It’s simple!
It’s easy!
A simple Roth transfer from T.Rowe Price to Vanguard should do the trick!
Arrgggh! 3 funds transfered for a $10.00 fee + the $3.50 quarterly account maintenance per fund.
A hefty expense for being a impatient grasshopper and opening up the account at T.Price with the full intention of transferring the funds to Vanguard within the year.
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Note: This is the first in a series of post outlining how to a healthy lifestyle on tight budget. Keep in mind that the ‘advice’ comes from a person who regularly runs 50k’s and above.
Why can’t I run in my cheap tennis shoes?
Running shoes: Body :: Shock Absorbers: Car
Running in poor shoes can cause a myriad of injuries. The lack of absorption, cushioning, stability, and extra torque will stress your body and increase the amount of torque on your muscles, joints, and tendons.
In other words, crappy shoes make you a race spectator.
The Cost?
A good pair of running shoes will cost anywhere from $65 - $130. Spending more money will not get you a better shoe, as the best running shoe is the one that fits your foot / body / running mechanics. People have high, low, or no arches, neutral, under prontation and over pronation in their gaits and prefer different amounts of cushioning. You also have the whack jobs (me) who would run barefoot if we could.
Completely lost?
Go to a running store and have them fit you. Get multiple opinions, running shoes are not to be taken lightly. Be nice and buy from the shop that fits you; the added cost is worth it on your first pair.
Test the shoes, and test them some more. Run around the parking lot, try on multiple pairs, keep coming back to the one you like, do side by side comparisons. Do not buy a pair simply because it looks wickedly cool.
This is the most important thing you can do to keep yourself healthy and enjoying running!
When do I have to replace them?
Plunking down $100 for a shoe that won’t be worn that much can be a shock, but it will keep you running. Most shoes tend to lose their bounce around 300 - 400 miles. For a recreational runner averaging 20 miles per week, a pair of shoes should last almost 4 months. Keep a running log online, most sites will track your shoe milage.
DO NOT wear running shoes for anything other than running!!!!!!!
How can you tell if your shoe’s are dead?
Look at the sole of the shoe, if it has significant creases, the shoe is becoming worn. Try placing your shoes on the table and see if the shoes lean to either side, leaning is yet another sign of wear. Twisting the shoe is another give away; if it is easy to twist, your midsole is worn down.
Your body will send you signals. Pay attention to them!
If you’re not doing the proper prehabilitation, start! Then you can accurately pay attention to your body’s signals.
Enough about the shoes, I want them for cheap!
Find the cheapest local shop and get another store will price match. My local Fleet Feet price match and then take another 10% off the price. Most stores will not advertise this policy, so you need to ask! The mark up on running shoes ranges from 300 - 400% which is plenty of room for negotiating.
Buy last years model. Again, ask your local running store when the new models are coming out and then scour the internet or in-store sales. Nike updates my Skylons sometime in November / December and the prices drop significantly.
Buy in bulk off the internet. Combine a rewards program such as Ebates, cash back credit cards, coupons (google them), with sales and you can save a significant amount of money. I was able to snag five pairs for $300 using this method. Retail value of one pair at the local shop? $103.95.
Summary Please?
Find a shoe you like. Find a sale. Buy on the internet.
Three easy steps that will save a lot of money in the long run (pun intended).
Technorati Tags: Frugal, Running
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Swipe the Visa > Transfer money to ING > Accumulate Interest > Pay of Bill
Seems so simple…..
Following this plan of attack during March has been an utter failure. My budget spreadsheet is in complete disarray, I can’t follow the flow of money out of my checking account, and I somehow managed to lose a $4.13 transaction.
Did I even have a $4.13 transaction during March?
Not according to my statements, the underwear gnomes must have borrowed the Visa while I was sleeping. I have a sneaking suspicion that the missing money is a result of BoA’s Keep the Change transfers and it’ll show up when I balance my checking account with the statement.
With ING’s rate dropping to 3.00% (APY), squeezing those few extra pennies (all 25 of them) isn’t worth the headache. When the rate climbs back up to 5.00%, I may give this attack plan another whirl.
Have you had success with this approach? Was it worth the hassle?
Technorati Tags: Budget, Cash Back
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The first pitch of the 2008-2009 Major League Baseball Season will be tossed out at 6:05am by Dice K in Tokoyo, Japan.
For those of us that can’t afford the airfare, hotel, food and ticket price to watch the game in Japan, waiting until the regular season kicks start will be rough.
Unfortunately, I’ll be stuck watching the games on TV as attending a MLB Game on American soil is a costly affair. If you’re enough to live in one of the thirty cities home to a team, the average cost of a ticket is $22.21. This is still a fraction of other average costs for other sports (NFL - $62.38, NBA - $51.02) and taking a family of four to a major league game can be a very expensive affair.
Fortunately for those of us who don’t live in Kansas City (average ticket price - $13.71), there are plenty of low cost ways to enjoy a ball game.
Baseball teams also run all sorts of money saving promotions, the Kannapolis Intimidators have a weekly BOGO ticket night, the Birmingham Barons will let you pay the current price of gas for entry, the Nashua Pride will make you a Turkish millionaire, and on June 13th, those of you named Elliot, Kristen, Spitzer or are from New York can get a dollar off admission to a Macon Music game.
Now that the season is upon us, take a kid (for next to nothing) to a Saturday afternoon ball game.
The diehards will thank you, the game needs more young fans!
Technorati Tags: Budget, Baseball, Frugal
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My inbox was flooded with submissions and I read every last one. Actually, I only read the submissions that weren’t overloaded with ads and had a relevance to us 20-somethings.
I’m snotty like that.
So without further ado, here are the highlights:
Family
Jesse wrote about Teaching Your Children to Handle Their Money.
Faron describes her relationship with her dad in the post My Dad – Frugal, Generous and my Hero.
Budgeting
David is states his case Why Cash Is Still King of the Monthly Budget.
Steward writes about Budgeting: A Guide to Sanity and Wisdom.
Sarah tells her story of When a saver loves a spender.
Frugality
FIRE Finance presents Top 10 Dollar Store Buys. Editor’s Note: The dollar store sells some quality long lasting pens. Now only if my students would quit missing so many problems….
Hank takes saving money to a new level with the 29 most frugal things he has ever done.
Investing
Want to know how to lose your investment? Dorian presents 10 Sure Ways to lose 50% of your investment.
Mark has invested some money in Prosper loans and figured out how to Track Your Prosper Portfolio with Money Plus.
Dividend Growth Investor Dude states The case for dividend investing in retirement.
Marcus presented Stock Market Investing For Beginners: Beginner Stock Market Investing Using Return On Equity.
Passive Income Investor presents Gold Breaks $1000/Oz: Investing For A Recession.
Other
Wenchypoo gives us an Update: The FairTax Crafter Finally Answers Me. Editor’s Note: Even if you disagree with everything in her post, it’s worth reading for her comment poetry.
GBlogger writes Why Don’t High-Income Professionals Watch Their Money?
The Editor’s Pick
poetloverrebelspy presents ITB Impressions: Beer Tourism. Editor’s Note: Hmmmm…..Beer!
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
twenty something finances using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Be sure to check out the carnival in two weeks, which will be hosted by The BagLady.
Technorati Tags: twenty something finances, blog carnival
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