Baby We Were Born to Run

Birdstud (a neighbor to the park) recently posted...
an interesting comment, wherein he asked, should dogs be allowed to run free in the park, signs be damned. (Yes, that is an actual photo of the actual sign in Enderis Park. I saw this discussion coming.)

As I was told, by a dog owner, not an EPNA representative, the official position on dogs in the park is they ARE allowed off-leash for a half-hour in the morning. Sadly, I do not know which half-hour that is, despite once being told. My wife can attest, I usually must be told more than once and it is best to stand directly in front of the television when doing so.

Are dog owners ignoring the sunrise clause?
I have seen dogs unleashed at all hours of the day in the park, albeit without incident, and it's my belief that currently there is a mixed message and not enough communication. (Someone should start a blog to discuss these things.) The sign obviously says "dogs on leash only", but I believe my neighbor when she says she and others were given permission to release the hounds around sunrise. The problem comes from a select few knowing about the revamped dog rules in Enderis Park. Those without dogs see a clear violation of the sign. Those with dogs see others "flouting the law" and feel emboldened to run their dogs at all hours of the day. So what's the solution?

I do not want to anger the dog lobby.
Despite pumping millions of dollars into the political machine, they also organize hits on journalists and anyone that opposes them (kidding). But dog-walkers love their dogs and as Springsteen said, "Baby, [dogs] are born to run." I think they should be given the opportunity via a special time. The current arrangement seems fair, so long as people know about it and can avoid the park at that time AND other dog-walkers don't abuse the privilege by unleashing outside the prescribed time. Communication seems key. I feel a newsletter article coming.

Yet another solution.
I don't know what effect unleashed dogs have on the local bird population, a subject seemingly near and dear to Birdstud, whose comment inspired this post, but I assume it ain't good. Additionally, unleashed dogs could potentially harm the many children, squirrels, adult residents and fire hydrants who love the park, but let's face it, those children, squirrels and adult residents (I'm giving the hydrants a pass, here) could also do harm to their neighbors. So I propose the following...birds, squirrels, children and adults must all be leashed when enjoying the park, except at the specified "unleashed hour" right around sunrise. Fair is fair.

What do you think?
There are many rules in Enderis Park regarding dogs, people, alcohol and charcoal grills. Some of those rules get broken...usually without incident and in a way that furthers enjoyment of the park. I often see violations, but hold my tongue unless they are dangerous or incredibly annoying for fear the park will become less free and less enjoyable when someone wants to limit the activities I enjoy. I encourage you to speak up in the comments section. By the way, this blog is not the property of the EPNA, nor do I express their opinions. These opinions are mine, not theirs. Now, I'm off to try out my new driver at Enderis, I bet I can hit the pavilion from Hadley. Any takers? (And yes, golf is strictly forbidden in Enderis Park and ruthlessly enforced. I was screamed at once just for thinking about golf.)

Save a Mint with Free Budgeting Software

Perhaps the most annoying thing about trying to make and keep a budget is the time and money it takes. The main point of a budget is to save money...saving a little time is also a nice thing. Who wants to go over excel spreadsheets all day? Okay, maybe some people like doing that, but for those of you who don't, I suggest you check out Mint.com to get your finances under control. I've been using Mint.com for over a year now and here's why I like it:

It's feature-rich, even if you're dirt poor

• It's Free. Just sign up, enter your information and you get all the functions of Mint's robust budgeting applications.
• It does (almost) all the work. Your initial visit represents the most work you will need to do. Simply enter your account numbers and Mint will keep track of all your expenditures. Each time you log in, Mint will automatically update your accounts: that includes your savings, checking, credit cards, loans, cd's, stocks...you get the point, all of your accounts.
• You won't get the runaround. With all of your accounts collected in one place, you no longer need to check multiple sites to get your balances. All your accounts in one place allows you to focus on your expenses, offering you a clearer picture of your finances.
• Budgeting tools are fun and easy to use. Besides a list view of all your transactions, which allows you to categorize each expense, Mint offers graphical representations of your spending habits, making it easy to zero in on each area of your budget. You can easily see what you spend on utilities, food, entertainment, etc. This is crucial in helping to identify ways to cut cost.
• A gentle nudge from Mint. Mint features email reminders to alert you to upcoming bills. This is especially handy if you don't use automatic withdrawal. Eliminating late fees has got to be one of the easiest ways to cut costs - Mint will email, or text you each time your important bills are due, so you can stop worrying about them.
• Helpful hints from Mint. Mint also identifies areas you can save by displaying savings, checking and credit card plans that offer more favorable interest rates and fees than your current plans. Again, you don't have to search, they are all posted to your mint.com page.
• Knowledge is power. Mint also has the power to balance the value of your assets against your obligations. Have you ever been able to tell, in 30 seconds, what your net worth is? I can.

How Mint Saved Me
I was recently laid-off for a period of three months. On my first day of being jobless, I went through every transaction for the previous three months and brainstormed over 30 ways to cut my expenses. By enacting these measures, I managed to weather the financial storm and my wife and I actually ended up BANKING MONEY during my three months of unemployment.

How do I know we banked money?
I was able to see what we spent and what we made using Mint's budget analysis graphs, and it only took a moment. Expenses can be separated by categories and time periods. I also used Mint's budgeting goals tools to set limits for key expense areas, such as food and entertainment.

Mint motivated me to be prepared.
Nearly a year before I was laid-off, I read an article about the necessity of an emergency fund: it protects you against job loss and unforeseen expenses. An emergency fund should cover 3-6 months of your salary, or, if you prefer, 3-6 months of your expenses. At that point, I had little knowledge of my financial health. After using Mint, I realized we barely had enough savings to cover one month of unemployment. It was eye-opening. Using Mint, I was able to track and motivate the establishment of my emergency fund - which was fully funded by the time of my unemployment. Ironically, Mint also negated the need for an emergency fund by allowing me to proactively cut costs during the coldest winter of the recession. We never dipped into our savings, but knowing the fund was there made life a lot easier.

Speak up Enderis. Do you have a budget? An emergency fund? What do you use to monitor your expenses and how do you like it? Have you had similar experience? I and your neighbors would like to know.

Cheap at Twice the Price

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday the 4th) is National Night Out, a program designed to strengthen community - police relations, encourage neighborhood spirit and send the message that fear, crime and violence have no place in our neighborhood.

All excellent reasons to participate in National Night Out, but for me, a cheapskate at heart, the best reason is FREE LIGHT BULBS! The Enderis Park Neighborhood Association promotes National Night Out by giving away free fluorescent light bulbs to use for your porch. Studies have shown well-lit neighborhoods have less crime - so the idea is to get your free bulbs and turn on your porch light every night. Who knows, maybe you'll see your neighbor while your putting up your bulb. It's not too late to get your light bulb. Call Kathy Grothe at 774-1898.

How can we make our neighborhood more safe?
Light bulbs are a great place to start, but how can we make our neighborhood more safe? I'm sure you must have some ideas and I'd like to hear them. We've come a long way already by taking down the basketball hoops at night and placing the radar speed display on 68th street. What else can/should we do? Speak up Enderis.