I had a lovely Christmas with my Mom. My brothers don't like visiting her house because of all the painful memories and guilt associated with it, but somehow I've gotten over all that. What I can't get over is the fact that the place is literally rotting. It's not so much falling down as returning to its base elements and returning to the soil from whence it came. The barns are doing the same, at a slightly accelerated rate. It's a strange thing, going "home" and finding a corpse of a house seemingly propped up by the surrounding foliage, practically swaying in the wind.
There is a little debate on how much money should be spent saving the house (which no longer has any appreciable foundation to speak of), or replacing the house, or invested in new property closer to Austin. Darling and I have our own ideas, but we are keeping mum for a few weeks. Things like this have a tendency to work themselves out.
Anyway, I got some great gifts for Christmas. Darling got me a cheese making kit and recipe book. I can't wait to whip up a batch of mozzarella and prepare some cheddar to age for six months. I also received a copy of The Tightwad Gazette, which I've read but never owned. Darling got the computer whatsit he asked for.
This morning was spent writing an article for The Austin Eco-Network. So was this afternoon, come to speak of it. I think I'll spend the evening cooking a yummy dinner of grens and grains and work on the baby quilt.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Best Laid Plans
After several weeks of working two jobs and going to school full time, Darling decided he won't be doing any more landscaping work. This is a big relief to me as I want my husband to devote as much energy as possible to his classes. But losing the income is a little disappointing for both of us.
See, we had this tentative sort of plan that once Darling was earning enough money to support us, he would. In the meantime I would cut my hours, tie myself to the computer, and start writing until enough words came out in the appropriate orders and styles that they could be sold. I literally have no idea how to go about this, but I know it requires total devotion.
If this sounds dramatic, understand that this post took me well over two hours to write. When I was in college I staffed the student newspaper and dedicated entire nights to writing individual articles. Security locked me in overnight, the janitorial staff let me out in the morning. Back then I had the time and encouragement to lose myself to the craft. Now I have to cook dinner, entertain friends, care for my husband, and earn a living.
Then again, why do I think it was so much easier working, studying, writing, and dealing with roommates five years ago? In retrospect it was all fun and games, but I've never been so exhausted, hungry, lonely, and broke in my life.
My parents tell me that there is no "right" time to have a child. No amount of time, money, or experience will seem like enough. Maybe the same is true of following one's passion. Maybe it's foolish to wait until the stars align and I have absolutely nothing to do but pursue journalism. I will never have enough independence, credentials, or education - especially at this arrested rate. Maybe I just have to take some sort of plunge. Hit the streets with a notebook and crossed fingers? What would Nelly Bly do?
See, we had this tentative sort of plan that once Darling was earning enough money to support us, he would. In the meantime I would cut my hours, tie myself to the computer, and start writing until enough words came out in the appropriate orders and styles that they could be sold. I literally have no idea how to go about this, but I know it requires total devotion.
If this sounds dramatic, understand that this post took me well over two hours to write. When I was in college I staffed the student newspaper and dedicated entire nights to writing individual articles. Security locked me in overnight, the janitorial staff let me out in the morning. Back then I had the time and encouragement to lose myself to the craft. Now I have to cook dinner, entertain friends, care for my husband, and earn a living.
Then again, why do I think it was so much easier working, studying, writing, and dealing with roommates five years ago? In retrospect it was all fun and games, but I've never been so exhausted, hungry, lonely, and broke in my life.
My parents tell me that there is no "right" time to have a child. No amount of time, money, or experience will seem like enough. Maybe the same is true of following one's passion. Maybe it's foolish to wait until the stars align and I have absolutely nothing to do but pursue journalism. I will never have enough independence, credentials, or education - especially at this arrested rate. Maybe I just have to take some sort of plunge. Hit the streets with a notebook and crossed fingers? What would Nelly Bly do?
Sourdough Success
I might have got the sourdough down.
The problem with this (very, very delicious) bread is the amount of time it takes. Baking a basic whole wheat loaf has never been that challenging to fit into my schedule: as long as I'm home for most of a couple of hours, and have ten minutes to knead, it can be done. But not only do the sourdough recipes I've looked at require twice as long to rise, but any chill in the kitchen seems to prevent rising altogether.
Since I live in the Texas Hill Country this wouldn't normally be a problem. Even when it does get cold, it doesn't normally last. Except this year. Every spare several hours I had to bake fell on the same days cold fronts blew in and lingered. So for the first few weekends I tried to bake and cook all day to keep the kitchen warm and the sourdough rising. That was nice, but hardly efficient, and more than once I was pulled away from the kitchen at a pivotal point and nearly lost the loaf. And during the holidays there is not time for fifteen hour bake sessions.
I can't tell you how often I thought the loaf simply wasn't going to rise, I abandoned it in the kitchen, and I found it in the next day puffed up and ready to go. Right when I had to go to work...
Finally I decided to embrace that frustrating face and work with it. The day before yesterday I mixed up the most basic recipe I could find: 2 1/2 cups starter, 2 cups of flour, and a Tablespoon of salt. Mixed and kneaded like a normal loaf, left in a greased pan , and forgotten until the next day.
When I checked it yesterday evening (having given it more than 24 hours) it had about doubled in size. I turned on the oven and let it bake at a low temperature about an hour and a half.
It is a gorgeous loaf, and nearly less hassle than my normal wheat. I really hope to replicate the success in coming weeks, this bread is too good to give up on.
The problem with this (very, very delicious) bread is the amount of time it takes. Baking a basic whole wheat loaf has never been that challenging to fit into my schedule: as long as I'm home for most of a couple of hours, and have ten minutes to knead, it can be done. But not only do the sourdough recipes I've looked at require twice as long to rise, but any chill in the kitchen seems to prevent rising altogether.
Since I live in the Texas Hill Country this wouldn't normally be a problem. Even when it does get cold, it doesn't normally last. Except this year. Every spare several hours I had to bake fell on the same days cold fronts blew in and lingered. So for the first few weekends I tried to bake and cook all day to keep the kitchen warm and the sourdough rising. That was nice, but hardly efficient, and more than once I was pulled away from the kitchen at a pivotal point and nearly lost the loaf. And during the holidays there is not time for fifteen hour bake sessions.
I can't tell you how often I thought the loaf simply wasn't going to rise, I abandoned it in the kitchen, and I found it in the next day puffed up and ready to go. Right when I had to go to work...
Finally I decided to embrace that frustrating face and work with it. The day before yesterday I mixed up the most basic recipe I could find: 2 1/2 cups starter, 2 cups of flour, and a Tablespoon of salt. Mixed and kneaded like a normal loaf, left in a greased pan , and forgotten until the next day.
When I checked it yesterday evening (having given it more than 24 hours) it had about doubled in size. I turned on the oven and let it bake at a low temperature about an hour and a half.
It is a gorgeous loaf, and nearly less hassle than my normal wheat. I really hope to replicate the success in coming weeks, this bread is too good to give up on.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Moving Forward, Stopping, Looking Back
It often feels like Darling and I are treading water.
Sometimes writing this blog is hard because there doesn't seem to be anything new or exciting to say. Sometimes, even when we have learned a new skill or crept closer to financial sustainability, it doesn't even seem worth posting about. It's hard to believe that readers will care about the gallon of cider I put to ferment last week to create our own adult beverages for the first time. Because this blog is meant to be financial in nature, I feel guilty posting about our day-to-day happenings.
What I need to remember, and what I hope all my beloved readers recognize, is that I started this journal to record the endless, sometimes excruciating minutiae and occasional hardship of developing the lifestyle I covet and enjoy. I regret not having started this blog when Darling and I were dead-broke unemployed newlyweds living 45 minutes apart. Nothing big happened to lift us from our destitution. We didn't get great jobs or graduate college (I dropped out), no one left us a huge inheritence (though my Mom really helped us out with $500), we didn't discover a great financial secret (though I read every financial self-help book in the library). What we did was learn to bake bread and cook at home, entertain friends with regular game nights, make friends with farmers and work for food, borrow cars to drive to the nearest Mennonite grocery and buy oats and flour in bulk, and grow a huge garden of herbs in our den.
Every little change pushes us forward at a surprisingly rapid pace. Every moral and conscious decision changes the landscape of our fate. Sometimes insignificant details can have amazing consequences. Who would have thought that a clerical error signing up for one class would lead to my husband's discovery of the renewable energy industry and the pursuit of a completely unexpected degree and career. Did I ever mention that the class he was trying to sign up for was in video game design?
So I'm going to be less hard on myself about the nature of my posting. If I choose to critique politics, media, or corporate behavior, so be it. If I choose to linger endlessly over the nature of education and employment and agonize over which I should be dedicating my time, fine. And if what I'm currently passionate about is decorating the den for Christmas, sewing a quilt for my future niece, the bubbling jug of hard cider in the closet, or my millionth failure at sourdough...well, that's what I'm going to write about.
Hope everyone else is enjoying the season as much as myself!
Sometimes writing this blog is hard because there doesn't seem to be anything new or exciting to say. Sometimes, even when we have learned a new skill or crept closer to financial sustainability, it doesn't even seem worth posting about. It's hard to believe that readers will care about the gallon of cider I put to ferment last week to create our own adult beverages for the first time. Because this blog is meant to be financial in nature, I feel guilty posting about our day-to-day happenings.
What I need to remember, and what I hope all my beloved readers recognize, is that I started this journal to record the endless, sometimes excruciating minutiae and occasional hardship of developing the lifestyle I covet and enjoy. I regret not having started this blog when Darling and I were dead-broke unemployed newlyweds living 45 minutes apart. Nothing big happened to lift us from our destitution. We didn't get great jobs or graduate college (I dropped out), no one left us a huge inheritence (though my Mom really helped us out with $500), we didn't discover a great financial secret (though I read every financial self-help book in the library). What we did was learn to bake bread and cook at home, entertain friends with regular game nights, make friends with farmers and work for food, borrow cars to drive to the nearest Mennonite grocery and buy oats and flour in bulk, and grow a huge garden of herbs in our den.
Every little change pushes us forward at a surprisingly rapid pace. Every moral and conscious decision changes the landscape of our fate. Sometimes insignificant details can have amazing consequences. Who would have thought that a clerical error signing up for one class would lead to my husband's discovery of the renewable energy industry and the pursuit of a completely unexpected degree and career. Did I ever mention that the class he was trying to sign up for was in video game design?
So I'm going to be less hard on myself about the nature of my posting. If I choose to critique politics, media, or corporate behavior, so be it. If I choose to linger endlessly over the nature of education and employment and agonize over which I should be dedicating my time, fine. And if what I'm currently passionate about is decorating the den for Christmas, sewing a quilt for my future niece, the bubbling jug of hard cider in the closet, or my millionth failure at sourdough...well, that's what I'm going to write about.
Hope everyone else is enjoying the season as much as myself!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Crafts and Cooking
My baby quilt is so close to being finished! My housemate gave me some batting and helped me pin together the front and back. All I need to do is the applique/quilting and sew along the edges.
I whipped up a large pot of cream of mushroom soup, bottled some kombucha, and put some veggie stock on to simmer. The hard cider I started a couple of weeks ago is ready to be bottled as well.
As I worked in the kitchen, a housemate brought in a huge bucket of beets and carrots from the garden. We're thinking of steaming or roasting the lot for our holiday party tomorrow.
Today my elder brother and niece are coming to visit and all my Mom's children (we have three dads between the four of us), are going to have dinner with her. I have a lot of chores to wrap up before they get here, including a trip to the bank and library. Hope I keep up this busy streak for the rest of the day :)
I whipped up a large pot of cream of mushroom soup, bottled some kombucha, and put some veggie stock on to simmer. The hard cider I started a couple of weeks ago is ready to be bottled as well.
As I worked in the kitchen, a housemate brought in a huge bucket of beets and carrots from the garden. We're thinking of steaming or roasting the lot for our holiday party tomorrow.
Today my elder brother and niece are coming to visit and all my Mom's children (we have three dads between the four of us), are going to have dinner with her. I have a lot of chores to wrap up before they get here, including a trip to the bank and library. Hope I keep up this busy streak for the rest of the day :)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Nonproductive and Procrastinating
I slept in this morning and was several hours late for work. Fortunately one of my (self-employed) housemates gave me a ride. There was no real harm done; my laid-back boss didn't say anything and I just worked a couple of hours later than usual.
I had a big to-do list to face upon my arrival home. I need to call about a dentist appointment, an optometrist appointment, and a Summer job. Instead I did some baking to decompress after a hard day of baking and hung out with my housemates until our weekly meeting.
Yikes. There's always tomorrow, I guess. At least since logging on I've managed to apply for a few jobs :)
I had a big to-do list to face upon my arrival home. I need to call about a dentist appointment, an optometrist appointment, and a Summer job. Instead I did some baking to decompress after a hard day of baking and hung out with my housemates until our weekly meeting.
Yikes. There's always tomorrow, I guess. At least since logging on I've managed to apply for a few jobs :)
Friday, December 11, 2009
Mom's New Wealth
My Mom received a large sum of money from her inheritance and wants to pay for my teeth to be fixed. I think I've mentioned before that my mouth is in a world of hurt from long term neglect. It's so exciting and scary to imagine having a clean bill of dental health - and not have to worry about the bill!
I'm trying to encourage my Mom to feel good about spending her new wealth on lifestyle improvements. Generally, I think lifestyle inflation is something to be discouraged (thanks for the great post, Money Crush). But my Mom has lived years without a working stove, dishwasher, clothes dryer, or heat that doesn't require lugging in logs for the fireplace. As she enters her sixties I think she deserves some comfort. I don't know if she's ever owned a new bed or mattress. I want her to go on a (carefully planned) spending spree and I want some nice men in uniforms to drive a van to her house, unload some brand new appliances, and hook them up for her.
Unfortunately, my Mom is afraid of money. A lot. Having a hug sum transferred to her bank account triggered a pretty awful bipolar episode. She's recovered, but still quite anxious. You have to understand that my mom's family was very wealthy. Her first husband was a millionaire. And she didn't get a lot of love from these wealthy people. And when she eschewed the materialist lifestyle, ditched the country clubs and dropped out of the sorority, took up with my gnarly hippie dad and tried to live off the land, that lack of love grew into a hateful resentment that surpasses the imagination.
She sees money as something that tears families apart, and it's hard to argue with her.
Fortunately, she's been trapped amongst the ranks of "have nots" long enough to appreciate the benefits of having. Maybe by the time she ties up the many loose ends poverty has forced her to live with, she'll be in a better state of mind.
I'm trying to encourage my Mom to feel good about spending her new wealth on lifestyle improvements. Generally, I think lifestyle inflation is something to be discouraged (thanks for the great post, Money Crush). But my Mom has lived years without a working stove, dishwasher, clothes dryer, or heat that doesn't require lugging in logs for the fireplace. As she enters her sixties I think she deserves some comfort. I don't know if she's ever owned a new bed or mattress. I want her to go on a (carefully planned) spending spree and I want some nice men in uniforms to drive a van to her house, unload some brand new appliances, and hook them up for her.
Unfortunately, my Mom is afraid of money. A lot. Having a hug sum transferred to her bank account triggered a pretty awful bipolar episode. She's recovered, but still quite anxious. You have to understand that my mom's family was very wealthy. Her first husband was a millionaire. And she didn't get a lot of love from these wealthy people. And when she eschewed the materialist lifestyle, ditched the country clubs and dropped out of the sorority, took up with my gnarly hippie dad and tried to live off the land, that lack of love grew into a hateful resentment that surpasses the imagination.
