January - the Bare Bones Month

I spent a good deal of last night getting myself New Year's Ready!

I am going to be getting into the swing, by participating in the No/Low Spend Challenge issued at My Half Dozen Daily. 

Carla has laid out Rules for herself:

Carla's [My] Rules: (These are the rules I’m holding myself accountable to, feel free to follow mine, change them a bit to fit your lifestyle, or start from scratch!)

1. Track purchases! Write down every single penny we spend!
2. Continue with my “sealed pot challenge”. Any coins smaller than $1.00 go into my pot!
3. Menu plan & shop from a list! This will probably be the best single way we’ll be able to stick to the budget!
4. Find free & cheap activities to have fun!
5. Focus on simplicity, organizing, & donating/tossing. Before my January challenge starts I’ll be posting a list of projects I’d like to accomplish during the month.
6. Medicines/medical care doesn’t count. If something comes up & we need meds, I’m buying them.
7. No “pre-stocking-up”. I won’t spend $800 on groceries the week before my challenge starts in order to “get by”. It’s business as usual this month.
MY RULES:

1.  Track Purchases!  I have a nifty little book for this that fits beautifully into my purse.
2.  Use Jar/Envelope System.  They are set and ready to go.  I'm stashing them into the zippy wallet Carla made and sent as part of the package.  It fits perfectly into my purse!
3.  Continue to shop from a grocery list.   Leaving le man at home would be the equivalent of leaving the children at home.  You accomplish two things - a seamless shopping trip stuck-like-glue to your list, and you don't have someone constantly asking for things that are not on the list!
4.  Use all of the free activities at my disposal.  This will got a long way to improving my health as well!
5.  Continue to organize and toss/donate items that are cluttering up my life. 
6.  Medical items do not count as extra spending.  They are necessary for me to continue my healing process from the accident, and keep me healthy and functioning.  I will be sending away to get myself added to le man's benefits package as well.  This allows a few more things to happen.  Namely, paying for Chiropractor and RMT first and being reimbursed the total amount from his plan is going to go a long way to returning my money.  
7.  No "Stocking up".  Items I have already "stocked up on" are a gift for a baby shower I know is happening in a month or so, and my sister's birthday gift - I got it at the end of November.  With Christmas just finishing, I have enough snacks to last the month, and I've been spending a lot of time building my entertainment list with all the things I have in my place already.  This weekend I'll be going over the personal care items I have squirreled away too.  I'm fairly certain that outside of shampoo and conditioner, I won't have to spend a dime on much else - maybe just deodorant. 
8.  I MUST use up the personal care items in my place, before purchasing anything that I already have more than one of. 
9.  Use coupons as often as possible in combination with sales.  
10.  I MUST have FUN this ENTIRE MONTH!  I already have a girl's afternoon planned, and I'm helping good friends move at the end of the month.  My mom's birthday celebration is the second weekend in January, so that leaves one weekend to sort myself with.  February I'm looking at planning a spa day for myself to have my hair done. 



This challenge is very do-able.  I just have to remind myself that everything I entertain myself will needs to come at no cost to me.  I have Shawn T's original workout DVD's.  I have Turbo Fit DVD's.  I even was gifted the Biggest Loser DVD, complete with Bob Harper yelling at you for Christmas this year.  I have tons of CD's of music.  It's time to turn my living room into a Master Fit Studio and burn off my jiggly bits! 

The above challenge takes care of my Financial Challenge.  Now I'm also setting myself a Health Challenge!

Bare Bones January will also include the need to move my body for a minimum of 2 hours every day. 

I'll be spending this weekend going through some more of my stuff in the apartment and getting it ready for removal (either through toss/donate/sell).  I'm really enjoying making decisions on items that are simply taking up space in my life and not providing any real sense of happiness. 

Lots to look forward to and lots that will be moving and shaking!

Have a great weekend all!!

Pictures of my Goodies

So, I won the package from Carla.  Here's a picture of the wonderful items I received:

Then on Christmas Eve, my bloggy Secret Santa sent me this wonderful package:

There's a package of great smelling tea candles, and a really cute Santa and Reindeer Card holding, holding a Gift Card for Chapters!  The CD with Christmas music, and a couple of Ice Chocolate Cubes.  Note:  a miny Toblorone and one icy cube didn't make it to the picture...mmmm....

I'm also including some pictures of took of the tree at my mom's.  These were taken before a killer migraine hit me and has knocked me down off and on since.  I found out today it's because the muslces in my shoulders, neck and head are so tight they are cutting off the circulation to the vessels in my head. 

I received a Canon Powershot SX40 HS for Christmas from le man as part of my present.  I love it and I'm really really happy with the quality of pictures this camera turns out.  I'm not a professional photographer, so I was scared to ask for a Rebel T3i, as I'm not sure I'll be able to use the camera to it's full potential to warrant the money.  I'm going to enjoy learning on my Powershot though!

With my lovely new present, I'm going to enjoy adding some colour to my blog for 2012.  It makes me so happy.  I didn't get a sewing machine for Christmas, but my mom and gramma are gifting me the covering of my dining room chairs.  The material and the cost to have someone professionally do them.  This makes me super happy!

Lots to get ready for the New Year!

I hope you are all getting yourselves organized and gear-up for 2012!

Preparing for 2012

The holidays came and went.  I was sick - from Thursday until yesterday.  Migraines that wouldn't decipate are difficult to deal with, especially in the middle of Christmas Day.

I have managed to get a few little things done for the new year.  My tracking book is set up.  I get paid tomorrow so the money for January will be coming out of that check.  I'll be using envelopes for my categories, but only putting enough into them for one week.  Tracking is going to be the one, sole item I do in 2012 that will get me to my goal.

