Netflix Streaming, and Travel

Since December or January, we have had a Netflix account. We use it for streaming over our PS3, the WII, and for watching Disc based movies. Because we have the PS3, we also pay slightly extra for Blu Ray access. Total I pay $12.74/month for our subscription.

I have been very impressed with the options available for Stream. In the three months we've had Netflix. I've gone through season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1 of Rescue Me, Season 1-5 of Weeds, and Season 1 of X-files. Mrs. Lwil has watched two season of Everest. We haven't used it much for movies (a few Romantic Comedies, some silly comedies, and a fair number of documentaries.) Where it has really come in handy is for Baby Lwil. The kid's selection is outstanding, and the ability to begin something in the living room and move it to the bedroom to finish helps with bed time.

This past week, I was excited to finally have an opportunity to stream over my laptop from the road, but this didn't work out. The hotel I was at had a terrible wired internet set up, with a really uncomfortable chair, and no hope of stretching the cable to anywhere else in the room. They did offer free Wireless, but 11mbs wireless speeds are not what one would consider sufficient for streaming content. Boo to the Hilton Garden Inn for having a wireless network that's been outdated since 2004.

What we’re eating this week

Week of 2/26 – 3/4    

Saturday – Takeout

Sunday – Black Bean soup with roasted corn/wild rice salad

Monday – Middle Eastern Veggie and Grain Burgers with Baked French Fries

Tuesday – Tex Mex Barley Bake with Corn Bread

Wednesday – Vegetarian Meat Loaf with baked, spiced squash

Thursday – Cheese ravioli with pumpkin sauce and Salad

Friday – Falafel Pitas, and Tabouleh

Good times with Cash Windfalls

When I arrived for my business trip, I was planning on $1/day parking, and only brought $6 cash with me. I found out when I got here that daily parking went up to $2. I was worried that I would run out of cash before the end of the week, and at $2 a day, it was likely. Today, when I arrived at the garage, the attendant wasn't there, so I fed $1 into the machine. Suddenly a receipt came out, and the gate opened. Odd.

When I looked at the receipt, I noticed it said $10 in, $8 change. I'm 100% certain I did not put a ten in. I took my change (all in $1 coins) and thought "This is not 8 coins" so I counted. $16 change!

To recap, for a $2 parking garage fee, I paid $1, and got $16 in change. Hello Mini Windfall! I see an extra coffee, and a magazine or a book from the airport in my future! It's incredible how this small event changed my mood today. I was tired, and sluggish from too much Mexican, and too many margaritas last night, but this morning I made fifteen dollars. I've told the story to three people, blogged about it, emailed Mrs. Lwil. It's like Christmas for me! I love little windfalls like this.

Friday Night Likes – 2/18/11

 

Links to some of the favorite things I've read this week.

2/18/11
What happens when you walk away from your mortgage – Forbes breaks down the Tax Implications of Foreclosure
Strategic Default is a subject of great debate. There are consequences to foreclosure (strategic or forced) that have credit impact, and moral implications, but the tax implications are talked about a lot. Forbes walks through some implications and options.

An interesting take on debt pay down methods at Pennywise 2 Pennyworth
There are endless methods to paying down debt, this article shows a good case for continuing to contribute to retirement while paying off debt, and gives the math to prove it. We haven't stopped contributing to our retirement, but we aren't maxing it out either, which is where I'd like to be someday.

The Power of Craigslist at Blogging Away Debt
I've used Craigslist to sell things in the past, and to buy things. I think it depends heavily on the area of the country you live in. if you're in a large city like New York or Chicago, you're going to get better offers than rural Nebraska. That's not the point of this article though. This is about actual value vs. perceived value.

Record retention is something I have a problem with. Not Made of Money outlines from rules
I tend to keep too much (Do I really need cell phone bills going back 5 years? But more and more, I'm going to paperless statements, so that's helping me get rid of clutter.

Children’s Birthdays LWIL Style

Baby Lwil's 3^rd Birthday is coming up, so we're planning a way to celebrate, but not go overboard on spending. This is his first birthday where he's also in school. The biggest question is, do we invite his classmates (and if we invite 1, we have to invite all of them). So far, we're leaning away from inviting them, and keeping it to our family and personal friends. We have a birthday party/present budget of just under $500 for the year (that also covers things like Easter, potty training prizes, and other random presents through the year). Honestly, I'd like to come in under that amount. Here's how we'll keep the costs under control. We've gone back and forth on themes for the party. Baby is into Disney, Super Heroes, and Dinosaurs right now. We prefer a Dino theme because it's the lease commercial of the group, and he gets a little over excited with superheroes, which has lead to some rough play.