She sees money as something that tears families apart, and it's hard to argue with her.
Fortunately, she's been trapped amongst the ranks of "have nots" long enough to appreciate the benefits of having. Maybe by the time she ties up the many loose ends poverty has forced her to live with, she'll be in a better state of mind.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Fifth Anniversary
Yesterday Darling and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. We had a very low-key day in bed, venturing out only to the nearest tex-mex restaurant for dinner. Neither of us are good at buying each other gifts, but Darling promised to build me a hat rack some point :) I've wanted one since we moved into our first studio apartment.
Look at that mug. Isn't he a cutie?
I'm pretty blown away by how much we've grown and changed since joining forces. My husband was a desk-bound administrative sort of guy who spent most of his money on comics and many of his evenings imbibing alcoholic beverages at clubs and gigs. I was a disillusioned student who felt totally incapable of managing her time, weight, finances, or relationships.
With my Darling's help and encouragement I have developed the strength to stand for my ideals and embrace the principles I once coveted. In five years my husband has never said "no" to me, he has called my every bluff and pushed me to meet every challenge. I have yet to approach an obstacle so daunting that he has let me back down.
Nor has he ever failed to face his own challenges. Even though he earned his degree nearly 20 years ago, he went back to college to learn a trade he finds intellectually stimulating and fulfilling. He abandoned tedious office work and took on manual labor positions to help pay for those classes. His dedication to sustainable and responsible living and service to others is absolutely mind-boggling.
I'm so thankful for the five years we've spent together, and I can't wait to see where we're at in another five!
Look at that mug. Isn't he a cutie?
I'm pretty blown away by how much we've grown and changed since joining forces. My husband was a desk-bound administrative sort of guy who spent most of his money on comics and many of his evenings imbibing alcoholic beverages at clubs and gigs. I was a disillusioned student who felt totally incapable of managing her time, weight, finances, or relationships.
With my Darling's help and encouragement I have developed the strength to stand for my ideals and embrace the principles I once coveted. In five years my husband has never said "no" to me, he has called my every bluff and pushed me to meet every challenge. I have yet to approach an obstacle so daunting that he has let me back down.
Nor has he ever failed to face his own challenges. Even though he earned his degree nearly 20 years ago, he went back to college to learn a trade he finds intellectually stimulating and fulfilling. He abandoned tedious office work and took on manual labor positions to help pay for those classes. His dedication to sustainable and responsible living and service to others is absolutely mind-boggling.
I'm so thankful for the five years we've spent together, and I can't wait to see where we're at in another five!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
So. Cold.
I'm hugging a mug of tea and dreading the walk to work this very chilly morning. Last night Darling and I broke out the little electric heater for a few minutes. It wasn't left on while we slept, but it made the room comfortable enough to get to sleep. I wanted to wait until Friday, our anniversary, but you know what they say about best laid plans and how Texans get when it drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
I managed to hurt my left shoulder/collar/chest muscle, so I've not been working out this week. Amazingly, an influx of time has not surged into my life. I was blaming my strength training, to which I dedicated about ten hours a week, for my inability to keep up and introduce new projects into my life. I need a new scapegoat. And I need to improve my routine. Though this time of year all I want to do is crawl into bed and wait for the next heatwave.
At least I now have no desire to shop whatsoever. That's financially sound, especially a few weeks before Christmas, right?
I'm hugging a mug of tea and dreading the walk to work this very chilly morning. Last night Darling and I broke out the little electric heater for a few minutes. It wasn't left on while we slept, but it made the room comfortable enough to get to sleep. I wanted to wait until Friday, our anniversary, but you know what they say about best laid plans and how Texans get when it drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
I managed to hurt my left shoulder/collar/chest muscle, so I've not been working out this week. Amazingly, an influx of time has not surged into my life. I was blaming my strength training, to which I dedicated about ten hours a week, for my inability to keep up and introduce new projects into my life. I need a new scapegoat. And I need to improve my routine. Though this time of year all I want to do is crawl into bed and wait for the next heatwave.
At least I now have no desire to shop whatsoever. That's financially sound, especially a few weeks before Christmas, right?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
What I Look for In a Blog
A few days ago I glanced through dozens of blogs and added a handful to my blog roll. Making the picks comes surprisingly easy after time. I often knew which blogs I'd be linking to before I read the first post. These are the first-impression criteria I found myself following:
1. First, and certainly foremost, no annoying ads. I find ads annoying if they move at all, block the content in anyway, or slow down my already lumbering computer. I'm also annoyed if I can't tell the difference between blog material or advertisement.
2. No annoying features. I hate it when I my mouse passes over a link and a "snapshot" pops up, so if the blog is link-heavy enough, I figure that out pretty quickly.
3. The most recent post must be in the current month. Too many blogs burn bright before dying. There are lots of defunct blogs I'd like to catch up on, but I'm looking for daily inspiration on my blog roll.
4. Posts can not resemble advertisements. I used to read a blog written by a man who loved a certain investment website. Which is awesome, but after days of reading the software's praises, I lost interest and quit reading.
5. More to the point, blogs should have original, interesting content. I have no interest in the many "frugality" blogs that degrade into journals of bargains-of-the week and coupon codes. It astounds me how many blogs are 100% dedicated to what's cheap at CVS.
6. The blogger and I should have something in common. And it doesn't have to be much. If a blogger posts regularly on topics I find interesting, it doesn't matter to me if they are a conservative Christian Australian (whereas I myself am a liberal Atheist Texan). It does matter if one of the first posts of theirs I read is offensive to me in some way. When shuffling through potential blogs, I eschewed one because of an article about genetically modified materials. If anything else on the blog had appealed to me, I wouldn't have minded the writer's (uneducated) opinion on the subject. Throw a post about quilting, baking, or candlestick making and we could have been best friends. But they didn't, so despite the interesting premise of their blog I had to move on to greener (and more organic) pastures.
What turns you off about a blog? If you want me to check out yours, leave a link. If you want me to improve mine, let me know how (though a digital camera is still not high on my list of priorities, y'all still might be stuck with written content for awhile yet).
1. First, and certainly foremost, no annoying ads. I find ads annoying if they move at all, block the content in anyway, or slow down my already lumbering computer. I'm also annoyed if I can't tell the difference between blog material or advertisement.
2. No annoying features. I hate it when I my mouse passes over a link and a "snapshot" pops up, so if the blog is link-heavy enough, I figure that out pretty quickly.
3. The most recent post must be in the current month. Too many blogs burn bright before dying. There are lots of defunct blogs I'd like to catch up on, but I'm looking for daily inspiration on my blog roll.
4. Posts can not resemble advertisements. I used to read a blog written by a man who loved a certain investment website. Which is awesome, but after days of reading the software's praises, I lost interest and quit reading.
5. More to the point, blogs should have original, interesting content. I have no interest in the many "frugality" blogs that degrade into journals of bargains-of-the week and coupon codes. It astounds me how many blogs are 100% dedicated to what's cheap at CVS.
6. The blogger and I should have something in common. And it doesn't have to be much. If a blogger posts regularly on topics I find interesting, it doesn't matter to me if they are a conservative Christian Australian (whereas I myself am a liberal Atheist Texan). It does matter if one of the first posts of theirs I read is offensive to me in some way. When shuffling through potential blogs, I eschewed one because of an article about genetically modified materials. If anything else on the blog had appealed to me, I wouldn't have minded the writer's (uneducated) opinion on the subject. Throw a post about quilting, baking, or candlestick making and we could have been best friends. But they didn't, so despite the interesting premise of their blog I had to move on to greener (and more organic) pastures.
What turns you off about a blog? If you want me to check out yours, leave a link. If you want me to improve mine, let me know how (though a digital camera is still not high on my list of priorities, y'all still might be stuck with written content for awhile yet).
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
December 2009 Net Worth
I earned enough money to write my brother and sister-in-law a check for $200, which is the last of our family debt and my primary goal for the month. Because we started November by passing them $300, we knocked our debt down by $569.64, to $13,103.51.
Granted, we don't have a whole lot of money in the bank now. We have $997.06, $173.65 less than this time last month.
That leaves us with a net worth of -$12,106.45. That's good because it's $395.99 more than last month. That's great because it's our highest net worth ever!
Because we're ending this month a little tight, I decided to keep December's weekly payments at $30 a week. My main focus is to have a happy holiday season, of course, but I also need to have the first payment for ACC set aside in savings.
Granted, we don't have a whole lot of money in the bank now. We have $997.06, $173.65 less than this time last month.
That leaves us with a net worth of -$12,106.45. That's good because it's $395.99 more than last month. That's great because it's our highest net worth ever!
Because we're ending this month a little tight, I decided to keep December's weekly payments at $30 a week. My main focus is to have a happy holiday season, of course, but I also need to have the first payment for ACC set aside in savings.
Direct Deposit and Plans
To answer Beany's question about direct deposit: my boss is not interested in offering it to her ten employees, and I'm not interested in pushing her. To be honest, I like what little paper trail her current system provides. I did once print out the direct deposit form for Ing, but to no avail. Maybe if my previous employer hadn't been so incompetent in this area I would be more insistent, but that much larger company was constantly somehow fudging the direct deposit system.
I'm not sure I'll stick with the bakery through another Spring anyway. A housemate and I are looking at applying to work at an organic farm this February. I've wanted to do this for years, but the commute was just too harsh. If at least two of us carpool, it might just be bearable. And between the two of us we can probably bring home enough produce to feed our co-op family of nine :) I'll be working up a farm resume this afternoon.
I'm not sure I'll stick with the bakery through another Spring anyway. A housemate and I are looking at applying to work at an organic farm this February. I've wanted to do this for years, but the commute was just too harsh. If at least two of us carpool, it might just be bearable. And between the two of us we can probably bring home enough produce to feed our co-op family of nine :) I'll be working up a farm resume this afternoon.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Centering
I woke up at 2 a.m. to go to work, got home about half an hour ago, and now I feel strangely paralyzed by my to-do list. Made myself a cup of coffee to relax with while I put my thoughts in order.
Today I need to:
- Order new contacts, as my current disposables are old and hurting
- Go to the bank and deposit three paychecks (and possibly a missing fourth)
- Cook dinner for the house as per my weekly chore
- Invite my sister-in-law over for tea so I can slip her a debt payment (which must be tallied)
- Buy at least one Christmas present, preferably three
- Take a nap
Today I'd like to:
- Bake a tart, or some other dessert to use up leftover cranberry sauce
- Work on a writing project
- Work on the baby quilt
- Practice Guitar
- Figure out how to knit toes on a sock
While working on this list, I checked over our accounts and determined that we can afford to repay $200 of what we owe my brother and sister-in-law. Which will either clear our debt completely or leave us owing them $50. I'll check while working out our net worth tomorrow morning. I arranged to meet her for tea tomorrow. I have the money for my niece's Christmas present set aside, so getting that won't be a problem. Unfortunately, that pretty much does it for the bank account until Friday, so contact lenses will have to wait.
Wow, just writing out the list knocked it from 6 to-dos to 4.
Guess I'll run to the bank, come back, take a nap, and tackle dinner. Sometime this evening I'll shop around for niece's pressie with Darling. And knit, sew, play the guitar, and maybe even get some extra shuteye.
Today I need to:
- Order new contacts, as my current disposables are old and hurting
- Go to the bank and deposit three paychecks (and possibly a missing fourth)
- Cook dinner for the house as per my weekly chore
- Invite my sister-in-law over for tea so I can slip her a debt payment (which must be tallied)
- Buy at least one Christmas present, preferably three
- Take a nap
Today I'd like to:
- Bake a tart, or some other dessert to use up leftover cranberry sauce
- Work on a writing project
- Work on the baby quilt
- Practice Guitar
- Figure out how to knit toes on a sock
While working on this list, I checked over our accounts and determined that we can afford to repay $200 of what we owe my brother and sister-in-law. Which will either clear our debt completely or leave us owing them $50. I'll check while working out our net worth tomorrow morning. I arranged to meet her for tea tomorrow. I have the money for my niece's Christmas present set aside, so getting that won't be a problem. Unfortunately, that pretty much does it for the bank account until Friday, so contact lenses will have to wait.
Wow, just writing out the list knocked it from 6 to-dos to 4.
Guess I'll run to the bank, come back, take a nap, and tackle dinner. Sometime this evening I'll shop around for niece's pressie with Darling. And knit, sew, play the guitar, and maybe even get some extra shuteye.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Car
Darling's new boss, P, has a 1972 Lincoln Mercury he doesn't want anymore. He also wants Darling to be able to get to work without depending on the 1 1/2 hour commute by bus. So he's trying to arrange for Darling to own that car.
Darling and I don't want a car. And although there is a very soft spot in my heart for large, ancient vehicles, we certainly don't want a gas guzzler. It says so right up there in our mission statement. But Darling does want the job and the increased responsibility.
I'm thinking that either the boss registers the vehicle as a company car on loan to Darling (and continues to cover the cost of insurance), or we have the right to convert the engine to run on biofuel. Or both. Either way, I'm not too happy about the situation.
Darling and I don't want a car. And although there is a very soft spot in my heart for large, ancient vehicles, we certainly don't want a gas guzzler. It says so right up there in our mission statement. But Darling does want the job and the increased responsibility.
I'm thinking that either the boss registers the vehicle as a company car on loan to Darling (and continues to cover the cost of insurance), or we have the right to convert the engine to run on biofuel. Or both. Either way, I'm not too happy about the situation.
Bandaging and Canning
Darling and I had a pretty pleasant Thanksgiving, bar the bloodletting that occurred when one of my housemates, Mimi, chopped the tip of her finger off! I inexpertly bandaged her up and someone else drove her to the nearest emergency clinic. The clinic was closed for the holiday, but by the time they got back the bleeding had slowed. So we drenched it in peroxide while Mimi howled like a banshee, wrapped it tight, and tried to be thankful that at least she wouldn't receive an $800 medical bill for Christmas.
The next day my mom, a nursing school drop-out, advised us on the cleaning and re-bandaging of the wound. Then Mom and I went on a bit of a shopping spree. Not Black Friday shopping, mind you. We hit Half-Price Books, as is our custom, and bought a couple of baby books for the now and future nieces. Then we went to Wheatsville and bought ten pounds of pears. My Mom has been going on for years about once canning pears with red hot candies to create festive and lovely Christmas presents. So I brought out my huge pot, bought a dozen pint jars, and whipped up a light syrup for the fruit. We now have nine lovely jars lined up on the kitchen table. Like quilting and knitting, this is not a frugal hobby. But it was certainly a fun way to spend the afternoon.
The next day my mom, a nursing school drop-out, advised us on the cleaning and re-bandaging of the wound. Then Mom and I went on a bit of a shopping spree. Not Black Friday shopping, mind you. We hit Half-Price Books, as is our custom, and bought a couple of baby books for the now and future nieces. Then we went to Wheatsville and bought ten pounds of pears. My Mom has been going on for years about once canning pears with red hot candies to create festive and lovely Christmas presents. So I brought out my huge pot, bought a dozen pint jars, and whipped up a light syrup for the fruit. We now have nine lovely jars lined up on the kitchen table. Like quilting and knitting, this is not a frugal hobby. But it was certainly a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Learning To Quilt
I asked one of my housemates, Bo, to teach me to hand quilt. Being a self-taught quilter herself, she simply turned me lose on her large basket of supplies and loaned me a book of quilting designs. Not an instruction book, mind you, just basic patterns with a brief introduction to "lap quilting."