I'm horrible at tracking.  I'm good for a few days, then off the rails I go.

So - I've got my purse-sized notebook.  I've attached a pen to it, so I've always got one.  And I've got my envelopes in a handy new zippy wallet that Carla sent me! 

I am getting super excited to get this thing done.  I am very excited to start tracking and using these envelopes.  I am over the moon to know that after too many years of saying it, I can finally realize my goal.

I went through a lot of my bills and files and found credit card bills from the day I opened my account with Crooks, Indignants, Bank Robbers and Criminals.  I was absolutely amazed at how I had plans to pay that thing off each year since I got into debt.  I was absolutely amazed that I didn't deal with the ever increase balance on the card years and years ago.  I was absolutely amazed that I'd kept it all!

So, a little purge I went on.  I have to call them and get a letter stating the old card account was closed.  Right now my statement at the credit bureaux shows me having two accounts - and I don't. 

A couple of things to clean up this coming year,  like the incorrect information on my credit report, and my debt.  I've also gotten quite a bit of stuff dealt with on the home front - my dining room table has been covered in things for me to "deal with".  This week I'll be uncovering it from all of those items and actually taking care of things. 

I got my new digital camera for Christmas and I'm super excited to get pictures of the package Carla sent me and the package that my Secret Bloggy Santa sent me!  Thanks Girl Makes Cents it finally got to me Christmas Eve!

And I'm working on taking a lot more related pictures to spruce up this little blog. 

2012 is going to be a fantastic year.  I can feel it!

Goal Setting 101

2011 is nearing an end.  I was prompted by a good friend of mine, that is also my life coach, kickbox coach, and general positivity role model.  He sent me an email with a goal I had set at the beginning of 2011 in one of his courses. 

It's been the same goal I told you all about at the beginning - To be Debt free on Dec. 31, 2011.  Well it's a week before and I know that this won't be happening.  Life laid down a gauntlet for me that made me readjust some things, this goal, my perspective, and the direction I want my life to go in for starters. 

Here's the thing.  I feel like I've completed the gauntlet now, that I've checked back into life.  That I'm present in my life now:  in the actions and choices I make each day, with my family and I've got clarity I didn't have before.

So - to set my goal this year, I had to remember to phrase it in the positive.

It is now October 31, 2012 and I AM COMPLETELY DEBT FREE!!  I make my regular payments each month and enjoy the feelings of using cash for everything.  Achieving this will remove the weight I carry from my past financial indiscretions, and allow me to march purposefully towards my next goal knowing I can set and meet my goals.  My friends and family have benefited from my positive progress towards my goal, and will be able to experience a more positive, relaxed, excited Pam in their lives.  I love knowing that I have laid a great financial foundation to move through the rest of my life, that I've conquered my financial inefficiencies, and that I can feel confident in making good, sound financial decisions in the future!


It has to reflect the goal as if it's the day you want it to be done.  it has to be in a positive nature - not a passively negative one.  It has to reflect how you'll feel about the goal being completed, and how the people in your life will benefit from this completion, and indicate what you'll move forward with.

To actually set a goal you must be mindful of all of these things. 

Once you've set that goal - TELL EVERYONE! 

I'll repeat step 2 again.... TELL EVERYONE! 
Telling everyone keeps re-affirming your goal to yourself.  It also gives you thousands of people to check in with.  It unconsciously lets others know you need help with it, gives a topic of conversation for friends and family, and continues to remind  you of your goal. 

Step 3 to this process is breaking down that goal into manageable pieces.  Want to pay off your debt?  How much do you want to pay off from your debt this year?  Got a number?  Great - what is that broken done by the paycheck? 

How are you going to meet this goal?  For me - I want to be debt free on October 31, 2011.  My closest paycheck to that day will be November 1, 2012.  That means to meet my goal I have to be done with my debt on October 18, 2011 payday. 
My debt will be $14,400.  There are 21 paychecks between Jan 1, 2012 and Oct 31, 2012.  If I pay $700 from each and every paycheck, I'll be done with the debt October 18, 2012. 

So, my overall goal is in blue.  My steps to reach that goal are 21 payments of $700 each, paid to the debt on each and every payday.  Any extra money I get throughout the year, I'll be tossing onto this debt.  My tax return (if there is one) will be going to this debt. 

Can you see what is happening to my goal date?  Yep - I'll be ahead of schedule!!  I'll be EARLY! 

To recap:

Goal Setting is 4 steps:


1)  Set Goal
2)  TELL EVERY ONE!
3)  Break the big goal into manageable steps
4)  Complete the steps!

Now - get busy y'all and get'er done.

Remember this holiday season - keep 'er between the ditches, rubber side down!

Hark the Herals Angels Sing

Last exam written and soup is made!

Three gifts to wrap and a house to cle-ean, I'm enjoying some Bravo TV!!


Oh glorious holiday season, I embrace you.  Oh glorious relaxation I crave for you.  Oh glorious tree, I decorate you!!

I'm finally done school for 2011.  I'm looking forward to submersing myself in all that this time of year brings - carols, Christmas TV, trees covered in ornaments, houses brightly lit, people in festive moods (oh wait a minute - nope not festive...more like over-the-top cranky!).  I'm looking forward to getting a pile of things done around my place.  Most of all, this Christmas, I'll be looking for sweet sugarplums of DEBT FREEDOM to dance in my head and remind me that, yes indeed, Carla I will be debt free by Christmas! 

