The Quest to be Financially Abundant

Finance Friday (on Saturday)

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Feb 1 - Gas $50, Rent $470.35, Car Insurance $131.24
Feb 2 - Curling $10
Feb 3 - no spend day
Feb 4 - no spend day
Feb 5 - no spend day
Feb 6 - no spend day
Feb 7 - Gas $54.45, Cora's $15.00
Feb 8 - Fiddlehead's $15.00, Gas $52.32 (driving for work over two days)
Feb 9 - no spend day
Feb 10 - $939.06 Debt!! Medical $79.10, Life Insurance $12.37

Doing well! 5 no spend days since Feb 1.

Things are going really well for me over these last 6 weeks of 2012. I'm enjoying life. I'm getting a firm handle on my finances. I'm staying out of my checking account. I've had 6 transactions cross my account this month. One was an extra check I had to deposit, one was the Critical Health Insurance I have (paid the year on this one). The rest have been scheduled automatic things.

2012 is going so well so far. I'm really getting a handle on my life, finding joy in everyday, my financial pursuit is very nearly completely automatic now, and I'm starting to work hard on my health as well.

I feel better. I feel more able to handle stress, anxiety, love, joy, happiness. I feel exhilarated!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend! I'm going to spend some time working on some crafting projects, lazily reading a novel, enjoying a cup of Creme Caramelo Tea (or two or three!) and making reservations for dinner for two for Sunday.

Work called late last night to tell me to take my beau out for a lovely dinner and expense it.

A quick update on my rant a few days ago: We have devised and are implementing a system at the office I work from that sees all invoices captured on a system in that office that allows all of the sales force (myself and one other guy), and both active owners the ability to see minute by minute updates on all accounts. Al payments will be logged into this system. Regular receivable updates will be provided, and we will be chasing our clients more frequently for their payments with statements. Because of this, we can also put in the interest we charge on (or "say" we charge) on late payments! I only have to ask for reports and contact information if I do not already have it. I do not have to input these items into the system. That will be taken care of by the two owners (our invoicers!), and add about 30 minutes of work to their day. It means 30 minutes less time they have for drinking coffee, playing sudoku or doing personal business. They seem ok with this.

My problem has been solved. Now I can free up some of the head ache I have each time I on receivables, and be able to begin working in earnest on other projects that will make our business that much stronger!

Yes 2012 is shaping into a wonderful year!

Working Hard!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:08:00 +0000

I've been a little silent lately on my blogging. First, I haven't had a thought in my head regarding finances until today. Second, I'm busy working my butt off (and my stomach and back fat) to start moving forward with my health goal. All I can say is I'm T I R E D a lot more than before.

I also have about enough energy to barely lift a book to read at night. I haven't really been watching TV lately either. All these things are silently positive in my life. I finished HP 5 last night and picked up HP 6 to begin.

I have the "I've worked out" ache going and have had it since last week!

I do three days a week with the Biggest Loser Program I joined. I am still visiting my team of professionals that are still working to help heal my shoulder. I am still writing everything down - tomorrow another Finance Friday installment will be posted.

How come I haven't been thinking of finances lately? I'm just too dang tired!! That and I've got everything so automated now it's not taking up all my mental capacity.

Today is pay day. I am receiving my standard pay check (I still have no idea why after the increases in taxes I'm taking home more than I was last year. It's only $5.25, but per paycheck that's just enough!). I am also receiving a mileage reimbursement, and medical reimbursement. The medical will be cashed and put into my medical pot for future use. The mileage will be applied 85% to debt, the rest to remain in my account so I can build up that emergency buffer. This month I'll be paying $939.00 towards my debt. I'll move the little counter tomorrow so it will reflect how much of the debt I've paid off.

I check my balance and something seems off with it. So I'll be calling the company back when I have a moment after work to check why the balance is where it is. either way, after this payment I'll be into the $13,000's range for debt owing! I'm really excited about this!

I'm on track to be done my debt a little earlier than October 31, 2012! I'm really enjoying the ride, and the fact that my debt goal can move forward while I'm working on my health goal!

I hope everyone is seeing success, no matter how small or large, on their own debt journey!

Sometimes you just need to Vent

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:31:00 +0000

Ok. Today's post is a vent. I need to get this out.

I work for a small company. We have good customer service. We could be great. There are 4 addresses tied to this business. One address is the actual registered business address, but nobody actually conducts work from it. One address holds half the accounting and a part-time accounting clerk. One address is where we conduct the transport side of this business. The last address is our facility.

I am the Environmental Coordinator, Inside Hazardous Sales, and Accounts Receivable person. I'm often mistaken for the receptionist. I make a decent wage. I am the only one in the office regularly so I understand why everyone thinks I'm only the receptionist. That is really not the issue or the point.

I cover the accounts receivable for our company. I make the calls speaking to clients when they are at a certain number of days past due, and I keep with them until i see the check that covers the amount owing. My job is made supremely difficult by an accounting clerk that works part time hours and doesn't double check bank balances, incoming checks versus the inputted leger or that invoices have been inputted into the master system. I get a receivables list that is not reliable and I spend a day going through it so I can be sure to make my calls to the correct people for the correct amount. She skips invoices only to add them months later. She adds invoices to the wrong clients. I spend 4 days a month pulling my hair out to get it right, and then another 5 days a month chasing the money around.

She won't do it because she doesn't deal well with people that say things like "Our cash flow is tight this month..." "I can't pay you because I'm waiting for ______ to make a big payment to us..." "No!"

So, for the past 5 years I've been handling these things. Today. Today I've had it up to my ever disappearing hairline because I'm tired of the worst system on the planet for accounting, and the excuses about why she can't do her job at all and why it's my fault.

A client called in today for a statement of account so they can get us paid and close out their books for 2011. I can't give them one because that information is not held here in a system that will print these things out. I'm not allowed to have that information here. So instead of asking them to hold while my system queries their request, I have to take a message. Then make a call and leave a message, and hope that she gets back to me tomorrow with a call or a fax of the information I need, before the client calls back.

Oh, and I have to do all of this without seeming like it's a royal pain in my ass, otherwise she'll just not do it at all.

I am so frustrated by this entire thing that I'm ready to hand it all over to the bosses and tell them to get her to do the job they pay her for, or remove the system completely from where it sits. It's the stupidest thing ever.

Oh to be an owner's wife and not be able to do a job but be protected anyways! We fired 2 people for less inadequacies than she shows and far less mistakes than she makes.

Truthfully, while I am paid well, it isn't enough to deal with this stress!

Finance Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:52:00 +0000

Well, since i skipped last weeks check in, it's time to post the numbers for the last 2 weeks worth of the No/Low Spend Challenge:

Sat. Jan 14, 2012 -Hair Cut
Sun Jan 15, 2012 -NO SPEND DAY
Mon. Jan 16, 2012 - Lunch, Life Insurance
Tues. Jan 17, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Wed. Jan 18, 2012 - Rogers
Thurs. Jan 19, 2012 - Curling, Groceries
Fri. Jan 20, 2012 - Acupuncture, Gas,
Sat. Jan 21, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Sun. Jan 22, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Mon. Jan 23, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Tues. Jan 24, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Wed. Jan 25, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Thurs. Jan 26, 2012 - Lunch, Chiropractor, Toiletries
Fri. Jan 27, 2012 - Lunch, Groceries
Sat Jan 28, 2012 - Breakfast
Sun Jan 29, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Mon Jan 30, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Tues. Jan 31, 2012 - RRSP, Bank Fees

In January there were exactly 12 Transactions on my account. 2 were deposits, 1 was February's variable spending money, the rest were automatic withdraws for all of my payments. I had a very very good month!

