The "Get Out Of Your Car!" Fund

Sunday, June 26, 2016

need to create

To create a new product, I have to be around creative people who are creating. I’m surrounded by creative people with awesome ideas. However, they want to be rich one day, so they keep a tight lid on their ideas. That would be ok if they were moving forward with their ideas but they’re not creating anything. 

However, the people at tech shops and fab labs are sharing their ideas, often freely. Others protect their ideas, then share. They are not all trying to create money – they just need to create. I need that energy. I’m willing to share some of my ideas because I realize that most products are not very lucrative and don’t have a lot of potential. It’s better for me to get feedback and improve at crafting than to stay secretive and not develop my talent.

I made a bowl out of silicone yesterday. I made a caddy to keep my condiments in, too (out of cardboard). I am creating. Eventually that will create a larger income. 

In fact I was going to store my science and art materials in storage and move my books and papers to my new room that I'm going to rent. It dawned on me last night that the creative materials need to be with me in the room, and the books can go in storage. I need to create daily and whenever inspiration strikes!

A website called Instructables offers online classes in Woodworking, electronics, and more. I want to sign up for the classes but they require obtaining tools. I will try to buy used tools on Freecycle and Craigslist.


My prayer is for more ideas and an understanding of how to create them - not just more money.

Getting Ready to Move

I’m moving out so that I can bring Jefferson back with me. Staying here in this basement has helped me stay on budget. Moving into a new place won’t save me much moolah. My goal is to increase income by creating a product to sell. I’ll see how it goes for 3-6 months then decide if I should stay in my car for a few months to pay off some debt. If I don’t create a product, I think that’s what I’ll do.

I’m going to keep Jefferson with me for a while. He's 10 years old. I've got to enjoy these last few years. 

I regret buying that car now. That was dental implant money and kitchen appliance money. However, I was not focusing on being gazelle intense anymore (these last 2 debts will take years to pay off, and it’s not easy for me to stay focused or motivated that long with so little movement (maybe for some people it is, but not for me)).

So, I’m back on track. I’m taking the FPU class and the biggest take-away so far is to get my insurance life in order. It’s almost there. It wasn’t too hard since I’ve done so much in the past to improve my organization level. Information was pretty easy to find. 


Baby Steps for Health


So, in May, I was feeling very easily tired. I had 10 headaches a day and could hear my heart beating in my ears. I left school early to visit the doctor and he called me back into his office the next day with orders to go get an iron infusion immediately. 

I've been getting infusions about once every 10 days since then. In fact, I went last Friday and go back again tomorrow morning. 

I wondered, What if there were baby steps for looking out for your health like there are for your money. Some could argue that the 8 laws of health are like baby steps. However, I was thinking more of a Dave Ramsey sequential, gazelle intense Baby Step Health program. 

So, in my creative way, I came up with these steps. 

1. Know current health status (weight, vitamin amounts, hydration, and sugar intake). Visit with doctors (eye, health, dentist, hairstylist, dermatologist), and print insurance cards.

2. Set goals based on these doctor visits and your personal desires. Plan how to monitor and measure (self-made charts, doctor visits, quizzes online, online trackers).

3. Establish meal plans. Establish systems for preparing them (containers, times, storing foods)  

4. Exercise plan - stamina, strength, suppleness. Plan exercises for the future and equipment needed (swimming, lessons, hiking, skating)

5. Budget money for health needs. Plan how to do what you can do in the meantime. (save $500 for new glasses and $2000 for dental implant. Save in HSA).

6. Buy equipment needed (scales, food containers, workout clothes) 


7. Share the love with others (invite them along, share online)


I’m on steps 3 and 4. I visited all of my doctors. I haven't been to the optometrist in 9 years or the dentist in 4. However, both reported that my eyes and teeth were great! I still need that dental implant and my glasses are so old that the film has come off one lens and both lens have small scratches in them. 

I started taking iron supplements again and aiming to eat healthier. 



Plans for July

I just posted a bunch of stuff on Craigslist. This will be my first Dave Ramsey sale. My goal is to raise $45. Otherwise, items go to Goodwill because I don't want to transport them to storage and pay to house them each month. I'm surprised I found anything to sale, because I am quite a minimalist (in my own teacher-based definition of the word).

Since I won't be paying rent in July, I'm using that money to fund my stay down South for the summer. A few relatives and I are going to New Orleans for the first time. To save on costs, we are using AirBNB for lodging and one of us has a really steep rental car discount due to being a frequent customer. So far the costs for lodging, rental car, and gas come out to be an even $300 per person for 3 nights. Some friends are going and their hotel room alone is $300 per person for 3 nights. Total personal budget for the trip is $500  (in the past, I never had budgets for my vacations).


Monthly reviews are back!

30- day review

I stopped doing these. I will start again because I need to start running like a gazelle again. If I had been running in January, I would have spent the money that I spent on this new-to-me car and bought a dental implant, appliances for parents, and eyeglasses (with moneyleft over). Oh, well. I'm back now and that's what matters most at this point.

I started FPU in May for the first time. I've never studied past step 3 and thos first 4 classes were like an invigorating review. I started using envelopes again. I started cooking at home again and saving money. I threw out a little food in the fridge, but started using up other food before it goes bad.

The 4th class got me motivated to think more about my money and what I can do better. It was about insurance. I have an appointment tomorrow to talk with an insurance agent about term life insurance for myself. I rewrote my will and mentioned to my parents that when I come visit this summer, I wnat to talk with them about long term care.

I have vigorously worked on invention ideas so I can improve my income. I  spent $37 on graphic designers to mockup my ideas so I can see them in a realistic form.

My debt is the same as it was about 6 months ago. I made no extra payments all year. So, I made a new payoff goal and asked my mom to be my accountability partner.

I am moving out of this basement before July. notified my current landlord and found a room for $75 less (that includes the cost of keeping my belongings in storage because the new place will be a lot smaller). I will be able to keep Jefferson there (as long as he gets along with the new landlord's dog).

My goal is to pay an extra $550 towards debt a month. How will I do that?
I will pay $75 less in rent and save on gas each month being closer to work.
I will get a cost-of-living increase when school starts again.
I will stop making car payments to myself and start using that money for extra debt payments.
I will also consider selling this car that I bought in January and start driving the Honda again (the original plan was to sell the Honda, but I've realized I really like it better. I guess you really bond with your car when you sleep together for months at a time).