Mental Shopping...do I really need the stuff that’s in my thoughts?

Okay, so I’m going to uncap the thoughts that have been streaming through my head this week. I am surprised at home much “mental shopping” I’ve been doing lately. Today as I drove to work and stepped out of my car across the parking lot I realized that I was fixated on more than a few things that involved shopping and getting the best price. My platform “dress” flip flops for work broke the other day (during a torrential downpour no less – fun times!) and picked up some cheap replacements at Old Navy. But now, walking in them, I realized that they were just way too uncomfortable and I’d have to shell out more cash to find a suitable leather pair, like the ones that broke. Should I check DSW online or go in person? Should I check Amazon.com or Zappos? Can I afford the time it may take for them to be shipped to me?

What about the allergy medication that I forgot to pick up when I was at Walgreen’s yesterday? Ugh. I had coupons for most of my purchases...always a great reminder of what I need. But I didn’t have a coupon for my allergy meds and forgot to pick them up. Do I search for a coupon? Do I go to Bed Bath and Beyond where I know they have it for less and use their 20% discount or do I try to find another coupon on top of it? Will it really make a difference?

Money is tighter than ever, so should I join “the grocery game” or another coupon site to save money? Or should I attempt to try to figure out how to save on groceries and the boring day-to-day items myself? I haven’t shopped at BJs in a while, should I be going there on a regular basis? So many questions!

I wish I had someone who could take a good hard look at my lifestyle and give me help with what areas to focus on, how to go about saving money in my life. And while we’re at it, I wish they’d also help me get more organized in general. Mainly with my household and managing time more efficiently, so I can work on the creative and money making ideas that I have. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a slob and I’m not 100% disorganized, I do get things done and my house is generally tidy. But...there’s a nagging thought that it could all go much more smoothly and quickly if I just knew how.

I believe that I waste much of time attempting to squeeze the most out of my life -- at least this is what I tell myself! I try to be in the moment with my daughter and try very hard not to freak out or have a pressure packed beginning of the day. I enjoy calm environments and prefer to contribute to a sense of calm. Chaos is not my cup of tea. But...I also enjoy variety and am not one to have every single step along my day look like yesterdays. In fact, I often choose to do things differently to see if it’s more effective and to shake things up a bit. I enjoy approaching life this way. I consider flexibility one of the best perks of life. The way I look at it, we have a choice, why not exercise it?

On a typical morning I try to put everything together for the day before we leave – ideally it’s all loaded into the car. This includes my daughter’s summer day care bag (hat, bathing suit, sun screen, extra T-shirt, snack, and her lovey) and my work bag (computer, files, lunch, water bottle, sunglasses, phone, money etc). And the rest of the morning is spent juggling time between showering, getting my toddler ready, or helping her amuse herself while I get ready. Then it’s making breakfast and packing my lunch. On a good day I’m up and showered and have time for coffee before my little one starts giggling and chattering away in her crib.

Anyway, all of this is to say that I seem to have this mindset that says I can shop around and find answers to some of the more challenging aspects of my life. Like the organizational whiz who’ll wisk her way into my life and whip it (and me) into shape...and the financial God/Goddess who will impart knowledge to help me shed bad habits, adopt new ones, and put me on a path to a nice side gig that will help me amass a small fortune. I’m plenty willing to do the work to get there. So if you know one or two people like this, send them my way!

For now I’m off to read “Rich Dad. Poor Dad” and see what I can learn.

Verizon's Hidden Charges or a Scam?

About a month ago I decided it was time to cut back on my cell phone bill. I had been using a data plan and was paying way too much for what I was using. So I cut my bill from roughly $110/month to $77/month. I pay by auto withdrawal and they send me text messages to let me know when the money will come out of my account. Very handy.

The first month of $77 felt great but then I received a text message alerting me that my new bill for the following month was going to be $110. What the?!? I was angry but remembered that my 19 month old was playing with my phone and I pulled it away and put it down not realizing that I had connected to the Internet, I figured it out when I picked up my phone the next morning. Ugh, I was irked and knew there would be a data charge. I made a mental note to call Verizon and explain and try to have the charges waived, but we were traveling and life went on. I, of course, forgot to call and now the data charge was staring me in the face. What to do? After far too much thought, I decided to pay it. I had too much going on in my life and simply had no energy to fight it. But I promised myself I'd find a way to remove the web shortcut from my phone so I couldn't accidentally connect. That was last month.

Fine.

This month I got another text message alerting me that my bill was $89, not $77. Ugh, not again. So this time I called. The Verizon support person barely spoke English but was able to convey that I had been charged $9.99 for "premium texting", something I never signed up for. "How could this happen? I never signed up for it on your site?" She asked if I had clicked on any offers for free ringtones lately, I hadn't. She said they lure you in that way and then charge you a fee. And it's not a one time fee, it's a monthly fee. WTF??

I racked my brain trying to recall anything suspicious that I had clicked on while surfing. The only thing that came to mind was an app in Facebook that I thought was part of an IQ test that a friend (supposedly) wanted me to take. After clicking, I knew it was a trap so I bailed but it's possible I did it too late. I did receive some strange text messages after that but deleted them thinking they were spam.

Anyway, in case this ever happens to you, here's what they told me to do:

1. open a new text message
2. send it to: 42442
3. write in the content area in all caps: STOP
4. send the message
5. you should receive a message acknowledging that you are unsubscribed
6. Log into the Verizon site and block premium text messaging -- this is where I had trouble and was unable to do so. Now I have to call Verizon again to figure out why I can't do it. Such a hassle.

So beware of FREE ring tones and odd Facebook apps that lure you in, it could cost you. Time, money and ANNOYANCE...

Good luck!

Harnessing Creative Angst

I’m finally realizing that when I have one of those days where I’m not feeling quite right, like my life doesn’t match up to my expectations. You know, that low low let down feeling you sometimes get. Like, THIS is IT? This is my life?? On those days I tend to reach for the phone to call a friend and vent or get reassurance. But I’m realizing that it’s the equivalent of a creative tap on the shoulder. If I put the phone down and get onto the business of doing something creative, I will feel just fine. Perhaps even great!

The other night in bed while not sleeping I had a thought. What if I actually listened to the little inner voice and actually did, I don’t know, even 20 percent of the creative things that I wanted to do? Imagine all that I would have accomplished in the last few years. Imagine what I would have accomplished in the last 6 years. But no, I’ve chosen to push the aside the ideas and focus on “practical” life stuff like working, cleaning, organizing, meal making, bill paying, child rearing etc. Or worse, I’m wasting my time getting sucked into Facebook or some inane mind candy on Bravo (I’m addicted to Real Housewives on NYC and any of the Fashion and Model reality shows).

No more.

I’ve decided I’m going to do the things that pop into my head and see what happens. I started this process just 3 weeks ago and already I’ve completed 3 projects, sold a bunch of junk from my house and began taking my writing, filmmaking and photography more seriously. In this short span of weeks I unexpectedly earned close to $1500. Not bad.

No, it won’t save our house from foreclosure, but it will help us get back on our feet and continue paying the bills. Plus, the idea that I’m able to make “extra” cash like that really helps me feel optimistic about my future...our future as a family.

What doesn’t kill you does indeed make you stronger. Thank God for flashes of insight.