Little Mountain Town, Montana

June 12, 2009 Leave a comment

"Main Street Cooke City, Montana (Ca.1920's)" by Montana State University Libraries @ FlickrToday marks the end of Day 3 of my month long journey across this great nation.  I am currently resting in the small town of Cooke City.  The town stands at the base of towering snow capped mountains.  The photo to the right is of the town in the 1920′s & not much has changed since then.  The people here are friendly.  So friendly in fact, that they turn down our business to advise us of cheaper hotel options.

We struck out on Tuesday morning to visit our soon-to-be hometown & meet with student advisers at the campus where we will be attending school.  Neither my girlfriend or I had ever visited this town before so we hoped for the best and we were not disappointed one bit.  It seems to be a very nice small community, about twice the size of our current town.  The homes are very nice and even the “rough” part of town is nice.  The only problem is finding a place to live.  Of about 25 phone calls to various numbers in the newspaper for rental properties, 2 returned our call & we only viewed one apartment.  I didn’t think they made apartments smaller than where we live now, but I was wrong.  Not only was it too small, it was more costly than what I am paying now for rent.  We will be returning to the area in July to do a more serious search.

We spent the night in Minneapolis with my girlfriend’s uncle who took us out on the town.  I’ve been to Minneapolis before but it was nice to return and have a tour guide to explain some of the landmarks to us.  We left Wednesday morning for a long trek across Minnesota & North Dakota to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

I must say that this is a very under appreciated National Park.  I was quite impressed by the landscape of the area but what was the best about being here was the wildlife.  When we were picking out our campsite we encountered a wild horse and that night as we were just putting our heads down for the night we heard splashing in the river next to our tent (we camped on the bank of the Little Missouri River).  We looked outside and saw 2 buffalos crossing the river, coming directly into our campground.  It was a little scary, but exciting at the same time to see wild buffalo in such close proximity.

The next morning we took a drive around the park and saw more buffalo and horses.  The best part of the day was probably the prairie dog town where we spent a good portion of time watching them eat, dig holes & bark at each other.  There were little baby prairie dogs running around and they were so cute.

We left the park and were on the road again.  We spent most of the day driving and when we reached Billings, Montana we took a turn off the interstate onto Interstate 212 towards Yellowstone National Park.  This is by far the most beautiful drive I’ve ever been on in all of my travels.  We topped out at 10,947 feet above sea level, the highest point I’ve ever been (as far as I am aware, I’m not sure of the elevation in Argentina when I visited the Andes Mountains).  The snow next to the road at times was about 10 feet deep on both sides.  If you ever visit Yellowstone National Park, I highly recommend taking a daytrip on this stretch of road through the mountains.  It is beautiful.

That brings me to Cooke City, where I am ready to rest my head on my pillow.  Tomorrow & the next few days will be filled with camping and exploring Yellowstone.  I expect it to be a great time.

We are making great time, so who knows where we are going to end up.  I may even find myself with an opportunity to summit Mount Whitney after all.  The freedom I have is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, so I’m going to seize this opportunity and take it for all it is worth.

Filed under News, Travel

On Hiatus

June 10, 2009 1 Comment

"Upslope-Rainier-summit" by leifcolsen @ FlickrAs I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my girlfriend & I will be travelling for approximately the next month.  We will be exploring our great nation on what will hopefully turn out to be one great big frugal adventure.  The more we consider the reality of this trip we are beginning to realize that we will probably not be able to accomplish all that we had originally intended.  Yet, we remain undeterred and open to whatever possibilities will present themselves while on the open road.

I had hoped to knock off at least 2 goals from my list; climbing Mount Saint Helen’s & Mount Whitney as well as summitting Mount Rainier, which is not on my list.  By the looks of it, Mount Saint Helen’s is the only one that is squarely on the radar.  I registered for my permit today and will be summitting on June 23rd.  While Mount Rainier is only a couple of miles from Mount Saint Helen’s, my research indicates that the permits required to summit are a bit expensive.  We may consider the climb more seriously once we arrive but for now it is on hold.

