Jana Says

Living life from cover to cover

A t-shirt, begging, and a lesson

by Jana 12 Comments

 

Last week I was at the dollar store buying some storage bins for my fabric (we'll talk about this when I summarize my spending freeze violations). While waiting on line, I couldn't help but stare at the back of a gentleman in front of me. This happened for two reasons: one, I am short, he was tall and that is where my eyes landed and two, his shirt read “strippers love my pole” (yeah, I laughed, too). I didn't notice what he purchased (which is odd for me because I am generally curious about what people buy at that store) but I did vividly remember his shirt. You don't forget something like that quickly.

After I left the dollar store, I ran a few more errands and then set about driving home. In order to get to my house from this particular shopping center, you need to turn at an intersection that is a prime target for beggars. It's probably this why due to the sheer volume of traffic that crosses through (it's the intersection for 2 major roads) and from what I have seen, these guys (always men. Never women at this location) make a good amount of money. I personally don't give money but I've seen numerous people do so. Which is fine. Not my place to judge what other people do with their money.

I think I am digressing here. Let's regroup and return to the story.

Alright, so I am at the intersection, waiting to turn and I see a man with a sign asking for money. Totally common occurrence. However, this time, the man was of particular interest because….it was the gentleman from the dollar store! And I knowing was him from that super classy t-shirt he was wearing. Apparently he was purchasing some poster board and markers to make his sign. Knowing that sent me down two roads of thought.

The first road was that of anger and annoyance. I mean, here's this guy, spending money he didn't earn on poster board and markers to beg for more money that he's not technically earning. So that annoyed me. Then the angry, rhetorical questions began: How can he have the endurance to stand on a corner and beg but he can't ask for an application at the store he just purchased his begging tools from (there was a “now hiring” sign on the door)? Why isn't he using any of the local services to help himself instead of begging on a corner? Is he in cahoots with the people who I saw begging a few miles up the road? And wouldn't that money have been better spent on some sort of food or drink?

For the record, I know those questions make me sound like a huge insensitive asshole. But I redeem myself now.

As I drove past the man, I let my anger settle down and starting thinking like the compassionate person I know I am. I told myself that maybe he can't read or has a felony or no way for a prospective employer to contact him and that's why he didn't fill out an application. I told myself that maybe he's desperate and embarrassed to be begging and he feels that he's left with no other option so I probably shouldn't shame him any more by thinking horrible thoughts about him. I told myself that maybe he doesn't know about the local services we have available. I told myself to let it go. And I did. I wished him well in his endeavors (in my head. I didn't go back to the intersection to say something) and I made a promise to stop being so judgmental in the future.

I am working on it.

As I was storing my fabric, I spent a few minutes thinking about what a dollar really can buy. And honestly, it's not much. Maybe a dollar menu item or a bag of chips or a bagel from the supermarket bakery. It can buy a local bus ticket, one way. It can buy something from Goodwill or a yard sale. Maybe. A dollar can buy a lottery ticket or wash a load of clothes or buy a piece of fruit or two. A dollar isn't life sustaining but it can help.

Because even with limited buying power, you can use your dollar purchase in a positive way. Buying a bus ticket to the mall or the library gives you a way to look for job. Using your quarters to wash your clothes gives you that confident feeling that comes with being clean. Eating something that is good for you gives you strength and energy to look for work or even make it through the day. And some people see buying a $1 lottery ticket as an investment and potential for large gains.

So maybe that's what this man saw the poster board and markers as. An investment in his survival for that day. And maybe the next time I see someone begging on that corner, I'll push that thought to the front of my mind instead of letting it hang out in the back. Because it's worth giving someone the benefit of the doubt than automatically assuming the worst.

 

4 benefits to working for free

by Jana 11 Comments

nomoneyMany of you know that I run a blogger mentoring program. Many of you know that this program is completely free and voluntary. What many of you might not know is that not only is the program free, but I do not earn one single dollar from administering the program. And I’m completely fine with that.

Admitting that you work for free and don’t mind is an unusual statement to make. I’ve thought and planned out numerous ways to make money off of my mentoring program but when it came down to it, I nixed every single one of those plans for several reasons. Although I spend a good amount of time working on all aspect of the program each week, I’m still fine with working for free. Because when it comes down to it, there really are a number of benefits to working for free (whether it’s as a freelancer, intern, volunteer or any other title that can apply to unpaid work):

