I can't believe I last blogged here in March and that I had only ONE post that month! If nothing else, that's a sign of how stressed I have been over the last several months.
I had a job I loved (and now greatly miss) and great coworkers, a close friend in town, and my son and our dogs. But, beyond that my son and I both weren't feeling too satisfied with our lives. We were on the tightest budget we'd been on in a long time--made worse by the negative impact of benefits and a raise (more in a minute), and we just didn't really like where we were living.
Money was tight.
Moods were low.
We needed a change.
Despite working hard earlier in the year and late last year to stick to a spending fast, it didn't help our budgets this winter and spring as I got hit with the flu for the second year in a row, followed by severe asthma, then severe seasonal allergies. Add to the mix a second virus that was quite flu-like.
I was a mess. And when you feel like a mess, a lot of your promises to yourself go out the window.
I dumped my spending fast in place of convenience.
I didn't calculate the financial cost of taking a raise and more hours compared to the cost of the benefits that would come with those hours compared to getting a second part time job instead. I didn't calculate the cost of no longer qualifying for a reduced cost energy program or an employer sponsored health plan versus a state sponsored plan.
I didn't calculate a lot of things.
As a result, we became even more broke than we were before.
I could say I just give up and let the world roll me over, but instead, I decided, along with my son, to make some huge changes in our lives.
First of which was that we moved...not only did we move many, many miles away, but we moved in with a relative. This alone will save us several hundred dollars in expenses. We are paying him rent, but it's significantly less than what we would pay if we stayed in our old town, even if we had moved into something smaller or into a less well to do neighborhood.
Second, I did get a new job that pays more and has the opportunity for bonuses, on average an extra $500 per month. I started last week and while it's been slow to start and a steep learning curve, I think I'm going to enjoy the job. Unfortunately, it will require a lot more driving so we'll see how that impacts my budget due to gas consumption.
Third, I started a new business with a friend. Our immediate goals are to build our audience, but by the end of August, we hope to be turning a profit, even if it's small. Long-range, however, we believe we can earn a tidy sum while helping others. You can check it out
HERE.
Fourth,
I had an article published on the blog And Then We Saved! I didn't get paid for the article, but it's still a great accomplishment considering how widely read that blog is! Of course, the article was about how I planned to make my spending fast work! As noted above, my plans didn't exactly go as expected, but for the period of time that I was on track, I managed to pay off a tiny bit of debt, pay my expenses, and feel like I was on the right track.
Fifth, I have recommitted to my spending fast! I already did well last week by not going to the nearby coffee shop when doing training at my new job's headquarters and I didn't stop at Starbucks on my way to or from training either. And, I've been looking ahead to this coming week. I know I will need to get gas and buy some groceries, but otherwise I plan to make do without.
This coming week, instead of spending money I plan to:
- Catch up on reading (check out my reading blog HERE)
- Work on my new business with my business partner (check it out HERE)
- Walk my dogs more often, bringing my son along
- Study for my new job
- Plan for the following week
Overall, I feel like we are back on track and living with my relative is a critical part of the process of not only getting back on track, but staying there. My goal is to set aside as much money as possible over these next few months, building up my emergency savings fund, and to pay off some small, lingering debts. My hope is that I can pay off enough small debts to eliminate them AND to see my credit score rise.
I even have a plan for when I feel like I need a reward or a treat for doing well--I have Starbucks gift card credit thanks to
Swagbucks and also a free drink from taking part in Starbucks's rewards program (using built up gift card credit!). At the moment, I am just shy of enough credit for two grande Americanos, but by Wednesday I should have two drinks covered. I'll save them up for a time when I'm really feeling that urge to splurge!
Dave Ramsey suggests $1,000 in an emergency fund, but my goal will be to have $2,000 in an emergency fund by September 1st. It will be tight, but I think I can do it!