Some other places we will be seeing on our journey include Fargo, North Dakota (love that movie!), Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Crater Lake and the Redwoods in California.  Of course there will be many more stops in between & lots of opportunities to explore.  Unfortunately I will have to resort to using my old (read: Ancient) digital camera due to the untimely demise of my other camera.  I still hope to return with some decent photos of our adventures.

If anyone wishes to contribute a guest post I am always open to reviewing submissions.  Just submit your article to the email address provided under the Contact tab.  As I’m sure you are aware, articles from here on out will be sporatic at best and likely non-existent for quite some time.  As much as I love writing my thoughts and ideas for you to read, there comes a time when I must pursue those goals on my list!  In the meantime, I’ll be updating on Twitter as often as there is something worthy to discuss.

Thanks for all of your support and I look forward to returning with many stories to tell.  Happy Trails!!!

Filed under Travel

“Its an Investment”

June 9, 2009 4 Comments

"Gold Coin with Wench Bokeh" by ~*Leah*~ @ FlickrLately it seems as though I am doing a lot of shopping.  Many opportunities to part ways with my hard earned cash are beginning to present themselves.  Fortunately I’ve been able to hold onto my money while I take the time to research my purchases, which has proven to be a good choice.

While on vacation my digital camera began a death tailspin which prompted me to begin searching for a new camera.  Instead of spending another $300 on a low end camera I decided that a new digital SLR would be a better choice.  I have wanted an SLR for many years so it doesn’t make sense for me to buy yet another cheap camera.  Buying a cheap camera would essentially be a waste of money as it would eventually be replaced by the camera I really desire.  I could save that money and use it as my first step towards a bigger purchase.  Buying the cheap camera is a waste of money and buying the more expensive model is an investment…isn’t it?

At the beginning of the year I purchased a new road bike and ever since I’ve been in the market for accessories.  From headlights to helmets to bike shorts to a tire pump and now a bike rack.  My girlfriend and I leave for a month long cross country journey today (SURPRISE!) and we thought it would be fun to bring our bikes along with us for the trip.  We started shopping around to see what our options would be and were presented with 3 options; a hitch mount (I don’t have a hitch), a roof rack & trunk rack. 

Our cheapest option, the trunk rack, presents a couple of problems.  The first issue is the ease which our bikes could be stolen.  The rack is not equipped with any sort of anti-theft devices and could easily be removed with a couple cuts of the straps.  Our cheapest option just became a very expensive mistake if that were to happen.

Another problem is access to the trunk.  In order to open the trunk we would need to take the bikes off of the rack every time we needed access.  This would eventually become an annoyance as we will need access to our trunk multiple times a day during the trip.

The salesman presented us with another option, a roof rack.  This rack provided all of the features that the other options could not provide; security, stability, & access to the trunk.  The only problem is the cost.  This option is more than 6 times the amount of the trunk rack.  Neither of us were willing to spend this much money.  As we exchanged thoughts amongst each other, the salesman chimed in saying that this rack would be “an investment”.

We decided that we would leave the bikes home and consider our options more thoroughly before making a purchase.  On our way home the salesman’s words lingered in my mind.  An investment, really?  I’ve used this method of thinking to justify other purchases and now I wondered how often people use this same excuse to justify spending more money on the expensive option.

As I learned more about money management & saving I realize that buying a bike rack, even a top of the line model, is not an investment.  We are not buying consumer goods with the intention of selling it for a profit in the future.  We make these purchases for the utility of the items, not their resale value.  No matter how much we try to convince ourselves of the investment value of these items, they simply are not an investment.

The next time you are in a situation where you are considering a major purchase don’t let your judgement be clouded by the “investment” value of the item.  If you want to invest, buy some stocks and bonds.  Don’t go out looking for investment opportunities in a retail environment. 

Filed under Money, Spending

Money Advice From the Homeless

June 8, 2009 3 Comments

"Homeless in Sugamo 2" by jamesfischer @ FlickrIn today’s world people make a fortune by selling the idea that money management is complex and requires assistance from a highly trained professional.  I strongly disagree with this bit of advice, especially when it comes from someone making money as a result of our ignorance.

Personal finance hinges on many common sense principles & practices, so simple in fact,  that they form the foundation for even the most unfortunate of people, the homeless.

