Moving from NYC to San Diego - Part 1: Giving up a salary in exchange for financial anxiety
Hi guys!
Is it just me, or has this been a particularly long ass week, and its only Wednesday still? This is where I should be posting a quickie post, and then going to smoke a fattie but I was inspired by @boxcarblue to write about my experiences so far with giving up a perfectly good life in NYC to pursue something different in California. I realized that this might be exactly what I need to remind myself of why we're here. I've been feeling a bit discouraged and a lot unmotivated with MadPotters recently. Not here - my user name is also my business name. When I started this idea of being a full-time artist, I took a long hard look at my bank account first. Well, all the accounts, really. I'm a little bit of a savings hoarder (same thing I did with Steem Power, until it was explained to me) so I keep my money in a few different places. Savings, Checking, Savings again, maybe another savings (or two), investments, and a tiny piece of NY real estate. I think I've diversified enough in the areas I'm knowledgable about....anyways. All that gave me the comfort I needed to stop working for a paycheck and dedicate my time to creating. Not immediately, though, I worked for a little while when I first got to California last April. I needed a truck, an apartment and a job on the books so I could prove I could pay for those things. For some reason, CASH was not enough here. Not even paid up front, in full for a full year on an apartment. Not that I wanted to, but I figured how could they reject that? And I wasn't about to start dipping into my savings yet without having a home base set up, ready to start making and creating. Unfortunately, the type of work I found was not going to be accepted anywhere, either. But thats for another post, lol.
I just typed for what seemed like forever, but when I went back and read what I wrote it wasn't the message I was trying to get across. Looking back a year ago, SO MUCH has happened that I can't possibly sum it up in one post. From North Park to Fallbrook, living with adult roommates as an adult, trying to handle my apartment in Brooklyn and a crappy tenant who wanted to live free for two out of three months....
[Sunset from Times Square, NYC - 24th Floor]
[Sunset from Pacific Beach, CA]
I'd like to think I gave up all those tall buildings so I could see the whole picture.
When I think about it too much, the giving up of financial stability has been the hardest thing for me. While I still have all my accounts and apartment as a "safety net", trying to generate my own living is a lot scarier than I had ever imagined. And I'm an over-worrier times 12 (million). I can't live off what I'm making yet, and although I am still operating in the green at the moment, I realize that these building years are going to cost more than I will probably make. Because of that knowledge, I think the rest of my life is starting to suffer. I've made $7 dollars this week so far. Doesn't sound like much, but when I put it in terms of the time/effort and materials that went into that...well....if I could just sell 700 of those $7 items, I'd be super set! But I haven't yet, so I'm trying to adjust my spending based on what I'm making, not what I have.
Food is my downfall and that is where I feel it the most. I had a craving for ramen today, specifically from this place in NYC where I used to pick up lunch regularly. And the more I thought about it, the more absurd it sounded to me. I used to pay $18 for that ramen and didn't bat an eye. If I was really in a mood, I'd grab a $4 donut while I was at it. So, that's $22 I spent. For lunch. Doesn't include breakfast, coffee and another 4pm coffee. And maybe a snack for the subway home, lol. All in all, I could expect to spend anywhere between $15-40 PER DAY on food alone. Not counting dinner! Sometimes more, if I wanted to "treat" myself.
I can't dine out on $7 and that's how I'm currently stuck on judging my success. Sure, there's money in the bank and I can afford it if I wanted to...but how many times can I say that before I run out? I've got to find a happy balance where I let myself enjoy going out again, and not only obsess about the money part. The thing is, I still find myself in the same habits as my salaried life, just in different terms. Taco Bell is a treat now, instead of Rosa Mexicano and her $14 guac (but those nacho fries are freaking amazing!), thrift store finds and succulents are now my retail therapy instead of Nordstrom and actually sitting down to eat at a restaurant happens very rarely now. Almost never. So far, this journey sounds terrible, huh? But not being chained to a desk, working my ass off for someone else's success is worth it. Also, I don't have to pay $1 extra for guac anymore at Chipotle, because 1. who goes to Chipotle in SoCal? and 2. I've got free avocados in my yard. OH, and donuts are much cheaper here, too!