Invitation/Paper Supplies:
We have used Facebook in the past, and personal/phone invites for family members that don't have facebook. I don't think that will change this year. So invitations will mostly be free. I've been looking online for dino themed plates, napkins, and table cloths, but I don't have a clue what a "good" price is. Mrs. Lwil would like to just get brown and green items to go with the theme. We will do thank you cards, but there is some flexibility there too, which I'll get to later.

Food:
Mrs. Lwil was given a hard time over our food selection. Last year, we served homemade pizza. This year, we are planning the same, as well as a homemade cake. We see this as a good option because we can control the ingredients, and quality of what's used, while actually saving vs. store bought items. It does take a little more effort though. The comment was that Mrs. "Does this to show off" and that we should just buy pizza and the cake from a professional. I don't get this, and it really bothered me. I just don't understand why someone would give us a hard time because we decided to serve food we prepared ourselves instead of buying takeout. It's almost as if they think it's a competition, and we're trying to upstage them. This is probably where the bulk of our costs come from, and I think we can come in under $50 total.

Location:
We'll be hosting the at our in-laws house for the third time. We were at a party this weekend at a local children's museum, and I really liked the idea, but it does cost money, and while we can still do it for free, we will. I must admit, I look forward to his first pizza and bowling birthday party, and his first YMCA birthday, but we've got plenty of time for that. At the end, his party is about getting together with family and friends, and Baby having a great time. We still believe that he can have as good a time or better at home than a destination B-day.

Gifts:
Baby Lwil loves Imaginext figures. He has most of the batman set, the ocean set, and various other guys. He will most likely get a few smaller guys, and 1 big set. We're currently considering an aircraft carrier or a Dinosaur set. I suspect my mom will provide enough clothing to get us through the next few years (She's the best!), and my In-laws will provide a mix of toys and clothing. There will also be gifts from his little friends.

Charity:
for Baby's first two birthdays, we've asked people to make a donation to Make-A-Wish instead of giving a gift. There are usually 2-3 people that actually listen to that, some make a direct donation, others give cash, but most have brought presents. It's weird because I don't want to sound ungrateful for the wonderful gifts that people bring, but as we try to explain, we give him plenty of toys, and his grandparents provide him with many gifts. We don't want birthdays to turn into Christmas part 2, or a source of greedy expectation. We love Make-A-Wish because, in a small part, we can give a child something that we take for granted. I am still struggling on how to strongly suggest that people don't do presents, and make a donation instead. This year, I am leaning towards dropping the request that people make a donation. Instead, I will note on invitations that Baby will be making his annual donation to Make-A-Wish, and anyone that would like to contribute is welcome. Any cash he gets will be split 50//50 between his piggy bank and charity.

Traveling for work

I'm getting ready for a week away for work next week, and I've got big plans!

I used to travel quite often for work. At one point I was on the road about 25% of the year, now I'd say I'm away 3-5 weeks a year. Traveling for work means dusting off the Corporate Amex, and I'm just a little excited about it. Not to say I would abuse the card – No dinner, or bar tab, or "Look at me, Look at me" display of opulence is worth risking your job – It's just that we don't eat out or have take out often in the Lwil house. When we do, it's always got some condition, coupon, or connection attached to it. Next week, I'll eat like a king on someone else's dime. I've already scouted a German place, my standby Mexican place, and a Mongolian wok style place.

My hope while I'm away is to hit the gym, and hit the computer hard. In addition to eating out every meal, I'll be looking at the time away from family for some guilt free time at the gym (The hotel I stay has provides free access to the local YMCA) and plenty of time to write. While I'm mostly looking forward to the food, the writing time will be the biggest benefit. I've slowed down posting, and I'm only a month in. I've been swamped with #1 Job stuff, and haven't had time to do normal things like take a lunch, which is when I had been writing.

Traveling for work also means missing Mrs. Lwil and Baby Lwil. We like to use Gmail Chat when I'm on the road; we both have webcams, and can video chat with pretty incredible quality. Best of all, it doesn't cost anything. Isn't that remarkable? I will be 1000 miles away, but we can talk and see each other just as if I was here.