I'll be continuing this challenge into February. I'm not committing myself to Carla's second challenge this month. Instead, I'm doing a different challenge. I promised myself last year that 2012 would be my health month. I have registered and had my initial weigh-in on a Biggest Loser 16-week life plan. 3 times a week for the next 16 weeks I'll be working out with a trainer, gaining exercise, eating habits, nutrition tips and accountability for my actions on this as well. At $550, the program works out to $11.46 per session. Each session is 1.5 hours long. It was a win-win-win type plan. The program costs a little less than a class at school, so I took the money from my school fund and applied it to this program.

I've installed a weight tracking bar on the side of my blog. My goal for the 16 weeks is to lose 30 pounds. All you math wizards out there will notice this is about 2 pounds per week. A very do-able program!

I ended up with 15 NO SPEND DAYS this month! I'm super stoked about that. You'll notice too that I counted days when the automatic payments moved as a spend day. I'll continue to do this as we go through February.

I've been a little lax on my Finance Friday posts. I'll have February's Finance Friday on Friday this week.

Keep on going everyone! I've really loved reading how each of you is doing with your individual goals. Special thanks to Carla for setting these challenges! Find all the great things Carla posts at My Half Dozen Daily!

Writing to your Mentor

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I was a member of the 2011 Fall class of You vs Debt. I am also a member of the 2012 January Class. As part of the first class, I was challenged to write to my mentor and explain both the journey I'm on and the outcome I'm looking for. I wrote a letter to Gail Vaz Oxlade. She wrote back. My letter to her was published on her website today.

Please read it here.

The letter was something I was scared to write. It was written at a time when I was beginning to put things back together from the ride I was on last year. More than anything, it shows the ambition of my goal and reaching it by April 2012.

Will I make it? Probably not. Will I be well on my way to finishing this this? Absolutely!!

I cam looking so forward to being able to write again to Gail to tell her I'M DEBT FREE!

I was able to get out some words I needed to say to myself. Sending the letter to a mentor of mine was cathartic. It was healing. It was scary, yet freeing. And above all, I was moved that my mentor responded. I won't be posting her response, as it's personal for me and not something I'm ready to share just yet.

I'm sure you've noticed that my postings have changed since the beginning of the year. I feel more direction toward my goal. I also feel like I've learned so much about myself and how I work so I'm able to translate my learning into more directed and informative postings for those reading.

More than anything I'm taking it one step at a time. Taking a look at everything about my financial journey has been an eye-opening experience, and shed some serious insight into how I look at things and how I work.

Life is looking up for me. On this, the first day of February, I'm reminded that I am one month closer to my goal of financial freedom. I have 9 months left!!

Mind, Body and Soul (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:46:00 +0000

You've had the day to write whatever was in your heart, your mind, whatever your soul told you to write about. It's probably very lengthy. For some of you this is the first time you've written anything in a good long while. For some others it was probably emotional, and caused a whole heap of things to flood over you. For some others it was probably the hardest thing you've done in a while.

To all of you that did this - good for you. I hope you saved it, because today you'll need it.

Exercise Continued:

4. Re-read what you wrote. Pay attention to what you wrote, the words you used, the emotion you feel now and that which comes through the words. Use a highlighter if it helps.
5. Now turn over your goal page. Read your goals and look over your writings again. Do they jive? Do they seem like they jive? Are they on opposite ends?
6. Now turn over your spending tracking. Do this match you goals? Does it jive with your writings? Is it different again?

Who said no to any of these steps?

Here's the thing. You want a goal of being out of debt right? How many times did you eat out on your credit card this week? How many categories are you over budget in? What did you spend your money on?

So, tough question.... Do your goals match your actions? Do they match what's in your heart? Do they match with what you wrote about and what you did?

It's ok if they don't. Do not panic, get mad, cry or any of those things. It means that your head, and your heart aren't together.

I can hear a bunch of you right now...so what do we do about it?

That very obvious, very personal question is the very reason you're still spinning wheels, and feeling like you aren't making progress. Here's the kicker. I can give you a bunch of things you really should do to figure this out. I can tell you what I would do. But I'm not you. So I'll ask you each to think about this question again.

What are YOU going to do about?

The planners will write down everything they think they can talk themselves into doing. The planners will decide they'll go and do [fill in some other, more fun, less tough, less thinking activity here]. The planners will think to themselves, "well I'll just have to change the behaviour!" Even though they haven't changed it and they've been trying for months or even years.

To them I say - WHAT BEHAVIOUR? How can you possibly do something now, that you've never been able to do in your [number of years since you turned 8] years on this planet so far?? Which behaviour are you changing? ALL OF THEM some of you will shout!

Ya right, I say! Ya right you'll change all of them! That will last all of one hour and you'll be unconsciously doing all of them again without even realizing it! [Does it feel like I'm sitting in front of you watching and listening to you right now?] I am (muahahahahah!!)

Seriously though. The planners will continue to think out loud or write down lists or or or...

The executors will simply start showing by example. They will know which behaviour to begin with first, because they've already spent the time identifying not only the behaviour behind the action, but also the motivation for the behaviour and the reason it needs to change. They will start now, and be mindful of it. They will make conscious, measured changes to bring themselves from this to someplace that meets their goal. And they will know that it takes consious, daily effort, continued progress and constant testing and refinement.

The executors will be able to pinpoint the one activity they need to change. The one behaviour they need to change and set about doing it. More than that, they'll understand the reason behind the reason for WHY they do this and move towards the spot they really want to be at.

Wanna be debt free, but you eat out 2 or 3 meals everyday and can't understand where your money is going? You want to tame your food budget, so you cut it back, and cut out the fun and for 2 weeks things go well, then someone invites you out for dinner. You go, have a great time, and tomorrow you do dinner and lunch. the next day you grab lunch, dinner, and drinks after. Then 3 weeks go by and you've learned you are right back where you decided you didn't want to be.

Why not try it the other way? Stock snacks at home. You won't eat there anyways! Then use your grocery money as restaurant money. You are happy, you still only have one line item to worry about and you can make cheaper choices with your foods. The home doesn't have more than a few snacks in it, you still eat out, which is something clearly you enjoy and you've taken care of the food line in a way that both works for your life and your budget.

So, now that you've taken the steps to figure out what it is you really want, you can modify your budget and life accordingly.

Have a look at things. Figure out and learn some things about yourself you didn't know, and now you've got the picture to start to move yourself towards what you really want, and making the necessary tweaks along the way.

Mind, Body and Soul (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:16:00 +0000

This past month I've been going through some pretty deep topics and how they relate to you and your finances. I thought today I'd speak about the three parts of our being.

Mind, Body, Soul.

These are three key areas of your life. On my financial journey, I've learned that each of these parts moves in it's own way, marches to it's own drum, and the parts aren't always in time, in tempo or in harmony.

In order to reach your goal, you have to get them marching together, beating harmoniously and making beautiful music together. How on earth do we do that?
[I can hear you all now!]

First, I've learned that to get to where you want financially, or in any aspect of life, you need to take a hard, honest look at things. For example, let's do an exercise!

1. Get your goal list. (put it in a pile)
2. Get your spending tracker. (put it in the same pile)
3. Spend an hour writing down how you feel about your finances, your life, your mood lately, your dreams and how you feel right now! (write and write and write until you've gotten everything out. DO NOT CENSOR YOURSELF!)

I'll wait while you write...

Keep writing....

Seriously go write...I've moved the rest of this post until tomorrow so you'll have to write today.

Plans vs Execution

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Today's post is a little bit of something I've been discussing with some people for a while. It speaks to the difference between thinkers and doers. It speaks to the difference between stagnation and motion.

It's the difference between planning and execution.

