Friday 30 October 2020

Risk or Hoard?

So, I have been saving like I always do, yet I am still more concerned about the future than I have been in a while.

I am trying to be pragmatic and keep going with my plan, but there is always that sense of doubt with regards to what the future holds.

None of us can know what the future holds, but we can do our best to prepare for it.

The trouble is . . . how does one do that exactly?

The best I can think of is to diversify my investments and hope for the best. 

Which is pretty much what I have done and I am continuing to do.

Though, with the state of the world, there is the temptation to stuff cash under my mattress as it were.

Yet, cash under the mattress does not earn interest or dividends, does it?

So you can either get out there and take a risk, or hide out and hoard your cash.

As pragmatic as one can be, investing is always a risk, even in good times it is a risk. I will take as cautious a risk as I can . . . so I can build for my future.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Thursday 29 October 2020

The Unprepared March On

So there was a survey done recently with regards to people who are on some form of COVID financial relief. 

Apparently 39% of respondents had no idea what they were going to do once the COVID financial relief stopped coming.

No idea how they were going to pay their bills, let alone deal with their mounting debt.

The only “bright” spot is that the Bank of Canada has, as recently as this week, stated that they will keep their key interest rate near zero for the next couple of years at least.

So . . . sorta good news for the indebted.

COVID financial relief has been a great help to people but the one thing I can all but guarantee everyone is that it is not going to continue forever, nor will it shift and morph into some sort of Guaranteed Annual Income.

Politicians and business leaders just cringe at the thought as the belief is that if people get free money they won’t do anything or work . . . and in so doing, western civilization crumbles.

They will work, as they all need to pay their mounting debts.

My point in today’s ramble is this . . . do something now to pay off your debt. Do something now to plan for what will happen when all of the government assistance stops coming.

Just because you have your eyes closed as you walk doesn’t mean that you won’t hit that brick wall you’re walking towards.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Wednesday 28 October 2020

Properly Prepare

So, uncertain times are getting ever more uncertain. Things are moving towards the worse, not the better, at least for the time being.

The question is, what can be done about it?

What can be done is simply to prepare for the downturn that is coming. 

Further restrictions are coming and with it the economic fallout that nobody wants but everyone knows is the side effect of those necessary social restrictions.

All we can do is to conserve as much resources as we can (food, cash, etc) and just get through it.

We can’t stop this downturn that is coming but we can all do our part in following the social restrictions and prepare ourselves for the bad economic times ahead.

Here’s hoping that all of those preparations will be for nothing, but at least you have to be prepared, just in case.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, and do it now.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Tuesday 27 October 2020

Focus On The Future

My best advice when looking at the uncertain times that we are in and the ever worse times that loom ahead, is to focus on the future.

Prepare, as best you can, for the uncertain and dark times that are upon us, but look past them to the future beyond.

Every storm passes and every recession and depression does not last forever. Sooner or later those dark and seemingly unending disastrous times pass, and good times return.

So while you prepare for the worst (that is yet to come) hope for the best, that lays beyond it and work towards that.

Keep an image of the bright and wondrous future that awaits us all, you specifically, as we keep trudging on through the dark times that lay ahead in the near future.

This too shall pass.

The darkness shall give way to the light.

And we shall bask in the light on that day.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward! 

Monday 26 October 2020

Fall Has Returned

So here we are in the end of the year when I watch the weather reports diligently. I look every day at the weather forecasts for the next week or two.

While it has been a blast of winter for the previous week or so, it is on the cusp of turning back to the warmer (above freezing) temperatures for the next week or so.

As with the other areas of my life I want to know what is coming down the pipe . . . as much or as accurate as predictions of the future can be.

All we can do is look at what is happening and make our best guess as to what is most likely to come.

We can be wrong and often are most times, but the trick is to be ready for the worst outcome yet hope for the best.

This is true when it comes to weather as well as other areas of your life.

For while bad things come, just as bad weather comes, bad things also pass, just like bad weather.

The sun will not always shine, nor will the rain (or snow) always fall, for life is a mix of the good and bad, for you need both to have the flavour or spice of life.

Too much of one or the other is also not wise or good for you.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Friday 23 October 2020

The Homestead Fund Update

Okay, so it is that time again, when I update how my progress is going on my “Grand Savings Plan!” (to build my "Homestead Fund") 

Okay, so let’s see how I did . . .    

