Minimalism can lead to Adventure

I made this meme today. It's kinda funny because the knight needs things like armor to have his adventures. I guess they are not adventures if they aren't dangerous. 

I'm not saying to not be a little prepared. What this meme means is to save up for things you find great enjoyment from, experiences, rather than simply things.

If you are lacking in adventure, maybe it's time to re-prioritize your spending.

Are you buying collectibles, nick-nacks, antiques, or other items that do not bring you joy? Maybe they do bring you joy for a time. Maybe they do serve a purpose. Do you have any that don't continue to serve a purpose and you can sell?

Create an adventure savings or a rainy day fund.

You don't even have to plan your adventure. You can be spontaneous.



Give yourself permission to have fun.

New Year's Resoultions: Generosity 2016, A Quest

While leaving the 'Mart of Wal' after all the pandering, bell ringing, and collecting for the Christmas season has passed thinking things would get back to 'normal' and people would tighten their purse strings back up, I realized what it was that was stopping me from being generous.

It's about allowing myself to do it, and also reversing my thinking.

I tend to save up my change until I have a round number. I like even numbers and fives. I'm not sure where it came from, but I feel better when I have an even amount in my wallet.

Instead, I need to set aside the extra left overs and search for a place to give them away. If I have given myself permission to give away a certain dollar amount, it frees me up to look for places or people who need it more than me.

 Here are some helpful hints:
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/10-simple-ways-to-become-a-more-generous-person/

In learning/researching about budgeting for giving, they say to pay others first, before your bills. This is completely the opposite of what I do. Once the bills are paid I look at what's left and watch it disappear into various activities or wants. That's selfish.

If it wasn't there in the first place, it can't be spent. 

If I am serious about giving, I have to set aside the amount to give FIRST.  This puts me in the correct mindset. This prioritizes my giving as a forethought and not an afterthought. I have a little pocket in my purse I can use to set aside that 'extra' so that is there for me to give away. It is separate. It has permission to go to those in need.

By waiting to see what I had left, I held fastidiously onto the last bits, seeing only the vast void of nothingness once those last bits were gone. I think if I am able to give first, I might be more willing to part with what I have left.

Turns out, I need to hang out with more generous people.

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/generous-people-see-differently.jpg

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/more-generosity/  This is a great post on how generous people think differently.

REQUEST FOR GUEST POSTS
I am asking for you, my readers to comment or contact me on social media if you have the desire to guest-post on this topic. I want to meet you! Do you have a story of generosity to encourage and guide me in my quest?

$60,000

http://spreadsomeawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Memorabilia-at-Fridays-1024x667.jpg

I sat with my family in a booth at TGIFriday's for lunch after seeing a movie (it was a winter vacation family mini date) and I overheard a young adult gentleman counseling his young adult female friend (possibly his sister?) about income. He claimed that $60,000 dollars was the annual income you needed to be at to pay all your bills, save up some money, and save for retirement.

Mentally, I considered this counsel and snickered. First, I wagered that I was in the wrong career since he claimed to make just under that already, but after the sad wistful feeling wore off, I realized he was not taking into account supporting others. If you are SINGLE, $60K is definitely enough to feel satisfied. If you have kids, you'll be in so much debt trying to afford a larger house, larger vehicle, and feeding and clothing them, let alone school fees. He also never mentioned paying off his student loans, either. He's only getting half the picture.

I reflected on being a young adult, with half the pieces of the puzzle of life figured out. Once you finally learn all the life skills that high school never taught you about budgeting, laundry, bills, checking, loans, interest, insurance, and credit you think you have a handle on this adult life thing.

But you don't.

Perhaps this young man would have the knowledge to overcome all possible new obstacles smoothly and feel he always had life by the reigns and perhaps he always will as he learns new nuances about life. Maybe he will advance in his career and decide he needs 120K to live well, or perhaps he will be gobsmacked by a lack of 'gap insurance', or swindled by medical fees, or face any number of challenges that life has a way of hiding.

What would $60K do for me, as a one time gift, right now?

Just for kicks, I sat in the booth and mused about a windfall of this amount as I chewed my 1/2 club sandwich. I'd pay off my student loans, some credit cards that are nearly paid off anyway, re-roof the house, and sock some away for a vacation.

