I’m thinking a lot about what’s next. It’s the end of June and things are going to be changing very soon.  I know this. It doesn’t mean I’m stressing any less about finances. In fact, it’s probably why, yesterday, I was stressing about the work-related stuff. Okay, to be honest, I would have been stressed anyhow. But, I’m thinking a lot about the next few months. I really wish I could be open about it here, but for privacy reasons (since this blog is find-able), I can’t yet. Soon, though, I’ll explain it all.
But, yes, I was stressing about work, salaries, my “worth” and where my career is going and how I’m going to get there.  I’m still frustrated about that, to be honest. But, I can’t focus on that, all I can do is look forward towards what’s next. I realize that I’m working through paying off debts as much as I can before my life’s path turns the corner. But, I wont be debt free by then.  I realize this, and the truth is I’m just going to have to suck it up, get over the hang up of ‘never being in debt’ and move forward with the plan. Challenges and lean times in the near future will ultimately lead to growth towards my Perfect Day (yes, I’ll be vulnerable and I unlocked the post for people to read… 😛 ).  And I need to practice being financially as frugal as possible.
How are you streamlining your finances, whether due to budget constraints, the recession, job cuts, school, long term goals or just to be responsible?
Here’s what I’m trying to do:
1. No buying coffee out on my way to work. This is TOUGH as I’m a coffee addict. But I make it most mornings, and if I don’t then I suffer with my office’s coffee (sometimes it’s fine, sometimes it’s nasty).  Coffee is bought out for social reasons — after my Saturday run (it’s tradition and I cherish it) when we do our post run coffee/breakfast at The Granville Island Market, or with friends on other nights during the week.
2. I’m bringing my lunch, my goal is to bring it every day this week. Last week I bought lunch once in the week. This week my goal is to not eat out at all for lunch.
3. Expanding on the eating out subject, I know I eat out more than I should.  So I don’t want to eat out again this week, and in the future it has to be ‘special’ somehow. I had dinner out on Monday with a life-long friend and it was special because we haven’t seen each other, well, since my grandma’s funeral.  So I’m glad we got together and I cherish our times we manage to get together. But this idea also means that I need to think ahead. Friday night it’s a friend’s birthday dinner before a dance. I plan to go. But, I’m going to go later and stop in before my volunteer shift.  It would be nice to go longer but I know I’d feel obligated to buy something.
4. Face my finances more. When I was laid off, I focused constantly on the numbers to make sure everything was ‘okay’. But, lately, because I’m angry at being undervalued (career-wise) I’ve avoided the numbers.  That’s a horrible habit to get into and especially with the bend in the road coming I need to face my finances at a minimum of once a week.
5. Somehow, somewhere, I need to connect with Mel to talk about our finances. People talk about money groups, and while we both are private about actual numbers with most people we have known each other well and for many years (it will be 9 years this Summer! WOW!!) we have talked about being totally honest with each other. But it’s hard to figure out how.  Maybe this will eventually evolve into a ‘Money Group’ but for now it is going to be a money pairing. I can see it being much easier in September when schedules will open up. But for now, to get to September, I hope we will figure out how/when to chat.
6. Finally make my decision about streamlining my laundry: should I buy a combo portable washer/dryer, or not and if so, where will it fit?
So so far, this week has been alright. I’ve not bought food out, but I will admit to buying chocolate out a couple of times (BAD for the finances and BAD for the health, fitness goals I have) — it’s been a bad week, chocolate’s comfort (yes, yes, I know another can of worms) — and I did buy a travel sized bottle of contact lens solution for my trip next week. I’ve made lunch all week. Tonight I’ve got Sweet and Sour Chicken ready to go into my crock pot for dinner tomorrow (and lunch on Friday). I still haven’t addressed looking at my numbers.
But planning for the bend in the road takes more than just organizing my finances. I need to be better organized about my life. For that I’ve got a mental “to do” list that I should probably detail more specifically. Because the reality is I am going to need to have things well organized if I expect things to be efficient. Some of this goes back to financial planning — should I spend the money to buy a combo washer/dryer or should I just keep using my building’s laundry? Numbers matter, but to fit it in my apartment without my place looking like a ‘clutter queen’s apartment’ I need to re-organize my kitchen.  I talked about this recently here.  But organizing my home goes beyond that. There are bookcases, closets, storage lockers, kitchen shelves and other nooks and crannies that need sorting. I need to implement the 15 minute rule: Do something every day for 15 minutes.
Today I put my computer table area back in order, and tomorrow my coffee table (which is currently holding my financial paperwork) needs to be sorted (especially now that my shredder is emptied and I can shred the pile of receipts I’ve got sitting there).  There’s even my laptop! That really needs to be organized and better set up for what’s next.
I’m thinking alot about what’s next, and now as time ticks along, it’s time to ACT. Today feels good, I feel like I took one step. And that’s good.