As a PF blogger, I speak of my life in relation to finances. Before this I spoke to my life in terms of relationships. I've been reading many posts from great bloggers and their commentors. More and more there have been a lot of constructive comments on the blogger's writing topic, however, with all of the good, there inevitably seems to be someone that feels they are entitled to rain all over the parade [use any other saying you want that relates to bursting bubbles or being negative].

Some PF bloggers have been told that now that they are out of debt, they are irrelevant. I feel that's entirely untrue. The financial journey does not stop at debt free. It continues on into preparing for a future, preparing for large purchases, saving for retirement, buying a home etc. The fact that many people feel it's their duty to make sure the blogger feels inadequate, horrible, sad and like they are sub-par is growing stronger in this community. There are people that feel attacking others on their content simply because they disagree is part of what I'm talking about.

Plans/Planners

There are people out there that like to complain. That like to whine about their situation, find every excuse NOT to do something and feel that no matter what they do nothing will work. We've all met them. We've all seen their comments. We've all tried to offer advice and help. These people are stuck. They enjoy complaining about something because it means they are getting the attention. The underlying current of despair is there because they've lost the ability to try. They've lost the ability to care about themselves and their situation.

These people are those that make all kinds of plans. They are planning to talk to their bank about doing something about their interest rate. They are planning to buy this, or visit that, or take this trip, or pay off their debt. These are the verbal planners. Each time you speak to them they make verbal plans, but don't follow through with anything. These tend also to be the people that tell you "what you want to hear". I bet you can name 5 people you know right this second that are like this. I bet you've done this at some point as well. I know I have. So what's the difference between these people and you/me?

You and I started educating ourselves. We started recognizing this in ourselves and started to make change.

Then you get the people that have moved forward a little into writing out plans. These people are the most amazing planners you've ever met. They have lists, they have dates, they have neat little books. Taking a closer look at this group and their plans and you find that their dates have passed, but they are still in the same place, but they've got all these lists. They look good on paper, but haven't accomplished much tangibly. Nothing wrong with being this person. It's an evolution past the complaining stage. Often this is where the discovery happens, on who a mentor might be, or they may try the advice of guru after guru, but haven't actually done anything yet.

Nothing wrong with this - I've been here too.

There are many other types of planners as well.

How do you go from being a planner to being an executor?

You look at your plan. You recognize the fear you have about moving forward. This is the fear that causes the complains to continue to complain. It's this fear that means all those plans and lists and dates go by without action. It's the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, the fear we have of looking like a fool. The difference between an executor and a planner is this:

The executor recognized the fear. Acknowledged it's presence and DID IT ANYWAY!

Those complainers won't change until they decide to so let them complain to someone else. The farther you get down your path, the more those complainers will turn into nay-sayers, and "I told you so -ers" and dream crushers, and soul crushers, and negative negative people. These are people you need to recognize in your life, and put a little distance in between - or resolve to simply discuss other topics with them and not anything about your journey or your life.
Fear, jealousy, and envy turn the best of people into the ugliest of people simply because they are afraid to do what you are doing and don't want you to be doing it. They want you to fail along with them so they can feel good about themselves.

Executing/Executors

These people eat fear for breakfast. These people know they have fear and manage it by working through it and doing it anyways. These people worked a plan all the way through. These people are role-models, are admired, are toted for their ability to work a plan and finish what they start.

This is where I want to be. This is where I am working at getting to. This is where we all want to be.

Executors are also people that are able to traverse what life throws at them and still work their plan. Words like uncompromising, driven, tenacious, focused, describe these people. They also get tagged with arrogant, haughty, blunt, direct, and audacious. Why? Often because the people using these terms are jealous, envious and fearful.

To become an executor you need to take the first step. Just take it. You need to get past the "what will happen" fear that all of us find. Once you take that first step, you continue taking one step until you wake up one day and realize you are more than half way to your goal!

Fear grips us all differently. Many of us know the people that are quick to say, "What does it matter what I do, it won't change anything!" Really? I'm sure Ford said that when he worked on the car. I'm sure the guy that came up with WD40, using this logic, should have stopped after WD1 when it didn't work. Heck where would we be without velcro, duct tape, tylenol, rubber, glass, plastic, clothing...at some point everything we do and use was thought of by a person. If each of those persons that "What does it matter, it won't change anything!" We'd still be at 2 billion people on this planet and plowing our fields with horse-drawn plows!

Come on!

Who cares what Jane, Bill, Joe, Gloria, the neighbour down the street, the co-worker in the next cubical or your boss is going to think? YOU do - well some of you anyways. THEY don't. YOU do. It's in YOUR head, the conversation where they tell you it's a useless waste of time. How do I know this? Because YOU haven't had the conversation with THEM yet! That's why you can't figure out how come those people that are debt free are debt free. That's why you can't figure out why they "get to have that thing" and you don't!

To become an executor, you need to get your priorities in order. You need to figure out what is the most important thing for you. You can't say debt is and then promptly use your credit card. That's anti-priority behaviour!

To be an executor, you need to get your priorities straight.

More than that. To be an executor you need to understand the thinking process behind this. You can't be an executor on your debt when you think and say things like "I could never go without my credit card! What if I need it because I'm in an accident or I have an emergency?"

I could never go without my credit card! What if I need it because I'm in an accident or I have an emergency.

Read that sentence again. Could Never. What if. That's fear! That's doubt! That's scared! That's NEGATIVE self-speak!

If you think you can't you're right. You can't. If you think you can. You're right, you can! If you think of all the negative things that could happen if you don't carry your credit card, then those negative things will start happening and you'll use that as proof of your thoughts. An executor doesn't think or speak this way any longer. That's the barrier of fear they've crossed.

My own example has been fantastic so far. My credit card has remained at home. My debit card too. I haven't thought once about "what if". I just resolved to not be in a situation that required it's use.

I'm not perfect. I'm not even the best at this. I'm just able to recognize that I want to be an executor and stop being a planner.

The point of this email is this:

Start moving yourself to becoming an executor and start being mindful of the self-speak that happens in your head. The biggest thing many of us need to get over is the need to be validated by others. The validation we are seeking is from ourselves. If we take the time to give ourselves that, more incredible things will be accomplished by our person than we ever thought were possible.

Today - do something that invokes fear in you. Recognize that you are fearful and DO IT ANYWAY! When you have completed the activity, enjoy the surprise, joy, happiness, and all the other great emotions that come from completing something you were scared to do.

As always - share! I love to hear about your actions. They are an unconscious reminder for me to keep shining brightly, knowing that others around me are not afraid to shine their own lights brightly.

(The quote from Nelson Mandela is my absolute favourite. It's also one that I continue to find relevance, depth and meaning in daily.) Shine away my friends. Your light helps remind me to shine too!

What Have You Been Denying Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:09:00 +0000

I read a blog post the other day by a writer I really enjoy. She writes about her life with her daughter and the conversations they often get into. I read it because it reminds me to enjoy life. I read it because it reminds me see the beauty in everything, that the small things really make a life, and that no matter what other people think you need to be yourself.

Here is the post that got me thinking.

What got me thinking most was the wish Jennifer voiced aloud.

How many times have we made a wish and just let it hang out there? How many times have we been able to say no to ourselves because we feel we need to sacrifice and perservere through whatever silent torture we have going this week? How many time shave you made a wish and left it there believing that if you wished hard enough it would come true?

So, you're getting out of debt and you feel you must cut out all the fun, all the extras, all the silent joy in your life because you were horrible with your finances. What if you could find one thing that no matter the situation you could do for yourself that would bring the joy back, fulfill a wish, and provide endless hours of happiness?

