My Journey to Eliminate Debt

The financial year in Australia end on the 30th June. So this week I've been busy buying a few things I need for my business and paying up any business expenses I can so they are included in this financial year. I'm trying to reduce my tax bill as much as possible.

I went back to work yesterday, managed to do four hours and I was really stuffed by the end of it. I really enjoyed myself and it was so good to be busy again. My phone rang all morning and feel really frustrated that I'm having to turn away work. I am just someone who is happiest when I'm busy and productive in my work. While I'm trying to accept slowing down with good grace, the truth is I just wish I didn't have to.

I'm going to focus on doing more of the work I enjoy most and passing on the high paying, but more stressful jobs. I can make twice the money with them, but I find those higher priced jobs really worry me more than I need right now. Even last night I found myself waking up thinking about all the things I'm behind with and that's not good.

I am also letting a couple of companies go. I am sticking with one that is just a dream to work for. They are so professional, they pay on time, every time, the work is consistent and the type of clients I enjoy. Also my base of private, smaller business, returning clients is growing so I don't need to rely so much on those big companies.

Bottom line is I am revamping the business, setting strict working hours and streamlining my expenses. This week I have a very late BAS to submit !!! I just overlooked it while I was sick. And I am going over all the financials. I am probably not going to show a huge income this year but that's because I get a lot of tax deductions. I am also looking at spending a bit of money on some equipment before tax time to reduce my tax bill.

The bad news is that I have used the credit card to pay some bills. My cash flow is shot with so much time off so hopefully it's just a stopgap measure and I can get things sorted fast.

Well my plans to update you on my holiday each day didn't eventuate as planned. Firstly the promised Internet access didn't work out and then I ended up quite sick and I spent the first three days mostly asleep!

On the second day there I slept for 17 hours straight!! Apart from Dads trips to the doctors I didn't do much at all. All that sleep has done wonders and I do feel much better for the break. Yesterday I treated myself to to a new haircut, a sleek long bob, so I look a lot better than I have for a while too.



Dad is actually doing really well. His dementia is much worse in terms of his forgetfulness and recognition, but he is much calmer and less upset in the dementia ward. So that was really reassuring to see.



His visits to the specialists went well. In view of his health they want to avoid any more operations if possible so we are taking a watch and see approach and will review him again in three months. I'm so glad that this surgeon has the same approach as me, that we want a quality of life for Dad, that's the main thing now.



So my holiday was over in the blink of an eye, mainly because I slept through it :) but I will post some pics tomorrow of the beaches. I certainly feel better and ready to start reorganising my life and work now that I'm back.

PS: DH got the part time job!!!!!!!! it's a 12 month contract, 20 hours a week so we are both really pleased about the added income.

Well we are heading off to our holiday house now and I can't wait to get there! I'd love to share it with you so I'm going to blog my holiday, post photos and some videos each day of where we go and what we do.

So if you want to come along with me to the beach you're welcome!

I feel like I'm heading into another change in my life. With having to downsize my business, and slow down due to my health I'm having to accept my limitations and reinvent myself again. So in view of it being a fresh start and a new direction for me, I've given the site a 'makever'!

Expect another post tonight so you can check out where we are staying.

So, here I am at the office finishing up the paperwork so I can just forget about work for a week. I have not been able to do much work at all this week. I did try, but just couldn't do it, so I have officially closed one office, told everyone I can't take on new work until September and I'm just going to focus on clearing the backlog, trying to get myself healthy, and doing my online stuff.

I wanted to share these snippets from the prologue of Gill Hicks book, One Unknown, which I re-read again last week for a bit of inspiration. Gill was the last person to be pulled out alive from the tube train bombing in London in the 2005 terrorist attack.

Initially there were doubts she would survive. She had both legs amputated and was determined to walk down the aisle for wedding day, five months later.

Here's some excerpts taken from the prologue:

"It didn't matter...

... that the
phone bill was overdue, that I was getting married in five months and
the preparations were not coming together, that Joe and I were arguing - we were
both very dedicated to our work, perhaps not dedicated enough to each other. We
had made a commitment though....

it just
didn't matter...