For review, here is how things looked from last payday . . .

That is 47.0% (of my Savings Target).

And this is how things look like, after the dust settled on this payday’s budget . . . 

That’s right things jumped up to 47.8% of my savings target. 

That means I put away 0.8% of my total Savings Target this payday.

So things went okay, and my investments pretty much went sideways. One went up and the other went down. 

This payday, when you combine their values my investments only went down only a smidge. 

So, I’ll take that and keep reminding myself that this means that my investments are in a buying position. (Buy low, sell high, remember.)

The main thing is that I am 1) still employed and 2) still able to put cash into savings. 

Again I am trying to put cash into my savings (investments) as much as possible so that I can get to “insane” as fast as possible. 

Just for reference “insane” refers to the fact that it would be technically possible to start The Homestead but insane to do so now with that little cash.

One step at a time and one payday at a time.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward!

Thursday 22 October 2020

Total Debt Freedom Day (Third Anniversary)

So, today is the third anniversary of the day that I paid the last and largest of my debts off: the Wanda Loan.

I always pause on this day to look back and reflect on that day and the journey that brought me here.

The other two days of reflection are December 5th (the day that I started the whole Urban Nomad Journey) and July 12th (the day that I moved into Wanda full-time).

This day is about looking back on that day of finally becoming Totally Debt Free, and reflecting on that achievement. 

Not so as to brag or be arrogant but to remind myself of that feeling on that day and to show to others that you can not only get Totally Debt Free, but also stay that way . . . and build wealth besides.

I still remember the stresses of wondering if my paycheque was going to be large enough to pay all of my bills.

I still remember the added stress of knowing that I had no savings and my credit cards were all maxed out. 

The kicker was that when I started this journey, I was in the bottom of my overdraft as in the real overdraft, the one the bank issues you.

All that changed but it did not change overnight it took a few years, just under 4 years of hard work and sacrifice to pull it off.

But I did it, and so can you.

The secret is to seriously downgrade your lifestyle so as to seriously upgrade your cash flow. 

How do you do that?

Simple. You imagine that your income has just been cut in half. 

Now, balance your budget, think for a moment what you would do if you had to live on half of what you live on now.

If you can answer that question, if you can come up with some crazy (yet legal, ethical and moral) scheme to live on a fraction of what you can live on now . . . 

Just do that and use the now freed up cash in your monthly budget to pay off your debts. I don’t say pay down, because that means you still intend to have them.

Keep credit, just not debt. Keep the credit card, just don’t keep the outstanding balance on it. (Pay it off and keep it paid off).

I could go on, but there are a few thoughts on how to do what I have done, (become Totally Debt Free) without necessarily living in an RV/Van while parking on the streets.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Wednesday 21 October 2020

In Times of Troubles, Stick To Your Principles

So, as I have said, I am not unaware or unaffected in regards to the troubles and uncertainty that surround us these days.

I am still trying to figure out the best way forward, the best way to navigate all of this uncertainty. 

As I do that, I need to remove emotion from the mix and act on pure logic. As emotions will pull you astray and not be helpful in uncertain times.

So, I will do what I always do, I will fall back to my Fiscal Directives and just make my best judgment with regards to just what and how to save.

My first goal is to get to a place where I can buy the land and pay cash if I need to. That way at least I would have a place to start that homestead, if needed.

With regards to the long list of calamities that the current state of uncertainty may bring? 

Well, I will just make my best guess as to how to mitigate those risks as I move forward towards my goal.

I can’t and won’t do any rash or impulsive decisions as that is rarely a wise thing to do.

I just need to stick to my principles and move forward as I always have.

And resist the impulses to “run to the hills” or “stock up for the road warrior future.”

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward.

Tuesday 20 October 2020

Trying To Remain Stable In Unstable Times

The one overall thing I am trying to do is to make the best decisions for myself and those around me (so far just one other person).

Yet with so much uncertainty, uncertainty that seems to be unprecedented with many more problems that seem to loom on the horizon, one gets worried.

There are many reactions to such impending calamity which wants to pile on to the calamity that we are already in.

What I am trying to do is to navigate the best way forward so that I (or we) can weather this storm in the best way possible.

There is that little voice inside me that tells me that I (or we) may be forced to make the move to the property sooner than I (or we) had hoped.

This will of course complicate things and I (or we if said other is stupid . . . I mean brave enough to come with me) will be living like pioneers.

