TIME MANAGEMENT / FINANCES
Lately I've been noticing that my day consists of a lot of... well, "work" if you will. I get up, get ready for work, go to work, come home, take care of Knox, clean, help with dinner, edit, do laundry, run errands, and... I don't know... whatever else needs to be done. Making a "work-day" not really end until around midnight. I don't know the last time I laid down on the couch just to rest my feet, but I do remember that when I did it, it felt foreign. Like I hadn't done it in years. I know it hasn't really been that long, but it sure felt like it, and I don't even know how long ago that experience was...
Along with that... and I think its probably only natural with a new little baby and being away from home for most of his awake hours... I've just been dying for leisure time with my family. I suddenly just want life to slow down and for me to start enjoying things instead of letting all these moments pass while I busily race along.
So that's what set the stage for this huge change in me... but here was my thought process...
Years ago I took an anthropology class. We studied the Kung people, an aborigine tribe in... I don't know... somewhere in the Kalahari, on the Southern end of Africa. I wish I had numbers but all I remember is that the percentage of "work" they did during the day was like nothing compared to ours. We're talking one or two hours compared to our 16... and you know what? That sounds quite nice right now! And they live happily with nothing compared to what we have.
So I decided we need to simplify our lives! And that simplification effects everything (finances, home, future stability, spirituality, health, etc.).
Now, because I want to make movies and I believe in Jon's ability to write, I want him to be a stay at home parent. I want him to spend his free time writing. And he wants that too. So with that I have to work extra hard to make up the income we would be making if he were a part of the workforce. I have a regular 9-5, I've been doing freelance for a company and we've booked a few weddings. I've also been thinking about other ways to bring in some extra cash... but over and above my 9-5 its just taking time away from being with my family... and so it doesn't really seem worth it...
So I'm giving all that extra stuff up! Which in turn means we need to seriously cut costs and here's how we're doing it...
Moving to a new apartment:
Current:
1300 sqft @ $905
WSG @ $40
New:
900 sqft @ $590
WSG @ $0
Savings: $355
This will also effect what we're paying on Gas and Electric but I'm not sure how much yet.
I started taking the bus instead of driving:
Gas: $175
Bus pass: $40
Savings: $135
We cut our phone bill down:
1400 minutes @ $80
700 minutes @ $60
I'll also be getting rid of my data pack but I have to get a new phone because my current phone requires it...
Current data pack @ $11
Savings: $31
The list goes on to include Netflix, calling student loan places to get the prices lowered, shopping with coupons, etc.
And since we're moving to a smaller place we're getting rid of a lot of extra stuff, stuff we don't need. We've sold old cameras and DVD players... we had a yard sale and made $530... awesome! And we still have loads more stuff that we'll be finding as we prepare to relocate. We're going through everything and deciding if we need/want to keep it or if we can get rid of it. We'll have a trash box, a DI box, and a yard sale box.
This is where our story ends for right now... this is really as far as we've gotten. We have a lot to do tomorrow and I'm excited. I'll be telling more as we progress so I'll keep you posted. Wish us luck!!!
PS. Jon pointed out: that's a savings of $521/month and $6252/year. Sweet!!!
Now, because I want to make movies and I believe in Jon's ability to write, I want him to be a stay at home parent. I want him to spend his free time writing. And he wants that too. So with that I have to work extra hard to make up the income we would be making if he were a part of the workforce. I have a regular 9-5, I've been doing freelance for a company and we've booked a few weddings. I've also been thinking about other ways to bring in some extra cash... but over and above my 9-5 its just taking time away from being with my family... and so it doesn't really seem worth it...
So I'm giving all that extra stuff up! Which in turn means we need to seriously cut costs and here's how we're doing it...
Moving to a new apartment:
Current:
1300 sqft @ $905
WSG @ $40
New:
900 sqft @ $590
WSG @ $0
Savings: $355
This will also effect what we're paying on Gas and Electric but I'm not sure how much yet.
I started taking the bus instead of driving:
Gas: $175
Bus pass: $40
Savings: $135
We cut our phone bill down:
1400 minutes @ $80
700 minutes @ $60
I'll also be getting rid of my data pack but I have to get a new phone because my current phone requires it...
Current data pack @ $11
Savings: $31
The list goes on to include Netflix, calling student loan places to get the prices lowered, shopping with coupons, etc.
And since we're moving to a smaller place we're getting rid of a lot of extra stuff, stuff we don't need. We've sold old cameras and DVD players... we had a yard sale and made $530... awesome! And we still have loads more stuff that we'll be finding as we prepare to relocate. We're going through everything and deciding if we need/want to keep it or if we can get rid of it. We'll have a trash box, a DI box, and a yard sale box.
This is where our story ends for right now... this is really as far as we've gotten. We have a lot to do tomorrow and I'm excited. I'll be telling more as we progress so I'll keep you posted. Wish us luck!!!
PS. Jon pointed out: that's a savings of $521/month and $6252/year. Sweet!!!
