Out of the Office

This week I'm taking a vacation, so I won't be posting.  I'll be back next week though!

How I Saved Hundreds on My Sofa

Recently my husband gave me the ultimatum that our sofa is not allowed to move with us for our upcoming move.  He had good reason; the sofa was ugly, cheap, uncomfortable, and had been shredded on all sides by my sweet kitty.  Unfortunately, that left us with the challenge of finding a new couch.

We had lots of competing interests when it came to the new sofa.  We wanted it to be high quality, attractive, and inexpensive.  Obviously, those qualities don't always go together.  I was especially reluctant to drop a lot of money on a sofa that my cat might claw.  We shopped around, trying to figure out what styles suited us and to get an idea of prices.

Then a few weeks ago a good friend happened to mention that she was interested in selling her sofa because she was preparing to move cross-country.  I knew this friend and this sofa well, and was excited that I could get such a high quality couch for her asking price of $100.  The only downside was that the sofa was plaid.  Not an offensive plaid at all, but not exactly the look we were going for, either.

We decided to go ahead and buy the sofa without any real plan for how we were going to deal with the plaid.  I looked into having it reupholstered, but discovered that it would be prohibitively expensive.  Then, I began searching the web for slipcovers and got really lucky.  Ikea has a slipcover for a sofa with almost the exact shape of the sofa that we had just purchased!  I took the measurements of our sofa and they were similar to the measurements of the slipcover, so I ordered it and waited with anticipation.

When the slipcover arrived I put the cushion covers on first, and they fit!  Next was the cover for the sofa itself.  We pulled and tugged but were not able to get the cover on.  The shape was just right, but the cover was about six inches too short.  It couldn't quite fit from one arm all the way down the sofa to the other arm.

At this point I was disheartened, but my husband saw a possibility.  He suggested that we cut the slipcover down the middle and add an insert of matching fabric to bridge the space.  I thought that he was crazy, but I gave him permission to give it a go.  He headed off to the fabric store (yes, my husband sews) and returned with a fabric almost identical to our slipcovers.

I went to dinner with a friend and returned to find a beautiful, slip-covered couch in my living room!  Somehow he pulled it off!  You can definitely see the seams of the insert, but it looks like it has always been part of the slipcover.  The fabric blends in perfectly.

The Ikea Ektorp sofa bed slipcover.  The same slipcover that we used.

Instead of spending anywhere from $800-$1600 we were able to get a beautiful, high quality sofa for $150 ($100 for the couch + $63 for the slipcover + 12 for the extra fabric - $25 that we got for the old couch on Craigslist).  As a bonus, our sofa is now washable because it's slipcovered.

Obviously, we don't want our cat to claw this sofa too.  We have done a lot of research and are implementing some anti-scratching strategies.  However, even if he does claw this sofa I'll feel a lot better than if we had dropped $1000 on it!

How to Win Friends and Influence People: Chapter 2

Principle 2: Give honest and sincere appreciation.

"Sigmund Freud said that everything you and I do springs from two motives: the sex urge and the desire to be great."

In the first part of chapter 2 Carnegie reminds us of the importance of the ego in personal communications.  Each person around us is trying his hardest to feel that he has done something of importance.  Some people have huge aspirations and others have more modest ones, but ultimately we are all seeking that confirmation.

For this reason, we should be careful when we interact with others.  We should let people know that they're doing a good job, and we should be sincere about it.

At the end of the chapter, Carnegie quotes Emerson saying, "Every man I meet is my superior in some way."  Imagine if we all lived this example, if we embraced the great lessons that every single person in our lives has to teach us.

Here's my challenge to you and me: the next time you are working with someone who you really don't like, reflect on what that person has to teach you.  When it's appropriate show them your appreciation, sincerely.

What Do You Need From Your Job?

I am currently reading Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, which explains Gladwell's theory of how people become extremely successful (think Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, John D. Rockefeller, etc.). The crux of Gladwell's theory is people must be innately talented to be highly successful, but they must also have the good fortune of a certain set of circumstances that will enable them to capitalize on their skills.  The book is a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it.

However, this post is about something that I read last night.  Gladwell says in the book:

"Those three things--autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward--are, most people agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying.  It is not how much money that we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five.  It's whether our work fulfills us."

I continued to think about this in the context of my side job editing papers.  Overall, I enjoy that job very much.  However, I sometimes find myself exasperated when I am working long hours on a challenging, poorly-written edit just to make the same amount of money as I would on a quick, engaging, well-written edit.  The reward does not always match the effort.

On the other hand, my editing job is sufficiently complex and gives me complete autonomy to decide when and where I want to work.  Those two factors prevent me from becoming completely exasperated by the lack of sufficient reward that I sometimes experience.