What lesson can we learn from the homeless?  It is quite possibly the most relevant personal finance topic ever discussed, yet one we all struggle with daily.  I am currently reading Scratch Beginnings, a book about a young man who has struck out on his own with only the clothes on his back & $25 in his pocket in search of the American Dream.  His mission is to climb out of poverty within one year.  His first money lesson is this:

Delaying gratification.  In my mind, I had to be prepared to put my wants aside indefinitely as I fought to attain basic needs.  I didn’t yet have the means to provide my own food, shelter, clothing, or an automobile.  Nothing.  So the more money I spent on booze or cigarettes or snacks or the latest pair of shoes that nobody else on the block had yet, the farther I would be from accomplishing my initial goals.  To me, money that wasn’t saved or going toward other worthy means was money wasted.

Which didn’t mean I was setting myself up to be a robot that worked hard all day and penny-pinched my entire paycheck.  No, no.  An occasional stop at KFC or trip to the movies wasn’t going to break the bank as long as I understood that I was on a mission.  I knew where I wanted to be, and I wanted to get there as soon as possible.

Despite the simplicity of personal finance, time and again we fail at implementing these lessons into our lives.  We struggle to pay our bills on time and are buried in credit card debt.  As consumers, delaying gratification is the one money management skill we lack.  When we want something, we want it now and will sacrifice so much in order to get it, including our financial security.  If you don’t believe me check out your credit card statement.  What is your balance?  If I had to guess, it isn’t zero.  If someone who has nothing knows enough to embrace this money principle in order to climb his way out of poverty, shouldn’t you consider this in your own finances also?

The author also brings up another important point.  Even though he is at the very bottom rung of society, living in a homeless shelter without a real job he knows enough to find ways to enjoy life.  He also makes a point of keeping these rewards small and infrequent, something many people fail to do.  We reward ourselves regularly for making it through another day, another week, for completing a task or doing a job well done. 

The problem isn’t in the rewards as much as it is in the frequency of these rewards.  Most times we will reward ourselves in small ways such as a CD or DVD, maybe a dinner out at a nice restaurant or a drink at the pub.  None of these things is overly expensive, but we are buying them so often that the small expenses begin to add up to a large cost.  Not only is the cost becoming a problem, but these things no longer feel like rewards as much as it has become a regular part of our routine.

Maybe we can learn something from the money skills of a homeless person instead of feeling a sense of fear over the “complexities” of personal finance.

Filed under Attitude, Budgeting, Goals, Life, Money, Prioritizing

Does Being Frugal Put You at Risk for Fraud?

June 7, 2009 Leave a comment

"The Chic Detective" by rockymountainroz @ FlickrI love to take photos.  When I travel I have my camera on the ready at every moment.  By the time we return home I usually have thousands of photos to sort through.  Despite my passion for photography, the equipment I use is very basic.  My digital camera is more appropriate for taking snapshots at a family reunion than for composing photos of any artistic value.  I also have a Nikon 35mm film camera with interchangeable lenses.  I love to play around with this camera however I miss the ability to review the photos immediately after taking them like I can with my digital camera.

While on our recent trip to the Southwest the screen on my digital camera began to show signs of trouble.  At first there were a couple of dead pixels but soon the trouble began to spread across the screen.  By the time the spreading had stopped I was left with what appeared to be a lunar eclipse in the middle of my LCD screen.  This made taking nice vacation photos next to impossible.

It was obvious that I would need to replace my camera so when I returned home I went to Best Buy to check out what they had to offer.  Instead of replacing my camera with another low end camera I decided to look into buying a digital SLR Nikon which would be compatible with the lenses I already owned for my film camera.  After checking out the available models I learned that while the lenses I owned would work on these camera bodies, the auto-focus feature would not function.  I was greatly disappointed by this news as lenses are very expensive.

I began looking online for the camera which I was interested in purchasing to see if I could find it at a lower price.  (For those interested, I am considering a Nikon D5000).  I soon found a website offering the exact same camera with 2 lenses for approximately half of the price as what Best Buy was asking.  I decided to call Best Buy to see if they would offer a price match with online competitors but was informed that they only compete with other local retailers.

