It's the last day of May!!
That means 5 months of this year are gone. 5 months already!!
I'm a little behind on my debt repayment, but that's because of the repairs to the car I wasn't anticipating this month. I've overspent again because of that and because of what I've heard of as the Spring Effect.
This is the phenomenon of Spring fever hitting us after a dreary winter and suddenly wanting to spend on new clothes, or outdoor items, or what have you. I am guilty of that this month. I've taken a look at a few expenses that crept onto my credit card, and a few extra things that are on my bank statement.
I'm not happy with myself. But it's simply fuel to do better in June. This won't derail my progress.
At the end of June I'm looking to have paid back $3400 worth of debt. I have a mileage check coming. I have an extra pay coming. I will be into territory I haven't seen on this particular card in 4 years. I pulled my invoices out from the beginning of this card (I've had it since 2003) and took a look at what I was spending my money on and where the debt was. June will see my debt back down to pre-my-own-business times. Which for me, is a great feat accomplished! Sure I've paid waaaaayyy more than purchase price for items due to the interest, but I'm getting myself out of this debt.
My handy little tracking system with colours and sound is looking pretty good right now. Though I can honestly say it could look better. Tonight I'll flip the calendar and see what June is bringing me. I will be carrying my curiosity from May into June and start taking a look at some of my behaviours, so I can start to refine and tune-up myself a little on my finances. There is always room for improvement. I'm happy first off that I'm able to keep my transactions below 25 in a month. It was 17 last month. This month it looks like it will be 14. There are still things I can knock off that even.
I made it to the end of the month with $2.98 left in my jars. I have eaten up the medical overage this month because I bought a device that will help with my rounding shoulders. (I'm a desk jockey and have been slouching pretty bad lately.) So, it's time to rebuild and get strong with this. I'm coming into month number 6 on the journey.
Nothing like today to re-evaluate and lay down a plan for the next 30 days!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
June on the Horizon
It's the second last day of the month. Have you been looking through your finances? Have you been marching with purpose towards your goal? Are you tired of the rain?
With a day and a bit to go in Curiosity Month, is there something else you can get curious about? I've been working on some personal things for the month - part of what was bogging me down last week I think. I also took a look at some budget items, and watched where the money was going and now is going.
With June knocking on the door it isn't too late to accomplish one more thing this month. For me, that's looking for free exercise methods I can start doing each day. it isn't really that hard to find them. I simply opened up my DVD cabinet and realized I have a few workout DVD's I haven't looked at in years. Sure it might be inside exercise - but you gym dwellers are inside, and swimming is inside, and a bunch of other activities are also indoors. I have a bicycle that needs to be ridden. I have a school across the street with a soccer field that can be used to run laps around, or walk laps around. I also have a pretty busy community centre a stone's throw from my place. I think it's time for me to start moving my body and to start making smarter choices with my food.
After all that - my reading will be directed to my school related stuff until August. I am re-reading a book I finished in February, such that I can provide you with a decent review and so i can remind myself of the things I learned in there.
Change is a slow process. Oft times the slower the better. Why? Because you give yourself a chance to get it into the routine and have it stick. It's a conscious decision. It's something you're focused on. Changing quickly, for some things, often leads to fatigue with it. Take getting out of debt. You didn't get into debt overnight. You can't expect to get out of debt overnight. You have to figure out what the fundamental behaviours that need to change are, then start tackling those as you flesh out a concrete and workable plan for yourself.
I'm really looking forward to June. I have a reward weekend on Saturday. I have a lot of work to do for the rest of the month. I have learning to do, growing to do, and 3 paychecks to build the amount going to debt repayment.
With a new month on the horizon, it's time to see what new things will come my way.
To those American Readers - Happy Memorial Day!
With a day and a bit to go in Curiosity Month, is there something else you can get curious about? I've been working on some personal things for the month - part of what was bogging me down last week I think. I also took a look at some budget items, and watched where the money was going and now is going.
With June knocking on the door it isn't too late to accomplish one more thing this month. For me, that's looking for free exercise methods I can start doing each day. it isn't really that hard to find them. I simply opened up my DVD cabinet and realized I have a few workout DVD's I haven't looked at in years. Sure it might be inside exercise - but you gym dwellers are inside, and swimming is inside, and a bunch of other activities are also indoors. I have a bicycle that needs to be ridden. I have a school across the street with a soccer field that can be used to run laps around, or walk laps around. I also have a pretty busy community centre a stone's throw from my place. I think it's time for me to start moving my body and to start making smarter choices with my food.
After all that - my reading will be directed to my school related stuff until August. I am re-reading a book I finished in February, such that I can provide you with a decent review and so i can remind myself of the things I learned in there.
Change is a slow process. Oft times the slower the better. Why? Because you give yourself a chance to get it into the routine and have it stick. It's a conscious decision. It's something you're focused on. Changing quickly, for some things, often leads to fatigue with it. Take getting out of debt. You didn't get into debt overnight. You can't expect to get out of debt overnight. You have to figure out what the fundamental behaviours that need to change are, then start tackling those as you flesh out a concrete and workable plan for yourself.
I'm really looking forward to June. I have a reward weekend on Saturday. I have a lot of work to do for the rest of the month. I have learning to do, growing to do, and 3 paychecks to build the amount going to debt repayment.
With a new month on the horizon, it's time to see what new things will come my way.
To those American Readers - Happy Memorial Day!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Feeling a little down lately
Nothing major to report. Just feeling a little down lately. I'm in a reflexive mode, and a bit of a funk I guess. This month I've accomplished the following items:
1) Had to fix the car - twice!
2) Paid more of my debt off!
3) Got news about my grandfather.
4) Got the cable fixed - finally!
5) Started a new course for school.
Not a bad month so far.
I'm moving to debt free. I'm happy with this. There are other things that I'm not happy with, but I'm working on changing those.
I have some major work to do for the course I'm taking. I've let things slide for a little while so I need to get caught up and get on top of it all.
Other than that nothing else to report at the moment. I'm looking forward to June though. It's a 3 pay period for me - and i"ll be seeing a decent drop in the debt over the month.
I hope you have a great week!
I'll be back to my regular posting after this weekend. I think I just need to recharge my batteries.
1) Had to fix the car - twice!
2) Paid more of my debt off!
3) Got news about my grandfather.
4) Got the cable fixed - finally!
5) Started a new course for school.
Not a bad month so far.
I'm moving to debt free. I'm happy with this. There are other things that I'm not happy with, but I'm working on changing those.
I have some major work to do for the course I'm taking. I've let things slide for a little while so I need to get caught up and get on top of it all.
Other than that nothing else to report at the moment. I'm looking forward to June though. It's a 3 pay period for me - and i"ll be seeing a decent drop in the debt over the month.
I hope you have a great week!
I'll be back to my regular posting after this weekend. I think I just need to recharge my batteries.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Some Housekeeping
Hi All!
Thought I'd alert you to a few things. For those that have me listed in their blogroll - please double check you've got my new site listed
www.thequesttobe.com
Same goes for those following me, using Feedburner or Google Reader or any other reader for that matter.
For those looking for my blogroll - I've moved it to a separate page and listed it at the top. Please check to see some of you favourites on that page. It'll keep the scrolling to a minimum for you on the homepage now. If you notice that I've missed you in the transfer please let me know. If you have a blog and would like ot be listed here, let me know that too. I'll trade links with you!
Over the next little while you'll find a few little things have been tweaked. I'm trying to get things a little cleaner for everyone so it's not as busy when you read a post, and requires less scrolling to find things.
If you have any constructive feedback on this blog, please feel free to drop a comment. I read them all, and appreciate your thoughts.
As always - thanks for reading!
Thought I'd alert you to a few things. For those that have me listed in their blogroll - please double check you've got my new site listed
www.thequesttobe.com
Same goes for those following me, using Feedburner or Google Reader or any other reader for that matter.
For those looking for my blogroll - I've moved it to a separate page and listed it at the top. Please check to see some of you favourites on that page. It'll keep the scrolling to a minimum for you on the homepage now. If you notice that I've missed you in the transfer please let me know. If you have a blog and would like ot be listed here, let me know that too. I'll trade links with you!
Over the next little while you'll find a few little things have been tweaked. I'm trying to get things a little cleaner for everyone so it's not as busy when you read a post, and requires less scrolling to find things.
If you have any constructive feedback on this blog, please feel free to drop a comment. I read them all, and appreciate your thoughts.
As always - thanks for reading!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Happy Friday!
Just a quick post today.
Just wanted to up date that I've made a payment to my debt. And I'm super happy about it!
On another front, we've gotten word about my grandfather - surgery is not an option, confirmed by both surgeons. We have to wait a little longer as he has an appointment with the chemo and radiation people to see if those options are available. For now we just manage the pain and he goes about life as he is.
So far that means he is going to be living his days, as many as he has, until it gets so bad he can't do it anymore and goes into the hospital for good. Nobody is sure about much more than surgery isn't an option.
Id be lying if I said I was unhappy about this, but at the same time I'm glad there won't be a chance he can die in the next 2 months. We've got some time. We'll know some more as we go along, but for now, it's definitely cancer, it's definitely inoperable this time and it's definitely going to kill him. At some point. In the future.
This helps a little with my stress over getting debt free and getting school done before he goes. But the pressure is definitely on a bit to get a bunch more stuff learned and perfected, and finished!
if there was ever a reason to be debt free, it's so I can say to him that I'm done with the debt and school is the next thing that will be done.
At 80 he's had a great life. I'm just a little selfish in wanting him around for a few more things in my life.
I wish you all a great long weekend. Remember to take some time with your family and friends. You never know when they won't be there.
Just a quick post today.
Just wanted to up date that I've made a payment to my debt. And I'm super happy about it!
On another front, we've gotten word about my grandfather - surgery is not an option, confirmed by both surgeons. We have to wait a little longer as he has an appointment with the chemo and radiation people to see if those options are available. For now we just manage the pain and he goes about life as he is.
So far that means he is going to be living his days, as many as he has, until it gets so bad he can't do it anymore and goes into the hospital for good. Nobody is sure about much more than surgery isn't an option.
Id be lying if I said I was unhappy about this, but at the same time I'm glad there won't be a chance he can die in the next 2 months. We've got some time. We'll know some more as we go along, but for now, it's definitely cancer, it's definitely inoperable this time and it's definitely going to kill him. At some point. In the future.
This helps a little with my stress over getting debt free and getting school done before he goes. But the pressure is definitely on a bit to get a bunch more stuff learned and perfected, and finished!
if there was ever a reason to be debt free, it's so I can say to him that I'm done with the debt and school is the next thing that will be done.
At 80 he's had a great life. I'm just a little selfish in wanting him around for a few more things in my life.
