Category: Choose Wealth

With a Capital F

When the COVID19 Pandemic hit, I opted to not return the nursing home in an effort to maintain my health for myself and more importantly for Mother Fran. The thought of exposing myself to a building of over 100 people scares me. This has put a major cramp in my earnings so far for 2020. Luckily, I tightened my belt years ago and don’t need to make a big salary. I have been doing a lot, and I mean a lot of yard work in order to pay my bills and meet my financial goals. I don’t know if/when I will return to working at the nursing home; but I know it will be my decision. That is Freedom with a capital F.

My thoughts on money and how much I need have evolved over the last ten years. I worked primarily for one company for most of my 20’s, 30’s and into my 40’s. I worked my way up from a temporary relief worker to full time staff, to manager, coordinator and eventually director level positions. It was a human service agency so the money was not good, especially when I first started but I enjoyed my work, and met some pretty amazing friends.

Image by Bingo Naranjo from Pixabay
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Save Money and More! DIY

Recently, my honey and I drove to Florida in my trusty RAV4 named “Rainy”. It was a beautiful month and the temperatures were in the 80’s on several days. Often we drove with the windows open but we also cranked the air conditioner when we were too hot. My honey noticed water seeping onto the passenger car mat by her left foot. At first we thought our water bottle was leaking but then realized it was more than that. It seemed to happen when I applied the brakes and it was getting worse. My winter gloves were on the floor and I could almost wring them out.

What a mess! Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay
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Broke with a Silver Spoon

I grew up in a house or maybe just a time where money felt like one of those taboo topics; like sex and religion, that are not to be discussed with others. It seemed like if you had money and talked about it you were bragging and if you didn’t have money and talked about it you were begging. Today, too many of us don’t have a solid grip on our finances. We feel broke all of the time but we spend money like we were born with a silver spoon in our mouth.

As a kid, I didn’t have any money. Papa Jack retired from the NYC police force when I was 9 years old and we moved Upstate. He had a small pension and a rather frugal wife but they still had 4 kids in school. He worked at various places over the years and raised some animals (mostly chickens) and grew plenty of vegetables to help with the food budget. Money was tight but we always had enough.

This could have been my yard growing up! Image by Capri23auto from Pixabay
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Are You a Magnet for Money?

Do you have weird ideas about money?

If I accumulate a lot of wealth does that mean someone else has to lose a lot of money.

If I stockpile money am I keeping it from you?

If I spend it faster than I earn it does that help or hurt you?

If I owe money does that mean I am a bad person?

If I donate money does that mean I am a good person?

If we all become super savers will the economy crash?

Can we all be wealthy?

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
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Do You Throw $ Out the Window?

I feel like I jumped off of a financial cliff last week. Like I threw a wad of money out of the car window. Yes, I am exaggerating in a major way but still a girl can’t help the way she feels. Child #7, Mother Fran and I took our annual trip to the Outlet Mall and I went a bit crazy. Usually, I end up with a small purchase, grab a bite to eat and call it a day. This trip was different. My adrenaline was pumping and my filters were off. We plan this trip for the first week of September to coincide with “Back to School Sales” but we don’t go until after the kids of have actually gone back to school. Brilliant, right?

It is that time of year! Image by Innviertlerin from Pixabay
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Time to Get Assertive – Pick Up The Phone!

For the last few years, I have managed to live solidly in the middle class but only had to work part-time. I call this my semi-retirement and the joy that it brings me never gets old. It gives me the flexibility I crave with plenty of time to spend with my loved ones doing activities I enjoy. I just got home from a 3 hour shift at the Nursing home and now am getting ready to go out to lunch with my honey. Not bad for a Wednesday afternoon!

My part-time, flexible schedule works for me because several years ago, I decided to choose wealth. I got out of debt, stopped shopping for fun, cut my cable and got assertive with my money. You can learn more about how this has worked for me here and here.

As money doesn’t actually grow on trees and winning the lottery hasn’t worked for me – How does one actually choose wealth?

Wouldn’t this be nice?

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What’s In Your Boat?

I started working at age 14 and my work ethic is strong. I feel the pull to be productive, to earn money and to pay my own way. By the age of 22, I became a manager at the human service agency that I worked for and by the age of 25, I was running a program.  Once I finished graduate school I was a department director overseeing 30 staff and 3 different programs. There is a sense of security when you have a career, climb the ladder and earn a salary versus an hourly wage. You know how much money is coming in each month and can plan ahead relatively easily. You know where you will be Monday-Friday for 8-10 hours per day. Security is nice.

Building a career to feel secure

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Tying Up Loose Ends

If you are a frequent paddler here at My Little Blue Kayak, you know  I am not a fan of being super busy. I prefer a leisurely paddle to the middle of the lake, followed by 15 minutes of basking in the sunshine to an all out race across the lake. With that in mind, I have been super busy the last few weeks and haven’t had a chance to write. Spring is my busy season with yard work gigs, nursing home shifts and opening up the cottage for the summer.

I still don’t have much time, so I thought I would tie up some loose ends from earlier posts.

Tie up those loose ends… and boats!

 

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Home Sweet Home

By nature, I am a homebody. I prefer to sleep in my bed, eat my own cooking and putter in my garden. During the month of March, I was traveling away from home for 17 days. I spent time in Florida, Massachusetts and New York City. In Florida, I caught up with Mother Fran, Child #7, and Child # 5 and his honey. Mother Fran had plenty of “jobs” for me including digging out roots from old bushes, planting new grasses and driving her to appointments.  I enjoyed wearing shorts and flip-flops, kayaking and hanging at the pond.

I spent 5 nights in Massachusetts in 4 different towns catching up with old friends. I visited one of the nursing homes I used to work at and said hello to a few old patients and co-workers. I attended an Occupational Therapy Conference and earned 5 continuing education credits while catching up with even more friends.  I got to meet a friends 6 month old baby and had a little snuggle time which is good for the soul. 

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Planning For WHAT IF

The other morning,  I was heading out to walk the dog and stopped to check out the handy, dandy weather app on my iPhone. It had one of those red banners across the top warning me of icy conditions. Score 1 for being prepared. Instead of my hiking boots, I pulled on my winter boots for improved traction, leashed up the pup and headed out the front door. I stepped off the porch, onto the first step and proceeded to slide, feet first down the 4 steps onto the cement landing.

I laid on the ground for a minute cursing and trying to move all of my limbs to see what was hurt. My left wrist and shoulder seemed to haven taken the brunt of the fall and both felt sore. Other than that and my tuckus being wet from laying on the ground I seemed to be fine. My honey heard the fall and opened the door to check on me (I figured she really heard me cursing)! I got up and proceeded to take the poor dog for her walk. Everything was slippery and it was one of those really short walks where my sole focus was not to fall again.

I looked kind of like this…

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