Debt $ense

Beyond Broke posted about eating out in groups and the always-tricky part of the meal - paying for it. I chimed in with a comment, which prompted another post, which inspired me to post an expanded discourse.

If you missed the original post: My friends and I, when we get together, often eat out. Usually there are eight or nine of us. At the end of the meal, one person always pulls out her calculator and does the hard work of figuring out who owes what. One woman, who only joins us occasionally, tends to complain about the time it takes and always asks why we can’t just split it evenly.

As I told Beyond Broke, one time a member of the group (I now forget who) spoke up and said she didn’t want to feel constrained from ordering something expensive that she could afford when she knew others in the group might be on a tight budget. That shut the complainer up, at least for the moment.

I wasn’t the one who spoke up, but I’m glad somebody did. And I think it was all the more effective coming from somebody who presented it not as her being worried about money, but as her being considerate for others who were worried about money.

Let’s face it: it’s tough to be the one who says, “Sorry, but I can’t afford that.” That’s especially true in a public situation, like eating out. A lot of times it’s easy to order an inexpensive meal without it being obvious, but that doesn’t do any good if the group decides on an even split.

And on the flip side, there are times where I’ve saved up enough money to splurge on a drink with dinner, or a more-expensive entree. I don’t want to feel guilty about ordering it because I know others are watching their budget.

I’m always grateful to my friend with the calculator for going through the trouble of figuring it all out for us. I only wish everybody appreciated people like her.

I’m actually choosing to put something on my credit card - and think it makes sense financially. No, I’m not nuts.

I have my dentist appointment next week, and normally payment is due that day. I’m going to put it on my CC, then funnel my weekly pinch-point account money ($50) toward my CC until it’s paid off. (Two months, I think.) That allows me to continue making my same weekly payments to the CC to pay off the existing balance, and since the rate is so low, the interest cost will be minimal. It also allows me to remain on good terms with my dentist, who would object to payments being strung out over that long a time period.

In the end, I think it will cost about $3 in interest, and greatly reduce the complexity of paying the money owed. Once that’s done, I can stash enough money for the next tooth and hopefully get that done in September - and pay cash.

The bad news is they’re not using my entry in the design contest. The good news is it’s because of lack of time (which my boss said is his fault); he liked the idea very much and wants to use it next year. So I might not be getting the entire $50, but I’ll get at least $25 of it.

Also, this is something way outside my usual skills at work, so it’s a good thing in terms of showcasing my usefulness in other areas. That should help long-term on increasing my income.

I also checked my printer today and it is part of the class action, so I’ll be sending that paperwork off this week to get my $25 from there.

All in all, not a bad week for extra income.

In order to run (essential for my current and future health), I need to wear orthotics in my sneakers. Almost 15 years ago, I got a custom pair because I was running high school track. I still have that pair, and they still fit my feet. But they’re in pretty sad shape, and replacing them will cost a couple hundred dollars.

A few months back, I tried the Dr. Scholls off-the-rack orthotics in my non-running sneakers, and they worked well. So when I started running again last month, I tried them in my sneakers to see if they were an acceptable substitute. So far, they’ve worked well, though I should replace them in the next month or so.

So while I was at the store yesterday, I priced them. When I go to the NB store Saturday, I’ll look at what they have available. The coupon I got is for 20 percent off the entire purchase, so depending on the price, it might make sense to buy the pair for my new running sneakers there. At least by checking other sources first, I’ll know if it’s a good deal.

I’m sure a few of you are wondering, questioning even, the wisdom of replacing something that served for 15 years with less-expensive versions that last about six months. In some ways, it sounds penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Yes and no. The custom ones would run me about $200, and insurance isn’t likely to cover much. If I can get a doctor to OK them as medically necessary, I can probably use FSA money, but I didn’t fund an FSA this year. After getting burned on the dental work, I’ve learned my lesson and will fund one next year. At that point, if I make it through most of the year without major expenses, I can use the money to get one or two pair made, which hopefully will last another 10-15 years. But until then I don’t have the money for the big expense.

Using the less-expensive versions gives me some breathing room. Also, once I’m running at the level I expect to stay at (35-40 miles a week), I’ll have a good estimate for how long the off-the-shelf ones will last and can better evaluate the costs over 10 years.

The self-eval was in my e-mail today; I have to finish it by Thursday. Fortunately for me, I started working on it a week or so ago. Looks like that’s tonight’s project…