I wish you all a great long weekend. Remember to take some time with your family and friends. You never know when they won't be there.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May = Curiosity Month
Ladies and gentlemen!
It's that time of the month!
May is Curiosity month. I've been working on different things all month long and working hard at getting to debt free.
I issued a challenge a little while ago. Today, I'm checking in with you all! Some of you used the challenge to increase your savings goals and start the race for that. Some of you were getting a few more things in order so that you could see how much of a dent you could make in your debt. Others, like me, have been looking for snowflakes and extra money to throw at the debt.
In light of the recent car repairs, I was feeling a little bit of a strain with my goal. Until I realized it's a life challenge to make sure I'm on my toes. The car cost me $835 instead of the estimated $1,200! It's less than I thought, and there were a few things that I didn't end up paying for due to the issue with the original service, or in this case, lack there of.
The emergency fund I had built is gone. Eaten up with two hefty car repairs in 5 months. But, that's what it was for really. And though there is a little set back, in that, I added to my debt this month instead of subtracting from it, all that means is I have to get more creative with finding ways to make some extra money.
So, when my paycheck comes in today and I transfer the money to my debt, I"ll not have made as much ground with it as I would have liked, but I still made ground!
A lesson for you all - have an emergency fund! No matter how much you throw into it each month, do it. You never know.
I'm looking at my statement. I have a three pay month coming in June. That means I'm able to toss an extra $1,600 at my debt in June!
My goal for the end of May and all of June is to get my debt down to $12,000. I'm at about $16,500 now. I am actively looking for ways to make some more money.
So let's here what you are working on and how your journey is going.
It's that time of the month!
May is Curiosity month. I've been working on different things all month long and working hard at getting to debt free.
I issued a challenge a little while ago. Today, I'm checking in with you all! Some of you used the challenge to increase your savings goals and start the race for that. Some of you were getting a few more things in order so that you could see how much of a dent you could make in your debt. Others, like me, have been looking for snowflakes and extra money to throw at the debt.
In light of the recent car repairs, I was feeling a little bit of a strain with my goal. Until I realized it's a life challenge to make sure I'm on my toes. The car cost me $835 instead of the estimated $1,200! It's less than I thought, and there were a few things that I didn't end up paying for due to the issue with the original service, or in this case, lack there of.
The emergency fund I had built is gone. Eaten up with two hefty car repairs in 5 months. But, that's what it was for really. And though there is a little set back, in that, I added to my debt this month instead of subtracting from it, all that means is I have to get more creative with finding ways to make some extra money.
So, when my paycheck comes in today and I transfer the money to my debt, I"ll not have made as much ground with it as I would have liked, but I still made ground!
A lesson for you all - have an emergency fund! No matter how much you throw into it each month, do it. You never know.
I'm looking at my statement. I have a three pay month coming in June. That means I'm able to toss an extra $1,600 at my debt in June!
My goal for the end of May and all of June is to get my debt down to $12,000. I'm at about $16,500 now. I am actively looking for ways to make some more money.
So let's here what you are working on and how your journey is going.
Fun Stuff
Saw this by Jolie who got it from LBC and thought it was a fun thing to do so here goes:
•Age: 32
•Bed Size: Queen
•Chore You Hate: Cleaning the Bathroom
•Dogs: none at the moment
•Essential start of your day: glass of water and a really good teeth brush
•Favorite color: Blue
•Gold or silver: Silver
•Height: 5 feet 8 inches
•Instruments I play (or have played): Organ, Flute, Bass Clarinet
•Job title: Environmental Coordinator
•Kids: Not yet
•Live: Ontario, Canada
•Mom’s name: Karen
•Nickname: Pay-Pay
•Overnight hospital stays: None
•Pet peeve: Open Mouth chewing
•Quote from a movie: “Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming..." - Nemo
•Right or left handed: Right.
•Siblings: 1 sister
•Time you wake up: 7am
•Underwear: Lacey
•Vegetables you dislike: brussel sprouts
•What makes you run late: Oversleeping, though I am rarely late
•X-rays you’ve had done: at the dentist, on my knee, ankle, thumb,
•Yummy food you make: Anything I make is yummy otherwise I wouldn't make it =)
•Zoo animal: Elephant
•Age: 32
•Bed Size: Queen
•Chore You Hate: Cleaning the Bathroom
•Dogs: none at the moment
•Essential start of your day: glass of water and a really good teeth brush
•Favorite color: Blue
•Gold or silver: Silver
•Height: 5 feet 8 inches
•Instruments I play (or have played): Organ, Flute, Bass Clarinet
•Job title: Environmental Coordinator
•Kids: Not yet
•Live: Ontario, Canada
•Mom’s name: Karen
•Nickname: Pay-Pay
•Overnight hospital stays: None
•Pet peeve: Open Mouth chewing
•Quote from a movie: “Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming..." - Nemo
•Right or left handed: Right.
•Siblings: 1 sister
•Time you wake up: 7am
•Underwear: Lacey
•Vegetables you dislike: brussel sprouts
•What makes you run late: Oversleeping, though I am rarely late
•X-rays you’ve had done: at the dentist, on my knee, ankle, thumb,
•Yummy food you make: Anything I make is yummy otherwise I wouldn't make it =)
•Zoo animal: Elephant
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Feeding the Soul
There are times in life when I just want to crawl into bed, cover my head with the blankets and not come out. When I get these feelings it often tells me I've been neglecting my soul. Sleep is a lovely thing. I try to get 8 hours a night. I function best on this.
To feed my soul though, I find all kinds of things people often forget in their lives. I spoke a while ago about how the reintroduction to music was something I didn't know I was missing.
What else have I found that I love?
1) Gardening - I have planted some planter boxes on my balcony. Planting them was so calming, relaxing, and fun!
2) Music - I have found that falling asleep to le man playing and singing is quite soothing.
3) Bathing in the candle light - add some bubbles, a candle, some hot water and a locked bathroom door (for all you peoples with children) and poof, you've got a wonderful spa at home! There are variations to this obviously. I also like the lights one with a good book version.
4) Walking in the rain - it's cleansing, soothing, and quite beautiful. And I usually do it without an umbrella. It's water from the heavens and can be quite cleansing. Add some great Wellington's and a colourful raincoat and you've got the makings of a great puddle jumping outfit! And the best part is you can then come home and jump into number 3!
5) Watching a thunderstorm roll in while sitting on a balcony (insert porch, deck, sun room, solarium or any other room with a view here). It's quite interesting to watch the skies light up in different places.
6) Star gazing - in a city this gets a little interesting but it can be done, and is quite fun to do with others, while looking for different pictures in the sky. This is a great thing to do when you know a comet or meteor shower will be in the sky.
7) A sunrise or sunset - watching these can be so soothing.
8) Cooking - I got it in my head to whip up a few things Monday night. I did 2 pizzas, a vegetable pot pie and a lemon meringue pie. I say I got it in my head but I grocery shopped then realized my tiny freezer was about to be overloaded, so cooking happened. The pizzas disappeared Monday for dinner, and I started denting the pot pie last night. I was both proud of my accomplishments and joyful to have diner made for a few nights.
I'm sure there will be more things that just pop up. All I can really pass on to you is that you should make sure to take the time to really engage your environment. The most interesting things happen when you do. And, take a moment for yourself. 10 minutes a day to just zen out will do the most amazing things for you.
To feed my soul though, I find all kinds of things people often forget in their lives. I spoke a while ago about how the reintroduction to music was something I didn't know I was missing.
What else have I found that I love?
1) Gardening - I have planted some planter boxes on my balcony. Planting them was so calming, relaxing, and fun!
2) Music - I have found that falling asleep to le man playing and singing is quite soothing.
3) Bathing in the candle light - add some bubbles, a candle, some hot water and a locked bathroom door (for all you peoples with children) and poof, you've got a wonderful spa at home! There are variations to this obviously. I also like the lights one with a good book version.
4) Walking in the rain - it's cleansing, soothing, and quite beautiful. And I usually do it without an umbrella. It's water from the heavens and can be quite cleansing. Add some great Wellington's and a colourful raincoat and you've got the makings of a great puddle jumping outfit! And the best part is you can then come home and jump into number 3!
5) Watching a thunderstorm roll in while sitting on a balcony (insert porch, deck, sun room, solarium or any other room with a view here). It's quite interesting to watch the skies light up in different places.
6) Star gazing - in a city this gets a little interesting but it can be done, and is quite fun to do with others, while looking for different pictures in the sky. This is a great thing to do when you know a comet or meteor shower will be in the sky.
7) A sunrise or sunset - watching these can be so soothing.
8) Cooking - I got it in my head to whip up a few things Monday night. I did 2 pizzas, a vegetable pot pie and a lemon meringue pie. I say I got it in my head but I grocery shopped then realized my tiny freezer was about to be overloaded, so cooking happened. The pizzas disappeared Monday for dinner, and I started denting the pot pie last night. I was both proud of my accomplishments and joyful to have diner made for a few nights.
I'm sure there will be more things that just pop up. All I can really pass on to you is that you should make sure to take the time to really engage your environment. The most interesting things happen when you do. And, take a moment for yourself. 10 minutes a day to just zen out will do the most amazing things for you.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sometimes there are a few setbacks
No matter how good we are at planning, there are always set backs. I'm facing one this week. I took my car in last week for it's oil change and 190,000 km checkup. I asked them to look at the brakes because something felt off with them or the suspension in the front end. I'm not a mechanic but I know when the car doesn't feel right and I have pretty good idea of the location of the trouble and even what part or parts it may be. $70 later and I got a report with my car saying the brakes were getting a little worn but nothing to worry about, that couldn't wait another year to be fixed.
Great! So I thought. For a reasonable amount I walked out of the shop with my car serviced and my mind at ease. That is until Friday. On Friday I noticed a larger sound coming from the front of the car. Maybe it's something with the summer tires rubbing somewhere. I looked, no rubbing. Hmmmm...
Saturday it's making a worse noise. Sunday I didn't drive. Monday I dropped the car back off to get it looked at - again. The guy that checked me in says, weren't you just here? I say yes. You gave me a clean bill of health on the car, told me my brakes would soon need replacing but they still had some life, so perhaps I could think about that for next Spring and sent me on my way. Now I've got a horrible noise coming from my front passenger side that sounds like something is rubbing and/or perhaps my tie rod end or wheel bearing is shot - or both! He looks perplexed. Takes a look at the report they handed back to me and sits puzzled. "So when do you need the car back for?", he says. Well as soon as you can, I've got a pretty busy week with clients to see and conferences to attend. I think about it - since I'm dropping it off now, can I get a rental so I can leave my car here and still conduct the business I need to?
