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I have mentioned here before that I am a Federal employee in DC. I won’t go into any more discussion than that. Not that I am saying anything that would harm my position but because I believe that what I do doesn’t matter for the purposes of this blog.
But I do have to say something about the treatment of Federal employees in the media. We are not lazy bums sitting around all day doing nothing and getting rich off of taxpayer money. We pay taxes. We pay for our health insurance (in fact, I had a much better and cheaper plan when I worked in the private sector). We can get downsized and all the talk of reducing the size of government scares us.
When we downsize in government, it is a RIF – a reduction in force. If my position went, they would have to find me another job, but it doesn’t have to be something I like. So yes, my paycheck is safe, and I am not downplaying that. But going into a job you loathe isn’t exactly a good thing.
Right now, there is a reduction in hiring. That means that as people leave – which they do – no one else comes in to take their jobs and the rest of us take on more. Just like in private industry.
I won’t lie – I know we’re in a good spot. But I loathe the implication that we are a waste. The general public would be surprised if all of a sudden, everything shut down, including all the emergency services. We would be missed.
As you probably know, my big hobby is running. I’m not fast, but I’m committed, and my favorite distance is the half marathon. For me, it’s a challenge that’s doable with the right training, but still leaves me time to live my life. Plus there’s usually bling at the end. I’m a sucker for a sweet medal.
I didn’t race this past weekend, but there were two fairly large races that had some… issues, and it’s been amazing to see the power of the internet during these issues.
I won’t discuss one of the races, because it happened yesterday and the organizers have not yet had a chance to respond. The bigger issues happened with the Hot Chocolate 15K and 5K in Washington, DC. This was billed as a great race with an amazing race premium (a water resistant jacket) and chocolate at the end. But there were some problems. From what I’ve heard:
- Jackets were extremely low quality, mis-sized, and they ran out of DC jackets, so some people got Chicago jackets.
- Parking issues, to the point where people who paid for parking did not get it, and much of the parking was over a mile from the race start, contrary to the information given to the runners
- Due to these problems, the race started about an hour late
- The lead 5K runner was misdirected, leading to a rerouting of the course and some extra crowding
- Part of the course was in one lane of a highway, with the other lanes still open to traffic. That’s right, running alongside fast-moving traffic.
I hear the post-race chocolate was good though, so that’s a plus.
The race organizers have put out a statement apologizing, but many people aren’t taking it. Some have commented that it’s almost like mob mentality has taken over. In my opinion, the worst part of the whole thing is the course on the highway, closely followed by the jacket issues. If there’s something that the race organizers can control, it’s the items they have made for the runners.
What does this have to do with personal finance? Aside from being a lesson for any small business owners or people organizing a charitable event, it’s also a reminder to always research what you’re getting into. This was an inaugural race, so the runners didn’t know what they were getting into. But for next year, I’m sure a bunch of runners won’t be back and others won’t sign up because a quick Google search will bring up all of these negative comments. So when you’re planning a purchase or thinking about signing up for an event, look for reviews first. This makes sense for the big purchases, but might not be a bad idea for the medium sized purchases either. You might find yourself saving a bit of money and heartache.
I have to admit it. My budget has gotten away from me.
It’s entirely my own fault. I’m used to having more discretionary funds than I do now. Where did those funds go? Well, I bought a house and my roommate moved out. These are both things that I can afford, but it means cutting back in other areas.
I thought I was being reasonable with my purchases, and for the most part, I have. I’ve been buying things for the house, things like furniture to replace the patio furniture previously in my living room and storage things to help with the closets. But I’m not going to lie, I’ve also bought a few ridiculous things that I didn’t need to spend money on.
So now I’m trying to tighten the purse strings a bit. December is going to be a month of not spending. I’m still going to buy groceries and such, but I’m really pulling things in so that I can start the new year fresh.
One thing that helps is just keeping a constant eye on my spending. This is a lesson we all know, but something we can always stand to be reminded of. Make a budget and follow it. It can be the envelope system, an online system, a spreadsheet on your computer, or a little notebook you carry around. Just figure out what you have, what you can spend, and where you will spend it. Easy, right?
After being featured on Consumerist, I am having some technical issues with the blog. Hoping to be back up and running soon!
Welcome Consumerist readers. Not that I expect many of you to stay. Still, it’s always fun to be reading through my feeds, and find my site linked!
With the holidays fast approaching, I’ve been thinking about Christmas shopping. In my family, we always make wishlists so we know what to buy each other. Sure, there are always surprises (my sister is going to be amazed with what I bought her this year), but sometimes, you want to buy a gift for someone, but don’t know what to get. I would prefer to remove some of the surprise but know that what I bought was wanted and enjoyed. That’s more important to me than surprising someone.
Sometimes, this is hard though. Having just moved, my wishlist is mostly things like “a leaf blower” and “Home Depot gift cards so I can buy paint.” Not the most exciting thing. And I’m getting family reactions to that. “These aren’t fun gifts!” True, but they are things that will make me happy.
How do you feel about practical gifts? Do you prefer to give something that you know will be used again and again, or do you go for the one time “Wow” factor?
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