Atrytone Rolls into Another Wheel Challenge

[Atrytone]

I was a big fan of my life wheel inspired challenge last time and I'm going to stick with a version of it this challenge.

 

As a reminder I've chosen eight categories for my Life Wheel:

1. Career: How I feel about my employment.
2. Finance: How I feel about my earnings.
3. Health: How I feel about my health.
4. Social: How I feel about my social life.
5. Contribution: How I feel about my contributions to my community.
6. Recreation: How I feel about my downtime.
7. Love: How I feel about the love in my life.
8. Self-Image:  How I feel about myself.

 

My lowest ranking categories are Finance, Health, Social, and Contribution. 

 

There isn't much I'm able to do about my Finances that I haven't already done. Now it's a waiting game until August/September. However, I would like to go over my income since February and write up a budget based on my average income. That will help me get a better understanding of where I'm at now and where I need to be to be stable.

 

Health is a two-fold problem. Mental and physical. I need to see a doctor about my anxiety. In my line of work I need to be stable and right now I'm straddling the edge. As for physical health I need to make actual appointments to go to the gym. My goal is 2-3 times per week. If I go 3 times I'll have an upper body day, a lower body day, and a cardio/core day. I'd also like to get out and do some day hikes in the area. Easy ones that are barely more than walking.

 

Social is tricky. One of the parts that bothers me the most about my social life is I'm the one that does all the planning and inviting and whatever. It sucks. I've tried telling my friends it bothers me but it never changes. I'm going to try and go to two social events to meet new people this challenge though. Maybe that'll work out.

 

Contribution is a little tricky too. I don't want to overwhelm my schedule but I want to give back. I'll look into volunteering with Haven and if it doesn't require too much time I'll do that.

 

 

[kcaleece]

Awesome challenge! Financial goals are really hard for me too for the same reason; they just progress so slowly, you know? Following along again - I got really quiet last time, sorry, but I was reading along I promise!

[Atrytone]

48 minutes ago, kcaleece said:

Awesome challenge! Financial goals are really hard for me too for the same reason; they just progress so slowly, you know? Following along again - I got really quiet last time, sorry, but I was reading along I promise!

 

I actually like financial stuff? I'm pretty good at it, but it's disheartening to not be making enough to support myself right now. And no worries, I got quiet too and it was my own challenge lol

 

Thanks for following along.

[kcaleece]

51 minutes ago, Atrytone said:

 

I actually like financial stuff? I'm pretty good at it, but it's disheartening to not be making enough to support myself right now. And no worries, I got quiet too and it was my own challenge lol

 

Thanks for following along.

Of course! I...kinda like financial stuff, hahaha. I actually do enjoy making spreadsheets and graphs and watching the numbers change. But both my husband and I only get paid once a month, so it's like a single evening's work and then I twiddle my thumbs for the next 30 days. That makes it hard to set goals since there's nothing else for me to really do but wait for the next month to start. I've thought about maybe trying to find some kind of variable side job or something? But that feels like it could be a lot more work than it's worth, hahaha.

[Atrytone]

1 hour ago, kcaleece said:

Of course! I...kinda like financial stuff, hahaha. I actually do enjoy making spreadsheets and graphs and watching the numbers change. But both my husband and I only get paid once a month, so it's like a single evening's work and then I twiddle my thumbs for the next 30 days. That makes it hard to set goals since there's nothing else for me to really do but wait for the next month to start. I've thought about maybe trying to find some kind of variable side job or something? But that feels like it could be a lot more work than it's worth, hahaha.

 

Interesting. Do you also track your spending? I find that helps me a lot with goal planning (ie what can I cut, what do I want to save up for, where can I splurge a little).

[kcaleece]

51 minutes ago, Atrytone said:

 

Interesting. Do you also track your spending? I find that helps me a lot with goal planning (ie what can I cut, what do I want to save up for, where can I splurge a little).

 

Kinda? We set monthly budgets for everything and then we either know what the budget per time shopping (like we have about $75 for groceries every week, so we just know if we're a little over or under each time we go) or it's a one time deal which can either be a. a single or very small purchase (like a birthday gift where we know we have $40, the end) or b. a personal expense, usually that repeats (like we each get a "personal budget" of $80/month that we can spend on whatever we want or save up, completely separate and free from the rest of the family) and we trust each other that we're keeping proper track on our own.

