Beating Broke

Personal Finance from the Broke Perspective

World Diets: A Week’s Worth of Groceries

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Ok, so I saw this post over at FStoppers about What a Week of Groceries Looks Like Around the World, and I couldn’t help but mark it for a second look, and eventually an article here.  Click on that link and go take a look.  Look at what each picture contains and then come back and see if you come to the same conclusion that I do.  I’ll wait.

Done?  Ok, first, let’s talk about some “givens” that I found to be somewhat ironic, simply because they also could be considered stereotypes.  I’ll start at the top.

  • Mexico: OMG, you guys like Coke!  
  • Germany: First thing I noticed was all the beer and wine right up front.
  • Italy: Lots of the expected breads and pastas
  • Japan: Fish, noodles, and rice.
  • Mali and Chad: That’s it?

Obviously, there are some things that we expect.  Countries like Mali and Chad that we’re hearing about starvation or near starvation like conditions in sometimes have an obviously lesser pile of food.  Japan is notorious for it’s high-fish diet.  And Germany.  Germany!  I suppose I can’t expect much else from the country of Octoberfest.

A couple of surprises.  I’m a little bit surprised by the lack of sausages in the Poland picture.  For the number of Polish sausages we eat here in the states that is.  (Ok, that’s kind of tongue in cheek.)

Now, let’s see if you noticed the same thing I noticed.  Every single country on that list eats way more fresh food than the American family.  Seriously. Look at that picture.  There’s a little section of it that’s got some produce (a couple of tomatoes, some onions, and some grapes), and another small section of fresh meat.  That’s it.  The rest looks to be processed and packaged foods.  The only other countries that appear to even be close are Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.  Which is funny.  In an ironic sad way.

All four of those countries are usually lumped together as “first-world” countries.  We’re rich!  We have everything we could ever want!  And somehow, every other country on that list eats better than we do…  Heck, let’s look at Mexico.  Most Americans tend to think of Mexico as a drug addled, gang run, hovel.  But, look at that food!  Fresh herbs right off the plant!  A whole table of fresh fruits and vegetables!  Same story for India, Bhutan, Guatemala, and Equador!

Why is it that we all think that produce is so expensive, but we’ll gladly pay $10 for a large pizza?  Or $10 for a burger and fries?  It also makes me wonder just how much of that food those people grow themselves.  It’s not that expensive to start a garden.  Heck, even a container garden will do.  We’re just getting ready to plant out our second season (see season one’s results) of container gardening.  So far, I’ve spent about $2 on seeds.  Buy a few pots, get some soil, and plant some plants.  Fresh produce!

I’ve gotten a bit ranty, but it amazes me how poorly we eat in our “rich” country.  You’d think we’d be smarter than that…

 

Capital One 360 Review

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For many years, I was a user of ING Direct and their online banking products.  When word went out a while back that the US branch of their online bank was being sold I began to worry that a good thing was about to be ruined.  When we learned that the company that was buying them was Capital One, it didn’t exactly help me not worry.  I’ve had a credit card from Capital One for longer than I’ve had an account at ING Direct, and while I’ve never had a terrible experience with them, I’ve never really felt that I was anything more than just another cardholder; easily replaced and nothing worth going out of their way for.  If that level of service came to the online bank side after the purchase of ING Direct, I might have had to find something else.

The prospect of having to move my accounts at what was ING Direct to somewhere else upset me a bit.  I’ve tried several of the online bank options, and so far, haven’t found one that was as easy to use as the accounts were with ING Direct.  Now that ING Direct US is no more, and it’s been sold to Capital One, and re-branded to Capital One 360, what has my experience been?

Click here to start saving with Capital One 360Surprisingly, I have no complaints.  I truly expected that they’d start squeezing in some new fees, or making it harder to get things done, but the experience so far has been very similar to what it was with ING Direct.  There’s the obvious rebranding that came with a change of logo and color scheme, but for all intents and purposes, they’ve done a very good job of keeping the function and service levels where they were when it was ING Direct.