  1. Portfolio building.  If you are just starting out, you need a portfolio of work to show potential clients. This is extremely essential if you work in any sort of artistic freelance capacity such as makeup artist, hairdresser, photographer, graphic designer, even a musician. The best way to build up your body of work is to offer services for free. Once you have a few clients and examples under your belt, you can start showing proof of your outstanding work to potential clients and customers. In exchange for the free work you can ask for…
  2. Testimonials. These are so important in the life a freelancer or new business owner. Not only is it great to have examples of your handiwork but having feedback and statements from existing and former clients praising your work allows new clients to have an inside look to what people think of you (and your business).  The better the testimonials, the more inclined others might be to work with you.  You can also gain positive testimonials if you are effective at…
  3. Networking. Ah, networking. The shy, unconfident person’s nightmare. But it’s so crucial to running successful business that there’s no way around it. Networking can lead to paying jobs or opportunities to engage in projects to build your portfolio (which can lead to testimonials. It’s great how they’re all connected). If you find it hard to network in person, there are plenty of ways to do it online. This works particularly well for freelance writers, graphic designers, copywriters, and others in those types of fields. Also, when you offer work for free, you might get asked to do so at an event with dozens of top people in your field. This can lead to exposure for you, your work, and your business and might even land you a…
  4. Paying job. The ultimate goal when we work for free is to land a paying gig. It doesn’t have to be a full-time job; it can be a bunch of little jobs cobbled together to make for a decent income.  But income is the ultimate goal. In fact, I know a number of people who have started their businesses by doing free work and it’s landed them a paying job. When you work for free, your employer or client get a chance to see firsthand your work ethic, the quality of your outputs, your ability to get along with others, and they get to test your creativity. These are all characteristics that are difficult to ascertain in an interview and can give you the upper hand when it comes to hiring (and can lead to good testimonials which also will help with obtaining paying jobs).

Other potential benefits of working for free include: building work history (extremely important for high school and college graduates looking to enter the traditional workforce), obtaining references, expanding your skill set, and you can be a little pickier about what projects you choose to work on (if you’re freelancing). It also gives you the ability to talk about concrete, specific examples during a job interview rather than giving hypotheticals and abstract answers.

Working, putting in a full-time job hours, and not getting paid is hard to digest. After all, free work doesn’t pay the bills and it doesn’t put food on the table. I really only recommend working for free if you have another source of income for life’s necessities. But if you have that, and you can think about the long-term benefits, then working for free becomes much easier to handle.

Readers, have you ever worked for free? How did it turn out for you?

P.S. While we’re talking about working for free, here’s an opportunity for My friend Ryan owns a career/education company and he’s trying to do some research. He wants to help at least 3 people (for free!) in the following categories:

1. Unemployed people who need a job now, but want to advance their career as well

2. People stuck in a so-called “dead end” job (serving, bartending, sales, etc) but want to start a professional career in another field.

Essentially he’s promised to get you a job if you do what he says and let him document the process. If you’re interested, please send me an email and I’ll put you in touch with him

5 frugal ways to celebrate an anniversary

by Jana 9 Comments

Today is my 9 year wedding anniversary (insert well wishes, congratulatory sentiments, and statements of shock and awe here).  Over the years, my husband and I engaged in some pretty extravagant activities to commemorate the day we got married and maybe we incurred some debt to do so (cough…trip to Key West…cough). But not this year. This year we got a little smarter and decided that it’s possible to celebrate our anniversary in a special way without spending a fortune.

anniversary

Here’s what we did (or plan on doing):

  1. Went out for breakfast instead of dinner. Although we plan on going out to eat this weekend (probably paid for as an anniversary present from the in-laws), we decided to do something today. So we decided to go get bagels rather than going out to dinner. This saved us money on two fronts: breakfast is way cheaper than dinner when you’re at a restaurant and we didn’t have to pay for a babysitter because our daughter is in school.
  2. Bought cards, not presents. Six weeks elapse between my anniversary and my birthday. And there’s Mother’s Day in between. I’ve absolved my husband of expensive (or any, for that matter) anniversary presents for that reason. But we make sure to give each other cards. Lots of savings to be had there (on occasion, we’ve even made cards but ain’t nobody got time for that this year). 
  3. Stay home and had drinks. Well, not really drinks as I haven’t had a drink since the red wine incident of 2012. However, my husband found cocktail flavored jelly beans and we plan to have those as a substitute. It’s a tiny little pack of jelly beans which cost a fraction of a cocktail at a bar or restaurant. I just hope it’s as tasty.
  4. Did a craft. I know this sounds weird but stick with me. Apparently, the 9 year anniversary is the pottery anniversary. Instead of going somewhere and getting all Ghost, my husband went to the craft store and bought us plaster ice cream cones and paint for us to do at home (not quite pottery but close enough). So much less expensive and I don’t have to contend with other people complaining about how they suck at art. Double bonus!
  5. DIY present. I can’t divulge too much detail because the husband sometimes reads my blog. Even though I don’t ask him to get me a present, I still like to do something for him. I have something planned this year that involves Pinterest, Snapfish, and the Dollar Store. It will probably cost me all of $5, a few hours of my time, and it’ll be more valuable than any golf club I could buy.

We decided to do it this way because a) we’re on a much tighter budget this year than ever before and b) we’re trying to save money for a big 10 year anniversary celebration. We want to go on vacation, with our daughter, and doing that is going to require spending a good amount of cash. By saving money this year, that gives us a little more to put away for next year’s big one.

For us, the most important part of celebrating our anniversary is not how much money we spend or the presents we have to show off. No, for us, the important part is doing something that’s meaningful and special. And that can be free.

Readers, how do you celebrate your anniversary in a frugal fashion? Any tips for us for upcoming years? 

