December 5, 2016
On Money
Income
Our normal income is two full time day job salaries. We experiment with earning money on the side, including minimal cash flow that we don’t touch from an investment property. The goal is to replace our day job income before my health gives out and prevents me from working.
Our incomes which I am exceedingly grateful for remain the same. This is good from a stability standpoint. There have been too many nights lying awake after working a 100 hour week for the overtime and wondering how long it was before I fell apart completely and could I get us to a safe place before then? So I’m grateful for what we have.
I’m also aware that the clock could run out on my particular job, whether it be my patience or my professional stagnation, so there is some internal buttkicking going on in trying to nail down the important things I need to address when crafting my next step. (more…)
November 7, 2016
On Money
Income
Our normal income is two full time day job salaries. We earn money on the side, including minimal cash flow that we don’t touch from an investment property. The goal is to replace our full time job income before my health gives out and prevents me from working.
Poshmark: I talked about the reselling experiment earlier this year as part of an ongoing effort to earn money separate from our day jobs. It’s quite slow, no doubt because I don’t own spectacularly covetable items, but I’ve made three additional (small) sales since, netting an additional $32.
I have no intentions of becoming a boutique shop so using Poshmark to move used clothing and shoes out (shipping is paid by the buyer, I can schedule free USPS pickup for the items I’m shipping, money is available for transfer 3 days after delivery) is worth the fees ($2.95 for sales under $15, 20% for sales over $15). The earnings are almost secondary to clearing up the clutter on my ongoing closet curating quest. (more…)
October 12, 2016
In February, inspired by Cloud, I decided it was high time to get back to the business of being me. Life isn’t all about work, money, and family. Life is meant to be lived, and we are meant to grow.
What I read
Last Woman Standing, by Thelma Adams
I can’t recall why I snagged this one, might have been free on Kindle for a limited time, but I loved the idea of reading up on the woman in Wyatt Earp’s life. I’m familiar enough with Wyatt Earp’s general legend, but I was always curious about the woman by his side.
It was a mostly satisfying read.
The Daughter of Union County, by Francine Thomas Howard
This was an Amazon Prime First free book. Didn’t enjoy it. Maybe it was just too hard reading about the horrific American racism towards black people in the past that simply has not stayed in the past. This is racism now, and it’s not even subtle or that much diminished. Interracial marriages aren’t illegal anymore but we haven’t come very far beyond that.
Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho
This was very different in style from her last book. It wasn’t hugely complex, but I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Also the names. Nidget! (more…)
October 3, 2016
ON MONEY
I use Swagbucks. Here’s a handy tutorial if you’d like to join and earn.
Our normal spending covers the living expenses for two households.
Spending
FinCon happened: to the tune of $1685. It sure was fun but ouch!
Home maintenance: we fixed that thing and it cost $1250. That bill comes due in October and our property taxes are coming due in November for another whopping $2500. This means digging into savings, precious, and we don’t want to! Hissss!
A few days after FinCon, I went shopping in the worst possible way: angry, hungry, and tired. Brought our week’s worth of groceries, and 3 cakes, in under $40. It could have been so much worse but lugging that many pounds of food in was plenty. (more…)
September 5, 2016
ON MONEY
I use Swagbucks. Here’s a handy tutorial if you’d like to join and earn.
Spending
Credit card churn, Card #2 of 2016: After $1,000 of paying bills, I’ve crossed the threshold for the required minimum spending to earn 35K Alaska miles. I don’t have a specific use in mind for these miles but I suspect they’ll come in useful in a year or two. The first card was also an Alaska card, in my name, but only earned 25K bonus miles. Humph.
Open ended travel planning: 3 free RT domestic travel tickets costs 75K miles and $36 (we paid $75 for each card, so the actual total is $186). Our current total of 60K miles is still 15K miles short. It doesn’t look like Alaska does discounted mile redemptions like United does, so to shore that up, I’ll sign up for dining miles programs so that any spending we do also earn miles on top of any credit card award points. Then we’ll be set for a trip that costs more than $500.
(more…)
August 8, 2016
A
Gai Shan Life turns ten!
Born in 2006, this site has changed names once, changed URLs twice, and changed designs at least seven time. AGSL is a senior in dog years, starts fifth grade in kid years, or could retire as a centenarian in blog years.
I’ve published more than 2000 posts, some of which don’t bear re-reading and some of which I’m still proud of, made literally awesome friends, and found community in the unlikeliest of places.
It almost feels pretentious to celebrate a decade of blogging. I’ve been tapping my keys, chatting with y’all. But I can’t pretend that running this blog this long, despite the slings and arrows of fortune or wondering why I’m doing this, isn’t a big deal.
We’ve come a long way since starting a free blog on Blogger, posting random musings on the complications of fresh out of college income, family, and navigating relationships when you’re bogged down with a freighter’s worth of family baggage. (more…)
August 1, 2016
ON MONEY
I use Swagbucks. Here’s a handy tutorial if you’d like to join and earn.
Spending
In the wake of June’s credit card bills, I cautioned PiC we had to pull back on spending for a few months to let our accounts breathe. We largely did ok with this even with this month’s travel.
Our normal monthly credit card spending on food, household supplies, any utility bills I can charge without fees, medical and vet bills, tends to average around the $1000 mark.
Planning ahead to FinCon in September, unfortunately my post didn’t win any prizes, so I’ll be on the hook for all the travel costs. This makes me triply glad that we had great friends willing to host us and Seamus for the week of SDCC. (more…)