Shoe Leather: Behind the seams of Shoestring Magazine

Reduce, Reuse: Recycled Coffee Can Organizers

Organizing is one of my least-favorite DIY activities — especially when you factor in all the money it seems you need to do it well. (Read: California Closets, the subject of many a lustful daydream around Shoestring.) Meghan, on the other hand, is a master of meticulousness, even going so far as to create her own closet system that coordinates shoes by not only season, but by fabric and heel height. Before I met the Ginger, I used to spend the time to organize my clothes by occasion and by color, and was a complete neat freak who spent 4 hours each week cleaning the bathroom literally top to bottom, but marriage is a compromise for the greater good and happiness of the couple, not just the individual, so over the past six years clutter has become my keeper, and my "common law husband" has become the Oscar to my Felix.

Which might be partly why I find this anecdote so funny: My Depression-thriving grampa, also named Oscar, schooled me well in the powerful principles of "waste not, want not," and on a recent trip to my family's orchard in Washington wine country, I was reminded of how masterfully he executed these values in even the smallest of ways. Despite his toolshed workbench being the most classically manly of domestic spaces, this tough-as-nails WWII paratrooper and lifelong railroad worker was putting Martha Stewart to the test, keeping his screws organized by width separated from his nails organized by length and so on. And all for the low, low price of free.

Grampa was somewhat brand loyal, and by keeping and reusing his empty coffee canister each week, he created a system for clutter maintenance and efficiency that was not only environmentally friendly but that any student of modern design would find pleasing to the eye. Repetition is really hot right now, and this 3-R solution is fast, free, and utterly fabulous.

Try it at home!

~ Melissa

Shoestring Life: 30 Minutes or Less

 

I am no longer on "Camping Time." Officially, I came back from Acadia and hit the ground running. Minus a nasty 36 hours when Comcast shut off my internet as a "mistake."

Oh, but don't worry, Comcast was kind enough to waive the emergency service fee seeing as how it was their fault. Way to win the third worst customer service award from MSN.

Yesterday, I blogged about the speeds at which different countries run, and America has a need for speed. We have one-hour photo and one-hour dry cleaning -- although my dry cleaner always tells me a week. You don't even have to get out of your car for most things. I mean, hey, that walk through the parking lot could cost you an extra four minutes. Sure, it's a time saver, but isn't that our problem? We fail to appreciate the journey. While I'm slightly repulsed, I'm also incredibly fascinated with drive-thrus. I even did a photo documentary on drive-thrus in college. Of course, you'll always have the classic restaurants, and pharmacies, but my all time favorite drive-thru oddities follow:

1. Flu Cinic

2. Wedding Chapel

3. Liquor Store

4. Funeral Parlor

5. Strip Club

6. Animal Park

7. Churches

What weird drive-thrus have you visited? I want to see pictures.

~Meghan

Scratch That Itch: A Guide to Beating Bug Bites

Before I went to Africa, I made a stop at the travel clinic at Beth Israel hospital here in Boston. Malaria is rampant is Africa, and with good reason: those suckers are huge. Even if you're not traveling to more exotic locales, mosquitoes — and other bugs — can be major pains. I should know: I'm a bug magnet. Red is the complete opposite. We'll be walking through the woods, and he'll make a point of saying how he's amazed that there are no bugs. Meanwhile, I'll be swatting at a swarm of bugs so large they could make for a collection in an entomology study, just in the three inches surrounding my head.

In honor of my trip to mosquito-plagued Acadia National Park this week, check out this article by the editors of Natural Health about preventing and treating bug bites (without all those nasty chemicals).

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Shoestring Life: There Is No Such Thing As Free Money

I attempted to take my stash recycled cans to the redemption center today. I learned two things

1. Nickels take forever to add up to a dollar

2. There is no such thing as easy (or free) money

I spent no less then 20 minutes at the redemption center machines, trying to insert beer bottles. AT least two out of three bottles were rejected for any given reason. Plus by the end of it, I smelled like booze. I left the center with two bags full of empty beer bottles, and a measly $2 in my hand. Minus the gas that I spent to drive there, I probably netted less than a dollar. Stupid redemption center machines. Although today was a very discoursing day I must remember that every million starts with a single penny.

