Foreclosures : a great oppotunity, or ambulance chasing?

I've got a moral dilemma of a dialog going on in my head lately. It goes something like this:

Me: "There sure are a lot of folks being victims of foreclosure these days..."
Angel Me: "Yes, it's true. We sure should have these folks in our prayers."
Devil Me: "True... We should wish the best for them. Say, how's that real-estate hunt going?"
Me: "Wow... funny you should mention that. Not too bad. Could always be better."
AM: "That hard work will certainly pay off. I know you trust that everything will work out for the best."
DM: "I'm sure. So what happens to these homes that are foreclosed?"
Me: "Well, the owners can't afford them anymore so they lose them."
DM: "I hear they sell for way under market-value. You should snag one."
AM: "And profit off of the misfortune of others? Do you think he has no conscience?"
Me: "No, you're absolutely right. I couldn't do that."
AM: [proudly] "See?"
Me: "How much under value?"
DM: "I have a website so you can find out."
AM: "Wow -- A 2 bedroom? For that price? Well, if this isn't a sign of God's providence, I don't know what is."
Me: "Isn't this kinda... um, morally grey?"
DM: "Well, the bank is the bad guy here putting mom and little baby joey out on the street. The damage is already done."
AM: "It's true... You'd actually be helping out the economy."
DM: "If you don't, someone else will get it."
AM: "Do you really want Pumpkin to have to grow up in a 6'x5' bedroom, always wishing her daddy loved her enough to not store root vegetables under her makeshift bed?"
Me: "What on earth are you talking about?"
DM: "Yeah, I'm kinda lost on that one too..."

...I'd go on, but it just gets weird from there. You get the point. Morally grey or just pricing based on circumstance?

[link] Free Forclosure Searching

A Home of Our Own, not just a home: how we've been doing and our future plans.

Columbia and I were talking last night and decided we needed to set a reasonable goal for ourselves. 1 post a week. It's not much, but it's SO MUCH more than we've been doing lately. Before we share our plans with you, here's how we've been doing:

Living on One Income in NYC

• Even though Columbia completed 30 credits above his masters degree (the top salary in the doe) this past summer, it took a couple of months for the transcripts to come through... then processing time... FINALLY at the end of December we got the raise, and the retro-active pay (for the day he completed the last credit). We had been just learning to break even (and not dip into our savings anymore) when this happened, so we were overjoyed for the new monthly cushion and to be able to pay back some of our savings.
• We've cut out spending even more. It's funny how frugalness really leads to more frugalness. And we don't feel like we're depriving ourselves or Pumpkin. Our families also gave us quite a few gift cards for Christmas and birthdays (Columbia's is November, Mine is in January) so we've been able to use them for special treats as well as necessities like clothing.
• Columbia found an awesome produce stand near his job in Elmhurst. He is at that school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, so twice a week he stops there. He spends about $10 each time and gets their best deals on the best looking fruit and veggies. This week one of his hot finds was 2 quarts of beautiful strawberries for $2. His purchases there have become what we base our menus around.
• We have actually started paying into our savings again each month. Yep. We're working with an excess. I'm feel as if I should maybe erase that - just incase typing the words jinxes us or something (so the bold and italics was probably really overdoing it =). I was looking through our bank statements in February and realized that we are at the same place we were last year at this time when we had 2 salaries. We feel so blessed that I am able to stay home with Pumpkin without putting us into debt.
• Cha-Ching! Tax refund! We realize we will not get this windfall next year, but it is nice to have such a big addition to our savings. We even got a good amount back from the state, which is unheard of for us.

Our Plans

• At this point, all signs point to my staying home another year. I am thankful that the NYCDOE lets me decide on a year-by-year basis. I'm still a commitment-phob at heart, so this makes it easier on me mentally.
• We are looking to buy an apartment. Yep. Really. A 2 bedroom at that. No, I'm not kidding! The housing market has hit NYC and we are in a place where we can take advantage of it. Columbia even went to TWO open houses last Sunday and we plan on going to at least 2 more this week. Last year at this time I was telling friends that 1 bedrooms were finally coming into our price range. Now, we are seeing twice as many 2 bedrooms for that same number! Our union has worked out a relationship with Acorn Housing (they are NOT Acorn) so that we get extra perks (lower interest rates, etc). We'd went to an informational seminar several years ago and thought they were a great resource. Columbia went to another in January to start the ball rolling this time. We are nearly ready to send in our paperwork and see what our loan pre-approval number is. This will decide a lot for us. Including if we continue to look in Manhattan or start searching the outer-boroughs (Columbia, stop crying, it will be okay =). A good reminder for me has been that the apartment we buy does not need to be our home forever, just the next 5-6 years at least. This realization takes a considerable amount of weight off of my shoulders.
• One post a week. It will probably revolve around apartment hunting, where we are in the process, or how our 2 cats are not only the bane of my existence, but are crippling our chances at getting approved by a coop or condo board. Just kidding about the cats... sort of. :/

On another note, Pumpkin turned 1 March 9th! She is such a joy.