Sure thing - and hands me the keys to a 2011 car - sedan version of what I drive. So today, while I'm at the conference, my car will be getting fixed - completely - I hope. It'll cost me a bit because I'm having them do the brakes regardless. They already have to have the car apart. They are already looking at the places where they will be when they do the brakes, so I'm trying to save some labour and have them do it all at once while they've got the car apart. Then I won't have to worry about anything between now and when the brakes do go and I'll know that it's all done.
I'm also going to be a little less willing to accept their charges this time around, since it was just in for a service where I mentioned a problem that is now worse and not better.
I'm expecting it to cost me a little over $1,200 for the parts I'm thinking they'll need to replace. If it comes back less than that I'll be happy. But, it means that since I found the CV boot issue in February, and now these issues, any emergency funds I may have had left over, will be completely gone. Thus, it seems I may have to put this on my credit card, without being able to transfer the complete balance from my account to cover it.
Will this derail my quest for debt freedom this year? Nope! It just means I'll have to be extra sure I'm on budget, and make sure I find a side gig that will cover the cost of the repair. I'm not worried. I'm not twarted, but I am rolling with the punches. So perhaps it might take one extra payment in the beginning of 2012. I'm not going to think about that until December 31, 2011 gets here.
It is my goal to be debt free on December 31, 2011. It will remain my goal for the remainder of the year and I will get it done. My next payment is scheduled for Thursday. It will go through no matter what. June is a 3 pay month, and those payments will go through no matter what. I will get to half of my goal for July 1, 2011. I will celebrate myself and my achievement. I will reset my resolve July 1, 2011 and continue along the rest of the year marching purposefully to debt free on December 31, 2011. This will not derail me. I will achieve my goal!
Great! So I thought. For a reasonable amount I walked out of the shop with my car serviced and my mind at ease. That is until Friday. On Friday I noticed a larger sound coming from the front of the car. Maybe it's something with the summer tires rubbing somewhere. I looked, no rubbing. Hmmmm...
Saturday it's making a worse noise. Sunday I didn't drive. Monday I dropped the car back off to get it looked at - again. The guy that checked me in says, weren't you just here? I say yes. You gave me a clean bill of health on the car, told me my brakes would soon need replacing but they still had some life, so perhaps I could think about that for next Spring and sent me on my way. Now I've got a horrible noise coming from my front passenger side that sounds like something is rubbing and/or perhaps my tie rod end or wheel bearing is shot - or both! He looks perplexed. Takes a look at the report they handed back to me and sits puzzled. "So when do you need the car back for?", he says. Well as soon as you can, I've got a pretty busy week with clients to see and conferences to attend. I think about it - since I'm dropping it off now, can I get a rental so I can leave my car here and still conduct the business I need to?
Sure thing - and hands me the keys to a 2011 car - sedan version of what I drive. So today, while I'm at the conference, my car will be getting fixed - completely - I hope. It'll cost me a bit because I'm having them do the brakes regardless. They already have to have the car apart. They are already looking at the places where they will be when they do the brakes, so I'm trying to save some labour and have them do it all at once while they've got the car apart. Then I won't have to worry about anything between now and when the brakes do go and I'll know that it's all done.
I'm also going to be a little less willing to accept their charges this time around, since it was just in for a service where I mentioned a problem that is now worse and not better.
I'm expecting it to cost me a little over $1,200 for the parts I'm thinking they'll need to replace. If it comes back less than that I'll be happy. But, it means that since I found the CV boot issue in February, and now these issues, any emergency funds I may have had left over, will be completely gone. Thus, it seems I may have to put this on my credit card, without being able to transfer the complete balance from my account to cover it.
Will this derail my quest for debt freedom this year? Nope! It just means I'll have to be extra sure I'm on budget, and make sure I find a side gig that will cover the cost of the repair. I'm not worried. I'm not twarted, but I am rolling with the punches. So perhaps it might take one extra payment in the beginning of 2012. I'm not going to think about that until December 31, 2011 gets here.
It is my goal to be debt free on December 31, 2011. It will remain my goal for the remainder of the year and I will get it done. My next payment is scheduled for Thursday. It will go through no matter what. June is a 3 pay month, and those payments will go through no matter what. I will get to half of my goal for July 1, 2011. I will celebrate myself and my achievement. I will reset my resolve July 1, 2011 and continue along the rest of the year marching purposefully to debt free on December 31, 2011. This will not derail me. I will achieve my goal!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Snacking Curiosity
I looked at my breakfast last week. I thought I'd look at snacks this week.
It truly depends on my mood, as to what I snack on. Sometimes it's cookies, sometimes it's fruit. Sometimes it's a hot chocolate. I used to go to Tim Hortons for their cookies - but I started to realize that 3 cookies for $2.80 was getting quite expensive.
A little math:
$2.80 x 5 days per week = $14/week x 52 weeks = $728 per year. Gah!
So I started looking for alternates. First, I could bake my own snacks. I do this once a month or so. It's not something I do all the time because, well, I just don't feel like baking all the time. There is always a grocery store for snacks. And this could be anything really - sometimes it's fruit (the best for me health wise), or veggies (ditto) or sweet treats...I've got a killer sweet tooth. Then I realized, there are alternatives to the grocery store for snacks. Convenience stores, or Bulk Barns or other like places are often more expensive - more myriad reasons. But there is a place, or places, that are even cheaper.
For example, we have a Dare Foods Factory (that in the summer makes the air smell like cinnamon and vanilla), and a Weston's Bakery in town. I'm sure there are others too, but these I see every day so I now about them. They both have strict quality control measures in place, so just imagine what happens when a baking oven bakes cookies at 5 degrees hotter than is supposed to be and they have to "trash" the entire run of cookies. That's a pile! So, imagine how great it is when this happens and there's a sell off store open to the public to purchase these off spec items, or bread for cheaper or pasta for cheaper, or some canned goods like pasta sauce for cheaper.
Now, for $1.79, I can get enough cookies to last me two weeks. 24 cookies, into $1.79 works out to about $0.08 per cookie! If I figure about 26 boxes of cookies per year (each with 24 cookies in them) then I'm spending $46.54 per year on snacks or this nature.
Holy moly! That's a H U G E improvement over $728 per year!
So while it's nice to have a treat sometimes, from these shops that provide a convenience and a decent coffee, it's way way better on my pocket book and my grocery bill, if I source out the places that sell the unacceptable items for far less than a regular priced item in a regular grocery store. There are even times in regular stores when you can get items for way cheaper than this even - say $0.99 for the same box. Then it drops it even farther.
Since summer fruit season is starting to look better and better with all this rain, I can't wait to be able to drive down a road with some farms and purchase some great produce for rock bottom prices! Then my snacks will be healthy, fresh AND cheap.
I've starting to notice that shopping in a regular grocery store is becoming way too expensive. So, I think it's time to explore my city a little more, and the outskirts a little better, and begin to realize that I can stretch my food dollars much farther by thinking outside of the obvious! Farmer's markets, Fresh Produce Boxes, Local Farms, and tiny, word-of-mouth- shops that sell the still good, but not meeting all quality control measures items are the best thing for me. Some of them are even more convenient than that grocery store even!
Remember me talking about being curious about things this month? Well it's time to get curious about my habits! Who knows, I may even find great things and improve myself at the same time!
New motto for this year: Why pay full price when you don't have too?!
It truly depends on my mood, as to what I snack on. Sometimes it's cookies, sometimes it's fruit. Sometimes it's a hot chocolate. I used to go to Tim Hortons for their cookies - but I started to realize that 3 cookies for $2.80 was getting quite expensive.
A little math:
$2.80 x 5 days per week = $14/week x 52 weeks = $728 per year. Gah!
So I started looking for alternates. First, I could bake my own snacks. I do this once a month or so. It's not something I do all the time because, well, I just don't feel like baking all the time. There is always a grocery store for snacks. And this could be anything really - sometimes it's fruit (the best for me health wise), or veggies (ditto) or sweet treats...I've got a killer sweet tooth. Then I realized, there are alternatives to the grocery store for snacks. Convenience stores, or Bulk Barns or other like places are often more expensive - more myriad reasons. But there is a place, or places, that are even cheaper.
For example, we have a Dare Foods Factory (that in the summer makes the air smell like cinnamon and vanilla), and a Weston's Bakery in town. I'm sure there are others too, but these I see every day so I now about them. They both have strict quality control measures in place, so just imagine what happens when a baking oven bakes cookies at 5 degrees hotter than is supposed to be and they have to "trash" the entire run of cookies. That's a pile! So, imagine how great it is when this happens and there's a sell off store open to the public to purchase these off spec items, or bread for cheaper or pasta for cheaper, or some canned goods like pasta sauce for cheaper.
Now, for $1.79, I can get enough cookies to last me two weeks. 24 cookies, into $1.79 works out to about $0.08 per cookie! If I figure about 26 boxes of cookies per year (each with 24 cookies in them) then I'm spending $46.54 per year on snacks or this nature.
Holy moly! That's a H U G E improvement over $728 per year!
So while it's nice to have a treat sometimes, from these shops that provide a convenience and a decent coffee, it's way way better on my pocket book and my grocery bill, if I source out the places that sell the unacceptable items for far less than a regular priced item in a regular grocery store. There are even times in regular stores when you can get items for way cheaper than this even - say $0.99 for the same box. Then it drops it even farther.
Since summer fruit season is starting to look better and better with all this rain, I can't wait to be able to drive down a road with some farms and purchase some great produce for rock bottom prices! Then my snacks will be healthy, fresh AND cheap.
I've starting to notice that shopping in a regular grocery store is becoming way too expensive. So, I think it's time to explore my city a little more, and the outskirts a little better, and begin to realize that I can stretch my food dollars much farther by thinking outside of the obvious! Farmer's markets, Fresh Produce Boxes, Local Farms, and tiny, word-of-mouth- shops that sell the still good, but not meeting all quality control measures items are the best thing for me. Some of them are even more convenient than that grocery store even!
Remember me talking about being curious about things this month? Well it's time to get curious about my habits! Who knows, I may even find great things and improve myself at the same time!
New motto for this year: Why pay full price when you don't have too?!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Darn!
Alright all - I had a really good post yesterday, with great comments, and a good post today. Blogger went through some maintenance, and thus because I've switched over to my own domain, they lost both posts and all related comments.
Boo.
The important stuff from the post the other day : Curiosity about BREAKFAST, saw me making a change from getting something from Tim Hortons each morning and costing myself about $710 per year. Now I eat oatmeal by Quaker each morning. At $2.49 per box, it works out to about $125 per year. Some great comments came back and showed me that I could be making my own for less that $125 a year.
It's something to look at and think about.
