My Last Vice

by

photo credit: muztiko

Gambling is the last costly vice I have left. This used to be a major money drain for me and is now one of the few areas where I feel I waste money but I certainly don’t spend money on it like I used to. I’ve lost about $100 in three gambling sessions this year. That isn’t too much but I don’t feel that I am receiving a good value for my money. I only play poker but I need to get a lot better or luckier before I can justify playing on a regular basis. I do feel that my gambling is completely under control but I am going to give it up for the rest of the year as a test of my self-control. Also it does seem kind of silly to do many little things to save a few bucks and then blow several times that during a couple hours gambling.

Mini-Retirements

by

photo credit: Joe Lazala
The concept of mini-retirements was one of many ideas in The 4-Hour Workweek that I like. Before reading the book I’d already come up with my own similar concept of semi-retirement. The idea is that instead of waiting to have one retirement at the end of many years working you take occasional mini-retirements during your working years.

Now that I am out of school I am ready for my first real mini-retirement. My hike on the AT later this year is what I’m considering as my first real mini-retirement. I’ve taken similar trips and breaks in the past but this one is different. The main difference is that I won’t be spending all my money to take it and should actually have about as much money at the end of it as the beginning of it. The other difference is that I will have the ability to resume making money as soon as I return from my trip. In the past taking a trip of this sort usually meant quitting a job before the trip and then looking for another one after the trip was over. Now I’m not nearly as dependent on job income. I may look for a seasonal job when I return though to increase my income. This method of taking mini-retirements will likely delay my ultimate retirement but I consider the trade off worth it.

Garage Sales and Thrift Stores

by

Shopping at thrift stores is an often recommended piece of advice for those who are looking to save money. I don’t often shop at thrift stores since most of them I’ve encountered are dirty, poorly-organized, and the prices aren’t much cheaper than what I’d find on the clearance rack at a discount store. I did recently happen to find a thrift store to my liking though. I’ve been needing some hiking shorts and decided to check out a nearby thrift store while my GF was shopping. I was hopeful when I walked in because the store was clean and the stock was well presented. After checking the prices I knew I had finally found a decent thrift store. I was able to find two pairs of like-new hiking shorts priced at $2.30 each. The store was having a 50% off sale so I ended up getting both pairs for that price. This was much cheaper than I would have paid for these new and exactly what I needed.

As good as deal as the thrift store is it still doesn’t have prices as cheap as many garage sales. The drawback to shopping at garage sales is that it can be difficult to find what you want. Shopping at a community garage sale makes it much more likely you will find what you want. I went to a community-wide garage sale this weekend and there were over a hundred different garage sales. I didn’t really need anything and just bought a few books for 25 cents each. That may not have been a savings since I usually just get books for free from the library. Some of the books, like the two Calvin and Hobbes collections, are ones I will want to read again though. If I had been looking for something specific I had my mom and several aunts and cousins there shopping so they probably would have found it.

Graduation Pictures

by

graduation

grad2

grad3

I have uploaded some pictures from my graduation. The first picture is of me being hooded by the Dean of the law school. The second picture is me receiving my degree. The last picture is me holding my degree. It actually is just a folder that says if I have met the degree requirements my degree will be available for pick up later this summer.

I do look pretty fat in these pictures. That is probably because I am fat. By the end of the year I should look (and be) much thinner.

$500 Weight-Loss Challenge

by

Your weight indicates your health
photo credit: sylvar
As I have done terrible so far this year on my weight-loss goal I have decided to try something different. My original weight-loss goal for this year was to lose 30 pounds. I’ve gained weight since setting that goal so I now need to lose 40 pounds and am aiming for a weight of 180 pounds.

In order to meet this goal I’m asking you, my readers, to hold me accountable. I need some extra motivation and since I am money motivated I’ve decided that if I don’t meet this goal I will give $500 to my readers. The prospect of losing $500 should motivate me to lose weight. I’m not sure how I will distribute the $500 but it will go to readers of this blog. You will somewhat have to take my word for whether I meet my goal. I will post before and after pictures as a form of proof though. If I haven’t posted by the end of December that I’ve met my goal contact me and remind me of this challenge. To be eligible to receive part of the $500 you need to leave a comment on this post. Thanks.

***I have turned off the comments and closed the challenge to new entrants. Thanks to everyone who entered for all the support and encouragement. I will keep you updated on my progress.