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Feb 25, 2015    |      1 comment

A New Venture

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I hinted at the beginning of the year that I was seeking a way to expand my business, ie make it less about me and more of a product/service I could expand with.  I am excited to say that I believe I have found the beginnings of a new path.  I am super excited and so tempted to throw everything to the wayside and just dive in.  Stop!

The problem is the new venture is going to entail some start up costs.  Some new software and hardware that I do not have and thus far have not found a way to get discounted in any way. So I am proudly, very proudly since before I would pull out my consumer card  that is now paid off (transferred to a lower interest cc) and just go for it.  But I haven’t and I won’t!

I am doing my due diligence, checking out the competition, running preliminary numbers and gathering intelligence.  But I am also putting just a bit more aside this month toward possible business expansion with the distinct thought of jumping in in the next few months.

I’m not ready to reveal this new venture.  But I will tell you this…it would be something that my children could be involved in, it would not change my current level of dedication to existing and long running clients, and I think that it would open a whole new realm of possibilities for my business and future.  I am keeping my priorities, which is why this is taking longer than if I just jumped in anywhere.

  1. I will still be able to set my own hours and work around the kids schooling and activities.
  2. I will still be able to work from anywhere, so the very real possibility of moving somewhere cheaper would not be a factor.
  3. I would still be mobile, so could travel and work simultaneously.
  4. While there are some start up costs, and annual costs associated with this path, I think I could make a success of it enough so to offset the start up considerations within a year or three at most.
  5. There is a true need for what I am considering so any investment would be a wise one if I commit to sticking to it and growing it.

I am super excited and wanted to share since I really have finally zeroed in on one very real venture.  I’m sorry if this is cryptic, but I wanted you to know what was going on with this area of my life.  Expanding my earning power and moving toward taking myself out of the mix so I can expand my business.  Yeah!

Feb 25, 2015    |       11 comments

Found a Great Deterrent

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This past week I found a great deterrent for spending money…being snowed in!  Let’s face it, when you are out and about as much as we are, and with 5 people with different interests and ideas of what is important, the temptation is always there to spend money.  It may not be a lot, but with five people it adds up.  Well, last week we were hit with the “blizzard of 2015.”  Actually, it’s the worst snow we’ve had, or rather longest lasting snow/ice we’ve had since I moved here 11 years ago.  We were home bound for 5 days.  And by homebound, I mean that I did not once leave the house during those days.  It was glorious.

And you know what else, I didn’t spend a single dime.  Obviously, I had warning of the snow so our pantry was well stocked, so food was not an issue.  But no gas, no on the go snack for anyone, no “mom, I’ve got to have this for XZY.”  And while the public schools were out for the week, we continued on as always, and I would almost say with more intensity since there were no activities to distract us.

The kids loved sledding in the snow (we saved our sleds from our old house and they were conveniently available in our on site storage.)  I enjoyed a LONG break from dog duties as the kids took care of it all week.  And we all took more than our fair share of naps after play time, work time and the schedule in general just seemed to flow.

2015-02-20 12.04.35
A nice nap to get warm and rested after several hours of sledding. And a glimpse into our sleeping arrangements in our tiny space.

We spent some of the school time following a art dvd that I’ve had stashed for a while. The teacher was wonderful but of course we all wanted to use our own colors and interpretation of the directions. None of our art looks like the project was supposed to turn out, but we had a BLAST and I think everyone was proud of at least one part of their finished piece.

Pastel Art - birds, flowers and backgrounds
Pastel Art – birds, flowers and backgrounds

All of this was done with supplies we’ve had forever in our craft bucket (a giant tupperware containers that helps keep us organized and clutter free in a tiny space.)

All in all, it was one of the best weeks I’ve had in a long time. Low key, no stress and we were all together. I could certainly become a hermit with little prompting so it’s a good thing I have the kids to keep me plugged into the world around me. And in the end, it was a completely cost free week, well, at least until I get the heat bill since we’ve had lower than normal temps for almost a month straight now.

For those of you who were affected by the latest snow storm, how did you handle the down time?

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