Home is where my bed is

Lately I have taken an interest in finances and I have started to read some financial books. Now that I have turned 30 it is time to start thinking about retirement! :) I bought a couple of books used off of Amazon - I thought it would be a good start to buy the books for less than a dollar each (plus shipping of course.)

So far, I have learned two main things: My finances are a lot better than some people's! I really didn't know how many people are in debt and live way beyond their means. I mean, I know that people have loans for cars and houses and big stuff like that, but I didn't know that "The average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $9,200 in credit card debt." (This is according to CardWeb.com.) Half of all Americans have credit card debt. That is a lot! So that made me feel better.

The second thing I have learned is that I have a lot to learn... I do want my money to grow, but there are so many options out there. But reading the books is a start, at least. I have to say that I prefer the books with a more practical approach as opposed to the ones who talk a lot about the emotional reasons for spending and poor financial habits (for instance, someone might be a big spender because of their family's spending habits.) I think these things are important, don't get me wrong, it is just that while I have lots of issues :) I don't think I have any major financial issues. So I am really enjoying reading the books that tell me what to do: Open a money market account. Get your credit score.

Because it is still somewhat expensive, I haven't bought Suze Orman's Women and Money, but I think I will. I read a little bit of it in the bookstore and I like her month-by-month approach. I have also found The Millionaire Next Door interesting. The authors do a good job of showing the difference between income and net worth. Some people we think of as very rich, may just have a very expensive life style, because they don't save much of their money. It is encouraging to read that being thrifty and establishing good habits make a good foundation. (It is less encouraging, however, to read that the typical millionaire is a 57-year old man, married to a very thrifty wife, working either as a self-employed entrepreneur or in a profession such as doctor, lawyer, or accountant. I don't really fit any of those!)

As far as my spending habits go, I am not too bad, but I could definitely stand to cut back on lunch spending. I am pretty good but I still like to eat lunch out once or twice a week. I have also been known to spend a bit every time I go to Target - so I will try not to go very often, and go on a mission when I do go. (For instance, I think they have good and cheap work out wear, so I will keep buying that there.) And then there is travel... I love traveling and I don't think I will cut back too much there. But the good thing is that I love to travel to Central America, which is a lot cheaper than for instance Europe.

(Speaking of lunch spending, last Friday some co-workers introduced me to "Credit Card Roulette." This basically means that everybody puts their credit card on the table and the waitress picks one... I was lucky as my card was not picked, but I am a little worried about today's lunch!)

Leslie, one of the Slow Travelers who is blogging for a month, a little while ago suggested a topic on her blog Kaleidoscope:

Blog Prompt: Today is Pay a Compliment Day. Who would you compliment today and why?

I know today is Valentine's Day, but as a European who has not grown up with the tradition, I am not a huge fan of a "holiday" that is mainly about getting us to buy cards. (Norwegian online newspapers are full of the "send your sweetheart a Valentine" - as if it wasn't enough that they have picked up Halloween already.) So I decided to Pay a Compliment instead. I will pay a compliment to the working man and the working woman (I know we are far away from May 1st, but whatever.) To the people who make the wheels turn and who don't get a huge paycheck or a "thank you" for what they do. To those who work at McDonald's, or drive the garbage truck, or do landscaping, or are nurse's aides, or clean dishes in the back of the restaurant.

Sometimes I wonder if we have lost a lot of the respect that society had for doing a good job - whatever that job was. (Since I just turned 30 I have all this wisdom I just need to get out!) I think it is really sad that in many parts of my own country (Norway) and my current home country (the US) certain jobs are looked down upon and if we see, for instance, a middle-aged woman or man working at the food court of a mall, we often think that the person is not successful or fulfilled. Then again, with the wages that such a job pays, it migth be hard to feel successful. I know the world is changing and all that, but I do think it is sad that there are fewer and fewer decent paying jobs for people without a college degree. Working at the port has taught me a lot about pride in one's work and the that there are A LOT of things that college doesn't teach you. While the unions can certainly be too rigid in their rules, I really do respect the cameraderie and the loyalty among the longshoremen and the quality of the work. Without getting too political - you will actually get better quality work if you have decently payed employees who don't view their work as just a place to make a few bucks before swtiching to another job. For another example: how nice is it to buy meat from a butcher who knows his craft, instead of some unmotivated teenager at the supermarket?

