When I read or listen to the words of others talking about engaging in + maintaining habits like minimalism or healthy eating or zero-waste or sticking to a budget...they often offer motivations like the desire to travel* more or to lose x number of pounds or to fit their trash into a jar or to pay off loads of credit card debt. These motivations are concrete + measurable. They can be accomplished + lived. 

I hear these messages + wonder: What is my motivation? Am I at a point where I am just trying to maintain...to stay out of debt (other than our mortgage), to keep my wardrobe small, my purchases as fair as possible + my home free from the unnecessary? Yes, there is that. But should I be basing my life on experiences or making it a goal to travel more? Should I make a bucket list? Should I always be looking for the next thing?

I've struggled to think of what my motivation could be. I love things like experiences + travel. They just don't totally speak to me as a major motivation right now. 

I've finally worked out what my motivation is for myself through writing. I wrote + wrote until my mind came around to recognizing my personal motivation...compassion. It feels silly to have struggled so long...once I reached this conclusion. It's right there in the description of this space. Compassion motivates me to consider my tribe, my body, fellow humans, farmers, garment workers + the planet in my choices. It just seems a bit out of step with the motivations others offer as their own perfectly wonderful examples. 

Sometimes motivation is easy to recognize. Maybe our goals provide their own motivation. Maybe zero debt is the motivation. Maybe setting up a simple life in order to work a job that engages a passion is the motivation. Motivation might be a little bit harder to label once the debt is paid off + the job is landed. Maybe we pursue contentment or gratitude in the life we worked toward + now inhabit. Maybe we can pursue growth or awareness right where we find ourselves. Maybe faith or open hands or generosity or service is our motivation. 

Motivation can be the talisman that refocuses...the crutch that helps us take another step...the grit pushes us to persevere. Motivations come in so many different forms. Taking the time to find the right one for right now can be so helpful moving forward into a new year full of possibility + hope. 

* various motivators are in italics

Love, 
Jane

This is the third post in a series of looks back into the notebook I've filled over the past year. I'm taking note of the mistakes made, small victories earned + lessons learned in 2018. Here is what I have to say about budget:

::Losing all of our equity, when we sold our last home during the economic downturn, made us feel blessed to be able to purchase the home we live in now (+ blessed to sell our previous home for what we owed on it). We'd really like to pay off this mortgage as soon as possible + sent extra money toward our mortgage every month this year. I made it a priority, and I followed through. I just wrote the line item for mortgage as the amount I wanted to pay...so it was already built in (instead of waiting to see if any money was left over at the end of the month). It involves sacrifice, but that money is worth so much more now. (It cuts down significantly on the number of payments we'll have to make into the future.) (Plug different extra payment amounts into an amortization calculator + get inspired by the months needed to pay it off disappearing!)

::My "replacements only" commitment hit a few large snags. We had to replace a set of tires, a toilet + a stove this year. (The stove actually caught fire!) I'm so glad that we had our buffer for these expenses. (No credit card debt!) I'm working at building that back up now (tax returns help).

::I really tried to look ahead + add up all of the expenses involved with my daughter's activities. The total was divided by 12 + now the money is put aside monthly, so it's there when I need to pay it. The expenses come in large, irregular chunks...and I would try to eek them out of our miscellaneous budget. This threw things off for months at a time + made me feel a bit defeated. Now our miscellaneous budget has shrunk significantly, but at least I know what I really have.

::I was able to lower my monthly cell phone bill when my contract was up. My phone still works, so I don't need a new one. The phone company is not going to tell us that we can renegotiate...so it pays to remember + do the work of making the changes.

::I must admit that I lost sight of the "replacements only" commitment quite often this year. I went looking for a little excitement in my wardrobe + in my home + in my circumstances. I returned most everything bought this way...but my restlessness showed. I'd like to be much more focused going forward.