I am enjoying that I'll be debt free before this time next year.  I am enjoying that I have all kinds of things ready to mobilize on January 1, 2012 to get me to debt free.  I am looking forward to being financially lighter, and physically lighter one year from now. 

There are so many tings that I have coming up and so many things I'm exited for. 

Tonight, I"m going to enjoy some relaxation and get a few things done. 

A Warm December

I've been reading some great posts lately on a variety of things.  Everything has one common theme - they are all goal oriented for the new year!

I am really inspired to make some changes, and follow this trend. 

First, I've updated my Goals Page, tweaked my Blog Roll a bit (more to come), Updated my Questor Profile and updated my Budget for 2012. 

I am writing my final exam on Wednesday morning, this week , and then I'm done with school and free to concentrate on my goals.  My debt currently sits at $15,000.  I have one paycheck left in this year.  I want to start the year (2012) with a $14,300 debt.  I will be finishing the year with $0 in debt.  It will be a fantastic year.

Second to that, I will also be working on my Health in 2012.  I will be finding fun, moving, free ways to increase my endurance, strength, muscles, tone up my body and decrease my lethagry, excess fat, and sugar cravings.  Ugh!  I used to say my only vice was sugar.  Now I've realized that since it's "white death" I've slowly been feeding my body to run on sugar instead of complex carbs, proteins, fruits and veggies. 

I've purchased my 2 notebooks already - at the dollar store - so I have one for all of my expenses, and one for all of my health related items.  They fit in my purse with my wallet and some space left over - which is perfect as I noticed this was a factor I allowed to limit my use of my previous spending book. 

Once my exam is finished I'll have freed up some of the mental space I need to take a proper reflection of this past year.  I will be coming through with a "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" post to wrap up this year, and give me a reference point to start actively changing some more behaviours. 

There are a few things I'm really wishing for this year.  The first is I need a new digital camera - mine is a 4.0 mega pixel thing, that the buttons are now nearly seized on, the screen is so marked up I can't tell if the pictures are good or not, and for some of the photos I've taken over the years I'd like to have a better quality so I can start taking pictures the way I envision them, and not what I get from my camera's limited abilities. 

The second - I really really want a sewing machine!  Because frankly, I feel like half a woman without one.  So many times I've wanted to sit down and throw some things together - like Christmas bags, or a quilt or hem pants or make new curtains, or get back into making some of my own clothes, or being able to get creative and gifting people some homemade items.  I have a great envy for Carla and all her creative items.  I may not sell them necessarily, but the fact that I can sit down and start both practicing stitches and creating items I need for my own place and for friends and family will be enough to keep me happy.

Life is about to get a whole lot more fun for me.  It's also about to ramp up and i"m about to start knocking my goals out of the park.  I'm so very ready for this!

Oh Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

from our wall you extrude!  Ok so that's not how the song goes.  Le man thought it would be fun to bring in the herbs and some flowers from the summer and have them in our apartment.  Great idea!  Now I have nowhere to put my little tree for Christmas.

Someone suggested we only put up half our tree, and place it against a wall.  So, this weekend we'll be decorating our little half tree that looks like it's coming straight out of a wall...once we figure out which wall it will be coming out of!

What I really wanted to post about was my debt.

For a little while now - about 6 months or so - I've been spinning my wheels with this thing.  In the last month or so I added a whole bunch to the debt.  We were fortunate and were given a Christmas bonus this year.  Instead of using it for frivolous things (as I've already done that in the last few weeks), it went all towards the debt.

I called the company that holds my debt and checked it's balance.  After the bonus, and my regular contribution from my paycheck, I am proud to say that I owe $15,000.

I have to be honest.  I've been paying off debt all year.  The original amount I started with wasn't exactly the whole picture - with the wedding, and the surgery, the family stuff, and the wandering around in the aftermath haze for the last few months, I'm pretty sure that if I go back and add things up, my debt was more like $28,000 not the $23,600 I started with this year. 

I have one more payment on that debt this year.  On December 29th, 2011, my debt will be $14,300.  (After the interest, one other purchase I put on it, and the total debt payment.)

All I can say is that total looks a whole lot better than the $28,000 it was earlier this year!!

For one year, for one person, given all that has happened this year, to have paid back $13,700 worth of debt is a really great job!

I'll tell you though - when May gets here, I'm going to be absolutely ecstatic!  It'll drop me well below the half way point on the $14,300 and make me so so so excited for the end!! 
I'm not holding my breath, but if my Tax Return is anything like last year, I'll be done with this debt in August!!

Christmas Miracles

Each year at this time, I find a way to do something for someone else.  I donate clothing, accessories and similar items to places like Talize, and community groups to help raise money etc.  These are items I haven't used in a while, are still in good condition and aren't serving me a purpose anymore, but are still purposeful.  My family has been working on charity things for as long as I can remember.  Sponsoring Senior Homes, Families, working in soup kitchens,  donating time to charity events etc.  It's just part of our M.O. I guess. 

Last year I used $50 of my Christmas bonus to put together packages for 5 random people in my building.  It was inspired by someone telling me about his family tradition of the "Christmas Surprise Door Knock" that his family always did.  I've donated $50 towards helping a family fromt he Family and Child Services list in our community - something our business organizes every year. 

Then I was reading Making Sense of Money's blog today and from it I was directed to this story:  Secret Santa's help Layaway customers on yahoo.  This got me thinking.  I've donated to a cause that helps people in far away lands.  I've helped someone in my community have a better holiday.  Why not help someone out anonymously too?  Here's the thing.  I don't really know of any store sin my area that still have layaway. 

So, there are a few options I have. 

