Small Change (19 page)

“She married a truck driver from Seattle. They own this restaurant together.”

“She has a very traditional name. You don't. What's that about?” Rachel couldn't help asking.

Chad's easy smile tightened. “It was my grandfather's name. My mother picked it in the hopes that it would make up for her marrying a Latino instead of a white guy.”

“Oh.” This was uncomfortable territory, but Rachel pressed on. “Did it?”

“Nope. My dad had his own landscaping business, but in my grandfather's eyes he was always nothing more than ‘the gardener.' ”

Rachel found her cheeks warming as she remembered that was exactly what she had thought Chad was when she first saw him.

He saw the blush and managed a half-bitter smile. “Latino guy: gardener or illegal.” He shrugged. “Stereotypes happen.”

Rachel sighed. “Yes, they do. You forgot another important one though.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Hot Latin lover.” She blushed a little as she said it, remembering how well he'd demonstrated the truth of that particular perception.

He smiled. “I like that one.”

“Me, too,” she said shyly, and he reached across the table and held her hand. “Thanks for bringing me here to meet your sister.”

“I brought you here because the food's good. And I can get a free meal,” he said with a grin.

“No wonder you weren't worried about washing dishes.”

“I was only kidding. I'm paying for the meal. It's important for family to help each other. I want to see my sister stay in business.”

Their waiter arrived with two margaritas in glasses big enough to swim in. “My God,” said Rachel, looking at hers. “If I drink all this I'll be dancing on my lips. Are you trying to get me drunk so you can seduce me?” she teased.

“Do you really think I need you drunk to do that?” he teased back.

There he sat, looking at her with those gorgeous brown eyes. “Absolutely not.”

Later, as he moved her around the dance floor to the rhythms of a hot Latin band, teaching her how to salsa, her skin burning at the touch of his hand, she knew she was going to invest her whole heart in this man. She only hoped it turned out to be a safe investment.

SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE

Rachel's Money-Saving Tips

Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog. I love all the great money saving tips you're sharing here. You're proving my theory that small changes in our money habits can make a big difference in our lives. Here are the latest tips I've come up with. I hope they help.

♦ Pay Less for Services

Bartering can save you a ton of money. If you have a skill like cutting hair or cake decorating, you may be able to trade your services for someone else's. If you have a vacation home, do a house swap with someone living in a locale you'd like to visit. If you have small children, trade childcare services with other mothers in your circle of friends.

♦ Pay Less for Your House

Most homeowners wind up paying almost double the cost of their house due to interest. There are two basic ways to knock years
off your mortgage payments. Some lenders may not do this, so ask your bank or mortgage company for details. (They'll be sooo happy to talk to you. Not.)

1. Make one extra mortgage payment per year. In other words make thirteen payments instead of twelve. Tell your lender to apply this extra payment toward the principal.
   
2. Divide your mortgage payment in half and pay that amount twice a month. (For instance, a 30-year mortgage at 5% (fixed rate) on a $300,000 loan would require a monthly payment of about $1600.00; half of that would, obviously, be $800.00, paid twice a month.) This amounts to twenty-four $800 payments per year. With this option, you don't pay any extra to the bank as you do in option number one, but you reduce the number of years you pay your loan. (In banking terms this is called reducing the life of your loan.) You reduce the life of your loan because every $800 payment reduces the principal amount of your loan and thus reduces the amount of interest you ultimately pay. So, how much might you save by doing this? Let's go back to the 30-year mortgage at 5% (fixed rate) on a $300,000 loan with a $1600.00 per month loan payment. Using either method one or two you could save around fifty thousand dollars. You can save a lot more if your mortgage amount and/or your interest rate is higher. Now, that's worth making a call to your friendly lender.
   

♦ Pay Less for Your Car

Yes, that new car smell is great, but a new car drops in value the minute you drive it off the lot. Plus you wind up with car payments. For those of you who didn't get in on the Cash For Clunkers
program, you can still find a bargain by purchasing your vehicle from a private party. Check online and in your local paper. Always take someone with you who can check major things like engines and brakes.

