Friday, 29 April 2016

Persist and Prosper

We all get down, we all get frustrated. We all have days that it seems like the world and the universe is against us. We sometimes can feel like we are the ant on the business end of the sunbeam of a magnifying glass. I know that I have.

The thing to remember is that there will always be obstacles in your way, things that you need to deal with. The thing to remember is that these current trials and tribulations shall pass. 

If you need a bit of encouragement, I find that it is helpful to pause and reflect on your past and how far that you have come, how much that you have grown as a person. 

It is important not to stagnate, not to stay still in your growth and progress both as a person and towards the goals that you have set for yourself and the dreams you hold dear.

It comes down to this, if you stagnate, you will wither, if you persist, you will prosper. I send this message out not only to myself but to those out there who need to hear it. 

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

Thursday, 28 April 2016

My Functional Extravagance

Okay, part of the reason that I am in a cash crunch is that I bought a productivity tool, that some might call an extravagance. I bought a “Keyboard Case” for my iPad.

I know what you’re thinking that this is silly and redundant, as the iPad has that keyboard on the screen that you can use. Besides, most of the time you’re not supposed to use it with a keyboard, right?

Well, I for one do a lot of things that need a keyboard. That and I have always hated that onscreen keyboard; I can use them, but I hate them. I also have found that since I have bought it, I use my iPad all the time, in fact much more than either my phone or laptop.

So it stands to reason that since I use it so much that I expand what I can do with it. I have found that with this new keyboard case (that arrived yesterday) my iPad is starting to function more like a mini laptop. 

I like the fact that the keyboard part of the case is removable and you can in fact use it in standard “Landscape” direction or in “Portrait” direction. You can even separate the iPad from the keyboard and use it on its own . . . as a typical “naked” iPad.
  


The case itself is metal and certainly robust but it does add some bulk to the iPad. 
  

The iPad is certainly well-protected in there and you can still remove it from the case altogether quite easily.

The flip cover that I was using for the iPad I found ended up getting smutz on the screen. Since you folded it down under then behind the iPad, the cover was sitting right on the table.  So when you closed the screen that cover pressed a bit of grime on the screen. Also, occasionally the laptop would fall back if you pressed a bit too hard onto the screen.

I intend to use this new keyboard more and more and in so doing, extend my resources and yes the functionality of my iPad. It is my hope that I will be able to hold off buying a new laptop, even if this current one dies in the near future.

For no reason whatsoever, here is your sunset pic.
  

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

Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Ready For Action!

Now that the sub-zero temperatures are behind us (at least for now), the time has come for me to get out there and get more active! This means more bike-riding and more walking in general. 

I have taken to walking to the store more, meaning if I have some shopping to do, I will park in one central location and just walk further than before. In times gone by I would just drive from one parking lot to the other. 

I also want to get out there with the bike more, this is why a bike rack for the back of Wanda would be good.  Perhaps even if I could rig something up across the front of Wanda, as in on her hitch between the propane tanks and Wanda’s body. For now the bike upside-down with the tires removed in the back seat of Trea is okay. 

What would really be nice is a little corner of the world; some place that I could park and disconnect, a place to leave Wanda, a place to call home. All of my options are either too risky (as in just finding a forlorn piece of crown land and make camp) or are too expensive (campgrounds, trailer parks, etc).

I will keep things going and work towards my new goal of Total Debt Freedom, nineteen months from now. I can do this, I must do this, for myself and to prove that it can be done. After that, after I am totally debt free, then I can work towards finally finding that small corner of the world to call my own, without debt.

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

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

My Budgetary Metrics Explained

Okay, so apparently my last entry was a bit confusing when talking about my budget, so today I will go over how I measure my financial health.

First of all, I expect to pay all of my bills within that exact paycheque. That means that my budget must balance, or be in a surplus situation. This is the cornerstone of my financial health, as in only spending less than what I make. 

Second of all, I expect that my bank balance stays at or above $1000.00 at all times. This means that at no point during my payday cycle (The length of time from one payday to the next) is my bank balance allowed to drop below $1000.00.

I also expect that my credit cards are paid off at each payday and that any bills are paid right away. The predetermined savings plan is untouchable and unalterable, that money goes into the Long Term Savings Account like clockwork.

So this has led me to having to dip into my contingency fund and run a deficit for this payday and the next one. Why? Simple, three large bills in quick succession: one that I gave to myself and two that came to me. 