~Meghan

Shoestring Life: How Low Can My Expenses Go?

Melissa and I have decided to forgo investment funding in order to keep Shoestring close to the vest. Unfortunately that means we're living a very lean life. I'm not going to lie, I've done some really extreme things to cut back on daily expenditures so Red and I can still spoil ourselves. We've all heard the same basic tips over and over again.

• Unplug all appliances when not in use, or plug them into a power strip that can be turned off to prevent vampire power.
• Wash your clothes in cold water
• Use a programmable thermostat
• Install CFL-- compact fluorescent lights
• Drive at a steady speed
• Buy generic when possible
• Use reward cards
• Use ceiling fans

We've all heard them before, and they're all good ideas. Even small amounts of money can add up to something bigger. But, what do you do when the small amounts aren't adding up fast enough. Are there bigger things we could be doing to cut daily costs. I thought about the couple who lived off $1 a day for food. I initially was taken aback, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea behind it. So I've decided to try and turn saving money into a game. But, not just any game, an extreme reality show game. I envision it as a piggy bank playing with a limbo bar. How low can my household expenses go?

1. Red and I turn off the hot water heater when we're not using it.

We try and only turn the hot water heater on once during the week. We take quick showers and less of them. You'd be amazed at how long the water stays luke-warm. We've managed to cut our electricity bill by $50 a month or more.

2. I've started saving bottles and cans that can be redeemed for cash.

I've also started scavenging the recycling bins at my condo to collect other people's redeemable bottles. Saturday and Sunday mornings are the best, because of raging parties the night before.

3. I've been shopping at the Wonder Bread outlet.

Bread is expensive. I can get a loaf for under a dollar, and two packs of bagels for five. I stash up, and freeze the extras.

4. I make my own cleaning products.

I use lemon juice to dissolve soap scum, and hard water deposits
I scrub stubborn grease stains, and that unidentifiable mess in the bathroom with baking soda.
For pretty much everything else I use vinegar mixed with water. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant as well as a deodorizer.

I've heard that you can use vinegar in place of fabric softener. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. I've never tried it, but I'm certainly curious.

What is the most extreme thing you've ever done to cut costs around the house? Being "cheap" is something we should embrace, not be ashamed of. Plus I need more ideas.

~Meghan

Closings: The Real Horror of Homebuying

This morning our friend Karen came over to use our interwebs. Karen, her husband Todd, and their two adorable children are moving from the ghetto to the countryside of New Hampshire. A backyard, two car garage, and most prized of all, actual rooms, await them on Friday.

Karen and I were both first time home buyers when we moved into Spencer Lofts, and our first closings were far from perfect. Karen and Todd ended up borrowing mucho money from family members to cover unexpected costs.

Red and I drove all the way from LA with a 28 foot moving truck, a car carrier, and two dogs sitting in the cab. When we pulled into Boston, I was riding higher than a kite, and not just because I was sitting in the cab of a very tall truck. I was on my way to home ownership and joys and headaches that would come with it.

Red and I checked into a hotel (the Best Western in Framingham) unhooked the car, and drove into Boston. I called my mortgage agent to find out what time my closing was the very next day.

I'll spare you the emotional breakdown of my telephone call, but here's the gist of it. Our mortgage agent had done nothing. We hadn't been approved for a mortgage, our assessment hadn't been done, and all of our paperwork sat in a file, untouched since we had set the whole farce in motion 30 days before. A supervisor got on the phone and apologized to us, but her words rang hollow, a too little too late.

Red and I had a truck full of belongings, no mortgage, and we were in danger of losing our very first house. Luckily we were able to call the mortgage company who had pre-approved us for a mortgage, and they agreed to fast track a new mortgage in less then a week. I spent that week sobbing hysterically, taking swills of Jack Daniels in the parking lot of the Best Western.

On June 17th 2004, Red and his very hungover, emotionally spent wife moved into Spencer Lofts.

What are your horror stories from closings or moving?

