Moving By Bus

Our new home is only about a twenty minute walk from the old one. Our landlord help us move the furniture, including the bed, so that's where we've been sleeping. But clothing, food, pots and pans, and even the computer are still here at the old place. We have until the 22nd of January to get it all over, and at this rate we'll need every day of it.

In the meantime, I have become the poster child of car-free living. People see a woman walking down the street in broad daylight with a backpack and dragging along a huge, heavy brown suitcase? They stop and ask if they can help. Then I have to convince them I"m not a victim of abuse or joining the Austin homeless population, just moving a half mile.

It's not easy, but everyone should try it. Maybe "Buy Nothing Day" should be changed to "Move everything you own one block without the use of a motor vehicle, and then see if you really need any more so-called 'bargains'" day.

Dropping a Line

Christmas Eve our landlord called and asked if we wanted his help moving our furniture - the next day. So Christmas morning we hauled our bed, two dressers, dining table, and several side tables to our new home. Now we just have to worry about the little stuff :) This is officially my favorite landlord ever.

Our previous apartment was right on a busy road. This new place is in a quiet suburban neighborhood, and we've been sleeping so well without the constant noise of cars and neighbors.

Posting will be sporadic as we're still moving, but I hope to be back in regular touch again soon.

Holdiay Thrift

After the success of our Thanksgiving get-together, I was expecting a huge Christmas Eve gathering. It looks like I got ahead of myself, however. My mom will be here, my brother and his wife stopping in late in the evening, and two of my friends. Otherwise Darling and I will more or less have the day to ourselves. Which is good, I guess.

Sadly, I spent a lot more on party favors/general gifts than altogether necessary. I bought holiday mugs and put little baggies of homemade spiced cocoa mix in them. I topped off the gifts with little trinkets: small pine cones, miniature ornaments, and peppermints. They probably didn't cost $2 each, but I bought enough for 16 mugs! Guess some of my work colleagues will enjoy some...

These Things Just Sneak Up On You

Wow...Why didn't anyone remind me that Christmas is the day after tomorrow?

Christmas in December

I baked sugar cookies with a friend today. We couldn't find cutters, so we used butter knives to create our own designs. We made cookies shaped like stockings and candy canes, stars and hearts. We worked our way up to a huge menorah, a car with a bow on it, and a manger with a baby, two adult figures, and an angel. Eventually we couldn't think of anything holiday-themed so there was also an elephant, octopus, and dinosaur. It was a lot of fun. You're so right, Lizzie, Darling and I can finally relax and get into the holiday spirit.

Financially? Things are a little strained. What else is new? But I tell you - THIS IS THE LAST TIME. Next year we will have Christmas ready before THANKSGIVING, I tell you!

Holiday Pick-Up

Last night Darling and I took a friend to see No Country For Old Men at The Alamo Drafthouse. I had hook-ups and a gift certificate so three tickets and the largest meal I have ever paid for (appetizers, four entrees (because Darling, tall and thin, is never full), and desserts, only cost the $15 tip.

I wish we could go live in our new home right away, but we still have a month before our current lease is up and a holiday party in a few days. Maybe we'll rent a truck next weekend. In the meantime, I have a lot of baking, scrubbing, buying, and wrapping to do.

We Signed The Lease

The community apartment is officially ours! Composting, bio-intensive gardening, and weekly vegan meals are now ours!

We bought 16 mugs for 99 cents each from Goodwill. That is phase one of our mass Christmas gift plan.


And tonight I do this month's charity work, which is my normal job done for free. All the proceeds are going to a manager whose home was robbed of nearly everything she owned two days ago.

FlyPlan is on hold while we catch up on the holidays.

FlyTread

With so much extra time on my hands, the house should either look great or at least be half-packed in preparation for our move. Lately, however, a lack of inspiration and a sense of stress has been dragging me down. I decided to check out FlyLady, which was recommended to me over a year ago. I'm not living in CHAOS, but I still crave the structure the site offers to teach.

I am not a yellow sticky note fan, so I've decided to put my daily reminders on this blog. They will probably go somewhere else before the list gets too large.

On a financial note: THERE IS $22 IN OUR CHECKING ACCOUNT!!! For the first time this month I am not concerned that someone will cash a check before I work.

Earning Now, Earning Then

Before moving, I made $900/month at my full-time job. I also worked on a farm, modeled, baked, and served with a catering company on the side. Curious that I'm so bored with my single job now, eh?

This morning, my potential landlord called about a problem. Apparently he called this establishment, and although he doesn't know who he spoke with, whoever answered the phone said I probably didn't make $900/month while working there.

I worked 40+ hours a week and made $7.25/hour. Math, anyone? Now I have to hunt down my old pay stubs to prove it.

"Why," inquired I, "Does it matter what I earned last year across the country?" Mr. Potential Landlord had a vague reply having to do with standard procedure. Despite the fact that our credit check, criminal history, and current incomes add up.

I need to stop going on negatively about this place. The guy has the right to be anxious and careful about who rents. It's more than an average apartment we'll be caring for, but a general lifestyle that is probably very difficult to cultivate in an urban community.

We'll be meeting him again Wednesday, at which point he should let us know whether or not the place is ours

In other news, Darling's insurance didn't cover all of our first dental visit, so we owe those nice folk some money. Getting to that just as soon as we send some X-mas gifts. At least I made some money this weekend...We bought groceries today!!! :)

Oh Man Am I Bored

Leah Ingram at The Lean Green Family will be introducing a 52 week "Green Boot Camp" next year designed to help readers develop Earth-friendly habits. Leah knows her stuff; I can't wait to follow along and see how Darling and I can improve our lifestyle.

By the way, I am off yet again today. It is so freaking boring not going to work and lacking a life outside the home. By the way, why don't I have a life outside the home? And a good novel read at the bus stop, or even a two hour walk alone, does not count. I don't even have any hobbies within the home to keep myself busy. This doesn't seem acceptable. There's a yoga mat in the spare room's closet, and a guitar in the bedroom closet. That's it, I'm pulling one or the other out right now...

Well, it only took ten minutes to break a D string.

No doubt there is so much I could be doing. Like cleaning upstairs, for instance. Have I mentioned I hate two-story homes? My mom, who raised us in the collapsed remains of a sand pit (practically), used to point at the big beautiful homes downtown and say "wouldn't it be awful to vacuum that much space?" I maybe saw my mom vacuum twice ever. She also frowned at homes with carpet, preferring our dirt floor. Regardless, I have a distrust of stairs and homes that have them. Split-level homes bug the heck out of me, because you get the steps without even the benefit of towering over your dirt-floored neighbors.

Anyway, upstairs is a mess because I resent having to go upstairs to clean, and the carpet is especially in need of care. I think I'll do that after this blog.

Lately I've come to appreciate the benefits of moving every year. My generation has been given a lot of pressure to buy a first home just out of college - I know several people who have. Some of these young 20-somethings still live with their parents or in their first apartment. If you've only lived in two or three houses ever, how would you know what you want in a home? Thanks to our gypsy nature, Darling and I know that tiled kitchen counters are a must, flat cabinet doors are vital, we hate baseboards, and that linoleum is mostly evil. Thanks to my first home, I know I'm willing to sacrifice energy efficiency for big windows that open. Our second apartment made me appreciate storage space and closets, and this home reminds me that I am too lazy to climb stairs and carpet is a no-no.

The best part? If millionairemommy is right, we're saving money by renting and taking time to develop our American dream.

Now, for the upstairs bedroom...

Savings vs. Debt Servicing

I've been complaining about my workplace slowing down since August, but things are getting ridiculous. I only worked 17 hours last week! And this period I'm only scheduled for three days. I appreciate the time off, but really don't want to start a second week without groceries.

Thank goodness we had that emergency food box well-stocked. I'm making fried chicken seitan with rice and steamed cabbage tonight. Yesterday it was macaroni and cheese with broccoli, the day before was chili. Tomorrow I'm calling to reschedule our dental appointments for next month. Other than that, we're doing well. the bills are paid, rent is dealt with, and our pantry will be stocked when Darling's check comes in on the 20th, if not sooner.

This month has definitely reminded me of the importance of an emergency fund. We started putting over 10% into a savings account last month. That came up to about $200. We spent three times that on debt. I think we should switch those priorities for a time, at least until we have $4,500 - about 3 months worth of our expenses - invested in a money market account. This will bring our debt servicing to a minimum-payment plan, but something tells me these "emergencies" won't stop coming until we're prepared to deal with them.

Endless Description of Our Potential New Home

In my opinion, the apartment has great space and a pretty good layout. It is on the end of the fourplex, so we only have one neighbor, with whom we share a single wall. She gave us the tour, and seemed very nice and eager to talk about community goals and challenges. The place had lots of high windows, allowing for plenty of light as well as privacy. I can't wait to put out a bird feeder near our bedroom window, which has a view of the back garden. There are large closets in both the bedroom and what I am now thinking of our office, as well as a hall closet which might be our new pantry. The kitchen has decent cabinet space, a huge sink, a larger-than-necessary fridge, and several spice shelves over the gas stove. The small bathroom doesn't have any storage space, but is so far the newest and cleanest we've ever moved into. The white paint looks new, and so does the light blue carpeting. And the outside is turquoise, which is so Austin chick. Darling was the one concerned about losing 200 sq. feet of space, even though we barely even use our spare bedroom. Downsizing is pretty hard, even for minimalists.

