Finances! I can say that word around some people and like me, you get completely overwhelmed. Others are fine because they don’t have crushing debt and make enough money to meet their needs and more. I know when I say I wish that was me; I am not alone. But what can we do about it? It’s not always as simple as finding a better paying job because those usually require schooling. So, how can we stop feeling overwhelmed and do something productive to change our financial situation? Let’s talk about it.
Overwhelmed – Income vs Debt
I am clearly not a financial advisor, or I would not be in this situation. So, I can only share my own journey and what I’m trying to do. When I look at my income and then the debt payments I need to make every month, I am completely overwhelmed. So, I sat down to compare my income last month versus what I think I need monthly. Honestly I expected to see a huge difference with my debt completely higher than my income. Can you imagine my surprise when I saw that my income last month was almost $100 more than my monthly payments? I think I need to reevaluate.
Making a Budget Spreadsheet
The number of people who have told me that perhaps I need to make a budgeting spreadsheet, or something similar, is coming back to me. I always shook my head because it sounded way too complicated and well, I was overwhelmed thinking about it. But, there are people in my life who are great at spreadsheets. Maybe it’s time I sat down with one of them to get help with getting that set up. It honestly makes me uncomfortable, but considering I was so sure that my monthly payments surpassed my income and I was wrong; well I want to figure out where I go wrong. It might be coffee.
Overwhelmed by a Tight Deadline
As I look through my payments and see how much I still have to make, it causes me to look at my goal of publishing my book this year. The reality – there’s no way I am making thousands of dollars with a bake sale. It’s time I faced the truth that is in front of me. I can’t publish a book by November. If money wasn’t a factor, it would be more attainable. Don’t worry, I’m not giving up. I’ll just have to push the publishing date for next year. I’ll admit, that makes me sad. I was so excited about having it ready for Christmas. But the finances are not there. The bake sale is still happening. And that money will be put aside for my publishing journey, but it will have to take longer.
Trying to Problem Solve
I still have hopes of bringing in some more money with my blogs, as well as starting a podcast/YouTube channel. Don’t worry, I’m not naive in thinking that these will be “get money quick” schemes. It will take time. And consistency. So, I’ll need to take them seriously. Last week the overwhelm was too much and I simply could not think of what to write for a second blog. For those of you wondering where the second job hunt is at – it’s at a standstill. There simply is no luck in the area. I talked to a friend and she said she’s been looking for work as well and there simply is no luck. I’m not sure what employers are looking for, but it seems to not be me. From time to time I’ll keep looking, but it’s not a solution I’m counting on at this time.
Trying to Not be Overwhelmed
Now it’s time to take a deep breath, make the budgeting spreadsheet, and move forward. I will stay in touch with my publisher and illustrator, so they know we are moving slower than anticipated right now. If I can get one of those debts paid off, I can put that money towards publishing. Which will be a huge help in the grand scheme of things. And I may have to pull back on the iced coffee purchases. Sigh. It feels like all I do is sacrifice things that I want. But I have to remind myself that it’s all temporary. This will pass because financial freedom is possible if I try.
