fulfilling life. I’ve been working on them myself, and I have to say that it’s led to the best summer I’ve had. (Read it at The Happiness Project)
• Trying to keep on top of everything you’ll be doing though if you decide to follow those general goals means you’ll be fitting a lot into a day. Fortunately, there are some tips over at Zen Habits that will help you out. (Read it at Zen Habits)

Queercents flashback: Speaking of career changes, careers may not be all they’re cracked up to be.

If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you will have noticed the demise of IndyMac, which seems to only be exacerbating financial concerns. There’s been a lot of speculation as to how far reaching this will eventually be, but for now, here are some links that will keep you covered in case you have any concerns.

• If you’re worried about your bank, here’s FDIC 101. (Read it at Kiplinger)
• If you’re unlucky enough to have had money in IndyMac, Xin Lu posts what to do if your bank failed. (Read it at WiseBread)
• So you have some time on your hands and you think maybe some of what’s going on right now looks familiar. I Hate Debt has a history of Debt in America. (Read it at I Hate Debt)
• For the quick picture version, Consumerist offers side-by-side photos of now and a hundred years ago. (Read it at Consumerist)
• Maybe it’s just the abundance of summer sunshine that has been thinking about happiness, but Zen Habits Happiness Guide is a good bell of mindfulness for simple ways to increase your happiness. (Read it at Zen Habits)
• And the Happiness Project offers some ways to understand what kind of shopper you are. (Read it at the Happiness Project)
• For those anticipating L Word withdrawl  after the sixth and final season, there may be hope. (Read it at After Ellen)

Queercents flashback: Adam and environmentalism.

Any time I respond to someone’s inquiry that I’m a religious studies major, their first response is “And what do you plan on doing with that?”  Typically I just delay answering by saying I’d like to attend grad school,  but like most students facing the impending “real world,” I’ve been feeling a bit of anxiety on what I want to do and preparing myself. Fortunately, this week’s round up is full of reassurance that life outside academia isn’t so bad. And for those like my father, who just experienced an unanticipated career change, there’s are some nuggets in there for those who are changing their career paths.

• J.D. talks about the difference between a career and a job. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• And when you’re looking for your new career, here’s some advice from Trent on how to choose one. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• Which he follows up with a thoughtful post on finding the balance between loving what you’re doing and making money.(Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• And on an unrelated note, here are some different ways to cool down with variations on lemonade for hot, humid days. (Read it at Real Simple via Lifehacker)

Queercents Flashback: For those feeling the weight of the not recession, here’s Paula’s list of six things to do if you’ve lost your job.

With long weekends and mini vacations (I know I was without my computer for the last four days, so groveling apologies for the late post) for the fourth of July, there’s bound to have been slippage in the savings category. To help get back on track, here’s a round up with saving in mind.

• She may start off with nothing new, with the tried and true commandment of live below your means, but her reminder to give back struck me as something that needs to be mentioned more often. (Read it here at Kiplinger)
• Of all the ways you can set yourself up to save, I love Lifehacker’s recap of the top ten tricks. I tried to pick out my favorite, but only wound up with a list of nine instead of ten. Sorry Lifehacker, I just wasn’t into the browser extension. (Read it here at Lifehacker)
• I have to say, going out to dinner is one of my big social activities. So much so that I’ve created a budget just for that. Granted it’s very meager and I can go out maybe three times if I’m very strict, because money goes quickly when dining out. I love it because it’s convenient (everybody eats, why not eat together) and it’s also a good opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a while. Though she could go further–my contribution would be to mention having a small snack before hand so you don’t order more than you can eat and that the appetizer section is your friend—this is a great start. (Read it here at Wise Bread)
• While at the shore we made numerous trips to pick up groceries. Not everything on this list is doable all the time, but doing some of the things most of the time does make a difference. (Read it here at Get Rich Slowly)

Flashback: One year ago, Moorea wrote about living and traveling rent free. Love….

Graduation may have been over a month ago for some people, but since I’m still attending graduation parties (my friends will use just about any excuse to get together and play ultimate frisbee), graduation can’t be too far in the past. In honor of graduation then, here’s a special student themed roundup that hopefully has a little something for everyone.

• My brother just graduated high-school and is about to start his freshman year at an Ivy League school. Here’s some fantastic general advice for those about to start college themselves. (Read it at The Simple Dollar)
• If you’ll be returning to college in the fall, J.D. has some answers the question of whether it is possible to save money while there. (Read it at Get Rich Slowly)
• For those about to enter the real world, Xin Lu has some great general advice.
  (Read it at WiseBread)
• Post-college finances can be pretty basic, but sometimes bear repeating. Even if you’re used to managing your own money, here are some great reminders of four simple things you can do to get yourself sorted. (Read it at FiveCentNickel) Read the rest of this entry »