The Caroline's thing is sweet, Erika.

The voiceover reel is even sweeter -- I'm being "groomed" a bit and all that. By a casting director of some note who needs comedic women and is tired of hearing reels he thinks are crap.

Oh, and if Richard Belzer's hair has gone white I saw him in a health food store today.

I should maybe have added that I also don't have credit card debt. My stupidity is savings vs things that might well make me more money but are riskier.

eta:

David, I'm not sure what your friend is getting at about relative ease of access. I have more credit card credit than I could ever pay off if I actually used it. If I used it all, I would have a hard time paying the interest payments. However, I could take some of the money that I'm not paying to someone else in interest payments and save it, so for me, savings is easier and less risky than credit.

In other words, this is me.

My stupidity is savings vs things that might well make me more money but are riskier.

His point is that risk can be calculated (in dollar amounts) and that your return (including the financial ability to absorb emergencies) is much, much higher with investments over savings.

He's such a Spock and so logical about it, I don't know if his advice will ping people who are dealing with an emotional or fearful relationship to money (as most people do). But I truly believe that he understands finance better than conventional wisdom.

Because ultimately finance is only odds - just like a casino. The numbers will play out.

Jack Chick comic

Why do I always forget what those are until I've clicked?

I guess these are the factors I see in choosing to empty your savings to pay off credit.

1) paying off credit cards frees up cash - that you can use to for day to day life. very good.

1a) empty CC - gives room in an emergency

2) if today you pay off your credit card and tomorrow you have to buy tires ( 600.00 for my car) how many months would you take it you to pay it off? one or two - a good deal. three or four, then the odds maybe be that you need to leave an emergency amount in savings.

here is my new thought based on the idea that too much credit card debt is bad, but a small amount of revolving credit might help you in the long run. sort of modified from the person Stephanie was talking about a couple of weeks ago and the stuff that is being suggested by David's friend.

assuming that you have a savings account - how much has it fluctuated over the last year? None - throw it all at your CC now, you aren't using it. But say it fluctuates by - oh lets just pick an arbitrary number- 4000.00 dollars - that's what should be in your emergency fund.

Trudy , DH wants to know, which captain Jack?

What fruits other than apple have lots of water and lots of fibre?

I think pears may be pretty high in fiber. They're certainly watery. And nummy.

Am I the only one who thinks Mike Birbiglia is cute as a button?

Why do I always forget what those are until I've clicked?

Heh. I mean, sorry. After I posted, I was thinking, "I hope everyone knows what Jack Chick comics are...."

His point is that risk can be calculated (in dollar amounts) and that your return (including the financial ability to absorb emergencies) is much, much higher with investments over savings.

This it probably true, but it is also true that a) am in an industry where pension plan contributions by the employers is the norm, b) that industry means I don't have quite as much freedom with investments as most people do because of conflict of interest rules, c) I will have other money coming in from elsewhere before retirement, and d) I am lazy and risk adverse.

I also have Mr. Kiplings' Mini apple pies, but that's beside the point.

Trudy , DH wants to know, which captain Jack?

Harkness. I've been practicing it. Apparently its gotten pretty good.

Yeah, again - I think he's probably got the numbers on his side, but "no need for savings - just tap into your investments" isn't actually all that practical for a lot of us.