The Frugal Bostonian

I am fortunate to have an iPod Nano (which I bought refurbished through apple.com).  My particular model holds 4 GB of information.  While smallish on the scale of things electronic, that’s actually alot of music, my whole U2 catalog takes up a small fraction of the total storage capacity.  So I decided to expand my musical “library.” 

I got a bunch of used CD’s at yard sales, goodwill, and used book sales that I loaded onto the iPod, and I had some free downloads from Pepsi.com.   I’ve added Johnny Cash,  Jim Croce, some unusual stuff from the 1920’s (Good for What Ails You - Music of the Medicine Shows - nominated for two grammy awards), American folk music (Bruce Springsteen’s “We Shall Overcome” is an excellent collection of folk music), and some other “goodies.”  I am not a huge fan of classical music, but I added it to my collection as I have some friends who prefer classical music and when we are together I’d like to be able to play something that we both enjoy.

Doing all this has made my music much more shareable.  If I am on a car ride with folks I don’t know well (who may not appreciate the nuances of Depeche Mode, or might not be into eminem), I can offer up the Johnny Cash or Jim Croce.  Or, Johnny Cash doing covers of Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus) and Nine Inch Nails (Hurt). 

The folk music should be great for kids (way less annoying than a Barney or Dora CD, and the lyrics are appropriate for all ages).  I suspect that people visiting from abroad would also enjoy folk and country music rather than generic top 40 (which is probably the same as what’s playing on the radio where they live).

My car stereo has an iPod / .mp3 port into which I can plug the iPod and listen to it over the car speakers (if your car does not have an “aux”, a/k/a iPod port, there’s a transmitter that will supposedly do the job, but check the reviews before buying).  If you already have the iPod and the aux port, but no way to connect them, Radio Shack sells a cord for about $5.00. 

The bottom line is that I can listen to the iPod in the car.  Most newer cars have aux ports, so if you are renting or driving with someone in a newer car, there’s definitely a possibility that your iPod or mp3 player can be used. 

The etiquette of offering your music in someone else’s car has yet to be definitively figured out, but it’s worth considering bringing along a variety of music on any extended journey (I don’t usually play anything for short trips with friends, but everyone is different).

If you already have an iPod or .mp3 player and you haven’t filled it up, consider going outside your usual musical selections.

I had an eye exam last week.  Luckily, I have insurance through work that allows me to have a complete eye exam every two years.  I wear glasses and contacts, and my prescription changed slightly (not so much that I need to replace my glasses, but things will be sharper when I do).   The exam was completely covered by insurance.  (I did have to pay for the contact lenses that I got.)  I contacted my insurance company for a list of providers, then made an appointment with an optometrist who has a practice within a chain selling eyeglasses (the optometrist usually rents space in the store, the businessses are not otherwise affiliated).

The exam took about 30 minutes total.  First, a machine checks your eyes for a preliminary prescription (this is very similar to the eye machine at the registry of motor vehicles).  Next, an air puff, then a trip to the optometrists chair, where I looked at the eye chart.  The optometrist put corrective lenses in front of my eyes, and we fine-tuned the prescription.  I got the prescription written out so I can go wherever I want to get glasses made.  I am now working on how to get glasses made inexpensively. 

To the best of my knowledge, everyone at my workplace has this insurance, yet some people crow that they have “never” had an eye exam.  This seems silly.  It’s not going to cost anything.  It’s possible that a slight vision problem will be discovered and glasses will be prescribed - but the person would not need to get or wear glasses if they did not want to.   More importantly, a serious eye problem could be detected and addressed before it worsened. 

With the crashing economy, it seems especially frugal to promptly use insurance benefits - if I were to be laid-off, I doubt I would continue to have vision coverage.  And I suspect that my other coverages would also vanish or be greatly reduced.  Someone (maybe you!) is paying the insurance company for your coverage - health, vision, dental - take advantage of it while you have it.  And, I suppose I “contributed to the economy” by getting the insurance money to the optometrist.

You can recycle your old frames - the Lions Club and other organizations collect them for use in the developing world.  Some optometrists have collection bins in their offices, or check for the Lions Club online.

Last week I was honored to be included in the Festival of Frugality. (http://www.frugalbostonian.com/?p=565)

I came across the Festival when randomly surfing online.  A carnival is where a blogger finds blog posts on one topic, and collects them all on one site, with links leading to the site where the original post appears.  Some of the carnivals and weekly, some are monthly, some are on irregular schedules.  The Festival of Frugality usually shows up weekly, with a differing blog “hosting” it each week. 