But that isn't very generous of me.

I've decided my new focus is to be more generous. This is my new Resolution. I'll write a post on it later.

Back to the money..

The husband and I have finally gotten on our feet for the first time. We have squeaked by this year paying down old debts and not incurring new ones. We discussed, briefly, what the next step is.

See, we both have had some rough dealings with work. I'm hesitant to say that these kinds of issues wouldn't occur in another place at another time, because they are mostly social in nature. People will always be people and people have a way of being selfish, arrogant, backstabbing, emotionally abusive, or exhausting in so many ways.

We all make mistakes, but calling our current positions stepping stones to something greater might not be one. What if this time in our lives is to prepare us for something greater? We've discussed the dreaded word 'moving' if it means that better things are out there. So far, we haven't made any huge decisions, but we've opened ourselves up to possibilities and opportunities. In this time where we desperately seek change to get away from the caustic environments of our jobs, we are still cautious and wary. We know from experience not to jump into things too quickly.

It's also good to remember where we came from and the young adult mistakes we ourselves made.

A to Z - "M" is Money

Why are our lives so controlled by money?!?

Honestly, it would be so much easier to live in some kind of utopian cult where we all use our talents to balance each other and support and aid each other without needing to beg, borrow, steal, and trade or barter with printed paper dollars to afford the comforts we desire.

You can't argue with money, though. I suppose back in the days of the barter system it was much easier to hurt people's feelings in dealings. Asking for more eggs or an extra lamb in exchange for the new dress you are to make was sure to put a wrinkle in someone's brow. Price tags don't haggle.

Sometimes I get so caught up in this cycle right here that I wonder why I bother doing it. But, as all cycles, there is no easy way to get out of it. I just have to make the best of it. No use complaining.

Is having more money worth it? Most people would say yes, because they feel they would spend it on the fun things they dream of doing and items they dream of owning. What happens when you get a windfall or a raise?

When you get a windfall, say a large tax return, or a sudden inheritance, you don't often pay off your debts, or even pay down your debts. You might put some of it towards the debt, but then some part of you says "I could still pay on that debt and take the rest of this chunk of change and buy something nice for myself." Or you look at that thing, that one thing you have been wanting for so long, and you buy it. Could be new windows or something practical, so you feel it is justified, but in the end, you still have the same debts and the same income amount coming in. Did you really make headway?

When you get a raise, you often re-acclimate your spending to include the extra money. Now you get used to one extra night a month of eating out, going to the movies, or buying the more expensive snacks. You figure you can affort to charge one more outfit, or that new cell phone, because you can afford to pay it off.

Money takes an extremely huge amount of willpower to save. Unless you have it taken out of your paycheck before you even see it and get to use it, you probably will spend it.

Check out a lifetime annuity. Seriously. That is the way to save for your future, your children's future, and your grandchildren's future. Then put money into it before you even see it.


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Advice For Living A Fulfilled Life

Tying in with my Top 3 Goals of the Summer, I read a great post on 10 Life Lessons to Excel in Your 30s full of great advice from wise sages who have been there and looked back.

While my number one was Exercise, their number one is Saving.

In past blog posts, I have lamented over my monitary woes. It feels whiny and childish to read over them. I deleted several, but kept a few just to remind myself that I was whiny and childish.

Still, I must have been on the right track, because so many wise people shared that their life would have been a lot easier had they saved for retirement, or even for emergencies.

One huge catastrophe. Loss of job. Identity theft. Natural Disaster. Insurance isn't completely enough. There has to be some emergency money saved up. What is the rule of thumb, at least 3 months of your bills?

So, this is a goal for me. It is probably a goal for the majority of you, in your 30s or not!

Number two on their top 10 was health. Of course. You've only got one body.

The next two are about relationships. I address the topic of relationships with my Goal Number 2: Planning, because I am thinking about my family and when to see them and things to do with them. Family is number 9 on the list, addressing more than just your children, but parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and cousins. Summer is a great time for family reunions and building memories, reconnecting, and not holding grudges.

