WHY I STARTED BUDGETING AND HOW IT GOT ME OUTTA DEBT
So I'm going to be all real talk with ya. It's time we talk about money on this blog. Money is an awkward subject but it doesn't have to be awkward. When I sent out my reader surveys one of you said they would love to see me talk about money/budgeting on here and I was like boooyah!
See I haven't always been good with money. There were times in my life when I was really, really bad with money.
I got a job at a young age (hello times colonist paper route!) and learned what it was to be making money. As soon as I was 16, I got a day job and soon after that I got another. I loved working and making money...what I didn't love was saving money. When I had money, I spent it because, duh, that's what money is for...right? (that's my 17 year old self speaking!)
I got my first credit card when I was 19....at first I was very good with it. But then I wanted to go to Europe and then Europe again and then New York and then many, many concerts and then many, many shopping trips to Vancouver...oh and I got a car loan somewhere in there.
Let's just say I went on a five year shopping spree....it was bad, very bad. In those times I didn't like to think of my financial situation. It was just something that I would sweep under the rug and hope that one day in the distant future, I'd get my stuff together.
And then one day, I had a conversation. Don't you love it when conversations can change your life??? And I don't want to hype this at all...I didn't go to some seminar to learn how to get out of debt...and no offence to people who go to those seminars, but you really don't need to go to those seminars....actually you probably shouldn't pay for a course to get out of debt...you should just GET OUTTA DEBT...ok rant over....
Back to the conversation....
I had a friend over for dinner and she told me about budgeting. She shared with me how she wanted to get out of debt and how she needed to make some changes to her spending. She gave me the name of this Christian finance dude (Dave Ramsey). I looked at his site online and figured out his budgeting system (you don't need to pay for a program, it's pretty self explanatory).
And then I started budgeting (and working my butt off!!) and 10 months later I was OUT OF DEBT. Now that was a good feeling.
So I wanted to encourage you....if you are in debt, there is a way out!! But it's not some quick and easy solution. If you're serious about getting out, let me tell you, it's going to be hard BUT you got this. You so got this.
In the next few posts I'm going to be talking about budgeting, breaking it down, showing you how to make a budget, and how James and I make a budget as a married couple. Yeeeehaw.
Happy Monday friends!
s.s.♥︎.
THE HUNT FOR THE BIG BLACK BAG
I'm a fan of massive bags. I have one that I got from H & M a year and a half ago but I'm on the hunt for a real leather one. I'm not the crazy impulsive shopper I once was (and my finances are thanking me, speaking of, soon I'm going to be sharing some posts on budgeting..yahoooo!) so I'm in NO rush....that's right sales girl, I won't cry if that bag sells out. If I won the bag lottery, I would choose this Celine bag in a second. But there's no such thing as a bag lottery, and I will never fathom spending that kinda $$$ on a bag.
So here I am patiently stalking some online stores looking for my glass slipper of big black bags....I haven't found mine yet but these ones are kinda cute....
Funny story...I was this close to buying the Aritzia one when it was on sale ($75 off regular price) but they were sold out everywhere and my only option was to order it online and get it in March...I was soooo close to doing it but the delay and the fact that it doesn't have a zipper (aka one big open bag) made me change my mind...good grief lol
Got any fun weekend plans?? I DO! We're heading to Van for the day tomorrow to go to West Elm and IKEA!! Soooooo stoked. One thing I'm not stoked about though is this stupid virus that I have...I got tested for strep, but the doctor thinks I just have a virus...but the worst thing of all is I have NO VOICE....it was going yesterday and today I could barely speak a sentence.. PTL for text messaging!
Happy Friday!
s.s.♥︎.
ONE WORD 2014 RECAP // KRISTY
Heya! Another one of my brave friends wrote a recap on her word for 2014! You can read Kristy's original post here! Thank you for sharing Kristy!!!
I love the idea of a flow up to the one word!
After reflecting over what I wrote and the word(s) for my 2014, I am amazed as to where God has brought me and what he has brought me through.
A couple of months after the post went up, I experienced an amazing moment of healing. I believe that I was healed from depression.
Now, it's not to say that I am happy go lucky all the time and I don't struggle. BUT God gave me the capability to see my choice of emotion/reaction/faith. And joy! Oh what JOY!
Every moment I was faced with giving into fear or choosing to trust, I was able to easily choose to trust him. It's amazing. HE is amazing.
Oh ya, and not going to bethel was also a great decision! I was able to stay back and support and stand by another worship leader who took on the responsibility of leading for 3 weeks. And it was great!
