The New Budget

I'm not an extravagant spender.  My home is furnished with thrifted items, furniture that is now 10 years old and the occasional item that was purchased new, either on sale or from the clearance section, at Ikea when I simply couldn't find a secondhand item that would work.  The majority of my clothing was purchased secondhand and most of the knickknacks that you'd find in my home have either been given to me or were souvenirs from my global travels.  I'm not really known for "throwing money away" but in order to make my new goal a reality, I have to adjust my budget in a major way.  As mentioned in my last post, I'm anxious about this because for so long, I haven't had to watch my spending.  I made enough money that my minimal spending wasn't about to break the budget.  My new situation involves paying down some debt, saving up for a down payment on a car, paying to have some renovations done AND getting used to what could become a lower monthly income.  Doesn't that sound like *fun*?

Being brutally honest, I don't know if I can make this work.  The budget I'm going to attempt to live on doesn't accurately reflect the breakdown amounts that will be used if I make the crazy life changes I'm contemplating but the $3000 *does* represent the reduced income I'll likely be forced to accept.  I need to prove to myself that I can manage on that amount in order to make the other changes required.  Below is the first version of the reduced budget I'll be living on as of August.  Any income above the $3000 will go to paying off my debt, saving for a new car and all the other major expenses I have lined up.  *shakes head*  There are so many other major expenses coming up...

August 2014 - $3000

Mortgage/property taxes/buffer $1405.00

Electricity $45.00

Gas $88.00

Water $35.00

Cell $90.00

House insurance $58.00

Car insurance $99.00

Fuel $220.00

Car Repair $0

Groceries $180.00

Layover expenses $82.00

Internet $60.00

Cats $60.00

RSP $300.00

EF $0

Life insurance $30.00

Netflix $8.00

Clothing $0

Personal/Recreation/Misc $240.00

Gifts $0

Long Distance $0

Health $0

Travel $0

Reno/House Fund $0

You see all those categories with zero amounts???  They all have to be covered from the Personal/Recreation/Misc amount of $240.  Ugh.  Fortunately, some of these amounts will accumulate and roll into other months (roll over amounts will be kept in a separate account to help keep all the figures clear) and some of these amounts are really just estimates since I haven't kept a budget in so long, I'm not sure how much some of these categories need.  I'll have to become obsessive about tracking everything again but I think after the first few months, I'll get back into my old budgeting groove.  Wish me luck and I'll keep you updated on how things are going.

Happily,

Kris

Adapting to new priorities

So as I hinted at in my last post, my priorities have shifted since May.  There are some big changes coming in my life, basically related to the fact that I really need to achieve a better work-life balance.  In the past, when I had major life goals in mind, I could become an excellent saver and would stick to a very strict budget in order to save money to achieve my goal.  It was that focused mindset that allowed me to save up a down payment for the townhouse I currently live in and, before that, to pay off a car loan in an exceptionally short period of time.  So what is this new goal???  Although I can't elaborate too much, there are a few big financial roadblocks. 

First off, my car (Betty, the rusted out Mazda3) is dying and not in a minor way.  My brother is my mechanic and when I had him investigate some rattles, I was told that there were a multitude of mechanical issues that will be occurring soon.  In short, I was told the condition of the vehicle didn't warrant the thousands of dollars of repairs that will be needed to keep Betty on the road.  His advice was to drive this car until it died and, in the meantime, save up as much money as possible to purchase my next vehicle.  I was excited at the prospect of a new car but had hoped Betty would last until next year so this is a *major* purchase that I'll have to incorporate into my budget sooner than anticipated.

Secondly, the past few months of half-time flying at my primary employer have completely drained my savings and put me in a tiny bit of debt.  I should have this debt cleared up in a month or two but that means money that would otherwise go towards savings or a new car is being diverted for awhile.  I'm frustrated with this because I hate debt so much but, as much as I regret my financial situation, I actually really needed to take a step back from flying for those six months and most of what I spent my savings on (snowboarding equipment and lessons, lift tickets, travelling) was actually money I consider well-spent.  Its a crappy situation but considering some of the alternatives, was actually the best choice.