1)  Do a little research and find some with Layaway
2)  Ask my readers in Canada if they know of stores with layaway
3)  Head to our local Community Store (Goodwill, Talize, Salvation Army) and pay for someone's order.
4)  Pay off my debt in 2012 and commit to finding these things out for next year. 


I'm not sure which of these would be best.  I've given some money to great causes.   I have another two boxes of items I still have to donate to Talize.

What are you thoughts on this?  Secondly, what are you doing to make someone's holiday brighter this year?

Maintaining Your Possessions: CLOTHING & SHOES

There's nothing to wear!!  I have nothing to wear!  I can't be seen in that dress again I wore it to [fill in event here]! 

Yep we should like princesses and princes!  So what's up with shopping for clothing and shoes?  Shoes I understand - they make you feel good.  They go with whatever outfit you want.  No matter what your weight, your foot size is one of the last things to change!  So, shoes make us happy no matter what our weight is doing - especially if you are female.  I have a fabulous shoe collection.  I have 37 pairs in my closet right now, not including the ones at the front door, or my sports ones left at the curling club, or the winter boots.  In total I probably own about 45 pairs of shoes, everything included.  Yep it's a lot.  But it's not as bad as I once was.  At one point in time I owned 80 pairs of foot wear.  Yep 80!  I'm down almost half.  I gave some away.  I wore some out completely.  Some were broken beyond repair, and others simply needed to find a home that would love them more than I was. 

I was, and still am if left unchecked, a shoe owning fiend!  I L O V E me some shoes!  I own a pair in nearly every colour (orange and yellow still missing). 

Combine my love of shoes with needing to find appropriate clothing to go with them and you've got a princess in the making!  Or at least, that used to be me.  Well, maybe it still is me, just under more control now that I understand more about myself.  I shop once or twice a year.  Usually in a decent quantity and not always because I need anything.  I know this about myself.  Lately I've been online pre-shopping before heading out, so I know what I want to try on before I get to the store.  Then I proceed to try stuff on and pair down what I had simply by look and feel after that.  At Christmas I did a little damage on my credit card because of this shopping thing.  I know own clothing that fits the me I am now, and not the one I was or want to be in the future.  I kept two outfits and a pair of jean so when I hit my goal weight I'll know because those items fit great and not because my scale told me so. 


This desire to get things is something I'll be watching over the next year and in the coming months.  I want to see how my mood and life affect this urge, and how the closer I get to debt free, the more I feel entitled to things.  I'll be working through an experiment as well.  For me, whenever I feel the need to buy something I'll have to take a harder look at why I feel like I want to buy it.

Other than skivvies, I'm not sure I need anything else in terms of clothing.  I may add a piece or two in the spring to jazz up the colours a bit, but I've got enough clothing to wear for an entire year - and probably not repeat a single outfit.  That's entirely too much for one person.  There's just no need.  So, as this new year goes, other than skivvies, I'll be working towards making zero clothing purchases for the entire year.

I've seen others do this.  I know it'll help my goal of debt free.  I know it'll keep me out of the malls.  I have $50 in gift certificates + $100 in free clothing coupons (when I spend more than $200), for my favourite store.  My goal is to go to that spring sale at the beginning of march, get what I need for the year, skivvies and all, and then not ever go clothing shopping again, for all of 2012.  That means I'll be spending as close to $76 dollars for the year on clothing as possible.  (In case you can't follow that math.  $200 pre tax in clothing, - $100 (coupons) - $50 (gift certificates) + 13% on the 200 = $76).  For the year that's a pretty great total.  My Clothing and Gifts budget is $45 per month.  So $76 is 2 months of saving this budget. 

I'm looking at using a little of my Christmas bonus to take care of my Mom's and Gramma's birthday presents (Jan. and Feb. respectively), so that will mean the Clothing and Gifts thing for next year will be done for my immediate family.  I'll have a friend in February, 2 in July, fiance in November to worry about still.  I have a few parts of each of those gifts completed so far though. 

This year should be interesting in terms of paying attention to when I get that shopping urge, and being able to know I can both curb it, and that I don't need a single thing - except skivvies.  I can see there are a bunch getting ready to bite the dust, so I know I'll be needing those by the spring collection launch. 

It's December 13th and All is Well!

I've been reading some really great posts about some really great goals in some really great ladies' lives!

The Asian Pear is attempting to conquer her health with her eating habits and is starting to gain momentum!
Little Lamb found a way to not pay some money on interest with an LOC to pay off some debts, and only make one debt repayment.  She's on track to be debt free March 2012!!

She Bloggs is on track to finish paying off her debt in about 18 days from now...18 DAYS!!


Life Begins at Retirement just biked her way out to Brighton and is moving onto her next destination - who can keep up with this peddling machine?!

There's lots of great things in the blogosphere lately - liebster awards a plenty (congrats everyone!), goal setting, goal meeting, goal planning, Bloggy Secret Santa stuffs  All kinds of things!

Little Lamb and She Bloggs are coming up to some pretty great milestones of being debt free!  These ladies are making it happen!

I wanted to say - those of you that are working on your health - I'll be joining you on that journey January 1, 2012.  Those of you working towards debt free, I'll be continuing my quest, after 6 months of a life hiatus, to finish that goal in 2012 as well (exact date to come!)

To all the readers and follows of this little blog, thank you for your support, your encouragement, your suggestions and your thought provoking comments.  I love reading them all! 

I finished my first final today (I passed, though how well I passed is yet unknown).  I'll be stuffing my nose in a book again after this post, so have a great week.  If you don't hear from me, it's because I'm knee deep in Environmental Chemistry and working hard at it!