♦ Pay Less for Your Food

When you eat out you're not only paying for food. You're paying for ambiance and for someone else to make your chicken parmesan or your turkey sandwich. Neither one is difficult to make, so stay home and do it yourself. If you want to enjoy a treat and support your local restaurant, go out for lunch, which is less expensive. Or meet a friend for dessert and share something decadent. Many restaurants offer great food bargains during happy hour. They make their money on the drinks, so buy one and stop there.

To make the most of eating in, check the weekly in-store specials at your local grocery store and plan your meals around them, including meals that will promptly use up the leftovers. Plan meals ahead for at least a week and always stick to your list when you go into the grocery store. Also, be sure to plant edibles in your flower beds. All right, I admit, I have a black thumb, and I used to hate gardening. But I'm changing my wicked ways because I'm realizing what I grow in my flower beds can supplement what I buy in the grocery store and save me money! Rhubarb tucks in nicely. Rosemary is great in rockeries and you can use it in everything from chicken to biscuits. Blueberry bushes add color and interest … and affordable antioxidants.

♦ Pay Less for Your Fun

Fun doesn't always have to center on spending large amounts of money in theaters or restaurants. Opt for game nights and potlucks
with friends. Host a chick poker night. Get together with the girls and learn how to play poker, but don't gamble for money. Gamble for chocolate. A bag of Hershey's Kisses isn't much to spend on an evening out! (I did this the other night with my neighbors. I now know the difference between a full house and a royal flush—as long as I have my cheat sheet next to me. And the good news is, I don't think I even gained a pound in spite of all the chocolate I consumed because I'm sure I laughed off every calorie!)

If you've got cabin fever, check out your community calendar either online or in the paper. You will find plenty of free concerts, movies in the park, and other activities to keep your life interesting and your fun affordable.

Your public library is another great resource. In addition to books, you can also borrow CDs and movies. Public libraries also offer classes and bring in interesting speakers, so check your local branch to see what's happening.

♦ Pay Less for Everything

Everything goes on sale eventually. What you don't find on sale you can pick up at garage sales. (Just ask my friend Tiffany!) Buy your clothes at 50% off (at least) at the end of each season and store away for the next year. The best time to buy your wardrobe for next winter is the end of January and beginning of February. The best summer bargains can be found in August. (If you want to be instantly current with styles buy one piece of jewelry to update.) Start your Christmas shopping in January and February when stores have their biggest markdowns. Buying ahead, on sale, is also the best way to stock up on birthday presents and hostess gifts. Also keep your eyes out at garage sales for new items you can tuck away to give as wedding and shower presents. Whether you're at a garage sale or
in a department store, don't be afraid to dicker. Someone trying to get rid of unwanted clutter will often take less simply to see the junk gone. Stores also need to move merchandise, so ask, especially if you find an item that has a minor flaw, like an article of clothing with a ripped seam. If a clerk doesn't have the authority to give you a markdown, ask to speak with the manager.

The next time you're itching to do some online shopping, check out the Goodwill auction site, which offers all kinds of house hold goods at secondhand prices. (Great news for all of you who don't have access to good secondhand stores. Goodwill is only a click away!)

Get your facials and manicures at vocational technical schools. (Don't worry, we won't tell Tiffany.) When money is tight this is a great way to still look good (and feel good) for only pennies. When the money is flowing again, though, remember to support your local businesses and help other women pay their bills.

Don't forget about coupons. These days you can visit any number of online sites and print out coupons for whatever you need.

♦ Never Put off Paying Tomorrow What You Can Pay Today

In other words, pay cash. Not only does this save you from falling into the credit card trap (where you will remain until the end of the world), it helps you remain prudent in your spending. When you pay cash you see your money disappearing before your very eyes. When you whip out the plastic you don't always make the connection between your purchase and your dwindling checking account.

T
he Small Change Club was now officially meeting on Saturday afternoons, and this Saturday the three friends were in Tiffany's kitchen, making jam from their freshly picked rasp-berries.

Tiffany had assured herself several times that she was having a great day. It was actually her birthday. She was now twenty-five.

And separated from her husband and childless. Some happy birthday. She'd gotten a card from her parents, signed by her mom, of course, with a check for fifty dollars enclosed. “Have a wonderful birthday, sweetie,” Mom had written.

She always told her mom everything, but so far she hadn't been able to bring herself to make that call, even though she knew she'd get plenty of sympathy. She didn't want sympathy. She wanted her life back. She wanted Brian back, even though he obviously didn't want her. How pathetic was that!