~Meghan

The Fashion Show: Bank or Budget Looks

For four years now, Red and I have been spending our Wednesday nights watching reality TV on Rich's couch. It was the perfect equation: friends; food; and Project Runway. Sadly, Project Runway left Bravo, got sued, and jumped the shark to Lifetime. Tears. But I shouldn't cry that long, because Bravo started a new show called "The Fashion Show." I can't say that I love it in the way that I loved Project Runway. It's a stupid name, it's not at Parsons, it doesn't have Michael Kors, and frankly Isaac Mizrahi can't hold a candle to Tim Gunn. (Don't even get me started on Kelly Rowland.)

Ok, actually, let me get started on Kelly Rowland. Kelly was quoted as saying:

"I think what makes The Fashion Show so unique is that it’s the people’s decision, and not only that but it’s a real show for real people.”

Ummmm? Real people? You have got to be sh**ing me. I can't recall the last time I walked down the street and saw a person wearing a red leotard and a cape, or someone wearing badly sewn silver satin harem pants. I watched Project Runway for fantasy. If I wanted to watch real people, I would ride the 117 bus to Maverick station and watch the drunks pee on themselves. This is not the History Channel. I'm not watching for an education. I'm watching for pure entertainment here.

But I digress. I watched the second episode last night. (It's not currently up on Hulu.com, but I'm sure it will be shortly.) The episode was all about budget fashion. For the mini-challenge, the teams had to go through a box of clothing and accessories and dress two mannequins; a budget mannequin and a bank mannequin. The box was filled with two of everything, kind of like the Noah's Ark of fashion, except one belt comes from the financially disadvantaged neighborhood -- the wrong side of the tracks if you will.

This challenge actually almost redeemed "The Fashion Show" for me. Sure, Michael Kors was off somewhere else dispensing his catty wit, but I got to watch a bunch of pompous know-it-alls tell the camera how much they knew high fashion, and how it was going to be such a huge advantage for them. Oh, the irony. It reminds me of the Splurge vs. Steal section in Marie Claire. Some of the comparisons are no brainers, but others can really throw you for a loop. Expensive-looking fashion can come in many different price points. (A Shoestring lesson indeed...)

For the show's elimination challenge, the teams had to design a set of four looks for Tinsley Mortimer using a $40 budget. I was really quite impressed with what some of the designers turned out. Note to self: impeccable detail makes up for inexpensive fabric choices.

I'll try not to spoil the episode for you, so watch it on Hulu sometime later this week.

What's your take on The Fashion Show? Do you miss Project Runway, and if so what was your favorite Michael Kors quote? Mine was to Andre season 2 "Your Barbie looks sad."

I know Project Runway is coming back, but not until August, and in Reality TV land, that's a lifetime. Seriously no pun intended.

~Meghan

P.S. Hey Tinsley, wearing a mini black jumpsuit with a sheer "bomber" jacket, doesn't make you a fashion icon, it makes you look like an idiot.

Wii Motion Plus: Friend or Foe

I am a huge Wii fan. I think its ridiculously fun, and I love the communal aspect of it. Every Sunday night, Red and I go to a friend's house and we rock out on Rock Band. But, my favorite of all Wii games has got to be golf. Now in real life, I can't play golf. I tried once or twice, but I can barely connect the club to the ball, much less have the ball go in the direction I want it to. If it came down to it, I couldn't golf 18 holes to save my life. I do rountinely golf one or two strokes under par on Wii golf. I'm not fooling myself, I will never golf well in real life. I'm happy pretending that I'm the next Michelle Wie, as I slice my ball through the rough.

Come June 8th, that could all change. Nintendo is releasing the Wii MotionPlus, a plug-in accessory for the Wii remote. Nintendo describes it as

"Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play."

Oh Crap!

That's half the fun of the Wii. In real life, I can't bowl, I can't play baseball, I can't play tennis, and I can't golf. Now I could just not get the Wii Motion Plus, but I have to admit, I'm intrigued. I probably will pre-order it from amazon, curse it for a few days as I watch my handicap climb higher.