A Weather Change

I thought I'd take a moment to tell you readers about something pretty cool I witnessed yesterday.  I came home for lunch, knowing that the temperature was dropping I wanted something warm.  As I was pulling into one of our parking spots, I looked into the tree and watched a group of squirrels.

This group was running back and forth from the fence line up to their home in the top of the tree.  What was hilarious about this was that each squirrel had cheeks stuffed to the brim, and pouring out of their mouths, heaps of leaves to insulate their home against the coming cold!  It was hilarious!

One squirrel appeared to be the manager, squeaking out orders and 3 others ran up and down and up and down the tree filling in the home. 

I wish I had thought to pull out my phone and snap some pictures.  I simply sat in the car for 5 minutes watching them scurrying around mouths dripping with leaves!

Just something small.  One of those things in nature that allows you a moment or two of sheer marvel and joy.

This weekend while you are busily running around finishing or starting your Christmas shopping, take a moment to sit back and watch nature. 

Happy Weekend!

Here's a picture that looks like what I saw:

Photo Credit: http://www.arkive.org/grey-squirrel/sciurus-carolinensis/image-A21944.html

Maintaining Your Possessions: CAR

This month I hit 200,000 km with my car.  Many of you would look at that and think, "Time to get a new one!"  I just had a complete service done, including m y winter tires put onto my car.  I spent just under $1,000 to have this maintenance completed.  Sure it sounds hefty, but everything - and I mean everything, was inspected.  All the fluids flushed out.  Spark plug replaced.  Transmission and Engine looked at, inspected, flushed and tuned. 

According to the service package, and the mechanic, I'm looking at being able to easily (*knock on wood quick!*) get another 100,000 km onto my car without trouble.  I've had the car for almost 7 years.  I bought it new off the lot - my first car purchase ever.  At the time I knew I had to finance the car, given the circumstances under which I had to get a new car in the first place.  So, instead of financing a New-to-me-but-not-new-car, my mom really felt I should get a brand new one for the financing option I qualified for.  Though she had to co-sign at the time, I never missed a payment, and paid off the car a year earlier than the plan I was one. 

(Thank you new job and significant raise!)

Two accidents later, and my awesome Sonic Blue is still running peppy, quick, and healthy!  Not too shabby! 

I look at cars that are 15 years old and I think to myself, I can't wait to see how she handles at 15 years old!  I spent about the same on the service for the car when she got to 100,000km as well.  And since, I've had to replace the brakes once, kept on top of the oil changes, and haven't yet had any issue with starters or transmission or anything else - not related to an accident that is.  There was the small issue with the "repair" completed after the first accident, but everything is fixed, and running properly, balanced and tuned and has been a for a little while now. 

Tires are something I have to look into in the coming months, and replacing my windshield will be the next thing, as I have a stone chip that is starting to show signs of growth.  it was filled, but the company that filled it warned me that the depth of stone chip may soon show reason to replace the entire windshield.  For now, it's holding on well.  I park underground now, so there's less of a temperature fluctuation due to elements, and less of a need for me to scrap windows often.  All of that helps preserve this little crack. 

I read somewhere that we should easily be able to get to 400,000km on our cars before needing to get a new one due to the maintenance cost/blue book value thing.  My driving habits have changed, which puts less stress on me, and less pressure on my car to perform optimally all the time. 

I am casually keeping an eye on sales and models, consumer reports and accident reports though.  Just to see what advances are being made in the car industry.  I'm super happy with my car as she is.  I love many things about it, and she's been great so far - takes a lickin', keeps on tickin'! 

With Christmas coming, I know it's a time when people are looking to find new vehicles for a present or some other reason, but I want to remind everyone that consumerism runs rampant nowadays. 

The newest, latest gadget isn't going to increase your happiness or your status.  It's just something else that you can tell people you have that unconsciously makes us think we sound cool.  Though they are nice - I can't justify getting an iPAD when my Mac Laptop is still whirling away.  I barely do more than surf the internet and word process on it anyways.  Sure Angry Birds sounds like a fun game, but seriously, I don't need to spend $800 on a 4G iPad to play that game!  Ditto the new tablet, smart phone, iPod or similar device.  I have an iPod I barely even use, and one more that came with my laptop that I didn't even charge and now needs to go back to Apple for a software reboot and new battery just to make work.  (iPod Touch First Generation - been told it's worth a mint if I can get it to work and then sell it). 

I find it interesting how we are so quick to jump on the new technology wagon simply because the advertisers have done their job well.  Similarly I find it funny that I am a fairly regular shopper for clothing lately, when I have perfectly good clothes in my closet and don't need anymore.  I have purged out the ones that don't fit.  I am setting myself up for the new year to start doing something about my weight and my debt.  It's so weird that when your debt gets bigger your weight increases, and when the debt disappears, so does the weight...hmm...stress?!!??!   (I'm digressing a little)

The point is that we have been trained to simply get new and remove what we don't want anymore.  Not because it's broken or worn out, but because we're bored of it.  So, are you looking for a new vehicle because yours had died, because you think it will die before you have looked, or because it's got 300,000km and it'll be "going any day now"?  Notice that only first option states that the car you currently have is actually not coming back and no longer drivable.  The others are lies we tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better about looking for and possibly buying a new car (whether that's new-to-us or new-off-the-lot). 

A Humbling Award

I have been given a Liebster Award by Steady Plodding.  It is an honour to have been given this award.

Thank you very very much - I definitely accept!

From what I've found, it is an award given to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers (from what I can tell it's registered followers).  The word Liebster itself means, beloved, dear, dearest, love.  It's a lovely way to show some blog love to someone, spread the word about some great, yet small blogs, and warm someone's heart. 