Next week will be an interesting week for our budget too. Mrs. Lwil is on vacation, and is going away with her sister for a few days. Mrs. basically has $400 for the week to do whatever she wants with, but The sister-in-law lives by a budget that consists of being told when to stop spending, otherwise, it's mostly free reign. I'm not going to lie; I'm a little terrified of what's going to happen.

We tried very hard to get tickets to Florida for this week so Mrs. and Baby could see the In-laws, but prices never came down. Last year we were able to travel during vacation week for $200 each round trip, Flying Direct(and that's when Baby was still free) this year, the Best I could find was over $400 each round trip with a stopover. I used every trick I know from Priceline to Kayak, to ITA Software, but the prices just never dropped. I think her early week trip will be a good compromise, and Baby will be thrilled, he doesn't see his cousins as much anymore, and he'll get 2 entire days and nights with them. I don't anticipate much sleep on their trip.

My goal for next week, Spend $0 of my own money, and for Mrs. to come in under budget so we can tuck a few of our "Savings allocated" expenses from this month back into our weekly budget.

Training update

I really haven't been training lately. Not to make this into a pitty party post, but my back still has some lingering stiffness, and hockey 1x a week is all I could take. Also, I'm LAZY. I can't underestimate that I've been lazy.

This weekend, I went to REI with a friend of mine to pick up a bike trainer. His Wife is looking for a way to work out at home with n nearly 1 year old. We gave them an old mountain bike that we had, some information on trainers. We use a Fluid Cooled trainer by Cycle Ops. I highly recommend this model if you're going to be doing some serious riding, but for my friend, who was just starting out, and only using it for a few rides a week to get a sweat in, the Mag trainer (for about ½ the price) was the better option. They went with this Mag Trainer from Cycle Ops.

Buying and setting up their trainer was just the motivation I needed. Both my friend and his wife were really excited to try it, and pumped out a kick 5-10 min each. I really wanted to ride last night, even after I had played hockey. Instead I waited till today, and got back on the bike for a 65 min/14 mile ride. Hopefully, this is the kick in the rear I needed to get myself back into training. Tomorrow might be some weights and running, maybe by Thursday, I'll get back to the gym to use the pool? Either way, I need to get back in gear because 13.5 MPH is a pretty crappy effort!

I was reading in an article about a home gym set up, and how it can save money over the long haul. I also saw an ad for a gym equipment auction this weekend, and I'm very tempted to go, but I just can't afford it right now. Gym equipment is on my list for things to buy when we move. It's after more essential items, like living room furniture, but it's on there. What would my ideal Home Gym set up be?

Bike Trainer (already have it!)
Treadmill – a serious model though, because between us, we could easily run 30-50 miles a week when Mrs. Lwil and I are both training.
Weight bench, and 300lb plate set (I used to have one, but had to sell it when I moved into an apartment that wouldn't fit it. It was a great set!)

That's really it. I'd estimate the entire thing to cost $1500-$2000 – most of that being for the treadmill. We pay close to $1080/year for the gym now, but realistically, I think we'd still keep that. For one, the pool is a need we can't fill at home. Second, Baby Lwil will start to get a lot of classes and programs from it soon.

What we’re eating this week

Week two of meat free at home. I think I'm most excided for Tuesday.

Week of 2/12 – 2/18    

Saturday – Meatless sloppy Joe w/garlic fries

Sunday – Indian Veggie Curry

Monday – Rice cakes with mushroom walnut ragout salad

Tuesday – Barley Bean and Corn Fritata

Wednesday – Lemon tossed linguini and garlic veg

Thursday – Chimichangas

Friday – Mu shu veg with dragon tofu and rice

Friday Links

Links to some of the favorite things I've read this week.

2/11/11
The Simple Dollar is talking Diets, and the budget impact on cutting meat, eggs, and dairy
We've also gone mostly meat free at home, because after watching food Inc Mrs. Lwil doesn't want us eating commercial meat, and we don't have a lot of room in the budget for the stuff she would want, plus, with the in-laws in Florida, we're free to explore a little more in the kitchen. So far, so good on the meat free at home plan.

Tax time is upon us, and my research has brought me to a blog that I really like – check out Roni Deutch: The Tax Lady Blog
Every year I prepare my own taxes, and also have them prepared by a pro. I like to understand how it works, and see that I could do it for myself, but I also like the security I feel having a pro do it. Thie year are situation is Super complicated, and I have enlisted the help of two tax pros (or regular, and a free consultation) and an attorney (Free consult). There's a lot going on with our taxes this year.