This left me with the dilemma of purchasing the camera through an online retailer with whom I’d never done business.  I would also be making a purchase of an item sight unseen.  I’ve ordered plenty of things online without much of a problem so I am pretty confident in making online purchases, but for some reason this website made me question something.  I decided to give the customer service phone number a call.  It was too late in the afternoon so there was no one available to answer my questions.

I contemplated making the purchase again as the price was amazing and I didn’t want to miss out on such a good deal.  Besides, if I were able to get a great camera at half the price wouldn’t that be the smart, frugal decision to make?  There was still a strange feeling lingering so I did a quick Google search of the company and was rewarded with a long list of customer complaints.  I learned that this particular website was a bait & switch company, which means that they advertise a great price on a high end item, then try to get you to take a lower quality item after making the purchase, saying your item is no longer in stock.

I am fortunate that this wasn’t a lesson I had to learn the hard way.  I was saved a lot of heartache and stress by making a quick search on Google.  It makes me wonder if being frugal puts me at a greater risk of being a victim of fraud.  Being frugal generally requires making informed decisions about purchases.  Frugality tends to lead us down the path of searching for the best deals possible, which may eventually direct us into the hands of predators.  Those predators are using low prices as enticement for bargain shoppers to initiate a transaction with them.  In the case of the website mentioned above, once they had your credit card information they attempt to sell an inferior product, most likely a cheap knock off version.  This puts us at risk for credit card fraud as well as simply being ripped off.

The lesson to take away from all of this is not new information, but something we’ve all heard throughout our lives; “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.”  Frugality isn’t always about finding the lowest price.  It is about finding the best deal.  When you put yourself at risk for fraud, you may end up wasting your money.  That is not a very frugal decision.

I will continue searching for a better price, but in the process I will ensure that I am protecting myself against companies which are trying to scam me and take my hard earned money through dishonest practices.  I encourage you to take the same precautions when you are making important purchases.

Filed under Frugality, Money, Preparation, Spending

What Happens in Vegas…

June 6, 2009 2 Comments

"Fountains at Bellagio in front of Paris, Las Vegas" by William Richardson @ FlickrLas Vegas is not for me. 

While there were some great moments, for the most part I found myself irritated & annoyed by the mob of drunken people crowding the sidewalks who would rather crash headfirst into me than to inconvenience themselves with deviating from their path.  Every five feet I encountered yet another individual trying to hand me a stack of cards promising to deliver a girl directly to my hotel room in 20 minutes or less.  Those who took the cards would soon toss them to the ground, littering the sidewalks with pictures of naked women in various poses & stages of undress.

On our adventure we would find hypodermic needles casually tossed into the bushes.  We were careful to watch were we stepped as there were broken beer bottles all over & our flip flops would do little to protect our feet.  Traffic on the strip is insane.  That is not to say that it is dangerous as the cars are simply moving much too slow most of the time for any major injuries to occur.  It is insane because you cannot get anywhere when you are on the strip, traffic crawls.

In Vegas there are countless ways to spend your money but there isn’t much of anything to do.  If you don’t drink or aren’t willing to squander all of your vacation savings at the blackjack table or in a slot machine, Vegas has little to offer.  Since I don’t drink and I don’t gamble much, I would be on a quest to find the things which Vegas actually did offer to someone such as myself.

One of the first things I decided to do in Vegas was to take in one of their famous “shows”.  I wanted something that would dazzle me but still retain the Vegas image of Sin City.  I decided to attend a show called Fantasy, “The sexiest show in Vegas” according to AOL City Guide.  The show did not disappoint.  There was singing and dancing, beautiful women and a very funny comedian.  The show had it all.  It was money well spent.

I accomplished my goal of riding on a roller coaster that goes upside down.  I expected a roller coaster in downtown Las Vegas to be an expensive ride, so I contemplated whether or not I should bother to check it out.  As is usually the case, my girlfriend encouraged me enough that we went to find out how much it would cost.  The price seemed reasonable, though I probably could have spent a little more somewhere else for an all day pass.  We bought our tickets and off we went. 