Some of you may think - I get my coffee every morning to wake myself up. I challenge you to see that it isn't the waking up that is the reason that you get this coffee, but because it's something deeply personal, and you can savour and indulge in. If you are one of those get-it-and-run kinds of people, why not slow down for 10 minutes each day and really enjoy that coffee in the morning. You may find that those 10 minutes each morning do more for your soul than the 5 cups of coffee you drink in a day.

For me, it's finding something to enjoy everyday. It could be something unexpected in nature, that for 5 minutes I marvel at. it could be a hot bubble bath that I can soak the day away with. It could be a good book that I read for an hour every night. For me it's also been the 45 minutes I spend with Bob Harper and the Biggest Loser Bootcamp people getting my body working.

So, what have you been denying yourself, that maybe you could be using to change y our feeling of content to a feeling of joy? Flowers once a month? Coffee enjoyment every morning? I'm not talking about denying the vacation when you're debt keeps mounting. I'm talking about those little things we wished for over our lives, that you could be doing now to bring joy into your life.

Which brings me to another thought-provoking question. What is the difference between being content and being happy/joyful? [this will be a topic by itself in a few days....just something to think about]

A Free Stay-cation

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Yep you read that right! A Free stay-cation!

This weekend was the company Christmas party for the place le man works. The company was kind. They supplied each employee with a room, paid for by the company, an incredible buffet dinner, open bar, and live entertainment. We had an overnight stay in on of the hotels that the company built and completed all the inside finish work for. They do this every year. It's always in a place they've built and finished, and often they spring for a room for each employee so they don't have to worry about people driving and drinking, weather or anything else.

For le man and I, it's a nice little stay-cation that costs us breakfast. We were only 25 minutes from home this time, but we stayed over, celebrated well into the night, ate all kinds of fantastic foods and enjoyed some time to unwind together.

It was free for me! How? Le man takes me out for breakfast in the morning, and thus it doesn't cost me a penny. Breakfast cost him $40 with tip, but the food you get for that was bountiful! Not only was it bountiful, it was really healthy too! Le man didn't mind this at all, as he was fortunate and won one of the prizes the company gave away last night - $125 gift card at Home Depot!

So, for nothing but my time I was able to indulge for a weekend.

Not gonna lie - as a PF blogger on a budget and working to get out of debt, I L O V E this kind of weekend!

The First Step

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Before I get too far into today's post, I thought now would be a good time to poll the readers and ask if the content I'm working on this year is a drastic change over last year, and if it's seeming like I've taken a complete 180? I do not blog for money. I blog for me, and I enjoy that you are reading. I just wanted to check. This year more than any other, I feel like I have some good content, and that I'm more organized in my posting and thoughts on the topics I write about.

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. If some of you don't feel comfortable with them being posted, please shoot me an email at thequesttobe@gmail.com

I took my first of 21 steps to debt freedom this week.

My First Step!

I think the first step on any journey is the hardest, most rewarding step of them all. It means you started. If you spent the time getting your mind in the right place and your plan tuned up, then this is one step towards a journey that will be purposeful and driven. I took a first step on this same journey last year. What's different about this year then, and this particular first step?

It's the first time I've ever felt so ready to take it. It's the first time I know that my plan will be executed without a hitch. It's the first time that I know that this is the last time I'll be taking this particular first step.

How can I be so sure? I tested, and retested the plan I've got, fine-tuning it as I went. Fixing what wasn't working well and replacing it with what does. The plan I have now is in place so that no matter what life hands me this year this plan will get executed. It also doesn't rely on me finding ways to make more money. It's based solely on what I net each pay day. Extra money is extra money is extra money. Applying it to my debt will get me there a little bit faster.

Taking the first step on the road to any goal is really really exciting!! It's the step that starts the journey. It's the one you look back on and say with confidence, that was the day I started this journey. This year I've already paid off 5% of my debt. And I'm stoked to get to next payday.

The difference this time is that I've set up the fun things between those days now. I'm no longer chomping at the bit to get to the next payday two weeks away. I don't get bogged down by the time between pay days. I find fun, interesting things to do between those days now. I have other projects and items to get done while I move purposefully through life taking chunks off my debt as I go.

Last year felt like all debt all the time. This year it feels like all life all the time.

The first step is huge. It starts the journey. But it isn't the whole journey. You'll fall down now and again. You'll step on something that won't feel very good underfoot. You'll accidentally put your foot threw a crack or whole you didn't see. Maybe you'll walk through a puddle or two.

I don't know about you, but as long as I have my Wellington's on, I don't mind splashing in puddles. As long as I have my hikers on, I don't mind trying to leap over creeks or balancing on a ledge. As long as I have my runners on, I don't mind sprinting. As long as I have my hot heels on, I don't mind stepping out on the town!

The pint is that you need to take the first step, bringing with you the fear of the unknown, the foot gear you might need on the journey, your "map" (read: the plan) and something fun to keep you going while you are on the journey.

How is your first step going?

Automation is King

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Ramit Sethi has it right. Automation is King.

I have everything but my debt repayment and my Rogers bill automated. What does that mean?

It means that on a certain day each month a payment for my Rent, Insurances, RRSP contribution all remove themselves from my bank account and land at the company I have chosen for these things.

It helps with everything.

Most of you already know that this is the easiest way to deal with payments for things. I say That's Awesome! And if you STILL haven't automated your payments (not all but the standard, unchanging ones) I ask WHY NOT?

Here's what else I automate:

I automatically go to the bank at lunch on the day the paycheck lands on my desk. I walk into the branch, go to a teller, deposit the money leave again. When I get back to work, I move my money online from my bank to my debt in a set number I've decided on. It isn't a dip into my account from the Debt holder in this case. Why? Because I want to be able to call the company and now what my debt balance is, know what those cents are on the bill and be able to add that to my payment so I don't see those little pennies on the bill when it comes in next month.

Its an automatic thing for me.

Some of you have automated your morning. How many of you have to grab a cuppa something each morning at your chosen Cuppa Place (Starbucks, Second Cup, McCafe, Tim Hortons, Williams etc.) I don't have this as an automatic thing because I love the way I feel after drinking 500mL of water in the morning. For me my Cuppa is something that I can get for free from my fridge, or my tap. I give my body what it really needs, and I can do it for free! (that's my preference and I'm in no way harping on you for your preference.)

What about your language? Do you automatically say when someone asks you how your day is going, Fine? Or something equally as passively negative? Yep me too. Here's the thing. I'm slowly beginning to realize that certain things that are automated in our lives need to be way less automated.

Automation works for a fantastic amount of our life. Question - how many days do you get in your vehicle or choice, head down the same route tot he same place, get there and then have a moment of How did I get here?

That moment - we all get it more often than we think - means you've automated your commute. This isn't necessarily a good thing. Especially if you are the one operating the vehicle you've chosen to take you from A to B.

There is a thing called presence. It requires you to be present in your life. Presence and automation have an ongoing war within us. We automate the smaller more trivial items, and think we are present for the rest, but I'll tell you, I've tested this and know it to be true for far too many people - WE ARE NOT AS PRESENT AS WE SHOULD BE IN OUR OWN LIFE.

For finances, the more automation, the better it is for yourself. It means you have to worry about fewer bills arriving in your mail (good for the environment), and fewer due dates because you've told your creditor (read company that bills you) when you'll allow the bank to shift the money. Don't get me wrong, when you are fighting through your finances, it is good to know when this money moves so you can check your account that this has in fact taken place and the amount is correct, but it takes the need to remember to pay that bill away from you and gives it to both your bank and the company.

Here's the thing though, getting to automation takes work on your part.

Let's say, for example, you have a goal of working out 5 times a week. Do you really think that your first week out you'll be able to meet this goal right away with something you have yet NEVER done before?

Nope - you'll fail! You'll get bummed out and decide that working out isn't something you can do. To automate this behaviour into your life you have to start with small, purposeful steps to get there.