I can't help but feel like I'm being a little bit stupid. The Wii Motion Plus is an amazing advancement in video game technology, and I'm upset, because it will only highlight how uncoordinated I am. At the same time, Wii was a maverick success, because of its appeal to nontraditional video game players. Little kids could face off with their grandparents, and it didn't matter if you had ever held a golf club in your life. I could just remove the Wii Motion Plus, but it'll sit in my T.V. cabinet and mock me.

w    "Meghan, you suck at golf"

m    "I Know Wii Motion Plus, leave me be."

w    "You'll never improve without practice, I can help you get better.

m    "Shut Up"

What do you think? Is Wii alienating its core audience, by giving the a more realistic playing experience?

~Meghan

Is Wikipedia the Beginning and the End of Internet Journalism?

A few years ago, my mother and my brother were in visiting from Chicago. We had just eaten, cracked a few beers, and started to play SCATTERGORIES. For those of you unfamiliar with the linguist styling of the Hasbro game, let me give you a quick rundown. Each player gets the same card with 12 categories listed; vegetable, things you find in the ocean, a greeting. You also have a 20-sided die, with letters of the alphabet. Each round lasts only 3 minutes and you get points based on how many answers you get, except if someone else has the same answer.

I like to think that I'm pretty good at this game. Red always beats me at board games, except at Monopoly. I won the first time we played, and I've managed to never play again. As far as I'm concerned, I reign supreme at Monopoly. But I digress. We were playing Scattergories, and the letter "N" was rolled. I was churning down my list:

1. A Boy's Name -- Neil
2. U.S. Cities -- Nebraska
3. Worn above the waist -- Necktie
4. Things on Safari -- netting, mosquito
5. Things found in the ocean -- neon tetra
6. Breakfast food -- nuetella
7. Ways to say hi and bye -- Na-Nu Na-Nu
8. Presidents -- Nixon
9. Items in an office -- network, computer
10. Names used in the Bible -- Nathaniel
11. People in Uniform -- Nurses
12. Things found on the highway -- Nissan

Now, it was number five that my brother questioned. I'm sure that he was jealous of my outstanding answer to number seven. That's right: I pulled out a Mork and Mindy reference in the game of Scattergories. Everyone quickly turned on me. (Once again, they were threatened by number seven's brilliance.) They insisted that a neon tetra does not live in the ocean, therefore the answer wouldn't count.

We pulled up Wikipedia on the computer, and my brother said, "See, a freshwater fish." I took the computer and pretended to change the Wikipedia article, and told him to take a second look. Needless to say, I did not score a point for neon tetra.

Afterward, I stopped to think how much has changed over the past ten years. We had all taken the information in Wikipedia as fact, yet we had a good laugh over the fact that anyone could change it. Every so often, I'm overwhelmed by the changing landscape of media. In this digital age, with a 24-hour news cycle and a wealth of information at our finger tips, how do we process it all?

I was running through the Yahoo! headlines this morning and I stumbled across "Student Fools World Media." Shane Fitzgerald, a Dublin university student, had posted a quote on the Wikipedia page of French Composer Maurice Jarre, mere hours after he passed away.

Shane claimed that it was an experiment in "how our globalized, increasingly Internet-dependent media was upholding accuracy and accountability in an age of instant news."

It turns that we failed. A number of news outlets ran with the quote as the final line in his obituary. Wikipedia officials removed the quote, citing its lack of attribution, but the damage was already done. The whole story turns out to be a lesson in double checking your sources, and not taking things found on the Internet at face value.

Does journalism suffer from our need to be constantly updated?

I was watching the Daily Show the other day, and John Stewart mocked a news station for offering a 5-minute coverage of the President and Vice President going out to a burger joint for lunch. We seriously had five minutes of hearing the president order his burger medium-well, and then ask for spicy mustard. (If you haven't seen the clip, Dan Rather guest stars as a seventies reporter -- it's priceless.)

When is enough, well, enough? Am I criticizing the same changes that let me spew my opinions on this blog? What are your thoughts on the 24-hour news cycle, and the digital age?

~Meghan