A reminder to all of you bloggers out there - please update your blogrolls to show my new site at
www.thequesttobe.com
Also - I'll be redoing my site changes this weekend - as those were lost too! So, when the blogroll page is done, if you don't see yourself and you once did, please drop me a message or email me directly. I'll gladly add you back on, if you kindly extend the same to me.
For any of you readers out there that have your own blog and would like to be added to my blogroll, let me know. I'll happily add you in exchange for the same courtesy.
This weekend I'm off for part two of my birthday shopping with my mom and sister. We're headed to Toronto for a change. Also - I'll be getting a mini update about my grandfather. The big update will come after Tuesday. I'll have some more details about what is happening there as well.
For all you questing readers, I'm getting close to your check in, so I'll be looking forward to hearing your stories about hwat you've found out about yourself and your money and who is looking for ways to increase their repayments to debt, or increase their savings goals for this year. If you've been meaning to get on this challenge, today is the day. if you just said to yourself, I"ll start that tomorrow or Monday - I say why wait? Why do you need it to be Monday to start? It means you really don't want to do anything about it right now, so for your sake, please stop fooling yourself. Be honest. If you haven't done anything, you are the only one that it will effect and affect.
So, have a great weekend everyone! And look for some changes to the look of this blog by the end of the weekend. Let me know what you think - about this or anything.
I'm looking at dropping another $1,000 onto my debt this month.
Boo.
The important stuff from the post the other day : Curiosity about BREAKFAST, saw me making a change from getting something from Tim Hortons each morning and costing myself about $710 per year. Now I eat oatmeal by Quaker each morning. At $2.49 per box, it works out to about $125 per year. Some great comments came back and showed me that I could be making my own for less that $125 a year.
It's something to look at and think about.
A reminder to all of you bloggers out there - please update your blogrolls to show my new site at
www.thequesttobe.com
Also - I'll be redoing my site changes this weekend - as those were lost too! So, when the blogroll page is done, if you don't see yourself and you once did, please drop me a message or email me directly. I'll gladly add you back on, if you kindly extend the same to me.
For any of you readers out there that have your own blog and would like to be added to my blogroll, let me know. I'll happily add you in exchange for the same courtesy.
This weekend I'm off for part two of my birthday shopping with my mom and sister. We're headed to Toronto for a change. Also - I'll be getting a mini update about my grandfather. The big update will come after Tuesday. I'll have some more details about what is happening there as well.
For all you questing readers, I'm getting close to your check in, so I'll be looking forward to hearing your stories about hwat you've found out about yourself and your money and who is looking for ways to increase their repayments to debt, or increase their savings goals for this year. If you've been meaning to get on this challenge, today is the day. if you just said to yourself, I"ll start that tomorrow or Monday - I say why wait? Why do you need it to be Monday to start? It means you really don't want to do anything about it right now, so for your sake, please stop fooling yourself. Be honest. If you haven't done anything, you are the only one that it will effect and affect.
So, have a great weekend everyone! And look for some changes to the look of this blog by the end of the weekend. Let me know what you think - about this or anything.
I'm looking at dropping another $1,000 onto my debt this month.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Curiosity with Breakfast
Since May is Curiosity Month, I thought it time to share some of my curious exploration with my grocery bill.
Let's start with the most important meal of the day: B R E A K F A S T
I noticed something about myself. When I get up I'm not ready immediately, to eat breakfast. By the time I get to work, I'm ready though. So what should I do? I used to drive myself by Tim Hortons and get a breakfast sandwich and a bottle of water. Work now stocks a fridge full of beverages - mostly water - for us. I no longer pay for it. (I wish we could drink the water from the tap, but it's soft water, which means it goes through a salination process and thus has more added salt than I care to drink, and it isn't good for you anyways. We rent the building so it isn't our call). Next, those breakfast sandwiches cost $2.84 or more depending on what you get.
$2.84 x 5 days a week = $14.20 per week x 50 week = $710 per year - just to eat breakfast. That's provided I don't change my mind and get something else to go with it.
$710 is quite a sum of money over a year. It pays for half of my yearly insurance. It could be in my emergency fund, or my retirement plan. It could be Christmas gifts. It could pay for almost 4 months of Cable/Phone/Internet Services. Back in the day it would have paid for over a year with my cell phone.
I'm not a coffee drinker (don't like the taste). I'm not really a juice drinker (too m any sugars). I only really drink tea when I feel down, or I'm sick. I'll indulge in a hot chocolate, or a fruit smoothie - but they are both really high in sugar too. 99% of what I drink in a week is water, and only water. I barely drink alcohol at all. I feel best on water. I don't feel sluggish or tired or like my stomach needs to be aerated. I'm not gassy, or burpy, or any of those things.
Having discovered what breakfast was costing me, and where my money was going, I opted for something else. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast. Stick to your ribs oatmeal. I'm a bit lazy when it comes to making my own so I use Quaker's oatmeal packs. The ones with the least amount of added sugar. I boil the water at work, so it gets off the salt stuff in it, and voila instant breakfast. Now Quaker is quite expensive at regular price. I wait for it to be on for $2.49 a box or less. Sometimes I get coupons for it too, so then it's even less. There are 10 packs in a box. $2.49 works out to about a quarter per pack. I eat two at a time. That means I get a weeks worth of breakfast out of one box. That's $2.49 for breakfast for a week at work - I eat eggs on weekends.
$2.49 x 50 = $124.50 per year. A far cry from $710!!
I get enough boxes to make it to the next time it's on sale, and I look for coupons. If there's a non-name on for less than that, then no-name it is. Perhaps I could make it for even less. I haven't tried that yet. More than anything it's a convenience and storage thing. It's easy to boil the water, with my kettle, and open two packs, recycle the box when I'm done and the paper. I keep a few dishes at work for this too, so I'm not spending on the cutlery and what not either.
The money for the oatmeal comes from my grocery money per month. I take the boxes to work with me and leave them in a cupboard there. Nobody else likes oatmeal so nobody steals it.
The thing I find most appealing about my oatmeal, is that I get to lunch without getting the hungry grumbles at 10:30am.
What does your "breakfast" cost you?
Let's start with the most important meal of the day: B R E A K F A S T
I noticed something about myself. When I get up I'm not ready immediately, to eat breakfast. By the time I get to work, I'm ready though. So what should I do? I used to drive myself by Tim Hortons and get a breakfast sandwich and a bottle of water. Work now stocks a fridge full of beverages - mostly water - for us. I no longer pay for it. (I wish we could drink the water from the tap, but it's soft water, which means it goes through a salination process and thus has more added salt than I care to drink, and it isn't good for you anyways. We rent the building so it isn't our call). Next, those breakfast sandwiches cost $2.84 or more depending on what you get.
$2.84 x 5 days a week = $14.20 per week x 50 week = $710 per year - just to eat breakfast. That's provided I don't change my mind and get something else to go with it.
$710 is quite a sum of money over a year. It pays for half of my yearly insurance. It could be in my emergency fund, or my retirement plan. It could be Christmas gifts. It could pay for almost 4 months of Cable/Phone/Internet Services. Back in the day it would have paid for over a year with my cell phone.
I'm not a coffee drinker (don't like the taste). I'm not really a juice drinker (too m any sugars). I only really drink tea when I feel down, or I'm sick. I'll indulge in a hot chocolate, or a fruit smoothie - but they are both really high in sugar too. 99% of what I drink in a week is water, and only water. I barely drink alcohol at all. I feel best on water. I don't feel sluggish or tired or like my stomach needs to be aerated. I'm not gassy, or burpy, or any of those things.
Having discovered what breakfast was costing me, and where my money was going, I opted for something else. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast. Stick to your ribs oatmeal. I'm a bit lazy when it comes to making my own so I use Quaker's oatmeal packs. The ones with the least amount of added sugar. I boil the water at work, so it gets off the salt stuff in it, and voila instant breakfast. Now Quaker is quite expensive at regular price. I wait for it to be on for $2.49 a box or less. Sometimes I get coupons for it too, so then it's even less. There are 10 packs in a box. $2.49 works out to about a quarter per pack. I eat two at a time. That means I get a weeks worth of breakfast out of one box. That's $2.49 for breakfast for a week at work - I eat eggs on weekends.
$2.49 x 50 = $124.50 per year. A far cry from $710!!
I get enough boxes to make it to the next time it's on sale, and I look for coupons. If there's a non-name on for less than that, then no-name it is. Perhaps I could make it for even less. I haven't tried that yet. More than anything it's a convenience and storage thing. It's easy to boil the water, with my kettle, and open two packs, recycle the box when I'm done and the paper. I keep a few dishes at work for this too, so I'm not spending on the cutlery and what not either.
The money for the oatmeal comes from my grocery money per month. I take the boxes to work with me and leave them in a cupboard there. Nobody else likes oatmeal so nobody steals it.
The thing I find most appealing about my oatmeal, is that I get to lunch without getting the hungry grumbles at 10:30am.
What does your "breakfast" cost you?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Perception
After reading The Ways We Save by Gail Vaz Oxlade and the comment left but some of the readers, it got me thinking more about Perception.
For instance, the first thing you'll notice when you too read the above article, is that the first commenter writes in Title Case. It makes some people upset, and often causes at least one person to mention about the difficulty in reading this case, and that the commenter should change to a more familiar case. At first I found it difficult to read. The perception is that the commenter doesn't know they've got their post set in the "wrong case". However, shifting your perception just slightly, you'll realize that you take the time to read each word. You slow down when reading the comment, and really take in the meaning in those words.
I think it's brilliant. The words are read. They are thoughtful and deep, and invoke a thought response in the reader. Every time. They are also less likely to be speed read, less likely to be skipped over, and less likely to be forgotten. Plus, knowing Adrian a little, the comment is set up this way purposefully. Again, brilliant!
It got me thinking - and posting.
What if you shifted your perception on your actions just a little? Like the ladies in the post, and Gail herself, you may find that suddenly goals get accomplished, money begins to appear in places you least expected, and truly inspiring things happen.
Are you in debt? How many times a day do you think about that word and situation? How does it affect your mood, feelings, overall sense of self at that moment? Does it defeat you before you begin? Does it make you feel low, down, depressed?
Try looking not at your debt, but at the things you have in your life. Like, the friends you have, the family you are blessed with, the possessions you've been able to accumulate, the fortunes that abound around you like you job, your hobbies, your activities. Take a look at a park and watch the squirrels run, or the birds fly, or the butterflies land on the newly opened tulips.
Ugh. I'm in debt. If I thought like that I wouldn't be as far out of debt right now as I am. Yep I have debt. No biggy. I borrowed against my future years ago and I'm using NOW to pay it back. I will have savings for my retirement. I will save a down-payment for a house. I will have a decent bank account. I just have to get the debt wrapped up first.
