Easy Come, Easy Go - and a bright future
Long ago when I was working in corporate job that was slowly killing me, I used to chant:
"I only need to make it through... the day | the hour | this moment..."
And she is right.
Thanks for the awesome filter SnapChat!
And while I often struggle with depression, the chant of "I only need to make it through..." has really been initiated by external circumstances. Hubby and I took bold chances and we failed. We lost just about everything twice in the last five years. Once because we had to choose between fixing our vehicle or paying for our storage unit (the car won) - and once when NYS seized our assets for a business we closed several years ago and they claim we didn't file the proper paperwork. This led to being late on EVERYTHING with absolutely no funds even for food; its trickle-down effect being the loss of our house and facing homelessness.
It's times like these when there was no choice but to "make it through" one crisis before facing the next.
We learned tight budgeting, self-sufficiency, gardening, and living without stuff. By "stuff" I mean the things we thought we needed when actually they were just luxuries; things like a fancy cellphone with costly services, cable TV, take-out/fast food, two cars and the costs associated to them...
Living again
Part of feeling alive and full of hope is actually seeing the fruit from our sacrifices and mistakes. Nearly three weeks ago, I had gotten a part time temporary job that was cutting into my Steemit time. The extra money I earned went a long way.
- We were able to pay off a microloan early (which had like 500% interest - I'm not even exaggerating)
- We were able to make a final payment on our refrigerator (another item with ridiculous interest rates but we needed a fridge!)
- We were able to stock up on foodstuffs to get us to the next pay cycle with a little bit of money still in the bank!
Easy Come, Easy Go
The money we're saving from paying off the microloan and the fridge is going to off-set the fact that I was not hired to be a permanent employee. My last day will be Friday the 13th. I have mixed feelings about this.
I will miss the extra income. I will miss many of my co-workers. I will miss speaking to live human beings. Heck, I think I may actually miss getting dressed in nice clothes once in a while! LOL
But now I'm freed up again to blog regularly; seriously look into honing any skill I have in art, and getting back into Steemit where my heart is -- that is until I get hired/rehired elsewhere which could take days or weeks -- if ever.
More on the horizon
The property we're considering for our homestead
Even with the loss of my income, the savings we're going to have because a few high-interest items were paid off, we are seriously looking at a piece of property that we can easily afford. In a previous post I wrote about building my dream home on my own property.
"Let's go for it."
What's holding us back?
- It's a property we would be purchasing sight unseen. We haven't walked the land.
- There isn't yet a nearby location where hubby could request a job transfer.
A leap of faith?
Acquiring the property could happen this week but those are two major blocks which make us pause. One thing is certain: when something is meant to be, it generally falls easily into place for us. I have to shut out all noise, including my stubborn free will, to find the quiet, still voice to guide my path forward.
This time I do not have to chant, "I only need to make it through..."
This time I'm just going to ride the wave.
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Just a thought... are there any Steemians near the property that could do at least a drive by? There could be railroad tracks or a pit mine just behind the photographer and you'd never know til you got there. Maybe snap a few shots of the entire area...
Barring that, research the location in local newspapers to see what the entire area is like. An oil spill 6 months ago and 5 miles away would be a concern. See what I mean? Check the treasurer's office for tax history and the recorder's office for land transfer info. The more you dig, the better.
Am honestly not trying to be a wet blanket. My years in mortgages/real estate just come roaring back to life & I wouldn't want y'all to get burned. That's a gorgeous view and I truly hope this works out well.
You're definitely not being a wet blanket @aunt-deb. I appreciate you being a great friend though! It's in the northern Nevada area near the town of Elko and the water in the pic is the reservoir.
Considering I've never really been west of the Mississippi, this would be a huge move for me...but I'm not looking to uproot for another couple of years. IF we decide to jump on the property we'll be saving up to drive out there this summer. Worst case scenario, it could be investment property. Hubby has been doing a bunch of research and it seems Elko is a growing town, which is good for job opportunity...at least for me.
He's hoping they break ground on building a Lowe's so he can do a job transfer. But this is all forward thinking. Finding a wonderful Steemian who lives in that area would be AMAZING! Does anyone here live in/near Elko, Nev.?
Whew, I always worry about that cuz my opinion of the mortgage / real estate industry is biased and not in their favor.
Good on you for doing the research. I've heard of Elko, but only in passing. Fingers crossed that events line up to get you that dream and sooner rather than later! I also wouldn't be surprised if there's a Steemian close by... here's hoping!
This is actually a private sale, which makes me a little nervous because I've had one bad experience and two awesome experiences with private sellers. I'm hoping this will be a great experience...if hubby and I decide to jump on it. :)
It's a gorgeous spot. I'll send positive vibes that it works out well... y'all are due for some good luck.
One day at a time hun that's all we can do. :)
Hubby is usually the dreamer while I'm the one with my feet firmly planted on the ground. I have to admit that I have a bit of anxious excitement of the good kind of everything that's going on. I need to prioritize, plan...and then let hubby believe it was his idea. LOL
You know his so well, think my hubby is the same very much a dreamer without thinking about what might happen :)
::nods head::
And sometimes hubby thinks too much that he talks himself out of a lot of things that he should be doing. This one though... I might be digging my heels in. It kind of feels right.
