Goals for Aug 30th - Sept 5th, 2010

In the spirit of Weekly Goals, and smaller Daily Goals, this week I want to:

• Finish every article I claim. They are never as bad as I think.
• Write at least 4 articles before each break. Each extra article I'll extend my break by 5 minutes.
• Use a timer while writing and taking breaks.
• Write and submit an article at Constant Content. This is in competition with a friend, and I *will not lose*!
• Earn enough before roll-over to pay the rent, car insurance, and have some gas and food money left over.
• Drink at least 3 bottles of water a day.

I think that looks good. Two are easy, two challenging but ok, and two are a heck of a stretch.

End of Month Update- August 2010

So, of all the things I listed to do this month, I think I managed 1- get a realistic idea for budgetting at my first location.

Everything else? Fail.

I got pretty stuck with the writing- not because it's tough but because I seem to want to think it's difficult. It's really very easy. So I'm going back to my production method from before- voice to text, and hopefully the lack of typing will increase my word count.

Otherwise, depression and multiple attempts at quitting caffeine pretty much killed this month. I'm thinking about maybe doing weekly goals, to match up with one or two monthly goals. "cause, honestly? I write those goals and forget them right now. Months pass fast, but they're still plenty long enough for me to procrastinate through.

And if there's one thing I'm WIN at, it's procrastination.

Working on Working

No post today.

Depression Means Small Paycheck

So, the more depressed I get (and I'm sure this is common) the less I actually do. Either because I have no motivation, or I'm sure anything I do will suck.

I'm pretty sure I've dropped into a rather low low, since I haven't managed to write anything but blog posts for close to a week now. And the blog posts themselves were a near thing. With a normal job, that wouldn't be so bad. the little bit of work would be masked by the huge amount of goofing off most people manage as part of their daily work schedule.

Unfortunately, my income is totally based on how many words I crank out each day. No words means no dollars, and 500 words (more than I've done in *days*) means 2 gallons of gas. I could, in a normal month, maybe swing a couple days without real production, but this month? Not so much.

I try to keep from thinking about the bills while I write- it just stops me, makes me nervous, and slows me down. But it's still important. This month I have to pay car insurance again. I have to start paying one of my student loans. I have to start getting stuff together for my "great escape." And, of course, I have to pay the rent.

None of that is going to happen at a rate of $5 a week.

So today I need to center my brain, find a "happy" place, and get some damned work done.

Stupid brain. I'm tempted to hand it over to the first hungry zombie that wanders by.

Escape is Expensive

I'm starting to plan my escape. It's coming up pretty fast now, and I need to make sure it's still manageable.

I'm sure it seems irresponsible to some people (like my father) or dangerous (to just about everyone else), but really, travelling won't be that much worse, financially, than staying where I am. In some ways it's much, much better.

Just... this starting out bit is going to be expensive. I need to either fix my laptop or replace it with a super cheap netbook. I need a new camera, a small travel bag for my golf clubs (yes, they're coming with me), shoes, clothes, a backpack, insurance, tickets, and shiny new passport...

It's at least $1500 worth of stuff, and I keep seeing new things that would work really well, and be super useful. The worst part is, the things I need- clothes, for the most part, are more expensive when they're designed for women or travel. Women's travel clothes are, therefore, about twice as expensive. Pleh.

So, with all these expenses, how will I manage? I've got to start cutting. I think I know what I want/ need for clothes, and i'll start hunting the thrift stores for the few things I might be able to find- like a scarf, sweater, lightweight black skirt. I'll watch the interweb for sales on the clothing items I need/ want, and reconsider my shoe setup.

Still thinking about the laptop/ netbook thing. Parts to fix the laptop will be at least $200, a cheap netbook with decent battery life and nice low weight can be had for less than $300. Don't know which is better, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

What did I mean when I said taking off could be better for me financially?

I won't have a car, or the expenses that come with it. I won't have traditional US-style lack of health insurance--travel health insurance covers accidents and whatnot, so if something happens I won't end up thousands of dollars deeper in debt. There may be tax savings, there's less to buy, expenses are (for the most part) lower. So long as I don't take up scuba diving my monthly expenses should be no more than what they are here.

And my work (such as it is) is already online.

Until then, though, I need to keep making my lists, cutting them down, and stretching out the extra bits of cash I can find in my budget. Funny, even with all the "expense" and gear the pre-trip expense is less than first, last, and deposit on an apartment.

Not Much

Won $4 on the lotto, bought a new ticket. I think that's my second largest win ever- best was $7!

I know, I know. In other news, I found another penny a word place to write, dunno how that's going to work. I can at least try it, though, right? This one pays every Saturday. If I get this whole thing really going, I could eventually get paid (a little bit) a couple times a week-

• around the 1st
• around the 6th
• around the 15th
• around the 21st
• and every Saturday

Wowz, that's a lot of paydays. $100 from each of them would be $800. Not bad at all. Bet I could make $100 a week from each of those- that's more like $1200, or enough to pay the rent and one or two of the student loans with money left for food.

What I really need to do, though, is get off my butt and write for Constant Content. $20 for a 300-500 word article is much better than 3 to 5 dollars. 'Specially if I can get one or two done in an hour, or 6 a day. Even selling only 1/3rd of them I'd be making about what I do now, and my wrists would thank me.

Ok, now I'm just blathering.

Student Loan Time

Sort of. 5 years ago, give or take 6 months, I moved to the other end of the earth. I took out student loans (or tried to, anyway) to pay for school. If I'd paid attention, showed up for class or (gasp) actually done the work I'd be graduating with a really cool degree in December.

Instead, I have to start paying back those loans in September and October. I know, because I got the "repayment starts soon" paperwork from them yesterday. I'm not totally clear on the numbers fro one of the loans- it seems bigger than I remember. These things happen, though. I just really don't remember borrowing $33810, or any amount that matches that with the interest added.

So I'm a bit lost with that. Now in October I need to come up with three new payments- $141, $67, and $32. And in September I need to start coming up with $81 each month.

It might be time to hunt down an income contingent repayment plan. 'Cause the day $700 (which is my student loan payment monthly total, I think) is 20% of my monthly income is the day I throw a happy happy joy joy party.

Seriously, though- Don't go into *very nice car* worth of student debt with nothing to show for it. Totally not worth the stress.