February 2019 : All those expenses!

Hello it's March now. March!! The year is vanishing quickly.

Reflections for 28 years

Thirty years is creeping up on me, but I'm not there yet!! I recently turned twenty-eight, and while it's not thirty yet, I definitely feel like a Real Proper Adult(tm) now. Turning eighteen was an entire decade ago. I've been living out of home for five years, and I've been working in a #ProperJob for seven.

In honour of my 28 spins around the sun, it's time to reflect on the good, the bad, and the future.

January 2019 Update - All those houses

Happy New Year!! and guess what? Happy New House!! 2019 is going to be a weird new year with so many changes.

Skip boring side hustles and monetise your hobbies

Side Hustles have become all the rage in the last few years. Whether it's caused by stagnating wages, lack of attachment to our careers, a desire to earn more, or dipping the toe into self-employment, the rates of side hustles are rising. To go with it are rising stress levels are we find ourselves working eight hours a day at our regular job, and another 2-3 hours on our side hustles.

For many people side hustles equal burnout. It means less time on our hobbies, less time with our friends and family, and less time recharging doing nothing.

Still keen to side hustle? The trick is in your choices.

Maintaining Motivation : New Years and Beyond

Credit: Lazy Photo Dad

The start of a fresh new year fills everyone with energy. We make plans, set ambitious goals, and say we'll do better than last year. We'll go to the gym, we'll save more money, we'll spend more time with friends and family, and less time brainless on the couch watching reruns.

For the first couple of weeks, we stick to those goals. We're filled with fire, enthusiasm, and energy. The excitement of something new keeps us going. But as the weeks pass, and we return to work after the Christmas break, our fire burns out. It's easy to fall back into a rut, and our goals fall by the wayside.

Adult Goals: December 2018

2018 is done and dusted. The last six months of setting adult goals and trying to make better habits
was, well it was interesting.

The second half of December was a great recharge with Christmas holidays. I fell off the adulting goals bandwagon, but I kept my finances in line and I caught up on my sleep for the first time all year.

Merry Christmas to me! Lifting the budget

Once upon a time I decided I wanted to retire early just like Mr. Money Mustache. I was convinced I would get my spending down below $30k a year, and have hundreds of thousands saved by the time I ticked over 30.

I was sure I would be a DIY queen, and flip houses like Mr. 1500. I'd make amazing food like Mr Tako, and retire to the countryside like the Frugalwoods.

Alas, as I sit here at (almost) 28, it is clear that these things take longer than anticipated. If I want to kick my FIRE into overdrive, I should be cutting back costs so I can save and invest more.

Instead, my Christmas gift to myself is permission to spend more.