Meaning those “pioneer skills” books I bought will come in reeeeeeeal handy. And all of you folks who are laughing at me now, will be wanting to show up and help out.

And you’d be welcome . . . we just won’t let any lazy freeloaders stay, so be prepared to work and pull your weight . . . and learn a whooooooole lot of new skills.

But I digress, the point is that I am trying to not panic and just keep doing what I am doing: save for the future, but do so in the wisest manner possible.

Trying to hedge my bets as it were for whatever that comes this way is challenging in the best of times but even harder when all of this uncertainty is the new “normal.”

All I can do is stick to my principles, take my best guess and do what I can do today, this week and make my best predictions and choices for what tomorrow may bring.

And . . . you know . . .

As always Keep my head up, my attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Monday 19 October 2020

Double Batch of Canned Concoction

So, this weekend, with Kim’s help, I made another batch of my canned goods large batch of stuff. 

Since I had access to the large pot and large burner, I decided to make a double batch. 

This was partly because I was worried that my canned goods would freeze with the cold weather approaching. 

So, I bought an extra pound of ground beef, a package of hash browns and made double the batch.

That is it freshly cooked. I let it sit for a day so as to let the solid bits soak up the liquid. This is it when it is being portioned out, after it has sat for that day.

As expected it came out well and produced a decent amount of meals for me.

A total of 46 to be exact . . . well 45, and 3/4 s of a meal.

This will last me for quite some time, especially with me only using this on weekdays that I don’t spend at Kim’s (Monday through Thursday).

Again, all in a drive to keep my food costs low, so I can maximize my savings.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward

Friday 16 October 2020

The End Of The Year Push

So, it is that time of year again, and with the October 22nd payperiod over my thoughts turn to the last four Paycheques of the year.

I have submitted my timesheet for my paycheque on October 22nd, and as is typical I have not only started the timesheet for my next payday (November 7th) but I have started the one for the payday after that (November 22nd).

I do this so that I have an idea as to what is coming, I like to look at the payday that I am currently in as well as the next two, simply because I want to know what is coming down the pipe.

The last four paydays are the largest because there are less taxes taken off near the end of the year. 

The beginning of the year is less fun because there are more taxes taken off at that time of year.

I will be taking extra holiday pay on my cheques for the last four paydays of the year, so as to put the most I can into my savings, rather than waiting until January only to pay most of it in taxes.

I am still working on the push to get to 50% before the end of the year. This is 2020 so anything can and will derail my plans, so nothing is set in stone.

I can plan and dream all I want, but all I can do is do the best with what I have in my hand right now. All I can do is be as responsible and frugal with the payperiod that I am in.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward! 

Thursday 15 October 2020

Adjusting To The Cold

Okay, so it is a bit chilly, but not that cold. I have seen worse, but this time of year is when the body, my body goes through an adjustment in what it expects to be “normal.”

We are dipping down to just below freezing, so cold but not reeeeeaaaly cold. Yet for me, when I am quite happy and used to above 20C it is darn cold.

Yet it is all relative, as when it was (and will be again) south of -20C, 0C now seems like summer in comparison.

The same is true when it comes to your situation, fiscally or otherwise. As you are working to steadily improve your situation you can feel like things are just off and wrong.

This is because you are used to things being as they were, in debt, no money, lots of bills. All that seems normal to you despite how much you hate it.

It is normal to you because you have let yourself be acclimatized to it. Change is unsettling and it is an odd feeling, but you have to keep going despite that.

You need to reset and reshape what you see as “normal” just like in a few months you will be calling 0C T-shirt weather.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Wednesday 14 October 2020

The Ladder Is Out Of Storage

So, it snowed last night, nothing that bad, but enough to make me break out my ladder . . . so I could once again brush my solar panels off . . . all winter long.

So, this morning I got up and before heading to work I got my ladder out of the back of the truck and climbed up it so I could brush the snow off of my solar panels.

The weather will warm up today, so the snow should not last all that long, but enough to be annoying.

As well as to remind me that snow and cold has returned . . . sorta.

I will endure as this is nothing, nothing to worry about but colder temps and more snow are on the way.

I know what to do, and I know how to stay warm, as I have done this for a few years now.

It is just frustrating is all. 

But, life rolls on . . . with or without snow.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Tuesday 13 October 2020

So, How To Begin...