Our Birthday Girl!

(Note: this is not our apt, but a family member's home in LI)

Will the Economic Climate Lead to Your DIY Renaissance?

Lifehacker posted recently about how The "Greater Depression" Can be a DIY Renaissance and referenced 2 bloggers who are seeing and living this trend. While Columbia and I have been feeling the pinch, it is not solely because of the ecomonic problems facing our nation. I chose to stay home with Pumpkin and cut our income in half. This makes our financial struggles self-imposed, but they are still real.

While we have always enjoyed the idea of diy projects in the past, we have definitely kicked it up a notch these past 2 months. A limited income has actually made us appreciate what can come from out hands and encourages us to diy more often, and in more adventurous ways. Here are a few examples:

1. We make our own bread. I tried it to see if I could do it. Then I realized how easy it is with a kitchen aid mixer. We keep meaning to break it down into 'cost per loaf' but haven't yet. This has expanded into making pizza dough, bread sticks and french bread.

The first loaf - my shaping ability has improved, as has the taste of the bread! Practice really does make perfect in the case.

2. We make Pumpkins baby food. Part of it is cost, but most of it is knowing what she's eating (other than stuff on the floor that is). There is so much enjoyment in making it for her, too.

A sampling of food from the freezer - 1 cube ends up being tbsp so we know eactly how much she's getting.

3. I made Pumpkins Halloween Costume. I posted about it here. It has really encouraged me to attempt to make more of her clothes... as soon as I get a chance!

At the end of her first Halloween - What else could Our Little Pumpkin be but a pumpkin?


Has the economic situation made you think more about DIY projects? If so, we'd love to hear about it... or see it!

Pumkin's Costume Revealed!

Pumpkin finally got her day in the sun -- And what a sunny day it was! Shee really got lucky for a first Halloween. We hit the library, the park, and a few family-friendly blocks (West 69th, West 78th) to let Pumpkin get her treat on. As promised, here are some pics of the finished costume. JC even put together a hat last night to make sure Pumkpin stayed warm!








We can't wait until next year -- wherever we end up next October, we'll make every effort to revisit the UWS. I was reminded today how much it really feels like home.

I Made Pumpkin's Halloween Costume *blush*

It wasn't really about the money. I would like to think the time I put into it is worth more than the $10 we would have spent on a costume during a sale or craigslist find. There was just something in me that wanted to try it. To see if I could.

The other part was knowing that I had this great orange fabric from a previous project. We made a cat sack that the cats couldn't have cared less about and that I was never brave enough to put straps on and use as a bag. Orange satin and faux fur are fantastic together!

We have a sewing machine (several years ago I was incensed that I had to pay $12 for a pair of pants to be poorly hemmed and bought a reasonably priced machine on amazon) and basic notion so it wasn't a matter or not having the resources. I had an idea in my head about how to make the body. Columbia gave me a little bit of free time last weekend and I just did it. It's far from perfect but it's made. Pumpkin has a costume for Halloween and we get the satisfaction of knowing that it came from my loving hands. That's a pretty sweet treat.

Here are the steps as they unfolded:



Planning out the body - getting the ideas in my head into a form that might allow me to construct it for her dimensions.




Trying the body of the pumpkin on Pumpkin with the pants. Don't you love the fabric?!? The pants are from a pair of pjs my mom bought her.




Trying on the collar. Making this little piece took much longer than the body of the pumpkin! I didn't have any green material, but I did have a green shirt of my grandfathers. When I was little I use to like to sit on his lap and play with the collar of the green shirts he always wore. When he passed my grandmother gave me 2 of them. I thought it would be extra meaningful to use one to make the collar. My only regret is how much material I wasted trying to get the collar to work.


The final shot - that one you'll have to wait for. You know, the one where she's in all of the pieces and ready for some Halloween fun. I have never been quite this excited for Halloween. =)


We did end up spending just over a dollar on a pair of Halloween socks from Toys R Us. They were on sale and we had a gift card. Plus, Pumpkin would need something to keep her feet warm.

We'll hopefully post that final shot tomorrow. Our Halloween treat for you. It's much better for you than candy anyway. ;)


Despite what the post might say, it was actually written by JC. Columbia is probably very capable of making a costume but did not attempt it... this year.

The Great Pumpkin and our little pumpkin

Yahoo! "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is on tv tonight at 8:00 on ABC. I was just thinking that this dreary, rainy day was proving too wicked for my Halloween preference. This classic cartoon was just what the day called for... of course, I could always just watch it on YouTube.