I have the same suspicions as Lou. There are a lot of nice older folk interested in alternative communities, with the money to buy and fix up land, but not the time and energy. I've run into more than one person who doesn't understand why nice younger "hippies" like Darling and me don't want to move onto their land and turn it into an organic sustainable farm - for free. Many people expect us to pay for the privelege. So when Darling and I read about "labor units" in a lease application, we have to be cautious.

However, the man who owns this property has been maintaining it for six years. There is a small yard, cute garden, a compost pile, and about four other people. I'm pretty sure we can handle however many labor units it requires to weed a 4x4 garden, and Darling can adjust to living in a single story home made out of wood instead of brick. In fact, I'm really looking forward to it again!

And now there will be an official hiatus on going on about this place until we actually get it. Assuming we do. And why on Earth wouldn't we?

Happy But Wary

Darling and I went to see the apartment today. It was very nice and cute, though Darling was concerned about space. The garden was smaller than we expected and the composting plan a bit haphazard. It put Darling and I in a bit of a mood, reminding us of our last less-than-pleasant attempt at community living. Some of the paperwork was a bit disconcerting as well. We were excited to read about a vegan meal trade - but apparently every menu requires a typed list of ingredients and sources, and meals are be rated on locality, sustainability, lack of GMOs and such.

I'm also a little concerned about "labor units." Every occupant is meant to devote a time and energy to improving the place, which I'm great with. But the thought of my contribution being measured and judged by people who mostly appear to work 9-to-5 and have weekends off...Well...

We've handed over the money. If we're deemed unworthy we'll get a refund. If not, we have six months to experience a type of living Darling and I have been promising ourselves for years.

I don't want to sound down on this, we are really excited, just nervous.

$100 Mistake

I've been tracking our daily income and expenses this month in a spiral notebook. It should be noted that mathematician I am not. I have been known to argue the possible existence of decimal points, microwaves, and the number twelve out of sheer bloody-mindedness and resentment that other people can understand concepts beyond my grasp.

Anyway, I was reviewing my notes and discovered an error that overlooked $100 in earnings. So we have that much more! Which means I should have the deposit check for the apartment just in time :)

Feeling Broke

If there is anything I've learned about being healthy, financially or physically, it's that the delaying of gratification is vitally important. If one is low on energy, one must tough it out until lunch or nap time, not chug a sickly sweet caffeinated beverage (even if that bev is technically "sugar-free"). If you're having a hard time sending in a debt payment or paying bills, there is no excuse for buying cheap treats for consolation. These are lessons I learned on my weight loss journey (went from size 14 to size 6) as well as on my road to financial freedom.

Friends invited me to go dancing last night. I was reading on the couch, enjoying the yummy smells of Darling cooking dinner (home-made lentil burgers, cabbage, and beans, all organic), and reported that we don't have any excess money right now. "It's only four dollars," my friend groaned, "we'll loan it to you!" I sighed and tried to explain how not having money requires not spending money. I hate to sound rude, but I've had about a million people act condescending or pitying to me this week because of my lifestyle. I'm pretty over it.

Possibly because this week Darling and I are living la viva broke. I didn't have the heart to tell my friend that we're not even going grocery shopping this week. I'm pretty embarrassed about the college thing, and the result that we are about $300 short of the deposit for the apartment. I told the landlord up front that we most likely will not have the money until the 20th, and although he was very friendly and understanding, I'm afraid someone with a credit card will swoop in and pass a background check first. I'm even considering asking my brother for a loan, which would be awful. Don't even mention our dentist appointment on the 19th...

Yuck. Thank goodness Darling and I don't have a credit card, no doubt we would have charged thousands in the past two months alone! Is it possible for a month to go by without an emergency, are we just creating them out of thin air so I don't feel obligated to spend excess funds dancing with friends or chilling at coffee shops?

Lucky Finds

I took a walk to see the apartment mentioned in yesterday's post. The fourplex is just so freaking cute it hurts. Seriously. Four little blue units with green shutters and little stone steps...Not that I'm getting my hopes up or anything...But I am crossing my fingers and hoping to make decent money this weekend so we can pay a deposit during our tour/lunch meeting next Wednesday. Because Ireallywantitsobadicouldthrowmyselfonthegroundandkickandscreamlikeatwoyearold!!! It kills me that we would have the money now if I hadn't signed up Darling for that course he can't even take (the refund will take two weeks to process).

I found a sweet little 8-pocket portfolio on the way home from work today. Actually, it's been sitting by the dumpster outside my workplace for over a week now, and I've been too fascinated to pick it up. Despite being made of cardboard, paper, and purple ribbon, it looks brand-spanking new. One would not guess that it had been out of a package, much less outside in a parking lot during a rainstorm or two. I think it is just the thing to organize our tax paperwork, charitable contribution records, pay stubs, and so on.

Everyone Has Their Joneses

The college requires Darling take the algebra course before any credit courses. He's already attempted to test out of it, and was one point short of doing so. We'll be getting a refund on his course and enjoying a semester or two off.

I found this to be horribly upsetting. Then I wondered why. What's so vitally important about Darling taking a course, any course at all, regardless of his interests or the financial impact?

It slowly dawned on me that Darling's education became top priority when my best friend's boyfriend went back to school for his degree. I remember feeling jealous, and guilty that my Darling had to work so many hours in a job he hates for us to get by. If her boyfriend got to enroll, why shouldn't my Darling? Never mind that he has a degree! I was desperate to keep up with my own personal Jones family.

Having realized that, I feel that a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. Yes, Darling enjoyed his class. And how amazing is it that he will be a certified solar technician soon?! He will probably go back in the fall, and hopefully I'll be with him. But in the meantime, we can focus on the goals, priorities, and ambitions we've let fall to the wayside. For instance, my love still doesn't like his job: but he has an interview on Monday, and can spend some time moving on to something he enjoys more.

We also need to focus on our move, and I found a really exciting ad on Craigslist. A nearby small Austin community has a two bedroom apartment to rent. They offer organic gardening, composting, a hard-core recycling program, communal vegan meals, wireless internet, and solar energy for $100 less rent than we're currently paying. We had a phone interview with the owner today, and it sounds very promising. Darling and I have wanted to experience communal living (with privacy) for some time now, and this might be a perfect introduction! It's closer to my job than we live now, and right on our favorite bus route! We have a tour scheduled for next Wednesday. I really hope we will have the deposit saved by then, at which point it will basically be ours (pending credit and criminal background check, and assuming we don't get too over-excited and end up disappointed).

Oops...I mean Yay!...I hope...

As a result of not having a lot of time on his hands, the worse website ever, and being "new" at this American college thing, Darling didn't manage to register for his degree program in time. In fact, we came painfully close to not registering for any classes at all.

Darling has been too busy working, studying, and taking final exams to sit down with his adviser. Granted, all this should have been done last month, but I won't go into that. So we've been trying to register him online for the past couple of days, but there was a random pointless hold on his account. That hold wasn't taken off until yesterday, so we didn't get down to registering until last night.

For all we know, there was plenty of room for Darling in all of the classes he needed. But whenever we tried to add a class, we were stopped with an error message to the effect of: The class is full, maybe, or there is a computer glitch, or we hate you. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, we were interrupted by a window demanding we purchase a parking permit. When we clicked "no," it took us back to the login page! At one point we gave up trying to add specific courses and just searched for any course Darling could take this semester. He was interested in taking a Quickbooks or an AC/DC circuitry class, but both gave us the error message. We were very interested when it looked like several automotive courses were still open, but got the parking permit demand. We gave up. Darling was sitting on the couch, glumly muttering about how maybe he'll focus on the new job he'll hopefully find next week, when I interrupted him with a surprised and slightly frightened gasp! I had been idly searching and clicking, not expecting any response, when suddenly bright red letters informed me that we owed $243! I had managed to sign him up for the AC/DC class which had refused us at least twice already! Despite the fact that he doesn't have the prerequisite course, as I have just now discoered.

I HATE the ACC website!!! Now we've paid for the course, but don't know if he should risk trying to take it without the background knowledge (a maths course). But I don't want to risk him not having a course at all. And now, having paid for the course, we are officially and totally out of money.

Little Encounters, Big Impressions

I was waiting at the bus stop when a young man, probably in his early twenties, crossed the street to join me. I watched in amazed horror as he swigged the last of his chocolate milk and slung the plastic carton carelessly onto the grass next to the sidewalk. There are trash receptacles at every bus stop in town, including this one. Right next to him. Where he stood. Feet away from his garbage lying in the grass. His recyclable garbage.

We both climbed onto the same bus. His final destination was less than a ten-minute walk away. Seriously. And not an unpleasant walk, but one with sidewalks and pedestrian crossings and so on.
Not that I resent him for taking the bus to get a few blocks, the transportation department can have the guy's dollar for all I care. It was just interesting how, in the space of thirty seconds, this guy could make me dislike him so much without even realizing it.

Happy Anniversary to Us :)

Darling and I celebrated our third anniversary yesterday by sharing a cold and cuddling in bed all day. I'm not really sure what other people do on their anniversaries, but we're especially bad at buying each other gifts so that didn't really happen. After a brief bout of mutual guilt, Darling grabbed an old belt off the floor and handed it to me, saying "happy anniversary." I gave him a hat, then our couch, and he gave me his jacket, and so on.

I've been taking some time to not think of Christmas, and therefore fell behind on my gift-a-day idea. I'll catch up...eventually. I refuse to have a nervous breakdown over what should be a joyous time of year.

