Killing time, waiting to be called out

The purging has continued and, happily, it's starting to become more noticeable.  My closet isn't necessarily much emptier but its (mostly) filled with items I like to wear.  There will be a bit more culling done but its gotten to the point where I'm not sure which of the remaining items can go so I've re-hung everything with the hangers facing the opposite way (this is sometimes referred to as Oprah's hanger trick).  After about 2 months, anything that is still left hanging in that direction will be sent to the thrift store.

There isn't much excitement going on so I thought I'd add a picture of what I'm wearing today while bumming around the house waiting for a call from Scheduling (ignore my house shoes/slippers!).  What I've realized is that the clothes I tend to reach for most are black, grey, white, blue or denim and that my sense of style is pretty casual although I try not to end up looking sloppy.  The fleece blazer/swing coat here is a departure from that colour scheme because of the orange stripe but I really like it because its comfy and more put-together than a hoody.  It's been great for travelling and I can even wear it at the office so we'll see if I start pulling it out of the closet more often.  I think this outfit is pretty typical for me on a day off.  If I was headed into the world I'd grab my black tote bag and black boots (if snow didn't force me into giant Sorels).

Outfit cost:
Jeans* $8
Fleece blazer* $7
Tshirt $6
Belt free (from work uniform, provided by employer)

*purchased secondhand

Decluttering with no noticeable effect

I've been really trying to cut back on the amount of possessions that I own in order to declutter my house and prepare for downsizing later in the spring.  The irony of the situation is that, even after hauling an extra bag of trash to the curb and taking 3 boxes of clutter/duplicates/stuff I never use and a giant garbage bag of clothing to the thrift store, it's unlikely anyone would notice a difference at my house.  *I* barely notice a difference and I've been the one sorting through everything!!  I was really good at hiding my excess items or keeping them in rooms that are currently unused.  It was a case of out of sight, out of mind and unfortunately, even now that those items are permanently gone...they weren't really stressing me out to begin with.

It's a bit discouraging because I'm missing out on that feeling of relief one gets after clearing their space but I know that I'm still doing the right thing.  Not only will I have less to move when I find my next home but eventually, as my decluttering continues, I will notice a tidier, less-stressed lifestyle emerging as my home routine becomes easier.  I still have a long way to go; my wardrobe, vertical surfaces and paper monster all still need to be tamed.

My wardrobe is probably the most frustrating.  I've been trying to lose weight for awhile now and as soon as I start to fit into my old clothes, I fall off the bandwagon due to some personal drama in my life (yay for emotional eating!!) and get stuck wearing the "fat clothes" I've been trying to eliminate.  I've more or less given up on fitting into some of these items and have gotten rid of most of the clothing that doesn't fit.  The rest is on a 2 month pardon.  Most of the remaining, smaller-sized clothing is actually Spring/Summer clothing so by the time its due to be hauled out of storage, I really should have lost that weight.  At the moment, between the items hanging in my closet and the clothing in my dresser, I have over 56 items that are more or less seasonally-appropriate (I counted 56 but still have items in my crew bag and laundry to do...this will bump the number even higher).  This number doesn't include outerwear, activewear, socks/undies/PJs, shoes/boots or accessories.  This seems incredibly excessive to me although I know I only own a fraction of what most people have in their wardrobe.  I'm re-hanging all the items in my closet with the hanger facing backwards...that'll help me see what actually gets used and the unworn items will get donated after 2 months.

I'm really excited to whittle this down to a capsule wardrobe as I think it'll help me develop my personal sense of style.  I have a few outfits that I LOVE, I want to get to the point where everything in my wardrobe is something I love and feel great in.  I promise to keep you updated. ;)

Shortly after my last post, someone totalled my car...

And things got super hectic. :(

I knew that Betty would need to be replaced but thought I would be able to take my time shopping for my next vehicle.  When the giant pickup truck decided to turn left *into* the driver's side of my vehicle, I was left more than a little shaken.  Seriously, when I looked out my side window, all I saw was his grill.  I had to crawl over the passenger seat and use that door to get out of my car.  Betty was a write-off and my search for a replacement became frantic.  After I replaced her (with Betch, a 2010 Toyota Rav4) I spirited a friend away to Dublin for a much needed vacation.