Here's the first third to tantalize you!

Halloween Updates on our little Pumpkin:
Update #1: Costume chosen, and in the process of being made. Yep, made. There's a good post about this coming up... as soon as the costume itself is finished.
Update #2: Still no pumpkin for Pumpkin. We may have to forgo cheaping out, umm... I mean, being frugal, if she's going to have a pumpkin for her first Halloween.

To Get Away or Stay: Celebrating Our Anniversary

Stella tries to be a stowaway in our honeymoon luggage.
October 6, 2005.

Columbia and I were married 3 years ago today. It was a wonderful day. To celebrate, each year we have gone to the Berkshires for the long Columbus Day weekend. We were not sure if we should go this year; we are trying to live on one income and vacationing is not so frugal. We thought there might be a way to pull it off. So we put our cheapskate hats on and came up with some ways to go away for our anniversary for only a little dough. Here's how we're doing it:

1. Renting a car from a cheaper location, even though it's not so convenient
   Columbia was debating where to rent a car in August when we visited my family in PA. The Enterprise in Yonkers is much cheaper than the rental car spots around here (and they except discount codes). While it's not the most convenient location (especially with an infant), we will save a lot of money by renting there. Columbia has off today for Yom Kippur (what a nice anniversary gift, no?) so we can get the car today. Pumpkin and I will pick up Columbia when he gets out of work tomorrow. While we're paying for an extra day to do this, the cost we are saving is significant. Plus, Columbia can pack up the trunk tonight so Pumpkin and I don't have to do it tomorrow. Sweet!
   
   
2. Staying 2 nights instead of 3
   We are not going away for the entire weekend. If we come back on Sunday evening we can return the car on Monday without rushing. It will still be a nice weekend and Columbia can have a day without driving a long distance before returning to work. We will save one night's accommodations plus meals for an entire day. It's a good way to save money and not need a vacation to rest after our vacation away.
   
   
3. Looking for free activities
   We could go to the petting zoo that charges $6 per adult or the one that is free! Pumpkin, in her 7 month old way, will not care if the $6 petting zoo would have been better. There are also tons of spots to go hiking and see the fall foliage. Free and good exercise!
   
   
4. Bringing some of our own meals
   Breakfast is included at the hotel and we are packing snacks and PBJs for the drive. We'll also bring water and some champagne to celebrate in our room... after our little girl goes to sleep. Food can be expensive, so the more we bring the less it will cost us in the end.
   
   
5. Utilizing the car and the location
   Living in NYC we find schlepping to be part of the package. We'll take advantage of having the car and get some item we wouldn't be able to carry easily, like kitty litter. It's bound to be cheaper at a discount chain than a local pet store. We'll also go to the fruit stands and markets to stock up on fresh produce.
   
   
6. Staying at a hotel, not a B&B
   We are not staying at the cheapest hotel possible. We thought about it, but we kept coming back to The Simple Dollar's post about saving money with a baby. There are some things not worth skimping on for the safety and welfare of your child. We thought a hotel fell into this category. We wanted a clean, safe place for Pumpkin. I didn't want to have to worry about bugs, or moldy tubs, or... . We found a moderately priced hotel that had excellent ratings and was very family friendly. There's even an indoor pool - it will be Pumpkin's first pool experience. The price is still cheaper than what we've paid the past 2 years to stay in a quaint Bed & Breakfast. And the hotel has a DIY waffle iron for breakfast!
   

While the anniversary weekend may not be as romantic as those in the past, it will still be a weekend away together. Knowing that we've found ways to make it more affordable will help us enjoy it more. Best of all, we will be together - all three of us - and that's worth celebrating!

Don't worry, we won't forget you! We've got several great posts scheduled for this weekend.

News from the Street Fair

We had a great time Sunday at the Columbus Avenue Festival. I was excited to meet Helen Rosenthal, a chairperson for community board 7. Hopefully that will lead to more local info here. I asked if there was a community calendar to speak of, but she said not right now. If that changes I'll find a way to post it here.

We did well with spending too, spending $9.25 of our $10 budget. That's three shiny quarters that will inevitably go to feeding our washing machine's endless appetite.



I'm certain that when I hold up the camera, half the street runs on to the sidewalk. This doesn't really let you feel how packed it can get.



Ummm, hello? It's no longer your little secret. I mean, c'mon guys -- you really blew that one.



Ohhhh corn meal and mozzarella never tasted so good. I had to pass this time though -- those things'll kill ya.



We did get our $6 quart of half-sour pickles from the good doctor. I really thought he was mister pickles, but I guess he went back to school since last year. Good for him, really. JC and I will not deny that education is important.



