The one in which I restart the blog… maybe
I started this blog five (FIVE?!) years ago when my former husband and I were broke, in debt, and trying to figure out how to make ends meet.
Now I’m less broke, still in debt, and trying to figure out what to do with my life. But I have a great personal finance community to fall back on, even if I’m not actively in the space. I’m also very gay, so the lack of a husband thing is also kind of a relief.
So what’s happened in the last five years?
Well, a lot.
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you get a more play-by-play of my life (and random shenanigans I’m up to), but for those of you who don’t. Here’s the recap.
I divorced my husband and came out as gay.
I took on $6,000 debt in the divorce that I’m slowly paying off.
It tanked my credit score for about a year, but I’m mere points away from 600! That’s a huge success for me. After the divorce, I dropped into the low 400s.
When I started this blog, I had $0 in retirement savings and $0 in house savings. Now, I have $15,000 in retirement and $5,000 in house savings.
I’ve come a long way. I’ve tried out a dozen career fields. Okay, not a dozen. But I was a barista for forever. I worked in politics. I built websites. I tried (and somewhat failed at) freelancing (post upcoming).
But the largest change would probably have to be my bipolar diagnosis.
As my work wife, Athena, knows I’m a hot mess (but at least I’m hot.)
It manifested most poorly when my psychiatrist ghosted me last year. I spent 2 months without medication and lost a very well-paying job. Now, I work at a ranch because I bounce back y’all. But my resume makes zero sense, Bob, not one sense.
The original intention of my blog was to help young couples learn about money through the mistakes I made along the way. For a 20-year-old, I was moderately on top of my income and making huge strides. Without the curse of bipolar, I would probably still be making great strides, but right now, I feel like my life is in some sort of weird cosmic standoff.
So what now?
Good question, dear friends. I don’t rightly know. Here’s my dilemma. The barn is part time, flexible hours, work when I want to (except mandatory Saturdays). But last month I only made $1,280. That’s not quite enough for me to live off of. (Budget post upcoming.) I’m framing it as a sabbatical, because that’s what it feels like.
But that doesn’t mean it’s sustainable. I’m far too young to be draining away at my resources and now is a great wealth building time for me. So, something’s gotta change.
And that’s what exactly? I’m still deciding.
Part of me wants to go back to grad school to get a counseling degree. Part of me wants to move abroad and explore another country. Part of me wants to get a degree in advertising. Part of me wants to stay at the barn and hope I make more money next month. (Spoiler, I’m not going to – but a girl can dream).
Right now, I’m focusing on good habit building. I eat breakfast every morning and feel guilty if I don’t brush my teeth. I shower regularly. (If you know me, you know I *hate* getting wet). My meds are on lockdown, so I’m finally stable again. Basic care tasks are hard when you’re bipolar, so I’ve really been spending my time really solidifying them in my schedule. I’m hoping that this will carry over when I end my sabbatical.
But what about the money?
Well folks, I’m not sure. I’m trusting the universe and seeing where my next steps guide me. I’ve started a job search. Entrepreneurship isn’t for me (but that’s okay), and I miss working in an office (shocker, I know). A hybrid role would work best – I think. But I’m also open to remote positions as long as the fit is correct.
The good thing about having emergency reserves of cash is that while I’m stressed about money, I know that I have three more months before I need to be mad worried about money.
If anyone has any job leads, I’d love to hear them. Or suggestions about how to supplement my income – those would be great. But I’m not asking for a handout or anything. Just being honest about where I am in life right now.
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Thanks for shining a light on this subject. Very enlightening.
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It’s great seeing your blogging a wee bit again. Sounds like you are at a crossroads in life. After reading your thoughts in the blog – one thing stood out like crazy – Have you thought of looking for a grad school over in Europe? There are many universities that offer grad programs. That way – its a two birds one stone deal – you get the degree in counseling annnd you can be in a location you’ve wanted to visit or travel to. Plus be within train travel distance to other places. I’ve had friends do this and they loved it. They also picked up part-time work – baristas, online teaching English is a biggie and/or working at the University. Other than that – give yourself the time to breathe, know that you are an accomplished young woman (I am a Spanish grandma to the core!) with much to offer.
I remember you and your blog. Here’s sending you good vibes, and good things on your journey through life. Keep us (me) posted. Take care.