Current Score - NYC: zero
San Diego: 1
Don't forget to follow if you want to hear (read) more about my journey! It wont be in a boring, chronological history book type way, I promise (hope).
xo
Christie
Sounds like some big lifestyle changes. Huge, actually. Living on a budget can get pretty depressing. It often feels like a negation if selfworth. When what you desire seems like so little and still you can’t let yourself have it, it can be a real downer for sure.
I recently posted about simple food. What’s the cheapest, simplest, yet most satisfying meal you can make right now? And what’s the best (creates the most satisfaction/pleasure) way to eat it/place to it/person or people to eat it with?
It's really depressing! You hit the nail on the head - when what I want seems so small or insignificant but I still can't bring myself to spend the money, it feels really bad. The one goal I had living in NYC was to be financially stable enough to not have to think about what I'm spending on, or why. Within reason, of course. I wasn't shelling out thousands to Fendi and Dior (that was college years, outgrew that fast when I couldn't keep up with just my waitressing job, LOL), but analyzing and asking myself "do you really need it" every time I make a purchase is making me never want to leave the house again.
Great idea about simple but pleasurable foods. Anything with avocado, I guess, since we've got a few trees in our yard that the landlord does not mind if we take from. And picnic on the beach is the best! But how can I justify taking time out to plan a picnic at the beach every day when I'm not making money yet? I guess its always been a direct trade off for me - if I work hard and earn money, I can do what I want. If I dont work or earn money, I don't "deserve" to do anything bc I didn't earn it.
I don't mean to sound negative on the idea, but I'm also realizing the value of time nowadays. When you're on a salary, its easy to put off things for the next day because your paycheck is the same no matter what. Or higher, if you get overtime. In fact, it pays to procrastinate in some situations. It just felt so much more productive to buy lunch and eat it all within 30 minutes rather than spend an hour and a half creating what I would have bought anyways. The difference now is I can make 8 turkey sandwiches at home for the price of one take out sub. My brain likes to see things in terms of numbers and dollars though, so I get stuck at the counter calculating the time it makes me to make 8 sandwiches, including having to go to the store to buy more bread and stupid things like that versus the $14 sandwich that cost me 10 minutes of my time. And then of course there is the food snob in me that says fuck eating 8 turkey sandwiches in a row so it doesn't go bad. I want variety! I don't eat to live, I live to eat, lol. Maybe that is also contributing to my currently being stuck in a negative funk - poor quality food, fast food, junk food - all the cheap shit I keep using to satisfy my need for treats is actually doing more a disservice than anything.
I'll always buy store brand paper towels in bulk because you save money that way but food is not something Im willing to lower the quality on. To an extent. I freak out if my boyfriend tries to buy the cheap cuts of meat, but fast food and junk is still fair game. But then it gets me thinking - if I were truly on a budget without any safety nets, I wouldn't be able to buy anything in bulk. Those 50 cent rolls now turn into $2 a piece because I can't afford the $20 for 40 rolls at once.
Its starting to feel like that old adage is true here too but instead of having to spend money to make it, you've got to have it first to be able to start benefitting from bulk discounts.
I’ve only ever just glimpsed the difference between what it is like to have the secure feeling of being salaried and the less secure, probably more stressful feeling of being self-employed, which I understand means never ever having a day or hour off or away from the job (mentally and sometimes physically) when you’re struggling to make ends meet.
For a long time now I’ve had a mix of both. I’m the only one with income in my family and I support four of us so I need the “security” of a salaried job with benefits, but I also need all the side income I can come by just to make ends meet and try to get ahead.
Since joining Steemit and learning that I can earn something that might be income or retirement funds someday, I’ve had periods where I’ve really struggled with what you mention above about the value of time and having that feeling of but I could be working, I could be making money.