...Pumpkin sums up the afternoon better than I ever could.

The Luckiest Girl in the World

I thought I'd share with you a little bit about how Pumpkin came to be part of our family.




There we were in the operating room of Lenox Hill Hospital, looking back on the exciting morning of realizing "it's time!", finding a cab to take us to Lenox Hill, the epidural wearing off... and not taking again, then something was wrong with our daughter's heart rate. She wasn't recovering from the contractions as well as our doctor wanted (he really is the best doctor in the world) we were quickly going into the operating room. There wasn't time to call anyone. It was just Columbia and I, hoping Pumpkin would be okay.

She was. Turns out our DD had inherited the gracefulness of her parents and gotten the cord wrapped around her thigh. After we heard her cry and a quick clean up, she was handed to Columbia. He sat there beside my head, holding our daughter and smiling his real smile, not the one he usually has in pictures. Then he grabbed my hand, held it steady as I was shaking from the drugs in my system, and helped me caress her head. Swaddled in the striped blanket, she was beautiful, delicate, perfect, ours. It was no longer just the 2 of us, we were a family.

4 days later we brought Pumpkin home. In a cab. To the UWS. It's not much. It's not even ours. But we live here together.

Pumpkin and I spend our days playing, reading books, wandering around this neighborhood we love and making faces at each other. Around 5, the door magically opens and in walks the man who makes us beam. He gives us both a kiss, takes my hand and makes me realize that I am the luckiest girl in the world.

DD in her bouncer

I'm hoping to get more time as school begins to wind down to post more often. I missed earth day, I missed, well, spring entirely... but I missed sharing the newest addition to the family! Here is DD, and since I'm so behind in posts I'll go straight to a video. The laugh at the end is too cute.



She's a real angel, this one. :)

Yankee Stadium Old and New

DW and I had to go up to Lehman College this morning for a staff meeting. We were en route via the B train, when I realized that the 4 would get us closer. The clincher to make a mid-route line switch? The chance to see what's visible from 161st Street: Yankee Stadium.


It's coming along, but the whole trip up was sad for us. The trip from 161st to Lehman passes by the school where we met (which is closing), DW's old address from when we first courted, and Yankee Stadium preparing for it's last season with the team. Even the team that brought back Clemens will get no extra seasons with the house that Babe built.

(click for a higher-res version)

The silver lining on this cloud is a gift DW gave me for Christmas: A gift certificate, redeemable at the Yankee Stadium box office for at least one last game in the old stadium, and DD's first game. And DW made sure we'd have the most important bases covered:
Pics by me from the 4 train, 161st station, and DD's room. :)

Alternatives to painting?

Lately I've been really wanting to paint DD's (darling daughter, of course!) bedroom area, but am also aware that our days in this place may be numbered -- less than 9 months, actually. Subtract two days for painting and "unpainting". I've toyed around with the idea of adding color through non-painting means -- stencils, those runners that come on a roll like wall-paper, or something more non-traditional. I wonder if you have some ideas to share.

Right now, DD's room is looking kind of like this. Forgive the quick sketch from memory, but the basic elements are in: dresser, crib, shelves, and the two things on the right are DW and my closets (mirrored doors that hinge out).

The floor is an un-naturally red wood, and the dresser and combo are various shades of brown. Other than that, it's a very white room, and not very girlie at the moment -- which, may not be every man's greatest worry in the world.

Anyway, if you have suggestions, I'd love to hear it. Before I go out and start lining the walls with hello-kitty wrapping paper.

Beating the little hater

When I'm drinking my morning coffee and perusing the morning edition of the internet, it always amazes me when I find something that really resonates. You know those "you too?" moments that we have when someone posts something you thought was your own little cross to bear? I found this this morning via my week+ backlog of feeds.


[ link ]

23 open browser windows? delays between postings? The perfectionist vibe psyching you out? I completely understand. My little hater is a real scutch.

My little hater says:

1. "Somebody already posted that (and said it better than you could)."
2. "You're not nearly as clever as you'd like to think you are"
3. "You used to be much funnier."
4. "Everyone else's pictures look so much more professional than yours"

You might not know it, but I went to school for art. It's amazing I made it out alive, with so much energy spent on worrying about what others think. As for beating my little hater, these are the things most likely to succeed:

1. Work fast (the more time you have to think, the more time to overthink).
2. Work often (momentum can be your best friend or your biggest roadblock)
3. Stop watching that TV!
4. Don't think about the next "big idea" -- post two small ideas instead.
   

Our little girl is less that 11 weeks away from the big move. While it may not translate into more activity on this blog, I am going to be getting things done (and being productive). Setting up the baby area (are there a lot of baby rooms in Manhattan?), putting together some furniture, and ...picking a real name for Sprout. :)