I rode on my first roller coaster last summer in Wisconsin Dells so riding on this one would be a breeze.  As we began to climb to the top of the first drop it seemed like it was taking forever and the higher we climbed the more excited I became.  When we dropped I began laughing and yelling, it was so much fun to be whirling around over Las Vegas Boulevard on a roller coaster.  When we finally approached the loop I was excited to be knocking yet another goal off of my list.  Being upside down on the roller coaster was a really fun time and as we came out of the loop we were unexpectedly turned upside down again.  It was a great time and I can’t wait to ride more roller coasters in the future.

Some other things we did while in Vegas cost us absolutely nothing.  Something I’ve wanted to see for a long time are the fountains at the Bellagio.  In the daytime they are neat, but at night they are awesome.  For the frugal traveller, the fountains are definitely worth seeing.  Another free spectacle is the performance at Treasure Island which is a mixture of live actors, fire and fireworks.  We weren’t able to fully enjoy the show as the crowd was simply too large to get a good view.  I recommend arriving early enough to get a good spot if you want to see this performance.  When we were there it was impossible to walk as the crowd was so thick.

One goal that I put on my list but never in a million years thought I would have the opportunity to accomplish is to shoot a machine gun.  I thought that it would be really fun and exhilarating to shoot a fully automatic machine gun so I wrote it on my list of goals on a whim.  When we arrived in Vegas one of the first things I saw was an advertisement to shoot a machine gun.  Unfortunately I was unable to complete this goal because I arrived after they had closed on our last night in town.  The good thing about this is that I now know that there is a real possibility of actually doing something I never really thought I would ever have a chance at doing, which makes me excited.  Maybe when I am in Vegas to complete my goal of attending the Las Vegas Porn Star Convention I can shoot a machine gun too!

Viva Las Vegas!

Filed under Accomplishments, Goals, Life, Travel

Adopt-a-Highway Update

June 5, 2009 2 Comments

Hundred Goals Adopt-a-Highway SignI was recently informed that the sign for the highway I adopted had finally been planted in the ground.  I was so excited about the news that I had to drive out there to see it for myself.  Of course I needed to take a picture of the event so I grabbed my camera and hopped in the car for the 12 mile drive through the beautiful Wisconsin hills.

When I arrived I parked my car and walked up to the sign to admire it.  I turned on my camera and was ready to snap a photo when I noticed the words “No Memory Card” across the top of the viewfinder.  I had left my memory card at home on the living room table as I had been transferring my pictures from our trip to Las Vegas to the computer.

I got back in my car discouraged at having driven all of this way for what was essentially a wasted trip.  I decided to try again tomorrow.  This time I would be sure to put the memory card back into my camera before departing.  My second trip was a success and I was able to get some great photos of my shiny new sign.

The next highway cleanup is tentatively scheduled for sometime in August before the beginning of the Fall Semester.  If you are from the area and would like to participate in the highway cleanup feel free to contact me.  There will be a Facebook event created to notify those who follow me at Facebook and I will also keep everyone up to date with the event with Twitter.  It is a great way to get out and enjoy the day while helping to beautify our Earth.

Filed under Goal Updates, News

When Goals Change

June 4, 2009 5 Comments

"Angels Landing" by Alpine Climber @ FlickrEver since I visited Devil’s Tower in Wyoming I have had the crazy thought of how incredible it would be to base jump from the top.  While it would be a huge adrenaline rush and an amazing thing to do; a story to talk about for the rest of my life, I don’t think it is really me.

After climbing to the top of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park in Utah I have a hard time imagining myself willingly jumping from the top a 1200 foot tall cliff, even with a parachute attached to my back.  While working my way to the top of Angel’s Landing and seeing what a 1200 foot drop looks like I was nearly paralyzed with fear.  Having to walk across a stretch of sandstone no wider than 3 feet with sheer cliffs dropping 1200 feet on one side and 800 feet on the other made me realize that I am not an adrenaline junky.  I prefer to hike, climb & enjoy the view from the top.  I am not convinced that I could bring myself to jump off of the side. 

Having the opportunity to get a real perspective of what my goal would require made me realize that despite the bragging rights I could have by base jumping Devil’s Tower, it isn’t really something that I feel the need to do in order to live a full & rich life.  Who knows what the future may bring, I may find myself base jumping someday, but for now I think I will keep my feet firmly planted on the ground.