A huge section of the list is devoted to talents and dreams, being yourself and loving what you do for a living, and taking chances. I suppose that really is what your 30s are for. Sure, you are ready for a career to begin saving for retirement, but you want to love what you do and be happy. This is a decade of your life, after all. Don't waste it working for the man in a nowhere kind of job. I don't address this in my summer goals, because I am on summer break from my job, teaching. I am happy with teaching, and I don't think it is a nowhere kind of job, but my real passion is writing. What I have to do is remember to devote time to writing and see where that takes me while I work my job and serve children with special needs.

Lastly is a plea to be kind and respectful to yourself. This is addressed in my Mental Health section under having fun. You can't have fun if you hate yourself and everything about yourself. It's like how you can't sneeze and keep your eyes open.

Want to know what to do to find your happiness?
Being Honest, Kind, Respectful, and having positive self talk is addressed in detail in my wordpress blog, "Spoonfuls of Sugar: A Happiness Journal" during the month of July 2014. Expect one post a day. :)

New Year's Resolutions 2014

Now, if you are new around here, you will need to know that I try to live like every day is a new day. That means every day is New Year's Day.  Forgive. Love. Believe. Live. Laugh.

This also means that I set goals for myself throughout the year and I re-evaluate goals as the year goes on as well. I have to write them down, otherwise how could I remember what to re-evaluate? I keep a little note in a journal-type composition book. I can look over old goals and see how far I've come. Neat, huh?

I write goals in different areas, like: children, marriage, health, travel, financial, and career.

I don't always have time to plan out my goals in steps or stages. Often, writing them down keeps them at the forefront of my mind and therefore, by actively thinking of them, I do them, or I find ways to accomplish them.

For example, last year I pledged to myself, "No more fast food." By keeping that in mind, I was able to repeat to my husband, a.k.a. partner in crime, and hold myself accountable. I would put up a fight, so to speak, if we needed to eat and he suggested a fast food establishment. "I don't want fast food, I promised myself! It's yucky!" You get the picture.

Did it work?

Yes.

Did I stick to it 100%?

No. He brought home Long John Silver's and Burger King a couple times. I went to Chick Fil A with my sister once.

However, eating it a couple times was A LOT less than the year before.

This year I want to increase my health. My husband and I both had blood drawn in 2013 and it came back within normal range. We are not unhealthy already. But there are things we are not doing that can improve our health.

1. Drink more water.

Order water when eating out at restaurants all the time. I usually go for a clear soda like Sprite or Sierra Mist, lemonade, or raspberry sweet tea. Do you actually look at the prices of drinks these days?? Most places do not charge for water. So not only will I save calories, but I will save money.

2. Exercise more.

I began consciously moving my body more this summer. The weather was nice, I wanted to be outside, and there were things to do. Then in late fall/winter I start to get lazy. I work, which includes movement, but also includes stress. I come home exhausted mentally, do my college coursework, and veg out at night. What my body needs is to MOVE. I noticed positive results to my psyche, attitude, and energy levels when I was walking the dog in the evenings in contrast to the evenings when it has been too cold to be outside for long. We just bought an elliptical, so the 'move more' goal is ready to go.

3. Save money.

I'm not even sure how much or what for. I thought maybe for Christmas next year, have a nice little nest egg.. or a road trip maybe even further down the line.. or maybe just to buy myself a new wardrobe when I get skinny and can't fit in my pants. :)  I was able to save up a nice little 'rainy day' fund last year and I spent it on back-to-school time because I had a classroom to get ready, two sons to get ready, and the money had run out from that contract by August. I have a different contract this year, so if I could do it last year, I can do it again.

I'll spend some time reviewing my personal goals and those for my relationships and my family. No rush. Since every day is a new day, any day can be a new start.