Speaking of nervous breakdowns, I realized that our lease term ends January 22. Not February. I don't know how we got confused on this issue. We'll need to find our new home a month ahead of schedule. The good new? We paid "last month's rent" as part of our deposit, so we don't have to worry about that $700 expense now!

Nevermind and December Priority List

My 8-Day Challenge has already fallen apart, so I will carefully sweep it under the rug and hope no one notices. It slipped my mind that Darling and I are both taking Tuesday off (Day 3 of 8) and it is yet another agonizingly slow work week. We will simply have to earn at our normal steady pace, cut down on grocery spending, and hope his scholarship comes through after all.

This is a flexible list of this month's spending priorities:

1. Darling's Exam Fee ($30) *Covered* **Oh wait, not needed :)**
2. Electric Bill ($42) *Paid*
3. Phone Bill ($55) *Paid*
4. Darling's Tuition *($800) *oops, er, nevermind*
5. Rent ($700) *Now Application Fee/Deposit on New Place*
6. Dental Exams ($500)
7. Student Loan ($200)
8. Investments (minimum $150)
9. Bus Passes ($20)
10. Prescription ($20)
11. Christmas (minimum $200)
12. Moving ($50)
13. Charity (minimum $100)
14. Family Loan ($400)
15. Tread Clothing ($50)

Total Estimated Expenses (excluding groceries): $3,317

December Net Worth

Hurray for December, I can finally put out the Christmas gifts I've wrapped and we can set up our little "tree." It's actually a small wooden statue of Santa Claus next to a tree, which has about a dozen little ornaments to decorate it with. My mom gave it to us a few weeks before our first Christmas. We set it up on the desk in the tiny room of Darling's sister's basement we were staying in during that time. Sure, there was a huge tree upstairs, but it was so nice to have something special for us.

Anyway, it's also that time of month to see where we are financially.

Total funds available, including checking accounts, savings, and cash: $293.90. As I had absolutely no money at the beginning of last month, this is a huge improvement. I also have $50 gift card for Performance Bikes.

Total Traditional Debt: $15,313.33, $410.38 less than last month.

If we stop there, as I always have in the past, our current net worth is -$15,019.43, $726.32 more than last month! And it's important to note that our net worth has, in fact, increased. But I'm going to add to the equation a new form of debt which we have only this month become aware of: our medical debt. Even though we don't owe anyone this money as of yet, we know how much it will cost to get our teeth fixed and I think it appropriate to consider this amount a form of debt. This is an expense that will not only go away, but will increase over time if ignored. One positive aspect of this type of debt is that we have insurance that will help us pay it. So $1000 worth of work may only cost us $500, but our net worth will increase by that full grand anyway. Hopefully this will encourage us to schedule and pay for monthly appointments in the hopes of getting our net worth back to where it was when I started this blog. Some goal for a financial blogger, eh?

Anyway, this is the price estimate that the dentist office gave us after our first visit. I suspect there might be more work beyond this, unfortunately, but our priority expenses come up to $3,079.

Which puts my net worth at -$18,098.43.

Yikes.

Potential Scholarship and The Return Of The 8 Day Challenge

Darling was told he has a chance at getting a scholarship for the sustainable energy degree he wishes to earn. $800 goes a long way at community college. The only problem is that he has to register for the course before applying for the scholarship...which means paying tuition first, and hoping for a refund later. We'd kind of given up hope on Darling going back to college full-time this semester, so this is kind of out-of-the-blue. However, my husband is feeling confident, and I am behind him 100% in whatever he wants to do. Even if it means finding a way to earn several hundred, maybe a thousand, dollars this week.

I'm trying not to panic. He talks to an adviser Monday, and may be able to work out some sort of payment plan. Frankly, I feel kind of exhilarated by the challenge. Remember my 8 Day Challenge in August which helped pay for his solar certification course as well as our English vacation? Maybe it's time for another. If I beg for double shifts at work, get lucky, and earn overtime, I might just be able to put away $1000 by December 8th. And with any luck, Darling will get the scholarship and that money will come back to us just in time for our move in January.

November Energy Results

Throughout November we did our best to eliminate our home's phantom loads (mostly by turning off the computer when it was not in use), attempted to reduce our energy consumption, and traded most of our light bulbs for eco-friendly CFLs. The result?

Last month we used a total of 1,081 KWH. The first 500 KWH cost $0.0355 each. Every KWH more cost $0.0782 during Summer months. Then a fuel charge of .03044/KWH is added to the total, as well as a $6 customer charge and sales tax. The total cost of our electricity usage last month came up to $103.11.

This month, after spending maybe $50 on ridiculously expensive bulbs from our local co-op, we used only 340 KWH. This cost us only $28.70.

To be totally honest, this seems too good to be true, so I will note that not only did Darling and I reduce our energy consumption quite a bit as the weather cooled and our house guests all moved out, but the landlord replaced our electric panels last month. I don't know whether or not that would effect our efficiency, but it seems insane that a handful of lightbulbs could save us $75 in a single month. I almost want to put the old bulbs back in to do another test. Now the monthly wind energy credits I purchase will more than cover the carbon impact of our home.

What's more, while reading our bill I learned that we're paying a $10 street service fee, from which people who don't own cars are exempt. So that's another chunk of cash we'll be saving from now on, and another benefit of not owning a car.

After my last post I went visited Goodwill and discovered it practically picked clean! I purchased a bag of plastic bows for 99 cents as well as a new notebook for the same price.

Last week I lost my paycheck, last night I found it in a pile of paper recycling! I was going to ask my employers to issue a new one, but the HR department is pretty crap and it might have taken weeks to get to me. So we're officially at priority #15: New clothing for Darling. And I think I'm going to send him to Target to buy as many socks as he can carry. We never do new clothes, but underwear is not so great purchased second hand.

The Current Budget System

For the past several months our income has not been very stable and our expenses less than predictable. As a traditional budget isn't appropriate to deal with the ups and downs of server wages, we've been using a priority list to determine what expenses are most important to us. Sometimes there simply isn't enough money to pay debt and the electric bill, fix the bikes and buy baking supplies. The list is a flexible way for Darling and me to determine where our money goes, even when we don't see eye to eye on every issue.

This concept has evolved in little ways over time. For instance, our original intention was to use the list as a step by step guideline, which didn't work at all. Next month's rent is almost always first priority, but we can't put a hold on groceries and bills while waiting to reach that goal. So it's generally understood that the bill that's due first will get paid first, regardless of placement on the list. Groceries have been taken off the list altogether, because there's no reason to skip a week's groceries for the sake of a "flexible" budget tool. We only ever shop once a week, on Monday, so we don't have to worry about overspending in this area. We also took charitable donations off the list, as we have incorporated a system of devoting 20% of our income between paying social debt and savings.

Christmas shopping is another priority that doesn't have a good home on the list, so I have decided that every day after Thanksgiving I will make one purchase in preparation for the big day. So far I have purchased wrapping paper, gift tags, cards, and one gift. I live within walking distance to both a Salvation Army, Goodwill, and a Half-Price Books, so it's not hard to stop in on my way to work. Every day more people are cleaning out there closets in preparation for refilling them next month, and I'm finding a number of quality products that have never been opened. I'm also developing ideas for frugal, thoughtful gifts using second-hand materials.

Debt Payment At Last!!!

I just sent $300 to my student loan company. Our debt with them has officially been knocked down to less than $14,000! I'm hoping to reach priority #13 before the end of the month, which might just require having a really good day at work tomorrow.

Today's Christmas shopping consisted of floral cards purchased from Half-Price books (16 for $4) and gift tags (99 cents).

Falling Behind and Getting Ahead

We moved the computer upstairs in order to have more room during the party, and the Internet has not been very reliable ever since. I never realized how important having immediate access to my account information at home was to managing our finances. It's slightly scary. Where are we on our priority list? There is definitely some financial catching-up to be done.

I purchased a wedding organizer for a friend and her future-husband for Christmas. Brand new, in its original packeting, for $7. If I make one Christmas purchase a day every day, shopping should be a breeze.

Thanksgiving and the Day After

On Wednesday we fed a total of 14 people a veggie feast. I worked Thanksgiving feeling fat and happy. I also worked over 12 hours of overtime last week. Between work, my kitchen, the shops, the family, and - oh yeah, my Dad's in the hospital - I was pretty busy!

This morning, even though I never shop on Black Friday, my mom talked me into waking up at 6:30 in the morning so we could hit a sale at the bookstore before I went to my 12-hour shift starting at ten. Fun Fact: The bookstore didn't open until 9 a.m. Ah well. Live, learn, and don't shop the day after Thanksgiving.

Actually, I stopped by the Salvation Army next to my workplace and bought shiny snowflake wrapping paper (still in its cellophane and boldly marked $8/roll) for 50 cents. It is officially time to start thinking about X-mas.

Happy belated Thanksgiving, all :)

Shopping and Why You Should Check Your Bank Statements

Sorry I didn't manage to post this weekend - I worked thirty hours between Saturday and Sunday. Then I woke up for a work meeting at ten this morning, ran to the bank, went shopping with my Darling, sent him off to play with friends and did another shop. I spent under a hundred dollars, which was my ultimate goal. I also bought a still-in-its-package Harvest Scroll Damask Tablecloth (the bottom one) from goodwill for $8

We decided not to roast the nuts and couldn't find corn at our co-op nor the other grocery store where I finished our shopping, so the Thanksgiving menu will be slightly altered.

I checked our bank account after the second shop, and was surprised to find a charge of $11.99 for something called TLG Great Fun. What the heck has Darling signed up for, I wondered, casually Googling the company. This is what I found.

