The Course of Change

For the past 5 months I've been working towards becoming more self-sufficient in the area of employment. For 17 years I've worked as a nurse. My life has had to revolve around my job. I cannot begin to tell you how many birthdays, holidays, school functions and friendly gatherings I have missed over the years. I felt like my entire life was slipping away from me.

Five months ago I began apprenticing in my mother's dog grooming shop in a first step to becoming self employed.  It has been a very long five months, grooming during the week, and working weekend doubles in a nursing home on weekends.  Sixteen hour days were really taking their toll on me. I was miserable, exhausted, and extremely unhappy in the position I was in.  So today, I took the next step.

I resigned from the weekend job.

It's a little scary, taking that step, but thankfully I'm now in a position to be able to spend some time focused solely on the job at hand, which is getting my garage converted into a grooming salon, and focusing on grooming. At least for a couple months.

So now is a time to become extra frugal.  I'll be looking for more ways beyond what I'm already doing to be self sufficient.  Every decision I make will be with the idea in mind that I need save money everywhere possible.

So what are your biggest money saving activities/ideas?

A change of direction

My journey to change the way I live my life has taken me in a new direction. I have decided to make a dramatic change in careers.  After 17 years as a nurse, I have begun apprenticing as a dog groomer in my mothers shop. This is the main reason I haven't posted in such a long time.  Between working as a nurse full time (weekend double shifts), and grooming dogs 4 days a week during the week, I have been pretty busy.

 Today, as I sat here at the computer, it occurred to me that this year has just flown away from me.  Last time I posted it was cold and snowy.  Since then we had a turbulent spring, a record breaking heatwave, and unprecedented earthquakes. My weren't those exciting.  No, really!  Having grown up in California, I've actually missed the quakes I'd grown accustomed to.  Now my children have experienced them too!  My son just stood there with a silly smile on his face, and my daughter was completely unimpressed.  She kills me.

I began apprenticing in Mom's grooming shop in July.  It has been alot of fun so far.  

There are days when I wonder if I've just lost my mind. The thought of being self employed is more than a little scary; Especially the idea of not having a guaranteed paycheck. But the pro's are pretty great too, and I think they far outweight the cons. I'm ready to be my own boss!

As for self-sufficiency, I'm am working at that in baby steps.  I am happy to say I haven't bought laundry soap in a year. By making it at home I would estimate than I've saved about $300 this year.  Since my garden never made it into the yard last year, I hope to spend this winter preparing some raised beds, learning to grow mushrooms, and growing fresh herbs in pots indoors.  And of course, research, research, research!