Having done absolutely no research on the topic, I looked at what Bo seemed to be doing and got started on a small blanket for Baby-O, my niece due in a couple of months. So far, so good, although I wouldn't know if I'm doing anything wrong.
I chose the softest flannels for the baby quilt and am hoping that any imperfection will be missed by an infant.
It wasn't too long ago that another buddy taught me to knit in much the same way: she was happy to show me the basics, but seemed even happier to have someone with whom to share her overwhelming yarn collection.
Yesterday I baked a vegan butternut squash pie and made a "clean-out-the-fridge" stew in the crockpot for my housemates. Today I need to warm up the kitchen enough to bake a loaf of sourdough. I'm looking forward to a day in the kitchen and clearing up our room, and this evening my Mom comes to visit :)
Having done absolutely no research on the topic, I looked at what Bo seemed to be doing and got started on a small blanket for Baby-O, my niece due in a couple of months. So far, so good, although I wouldn't know if I'm doing anything wrong.
I chose the softest flannels for the baby quilt and am hoping that any imperfection will be missed by an infant.
It wasn't too long ago that another buddy taught me to knit in much the same way: she was happy to show me the basics, but seemed even happier to have someone with whom to share her overwhelming yarn collection.
Yesterday I baked a vegan butternut squash pie and made a "clean-out-the-fridge" stew in the crockpot for my housemates. Today I need to warm up the kitchen enough to bake a loaf of sourdough. I'm looking forward to a day in the kitchen and clearing up our room, and this evening my Mom comes to visit :)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Importance of Routine
I've really enjoyed my morning ritual this week. Every day before work I've managed to wake up without hitting snooze (...well, not more than once), make a good breakfast and a mug of tea, prepare my lunch for the afternoon, and blog.
After work on each day I've come home to cross at least one chore off The List of Things I've Been Putting Off, had a snack, and hung out with friends for a few hours.
Every evening - and this is the key - I've come home and gone to bed. Usually before ten at night, sometimes before eight. By doing this I'm able to pull in about 7 hours a night. Which is a huge improvement over what I was getting.
What's most interesting to me about this is how each good decision bleeds into the next. By waking up early I can eat a good breakfast and make lunch. By eating a decent lunch in the afternoon (rather than snacking on pastries), I have the strength and resolve to tackle one of my chores before I'm burnt out in the afternoon. Since I had computer time in the morning (with a time limit), I can't justify vegging out over e-mail when I get home from work. Instead, I fulfill my social obligations (working out, gaming, running errands with housemates) earlier so I can hit the hay earlier. And then I wake up early to blog and eat.
A good routine is worth more than all the PDAs in the world. A good routine that includes a decent amount of sleep is worth more than all the coffee in the world. Which, by the way, I'm suddenly much less interested in.
After work on each day I've come home to cross at least one chore off The List of Things I've Been Putting Off, had a snack, and hung out with friends for a few hours.
Every evening - and this is the key - I've come home and gone to bed. Usually before ten at night, sometimes before eight. By doing this I'm able to pull in about 7 hours a night. Which is a huge improvement over what I was getting.
What's most interesting to me about this is how each good decision bleeds into the next. By waking up early I can eat a good breakfast and make lunch. By eating a decent lunch in the afternoon (rather than snacking on pastries), I have the strength and resolve to tackle one of my chores before I'm burnt out in the afternoon. Since I had computer time in the morning (with a time limit), I can't justify vegging out over e-mail when I get home from work. Instead, I fulfill my social obligations (working out, gaming, running errands with housemates) earlier so I can hit the hay earlier. And then I wake up early to blog and eat.
A good routine is worth more than all the PDAs in the world. A good routine that includes a decent amount of sleep is worth more than all the coffee in the world. Which, by the way, I'm suddenly much less interested in.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Darling's Jobs
Darling has been working at the local cafe (mostly cleaning, a little food prep) for several months now. Since the job isn't going in any appreciable direction, we agreed that he would leave if it clashed with his Spring semester.
Sure enough we registered for classes that make working the cafe all but impossible. We were preparing to be a single-income household again when a classmate offered Darling a job at his landscaping business.
My husband accepted the offer and started training yesterday. After putting in a full day at his new job he worked the night shift at his old job! I think he plans on keeping this up for the rest of the year, but we'll see how he holds up. It will be great to have the extra income as long as he doesn't work himself into the ground.
Sure enough we registered for classes that make working the cafe all but impossible. We were preparing to be a single-income household again when a classmate offered Darling a job at his landscaping business.
My husband accepted the offer and started training yesterday. After putting in a full day at his new job he worked the night shift at his old job! I think he plans on keeping this up for the rest of the year, but we'll see how he holds up. It will be great to have the extra income as long as he doesn't work himself into the ground.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What's to Spare?
On my last post I claimed to be "shoveling every last cent" into my 401(k).
Mama Martin asked me if it would it be more effective to pay off the debts to save the interest rather than putting money into a 401(k), and the answer is, in my opinion, a resounding yes.
In fact, I realized how misleading my previous post was. I've put less than $300 into my IRA this year! In the meantime I'm paying creditors over $400 this month!
Yet for some reason I've felt like a lot more time, energy, and cash has been dedicated to this account. Maybe it's because I'm consuming so much media that I'm absorbing the national anxiety.
I still want to rethink my retirement plan and decide how high a priority my long-term savings accounts should be, but I'll try and have a clearer idea of what my actual - rather than perceived - situation is.
Mama Martin asked me if it would it be more effective to pay off the debts to save the interest rather than putting money into a 401(k), and the answer is, in my opinion, a resounding yes.
In fact, I realized how misleading my previous post was. I've put less than $300 into my IRA this year! In the meantime I'm paying creditors over $400 this month!
Yet for some reason I've felt like a lot more time, energy, and cash has been dedicated to this account. Maybe it's because I'm consuming so much media that I'm absorbing the national anxiety.
I still want to rethink my retirement plan and decide how high a priority my long-term savings accounts should be, but I'll try and have a clearer idea of what my actual - rather than perceived - situation is.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Investment Thoughts
The other day I spent a good deal of time separating and cleaning cucumber seeds to save for next year's garden. One plant can produce many, many cucumbers, and every one of these vegetables carries enough seeds to provide for an entire garden. It occurred to me that every seeds contains within it the potential to produce countless cucumbers over untold generations.
Theoretically, I never have to buy another cucumber again. Saving seeds and maintaining a small plot of soil is the best food-related investment I'm likely to encounter.
This makes me wonder about other investments I ought to be making. I've been shoveling every spare cent into my 401(k) in the hopes of preparing for a future which assumes modern banking and financial regulations will remain in my favor for the next forty years...which is a relatively unfounded assumption, based on current events. Even if all goes well with my financial investments, is there a reason to believe that monetary wealth is the most useful asset I could be cultivating? Should my time and energy be spent earning interest for the future, or developing the skills that will keep my family comfortable for as long as I live?
Before the end of the year I'm going to really focus on where Darling and I want to be and what we intend to be doing 30-40 years from now. Maybe I won't cut off the 401(k) completely, but I might be re-evaluating its importance.
Theoretically, I never have to buy another cucumber again. Saving seeds and maintaining a small plot of soil is the best food-related investment I'm likely to encounter.
This makes me wonder about other investments I ought to be making. I've been shoveling every spare cent into my 401(k) in the hopes of preparing for a future which assumes modern banking and financial regulations will remain in my favor for the next forty years...which is a relatively unfounded assumption, based on current events. Even if all goes well with my financial investments, is there a reason to believe that monetary wealth is the most useful asset I could be cultivating? Should my time and energy be spent earning interest for the future, or developing the skills that will keep my family comfortable for as long as I live?
Before the end of the year I'm going to really focus on where Darling and I want to be and what we intend to be doing 30-40 years from now. Maybe I won't cut off the 401(k) completely, but I might be re-evaluating its importance.
Friday, November 13, 2009
A Great Day And Bad Journalism
Three Cheers for a Friday off!
I don't know how I swung it, but I have absolutely no plans or responsibilities for today. I hopped out of bed to make chocolate chip waffles, set some sourdough to rise, put milk in a crockpot for yogurt, started a load of laundry, and picked some cucumbers from the garden. Now I'm going to spend a few hours catching up on the computer, which most days lately I don't even have time to touch. Later I'll probably take my paycheck to the bank and visit the library, and at 5:30 I'll be meeting my sister-in-law for tea. I feel like I've been looking forward to a day like this for months!
During my breaks at work I've been skimming the New York Times, and this front page article made me really angry. It makes it sound like credit card companies - owned by the same corporations who brought us the housing crisis and current world-wide financial quagmire - are pitiful victims of government control and consumer irresponsibility.
I'm really offended by the phase, "Meanwhile, the banks are in the process of shedding customers considered too risky. That means tens of thousands of Americans will no longer be able to splurge on Nike gym shoes or flat-screen televisions unless, of course, they have enough cash to pay for them." Countless of Americans are going through financial hell as a result of layoffs, pay and benefits reduction, prohibitively expensive healthcare and insurance costs, and useless stock portfolios resulting from corporate chicanery. I don't argue that too many Americans are spending too much money on electronics, but I'd like to see the corporate or political figure suggest we stop. And the tens of thouasands of Americans for whom credit is going to be made unattainable? I can't help but guess those are going to be the ones who use their credit out of desperation during these lean times for food, medical care, shelter, and school supplies.
Thankfully, this particular journalist decided to show "both sides of the story," and follows up with input from Martin Eakes, chief executive for the Center for Responsible Lending. Strangely, this so-called advocate paints an even bleaker picture of the American consumer by stating, "You know, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you keep borrowing and borrowing in order to consume now, eventually you crash and burn."
Apparently neither Andrew Martin or Lowell Bergman could be bothered to Google CRL to discover that it's founders, Herb and Marion Sandler, made a fortune on the subprime mortgage market with the invention of the toxic option-ARM. You couldn't find an organization more desperate to make American credit card holders look like selfish morons.
Yuck. I thought NY Times had more class than that.
Ah well, on to my bread. Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday :)
I don't know how I swung it, but I have absolutely no plans or responsibilities for today. I hopped out of bed to make chocolate chip waffles, set some sourdough to rise, put milk in a crockpot for yogurt, started a load of laundry, and picked some cucumbers from the garden. Now I'm going to spend a few hours catching up on the computer, which most days lately I don't even have time to touch. Later I'll probably take my paycheck to the bank and visit the library, and at 5:30 I'll be meeting my sister-in-law for tea. I feel like I've been looking forward to a day like this for months!
During my breaks at work I've been skimming the New York Times, and this front page article made me really angry. It makes it sound like credit card companies - owned by the same corporations who brought us the housing crisis and current world-wide financial quagmire - are pitiful victims of government control and consumer irresponsibility.
I'm really offended by the phase, "Meanwhile, the banks are in the process of shedding customers considered too risky. That means tens of thousands of Americans will no longer be able to splurge on Nike gym shoes or flat-screen televisions unless, of course, they have enough cash to pay for them." Countless of Americans are going through financial hell as a result of layoffs, pay and benefits reduction, prohibitively expensive healthcare and insurance costs, and useless stock portfolios resulting from corporate chicanery. I don't argue that too many Americans are spending too much money on electronics, but I'd like to see the corporate or political figure suggest we stop. And the tens of thouasands of Americans for whom credit is going to be made unattainable? I can't help but guess those are going to be the ones who use their credit out of desperation during these lean times for food, medical care, shelter, and school supplies.
Thankfully, this particular journalist decided to show "both sides of the story," and follows up with input from Martin Eakes, chief executive for the Center for Responsible Lending. Strangely, this so-called advocate paints an even bleaker picture of the American consumer by stating, "You know, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you keep borrowing and borrowing in order to consume now, eventually you crash and burn."
Apparently neither Andrew Martin or Lowell Bergman could be bothered to Google CRL to discover that it's founders, Herb and Marion Sandler, made a fortune on the subprime mortgage market with the invention of the toxic option-ARM. You couldn't find an organization more desperate to make American credit card holders look like selfish morons.
Yuck. I thought NY Times had more class than that.
Ah well, on to my bread. Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday :)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Garden and Shaping Up
The fall season really makes gardening worthwhile in Austin. After a Summer of thirsty spindly tomatoes, dry compost, and blazing heat, it's amazing to see the soil bursting with life in the cooler months.
The canning cucumbers are doing amazing, the leafy greens have become bushes, the peppers are thriving, the beans are climbing high, the radishes are popping out of the ground, tomatoes are volunteering, carrots fill every gap, and the squash are huge. One of my housemates pointed out the many edible native plants I might have mistaken for weeds.
I've mostly been an observer in the garden the past couple of months. Somehow my life has drifted a bit from many of my frugal hobbies. Knitting and practicing the guitar, for instance, have become distant memories. I don't seem to play in the kitchen quite as often, and baking outside of work is becoming a rarity.
I'm guessing this is because of my current social life and fitness routine. A good friend of mine graduated college in the spring and we've been spending a lot of time together exercising. It started with a weekly get-together lifting weights. We decided to add some cardio in the form of a five-mile jog. Then we started rowing classes. Before I knew it, we had a five-day-a-week regime.
It's time consuming, but we're having a great time getting into shape. After four months the difference in our muscle tone is really astounding. And I'm thinking that maybe Darling and I are meeting our goal of improving our health in an unexpectedly thrifty way: we didn't have any cash to throw at health insurance premiums, but we've taken great strides in protecting our well-being by developing muscle, improving bone density, and building stamina. That and eating out of the garden is probably the thriftiest preventative medicine we're likely to find.
The canning cucumbers are doing amazing, the leafy greens have become bushes, the peppers are thriving, the beans are climbing high, the radishes are popping out of the ground, tomatoes are volunteering, carrots fill every gap, and the squash are huge. One of my housemates pointed out the many edible native plants I might have mistaken for weeds.
I've mostly been an observer in the garden the past couple of months. Somehow my life has drifted a bit from many of my frugal hobbies. Knitting and practicing the guitar, for instance, have become distant memories. I don't seem to play in the kitchen quite as often, and baking outside of work is becoming a rarity.
I'm guessing this is because of my current social life and fitness routine. A good friend of mine graduated college in the spring and we've been spending a lot of time together exercising. It started with a weekly get-together lifting weights. We decided to add some cardio in the form of a five-mile jog. Then we started rowing classes. Before I knew it, we had a five-day-a-week regime.
It's time consuming, but we're having a great time getting into shape. After four months the difference in our muscle tone is really astounding. And I'm thinking that maybe Darling and I are meeting our goal of improving our health in an unexpectedly thrifty way: we didn't have any cash to throw at health insurance premiums, but we've taken great strides in protecting our well-being by developing muscle, improving bone density, and building stamina. That and eating out of the garden is probably the thriftiest preventative medicine we're likely to find.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
November 2009 Net Worth
My moral dilemma for the month was whether or not Darling and I would pay for his classes all at once (fewer classes, longer until he graduates) or using a payment plan (all his classes, sinks us deeper into debt). We went with the payment plan option and only paid $212 this month.