A lot of you use ya-but to get yourself out of what you really want to do because you've lost the belief in yourself to get it done.
One of my very best friends in the whole world lives in South Africa. She has given up her materialistic North American life style to live with the man she loves in a country that is utterly beautiful, and adopted a way of live that is truly freeing. She's comes back to Canada once a year for three weeks. Eats her share of tasty, but really bad for you food, looks around her room and the boxes she has stored at her parents house and feels weighted down by her old life.
The emphasis in her life now isn't the stuff she accumulates, but the experiences she has. she supports local business with small purchases of items, and has gone back to running. Running gives her more joy than 15 pairs of shoes could. Running gives her more joy than a 42 inch flat screen TV could. Running gives her more joy than three closets full of clothing, and STILL having "nothing to wear". She is satisfied by her surroundings, her life, her career, her home. She is content. She misses people more than stuff. She misses that she can't be home to be a good a Aunt to her niece and nephew - not so she can fill a room with things.
A little extreme I know, because most of us won't pick up and move to a country with the social issues still apparent in South Africa. Most of us can't understand how she's able to be ok with only 5 pairs of shoes, or a reasonable sized wardrobe, or curfews at night, or not owning anything of major value because of the fear of theft. But the one thing she finds the most freeing? The one thing that causes her to be happy when she leaves Canada for home? It's that she is able to shed the coat of materialism and find the true meaning of life, happiness, and joy. I've never eaten a pineapple straight from the bush before, but I'd gladly trade all but my essentials for a chance.
Here's the trouble most of us have. We are worried that other people will perceive us a poor, as desolate, as unworthy of their companionship and friendship if we don't have the required flat screen TV, or the robust cable package, or 55 pairs of shoes or be able to eat out every time someone asks, or a iPOD, iPAD, iPHONE.
I can't wait until I've been able to relieve myself of my unwanted possessions and move to a more frugal/minimalist lifestyle. I'm looking to reconnect with things that made me truly happy and joyful, like music. I don't mean listening, I mean playing. I didn't realize until le man picked up his guitar and started playing again just what was missing in my life, but I think I've found it.
I used to be a member of an orchestral band. I used to sing in a jazz choir. I used to love practicing to get ready for concerts and learning new pieces and perfecting my part. I haven't felt goosebumps like you get when you listen to a piece of music that truly moves you, or a combination of notes and harmonies that hits you in a place you didn't know you had, and invokes tears for no reason except pure joy and beauty. I don't need stuff. I need sound. I need harmony, melody, contra melody, codas, and stanzas, and arcs and crescendos and decrescendos, triplets and split times, and 30 other musicians playing various other instruments to bring to life the feeling of the song.
It's amazing what a shift in perception can cause in your life.
For instance, the first thing you'll notice when you too read the above article, is that the first commenter writes in Title Case. It makes some people upset, and often causes at least one person to mention about the difficulty in reading this case, and that the commenter should change to a more familiar case. At first I found it difficult to read. The perception is that the commenter doesn't know they've got their post set in the "wrong case". However, shifting your perception just slightly, you'll realize that you take the time to read each word. You slow down when reading the comment, and really take in the meaning in those words.
I think it's brilliant. The words are read. They are thoughtful and deep, and invoke a thought response in the reader. Every time. They are also less likely to be speed read, less likely to be skipped over, and less likely to be forgotten. Plus, knowing Adrian a little, the comment is set up this way purposefully. Again, brilliant!
It got me thinking - and posting.
What if you shifted your perception on your actions just a little? Like the ladies in the post, and Gail herself, you may find that suddenly goals get accomplished, money begins to appear in places you least expected, and truly inspiring things happen.
Are you in debt? How many times a day do you think about that word and situation? How does it affect your mood, feelings, overall sense of self at that moment? Does it defeat you before you begin? Does it make you feel low, down, depressed?
Try looking not at your debt, but at the things you have in your life. Like, the friends you have, the family you are blessed with, the possessions you've been able to accumulate, the fortunes that abound around you like you job, your hobbies, your activities. Take a look at a park and watch the squirrels run, or the birds fly, or the butterflies land on the newly opened tulips.
Ugh. I'm in debt. If I thought like that I wouldn't be as far out of debt right now as I am. Yep I have debt. No biggy. I borrowed against my future years ago and I'm using NOW to pay it back. I will have savings for my retirement. I will save a down-payment for a house. I will have a decent bank account. I just have to get the debt wrapped up first.
A lot of you use ya-but to get yourself out of what you really want to do because you've lost the belief in yourself to get it done.
One of my very best friends in the whole world lives in South Africa. She has given up her materialistic North American life style to live with the man she loves in a country that is utterly beautiful, and adopted a way of live that is truly freeing. She's comes back to Canada once a year for three weeks. Eats her share of tasty, but really bad for you food, looks around her room and the boxes she has stored at her parents house and feels weighted down by her old life.
The emphasis in her life now isn't the stuff she accumulates, but the experiences she has. she supports local business with small purchases of items, and has gone back to running. Running gives her more joy than 15 pairs of shoes could. Running gives her more joy than a 42 inch flat screen TV could. Running gives her more joy than three closets full of clothing, and STILL having "nothing to wear". She is satisfied by her surroundings, her life, her career, her home. She is content. She misses people more than stuff. She misses that she can't be home to be a good a Aunt to her niece and nephew - not so she can fill a room with things.
A little extreme I know, because most of us won't pick up and move to a country with the social issues still apparent in South Africa. Most of us can't understand how she's able to be ok with only 5 pairs of shoes, or a reasonable sized wardrobe, or curfews at night, or not owning anything of major value because of the fear of theft. But the one thing she finds the most freeing? The one thing that causes her to be happy when she leaves Canada for home? It's that she is able to shed the coat of materialism and find the true meaning of life, happiness, and joy. I've never eaten a pineapple straight from the bush before, but I'd gladly trade all but my essentials for a chance.
Here's the trouble most of us have. We are worried that other people will perceive us a poor, as desolate, as unworthy of their companionship and friendship if we don't have the required flat screen TV, or the robust cable package, or 55 pairs of shoes or be able to eat out every time someone asks, or a iPOD, iPAD, iPHONE.
I can't wait until I've been able to relieve myself of my unwanted possessions and move to a more frugal/minimalist lifestyle. I'm looking to reconnect with things that made me truly happy and joyful, like music. I don't mean listening, I mean playing. I didn't realize until le man picked up his guitar and started playing again just what was missing in my life, but I think I've found it.
I used to be a member of an orchestral band. I used to sing in a jazz choir. I used to love practicing to get ready for concerts and learning new pieces and perfecting my part. I haven't felt goosebumps like you get when you listen to a piece of music that truly moves you, or a combination of notes and harmonies that hits you in a place you didn't know you had, and invokes tears for no reason except pure joy and beauty. I don't need stuff. I need sound. I need harmony, melody, contra melody, codas, and stanzas, and arcs and crescendos and decrescendos, triplets and split times, and 30 other musicians playing various other instruments to bring to life the feeling of the song.
It's amazing what a shift in perception can cause in your life.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Just to let everyone know, I'm moving my blog to my own domain. the look should be the same, but the url will be different. It could take up to three days for this change to take place, but I wanted to let you all know.
The new url will be:
www.thequesttobe.com
If you get here and you can't see me in your feed, or reader anymore, that's probably why.
So over the next couple of days, watch for the new look.
According to blogger, they'll be transferring everything over to my new domain, as part of the service. I hope there isn't much service interruptis for you though.
The new url will be:
www.thequesttobe.com
If you get here and you can't see me in your feed, or reader anymore, that's probably why.
So over the next couple of days, watch for the new look.
According to blogger, they'll be transferring everything over to my new domain, as part of the service. I hope there isn't much service interruptis for you though.
Some Commentor Love!
I'd like to start today by giving some love to those reading this blog. On Saturday, I received the following comment:
Michelle: HOLY SMOKES! That's amazing! $7K in 4 months is awesome! I'm trying to get the debt paid off, but just added summer camps for the kids to it because I hadn't properly budgetted. I could get upset about adding to the debt this month, but that approach hasn't worked before. :-) So it's back to re-organizing the debt re-payments for my next pay and getting a bit more aggressive.
You're a motivational read when I pop in here, so I'm hoping I can go "toe-to-toe" so to speak and be debt free right about the same time. I've seen what you allot to debt repayment before, but will have to look for it again so I can re-build my budget around debt-repayment as priority one, followed by life expenses as number 2. Life has been sneaking in there and taking away from the debt-repayment lately, so time to stop that slow leak!
What struck me about the above was the determination to stay positive despite the miscue with the debt. Michelle, you asked for what I allot to my debt. So, Ill make it easier on you and re-post my current budget. Keep in mind that I found at the beginning of this month I realized that due to the increase in the price of gas and groceries. I made a small shift, but I've not changed my goal. I will be getting to debt free by December 31, 2011. Now it just means I'll have to find a way to make a little more money outside of my regular paycheck.
So, for all of you out there, here is the budget I'm rolling with beginning May:
Income $3,259.94
Debt Repayment $1,500.00
Subtotal $1,759.94
Expenses - Fixed
Rent $467.10
Life Insurance $ 29.25
Car Insurance $141.03
RRSP $100.00
Rogers (cbl/int/phone) $180.00
Laundry $ 50.00
Bank Fees $ 8.95
Expenses - Variable
Food $250.00
Transportation $250.00
Medical $125.00
Entertainment $ 60.00
Clothing & Gifts $ 45.00
Total $1,706.33
Buffer in account $ 53.61
I've got a bit of a buffer going on here. That money has a job. It's called "sit in my account and accumulate so when I need some money for an emergency I have something." That's the long version. The short version is "Emergency Fund".
It's small. And you'll notice I don't have anything really going to savings either. This flies against the advice of Ms. Gail, but for the remaining 8 months of this year, I'm willing to suck it up for 8 months to get my butt out of this debt.
The second part of the comment left by Michelle, that I really liked, was the fact that she has a goal to go "toe-to-toe" with me on this quest. I love it! I welcome all of you that are working at getting to debt free this year. I also welcome any of you that have a goal to take a sizeable chunk out of your debt this year.
It makes me feel great that so many of you are reading this blog, and getting yourselves into a position to take a bite out of your debt situation. Please remember that some of what I do will work for some of you, and some of it won't. Please don't get discouraged if it isn't quite working yet. It will take a little while to completely sink in and begin really making a difference. It took me five months to get myself set up mentally, emotionally, and financially to get to where I started in January, and ultimately where I am now. Stick with it. Take distinct, measurable steps, and reward your victories.
