Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.
Ours was quiet and relaxing — nothing major, but exactly what we needed.
Some close friends of ours are getting married this Friday. W has known the groom since first grade, and they decided on a quick ceremony, so we have a lot to prepare this week. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
I booked our engagement photographer last week. I’ve admired her work on her wedding website and Facebook for years, and I’m thrilled she was available. We’ll include our dogs in the photos, too, which I’m excited about. W is really not thrilled about a photoshoot — anyone else have a reluctant partner? I can’t seem to convince him easily, but since I already paid the $400 fee, he’ll definitely be there.
We’ve been talking a lot about buying a new house lately. Until we find the right place and are ready to make an offer, we’re focusing on small improvements around our current home so we won’t be overwhelmed later — and so we can enjoy this house while we still live here. We’ve compiled a long to-do list. This weekend I tackled my closet and filled two large trash bags with actual trash: receipts, plastic bags, tags, stray paper, and similar clutter.
This upcoming weekend I plan to declutter more thoroughly and pare down my wardrobe. Hopefully I can sell some items and earn a little extra cash in the process.
Quick question for you: What did you improve around your house before selling it? I’m collecting tips because we want our sale to be quick and to maximize the price. I’ll write a detailed post later, but I’d love to know if I’m overlooking anything.
I also paid off one of my student loans — my last private student loan. I took it out in 2007 for $6,000, and I just finished the final payment. I even overpaid by $0.01 by accident! It’s a strange, exhilarating feeling; I didn’t expect paying off debt to feel so rewarding.
Spending
We didn’t make any notable purchases last week, which I’m proud of. The engagement photography was paid for, but that was already budgeted. Other than that, we’ve been careful with spending.
We also have some significant upcoming expenses: we’re gifting W’s parents a vacation as a thank-you for everything they do. We’ve been saving for this and are covering their airfare and an all-inclusive hotel. I don’t think they’ve ever been to the Caribbean, so we’re excited to give them that experience.
Extra Income (does not include salary from our jobs)
I received $823 in extra payments last week. I’m still waiting on a few more payments to clear.
Affiliate income is my main focus right now, and I’d like it to make up at least 50% of my extra income each month. I’m also building a new side business that I expect will become a major income source in time. It’s consuming more and more of my attention as it grows.
I can’t share many details yet. Several readers asked if it’s related to blogging, but it’s not — it’s something entirely different from writing, blogging, or advertising. If you want to guess, feel free; if someone correctly identifies it, I’ll admit it. If you already know, please keep it to yourself for now — I’ve only told a couple of people.
Food
We haven’t followed a strict meal plan lately, but we’ve been eating at home most nights. Last week we cooked dinner five times and ate out twice. Both nights out were inexpensive — the two nearby restaurants we like are cheap and conveniently located. We spent about $35 total on those meals, which feels very reasonable — under $20 per night.
We plan to keep cooking at home as much as possible. It’s more relaxing and gives us extra time together compared with dining in busy restaurants.
Wedding
As mentioned earlier, our engagement photos are booked. We scheduled them for May to capture blooming scenery and vibrant colors. The shoot will take place at a state park with hiking trails and scenic cliffs. Mixing heels, dresses, and two dogs on those trails will probably be chaotic, but it should make for memorable pictures.
Being healthy
Having a treadmill in the basement has helped a lot. I ran on it three times last week and plan to add a few short runs whenever I have 10–20 minutes free. Fitting in small workouts throughout the day makes staying active easier.