Finally, I need to adjust my budget and get back to living *well* below my means if I want to make the proposed changes and not put myself in another bad situation.  I'll also need to save up a significant amount  I'm basically going to have to pretend to have a low income, in preparation for some changes that might cause a low income.  It's really hard to think about that at my age when I feel like my income should just be steadily rising!!

For the next few months, I'm going to have to pay off my debt, save up money for a down payment on a car and restrict my budget (I'm going to aim to live below $3000 each month which is less than what I make now but any extra will go to the two previously mentioned goals).  I used to relish these types of challenges but I'm actually dreading this one.  There's been some significant lifestyle inflation in the past few years and I'll have to drastically change the way I live in order to make this do-able.  It's hard but really, if I'm hoping to honour my new priorities, it's simply the way it has to be.  I'm currently trying to crunch the numbers to see how a $3000/month budget will look for me and will post one here soon as well as updates on how well I'm able to follow it.  Wish me luck!

Happily (ok, maybe with a tiny bit of stress!),

Kris

I've been away but with good reason :(

So a few days after my last post I received news that my grandmother passed away.  Working for an airline usually means that when people have to travel, I'm the one delegated the responsibility of arranging tickets, hotels and rental cars.  Once I got back, between things being hectic at work and taking some time to process her passing as well as some other family issues meant I certainly wasn't in the mood to be blogging.  I didn't hate my life but my priorities dramatically shifted away from screen time.

Most recently, I've been working on getting through my To Do list.  I was able to strike the following items off the list (which is constantly being added to):

• I redecorated the guest room.
• My powder room reno is finished.
• I've painted the foyer and hung up most of its decor items.
• I had the giant tree growing in my backyard that kept hitting my house *finally* cut down.
• I have started the kitchen "refresh" so I'm about halfway done painting the cabinets, have installed the new range hood, have installed new lighting fixtures and will hopefully be able to get going on the backsplash soon.
• I replaced the broken light fixtures in my basement.

Not bad, right?  So yes, I've been away but I have at least been using that time productively!!

Due to all the personal issues that happened shortly after my last post there have been some shifts in my priorities and I'm trying to align my choices/decisions with those new priorities.  I've only discussed these changes with a few very close friends but as things develop further, I'll be sure to keep you informed.

Anyways, I'm off to go and slap another coat of paint on some cabinets!!

Happily,

Kris

Running Away: A story of minimalist travel

That headline makes this post seem much more dramatic than it actually is.  As you may have noticed if you've read some of the other posts on this blog, I've been feeling a little worn out, a little overwhelmed.  I had what *should* be my last real estate exam this past Saturday (assuming I passed, fingers crossed) and I had been getting antsy from being on the ground so long (haven't flown since the end of March since things are so slow at the airline).  One of my closest friends, we'll call her E, calls Edmonton home and my sister and a few other friends live in Calgary.  I used to see these people fairly regularly since I could pick what flying I did and would opt to have layovers in those two cities.  Since I lost the ability to choose my schedule when I took the Service Director position, I haven't seen them for long time and I was *not* enjoying the time apart.

I had contacted E and Sis and told them if it was at all possible, I was going to be flying in for a whirlwind visit this past weekend.  Since I was couch surfing between several people, 2 cities and would potentially be spending a lot of time on my own, carrying everything with me while waiting to meet up with my next host, I knew I'd want to pack light...even lighter than I normally do.  I made a list of what to pack and then edited it down to what I thought were the essentials for a 3-4 day trip.

What you see in the above picture is EVERYTHING I brought with me (except for 1 thin paperback which I left behind at a thrift store since I had finished reading it and my iPhone which was being used to take the picture).  I apologize for the quality of the pic but I'll list everything here and then comment on how this packing experiment worked out for me.  

What's in the pic (even if not perfectly visible):