To workout 5 days a week, you need to start by committing to 1 day a week! Yep just one. Seems simple right? For many people, this small steps thing isn't what they want. They want to quick and dirty short cut to get them from something they "know" they should do, to their goal of doing it every day! When applying this to finances, can we see why some of us are doing well and our friends are still complaining about it?

For me to get to debt free, I need 21 steps. Unless I come into a whack load of money tomorrow or next month, I'm not getting there any faster than 21 steps. Why? Because that's how many paycheck I need to have in my hand so I can move $750 from each of them to get me to debt free. Whining won't help me. Snivelling won't help me. Complaining that I have soooooo many steps to take and then never actually taking the FIRST one isn't going to help me.

I've set up myself to be automatic with my debt repayment. From each check, I take $750 and apply it to my debt. BEFORE I do anything else with my money.

So - here's a challenge. (I'll be doing it to for my health goals, so I can work up to moving my body as often as my goal says). Take a goal. Break it down into steps and take the first one today.

My goal of moving my body 30 minutes 6 days a week, needs to begin with me moving my body for 30 minutes 1 day a week. I already do one. So my next step is to add one more day to that. It might take me a few months to get to 6, but by starting at 2 and systematically working up, I'll get to that goal in no time!

Try it! Automate one more thing in your life this year.

Here's a hint as to how to do this...

Take you planner or calendar. Set and APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF. What a novel thing that! An appointment with yourself! I have one every Thursday night (for curling!). I have another one every Friday night after work for Bob Harper and his kick-ass boot camp. Next week I've set two other appointments with myself for Monday after work and Tuesday after work. These are non-negotiable for me now. An appointment with myself means me time in my schedule to work on meeting a goal. Remember, I've automated my debt goal for the year. Now I"m working on automating my health goal. It's a process. It takes time. But I've learned I have all the time I need to do the things that are important to me.

Let me know what you want to automate, and I'll check in with everyone next month on how my automation is going.

Friday Finances

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Okie dokie! Time to check in with my finances over the last week...

Sat Jan 7, 2012 - Gas $48.74
Sun Jan 8, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Mon Jan 9, 2012 - NO SPEND DAY
Tues Jan 10, 2012 - Life Insurance
Wed Jan 11, 2012 - Gas $50.30
Thurs Jan 12, 2012 - Curling Entertainment $5
Thurs Jan 12, 2012 - Gift $50
Fri Jan 13, 2012 -Acupuncture $79.10

Doing well I'd say.

Day 11 and Going Strong!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Today is January 11, 2012. I checked my bank account. Guess what I saw!!!???

THREE. That's THREE transactions in my account! YAY!!

Jan 1 - Rent and Car Insurance Came out.
Jan 10 - TD Insurance came out

I'm expecting a paycheck to show on the account tomorrow when I deposit it. From here there will be a transaction for debt repayment tomorrow as well. Step 1 of 21 will be complete tomorrow. After that a transaction should hit my account on Jan. 16, 2012 for Life Insurance. And then I await a bill from Rogers, and at some point I'll have to fill the laundry card.

If I did this right, I'll have a total of 13 transaction lines on my account in January.

Rent
Car Insurance
Life
Life
Pay
Debt
Pay
Debt
Rogers
Laundry
RRSP
TD
Money for February

The only one I can do anything about is TD. I can only do something about that when my account balance gets above their "minimum" or I change banks completely. For now, it's a reminder for me to keep working towards a better financial life. OR to get off my duff and deal with this account thing. I have to check it out because they hold my RRSP and I'm pretty sure I have to have an account for them to do this. I could be wrong. This will be something I research this year.

I'm doing wonderfully on this low/no spend month thing as well. I'll be posting my progress each Friday. I just got a little giggly over there only be three transactions on my bank account.

Moving Forward Beyond the Sticking Point

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:50:00 +0000

Every time you set a goal you come face to face with the sticking point. It's the point at which your momentum wavers, your drive wavers, your desire wavers, you feel tired and run down and you get "stuck".

For financial goals this means it's the month that you suddenly find you've unintentionally (or intentionally) fallen off the wagon with your finances. It's the month that you see the same balance on your debt. It leads to debt fatigue, goal fatigue, life fatigue. We all get it.

I got stuck last year after some things happened. I've spun my wheels on my debt for about 6 months now. January I'm moving past that stuck point.

The thing is, often times we get stuck through no fault of our own. Sometimes we get stuck because we allow the doubt and fear of others to get the better of our knowledge of ourselves. We allow someone else to wash negativity over us and we start to listen to the scared little voice in our heads that says we can't do something because it's too scary. We can't do that because What If??????

I spent a weekend with my family. Having dinner with my father (a rare occasion indeed!) and step-mother. Then I spent the remainder of the weekend with my mother and grandmother. What I learned is this:

I have a bright light. My father is fearful of my potential and thus feels it necessary to remind himself that he has a friend that has a house in Arizona and they can visit anytime they want on their friends aeroplan miles. It's fabulous, and he helps his friend find deals to stay under his friends budget. What I noticed about this conversation was the attempt to show that my father is budget conscious, savvy with deals and doesn't need to spend a lot of money to have a vacation every year. His friends are nice people. The thing is, he isn't spending his own money, and he has to operate under the guidelines set forth by someone else. He doesn't use his own money for anything and he has all of these great things!

[did everyone read right through that?]

Then I spent the remainder of the weekend with my mother and grandmother being told I'm the most selfish person they know, I'm exactly like my father, and the two siblings/children that were "put out of the house because their attitude was horrible, they were nasty to my grandmother all the time and only wanted to be part of the family for the money they'd get when my grandparents passed away." "I don't think of what needs to be done at their house and I don't come home to help them, when I know they need help." "They can't believe they raised such nasty, selfish, uncaring children/grandchildren, and only want me/us home for a visit once in a while since we won't come home to help them out every weekend." How absolutely horrible of me. How could I not know that my mother's ailments were causing major problems? I ask her how things are with her every week and get told fine. I am supposed to know that that means she's having trouble. I do not and have not asked my family to pay for things for me in almost 15 years. If they offer money I accept, but I do not beg, borrow, ask, or expect them to pay or give me any money. Apparently though I'm still after it.

[did you read through their words too?]

What I've learned from my family is that they are so fearful of my shining light and accomplishments that they need to do anything they can to make me feel as inadequate as they feel all the time. They do what they think they must to knock me down a few notches when they feel I'm getting too flighty and unruly.

How often in your life to you take the words of the people you most want to be proud of you and to celebrate your successes as your own and stop doing what you've set out to do?

I've been spending a great deal of my life allowing my parents and grandparents to influence what I'm doing in my life. I've spent far too long allowing them to say "I don't think you should be doing that, it doesn't sound good..." And at their words I've not done something. Sometimes they were right to be apprehensive about something, but more times than not, I should have done the thing that I allowed them to talk me out of because of their fear, not necessarily my own.

How many times to you tell someone about your accomplishment only to hear "I could never do that!" How many times have you said that to someone else?

I've completed the stair climb at the CN Tower - all 1776 steps I climbed. Unlike some of my fellow challengers, I actually stepped on every one of those stairs. Some people have trained their bodies better than I and bounded up them 2 at a time. All I see is a challenge for myself and feel envy for those people that are in better shape than I am, that can do that.

What a round-a-bout way to make a point!

The point of this post is to give you food for thought on your goals. Moving past the sticking point takes first the knowledge that you are stuck, and second the knowledge of why you are stuck.

Are you stuck because you are afraid? Are you stuck because you've allowed someone elses fear to stand in the way of you plan? Are you allowing your own uncertainty about what happens next to stand in your way?