Chronicles of a home brewer just starting out at Second Draft Brewing
I am also in the early stages of becoming a home brewer, with one tasty batch under my belt, and a second about to be brewed this weekend. Mitch, who relays his experience here went to college with me, and is a friend of friend. Anyone that's tried brewing would relate well to this, in my limited experience.

Budgets are sexy presents: Everything I'm Wearing Right Now, I Got on Sale
I think everything I've bought in the last 5 years was on sale, and I hardly ever actually buy clothing either. This one hit close to home for me.

Car service from the Dealership

I've always gotten my car serviced at the dealership. I know that this probably costs me more, but I like the idea that it's a larger company in case I need to complain about something, and I like that, as a selling point, I can call my car a dealer serviced vehicle. When I bought my truck in 2006, I was given the option to keep the factory warranty (3 years, 36,000 miles) which would end in about 1 year, or extend to a 7 year, 70,000 mile warranty for $1,700. I thought a lot about it, and ended up talking them down a bit ($1,250 or $1,500, I'm not sure anymore).

I don't drive very much at all, I would say on average, my truck's in 3 times a year for service, averaging $800-1000 a year in total maintenance. Usually breaking down to 3 oil changes, some major engine or 4wd service (alternating years) and 1 other major expense (Breaks, transmission, tires in the past three years). That's less than $100 a month, which is great. One thing that's always helped me has been the warranty I bought. Over the 4 years I've had the truck, I would estimate $5000 in free warranty service to the $3200-4000 in paid service and oil changes.

The last time I had the truck in for an oil change (at 68,850 miles, and 8 weeks shy of the warranty expiration date) They told me I had a cracked radiator, and the "Bad news" was it would take a while to fix, while I waited there, using free WiFi, drinking free coffee, and "working" from the dealership. If that was the worst new of my day, it would be a pretty good day! Last week, I noticed that my airbag light was flashing, some quick internet searching, and some key work to enter diagnostic mode revealed that it was the "LH Sat Sensor" that was malfunctioning. I also found out that "stealerships" as they are know on Nissan Titan message boards, like to charge a lot for this repair.

Off I headed to the dealership, prepared to become a profit center for them for the first time. I waited about an hour, and during that time, they looked at the car, pressured up the tires (it's been cold here) and drove the car back out. Turns out they didn't have the part to replace the LH Sat Sensor (p.s. I love Google, you can find out ANYTHING on Google). They did find a recall for some engine control system that they replaced, and the service advisor told me she was waiving the fee for the airbag sensor because I was only a little out of warranty – like 800 miles.

Honestly, when I buy my next car, I don't see how I can opt out of whatever extended warranty they offer, and my dealership is way at the top of the list for my business. Talking me into this warranty five years ago was the best thing they could have done, and it's still paying off for me every day.

My wallet and my budget thank you Nissan Dealer. My Credit Card Company thinks you're a jerk though.

Carnivals I was featured in this week

Thank you to the Carnival hosts, for allowing me to be part of the fun!
This week, I submitted my Tri Season Preview article, and ended up being featured in two carnivals.
 

Personal Dividends hosted The 24^th edition of the Carnival of Wealth

Money obedience hosted The 267^th edition of the Festival of Frugality

Thanks again, and remember, if you check out these carnivals, look at what else the host has written! There's a lot of work that goes into setting this up, and they deserve you as an audience for their effort.

Thanks,

PF

Tips from a Mystery Shopper

I mystery shopped restaurants and retail stores for several years. I never made money at it, that wasn't the goal; I did it to eat at nice places, at a more affordable price. I was shopping about once a month, and for a time, Mrs. Lwil was also editing shop reports. It helped that my sister worked at a mystery shopping company. When she had a new client coming on, she generally liked the first shop to be done by someone with experience, and would often give the first pick to reliable shoppers. It might not always be me, there were other go-to shoppers, but if it was last minute, I was usually available to go out. Over that time, I developed quite a few tips and tricks to help me shop, and thought I could pass them along for those that might be interested in trying it out.

The Mystery Shopping Company - What to look for:
Do a Google Search for Mystery Shopping and you're bound to come up with hundreds if not thousands of options. How do you tell one company from another? Picking a company requires a lot of research. Unless, like me, you know someone who works for one, it's easy to find yourself in a situation you don't want to be in. The FTC even has an article that will help you out. Here are a few more guidelines:

REI Garage Sale

It was a long cold morning outside of REI, but there were deals inside, and I've got gear to buy!

