Happy Monday! It’s the start of another workweek. On the left is a Pinterest attempt I made of my dog that turned into a bit of a fail — she doesn’t look great and seems annoyed with me for making her pose.
I’m looking for guest posters for next week while I’m out of town. I know this is short notice; I already have a few posts scheduled, but I’d prefer to replace some with fresh guest content if possible.
Guest posts should ideally be money-related: how you save while traveling, side jobs you do, or long-term financial goals are all good topics. If you’re interested, please let me know.
I’m excited for our short vacation next week. It will be brief but fun, and we expect to keep costs low — about $1,500 total including spending and food.
In a previous post I talked about income dynamics: “He makes less money than me, so what?” Recently, W has become the higher earner. It’s been interesting to experience the role reversal, especially since I hold two bachelor’s degrees and an MBA in Finance. This change has reinforced that determination plays a huge role in income and career success. I plan to write a full post about this change soon.
Have you experienced a similar role reversal at home? Who is the primary earner in your family? Share your experiences and I may include them in the upcoming post.
The winners of my Aldi giveaway from the Weekly Roundup were announced on that post’s Rafflecopter widget — congrats to Amber and Young Adult Money! It’s always nice to see familiar names win. Also, don’t forget the $75 Novica giveaway that ends in a few days; entries are still low, so your chances are good.
There’s another giveaway today for an iPad 3 — check back on the blog later for details.
My updates:
Spending
My spending this week was similar to last week. The main expense came from a visit to the vet for my other dog, who’s been unwell. He’s a French Bulldog runt with a very narrow nostril structure; the vet even recommended corrective laser surgery to improve his breathing. He had coughing fits that left him struggling to breathe, so I took him in immediately and he’s now on medication.
Thankfully the vet bill was not too high — around $75 for the checkup and medications — because he’s so small. Both dogs are improving now. They were very sick for a while, even vomiting frequently, so it’s a relief to see them get better. There’s only so much a dog parent can handle!
Extra Income (in addition to my job salary)
This week’s extra income was solid, though not as strong as some previous weeks. December tends to be slower for supplemental income because of the holidays, so I’m not overly concerned.
I earned approximately $975 last week from my extra income activities. I’m still waiting on several payments, so next week’s update may show a higher total once those clear.
I’ve cut back on many staff writing assignments, in part because of scheduling and in part because I prefer the blogs I currently write for. I also started seeing more income from affiliate links. While it’s early, last week I made about $75 through affiliate referrals on my Extra Income page — thank you to everyone who used my links. I appreciate the support.
Food
Food expenses have been manageable. We did go out to eat on Saturday, which was pricier because we were babysitting W’s younger siblings (ages 9 and 12) and took them to Applebee’s. It’s surprising how fast costs add up when feeding a family.
I also prepared a meal plan this week — see my Sunday Meal Plan for details.
Being healthy
I’m sticking with healthier habits. I haven’t completed as many full workouts as I’d like, but I try to do small exercises in the morning and do a bit more after work. Every effort adds up.
I’m buying healthier groceries and cooking more nutritious meals, and I’m really enjoying the results.
Last week I lost 0.5 pounds, which is expected since my goal is to build muscle and reduce body fat rather than focus solely on weight loss. Progress feels great!