New Coat, New Account, Same Advice (Plan Ahead!)
Posted on November 26, 2006 7 Comments
Here’s an update on a few purchases I’ve been discussing lately.
- The coat I bought on Overstock was not the same one I tried on in the store. When I received it via mail, it was too big. I sent it back. Six shipping dollars later, I’ve learned my lesson about purchasing items online: Write down the item number in the store; don’t just try to find items online by designer and appearance.
- I ended up getting a black down-filled Calvin Klein coat at Macy’s for $140 (it was 30 percent off). The pic is on the left. It actually has a hood that tucks into the collar, and the coat itself goes almost down to my knees, so I think it will keep me warm this winter. The other coat was actually longer with a sturdier hood, but I couldn’t find it anywhere online or in stores in my size. Still, I have to be happy with what I found. It’s bound to be warmer than the other coat I have.
- The Bank X account is finally set up! My next step is to go from the money market account (you have to start investing with the company this way) to the 6-month CD. However, whenever I try to do this, for some reason I get a message that says I don’t have sufficient funds in my account. Looks like I’ll be e-mailing customer service again this week. Sheesh.
- I was complaining about sweaters and my winter wardrobe a few weeks ago. Well, I headed to Old Navy on Friday and aquired a new work sweater for $20 and a new fleece for $10. I’m tempted to go buy more sweaters while they’re on sale but I don’t know how long they’ll last. Still, even if I only get one season out of them, you can’t beat a $20 wool sweater! Frankly, I don’t think the construction can be that much poorer than the more expensive sweaters I own from J.Crew. I’ve had holes in two different sweaters since October…granted they’re about three seasons old, but still, I expect them to hold up a little better!
If all this talk about fashion bores you, I do have some more serious news to talk about. Here’s an article I found on MSNBC which finds that women still aren’t planning well enough for their future. Ladies, get going on your investment plans. Give yourself the gift of fiscal security this holiday season and open up a new investment!
Women urged to chart a financial course
A new survey finds many still aren’t planning well for retirement
MSNBC.com, November 9, 2006
By Vanessa Richardson
Despite becoming more active in their financial planning, American women still tend to take small steps toward ensuring a financially secure retirement.
According to Allstate’s sixth annual “Retirement Reality Check” survey, which measures Americans’ attitudes toward and savings for retirement, almost half of women — 48 percent — have considered the financial implications of retiring alone, compared with 36 percent of men. Yet when asked who takes the lead in planning for retirement, 45 percent of women and 65 percent of men said the husband or male partner.
The majority of respondents said they are not set for retirement, although men feel a little more optimistic than women. Only 19 percent of women, compared to 23 percent of men, said they felt “very prepared.”
Because many marriages end in divorce and women outlive men by an average of five years, the Labor Department estimates that nearly 90 percent of women will end up managing their finances alone in the latter part of their lives. But even though women have gotten that message, the realization has not made them take better care of their own finances, according to the Allstate survey researchers.
“Women are educated, but they’re so busy they’re not taking the time to learn,” said Barbara Stanny, author of personal finance books for women such as “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming” and “Overcoming Underearning.” “It’s due to resistance and a lack of education on the topic, so when they actually do face their finances, it all looks so complicated, and they get overwhelmed.”
(Click title to read the whole article, or click here.)
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7 Responses to “New Coat, New Account, Same Advice (Plan Ahead!)”
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November 26th, 2006 @ 11:16 pm
It’s good to know that more and more women are becoming financial savvy.
November 27th, 2006 @ 2:48 am
Congrats on your purchases! Also, great article. There are many bright and driven women out there who forget to save and plan for the future. No time like the present; we are in an age where relying on a man does always work
!
November 29th, 2006 @ 12:19 am
Kudos on getting a warm coat! Shopping for clothing on line can be very tricky, as you have discovered…I generally don’t purchase clothing for that very reason, unless it’s something like PJs or the like that wherein I can guesstimate the size fairly well.
Good luck with customer service…been there, done that.
Price doesn’t always indicate quality…or, at least, price doesn’t always provide the longevity one would want to associate with price that it used to. (There was an article in Vogue a few months ago, I think, about a problem with a VERY expensive coat that couldn’t keep its buttons attached.)
November 29th, 2006 @ 1:49 am
I’m more interested in the fashion talk!
That coat looks great, it should serve you well.
December 2nd, 2006 @ 2:28 am
I have old navy turtle neck sweaters from three seasons ago and they are still going strong.
December 2nd, 2006 @ 9:27 am
If you want to go for sales go early is the only advice to pick the best ones. Sales product needs to be checked carefully. Online shopping never gave me a good feel of the product if it is not a book.
Btw a big congrats for winning the “blog of the month”, you truly deserved it and you will get additional $50 for your shopping. http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/bloghunt-winner.html and some additional admirers like me
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How much is your budget this Christmas?
December 31st, 2010 @ 6:30 am
[...] the street, but those retail for nearly $300 — I doubt many of us can afford such a splurge. My coat, a Calvin Klein that I wrote about in 2006, was$140 on sale at Macy’s and covers all the [...]