Sometime this weekend I'll try and update my blogroll to show it, but in the meantime I wanted to mention my latest project - learning about personal finance and frugal living.
Learning from those who have been where I am and are living well is such an inspiration. My goal is to be free of consumer debt in 24 months - an impossible goal as recently as 6 months ago. I'm not doing anything too radical yet - I did move to a shared house in November, and I do use reusable products when I can, but I still use kleenex and drive my car. But already, I'm making progress, and the goal as ridiculous as it used to.
In the spirit of encouraging, here are 5 things that I do which save me a lot of money:
1. Take coffee from home. I used to get a latte a day, about 4 days a week. At about $4.00 a day, that's $16 a week, or $64.00 a month. Now I brew coffee at home, put it in my commuter mug, and drink that. Even if I get one latte a week, I'm saving $48.00 a month. (1/2 of a great massage).
2. Take the bus to work when I can. I get my bus pass for free through work. If I drive every day, I go through $40 a week in fuel. Then I spend up to $10 a day in parking. Assuming I pay to park half the time, that's $260 a month. Even if I drive 2 days a week, I'm still saving $156 a month - that's one fabulous pair of shoes, or an amazing day at the spa.
3. Eat food at home. This is where the shared housing comes in - I get my food included in the price of my rent. I used to eat out for dinner (or a weekend lunch/breakfast) about 6 times a week - about $480 a month. Now I'm averaging about 2 equivalent meals a week - a savings of $320. That's at least a night in a really amazing hotel.
4. Use the library. I used to buy about 3 books a month, give or take, and since the library is free, that's $30 a month that's in my pocket. And $30 a month from not using Netflix anymore.
5. Wait before you shop. We'll see how this one actually turns out - but I used to be a total impulse shopper. This month, I waited a few weeks to go clothes shopping, and now I'm planning to go shop 2nd hand.
Not bad at all - $584 back in my pocket. Hopeful, indeed.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Forced Sneezes is Dead! Long Live Forced Sneezes!
Welcome to the new, reincarnated Forced Sneezes, version 2.0.
The new year is almost here by some calendars, just here by others, and here already by others. Regardless, this is the time to vision the future, time to peer around the corner and decide what to grow in the next year. For the first time in a while, this year I'm taking some time off over the next few weeks to pause and dream about the future.
Yesterday the skies were clear and sunny, families playing in the playground and walking the beach looking for shells. I hiked up a steep trail through the forest, winding up the cliffs up to a meadow. As the trail climbed higher and higher, the sounds of the playground below faded away and the sounds of squirrels and crows grew louder. At each view point, I stopped to catch my breath and look out over the Sound, watching currents and waves below.
I am amazed at how clearly god speaks to my heart in places of great beauty. Just standing in the grove of fir trees was enough for me to stretch my neck to look up to the sky and give thanks to those who nourish and grow our planet. My plans for the year are still secret - it seems like the waiting for them to grow is too sacred to share yet. Right now our dreams are still whispers, just born.
The new year is almost here by some calendars, just here by others, and here already by others. Regardless, this is the time to vision the future, time to peer around the corner and decide what to grow in the next year. For the first time in a while, this year I'm taking some time off over the next few weeks to pause and dream about the future.
Yesterday the skies were clear and sunny, families playing in the playground and walking the beach looking for shells. I hiked up a steep trail through the forest, winding up the cliffs up to a meadow. As the trail climbed higher and higher, the sounds of the playground below faded away and the sounds of squirrels and crows grew louder. At each view point, I stopped to catch my breath and look out over the Sound, watching currents and waves below.
I am amazed at how clearly god speaks to my heart in places of great beauty. Just standing in the grove of fir trees was enough for me to stretch my neck to look up to the sky and give thanks to those who nourish and grow our planet. My plans for the year are still secret - it seems like the waiting for them to grow is too sacred to share yet. Right now our dreams are still whispers, just born.
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