Happy Halloween

I recycled last year's flight attendant into Snakes on a Plane flight attendant. It was a little too obscure for some people although I am still blown away that someone who was dressed as a Storm Trooper was not recognized by a group of 30-something ladies.

The following are Halloween-related links I have been been saving for this very special day. Enjoy and don't eat too much candy today!

Costumes:
Homemade headless Marie Antoinette costume (fantastic!)
Rubik's cube costume
HOW TO - Make your own Where's Waldo costume
HOW TO - Make an Oscar the grouch costume (my friend just sent his halloween party photos and he was dresses as Oscar, but with a different costume styling)

Accessories
Princess Leia hat
Purple Braids Wig
Hallowig

Food:
Graveyard cake
Crawly Things

Pumpkins:
Big Mac pumpkin

DIY Halloween - amazing costumes, scary tech, pumpkins and gross food - officially awesome
(look for the Lego person costume - awesome)

not martha's halloween link dump

Review: Chapter 22 of The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

As part of JLP's October Project, I am reviewing chapter 22, Passing it on When You Pass On, of The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing. The great thing about this book is the writing style is like having a conversation with someone who knows the subject and can put it into a format that is easily digested. I would recommend this book to those people who do not take a keen interest in finance, but would like to know more since it is serves as a nice introduction to a variety of topics.

In this 8-page chapter they lay out the basics so you have enough information to seek the next level of learning. Each chapter begins with a quote:

Rich people plan for three generations. Poor people plan for Saturday night. - Gloria Steinem

This chapter does not provide legal advice (that's what estate planning attorneys are for), but points out considerations when estate planning. In order to make sure that our assets go to those we choose and done so in a timely manner, we need to have the following documents in place:

• A will - it goes through probate, which can prolong the distribution of your assets
  
• Living Trust - does not go through probate, financial affairs are kept private, does not exempt you from paying taxes
  
• Power of Attorney - 2 types: for finances and for healthcare
  
• Advance Healthcare Directive - directs your wishes for specific medical personnel regarding certain medical treatments and life-prolonging efforts when you're unable to communicate your wishes to them. Also known as a living will (not to be confused with a living trust). The authors remind us of Terry Schiavo.

Table 22.1 lists the estate tax schedule and points out that because of the estate tax laws, if a person dies in 2010 there is no estate tax, but it would be 45% for 2009 or 55% for 2011. This was an odd part for me until I flipped the page and realized what they are saying is if you're a high net worth individual who could be on life support around 2010, that's the year you want to pass.

The second-half of this chapter outlines other tax considerations, gifting to reduce the size of your estate and a letter of instruction, which outlines your wishes for organ donation, funeral arranagements or cremation.

The chapter ends with a reminder that the authors are not dispensing legal advice but have provided topics for further explanation from an attorney.

With the gift giving season approaching, keep this book in mind for the usual suspects who like personal finance books, but also college students, new graduates and for those gift exchanges where you have to get something applicable for men and women aged 22 to 65 that is not wine or liquor.

Rudy Flyer

Rudy Flyer
Originally uploaded by udandi.

On a forum I read, someone asked if people had a traveling gnome or another character that they travel with and take photos.

This Rudy Flyer beanie doll was in my seat at UD basketball game and we became fast friends. He attended the rest of the season's games with me, took roadtrips to visit old friends and even went to the beach. I don't have many photos of him on his adventures, but here he is anxiously awaiting his next flight...I just wanted to share who shares my desk!

School Me: MyPoints?

oh man, I totally feel like the Snapple Lady in saying a reader asks, "do you know anything about MyPoints?"

Well, Prone to Hyperbole, I don't have the scoop and if it weren't for waiting until the last minute to cash in on ebay's 20-cent-listing day, I would totally go looking for you. I do know Tired but Happy has posted about MyPoints, but I do not recall any others off the top of my head.

If you have the low-down on MyPoints or know of a blog that posts about them, please leave a comment to the posts or blog. Thanks in advance!