We also spent money maybe a little more freely than we should have this month. I can't really say where all the money went. A good deal went to debt, of course, a total of $152 to student loans. And I pumped our investment account by $124 - which is particularly good since we haven't put any money into our 401(k) since February. I bought a nice gift for my coming niece's baby shower and had an eye exam. We ate out a couple of times, rented some movies, bought some clothes and costume accessories and took a bottle of wine and a six pack to last night's party.
Our spending and saving was the result of some of the extra money I picked up working that convention and the "extra" paycheck that results from having five Fridays in a month, which happens again in January. So we kind of came out ahead with our assets, starting this month with $1,170.71, $187.43 more than last month.
Unfortunately the payment plan increased our debt by $636 to $13,673.15. That's $552.19 more than October.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,502.44, which is a $364.76 drop from our record low last month.
I'd like to make up that up this month by repaying much of what I owe to my brother and sister-in-law before Thanksgiving. In the meantime, our weekly student loan payments are increasing from $25 to $30 a month.
We also spent money maybe a little more freely than we should have this month. I can't really say where all the money went. A good deal went to debt, of course, a total of $152 to student loans. And I pumped our investment account by $124 - which is particularly good since we haven't put any money into our 401(k) since February. I bought a nice gift for my coming niece's baby shower and had an eye exam. We ate out a couple of times, rented some movies, bought some clothes and costume accessories and took a bottle of wine and a six pack to last night's party.
Our spending and saving was the result of some of the extra money I picked up working that convention and the "extra" paycheck that results from having five Fridays in a month, which happens again in January. So we kind of came out ahead with our assets, starting this month with $1,170.71, $187.43 more than last month.
Unfortunately the payment plan increased our debt by $636 to $13,673.15. That's $552.19 more than October.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,502.44, which is a $364.76 drop from our record low last month.
I'd like to make up that up this month by repaying much of what I owe to my brother and sister-in-law before Thanksgiving. In the meantime, our weekly student loan payments are increasing from $25 to $30 a month.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween
I couldn't think of a decent Halloween costume until yesterday. I knew one was lurking around in my head for weeks, ducking in and out of the shadowy corners of my psyche. I knew it would be easy, relatively cheap, and fairly clever. Finally - at nearly the last minute - it dawned on me: cavewoman.
I picked up some discount fabric at a sale, borrowed a shell necklace from a housemate, and look forward to teasing my hair and going barefoot to my friend's holiday party. I'll glance around the garden for a club and maybe some little sticks with which to do up my hair. The total costume cost $15. Darling had the lab coat and most of his other equipment to be a mad scientist, so I picked up a wig from Goodwill for $7.50 and he's set to go.
I picked up some discount fabric at a sale, borrowed a shell necklace from a housemate, and look forward to teasing my hair and going barefoot to my friend's holiday party. I'll glance around the garden for a club and maybe some little sticks with which to do up my hair. The total costume cost $15. Darling had the lab coat and most of his other equipment to be a mad scientist, so I picked up a wig from Goodwill for $7.50 and he's set to go.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Of Bread and Men
A couple of weeks ago I made my first sourdough starter. It's obvious there's a knack to baking with the stuff that I'm just not getting, and it probably has to do with time management. My own procedure barely takes a few hours to produce a loaf, my current sourdough recipe seems to take days...
It's getting the right response, though. When Darling and I first moved here the co-op was buying several loaves a week from the store. Bread I brought from the bakery or baked myself was overlooked and ignored. Everyone was habitually going for the bagged stuff in the fridge. With sourdough my roommates are very aware that I'm working on something for days, so they look froward to it. And the flavor too good to overlook.
After the first loaf of sourdough, people were more open to no-brand bread and they've been eating the free stuff from work. In fact, after days of munching on baguettes, ciabatta, and good rye, they seem to be about breaded-out. That section of the shopping list is blank for the first trip since Darling and I moved here. If this keeps up, it will save us a minimum of $10 a week.
It's getting the right response, though. When Darling and I first moved here the co-op was buying several loaves a week from the store. Bread I brought from the bakery or baked myself was overlooked and ignored. Everyone was habitually going for the bagged stuff in the fridge. With sourdough my roommates are very aware that I'm working on something for days, so they look froward to it. And the flavor too good to overlook.
After the first loaf of sourdough, people were more open to no-brand bread and they've been eating the free stuff from work. In fact, after days of munching on baguettes, ciabatta, and good rye, they seem to be about breaded-out. That section of the shopping list is blank for the first trip since Darling and I moved here. If this keeps up, it will save us a minimum of $10 a week.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Happy Update
I don't know what it is about this year, but my time on the computer has desperately dwindled. I'm sorry for not reading and commenting on blogs and the rarity of my posts. Hopefully this trend will reverse, because The Challenge is very much a part of me.
Work at the bakery has become quite chill and enjoyable for me. I didn't get that other job, but I don't regret that at all right now. In fact, I'm extremely happy to be in my position. I work only four days a week, know about 80% of my customers on a personal level, and make ridiculously good tips and decent cash.
Darling and I have been spending an absurd amount of time together, which has been awesome. We've picked up a couple of not-so-frugal habits, such as renting movies and eating out once a week. It's not great on the wallet, but when a couple lives with seven other people, leaving the house becomes a necessity. It's a good 45 minute walk to I <3 Video.
The Co-op is made up of the most unexpectedly amazing people ever. At this moment someone is making a huge pot of soup from garden veggies and we are all being serenaded by the accordion player. I can't say all is well, though. Basically, we're going through a transition period that requires us to deal with a man who wants to take our home...but that's an unnecessarily long story and I've just been called to dinner. I don't doubt that situation will work itself out.
Anyway, I shall return with very deep, progressive thoughts on wealth, credit, and the pursuit of happiness.
Work at the bakery has become quite chill and enjoyable for me. I didn't get that other job, but I don't regret that at all right now. In fact, I'm extremely happy to be in my position. I work only four days a week, know about 80% of my customers on a personal level, and make ridiculously good tips and decent cash.
Darling and I have been spending an absurd amount of time together, which has been awesome. We've picked up a couple of not-so-frugal habits, such as renting movies and eating out once a week. It's not great on the wallet, but when a couple lives with seven other people, leaving the house becomes a necessity. It's a good 45 minute walk to I <3 Video.
The Co-op is made up of the most unexpectedly amazing people ever. At this moment someone is making a huge pot of soup from garden veggies and we are all being serenaded by the accordion player. I can't say all is well, though. Basically, we're going through a transition period that requires us to deal with a man who wants to take our home...but that's an unnecessarily long story and I've just been called to dinner. I don't doubt that situation will work itself out.
Anyway, I shall return with very deep, progressive thoughts on wealth, credit, and the pursuit of happiness.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Little Catch Up
After my brief spending spree last week I indulged in a working binge. A friend had a vendor spot at the Austin convention center and I spent three days helping her out. In those three days I worked 50 hours.
That paid for the baby shower gift, my contacts, and a little discretionary spending while still replacing the money borrowed from Darling's school money. I also sent an extra $27 payment towards my student loan debt (for which the interest has decreased a penny a day since last month!) and put $70 in our 401(k). So it looks like we'll have the money for Darling to pay for his classes after all. He registers today or tomorrow.
That paid for the baby shower gift, my contacts, and a little discretionary spending while still replacing the money borrowed from Darling's school money. I also sent an extra $27 payment towards my student loan debt (for which the interest has decreased a penny a day since last month!) and put $70 in our 401(k). So it looks like we'll have the money for Darling to pay for his classes after all. He registers today or tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sudden Expenses
Yesterday at work I realized my glasses are no longer functional. The scratch guard had worn away and the lenses had become foggy with millions of tiny scratches. Cleaning the pastry cases and floor was nearly impossible. I went directly to TSO after work and had an examination for contacts.
Today I bought a baby shower present for my brother and sister-in-law. A fairly pricey one. So in the past two days I spent much more money than I'd expected to.
And you know what? I won't worry about it. Not one bit. We had the money. Money saved for Darling's school, granted, but I guess this just confirms our decision to go with a payment plan. Or we'll pull it together. I'm actually feeling really good right now. I've been wanting to spoil my nieces and nephew since becoming an aunt, maybe it's time to get started.
Today I bought a baby shower present for my brother and sister-in-law. A fairly pricey one. So in the past two days I spent much more money than I'd expected to.
And you know what? I won't worry about it. Not one bit. We had the money. Money saved for Darling's school, granted, but I guess this just confirms our decision to go with a payment plan. Or we'll pull it together. I'm actually feeling really good right now. I've been wanting to spoil my nieces and nephew since becoming an aunt, maybe it's time to get started.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Little Bits and Pieces
The other day I got news that my mom may receive a larger portion of her inheritance sooner than expected. The story behind this is long, twisted, and sordid, making it hard to call this "good news," but despite my much wounded faith in the good of mankind, it is a relief to know that she may be taken care of for at least the net decade. We'll know by the end of the year.
Apparently the office job isn't so much in the bag as I expected, which seems to bother the people around me more than myself. I've picked up the occasional extra shift at the bakery and lazily think of hunting for something else while I'm there, but I'm not so emotionally invested in my employment as I in the past. Thanks to regular paychecks, Darling's contributions, automatic deductions, and only two real "bills" a month, I honestly don't think about money that much.
Darling and I are still unsure on whether or not we want to go with the payment-plan/full-time classes option or the pay-in-full/part-time classes option. I maintain that becoming debt-free requires not taking on more debt, and that earning only enough money to pay for 9 credit hours means taking only 9 credit hours. But it's not just up to me.
Apparently the office job isn't so much in the bag as I expected, which seems to bother the people around me more than myself. I've picked up the occasional extra shift at the bakery and lazily think of hunting for something else while I'm there, but I'm not so emotionally invested in my employment as I in the past. Thanks to regular paychecks, Darling's contributions, automatic deductions, and only two real "bills" a month, I honestly don't think about money that much.
Darling and I are still unsure on whether or not we want to go with the payment-plan/full-time classes option or the pay-in-full/part-time classes option. I maintain that becoming debt-free requires not taking on more debt, and that earning only enough money to pay for 9 credit hours means taking only 9 credit hours. But it's not just up to me.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Payment Plans
I was really relieved that ACC has a payment plan available to students. Instead of having to scrape together about $800 this week, the total can be broken down into four equal payments to be paid during the semester.
It didn't occur to me until yesterday that having a payment plan is tantamount to having debt. Sure, we don't have to pay a fee or interest on this debt, but it's money owed just the same. That could result in a $600 drop in net worth! In the meantime, Darling is worried that a full-time class schedule will hurt his earning oppurtunities.
Usually Darling takes the spring semester off, but we're really looking foward to his finishing up and he was going to plow ahead in the hopes of graduating next Fall. Now it looks like another baby step might be better: fewer class hours, more time to seek out internships, and a tuition we can afford while saving up for Sumer.
It didn't occur to me until yesterday that having a payment plan is tantamount to having debt. Sure, we don't have to pay a fee or interest on this debt, but it's money owed just the same. That could result in a $600 drop in net worth! In the meantime, Darling is worried that a full-time class schedule will hurt his earning oppurtunities.
Usually Darling takes the spring semester off, but we're really looking foward to his finishing up and he was going to plow ahead in the hopes of graduating next Fall. Now it looks like another baby step might be better: fewer class hours, more time to seek out internships, and a tuition we can afford while saving up for Sumer.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
October Net Worth
Yikes, six days late!
The past several weeks I've been nearly too busy to check my e-mail. Like an idiot I created a facebook account. Everyone I told, fans and critics alike, insisted I'd lose hours of time to it. If only I had hours to devote to such a pursuit! I've maybe logged on once a week, on average. I am now more confused than ever by our tech-addicted culture; facebook strikes me as slightly boring.
September was a financial success, generally speaking. Having paid rent on time with funds to spare, I upped my weekly student loan payment to $30. At this moment we are still $13,120.96 in the hole, which is about $62 less than last month. Slow, steady progress anyone?
In the bank we have $983.28, which is $83.81 more than last month.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,137.68, which is $145.01 higher than last month :)
The past several weeks I've been nearly too busy to check my e-mail. Like an idiot I created a facebook account. Everyone I told, fans and critics alike, insisted I'd lose hours of time to it. If only I had hours to devote to such a pursuit! I've maybe logged on once a week, on average. I am now more confused than ever by our tech-addicted culture; facebook strikes me as slightly boring.
September was a financial success, generally speaking. Having paid rent on time with funds to spare, I upped my weekly student loan payment to $30. At this moment we are still $13,120.96 in the hole, which is about $62 less than last month. Slow, steady progress anyone?
In the bank we have $983.28, which is $83.81 more than last month.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,137.68, which is $145.01 higher than last month :)
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Office Interview
My interview on Friday seemed to go very well. I can't imagine it would have lasted for hours if they weren't at least a little interested in me.
The company is relatively small. There are only about 40 employees spread between the 10 offices, the majority of whom work at the Austin location. They provide Computer-aided design software, tech support, and education. It has the feel of one of those companies that hasn't sold its soul to the profit-driven devil just yet: complimentary sodas are available in the fridge, the dress is casual, and the lunches long. Every employee is offered health insurance, two-weeks paid vacation, and holidays off, including four days for Christmas.
Should I be offered the job - which seems inevitable, as I'm the only person interviewing for it - I'll basically be assistant to C, who is in charge of data entry. That may not sound like much, but she does all the ordering and accounting for the ten offices across the southwest and Mexico. And some other stuff that is a little too technical for me to wrap my head round just yet. It hasn't been determined whether the job is full or part-time just yet, though I'll hopefully know what they are willing to offer early this week. I failed at my salary negotiation roll, so I'm kind of nervous about that. I did explain that whatever my pay is, I will expect a review and discussion of it in about six months, so hopefully that helps.
The company is relatively small. There are only about 40 employees spread between the 10 offices, the majority of whom work at the Austin location. They provide Computer-aided design software, tech support, and education. It has the feel of one of those companies that hasn't sold its soul to the profit-driven devil just yet: complimentary sodas are available in the fridge, the dress is casual, and the lunches long. Every employee is offered health insurance, two-weeks paid vacation, and holidays off, including four days for Christmas.
Should I be offered the job - which seems inevitable, as I'm the only person interviewing for it - I'll basically be assistant to C, who is in charge of data entry. That may not sound like much, but she does all the ordering and accounting for the ten offices across the southwest and Mexico. And some other stuff that is a little too technical for me to wrap my head round just yet. It hasn't been determined whether the job is full or part-time just yet, though I'll hopefully know what they are willing to offer early this week. I failed at my salary negotiation roll, so I'm kind of nervous about that. I did explain that whatever my pay is, I will expect a review and discussion of it in about six months, so hopefully that helps.
Interview Outfit Shopping
When we moved a couple of months ago, Darling and I donated many things that cluttered our 700 sq foot apartment. Among those items were the majority of my dress-up clothes, since neither of my jobs required anything more posh than a clean pair of jeans. So the prospect of an office job has me seeking out at least one new set of threads.
Thursday I trekked to Goodwill for an interview outfit. On the way I popped into two salons to ask about haircut prices, and was astounded by the price. The friend who has been doing my hair (and moved away last month) was giving me way too good a deal.
