Balancing Your Checkbook

The other day I was talking to a good friend who doesn’t balance her checkbook.  She has an “idea” of what she’s spending but it isn't accurate.  With modern technology, balancing your checkbook involves more than paper checks.  It includes debit card purchases, ATM withdrawals, online payments, and direct deposits.  Many people, like my friend, dread this chore but it’s easier than you think.  Even if you don’t write paper checks, carry your check register in your wallet.  Keep it current by recording deposits, withdrawals, and purchases as soon as you make them.

If using a handwritten reconciliation sheet seems passé, try a mobile checkbook like PocketMoney or SplashMoney, available for iPhone, Palm, and Windows Mobile devices.  You can keep track of an unlimited number of accounts: checking, savings, credit card and more.  If you’re feeling adventurous, both applications allow you to create a budget and analyze your spending with handy charts.  Whether you use the latest technology or traditional methods, knowing how much money you have and where it’s at will help prevent overspending and unexpected fees.

Save Money on Meds

The price of prescription drugs can break the bank.  Whether you have medical insurance or not, it’s a good idea to shop around.  The pharmacies at both Target  and Walmart use a flat rate of $4 for more than 300 generic brands.  A three-month supply is $10.  Keep a list of these popular drugs handy, so you can check it before filling a prescription. 

Most health care plans provide consumers with a price comparison option on their website.  Once you register, it’s easy to look up the drug and dosage. Compare four different stores like Target, Costco, CVS, and your local pharmacy to get a range of prices.  

Online sites like Rxaminer  allow users to enter their zip code and click on “price compare” to find the pharmacy that has the best price in the area.  If you don’t mind getting your prescription from Canada try eDrugSearch. 

When you can’t find what you’re looking for on the web pick up the phone.  My dermatologist recently prescribed a drug with a dosage not found at Target, Walmart or on many comparison sites. The sites that had what I needed required you to order a six-month supply for $120.  It was more than the two refills prescribed.  I called Costco and was quoted $19!  By the way, you don’t have to be a member to use the pharmacy. 

Ace Your Job Interview

You’ve networked, obsessively searched the web, gone to job fairs and emailed countless resumes when you land an interview for your dream job.  The anxiety and panic kick in.  No worries; we’ve got you covered.  Preparing for a job interview can be a great opportunity.  Get ready to bring your A-game with these simple steps.

1. Do Your Homework

Know the company, its products, and services.  Visit their corporate website.  Take time to read about the history and culture of the company.  Read press releases, and watch any videos they have posted.  Don’t stop at the web.  Go to your local library to dig deeper.

2. Have a Plan

Think about what you’ve accomplished, and write it down in a notebook to take on the interview.  Give specific examples of challenges you’ve met and achievements.  Go over your interview strategy with your mentor or a friend that you trust.  Get their input and practice (it sounds silly, but it can help you get over the jitters).

3. Ask Relevant Questions

Remember that you are interviewing the company to find out if it’s a good fit for you.  Knowing what is expected of someone in the position, the company culture, and opportunities for advancement will help you to make the right decision.

Should You Change Your Facebook Settings?

Facebook is one of the few places where family, friends, coworkers and your ex all converge.  Social media sites are gaining popularity. Unfortunately, they can cause problems with potential and current employers.  You have to watch what you say and do even if you only have “real” friends in your network.  My Facebook settings are conservative, partly due my employer’s strict social media policy.  If you haven’t looked at your settings in a while, you may want to consider changing them. 

Is your profile included in public search results like Google?  Go to your privacy settings and click on the search link.  Uncheck the allow box.  This will keep your publicly available information and any information you set to everyone private. Keep unwanted visitors from showing up at your door by leaving off your street address.  Don’t friend your boss or your boss’s boss.  No explanation needed. If you have photos and videos you don’t want everyone to see, create custom groups.  It gives you more privacy but remember what happens on Facebook doesn’t stay there. Don’t post or say anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother to know.

Jump-Start Your Savings

Finding more money in your budget can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.  You have fixed expenses: rent or mortgage, utilities, food, and transportation.  It’s easy to cut back on your wants (new spring wardrobe), but figuring out how to save on your needs can be challenging.  If you make your money go further you’ll be ahead of the game.  Every dollar counts whether you’re saving for a trip, car, or home.  The less you spend, the quicker you can reach your goal.

Booking a Flight on the Cheap

I’m always looking for the best deal on airfare.  My family lives on the East Coast and I’m in the Bay, which can make flights pricey.  So when there was an unexpected family thing, I cringed at the thought of buying a last minute ticket.  In order to get the best price I’m using online travel sites to search for flights in mid-April from San Francisco to Virginia.  

Yapta.com tracks price drops for airfares so you know when to buy.  I found a flight for $461 on my favorite airline with televisions and comfy seats.  The site will send an email alerting me if the price drops. I’m keeping my fingers crossed! Kayak.com searches the popular travel sites Expedia, Hotwire, Airfare.com, Priceline, and Travelocity to find the cheapest price.  There’s a redeye for $255. It isn’t direct, and changing planes in the wee hours of the morning doesn’t appeal to me.  Next up is cheaptickets.com where I find a flight for $216 including all fees.  Some sites leave off taxes and fees making the price seem lower that it actually is.

