What a Year + Free Financial Advice

The year certainly didn’t turn out as I anticipated. While quitting the job was always on my mind, I never expected that I would actually take the big leap. I miss the income. I don’t miss the job.

Like quitting my job, adopting another dog is something I have wanted to do for years. I could never find the right match, though. Gracie does not like most dogs. Then, Chewie came into our lives. His former owner wanted to find a place where the pet parent would be home most of the time. Well, an unemployed writer fits that requirement!

Though I never wanted a male Shih-Tzu dog, he turned out to be exactly what we needed. Gracie tolerates him most of the time and might even like him on rare occasions. He calms her whenever I am away from the house. He chills beside me whenever I watch TV. He is a great dog.

None of these things would have been possible, though, without work. I spent almost 30 years at an investment firm. Naturally, I picked up some tips along the way that could be used by the average person. Be sure to follow me, because I will drop little tidbits in future posts.

I have spent the last few months doing something I always wanted to do - write full time. I produced Love at the Woolly Bookworm Shop and took several classes and watched several webinars. I read loads of things about self-publishing, writing, marketing, et cetera. It has been great.

Unfortunately, I haven’t received huge windfalls of cash. Hell, I haven’t received any windfalls! How have I survived? You may find yourself in a situation someday where you don’t have an income either. Here are three tips to prepare for that day:

Save, save, save. Most people could not cover an unexpected expense of $500. I was one of those people for a long time. I set up an automatic deduction from my checking account into my savings account. The amount wasn’t much. Still, the balance increased over time, and that’s the whole point. I will talk more about this topic in future posts, because it is a topic that is dear to my heart.

Look for “free” money - part one. My credit cards have “reward” points that I can apply to my balance, use for purchases at Amazon and other places, et cetera. Inflation is out of control. I charge everything to my credit cards and use the points to buy needed essentials. Note - this only works if you are diligent about paying off your credit card(s) every month.

Look for “free” money - part two. Pay attention when you make purchases, particularly on Amazon. Sometimes, vendors will offer incentives if you delay delivery.

Let’s use Amazon as an example. If I defer delivery by several days, they sometimes offer promotional credits. I then use those credits for “free” e-books, movie rentals, or other digital content. Do I really need something the next day or the day after? Usually, the answer is no. Why not take advantage of the credits then? I can use them to get something I want later.

Again, I will talk more in the future about tips to survive the “no income” time of your life. I have discovered a lot.

As I look ahead to 2023, I have a newfound hope. Sure, I have no income, the books aren’t selling, and I will have to get a job. I don’t view those things as negatives as I once would have. I survived 2022. I survived a global pandemic. I can survive - and so can you!