beartalon

I’ve learned that my schedule needs to be set to MAKE TIME to sit down and do beading if I want to see. I’m already looking at cheap booths at fairs for next year, but I won’t make Christmas this time.

I also realized I have to inventory everything for my taxes by the end of the year. sigh Less time to bead.

The consignment shop that has my stuff has sold nothing because it’s downstairs behind other boxes and she can’t get to them to put them out. Just great that is…

Thursday evenings are set aside for jewellery making. I still have to get to the consignment shop to get her to honour my sales agreement. At least I was able to find a wholsale shop where I can buy up to 20% off without sales tax and has low shipping in Canada. That will certainly help with keeping my costs low and either increasing profit margin or allowing lower prices for more sales.

Gas prices have gone down, and I am working at home two days per week, so a tank of gas now lasts twice as long and is cheaper. That helps. Since I’m not travelling to the States every other weekend, the savings now seem large. I’m just waiting for January when Christmas is over. I don’t spend a lot at Christmas, but from May to now, it’s just been one large expense after another. The expenses are expected, but there’s not enough time to recover between each. 2009 should be less problematic.

Since I last wrote, I’ve been waiting for my spouse’s car to be safetied in Canada before repairing my own. Now it looks like I’ll need to do both together because of delays on his. It would be really nice if I could save the money for a new car instead of spending so much to keep one on the road that I can not save money.

Who knew that my husband’s car would have so much wrong with it? In the end, we got the overall import from US, Canadian safety and Ontario emissions done for less than $1500. That’s a dent in debt-reducing money that will take a while to replace, and there’s no longer a cushion.

Before this surprise I had somehow managed to put extra money on my loan to reach the 2/3’s principal left mark this week, and by the time the loan reamortizes, I’ll be down another 4%, so my new loan payments will be even less.

In the same time period, my line of credit rose more than this. I don’t know how to combat both when supporting tow people on one salary. I really hope my performance review nets an increase in salary that can make a difference.

I met with an endocrinologist and a diabetic dietician a few weeks ago. We discussed my eating patterns, what I really liked to eat, energy levels and when I peaked and the amount of carbohydrates I eat in a day.

When I started testing my blood sugars again, the average was above 10 (180+ on an American scale). Three weeks into a much-more controlled diet, I was feeling no hunger, not wanting to snack, weight was being lost and my average blood sugar is down to around 7 (126).

It’s still a little high, but the average in in the range we need it, between 4 and 8 (or 72 and 144).

Clothes are fitting looser and the diet is easy to follow, which helps my willpower. It’s also not a strict regimen considering what I’ve learned about how to use bulky fibrous foods to help sate me while keeping calories low.

I’m pleased thus far.

The realization of last month’s overspending (and debt use) has made me super-conscious of spending. This week I’m quite happy to have taken lunch to work and foraged in the kitchen to use what we already have before buying more.

Planning to staying at home in the evenings, only going out when we have enough tasks to fill an evening also means less gas money spent, and far less impulse buying.

It seems that we’ve gotten into a nice pattern of life, now that the apartment is mostly the wy we want it. I’ve been able to get in a few hours each night working with my beading.

One of the commissions is done. Technically it’s a gift for my mother, but the resulting design is one I think will sell, possibly in more colours and materials than the pearls I used. The picture here is the finished piece.

Commission #2 is waiting on a response regarding the base design. If it’s accepted, finishing it will be quick.

While working on those, I’ve also managed to better organize some of my beading materials, and started a few new necklace designs and finished some earrings.

My goal is to be able to sell some for Christmas, but that means more green, red and white beads and getting it all ready and a location to sell it before December. Perhaps I’ll wait until spring and use the time to generate a larger body of work to sell.

I make beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings and bookmarks but I seem to have a problem balancing time not working at my full-time job to get all my household stuff done and feel like being creative too.

On top of that, too many people still think this is a hobby for me and think “It’s cute that a guy beads. Oh, can I have a free necklace with real pearls?”

No, and no. It’s an investment and I have an Ontario business license to develop this more, but I can’t sell anything I haven’t made, and no longer for free (as I did when I was first practising techniques).

There are two commissions sitting on my desk, but I am stuck for free time and creative thoughts to merge together.

One of my other goals is to get out of debt. I have a raft of beading materials so if I could make this endeavour self-sustaining, I’d be far ahead.

Last month my husband moved in, we fixed up our new apartment and got everything in order.

While I know this month was odd, we spent almost 50% more than my entire month’s take home pay. I can account for most of that in one-off purchases that will not occur again for a long time, and too much junk food in place of real meals.

It irritates me to no end to have so much debt that I have less than $100 per week to do everything. I’m working on the debt, but how many more ways can I lower my spending?

My husband is a Celtic musician, specializing in Irish flute, bodhran (frame drum) and whistles. He missed a trip to Ireland in his past and I’d like to take him in the next 5 years.

It’s another thing to save up for, after paying off debt. How much money would it take to visit Ireland for two – three weeks?

That basic advice is easy to give and hard to switch into living.

Just under two years, I got a consolidation loan, but the weekly loan payments were so large I still found myself needing to use revolving credit, even after my salary caught up to my loan debt. At that point, all of my commission cheques beyond regular salary went into the debt. At January’s two year mark of this 6 year loan, my loan principal will be at 2/3 it’s starting value. That is a lot of money thrown at debt.

Right now, my salary take home less known expenses leaves me with $100 per week to do everything else in life. I can’t escape the slow rise of the revolving debt. My commission is quarterly and doesn’t cover the increase.

In January, when this loan will automatically reamortize, I’ll save another $160 per month. But, this year I’ve also helped my husband immigrate, we have a new apartment, and each have a car.

When he gets work, I’m sure my outlay of money will reduce as we share living expenses, but it is very hard to prepare for emergencies or any unexpected expense without using credit.

Paul

I like being me, but my doctor and I agree that there can be less or me to love that is much more healthy.

I don’t drink or smoke. Food is my vice, especially when stressed or bored. I’ve lived like this too long.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with adult diabetes and high cholesterol. My blood pressure was marginally high. Now that I’m forty, my doctor is stressing weight loss is paramount, not just a suggestion. We’ve also added more protective measures against genetic heart issues, liver and kidney protection.

The genetic predisposition aside, I can reduce cholesterol and gluscose by becoming more active and eating less and better.

As of 2008, I’m above the usual scale limit of 350 pounds. Blood sugar and cholesterol are much reduced from the extremes a few years ago, but still need to improve.

Paul

I’m tired of driving cars so old they start to fall apart within a few years and take more to repair than to buy.

This will hopefully be alleviated when my largest debt is gone.