Blog Carnival, http://blogcarnival.com/bc/p_about.html, is the umbrella site, there are hundreds of carnivals and festivals, dealing with a wide range of topics, such as personal finance, pets, health, fitness, arts - you get the idea.  Go to the link if you want to know more, they explain it much better than I could, and you can navigate to the list of carnivals and festivals. 

Submitting to the Festival was very easy - I filled out a template that included a link to the post I wanted to include, and a way to contact me via email.  No personal information was requested or required.  There’s no charge whatsoever, either to submit or upon inclusion.  I got an email that my post would be included, and then saw it in the festival. 

I enjoy going to carnivals to see what others are saying about certain topics.  It’s a good way to find new blogs, almost all my bookmarked blogs were found through the festivals and carnivals!

The Festival of Frugality kindly included my post about how to Save $$ Owning Rather than Leasing Cable / Internet Equipment.  Please visit the Festival at http://moneyning.com/frugality/festival-of-frugality-161-frugal-businesses/ and check out all the other great contributions!

I plan to explain how I happened upon the Festival and what it is in a later post.

I’ve been a U2 fan since before they were considered “cool” (to the extent that a band that politicians listen to can be considered cool).  I’ve managed to make it to every tour since the 1980’s (not a particularly frugal activity, but one of the things I do with the money I save on other things).  The Band has always liked Boston, and always plays a few nights here when on tour.  An unusual assortment of people turn out to concerts, I’ve personally seen Al and Tipper Gore, and John Kerry at the Boston shows. 

The band has been getting around: U2 was part of the pre-Inaugural events for President-Elect Obama, performing their tribute to MLK, Pride in the Name of Love at the Lincoln Memorial.  And, U2 has a new album coming out soon. 

You can listen (for free) to the first single (Get On Your Boots) from U2’s new album at the band’s website, http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=2292

This is not a download, only a chance to hear the song online (preferable to catching snippets on the radio).  U2 has also posted the lyrics.  The album will be available for download on February 15th, and in hard format on February 16th.

Tuesday, January 20th is Presidential Inauguration Day.  There’s a bunch of stuff going on in Boston (having looked at some of the listings, many of these events seem comparable for the festivities that go along with Marathon Day in April - if you’ve never been to Boston for the Marathon, it’s a real party!).   Many things are free, some have a fee, the two posted below are FREE.

Watch the Inaguration for free at the Boston Public Library in the Rabb Lecture Hall, Copley Square.  It will be showing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  I’m assuming it will be a live broadcast on the big screen (I am hoping its the big screen, and not a television, but I have never seen a live broadcast in the Rabb, let me know how it goes if you attend, I unfortunately have to go to work).  http://www.bpl.org/obamainaugural.pdf  If you’ve never been to the Rabb, it’s comparable to an old (pre-stadium seating) movie theater, and alot like a college lecture hall.  There’s a stage, and a large screen where movies (free!) are regularly shown. 

Viewings will also be hosted at the following branches: Dudley, Egleston, Faneuil, South Boston, South End and West End.

The 80 Border Street Cultural Exchange Center (in conjunction with moveon.org) is hosting a FREE Obama Inaugural Ball, Bash, and Celebration from 6 - 10 p.m.  According to their website (http://www.80borderstreet.org/upcomingevents.htm):

Join us and MoveOn.Org for our Obama Presidential Inaugural Ball, Bash and Celebration on Tuesday, January 20. Center will open and 6:00 and we’ll go until 10:00 or so. There will be music to dance for joy to (Michael Carey and Todd Brunel, and All of the Animals), inaugural events coverage, munchies, etc. Please bring along some potluck to share. Dress up if you like, or come as you are; but come and celebrate this historic event with us at 80 Border Street. We will also be having a shoe throwing competition, so bring along a pair of old shoes and your best throwing arm. Free to all.

I’ve never personally been to the 80 Border Street Center, but having looked at their website, I am now interested in checking it out.

The folks at moveon.org have compiled an extensive list of inaugural events that can be searched by zip code: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?rc=homepage&action_id=158  There are currently more than two dozen events within 10 miles of downtown Boston.  There’s something for everyone here: some events are in restaurant, nightclubs, bars, and some are in private homes.  The listing indicates whether there is a fee for the event, many are free.

I’ve lived through many presidential elections, but have never seen one accompanied by the festivities this one is generating.  No one knows what will happen in four years, this may be your only opportunity to participate in a mass celebration of inauguration day.  If you’re not in Boston, do a google search for events in your community (or look at the moveon.org list, it is a national compilation of events).

The Museum of Fine Arts is having free admission, 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.   http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=1878  They’ll be having some special events in honor of the MLK holiday.

