MonthApril 2016

My Shopping Ban: May 1st

Current amount owing, as of this writing: $575.73

Coming up on my deadline for this shopping ban, I can happily confirm that I mostly stayed within my guidelines. I did buy two new pairs of leggings, but my black pair were falling apart so I see them as a replacement piece. The wine-coloured ones, yes, were optional – but two pairs of leggings for $12 is hard to turn down. I skipped ModCloth’s “Stylish Surprise” sale when the app notified me last month, have not visited Goodwill since before the ban began, and no new nail polish. In fact, I’ve thrown out a couple colours. My comics are waiting for me in my file at the store, but I will get them at a later date, and buy only a few at a time.

Reading has been going well – when I have the time. I’m specifically picking books in the cubby Brandon and I set aside as our “To Read” pile. Currently, I’m reading two books. One borrowed from a friend, and the other borrowed from my mom. The clothing etc swap I hosted at VE went really well, and I personally managed to get three bags plus old bedsheets and towels out of the apartment.

One week from now, I’m going to look into my current owing total and reassess if the $15 weekly/$200 monthly payment is still working. The kicker will be how soon I nab my next contract, and am making some side money again. However, I’m really proud of myself for halving it over this shopping ban.

My Shopping Ban: 6 More Weeks

As of this writing, my loan is at $620.65.

Hard to believe this weight will be gone from my life in 6-7 weeks. I looked it up and I will have had this loan for 7 years and 7 months by the end. Silver lining? Shorter than I thought. I had always rounded up the time to 8 or 9 years. It really does feel like I’ve been paying it off so much longer. Now that I’m so close to the end, there’s a part of me that just wants to fall off the wagon. Who am I if I’m not paying student loans? Who am I when I don’t have debt one day? I’m weirdly uncomfortable with those thoughts.

My mixture of financial feelings are as follows:

1) The overwhelming sense of freedom. I’ll have $200 extra dollars a month! I can go places and do things with all the extra money!

2) The crushing realization that I still have to dig myself out of the hole I’ve put myself in. I have barely any savings after putting everything into the store, and haven’t been making a lot of money over the past year.

The happy medium? I’m going to keep getting contract work as often as I can. I’m going to continue paying my credit card off, but not as hard and fast as I am with the student loan. I am going to add to my savings and when I have reached a comfortable place, then I can hammer down my credit card debt.

In between all that, I want to have fun with my friends. Go out to dinner, see movies, go for small trips. Since I’ll be more relaxed about paying off my credit card(it’s not too bad, only about $1300 owing on it), I’ll create new goals to keep myself motivated. My next goal after June is too see if I can save $1000 by the end of September.

Do you have a summer financial goal? Leave a comment below, or find me on Twitter.

My Shopping Ban: Two Months In

Current amount owing, as of this writing: $634.84

I was looking back at my earlier posts for reference, and apparently, I’ve been attempting this ban for two months now. With the exception of Beyoncé tickets and the occasional lunch out with a friend, I’ve been sticking to my list. I haven’t bought new clothes, nail polish, or any comics. I have, however, seen a few friends for lunch or dinner, which is breaking a rule I made for myself.

I’ve been picking away at my reading pile when I have the time, but mainly have been keeping up with the weekly comics for the store. My excuse is my schedule. Having two jobs doesn’t leave a lot of time to clean the apartment or cook dinner for anyone (I do realize this stressor was another one of my rules).

Been sticking to my payment plan ($15 a week, on top of the $200 going out every month), and paying this off within two months seems very workable. I’ve even come up with a reward for myself. Because I can’t be that responsible. In June, after the loan has been paid off, I will give myself a budget of $200 of “fun money”. I don’t have to spend all of it, but I do have to have some fun with it. There are some places I’d like to go with friends, or perhaps I will buy myself new clothing, or take Brandon out for date night.

One thing I did change my mind on is a haircut. It’s been two months since I wrote I didn’t mind it too much, but I’ve gotten to the point where I need need need a haircut. I’m growing out my hair to my natural colour, so I’ll be saving money by not dyeing it – but I need to lose an inch or two and put some style back into it.

Doctor Whooch // Episode 089 // A Pterodactyl Wants A Sandwich

In which we end with Canadian Millennial Nightmare Fuel.

On this week’s show, it’s “The Wedding of River Song” as we continue to hop through the River Song timeline. Guess what? It’s complicated, and it’s only going to get more confusing as we go, because it’s about to loop in on itself. Funnnnnnnnnn. Also FUN FACT: did you know that this was the episode we watched when we first met each other? IT WAS. And so you get a sappy story alongside this one where Winston Churchill is Caesar. Yeah, shit gets bananas, and The Doctor ends up looking like a Hobo Matt Fraction.

Outro music is (to be experienced as a horrible nightmare)

Podcast picture is by GIRL NAMED SHIRL PHOTOGRAPHY.

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Danica LeBlanc // Twitter

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