I know sometimes we vent just to get things off our chest and don’t need advice, and sometimes we vent in the hopes hearing thoughts/ideas/advice, etc.
It sounds to me like you might benefit now from setting some clear goals for yourself about production, sales, money spent (how and in which way), etc.
I have been posting once a week on Steemit about my exercise, weight loss, and personal goals, and it has helped me a lot. Sometimes I just get things off my chest and am done with them. Sometimes I find that the weekly checkin helps me map things out and see things more clearly. Sometimes I get great advice, ideas, and recommendations from readers. Maybe a weekly post like that would be beneficial for you too.
I also think you could make some cool instructional posts about your art and wonder if you couldn’t make a kit to sell online so that people can easily make their own planters/pots. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about the weight when shipping your products.
Just some thoughts.
I always welcome advice - this is new territory for me! I was just talking about finding a theme for my blog here; right now my topics are all over the place and I think it's more helpful for growth if I have a main reason for being on Steemit. I haven't quite found it yet, but I at least want to set a schedule for myself where I'm posting regularly about the same things. I'm adopting your once a week post with a business check in for sure.
I think your idea of a DIY kit is perfect! The cement pre-mixing is still not the lightest thing to ship, but definitely better than a finished pot. I've got to get over the fear of being on video first, though, haha. I've also been on the fence about buying a ton of silicone molding material so I can start creating my own molds. Do something nobody else is doing with cement. I just struggle with the money spending when I can't always see the direct payoff.
Its funny, I do have all my finances for the business in an orderly fashion and a spreadsheet that will instantly tell me when I venture off into the red zone but I don't like to look at it too often. It's like how I was when I first started investing in the stock market. Checking my account every hour, seeing if I lost money, if I made the wrong buy, etc etc. My brain works in a funny way, I think. All the info is still there, and I can sort of ballpark where I'm at spending versus earning wise without
I'm really glad I came across your blog! Your comments really make me think in new directions, so I thank you for that. Much more thanks than the penny for my upvote, lmao.
My boyfriend and I argue all the time about having a family. I'd rather wait for better financial stability, and he believes that you can make it work no matter what. It's probably true, but why put yourself into a situation where our attentions are divided when we need to stay focused on rebuilding our lives in San Diego? As someone who has both - the family to support and also the financial anxieties, is there a "right" way or time to have kids?
I think it’s better to have kids once you have a financial cushion and probably when you’re in your late twenties or early thirties because you’re most likely more ready to settle down and make the lifestyle changes that kids tend to bring about. That’s said, I don’t think there is a right time. Kids just happen. I know. It takes two and all of that, but really, they just happen. Some people try and try and never get lucky. Others pick up a tissue and get pregnant over and over again (or so it would seem). I would say if you and your boyfriend are both interested in having kids, just throw caution to the wind a few times and see what happens. It might make sense to wait until your business is running a little more smoothly though.
With the DIY Kit, I was wondering if it could work without the cement mix. That could be a go buy it yourself ingredient, that way you wouldn’t have to worry about shipping it. Maybe you could just include some molds, dyes/colorings, stones or something for decoration, and instructions. This business also seems like it would lend itself well to a workshop or a come have coffee and make a cement pot type of thing.
Rather than worry about the money and spreadsheets, I meant that maybe you could set some production/sales goals. Say you want to make 20 pots a week, sell 10-15, and then find one new market/store to sell or advertise them in. That, or start a workshop and get one new client per week, etc. That sort of thing.
Ive been working on pulling together a workshop! Exactly as you said - I prefer in person interaction so I invite potential customers to my home to shop my studio and just hang out and chat plants with me. So far the biggest hurdle I'm trying to work out is that it takes approximately 2 hours for one pot to fully dry. So I need to find something to keep the participants occupied for all that time, lol. So far, Ive come up with a trip to the succulent nursery OR learn to make a macrame hanger for the pot so you leave with a hanging planter.