Dream Job: Tanning Butler

Struggling to find your passion?  Look no further; the South Beach Ritz Carlton is hiring a tanning butler.  If you’re a hunky guy (sorry girls) who loves the idea of wearing a T-shirt to work and having the beach as an office, then this is the gig for you.  You get paid $20 an hour plus tips.  Sleeping in isn't a problem with a noon to 4 p.m. schedule.  Benefits include catching rays and slathering sunscreen on beautiful women. 

According to Ritz-Carlton PR, the qualified candidate must be “outgoing, positive, energetic, and recognize the role as a brand ambassador.”  No mention of having killer good looks and great hands.  I guess that’s a given.

The position is being posted on Craigslist later this week.  Apparently, it doesn’t hurt to have tanning butler on your resume.  The last one was hired for an Armani modeling gig in Italy.   

Readers, what’s your dream job? 

Is Your Coworker’s Perfume Making You Sick?

A city employee in Detroit sued her employer over perfume and won.  The case was filed under the American Disabilities Act because an employee complained that a coworker’s perfume made it difficult for her to breathe and do her job.  I’ve worked with both men and women who were heavy handed with their perfume or cologne.  It was annoying but didn’t keep me from doing my job.  Maybe it’s different if you have allergies.

As a result of the settlement, Detroit is now encouraging city employees to give up everything scented including cologne, aftershave, deodorant (bye-bye spring fresh), body lotions, and face creams.  They even nixed perfume samples from magazines, air fresheners, and scented candles. How do you enforce a scentless workplace?  I wonder if they will have scent police to sniff out potential offenders. 

Would you tell a coworker they use too much perfume?

Money Saving Tip: Get Your Library On

As part of the SavvySugar 40-day Savings Challenge, I gave up renting movies.  It’s a big deal since I don’t have cable or the digital antenna you need to watch television.  Instead of paying the monthly Netflix fee, I’m using my library card.  If you haven’t been to the library lately, you'll be pleasantly surprised.  Most public libraries stock music, books on CD, movies, and television shows.  I’ve checked out hits like Big Love and Mad Men.  Their selection of movies includes recent releases, Hollywood classics, foreign, and independent films.  You can check out up to eight DVDs at a time for seven days.  It’s a sweet deal. 

How do you use your public library?

Things I Wish I'd Known at 20

1)     Saving is sexy

2)    Get a financial planner

3)    Don’t buy guys expensive gifts

4)    Invest in your 401k

5)    Have an emergency fund

6)    Do what you love

7)    Be generous

8)    Use moisturizer and sunscreen

9)    You aren’t your job (repeat until you believe it)

10)  Never loan money

11)  Accept the person, place or thing just the way it is

12)  Make time to play

13)  Worrying brings wrinkles

14)  Share the spotlight

15)  You can’t change him *see number 11

16)  Read two finance books per year

17)  The Joneses are broke…don’t try to keep up with them

18) Lighten up

19) Let life come to you

20) You're better, smarter, and more amazing than you realize

Readers, what do you wish you knew when you were twenty?  

Do You Need Pet Insurance?

While on vacation I received a call that my cat was ill.  A good friend had agreed to take care of her for the month.  It was only day three!  I began to panic about the unexpected cost.  Fortunately, my friend’s neighbor is a vet and didn’t charge me for treating Zora.  I was relieved.  What would I have done if it had been thousands of dollars?  I decided to do some research on pet insurance.

Pet insurance is similar to health insurance for people. It provides coverage for numerous conditions but with varying levels of reimbursement.  There are copays and deductibles.  As with human insurance, the cost of pet insurance depends on the age and type of animal. Some policies cover prescriptions and routine procedures, while others only cover catastrophic care. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.  This includes congenital disorders, developmental defects, and hereditary disorders. 

Online you can choose from a variety of pet insurance providers.  They offer everything from common problems like ear and eye infections to bone cancer and leukemia coverage.  There was also coverage for being hit by a car or attacked by an animal (scary).  By using online estimates, I was able to compare cost.  Premiums range from $200 to $500 per year.  Over the life of a pet that’s around $4,000.  It’s a lot of money or a small price to pay depending on your relationship with your pet. 

What do you think about pet insurance?

How to Leave a Job: 5 Savvy Tips

Leaving a job can be a happy time or a stressful one.  When you leave on your own terms you have time to find a new opportunity and get your finances in order.  If your employer decides to let you go, you can be caught off guard.  Having a plan of action can help you handle any situation with grace. 

1. Emergency Fund
If you don’t have six to nine months saved, start today.  Whether you are fired or laid off, you can collect unemployment benefits.  If you live within your means, you'll be prepared.

2. Resume Alert

Keep your resume current.  Achievements can be overlooked when you don’t keep track of them.  Once a month schedule fifteen minutes with yourself to review your accomplishments for the previous month.  Write down everything in a career journal that you keep at home.  Every six months update your resume.  This process is also helpful when you have your yearly performance review.

3. Back It Up

Make sure you have copies of important work that will help you find another job.  For instance, if you need a portfolio to apply for a job you should have that work.  Update your files once a month by backing up important work on a personal drive or iPod.  You may not have the time to get everything you need if your employer decides to let you go.