On Lunches

OK. So I had a good, long run of always making my lunches and brown-bagging my way through the first several months at my job. Then something happened–something for which I blame the complete change in my habit: Takeout-Taxi.

One day, we thought we’d try it, based on the coupons we kept getting. And we liked it.

My department has developed this horrible, wonderful habit of ordering food. Sometimes we have it delivered. Sometimes we take turns picking it up. Sometimes we spend our whole half-hour lunch break driving there and back together. Potluck Thursdays have been awesome, but the ring leader is leaving (so sad! this salary freeze stinks). So we’re back where we started, wanting to order out.

Every day is like another decision: should I order out, or should I eat what I packed? The nearby restaurants are endless, and it’s fun. The thing is that I often feel guilty because it’s not something I’m planning for ahead of time. OK, here’s what I know:

1) Making my lunch saves me money, takes time and tastes good (usually).
2) Ordering out costs money, saves time and tastes good (basically always).

I don’t know.

In trying to decide what I should do about this, I looked through my Mint records. And this is a great example of why it pays to track my spending: I’ve only spent $473 on eating out since January, which, in the grand scheme of things, isn’t so bad. I don’t count treating someone else to food/meal/coffee as eating out, but as a gift. So having only spent $78ish dollars a month on average (when $85 is my budget), I think this is OK.

PF Round-up for The Office Fans

I am a huge fan of NBC’s The Office. Huge.

I’m also a 20-something professional who’s trying to manage my finances.

Put those things together, and you get the following round-up: PF for The Office fans:

7 Career Lessons from NBC’s The Office
CLIP: “You can do what you love. When Pam turned down a graphic design internship, viewers groaned. Pam is a great artist, so what’s she doing as a receptionist at a paper company? It’s hard for most of us to believe that we can follow our passions and actually get paid for it, but it is possible. Do your homework: Look at various careers and positions that would allow you to somehow use your interest or hobby. Try careerinfonet.org for a skill-based job search. Try to do some related work part time so you can explore if it’s really for you. Also, join an association in the industry that interests you.”

Money Lessons from the Boob Tube
CLIP: “For instance, in the one-hour episode titled ‘Money,’ Michael is deeply in debt, thanks to his penchant for making extravagant and unnecessary purchases, from a Porsche to bass fishing equipment and an $80 magic kit, which he planned to use to entertain potential clients. In the same episode, Michael takes on a second job as a telemarketer to bring in extra cash.”

Financial Lessons from Television Fiction: The Office
CLIP: “For one holiday party, Michael organized a ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange with a spending limit of $20. He went above and beyond his own limit by purchasing a video iPod for his Secret recipient. However, when he was unsatisfied with the home-made gift from his Secret Santa, he decided to turn the gift exchange into a ‘White Elephant’ (or ‘Yankee swap’), in which one person can ’steal’ the gift from another. Everyone obviously wanted the iPod, the only gift worth more than $20.

If there’s anything to learn from The Office, it’s not to be a selfish jerk about money.”

New Blog: Forest on Finance

I’ve recently added a new blog to my reader, Forest on Finance. Author Forest is a 20-something guy who, like a lot of the rest of us, is navigating his way through financial decisions, from saving and investing to spending and budgeting.

I’m already a fan of his site, and I bet you will be, too. Go check it out!

I Was the Guest Speaker.

Today, at a college class at my alma mater, I was the designated guest speaker. This is, I’m quite sure, one of the weirdest things I have gotten to do, to date. Just a year ago, I was sitting in a grad class, listening to guest speakers. Now I was the one doing the talking? Telling them about my job? Giving writing advice? It was Twilight Zone, strange dream and confusing, bad story all rolled into one.

Most of the drive up, I was practicing things I could say when I spoke to this class. My biggest fear was that I’d burst out laughing or that I’d say something horrible like, Guess what? We’re in a salary freeze! Oh, gosh.

All in all, it went well. I’d forgotten how much I loved classrooms and workshops and discussion.

Beyond major specifics, I told them a lot of the things I’ve written here: TRY, make an online portfolio, double-check your work!! and so on.

I left, having really enjoyed talking about my job, remembering all the things that are great about it. And it made me realize how valuable it is to count your blessings–out loud and to someone.