You go for it, there's never a better time than right now :)
Wishing you all the best ! Even though i knew where my property was as we lived just across the highway where Gaston still is , and my brother built his own house , slowly but surely, 5 houses down from where we bought our property , Its so much more different to actually stand there and look around ! You will know for sure at that moment if its a good fit or not !
For me standing on that bare piece of property I felt at home , and immediately started planning out the land , and exactly where i wanted everything ! You wont know for sure if you want to buy it unless you physically stand on it ! and if you dont fell what I felt , then its not for you , dont buy it you will never be happy there ! I know this from experience ! Good luck and never stop steeming on ! 🏠🏡🏠
@merej99, I hope you get the house of your dreams and yellow is your color. To better and prosperous days.
Thanks, @runridefly
Indeed to better and prosperous days to you as well. There is a small part of me which says I need to stick with the status quo and just breathe... but that's so boring! LOL
that is a beautiful view! But If you can, I would try to visit first to confirm the potential. Good luck, and for what it's worth, from your post, sounds like you will be making it through!!
Thank you @gardenlady - I'm too stubborn to let failure keep holding me back. I will dig, crawl and climb to reach my dreams...and hopefully have many years to enjoy it before I die.
We've been in communication with the current land owner and from our google searches, there are houses nearby with power and cable. I wish we could afford a trip to walk the land so this may be a true leap of faith. We just need to make a decision -- which is probably the scariest part of the process! LOL
I am sure that you will get hired soon! Why don't you try and find an online job to ensure a constant income? I work as an online teacher and developer on a permanent basis. Never realized the amount of stress I had until I started working online. I will never give this up and it does not cut into my steemit time. I am holding thumbs for you!👍
Thanks, @giantbear. I'm hoping to get some interviews soon. I just recently applied to Michael's which would be AWESOME especially for my arts & crafts addiction (maybe not a good place to work? LOL)
I've been freelancing on and off since the 90s with stints in the "real world job market" and it's always been feast or famine. I've currently been in famine with the online work. I wish I could find steady income online! I've even thought about creating a few Udemy classes but the heart's not completely in it. That would definitely reflect in the class, don't you think?
I am from South Africa. Michael's sounds like a fun place to work. I believe that you should work where you feel comfortable and relaxed. I had to check online what Udemy classes were, and it sounds good to me. Just choose something that you will enjoy. If you are passionate about something then it just comes natural. We use an online class system called Wiziq and we have live classes. I utterly enjoy the interaction with the kids. Best job ever. We have a video facility but I never use it because I sometimes work in pajamas and that will be a sight for sore eyes!
Just make sure you can do what you're planning to do on this property according to the government overlords. I know from painful personal experience in the police state of Iowa that when I bought a one-acre property out in the country, I wasn't able to just "homestead" as I had hoped. There are codes and regulations for many things when owning property: buildings, farm animals, water usage, sewage, etc. Hope this helps and good luck.
Yes. Thank you @chessmonster. Hubby is the one who usually does the research on building codes and restrictions. We're just barely into the research aspect but so far everything looks like it's what we want. There are no HOAs, no time limit to build. It's near BLM land but has a maintained (dirt) road and electric going to the property and right now it's zoned for open land use, but that could change in a few years if the area gets developed. Right now it's fairly remote. So much research to do! I'll have to look into well, septic and if it allows for wind and solar. I would think it's all right but you know what they say about ASSUME.
Yes, that's what I did: "assume." I even got kicked off my land by the county for living in an RV. A self-contained RV, no less, hurting nothing and no one. I got the last laugh, however: I didn't want to live in that police state anyway, sold the lot, and moved to Texas.
Mankind lived for thousands of years without Big Brother breathing down our necks telling us how to use water, build our houses, dispose of waste, etc. and we survived. But now, we're all supposed to be big dummies who need to be told these things. What a load of BS.
Excellent post dear friend @ merej99, with effort and a lot of faith you leave wherever, everything happens for some reason, nothing is forever.
Always have to be willing to wait for something better
That is so true @jlufer - everything happens for a reason and my husband and I often struggle greatly when we try to force a decision. This time is seems quite easy even if it is a huge leap of faith.
You seem to aim to a cool and relax place with a very nice view! I hope the dram will come true at some point! :)
I wish you good luck for finding a new job!
Thank you so much! A new job would be great...or extra room in the budget so I can stay where I am! But I'm not going to sweat the small stuff. Something will come. I have to keep the faith and stay positive about it. :)
Sorry the Target job ended, mere - I hoped you'd get a longer run. I know you have your heart set on owning your own land but you can't afford to travel there and scope it out - it's in a different state with a climate change - there seems to be a time constraint (never make a decision under duress) and as chessmonster said there are many hidden perils in bylaws etc. Why nor be patient and scope out land in your neck of the woods where it's familiar and you can take your time? Don't want to sound negative, but I've got a red flag on the inside of me, and my instincts are nearly always right. It's up to you guys, but be careful. I'll pray for you for guidance. xx
You are a sweetheart, John. We are definitely keeping our options open. My neck of the woods is actually mid to upstate New York and we came to Florida sight unseen and were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved it. Biggest hurdle from making a jump is the fact that hubby works for Lowes and they haven't built one yet. He's on a very good career track and we don't want to screw with it. Our options are open. Having been a military brat, I've yet to find a piece of land or find a state or country that feels like "HOME". I think I might have a bit of gypsy blood in me...and not just the blood of Mongols killing people with fiction. LOL Prayers and positive thoughts are always welcome.