Wal-Mart rolls out $4 prescription program in Indiana

From the Cincinnati Business Courier, which explains the Indiana headline, but the program also is available in Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pharmacies in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Vermont.

The program was launched in Florida on Oct. 6. Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) said it originally planned to expand into other states beginning in 2007, but customer demand led to an accelerated launch.

In other Wal-Mart news, vist the product samples page for some freebies!

Happy Birthday, iPod!

The iPod turns five today!

“With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again,” Jobs said at the time. Almost no one believed the man, or understood why the iPod’s design was importantly different from previously released MP3 players, but his words turned out to be spot on [source: ilounge.com].

Two fun facts:

• The iPod accounts for over 75% of all portable music players sold in the U.S.
• Approximately 70% of the 2007 model year cars sold in the U.S. will offer direct iPod integration as an option

October 22 Target Ad

Target has jazzed up the weekly ad on its web site with some flash animation and it is going to take a little bit to get used to the new navigation...

In any case, I recommend waiting until Saturday to cash in on the 3 bags of candy for $5 so that you will have it for next Tuesday rather than parking it on the couch and inhaling it tonight while watching How I Met Your Mother (Halloween suit up!).

Also, the firebowl/fireplaces could be good if you like sitting out on your driveway waiting for ghosts, princesses and naughty librarians!

Tip: If is worth having, it is worth the hard work

A couple of months ago, a paper asked for people to share their story if they had enough of "The Mondays" (Office Space) and left their jobs to pursue another career. I answered not thinking much of it, but they contacted me for an interview and my story (quit job + grad school = new career) along with two others were featured in a cover story (not shared here due to too much personal identifying information).


For the next two months, I will be wrapping up one journey and embarking on another. My entries to this blog will be sporadic, but more importantly this post serves as a reminder that if it is worth having, it is worth the hard work! It really is.

Make It: Your Bed

Make your bed, take a photo, then get in it and read or take a nap! It's blah rainy fall weather, which just makes me want to nap or watch too much TV and with it being Thursday night, I'll will indulge!

The whole point of taking a photo is to enjoy a made bed when it might otherwise be un-made (yes, those are Swell sheets and the TV tray from Target a couple years ago).

Frugal woman dies at 100, donates $35.6M

While looking at an article about former classmate who is a tattooed librarian, I saw the article about a frugal woman who donated $35.6 million when she died at age 100.

Dodson’s husband had held a stake in a limestone quarry, which went to her after his death in 1949. While she could have afforded a more lavish lifestyle, she instead saved money by living in a small condo and refusing in-home care until she was nearly 100, Kubit said.

I wonder what else she did to save money?

Use It: Your Library

I like to think that my readers are library users. They checkout books, magazines, music CDs, audio books or DVDs of movies or tv shows. They might access their public library's catalog from the comfort of their home and request materials for pick up.

I really like to think they access the databases, have heard of the deep web and know that their most reliable search tool could be their librarian:

In addition, search engines also are only offering up a fraction of all the information out there. There is still the relatively untapped so-called "deep Web" of information behind corporate firewalls and password-protected Web sites. To get to the information, people have to know where the sites are and often have to pay to subscribe.

That pay to subscribe part is where your library picks up the tab so use it!

The Bogleheads’ October Project - Weeks 2 & 3

Monday, October 9 - Chapter 6
How Much Do You Need to Save?

Tuesday, October 10 - Chapter 7
Keep it Simple

Wednesday, October 11 - Chapter 8
Asset Allocation

Thursday, October 12 - Chapter 9
Costs Matter

Friday, October 13 - Chapters 10 & 11
Taxes Part 1, Part 2

Monday, October 16 - Chapter 12
Diversification

Tuesday, October 17 - Chapter 13
Performance Chasing and Market Timing are Hazardous to Your Wealth

(I will update the following links to post directly to their entries when they are available)

Wednesday, October 18 - Chapter 14
Savvy Ways to Invest for College

Thursday, October 19 - Chapter 15
How to Manage a Windfall Successfully

Friday, October 20 - Chpater 16
Do You Need an Advisor?


