Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/565574
IfIhadadollarforev- ery stupid purchase I've made in my life, I'd be a wealthy woman. My finan- cial faux pas have been remark- able in both quantity and quality. I've made some real doozies. Take the above ground swimming pool. Its a- la-carte price was bad enough. Adding every- thing required but not in- cluded took it past barely reasonable to absolutely ri- diculous. First, there were the heater and filter. Then a cover, chemicals and test kit. Of course we needed search-and-rescue equip- ment (this was one mon- strosity of a pool) and a few necessary pool toys. Oh, and let's not forget the cost of eventually getting rid of the albatross. Let me put it this way: There is not a lively secondary mar- ket for this kind of thing. If I'd had the courage to consider the consequences of such a major purchase first, before making the de- cision to buy, I am quite certain we could have avoided that five-year in- dustrial-strength headache and saved one huge pile of dough. I've since learned how important it is to keep a simple self-test handy. A checklist clears away im- pulsivity, forces me to con- sider the consequences and allows good sense to prevail. This process allows for no feelings-based an- swers. Nothing that in- cludes "I feel" or words like happy, disappointed, sad, guilty or afraid. This exer- cise is about facts, not feel- ings. Feelings are fickle. They trick us, but worse, they change like the wind. When it comes to making wise financial decisions, feelings cannot be trusted. Do I need it? If the hon- est answer is no and you do not have oodles of dis- cretionary income, case closed. You've just saved yourself from a foolish pur- chase. Can I afford it? If you have to go into debt to make the purchase, you cannot afford it. Forget it. Do I already have some- thing that will do just as well? An honest assess- ment of all the stuff you already have could easily produce an affirmative an- swer to this question. End of discussion. Can I wait until I find a cheaper, more reasonable substitute? Have you ever noticed that you require your children to be patient but rarely put the same re- quirement on yourself? The bonus with this ques- tion is that while waiting, the need often disappears. Have I found the best deal? It takes time and ef- fort to comparison shop and that also makes for breathing room. When making wise decisions, time is a valuable ingre- dient. It allows you to change your mind. Am I willing to wait? A false sense of urgency brought on by overwhelm- ing desire — or a sale — can really skew your oth- erwise good sense. Simply getting away from the sit- uation for a couple of days has a remarkable way of clearing your mind. If the purchase is right for you today it will still be right a few days from now. What if I don't? Make a list of what will happen if you don't make the trans- action. If you're question- ing paying the rent, that's simple. The consequence is eviction. You must pro- ceed. But if the subject is buying another pair of shoes, a faster computer or season tickets to the sym- phony, the consequences of not making the purchase will be quite different. What if I do? Here's where the rubber meets the road. What will be the exact consequences of go- ing through with this transaction? Don't cheat on yourself. Don't accept "I don't know" as an answer. If you don't know the true costs, you are not ready to make the decision. So you think my pool fi- asco was a financial di- saster? Truth be told, that purchase was relatively mild compared to impul- sive acquisitions I've con- sidered since then. Trust me. And no one is more grateful than I am (my husband being a close sec- ond) that I've learned to first consider the conse- quences. I have a handy flow- chart I created many years ago that I taped to the out- side of my wallet that held my checkbook, cash and credit card. I still have it and it's ragged beyond rec- ognition. While I know the questions by heart and can whip through them in a heartbeat, I still find com- fort in knowing a printed copy is now tucked away inside. It's my financial se- curity blanket. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Mysecretfinancial security blanket Mary Hunt Have I found the best deal? It takes time and effort to comparison shop and that also makes for breathing room. When making wise decisions, time is a valuable ingredient. It allows you to change your mind. Mercy Foundation North and St. Elizabeth Community Hospital have selected Michelle Hague as the recipient of the 2015 Chris Lawley Memo- rial Scholarship for Nurs- ing Students. Hague is originally from Red Bluff and now resides in Redding with her hus- band and four children. She is attending Shasta College and will complete the Nurs- ing Program there in the spring of 2016. She is inter- ested in working in either OB or wound care. The scholarship was es- tablished in memory of Chris Lawley, R.N., long- time employee of St. Eliza- beth Community Hospital. The first scholarship was awarded in 2011. A goal of the program is to support nursing stu- dents as they complete their education with the hope that they will pursue their nursing career in Te- hama County at St. Eliza- beth Community Hospital or another health care fa- cility. Additional gifts from the community to this fund are welcomed by making a do- nation to Mercy Foundation North, Attention, The Chris Lawley Memorial Scholar- ship, 2550 Sister Mary Co- lumba Drive, Red Bluff, 96080. Mercy Foundation North is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and is dedicated to supporting their activities throughout Northern Cal- ifornia. CHRIS LAWLEY MEMORIAL COURTESYPHOTO Pictured, from le , are Michelle Hague, scholarship recipient, and Kristen Gray, development officer for Mercy Foundation North. Nursing scholarship re ci pi en t se le ct ed ANDERSON Dr. David Des Marais, a senior space sci- entist with NASA's Astro- biology Program at NASA Ames Research Center, will speak Sept. 19 at Peak Experience, a fundrais- ing event benefitting Las- sen Volcanic Lassen Vol- canic National Park at the McConnell Foundation in Redding. Des Marais will speak about his work at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Among his accomplish- ments, Des Marais is a member of the science teams for NASA's Oppor- tunity Rover and Curios- ity Rover Mars missions. The public event is be- ing organized by the Las- sen Park Foundation to benefit at-risk youth camp- ing, creation of a perma- nent youth camping fa- cility Volcano Adventure Camp, improved histori- cal and geological infor- mation for park visitors and nature studies in the national park. Tickets to Peak Experi- ence include a an evening cocktail reception starting at 5:30 p.m., catered din- ner and admission to Des Marais' talk for $75. They can be purchased by call- ing 378-2600 and at lassen- parkfoundation.org. "Our most outrageous live auction item this year is the opportunity to rent all of Drakesbad Guest Ranch inside the national park exclusively for 24 hours," said foundation Chairman John Koeberer. "This item includes three meals and lodging for up to 40 people. In its more than 100-year history, Drakesbad Guest Ranch has never been available on an exclusive basis, un- til now." The exclusive use of Drakesbad Guest Ranch can be scheduled on Co- lumbus Day, at the end of Drakesbad's operating sea- son, this year or next, be- ginning with lunch and ending the following day after breakfast. "This year's fundraiser includes some 70 other auction items, including lodging packages at Lake Quinault Lodge in Olym- pic National Park, Jack- son Lake Lodge in Teton National Park and Big Sur Lodge along scenic High- way 1; a vacation home in Sunriver Resort in Oregon and South Lake Tahoe; a week in Cape Cod; a house- boat vacation on Trinity Lake, Lake Berryessa, Lake Oroville or Lake Don Pe- dro; and a stay for a group of up to 12 at the Silver Falls Lodge and Confer- ence Center in Oregon. Also available for bid are San Francisco Giants box seats; day cruises on San Francisco Bay; gift certif- icates from REI, guided fishing trips and numer- ous restaurant, wine and art packages. More about Peak Experi- ence is available by calling foundation Executive Di- rector Jennifer Finnegan at 378-2600 or writing to jennifer@lassenparkfoun- dation.org. The Lassen Park Foun- dation is a 501 (c) 3 non- profit organization that provides philanthropic support to preserve and interpret the natural and cultural resources of Las- sen Volcanic National Park and its environs, for pres- ent and future generations. LASSEN PARK NA SA s ci en ti st t o sp ea k at e ve nt www.tehamafamilyfitness.com Tehama Family Fitness Center 2498SouthMainSt.RedBluff• 528-8656 Yesterday You Said Tomorrow, Become A Better YOU Today! Finish2015feelingandlookingamazing! GettherestoftheYEARforonly: $159SingleMembership • Couples $239 Family of 3 $279 • Family of 4 $319 • Family of 5 $449 The sooner you enroll the better the savings! Children must be under 18 to be included in family specials. Peking Chinese Restaurant DineIn,CarryOut&Lounge 860MainStreet 530-527-0523 10%Off yourticketwiththisad. 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