Unfortunately, I have felt like I haven't been able to catch up since then...I had certification training at work, have been trying to fly extra hours/work shifts at the office to put some money aside for savings, had a minor mental breakdown (not ready to talk more about that yet) and spent wasted a lot of time online, hiding away from the real world by substituting it with social media.  I always felt super busy but didn't always seem to be accomplishing a lot (and certainly couldn't seem to keep on top of simple household tasks).

Remember how I had mentioned my priorities were shifting?  Well, it seems there's been another change too.  I hesitate to call myself a minimalist because I'm so far from their ideal but I definitely feel myself drifting towards minimalism.  I've spent much of my downtime so far in 2015 (ha, I realize that's only been a few days) going through the contents of my home and purging what isn't necessary.  I should clarify that this isn't a easy or quick experience.  My closet, for example, only seems to lose one or two things at a time but that can still add up.  My frugal, non-consumerist side has helped as well as hindered at various points of this process.  My linen closet was tricky because other than being faded/stained, my towels are actually in decent shape.  Frugal Kristyn says "Don't throw then out, they're still good!!" and Minimalist Kristyn says "But do you really LOVE these stained towels?  Get some pretty new ones!!".  Compromise Kristyn is hoping fabric dye will cover up the stains and give the old towels a fresh new look.

I've definitely decided to sell the townhouse I've called home for 3.5 years now.  I love my home. :( The layout is great for me, there's more than enough space, I'm close to all the amenities in my small town...but the stress of cutting grass/shovelling snow/cleaning the more than abundant space is too much.  My neighbours have always been kind enough to help with some of the exterior work but that's not their responsibility and makes me feel guilty.  I'm in the process of finishing up some upgrades/reno's and am hoping to list my home in the spring.  I'll likely look for a condo.  I used to be adamantly against condo ownership but I can see why, for someone single in my line of work, its almost the only reasonable choice.

2015 will be about attempting to simplify my possessions (less stuff = less stuff to waste time cleaning/maintaining) and in turn, simplify my life.  The standard resolutions of being healthier, learning new skills and travelling will all apply too but right now, I'm just trying to weed out what's just cluttering my life and my mind.  I'm hoping to use this blog as an online journal of sorts but I'm only planning to post once a week and spend more time living offline. :)

Happy New Year!  Let's make 2015 great!
Kris

One Week In...

Last week I posted the new budget I was going to try and stick with to help me get used to a lower income.  What I didn't consider was that this new budget will also have to cover car payments and THAT made me realize my hope of getting a new crossover is basically a pipe dream.  I still have to go and speak to someone at a dealership but I really can't imagine I have enough income to cover the payments on a vehicle in that price range.  A dealership would argue with me on this and tell me they can get the monthly payments down to an affordable number but that would mean extending the financing past 5 years which is something I won't let myself do.  Selfish Kris really wants a fancy new ride but practical Kris seems to be winning the argument when it comes to the finances.  If all the scribbling I've done on scraps of paper while waiting between flights is correct, I likely *could* afford a new car but if I bought an SUV, it'd have to be previously owned.

This epiphany was kinda a downer but I still have a bit of time before my current car dies which will help me save more money and hopefully, convince my brother to help me out while looking at used cars.

As far as sticking to the budget...well, it's only day 6 and I've been flying a lot so it's not like I've had to deal with a lot of temptation.  I didn't plan my evenings out with friends very well so although I went out with a buddy for dinner tonight, I'm also going to be going out tomorrow night with a girlfriend.  Ordinarily, I'd try to space those events out more but tomorrow's dinner is basically my friend's attempt at setting me up so there wasn't any wiggle room with the timing.  I'm really going to have to be creative later in the month to get this money to stretch until September!!

The non-financial side of things is actually doing well.  As usual, I'm working a bit too much but I'm now putting those hours in to try and pay down debt/save up money for car/reno's/travel/secret goal so, as ugly as it is...keeping my eye on the prize is getting me through it.  I've been trying to get back to eating well and exercising regularly too.  The flying hasn't made that easy but I feel very motivated and optimistic.  Today was also a "rest/cheat" day for me.  I think I need to be more flexible with my plan since, in the past, minor setbacks have completely destroyed my resolve and led to a lot of backsliding.

Anyways, it's late and I should be sleeping!!  

Happily,

Kris

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