Fear keeps us in check. But it also has a nasty habit of standing in our way. It's good to be afraid, as long as you don't let that fear cripple you from doing something that is on your plan (and obviously not illegal or going to cause great bodily harm to you or others).

So if you're stuck, what are you doing to move you?

January No/Low Spend Check Up

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:17:00 +0000

Sunday Jan 1/12 - NO SPEND DAY
Monday Jan 2/12 - NO SPEND DAY
Tuesday Jan 3/12 - Rent and Car Insurance out of account $601.59
Wednesday Jan 4/12 - NO SPEND DAY
Thursday Jan 5/12 - $10 Spent form Entertainment Budget for Curling
Friday Jan 6/12 - NO SPEND DAY

I've begun making harder decisions about my stuff. I've spent the holiday time I had organizing myself. There's the ever growing pile of clothing for donation:

And the ever growing pile of papers to burn/shred:

This year I've begun wrapping up projects at work so I can move on to new and more exciting things. I've begun making decisions about my possessions that are turning out to be more freeing than I anticipated! My purse and wallet are ready to tackle my remaining debt, and make lasting and powerful changes to my relationship with money.

As one kind reader mentioned, my energy is beginning to show in my posting and I to am happy to be "back"!

As The Asian Pear mentioned in a recent comment, moving to a smaller wallet alleviates all of those extra cards we clutter ourselves up with. I have 6 plus my license in my new wallet - none of which are cards that access any of my accounts for money.

I'm feeling better and better each day. I'm enjoying being present with myself each day. I'm enjoying being on top of things, being organized, being in control of my life, and feeling like Ive got a handle on my life again. It's been months since I've felt this way!
This weekend I'll be spending it with my family.

Oh - and my sister just got her new apartment - which is about 25 minutes from our family, and about 7 minutes away form where she works. It's in the city, so it's small and costs an arm and a leg, but it's about to provide her the ability to be closer with my mom and more into the area where all of her friends are. It will remove the need to be up at 5am to drive to work everyday. She'll be home with more time for herself and relax and I'm over the moon for her! I love that she's getting herself figured out. I love that she's moving into a more healthy place in her life.

2012 is a week old, and I'm having a fantastic year!

I've added a new feature to my blog as well...I'm sure you've all noticed it...it's to help me track my health goals as well. I want to lose 50 pounds. To do this I will break it down to smaller goals and post in a few days. I haven't set a time limit fr this weight loss yet. I can tell you though, that I've worked out 3 days this week for a minimum of 30 minutes each day. Thursdays are curling, and I've tackled Bob Harper and his Biggest Loser Boot Camp twice so far. I feel great. I sleep deeper than I have in a long time. I have that "I've worked out" muscle ache in places I haven't had that ache in a while. As soon as I finish this post I"ll be doing it again before I head to my mom's so that will make 4 times this week.

I am so eager to get moving on my financial and health goals I'm positively bursting!

Sharing Happy News!!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:14:00 +0000

****WARNING: CONTENTS IS BOTH HAPPY AND KINDA A T.M.I. FOR MY MALE READERS! PROCEED WITH CAUTION****

I just wanted to share some happy news with everyone. A couple of months ago there were strange things going on with my body, a as direct result of having an accident. The trouble with my body was probably there prior to the accident but the combination of events last year opened up a can of worms that I didn't know existed.

I went for ultrasound in early November. Things looked like they could be foreshadowing very nasty things on my horizon. I get worried, panicked a little and got very down on myself...

We had a followup ultrasound scheduled for 4 days before Christmas. The doctor's office just called me with those results....

I DO NOT HAVE OVARIAN CYSTS!

I HAVE TRACES OF ENDOMETRIOSIS ON THE LEFT SIDE - which is DOWN from the first ultrasound when it picked it up all over!!!

[insert best happy dance here!]

This means my acupuncture treatments are working. It means the massage therapy I'm doing is working! It means I can have kids! I'm back on a normal cycle and things are feeling G R E A T!!

Just thought I'd share with you all!!

Moving Towards Minimalism

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:54:00 +0000

I mentioned yesterday that I was turning over a new year, and in doing so, getting myself ready to complete my financial goal and garner better financial behaviours.

Today, I want to show you what I'm working with. This is my purse. Inside the purse I have my wallet, my money envelope wallet, my tracking book, my day planner, and my journal. I also have my business cards and a coin purse for pennies in there but you can't see them.

I am now using a Danier, half sized wallet. I received this as a gift many years ago along with the full size counter part. I've downsized in wallet size to fit everything into my purse neatly and organized.

Inside the wallet I have the following:

Money left over from the year
License and Insurance (behind the license)
Home Sense Gift Cards (totaling $85)
Tim Hortons Gift Card
Air Miles Card
Shoppers Optimum Card
HBC Points Card
Petro Points Card
Fuel Savings Card for Petro Canada
Receipts for things I have to exchange from Christmas in the side pocket where the money is supposed to be.
Flash Drive (tiny, in the second section of the coin area for use for curling stats I keep)
Emergency Call Numbers in case I'm in an accident and I can't talk

You won't find my debit or credit card in this wallet, anywhere. I'm not carrying them on my person anymore. I will grab my debit card on payday every other week so I can deposit my check(s) at the bank without hassle. I am using the envelop system - so no cash in my wallet either.

I'm actually really enjoying the current state of my purse and wallet. I can get everything in I need. I can carry around my planner and wallet, notebooks and miscellaneous items without having a second bag to drag everything with me. I can see exactly where each item is supposed to placed in my purse so it has a home and goes back there after each use.

What's more - because of the Tim's gift card in my wallet, I haven't had a need to use anything from my Entertainment Budget yet. I use my Tim's card for my Money Meetings twice a month, and therefore, need not spend any of my own money for this. Thank you to those people that gifted me a Tim's Card this Christmas! You're gift brings a great happiness to me, and allows me to use the money at my discretion. It also means that if I forget lunch one day, I can pop over for a chicken sandwich and still not break budget!

I'm waiting for spring to spend the Homesense gift cards, and my friends and family have taken care of my entertainment for the duration of the amount on my gift cards. I am feeling really good about 2012 and what I've got coming up. I know for sure I'm asking for another Tim's Gift Card for my birthday in April! Honestly, these are the best things ever!

I have one gift card that isn't in my wallet yet - A Chapters Gift Card from my awesome Secret Bloggy Santa (I know who she is, but I like the secrecy of not telling you). This one I'm saving for a little while yet though. I want to use it for a book that I really want. As of right now I have a pile of material to read, so I don't know in what direction I want to go with it yet. We cleaned out a pile of books that were my grandfather's. I've got enough reading to last about 2 years I think (at the pace I read personal books anyways). Then I have to decide what to do with some of them. I have 3 bookcases brimming with books right now. I have to get my read on, that's for darn sure!

I'm writing this with a great sense of pride in myself for getting organized and carrying only my essentials now. I'm overjoyed that I've removed my debit and credit cards from my wallet, and I do not have a sense of dread doing it. I have my envelop money with me.

The pictures above were taken with my Canon ELPH. Le man gifted me a camera for my pocket when I'm out at parties or events that I don't want to bring my big camera for, and one with more bells and whistles so I can take pictures to decorate our home with. He's a wonderful fiance!

Oh, and so far, only Rent and Car Insurance (automatic withdrawls) have caused any money to move from any category in my budget. So, since my gift cards are being used for Entertainment, I am on my 4th No-Spend Day of the year! And my account has but 2 transactions posted to it!!

I feel like singing!!

January - Get Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0000

I've spent the better part of two days doing things to get myself ready for 2012. I've got my budget ready to go. I've got my purse packed with all of my new essentials. I'm even going minimalist on my wallet (pictures to come). My Bank Card and Visa Card are safely tucked away in a place that isn't my wallet, or my purse and are waiting patiently for a day down the road when they are needed.