I like the idea of goals that aren't directly counted in dollars, so thank you for that tip. Once I stopped making daily and weekly lists of what I wanted to accomplish, productivity went down a lot.
Even if it takes 30 minutes out of the day, I've got to allow myself that time to organize my thoughts. Seems like everything I do this week gets interrupted with thoughts of beating myself up over doing yoga instead of updating my shop, or something similar.
If I'm honest, I'd prefer to wait until business is more stable, as well. Not to mention the cement I work with explicitly says on the box MAY BE HARMFUL TO FETUS. BIRTH DEFECTS. That sort of warning. I would have to stop all together, I think.
I'll be 35 in July!
Sorry. I’ve been meaning to reply to this comment now for fifteen days. Unbelievable how quickly time can slip by.
I would say that you have the answer to your question about whether to try having kids or not right now. With a warning like that on the cement you work with, you definitely don’t want to take any chances.
Although, if you think you are going to want to try conceiving I’m two or three years, it wouldn’t hurt to start exploring other mediums/materials to build your business around.
Two hours is a long time to keep a customer/customers hanging around. It sounds like something that would work well in tandem with other artisans. For example, if you know a masseuse who can set up shop next to your studio, or if you could build your shop next to a restaurant or cafe, etc.
I once blew a cup out of glass in Japan. The way that worked is the studio mailed me the glass after it had cooled. I do like your macrame idea, though. That’s a good one.
I was also wondering if you couldn’t pair up with a florist who does weddings and make pots for the flowers/centerpieces, etc. Then guests could take home as a gift from the bride and groom. Some people might really like that.
I have friends who might be able to share their story about how they developed their tile business. I haven’t been in touch with them for years, but knowing them, I’m sure they’d be happy to help if they can.
Here’s there website. You might find their work inspiring. http://www.n2claystudio.com/
Eh, if I'm not making a ton of money in a year or two, cement is done anyways hahaha. Yeah, two hours is a long time. I brought in a gal who does macrame to teach the class how to do their own pot hanger while the cement dries but its still long. I like the idea of sending it in the mail...or maybe a two part class where they come back another day to decorate and plant?
Your friends work is gorgeous! Looks like their shop is on a short break...but they're in NY! What a small world this is.
You are like a mind reader! Im trying to break into the wedding industry. Im actually working on a few succulent head wreaths for my friend's wedding in June - they will come with a pot so that the flower girls can take apart the head pieces after the wedding and plant them up as a keepsake from the wedding. I'm also working on a collab photo shoot with a top wedding florist in the area.....but itll be awhile before all that turns into sales.
Never had financial security, so I know the feeling haha😂living on a 600€ budget at the moment. Really hoping steem goes up.
Its a brave move giving up certainty for uncertainty!! I hope I can switch mine the other way around.
My parents taught me about finances at a very young age - I had my first "credit card" when I was 13. It was guaranteed by my mom's account so if I failed to pay, it came out of hers but it was a way for me to start learning about credit, revolving doors, interest etc. So now, naturally, its one of my biggest fears to fail in that area. LOL. How are things going with your budget? Is 600Euros enough to cover cost of living? I guess its all relative to where you are and what you spend money on. I'd be happy to help you with a budget so you can start saving, if you'd like! I once helped a friend budget her paycheck for a few months so that she could buy a new iPhone. Single mom of 4, making less than $30,000 a year and I still managed to map out where every last dollar went to so that she could afford a new phone. Maybe not the best thing for her to save for, but that wasnt my business.
Yeah we are stil doing ok, no debt but not a whole lot to spend either haha but we will get there! I live in the Netherlands, everything is really exspensive here haha.
Bit by bit my Steem account is growing, and rhe bank account soon too I hope haha!
Thanks for your offer, nice too see someone from the other side of the planet care😊😊, but the best way is the hard way learning ourself!!
Sounds like it, based on the price of tabasco alone! Are spicy foods part of the "traditional" diet there? Awesome that you are not in debt - doesn't matter that there isn't a lot left over, you're doing better than so many people that are! It's reallllly hard to get out from underneath it, just seems to grow more than you can earn.
