They’re selling the frozen lambchops in the freezer!
This charming anecdote from an LA Times article about estate sales reminded me about the time I went to an end-of-life tag sale and found them selling all the non-prescription pharmaceuticals, including a half used tube of toothpaste. There were pictures of what appeared to be grandchildren in frames for sale too, and all I could think was “someone really ...Read more.Quick! The Retired Will Work Cheap Too
I decided to not write about Sue Shellenbarger’s most recent Tuesday column when I first read it. I was sure I was overreacting, my fury was so great. So I waited till today and, guess what? It’s even worse than I thought: Lots of employers would like to be able to hire cheap, temporary teams of ...Read more.We Survived Birthdaypalooza
Well, we had about twenty children in the house (if you count siblings) to celebrate Luke’s birthday and seem to have survived the experience. A few lessons learned: If there is a way to host a birthday party for under $600 and not MC it yourself, I’ve yet to discover it. We did not save a dime by ...Read more.The More Things Change
I really, really wish I could buy this New York Times article about how the Facebook generation is turning out to be more open about their personal finances than their predecessors, as I am one of those folks who believes that the American tradition of silence about our incomes and personal finances is one of the main contributors ...Read more.The Age of Lust is Giving Birth
I’ve always been a bacon-and-eggs sort of gal, a habit I have no doubt will ensure I don’t make it to 100, but otherwise gives me great enjoyment in the mornings. But apparently my protein habit had another consequence. The New York Post reported yesterday — just in time for my younger son’s fifth birthday — ...Read more.Spring is Here
I looked out my back window this morning and could no longer see the Hudson River. The trees now have enough leaves to block my view till late next fall....Read more.A New Low in Children’s Entertainment
We have a new way of passing the time in my house. We discovered an Alvin and the Chipmunks (or “chickmunks” as my almost-five year old says) version of Funkytown on You-Tube. We put it on and dance....Read more.From Publishers Weekly ….
A review of The Maternal is Political: The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change Edited by Shari MacDonald Strong, foreword by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. Seal, $15.95 paper (280p) ISBN 978-1-58005-243-6 In a raw and emotional literary anthology, 30 women express their frustrations about motherhood, their disappointment with unsupportive work ...Read more.Best Comment of the Week
This gets handed out to a fellow mom at my younger son’s nursery school who must remain anonymous. We were sitting next to one another last night at the annual fundraising auction for our forever financially challenged play program. The item up for a bid was an evening with an extremely connected media personage who covers the world of ...Read more.I am officially sick of the mommy wars
I am officially sick of the mommy wars. This thought occurred to me while I was reading a conversation on Salon with noted novelist Meg Wolitzer. She has a new book out, called The Ten-Year Nap and it about … oh, let’s say a group of moms so we don’t have to discuss it any ...Read more.About Helaine Olen
I am the voice of The Bills, a column about the intersection of money and life, at Slate. At Inc., I contribute to the Spread the Wealth personal finance column. My work on politics, economics, workplace culture and women’s issues has been published in numerous other print and on-line publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Salon, Pacific Standard, and The Los Angeles Times, where I wrote and edited the popular “Money Makeover” feature.
I'm the author of the critically acclaimed book Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry, and The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to be so Complicated, which I co-wrote with Harold Pollack.
What else? I’m a passionate bibliophile, a fan of 1970s pop music and a lover of rummage sales. I live in New York City.
Read More...