Related Links:
Previous chapter reviews
The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

Make It: Easy Apple Crisp

I tried to convince my sister, Feather, that she could be a guest blogger, instead she just wants me to share this on her behalf. But since she's not sharing it herself, I'll be honest Andi and say, this isn't any quicker than regular Apple Crisp, which I think is better.

4 or 5 apples
1 package of Jiffy yellow cake mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup nuts and/or raisins (optional)

Peel and cut apples, fill 8x8 dish
Combine other ingredients into crumble-y mixture, place on top of apples
Cook 30 minutes at 350*
Serve with ice cream

Apparently she got it from a Pampered Chef demo, which leads me to today's Halloween costume idea. Diaper + chef's jacket = Pampered Chef!

October 15 Target ad

I've always liked Roman Shades and according to various shows and books, they're easy to make. I have yet to try and have not even listed them on my long list of stuff to make some day, which is why buying them is probably more likely!

Free Stuff: Sunsilk

Pick your hair type and get a free sample from Sunsilk.


Related Post:
Free Stuff: samples & coupons

I Spy: A Ticket Bowl in Craft

I have not seen Craft yet, but not martha posted a scan because her knitted wig is featured. Below her wig is a ticket bowl. Below her wig is a ticket bowl and I wonder who made it! As I said in my original ticket bowl gift basket post, I got the idea from Todd Oldman.

Free Stuff: Real Simple Magazine (2 issues)

Receive two issues of Real Simple magazine risk-free.

A summary of the terms, but as always you should read the all the details before committing.

Try 2 issues Risk-Free. You'll receive 10 additional monthly issues for a total of 12 and pay just $1.99 an issue. This includes the cost of the risk free issues. If you don't want to continue with REAL SIMPLE after the trial period, simply return my bill marked "cancel," owe nothing. The cancellation is effective immediately and any trial issues are yours to keep free.

I Spy: my chocolate brown ottoman

The one I said I got at Target cheaper than their "lowest price of the season" ottomans in the Sunday advertisement.

It is in this photo in which she uses two to make a coffee table. It looks like her end table is one of those storage ottomans my mom would like to store away a blanket!

WFMW: Not Collecting Clutter

I am on a quest to simplify my life (and everything in it), which in turn I hope will keep me organized and peaceful.

One step I take to reducing clutter is to not collect it. Easier said than done because when it comes to clothing and shoes, I cannot do without them on a daily basis. But not over-buying in this area is very helpful (it is one thing to buy two pairs of favorite jeans and quite another to buy more shirts than you can wear that season).

From personal experience, I know it is a given that at some point my clothes/shoes/ourses/jewelry will no longer be my preferred style, worn out, in disrepair or ill-fitting. As this happens with each piece, I will "Clean Sweep it" and decide if it goes in the trash, can be donated or re-sold (if I want to take the time). One thing I am working on is not letting any of the piles become to large and take on a personality of their own by taking care of them in a timely manner.

When people giving me stuff I do not want, will not use or see a potential as a dust collecting knick-knack, I politely refuse. On Move This House! Roger asked, why keep another family member's stuff if it isn't your style? Good question, Roger! Guilt. People, especially Catholic Grandmothers will guilt you into taking their stuff, even though they do not want it or are not using it without recognizing that you have no use for it. Rather than be burdened, emotionally, with how to deal with unwanted items, I refuse it or get rid of it and refuse to feel guilty for it. If I am asked about what happened to XYZ, I shift the conversation to remind the questioner that she did not want it and leave it at that.

As for paperwork, I file the necessary papers for the recommended length of time, but some paper does not need to hang around as long and gets shredded. The key here is already being organized in how I want to handle the paperwork, making it easier to not collect that which I have learned I will not need in the future. I also only have 5 accounts in which I get monthly or quarterly statements, so I have less paper work to file than if I had a handful of credit cards, bank or IRA/401k accounts. I am not saying this works best for everyone, but like anything it is a measure of time and worth.