Dissuaded from my trim, I popped into a third location on my way to the thrift store. South Lamar has the cutest little discount store called Hush Hush. It's mostly brand new clothing, though they do accept used clothing donations now, and their shoes are $10. I found an excellent pair of sensible black pumps. That's a little more than Goodwill, but not bad at all for brand new.
Of course I then had to build my Goodwill outfit around those shoes. Therefore, most of the clothing that appealed to me was brown rather than black...After several hours I found some great black slacks and the perfect black shirt with purple flowers. I also purchased an amazing brown blouse because it fit me so well and the first affordable bikini I have every found in my entire life that fit me - the first suit I've purchased in 8 years - and it also happens to be very cute. I also picked up a $3 umbrella (as I didn't previously own one and it was raining), and a 50 cent notebook. My Goodwill total came to $28. The total cost of my interview outfit, including nice new shoes, was less than $30 and looked amazing.
Thursday I trekked to Goodwill for an interview outfit. On the way I popped into two salons to ask about haircut prices, and was astounded by the price. The friend who has been doing my hair (and moved away last month) was giving me way too good a deal.
Dissuaded from my trim, I popped into a third location on my way to the thrift store. South Lamar has the cutest little discount store called Hush Hush. It's mostly brand new clothing, though they do accept used clothing donations now, and their shoes are $10. I found an excellent pair of sensible black pumps. That's a little more than Goodwill, but not bad at all for brand new.
Of course I then had to build my Goodwill outfit around those shoes. Therefore, most of the clothing that appealed to me was brown rather than black...After several hours I found some great black slacks and the perfect black shirt with purple flowers. I also purchased an amazing brown blouse because it fit me so well and the first affordable bikini I have every found in my entire life that fit me - the first suit I've purchased in 8 years - and it also happens to be very cute. I also picked up a $3 umbrella (as I didn't previously own one and it was raining), and a 50 cent notebook. My Goodwill total came to $28. The total cost of my interview outfit, including nice new shoes, was less than $30 and looked amazing.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Thank You For Tipping
Someone put a $100 in my tip jar.
I'm not going to spend it for at least one week, as there's a good chance that someone made a mistake. However, I saw the person do it quite deliberately (going out of her way to hide her action). It's one of those crazy tip stories I've heard, but never been a part of. I'm actually quite stunned. I mean, I try and offer the best customer service south of Ladybird lake, but come on now...
My biggest concern is Darling's next semester, so that's where I expect that money to go. I'd also really like an affordable new outfit from Goodwill for my interview on Friday and maybe a haircut...But at the very least $50 is going straight to the college with Darling. This woman tipped us nearly two credit hours, we need to take advantage of that.
I'm not going to spend it for at least one week, as there's a good chance that someone made a mistake. However, I saw the person do it quite deliberately (going out of her way to hide her action). It's one of those crazy tip stories I've heard, but never been a part of. I'm actually quite stunned. I mean, I try and offer the best customer service south of Ladybird lake, but come on now...
My biggest concern is Darling's next semester, so that's where I expect that money to go. I'd also really like an affordable new outfit from Goodwill for my interview on Friday and maybe a haircut...But at the very least $50 is going straight to the college with Darling. This woman tipped us nearly two credit hours, we need to take advantage of that.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Next Semester
Now that I'm not earning money every day, it's surprisingly easy not to think about. So much so that Thursday I forgot to fill in my hours sheet at work, thereby delaying my paycheck. Which is really no big deal since the $200 automatic transfer doesn't happen until Monday. We had enough cash in the bank to cover my weekly $25 loan payment (two cents less interest accrued than two weeks ago!), and $10 to go out with Friday night.
Included in my list of things I should be thinking about is "school money." It didn't occur to me until yesterday that the fall semester won't last forever. To my horror, Darling actually needs to register October 13th, and we'll need the money by the 16th!
Looks like we have another slow semester coming up for my Darling...
Included in my list of things I should be thinking about is "school money." It didn't occur to me until yesterday that the fall semester won't last forever. To my horror, Darling actually needs to register October 13th, and we'll need the money by the 16th!
Looks like we have another slow semester coming up for my Darling...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Lesson Learned
As a perpetual student I have discovered that sometimes we don't get the education we sign up for.
The bakery has been one of those lessons. I was expecting to learn how a professional bakery functions. Instead, I am learning how not to run a business. Which is also useful, but beginning to get old.
So sometime next week I will be interviewing (and getting the full details about) a potential office job. In the event that the job is offered, I will accept on a part-time trial basis. If the job is not offered - or I find it undesirable - I'll be looking for another job anyway.
The bakery has been one of those lessons. I was expecting to learn how a professional bakery functions. Instead, I am learning how not to run a business. Which is also useful, but beginning to get old.
So sometime next week I will be interviewing (and getting the full details about) a potential office job. In the event that the job is offered, I will accept on a part-time trial basis. If the job is not offered - or I find it undesirable - I'll be looking for another job anyway.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Job Offer
Friday I was offered a job.
I'd been checking out what was available, sure, but not too seriously. I filled out one application out of boredom and didn't turn it in. By far my laziest job hunt ever.
But Friday I responded to an e-mail from a friend asking if I was interested in taking up her corporate position part-time so she can devote herself to baking. If I liked having a "real job," I could take it on full time while she launches her business.
Hers is one of those jobs with an indirect title: it involves an sitting at a desk, memos, and Quickbooks. The company, however, caught my interest as I researched its web page. Despite its water-downed offer of "business solutions," the actual product is created using Solidworks and other AutoCad related software. I confirmed with my friend that inter-department transfers are acceptable and the company even offers technical courses to assist in these pursuits. So, if my friend is actually able to get me hired as her trainee and eventual replacement, not only could I be lookig at a full-time office job, but one involving my most recent area of study!
I'd like to stay with the bakery, but it might me a better situation for everyone if I was just helping out on a weekly basis (small-business politics are becoming tedious, thus the lazy job hunting). An office job is hardly my ideal position, but it would be so amazing to be work towards a drafting career while earning my first real salary.
I'd been checking out what was available, sure, but not too seriously. I filled out one application out of boredom and didn't turn it in. By far my laziest job hunt ever.
But Friday I responded to an e-mail from a friend asking if I was interested in taking up her corporate position part-time so she can devote herself to baking. If I liked having a "real job," I could take it on full time while she launches her business.
Hers is one of those jobs with an indirect title: it involves an sitting at a desk, memos, and Quickbooks. The company, however, caught my interest as I researched its web page. Despite its water-downed offer of "business solutions," the actual product is created using Solidworks and other AutoCad related software. I confirmed with my friend that inter-department transfers are acceptable and the company even offers technical courses to assist in these pursuits. So, if my friend is actually able to get me hired as her trainee and eventual replacement, not only could I be lookig at a full-time office job, but one involving my most recent area of study!
I'd like to stay with the bakery, but it might me a better situation for everyone if I was just helping out on a weekly basis (small-business politics are becoming tedious, thus the lazy job hunting). An office job is hardly my ideal position, but it would be so amazing to be work towards a drafting career while earning my first real salary.
Nice Surprise
I spent the weekend avoiding my checking account. Not only was I expecting my rent check to overdraft, but depending on when other payments cleared, I'd have between $60 and $100 in fees. Especially since I failed to make it to the bank on Friday to deposit my paycheck (I was sick in bed until late in the afternoon).
Imagine my surprise when I logged onto my bank account and wasn't faced with a negative number. After doubting my most basic math skills, I finally remembered the check that wasn't sent. I wrote one a couple of weeks ago which totally disappeared. I ought to have made out a new one by now, but just can't understand where the first - sealed, labeled, and stamped - slipped off to.
So yay, no overdraft this month! And since the check is being sent to an ex-landlord who owes me more money than I owe him (a situation I don't know how to ethically respond to), I'm not too bothered by how late the payment is. It's nice to have procrastination work on my side for once.
Imagine my surprise when I logged onto my bank account and wasn't faced with a negative number. After doubting my most basic math skills, I finally remembered the check that wasn't sent. I wrote one a couple of weeks ago which totally disappeared. I ought to have made out a new one by now, but just can't understand where the first - sealed, labeled, and stamped - slipped off to.
So yay, no overdraft this month! And since the check is being sent to an ex-landlord who owes me more money than I owe him (a situation I don't know how to ethically respond to), I'm not too bothered by how late the payment is. It's nice to have procrastination work on my side for once.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Thought I'd got past this...
Darling and I overspent quite a bit this weekend. It started with purchasing school supplies and ended with buying my Mom dinner when she popped into town. I knew we had a tight budget, but somehow I just didn't keep track.
This is a case in which automatic transfers both help and hinder us. Every week I transfer away just enough funds to pay rent come the end of the month. That amount is both non-negotiable and the bulk of my regular paycheck, practically to the penny. On the one had it's great that I have that money tucked aside where it's difficult to get to and earning interest. On the other hand, it would be really nice to have that cushion in our account to avoid a now inevitable overdraft fee.
This is a case in which automatic transfers both help and hinder us. Every week I transfer away just enough funds to pay rent come the end of the month. That amount is both non-negotiable and the bulk of my regular paycheck, practically to the penny. On the one had it's great that I have that money tucked aside where it's difficult to get to and earning interest. On the other hand, it would be really nice to have that cushion in our account to avoid a now inevitable overdraft fee.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Introduction to Rowing
A couple of months ago my work-out buddy, A, announced that she was paying for us to take rowing classes. We'd investigated the sport before, on a whim, but couldn't find anything affordable.
It was vanity rather than competition that fueled my desire to be in shape before making a fool of myself on the lake. Thus the weekly weight lifting and jogging. We trained for over a month just to prepare for an introductory course! We also spent quite a bit of time researching rowing and rowers, growing quite smitten with the sport in the process.
Today was our first class and we loved it. Now A and I are checking out the competitive teams and wondering how many days a week we can devote to our new hobby. The only setback? The $420 annual membership fees for the club, which is both a non-profit organization run by volunteers and the cheapest option we can find.
$35 a month isn't really all that much for what the club offers: access to a wide variety of boats and training equipment, personal coaching, and the opportunity to join teams and potentially compete on a national level. But I'm highly suspicious of expensive hobbies and lifestyle changes. Exercise is free. Joining a gym, buying equipment, and taking supplements are expensive.
We have a month to see if rowing meets our high expectations - and to test our own dedication. If A and I are able to dedicate three mornings a week to training (the minimum required to join a team), we'll probably scrape together the membership fees. If not, we'll investigate Austin's other fitness opportunities: yoga classes, salsa lessons, and kung fu are pretty high on my list...
It was vanity rather than competition that fueled my desire to be in shape before making a fool of myself on the lake. Thus the weekly weight lifting and jogging. We trained for over a month just to prepare for an introductory course! We also spent quite a bit of time researching rowing and rowers, growing quite smitten with the sport in the process.
Today was our first class and we loved it. Now A and I are checking out the competitive teams and wondering how many days a week we can devote to our new hobby. The only setback? The $420 annual membership fees for the club, which is both a non-profit organization run by volunteers and the cheapest option we can find.
$35 a month isn't really all that much for what the club offers: access to a wide variety of boats and training equipment, personal coaching, and the opportunity to join teams and potentially compete on a national level. But I'm highly suspicious of expensive hobbies and lifestyle changes. Exercise is free. Joining a gym, buying equipment, and taking supplements are expensive.
We have a month to see if rowing meets our high expectations - and to test our own dedication. If A and I are able to dedicate three mornings a week to training (the minimum required to join a team), we'll probably scrape together the membership fees. If not, we'll investigate Austin's other fitness opportunities: yoga classes, salsa lessons, and kung fu are pretty high on my list...
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Perfect Fit
Yesterday Savers was having a sale for which items with purple tags were only 99 cents. I proceeded to search through shirts, dresses, shoes, and pants in search of the elusive purple tags. Naturally, at 5:30 the pickings were nearly nonexistent. The only 99 cent item available was a small, halter-top style dress that is way too cute to ever fit me.
Except it did. And it's perfect for the party our house is having tonight :)
The only problem is a zipper that doesn't. Tonight I'll be held up with clothespins, soon I'll be taking a little lesson in sewing.
Except it did. And it's perfect for the party our house is having tonight :)
The only problem is a zipper that doesn't. Tonight I'll be held up with clothespins, soon I'll be taking a little lesson in sewing.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Dumb Day
Yesterday I came home from work nursing a desperately bruised ego. It was my utmost desire to spend the rest of the day in bed with a good book.
Discovering our improved net worth was uplifting, but not so much that I would brave the outside world. Our new demonic parasite the cell phone, however, let the world come to me. More specifically, my Dad called.
I'm not exactly sure what brought it up. We discussed the smell my brother accused the co-op of having, argued whether or not my sister's boyfriend intended to sell her into white slavery, and chatted about his perpetual plan to drive a cab. Then the man asks me whether I'm still working two jobs and going to school. I informed him that I'd quit the one job and haven't been going to school. I guess he would have liked that qualified with "I'm taking a break," or a reference to money, neither of which I'm inclined to offer.
"Well, what's the hurry?" my Dad responded, disappointment in his voice, "What's the hurry to grow up?"
Really? Is that what people think? That finishing school is some prerequisite to adulthood? Like I'm in some form of suspended animation because I don't have a degree?
Man, my ego is hurting.
Discovering our improved net worth was uplifting, but not so much that I would brave the outside world. Our new demonic parasite the cell phone, however, let the world come to me. More specifically, my Dad called.
I'm not exactly sure what brought it up. We discussed the smell my brother accused the co-op of having, argued whether or not my sister's boyfriend intended to sell her into white slavery, and chatted about his perpetual plan to drive a cab. Then the man asks me whether I'm still working two jobs and going to school. I informed him that I'd quit the one job and haven't been going to school. I guess he would have liked that qualified with "I'm taking a break," or a reference to money, neither of which I'm inclined to offer.
"Well, what's the hurry?" my Dad responded, disappointment in his voice, "What's the hurry to grow up?"
Really? Is that what people think? That finishing school is some prerequisite to adulthood? Like I'm in some form of suspended animation because I don't have a degree?
Man, my ego is hurting.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
September Net Worth
Debt: $13,182.16, which is $93.40 less than last month. I actually paid a total of $150, so that amount is a little depressing, but at least I'm more aware of the dangers of compound interest than ever. I'm upping my weekly debit by $5 and hoping to make that extra $100 payment this month. I'm also going to repay more of the debt owed to my brother.
Assets: $899.47, which is more than double what I had last month. The majority of my assets are tucked into an Ing 401(k), leaving with no real emergency fund or short term savings. This is a dangerous oversight, particularly since we intend to save between one and five thousand dollars by April in order to either pay for Darling's spring semester or spend my 25th birthday in Scotland. My goal for September is to save as much as I repay creditors. Which will require some interesting math, but is hardly impossible...
Total Net Worth: A record-breaking -$12,282.69, $531 more than August. It's also $225 more than my previous best net worth!
Assets: $899.47, which is more than double what I had last month. The majority of my assets are tucked into an Ing 401(k), leaving with no real emergency fund or short term savings. This is a dangerous oversight, particularly since we intend to save between one and five thousand dollars by April in order to either pay for Darling's spring semester or spend my 25th birthday in Scotland. My goal for September is to save as much as I repay creditors. Which will require some interesting math, but is hardly impossible...