As many (most) of you should know by now, it is Geoff's and mine goal to buy a 1/4 section of land and build a homestead - with hopes of then gradually developing the homestead into a town.

This ultimate goal is a life-long project, and may (or may not) be achieved in our lifetimes. 

Of course, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step (Lau Tzu). So, the question becomes, how do we begin?

The Grand Savings Project will be just enough to: buy the land, including closing and associated costs; build our first home, as well as a good-sized greenhouse; and have money to live on while we await the first crops, and our gardens and greenhouse, etc. begin to flourish.  This budget is very tight!

Geoff and I have debated this, bouncing ideas back and forth, and I believe we have come up with not only a reasonable idea, but, something that could also help us to attain our later goals, as well.

We will take one of the sub-sections, 10 acres (a quarter of a quarter, of a quarter section), and slowly develop that as we go. 

If need be, we can start with only ourselves in either a tiny home or a mobile home, with a single greenhouse, but we would much rather do this with other people!

If you look at the picture, you can see that this is also divided into quarters. Each section is also drawn at full capacity. In reality, we would be developing as we go, so there could very well be empty space. 

That space would find a use, whether it would be for simply green space, a small garden plot, or even play space for children.

The first detail I would point out is the hedge that surrounds both the entire section, as well as each quarter. Eventually, that would become a stone wall, however, it will likely be a metal farmer's fence to begin with, sandwiched between two layers of some form of hedge.

This hedge fence would be mainly for animal control, and would have gates for easy access. After all, you wouldn't want Yogi Bear looking in your fridge for things to pack his pic-i-nic basket with!


There would also be two roads with two lanes each that divides each quarter. Within each quarter, there would be single lanes, as transportation is intended to be either walking, riding a bike, or, possibly by golf cart. It will be wide enough for a tractor towing a tiny home or mobile home, though.

The residential section (bottom left quarter) has space for up to 21 mobile homes or tiny homes. It also has a small parking space for visitors. 

We shall be gardening mostly by greenhouse, which is reflected in the agricultural quarter (top left quarter). This quarter will also include a barn and yard for both chickens and goats. Both shall also be used in yard maintenance as well as providing fertilizer for compost. 

The commercial/industrial quarter (lower right quarter) is much more adaptable than it's name suggests. This quarter is, essentially, whatever we need it to be. Anticipated use is for manufacturing and offices.

The final quarter, the Community quarter, is the most interesting. One of the main purposes of developing a town, is to develop the sense of community, which is hard to do when everyone is busy doing their own thing.

One of the first buildings to go up in this quarter should be the Community Hall. With a commercial-grade kitchen, as well as enough seating to fit an old-fashioned pot-luck dinner, we anticipate that this will quickly become the heart of the town!

One of the key services we see a need for, and would like to develop, is the idea of "Mom Care". This is the concept of "it takes a village to raise a child", and therefore, providing Moms (and other parents) the support they need in order to not feel constantly overwhelmed while raising their tiny humans.

This could include everything from Day Care and drop-in babysitting, to providing meals, or simply some sound advice from the voice of experience and a shoulder to cry on.

Another building will be a basic school, with subjects ranging from Kindergarden to College-level instruction. Of course, parents will have the option of busing their children to their local school, but, this would be an option, and could be helpful for homework. 

It would also be a resource for adults who are looking to upgrade their education, or for us to host seminars on debt reduction and financial sustainability.

We also had the idea that, in the future we could also offer the service of being a "self-sustaining incubator", teaching others who would like to then purchase their own land for their own fiscally responsible, eco-friendly homesteads - but, that would have to be once we have shown success on our own!

The final building would be a combination of workshops and gallery for artists, for a variety of mediums. By being near, but separate, it provides enough connection to still be a part of the community, but have the quiet and privacy needed in order to focus on a project.

Now, this still leaves a great deal of space in this quarter. One of the practicalities of the entire quarter, is that people will be living and working there. While we are still looking at some eco-friendly options, it looks like we will likely be building a septic system. 

With a septic system, comes the necessity for a drain (or leach) field. This is where the partly treated water gets slowly drained onto a bed of gravel and sand, in order to clean it before it re-enters the water table.

You cannot have trees or anything with long roots growing above this field, so it is typically covered in grass.