For the last year, I did not get any magazines. Prior to that, after I read a magazine I offered it to my coworkers and if it made its way back to my desk, it got recycled, not taken back home. I do not request any catalogs, the ones that do make it my way, I flip through and recycle. With Internet shopping, if there is something I want in the catalog (highly unlikely given my shopping habits), I go to the web site. I eliminate having a pile of magazines and catalogs that become taller than the arm of a chair!

When it comes to household items, I acquire and keep that stuff which is decorative, only if it is useful. The Halloween towels were a good choice for my mom because she likes being festive, but she can use the towels (although I bet she thinks they are too pretty to use!). I like and use chairs. I would not like or use ceramic figurines or any other knick-knack that collects dust and/or is scented.

By reducing the collection from the start, I do not have to carve out time to cut a major amount of clutter. Works-for-Me Wednesday is hosted each Wednesday by Rocks in My Dryer.

Related Posts:
How To: De-Clutter through Craigslist
100 Things about Me

My previous entries:
WFMW: Container Storage
WFMW: Cedar Cigar Boxes in Closet
WFMW: Magnetic Calculator
WFMW: Paint Edger
WFMW: Sample Shampoo Holder
WFMW: Duplicating Favorite Jeans
WFMW: Neck Cooler

Halloween Spending = $4.96 billion

Yesterday, I wondered about the Halloween spending figure and then reading a blog in which the blogger was quoted, I found the answer.

This year, the National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend a record $4.96 billion on costumes, cards, candy and decorations, up 51% from $3.29 billion a year ago. That translates to about $59.06 in spending for the average consumer. Halloween has turned into the second- or third-biggest party night of the year, depending on who's counting, behind New Year's Eve and Super Bowl Sunday. Hallmark makes more than 300 Halloween cards.

[MSN Money: These days, Halloween's a big deal]

I bookmarked The National Retail Federation web site so I can answer my own questions in the future, instead of just talking out loud to myself on this blog!

More Halloween

Halloween towels for my mom! At $1 for both, they make the $1 candy corn-shaped mini playing cards I got for my sister a steal! I also picked up little halloween masks for the little buddies, but getting them all to do the same thing at one time is beyond my skill level so there is no photo to show.

The Bogleheads’ October Project - updated

JLP of AllFinancialMatters organized the Bogleheads’ October Project with each participating blogger reviewing one chapter per weekday of The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing.

Monday, October 2 -- Chappter 1
Choose a Sound Financial Lifestyle
AllFinancialMatters

Tuesday, October 3 -- Chapter 2
Start Early and Invest Regularly
FiveCentNickel

Wednesday, October 4 -- Chapter 3
Know What You’re Buying Part 1

Thursday, October 5 -- Chapter 4
Know What You're Buying Part 2

Friday, October 6 -- Chapter 5
Preserving Your Purchasing Power With Inflation Protected Bonds

Monday, October 7 -- Chapter 6
How Much Do You Need to Save?

Make it: Halloween Costumes

After seeing that we spend $450 billion on Christmas (Americans' 10 Biggest Wastes of Money), I wondered how much we spend on Halloween if there are $400 costumes?! I think the $150 Snowman would be a better option since it could be recycled for another holiday.

As a child, my mom sewed or cobbled together our costumes - no store-bought costumes for us! One of my favorites was going as a can of orange Crush soda, but I also liked when I put on a gray wig, wore my regular glasses and belted a pillow to my backside under a recycled witch dress to make myself into a hunched over old lady - I took third place in the school contest for originality!

I like the idea of making a bat costume from an umbrella. Last year, I gave my friend the idea to go as Jager and Red Bull while I put together a flight attendent outfit from the thrift store. But I really do not enjoy standing around a party as something I am not only to have drunk guys say, girls are only supposed to dress as naughty [insert costume idea]. Right, like the naughty librarian? Seriously, 60 bucks for that? But it does have a name tag [naughty librarian] in case one thinks you're a naughty office manager.

I'll stick to making halloween food like the Cannibal-themed Halloween supper or Meathead or Thorax Cake might interest you! I am totally grossed out by ljc's witch finger cookies!

Autumn Greetings!