She'd only heard from him once since their not-so-close encounter on the street, and that had been the message he'd left on
her voice mail telling her not to worry. He was taking care of paying the mortgage and utilities. There had been no call from him this morning, which was just as well. She couldn't even imagine what they'd say to each other.

Cara and Iris had a cake and balloons for her at the salon the day before, and she'd pretended to be happy, like she was doing now.

“I'm not sure this is saving us any money,” Jess observed, pulling the giant pot of bubbling berries, sugar, and pectin from the burner. “Jars and seals and sugar—a jar of jam doesn't cost that much at the store.”

“Of course we're saving money,” Rachel insisted. “The berries were free. Remember? And we'll reuse a lot of the jars. Plus we've got a start on Christmas.”

“I know my son will love getting a little basket of jams,” Jess retorted.

“Your mother-in-law will,” said Rachel. “Speaking of sons, what's the latest with Mikey?”

Jess smiled. “He and Michael made up, thank God. Michael actually called and apologized to him. He even admitted he'd forgotten how hard it is to hunt for a job.

“So is Mikey moving back?” asked Rachel as they ladled jam into jars.

Jess's smiled faded. “No. He's still staying with his friend.” She heaved a sigh. “It's probably just as well. I hate to admit it, but I think maybe we made it too easy for him letting him hang out at home. Mikey seems more motivated now. He's actually going to some temp agencies on Monday. Hopefully, that will work better for him than it did for me.”

“With a degree in business, it should,” said Rachel. “It looks like life is improving for all of us.” Tiffany could tell she was sorry
the minute the words were out of her mouth. “I mean financially,” she added, looking apologetically at Tiffany. “And speaking of finances, how are your bids going?”

Okay, here was something Tiffany didn't have to pretend to be happy about. “Awesome. I made seven hundred dollars!”

“Whoa,” breathed Jess. “What can I sell?”

“What a great way to start whittling down those credit cards,” said Rachel. “That is something to celebrate.”

It looked like that was all they were celebrating today. Neither of her friends had said anything about her birthday, even though she'd been hinting all week. Tiffany turned back to finish sealing jars.

“Speaking of celebrations,” said Rachel, “someone has a birthday today and we have a cake from Sweet Somethings.”

“Your favorite,” added Jess as Rachel pulled out a pink cardboard cake box from her pantry. “Lemon poppy seed.”

“Aw, you remembered. You two are the best.” Everyone had remembered except Brian. Well, he'd probably remembered. He just didn't care anymore. She blinked back tears, determined not to ruin her friends' sweet gesture.

Rachel lit the candles. “Okay, Jess, you sing ‘Happy Birthday.' I can't carry a tune.” Jess obliged and Rachel added, “Make a wish.”

Tiffany closed her eyes and wished for all her bills to be paid off. At least it was something she had a hope of making come true.

As soon as she'd blown out the candles, Jess said, “And now, do you want to know what else we're doing to celebrate?”

“There's more?”

“We're going out tonight to hear Jess's band,” Rachel announced.

She wouldn't be alone on her birthday. “Awesome.”

“Wear your dancing shoes,” said Jess as Rachel handed Tiffany a piece of cake.

Tiff took a bite of the cake. The lemon frosting melted in her mouth. Oh, yeah, this was going to be a good birthday after all.

“What are you doing right now?” Chad asked.

Rachel propped her cell phone between her ear and shoulder and walked to her closet to pull out her black top. “I'm getting ready to go hear my friend Jess play with her new band.”

“Sounds like you need an escort.”

“I have an escort.”

“Who? I'll have to beat him up.”

“Tiffany.”

“So, you'll be out clubbing with your girlfriends?”

“Yes, I will. And dancing and picking up men,” she teased. As if any man could compete with the hot moves Chad had showed her on the dance floor.

“Picking up men, huh? Where is this club?”

She told him, pretending she had no suspicion why he asked.

“I think I might have to show up to make sure no one comes along and steals your heart.”

“Smart man,” she teased. “Actually, I'd love it if you came. I want you to meet my friends.”

“I'll see you later, then,” he said.

Sure enough, The Red Hots were finishing up their second set when Chad made his way between the tightly packed tables in the dark little hole in the wall to where Rachel and Tiffany sat, nursing drinks. Actually, Rachel was nursing her drink. Tiff was already on her third.