I want to thank Steady Plodding for bestowing this honour on me.  You should check out her blog - she's a wonderful lady, raising two children in the Southern US and working to live frugally, but richly by staying in tune with her finances, and finding new ways to stretch everything.  She's working hard and staying positive, and from what she writes about, is making great progress on all fronts.


There are rules to receiving and accepting this award.

The Rules:

1.  Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2.  Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3.  Cop and Paste the Award to your blog
4.  Have faith that your followers will spread the word and love to other bloggers.
5.  Have Fun!! 


Here are my picks for the award:

My 1/2 Dozen Daily - Carla is an amazing woman living a frugal lifestyle and having a great time doing it.  She's teaching her children that you can be rich beyond money.  Warmth, giving heart and crazy creativity ooze from this blog and the writer!


My Life Journey - brings with her a real sense of life and money.  Reading about how she and DH are getting out of debt reminds me that everyone has a journey to take and a story to tell that is uniquely their own.


  Life Doesn't begin at Retirement
- Jane is a happening lady biking her way to better health and watching her pennies.  I love reading about her adventures to P.E.I and her financial life.


She Bloggs - this amazing lady started this year taking up the same quest I was on - paying off her debt in one year.  She's a hare's breath from completing her quest.  She started t $34,000 in debt at the beginning of 2011 and is not at $2,600!  Pop over and send her some encouraging words to get her to the end of her quest!


Serendipity's Guide to Saving - a great blog for frugal and financial minded folks.  She set up the Bloggy Secret Santa you'll be reading a bunch about all over the blogosphere coming soon.  


Now I had a hard time picking just 5 blogs for this award.  Each blog I read deserves an award like this.  


For me, all the blogs I read are a reminder that I'm not alone in my journey to eradicate debt.  This is why I'm restarting my engines for 2012.  I'm restarting my journey to debt freedom.  I'm leaving behind my past, leaving it in 2011.  I had such fantastic progress in the first half of 2011, I'm looking to even better that success in 2012. 


I felt like I was keeping pace with She Bloggs at the beginning, but then life happened to me and I had to pull out of the race.  I've run the 1/2 marathon.  Now I want to run the whole thing.  I'll be studying for the next 14 days, but after that there is still plenty of time left to get my act together, get my gear on, and be standing at that start line ready for the 2012 starter pistol.  I am also going to be talking about the ways I'm looking after my health - for free - so as not to impact my budget, or my goal.


So, dear readers, please check out the blogs I've nominated.  Each is a fantastic read.


To Steady Plodding, thank you for the award.  It is humbling, a blessing and it warms my heart!

Lessons I've Learned the Hard Way

This year has been quite a year.  I have learned a few good lessons the hard way.

1)  Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Putting things off like paying bills, getting a budget, having an emergency fund, visiting friends and family, de-cluttering your house, finishing school or anything else you've said "Meh.  I'll do it tomorrow." to, should be done today.  Why?  Because you just don't have any control on life.  The person you've been meaning to visit could all of a sudden be in the hospital fighting for their life.  No budget or emergency fund?  Yep, now you've got an emergency, like being in a car accident without any idea of how you are paying for the repairs.  Putting off until I felt like it meant I didn't get home to celebrate my Grandfather's 80th birthday in March.  It meant I didn't get to say everything I wanted to, or take him out for ice cream or be happy that he made it to 80.  Instead I watched his mind disappear to drugs, and his body literally shut down. 

2)  Have integrity.  When you say you'll do something, do it.

This is a difficult one for lots of people.  You agree to something, only to change plans later.  Why did you change plans?  Because whatever came up seemed like a better option than what you agreed too, or you felt there wasn't a choice, so you canceled the time you scheduled with yourself and others, in favour of heading into work.  By the way, work?  It's the place that when the economy turns and they lay you off, will send you on your way with a thanks and a handshake - for most of us.  So, you gave up your daughter's school play, or your brother's birthday, or your mom/son afternoon out, or your husband's request for family time, or your appointment with your trainer, for someone that will barely say thank you, definitely forget this, but remember you were 5 minutes late on Monday, and most definitely fire you if it means your job or your bosses.

3)  Work is not more important than anything else.  It is NOT more important than family.  It is NOT more important than friends.  It is NOT more important than YOU.




Having a life is important.  Some of us are lucky to have benefit packages from our employer that includes dental, medical, optical, a severance package, stock options, 4 weeks of vacation, and overtime.  Many more of us are working for an employer that offers ONE of those items, but expects 100% complete demand of your attention at all times.  If you've convinced yourself that coming in for 7 straight Saturdays because this "project" really needs to get done is a good idea, you need to look at a few things. 
   a)  How often did you spend gossip-talking with your colleagues when you could have been working?
   b)  How often did you spend reading blogs, or updates on facebook during working hours?  What about the newspaper? 
  c)  If you worked through lunch once this week, would it have gotten you closer to being done? 
  d)  Taking your lunch and having working lunches with your team; could that have gotten the project done?
  e)  Are you in debt and need the overtime pay for a Saturday, or extra hours at the end of the day?
  f)  Are you children going to remember that you were working hard for money so you could go on the vacation, or will they remember that you missed the school Christmas pagent again this year? 

How did you answer each of the questions above?  Be honest - did you really need to work Saturday again?  Maybe you need to figure out why you aren't using your work time for work. 

