Social Budget

Remember how I'm always complaining that I need to get out more? Well, for the past two weeks I have been getting out more.

I have discovered that socializing does not have to cost a lot of money. In fact, I've got the best times with folks that have or will cost me the least amount of cash.

I never would have thunk it.

With this month's budget, I'm planning to include some money for socializing. I also need to set some new goals. As you can see, I did not reach my last ones.

Get a Life

So I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and she was basically, like, you need a life.

My current lifestyle of nothing is not sustainable and way not fun. I need to find some kind of exercise that I think of as "fun" and look forward to. I'll bite the bullet and put it in the budget.

Also need to get serious about increasing my streams of income. On an average month, I am able to save around $800. That is a realistic amount. That needs to be kicked up a notch.

Plans forth coming...

Create A Gap

Whatever I do, I need to create a gap between what I receive and what I give.

Folks hate a gap and will seek to "even" things out.

The Top 3 Update

Housing
Did not run the air conditioning today. That was rough. I think I'll spend more time in the rooms with ceiling fans.

Also, wrapped up one book for the Paperback Swap. That's one less book in my house.

Transportation
Nothing to see here. Move along.

Regular day and all that. Can I give myself credit for taking a walk this morning? Working on improving myself physically to prep for the bike?

Food
Am currently making my lunch for tomorrow. Had homemade pizza for dinner with homemade frozen pizza dough. Ate a cucumber salad from cucumbers plucked from my patio garden.

Bread is baking in the oven. I haven't made bread without a breadmaker in a while so I don't know how this thing is going to turn out.

Prepping for Financial Independence

Top 3 expenses - housing, transportation and food

Housing
I really could use a smaller space. Before I moved into the house, my apartment was 572 square feet and I was just fine. Then I thought I needed to grow up and buy a house. Serious mistake.

What I Can Do About It
De-clutter. See if I can basically live in the master bedroom.

Transportation
The car. Love my car. Hate driving. That accident I was in last year did not help matters. In my perfect financial independence world, I could walk or bike everywhere. I did not get my license until my 20s so I am well acquainted with public transportation. Biking? Not so much.

Action Plan
Get comfy on a bike.

Food
I love to eat. Too much. For my health sake and my wallet's sake, this needs to be taken down a notch

Action Plan
Cheap, healthy food. I think there's a blog called that. I have to admit that I am hoping that my small garden will encourage me to eat more vegetables.

The Importance of Friends in the Workplace

Over the past couple of weeks I have been realized the important of friends and/or contacts in the workplace. In this environment, folks may not be able to do anything monetarily for you like save your job or even offer you one. But, if you have friends, they will look out for you.

By friends, I don't mean you going over to their place every Sunday night. I mean, in a sense, respect. If you do your job well, are helpful and keep out of the drama mill, people will see it and respect it. It helps to solidify the relationship with a lunch or two, but really if you are an honorable person and they know what they tell you can not be traced back to them, you will be fine.

Man, the words really are not coming out well today.

OK. Here's the deal. Be honorable. Do a good job. Do the right thing. When you leave a job, no matter what the job is or how they treated you, leave it the right way.

Serve on work committees to meet and network with other folks in your organization. You want contacts at all levels.

When the big bosses are sitting around a table deciding who's going to go and who is going to stay, you want more than one advocate.

When someone hears something that could cut you off at the knees at your current position or in a future position with another company, you want their first thought to be to find a way to warn you, not just say, well sucks for them.

When you need a conference room/rush print job/company car and there is nothing showing up on the official lists, you want a hook up.

Everyone is important. Really.

If you are staying in the same field when you leave a position, ALWAYS KEEP A FRIEND AT YOUR OLD JOB.

I know I never yell, but this is important. This is very important. The more people you know and who know you, the less likely you will be blindsided. Plus, your friend/former co-worker can be used as a conduit for information. Having a friend at a former workplace is how I got my current job.

Usually, Big Bosses can not call you directly when they know you are about to be sent up the river. They can, however, tell your friend or make sure your friend is conveniently in a meeting or within earshot of the discussion of the brewing trouble. So, your strategic person needs to have your personal cell phone number. These discussions should not take place over company emails or from the company phone.

Y'all, I am an introvert. I do not hide my feelings well. I am blessed that I work with people I like and who like me. If I did not, I would not even have half a chance of implementing this advice.

That's it. That's all I've got. Holla!

Evening Gardening

I spotted a cucumber this evening looking very happy on its trellis.

Started a new batch of seeds. It may seem late, but down here in Atlanta our last frost date is in November. Plus, I'm enjoying this gardening thing more than I expected.

So here's what's in the hopper:

Spacemaster Cucumber - Planted two seeds for a co-worker who killed her cucumber plants. If it seems like I am a plant pusher, that is accurate. So far, I've given away 4 cucumber plants - 2 to the parents and 2 to co-workers.

Big Sis warns me to stop giving stuff away because it costs money, but I enjoy growing things and let's be honest, this is way cheaper than hanging out at a bar or singles event.

Straight 8 Cucumber - It is an All America Selections Winner so I want to see how it compares to Spacemaster. By the way, this is when I began to suspect that I may have a problem. Who plants 2 different varieties for no good reason, just for kicks? Uh, that would be me.

Roma Tomatoes - Planted 4 of these. I want to use tomatoes in spaghetti sauce, salsa and chili and am told that this is the variety for that kid of thing.

Am absolutely fascinated by how small tomato seeds are and how much they give back. They are precious, but we can buy them for a buck at Wal-Mart. How is that even possible?

Sage - Planted 2. The package says that they thrive as a potted plant. I hope so because these are for Big Sis. She makes the dressing for Thanksgiving dinner and it takes a lot of sage. Real sage which can get real pricey.

Picked up some morning glory and moon flower seeds. I love them though I don't have any place for them to climb. These are just flowers, but I believe there is always a place for beauty in the garden. Plus, they love the clay soil that is Georgia Red Dirt.