We were thinking that we could have basement access to the septic collection tank from the Community Hall, and that we could use the main outdoor area of that quarter as the leach field. This would provide natural, underground irrigation, as well as fertilizer for the grass, which the goats could keep under control.

This leaves us with a large, open field, so, why not use it for recreation? With sports such as football, soccer, and even baseball in the summer, and flooding a section (or two) for an outdoor ice rink in the winter, this could be a very popular and active area!

As always, this is purely speculation until we actually have the land in hand. Ideas change and shift, depending on what actually happens. 

Ultimately, we would be happy simply having the land, with enough cleared for our own home and a greenhouse and barn, but we would much rather have a few good families join us!

As always, come join us in reaching for the future, and getting off of the hamster wheel!
Kim

Friday 9 October 2020

Pulling Back From Social Media

So, like many people, I have found myself scrolling endlessly on my “social media feeds” just to see what I can see.

I have also responded to check out the notifications of “this person posted this” or “that person posted this in such-and-such a group.”

I have come to the realization that all of this is a giant waste of time and mostly . . . I don’t care.

I still want to know what people are up to and I still will post what I am doing on social media. I will just limit the time I spend on social media.

I will post what I post in the morning, and then not check my social media feeds until the next day . . . at the same time.

I have removed the apps for social media from my iPad (I never had it on my phone). I have kept the messaging app, so that people can still message me whenever.

I am just done with the endlessly looking at this cat video or that styled and looking for attention selfie.

And I’m okay with that . . . call me old fashioned if you wish, but I am just pulling back from social media, not breaking up with it.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward!

Thursday 8 October 2020

Somebody Needs To Tell Me Where To Go...


Some of you know that I am a Registered Massage Therapist. I have been doing this for almost 11 years, now, and I love what I do! It is, however, a little hard on the body, and it has been creating some chronic injuries. 

That, combined with the state of the world, and the need to pivot my career to add something that can be done on-line if need be (as well as something that will be needed when we depart), and...  I've decided to go back to school! 

Now, school costs money, and I really don't want to get student loans, which means that I am (attempting) to do this by simply making monthly payments to the school. I also work at two different locations, and I have to be careful not to over-work my shoulder.

That means that I am: going to school 2 - 3 days a week, working at Location #1 (far SW of Calgary) 2 days a week, and working at Location #2 (far NW of Calgary) 2 days a week, plus one Saturday a month. 

Add in some doctor's appointments, project due dates, and, Oh! I am also volunteering for my massage therapy association... Let's just say that there's potential for things to go amok! 


Fortunately, I have a break right now, while the rest of the class learns anatomy and physiology!

So, with Geoff's amazing organizational assistance, we did a thing...


So, There's a large whiteboard calendar for the current month, with all of my shifts and school colour-coded, special days, appointments, etc. 

There's also a smaller whiteboard calendar for the following month, that only includes important discrepancies. And, a "To-do" board, so I can keep track of phone calls, appointments that I need to make, etc.

There's also a small cork strip running along the bottom of the main whiteboard. Many of you will recall Geoff's Goal Board, where he posts his goals, such as his countdown to the Grand Savings being fully funded. 


While mine is going to be a bit different, it's the same concept. I do have a couple of general goals, right now, although I need to work at drilling it down into smaller pieces.

I do like the look and function of my boards, and I think it will work very well. I've already had a few mornings where I had to pause in the car and figure out where I was headed!

Anything to help keep me out of trouble! 


As always, come join us in reaching for the future, and getting off of the hamster wheel!
Kim

Wednesday 7 October 2020

The Homestead Fund Update

Okay, so it is that time again, when I update how my progress is going on my “Grand Savings Plan!” (to build my "Homestead Fund") 

Okay, so let’s see how I did . . . 

For review, here is how things looked from last payday . . .

That is 46.0% (of my Savings Target).

And this is how things look like, after the dust settled on this payday’s budget . . . 

That’s right things jumped up to 47.0% of my savings target. 

That means I put away 1% of my total Savings Target this payday.

This is a huge deal as it was in doubt if I would be able to even put away what part of percentage I actually contributed to my investments.

You see my investments have been up and down, mostly down over the course since my last payday. 

The old story of one investment dropping and the other going up, more than enough to cover the losses of the other investment and bump me up to the next percentage point.

I will take the win, and as demonstrated by last payday’s moving to stand still, I can and will again, move backwards with regards to my savings percentage.

