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Pocket Change
June 2010 Volume 2 Issue 6
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Quick Links
 Your gifts keep our programs free! |
Be an Advocate!
Spread the word about the Purses to Portfolios program. Help us grow The Money School Community of Learners!
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Not on our list. . .
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I AM IN CHARGE OF
MY MONEY
Proudly display that you are IN CHARGE OF YOUR MONEY! With
a minimum donation of $5.00, Purses Participants will receive a car ribbon
magnet. Send a check made out to DFLI and include your address and a magnet
will be mailed to you. They will also be available at upcoming events. |
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Grab Your Purse & Take Charge of Your Money! Attend a Money School Class Today, Honey!
Check out upcoming Money School classes.
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There is still time to reach a new level before the Conference on October 23, 2010!!
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| DID YOU KNOW?
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- In the US 47% of women who are 50 or older are single. This means that if they have families, they become the sole provider.
- It's estimated that only 20% of female baby boomers will be financially secure in retirement. The other 80% of us may face financial difficulties.
- Of the elderly living in poverty, 3 out of 4 are women, yet 80% of them were not poor when their husbands were alive.
Don't be another statistic register for a Money School class today. The Money School |
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best friend. Plato's Closet is looking for a wide range of styles and brands to suit its
wide variety of shoppers - from basic to fancy, casual to club wear. Check out the website for more information and locations: Plato's Closet
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October 23, 2010:
A Man is NOT Your Financial Plan!
And your are not his! As Mary says, "You are your own financial planner...learn to be a good one!"
Join us at the From Purses to Portfolios Conference and meet the women behind the slogan! | |
Registration starts in mid-August |
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| MARY AND MONEY
Trickle Down Economics at Penn
 There is a springtime ritual in Philadelphia, and probably at other urban campuses around the country; I call it the circle of trash. Students at the University of Pennsylvania have done the math and have determined that instead of packing up their dorm and apartment supplies and putting them in storage for three months, it is cheaper to toss the stuff and buy all new in the Fall. As a result, hundreds of lamps, sheet sets, microwaves, and office supplies get put curbside every year for trash pick up. In years past, equally astute locals turned into trash-pickers having a field day during the end of May and early June. But now, that tradition of trickle down economics has been thrown out of whack. The University has decided to pick up the trash and sell it itself. Before you get bent out of shape about the Ivy elite taking the trash finds of the under-privileged non-Ivies in the neighborhood, let me tell you the rest of the story.
The school's leaders believe by taking the trash-they are being environmentally sensitive. After all, not all of the abandoned goods were scooped up by the neighbors. So, literally tons of useable items were going to a landfill. So the neighbors are doing their picking in the comfort of a giant flea market set up at Penn's ice rink. The University calls it PennMoves Weekend. Everything from refrigerators and microwaves, to lamps, beds, clothes, towels and sheets can be found. All of the donated or picked up items are sold to the public for pennies on the dollar. Word of mouth was effective; people lined up around the rink to get their hands on the cast-offs. When I stopped by, the crowd was made up of other students (the ones stuck in town for the summer and not so well off) and local residents who were looking for a bargain. My unofficial survey of attitudes revealed that most of the shoppers would rather walk to the rink than dumpster-dive for the stuff. Interestingly, there was visible disdain for the benefactors of the event. One woman told me, "They are fools throwing stuff away. I don't care how much money you have, it is a waste." But she added, "I love it! I get stuff cheap, and I don't have time to go through trash."
The Univers ity's line, "Move-out time at Penn usually means tons of used furniture and household goods thrown in the trash all over campus and the nearby neighborhoods - a lot of it still in usable condition. Wouldn't it be better for Philadelphia and for the planet if all this useful stuff could make its way to people who could really use it, rather than getting shoveled immediately into landfills?" Money raised will go to United Way programs that help the residents of Penn's neighborhood, University City.
Check out Mary's website Mary Talks Money.
Mary suggests you apply this to your own home, neighborhood and community... "One person' trash can be someone else's treasure," which translates into money in your pocket! |
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One Person's Trash is Another Person's Treasure
Tips for a Successful Garage Sale
 June is here and it is the perfect time to have a garage sale. Here are some of Sharon Boland's suggestions:
1. Clean Out: use the three bag system- 1 bag for trash, 1 bag for donations, and one bag for your sale. Price and label all items that are in sellable condition at this time. Use masking tape when pricing- it's cheap and the ink won't rub off.
2. Remember to Price to Sell: your goal is to make money. Check eBay and Google to find comparable prices.
3. Prepare Your Items: wash or fix items before you put them out for sale.
4. Marketing: make large signs with clear big letters. Post them at busy interactions near your home and in your neighborhood a few days before the sale. Post one on your lawn too. Be sure to state "No Early Birds" if you don't want people showing up at your home earlier than your desired time.
- You can post an ad on Craigslist for free but you must create an account.
- An ad in the News Journal starts at $30 for 8 lines for 2 days (18 to 25 characters per line). The deadline is 4pm for the following day. 1-800-427-2424, Opt 4.
 5. Prepare for Your Garage Sale and the Day of the Garage Sale:
for safety reasons ask a friend or relative to be with you during
your sale. Start with money to make change. Make a note of your
beginning balance ($20 in 1's, $20 in 5's, $20 in 10's, $4 in
quarters, $2 in dimes, $.50 in nickels, and $.10 in pennies for
good luck). Make sure you have a table and chair for you to sit in
and that you are well rested. To ensure that the day goes
smoothly, have a pad of paper, pens, a calculator, tissues, bags,
and bubble wrap or old newspapers handy.
Things to Consider:
- What if it rains? If you are canceling for any reason, put a "Garage Sale Canceled" sign in your yard ASAP.
- Be prepared for price hagglers and individuals who will want a bargain. And of course, THIEVES.
- At the end of the sale you can pack up and have another sale, or donate it all to charity.
- Be sure to take down the signs you posted.
- Keep your money on you at all times.
- Display your items on tables. Group like items together.
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Meals for a $teal
We all know that feeding a family of 4 can get pretty
expensive. Here is an inexpensive, delicious, and weather appropriate recipe
that will be a celebration for your taste buds.
Summer Spaghetii Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 pound vermicelli
or thin spaghetti, broken in half
1 1/2 cups snow peas,
snapped in half
1 small yellow summer
squash, cut into thin bite-size strips
1 cup shredded
carrots
1 cup shredded bok choy
or savoy cabbage
Orange sections to
garnish
3 tablespoons toasted
sesame seeds
Citrus-
Sesame Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh orange
juice
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons white
wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted
sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon coarse
salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation:
1) Cook the pasta according to the
package directions and drain it. Immediately rinse the pasta under cold
running water and drain it again.
2) In a large bowl, toss together the
pasta, snow peas, summer squash, carrots, and bok choy.
3) To make the dressing, combine the
orange juice, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl and
vigorously whisk the mixture. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking all
the while.
Pour enough dressing over the pasta
and vegetables to coat them lightly, then toss them again. Just before
serving, top the salad with orange sections and a sprinkling of toasted
sesame seeds.
Serves 6 to 8
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