::We went on a lovely vacation paid for mostly with airline + hotel points. This was all thanks to the foresight of Mr. Tribe, and it was a long time in the making. I don't generally like making things more complicated than they need to be, but am now a believer in these things.  :) 

We are still doing most of the things mentioned in the simple budget posts in order to keep our bills as low as possible. I have some plans in this area for the year to come + they involve a lot of awareness + discipline. At the moment I'm feeling up to the task. Onward.  :)

Love,
Jane

I've found myself observing career choices from a new vantage point lately. I'm noticing recent college graduates taking their first jobs + receiving their first paychecks. It's eye opening. Mr. Tribe + I chose to pursue jobs out of passion rather than consideration for compensation. As we took our first steps forward in our careers, we didn't feel as if salary was in our hands. We made our salaries work for us + made choices in accordance with them. It has not been easy + we've made mistakes along the way.

I realize that ours is not necessarily the usual course of action...+ even having the option to choose is privilege. Many take advantage of this privilege + decide career paths based on the size of the paycheck to come...and (within reason) there is not a whole lot wrong with that (as long as those careers are not about using people).

I do want to share, however, something that I know to be true:  "Money often costs too much."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Doing a job solely for the money is a soul suck. Humans crave purpose...and making loads of money, in my opinion, is not true purpose. We need some money...but I don't want to become a slave to it.

My best tools for moving away from an all-consuming devotion to money are: simple living...making our needs few...learning to recognize enough...and simple pleasures...these things don't sound like much fun...but they enable our choices...and they are the most reliable bearers of joy. Less stuff, decreased commitments, less striving to impress others, less comparison...they mean less money going out which means less money has to come in. These tools allow us to know that money is not the entire goal...consuming is not the goal. They give us the freedom to prioritize love, compassion, generosity + passion rather than being slaves to "more"...and there is great joy in that.

Prioritize joy...not money. (Money doesn't create joy.)

Love,
Jane

It's been a while (maybe not?) since I've revealed just how weird I am...you know...since writing about how I cut all the hairs in this house...or...well...showed a picture of my cell phone. (I'll link that later, or I just might lose everyone right there.)  :)

Cell phones are nonnegotiables for a lot of us these days. (Understatement.) :) Even if we're making a focused effort to pay down debt...or trying to keep our budget under control (because we've got more important ways to put our money to work), cell phone coverage may seem like a line item without wiggle room. But...it just might actually be a place to consider making some changes worth quite a bit of savings. 

Cell phones + children is a whole issue of its own. I don't really want to discuss the feelings + values + fears that are involved with that...but I thought I would share a little of what I've discovered while looking into budget conscious cell phone coverage (in order to stay connected with my daughter) lately...in case anyone is interested. I only spent a little while looking, so this is no comprehensive list...and it is USA specific. The point is...there are some surprising options to be found!

Before we move on to the list...we need to really get honest about exactly what is "enough" when it comes to cell phone coverage. Do I need unlimited data, or could I actually stand to feel the sun on my face...to take some deep breaths + enjoy the wait? Do I need to make phone calls all the way to work, or could I just listen to the radio + call them when I get to work or home? (Cheaper home phone coverage.) In this particular case I'm looking for a way to be connected to my daughter when she is at her activities away from home. I would like to be able to text with her + I'd like her to have access to making calls in case of an emergency. If she needs access to data, she will be able to use wifi. This phone will not live in her room + she won't need it every day of the week.

The types of plans listed here could work just as well for someone who wants or needs the savings...is just willing to adjust priorities + be disciplined. It may just require us to use our phones as a tools rather than as entertainment.