This is the second time this year our information has been stolen (that we know of)! I called our bank immediately, and the transaction is canceled. Although I'm annoyed about being robbed, it's a big relief that our bank responded so efficiently and helpfully.

Thanksgiving Menu

On Halloween morning I woke up, glanced about the fridge and pantry, and managed to feed 10 people with what we had and very little planning. Have I mentioned how hard planning is for me?

That feast really cleaned out our pantry, and we still haven't recovered. As a result, I'm doubling our grocery budget for the next two weeks. And expecting at least 15 people to show up at our house on Wednesday evening (Darling and I both have to work on Thursday). I want to have time to relax and have fun with my friends and family. This is my meal plan:

* Two Tofurkeys with roasted carrots and taters

* Creamy Country Gravy, the recipe of which is found on the side of the tofurkey box and is DELICIOUS

* Sweet corn

* Mashed sweet potatoes topped with shredded coconut

* Green beans

Deviled Eggs

Butternut squash and glazed carrots

Coleslaw

Roasted nuts

Caramel cupcakes

Pumpkin pie

Pecan pie


The top five items need to be served hot, the rest can be made the day before. Only about half an hour should be spent in the kitchen before dinner is officially served. Maybe we'll have a veggie platter to snack on in the meantime.

I'm still not sure how to entertain our guests. We watched zombie movies and played cards on Halloween, so that's out.

Maybe I can encourage my guests (I have a few friends who will come over first thing and stay to help clean) to help with certain dishes. Snap beans, peel eggs, that sort of thing. But I'd like them to have fun as well. Would it be too early to buy a living tree and ask for help decorating it? Anyone have advice for entertaining mixed groups for lengthy periods of time? Decorating cookies would be good, but I'd like to save that for Christmas...

Owww...

And wow, the dentist is expensive. No wonder my parents could never afford it.

With insurance, the two teeth cleanings we needed to begin our oral health journey cost us $229. Hopefully our insurance will pay the other $553 without a fight.

We both need a number of fillings and a couple of caps (new and replaced). I either need a root canal or one of my back right molars pulled. I have an infected nerve, which is why I have been in so much pain the last few weeks. I need to get hold of a penicillin prescription to deal with that.

After our examinations, a woman in the office helped to explain what our insurance will pay for and when. Our company will only co-pay as much as $1,000/year of work. Therefore our needs were prioritized by the dentist. Overall, we have about $3,079 worth of damage, not including the caps that Darling needs replaced. There is a twelve month waiting period before insurance will co-pay major/expensive work, so that root canal won't be happening until August.

I think next month we'll schedule an appointment to deal with some of our cheaper dental priorities. I'm also going to calculate the $3,079 in "health debt" into our net worth. My gums are sore, we're short on rent again, but it feels great finally dealing with something that's been haunting me since high school.

Chill

I enjoyed a surprise day off and accomplished so much today! Two loads of laundry (one hung to dry, one guiltily shoved in the dryer), took Darling's tire to the bike shop for repair, a loaf of bread and scalloped potatoes, desperately needed kitchen tidying, and several hours of "me" time.

Hope you all had a relaxing and productive day as well. This eighty-degree Texas weather makes it very hard to be stressed out that I'm feeding and mixed group of family and friends a Veggie Thanksgiving feast in almost exactly one week.

A New Budget Idea

This is my "pay ourselves back plan."

See, it all starts with social debt/charity/tithing/whatever you want to call it. I believe in spending a certain amount of income to fund organizations and activities that will make our world a better place, because it is my opinion that many of us are failing to pay True Cost of what we consume. See, you may think that $40 is expensive to fill an SUV with gas, but that doesn't even come close to covering the environmental and health damage caused by that vehicle. You may get your groceries a buck or so cheaper by shopping at Wal-Mart, and it's the under-paid worker bagging your groceries paying the difference. As disgusted as I am with our high electric bills, it makes me sick to think of how horribly mining towns and the people who live in them are exploited to get that energy to me. 10% of my income seems like a small amount to pay to at least attempt to right some of these wrongs.

Then I am reminded of two things by my lovely readers: Darling and I need to be putting money away for our future and emergencies, and we already spend quite a bit of time, energy, and money reducing our carbon footprint. We don't own cars, cellphones, or other mercury-filled doodads, we've worked hard at using as little electricity as possible, we have near-vegan diets, we pay more for organic groceries at our local co-op and carry our bulk purchases home in recycled containers and cotton bags...We try and avoid not paying the true cost of anything.

As a result, I've started putting 20% of our income aside: 10% for social debt, 10% to invest in an ING account. Whenever we spend money in any of the socially conscious pursuits I've described above, 50 cents of every dollar will be transferred from the first account to the latter. For instance, we spent $64 today between a local vegan restaurant that does many good things for the community and grocery shopping. $32 will go from my charity pocket to the savings pocket. Besides the original 10% taken daily from my tips, no extra money will go towards investments as a result of green living.

The best part? Although 20% is a big chunk of paycheck, we don't seem to miss it. Yesterday we earned enough to check off priority #4 - next month's rent. Just in time to go to the dentist on Wednesday!

Interactive Tread

If you think my blog is at all interesting, you should check out my comments. I feel so fortunate that so many people seem to care about my well-being and have such good advice and experience to pass on.

This blog is a work in progress; it's composed of the real-time chronicles of a road many people have traveled, too few have recorded. Many (though not all) of my favorite bloggers started writing after becoming more-or-less financially stable mothers. They have valuable information to share because they know which choices were the right ones. I kind of think of The 20 Year Challenge as a "before" photo, or at least a series of "in-progress" images. One week I can't afford rent. Then next week I break the bank giving all my money away, This week, I consider ways to balance our spending based on advice from my readers. Wow, it's like, interactive or something. Next I'll be mailing out scratch and sniff cards and upload some audio (or even images...someday, if I ever have a decent digital camera).

Keep those friendly words coming, and stay tuned for my new "social debt/paying-ourselves-first" budget!

Moving Mountains

Ever since reading The Millionaire Next Door I've felt a little torn between wants. Part of me thinks that having 7 figures would be just dandy. So I begin to wonder just how Darling and I could accomplish that.

Well, having a business rather than working for someone else would help, which would mean settling down to a specific profession and setting up a space to practice it. Businesses rely on stability and recognition, so we wouldn't be able to move from state to state, much less cross oceans. We'd need to get out of debt even faster than already planned, which would mean putting a hiatus on even brief cross-country trips. Even if Darling and I didn't become entrepreneurs, we'd have to find ways to drastically increase our income. We're discovering that employers are afraid to hire Darling because he lacks a cell phone and "reliable transportation," so we'd have to amend that. We'd also have to buy nicer clothing. These expenses would probably trump our newly acquired health insurance.

The money spent on our social debts (or charity) would also have to be redirected into high-interest money market accounts. The 10-20% more we spend on organic and local products could also be put to more "profitable" use. We could shop at HEB or even Wal-Mart rather than our local co-op, Wheatsville, and save money by helping to exploit their under-paid workers. There are a hundred ways Darling and I could save money without reducing our actual consumption.

I'd like a million dollars, but would hate to pay the price.

Can Darling and I achieve our financial goals without sacrificing our ideals? It's been so hard to focus on debt repayment when their are light bulbs to be replaced, polar bears in need of assistance, and a big world out there I desperately want to explore. Who said, "Do what you love, and money will follow?" Is there any evidence behind that statement? If it weren't for Darling, and my dreams of his babies, money would be the furthest thing from my mind. Except I want our children to have more than radical ideals and organic thoughts. I want to build a house, I want to own land, and I want them to know there will always be food on the table, blankets on their beds, and shoes on their feet.

Right now it seems that the 20 Year Challenge will succeed only if love and forced confidence truly can move mountains (and I can charge people to watch). Don't get me wrong, I'm still betting on myself. I'll just feel a lot better after our next debt payment.

Fruit and Energy

Today I splurged on fruit. Seriously. Grapefruit and apples and bananas and more! And a tofurkey for The Big Day. I spent about $40. And I refuse to regret it.

Darling bought some stuff to fix our bikes and made two discoveries. First: the bike I was given for free by someone who found it in a dumpster is so vintage that its wheels are obscure and hard to find or replace. Second; for $15 extra a month we can have our nasty Texas coal energy converted, via a credit system, to lovely clean wind energy. When we do, we'll get a $50 gift card from the bike shop. I am definitely signing up; I'm sure our 10% "Giving Fund" will cover the extra cost with ease.

Phones, Haircuts, and Goals

My mom called me last night to say her phone is being cut off. I called the phone company and her new connection is under my name.

A friend of mine, a recently unemployed cosmetologist, cut Darling's hair today. I paid her $20, not knowing if this was right or not. Hopefully this will help my love feel more confident at job interviews.

Yesterday I read The Millionaire Next Door. It was an interesting, if not surprising, read. I enjoy knowing that millionaires tend to be frugal entrepreneurs driving used American cars. It's interesting to consider the authors' formula for measuring expected wealth: One's age x One's annual income / 10. However, they didn't mention whether how married couples should alter this equation. According to the book, many millionaire wives tend to work at home. Should Darling and I average our ages and combine our income for this formula, or combine the total of our personal results? Either way, our combined Net Worth should be over $100,000.

That is my goal for 2011: to have a net worth of $100,000 or more. That sounds nearly impossible right now, as I'm not even sure how we're going to be debt free by $2009. But having something to shoot for is half the fun.

Oh, now I get it...