• Jackets: Spring-weight knee length jacket, black, lined blazer
• Tops: long sleeve quick-dry style athletic shirt with a paisley design, plain white t-shirt, black tank with sequins
• Bottoms: skinny jeans in a dark wash, black knee length jersey skirt, yoga capris
• Intimates: convertible bra, flesh toned, sports bra and 4 prs undies (packed away in the black bag you see *under* the bra in this pic)
• Hosiery: 1 pr black tights and 3 prs thin socks
• Accessories: light, pashmina style scarf, black belt, sunglasses, beaded cuff bracelet, watch, claw-style hair clip
• Footwear: flat, knee-high leather boots and black ballet flats
• Travel conveniences: water bottle, travel mug (there were tea bags tucked into the travel mug), 2 paperback books (I left the one I finished behind, it was good but it wasn't one I was going to bother reading again), purse-size umbrella, phone charger, ear bud earphones, luggage lock, eye mask
• Travel necessities: wallet (containing the standard wallet stuff), passport and security pass (since I work for an airline, travelling with my security pass gives me access to extra seats that the public is unable to use), 2 pens
• Makeup (non-liquids packed into a tiny makeup pouch): powder foundation, 1 blush with travel brush, 1 lipstick, 1 cream eyeshadow, 1 tinted moisturizing lip gloss, 1 eyeliner (I've had it for awhile so it's basically just a stub now), 1 tube of mascara
• Personal care: 1 sample size deodorant (super happy I found that in my HBA stash), 1 travel size toothpaste tube, toothbrush,  1 bar of soap (gentle enough to use on face as well as body), 2 sample pouches of shampoo/conditioner (only ended up using one), hair brush, tweezers, compact mirror, 3 hair elastics, razor, medicated ointment (for my psoriasis...boo, packed a bit in a sample container instead of bringing the normal tube), hand lotion, pill box containing ibuprofen, tiny bottle of dish soap
• Black purse and LeSportsac tote

Some comments on the items:

• The yoga capris and sports bra functioned as my PJs while sleeping at my friends' places and, had I been able to spend more time with my sister, would've actually been used for a yoga class (along with the long sleeve top I brought)
• Notice the boring colour scheme (black, white, grey and denim)?  It was deliberate...everything went with everything else.  This just happened to be what was in my closet (I LIKE black, white, grey and denim!) but sticking to the same colour group when packing will achieve the same thing.
• My makeup looked the same everyday and that's perfectly okay!!
• Visiting Alberta always means pack for a wide range of weather possibilities; the longer black jacket, white scarf and boots (instead of just black shoes) were all packed because I was keeping that in mind.

What I'd edit further in the future:

• Tiny bottle of dish soap - I carry that as an FA to use in a pinch if something (travel mug, clothing, etc) needs to be washed.  Staying at friends' places means it wasn't necessary since I had access to laundry facilities if something got dirty or if I was extending my trip.
• Travel mug - again, this was from my FA habit of always carrying a travel mug so all I need to do if I want tea is find hot water.  As I walked through Calgary, I *welcomed* the opportunity to step into a cafe to buy a tea and relax for a few minutes.
• Water bottle - this IS an essential for me since I try to avoid bottled water but I wouldn't mind having a smaller sized bottle if I can find one.
• Footwear: if I was making this trip again later in the Spring, I'd switch out the boots for a pair of black heels and leave the longer jacket at home.  The scarf is handy on the plane since wrapping it around exposed skin helps keep you warm if you feel a bit chilled so, since its so small, it still would've made the cut.
• Little things: bring 1 book instead of 2 (thought I'd do more waiting around!), leave the eye mask and bracelet at home - I didn't really need them.  I did use the hair clip but, if pressed, could have left it behind and just stuck with ponytails and messy buns while I was travelling.
• Personal Care:  I really did have the option of leaving behind the shampoo/conditioner/toothpaste and just asking to use what my various hosts had.  If every ounce of weight was critical, that would've been done but it clearly wasn't terrible to carry around the samples I had found at home.

I wouldn't say I'd choose to do all of my travel with a minimalist packing style but it was certainly a different experience to be able to put ALL my belongings under the seat in front of me during a flight.  It was actually very freeing to not feel bogged down by a lot of stuff (and I usually squeeze everything into a carry-on suitcase so I wasn't packing excessively to begin with).  I spent one day walking around Calgary on foot (yep, I walked from just north of Prince's Island Park to Richmond & Sarcee in the SW) and although, it wasn't ideal carrying everything with me, it was completely doable.  However, if your trip involves having to trek around with all your belongings, I would suggest using a backpack instead of a tote so you can carry the weight spread across both shoulders instead of having to carry it all on one side, alternating every so often.

So now I'm back home, feeling more refreshed after my adventure and very happy to have been able to see my loved ones, even if only for a short time.  I'm back to the office tomorrow (probably should have gone in today) but am looking forward to the next time I can run away.