 

For a while we took most of the money out in cash, which helped us get used to it (much easier to track than cards!) but it's a pain in the butt to go get the cash every month, obnoxiously inflexible - no just stopping off at the store on the way home if you don't have the envelope with you, and you can earn things like travel miles with your card you're not getting when you use cash. Cash also slows down rollover between months - if we have extra, it just goes into the next month's budget, which doesn't have to be specifically accounted for if it never actually went anywhere. So we (mostly) stopped and run primarily digitally/on cards now. 

 

Savings, retirement, and other such things are included in the monthly budget, and I always leave a "buffer" of about $100-$200 for whatever things pop up we couldn't or just didn't predict at the start of the month. There are even...without looking it up I'm going to guess 8? different savings accounts because it's easier to visualize and know where each "fund" is that way compared to having it all smashed together into one account. So we have a savings account for car expenses, another one for house expenses, one for travel, one for the toddler's future expenses, etc. I don't know where every single penny goes, but I do know where every dollar is at least supposed to go...and they largely make it there

[Atrytone]

1 hour ago, kcaleece said:

 

Kinda? We set monthly budgets for everything and then we either know what the budget per time shopping (like we have about $75 for groceries every week, so we just know if we're a little over or under each time we go) or it's a one time deal which can either be a. a single or very small purchase (like a birthday gift where we know we have $40, the end) or b. a personal expense, usually that repeats (like we each get a "personal budget" of $80/month that we can spend on whatever we want or save up, completely separate and free from the rest of the family) and we trust each other that we're keeping proper track on our own.

 

For a while we took most of the money out in cash, which helped us get used to it (much easier to track than cards!) but it's a pain in the butt to go get the cash every month, obnoxiously inflexible - no just stopping off at the store on the way home if you don't have the envelope with you, and you can earn things like travel miles with your card you're not getting when you use cash. Cash also slows down rollover between months - if we have extra, it just goes into the next month's budget, which doesn't have to be specifically accounted for if it never actually went anywhere. So we (mostly) stopped and run primarily digitally/on cards now. 

 

Savings, retirement, and other such things are included in the monthly budget, and I always leave a "buffer" of about $100-$200 for whatever things pop up we couldn't or just didn't predict at the start of the month. There are even...without looking it up I'm going to guess 8? different savings accounts because it's easier to visualize and know where each "fund" is that way compared to having it all smashed together into one account. So we have a savings account for car expenses, another one for house expenses, one for travel, one for the toddler's future expenses, etc. I don't know where every single penny goes, but I do know where every dollar is at least supposed to go...and they largely make it there

 

Wow. Sounds like you have it way more together than I do. I only have a TFSA and an RRSP (although I'm thinking strongly about getting a high interest savings account as well). I prefer to use cash myself but it's more inconvenient like you say (although it does save me from extra debit charges for making too many transactions). When I'm being good any left over money at the end of the month gets tossed into my savings. 

[DJtrippyT]

Following!

[Atrytone]

4 hours ago, DJtrippyT said:

Following!

 

Thank you and welcome.

[Atrytone]

Today's positive: I went to an addictions treatment and harm reduction panel in my community today. I learned a couple new things. It was good.

[kcaleece]

19 hours ago, Atrytone said:

 

Wow. Sounds like you have it way more together than I do. I only have a TFSA and an RRSP (although I'm thinking strongly about getting a high interest savings account as well). I prefer to use cash myself but it's more inconvenient like you say (although it does save me from extra debit charges for making too many transactions). When I'm being good any left over money at the end of the month gets tossed into my savings. 

 

The cash method definitely was a big help when we were getting our feet under ourselves! We had a budget but it was getting blown on silly things like extra groceries bought just because "I dunno, it sounded good" or my personal frequent favorite, "I'm stressed, let's go online shopping. It's only $10-$20 (plus shipping)!" Once you get settled into the new normal, though, it becomes much easier to stay on cards/digital. And all our savings are online-only high interest savings accounts, so it's minimum 3 days to transfer anything needed, which helps convince us do more of what we've called "mixed payments" (partly from that month's budget and partly from savings). You can totally do the same thing! No shame in being at a turning point in a journey

[Cheetah]

I hope you're having a good week!

[Atrytone]

9 hours ago, Cheetah said:

I hope you're having a good week!

 

Thank you, it's had its ups and downs.

 

Yesterday's positive was donating blood.