... that I was trying to
make ends meet, spending way to much on my credit card - fashion, shoes, make
up, shoes, fashion - convincing myself that I needed yet another black,
'creatively cut' top, oh and more shoes. I was agonising over the decision,
whether to grow my hair or cut it short - two very different look, very
different statements.

it just didn't
matter...

I didn't matter to anyone on that first carriage that day. They didn't know me, they probably didn't even see me, wouldn't be able to identify me if they saw me again. No one knew that I was significant, that my life counted, that I was valued and loved and cherished. They didn't know that I had a family, a brother, a fiance, dear friends. I was funny, I loved to laugh, and make other people laugh... I had hopes and dreams. I wasn't different I was just like them...

.... None of this mattered

... when I was faced with my own death on a Thursday morning in July 2005"

Her book is just an incredible story to read! I don't usually cry reading a book but I did when I read her story. If you need a bit of inspiration that the world is still filled with good people then read it. It's just a wonderful story and I want to share with some excerpts from the epilogue.

"What matters...

.... is what you do. Someone, somewhere is feeling the effects of something you have done or said.

Every second, every minute, every hour, every day, it all matters.

Making your life count, making a difference - big or small - it matters.

Creating wonderful and happy memories - things to keep you alive.

Finding a positive in everything and everywhere that you can.

... Believing in humanity, in the pure love of strangers....

Letting it go matters...

...not getting absorbed by life's rubbish, not sweating the little things...

Telling the people you love that you love them matters.

Not leaving the house angry - it matters.

Never giving up matters.

Being alive; living a full and rich life - that matters."

Gill Hicks. One Unknown. 2007

If all this doom and gloom is getting you down, or your having a bit of rough patch, and need a bit of reminder about keeping things in perspective and just how wonderful people are, then add this to your reading list.

I've had to face the fact that recovering fully is going to take me some time. It's three months today that I got sick. before that I was working hard, had heaps of energy and was exercising every day. I was feeling excited about the possibilities of being able to increase my productivity by taking on DD as a part time employee. Business prosperity beckoned!

OK lots of good news coming up and a surpise tomorrow!

The Good
This months progress report is an interesting one to me. While the number don't seem to have changed much, I'm really pleased with how I've gone.

I've only been able to work a a few hours each week for a while now as I have been quite sick. The fact that we have been able to pay for everything, home and business, college fees etc, not use the credit card, keep paying all the personal and business bills on time, including my 1 part time employee for the last three months is something I'm really proud of!

I am constantly booked four weeks ahead, gained two new contracts while I've been sick and have generated business from my online consulting site.

HealthwiseI am starting to feel a bit better the last few days, and doing a bit more work but I have made some decisions (that I'm excited about) which I'll share with you tomorrow ;)

The credit card balance transfer went through this morning so I have another 6 months interest free on the card.

The Bad

Yes both the home and business emergency funds are emptied, but that's what they are there for, and thank goodness we had them or I hate to think!

The Ugly
just being SO sick for so long was ugly!

So here are the numbers:

Credit Card: $15, 070

Mortgage: $147, 876

Home & Business Emergency Fund $0

I haven't got round to doing a progress report for the month.I'm just so backlogged with everything, and still not well. I'm working a bit more, but it's hard! I am still only doing about half my usual workload and I feel really worn out by the time I get home.

I am taking a week off and going down to see Dad soon. He has more specialists appointments to go to. I gues I am trying to make the very most of what time we have together while he knows who I am ( at least when I tell him). I have hired a different house right on the beach for a week. It is only costing me $570, and it's way more important than debt reduction right now.

It overlooks the water and has a nice flat concreted path down to the beach so with some help and if he's having a good day I can get Dad down closer to the water. every time I see him he has gone down just that bit further. He is now in the locked dementia unit and having mood swings and more health problems.

I guess it's hard to focus on finance at the moment. I'm working on my health, keeping my business afloat some interesting internet projects. The truth is I need a break, a good month off type of break, but I just can't take it at the moment, so the week with Dad coming up will have to do.

I have applied for a 0% balance transfer on the remaining credit card balance which should get approved today, then I'll update my tallies.