God gave me the gift of opportunity to step into leadership in different ways. Reshaping how I look and approach ministry in worship and reminding me of how much I was made for it---it's where my heart is.
So with this refreshed outlook-- new friendships came along, other friendships grew and old ones rekindled.
He is so good, so so good. On top of that, with the challenge of writing, God even used my testimony of coming out of depression in a creative visual way for our opener video of our church's conference. (Which you should come to next year!)
Sometimes you just never know how one word can have so much weight.
I have so much to be thankful for. And I can't wait to share what my one word for this year is. I'm so excited for what 2015 will be.
Love to you all,
Kristy
Thanks Kristy for sharing!! It's so beautiful what God has done in your life!! Love you girl!!!
I'm actually going to be speaking at Dream Women this morning about choosing your one word for the year so come on out to GT at 9:30am if you want to hear and connect with awesome women!!
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW THAT SERIAL IS OVER?
Ok, I know you've all been talking about Serial for months...but I caught up QUICKLY. In December Joy the Baker posted something about the last episode and I took note. Immediately, I downloaded the first episode and I was HOOKED. This was a few days before Christmas when I was surrounded by boxes at my old house. I binged listened as I packed up the place. MY GOODNESS IT WAS SO ADDICTING! It's cray. Do you think Adnan did it? Why were Jay's testimonies so sketchy? AHHHHH. So many questions.
So now that season 1 of Serial is over, I'm on to find other podcasts!
I loooove listening to podcasts (especially now that my walk to work is around 30 minutes!) And I'll be starting to train for my next half marathon so I'm in need of your favourite audiobooks and podcasts!
Last year I listened to Elevation Church Podcast (love Pastor Steven!!!), the whole Divergent series and Unbroken. I highly recommend them all except watch out for teenage cheese in the Divergent series.
I also started listening to This American Life and I am a fan.
What is it about podcasts that are so alluring? I think it's something to do with that listening to them makes me feel all nostalgic. I imagine that I'm in the 50s listening to a radio show like they did back then...anyone else with me??
So what about you? Do you love podcasts and audiobooks? If so, puhhhleeeeeze send me your favourites!
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
SSHEART BOOK CLUB
So here's a funny story. I have some friends and we all love books (my friends got brains!) A couple years ago we tried to start a book club…I think there were about 6 of us. Well at first we were all like YES, LET'S DO THIS, BOOYAH!! But when we tried to find a time to discuss the book, there was never a right time. It took us months to find a time where we could all meet and by that time, most of us were long finished with the book! So we gave up on the book club idea…but not on books. We all continued to read avidly, borrow books from each and even have short discussions about the books. Basically we were a book club without being a book club but still couldn't get our stuff together to actually be one! So I had an idea…why don't we start a book club on SSHEART!! We all read the book, put the invite out to others and then we can discuss the book in our pyjamas from the comfort of our living room.
And then I had another idea…why don't I get my incredible bestie/assistant/encourager/most read person I know- COURTNEY to lead the book club posts….and that way if no one joins the book club, it will still have two people…ha! She thankfully agreed. Take it away Courtney!
Hey guys! Courtney here. Do you know what I love almost more than coffee? BOOKS! I am completely and utterly in love with books! I have so many I cannot even count. I love the smell of the pages. I won't even buy a purse unless I know it'll hold a book! There's just something so magical about diving into the unknown world on the pages.
I'm super excited that the lovely Laura has decided to launch a Bookclub! Now, before you go getting all "I'm so busy, I can't join a book club!" Just take a deep breath because this book club is for you! No more rearranging schedules to get together at a certain time. Now you can read at your own pace and comment/respond while you're commuting or waiting in line at the grocery store.
I'm super excited to be on this journey with you! I am excited to share with you some of our favourite books as well as hear your suggestions and everything you have to say about them!
So here's the deal.
- A new title will be posted and that book will be the one we read for a months time
- We will have a half way point update with questions and comments as well as one at the end.
- Some people read at different paces and if we are half way, please don't share spoilers from the end!
- Please be mindful! We are all created differently (and uniquely!) and therefore will have different opinions on things which is so good! I love a good healthy debate. But please remember to be respectful and courteous when posting.
- I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
C-Money
Yahoooo! So who's in!!?!?!?
We'll post the book in the next couple weeks and then we'll give it a read in February! But in the meantime please let us know what types of books you want to read and discuss!!
xo,
s.s.♥