Baltimore is definitely the most thoroughly blue collar place I have lived, and I really like it. Many people have lived in Locust Point or Federal Hill for generations, and their families still live close by. A lot of them have ties to the port that goes back years and years. It really provides a sense of community and belonging that many places lack.

So my Valentine's Day Compliment goes to you, working men and women. (And to my boyfriend!)

Another February blogger, Kim of What I Really Think, had a great post this morning: If I Had a Million Dollars. I particularly enjoyed the fact that she had so carefully thought out what to do with the money and listed the items in nice bullets. So I got inspired to give this some thought myself - because who knows when I might get lots and lots of money! And I am going to assume, like Kim did, that the amount is over USD 200 million, to make sure that I can live off of it for the rest of my life if I want to, even if I spent a lot right away.

First I would call all my friends (I mean real friends, not the ones who would hit me up for money later!) and go to some really nice restaurant (Citronelle anyone?) to celebrate. Champagne all the way! (Although it doesn't have to be the really expensive stuff.)

Warning: Long, boring, intolerant, opinionated, and incoherent!

Yesterday, the New York Times posted an article about Princeton: Princeton Plans for an Early Year Abroad. In short, Princeton wants to send about ten percent of its students abroad for a year of social service - before they even start college. According to the university's president, the program "would give students a more international perspective, add to their maturity and give them a break from academic pressures."

In theory, this sounds good, and many of the commenters praise the idea. Many students, especially in Europe, already take a "gap year" between finishing secondary school and starting university, and some feel that more Americans should do this. In general, American parents have been less likely to encourage this as they tend to pay big money for their children's education, and they want to make sure that the students finish college before taking off on adventures. However, many American students do study abroad for shorter amounts of time, often a summer or one semester. (Raise your hand if you have met drunk students in Florence! And of all nationalities, I might add.)

It is February 29th and the end of our month of blogging! I am too tired to write anything today so I will just list the bloggers one more time. It was a lot of fun blogging with you all! Today I have moved, had my last day at my job, gone to a job interview, and driven three times between Baltmore and DC. With the flu. Time for bed!!

The idea came from Vagabond Artist, and here is a list of the participating blogs:

Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
There and Back Again...
Shave Ice & Gelato
Postcards from the Trail
Churches in Venice
Palmabella's Passions
Old Shoes - New Trip
Blond Momentos
Kaleidoscope
What I really think - Kim's blog
A journey of a thousand miles begins with... too much luggage!

Many of my fellow Slow Travel bloggers decided to continue (or start) blogging daily, like we did in the month of February. As you can see, I did not join, but I am looking forward to start reading what everyone else is writing!

Here is a list of the March Madness:

A journey of a thousand miles begins with... too much luggage!
Beyond the lunatic fringe - Travels with Robert
Blond Momentos
Destination anywhere
Eden's wanderings and wonderings
In and out of the garden
Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
Old Shoes - New Trip
Palmabella's Passions
Postcards from the Trail
Shave Ice & Gelato
That's my story...and i'm stickin' to it! The best trip ever
Vagabond Artist
What I really think - Kim's blog
Whistlestop cafe cooking

On Saturday, March 29, the people of Zimbabwe will head to their polling stations for the presidential election. An inflation of over 100,000% (although the government has stopped counting) is but one sign that it is time for Robert Mugabe's oppressive government to step down. (Another one: That life expectancy has dropped from more than 60 years to just over 30 years in only 15 years.) Unfortunately, nobody is predicting a fair and free election; instead the discussion centers on exactly what kind of fraud Mugabe will undertake. It has already been discovered that a few million extra ballots have been printed, ready to be stuffed. Also, no election observers are allowed into the country, and the opposition is already bracing itself for the violence they fear will come.

The New York Times has an editorial today where they hope that the elections can bring about change. The Economist also has good Zimbabwe coverage for those who are interested. There are many Zimbabwe blogs, here is one that I read regularly: Zokwanele. If I could vote, I would cast my vote for Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition who was brutally attacked and abused by the police a year ago:

To my friends in Zimbabwe: You are in my thoughts. Here's to a better future! (I have never been to Zimbabwe but I hope to go visit my friends one day, hopefully when partaking in tourism doesn't mean supporting the regime - i.e. after Mugabe is gone.)