My bank card will come out to play every two weeks on pay day so I can deposit the check (we don't have direct deposit) and won't have to fuss with new tellers that get upset with you when you use your driver's license.

I have completed the following tasks on my ever evolving List of Things to Do in 2012:
1) Inventory MK merchandise still in stock.
2) Ready Application for HST reimbursement from "Own Use" Products
3) Photocopy and mail application
4) Purge paperwork
5) Organize Craft Box
6) Organize Stuff shelves and purge what's not necessary in my life anymore.
7) Un-Christmas the apartment
8) Set up envelopes for budget items for the next two weeks
9) Begin HP #4 (I'm now 400 pages into it)
10) Re-organize and purge old school stuff
11) Decide on the items I'm gifting to people for birthday's this year.

It's a fair bit of things in the last two days. I feel good about everything. I feel great about recycling 2 pages of paper, and getting a bag of shredding/burning ready to go. I feel great about taking out 3 bags of pure garbage, preparing 2 boxes and 1 bag of items for donation, and getting my crafting box put together so I know where everything is. I have 6 Christmas gifts still to give. I have 4 birthday presents ready and wrapped. I have one baby shower gift ready and wrapped. I am ahead of the game when it comes to these things this year. I'll be finishing off one more birthday gift this month.

I begin my exercise plan tonight after work. I'm excited about this! I even have a little tracking book in which to write my progress on this goal as well. It all fits so nicely in my purse!

I'm feeling more on top of life, myself, my stuff and my goals this year! I've been a busy beaver lately getting my head around my plan, getting my apartment set up to execute my plan, and reminding myself to stay present every day with my goals.

I've been reading some great planning and organizing posts today as well! I warms my heart to see so many people getting on top of their goals with this portion of the work!

Happy New Year!

January - the Bare Bones Month

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:41:00 +0000

I spent a good deal of last night getting myself New Year's Ready!

I am going to be getting into the swing, by participating in the No/Low Spend Challenge issued at My Half Dozen Daily.

Carla has laid out Rules for herself:

Carla's [My] Rules: (These are the rules I’m holding myself accountable to, feel free to follow mine, change them a bit to fit your lifestyle, or start from scratch!)

1. Track purchases! Write down every single penny we spend!
2. Continue with my “sealed pot challenge”. Any coins smaller than $1.00 go into my pot!
3. Menu plan & shop from a list! This will probably be the best single way we’ll be able to stick to the budget!
4. Find free & cheap activities to have fun!
5. Focus on simplicity, organizing, & donating/tossing. Before my January challenge starts I’ll be posting a list of projects I’d like to accomplish during the month.
6. Medicines/medical care doesn’t count. If something comes up & we need meds, I’m buying them.
7. No “pre-stocking-up”. I won’t spend $800 on groceries the week before my challenge starts in order to “get by”. It’s business as usual this month.
MY RULES:

1. Track Purchases! I have a nifty little book for this that fits beautifully into my purse.
2. Use Jar/Envelope System. They are set and ready to go. I'm stashing them into the zippy wallet Carla made and sent as part of the package. It fits perfectly into my purse!
3. Continue to shop from a grocery list. Leaving le man at home would be the equivalent of leaving the children at home. You accomplish two things - a seamless shopping trip stuck-like-glue to your list, and you don't have someone constantly asking for things that are not on the list!
4. Use all of the free activities at my disposal. This will got a long way to improving my health as well!
5. Continue to organize and toss/donate items that are cluttering up my life.
6. Medical items do not count as extra spending. They are necessary for me to continue my healing process from the accident, and keep me healthy and functioning. I will be sending away to get myself added to le man's benefits package as well. This allows a few more things to happen. Namely, paying for Chiropractor and RMT first and being reimbursed the total amount from his plan is going to go a long way to returning my money.
7. No "Stocking up". Items I have already "stocked up on" are a gift for a baby shower I know is happening in a month or so, and my sister's birthday gift - I got it at the end of November. With Christmas just finishing, I have enough snacks to last the month, and I've been spending a lot of time building my entertainment list with all the things I have in my place already. This weekend I'll be going over the personal care items I have squirreled away too. I'm fairly certain that outside of shampoo and conditioner, I won't have to spend a dime on much else - maybe just deodorant.
8. I MUST use up the personal care items in my place, before purchasing anything that I already have more than one of.
9. Use coupons as often as possible in combination with sales.
10. I MUST have FUN this ENTIRE MONTH! I already have a girl's afternoon planned, and I'm helping good friends move at the end of the month. My mom's birthday celebration is the second weekend in January, so that leaves one weekend to sort myself with. February I'm looking at planning a spa day for myself to have my hair done.

This challenge is very do-able. I just have to remind myself that everything I entertain myself will needs to come at no cost to me. I have Shawn T's original workout DVD's. I have Turbo Fit DVD's. I even was gifted the Biggest Loser DVD, complete with Bob Harper yelling at you for Christmas this year. I have tons of CD's of music. It's time to turn my living room into a Master Fit Studio and burn off my jiggly bits!

The above challenge takes care of my Financial Challenge. Now I'm also setting myself a Health Challenge!

Bare Bones January will also include the need to move my body for a minimum of 2 hours every day.

I'll be spending this weekend going through some more of my stuff in the apartment and getting it ready for removal (either through toss/donate/sell). I'm really enjoying making decisions on items that are simply taking up space in my life and not providing any real sense of happiness.

Lots to look forward to and lots that will be moving and shaking!

Have a great weekend all!!

Pictures of my Goodies

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:42:00 +0000

So, I won the package from Carla. Here's a picture of the wonderful items I received:

Then on Christmas Eve, my bloggy Secret Santa sent me this wonderful package:

There's a package of great smelling tea candles, and a really cute Santa and Reindeer Card holding, holding a Gift Card for Chapters! The CD with Christmas music, and a couple of Ice Chocolate Cubes. Note: a miny Toblorone and one icy cube didn't make it to the picture...mmmm....

I'm also including some pictures of took of the tree at my mom's. These were taken before a killer migraine hit me and has knocked me down off and on since. I found out today it's because the muslces in my shoulders, neck and head are so tight they are cutting off the circulation to the vessels in my head.

I received a Canon Powershot SX40 HS for Christmas from le man as part of my present. I love it and I'm really really happy with the quality of pictures this camera turns out. I'm not a professional photographer, so I was scared to ask for a Rebel T3i, as I'm not sure I'll be able to use the camera to it's full potential to warrant the money. I'm going to enjoy learning on my Powershot though!

With my lovely new present, I'm going to enjoy adding some colour to my blog for 2012. It makes me so happy. I didn't get a sewing machine for Christmas, but my mom and gramma are gifting me the covering of my dining room chairs. The material and the cost to have someone professionally do them. This makes me super happy!

Lots to get ready for the New Year!

I hope you are all getting yourselves organized and gear-up for 2012!

Preparing for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:01:00 +0000

The holidays came and went. I was sick - from Thursday until yesterday. Migraines that wouldn't decipate are difficult to deal with, especially in the middle of Christmas Day.

I have managed to get a few little things done for the new year. My tracking book is set up. I get paid tomorrow so the money for January will be coming out of that check. I'll be using envelopes for my categories, but only putting enough into them for one week. Tracking is going to be the one, sole item I do in 2012 that will get me to my goal.

I'm horrible at tracking. I'm good for a few days, then off the rails I go.

So - I've got my purse-sized notebook. I've attached a pen to it, so I've always got one. And I've got my envelopes in a handy new zippy wallet that Carla sent me!