Happily,

Kris

I'm a hypocrite...because of my dining room wall.

I'm a hypocrite...

To the right, you'll see a (poor-quality) photo of my dining area.  *Please ignore the piles of stuff on my dining room table.*  I, the girl who says she's trying to be a non-consumer and avoid excess packaging, went to Ikea yesterday to browse.  My first mistake was going to an Ikea to browse since I get a high off of Ikea that most people need drugs to attain.  My second mistake was not running out of there at top speed when I picked up when one of their yellow shopping bags.

In my defense (excuses, excuses!), I had planned something for my dining room wall that had always involved Ikea components.  You can see the general idea taking shape in the photo.  I wanted to have my exhibition poster hanging above the sideboard, with some shelving and the Ikea wine racks you see in the pic.  I could've purchased or acquired shelving and brackets somewhere else and then painted them to match.  THAT would've been the non-consumer thing to do but apparently, I'm a hypocrite.  When I saw that Ikea had shelves that would match and brackets that had the sleek style I was going for, I caved.  It wasn't the cheapest way to accomplish this plan, it wasn't the non-consumer way to achieve this goal but it was easy and between being stretched thin time-wise and just wanting some of the things on my list to finally get done...I did it.  I bought the shelves.  How do I feel about this?  Honestly, not as guilty as I thought I would feel.  That little voice inside is saying "Tsk tsk." but I know if I had waited to find shelving, find the right paint colour, find brackets, paint the shelves and then hang them, finishing this task would be a lot further away.  As it stands right now, I just need to hang the poster (easy peasy, that's a one screw job) and the second wall shelf.  I'll have to get a friend to hold the poster at various heights so I can figure out how high it, and the second shelf, need to be hung.  If I didn't need to wait to do that, the whole job would be done by now.

I WAS better than I could've been an the Ikea.  I used to end up with a cart full of decorative accessories and trust me, there was a lot of temptation but I just kept thinking that I could probably find very similiar vases/pitchers/knickknacks secondhand at a thrift store.  Ikea keeps its prices really low (I'm intrigued how much of this is due to the size of their orders vs. externalizing the costs of manufacturing) so buying secondhand might not have a huge cost benefit but at least it wouldn't trigger the production of more items.

So yes, I'm a hypocrite because of my dining room wall but this was a guilty pleasure, I can't say I'd have chosen differently if I had to do it over again.  I'm going to go ahead and take "Finish Dining Room Decor" off my to do list now since the next step will likely get finished off tonight.

Do you make conscious decisions to go against your general philosophy every so often or do you have the willpower and determination to stick to it 24/7?

Happily,
Kris

Toot n Holler 2014

Booooo.  The weather for this year's Toot n Holler was cold and wet.  I bravely set up my tables and dragged my stuff outside but there were few buyers.  This might also be because my address didn't seem to make it onto the poster of participating homes despite the fact I had called the Chamber's office...

As it was, I made less than $100 and was left with a lot of the items I had wanted to declutter, still in my garage when the drizzle became an actual downpour and my  neighbour and I called it quits.  Here's a shot of my garage once the stuff was dragged back in.

 

It doesn't seem like much was gone but some of the bulkier items found new homes.  I debated keeping the items aside and trying to hold another garage sale again later in the summer but a) I will likely only have one or two more weekends off during the summer and I'd prefer not to have to spend them standing in my driveway trying to sell used goods and b) I just want this crap GONE!  I sorted through the items and packed them up again according to their destination (ReStore vs. colleague's charity garage sale vs. community thrift shop).  I'm hoping that all the items that fit in my car (pretty much everything except those leftover trim pieces on the ground) will be gone by the end of the week.

My other exciting event of the weekend was baking bread.  It didn't turn out but I have two delicious, wheat based bricks.  I think it was a combination of weak yeast and a bit too much flour but the results are edible so, in the spirit of not wasting resources whenever possible, I'm eating the bread anyways.  I don't eat much bread normally so it'll be a few weeks before I need to attempt again but I was trying to cover off my desire for bread (to go with chili and soups) without having to buy bread packaged in plastic so my heart was in the right place.

Have a great week!!

Happily,

Kris

This commercial makes me cry but it's so true...