You're very welcome. I wish I could send you a case of hot sauce instead! And my offer stands for anyone out there who may happen upon this comment thread - free budget help for your personal life!
I have ideas 4 u. Come drive 20 minutes and you'll be at my place. Or just DM me on Discord anytime at all. :)
Im in! What's your schedule like? Let's plan something, Ill hit you up on discord :D
Yeah, I'm a weird cat, as I refuse to pay an "application fee" and won't sign a lease with a company that asks to see 3 months equivalent to rent in reserves. I prefer smaller owners and neighborhoods, as opposed to proper complexes. I don't mind doing a background check, but digging deep into my financials is intrusive. I won't jump through their hoops. I mean, why would I give them another $25-$50 for the privilege of telling me I'm not cool enough to live in their big kids community. #nope
I feel yr pain, tho.
EXACTLY! I mean, sure, do a background check and make sure I'm not a rapist or pedo or whatever. But if I can afford your deposit then that should be it. There really is no reason to exclude people based on paperwork. We are much more than that. And nowadays, more and more people are NOT working a traditional job. I was accepted to one complex and the woman acted like she bent over backwards getting me in there. At the last minute I decided not to take it because I already felt judged. How can you live comfortably in a place like that?
I am so glad you two took the plunge and switched coasts!
Since you have business skillz, I think your freelancing will be a success. You already know how to put your work out there and engage your community online. Now it is going to be networking in person and finding markets. The workshop or open studio concept is always good as discussed already above. In my experience, people appreciate your artistry even more when they attempt it themselves.
Expanding the uses for your pots could also grow your market. Bonsai comes immediately to mind. Bonsai people are really invested in the planters to hold their treasured creations.
Regarding the time is money equation. There is a sweet spot where living artfully increases productivity. Where sinking your teeth into that home roasted turkey breast sandwich on breadmachine bread and all the fresh tomato and avocado you want...nourishes more than just your appetite. It may induce leaps of innovation, or bouts of anxiety free creation.
Shoot for the high end market. Galleries. La Jolla. Laguna. Boutiques.
Thank you for your kind words and advice, friend. I can't forget to nourish my soul, too! Looking forward to our next adventure, that should help leaps and bounds, too. xoxo.
Well I am very glad you took the financial plunge and moved here or we would never have met :)
I can understand some of your stress and worries, moving by myself from England to California means I have no safety net here at all, its make it or break it LOL (well I did have $23,000 in savings, but my ex stole that off me when I left him).
So I'm always looking for free or cheap things to do, its why I love camping so much; explore a beautiful place and stay for free!
And I'm always looking at sites like groupon for cheap activities to do or restaurant coupons etc, otherwise I'd never go out either.
OMG, we should hunt your ex down and steal it back! That is crazy. I'm glad you came too, and I'm really looking forward to our first @socalsteemit camping trip.
Coming from NYC though, I want to spend a lot of money on all the cool camping gear I never knew about. I just got new hiking shoes AND waterproof sandals for the trail, lol. Figured foot wear is probably one of the most important things to upgrade first. We've got a tent and a few odds and ends (water purification kit, lanterns and head lamps, fire starters...I'm a wannabe doomsday prepper...) but what would you suggest for the next purchase for SoCal camping?