4)  Gratitude makes everyone feel better


Thanks is a long forgotten word.  Gratitude is so misunderstood these days that most people can't even tell you one thing they are grateful for.  I've been working on a 100 Day Gratitude Challenge for 41 days now.  The shift in focus has brought about some really amazing things in my life.  (Did you just immediately think 100 days?  Oh I couldn't do that!!)  Really?  You can't look at your life and find one thing to be grateful for each day?  Seriously?  If you answered no, then perhaps it's time to try this.  But first, sit with the World Vision commercials on for an hour.  Then watch the SPCA commercials.  Then find the Angel Network stuff and see what people are being grateful for.  A chicken can mean that a village eats for a year.  Then, if none of this works, volunteer at a soup kitchen and/or with the homeless.  If you still haven't got the picture, then maybe you need a heart transplant, because yours my friend, is missing.  You are the Tin-Man without a heart, BEFORE visiting the Wizard. 

Here's an experiment for you.  Go home tonight.  Sit at dinner with your people (if you live alone and have no people at your home, then call a family member or friend).  Ask each person to tell you one good thing about their day.  When they say "Well I didn't die today", you'll understand what I mean.  Not only is it negative, but it isn't grateful or happy or fun or amazing.  And it definitely isn't gracious or thankful. 

5)  Even though someone asks how your day went, they don't necessarily want to hear about it.

Automatic questions aren't always asked because the person asking genuinely wants to know.  They are a polite way of saying, I hear you speaking to me, I'll engage you in a moment and then tune you out.   They don't want to hear that your mom died, or your daughter is being a pain.  They just want to hear "good, and you?"

When you go home to have a conversation with someone, actually be invested in hearing the other person.  Sit at attention, listen to what they are saying and converse with the person.  Communication is the poorest skill in our bag.  Take, for example, my boss.  He begins every sentence with me "Are you busy?"  My gut response every time is to say with severe sarcasm, "No, I'm just picking my nose and scratching my butt all over my desk."  The first question wasn't what he means to say.  My response is not something that comes out of my mouth.  He wants to know if I can stop what I'm doing to pay attention to him while he decides if what he is doing can be done by me or not.  So, I say "Yes I'm busy, is this something urgent you'd like me to take care of, or can I take a(n) (fill in time here) to finish this and then speak to you about that?" 

Kind of like when a woman says "Fine".  Ladies, stop using this when it isn't true!  Say what is really on your mind, in a calm, non-confrontational manner, and you'd find that communication with that person is instantly better.  Why are we as women so afraid to speak our minds?  Did our mothers break us of this so early we've forgotten we're allowed to have a voice? 

6)  Being negative, or passively negative, brings negativity to you.

Yes it really does.  Passively negative things sound like this:  "So much to do.  So little time."  What do you mean so little time?  You've got all the time in the world to do whatever you want to do in it.  You have all the time in the world to do that "To Do" List.  You will only accomplish that which is important to you.  There are others - I know you regularly use things like this in your own language.  What happens when you are late for something?  You hit every red light right?  Try this the next time you are running behind.  Get in the car.  Look at the time.  And think "I will be on time."  Think it over and over again, turn on the radio and sing out loud to the songs you like, at the same time, just relax and drive like you've got enough time.  If you truly mean the words you say, you'll find out that you'll arrive on time, and without having nearly killed someone and yourself.

Some people call this karma.  The point is that if you keep telling people all the horrible things in your life, you'll keep having horrible things happen to you.  If you instead find good things in your day (there are tons, you just have to see them), good things will start happening to you.  Vent to your friend about your life, then make a concerted effort to not talk about the bad items anymore.  Move beyond them.  The past is there for a reason.  Each day is fresh with no mistakes.  You get one chance at creating the life you want.  Living in the past doesn't make the present any better.

I'm sure if I looked I could find other lessons, but these were the big six I wanted to remind everyone about.  With the holiday season in full swing, it's time to remember your past fondly, but make new memories in what you do each day.  Live for now, plan for the future, reminisce about the past. 
Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I L O V E Packages in the Mail!

I just picked up a package in the mail!  Christmas has arrived early to my house!

In this package were the winnings from the World Vision Donation and Blog Give Away over at My Half Dozen Daily.  Opening the package, I was most excited for the apron - the original gift that was being offered.  I love cooking and baking, but I don't actually have an apron - so I always wear clothes I don't mind if I get dirty.  Now I have an absolutely gooorrrgeous apron that I can wear whenever I get int he mood to exercise my culinary skills!

It's absolutely stunning!  The cup sleeve will also come in so handy.  I have a camera strap that will dress up my *hopefully soon* purchase of my first SLR camera in 2012!  Then, oh then, I was absolutely stunned silent by all the other treats that arrived in this package!  To have half the creativity Carla has would mean I would be a wealthy woman!  The pieces are stunning!!

I have mats and coasters to host tea for my girlfriends, I have a beautiful journal and homemade book jacket that makes it so much more fun.  I even have a book, that I was not expecting at all!  And there's a mat that I'll be using as a "hot plate" to serve my warmed dishes over the holidays with!

The package is stunning.  I am absolutely beside myself with the goodies.  And now I really really really really hope that my family went together and got me the one thing I really really really want this year...a sewing machine! 

Would you believe that I don't actually have one?!  I know!  What self-respecting woman living away from home doesn't have sewing machine right?!  I can only hope to practice my skills and open my creative side enough to attempt some of my own home sewing!

I grew up in a family that made everything.  I went to school in home-made knitted sweaters, smocked dresses, regular dresses, shorts, shirts etc.  We weren't a rich family, but my  mom and grandmother could hold their own with needle and thread.  The clothing was beautiful.  I never had an issue with kids making fun of them.  The sweaters were always perfect - I even had a dinosaur one during the years we covered dinosaurs in school!  There have been a few weekends where I've longed to break out my machine and create a few things - quilt, skirt, stockings, new cushion covers, or seat covers for my dining chairs. 