He slipped into a chair next to Rachel and gave her a kiss and Tiffany pointed at him. “Oh, my gosh. It's … you.”

“Yes, it is,” he agreed.

Tiffany's delicately penciled eyebrows took an angry dip. “I thought this was going to be just the girls,” she said to Rachel.

“I wanted to come by and meet Rachel's friends,” Chad said smoothly. “Can you make me an honorary girl for the night?”

“I guess,” Tiff said grudgingly. “It's my birthday,” she informed him. “We're celebrating. I thought it was just the girls,” she repeated, and frowned at Rachel.

The cocktail waitress arrived and Chad ordered a Scotch on the rocks.

“No more for me,” said Tiffany grumpily. “It's no fun to drink alone.”

“So, what are we, chopped liver?” Rachel retorted.

Jess joined them now, eyes shining. “Okay, guys, what do you think?”

“You're great,” said Tiffany. “An all-girl band, that's awesome. Who needs men?”

Okay, this was getting embarrassing. “She's having some problems with her husband,” Rachel explained to Chad. “She's not usually like this.”

“I'm probably going to be like this for the rest of my life,” Tiff said, gazing into her glass.

Jess ignored her as if she was a naughty child, instead turning her attention to Chad. “I'm Rachel's neighbor, Jess Sharp.”

“I've heard a lot about you. Both of you,” Chad added, including Tiffany.

“You'd better not break her heart,” warned Tiff. “She already had one man do that, you know. You're all bastards.”

“That is an opinion not shared by everyone at this table,” said Jess. “Not even Tiffany. Don't let her have any more mudslides,” she said to Rachel.

“I don't want any more,” Tiffany retorted irritably.

Jess ignored her again, saying to Chad, “I love the new color you painted the house.”

“Thanks.”

“My husband is the biggest bastard of them all,” said Tiffany, and downed the last of her drink.

The cocktail waitress arrived with Chad's drink. He paid and gave her a hefty tip, surprising Rachel. For a man who didn't have any money, Chad Alvarez was a big tipper.

Jess saw her bandmates starting for the stage. “I guess I'd better get back to work,” she said, rising. “Thanks for coming, guys.”

Chad stood, politely, seeing her on her way.

A moment later the music started again with Jess singing Alicia Keys' “Everything's Gonna Be Alright.” “Want to dance?” he asked Rachel.

“Go ahead,” said Tiff, her voice dripping with resentment. “Have fun.”

“This really wasn't one of my better ideas,” Rachel said, once Chad had her in his arms. She looked over to their table. Tiffany was pouting now. Even pouting, she looked cute and a guy in a baseball cap and a Mariner's shirt was already pulling up a chair next to her. “She's not normally like this, really.”

“I understand hurt, don't worry. Everybody has to work through their shit in their own way.” He planted a kiss behind Rachel's ear, making her shiver.

She understood hurt, too. It turned a woman into a raging river of bitter tears. She didn't want to go there ever again. But where was
this relationship taking her? She wished she knew. Then she'd know whether to bail out now or chance the rapids. Chad's arm skimmed her back, heating her skin. Surely, surely this was too right to go wrong.

Tiffany decided to stop being a pill. It was no fun being a pill on your birthday. Better to have fun. Break hearts. She clapped and cheered for Jess. She ordered another drink. And she danced. And danced. And danced. “You know,” she told her new number-one fan, taking his hat off and putting it on her head, “Tonight's my birthday and I'm all alone.”

“Well, I can change that if you want.”

“I don't know what I want anymore,” she muttered, punctuating her observation with a hiccup.

“Do you want another drink, birthday girl?”

“No, that's okay,” said Rachel, appearing out of nowhere and giving the guy the stink eye. “She's had enough to drink. It's time to go home.”

That was easy for Rachel, Tiffany thought as her friend hauled her off. Rachel had a home, with children. All Tiffany had was a house.

And it was dark and uninviting. No Jeep in the driveway, which meant she had no husband waiting to make up. She wished she'd remembered to leave a light on as she fumbled for the front hall light switch. There was something so creepy about an empty, dark house.

Suddenly she realized her house wasn't empty. A solitary figure was coming toward her in the dark.