Book review: One Year Lived

by Jana 5 Comments

I love books. In fact, if it weren't for some of the shows on AMC and Southland, I could probably give up my television and just read books (maybe watch a movie or two). And even more than books, I love free books. So when the author of one of my all time favorite personal finance memoirs, Adam Shepard, contacted me to read his new book, One Year Lived, there was no way I was going to say no (and if you haven't read his first book, Scratch Beginnings, I implore you to do so immediately. It was written as a sort of rebuttal to Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed, which is fascinating in its own right, but Adam's book is much more optimistic and presents a whole different side to the working class equation).

The premise of One Year Lived is essentially this: Adam takes one year to travel around the world (on a budget, of course), trying to complete items on a list he made in college (side note: I really would like to know what was going on in his mind in college. Because that's where he formed many ideas that he's acted upon. When I was in college, I thought of very little beyond making sure I got to class on time and remembering to wear my sorority letters on assigned days so I didn't get into trouble) and really living. Enjoying all the world has to offer outside of his typical middle class, American life. Making a difference, experiencing different cultures, and creating moments and memories that he'll reflect on at 70, sitting in his recliner, grandchildren at his feet.

Honestly, reading the book made me a little jealous that he had the nerve to do what so many of us dream about doing (well, something I dream of doing). None of his adventures came without sacrifice, of course–money, career opportunities, moments with family and friends–but he made the jump (both figuratively and literally. You'll have to read the book to find out what I'm alluding to). He did it. He saved the money, said goodbye to his regular life and set out on an expedition that most of us plan on paper but postpone until it's too late. It's hard not to admire that kind of audacity, especially when you consider the fact that he did it alone (side note: I could never do something like this alone. I'm too shy and awkward).

But his nerve and ability to chase his dream and complete the list he made in college are not what I liked most about the book. What hooked me is Adam's ability to tell a story. Reading his book was like sitting down and listening to a friend regale tales from his recent vacation (I half expected a slide show). And the stories are not bragging; in fact, it's just the opposite. Adam does a phenomenal job of weaving personal tales of failure and regret into his summation of his time in each country. He's smart, funny, and self-deprecating at times which, for me, makes for good, entertaining reading.

Not only that, his appreciation and admiration of the different people and cultures he experienced shines through in his descriptions of them. Vivid, detailed, and written with almost no judgment, Adam talks about those he encountered in such a way that you feel like you know them, too. And in a year, he met quite a cast of characters so you know that makes for some good reading.

One Year Lived is, without a doubt, a book I recommend, particularly if you're interested in learning how to afford a once in a lifetime trip and enjoying all that it has to offer without going totally broke. If that's something that doesn't interest you, I recommend reading it just for the stories. And I'll make it easy for you to read. Until this Wednesday, 4/24/13, you can download a copy of eBook, for free, in one of 3 formats by clicking the link to the book's website, using the login slimshep12@gmail.com and the password 123456 (seriously. That's not a joke).

Give the book a shot. Even if you don't like it, it was free! But I assure you–you will like it.

 

20 inexpensive ways to be kinder

by Jana 19 Comments

Every morning, I walk my daughter to her classroom (her choice). When I dropped her off this morning, I overheard her teacher and another kindergarten teacher singing “Happy Birthday” to a child inside the classroom. My daughter is not the most forthcoming with information, so I just assumed it was a kid in her class. Wrong assumption. It was a first grader who had my daugher's teacher last year (this teacher is so fantastic. All the kids love her and former students visit her every morning). Why was my daughter's teacher singing? Well, it turns out, this kid's family forgot her birthday. And she was devastated. So Mrs. B (that's what we'll call her) took it upon herself to make the kid feel better. After all, she tells them that she's their school mom (we can talk about this another day) and that's what moms do.

And it worked because that kid walked out of Mrs. B's class smiling.

This little moment of kindness got me thinking. It really doesn't take much effort or money to be kind to someone. And, in light of recent current events, we need a little kindness right now. You never know how big a difference a small gesture can make. So, here's few things you can do to get your started:

  • Smile at a stranger.
  • Give a friend a hug.
  • Hold the door open for a mom and her kids.
  • Don't park in the handicapped spot just because it's closer (or the spot for people with infants).
  • Tell a cop or cashier or a teacher or anyone, really, that they're doing a good job.
  • Stop to help someone change a tire.
  • Put money in an expired parking meter.
  • Say “thank you”.
  • Say “I love you” to your spouse or significant other.
  • Text “happy birthday”.
  • Offer to feed your neighbor's cat when she goes out of town.
  • Give blood.
  • Volunteer to help at your child's school.
  • Lend a listening ear to someone having a bad day (you can also leave a supportive comment or Tweet to someone you know is having a tough time).
  • Call your grandmother.
  • Give a compliment.
  • Return your wagon to the return aisle rather than leave it in front of someone's car.
  • Let someone in front of you on the road.
  • Donate to a food bank or Goodwill or an animal shelter instead of throwing out that stuff you don't want.
  • Recycle.

It really doesn't take much to start being kind. And also, it's easier to be nice than to be an asshole (except for some people. But we can ignore them, knowing that their assholeyness is a character flaw on their part, not because of anything we did). And I much prefer to do what's easy. How about you?

 

Readers, what are some ways you express kindness in your everyday life?

 

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