Community Garage Sale Earnings

Three years ago we packed our bags and moved from New Jersey to Florida. Two months ago we moved to a new home I Florida.  In all that time we’ve accumulated stuff.  Stuff we didn’t use anymore. Stuff we didn’t appreciate anymore.  Stuff we thought was too good for Good Will.

Our development(s) don’t allow for individual yard sales.  We were unaware of the community garage sale the first year, were not around last year, but we were able to do it this year.  I was skeptical since it only ran from 8:00 am to noon.  Up in NJ, it was until 4:00.  Turns out I didn’t need to worry.  In the first hour, we got rid of so much, that I raised the prices.  I like to price low just to get rid of stuff.  And we did get rid of stuff.  A lot of stuff.  We cleared $200!  That’s better than what we’ve had done in New Jersey. I think our best in NJ was around $60.

And since I’m so frugal, my half of that money will probably last me three months or more!

Survey Savvy - Intelligence Adds Up

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

My wife tells me I do too many surveys online.  And she is correct. They do get repetitive and it seems that they are all linked to one another somehow.  But one survey site I like is Survey Savvy.  Why?  Because they pay more than others.  On average they pay about $2.00 a survey.

But the problem is that you may not be what they are looking for.  I have been declined more than I’ve been accepted.  It almost made me decide not to continue.  But now that I have more time on my hands, I choose their surveys over others.  And they are not short.  They could take 25 minutes or more.

Survey Savvy has been around since 1999, so they are not some fly-by-night company.  They also do NOT use PayPal or direct deposit.  So you have to request a check to be mailed to you (no minimum) and it could take 4-12 weeks to receive your check.  I’ve made some spending cash from them and will continue to respond to their survey requests.

If you want to learn more, click on my referral link here.  How knows, I may make a small fee when you complete a survey.

Why Do I Spend Money?

And to get back into writing this blog, I started thinking about ways to save money, the question I ask myself and you should ask yourself is why do I spend money?  Take a moment to think about that.  Then take out some paper and a pen and write down the reasons you spend money.

Of course, there is the obvious and legitimate reasons we spend money (the basics – food, clothing and shelter).  But then there is everything else.  We buy things out of boredom, because we are depressed or just trying to impress others.  I used to buy CDs when I was sad.  If I had that money now.  I certainly don’t have the CDs any more.  Trying to impress others is a waste of time and money.

Somehow we associate buying new things with being happy.  My experience is that rush of happiness does not last long.  We buy things to numb our emotions (and I’m not talking about drugs and alcohol).  Money doesn’t buy happiness.  That is one thing to remember.

So with your paper and pen, write down all the reasons you spend money.  Cross of the legitimate ones and look at the ones that are not legitimate.  Think about why you purchase these items and are they really needed.  Think of what you could do with that money if you didn’t spend it on these “illegitimate” things, like paying off debt or saving/investing.  Think of things that you could do other than shopping to deal with your emotions.

I’ve stopped buying so much stuff and have saved and invested more since I’ve started questioning everything I purchase.  I also like to keep my wallet empty.

Good luck!

October's Passive Income Recap

October was not a good month for me and my passive income. Not only is dividend income low, so is everything else.  October is usually not a good month in dividend cycle.  But my motivation to make other income was low.  I did get more in gifts.  And now that my Christmas shipping is completed, I can save that for next year.  I hope November will improve, but half way through the month I don’t think so.

My net worth decreased less than 15 from September but is still 6.5% higher than this time last year.  Would like to keep it 105 better. I have to work on that.

But what really bothers me is that our expense are increased instead of decreasing.  I know we bought a new home in September and had some adjustments in October, but I am hoping that it will go back down as we approach the coming months.  The more expenses increase the longer it will take to get to FIRE.  Keeping my fingers crossed and my wallet closed!

I Have Writer's Block Big Time!

You ever have that feeling when you don’t want to do anything?  That’s the way I have been feeling lately. Mostly with my writing.  I haven’t been inspired to write any blog posts or ever get back to that book I was writing.  Why is that?  IS this block mental or something more?

In the course of my lifetime, I have written many unproduced screenplays, unpublished books, stories, and even two blogs.  I was much more motivated when I was younger.  As I get older (I am not going to say mature), I seem to have lost that mojo.

There are ideas running through my head and thoughts written on scraps of paper that go nowhere.  You would think that I could something with that.

Not only have I lost the mojo, I lost the structure.  I keep telling myself that I need to schedule time to write, whether it is readable or not.  I just need to do and not procrastinate!

So do I start reading books on dealing with writer’s block and delay the writing or do I just write, even if it is garbage.  Love to get some feedback.

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

On Being Stuck: Tapping Into the Creative Power of Writer's Block

On Writer's Block: A New Approach To Creativity