Total Net Worth: A record-breaking -$12,282.69, $531 more than August. It's also $225 more than my previous best net worth!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Financial and Fitness Musings
For two months now I have been lifting weights and jogging on a regular basis. I love what strength training has done for my body, it has certainly toned my arms and helped flatten my stomach. And I can jog five miles without stopping! My work-out buddy and I are making excellent progress.
Yet last week I was ready to throw in the towel for a totally unexpected reason: my pants were getting too tight. I gained about three pounds. That's on top of the usual five-pound fluctuations that women go through during the month. And yes, fat converts to muscle, which is heavier than fat, but usually not so much that one must go up a pant size.
Then I found John Cloud's article in Time magazine: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin.
The basis behind the article is that many Americans who regularly engage in strenuous exercise eat and rest more to compensate. After an hour weight training, which burns fewer than 400 calories, it's easy to spend the rest of the afternoon snacking in front of the television as opposed to cleaning the house, gardening, and cooking a healthy dinner. Many of us follow our work-outs with tasty treats (often disguised as sports drinks and energy bars) which can easily negate the effects of our exercise. Cloud calls this compensatory eating.
A couple of days after reading this article a friend and I went jogging. We then enjoyed our customary post-exercise snack: a powerbar. I consumed the protein-infused candy before reading the nutrition label. 200 calories? One snack replaced half the calories I'd just burned! Since then I've been extra-careful to make my calories count and avoid snacks that don't meet my real nutritional needs. Sure enough, I've lost the gained weight and feel better than ever.
Because I see many parallels between financial and physical fitness, this experience has led me to wonder if some of us don't practice compensatory spending. Just like the body attempts to increase calorie intake to maintain fat content after a work-out, do we suconsciously increase spending to keep financial pace with every pay raise? Is that why every windfall seems to melt into nothingness within weeks of recieving it, and the easiest way to save money is to invest it, thereby making it practically inaccessible?
Are humans programmed to maintain a balance, even when that balance makes us unhappy or unhealthy? If so, why? And what upsets the balance, what sort of experience is required to enable us to make real, permanent lifestyle improvements? What is the difference between the one who keeps the weight off and the many who don't? Why is it so hard for people to budget when the benefits are phenomenal?
Yet last week I was ready to throw in the towel for a totally unexpected reason: my pants were getting too tight. I gained about three pounds. That's on top of the usual five-pound fluctuations that women go through during the month. And yes, fat converts to muscle, which is heavier than fat, but usually not so much that one must go up a pant size.
Then I found John Cloud's article in Time magazine: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin.
The basis behind the article is that many Americans who regularly engage in strenuous exercise eat and rest more to compensate. After an hour weight training, which burns fewer than 400 calories, it's easy to spend the rest of the afternoon snacking in front of the television as opposed to cleaning the house, gardening, and cooking a healthy dinner. Many of us follow our work-outs with tasty treats (often disguised as sports drinks and energy bars) which can easily negate the effects of our exercise. Cloud calls this compensatory eating.
A couple of days after reading this article a friend and I went jogging. We then enjoyed our customary post-exercise snack: a powerbar. I consumed the protein-infused candy before reading the nutrition label. 200 calories? One snack replaced half the calories I'd just burned! Since then I've been extra-careful to make my calories count and avoid snacks that don't meet my real nutritional needs. Sure enough, I've lost the gained weight and feel better than ever.
Because I see many parallels between financial and physical fitness, this experience has led me to wonder if some of us don't practice compensatory spending. Just like the body attempts to increase calorie intake to maintain fat content after a work-out, do we suconsciously increase spending to keep financial pace with every pay raise? Is that why every windfall seems to melt into nothingness within weeks of recieving it, and the easiest way to save money is to invest it, thereby making it practically inaccessible?
Are humans programmed to maintain a balance, even when that balance makes us unhappy or unhealthy? If so, why? And what upsets the balance, what sort of experience is required to enable us to make real, permanent lifestyle improvements? What is the difference between the one who keeps the weight off and the many who don't? Why is it so hard for people to budget when the benefits are phenomenal?
Those pennies add up
Woohoo!
Three more cents of my weekly $20 debt payment went towards the principal this week than last week!
When I decided to make weekly automatic withdrawals to pay back my student loans, I was hoping to bank on the "out of sight, out of mind" theory. Instead, I have become obsessed with the slow and steady deterioration of the balance. Paying weekly makes me realize how quickly the interest adds up. I am actually really excited to see how each payment affects not only the principal, but the daily interest charge.
Unfortunately, this month we won't have the cash to make a big payment on top of the tiny ones. We still owe our old landlord a bill (kinda like he still owes us our deposit...), which drained what would have been a surplus. Darling also needs some school supplies. So I'm just going to be happy adding adding $60 to our savings account and know we're making progress, however incremental.
Three more cents of my weekly $20 debt payment went towards the principal this week than last week!
When I decided to make weekly automatic withdrawals to pay back my student loans, I was hoping to bank on the "out of sight, out of mind" theory. Instead, I have become obsessed with the slow and steady deterioration of the balance. Paying weekly makes me realize how quickly the interest adds up. I am actually really excited to see how each payment affects not only the principal, but the daily interest charge.
Unfortunately, this month we won't have the cash to make a big payment on top of the tiny ones. We still owe our old landlord a bill (kinda like he still owes us our deposit...), which drained what would have been a surplus. Darling also needs some school supplies. So I'm just going to be happy adding adding $60 to our savings account and know we're making progress, however incremental.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Questions Answered
Liz asked me some more great questions :)
Guests are welcome. I wouldn't necessarily throw any private dinner parties here, but there is no issue with making my workout buddies sandwiches after our jog or anything like that.
After only a month, I can't imagine choosing to live any other way!
As for the bakery, I'm definitely learning a lot about the trials and tribulations of running a small business. Because it is a tiny, family owned establishment, I'm very involved in nearly every task and basically fill a management role. I'm baking, producing my own soon-to-be-released line of gf product, managing inventory, and running the register. Lately a lot of people have asked if I plan to own a bakery myself someday, and the answer (at this point) is a resounding "no." I enjoy what I'm doing, but it's not my life's calling. It would be cool if my bread became popular, but I'd be just as satisfied working any other job.
How do you like the co-op- do you miss having your own place - it must be so nice to have someone cook dinner and clean up etc. is it O.k. to entertain friends etc. or have people to stay over.Darling and I are having a great time at the co-op. We live with 8 other people in a well-established household. The food has been healthy, organic, plentiful, and delicious. The houses are kept clean and tidy. There is usually someone hanging out to chat with, but privacy has yet to be any sort of issue. Despite my low noise tolerance, I've never had trouble napping during the day or sleeping at night.
It sounds like its a great break from the responsibilities of housekeeping. How long can you see yourselves living that lifestyle.
Are you learning more about the bakery business - maybe there will be some management positions in the future - have you thought of going to school for bakery, pastry chef etc.
Guests are welcome. I wouldn't necessarily throw any private dinner parties here, but there is no issue with making my workout buddies sandwiches after our jog or anything like that.
After only a month, I can't imagine choosing to live any other way!
As for the bakery, I'm definitely learning a lot about the trials and tribulations of running a small business. Because it is a tiny, family owned establishment, I'm very involved in nearly every task and basically fill a management role. I'm baking, producing my own soon-to-be-released line of gf product, managing inventory, and running the register. Lately a lot of people have asked if I plan to own a bakery myself someday, and the answer (at this point) is a resounding "no." I enjoy what I'm doing, but it's not my life's calling. It would be cool if my bread became popular, but I'd be just as satisfied working any other job.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Update and Plans
Sorry for the infrequent posting. I'm suffering a pretty maddening case of writer's block and have stared at several posts for 4-5 hours at at time before giving up on them. Maybe, like my career at the Alamo Drafthouse, that has come to an end this weekend.
I had a lot of little financial "oopsies" this month. I started by letting our rent check overdraft even though we had the money. Later, I managed to not cancel one of my Greenling orders, which cost $30. Last Friday I couldn't find any confirmation or evidence that my $20 automatic debit was going through with the loan company, and in my attempts to rectify this apparant mistake I ended up sending them double their usual payment. Due to a little confusion at the Alamo my last weekend of shifts were given away, for which I probably would have earned at least $200. Darling's boss made an accounting error and we recieved only half his paycheck, which he thankfully noticed as I wouldn't have known the difference.
The realities of paycheck-to-paycheck living are setting in. In the past I could make up for small indiscretions with a work-binge at the end of the month. Now I have forty hours to work a week, maximum, and opportunities to pick up extra shifts are limited. There is certainly more cash to be made, but these opportunities have yet to be cultivated. In the meantime, I want to take full advantage of what we do have.
It just so happens that my weekly part-time pay barely covers our co-op payment. The entirety of that is automatically debited from our account every week, leaving us with Darling's paychecks and other income to pay for my Mom's phone, our cell minutes, and our debt payments. When those payments have been made at the end of every month from our regular bank account, we'll transfer just enough money from our Ing account to make rent. Any surplus will be left earning interest in the savings account.
And there will be surplus. I'll be working as much as 12 more hours a week at the bakery and picking up side jobs (already been asked to childcare and pick up hours at a friend's store - jobs I've done in the past), and Darling will probably be picking up more shifts at his workplace now that he's taking fewer credit hours. My plan is to steadily increase automatic deductions to absorb increased income: this month we'll be paying $5 more a week towards student loans. We'll also be be building both long and short term savings: the majority of our surplus will go into a savings account for a trip to Scotland next April, but whenever our savings account balance exceeds that of our 401(k) we'll transfer 10% into the latter. This worked well last year when we were saving for our last big trip.
I had a lot of little financial "oopsies" this month. I started by letting our rent check overdraft even though we had the money. Later, I managed to not cancel one of my Greenling orders, which cost $30. Last Friday I couldn't find any confirmation or evidence that my $20 automatic debit was going through with the loan company, and in my attempts to rectify this apparant mistake I ended up sending them double their usual payment. Due to a little confusion at the Alamo my last weekend of shifts were given away, for which I probably would have earned at least $200. Darling's boss made an accounting error and we recieved only half his paycheck, which he thankfully noticed as I wouldn't have known the difference.
The realities of paycheck-to-paycheck living are setting in. In the past I could make up for small indiscretions with a work-binge at the end of the month. Now I have forty hours to work a week, maximum, and opportunities to pick up extra shifts are limited. There is certainly more cash to be made, but these opportunities have yet to be cultivated. In the meantime, I want to take full advantage of what we do have.
It just so happens that my weekly part-time pay barely covers our co-op payment. The entirety of that is automatically debited from our account every week, leaving us with Darling's paychecks and other income to pay for my Mom's phone, our cell minutes, and our debt payments. When those payments have been made at the end of every month from our regular bank account, we'll transfer just enough money from our Ing account to make rent. Any surplus will be left earning interest in the savings account.
And there will be surplus. I'll be working as much as 12 more hours a week at the bakery and picking up side jobs (already been asked to childcare and pick up hours at a friend's store - jobs I've done in the past), and Darling will probably be picking up more shifts at his workplace now that he's taking fewer credit hours. My plan is to steadily increase automatic deductions to absorb increased income: this month we'll be paying $5 more a week towards student loans. We'll also be be building both long and short term savings: the majority of our surplus will go into a savings account for a trip to Scotland next April, but whenever our savings account balance exceeds that of our 401(k) we'll transfer 10% into the latter. This worked well last year when we were saving for our last big trip.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Posting is Hard
I actually stole this from Beany, whose blog I am reading from the start.
From the merry arduous, a cheery meme: Bold the things you've done, italicize the things you want to do
1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars - I have tried and failed repeatedly.From the merry arduous, a cheery meme: Bold the things you've done, italicize the things you want to do
1. Started my own blog
3. Played in a band- if singing counts, I have the tapes to prove it.
4. Visited Hawaii - I have an obsession with being pregnant in Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower - I've seen shooting stars, but never made a night of it
6. Given more than I can afford to charity- I gave a check to Greenpeace once. I didn't know they would turn it into monthly automatic deductions.
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis - Why? Why would anyone want to do this?
10. Sung a solo - Yes. In public. In a leotard. On stage.
11. Bungee jumped- Vegas, Summer of 2002, I think
12. Visited Paris - Summer of 2007
13. Watched lightning at sea - I've seen it from a beach. Do I have to be on a boat for it to count?
14. Taught myself an art from scratch - I taught myself to write, if that counts. And bake.
15. Adopted a child - In the next couple of years.
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - I should visit New York
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill- In school. Never for work.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors - I wouldn't have any idea where to start.
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language - I'm not a self-teacher. I'd like to take classes
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - I don't correlate money with satisfaction.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- Darling and I visited, but did not want to stand in line to go to the top
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job - I was fired for quitting
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible - I've read a version of the Bible. There doesn't seem to be a The Bible.
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - we did this as a family when I was growing up. I killed fish, plucked chickens, grilled cow meat I raised myself. But I never did it all at once on my own.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - hard to say
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - I probably wouldn't know.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone - as of last week.
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Cell Phone Response
I think my last post about cell phones might have been a little confusing because I forgot to mention that our new technological parasite is not a primary form of communication. It will mostly operate in the same way as a beeper: friends and family will be able to call, and leave a message, and know we will get it as soon as possible - but under no circumstances will Darling and I let it interrupt our current social or professional lives. Unless the message is frantic and involves the word "hospital," we'll wait until we're back to the land line to return the call. And even then, panicked conversations tend to be short. If it turns out we need more minutes for any reason, we can buy them. If it turns out we need more minutes every month, we can look at upgrading to a monthly plan - or ask ourselves if we're abusing the luxury of instant communication and need to cut back.
We purchased a tracphone from Office Depot on sale for $10. We received a $10 coupon with the phone, making it theoretically free. That coupon will come in handy when Darling needs to buy his scientific calculator.
We purchased a tracphone from Office Depot on sale for $10. We received a $10 coupon with the phone, making it theoretically free. That coupon will come in handy when Darling needs to buy his scientific calculator.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Phone Decision
Darling and I have decided to bite the bullet and buy a "phone in a box," as he puts it. Even though our rent pays for a house line and Internet, it's proven a little disruptive to the house to be totally dependent on it. Too many of our buddies work weird hours and don't have a concept of when would be "appropriate" to call, not to mention my Dad who has a personal penchant for calling between midnight and 1 a.m. "just to check up." In this house, we can't hear the ringing in the bedroom, we don't bother to check messages, and we've basically made it impossible for people to get in touch with us.
Which, frankly, is perfectly fine with me. But that is irresponsible and unfair to my friends and family. And Darling is about to be hunting for internships, so his professional life will be at stake.
Our plan? One phone, no more than 20 minutes a month, no contract, and no frills. Hopefully we'll avoid catching that bizarre social disease that causes victims to answer the technological parasites on buses, in movie theaters, and in the middle of personal conversations.
Which, frankly, is perfectly fine with me. But that is irresponsible and unfair to my friends and family. And Darling is about to be hunting for internships, so his professional life will be at stake.
Our plan? One phone, no more than 20 minutes a month, no contract, and no frills. Hopefully we'll avoid catching that bizarre social disease that causes victims to answer the technological parasites on buses, in movie theaters, and in the middle of personal conversations.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A Break
The Austin heat has been overwhelming. Any day that has dipped below a hundred degrees has been a great relief. All of the gardens have died, only the most chemical of lawns are green, and there is talk of closing down the iconic Barton Creek Pool. Yesterday it was 104 degrees during the day, 94 degrees when I woke up at 4:00 a.m.