I dumped my gym pass. I cancelled my personal cell phone, in favour of the work benefit phone I have the fortune of using. I dropped my bank fees. I got real with my budget and use the jar system. (go to www.gailvazoxlade.com to learn more them). I stopped carrying my debit card and my credit card. I stopped making excuses for why I can't use cash. I CAN use cash. And by sticking with the rule that once it's gone, it's gone, I'm able to stick to my budget, and make decisions regarding how I spend the amount I get per month. From above, that's $730 for my life stuff.
And as you can see, about $100 more than one of my paychecks per month. Prior to the increase in prices, it was actually just under one of my paychecks per month. If I can live on one paycheck per month, that means I have quite the ability to save for future things. Not too bad I'd say.
So, Michelle, and all of my readers, thank you for reading, and commenting. I hope through my quest, I am able to help some of you on your own.
Happy Monday!!
Michelle: HOLY SMOKES! That's amazing! $7K in 4 months is awesome! I'm trying to get the debt paid off, but just added summer camps for the kids to it because I hadn't properly budgetted. I could get upset about adding to the debt this month, but that approach hasn't worked before. :-) So it's back to re-organizing the debt re-payments for my next pay and getting a bit more aggressive.
You're a motivational read when I pop in here, so I'm hoping I can go "toe-to-toe" so to speak and be debt free right about the same time. I've seen what you allot to debt repayment before, but will have to look for it again so I can re-build my budget around debt-repayment as priority one, followed by life expenses as number 2. Life has been sneaking in there and taking away from the debt-repayment lately, so time to stop that slow leak!
What struck me about the above was the determination to stay positive despite the miscue with the debt. Michelle, you asked for what I allot to my debt. So, Ill make it easier on you and re-post my current budget. Keep in mind that I found at the beginning of this month I realized that due to the increase in the price of gas and groceries. I made a small shift, but I've not changed my goal. I will be getting to debt free by December 31, 2011. Now it just means I'll have to find a way to make a little more money outside of my regular paycheck.
So, for all of you out there, here is the budget I'm rolling with beginning May:
Income $3,259.94
Debt Repayment $1,500.00
Subtotal $1,759.94
Expenses - Fixed
Rent $467.10
Life Insurance $ 29.25
Car Insurance $141.03
RRSP $100.00
Rogers (cbl/int/phone) $180.00
Laundry $ 50.00
Bank Fees $ 8.95
Expenses - Variable
Food $250.00
Transportation $250.00
Medical $125.00
Entertainment $ 60.00
Clothing & Gifts $ 45.00
Total $1,706.33
Buffer in account $ 53.61
I've got a bit of a buffer going on here. That money has a job. It's called "sit in my account and accumulate so when I need some money for an emergency I have something." That's the long version. The short version is "Emergency Fund".
It's small. And you'll notice I don't have anything really going to savings either. This flies against the advice of Ms. Gail, but for the remaining 8 months of this year, I'm willing to suck it up for 8 months to get my butt out of this debt.
The second part of the comment left by Michelle, that I really liked, was the fact that she has a goal to go "toe-to-toe" with me on this quest. I love it! I welcome all of you that are working at getting to debt free this year. I also welcome any of you that have a goal to take a sizeable chunk out of your debt this year.
It makes me feel great that so many of you are reading this blog, and getting yourselves into a position to take a bite out of your debt situation. Please remember that some of what I do will work for some of you, and some of it won't. Please don't get discouraged if it isn't quite working yet. It will take a little while to completely sink in and begin really making a difference. It took me five months to get myself set up mentally, emotionally, and financially to get to where I started in January, and ultimately where I am now. Stick with it. Take distinct, measurable steps, and reward your victories.
I dumped my gym pass. I cancelled my personal cell phone, in favour of the work benefit phone I have the fortune of using. I dropped my bank fees. I got real with my budget and use the jar system. (go to www.gailvazoxlade.com to learn more them). I stopped carrying my debit card and my credit card. I stopped making excuses for why I can't use cash. I CAN use cash. And by sticking with the rule that once it's gone, it's gone, I'm able to stick to my budget, and make decisions regarding how I spend the amount I get per month. From above, that's $730 for my life stuff.
And as you can see, about $100 more than one of my paychecks per month. Prior to the increase in prices, it was actually just under one of my paychecks per month. If I can live on one paycheck per month, that means I have quite the ability to save for future things. Not too bad I'd say.
So, Michelle, and all of my readers, thank you for reading, and commenting. I hope through my quest, I am able to help some of you on your own.
Happy Monday!!
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Sunday Learning
Every once in a while I come across some interesting things while I read email and blogs. Since I'm preparing myself to start tackling my health, I thought this would be a bit of a aid to some of you out there. It's a little more graphic than usual, but I've done my best to stay reader friendly.
I think every so often I'll post on a Sunday with something informative.
Below are two links to the websites of the people I mention below.
Life Coach
THE LYMPH SYSTEM
Thanks to an email from a Naturopathic Doctor I know, I learned that your lymphatic system is the garbage collector of your body. Each cell in your body has to excrete waste at some point. Your lymphatic system (mostly liquid) creates a river in your body that your cells discharge their waste too. The fluid here is moved by your muscles. The more sedentary you are, the less your muscles expand and contract, the more junk is left in your blood and stored in your body. if you ever needed a reason to exercise (a.k.a. MOVE your body) this is the best reason I can think of. Each time you move - dance, climb stairs, go for a walk, have sex (hey, it's exercise!), you are helping your body get rid of it's wastes.
If you ever needed a reason to drink more water, this is it as well. Because the lymphatic system is a LIQUID system, you need to replace the liquid your body uses and gets murky with water. Think of it this way. Would you go out to a pond in your backyard that's got algae and pond scum, and looks nearly black with murk and take a drink? I wouldn't either! This is what your lymphatic system looks like when you don't get enough water during a day.
Don't want to drink water? Then don't expect your body to get rid of the naturally occurring cellular waste.
Is it any wonder we feel lethargic, and tired, get sick all the time and are finding we're gaining weight?
You know that saying, "Garbage In, Garbage Out"?
A little logic, given to me by my Life Coach:
When you go to a gas station to fill up on gas. Your car requires Regular Unleaded Fuel. Do you drive up to the diesel pump and beginning filling your tank? No. You choose the grade appropriate for your vehicle and away you go. If you put diesel in what happens? If you put sugar in your tank what happens? The car sputters and spurts - if you are lucky - but dies a horrible death on the spot. Then you need to tow it to the shop, get a new gas tank and fuel system installed and pay a ton of money.
If you are drinking things other than water you body will sputter and spurt. You'll start feeling like you "need" a coffee in the morning (you're hooked on caffeine my friend), you'll feel lethargic. A tea might be nice, but did you know most of it is actually a dieuretic leeching liquid from your cells and causing you to go to the bathroom often. You'll feel like you need to have another drink. Pop/Soda is the same thing. Ditto juices.
I hear you disputing a lot of what I've said but here's the thing. While some "Experts" will allow you a pass on certain beverages, do you know why they do that? Because we've whined about "having to drink water" like we are 5 and saying to our parents "Do I have to?" Same thing. "I don't like the taste." For the most part water is tasteless. There are some taps that have a distinctly metallic after flavour. Get a filter system. They even come where they just attach to your tap now. "I don't like the taste" is like when you said to your parents you didn't want to eat your vegetables and fruit. Where I come from, that means you sit at the table until they are gone, or you get it again until you eat them.
So, your body requires water so the lymph system can flush the waste from your cells. So why do you give your body Soda/Pop and expect it can move that stuff around your body and still do the same thing? Why do you drink 8 cups of coffee a day instead of water? Caffeinated beverages cause co-dependency on the caffeine itself. It's like Food Grade Heroin! Sugar is like Food Grade Ecstasy! Diluted combinations of both are like going to rehab. Tea - depending on the type, may have some health benefits like aiding in digestion and such, but again should be substituted for good old fashioned water.
Anyone know what colour urine is when you are hydrated? HINT: It is NOT yellow! (see if you can find the answer here if you are stuck: Dr. Oz Website
Use that as a measure for yourself to see if you've hydrated your body enough for the day.
Yep in the beginning you'll be going to the bathroom a lot more often. Anyone know why???
Hint: YOUR LYMPH SYSTEM HAS KICKED INTO OVERDRIVE WHILE IT CAN
So, you may complain about the frequency, but that will subside. You're cells are having a party!
Your mission for the weekend:
Drink 2 Litres of water (8 glasses) EACH DAY
Move your body for 30 minutes doing anything but a drink to your lips and your thumb to channel surf.
See how you feel on Monday when you wake up.
Note: I drink 3 litres a day. I can tell when I haven't had enough because I feel tired all time (and things turn yellow). I'm still overweight because I just don't move my body enough for it to do something about those stores of fat I've accumulated from poor eating habits. I've got a plan to start moving my body more to help everything function better.
I think every so often I'll post on a Sunday with something informative.
Below are two links to the websites of the people I mention below.
Life Coach
THE LYMPH SYSTEM
Thanks to an email from a Naturopathic Doctor I know, I learned that your lymphatic system is the garbage collector of your body. Each cell in your body has to excrete waste at some point. Your lymphatic system (mostly liquid) creates a river in your body that your cells discharge their waste too. The fluid here is moved by your muscles. The more sedentary you are, the less your muscles expand and contract, the more junk is left in your blood and stored in your body. if you ever needed a reason to exercise (a.k.a. MOVE your body) this is the best reason I can think of. Each time you move - dance, climb stairs, go for a walk, have sex (hey, it's exercise!), you are helping your body get rid of it's wastes.
If you ever needed a reason to drink more water, this is it as well. Because the lymphatic system is a LIQUID system, you need to replace the liquid your body uses and gets murky with water. Think of it this way. Would you go out to a pond in your backyard that's got algae and pond scum, and looks nearly black with murk and take a drink? I wouldn't either! This is what your lymphatic system looks like when you don't get enough water during a day.
Don't want to drink water? Then don't expect your body to get rid of the naturally occurring cellular waste.
Is it any wonder we feel lethargic, and tired, get sick all the time and are finding we're gaining weight?
You know that saying, "Garbage In, Garbage Out"?
A little logic, given to me by my Life Coach:
When you go to a gas station to fill up on gas. Your car requires Regular Unleaded Fuel. Do you drive up to the diesel pump and beginning filling your tank? No. You choose the grade appropriate for your vehicle and away you go. If you put diesel in what happens? If you put sugar in your tank what happens? The car sputters and spurts - if you are lucky - but dies a horrible death on the spot. Then you need to tow it to the shop, get a new gas tank and fuel system installed and pay a ton of money.
