Wednesday, March 13, 2013 — Suze Orman says, “Live below your means, but within your needs.” Ask yourself before you make a purchase … Is it a want or a need?
So, with that newly re-emblazoned in my brain last Saturday, I realized that, yeah!, I can live without paying $66 a month for DISH satellite tv. There’s not much I watch now other than Turner Classic Movies, which I love, love, love. But with all my movie recordings to DVD of the past 15 years, I’ve now got a lovely collection of almost … are you ready for it? … 3,000 films and short subjects! … All nicely cataloged in a database listing and cozyily arranged in 25 3-ring binders with the greatest DVD holder pages!! And I still have my up-to-date card catalog as a backup… Think of it as my own ready reference collection, where I can grab something at a moment’s notice. Yeah, you’re right … My middle name IS “Librarian”!
At this point, TCM has very few films I haven’t seen … Mostly MGM, Warner’s and RKO. LOVE those Pre-Codes and 1930s babies! Columbia, Paramount and 20th Century Fox have been most miserly about letting movies out of their vaults.
I admit I’ve dabbled in the reality show realm … Real Housewives of … you name it … Beverly Hills, New Joisey, Orange County … even Here Come’s Honey Boo Boo, and Dance Moms. But all they are now is a whole bunch a hollerin’ and disrepectin’. Hoooweee! That’s more than a normal body can take, I’m a tellin’ ya! It may be labelled “reality”, but they’re sure playin’ to the camera. It’d be mighty fine if they put on their polite pants, but that’d bring in mighty low ratings.
In the immortal woids of Honey Boo Boo, when the family is disappointed that no deer have been around to get hit by cars: “It’s been a while since I done had road kill in my belly.”
Ah, BRAVOTV, I knew ye well. April 4 will be the end of our close association … But, hey, highlights will be free on Ye Olde Internete. Remember, “Andy Cohen’s got the 411… !” … Andy Cohen of “Watch What’s Happening Live!” on BRAVO, home of all the “unreal” housewives!
Back to Suze … I’ve been watching and recording her Saturday evening show (on CNBC – but it’s free on zee eenterneet) for a number of years, probably since 2008, when the economy went kaput … along with the stock market freefall, which affected my 403B retirement (TIAA-CREF) with the college … Grateful, grateful, grateful that I have a solid occupation! Mucho, mucho grateful!
That’s when I discovered her book, Women and Money. Ordered a copy for the library … and one for myself. REALLY helped!
- Now, I’m free of credit card debt … actually for quite a number of years, pay it off monthly. NO THANKS to interest charges! And NO high-interest store cards.
- Have an 8-month emergency fund
- Fully funding my Roth IRA
- Credit union rather than a bank (going back to the early 1990s, when K and I moved to Portland. Portland Teacher’s Credit Union, which is now OnPoint Community Credit Union)
- Found higher interest rates for savings via SALLIE MAE online
- August 2010, purchased a certified, pre-owned Honda Civic 4-door (2 years old, ONLY 7,000 miles!) when my Li’l Red Honda hatchback of 14 years was untrustworthy on the freeway. Three-year loan, paid off within the 1st year! The manager of Clarke’s Honda on Mill Plain offered to buy her right off the bat, cash, when I brought her in during her final troubles. Li’l Red was a regular at Clarke’s and the manager knew she had “good bones”. Didn’t even have to spiff her up for a sale or pay for the repair, since the manager was going to do it himself after she was in his hands.
It was funny to see Li’l Red in Clarke’s parking lot when I’d bring in Ol’ Gray for an oil change. Doing well in her retirement … going out camping and fishing … with fancy new silver hubcaps and tail pipe!
Still need to:
- Set up a will and living revocable trust
- Research and decide on long-term care insurance
- Become more knowledgeable and comfortable about investing
A little ditty I just created … “Right here, right now!” … to the tune of “Casey Jones”:
Suze says … you better save your money
Suze says … you better do it NOW
Suze says … prepare now for your future
‘Cause it’s people FIRST, then money and then last of all it’s things!
Movies, Of Course! 