We had a picture perfect day picking pumpkins!
The girls on the great pumpkin hunt

While the boy takes a rest with a pumpkin

The little buddies check out pumpkin-head Wilma
(Wilma is wearing a candy corn costume and a necklace of bones)!
Halloween cupcakes!

October 8 Target Ad

My pick would have been these ottomans for $32, except I just got one like the solid brown one off the clearance aisle for less than that - whoop!

See It: Harvest Moon

Tonight is the Harvest Moon, which I love because it is another sign that fall is here, although this evening I'll be indoors at a program and will probably miss it :(

Tomorrow, the udandi clan will gather at the pumpkin patch to enjoy the season and to celebrate mom's birthday as a family!

Given my track history the last few weekends, I'm going to say I will not have time to post this weekend. Have a great one!

More young people filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college?

Curious about Jane Dough's comment that more women file for bankruptcy than graduate college, I set out to find it and instead found three sources cites three other sources! If I were not on my way out the door, I would look a little longer to try to find out who and how they arrived at that statistic.

1) Junior Achievement cited the American Bankers Association Education Foundation when it stated:

More young adults filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college in 2001

2) I could not find that on ABA's web site, but then I saw that the Young Americans Center for Financial Eduation cited the US Treasury when it stat

In 2002, more people filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college in 2002.

3) And then from the Congressional Record - House 1491:

According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, more young people filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college in 2001.

Make It: Pumpkin Muffins

That pumpkin cake recipe only needed 8oz of Libby's Pumpkin filling, which is sold in 16oz cans. So a halved recipe of pumpkin raisen nut muffins were made with the other 8oz.

The recipe is not online, but you can find plenty others through a quick search.

Free Stuff: Unos Individual Pizza

Join the Unos Insider Club and enter the sweepstakes for a coupon for a free individual pizza when you purchase an entree.

Check out the details, participating locations and all that jazz.

My Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Well, there it is -- an exact replica of the Nestle cake!

ha! Worse than my food photography skills is my inability to notice when a cake is completely cooled and ready for the icing. Instead, my cake is sitting in a puddle of icing, which before serving I scraped off the plate and back onto the cake, only to watch it slide off again. No wonder a reviewer said to wait to ice each piece as it is served.

But all that matters is my mom enjoyed it because it wasn't too sweet and my dad said he would eat another piece!

I will say either I am slower than molasses in the springtime or that estimated prep time of 12 minutes only counts for the assemby of ingredients and not measuring of each one. The streusel part was easy to do, I think the italics in the recipe frighten me more than they should!

Happy Birthday to SMB, too!

Americans' 10 Biggest Wastes of Money

I am catching up on Bob & Sheri podcasts and they were discussing this article, Americans' 10 Biggest Wastes of Money from AOL Finance.

New Jersey dental-school student Steven Toth posted a mystery item on eBay last year under the title “The Biggest Waste of Money” and got a high bid of $136 from the last of 36 bidders -- for a piece of paper on which he scribbled that phrase.

Seriously?! I would ask what's wrong with us, but then again we are a country that is smoking $88 billion worth of cigarettes annually along with spending $450 billion at Christmas!

Americans' 10 Biggest Wastes of Money:
Extravagant weddings
“Premium” coffee-to-go
Expensive option packages on new cars
Sports memorabilia
Cigarettes
Impulse Internet buys
Gambling
Fuel-inefficient vehicles
Fast Food
Christmas shopping

Recipe: Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Today is my mom's birthday and I will attempt to make a Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake. I get the Very Best Baking emails from Nestle and this was consider a challenging recipe and I am guessing it is because of the strudel part:

SPOON half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle Streusel over batter, not allowing Streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan.

Luckily, I own a cake plate and dome so even if my cake does not look as great as that photo, it will be presented nicely!

Paint It

I am terrible at anticipating when I will not be able to blog for a whole weekend...

This weekend, inspired by Crafty & Cool's room makeover, I took a room from navajo white to blue heaven!



I thought I was going to need to put a second coat on since the paint salesperson told me I was buying the lowest quality, but he did not know that these walls were already primed and painted once.