The REI Garage sale happens several times a year at local REI locations. The sale is a member's only event, and is a great way to stock up on "slightly used" gear at a pretty great price. Being a member at REI does have a cost, the store is a co-op and in exchange for membership, there are a lot of great features returned. Here's a link to the full details: REI Membership. Membership into the co-op costs $20. That's a 1 time fee, but you have to spend $10 a year at REI. They also provide 10% cash back on your eligible purchases.

I became a member at REI two years ago when I stopped in looking for a GPS watch for Mrs. Lwil. She has been running outdoors a lot, and needed a better way to track distance and time and pace. These watches are fairly expensive, and come with all sorts of features. I settled on a Garmin Forerunner 305, which they carried at REI. I had heard that they are rather large, and wanted to see it up close before buying it.

At the REI store, a great salesman showed me the watches and talked me through the features and benefits of each. Still happy with the 305, I asked to buy it. He asked me not to buy it then, because there would be a "Garage Sale" the next weekend. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I loved garage sales on Saturday morning with my mom growing up, so I asked for more info. He told me to buy a $20 membership, and that would get me entry to the sale. He knew of at least 1 Garmin 305, and a 405 that would be on sale. We would save way more than $20, and what's more, if we didn't get there, we could still buy it that day, and the membership would pay for itself in rebate. This was too good to be true, and if it sounds too good to be true, there's usually a catch. I asked for some literature on the program, and satisfied that I wasn't signing into some cult, I bought my membership. The next weekend, we arrived at 8am for the 10am opening, and were 10^th in line! We did not end up getting the watch on sale, but bought it for retail price, and immediately made our money back on the membership. In the past two years, we've gotten about $80 back in cash for our $20 membership purchase, and have attended 4 Garage sales.

Today, February 5^th as I'm writing, I'm waiting for them to open up for the next one, and thought I would take some pictures and write about it along the way.

I got in late last night, just after midnight, from my poker night (I didn't win). I woke up around 7:15, and went to take a shower before leaving, but my father in-law had already gotten in the shower. I guess I'm going to have to go to the sale a little dirty. I got my things

together (Computer, book, ipod, phone, blanket, and chair) and my clothing (Long sleeve shirt, hat gloves, two jackets), and off I went at 7:45. I got there around 8am, and there was only 1 lonely person in line. But there were 5 cars of people waiting in the warmth. The waiting game had begun. 35 min later, 1 person made the move to stand in line, and the flood gates opened.

The line for a REI Garage sale is a pretty interesting place. There're usually the same 3-4 people that get there really early. There's people that arrive late and are shocked to be in such a long line. People read, or talk. Some sit on the ground, while others stand. Most have a group system, where on a cold day like today, they can switch between waiting and sitting in the car. I wish I had that today, but Mrs. Lwil is driving the in-laws to the airport. There're also "walkers" people that walk by the store as part of a workout and look shamefully at us as if we were some hippy commune protesting outside the store.

The gear people bring is also pretty amazing. Let's not forget, this is a REI Sale. Some of these people are hardcore outdoorsmen. As I sit right now, there are hunting blankets, jackets that look like you could live at the top of Everest for a week and complain about how hot you are. One person has a full ski suit on. Of course, I'm dressed pretty warm too, and glad to still have my winter beard.

I think next time we'll bring a grill and offer to cook breakfast.

By 9:45, the crowd starts to bunch up and inch towards the door, once it

opens, it's all out war! The REI Sale is not for the timid. People Rush the sales floor, scooping up gear for man woman and child, only to hoard it off to a remote part of the store and dig through the wreckage. I've seen people with 50 pairs of shoes of various sizes. Sometimes they get a good deal, sometimes, they come up empty. Personally, I'm jealous of those people. I take my time, and don't usually come away with much. After the initial shock and awe It's my time to shine. I stalk people, waiting for them to put something down, and then I pounce!

What deals can be found? At our first event, they were clearing out tents for $10-20. They had double jogging strollers for $100-200. One person bought three of those. They retail at about$400. There were Thule car racks very cheap, and lots and lots of clothing. This event (the February event) is the gold rush event, all of the misguided x-mass gifts have been returned, and are on their unused display!

How did we make out?