Try it, and see if you don’t feel like things are going well in your life. I dare you.

On the Thing That Has Nothing to Do with Money

My best friend and her family drove down Friday. Their son, 18 months old, threw up after they’d left their house–all over his seat, the car, himself. So they turned back, cleaned him, cleaned the car, cleaned the seat, repacked, restarted. Five-and-a-half long hours plus one. The directions, which I’d e-mailed her in a hurry, didn’t account for construction, so they ended up an extra hour out of their way. Five-and-a-half long hours plus one plus two.

5 PM, Friday. A little growing family walking up to my house. Their son has her eyes–crystal blue with the longest, darkest lashes you’ve ever seen and the roundest, sweetest cheeks. We hug. Son meets my dog, family sees my family, we go get dinner.

I haven’t seen them for a year–one whole year. When Son was just six months old, not walking, not talking, not playing with his new giraffe truck or throwing chew toys for the dog. I love them. Love her, who was my instant friend when we were roommates almost seven years ago. Love him, who is her match in every way–kind and patient, hard-working and strong. Love their son, who is not only beautiful but to me perfect–perfect in the way that only your best friend’s first child can be.

Funny things happen when you see old friends, especially old friends that you don’t get to see often. You remember them, you remember yourself with them. And, this is important, you see yourself now in terms of how it compares with you then, as they knew you.

I’m not where I thought I would be by now. And I don’t even mean the living-at-home thing or the working-in-my-industry thing. I’m just, not.

I want to make decisions that I know will be the right ones. And when I think of things that I just know are right–when I’m being as deep-down honest with myself as I can be–I think I want to do something for someone else.

What does this mean, exactly?

The best answer I can come up with is simple but vague: loving. I want to be a true, honest-to-goodness lover to the people I know. I want to sacrifice in ways that are uncomfortable and not immediately rewarding. I want to invest in more than the stock market–in people, which are the only things that really matter. I want to remember, when I think I need more money, when I want something I can’t have, when I’m discouraged: true joy isn’t in things, no matter how beautiful or wonderful they are.

It’s in relationships.

Because when I have friends who will spend seven-and-a-half hours in a compact car with their little son to see me, who will drive through the night the next day and arrive at home by 2 AM, who will value me because of things that have nothing to do with my job or my money or my goals, I feel really, truly, remarkably blessed.

4 adults, 3 cameras, 1 gorgeous kid = great weekend

My friends just left a little while ago, after a very fast, very fun day-and-a-half together. Here’s how I did, money-wise:

Friday night dinner, Lou Malnati’s: $20
Saturday cupcakes for everybody: $13.23
Lincoln Park Conservatory: FREE
Lincoln Park Zoo: FREE
Dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, me and my brother: $42.00

Total cost: $75.23

And it really was priceless. Every time I see my friend’s little boy, he’s bigger and more beautiful, smarter and more curious.

Best Job Task So Far:

Telling someone she’s promoted.

Pretty much made my day. Really.

Makeup Alley Visitors

I saw that I’m getting some traffic today from a message board on a site called Makeup Alley. If you’re coming from there, or if you know about it: give me the 411.

What is it? What is it for? I want to know!

Scrolling through the site just now, I see it’s about different beauty products and stuff?

Money Hacks Carnival #11

I recently joined a newer PF community, Money Hacks, and their eleventh carnival is up at Save and Conquer.

My post, The Way to Wealth: Rudeness?, is included.

Among my favorites:
8 Ways That I Can Save Money (I’m a sucker for a good list) and Are You Ready to Buy a New House (probably no for me, sadly–only been at my job a year and have varying thoughts on future plans).

Open my Wallet: Friends Coming

My best friend and her family are coming to visit me this weekend! I haven’t seen their little guy for a whole year, and I’m so excited to see how he’s changed, not to mention to see my friend, who’s five months along with Baby #2, and her husband, who’s deep into his first Big Job.

What I purchased at Wal-Mart tonight:

For Baby: 1 bib: “I love my big brother!” (it’s a girl!)

For Little Guy: toy truck
1 rolling giraffe
1 Dr. Suess book

Total purchase: $16.83

I want to get more for the baby-to-be, but I’ll have to go somewhere else. So excited it’s a girl: pink, frilly, girly, fun!!