I've been trying for absolutely ages to get someone to explain to me the difference between standard deductions and itemized deductions. At best, I'd get a shrug and the vague response, "it's more difficult." Or, "That's for people with mortgages."

I finally had time to sit down today and peruse the IRS website. Did you know they have a calculator to determine how much sales tax you can deduct (if you itemize)? Anyway, the answer is painfully simple: You would only itemize deductions if the resulting total would be less than the Standard Deduction amount, which is on the left column of the 1040 form. For a married couple filing jointly (like Darling and myself) our standard deduction is $10,700.

So if we wanted to, say, donate tax-deductible gifts to charity, we'd have to give nearly $11,000 for it to make a difference (excluding other deductions, such as dental work and I think sales tax).

I'm sure this won't be a revelation to any of my readers, but this blog is more about recording baby steps than pearls of wisdom.

Great Day, Great Month

Thanks to one of my managers cleaning out her closet, I am now the proud owner of a new pair of jeans, two pairs of comfy yoga pants, a couple of nice button up shirts and some cute casual shirts. I'm finally starting to feel good about my wardrobe.

First thing I did today was schedule a dentist appointment, which will be exactly one week from now. Even taking that step has taken a load of weight off my shoulders. Thank you to everyone who gave me encouragement, sometimes it is hard to put one's own health first.

After that, we headed downtown for our weekly shop. We stopped by the hardware store and bought a fancy screwdriver, had a spare key made for Dad (who has been sleeping over a few times a week again, but has also been Totally Sober!!!), a battery for our fire alarm (thanks for the reminder, Blunt Money), and some stuff we've needed to fix our towel rack in the bathroom.

We then visited Wheatsville, where we went $4 over budget and purchased a second 3-gallon water container. Yes, Lu, they are very heavy to carry home on the bus. My husband says he appreciates the work out. Besides, twenty-five cents a gallon is a price we can not beat, especially with the Austin tap water tasting so awful lately due to the annual algae bloom.

We also visited the bank and deposited some cash and paychecks. None of the checks written on the 1st have cleared yet, so we have no overdraft fees to fear. We have enough money to pay priority #3, the $115 electric bill, and will soon have next month's rent in the bank. This is a great improvement over last month :)

Nice Shop and Facing My Dental Fears

Yesterday management forgot to schedule my day shift. I managed to pick up some evening work, but had two hours to kill. Luckily, the Salvation was next door and I had five dollars in my pocket. I purchased Talbots khakis similar to these and a green Gap shirt for a total of $4.38. A nice little outfit, if I say so myself. I earned enough money last night to pay for my splurge as well as priority #2: The Phone Bill.

I had $5 in my pocket due to a visit to Walgreens for Peroxyl. This is a Hydrogen Peroxide mouthwash that cleans and numbs the area of my mouth which, probably due to wisdom teeth, is giving me a lot of pain right now. The time has come to see the dentist, and I'm scheduling appointments for Darling and myself first thing in the morning. This is scary and a little sad. Having a bad dental situation feels different from having debt, but it isn't. Having my teeth looked at isn't going to cost us any more than ignoring the problem will in the long run. That Net Worth on my sidebar is going to plummet when the doctor bills come rolling in, but at least then it will reflect the whole story. All our cards will be on the table. And maybe my anxiety will be reduced when I have an idea of how much my clean bill of health will total. Currently, I have no idea. $5,000? $10,000? $20,0000? Having a reality to face will ease my anxiety at least a little.

*Whew* And Priority List

After I blogged yesterday Darling informed me he had $15 in his pocket. And when I put on my coat this morning there was $12 in that pocket! So we weren't $22 in the hole after all!

Comments on my last post offered lots of good advice on giving time and energy vs. money. I would love to spend a significant amount of my time helping others, and have made many attempts to do so in the past two years. Unfortunately, I have never managed to fit volunteering into my schedule. Shift work can be extremely demanding; my hours change daily. I have Monday and Wednesday off every week, but spend every moment of that time catching up with housework and running errands with my husband and friends. Free time is a rare treat for me right now, most of which is spent trying to articulate my thoughts on this blog.

Because I spend so much time at work, however, we have some excess income. Money is easier for me to put aside than time, so that is what I will give.

Why start giving money now, when we couldn't make a debt payment and just barely paid rent? I've stared at this question on the screen, and the answer slowly bounces against the sides of my brain like a screen saver: Because I want to. Why? It feels good. Giving feels good. That's the beginning and end of it. I could say it's religious or spiritual or that the greatest financial gurus of our time agree that learning to give is one of the first steps to gaining control over you wealth. But those aren't my reasons.

Darling and I wrote up our November Priority List today, and we already have the funds to accomplish #1: Fix the bikes ($15)

2. Phone Bill ($89 by October 11th) *Paid*
3. Electricity Bill ($116 by the 13th) *Paid*
4. Rent ($700) *Covered*
5. Darling's Exam ($80 By December) *Covered*
6. Darling's Dentist Exam (?) *Paid*
7. Tread's Dental Exam (?) *Paid*
8. Family Loan ($300) *Paid*
9. Housewares ($30) *Purchased*
10. School Loan ($300) *Paid*
11. X-mas money ($50) *$12 Purchased*
12. Bus Passes ($20) *Purchased*
13. Investments ($200) *Invested*
14. Moving Fund ($50) *Saved*
15. Clothing for Darling ($50)
16. Clothing For Tread ($25)
17. Fun Money ($100)
18. Tread College Entry Exam ($40)

Speaking of Halloween...

Prepare yourself for the scariest financial breakdown in the history of this blog:

Total Assets (checking, savings, and cash): -22.04. That's right, I spent money I don't have. In check form, rather than credit, so now we can only hope that time is on my side...

Total Debt: $15,723.71, same as last September.

So our Net Worth is -$15,745.75. It has gone down by $321.63 this month.

October was hard. We both took the first week off to spend time (and money) in Virginia, Darling took another two weeks off on top of that to job hunt, I lost a weekend's wages when my contact went AWOL, and spent spent a good deal of money at the optometrist as a result. Yet we still wouldn't be in the whole if I hadn't insisted on donating more than 10% of our income to charitable causes. This month we spent $10 on an Arbor Day Foundation membership, $25 on a Kiva Loan, and sent $173 (tax-deductible) to a conservation group.

Why? I dunno. It felt right. It's something I've promised myself for a long time. Does giving money you don't have pack the same karmic punch? Probably not...but I'll cross my fingers, work hard, and have the money in the bank by Monday anyway.

Happy Halloween :)

Darling and I cooked a Halloween meal for friends today. Spaghetti squash, orange "chicken" tofu on rice, bite-size quiches, scalloped potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes sweetened with honey and cinnamon and topped with shaved coconut, egg rolls, Darling's home-made bread, cakes and sweets brought from the coffee shop my friend manages, and hard apple cider from another friend. Yum. Watched Day of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead, and played a game of Munchkin. Fed a total of nine people, with a plate made up for Dad on the side. Feeling quite pleased with myself. Now too tired to write complete sentences.

Hope everyone else's day went so well :)

Friends, Drying, and Leftovers

The other day Jenny awarded me this friendship award, which I'd like to pass right back on to her, as well as to others.

Melinda, stay strong and out of the shops as you learn to say "no."

Tenille, I can't wait to see how your month of gluten-free local shopping goes.

And welcome back from Papa New Guinea, FitCat!

Today I did laundry for the first time in quite a while. I utilized every inch of clothesline, fence space, and my make-shift drying rack...and still had a load to go! Therefore I succumbed to using the energy-guzzling dryer. The total cost of this endeavor was $3.

I also cleaned out our pantry, crushing all the bottles and cans we've collected since January into our new recycling bins. It's not so much as you might suspect, as we re-use many containers, rarely eat canned food, and don't buy more than a couple of bottled drinks a week. Still, I'll be pleased to see it all gone by the end of next week.

Remember a few weeks ago when I fantasized about replacing my used margarine and yogurt tubs with clear containers to hold leftovers in the fridge? Last week I splurged on Garlic and Almond Roasted Asparagus from the Wheatsville Deli, and the container is just what I've been looking for. Air tight, clear, light-weight, and free. I'll definitely be splurging there again!

Not Feeling Great

This is something to feel good about: We bought a couple of compact fluorescent lights today. They're pretty expensive, particularly at our little co-op store, so we only got two for our den and one for our bedroom. Hopefully we'll be able to afford three more next week. More and more of our shopping list is being devoted to "later" things: cans of beans for our emergency box, toilet paper since it's on sale, toothpaste because we have a coupon. This is new for us.

This is why I don't feel good: I also picked out my new frames today. Because of my incredibly bad prescription, I have to pay premium price. So even though the frames were only $50 - the cheapest available that didn't look like they'd deteriorate in a week - and with a 20% discount for paying today, I still walked home $206 lighter. Buying a pearl drink with lunch and spending $30 on light bulbs and a three-gallon bicarbonate plastic water jug didn't seem like such a big deal after that. And while I'm confessing: we spent $36 last night on Darling's dinner and a new work shirt for me.

These expenses, plus our standard Monday lunch and grocery trip, leaves us $224 short on rent, which needs to be in the mail by Wednesday.

Must...Focus...On...Bright Side....