I suppose there may be some things behind the scenes that I don’t see that are different.  And they may just be biding their time before they start implementing some new fees and roadblocks, but if so, they are taking their sweet time doing it.  In the mean time, many of the features that I really loved about ING Direct are still resident in the Capital One 360 system.  It’s still super easy to create a new account, making it simple to have an account for each purpose and being able to segment your money by purpose.  Every other place I’ve tried this at, make it much more difficult to create a new account and that process becomes a roadblock to use.

The interface of Capital One 360 is very easy to use, with all of the major functions and features that most bank customers use right at your fingertips (or mouse pointer I suppose).  The rates that they pay on their savings and CD accounts still aren’t the best around, but they remain competitive with most other online banks, and they are double and triple what my local banks and even Credit Unions are paying.

The connection between Capital One 360 and Capital One Sharebuilder remains, making it easy to transfer money to investment accounts and IRAs at Capital One Sharebuilder.  Does that make a huge difference?  Not really, but it is convenient.

Overall, I think Capital One has done a really good job of bringing the Capital One 360 accounts into the fold and not rocking the boat.  I hope that they remain dedicated to keeping the excellent service and system in place.  Even with a new name, Capital One 360 is still my favorite online bank.

How Big Is Your Circle Of Support?

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You’ve likely heard the phrases, “No man is an island, entire of itself” and “It takes a village to raise a child.”  What these phrases get at is the importance of having a circle, a group you can depend on.  Although we like to think we can do it all alone, life is generally much easier if we get through it with support from others.

Years ago, before people moved frequently, their circle consisted of family members, neighbors, and friends.  Their circles were large and included not only their own family and friends, but their parents’ friends.

Now, people move frequently, and we are connected more through social media rather than in person.  It’s increasingly easier to be isolated (and many people are), yet we still ultimately need a circle of those close to us.  The larger your circle, the more advantages you have and the healthier you’ll be.

Why We Let Friendships Lapse

In our busy world, friendships and connections often fall by the wayside because they require time.  You need to spend time nurturing your friendships, connecting, and helping others.  Some days you may be so busy that you feel that you don’t have time for yourself, let alone others, but ultimately, nurturing your circle will reward you in multiple ways.

The Benefits of Having a Large Circle of Support

How big is your circle of supportThere are multiple benefits to having a circle of support.

1.  A healthier life.  Time recently reported that those who have strong social ties are more likely to live longer than those who don’t.  In fact, researchers at Brigham Young University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that “a healthy social life may be as good for your long-term health as avoiding cigarettes” (Time).

2.  More likely to get a job.  The larger your circle is, the more people who can help you find a job.  Mashable argues, “People get jobs through other people, not computers.  By having a personal connection to the company you’re applying for, your chances of getting a job multiply.”

I saw this first hand in the 1980s when my dad was unemployed for nearly two years.  My mom babysat at home, and one of the moms of the children she babysat for, Carla, was able to get my dad a job interview at the company where she worked.  When the man interviewing my dad started to smoke during the interview, my dad did, too, which was enough for the boss to decide not to hire him.  Carla was able to smooth things over, and my dad was ultimately hired.  Without Carla in our circle, who knows how much longer my dad would have been unemployed.

3.  More likely to feel secure.  If you have a difficult decision to make, you can bounce ideas off your friends and those in your circle.  If you run into hard times, you know your circle of connections can help support you.  Having a safety net, so to speak, in the form of friends and family, can make you feel more safe and satisfied with your life.

4.  Feel better about yourself.  Giving to others can make us feel better about ourselves and our own life.  If you’re part of a circle, you’re expected to give back.  They help you; you help them.  As you help friends and family, you also feel better about yourself.

In our society, it’s increasingly easy to let personal relationships fall by the wayside.  Resist the urge and take the time to nurture your friendships and family connections.  You’ll benefit financially, medically and personally.