Dear Longs

Dear Longs,

I’m breaking up with you. I found a new drugstore and his name is Walgreens. He gives me what I need and sometimes what I want.

Longs is a cultural institution in Hawai’i. Lee Cataluna wrote a great play and then short story collection called Folks You Meet at Longs. The book highlights the local people who meet & talk story at Longs. But Longs, while a Hawai’i institution, has never offered loss leader deals like Walgreens does. For years, Longs has had a captive clientele as the only pharmacy chain in the islands. As such, it never had to price their stock competitively. So it did what many retail chains here in Hawai’i do (yeah, K-mart, I’m talkin’ to you)–they withheld many of the perks offered to Longs shoppers on the U.S. continent. Hawai’i residents are, in effect, punished for living in the islands. Okay, maybe that is harsh. I understand that we have to pay the shipping/airfare for nearly every nonconsumable sold in stores but, Longs, please understand that I have to make the numbers in my budget work every month and its getting harder and harder to do that. Even when Longs was recently bought out by CVS, one of the biggest pharmacy chains in the U.S., no change in prices, discount/rebate programs. Nothing.

On the other hand, new chains coming into the islands are offering mainland prices on many products. Like my new boyfriend, Walgreens. And I’m sure I’m going to fall in love with Target once I get inside one here on Oahu. Perhaps Wags understands that once I’m in their store to pick up the Kleenex on sale, I’ll get some other things and drop off my prescription as well. So that’s why I’m leaving you, Longs. Walgreens treats me with the respect I crave as a consumer and I can afford to shop there as well.

Hawai’i can be Pono if not Frugal

I’ve been thinking about all the ways that we save money living here on Oahu. While that doesn’t mean we’re socking away huge wads of cash, we have some things here that we wouldn’t have on the mainland. And we are able to do things here that we wouldn’t do if we lived in the continental U.S. When people come to “paradise” and move beyond the honeymoon stage, it is easy for them to complain about what can’t be had here. I’ve done that myself more than once (and I’ll probably blog about that since I think its a bit of a conspiracy) but try actively not to do that these days. As @AlohaArleen has said many times on Twitter, we have much to be grateful for here:

1. Nearly year-round similar weather. This means no bi-annual switching of winter and summer clothes. Further, nearly every day of the year, my kids run around in shorts and slippers (you non-islanders would call them thongs or flip-flops). We don’t buy heavy coats and only own a few things that are long-sleeved.

2. Excellent growing weather year-round. Because of the recession, gardening has taken off in our neighborhood. We grow papayas and mango (mango season will be upon us in a couple of months, can’t wait!). Our neighbors grow a ton of yummy vegetables and herbs and they hand them off to us on a weekly basis. We used to vegetable garden using the square foot gardening method but we had a bad run of bugs and birds. We do all right bartering with our gardening neighbors. At least twice a week, I include fresh garden veggies in our meals.

3. The beach is always free and we try to use it a lot. Yes, we go to the beach to swim and get a bit of sun but we also have cook-outs, take walks, go kayaking or snorkeling and just park by the shore to witness the majesty of the ocean. I love the smell of salt water and nature’s reminder that my problems are pretty insignificant within the larger scheme of things.

4. Outside activities are year-round, barring rain, and so our family is much more active here than we have been while living on the mainland.

5. We consciously upgraded the quality of our life when we moved here. We both work 10 walking minutes away so that we are able to juggle our schedules pretty easily around our family and activities. We only use one vehicle and DH uses a scooter for daily transportation.

In short, we traded off a lot of things when we moved here such as regular visits with extended family and a cheaper cost of living. But we also feel that what we have gained in terms of the quality of our family life provides us balance in a way mainland living never did. And if we look hard enough, we can save money here. Much of it depends on perspective–which is always free.

New Rules for Whale Watching

This kind of article cracks me up. It announces that a group of Pacific regional govt representatives have developed new rules for whale-watching in order to protect the mammals. But they don’t tell you what they are . . .

http://kgmb9.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15618&Itemid=76

Sharing Sunday

Okay, its 3am here and I’m up because the dog (otherwise known as Chevy the Super Dog) had to go outside to do his business. I suspect he’s afraid of the dark because he barks until someone (why is it always me?) gets up to take him out even though he’s capable of using the doggie door by himself during the day. So I’m keeping Chevy the Super Dog company while he relieves himself (I always try to look away during the crucial moments so that he’ll retain his self-respect–very important in a Super Dog) when I get some blogging inspiration. I can start theme-ing the days. I always enjoy that kind of consistency in the blogs I read yet I don’t want to copy their themes (though I’m perfectly happy to borrow the concept, aren’t I?).

So, in the spirit of early a.m. creativity inspired by the gentle sounds of puppy piddle and tradewind breezes, I hereby christen Sundays “Sharing Sunday”. And, oh yes, I get to share whatever I want to with you, my paltry number of readers.

Say what you want about the Obamas (ok, please don’t. I’m so excited to have a president now who writes such clever speeches or who has a clever speech writer), you have to admit that Michelle Obama has STYLE. I enjoy following the commentary on her style at this blog.

Time to creep back to bed before DH notices I’ve snuck downstairs and blogged . . .

End of Hiatus

I’m back and lovin’ it. See, when this blog dropped off the planet last fall, it was because it was starting to feel like a chore. One more thing I HAD to do amongst the MANY things I have to do day-to-day, week-to-week, you-get-the-picture. Its all about perspective, my friends. I’ve moved things around and now the blog is something I LOVE to do. Way more fun than flossing. So I’m back and feeling inspired by all of the other blogs that help people find deals, save money, budget wisely, etc. Keep in mind I am no expert. I’m just someone who wants to think about these things so I can do them all better. Kind of like how I play tennis better if someone is watching. Ok, I don’t play tennis. Used to get a stress fracture in the same place on my ankle every time I tried. So maybe its like getting a stress fracture every time I play tennis? Must come up with better analogies . . . .

Dang it!

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/10/02/111-pea-coats/

i have a pea coat. at least i never wear it here . . .