Highs and Lows

Day 17: Your Highs and Lows of the Past Year

January
Highs: We just moved into our house!! Biggest, most awesome high ever. Found a new daycare, began applying for teaching positions for next year with optimism, Son started playing indoor soccer, having crawlspace repaired and sump pump installed

Lows: illness, made a lot of phone calls about house, learned 1/2 days subbing was fruitless

February
Highs: Took family out to Red Lobster in thanks for helping us with house; took son to his bookfair; had Valentine's lunch at my Mom's; started working at a middle school for 3 weeks; bought items for house; boys' beds, shelving, storage cabinets, got a new camera; went out of town to Mall for a fun shopping trip

Lows: power out for a week, got in fight with home warrantee company, van's engine blew

March
Highs: Got to stay working at school for 3 more weeks, then sub; picked up my 2nd doggie and made him a home here

Lows: Son decides he is not really into soccer, I make him go anyway

April
Highs: Sis-in-law's baby shower is a blast; I sub a lot; last soccer game; filled out more job apps for next school year in hope; planted flowers; weather was nice for son's birthday; published in Eclectic Flash

Lows: feel guilty about buying new office chairs

May
Highs: Family went to Zoo; got a recommendation letter; planted flowers for my Mom; bought my car; found out my sis was pregnant

Lows: hubby quit his job

June
Highs: hubby gets new job; took kids to small fair; interview went great; swam with kids; took them to library to kickoff summer learning; did some more gardening in front of house; published the porch book with my aunt; went to Holiday World theme park; had a fun VBS; went to Nashville, IN artist colony

Lows: not working, though I enjoy it, it strains the budget.

July
Highs: Lots of family get togethers for the 4th; laundry room painted, floored, and new appliances; went to the 4-H fair; started ficly nominations for book; went to a big Mall, but it turned out not a shopping place for us

Lows: back to paycheck by paycheck living by end of month, stopped going to the library functions, but still for books, it got so hot, had to put dogs in garage during the day

August
Highs: took boys to Children's Museum, saw Bill Nye, babysat my nieces and nephew, back to school, voting on ficly book canceled and all nominations included; friend sent me gift of brand new book I had to cancel my pre-order of!

Lows: rejected for assistance, but it was their error, had to fight them; no school job

September
Highs: straightened out assistance issue, but had to wait on other department to mail; self-published poetry book and snippet of my micro fiction collection to generate sales

Lows: tried to get a job, but it was filled by transfer; subbed very little

October
Highs: finally got funds in; went to covered bridge festival (for socks, they were out of boys socks) and had our favorite 6 dollar meal; had 1st weekend ALONE in years!; ficly book done and ready for order, had a good time trick-or-treat-ing

Lows: very little subbing, began to apply for other jobs, no luck

November
Highs: held a practice turkey fry; had lots of family thanksgiving celebrations, even went to see my grandma; paid for ficly book sales, as well as my own microfiction book

Lows: began to get sinus infections; felt very depressed about not having job, applied for college, but decided if I went back, I'd go local instead of online

December
Highs: Christmas, especially giving gifts; Oldest son's first new year watching ball drop; designed and built a doghouse for new doggie in one evening; Christmas card and gift from Australia;

Lows: not much work, especially with winter break in there; lots of illness; hubby's truck broke, but we fixed it; the furnace quit, so we had to fix it; it was so cold, had to put the dogs in the garage overnight.

And you have to wait for my update on THIS month. :)




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Make The Best of What You Have

Day 8: A Moment You Felt Most Satisfied With Your Life

I've had several moments like these, moments I felt truly blessed. For me, it involves a day with nothing pressing to worry about. Usually a worry has just been relieved.

Let's review the facts:
1. I now own a home.
2. My children are healthy.
3. My husband loves me unconditionally.

What else does a person need? I should be satisfied right now, right?

So where does the worry come from? Money. The root of all evil, perhaps, but definitely the root of all my worries.

What shall we eat this week? How much does a tow cost? When can we afford to have my son get his eyes re-examined? How much for furnace repair? Do I have enough gas to get me to work?

Sometimes things are serious. It's frustrating to continue spending money to maintain status quo, because the desire is to better yourself. It's frustrating to wait until the next paycheck to resolve an issue that seems dire. But it gets done. I guess waiting from paycheck to paycheck teaches patience and a bit of creativity to do without or work around a problem.

Right now however, status quo is the best we can hope for, so I think a change in perspective is needed. The goal must change from 'better ourselves' to 'make the best of what we have'.

And in doing so, we'll realize more moments are blessings and remember to stop to smell the roses, or at least appreciate what we have.



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.