We spent $151 on 3 jackets, 2 pairs of shoes, gloves, snow shoes, a chair, and a lego guy, bike shorts, and two pairs of sweats. The prices break down as follows:

• Jacket for PF $14.83 (Regular $100) + $5 for some ties for the zipper that was broken – Total Savings (80%)
  
• Chair for ALL $9.83 Savings unknown
  
• Jacket for Mrs. Lwil $13.83 (Regular $120) Total Savings (88%)
  
• 2x Sweats for Mrs. Lwil $12.83 Savings unknown
  
• Running shoe for Mrs. Lwil 19.83? Savings unknown, but around 70%
  
• Bike shorts for Mrs. Lwil $11.83 Savings unknown
  
• Jacket for Baby $14.83 (Regular $60) Total Savings (75%)
  
• Shoes for Baby $8.83 (Regular $40) Total Savings (78%)
  
• Gloves for Baby $5.83 (Regular $25) Total Savings (77%)
  
• Snow Shoes for Baby $3.83 (regular $16) Total Savings (76%)
  
• Lego guy for Baby $15 No savings.

We held very strong at 70% off, except for the Lego Figure, which was a reward for the little guy, who was very well behaved at the store. We didn't get much in terms of race gear at this event, which was the purpose, but we didn't buy things just for the sake of buying them either. The jacket is the first one I've bought myself in Years!

What are we eating this week?

We are officially Living Without In-laws. They went to Florida yesterday, and will be there for 2-3 months. As an experiment, Mrs. Lwil has decided we should turn into vegetarians. This is our first menu as a meatless family.

Week of 2/6 – 2/11    

Sunday – Veggie Gumbo

Monday – Thai Pasta w/Peanut salad

Tuesday – Jamaican black bean stew w/Brown Rice

Wednesday – Eggplant Rolatini and green salad

Thursday – Torta Rustica

Friday – Indian Veggie Curry

Saturday – Meatless sloppy Joe w/garlic fries

 

What I’m reading this week

Links to some of the favorite things I've read this week.

2/4/11
Domino's is launching a new wing and boneless chicken menu, and really doesn't pull any punches in its demographics!
It's funny, my wife likes the buffalo flavor, I guess she wouldn't fit into Domino's demo list.

The Boston Globe has an interesting article about the future of a power plant on the banks of the Charles River Love that Dirty Water
This is what we need more of. Great forward thinking that helps both the environment and the company.

My own planning is just taking shape; this is a really good article. It got me thinking about planning my race season

Triathlon Season Preview

The biggest item in my savings allocation account is Triathlon and Race related expenses. We budget more than $100 a month towards this, but won't likely start spending till next month. Triathlons are an expensive hobby, and even though we do our best to compete on a budget, there are some things we can't avoid. Over the course of February, I hope to plan out my race season, and equipment needs.

 Equipment needs: I don't need that much, I'd like another pair of bike shorts, and maybe running shorts. I am in need of new sneakers for the season. Mrs. Lwil will need new shoes, and probably a few wardrobe upgrades. We'll both need some routine bike maintenance, and I am in need of a bike fitting. There is also an assortment of nutrition items (Gels, salts, bars, powders…) I would put our equipment costs at $500 for this season. Some items will come from our clothing budget.

We have a plan to keep this down though. First, we're REI members, meaning we get a yearly rebate for purchases there. Second is the REI Member's garage sale. REI has an incredible return policy, and any return merch is marked down and sold as is at garage sales through the year. February's event is this weekend for us, and it's the best of the year due to Christmas returns. Hopefully, most clothing needs will be met. We'll also pick up our first round of gels. Finally, there was a groupon offer for 50% off tune-ups at our LBS (Local Bike Shop), and I'm really bummed that I missed it. I thought I had till today, but it ended yesterday.
Overall, we're in good shape for equipment, we've spread our large purchases out over the past two seasons (Wetsuits, and bikes).

Races:    $1400 estimate
At this point in the season, we're looking into races, and planning our season. Registrations will start sometime in March at the Multisport Expo Boston Registering at the event is great because you usually get a shirt or water bottle, and sometimes a discount!
Here's a look at the races and events we're considering:

March:

• 3/19: Multisport Expo Boston: The season kickoff where we roam the convention floor looking for good deals and races to sign up for. (Free!)
  