Filed under Goals

A Free Night In Vegas

June 3, 2009 2 Comments

Prime Steakhouse @ The BellagioAfter spending 9 days in the air & on the road it was finally time for us to return home.  We dropped off the rental car & took the bus to the airport where we would spend the next 5 hours wasting time before our flight departed.  There is nothing more boring than an airport terminal.

A few moments before our flight was scheduled to depart an announcement was made that the airline was looking for people who were willing to bump their flight to the next available flight, which happened to be at 6 am the next day.  I had heard that those people who volunteer to give up their seats are rewarded with some nice incentives for doing so.  I decided that I might as well be the one who was rewarded for “sacrificing” my seat as I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be.

When I reached the counter there was another person in front of me who was also considering the possibility of giving up her seat.  After some discussion with her boyfriend she decided not to.  It was my turn to see what the airline was willing to exchange for my generosity.  They would pay for our hotel room in downtown Las Vegas (slightly off the Boulevard), give us each a meal voucher worth $15 & a free round-trip ticket to anywhere in the lower 48 states good for 1 year.

I jumped at the opportunity.  A “free” night in Vegas & a free round-trip ticket?  That is a great deal in my opinion.  After a bit of waiting around we were given our vouchers and instructed to call our hotel for a free shuttle downtown.  When we arrived at the hotel we were very impressed with the quality of the hotel they put us up in.  It wasn’t the Bellagio, but still nice & clean.

Instead of using our meal vouchers from the airport we decided to eat out at a nice restaurant on the strip.  We encountered our first problem with the clothing we had in our possession.  Since we had not been expecting to stay another night my girlfriend had already checked her bag and only had the clothes on her back, which happened to be comfortable clothes ideal for travel, but would not be suitable for a nice restaurant.

We grabbed a cab to a nearby shopping mall where she bought a cute dress and some sandals.  We decided to eat at Prime Steakhouse in the Bellagio.  When we arrived I quickly discovered that my shorts and sandals were not appropriate attire as their dress code preferred gentlemen to wear a jacket.  While I wasn’t equipped with a jacket, I did have black dress pants and a nice buttoned collar shirt.  After changing I asked my girlfriend for my dress shoes which I had asked her to pack in her bag as mine was out of room.  She kindly reminded me that she had checked her bag at the airport.

At this point I was rather frustrated.  I would look great from the ankles up, but I couldn’t pull off sandals with slacks and a collared shirt.  I was ready to walk to the In & Out Burger across the street and give up on the nice restaurant idea.  Instead I changed into jeans and a t-shirt and decided to look for something less casual.  We found what we were looking for at Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant across the street from the Bellagio.  I ordered the Filet Mignon, which was delicious.

By that time we finished eating it was getting late and we had an early flight out in the morning so we decided to call it a night and say “Good-bye” to Las Vegas.  Thankfully we were able to be flexible in order to take advantage of a great opportunity and use that opportunity to enjoy ourselves.  Without having the time or the money to use this opportunity to our advantage we may have missed out on a free room in Vegas, but more importantly, free tickets to anywhere in the continental United States.  That will save us a great deal of money on our next trip, which will likely be to Miami this winter.

Filed under News, Opportunity, Travel

Goal #82) Visit Meteor Crater

June 2, 2009 2 Comments

Meteor Crater SuccessI’ve been fascinated with our solar system, planets, stars, comets and meteors for much of my life.  My goal of visiting Meteor Crater in Arizona is a direct result of my interest in the cosmos.  A hole in the middle of the desert may not interest many people, but for me the thought of being at the site of impact seemed incredible.

With my recent trip to the Las Vegas area I was fortunate enough to be able to take a trip to Meteor Crater and complete my goal.  I enjoyed the museum which they had at the Visitor Center and found it to be very interesting and informative.

The crater itself was impressive.  It is hard to imagine how large it is until you are actually standing on the rim looking down.  Even then it is difficult to get a sense of scale until you find a model of a 6 foot tall astronaut standing at the bottom.

I am happy that I was finally able to visit Meteor Crater.  It was a great experience and an interesting place to see.  If you are ever in the Eastern Arizona area I recommend checking it out.

Filed under Accomplishments, Goal Updates

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