Not interested in lists? I understand. I really do.
I like lists. I use lists. They keep me on track.
One list I make every year is my holiday gift list. I have everyone that I plan on giving a gift listed and then I list what the gift will be. It’s not written in stone but, when I think of something good for someone, I jot it down on my list. I’m never stuck at the last-minute with the “What do I get so-and-so?” question. It also prevents good ideas from slipping away. They do that more often now.
I make many of the gifts I give and I’ve done that for decades. This takes time and I start early. My list helps me shop for supplies that I will need to complete projects efficiently and economically. I know what I’ll need so I wait for sales, I use discount coupons, and I shop carefully. Using my list faithfully helps me gather everything together so, when I start to make the item, I don’t have to stop because I’m short on one supply or another. I keep projects in zip storage bags. Everything I need is in the bag including any patterns or instructions, notions, fabrics, etc. As I acquire a needed component, I add it to the bag.
Because of my list, I’m nearly done with shopping for this year. I’ll pick up a few things along the way, but the big purchases are mostly done.
Making my list and getting started on holiday shopping early is key to a smooth season. Having my list saves my money and my sanity.
I hope I’m not alone in this, but I don’t like housework. The only good chore is one that is done.
Getting things done isn’t that simple for me. It’s entirely too easy to be distracted from household tasks. I can start something and stop before I’m finished because something else is more interesting. Watching the grass grow or the paint dry is particularly alluring.
We associate Spring with cleaning. Why? My house needs cleaning more than once a year so I like to do a fall cleaning, too. It’s too warm in the house over the summer to do any heavy work, even with the AC on. I don’t turn the temp down enough to allow for deep cleaning because I don’t want a power bill the size of the mortgage. In the fall, it’s naturally a good temperature in the house for heavy work.
So, let’s get started on a good Fall cleaning.
Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.
Write! Write! Write Some More!
Writer’s Cafe, part of the Kindle boards sponsored by Amazon, is an inspiring place. It’s populated by all sorts of writers who share their experiences in the self-publishing world. What is amazing is that so many people, who may have never had the opportunity to get their books published, are now earning from their work.
I’ve spent most of my working life in the business world. I’ve managed businesses and run one of our own. What we learned from having our own service business is that you are most certainly married to your business. It is your life. What I don’t want in retirement is that commitment. The way we earn now has to be much more flexible. I’m a little jaded, perhaps.
What I want now is to be free to associate only with the people I choose. For the most part, that doesn’t include anyone who might be a customer of a traditional business. Don’t get me wrong; most people are OK. It only takes one idiot to ruin the whole day.
I don’t know how many times I expressed my hatred for our business. It usually wasn’t about our regular customers. It was more often the occasional person who needed our help and then was critical of what we did. It seemed the more we jumped through hoops, the more dissatisfied they were. There’s just no pleasing some people. I no longer think that the customer is always right. I think modern businesses coddle customers and that policy is a disservice to us all.
To get back to Writer’s Cafe. If you browse through the posts, you’ll find authors of all kinds there. Of particular interest are the threads about earnings. While most people there don’t tell exactly what their income is, they do leave hints.
The authors who admit that they are living off their sales are worth reading. What they will tell you is to write, write well, and promote what you’ve written. Rinse and repeat. No secrets. This is likely true in any endeavor.
There are nuances, of course. What you write has an effect because certain genres are more popular than others. That’s not surprising. A scan of the shelves in the nearest bookstore will tell that story. Overall, though, it’s a viable way to earn a full or part-time living. It also provides a source of passive income. Write a book and sell it forever. Sweet.
Does everyone have a book in them? Maybe. It costs nearly nothing to try. Once the book is finished, then there might be some costs for editing, cover design or advertising, but not in the beginning. There’s little to stop you from starting that book that is begging to be born.