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Early Retirement Extreme Forums » ERE Journals

1. 

   putski
   

   Novice
   Joined: Apr '11
   Posts: 25

   So I've decided to start a journal. I've been reading these forums daily for nearly a year now, but have seldom posted. I changed my username so that I might maintain some anonymity -- I used to go by my first name.

   December:

   Income: 3,962.26

   Expenses: 2,492,28

   Difference: 1,469.98

   Rent: 500
   Utilities: 190.77
   Food:
   groceries: 215
   eating out: 20
   drinking out: 31
   Car:
   fuel: 43
   Clothes: 104
   Student loan: 131.27
   Cell phone: 81.50
   Netflix: 7.99
   Gifts: 125.75 + 1,000.00
   Other: 42

   Utilities this month included a $46.50 water bill, which comes quarterly. I seldom go out drinking, so this expense was also not normal. I plan to return a pair of boots that I bought ($89), so my real clothes expense will be $15. The $1000 gift is somewhat of a loan to my boyfriend towards a car. While I don't agree that a car is the dire necessity that he believes it to be, it is my xmas gift to him to help him out. He says he will pay me back, though it's my general philsophy to regard friendly loans as gifts...

   January will be a tricky month. I am on vacation until the 18th (not by choice, though I'm welcoming the time off). I will be paid when I return, though my income for this month will most likely be lower than it has been for the past few months. I have some expenses coming up:
   I have real estate taxes to pay on some land I own: $660
   My tuition for this semester is currently about $3100, but I am contemplating dropping a class.

   I am pursuing a second bachelor's degree for reasons I can't fully rectify with my desire for ERE. I got my first degree from a very competitive (but very expensive) university in the oh-so-useful humanities (the student loan listed above is a remnant of that). I'm currently pursuing biology (ecology). I've been in school for the past year or so, taking 1-2 classes per semester (plus winter and summer sessions). I started out in bio during my first time around, so some classes transferred. I have about a year to go, if I take both classes this spring. I'm sort of treating school as my hobby at this point: I really enjoy it, I'm able to take classes in a sequence that is different from other undergrads (who seem to believe that you have to play by the rules), and I believe I have established some good relationships with my professors. I realize that I will probably make about the same income that I do now (and quite possibly less) from any bio job that I get with just a B.S. I hope to work as a fisheries observer in Alaska for maybe a year or two when I finish (this is a sort of bucket list job for me). I would love to go to grad school, but only if I'm paid to do it, or after I've reached ERE. As far as the upcoming semester, I'm becoming more attracted to taking only one class (and thereby reducing my tuition to about $1400). This might put off my graduation date, but I'm still not convinced that I absolutely need (another) piece of paper to do what I want.

   I suppose I am retired in the sense that I work part time while I'm free to pursue various interests. For the most part I enjoy what I do for work (I bartend), though I think it will be time for a change within the next year or two. As an INTJ, socializing and dealing with people makes me exhausted, although I believe that my discomfort in these situations has been rather positive for the way I associate with people in general (I also believe it's good to regularly step out of your comfort zone). My goal is to build up my savings, create sources of passive income, and have the freedom to live in a few different locations around U.S. and abroad). I bought land a few years ago (which I just paid off in October) with the dream of building myself a little off-the-grid cabin (to live in for part of the year, and live somewhere else the other part of the year). I may still do this. There is the possibility of harvesting timber from the land, or just selling it down the road.

   This post has gotten much longer than I intended.

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   putski
   

   Novice
   Joined: Apr '11
   Posts: 25

   So I figured I should update this thing...

   As I predicted, January was pretty abnormal with some big expenses (tuition, real estate taxes) and lower income due to vacation. In Febuary, I saved 51% of my income, and in March, I saved 62%. I started investing what I save in some dividend stocks. Both of those months I kept my grocery bill under $200, but I spent a lot on clothes in an attempt to create an entirely useful wardrobe (I've gotten rid of a LOT too, selling many things on Ebay).

   April:

   Income: $3,594.80

   Out:

   Rent $500
   Water 46.86
   Utilities 124.94
   Groceries 140.57
   Eating out 30.00
   Car (Fuel) 49.00
   Phone 82.00
   Student loan 131.27
   Tuition (summer class) 1269.00
   Clothes 16.00
   Netflix 15.50
   Other 235.00

   So only about 27% saved.
   I received news this month that my plush living situation will end at the end of May. I foolishly spent almost $200 on a real estate search site before finding a place through word of mouth. We will be moving to a place that will cost us $600 a month for everything (utilities and cable), so my monthly living expenses will shrink to a mere $300 (plus food)! It's also close to school and a grocery store, so I should be able to ride my bike more and use my car less. The living situation won't be so comfortable, but I think it will keep me focused on the task at hand, which is (1) saving money and (2) finishing school. I've been complacent for too long, living in NJ, working where I do, all because I felt that my living situation as a caretaker in exchange for cheap rent was unique and that I should take advantage of it while I could. I've been re-reading Harry Browne, and I have come to realize that this living situation has been a sort of trap. School has become my new trap, however: while I still am not entirely confident that it is a useful investment, I've come this far, I'm almost done, so I can't stop now!

   Moving has given me the chance to get rid of all the things that I don't use, and to evaluate what is important. I think Jacob mentioned in his book how easy it is to acquire things, but how difficult it is to find them new homes. This is so true! I have a growing pile in my garage that I need to unite with people via Craigslist, Freecycle and various donation organizations.

   My goals for May:
   I've been doing Bodyrock.tv workouts for awhile, but I started last week doing them every day. The plan for May is to start from the beginning and work through them all, interspersed with new workouts as they are posted. I need to clean up my eating, too: I try to eat mostly paleo, but I've been snacking on junk at night, and I feel more sluggish as a result.