* We finally have CFLs again! Take that, energy bill!!!
* We buy water for 25 cents a gallon from the reverse osmosis machine outside of Wheatsville. First we were lugging several re-used plastic jugs every week, which were awkward, less-than-hygienic, and probably leeching carcinogens into our water. Now we have a single container that will carry more with much less difficulty.
* We finally picked up recycling bins. That's right, we've been saving our recycling for over six months now. I haven't been able to squeeze into our pantry for a very long time.
* I have a new work shirt. So even though I haven't had time to do laundry in forever, I won't be stinky tomorrow.
* With the addition of two more cans of beans to our emergency stash, we officially need a bigger box.
* They never cash the rent check before the 10th anyway. Why would November be any different?

An Offer That Actually Catches My Attention

$100 for opening a bank account with direct deposit? Hmmm....sounds tempting. I received just such an offer in the mail yesterday.

Darling has direct deposit with our current primary banking institution. We opened this account when we moved because our first bank doesn't have a branch in this area. Ing became our third bank when we decided to take advantage of it's high interest and low minimum balance. This account was closed last month when we desperately needed the money for our cross-country emergency trip, but we will re-activate it as soon as possible. So, in theory, we only have two banks, and only use one. In practice, however, we have three and are looking at opening a fourth.

I feel that four banks is too many for two people. Is $100 worth the trouble of ending the four year relationship with our Virginia bank, and severing one of the final ties than bind us to our old, much missed, home? Keep in mind that this is the same bank that gave us so much trouble when Darling's identity was stolen...

I'm thinking probably, but haven't brought it up with the husband just yet. We only have to keep the new account open for six months. With direct deposit I would never have to visit it once the paperwork is filed. Each of my bi-weekly checks is only about $30-$100. Not enough to be missed individually, but if they're left alone in this account for half a year I'll have a big fat debt payment (or a trip to the east coast) just in time for my birthday!

New Great Blog and Great New Bills

Yesterday I stumbled upon what might be one of the greatest blogs ever, Millionaire Mommy Next Door. A woman who waited for just the right time to have a child, lives in an environmentally and socially aware manner, travels, and built her wealth while questioning conventional financial wisdom? I'm fighting the urge to write and ask her to be my millionaire mommy. Or at least big sister (which would be creepy, so I won't).

Further good news: we got our electric bill yesterday and it is about $70 cheaper than the last one. I think getting our air conditioner fixed helped a lot, not to mention becoming a two-person household and the fact that fall has finally come to Texas. Darling has our meter results for the week, but hasn't converted them to KWh yet. I think we'll be buying energy efficient light bulbs on Monday, and see what a difference they make.

I also received our phone bill, which is $37 cheaper than last month! So it already feels like we've saved over $100 this month. Remind me of this when I post our depressing November Net Worth, would you?

Out-dated slang and transport

The co-op grocery store I shop at (and am therefore "co-own" by standard co-op jargon), had a business meeting at my restaurant. I didn't wait on them, but one of the servers who did made an off-hand comment about "those hippies." Imagine my surprise to find my pacifist blood begin to simmer.

Those hippies? Really? Yeah, they had thick dreads, babies tucked close to daddys' hearts in organic cotton wraps, and they ate plenty of hummus. But come on, the 70's was thirty years ago, a different war ago, a pre-Internet, pre-globalization world. And we're still calling environmentalists by the same label my parents so proudly claim? These people aren't smoking weed in dusty buses on their hemp farms, they are doing their part to revolutionize the way business works by demanding socially appropriate practices and procedures.

Speaking of changing the subject, Darling had a job interview yesterday at an office devoid of a bus route. He took a cab to get there and ended up horribly lost walking home, developing a blister on what used to be his little toe and arriving at his class half-an-hour late. Transportation is definitely making itself an issue; Austin office culture appears to resid in the far north. I don't want to quit my job, either, so it looks unlikely we'll be able to live close to both of our jobs. We are contemplating purchasing a scooter.

A scooter that can go on the highway will probably cost us about $1300. Much cheaper than an energy efficient car, but still expensive. Darling suggested taking out a loan for one, but the idea hurts. A lot. It goes against my principles and theories. If one has to buy a vehicle for a job, that job had certainly be worth it. And if that job is, indeed, worth the cost, it will pay for its own transport - including its own emissions. If Darling gets that job, cab rides to and from work can come out of his salary for the first month. The rest of his salary will go towards buying the most energy-efficient scooter we can find that will do the job.

Waiting

Apparently, by ACC standards, I am not a Texas resident. I won't be until I've worked at my current job for at least a year.

With residency, the class I want to take (Introduction to Drafting) will cost just under $300. Without it, just under $600.

This is so frustrating. I can't waste that much money - heck, I can't afford that much. I'll have been here for over a year when the class starts, but not in time to foot the bill.

Maybe I should just focus on working full-time while Darling takes his classes, get my teeth worked on, and wait.

Learned Optimism is Progress

Isn't it great how a change of perspective can make us appreciate our circumstances? Last week I was down on our single-income month, depressed we hadn't made a debt payment, and frustrated that my job has hit such a slump just as our emergency fund dwindled down to nonexistence.

Then I got sick, which really cheered me up. Then I lost the contact, and panicked. For the two days of blindness I was convinced I wouldn't be able to work, pay rent, buy groceries, or even afford the doctor's appointment to fix the problem. I was a nervous wreck until getting that free trial pair of contacts yesterday.

So this morning I'm looking forward to another slow day, still constantly coughing and clearing my throat, but feeling happily optimistic. Yesterday's shop put food in the pantry and fridge, I still have a full six days to cover the month's expenses, and that optometrist appointment is finally made. Our Net Worth may not reflect it, but we are making some small progress.

Relief and Reconsideration

I took advice from anonymous and took my case to the optometrist first thing this morning. Now I have an appointment before work on Thursday and a couple of disposables lenses to get me through the next two days. Fortunately I won't be missing any more work this week.

This led me to ask Darling if we should reconsider how we prioritize health appointments. Sure, dentist appointments have been on the potential budget for months, but always after debt servicing, investments, and school. We've agreed on a change of attitude: we can't afford an emergency, not even one as minor as a missing contact.

There Will Be Only One...

I really enjoyed staying home sick yesterday, especially the extra several hours of sleep. I woke up to the sound of Darling coming home from work, and a little guiltily went to put on my contacts.

Or should I say contact. There was only one there. Only. One. One. I said a few words that aren't quite appropriate for this blog, then one word over and over again, and then searched the entire house on my hands and knees.

See, I've needed new contacts since we moved to Austin. I get the monthly disposables, and wear them till they die. Which isn't healthy, but I never seem to have the money to buy more in any sort of timely manner. My last pair of glasses was destroyed beyond repair before we moved, so I don't have any sort of alternative. In May I went to buy new contacts to discover that my prescription was out of date and I needed a optometrist appointment for a new one. But we were in the midst of planning our trip to England, where I lost my emergency back-ups, and Darling needed an appointment himself as his own glasses were held together with duct tape, and...so, anyway, here I am with only ONE contact.

The simple solution would be to take time off work (which would be easy as there are more servers than customers this time of month), schedule a contacts and glasses appointment, and lay low until then.

Except we still haven't earned all of this month's rent, nor have we any money set aside for tomorrow's weekly grocery shop, nor next week's, and there are only seven more work-days available to me. The soonest I'll get an appointment will be this Wednesday, otherwise I will have to either lose another work day or wait until Monday the 29th. And there's no way I will be able to afford an optometrist appointment, rent, and groceries...especially if I can't work, because I have massively bad vision and servers need depth perception!

Man, a credit card hidden in the freezer would make things so much easier right now. Heck, a payday loan would save us. But it hurts bad enough that we haven't made a single debt payment this month...

I guess I'll just try and work with one eye for a week or two until I can afford that appointment. There's not really another option. I'll pay for a contact lens prescription and take that trial pair home, but more importantly I'm picking out good quality, sturdy metal-framed glasses with transition lenses. I'm going to make a good, long break from contacts after this...um, once I have the money.

"Cough"

I have had a maddening cough and sore throat since Monday. It's a drag at work, but the worse part is the trying to get sleep at night. Darling ordered me to get medicine today, but I have a terrible time when it comes to Walgreens and impulse buys. Plus there's just not a whole lot of excess income to go around in our household lately. I'll stick with Halls and misery until we get rent in the bank.

I'd really love to just take a day off and snuggle in bed for an extra twelve hours. Maybe sometime in November...

*Edit*

I went to work and made the sad discovery that, at best, there was only about $20 to be earned today. A guy in the kitchen brought me some EmergenC, which makes a vitamin-charged fizzy drink practically guaranteed to cure even the commonest of colds. It tastes so awful, however, I could only drink about half before taking a break to greet one of my three tables. I was pleased to feel my throat clearing for the first time in almost a week.

Halfway through taking an order, my throat suddenly and totally clogged. I couldn't breathe, couldn't speak without clearing my throat. I managed to choke out, "Excuse me, please," but the table objected, having only one more order to give me. I turned, desperate to explain, and then my face exploded. Seriously. My nose became a fountain, my eyes twin waterfalls, and I had a coughing fit like none other experienced in my lifetime. Jotting down the final order, I fled to the server station and grabbed handfuls of napkins to soak up the grossness that seemed to be gushing from my very pores. By the time I managed to stop coughing, I was too humiliated to go anywhere near my tables. Thankfully we're so slow another server pounced on me and demanded my tables, which I transferred over immediately.

After a depressing walk home (I had no bus fare), I changed into my cuddly pajama pants, heated myself a can of veggie soup that Lenore left behind, and watched The Royal Tenenbaums. Guess I don't have to wait until November for a personal day after all :)

Water Conservation Method

I still haven't caught up with my favorite blogs, but last night I read this post from Our Patch.