Yeah, he was a d*ck. I figured if money was what he needed to be happy let him be happy ALONE with money for company. I had my own place and friends and a fun life at that point. I should mention he cancelled our 'Amicable' divorce without telling me, got his rich Mom to pay for fancy lawyers and asked for me to give him spousal support! So our divorce took 2 years, not the 6 months it was supposed to. My lawyer said if I paid him another $1,000. he'd fight to make the divorce fair and get me my money, or some of it. But I spent my last saved $1,000 to hire him in the first place, so nothing left in the pot for a fight. I figure Karma will deal with him for me :)
As for camping gear, are you just car camping or think you'll ever do backpacking? You need a good bag for that! But a good air pad is required and a good sleeping bag rated for the temp you will be camping in (as there is no fun in wearing all your clothes while in your sleeping bag, and falling asleep breathing in to your hands to keep the pins and needles/numb feeling away) Then I'd say have a good camp stove to cook on. We have a lot of this stuff, so when we do a SoCal camp we can use our stuff if you don't have it and need it while we are there, then you can just pick up what you need as you go along. As it can get very expensive with all the cool things you can get. REI is a bad place to go as I wanna buy so much LOL
Oh and a tip is to freeze water bottles for the cooler. They keep the food cool while defrosting for you to drink. Camping in CA means heat, so a lovely ice cold drink of water is needed on the trails ;-)
Spousal support is just ridiculous. I'm so happy you realized YOU are more important and the fight is not worth it. Karma will definitely take care of him in the end. Lawyers are scum. He could have done the work and taken the last $1000 out of the money he would have won for you. Better to have walked away without the added debt.
I want to be a backpacker and do some sort of through-hike, but in all reality I doubt I could ever carry 1/2 of what I need. Or want, rather. Like one of those cool cots that folds up so you dont have to sleep on the ground. REI is terrible! I mentally spend thousands of dollars there. If I ever won the lotto, they'd have one really happy salesman.
Great tip!! Ill be sure to freeze everything before we go. And thank you for the offer!! I cant wait to go!
LOL no cot beds needed. My airpad is awesome and less than 3lbs I believe. Check out the range of Klymit Static V pads. I have the XL red insulated pad, and can not believe how comfortable it is! I can only sleep on a roll up pad thing for 1 night as my bones start to hurt from touching the cold hard floor, being a side sleeper does not help either. They are kinda expensive, but have a lifetime warranty, so if you get a puncture, they will fix it for you :)
less than 3 lbs is awesome! Ive only slept on the ground once, and it was with a yoga mat, lmao. Im looking forward to checking out the ones you've suggested! Im admitting that my camping trips always consisted of some type of RV, lol.
That's precisely why I quit being a craftsman and got into doing things that actually pay. I started making and selling things very soon after leaving home, no safety net and in those days, you could still sort of make a reasonable living at markets. Gradually, things got harder and harder and I also got pretty bored. Because I was good at what I did by then (shoemaking, upholstery, leather and other clothing), I was able to get work from designers for shows and the film industry which was relatively decent money, always interesting but the downside was the insane deadlines and even more insane people that had to be dealt with and I was pretty burned out by that. Making and marketing your own products is hard and also burns you out. Some people are good at the marketing but I never was. Now I am making money on Steemit, among other things, because as I mentioned elsewhere, Steem is worth quite a bit in my country.
I have lived without a safety net all my life and it's never been easy although I doubt I would ever trade my daytime hours for one. It requires living a whole lot leaner and meaner than others but for me, that is now the habit of a lifetime. I'm not sure that it is for everyone, though. What has got me along thus far is flexibility and willingness to try new things but also realising that when you have outgrown them, you have to move on
thank you for sharing your experience, Nik. I'm hoping I can grow with Steemit here in SoCal so that it'll be at least a supplemental income to being a craftsman. I went to college for business management, and while it has given me a ton of knowledge for the back end of things, I'm starting to think it might be a little bit of a negative at the same time. When I should be concentrating on the creative side, I get stuck thinking about long term viability, profitability etc instead of just creating and making and it affects the final product in a bad way.
That's true but it is good to focus on both, because not getting paid much for things you have poured your heart and soul into is just insulting. More power to you on Steemit!
Yes, that is a pretty crap feeling....but then when you've made something you think is complete shit and someone wants to buy it, then you feel awesome. And then a bit guilty because it feels like you just stole from them. LMAO.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;)
carlsbad is nice
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Welcome to our neighborhood. :-))
lol, thank you! so far the scenery and community is much better :D