   I also will research other streams of income (maybe doing transcription at home, copywriting, learning web design). I want to establish a stream or two of location-independent income so that I can decouple myself from this location when I finally decide to leave.

   I'm considering getting rid of my cellphone plan. I still have a year to go on my contract, but I think it will only cost about $130 to get out of it. I could sell my iPhone, buy a used older generation iPad (I use my phone mostly for reading blogs and things) and get a Tracphone for my phone usage (which I don't use very frequently anyway). I think I'll still come out ahead, considering I spend almost $1000 a year on my phone now.

   Anyway, I hope to update before another 4 months pass by...

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   putski
   

   Novice
   Joined: Apr '11
   Posts: 25

   In May I had a 78% savings rate. It was a crazy month with moving, but it wasn't as stressful as I had planned.

   My savings rate for June was only 32%:

   Income: 3,383.73
   Out:
   Rent 300
   Car (fuel) 65
   Food:
   Groceries 193
   Eating out 22
   Clothes 117
   Cell phone 81
   Netflix 8
   Student loan 129
   Tuition 1244
   Other:
   Crossfit 100
   Haircut 25
   new moleskine 15
   b day cards 7
   train to city 7.50
   Total 2,312.72

   Difference 1,071.01

   Tuition gobbled up a lot of my income this month. I decided to start going to Crossfit about once a week as the space where I work out now in the new place has really low ceilings and doesn't allow for much overhead movement. I'm also hoping to meet some like-minded people. In this new living situation, I am surrounded by a never-ending supply of junk food, so it took some time to get back on track after falling off the wagon.

   Overall, I don't mind living with other people as much as I thought I would. While I really have nothing in common with most of them (interests or philosophies), I manage to find solace on a beautiful front porch in the early morning for my alone-time with my coffee, my journal and usually a cat.

   I discovered two really great books this month: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck. I borrowed these from the library, but plan to buy used copies as they are now up there with ERE and YMOYL in my Most Influential Books collection.

   I've been increasingly disgruntled at work this month (as discussed in another thread). It seems that my unhappiness there is in direct proportion to the emotional insight I gained from doing the exercizes in these books, and my desire for an escape is mounting. I'm considering technical writing as a possible alternative to pursue in a few months time. There is a graduate certificate program at a local university that begins in the Fall, but I am wondering whether I need a degree at all. I write well, my first degree is in English, and I'm in the process of getting another in biology. I have a pretty good working knowledge of Word, so I'm pretty sure I can learn all of its intricacies on my own with some practice. I could find an internship or offer my services for free for awhile to gain experience. I envision myself ultimately doing freelance work so that I can work from anywhere. (If anyone has any advice, it is definately welcome!)

   Another career I would like to pursue at some point (during semi-ERE I suppose) is teaching English abroad. I know that certification (CELTA) is recommended to get some of the better-paying jobs, but is not completely necessary. The program is pretty intensive and I don't have the time to do it now, but I'm wondering if I could do some freelance teaching while still in the U.S. to gain some experience and side income.

   I have come to realize this month how important it is to do what you enjoy, regardless of what it will produce, because doing what you enjoy will ultimately lead to further opportunities. My goal for July, then, is to allow myself to spend money on positive experiences. Many of my interests don't require a lot of money: drawing, photography, playing my violin, cooking good food, sewing, hiking, fishing. However, I'm not going to limit myself from doing something because of money. I may buy a used kayak, take some drawing classes, find a violin teacher to work on a specific piece of music, etc. Action is good. Less thinking, more doing, perhaps.

   Posted 10 months ago #
4. 

   anomie
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Apr '12
   Posts: 219

   +1 for doing what you enjoy!

   Posted 10 months ago #
5. 

   Marlene
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Aug '11
   Posts: 150

   Is it conventional in your region to have street-musicians? You could excercise and earn money in the outdoors with that ;-)

   Posted 10 months ago #
6. 

   Hoplite
   

   Master
   Joined: Dec '10
   Posts: 489

   Technical writing applies to so many different fields that it’s easy to waste time preparing for areas in which you have no interest and won’t enjoy, or for which there is no current demand. My suggestion is to search Craigslist and/or other job boards (and elance perhaps) to see what’s in demand that suits you, and tailor your resume and writing samples to that market. I would also pass on the certificate; with a degree in English and one coming in Biology you have more than enough of a pedigree for technical writing; your samples, ability and personality will count for more than another certification. And besides, you would graduate the certificate program at the same time as your competition, possibly making the initial hunt for work discouraging.

   Generally, Word, Excel and PowerPoint are the most useful to know, but I think it’s easier and more effective to learn these programs by doing rather than through classes. If your biology school uses any educational software such as Blackboard or Smartboards, learning to use these programs would give you an advantage in the education market. If you gravitate to online tutorials, experience with Wiki would help. Since you also like to draw, being able to do illustrations in addition to text is usually a plus, depending on the field, and it’s even better if you can use some relatively simple kind of drawing program like Visio or Adobe Illustrator. But again, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of what might come when you already have more than enough to get started. Good luck with this and I hope that it leads to some really enjoyable work!

   Since you have an eye on freelance, an insightful post from Leo Babauta on self-employment with links to other articles:

   http://zenhabits.net/the-get-started-now-guide-to-becoming-self-employed/

   Posted 10 months ago #
7. 

   chenda
   

   Master
   Joined: Jun '11
   Posts: 371

   You mentioned copywriting in an earlier post so you might want to have a look at this blog article:

   http://copywriting.typepad.co.uk/copywriting/2006/06/taking_the_jump.html

   Its worth having a dig around the blog as their is a lot of useful information about freelancing in general. Although copywriting is the sort of antithesis of ERE, its very location independent and freelance friendly.

   Posted 10 months ago #

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