The Museum of African American History and the City of Boston are having a FREE Family Concert on Monday, 1/19 at 3 p.m. at Faneuil Hall.  http://www.maah.org/

According to the website: Enjoy the musical talents of a group of young people from the Intensive Community Program. Delight in the orchestral sounds of gospel, spirituals, classical music and hear readings from the speeches of Dr. King.  RSVP:  617-725-0022 ext. 25 or  RSVP@MAAH.ORG.

I previously posted (http://www.frugalbostonian.com/?p=290) about my cable tv/ telecommunications experience and how the price got knocked down $200 for the year.  Here’s another way I saved a little bit of money.

When I first signed up for cable internet, RCN provided a cable modem, charging me “only” $3.00 a month.  It was a Motorola Surfboard SB5120 cable modem.  Three dollars a month translates to $36 a year.  I was worried that the equipment would somehow be damaged, and the cable people would insist on payment of a huge penalty, even if the modem was obsolete. 

I found the same modem selling for $70.  One store was having a rebate, so that the actual cost after rebate would be $20. (It’s been over a year, so I can’t remember which store, but for some reason BestBuy sticks in my mind.)  I bought the $20 cable modem and returned the “leased” one to RCN.  it’s already paid for itself.  Better yet, if anything happens to it, I will not need to deal with RCN.  And I can sell it when I no longer need it.

As explained in my earlier post, I am waiting for my digital cable converter to arrive from RCN.  The phone rep claimed this is not the same as the digital cable box being sold in stores for the impending transition from analog to digital television.  When I get the converter, I will have the specs to try to find one to buy. 

Every so often someone tells a tale of an elderly person still renting a telephone from the phone company, having paid thousands of dollars over the course of 30 years for an outdated phone that could be bought for $5 at a yard sale.  (It was not until the enactment of federal legislation in the 1970’s or 1980’s that phones could be purchased at the store rather than leased from the phone company).  Here’s a link to a story about someone who apparently paid $14,000 to lease an outdated rotary phone: http://www.mergermonster.com/?m=2&s=111&id=106.

It’s always worth examining whether you can buy the equipment that your telecommunications provider is renting to you.  You will probably be able to buy it for less than a year’s cost of leasing it.  You’ll own the equipment, and can sell it when it is no longer useful to you.

I saw this book in the “new books” section of the bookstore and perused it briefly.  It’s something I would probably check out at the library.  But now I have a free (albeit electronic) copy courtesy of Oprah.com. 

This is a free, and legal, download.  Go to Oprah.com, click on the link for Suze Orman’s free book (currently in the “most popular” tab), and you’ll jump to a page where you can download it.  The directions to download are on the page, simply right click (with pc) and use the “save as” function and you’ll have a free .pdf copy that you can read on your computer (you could print it out, but you’d need alot of paper).

I don’t know why Suze Orman is giving free copies away, maybe someone who really likes the electronic copy (which, as far as I know, is identical in content to the print version) will buy the book.  It will at least ensure that more people read the book, and those people will tell their friends and family, who might buy a print copy.

This offer expires at 11:59 p.m., Central Time, on Thursday, January 15th, so get it now if you are interested.

Part of my reason for starting this blog was to learn how to use blogging software. This blog is on wordpress, hosted by Dreamhost. I’ve mostly figured out how to use the template for posting, and how to format in posts. I’ve learned how to sign up for ads, how to post the ads in the sidebar, and how to insert hyperlinks. I managed to get myself signed up in google.

I’ve been poking around, and realize there’s alot I don’t know how to do.  I want to learn how to insert analytics. I’ve been unsuccessful in finding the html on the page, so I have no idea where to insert the code. I have not been able to verify my google account (which will apparenty review the site and tell me how it “rates” from a computer point of view).   I want to put up a sidebar of blogs I read, but I have not figured out how to do that yet.

I am trying to update wordpress, but I think I have the files in the wrong directory. This is harder than I thought it would be, but I am learning alot more than if I had not done it. I spent about $120 getting the domain name and hosting.  I think it has been a good use of money.  All in all, simply starting a blog is probably among the most frugal way to learn how to operate one (I would not have known what questions to ask without having this experience, and don’t know anyone with a blog who would be able to teach me).

Wednesday Freebie: author talk and lecture

Ninety years ago Boston experienced the Great Molasses Flood.  As weird as it sounds, twenty-one people died, and 150 people were injured when a tank holding over two million gallons of molasses collapsed.  A fifty foot wall of molasses raced through the streets. 

On Wednesday, January 14th at 6:30 p.m., author Stephen Puleo will present an illustrated lecture about the event.  His book, Dark Tide,  the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, will be offered for sale, and he will be signing it.  In the Mezzanine Conference Room, Johnson Building, Copley Square.  The event is free and open to the public (but you’ll have to pay if you want to buy the book).