Happy Monday, everyone! The weekend flew by. Saturday was productive—I made good progress on several freelance projects. On Sunday I attended a bridal shower for a close friend, which was a lot of fun.
I planned to share our engagement photos last Wednesday, but that post still needs a bit more work. Expect it either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Living without student loans has been incredible. I considered treating myself to some new clothes, but didn’t find anything that I liked—no matter. Being debt-free is reward enough. It’s wild to think that a year ago I had $40,000 in student loans and today I have none. I used to read personal finance blogs and think paying off that much debt wasn’t realistic, but now I know it is.
Spending
We kept spending low this past week. I bought a bridal shower gift for my friend and contributed toward part of her Chicago bachelorette party; those costs were planned for in advance.
We also need to start saving for our trip to New Orleans. Since we’ll drive, expenses should be lower than flying, but there will still be costs for lodging, food, and activities, so we’re setting money aside now.
Extra Income (does not include income from our main jobs)
Extra income was strong last week. Several pending payments cleared and others were received promptly, which made a noticeable difference. It’s a relief not to chase payments for months. I added a “Hire Me” tab to the site on Friday and I’m hopeful it will bring in more freelance work before I transition to full-time self-employment.
I want to grow my freelance work, especially after I make the full switch and free up more hours. Initially I expect to relax more and enjoy extra free time—about 50–60 hours a week will open up. Thanks for the encouragement last week reminding me to enjoy life; I’m trying to take that to heart.
I haven’t set a firm date to leave my day job yet. The steady income there feels reassuring, and I’m still a bit nervous about giving it up. But I know I’ll need to move past that caution—life shouldn’t be only about playing it safe.
Recent posts from my blog:
- We’re bike people and $1,975 in extra income – We bought a bike and have been using it a lot.
- My student loans are gone – Short and sweet: my student loans are officially paid off.
Being healthy
We’ve been doing well with healthier habits. While we haven’t been perfect, most meals have been clean and nutritious. We’re riding our bikes frequently, and I aim to run at least two miles some days. In addition to cycling and running, we do strength training and other workouts. I also do at least 100 squats daily to build lower-body strength—every bit helps.
We’ve been thinking about biking the Katy Trail someday. The trail runs roughly 300 miles between St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. The idea is intimidating, but appealing. Have you ever done a long-distance bike trip like this? How long did it take you?