The Chronic Consumer

I’ve long been debating about whether to make my next laptop a Mac. Without getting into the whole Mac vs. PC argument that really gets some people heated up, I just want to try a Mac because of the design (they look damn good!) and the functionality (truly great specs).

The only thing holding me back at this point, however, is the price. The new Macbook Pro, which was just released and begins shipping today, comes in two models costs either $1599 or $2499. I think that’s pretty insane, especially when serviceable laptops are available for around $500. Sure, the $500 models aren’t nearly as good as the Macbook Pro, but it’s not as though I’m a professional graphic designer or something. I don’t need all the juice the Macbook Pro comes with, so why pay for it?

Sigh. But they look soooo good!

We’ve always had a bit of trouble staying within a budget, so I’m always trying new systems and strategies. The one that has worked best for us is the envelope budgeting system, in which the cash needed for a particular expense is put into its own envelope. There’s nothing flashy or unique about the system, and it’s about as basic as you can get, but it really works.

What I like best about these envelopes is that we can easily add and subtract them as our needs change. For example, we’re not the kind of people who spend money on clothes every month, so we only put the “Clothing” envelope in play a couple times per year, like near Christmastime and during the back-to-school months. Similarly, if we know we’re going on vacation soon, we’ll add extra envelopes for fun money and souvenirs as well as for something more practical like travel medical insurance. Once our vacation passes, the envelopes disappear as well.

Another feature I like about our envelope budgeting system is the way we dispose of any cash that’s left over. In odd-numbered months, we put the leftovers back into savings, but in even-numbered months, we get to spend the leftovers on fun stuff. That always gives us a little extra incentive to be disciplined!

Anyway, if you’re having trouble starting or sticking to a household budget, I highly recommend the envelope system. It works wonders!

I used to play a lot of sports when I was younger, and am now starting to feel the effects on my body. After 18 years of softball, basketball, tennis, and bowling, my knees and other joints ache almost daily. The pain is especially bad when the weather is damp, but even dry days are no longer a picnic.

Seriously, I can’t imagine how aging pro athletes deal with the pain. They say that a lot of former NFL players in their fifties find it pretty unbearable, and can’t even get out of bed on some days. Yikes!

Maybe it’s time for me to buy one of those phiten necklaces that many baseball players and golfers seem to favor. Phiten necklaces are basically nylon-coated titanium, and pretty much look like a regular fashion accessory. The difference is that phiten necklaces are supposed to promote better circulation, reduce stress, and promote pain relief as well.

It sounds a little kooky if you ask me, but guys like Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Randy Johnson swear by these things, so — I don’t know, maybe it’s worth a try. I checked around and phiten necklaces and bracelets cost between $15-$30, which isn’t too bad.

I’m adding this to my Wish List for now, but I’m not exactly in a hurry to go out and buy one!

I’ve mentioned my weight gain battle a couple of times on this blog, along with my desire to try a few supplements to help increase the effects of diet and exercise. The problem is that I read so many conflicting consumer reviews about these supplements that I can’t tell which ones work and which don’t, so I end up not buying anything.

Well, I’ve finally caught a bit of a break, as a good friend of mine recently started using Ephedrasil Hardcore, which is supposed to be a highly potent energy booster and fat burner. After three weeks of daily use, my friend reports that she actually does have more energy, and she feels less hungry for several hours after taking a capsule. The combination of these effects has led to moderate weight loss (a couple of pounds so far), which of course she’s happy about.

I’m obviously much more willing to try a product that a friend has used, so I’m going to order up some Ephedrasil Hardcore pretty soon. I just hope it works as well for me!

I’m not ordinarily a fan of warehouse shopping clubs, mostly because I hate paying annual membership fees in addition to everything I spend at the actual stores. Another reason I don’t join these places is that there are only 3 people in my family, so we don’t really need to buy in bulk.

But with the economy as bad as it is, I’m considering signing up for Costco. I can buy some things there, such as canned goods or whatever, and still end up saving money over shopping at regular grocery stores. I’m not wild about shelling out for the membership fee, but I figure I can recoup that loss in just a few weeks of shopping.

I have an ongoing argument with one of my friends that was revisited earlier today when we had lunch together. This person travels a lot for business, and always gets to stay in pretty nice hotels. When she stays at these places, she thinks it’s perfectly ok to take things out of the room as “souvenirs”, but I think this is actually stealing.

I mean, I can understand keeping the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and maybe the branded notepad and pen that are put out on the desk, but my friend doesn’t stop there. Going through her house is like taking a cross-country trip, as she has towels, bathrobes, glasses, mugs, and ashtrays from the various Orlando, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and laughlin hotels that she’s stayed at. It’s kind of weird, if you ask me.

Anyway, I’d like to know what other people think. Is it ok to swipe these kinds of goodies from your hotel room, or is it straight-up stealing? Let me know your opinion!

The Body Shop is having another great sale right now on facial skin care products. If you buy any two selected facial skin care products, you get one free. This includes their special Tea Tree line of washes, scrubs, and exfoliators that help combat and control blemishes, as well as their Seaweed, Vitamin E, Wise Woman, Aloe, and Men’s line.

Most of the skin care products featured in the sale range from $9-$19, and though the campaign doesn’t specify, I’m assuming that you’d get the lowest priced product as your free one (that’s how the sales usually work). No end date for this campaign was listed in any of the materials I read.

This is a great time to stock up on moisturizers and toners to combat the effects of harsh winter weather, so get shopping now!

You’ve all seen those Heely shoes, right? They’re the ones with a wheel in the heel, and have been around for several years now. Well, the 9-year-old kid who lives next door has a pair and tirelessly cruises up and down the block doing tricks or whatever. Of course, my son thinks this is the coolest thing in the world, so he’s been bugging us for a pair of Heelys for a few months now.

The thing is, I think he’s a bit too young for the shoes. He’s 5 1/2 right now, but he’s small for his size and not coordinated enough for shoes like these. I can already see all the skinned knees — or worse — that would result if I bought these.

Unfortunately, the “debate” part of my title comes in because my husband thinks we should at least let our boy try the shoes. He’ll never learn coordination, balance, etc. if we keep him off scooters and skateboards until we think he’s ready.

In other words, it’s two against one here, so I’m probably going to lose this battle. Sigh.