A few hours ago lightning streaked across the sky, thunder rumbled, and the rain began to fall. The thermometer mercilessly plummeted to a chill 80!
Just in time for me to catch my bus :)
A few hours ago lightning streaked across the sky, thunder rumbled, and the rain began to fall. The thermometer mercilessly plummeted to a chill 80!
Just in time for me to catch my bus :)
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Big Step Back, Incremental Step forward
I got hit with over-draft charges this weekend. Why? Because I couldn't be bothered to go to the bank Friday afternoon, let the money sit in the drawer for two days, and forgot about the three checks written a few days before. NEVER AGAIN. I'm so freaking angry with myself. This happens so often, and it doesn't need to!!!
From now on, I'm going to have the majority of my paycheck transferred to my savings account every Monday. This cuts out the question of whether or not I have spare cash in my account (I won't) and if I really need to make the trip to the bank (I will). Now the money saved for rent will earn interest, every purchase will require at least two days forethought, and any monthly surplus will already be in savings. I will leave a small cushion in the account that will be depleted every Friday when my student loan payments are automatically deducted.
On the brighter side of life, of last week's $20 payment, $7.20 was applied to the principle. Three weeks ago I was only chipping away a weekly $7.07. I am making some progress :)
From now on, I'm going to have the majority of my paycheck transferred to my savings account every Monday. This cuts out the question of whether or not I have spare cash in my account (I won't) and if I really need to make the trip to the bank (I will). Now the money saved for rent will earn interest, every purchase will require at least two days forethought, and any monthly surplus will already be in savings. I will leave a small cushion in the account that will be depleted every Friday when my student loan payments are automatically deducted.
On the brighter side of life, of last week's $20 payment, $7.20 was applied to the principle. Three weeks ago I was only chipping away a weekly $7.07. I am making some progress :)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Two-Week Notice
I turned in my two-week notice for the job I have worked for 2 1/2 years, the job that has funded two trips to the UK, several visits to Virginia, one weekend on the gulf coast, Darling's NABCEP certification, an immigration nightmare, my first semester studying CAD, and Darling's renewable energy courses. A job that I applied for because a local paper listed it among the coolest jobs in Austin, a job in which I could earn in a weekend twice what I can earn in a week at the bakery. A job in which I have seniority, a job I can do with my eyes closed.
Right now I am really, really enjoying my life. I am exercising two or three days a week (jogged five miles yesterday!), I love my job at the bakery, living at the co-op is phenomenal, and my diet has never been better. Darling is finishing up one semester, preparing for the next, and facing a promotion and more hours at his job. Quitting this job means more than lost income; it means giving up the one thing in life I dread doing every week.
But still, it's scary.
Right now I am really, really enjoying my life. I am exercising two or three days a week (jogged five miles yesterday!), I love my job at the bakery, living at the co-op is phenomenal, and my diet has never been better. Darling is finishing up one semester, preparing for the next, and facing a promotion and more hours at his job. Quitting this job means more than lost income; it means giving up the one thing in life I dread doing every week.
But still, it's scary.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
FAQS
My last post received two comments, both questions. The first question is anonymous, the next several questions were from Lizzie.
First an anonymous:
What are your long term hopes income-wise?
I'm hoping to earn enough to support myself, my husband, and my loved ones while preparing for an uncertain future. I'd like to do this in a passive manner. I think that once our debt is paid off Darling and I could live quite happily on $20,000 a year (adjusting for both inflation and currency exchange, of course).
What can you realistically see yourselves earning eventually to live a life where you can have some freedom from debt, have kids, buy a house etc.
I imagine that if Darling and I both got fairly decent jobs, we could probably earn at least $40,000 to $60,000 a year. By earning $40,000 a year for 15 years, we could most definitely save enough money to buy nice land and build a small house. However, I don't see income - or lack thereof - as a huge obstacle to achieving the other goals. Freedom from debt is a matter of continuing to pay off that which we have; we have no credit addiction to break at this point and aren't likely to develop one. Darling and I are not waiting to have kids; if our family doesn't expand on its own accord in the next few years we intend to look into foster care.
What career paths are you both hoping to following eventually?
Darling and I would like to be sustainable home builders and renovators.
How far did you get with college and what would it take to go back and finish up?
I completed two years of college in a communication degree at an expensive private college. I have the first semester of a CAD degree under my belt. To finish my original degree at a college or university would probably cost about $20,000, finishing my CAD program would cost about $2,000. I'm not terribly interested in completing a degree, as nothing I've wanted to do career-wise has actually required one, but I'm eager to be back in class. I'd really like to get CAD certification, but can't find the time as I'm currently learning the trials and tribulations of opening and running a small bakery :) I love learning and I love college, so "finishing up" is pretty much on the bottom of my list of things to do in life.
Will the AutoCad lead to a career?
I wanted to learn AutoCad because it is a very mobile skill; have laptop will travel. Drafting may or may not someday be a full-time job, but it will definitely enhance our home renovation plans.
What are Darlings hopes in the job market when he finishes colleges - and if he is in his forties what careers has had in his life and could he use skills that he already has acquired?
After Darling graduates from ACC we're thinking of heading west where Darling and I can both work in sustainable home construction, possibly with the Earthship communities in New Mexico, or we might head to a developing country where the renewable energy market is supposedly booming. Darling spent most of his life in administration working with international companies, so he has a good grounding cultural exchange which might help us. He also has a degree in psychology, has worked on farms, done a little construction, worked in retail, and fixed computers. I doubt any of his acquired skills will go to waste.
First an anonymous:
What are your long term hopes income-wise?
I'm hoping to earn enough to support myself, my husband, and my loved ones while preparing for an uncertain future. I'd like to do this in a passive manner. I think that once our debt is paid off Darling and I could live quite happily on $20,000 a year (adjusting for both inflation and currency exchange, of course).
What can you realistically see yourselves earning eventually to live a life where you can have some freedom from debt, have kids, buy a house etc.
I imagine that if Darling and I both got fairly decent jobs, we could probably earn at least $40,000 to $60,000 a year. By earning $40,000 a year for 15 years, we could most definitely save enough money to buy nice land and build a small house. However, I don't see income - or lack thereof - as a huge obstacle to achieving the other goals. Freedom from debt is a matter of continuing to pay off that which we have; we have no credit addiction to break at this point and aren't likely to develop one. Darling and I are not waiting to have kids; if our family doesn't expand on its own accord in the next few years we intend to look into foster care.
What career paths are you both hoping to following eventually?
Darling and I would like to be sustainable home builders and renovators.
How far did you get with college and what would it take to go back and finish up?
I completed two years of college in a communication degree at an expensive private college. I have the first semester of a CAD degree under my belt. To finish my original degree at a college or university would probably cost about $20,000, finishing my CAD program would cost about $2,000. I'm not terribly interested in completing a degree, as nothing I've wanted to do career-wise has actually required one, but I'm eager to be back in class. I'd really like to get CAD certification, but can't find the time as I'm currently learning the trials and tribulations of opening and running a small bakery :) I love learning and I love college, so "finishing up" is pretty much on the bottom of my list of things to do in life.
Will the AutoCad lead to a career?
I wanted to learn AutoCad because it is a very mobile skill; have laptop will travel. Drafting may or may not someday be a full-time job, but it will definitely enhance our home renovation plans.
What are Darlings hopes in the job market when he finishes colleges - and if he is in his forties what careers has had in his life and could he use skills that he already has acquired?
After Darling graduates from ACC we're thinking of heading west where Darling and I can both work in sustainable home construction, possibly with the Earthship communities in New Mexico, or we might head to a developing country where the renewable energy market is supposedly booming. Darling spent most of his life in administration working with international companies, so he has a good grounding cultural exchange which might help us. He also has a degree in psychology, has worked on farms, done a little construction, worked in retail, and fixed computers. I doubt any of his acquired skills will go to waste.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
No Time To Stop or Shop
Lizzie and an anonymous friend asked me a couple of questions on my last post that I will answer, they just require a little thought and more time than I have on hand lately :) Sorry for the wait.
Last weekend my family celebrated my Mom's birthday, which was hectic but enjoyable. I went to work still exhausted on Monday morning and took a short nap before the house meeting. Tuesday night I came home from work at 6 pm, settled in for a nap, and woke up at 6 am already late for work. That afternoon I skipped my nap and that evening I lifted weights. Today I came home from work, took a five hour nap, and then walked and jogged with a friend for three hours. Lately it feels like I'm either just waking up, napping, or exercising.
I'm enjoying the co-op more every day. The little things that once fell through the cracks when Darling and I get busy are dealt with by the household: not only are groceries purchased, but meals are prepped in the fridge and the dishes aren't piling up. Things run smoothly regardless of how busy we are.
On the financial side of life, who has time to spend money these days? I'm realizing how much money we were spending snacks, treats, and meals on the go. Now that there is always plenty of food at home, it is almost impossible to justify paying money for food at all. I've practically fallen into "no spend" mode, it's too much of a hassle to even go to a store, much less browse and waste even $2 on something that won't be as nice as whatever we have at home.
Last weekend my family celebrated my Mom's birthday, which was hectic but enjoyable. I went to work still exhausted on Monday morning and took a short nap before the house meeting. Tuesday night I came home from work at 6 pm, settled in for a nap, and woke up at 6 am already late for work. That afternoon I skipped my nap and that evening I lifted weights. Today I came home from work, took a five hour nap, and then walked and jogged with a friend for three hours. Lately it feels like I'm either just waking up, napping, or exercising.
I'm enjoying the co-op more every day. The little things that once fell through the cracks when Darling and I get busy are dealt with by the household: not only are groceries purchased, but meals are prepped in the fridge and the dishes aren't piling up. Things run smoothly regardless of how busy we are.
On the financial side of life, who has time to spend money these days? I'm realizing how much money we were spending snacks, treats, and meals on the go. Now that there is always plenty of food at home, it is almost impossible to justify paying money for food at all. I've practically fallen into "no spend" mode, it's too much of a hassle to even go to a store, much less browse and waste even $2 on something that won't be as nice as whatever we have at home.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
August Net Worth
Debt: $13,275.56, down $210.25 from last month. I think this was largely the result of my $20 weekly deductions. I'll be continuing those through August, but I also need to write a check to my brother and sister-in-law to start paying back what I owe them.
Available Assets: $461.70, a $516.31 drop from last month. I'll be starting August, as I have so many months before it, hoping to earn rent before the checks have been deposited.
Net Worth: -12,813.86, down $306.06.
My goals this month include writing a $100 check cover some family debt, continue to send a weekly $20 to my student loan company, automatically deposit $10 into a savings account every Friday, and take Darling to Schlitterahn for his birthday. I'd really like to see our debt dip below $13,000.
Available Assets: $461.70, a $516.31 drop from last month. I'll be starting August, as I have so many months before it, hoping to earn rent before the checks have been deposited.
Net Worth: -12,813.86, down $306.06.
My goals this month include writing a $100 check cover some family debt, continue to send a weekly $20 to my student loan company, automatically deposit $10 into a savings account every Friday, and take Darling to Schlitterahn for his birthday. I'd really like to see our debt dip below $13,000.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Killer Weekend
This is my Mom's birthday weekend, so she will be in town and as much time as possible will be spent with her and my brother and sister. I will also be spending quite a bit of time in North Austin dog-sitting for a close friend. I will also be trying to spend time with another friend who is moving this month. And I have about a million errands to run in between. And I am totally exhausted.
And of course this would all occur the last weekend I have to earn money for rent.
And of course this would all occur the last weekend I have to earn money for rent.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Forming What Hypothesis?
A few days ago a commenter asked me to explain why "Forming Our Hypothesis" is part of Year Three's title.
Some of you may remember that Year One was titled "In Which We Begin a Social Experiment." I also referred to Darling and myself as the Lab Rats. This experiment is designed to contradict the common knowledge that good credit is essential to financial well-being. Because we are presenting a rather controversial theory, my husband and I are prepared to be proven wrong. Come 2027 we may find ourselves homeless and hungry on the streets of Calcutta due to our credit rebellion. Or five years from now we might find ourselves desperate to settle down and paint a nursery at a fair mortgage rate. That's why it's both a challenge and an experiment.
Our mission statement sets a completion date (August 2027), several goals (children, land, home, total financial freedom), and some parameters (social and environmental responsibility, no credit industry.) Lately I've been examining our theories more closely. The further my husband and I drift from the beaten track, the more closely we scrutinize our supposed needs and wants. Do we really want to own land? Is it fair to count the land my Mom will leave us when she dies? Is there really any such thing as an environmentally friendly automobile? If we drift too far from mainstream culture, does it render this blog useless?
Basically, in the next year or two I want to determine exactly what I want this experiment to prove. I also need precise numbers and figures to shoot for. We're not just going to survive by the skin of our teeth for 20 years and announce ourselves successful. I want to show that people can thrive without credit. I need to determine exactly what this means, first. How much money in the bank, what quality of land, etc.
Some of you may remember that Year One was titled "In Which We Begin a Social Experiment." I also referred to Darling and myself as the Lab Rats. This experiment is designed to contradict the common knowledge that good credit is essential to financial well-being. Because we are presenting a rather controversial theory, my husband and I are prepared to be proven wrong. Come 2027 we may find ourselves homeless and hungry on the streets of Calcutta due to our credit rebellion. Or five years from now we might find ourselves desperate to settle down and paint a nursery at a fair mortgage rate. That's why it's both a challenge and an experiment.
Our mission statement sets a completion date (August 2027), several goals (children, land, home, total financial freedom), and some parameters (social and environmental responsibility, no credit industry.) Lately I've been examining our theories more closely. The further my husband and I drift from the beaten track, the more closely we scrutinize our supposed needs and wants. Do we really want to own land? Is it fair to count the land my Mom will leave us when she dies? Is there really any such thing as an environmentally friendly automobile? If we drift too far from mainstream culture, does it render this blog useless?
Basically, in the next year or two I want to determine exactly what I want this experiment to prove. I also need precise numbers and figures to shoot for. We're not just going to survive by the skin of our teeth for 20 years and announce ourselves successful. I want to show that people can thrive without credit. I need to determine exactly what this means, first. How much money in the bank, what quality of land, etc.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Settling In, More Automatic Deductions
Things are going really well at the co-op. We are slowly unpacking and adjusting to this new lifestyle. The coolest thing about our new home is the variety of food available; it's sort of like living in an all-you-can-eat health food buffet. Yesterday I was asked what Darling and I would like to add to the shopping list, which already included more types of cheese, veggies, and grains than Darling and I would purchase in a year. Buying both beans and rice in a single shopping trip can be a struggle for Darling and me sometimes, so it's really exciting to live with such an impressively stocked organic pantry.
I'm working this weekend at the restaurant, making lots of money and not exactly enjoying myself. Still not sure if I'll be getting that vacation paycheck...Our money situation is weird right now. I honestly feel pretty detached from the whole situation. It doesn't help that U-haul, whom I expect to over-charge me, still hasn't charged the full amount I was expecting to owe. So I'm sort of waiting for them to drain my account. I know the sensible thing to do is call them, but I'd rather they make the first move. So I'm neither sure of the next couple of weeks income (will I get the check?) or expenses (how much will Uhaul try and get off me?).