For now, I need to continue this job to make extra money.  Perhaps I can find a way to reward myself for the tough work to help me get through it when I'm frustrated.

Using these three criteria, how does your job measure up?  Are you satisfied with your work?  Is there something else that you need from a job to be happy?  Can you think of ways to give yourself more autonomy or complexity if your job doesn't provide these qualities?  If you are a boss, how can you provide your employees with jobs that have these three characteristics?  

Selling Old Jewelry

This week I did something that I've been putting off for almost a year: I sold my old jewelry.  I don't really wear jewelry, but I was gifted with several pieces that I thought might be worth something.  For months I procrastinated because of my own ignorance about the jewelry and because, for some reason, it felt kind of sleazy.

I had two sterling silver rings, an engagement ring  and two necklaces.  I thought that the silver rings would be pretty much worthless (they were), and that the engagement ring might be too since it was handed down to me from a relative when I was a teenager. As for the necklaces, I was clueless.

After doing some searches on the internet about selling jewelry, I devised my strategy. First I found the names of some local jewelry stores.  I was specifically looking for mom-and-pop places and not the chain stores.  I decided to check out two different jewelry stores and a pawn shop to get quotes with the plan to  sell to the highest bidder.  

The first place that I went to was very helpful.  The saleswoman confirmed that the silver rings were basically worthless.  She was also able to tell me that the engagement ring was not a diamond and that the band wasn't even real gold.  However, she did say that she could consign the two necklaces for me.  She felt that $100 was a good starting price for both and that the store would split the cost with me 50/50.  I was pleasantly surprised with that offer, but was interested to see what else I could get.  

I decided that another jewelry store would probably have a comparable price and that maybe I should check with the pawn shop next. There, I was offered $51 for the two necklaces together, but I declined.  At this point I was tired and over it, so I headed back to the first store and agreed to consign with them.  I probably should have checked one more store, but I am content with the decision that I made.  

All in all, the process was not that much of a hassle.  It did make me feel a little uncomfortable, but if I make some money from the necklaces it will have been well-worth the awkwardness.  I"ll keep you posted if the necklaces sell.  

Student Loan Update: Paying Off Interest

You probably have noticed that I borrowed a lot more money during my last year of medical school than in all of the other years.  I knew that I would have some pretty significant expenses this year (including residency application fees, traveling across the country for residency interviews, and potentially paying for a big move). I also received less scholarship and grant money this year.

I had a pretty sizable amount of money left over, so I paid off $7,314 of student loan interest this week.  By paying this off now I will prevent this interest from being capitalized when my repayment period starts in six months.  If I had been really smart, I would have done this every year so that I wouldn't have had to pay so much at once.

The unsubsidized loans will continue to accrue interest over the next six months, but my subsidized loans will be interest free until then.  Even though I have a six-month grace period, I am going to start making payments on the unsubsidized loans with my first paycheck in July.

How to Win Friends and Influence People: Chapter 1

I recently picked up the old classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie at the library.  I thought that it would be good to read before I start my job since I will be interacting with all kinds of people in various roles.  I decided to blog about the book as I read to reflect on the book a little more.

Chapter 1: "If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive"
Principle 1: Don't criticize, condemn, or complain

This chapter starts with a look at human nature.  We all like to believe that we are good people, and Carnegie explains that even career criminals like Al Capone believe that the things they do are well-intentioned.  Ultimately we do all that we can to preserve our pride, even if it means overlooking the mounds of evidence that show us that we have made a mistake.

Obviously because of this pride, we do not like to be criticized, especially in a way that ridicules us.  I can think of several times where I was publicly humiliated by someone.  Even if that person was correct in his criticism, the manner by which I was called out made me overlook my error and only feel resentment towards him.

Carnegie says, “Do you know someone you would like to change and regulate and improve?  Good!  I am all in favor of it.  But why not begin on yourself?  From a purely selfish standpoint, that is a lot more profitable than trying to improve others-yes, and a lot less dangerous.”

Withholding criticism is a challenge for me, especially with the people that I am closest to (my husband, family, and closest friends).  Most often, the things that I criticize others for are weaknesses of my own.  For example, I will criticize my husband for making a mess, but I am just as often making messes.

In the hospital I will be working with nursing and ancillary staff, my resident colleagues (in my own department and in other departments), and my attendings.  Under stress, it will be very easy to be critical of my coworkers.  It will be harder, but more productive, to be critical of myself and improve my own actions.

As I read this, I thought about giving feedback.  In many workplaces, giving and receiving feedback is an important tool used to improve the overall functions of the organization.  I will be receiving feedback from lots of different sources, and I will also be expected to give feedback.  How can I give useful feedback that is not critical?  I think that providing feedback about specific actions and expectations is helpful.  It is also important to set somebody up to succeed the next time if they have not met your expectations initially.