As once the cash is invested in the markets, it is all up to fate, chance and who knows what as to what will happen to my investments.

All I can do is save what I can when I can, how I can and hope for the best.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Tuesday 6 October 2020

Your Attitude Defines Your Existence

Not to get too esoteric on you, but that statement is true. It is your attitude that can either free you, or imprison you.

I have found in my own life that it was my expectation that kept me on that hamster wheel of work and debt, running to stand still.

I needed to reevaluate what my life was and rethink how it could be. I was living in a two bedroom townhouse with lots of debt and little to show for it.

I had stuff and a nice place, sure, but I didn’t have much savings. I felt trapped because I was . . . I was trapped until I realized that I wasn’t.

Nobody was forcing me to stay there. Nobody was forcing me to keep those debts. Sure they needed to be paid but they could be paid off.

It was all a matter of my perspective . . . of how I saw the situation and how I approached it. 

That was when I realized that if I downgraded my lifestyle (by living in an RV) I could upgrade my cashflow and use that newfound cash in my paycheque to pay down (then off) my debts.

Again, I was only trapped by my own perspective and my own attitude.

I was in fact free, just in a bad place. I needed to free myself by first changing my attitude and then changing my situation. 

The same can be true for you . . . as a wise man (in a movie) once said “Change your mind, your ass will follow!” 

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Monday 5 October 2020

Have My Cake and Eat It Too

So, with the focus back on building up my savings and investments, I am pondering, once again at how to best move ahead . . . once The Homesteading Process has begun.

The original plan was to max out my TFSA, then start some other savings account (or other investment account) and build that up until my Savings Target has been met.

Now, I am wondering (again) if I can somehow start this homestead/town, without touching the contents of the TFSA.

Perhaps I could just draw out of the TFSA the dividends from the investments that are in there and not touch the investments themselves.

A bit of (and I mean a bit) of income coming in every three months might prove handy. 

Then again, the amount of dividends coming out of it may not be worth it . . . and that cash could prove handy in starting the Homestead/Town.

Thankfully I have a few years to figure that out as I have to first build my savings before I spend them.

This is why I simply focus on what I am doing at this moment and not the details of the end game or what is supposed to happen in a few years.

Far too many things could happen between now and then . . . and will.

All I can do is: Dream for the Future, Plan for the Mid-Term, but work on the Now!

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Friday 2 October 2020

The First Glance of 2021

So, yesterday I took my first look at the year of 2021. Sure it was partly out of a desire to get out of 2020, but also to look ahead at what might be.

I setup my budgeter for the year 2021, and I must say that it was quite encouraging to see what might happen, if I remain a good and fiscal boy.

I know from experience that the further you look into the future (planswise) the less accurate they become.

You do not know what is going to happen, and 2020 has been a stark lesson in all of that. 

What you can do, is to be prudent and try to prepare for what challenges that may come.

What you can do is stick to your plan as much as possible. Stick to your principles or directives (as in my Fiscal Directives) as much as possible.

That way, with some guidance as to what to do and how you should be able to weather any storm that comes.

I will be the first to admit that 2020 has been a clusterf*ck when it comes to how my finances has gone.

I am still here and all the wiser as a result of it. I must remember another old adage that I have been reminded of lately . . . 

“The rich stay rich by living like they’re poor, and the poor stay poor by living like they’re rich.” While this does not apply to everyone, it is a wise adage nonetheless.

What I do know is that: I have a plan, I’m working that plan, and the plan is working!

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward! 

Thursday 1 October 2020

The Last Quarter of 2020

So, here we are, just beginning the last Quarter of this year that never was. It will be whatever we want it to be.

I am looking forward to this time of year, because this is when my paycheques get ever larger, due to the bite of the Taxman gets ever smaller. 

Only to have said Taxman’s bite to go back to its maximum bite in January.

Yet this next Quarter (October, November, December) has yet to be, so it could go great or it could go to crap. Who knows?

I will continue to do what I always try to do (emphasis on try) . . . namely keep calm, do what I can and hedge my bets as I move forward.

What does that mean? It means hope the best, but prepare for the worst . . . think of it as just being prudent.

There are all manner of calamities that may or may not befall us. You never know which one of the plethora of dooms may come to pass.

You cannot live in fear all the time . . . okay, you can, but you shouldn’t.

I, for one, will continue to move forward . . . prudently.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!