One positive thing I did today was set up an automatic savings plan with Ing. It annoys me that it's been four months since we made a deposit to our savings account, so I'm experimenting with small weekly deposits. After a bit of agonizing, I decided to start at $10 every Friday.
Making this choice was difficult because we're already deducting $20 a week to pay for student loans. On the one hand, I'm theoretically saving more money in the long run by paying off debt (which accrues over 5% interest) than by actually saving money (at less than 5% interest). But I'm a big believer in having an emergency fund and contributing to a retirement account. And if I can sacrifice $20 a week to the corporate moloch, I can surely put aside $10 a week in the name of preparedness. My hope is to create an out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation. But $120 a month is hard not to think about.
I'm working this weekend at the restaurant, making lots of money and not exactly enjoying myself. Still not sure if I'll be getting that vacation paycheck...Our money situation is weird right now. I honestly feel pretty detached from the whole situation. It doesn't help that U-haul, whom I expect to over-charge me, still hasn't charged the full amount I was expecting to owe. So I'm sort of waiting for them to drain my account. I know the sensible thing to do is call them, but I'd rather they make the first move. So I'm neither sure of the next couple of weeks income (will I get the check?) or expenses (how much will Uhaul try and get off me?).
One positive thing I did today was set up an automatic savings plan with Ing. It annoys me that it's been four months since we made a deposit to our savings account, so I'm experimenting with small weekly deposits. After a bit of agonizing, I decided to start at $10 every Friday.
Making this choice was difficult because we're already deducting $20 a week to pay for student loans. On the one hand, I'm theoretically saving more money in the long run by paying off debt (which accrues over 5% interest) than by actually saving money (at less than 5% interest). But I'm a big believer in having an emergency fund and contributing to a retirement account. And if I can sacrifice $20 a week to the corporate moloch, I can surely put aside $10 a week in the name of preparedness. My hope is to create an out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation. But $120 a month is hard not to think about.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Moving Days
Sunday Darling and I were up at five to pickup the moving truck, disassemble and pack our heavy antique furniture, drive it two hours to my Mom's, unload and reassemble the heavy furniture, move my Mom's house around so it all fit the way she liked, drove back to Austin in the scariest storm ever, dropped off the truck and walked two hours to get home by midnight.
Monday I woke up at five to go to work at the bakery, then picked up the moving truck to move all of our furniture. Upstairs. We had to make about three trips. We had just enough energy to put sheets on the futon before passing out that night.
Tuesday I woke up at five again to work at the bakery, then I went to our old place and cleaned it for seven hours. Darling came home from school and we carried lots of stuff to Goodwill and then we carried some more stuff to our new home.
Today I woke up and went to the bakery so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. We did a walk-through with the landlord, who looked pleased by my cleaning but didn't mention our deposit. We'll see him next week to deal with that.
Finally, this afternoon we had some semblance of relaxation. After the walk-through we came home and I made beet-cucumber-apple-celery juice and veggie sandwiches while Darling put a load of laundry through. We watched a DVD while eating, then I did the dishes and my husband arranged our room a little. Soon we will have time to actually unpack, and maybe even catch up on our sleep. Maybe.
Monday I woke up at five to go to work at the bakery, then picked up the moving truck to move all of our furniture. Upstairs. We had to make about three trips. We had just enough energy to put sheets on the futon before passing out that night.
Tuesday I woke up at five again to work at the bakery, then I went to our old place and cleaned it for seven hours. Darling came home from school and we carried lots of stuff to Goodwill and then we carried some more stuff to our new home.
Today I woke up and went to the bakery so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. We did a walk-through with the landlord, who looked pleased by my cleaning but didn't mention our deposit. We'll see him next week to deal with that.
Finally, this afternoon we had some semblance of relaxation. After the walk-through we came home and I made beet-cucumber-apple-celery juice and veggie sandwiches while Darling put a load of laundry through. We watched a DVD while eating, then I did the dishes and my husband arranged our room a little. Soon we will have time to actually unpack, and maybe even catch up on our sleep. Maybe.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Yikes...
When I reserved a moving truck last week, I made a mental note to keep an eye out for my driving license. I only ever take it out when I want to drink, which isn't very often, and half the time I use my state I.D.
I'm supposed to pick up the truck tomorrow morning, 98% of my house is packed - including the license's usual hiding places - and I still can't find it. This is vaguely infuriating. It might have been missing since April, for all I would have noticed. Where can it be?
Looks like Darling will be the designated driver tomorrow. Though come to think of it, I can't say I've seen his license recently either.
I'm supposed to pick up the truck tomorrow morning, 98% of my house is packed - including the license's usual hiding places - and I still can't find it. This is vaguely infuriating. It might have been missing since April, for all I would have noticed. Where can it be?
Looks like Darling will be the designated driver tomorrow. Though come to think of it, I can't say I've seen his license recently either.
Current Exercise Routine
The Brookings Institute tells us that about 60% of early deaths are the result of chronic illnesses influenced by "behavioral, social and environmental influences." I'd like to know more about that statistic. I mean, what diseases don't involve "environmental influence?" And which category does, say, HIV fall into? And are mental illnesses - and resulting drug addictions - taken into account? I'm not saying it's not a worthwhile statistic, but it's worded in a curiously vague manner.
Feel free to roll your eyes at me and say, "Tread, the point is that people should take personal responsibility for their health. If people didn't smoke or eat McDonalds 'till they exploded and got excersise, we wouldn't need universal healthcare." Although I wouldn't altogether agree with you (which is rather peevish, since I literally put words into your mouth), I totally agree that it's about time Americans get out of our cars and start taking control of our fitness.
Am I taking my own advice? Not without a fight. At least, that's how it feels. Two weeks ago my best friend invited me to enjoy her torture chamber, which looks to the untrained eye like a well-equiped weight room. She has created a full-body weekly regime, which involves muscles I neither knew of nor have any desire to tone. But, knowing that weight training has many benefits, I returned Friday for my second work-out and look foward to my next. I've also been jogging about once a week and doing yoga most mornings.
Unlike the weight training - which hopefully will grow on me once my muscles knit back together - jogging makes me feel great. And the yoga helps me deal with chronic back pain I've suffered for well over ten years. All things considered, it's a surprisingly comfortable and frugal routine.
Feel free to roll your eyes at me and say, "Tread, the point is that people should take personal responsibility for their health. If people didn't smoke or eat McDonalds 'till they exploded and got excersise, we wouldn't need universal healthcare." Although I wouldn't altogether agree with you (which is rather peevish, since I literally put words into your mouth), I totally agree that it's about time Americans get out of our cars and start taking control of our fitness.
Am I taking my own advice? Not without a fight. At least, that's how it feels. Two weeks ago my best friend invited me to enjoy her torture chamber, which looks to the untrained eye like a well-equiped weight room. She has created a full-body weekly regime, which involves muscles I neither knew of nor have any desire to tone. But, knowing that weight training has many benefits, I returned Friday for my second work-out and look foward to my next. I've also been jogging about once a week and doing yoga most mornings.
Unlike the weight training - which hopefully will grow on me once my muscles knit back together - jogging makes me feel great. And the yoga helps me deal with chronic back pain I've suffered for well over ten years. All things considered, it's a surprisingly comfortable and frugal routine.
Mid-Move
I woke yesterday at 6:30 in the morning to do the dishes, scrub the toilet, and start boxing our entire house.
Supposedly we had a prospective renter coming in at 9 a.m. to view the house, and another at 3 p.m., which is why I was up so early. Neither showed. I suspect trickery on the part of my landlord. But at least we got a lot done.
This morning I woke up at six in the morning to go down to the bakery to train on cake baking and decorating. Got home at noon and crashed in bed for a couple of hours. I need to pack the rest of our kitchen and everything else that isn't going to my Mom's house, because we're loading it up first thing tomorrow morning.
We're hoping to sleep in the new place Monday night, and we're turning in the keys to this apartment on Tuesday. It doesn't feel quite right. We're not just moving to a new home, but a whole new way of living. Next week we'll be sharing a house, pantry, and bills with seven other people. Next month I'll probably have a completely different job, schedule, and budget. It's exciting and good, but really scary.
Supposedly we had a prospective renter coming in at 9 a.m. to view the house, and another at 3 p.m., which is why I was up so early. Neither showed. I suspect trickery on the part of my landlord. But at least we got a lot done.
This morning I woke up at six in the morning to go down to the bakery to train on cake baking and decorating. Got home at noon and crashed in bed for a couple of hours. I need to pack the rest of our kitchen and everything else that isn't going to my Mom's house, because we're loading it up first thing tomorrow morning.
We're hoping to sleep in the new place Monday night, and we're turning in the keys to this apartment on Tuesday. It doesn't feel quite right. We're not just moving to a new home, but a whole new way of living. Next week we'll be sharing a house, pantry, and bills with seven other people. Next month I'll probably have a completely different job, schedule, and budget. It's exciting and good, but really scary.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Health Insurance...The Waiting Game
Beany asked me what I'm doing about health insurance right now.
It's hard to answer this question without getting angry or political. So here is my short response:
Since last October I've signed up for and dropped out of a crap employee benefits program as well as personal coverage. Both featured large premiums and unrealistic deductions.
The price of personal insurance is not worth the meager coverage, and I enjoy my job too much to seek one with better benefits. So now I'm playing the waiting game.
I'm willing to do this because health care in the U.S. is about to get a whole lot cheaper. It makes good television to see regressive politicians dragging their feet, whining, and making ridiculous claims against reform, but it's fairly inevitable. They might as well be making a case against desegregation or woman's suffrage. The rest of the world finished this debate halfway through last century.
I do not recommend forgoing insurance if you need and can afford the care. But if you are money-poor, relatively healthy, and careful, I think an interest-bearing emergency fund (perhaps an HSA) is a more sensible place to put your money for the time-being. In the meantime, visit clinics (such as planned parenthood) for annual check ups.
It's hard to answer this question without getting angry or political. So here is my short response:
Since last October I've signed up for and dropped out of a crap employee benefits program as well as personal coverage. Both featured large premiums and unrealistic deductions.
The price of personal insurance is not worth the meager coverage, and I enjoy my job too much to seek one with better benefits. So now I'm playing the waiting game.
I'm willing to do this because health care in the U.S. is about to get a whole lot cheaper. It makes good television to see regressive politicians dragging their feet, whining, and making ridiculous claims against reform, but it's fairly inevitable. They might as well be making a case against desegregation or woman's suffrage. The rest of the world finished this debate halfway through last century.
I do not recommend forgoing insurance if you need and can afford the care. But if you are money-poor, relatively healthy, and careful, I think an interest-bearing emergency fund (perhaps an HSA) is a more sensible place to put your money for the time-being. In the meantime, visit clinics (such as planned parenthood) for annual check ups.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Carousing and Consequences
Last night I went drinking with co-workers. Didn't spent much money in the process, but Darling spent quite a bit this morning attempting to curb my hangover. He bought cereal, a green smoothie, lemonade, bread, and ice cream in the hopes I would keep something down. The real financial hit was still feeling too queasy to work today.
Not frugal.
At least we've saved the money to pay this month's pr-rated co-op payment.
Not frugal.
At least we've saved the money to pay this month's pr-rated co-op payment.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Tresure Map
I LOVE Millionaire Mommy Next Door's latest post. I think it's hilarious that a Realtor would insist you should by a house, at a higher price that you are willing to pay, because "you can't paint when you rent." Reminds me of the many overweight, unhealthy carnivores who have told me they couldn't be a vegetarian because "they need lots of protein." Ignorant much?
A while ago I took Millionaire Mommy's advice and created a Treasure Map. Because I rarely buy magazines, and the ones I do are expensive sustainability-related trade mags related to Darling's degree, I didn't feel good about cutting up the ones we have. So I've relied on ones found at the laundromat next door. After a few months (and only about three publications) later, I finally have something that looks like a completed project.
Since I don't have a digital camera, I thought I'd break it down for you:
According to the just-about-completed product, my rich life involves quite a bit of travel. There are images of mountainous tundra, deserts, tropical beaches, and fields of flowers. There is a map with a pin in Madrid, and a painting of Venice. I want to see all these things, visit these places. A large image of a yurt dominates.
Wildlife is also central to my map. There are pictures of wolves, foxes, bees, and buffalo.
Conversely, quite a few pictures represent a comfortable homestead. There are four images of pantries, pictures of preserves and a set holiday table, a candle, books, two beds, curtains, drapes, a lap dog, a toy truck, chickens and worms. These images are mostly old-fashioned and quaint: the beds are made with quilts, the pantries are filled with canned food and antique bread boxes, the curtains are hand-painted.
There are 6 words/phrases: Community, Nature, Experience, At Ease, Grow, and Revolutionary.
Strangely enough, there isn't a single image of money or wealth. There are no people, cities, or houses. There is nothing modern or technological at all.
Where does my treasure lie, then? According to this map, I am seeking a life that is at the same time simple and comfortable, yet unrestrained by distance and geography. Money is not a dominating factor in this life: I don't need a cruise ship or four-wheel vehicle to get where I'm going. Give me a back-pack full of books and the occasional barn to crash in, and I'll be satisfied.
While flipping through one of the magazines, I found a quote by a man named Patrick Dunne, who was discussing his love of old-fashioned dinnerware:
A while ago I took Millionaire Mommy's advice and created a Treasure Map. Because I rarely buy magazines, and the ones I do are expensive sustainability-related trade mags related to Darling's degree, I didn't feel good about cutting up the ones we have. So I've relied on ones found at the laundromat next door. After a few months (and only about three publications) later, I finally have something that looks like a completed project.
Since I don't have a digital camera, I thought I'd break it down for you:
According to the just-about-completed product, my rich life involves quite a bit of travel. There are images of mountainous tundra, deserts, tropical beaches, and fields of flowers. There is a map with a pin in Madrid, and a painting of Venice. I want to see all these things, visit these places. A large image of a yurt dominates.
Wildlife is also central to my map. There are pictures of wolves, foxes, bees, and buffalo.
Conversely, quite a few pictures represent a comfortable homestead. There are four images of pantries, pictures of preserves and a set holiday table, a candle, books, two beds, curtains, drapes, a lap dog, a toy truck, chickens and worms. These images are mostly old-fashioned and quaint: the beds are made with quilts, the pantries are filled with canned food and antique bread boxes, the curtains are hand-painted.
There are 6 words/phrases: Community, Nature, Experience, At Ease, Grow, and Revolutionary.
Strangely enough, there isn't a single image of money or wealth. There are no people, cities, or houses. There is nothing modern or technological at all.
Where does my treasure lie, then? According to this map, I am seeking a life that is at the same time simple and comfortable, yet unrestrained by distance and geography. Money is not a dominating factor in this life: I don't need a cruise ship or four-wheel vehicle to get where I'm going. Give me a back-pack full of books and the occasional barn to crash in, and I'll be satisfied.
While flipping through one of the magazines, I found a quote by a man named Patrick Dunne, who was discussing his love of old-fashioned dinnerware:
I believe in time. I believe in history. I believe in memory. I believe in the memory that ritual evokes. And I believe we live in a society that has become amnesiac, and that this constitutes the most profound form of anarchy. I believe that loving old things is a criticism of the modern world. I believe that loving the rituals of the table is also a criticism of the modern world. I believe in pausing to be a part of what you are doing when you are eating, rather than being this unconscious lump that just goes on disposing of things and being disposable.
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When do you think you'll have a positive net worth, and what will it take to get there?