I've listed the plan specifics that fit our needs, but there are different combinations available in most cases that will still yield major savings in comparison to a lot of plans out there. For example, I like to have access to maps...but I don't use them very often...so maybe a very small amount of data added to one of these plans might be enough. Discernment + discipline are where it's at!  :)

Relay :: This is a tool that might be just right for children :: $7 per month to be able to talk to them + GPS locate them

Red Pocket :: $10/30 days :: (uses various networks) $10 per month for 500 minutes, 500 texts, 500MB of data, free international calls to 70 countries

Republic Wireless :: Wireless Unlimited Talk + Text plan :: (uses Sprint/T-Mobile networks) $15 per month for unlimited minutes + texts + no data

Tello :: Build Your Own plan :: (uses Sprint network) $5 per month for 100 minutes + unlimited texts + no data

Ting :: Pay for What You Use :: $12 per month for 100 minutes + 100 texts + no data :: if nothing is used in a month, $6

T-Mobile :: Prepaid Pay as You Go plan :: $3 for any combination of 30 minutes or texts, 10 cents per minute or text over that

AT+T :: Gophone Daily plan :: $2 per day of use for unlimited minutes + texts :: data costs 1 cent per 5KB :: only pay for the days the phone is used

Up until 2 years ago, this is how we cell phoned it. Up until now, that little phone was going strong for keeping Julia + I connected...until it just stopped working. The phone itself still works...we just can't load it anymore + no one seems to be able to help us rectify that. So here we are.

Because cell phones involve values + priorities (they do!), we can apply discipline. A budget is a discipline. Putting our priorities first is it's own reward!

Love,
Jane

I started this year with the goal of paying down our mortgage with any extra money that could be squeezed out of our already tight budget. In addition to all of the cost cutting measures already in place, I committed to purchasing replacements only + sewing any clothes that I would need this year. First the bad news:

Things I bought too much of in 2017:
-fabric + patterns :: I made the commitment to sew my clothes this year. Suitable garment fabric can be difficult to find, and there were a couple of times that I bought too much fabric out of fear that the fabric I (thought I) wanted would not be there when I wanted to sew with it. I ended up selling (at a loss) a bunch of fabric + patterns (some that I bought this year!), because I knew I didn't need them. Fail.
-clothes :: Um, yeah. I was supposed to be sewing all of them. I didn't buy a lot of pieces, but I did buy a some, mostly thrifted, things. This was, again, out of fear. When I thrift, I know that it is probably my only chance to buy what I see. Also, things are not (relatively) expensive. But money is money + when I sold excess things that I bought, I didn't usually get as much money for them. (I have high hopes for my list to help in this area.)
-magazines + books :: I bought 3 magazines + 3 books. Two of the magazines were bought on vacation. We don't bring laptops on vacation + these were magazines that I hadn't seen before. I couldn't find 2 of the books at the library + wanted more time with the third. This really isn't a big deal, but 4 out of the 6 purchases really weren't worth it + I want to remind myself.

​And the good news:
-With careful tracking of each purchase + monthly review of these purchases, we were able to send an extra payment toward our mortgage principle 8 out of the 11 (so far) months of 2017! (Fingers crossed for one more.) We reached a significant milestone in the principal left to pay as well, which was very exciting (+ motivating).
-This was accomplished as our budget was squeezed even further. We decided to send a little more money toward retirement savings + our car insurance payment went up significantly (due to some unfortunate events).  :(
-I exist mostly on the side of feeling hopeful about our circumstances + prospects for the future.

How has your year been budget wise + otherwise? Living within our means seems to offer a bit of struggle at quite a few income levels. As pay increases (if we are so lucky), often expectations rise as well...and then the new normal feels like necessity. Also, it's hard to anticipate all that will come our way in a year. I am inclined to think, however, that a look back is usually helpful.  :)

Lots of love to all of you, 
Jane

Over the past few years, I've been working on being more conscious about what is in my wardrobe + how much I really need. This has involved listing my pieces by category, observing what I wear, creating small monthly wardrobes, + letting go...all the while noting my comfort with the numbers + variety. 

As the numbers have steadily gotten smaller, I've noted how this impacts my ability to focus on buying fair replacement pieces + also how it feels to my mind. Thrifting is always my preference when replacement becomes necessary since that clothing already exists. Budget is a consideration as newly made fair pieces often cost more in order to fairly compensate farmers + garment workers. 