I am getting super excited to get this thing done. I am very excited to start tracking and using these envelopes. I am over the moon to know that after too many years of saying it, I can finally realize my goal.

I went through a lot of my bills and files and found credit card bills from the day I opened my account with Crooks, Indignants, Bank Robbers and Criminals. I was absolutely amazed at how I had plans to pay that thing off each year since I got into debt. I was absolutely amazed that I didn't deal with the ever increase balance on the card years and years ago. I was absolutely amazed that I'd kept it all!

So, a little purge I went on. I have to call them and get a letter stating the old card account was closed. Right now my statement at the credit bureaux shows me having two accounts - and I don't.

A couple of things to clean up this coming year, like the incorrect information on my credit report, and my debt. I've also gotten quite a bit of stuff dealt with on the home front - my dining room table has been covered in things for me to "deal with". This week I'll be uncovering it from all of those items and actually taking care of things.

I got my new digital camera for Christmas and I'm super excited to get pictures of the package Carla sent me and the package that my Secret Bloggy Santa sent me! Thanks Girl Makes Cents it finally got to me Christmas Eve!

And I'm working on taking a lot more related pictures to spruce up this little blog.

2012 is going to be a fantastic year. I can feel it!

Goal Setting 101

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:28:00 +0000

2011 is nearing an end. I was prompted by a good friend of mine, that is also my life coach, kickbox coach, and general positivity role model. He sent me an email with a goal I had set at the beginning of 2011 in one of his courses.

It's been the same goal I told you all about at the beginning - To be Debt free on Dec. 31, 2011. Well it's a week before and I know that this won't be happening. Life laid down a gauntlet for me that made me readjust some things, this goal, my perspective, and the direction I want my life to go in for starters.

Here's the thing. I feel like I've completed the gauntlet now, that I've checked back into life. That I'm present in my life now: in the actions and choices I make each day, with my family and I've got clarity I didn't have before.

So - to set my goal this year, I had to remember to phrase it in the positive.

It is now October 31, 2012 and I AM COMPLETELY DEBT FREE!! I make my regular payments each month and enjoy the feelings of using cash for everything. Achieving this will remove the weight I carry from my past financial indiscretions, and allow me to march purposefully towards my next goal knowing I can set and meet my goals. My friends and family have benefited from my positive progress towards my goal, and will be able to experience a more positive, relaxed, excited Pam in their lives. I love knowing that I have laid a great financial foundation to move through the rest of my life, that I've conquered my financial inefficiencies, and that I can feel confident in making good, sound financial decisions in the future!

It has to reflect the goal as if it's the day you want it to be done. it has to be in a positive nature - not a passively negative one. It has to reflect how you'll feel about the goal being completed, and how the people in your life will benefit from this completion, and indicate what you'll move forward with.

To actually set a goal you must be mindful of all of these things.

Once you've set that goal - TELL EVERYONE!

I'll repeat step 2 again.... TELL EVERYONE!
Telling everyone keeps re-affirming your goal to yourself. It also gives you thousands of people to check in with. It unconsciously lets others know you need help with it, gives a topic of conversation for friends and family, and continues to remind you of your goal.

Step 3 to this process is breaking down that goal into manageable pieces. Want to pay off your debt? How much do you want to pay off from your debt this year? Got a number? Great - what is that broken done by the paycheck?

How are you going to meet this goal? For me - I want to be debt free on October 31, 2011. My closest paycheck to that day will be November 1, 2012. That means to meet my goal I have to be done with my debt on October 18, 2011 payday.
My debt will be $14,400. There are 21 paychecks between Jan 1, 2012 and Oct 31, 2012. If I pay $700 from each and every paycheck, I'll be done with the debt October 18, 2012.

So, my overall goal is in blue. My steps to reach that goal are 21 payments of $700 each, paid to the debt on each and every payday. Any extra money I get throughout the year, I'll be tossing onto this debt. My tax return (if there is one) will be going to this debt.

Can you see what is happening to my goal date? Yep - I'll be ahead of schedule!! I'll be EARLY!

To recap:

Goal Setting is 4 steps:

1) Set Goal
2) TELL EVERY ONE!
3) Break the big goal into manageable steps
4) Complete the steps!

Now - get busy y'all and get'er done.

Remember this holiday season - keep 'er between the ditches, rubber side down!

Hark the Herals Angels Sing

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Last exam written and soup is made!

Three gifts to wrap and a house to cle-ean, I'm enjoying some Bravo TV!!

Oh glorious holiday season, I embrace you. Oh glorious relaxation I crave for you. Oh glorious tree, I decorate you!!

I'm finally done school for 2011. I'm looking forward to submersing myself in all that this time of year brings - carols, Christmas TV, trees covered in ornaments, houses brightly lit, people in festive moods (oh wait a minute - nope not festive...more like over-the-top cranky!). I'm looking forward to getting a pile of things done around my place. Most of all, this Christmas, I'll be looking for sweet sugarplums of DEBT FREEDOM to dance in my head and remind me that, yes indeed, Carla I will be debt free by Christmas!

I am enjoying that I'll be debt free before this time next year. I am enjoying that I have all kinds of things ready to mobilize on January 1, 2012 to get me to debt free. I am looking forward to being financially lighter, and physically lighter one year from now.

There are so many tings that I have coming up and so many things I'm exited for.

Tonight, I"m going to enjoy some relaxation and get a few things done.

A Warm December

noreply@blogger.com (Finding my Way) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:45:00 +0000

I've been reading some great posts lately on a variety of things. Everything has one common theme - they are all goal oriented for the new year!

I am really inspired to make some changes, and follow this trend.

First, I've updated my Goals Page, tweaked my Blog Roll a bit (more to come), Updated my Questor Profile and updated my Budget for 2012.

I am writing my final exam on Wednesday morning, this week , and then I'm done with school and free to concentrate on my goals. My debt currently sits at $15,000. I have one paycheck left in this year. I want to start the year (2012) with a $14,300 debt. I will be finishing the year with $0 in debt. It will be a fantastic year.

Second to that, I will also be working on my Health in 2012. I will be finding fun, moving, free ways to increase my endurance, strength, muscles, tone up my body and decrease my lethagry, excess fat, and sugar cravings. Ugh! I used to say my only vice was sugar. Now I've realized that since it's "white death" I've slowly been feeding my body to run on sugar instead of complex carbs, proteins, fruits and veggies.

I've purchased my 2 notebooks already - at the dollar store - so I have one for all of my expenses, and one for all of my health related items. They fit in my purse with my wallet and some space left over - which is perfect as I noticed this was a factor I allowed to limit my use of my previous spending book.

Once my exam is finished I'll have freed up some of the mental space I need to take a proper reflection of this past year. I will be coming through with a "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" post to wrap up this year, and give me a reference point to start actively changing some more behaviours.

There are a few things I'm really wishing for this year. The first is I need a new digital camera - mine is a 4.0 mega pixel thing, that the buttons are now nearly seized on, the screen is so marked up I can't tell if the pictures are good or not, and for some of the photos I've taken over the years I'd like to have a better quality so I can start taking pictures the way I envision them, and not what I get from my camera's limited abilities.

The second - I really really want a sewing machine! Because frankly, I feel like half a woman without one. So many times I've wanted to sit down and throw some things together - like Christmas bags, or a quilt or hem pants or make new curtains, or get back into making some of my own clothes, or being able to get creative and gifting people some homemade items. I have a great envy for Carla and all her creative items. I may not sell them necessarily, but the fact that I can sit down and start both practicing stitches and creating items I need for my own place and for friends and family will be enough to keep me happy.

Life is about to get a whole lot more fun for me. It's also about to ramp up and i"m about to start knocking my goals out of the park. I'm so very ready for this!