If you are drinking things other than water you body will sputter and spurt. You'll start feeling like you "need" a coffee in the morning (you're hooked on caffeine my friend), you'll feel lethargic. A tea might be nice, but did you know most of it is actually a dieuretic leeching liquid from your cells and causing you to go to the bathroom often. You'll feel like you need to have another drink. Pop/Soda is the same thing. Ditto juices.
I hear you disputing a lot of what I've said but here's the thing. While some "Experts" will allow you a pass on certain beverages, do you know why they do that? Because we've whined about "having to drink water" like we are 5 and saying to our parents "Do I have to?" Same thing. "I don't like the taste." For the most part water is tasteless. There are some taps that have a distinctly metallic after flavour. Get a filter system. They even come where they just attach to your tap now. "I don't like the taste" is like when you said to your parents you didn't want to eat your vegetables and fruit. Where I come from, that means you sit at the table until they are gone, or you get it again until you eat them.
So, your body requires water so the lymph system can flush the waste from your cells. So why do you give your body Soda/Pop and expect it can move that stuff around your body and still do the same thing? Why do you drink 8 cups of coffee a day instead of water? Caffeinated beverages cause co-dependency on the caffeine itself. It's like Food Grade Heroin! Sugar is like Food Grade Ecstasy! Diluted combinations of both are like going to rehab. Tea - depending on the type, may have some health benefits like aiding in digestion and such, but again should be substituted for good old fashioned water.
Anyone know what colour urine is when you are hydrated? HINT: It is NOT yellow! (see if you can find the answer here if you are stuck: Dr. Oz Website
Use that as a measure for yourself to see if you've hydrated your body enough for the day.
Yep in the beginning you'll be going to the bathroom a lot more often. Anyone know why???
Hint: YOUR LYMPH SYSTEM HAS KICKED INTO OVERDRIVE WHILE IT CAN
So, you may complain about the frequency, but that will subside. You're cells are having a party!
Your mission for the weekend:
Drink 2 Litres of water (8 glasses) EACH DAY
Move your body for 30 minutes doing anything but a drink to your lips and your thumb to channel surf.
See how you feel on Monday when you wake up.
Note: I drink 3 litres a day. I can tell when I haven't had enough because I feel tired all time (and things turn yellow). I'm still overweight because I just don't move my body enough for it to do something about those stores of fat I've accumulated from poor eating habits. I've got a plan to start moving my body more to help everything function better.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Rewarding My Good Behaviour
Today is Reward Day!
Reward Day is a great day for me. I'll be visiting some friends and enjoying both their company and a few beverages. It is important to reward your behaviour and your accomplishments along your journey, so you stay focused.
With my pay day this week, I'm now owing $16,500 towards my debt! And that means that wonderful little progress bar over there ------------------------------------------------------------------>
changed to say 30.7% paid!!
Oh Ya!! *happy dance*
Plus, have you seen the weather lately?!
Reward Day is a great day for me. I'll be visiting some friends and enjoying both their company and a few beverages. It is important to reward your behaviour and your accomplishments along your journey, so you stay focused.
With my pay day this week, I'm now owing $16,500 towards my debt! And that means that wonderful little progress bar over there ------------------------------------------------------------------>
changed to say 30.7% paid!!
Oh Ya!! *happy dance*
Plus, have you seen the weather lately?!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Update on the RRSP/Pension Money
Just a little update on that windfall I had arrive in my mailbox last week. I have to open a LIRA RRSP (Locked-in Retirement Account) in order to transfer the money from the company to me. It was pretty painless in completing, thanks in part to a younger Financial Advisor emplyed by TD Canada Trust, at the branch I frequent. He was helpful, honest and straight forward about everything, respected the fact that I have an RRSP in good Mutual Funds and that I have some knowledge about where my money is going and what I'm trying to do.
He made a few suggestions for me to take a look at and hooked me up with some information I was having a hard time accessing about other things I was curious about (there's that word again!).
We are waiting for the transfer to be completed at the moment. Once that's done I'll have a few choices to make with my other RRSP money. I can leave it in an accessible account, to use as a First Time Home Buyer, in the future, or I can start making contributions to the Locked RRSP to literally lock up the money until retirement. Basically it grows, you can add to it, but you can't take it out until you retire. It's a nice option to have, I think.
Special thanks to a wonderful lady - cndouble - from my virtual Gail Club for ensuring I check further into things, and letting me know about her experience with a similar situation. It helped to know that I wasn't being fed a line by the banks, as she was told the same thing.
So, once the transfer is complete, I'll be able to watch this money grow regularly for me, and with any luck, have an adjustment to my RRSP contribution room in light of this Pension money I didn't know I had.
Seriously though, it was a lovely thing to become privy to in 2011. This is truly shaping up to be my year!!
He made a few suggestions for me to take a look at and hooked me up with some information I was having a hard time accessing about other things I was curious about (there's that word again!).
We are waiting for the transfer to be completed at the moment. Once that's done I'll have a few choices to make with my other RRSP money. I can leave it in an accessible account, to use as a First Time Home Buyer, in the future, or I can start making contributions to the Locked RRSP to literally lock up the money until retirement. Basically it grows, you can add to it, but you can't take it out until you retire. It's a nice option to have, I think.
Special thanks to a wonderful lady - cndouble - from my virtual Gail Club for ensuring I check further into things, and letting me know about her experience with a similar situation. It helped to know that I wasn't being fed a line by the banks, as she was told the same thing.
So, once the transfer is complete, I'll be able to watch this money grow regularly for me, and with any luck, have an adjustment to my RRSP contribution room in light of this Pension money I didn't know I had.
Seriously though, it was a lovely thing to become privy to in 2011. This is truly shaping up to be my year!!
Thursday, May 05, 2011
An Anniversary/Birthday
Wouldn't you know it!
I have been blogging for just over 5 years! Though I'm pretty sure it's more like 6, it's just that I blogged so infrequently I'm missing a year of history on this thing.
I started this blog a long time ago as a way for my friends to keep in contact with me, when we all lived in separate cities. The early stuff has been lost due to the fact that I changed the blog name and subsequently didn't transfer over the posts.
I know I've been blogging for more than 5 years because my 5 year anniversary with Le Man is in July this year, and I started earlier, originally on a Quest to Find a Good Man. Once I found him, and had been with him for an appropriate amount of time, I switched my focus to getting myself out of Debt. In the beginning I was floundering around, paying off one debt and racking up another. I got really serious about getting out of debt about 4 years ago and have been working on it ever since.
Looking back, when I paid off my car in 2009, I seemed to hit that debt fatigue wall. By that I mean I spent the better part of a year spinning my wheels in sand, not making any progress with my last debt, but not really incurring any more. I renewed my focus in August last year, and spent the rest of 2010 looking at my patterns and behaviour, systematically eliminating the bad and replacing it with the better. I'm not confident in saying "good" as yet, because I'm still tweaking as I go.
In January I decided to nip this thing in the butt once and for all, and set myself the daunting/scary/exciting goal of becoming debt free in 2011. So far I'm doing well with everything. There's always room for improvement. I wouldn't say I sacrificed much of my previous lifestyle to get to my goal, but I know that I had spent some time rebelling against my former saver ways, thus getting into the debt. I can say though, that I'm slowly getting back to that saver mentality. Though this time, it feels more manageable, less consuming and more tolerable of the things I like to do.
Here's to being consistent with this blog for 5 years, and blogging in general for 6.
To my readers, and new friends, thank you for hanging with me on my journey, for being encouraging and honest in your comments and for silently being an accountable force for me. I truly appreciate your time.
The Quest to be Financially Abundant is still going strong. Major step one: Debt Freedom is 1/3 of the way completed. I have 2/3 to go, and will be marching with purpose, direction and excitement over the remaining 8 months of this year!
I am so excited to be Debt Free!!
I have been blogging for just over 5 years! Though I'm pretty sure it's more like 6, it's just that I blogged so infrequently I'm missing a year of history on this thing.
I started this blog a long time ago as a way for my friends to keep in contact with me, when we all lived in separate cities. The early stuff has been lost due to the fact that I changed the blog name and subsequently didn't transfer over the posts.
I know I've been blogging for more than 5 years because my 5 year anniversary with Le Man is in July this year, and I started earlier, originally on a Quest to Find a Good Man. Once I found him, and had been with him for an appropriate amount of time, I switched my focus to getting myself out of Debt. In the beginning I was floundering around, paying off one debt and racking up another. I got really serious about getting out of debt about 4 years ago and have been working on it ever since.
Looking back, when I paid off my car in 2009, I seemed to hit that debt fatigue wall. By that I mean I spent the better part of a year spinning my wheels in sand, not making any progress with my last debt, but not really incurring any more. I renewed my focus in August last year, and spent the rest of 2010 looking at my patterns and behaviour, systematically eliminating the bad and replacing it with the better. I'm not confident in saying "good" as yet, because I'm still tweaking as I go.
In January I decided to nip this thing in the butt once and for all, and set myself the daunting/scary/exciting goal of becoming debt free in 2011. So far I'm doing well with everything. There's always room for improvement. I wouldn't say I sacrificed much of my previous lifestyle to get to my goal, but I know that I had spent some time rebelling against my former saver ways, thus getting into the debt. I can say though, that I'm slowly getting back to that saver mentality. Though this time, it feels more manageable, less consuming and more tolerable of the things I like to do.
Here's to being consistent with this blog for 5 years, and blogging in general for 6.
To my readers, and new friends, thank you for hanging with me on my journey, for being encouraging and honest in your comments and for silently being an accountable force for me. I truly appreciate your time.
The Quest to be Financially Abundant is still going strong. Major step one: Debt Freedom is 1/3 of the way completed. I have 2/3 to go, and will be marching with purpose, direction and excitement over the remaining 8 months of this year!
I am so excited to be Debt Free!!
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Curiosity Unveils the True Picture
I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I've been spending some time with my budget lately, and I've found that I'm slowly bleeding myself dry in a few places. What does that mean? Well it means that my aggression with my debt, while great, has been leaving me vulnerable in a few areas, that I haven't got enough buffer set up for the inflation in prices as of late.
I'm speaking particularly of my Transportation and Food categories. Despite my best efforts, I've got a slow leak here. With gas prices simply soaring, and food prices following suit, things are becoming much more expensive. I already shop sales, and do not get things not on my list. I use coupons to bolster my dollars and stretch the budget farther. But somehow I'm still coming up with overspending in these categories. I thought about why this was. I work hard - and travel a bunch, but had factored that into my transportation costs. I don't buy lunch on the road, and opt instead to include a trip home, or bring things to eat on days I'll be out on the road. In April, I traveled home more often than usual, but that's to be expected with the stuff happening there.
