Holiday Season + Plan of Attack for 2019

Last year I told myself that I would start saving for Christmas a couple months in advance.

This year I'm thinking of ways that I can express my love without spending so much money. When I think of the gifts that meant most to my parents, for example, I think of the book I gave my father, that was littered with photos, articles, QR codes to funny videos on YouTube I knew he would love. I think of the audiobook I made my mother, where I just recorded myself reading Peter Pan. I did all the voices. It's one of her favorite stories.

I want to be able to buy my sister a basket of Aesop, I want to buy my best friend this book on Mies Van Der Rohe, my other sister a Smeg toaster, another friend a horn-tooth comb set...

I like spending money on people. I'm finding it challenging to reign in that instinct.

But one of the things that have been weighing on me this year is how much I worry and think about debt, about saving, and how little time I have to feel free of that. Making gifts is not only an opportunity to save - it's also an opportunity to engage with something creative, that speaks to me on a personal level, to truly give of myself.

On that note, this is where I am in debt:

****PROGRESS***

Debts

1. Visa Credit Card: 1822.96

2. CareCredit: 450.00

3. ConServe: 0 

4. Amex Gold Card: 2975.00

5. Loan from Parents: 1300.00

6. Fedloan*: 137571.35

*not included in "total paid down"

total paid down: 1455.28

Assets

1. BoA Savings: 1460.69

2. Acorns: 1409.24 

total saved: -277.12

Byyyyyeeee ConServe!!!! Damn that feels good!!! It feels so good! 

(The irony though: the day I paid it off I really wanted to celebrate, but didn't have anything extra to drop on some bubbles so, I guess I'll celebrate later when I'm more flush.)

The bad: I kept dipping into my savings to cover food, Uber, other things, also to wipe out the ConServe debt. And I only paid down half of what I wanted to pay down on my Visa card.

But sweet jesus, no more ConServe debt collection. What a beautiful moment. And it makes me feel like I can (and will!) pay off the other debts that have haunted me ever since I graduated. 

I DID secure a contracted job with a book publisher I very much respect. It is not a lot of money, but it is certainly something that will lead to more jobs like it. (See last post. This was a goal of mine.)

***Looking ahead @ 2019***

Let's:

• Do this 52 week money challenge from Coordinated Kate.
• Open a Vanguard Target Retirement fund.
• Move my checking and savings accounts to Charles Schwab.
• Increase my weekly Acorns investment from $10 to $25 a week. 
• Create a personal website that I can include on my resume and job applications. 

Joyeux Noel, 

James