I so totally did not know you can recycle water by using it to flush the toilet. You can save a bucket or two of shower water or dirty dishwater to empty the toilet without wasting the 3+ gallons with every use.

Why didn't anyone tell me?! I feel like the vegetarian who hasn't heard of tofu. Thanks for the post, Ali :)

Energy Project

Darling's homework is to read our meter and record how much energy we use in a week. Once we know this, we will replace our old-fashioned light bulbs with efficient, Energy Star fluorescents and measure difference they make for ourselves. Then maybe we'll experiment with other energy-saving methods and see how low we can go with our energy bill :)

Lenore has decided to move on and out tomorrow, which is a little sad. Darling and I will have this huge two-bedroom townhouse for ourselves for awhile.

One Small Step

Hurray, wpersonalfinance is up. I've been brainstorming articles to contribute, but have not had a lot of time at the computer lately.

Walking home from work the other night I stopped into Walgreens. There is no place for a guilty little pleasure shop like Walgreens. I picked up a binder for Darling's school notes and noticed, from the corner of my eye, the display of pocket portfolios. I purchased one of these incredibly over-priced organizational tools and tentatively organized the giant, messy drawer of bills, rental information, and loan paperwork into seven simple pockets.

My life is suddenly so much brighter and easier. The portfolio is so elegant and obvious, yet so powerfully perfect for my needs.

Yes, the truth comes out: I am a total slob. Not organized in the slightest, and only now am I realizing how much it hurts my state of mind. Did I ever mention that we had to stay an extra night in Virginia because disorganization helped us miss our plane home? No more I say! I will sort my life into compartments and folders, clearly labeled and kept in a special home, with digital backup disks somewhere safe in case of emergency, if it's the last thing I do!

Why, Capital Metro, Why?

For all my anti-car sentiment, I certainly craved the convenience of private mobility yesterday when I was 10 minutes late for work due to a 20 minute late bus and then the late bus never came at all when it was time for me to come home.

I really should get the bikes working again.

Sometimes Politicians Make Me Angry

*This is a Ranting Post. Proceed with caution*

Last night we watched Michael Moore's late 80's film, Roger and Me. This film is about the hideous decline of Flint, Michigan, as GM Motors laid off hundreds of thousands of workers to move its factories to Mexico. The town's economy nose-dives as the workers are told by President Reagan to move to union-free southern states, and the only steady jobs available belong to guards at the ever-growing prison and the deputy sheriff, who finds himself evicting 24 homes in one day, and several on Christmas Eve.

This morning a yahoo headline, Bush: Protectionism Will Cost U.S. Jobs caught my eye, and yet again I am amazed by political doublethink. I would like to take the time to make some fairly obvious points.

First and Foremost, it is very nice that every president since Reagan has recommended and promised more and better adult job-training facilities. It would be even nicer if they undid the damage that was done during the Reagan Era and worked to make all colleges and universities more affordable for everyone so we don't have 22 year-olds graduating (or 20 year-olds dropping out) with $20,000+ in debt.

I don't know how many white-collar professionals are aware of this, but job training is not about personal growth. Job training about learning to push buttons on a screen or operate a construction equipment. At the very best, job training facilities give great workshops on creating resumes and acing interviews. "I know many Americans feel uneasy about new competition and worry that trade will cost jobs," Bush said. "So the federal government is providing substantial funding for trade adjustment assistance that helps Americans make the transition from one job to the next." Gear up Americans, as long as we're protected from protectionism we won't lose jobs, we'll transition.

Do I think trade will cost jobs? Not at all. I think that living in an unregulated trade economy will enable corporations to exploit workers in this country as well as others and wreak havoc on our environment. If a teacher chooses not to control her classroom, we don't smile and say, "That's Free-Education in action, in the long run it will lead to prosperity and democracy." No, we cringe as bullies torment the smaller kids and the place gets trashed. Except worse, because corporations lack even the humanity of undisciplined children.

It is argued that free-trade will lead to a better economy, and therefore more jobs. It's not hard to see the thin reasoning behind this theory. Once upon a time, a good economy was synonymous with better job opportunities. Having a good job enabled one access to a disposable income. Spending that income stimulated the economy. If people didn't have dependable, well-paying jobs, the flow of disposable income stemmed and the economy faltered. It was in everyone's best interest to protect American jobs even at government and corporate cost.

When easy credit was made available to the general populace, the need for steady employment was briefly excused from the cycle of economic growth. At about the time corporations decided American workers were too expensive to support, credit cards starting arriving in the mail by the dozen. Ten years later one's standard of living is no longer measured by his or her income, but credit rating. Spending power has replaced earning ability. In the past, poor Americans were considered lazy. Now they're irresponsible as well. Americans and America slide deeper into debt while our political representatives tell us to learn how to "transition" from career to career in the hopes of finding something that won't be outsourced but also pays more than minimum wage, and for the love of God, don't stop spending!

I won't call myself a Protectionist. I'm a waitress, safe from outsourcing as well as the right to minimum wage. I want the best for our economy, but I don't think it should be the responsibility of citizens alone to try and fix it through the dubious means of working harder for less money and spending our retirement funds before earning them. However, there are choices citizens can make to help stabilize our economy:

* Learn to live without credit, even if it means being poor for a long time. Better now than when you're sixty and have a harder time riding pedaling your bike to work at McDonalds.

* Reduce dependence on all nonrenewable resources, including as coal and natural gas. Lay off the thermostat, use efficient appliances, and stop driving.

* Vote with your wallet. Support corporations that represent social and environmental awareness, such as Whole Foods. Stimulate your local economy by supporting local businesses. Buy expensive employee-friendly brands of clothing, or buy great and affordable brands at charity shops.

* Boycott companies that hurt America. Even if they kinda-sorta do some good things, like sell cheap goods from China with "Organic" pasted over the label. Even though, despite the fact that they assist millions of our children achieve obesity, they also run a charity house for those with other chronic illnesses. Even though your kids just need those shoes, like right now, or they'll be the only cool third-grader not advertising that brand. Stop supporting companies that are driving consumers deeper into debt and/or diabetes with every buy-one-get-one-free coupon!!!

Unwanted Visitors

"Good Morning, Mr. Bee," I smiled indulgently at the insect that somehow made its way into our kitchen this morning. I opened the sliding glass doors so it could eventually find its way out and some cool morning air would find its way in.

Half an hour later I noticed a strange, droning noise. Looked over and saw seven or eight Mr. Bees buzzing against our kitchen window, trying to get out. I opened the window, but more swarmed in! Shakily and carefully (I adore bees) I caught them one by one with a yogurt carton and a sheet of paper and tossed them out the front door. Our back area was too overwhelmed by the little buggers to let one out without inviting more in!

Please, Please, please tell me they haven't built a nest in our laughable compost pile!

TFF and School

And so the question comes: What degree am I considering?

The question has plagued me for years, particularly since dropping out of my liberal arts college two years ago. What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? How much do I want to earn?

What degree will most assist me in earning Total Financial Freedom?

Most people go to school in the hopes of getting a well-paying job. I'd rather learn skills that will reduce my dependence on high paying jobs.

Right now Darling is learning to install and design solar panels. He should be a certified solar electrician by next year. When the time comes for us to purchase property, he will be able to break out his graphs and compass, find true south, choose the perfect site, purchase the best equipment, and wire up our off-grid house. This will severely cut down in the price of constructing our home and save us thousands in utility bills and repairs throughout our lifetime. Money he earns installing solar panels for other people will only be icing on the cake.

I've decided to do something along the same vein by becoming an Autocad Engineer. One year will get me a certification, or, if we decide to stay in Austin for another year, I can get the actual degree. Having spoken with people building homes, I know having our own plans in advance will save us A LOT.

Regardless of where we go, I want us to remain students for as long as possible. Almost every town has access to a decent community college where Darling and I can learn mechanics, plumbing, horticulture, and other skills that lead to sustainable living. And by paying cash at these affordable institutions, we'll be free of those job-market fears that plague most realistic students.

Now to face a new question: can a married couple survive on part-time wages while attending classes full time? In fact, will I scrounge up the cash for next semester on time to begin with? Stay tuned! :)

The Next Big Thing

I applied online to Austin Community College a few days ago. Today Darling printed out my residency form, which will probably get faxed to the school tomorrow. Then I'll just set up an appointment with a registrar to discuss which classes need to be taken when, and how much this is all going to cost me. I'm hoping the first semester won't run us more than $500, but don't know what to expect. I'm hoping to attain full-time student status by mid-January.

Darling and I are entering a new phase of our life, financially speaking. At first it was a desperate struggle just getting by. Then we settled into a steady DINK (Dual-Income-No-Kids) lifestyle, and put piles of money into debt servicing and savings. Then...we, well, we broke the bank. Almost all of our savings went to traveling. We didn't do anything unplanned or ruining with our money, but the fact remains that we don't have it anymore.

This new financial phase, I think, has to do with redetermining our needs. In the past, we didn't need health care, classes, holiday gifts, time for family, or anything that broke our $1000/month budget. We needed little more than enough food to keep us alive for the week, rent money, and friends and family who understood the phrase "we just can't right now." We habitually wrote off every excess cent to debtors and savings. We learned to need only what we could afford, and vice versa.

Now we are looking at ways we can invest in ourselves, to face the financial challenges that terrify us more than our remaining $15,000 in debt. Darling has medical insurance, it's time we visit a dentist and deal with the extensive operations I've needed for years. Time to go back to school and come away with something solid. Time to learn to spend - while saving for more than the next holiday, or the next big payment.