So, what does this mean. It means I may have to reallocate $100 from debt repayment to Food and Transportation to ensure I'm meeting the needs in this area. What does that mean for my debt repayment plan? Well it means I have to go out and find an addition $700 to replace the reallocation.
Not that difficult when I think about things. The trouble right now is that Mother Nature is doing her duty of ensuring enough water is falling to help the crops grow for the summer. I'll be planing my own little balcony garden this week to help reduce food costs and increase the "organic" nature of my meals.
I'm planting spinach, lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, green onions, thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil on my balcony. These should help sustain the fact that we eat a ton of spinach and lettuce weekly and give us the option to use fresh herbs in our cooking. Not to mention the fact that the peppery taste of arugula goes nicely in risotto and salads, and on sandwiches. With two of us, I plan to be able to have enough for us to eat daily, and perhaps be able to share the wealth a little with those members of the Gail Club I attend.
So perhaps, though I'm reallocated an extra $50 a month to my Food budget, I'll actually have money left over at the end of each month to snowball back to the debt closer to the end of the year. Ditto the Transportation category.
I'm still planning on riding my bicycle to work each day, but I have to wait for Mother Nature to warm the temperature a little more, and determine the ground has been sufficiently saturated, that we begin to have more sunny, warm, dry days, than cloudy, rainy, cool days.
Until then, I'll have to readjust a little, such that I can leave the remainder of my buffer intact and move on with my debt repayment schedule, such that I reach my goal on time.
It is May. I'm on the fifth month of my debt goal, and I'm motoring quite nicely along this path. Minor adjustments are always needed when facing such an explosive goal, but I'm glad to report I can roll with these punches!
I also found that I have swim tickets left over for a little while ago. They are still good at the pool and I'll be starting to reteach my body how to swim. A skill that is always important in the face of all this rain.
I'm speaking particularly of my Transportation and Food categories. Despite my best efforts, I've got a slow leak here. With gas prices simply soaring, and food prices following suit, things are becoming much more expensive. I already shop sales, and do not get things not on my list. I use coupons to bolster my dollars and stretch the budget farther. But somehow I'm still coming up with overspending in these categories. I thought about why this was. I work hard - and travel a bunch, but had factored that into my transportation costs. I don't buy lunch on the road, and opt instead to include a trip home, or bring things to eat on days I'll be out on the road. In April, I traveled home more often than usual, but that's to be expected with the stuff happening there.
So, what does this mean. It means I may have to reallocate $100 from debt repayment to Food and Transportation to ensure I'm meeting the needs in this area. What does that mean for my debt repayment plan? Well it means I have to go out and find an addition $700 to replace the reallocation.
Not that difficult when I think about things. The trouble right now is that Mother Nature is doing her duty of ensuring enough water is falling to help the crops grow for the summer. I'll be planing my own little balcony garden this week to help reduce food costs and increase the "organic" nature of my meals.
I'm planting spinach, lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, green onions, thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil on my balcony. These should help sustain the fact that we eat a ton of spinach and lettuce weekly and give us the option to use fresh herbs in our cooking. Not to mention the fact that the peppery taste of arugula goes nicely in risotto and salads, and on sandwiches. With two of us, I plan to be able to have enough for us to eat daily, and perhaps be able to share the wealth a little with those members of the Gail Club I attend.
So perhaps, though I'm reallocated an extra $50 a month to my Food budget, I'll actually have money left over at the end of each month to snowball back to the debt closer to the end of the year. Ditto the Transportation category.
I'm still planning on riding my bicycle to work each day, but I have to wait for Mother Nature to warm the temperature a little more, and determine the ground has been sufficiently saturated, that we begin to have more sunny, warm, dry days, than cloudy, rainy, cool days.
Until then, I'll have to readjust a little, such that I can leave the remainder of my buffer intact and move on with my debt repayment schedule, such that I reach my goal on time.
It is May. I'm on the fifth month of my debt goal, and I'm motoring quite nicely along this path. Minor adjustments are always needed when facing such an explosive goal, but I'm glad to report I can roll with these punches!
I also found that I have swim tickets left over for a little while ago. They are still good at the pool and I'll be starting to reteach my body how to swim. A skill that is always important in the face of all this rain.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Week Seven: Lust
Last one:
Lust! - these are things that make me drool, or daydream or stare into space with birds or stars or hearts or something cutesy fluttering in the background.
What do I truly lust after?
1) DEBT FREEDOM! Pretty self-explanatory I think
2) MORE TIME WITH POPPA - like nobodies business, I really really want this - more because there are still some big thing sin my life that Id like him to be there for. Primarily, so he can see me married and know he's a great-grandfather before he passes. - see Number 7 below.
3) A MAXED OUT RRSP! - I'm a geek I know.
4) A COACH PURSE - I don't know why. I walk by the store in the mall and I drool.
5) EXPENSIVE, RIDICULOUS SHOES - Think Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Louboutin, Hermes, McQueen, and all the others...the knock offs at a reasonable price are nice and I have a few of them, but I'd like to say I own a pair of them someday...just to say I do.
6) A DRESSING ROOM IN MY HOUSE/CONDO THAT HAS A PROPER WALL FOR MY SHOES AND LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS IN A MAGAZINE - truly a lust...that I've lusted after since I was 8 and a friend of mine was the granddaughter of a very prominent family, that had a house with a room simply for the grandmother's clothing, shoes, hats, accessories etc. She has the most amazing collection of items I've every seen in there and it stuck with me. These are people that went to balls and galas and operas and we played dress up in her gowns because you can't wear them more than twice in three year lest some photographer catch you and comment!
7) HAVING THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL SOMEWHERE EVERY YEAR SO I CAN SEE THE WORLD AND LAVISH IN IT'S BEAUTY. - My grandparents gave me this one. They often took two trips a year for many many years, seeing places all over. The one trip I'd love to do is the Via across Canada. It's the one trip I was hoping to do with my grandfather before he goes. We aren't sure he can do it now given the physical ailments, but I think if it's possible when we find out what's going on, then we'll do that.
Lust! - these are things that make me drool, or daydream or stare into space with birds or stars or hearts or something cutesy fluttering in the background.
What do I truly lust after?
1) DEBT FREEDOM! Pretty self-explanatory I think
2) MORE TIME WITH POPPA - like nobodies business, I really really want this - more because there are still some big thing sin my life that Id like him to be there for. Primarily, so he can see me married and know he's a great-grandfather before he passes. - see Number 7 below.
3) A MAXED OUT RRSP! - I'm a geek I know.
4) A COACH PURSE - I don't know why. I walk by the store in the mall and I drool.
5) EXPENSIVE, RIDICULOUS SHOES - Think Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Louboutin, Hermes, McQueen, and all the others...the knock offs at a reasonable price are nice and I have a few of them, but I'd like to say I own a pair of them someday...just to say I do.
6) A DRESSING ROOM IN MY HOUSE/CONDO THAT HAS A PROPER WALL FOR MY SHOES AND LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS IN A MAGAZINE - truly a lust...that I've lusted after since I was 8 and a friend of mine was the granddaughter of a very prominent family, that had a house with a room simply for the grandmother's clothing, shoes, hats, accessories etc. She has the most amazing collection of items I've every seen in there and it stuck with me. These are people that went to balls and galas and operas and we played dress up in her gowns because you can't wear them more than twice in three year lest some photographer catch you and comment!
7) HAVING THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL SOMEWHERE EVERY YEAR SO I CAN SEE THE WORLD AND LAVISH IN IT'S BEAUTY. - My grandparents gave me this one. They often took two trips a year for many many years, seeing places all over. The one trip I'd love to do is the Via across Canada. It's the one trip I was hoping to do with my grandfather before he goes. We aren't sure he can do it now given the physical ailments, but I think if it's possible when we find out what's going on, then we'll do that.
Monday, May 02, 2011
May: Curiosity Month
May is curiosity month.
"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." - Voltaire
An interesting quote, in that it is the curiosity in us that brings out the questions we ask. Some of us surpress the need to ask questions by the fear that we appear stupid. Have you heard this one? "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers"? It brings to light the thought that the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked. Many of us take for granted a person's ability to see what is happening in a given situation. And thus respond to a question that isn't obvious to someone else, with a remark effectively putting the asker into a position of feeling subhuman, or stupid for asking.
Be curious about everything this month. Have a bill coming in and aren't sure if it can be reduced - spend some time on the phone asking people if this is possible. Search some information out at a library (yes they still exist!) or spend some time on company forums on the internet. You don't know until you ask.
My big question to myself this month is: Can I find more money to put towards my debt?
We'll see what happens this month. I'll let you know the answer to this at the end of the month.
Also - a note on curiosity. It can be good and bad. Sometimes there are cases when curiosity isn't a great thing - like perhaps, trying drugs. it can also be bad if you aren't phrasing your questions such that you leave the answer to actually come. Some of us ask questions we think we know the answers to and thus wont' actually ask out loud. These often breed animosity, speculation, misunderstanding, hurt feelings and can cause fighting between people.
I'm going to spend May developing my ability to simply ask a question and not try and predict the answer that comes. It is difficult, but it will help you open lines of communication to further discussion and enlightenment.
Be curious this month. Search out that answer. And remember to answer each question as if you were the one asking it. Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of a snarky comment, and nobody deserves to feel less than human.
"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." - Voltaire
An interesting quote, in that it is the curiosity in us that brings out the questions we ask. Some of us surpress the need to ask questions by the fear that we appear stupid. Have you heard this one? "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers"? It brings to light the thought that the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked. Many of us take for granted a person's ability to see what is happening in a given situation. And thus respond to a question that isn't obvious to someone else, with a remark effectively putting the asker into a position of feeling subhuman, or stupid for asking.
Be curious about everything this month. Have a bill coming in and aren't sure if it can be reduced - spend some time on the phone asking people if this is possible. Search some information out at a library (yes they still exist!) or spend some time on company forums on the internet. You don't know until you ask.
My big question to myself this month is: Can I find more money to put towards my debt?
We'll see what happens this month. I'll let you know the answer to this at the end of the month.
Also - a note on curiosity. It can be good and bad. Sometimes there are cases when curiosity isn't a great thing - like perhaps, trying drugs. it can also be bad if you aren't phrasing your questions such that you leave the answer to actually come. Some of us ask questions we think we know the answers to and thus wont' actually ask out loud. These often breed animosity, speculation, misunderstanding, hurt feelings and can cause fighting between people.
I'm going to spend May developing my ability to simply ask a question and not try and predict the answer that comes. It is difficult, but it will help you open lines of communication to further discussion and enlightenment.
Be curious this month. Search out that answer. And remember to answer each question as if you were the one asking it. Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of a snarky comment, and nobody deserves to feel less than human.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)