Mapgirl’s Fiscal Challenge

I have a GREAT phone. It’s so great that I accidentally dropped it in the parking garage at work and kicked it across the floor. I’m just lucky another car didn’t come whipping around the corner and crush it. It’s a red Motorola KRZR that was a Valentine’s Day special with Verizon earlier this year. I bought it last minute without a sale because I needed an immediate replacement (i.e. a week wait via mail-order due to my out of state contract), seeing that I lost my cellphone on a blind date with this phenomenally cute guy. I was beside myself that day. He was so hot I also misplaced my regular glasses and car keys. (It was sunny and I was wearing my prescription sunglasses.) Thank god we’re still friends but he doesn’t know the extent of my spastic reaction that day. But I digress.

At any rate, it was really stupid of me to get this phone. I don’t warranty replace it because the big cracks and scratches are a reminder to me of the wastefulness of having this electronic device. When I think of the wasted money on little gadgety things, I feel distinctly ill.

For instance:
The Diamond Rio by Creative (Lazy Man and Money inspired this post just by mentioning his.) - I liked the idea of solid state storage for music because at the time, I was still walking all over San Francisco and occasionally went running. Of course, you should ask me if I had any MP3’s to play on it at that time…

Sony PSP - I bought it for plane trips and to play with my gamer boyfriend at the time. Needless to say, we’re not together any more and I rarely look at the thing. I did have hours of fun with it and I would probably still play if I could find another fun game like PoPoLoCrois, but not all games are fun like that one.

Palm V - I actually used this one a lot. I liked it quite a bit, but after losing my ability to sync it to a computer daily, it lost its charm. I was using it to download the NYT and Wired and read it on the bus. Once I left CA and got a car, its usefulness went out the window. It makes me fantasize about getting a Palm Treo. I see my girl friend’s Treo and I keep thinking I could get used to one again. I really liked the Graffiti UI a lot. Sure beats typing on a stupid iPhone screen.

iPod Nano - Fortunately, I won mine in a contest, but it remains underutilized even for something that was free.

Fancy rice cooker - No, it doesn’t play music, but my mom has that kind. That makes sense for her because she makes rice everyday. I don’t make rice enough. This sucker was in storage in my mom’s garage for 5 years while I lived in CA. Now that I have it again, I’ve been using it, but again, it’s underutilized for something that was free. (My mom bought it for me when I was in college.) Utilizing it means I would be eating home for cheap, therefore I should make it a mission of mine to try and use it again.

Stereo - I have one in a box in storage. I don’t need it. I should yank it out and at least use the speakers for my computer. Hm. There’s an idea.

Epiladay/nose hair trimmer - Just kidding. Never had either. But my college roommate had the Epilady. She liked it. I thought it was weird.

In August I was home visiting my mom while she had ear drum surgery. I also had to help my dad with his new cellphone. Since the stroke, it’s been slower for him to get used to new interfaces. The new phone has all kinds of stuff he doesn’t need, but that’s what happens when they go shopping without me. My mom shows me her phone and I realize that her phone, in all its minimalist glory is the phone I probably really want in life. I don’t need a camera. I don’t need to play music. I don’t need a data card. I just need a reliable phone with a long battery life, some SMS capabilities and the ability to store a ton of phone numbers. (Over 100, because if anything that was the downfall of my second cellphone, the Motorola StarTac.) I don’t even need a color screen.

When I think about the racy computer I could buy for my apartment, I realize that it would be useless. I don’t crunch a lot of data at home. Most of my spreadsheets are small things and I cut them up before they get unwieldy. I don’t game on my computer and so what really matters is a high quality screen and a DSL connection. That’s it.

What about you? Do you have feature overkill on your products? What did you overbuy? What gadget did you buy that was a total waste of money?

Read this daily meditation by 3 Things About Money. She writes a pretty good blog and this post caught my eye because I think I’m having a lot of anxiety about money lately. Scratch that. I KNOW I’m having a lot of anxiety about money lately.
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Jonathan asks What are your luxuries?

I have to think about this one because some of them are must-haves, though I know I could live without them. Living off-grid for 10 days while camping really forces you to evaluate what it is that you need for living and what’s nice, but not essential.

Things I absolutely must have:
1) Clean-smelling soap, shampoo, conditioner, good lotion, Chapstick, 100% cotton towels in large sizes.
2) 2 Down pillows. I’ve tried other kinds but they don’t fluff as nice. One for under the head. One to hug.
3) Warm blankets. I don’t use a down comforter at home, but my 20F-rated sleeping bag sure is.
4) A good chair for my desk.
5) Quality ear plugs for blocking out the world when I need some quiet but can’t get to a quiet place.
6) Good food. Cheese, good bread, and meat. If can get those at every lunch and dinner, I’d be quite happy for the rest of my life. I actually get cranky if I don’t eat animal protein at least once a day. But I do occassionally have a meatless day. If it’s really good food, I don’t notice its absence. But my stomach will.
7) Good wine and beer. I love me the Guinness. I love a great red wine. Cheaper is better, but I’ve had $70 merlots from Silver Oak that have rocked my world. I can be happy with an $8 Rioja if the moment is just right.
Intellectual stimulation. Books and puzzles. I absolutely cannot live without diversions like these. Online print media doesn’t satisfy me like a book or newspaper.
9) Driving. It’s a luxury to say, ‘I want to drive there’ instead of riding the bus. Some days, there is great pleasure in driving ridiculously fast for a few moments in the summer with the windows open.
10) Travel. I love taking trips for the weekend, or overseas, or camping. My time off is a luxury I cannot live without.
11) Living in the city. To me, I’ll drive an insane commute to my office rather than live in suburban hell.
12) Paying extra to be unlisted in the phonebook.

Things that are actual luxuries I could live without if I must.
1) Quality pens and paper. I love a well-balanced fountain pen. I love a nice chewable Bic Stic. (Yes, I know, chewing on pens is bad for my teeth, but I do it all the time when I am thinking.) I still send snail mail and I still like receiving it too. Journal keeping is fun for me and I like putting my thoughts onto nice paper.
2) Quality wool and fiber products. I’ve got a stack of cashmere sweaters, handspun wool shawls, hand knit socks. The time and effort is crazy expensive, but there is nothing like a custom fit sock.
3) Good dishwashing detergent. I like the suds they make when I wash the dishes.
4) Rubber gloves. My posh blue vinyl ones spare my hands. See #11. The thickness makes a difference!
5) Ice skates and boots. I have a wonderful pair of semi-custom skates. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I’d rather die than skate on rentals again.
6) Broadband access. I love it. At work and at home.

So readers, I pose to you, what are your luxuries? I once dated a boy who told me that he’d spare no expense for food. One of our first dates was Nancy Oakes’ wonderful restaurant Boulevard in San Francisco, so I knew he meant it. What about you? What will you spare no expense for?