My root vegetables were applauded at a preThanksgiving dinner, remarkably some complimenters were under 18 (only one of them belonged to me). I know I wasn't a fan of rutabagas, turnips, or squash in my tender years. Today's children have more knowledge of nutritious food.

I am officially joining a gym. I need to get out of the house and slice my adipose tissue. It embarrasses me that I see skinnier moms with younger children. (Oops, there goes my manly blog percentage.)

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx -- I scored 81.82% on this. Not bad for an immigrant! Maybe I almost know enough to keep up in a general conversation about US politics.
The average score for the quiz when taken online is 78% -- there's a big selection bias compared to the 49% purported to be the average American score. So does that mean average Americans fail a basic test on their history and institutions? is 81.82% a failing grade?

We had a little finance chat at the Indian restaurant yesterday: Mom, Dad, and Tired Little Profiteer (TLP) or Tired Loud Pest, depending on if you too were in the restaurant with us.

TLP: I want a MasterCard.
M & D: Why?
TLP: You can buy anything with a MasterCard.
M & D, backing away from a slippery slope: When you can demonstrate victory over your wants through delayed gratification, you can get a MasterCard. Some debit cards are branded with MasterCard, meaning that the money you already have in your account is taken instantly to pay for things.
M, failing to back away from slope: Some cards allow you to pay for more than what you actually have in your account.
TLP, gleeful: REALLY?
M & D: This is not good.

What happened to the good old days, when he identified my Bank of America credit cards as Cards of Evil?

Yesterday afternoon I identified some blue chips that might be worth purchasing in the view of a long-term holding and dividend reaping. One was MCD (McDonald's). I thought of getting some for the boy -- some junior shareholders start out with companies they know. TLP knows MCD but does NOT like MCD. He was anguished that the Golden Arches were visible from the restaurant. "I hate them!" Yells in the parking lot: "I hate you McDonald's! I don't want to eat here! I'll have to look at McDonald's!" So, maybe not for him. Unless I can coax Andrew Tobias to talk to my little boy about how he used his profits from tobacco companies to purchase Russian television network time to air non-smoking PSAs.

Frugal throw-in: apparently TLP provided enough charm and entertainment for us to receive as a gift from the restaurant management a free rice pudding at the end of our meal.

"we're losing money from defaulting customers. We need new customers. We need bailouts. No, we don't feel like going back to 25 day grace periods, nor abandoning universal default and two cycle billing. But we need bailouts."

Heaven forbid you should go back to 25 day grace periods. Or return to 1990s-era terms and conditions. You might get... CARDHOLDERS!

My son is learning about money. He's actually very good at making change, as we saw in Monopoly. For his money math project, we supplied $2.00 worth of change, labelled with his name and 'what is left of Mr. -------'s 401(k) plan'



I've arranged for a free investment checkup for his Coverdell account with an Investment Consultant.

We ordered appliances yesterday for the kitchen: $1710. We'll be paying for those with credit card, and then from savings when the bill is due.

I reread the HELOC terms and conditions, and saw a condition about suspending the credit line when the market value of the property is significantly below its appraisal value at the time of borrowing. That hasn't happened yet -- we borrowed just before our property received its highest ever assessment, but unless the County decides it doesn't need as much of our property taxes, the assessment will go down. By how much remains to be seen.

I should do some reading about the conditions that urge a lender to REDUCE the HELOC, and conditions that urge the lender to SUSPEND it.

Considering goals for 2009 -- I see some planners are mulling theirs over already. My goals shift from month to month, it seems: something always happens. Nebulous nice-to-haves would be getting the hubby to save for his retirement this year, having an equal amount saved for the replacement car as there is owing on the HELOC, and return of automatic investment into boy's Coverdell account.

Links du Jour:employers suspending 401(k) matching

American Express seeks cash advance -- considering its credit record, and ability to pay, how much APR would you assign to AXP if it came to you for money?

We are soaking beans for bean soup.
We played Depression-era Monopoly (a reprint to celebrate its 65th anniversary): my son, my husband and me. My son is mentally old enough to understand the rules, mentally strong enough to sustain interest in a game for three hours, but not savvy enough to bargain well, and not mature enough to handle not winning.

I finally used a $20 gift certificate at a beloved local bookstore: Although I was hunting for Kingsley Amis's Lucky Jim, I got French Women Don't Get Fat, Lee Bailey's City Food, Running with Scissors for me and Fantastic Voyage for the husband.

Reading also Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and The Pursuit of Alice Thrift. I guess I need very funny novels right now.

Winterizing: rainboots, socks, gloves, hat. New shoes for boy. Thermal panels.

Kitchen is looking superbly sunny/fresh/happy: peach on top, white molding 5/8 down, mint on the bottom. White cabinets. Even the boy, who was jonesing for RED approved.

Learned the HELOC rate we are currently enjoying at prime - .75 is variable, not fixed. Fixed rate is 2.5 points, or 77.16%, higher than our current variable rate. We have up to fifteen years to pay it off: my original scheme was to pay the HELOC in three. My strategy now is to make small, but not minimum payments (for that would be interest-only: yecch) on the HELOC, ratcheting up as the lending rate rises. Put more money in the emergency fund, retirement funds, paying down the house fund. Then if we're called to pay up in full, we can do so.

I mentioned that our Visa limit went UP $7500 within ten hours of our HELOC withdrawal, yes? "More rope, madam?"

Bought Money magazine: a guilty pleasure for the alarmist feature questions. More recession watch items: one friend wants to sell his condo, two friends want to buy condos (but not my friend's condo) and my buyer's agent would like some extra work. I hope to be invited to some housewarmings in 2009.

Water bill absurdly high this cycle: blaming the garden hose timing, or a plumbing leak, or something.

My blueberry crumble sold for $15 at the bake sale. I am glad I contributed something, given our kitchen has been gutted but for a fridge and an oven. I cut some squares and meant for them to sell individually but someone bought the whole thing including the pan, which was labelled with our contact info.

$15 is a big profit for squares from a 9"x9" pan.

It's a "socially responsible" "future" type of stock. He has Dodge & Cox fund, and Mesa Realty Trust in his fund, and holds some BNI (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) in a DRP.

Maybe I should involve him in these decisions, but his math isn't quite up there yet.