Working toward 25 (since August) mainly meant letting go of a few pieces that were then considered superfluous. Selling those pieces via eBay or etsy serves two purposes to my mind.
1. It is one way to get those pieces into the hands of someone who will use them (rather than ending up in a landfill or destroying a third world economy).
2. I earn a little money toward future purchases.

There has been some interest in the specifics of my budget, so I thought I'd really pull back the curtain + share...weird as that feels. (And it feels weird...vulnerable. I've debating posting this for weeks.) Needless to say, we are all individuals + this is just me right now. I am certain that next year, I will not have such a long list of items to sell (if any), because my fabric stash + my closet will not be this bloated thanks to the list.

September::
sold pattern: +$22.68
sold pattern: +$12.48
sold pattern: +$14.42
sold fabric: +$20.74
sold pattern: +$10.58
sold boots: +$63.93
total:: +$144.83

postage paid: -$27.31
eBay + etsy fees: -$10.89

Profit :: +$106.63

Bought::
sarouelles fabric
elastic + thread
total: -$30.21

Balance brought forward:: +$257.48
I held back a pair of tall boots to list on eBay this month, because I felt the season to shop for them would be a bit more appropriate.

October::
sold fabric: +$45.00
sold fabric: +$36.61
total: +$81.61

postage paid: -$35.17
eBay + etsy fees: -$6.92

Profit:: +$39.52

Balance brought forward: +$297.00
I removed the unsold sewing stash items from etsy + donated them to a sewing resale shop. 

November::
Bought::
thrifted cashmere sweater: -$76.29

Returned::
above sweater (found 3 holes): +$76.29

Balance brought forward: +$297.00

December::
sold sweatshirt: +$74.89
sold fleece: +$79.08
total: +$153.97

postage paid: -$18.40
eBay fees: -$15.90

Profit:: +$119.67

Bought::
wool "fleece": -$115.50

Balance brought forward: +$301.17

I thank all of the buyers of these items from the bottom of my heart! I hope that they prove to be useful treasures in their new homes.

A few observations:
1.  Brand name items often have better resale potential. That brand name offers better search visibility. This knowledge got me thinking about whether it is then beneficial to purchase brand name items in the first place...with this in mind. I'm not sure about my conclusion, however...because brand name items cost more in the first place. The actual dollar amount lost in selling may be a smaller percentage of the overall price...but may be about the same amount as that lost on a not brand name item. In any case, donating a thrifted item back to the thrift store almost always "costs" less than reselling a bought-new item.
2.  If we let items languish in our closets unworn...we are getting nothing out of them + they are just going out of style. If I am not wearing a piece now, it's best to let someone else wear it...and there might be a few dollars in it too.
3.  Gotta swallow the pride sometimes. If someone is willing to pay $50 for the boots I paid $99 for...even though I listed them for $75...at a certain point $50 is better than $0. Accept the offer graciously.
4.  I can't spend time thinking about how much money I spent on an item + how little I am selling it for. It is just not possible to sell a piece for enough to repurchase it in most cases. If an item does not suit or fit, I return it right away for a full refund. If I wear it, I receive a benefit from it + this benefit has monetary value. When I sell something, I treasure the money in my pocket + try to learn from the purchase/sale. Just a few of my lessons/notes to self from the items I sold this time:
  A. Tall boots are just not "me".
  B. I just don't have the patience for non-stretch jeans.
  C. Rosey colors next to my face make me look like I have a permanent sunburn.
  D. Stiff, high collars make me feel like I have a very, very short neck, which I don't.
5.  Being able to sell a few things now + then is helpful for me.
6.  I also like purchasing from eBay + etsy. Full circle.
​
Ok, this post is a mile long. Time to stop.  

Love,
​Jane

September is something like a second new year, as we start to move into autumn + a new school year starts. I feel a little renewed resolve towards my budget as things become a little more routine once again.