• 3/20: Quincy ½ Marathon: I'm still not sure if I'm going to run this. I've only got 6 weeks to train, and my "long runs" are about 4 miles. I'd realistically like them to be 7-8 miles at 6 weeks out, but if I shoot for three hours, I think it's doable. ($40 ea)

June:

• TBD: Corporate Challenge a fun weeknight 5K race in Downtown Boston ($35 I think)
  
• 6/25: Warrior Dash: a 5K through hills and obstacles, and all kinds of insanity. ($50 ea)

July:

• 7/4: Harvard Pilgrim 10K: The first 10K I ever ran. This is run in some serious heat on 4^th of July. The finish line is the 50 yard line at Gillette Stadium. ($60?)
  
• 7/16-17: Mass Dash: a 12 person relay covering about 150 miles over two days. This is a stretch race, I'd love to do it, but I'm not sure we will be able to get a team together. ($100 ea)
  

August:

• 8/7: Urban Epic: a South Boston Sprint distance Tri. This bike course is Super, Super fast on the way out due to massive tail winds. But you fight your way back. ($85 ea)
  
• 8/28: Cranberry Trifest: an Olympic distance Tri in scenic Lakeville. Last year I raced against former New England Patriot Max Lane (I beat him!) and former Biggest Loser contestant Rudy Pauls (Lost to him) ($85ea)
  

September:

• 9/11: Pumpkinman Trifest: a HIM (Half Ironman) in South Berwick Maine. Our A race this year. The wife finished strong, while I was Last Man In at about 9 hours. I hope to finish before cut off this time. ($225 ea)
  
• 9/18: Funtastic Nantasket: a Sprint Tri at Nantasket Beach, this is the first race we ever did, and our second time was even better. This is our annual end of season race now, and the one I look forward to most. ($85 ea)

Condo Sale Remodel Project

When I bought my condo in 2006, one of the things that appealed to me was that I didn't need to change anything. The entire unit was updated with fresh paint, new bathroom, shining hardwood floors. It looked like a million dollars (or at least $205,000). I quickly learned I was naive. The ceiling paint started to peel. The walls and floor lost that gleam over time. The bathroom quickly deteriorated to the point that I had to make an emergency repair involving a hammer and nail in the bathtub, hoping that mold wouldn't develop.
When I listed it in 2010, there was some work that needed to be done. In 4 years, I've done the following work in the condo:
- Windows – All replaced (per order of condo association assessment).
- 2^nd Bedroom – paint walls, trim, and sills.
- 1^st bedroom – paint walls, trim, and sills, scratch remover for hardwood floors, patch ceiling.
- Living room - paint walls, trim, and sills. Scratch remover for hardwood floors, patch ceiling.
- Kitchen – patch ceiling, replace drain pipes under the sink, replace tact paper surface in cabinets.
- Bathroom – add fixtures (Towel, toiletpaper, toiletries racks), gut and replace tub/shower enclosure (after
my emergency patch which worked for better than 1 year!) resecure/recaulk sink.

These projects have been spread out, so it hasn't cost a huge amount at any one time (other than the bathroom). But it's been eye opening for me to realize how poorly done everything was. I ignored this at the showings and focused on how "nice" it looked. Below, I'll go through the each project and its cost, as well as the pros and cons to trying the DIY route vs. hiring someone.

Carnivals for February 1st

More love for the Restaurant.com post at:

the 265th edition of Festival of Frugality

And:

The 26th edition of The Wealth Builder Carnival

January Month in Review

January was always going to be a tough month. It's not that I expected to go over budget, but I knew if we did, that we didn't have much of a cushion. January was also the first month were we added to our budgeted amount for several items (Groceries, gas, and free cash) and where our bills went up (Child Care). It was the first time that I've used a Flex Spending account for child care too. We also had a quarterly insurance payment, and annual insurance payment due.

In addition to the flex credit account, some tax rates have changed, and I got a 5.8% raise and a #1 rating at work. Last year was a very busy and frustrating year at work. I was doing a lot, but never felt like I was getting the recognition I thought I deserved. Apparently, my boss felt the same way as she pulled for me to be rated a 1 (Very rare) and a high raise to boot. It turns out that the leadership team above her also noticed my work. This could be a very good year for me if things continue on this way.

At the end of the day, we did overspend our budget, and we also had to dip into our savings reserve to make up some of the difference. Just because we outspent our income, I'm not ready to call January a failure. We still made progress towards some goals, and we are able to take a look at areas where we can improve.