What do you think?  Do you have any advice for giving and/or receiving feedback?

Checking Off My Goals: Setting up Savings Accounts

This weekend I completed one of my Day Zero goals: setting up individual savings accounts.  I already have savings and checking accounts with Ally (which I love, by the way), but I wanted to have individual accounts for each of my goals so that I could track my progress.

This weekend I got on the computer and set up my accounts.  Specifically, I wanted accounts for an emergency fund, a car, and vacation.  When I start getting paid I will schedule automatic depots from my checking account to each of these accounts.

I am planning on funding the emergency fund slowly (like $100 a month slowly), contrary to the advice of most experts.  Interest rates on savings accounts are basically nothing right now, while my student loans are drawing almost 7% interest.  My employment is very stable, and I will have disability insurance in case something happens to me that prevents me from working.  Also, I know that I could rely on my parents if needed in a pinch.  Obviously, I wouldn't be excited about it, but they would be happy to help and I could pay them back over time.  Also, I am a renter.  I would feel much less comfortable with this plan if I owned a home.

I am not excited at all about the car fund.  Right now my husband and I share a car, and this has worked very well for us.  However, in a year he will begin a job that is an hour and half from mine.  We're going to move so that we can split the difference in the commute, but the move will force us to buy another car.  We have estimated how much we will need to buy a fuel-efficient used car in cash and have divided this number over 12 months to get our monthly savings requirements.

Unlike the car fund, I am very excited about the vacation fund.  I love to travel and am happy to stash away some money to satisfy my wanderlust.  Still, our vacation fund will be pretty modest.  We are planning on taking shorter, closer trips to minimize costs.  We will probably coordinate our trips with visits to see friends so that we can minimize our lodging expenses.

I'm prepared to get some flak about the emergency fund decision, but my husband and I feel comfortable with that decision for right now.  Maybe once we have purchased the car we can use the extra money in our budget to fund our emergency account more aggressively.

Goal-Setting

My new favorite goal-setting tool is Day Zero, an awesome website that I found through Bridget's blog.  Day Zero has a list called 101 Things in 1001 Days that allows you to set up a list of goals and monitor your progress.  I like that the time line is long enough to give you time to accomplish your goals but short enough that you don't push them off forever.

I started my Day Zero list on March 20th, and I have accomplished 5 of my 68 items (I still need to come up with some more).  Most of my goals are related to personal finance, travel, my career, and personal improvement.  I also have a few goals related to maintaining connections with friends and family, such as my goals to send birthday and Christmas cards.

This weekend I completed my goal to compete in a triathlon.  Three years ago I thought that completing a triathlon was something that I would never be able to accomplish.   At that point I didn't even think that I could finish a 5K run!  It was so rewarding to check that goal off my list-and to know that it won't be my last triathlon.  (Side note: there was an 87-year-old woman competing in the triathlon this weekend.  How's that for inspiring?!)

What are your goals?  Do you have any recommendations for goals (especially PF goals) that I should add to my list?

The Post Where I Add Up My Student Loan Debt

I have alluded to my student loan debt already; the Debt is one of the biggest reasons that I started this blog.  I wanted a place where I could put it all down in black and white (or red, ha!), set goals for myself, and track my progress.

I can already tell you that this is not going a blog about how I erase six figures (yes, SIX figures) of debt in some ridiculously short time frame, a la No More Harvard Debt.  It won't even be gone in four years.  It's going to be a long process that will require me to balance my debt aversion, having a life, and preparing for the future.

So without further ado...my student loans:



Ouch.

The upside?  I have no credit card debt, no car payment, and no mortgage.

How to Remember to Pack Underwear

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Recently, I was invited to a beach weekend with a group of my friends.  In my excitement I completely forgot to pack some pretty crucial items.  I mean underwear and toothbrush crucial.  Fortunately, you can buy underwear and toothbrushes anywhere these days!  However, I would could have saved myself a huge amount of hassle (and a little bit of money) if I had a go-to packing list for occasions like this.

This winter when I was flying all over the country interviewing for jobs I had a specific interview packing list.  It included the clothing for my pre-interview dinner, and my interview, as well as the toiletries and other specific items that I would need.  This list made packing very easy, and it allowed me to feel secure knowing that I had not forgotten anything.