[Atrytone]

Just some rambling I need to get off my chest in the spoiler. TW; anxiety

 

Spoiler

My anxiety is pretty high today. I've been stressed a lot lately. Having family and housing issues. The hot water tank blew at my parents. Where I'm staying. The only access to the tank is through my room. It's been leaking for a long ass while so there's mold in the walls. No running water right now. Affordable housing is a joke. There's nothing in my price range but I WANT OUT. I'm so sick of living out of a cardboard box in the smallest room in my parents house. I can't share with a stranger because I hate people. All my friends live 45 minutes away, at least. My doctor appointment isn't until the 20th. I'm scared he won't do anything about my anxiety. I'm scared to tell him that I'd like to go back on Clonazepam. The last time I was on it was a year ago but benzo dependency is something that a lot of doctors are wary of (as they should be). I'm also scared that maybe I'm secretly an addict looking for a fix? Probably not but it's enough to make me question my own motives. It's just that my medication was the only thing that ever made me feel in control of my anxiety. Which a lot of people don't think I have because I'm high functioning. Maybe I don't. I mean it feels like it and I have a long ass list of symptoms/signs but what if I'm faking it? So tired of people dismissing me or not believing me. Half or more of the time I ask for help I'm told everything I feel is normal and it's how everyone feels and if that's the case I want to die. I'd rather die than live like this for the next 50? years. But I always downplay my symptoms or forget about them which is why I made a list this time. A list I'll read to the doctor so I don't forget anything.

 

Abridged version:

1. Poor sleep
2. Fatigue
3. Picking (hair, skin, scabs)
4. Pain
5. Overeating
6. Fear
7. Paranoia 

It feels real. It feels so real. But what if it's not?

 

[Atrytone]

Today's positive was showering at my brothers place. It's nice to feel clean.

[Cheetah]

Spoiler

Mental health issues are no joke.  I have bipolar II, which was tricky to pin down because I'm also high-functioning and also have alcohol issues.  There have been many times that I've doubted the diagnosis and wondered if I'm not that different from anyone else.  I hope that your doctor listens to you and takes your concerns at face value and has your best interests at heart.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your housing problems.  I hope it gets solved soon!

[Atrytone]

23 hours ago, Cheetah said:

I'm sorry to hear about your housing problems.  I hope it gets solved soon!

 

Thank you for sharing. I hope so too. 

 

As for housing, I found a place in my price point that will allow my cat and it's super close to where I'm staying now so the move would be relatively easy. The viewing isn't until later this month and given how affordable it is I'm bound to have a ton of competition but fingers crossed. Having my own space would do wonders for my mental health.

[Cheetah]

7 minutes ago, Atrytone said:

fingers crossed

 

Fingers crossed here too!  I hope it works out!

[Atrytone]

Today's positive: Naloxone training at work. I'm certified y'all.

[Atrytone]

Yesterday's positive: FINALLY attending a Pride Festival. I just wish I'd remembered to wear sunscreen.

[Cheetah]

On 6/7/2019 at 7:40 PM, Atrytone said:

Today's positive: Naloxone training at work. I'm certified y'all.

 

Good job!

 

On 6/10/2019 at 10:31 AM, Atrytone said:

Yesterday's positive: FINALLY attending a Pride Festival. I just wish I'd remembered to wear sunscreen.

 

Stupid sun.  It hates me and burns my skins with a fiery fire.

[Atrytone]

4 hours ago, Cheetah said:

Good job!

 

Stupid sun.  It hates me and burns my skins with a fiery fire.

 

Thank you!

 

And same. But it's fair because the sun's hate for me is mutual.

[Cheetah]

On one of his comedy cds Adam Sandler did a skit about a guy who's trying to talk his friend into joining a religious cult with him because there's a girl there who he's trying to hook up with.  It's a F#@& the Sun cult.  At the end they're all chanting, "The night time is the right time!"  Cracks me up.

[Atrytone]

Forced myself to write out a theoretical budget based on the past four months. I'm actually in a better financial position than I realized. It's not quite as much as I'd like but it should be manageable. 

 

I calculated out my transportation costs and I can probably get away with allocating 10% of my income to that. I have no debt to repay so I can reallocate that as well. It sucks but I can put about 50% of my income into housing costs (rent, utilities, etc) and still have enough for transportation, living costs (food, cat stuff, entertainment, etc), and some for savings as well. Hopefully I can get more hours at work soon to make things a little less tight. And hopefully I can get this apartment I'm viewing on Saturday. The rent is $650/month (utilities not included) which will probably be okay.

[Cheetah]

I'm glad things are looking a little bit up!