The first bill was Wanda’s tires that needed to be replaced. The second was my decision to put an extra $500.00 into the Long Term Savings Account. Why? Well this way, come the end of December, I will have put in $1500.00 into that account each month. The last bill is Wanda’s insurance (due early next month). 

So, all told I will be down to just over half-way into my Personal Overdraft once all this is said and done. At least my bills are paid and my savings plan is on track. So while it feels bad, and it should, my bills are paid, my savings is continuing and my credit cards are still at a zero balance.  All in all, I am doing okay, I could be doing better. 

One thing to remember is that most of my spare money goes straight into that Long Term Savings, where I don’t touch it. It is for my future, that’s why. I can manage and deal with minor financial dust-ups, as long as that savings plan stays on track.

I have come to realize that unless I: 1) gain a large windfall, 2) gain a cash-flow-positive woman, or 3) just stick it out and pay off Wanda now, that I will be paying for Wanda for a very long time. So while a house or cabin now would be nice, it is not wise, cash-flow wise.

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

Monday, 25 April 2016

Recovery is Possible!

Okay, it is true that for this current pay-period and the next one that I will be running a deficit budget. Thankfully, after that I will be on the road to recovery.  So no, I will not be living in deficit financing for years on end.

I only have four paydays (June and July) to save up for my vacation which I have decided (unless I can’t get that particular time off of work) will be the last week of July and the first week of August.

The last payday in May will be focussed on getting my hinny out of my own overdraft. This is a pre-condition for me to start building up my mid-term savings again. My savings plan for my Long Term savings account is caught up and continuing on schedule. So, conserving and saving as much as I can, shall continue to be the norm for the next while. 

It is interesting to see how far that I have come in a relatively short period of time. I have gone from massive credit card debt to building up savings in a few years. Even better is that in a few more, I will be totally debt free, and that is appealing. I may splurge on another pair of long johns this year yet still tough it out. 

I have all but decided against buying a house at this time, so there is no point to get the mortgage pre-approval. While I am single and in my current financial situation, my cash flow does not let me comfortably get a house. 

I may, however, get that ultra-low rate credit card that I have been eyeing, just in case I need to carry a balance someday. 

I made more lunches this weekend and that pretty much was the high point of my weekend. It is not a nifty or entertaining way to spend my days, but it will have to do. Every penny that I save is a penny that goes towards buying my freedom.

Friday, 22 April 2016

My Own Private Deficit

It is payday and as usual I took a look at my budget for this payday and the next one. The next two paydays will be, bad, as in put me in the red . . . sorta.

I will be “spending” more than I will be taking in during these next two paydays, but things will get better after that. This payday I was hit by not only the cost of Wanda’s tires, but de-winterizing and topping up my Long Term savings account as well. 

You see, with the possibility of me buying a place dwindling ever more, I have decided to put the $500.00 that I should have put in for January.  As it was, I only put in $1000.00 in there for January and not the usual $1500.00. 

This way come January of next year I will have an even $18K in there, and the January after that, I will have enough to pay off Wanda at the same time that the truck is naturally paid off. 

I shy away from buying a house each time I look at the cash flow crunch that buying a place at this point would put me in. 

I would be in the same stressed out, all income allocated for debts and obligations position I was when I started this Urban Nomad Journey.  

Even worse is that I would have no furniture or other financial resources to deal with any eventualities. I am not going back there again, if I can help it.

The hurt that next payday hits me with is paying for Wanda’s insurance.  After that I can pull my hinny above zero ($1K) in my Main Account and build up my cleaned out Mid-Term Savings. 

I will be okay, though as my credit cards are still at a zero balance and I am well on track on my savings plan. My trip to the coast may be delayed a bit (say into August) as I still need to save up for it.

I will save up for that trip and indeed take it, as I need the break and to visit people. I need my financial freedom more though, so that is where most of my money goes these days. 

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

Thursday, 21 April 2016

Will Try For A Southern Home

The nice thing about the warmer weather is not running the furnace. This saves me two ways, both with regards to utilities. One is on propane, my last bottle lasted just over a month. When compared to the dead of a cold snap in winter, that bottle can last a week. 

The other way that I saved by not running the furnace is in regards to electricity. I run the generator much less these days, perhaps once or twice a week. When you compare that to winter where I need to run the generator once every two days . . . that is huge. 

I have heard of a parking lot in the south that may be RV friendly, we shall see how that goes. I have a sneaking suspicion that I will end up parking not far from work, but it is worth checking out regardless.

I do miss not having the space and this weekend I need to make another batch of lunches for work, so I really do need the space. One way or another, I will be fine and I will survive. 

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