Fancy Dress and Being Prepared

Went to a birthday fancy dress party last night for a good friend of mine. Darling and I spent $32 on costume stuff from Goodwill. I ended up choosing one of those expensively cheap, one-size-fits-all plastic costumes in a bag. Not creative in the slightest, but better than nothing. Darling did a much better job designing his Rasputin costume, even making his own over-sized cross out of cardboard and duct tape when we couldn't find one at the store.

We spent another $56 on groceries today. That's a little more than we intended to spend, partially because I grabbed an issue of Home Power Magazine on our way to the register. I also added two cans of soup to our basket to start our official Emergency Box. Every week from now on we will buy some non-perishables to put aside in the event of a natural disaster or other small emergency. So far we have a few bottles of water, two cans of soup, and a can of mandarin oranges (thanks, Mom).

Hot and Angry

Our air conditioner is not working again so I will be calling about it on Monday for the third time since August. I find it horribly frustrating how difficult it is keeping the house at eighty degrees. And I hate, hate, HATE dealing with landlords who obviously couldn't care less.

Contrary to what some people may believe, "Landlord" is not a title, like "duke" or "lord" earned by those clever enough to charge higher rent than someone might pay for the mortgage. That extra hundred bucks is the landlord's salary we pay in exchange for services. Why is that so hard to recognize?

I'm sure not all landlords are like this, but so far I've dealt with three who have all been identical in their maddening attitudes (four, actually, because this place changed hands since we've lived in it and the previous landlord never fixed our back door).

I've heard so many nightmare stories from landlords (online and in person) about their horrible tenant experiences. "They don't care," a friend's boyfriend confided in me, "because it's not their place." This is the same guy who rents out homes with fungus sprouting in bathrooms and faulty wiring. Maybe, dear landlord populace, your tenants "don't care" because the hovel you rent to them isn't worth caring about. You're furious when rent comes a day late, but when was the last time you provided quick, courteous, and competent service when called about a problem? I've never paid rent a day late, nor have I ever had a repair done in a timely matter, if at all. I have had more experience with flooding than is believable. One evening our landlord said he'd be in sometime "in the morning" as water gushed from our kitchen ceiling - AGAIN. One day we came home from a three-day vacation to find our bathroom and kitchen under several inches of water. The landlord's response when we called him? "It does that this time of year."

Elegant Solution

I had yesterday off, and it was great getting back into gear. I made soy-cranberry pancakes and bread first thing in the morning, then vegan sausage and chicken. I fried the "chicken" and mashed some potatoes for dinner.

I also washed laundry, and discovered that even a single load needs more space to dry than our tiny back yard has to offer. I thought longingly of the indoor drying racks someone informed me Ikea carries as I wandered the house looking for a substitute.

My gaze lit upon the papasan chair taking up needed space in our den. It was one of the many pieces of furniture my aunt brought from her storage space when we first moved here. I took off the faded cushion to expose the concave curved wooden frame. It's too perfect not to be a drying rack. Although these chairs are expensive new, I see the frames at thrift stores for $5-$10 all the time. Looks like I have a frugal rainy-day drying solution :)

What is "Total Financial Freedom?"

Melinda asked me this question in a comment a few days ago. I've been wondering the same thing myself since typing that phrase several months ago. It's one thing to be debt free, and also to build wealth, but what is the pursuit of financial freedom?

Total Financial Freedom (TFF) is a lifestyle that I hope to build within the next 20 years. Key features of this lifestyle include sustainability (from an ecological perspective), having children, building a home on land we own, and not having to work for anyone else.

TTF is more than early retirement. I designed the 20 Year Challenge to prove that dreams can be earned, not financed. Credit has no place in our plan, and our wages are only a drop in the financial bucket. The path to Financial Freedom is not paved with high-paying jobs, but employment just down the road; bus passes rather than efficient cars; cooking and baking from scratch instead of microwave dinners and fast foods; dumpster finds before sales.

Ultimately, TTF is an end to my means. A hypothesis that may or may not be proven by a scientist/lab rat who gets easily distracted by bubbles and shiny things and flasks. I've had too many friends lease away their lives because "they want good credit," and I'd like to prove that's not necessary. I'd also like to prove that organics, sustainable housing, and corporate responsibility can be cheaper than their mainstream counterparts. Ultimately, however, I want to spend my days gardening, caring for babies, and cuddling with my husband. That's True Financial Freedom.

October Priority List

1. Phone Bill *Paid*
2. Electric Bill *Paid*
3. Rent $700
4. Eye Appointment and Glasses for Tread $200
5. Loan Company $200
6. Clothing for Tread $30
7. Dentist Appointment for Darling ???
8. Bike Stuff $20
9. Family Loan $400
10. Investments $100
12. Charity
13. x-mas shopping $100
14. Halloween Party
15. New Orleans Day Trip
16. Fun Money
17. 2008 Move $50
18. Darling Clothing $30

Darling's paycheck came in today, which covered our first two priorities. We were hoping to put the entirety of his paychecks towards debt servicing, but it looks like that won't be possible this month. My own wages are hurting because this is my restaurant's slow season and I could only get four shifts this week, not enough to pay those bills on time. That's likely to be Darling's only paycheck this month, so debt servicing will have to come from my own wages.

I'm expecting, and accepting, a repeat of last month. We will probably only get to priority #5, our debt will drop slightly and our net worth will twitch a little. It doesn't seem we are facing a time of great financial achievement, but maybe a time of personal improvement.

One thing I'd like us to improve on is our monthly charity, which has been far from monthly. I have decided to put aside 10% of all the money we earn the same day we receive it. Yesterday, for instance, I made $40 in tips and brought home a $250 check. The tips I earn daily, the checks are bi-weekly. I put $30 aside to begin our "charity pot". Were it not for that check, I would have only take out $4 of my earning, which would have been barely noticeable. By the end of the month, however, this will add up to an impressive sum, which will go to a good cause of our choosing.

October Net Worth

Yesterday Darling and I missed our plane...it's a long story about the insanity of attempting to rent a car to drive an hour and a half without credit. It was certainly an experience, and I learned a lot. Northwest airlines let us take a plane out this morning (at no extra charge). I traveled halfway across the country by noon today, then hurried off to work.

Darling, who has been increasingly frustrated at his current job, was not home in time to make his shift. He called his boss to apologize, and also to quit, but she ended up promoting him! He has two weeks off to think about what he wants to do (and continue job hunting in the meantime).

I received a comment asking questions about my definition of Total Financial Freedom, and also how I calculate Net Worth. As I am suffering severe jet lag at the moment, I will answer one of those questions now, and save the other for when I am more coherent.

Net worth is usually figured by calculating one's assets vs. liabilities. Houses, furniture, stocks, and even art can be considered assets. Liabilities are basically lines of debt. Darling and I have it easy: we have a few checking and savings accounts, we live in a rented unit, and own very little that wasn't found on the side of the road.

This month, right now, our "assets" are frighteningly low. $299.59. We wouldn't have that if I hadn't made it to work today. That's down $312.01 from last month.

This month's good news is that we paid off my school, leaving us with only two debtors to go. We owe a total of $15,723.71, which is $343.86 less than September (which gives me about a $3 increase in debt servicing).

Therefore, my total Net Worth is $15,424.12, which is an increase of $31.85 from last month...Not very pretty...

Still, I can't bring myself to feel bad about this month. Darling is having a great time with his classes. Even if having him out of work is financially strenuous, I think he is going to find a great job that makes him really happy. We had a wonderful and productive time in VA, and look forward to a few relaxing weeks at home. Things are going really well for us right now. My dad's even out of the house and experiencing rehab :)

Tomorrow I will post our new priority list, and as soon as I can think straight, I will delve into the issue of true financial independence.

Virginia: Day 2

We planted the tree outside the church today. Darling, his sister, her husband, and their two children, three shovels, a spade, a box of ashes, and a Cherokee Brave Dogwood. The soil was dry clay and rock.

...


Tomorrow we attend a wedding in the mountains. I'm wearing the same borrowed dress I wore to my brother's, and the sensible heels I found in the trash.

Visit In VA

Blogging from beautiful, chilly Virginia. We arrived by plane about 24 hours ago. I had a migraine on the plane, which was one of the worse experiences ever. The difference between a migraine and normal headache for me is my desperate need to lie curled up in a ball on the ground. Every inch away from the floor feels like another ton of pressure on my sinuses. Migraine at 1500 feet? Not fun at all.

Today was spent organizing my mother-in-laws possessions. Darling and his sister spent hours agonizing over every rubber band, letter, hat...Too much to keep, too much to dispose of. Most of it was finally packed into bags, brought back into the house and garage, and promised to Goodwill 'any day now.' Not that they didn't do a huge amount of work. We also picked out a Dogwood to plant at Mother-in-laws church in her memory tomorrow, and spent all evening going through photos.

Basic Update

Last night I served made-from-scratch egg rolls served on a bed of rice. First dinner made at home in a little over a week. And tonight Darling made delicious veggie chili and rice.

Tomorrow Darling and I head up to Virginia, so you may not hear from me until Thursday of next week. I won't be calculating our net worth or posting our priority list until then.

I made a lot of unrealistic promises to myself about this month's accomplishments. Until today, we weren't sure we'd be able to afford rent. There is some money for debt servicing, but not a whole lot. Darling probably won't be returning to his current job when we come back from VA, so we might be living off of my tips for a week or two. So that decision I made to reach our pre-European-vacation net worth by now? Not happening.