One step that I have taken over the past couple of years is to write down all of our purchases...from groceries to gas...monthly. I put off doing it for a long time, because I just didn't want to have to do it. Now, every few days or once per week, I just go through our purchases and note them under the corresponding category. My budget lists how much I have allotted to each category, so I can easily see how my purchases are adding up.

A further check is to go back at some point(s) (now is the perfect time) ;) to look over each of those purchases + to assess what I think of them months later. Have I realized that I really didn't need that thrifted button down shirt? It was a good price + it fit well + I really like it...but it doesn't really serve a need in my closet...and it's already in the donate pile. Since I'm trying to send as much money toward our mortgage as possible, those dollars would have served a more lasting purpose there.

It can be tough to forgo each + every "treat" along the way...and I really wouldn't want to do that...but some turn out to be better than others. Noticing that disappointing purchase helps train me mentally to avoid the next one.

Revisiting purchases...it's a good thing.

Love,
Jane

Most budgets come in monthly form...mine included. My habit has been to budget for generosity, bills, gas, food, + lessons...and then to leave a portion of the budget to miscellaneous expenses. I take these expenses as they come. The flexibility of the miscellaneous category should allow various seasonal costs to factor in seamlessly most of the time.  :) This has worked quite well in general, but my goal is to move on to some advanced level skills this year (ha, ha, maybe I should say 'advanced beginner')...so...

I've realized that budgeting the year would give me even greater "control" over my budget.  :) I had been surprising myself with my discipline and was feeling quite satisfied at the end of January, February and March this year. Money was going toward our mortgage, and I was feeling good!

And then came April. April is a birthday month. It is also the month to plant a garden...and tend to the lawn...and add some flowers. April gave us some very warm days and all the holes in our wardrobes were exposed all at once...literally. April was the month that Mr. Tribe decided that his toes-poking-out shoes could probably be replaced (he chose Allbirds).

Yikes. April really piled it on. I sold a few things (from my closet) and we were still able to send a little bit of money to the mortgage...but it was close! And of course, some of April's issues turned into May's issues...so...

I decided to budget the year...as well as the months. I've written in expenses that I can predict ahead of time + my list currently looks like this:

January :: replacements + plan/budget replacements
February :: replacements
March :: save + plan/budget warm weather wardrobes, garden + birthday gifts
April :: birthday + garden + sell/buy clothes
May :: clothes + sell/buy school books  
June :: vacation
July :: save + preserve farmer's market food (corn + blueberries)
August :: save + plan/budget cold weather wardrobes
September :: replacements + clothes
October :: clothes + plan/budget birthday/Christmas gifts
November :: gifts
December :: gifts + festive fun

As the months actually come and go, I will be able to shape this list to suit reality a little better. It just makes me feel so much better to be able to see it all in one place, to be able to look ahead...and it doesn't look impossible. Although I can't schedule car or home repairs, I think they might be a bit more manageable as I keep our spending a little bit more consistent and in check.

Love, 
Jane

I've always had a budget...and I've always tried to keep the budget. I think the bulk of my problem had to do with the fact that we never had much wiggle room...none really. If our car broke down (and it often did)...the budget became almost irrelevant. We just hunkered down + tried to hack our way out of the hole that had been created (often with the "help" of credit cards).

It took a lot of time, but we have been able to save some money and now have a buffer. We do our best to only spend what we have in our monthly budget. The vast majority of the time that works out very well. But sometimes a large expense can't be sourced from our monthly budget. This is where the buffer comes in. We can use some of the buffer money to pay the excess portion of the bill (avoiding credit card interest). We then work to pay back our buffer (from our monthly budget) in months to come.

Saving money for a buffer can be really tough, when there is just enough to make ends meet. Cutting expenses + indulgences is imperative...but another thing that has really helped us build our buffer is that we let the government take more than their share up front. I know there are two ways to think about this:
1. We could use/save that money now.
2. It's easier not to spend it, if we don't have it.

To each his own, but we choose #2. When our refund checks come, we top up our buffer (to the amount we feel wise) and then send off the rest to our mortgage. It feels spectacular!

​Love,
Jane