The beach trip made me painfully aware of how little I can trust my own brain to remember even important things.  So, with that experience behind me, I am setting out to try to ensure that it never happens again.  Here is my beach trip packing list:

A weekend beach trip:

bathing suit(s)

cover-up

casual outfits for lounging around

dressier outfits for going out

pajamas

sandals/shoes

underwear

bras

socks

workout clothes

sunscreen/aloe gel

shampoo/conditioner/hair product/hair ties

face wash/moisturizer

toothbrush/toothpaste

body wash/soap

razor

lotion

medications

book

cards/board games

beach towel

cell phone/cell phone charger

tea bags (I am not a coffee drinker, so I take tea bags with me pretty much everywhere.)

snacks

I have easily adapted this list to help pack for weekend trips to visit my family.   I removed all of the beachy items (sunscreen, bathing suits) and added church clothing.  Also, I keep a running pile in my house of things to return to my mom. That "return-to-mom" pile is also on my list.  I have saved both of these lists into my Google Docs and will reference it from now on when I am packing for a trip.

The Best Work Advice You'll Ever Get

Okay, that's probably a stretch, but anyway....

This week I had the pleasure of grabbing dinner with a friend/mentor in the department that I am about to join.  This particular mentor has completed her residency and is now in the process of establishing her career as an attending.  We became friends because we had similar interests, and over the years I have found her advice to always be spot on.  I wanted to post some of the great advice that she gave me.  Even though she was clearly thinking about the hospital work environment, this advice is generalizable to lots of different workplaces.

1. Do the basics well.  Unfortunately medical training places a huge emphasis on the obscure, and sometimes trainees lose the forest for the trees.  It is better to perform the daily functions of your job well than to know every single random tidbit about your field.  Knowing that very rare complication of drug X is not very important if you can't actually order drug X correctly.  This year I am going to strive to write excellent notes, place accurate orders, and give good presentations.  All of the medical knowledge will come with time.

2. Triage every single day.  Be proactive and imagine the worst possible things that could go wrong.  Then specifically address those things first to keep them from happening.  In medicine this often means identifying the sickest patients and keeping a close watch on them.

3. Always get the full story.  It's very hard to make a management plan if you don't have the full history.  If things don't make sense, slow down or start over.  This hearkens back to #1.

4. Spend more time on the front end to save time later.  Spend time every morning planning the day.  Get a good history now so that you're not trying to chase it down later.  Establish good personal organization systems.

5. Don't get sucked into drama.  Patients will lie to you and ignore your advice.  Colleagues will inevitably screw up.  Once it has happened, move on and get work done.  When others complain don't get pulled down into the fray.  Surround yourself with positive people.

6.  Establish a healthy routine for dealing with immediate stress.  This routine should provide a physical practice to associate with relief of the stressor.  For example, when something bad happened one physician would wash his hands, figuratively removing the problem and allowing it to run down the drain.  It is better to spend some time dealing with your anger or stress in a way that works for you than to take it out on someone else.

I thought that all of this was really excellent advice, and I am excited to implement it into my routine.

April Updates and May Goals

After a very quick week, I'm here to let you know how I did with my April goals:

1. Make $250 dollars of side income - Done!  I have a pretty sweet side-hustle where I edit papers when I have time.  I can work from home, and I can decline work if I'm too busy.  It's probably the best side job ever.  In April, I only had a short amount of time to work because I was out of the country for most of the month, but I did make $259.50.  I like to set income goals for myself with this job.  It really motivates me to work harder and to keep pushing myself to take extra work.

2. Complete residency paperwork - Fail.  Big fail.  Well, I've actually completed a lot of the paperwork, I just haven't finished the 83459357 online training modules that go with it or actually faxed the paperwork that I have done.  Is anyone else completely helpless when it comes to the fax machine?  It baffles me how much trouble I have with that damn contraption.

3. Resume training for the triathlon that is coming up soon - You could say that I have resumed my training if you count working out twice in the last two weeks.  I could be doing better.

4. Complete a wardrobe inventory - Done!  See my post about it here!

5. Sell books to the local used bookstore - Nope.  Today though!  It is a May 1st goal.

6. Read up on disability insurance - I didn't get around to this either, so it will get added to my May goals.

May is going to be an exciting month.  I am graduating from medical school, preparing to move to a new apartment, and will generally be relaxing a little bit before the craziness of intern year begins.  Here are my goals for May:

1. Make $500 of side income -  This will be challenging (because I have several other big commitments this month) but doable.  I will need to set aside time every morning to get some work done.

2. Finish the residency paperwork AND the modules - Stepping it up, folks!

3. Set up individual savings accounts for my different savings goals.

4. Create monthly meal plans with grocery lists to use during residency.  I'm trying to make my life as organized and easy as possible for internship.

5. Hem the new skirt that I got at the clothing swap.

6. Fill out student loan repayment paperwork.

7. Sell books to the used bookstore.

7. Read up on disability insurance.