The package I received gave me pause to appreciate the workmanship in the pieces, to reminisce on my past and the hard work my mom and gramma put in so I wouldn't go without, and to remember that I really like making my own things!

Carla - thank you for such an amazing package of homemade items.  I love each of them!  And I can't wait to get them home to start using them!

December = Reflection

In the last installment of the series I've been working on each month, December is Reflection month.  Unknowingly I wrote a reflection oriented post on December 1, 2011.

Going further into my reflection, I wanted to mention I was challenged 40 days ago to start a 100 day Gratitude challenge.  It was designed to help me move through my grief, and my propensity at paying attention to the negative items in my life, instead of the positive.  Now, I'm a very positive person, but what I've learned is I'm actually not as positive as I thought I was.  I'm actually passively negative.  Comments like "So much to do, so little time."  really accentuate the passive negativity I'm talking about.  Because ya know what - it should be so much to do, so much time.  You have all the time you need to whatever you need to do.  Most people just procrastinate until the last minute to get to the stuff they feel they really need to do.

For example, I had a paper to write tat was due by Friday Nov 25, 2011 at noon.  I wrote, but didn't like what I wrote, so I took the weekend to re-write the paper.  I handed it in Tuesday morning, before class, knowing that I was taking at least a 10% deduction on my mark.  I got my mark back today.  I received an 89% AFTER that 10% deduction!! 

Which means, the work I handed in was pretty damn perfect!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!  The work I started with however, would have yielded me about a 60% on my marking scheme, not the professors.  Whenever I have a work that feels like a 60%, I know that the re-write will increase my mark into the A I aim for.

To know that had I handed in the paper on time with the work I gave in on Tuesday, tells me that my process isn't the problem.  It's my time management!  The 89% isn't really what I want to talk about though (I"m totally stoked about it though).  It's the fact that I was able to reflect on my process for arriving at the end mark, and realizing that I have the skills in place, I just have to manage my time better that I really want to talk about.

Reflection is a powerful tool.  If done in a completely open mind-frame, you are able to analyze yourself in a logical and fair manner.  You are able to understand that you have good traits, and traits you need to work on.  Reflection proves to yourself these things.  Reflection gives you the opportunity to help yourself learn from the events, better yourself, take joy from your experience, revel in the happiness, but always make sure your learn something from the experience. 

So, some of you have set new goals already, but have you taken the time to reflect all the way through?  Have you realized what things you can work to improve, what you do really really well, and what thins you want to do again or avoid? 

December 1, 2011

Today is December 1, 2011.

I look back over the last 11 months and I'm grateful to have made it through everything.  There are 30 days left in this year.  That's it.  30 days.  So, I know a lot of you have goals that you set for the year.  Now is the time to review those goals and see what else you can finish in these 30 days.

I have completed Christmas shopping for 3/4 of the people I need to buy for.  I'm about to complete my list this weekend.  It feels great to be very nearly done with my holiday shopping.  I just realized, that although I've made a major dent on a credit card I have worked hard to pay down, that I have a Christmas bonus check coming my way, that I'll be able to move over to that card and whip out a chunk of that damage. 

Given the year I've had, I'm not surprised at myself by my behaviour in shopping as of late.  I've been working hard on healing a great many things this year.  And I've learned that it really is true that you can spread yourself too think on this.  So, I opted to focus on me, my grief, and my physical healing.  To do that I had to let go of some of the financial stuff.  Here's the thing though, paying of $12,000 worth of debt in a year is nothing to sneeze at.  It's a great feat, and it shows me that when I put my mind to something I really will succeed at it.  Most of that money was paid off in the first 6 months of this year.  The last 6 I've really been spinning wheels here, neither incurring more debt, nor paying off debt.  For me that is a win, considering where I've come from.

In the next 30 days I will be writing 2 >50% final exams.  Yes you read that right.  Both of my finals are worth more than half my mark in these classes.  A great way to redeem my less than stellar showing on my mid-terms.  I will not be taking any classes in the Winter semester.  Given where I've come from this year, I'm going to enjoy the time for me, to continue my healing, and to allow myself the time to explore the inner doors that have been found, so I can come out with more direction, clarity, and purpose. 

After my exams are complete, I will be finishing my last 2 personal reading books from the Read 6 Goal.  On top of that, I also want to complete the picture albums I started earlier, and put aside in light of this year.  I want to get these done before the New Year rings in, so I can put all of this in my past this year.  So I can start the next with a cleaner, clearer energy, and so I can look back on the memories with a teary smile, instead of a pain-filled one. 

I'm setting my goals for the New Year in these next 30 days.  Some of you will recognize the first of my goals, as it is the same one I started with this year.  There will be some aspects that will be different, and that will be the same.  The goal hasn't yet been reached, so marching purposefully at the beginning will allow me to gain the momentum and follow through I need to finish it.

The tone and cadence of this blog will be changing slightly as well.  I've realized that I've been hiding somethings about my life, from my family, friends, followers, and myself.  So, at the beginning of next year, you'll see a little bit of a change. 

For now, this month, my job is to study effectively for my finals.  I have 12 days before one, and 20 days before the last one. 

There will be other things I'll be blogging about in the mean time, but the time between posts will be filled with learning. 

I would encourage each of you to take a few moments between now and Sunday to review the goals you had set for yourself this year.  Reflect on whether you've accomplished them or not.  Decide what else you can accomplish in the next 30 days.  Set your new goals for the new year, based on what you haven't accomplished this year.