Debt Free Kid

What would I do if I didn't have to work? Near the end of my previous relationship, I was trying to make a case for early retirement (aka "financial independence.") Partner (ex) couldn't imagine not working his 45-hour-a-week job for the next 35 years and also could not imagine what he would do with all that time off. The only thing I could think of at the time was "travel!" but we knew if that were to become a reality we would have to have much much better finances. So, now I'm on my own, and I'm still planning my early retirement. Even though my collective agreement tells me that I can't access my pension until the first day of the first month following my 60th birthday, I hope to be finished working by 55, which is now 15 years from now. Ten years more of work would be even better. What would I do if I didn't have to work? - set my alarm for 7:30 am and get up around 8:00 - see my son off to school - practice yoga for two hours ...

I have been trying to wean myself off the internet, and it's not quite working. I took a two-week vacation from my Google Reader and it helped a bit but I WAS still checking facebook several times a day. I try to filter as much as I can by refusing to click on external links and this helps a bit. However I realized that I feel like an ostrich with my head stuck in the internet, and I am avoiding everyday, real-time life by spending more than five minutes on the internet each night. This is especially not fair to my beautiful four-year-old boy who is growing up so quickly. I thought, how ironic that I read all these sites about minimalism and quality of life, but I don't put them into practice. An hour online goes by, and my dishes are still piled up on the counter. I am overwhelmed by all the "stuff" I have to do but I avoid it by checking what someone from my life ten years ago is doing. It reminded me of how I first got into meditation, and I would read and re...

... with spending money I don't have. This past week I have created wishlists all over the Net. I customized a Dell Mini and looked at yoga toys. I have at least twenty listings in MyEbay. The BBC Canada Store contacted me to add a link - which I have, below - and now I have all nine or so seasons of Red Dwarf in a wishlist on their site. I went to Winners last week, looking for panda bear slippers for my son. I walked out with two dresses and a jumper, a pair of (non-orthotic) wedge sandals and a toy purple dragon. Over $130 spent that I managed to work into my budget spreadsheet without catastrophe, but those funds SHOULD be going toward the $9000 on the MC. A visit to the dollar store yesterday had me spending just over $30 and this didn't cover all the items on my shopping list. Something is up in my psyche and I'm not sure what or why. Is it just spring fever? Or have my spending issues returned to cause problems? Seriously, Karissa

*This is not a sponsored post* Back in 2005 I spent two months in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and it is one of my long-term goals to return. For a few months now I have been receiving email from Sara Avant Stover and I thought I'd share the most recent one here. Dear K, I don't know about you, but for me, one of the hardest things to do is LET GO. Another way to put that is "Surrender." When I'm faced with a bad day, a challenging situation, or a super-human to-do list, sometimes I can get wrapped up in the drama. I can take on a defeatist attitude and say to myself, "Oh, I can never do that." "I'll never have enough time." "This is overwhelming." And, when I say these things to myself I actually start to BELIEVE them. This is when I get into trouble. I get tired, even sick. I lose focus on the big picture. And, worst of all, I lose touch with my soft core as a woman. I KNOW I'm not alone in this. I hear it from many of you, from m...

Winter focused foods and other tips for staying upbeat and healthy throughout the winter months By YogaSpace Clinic Naturopathic Doctor, Meghan Bauer There is no changing the natural rhythm of winter (for now at least). It is long, dark and cold, and it is not surprising that year after year our health reflects this. Increased anxiety, depression, unhealthy weight gain, continuous, long lasting colds and numerous other stress and cold related concerns are common place for many Canadians. Aside from activities involving ice, could there be something advantageous to the cycle of winter that we could tap into; and are there ways to support this natural cycle? Here are a few tips for re-framing the winter deep freeze and keeping you healthy and upbeat throughout it. Consider a purpose to the winter months; could there be a reason/challenge to why you have chosen to live in such a chilly place? Winter is the end of all seasons. Take the winter months as your inward and reflective months of...

I had several positive and encouraging comments to my post about my parents, and I'd like to express a sincere show of gratitude for all the support. I haven't yet figured out what I should write as a follow-up, or if I should just leave it be ... I have a couple of ideas and I hope to be able to sit down, figure them out, and express them here. Boy it's busy at work these days. It always is during the second semester, especially because we are compiling all the applications for the September intake. It's a slow week for me financially. No extra money coming in, just the support cheque and sometimes that's a few days late. I'm comfortable with living on the small allotment in my chequing account, but I told my dad that I would bring Bean out for a visit on Saturday. It's a three-hour drive, so if the cheque is late I will have to either make a transfer from my savings, or use my credit card. I'll pay it off as soon as the cheque comes in and is safely de...

From Quitnet.com: Your Quit Date is: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 at 8:00:00 AM Test Time Smoke-Free: 1217 days, 21 hours, 56 minutes and 54 seconds Cigarettes NOT smoked: 8525 Lifetime Saved: 2 months, 5 days, 2 hours Money Saved: $3,197.25 Congratulations I smoked for fifteen years and tried to quit so many times. I used the patch, the pills, and the gum. I tried rewards incentives which only racked up the credit card bill. I was finally able to quit due to two life-altering circumstances: 1) pregnancy and 2) moving to Thailand and away from the people, places and things that triggered my addiction. After slaying the smoking demon, I should be able to accomplish anything. Here's my contribution to the personal goals lists for 2009: 1) Eat breakfast. Anything. Just force something down. 2) Take vitamins: multi, fish oils, and iron pills. 3) Drink water! 4) Meal planning. So far I have a calendar of meal ideas that work around proteins. For example, Sunday is beef, Monday is beans...

My budget is in place (in Excel anyways) and so far it looks pretty good. I'm saving an average of $350 in rent and bills thanks to the smart decision to move to the apartment. I have also canceled my internet cable (hello to the kind person who is currently supplying the wireless network, when I find out who you are I will make you some banana bread), which saves me another $35 a month. My Emergency Fund is almost complete and I have made arrangements to "pay myself first" by deducting 10% of my gross pay each month and transferring it to an ING-type account. The transfer is made only once a month because, well, have I ever mentioned that I get paid only once a month? Yeah. I have my $20 a week set aside for personal spending, and 20% of that goes to my version of titheing: $2 to my self-help group and another $2 to the offering plate at the UU church. I aim to be able to offer more to each once my savings account is established and I can skim a percentage from that acco...