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A Reintroduction and Challenging the Status Quo

I did a fun thing a few weeks ago. I reread all of my blog posts, starting from the beginning. It’s been almost three years since I started writing here, and I honestly couldn’t even remember from week to week what I wrote, so I wanted to make sure I stood by what I’ve said over the years. I’ve also been thinking about sharing this blog with more people I know IRL, so reviewing my posts was important to me.

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Guest Post: Adventures in Financial Adulting

Given my post of two weeks ago about where I might move soon, and given that my BFF Lyra lives in Cleveland already, I thought this week would be the perfect opportunity to have her write a guest post about her move there, the rationale, and what it’s meant for her finances (also, guest posts mean I can skip a week of writing and not feel guilty! Yay!). Please give her all the welcomes so that I can con her into convince her to guest post again!

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A Spreadsheet and the Paradox of Choice

The Paradox of Choice - owning the stars article moving location spreadsheet

Last year, I wrote about my plans to move away from the Washington, DC area. At the time, I was applying for jobs and was considering cities where I’d be willing to look for positions. Then, early this year, I decided to work for myself instead (eventually). And that completely changes the game–it means I can literally live anywhere (don’t worry; I’ll get to the spreadsheet).

via GIPHY
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What I’m Saving For: 2019

row of piggy banks

2019 is shaping up to be a wild and exciting year for me, so I want to make sure that I’m saving for what’s coming up. There’s a few things listed in my budget categories at the moment, and I thought it would be helpful if I went through those here (as well as how I’m approaching each). I use the YNAB Budget System, so when I refer to categories, that’s what I mean. You can read more about my love for YNAB here.

Also, today is a very special day, and my GIFs are themed accordingly. You’re welcome.

via GIPHY
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New Year and New Goals

Ok, I know that the New Year is actually not really the optimal time to set new goals. But there’s something so enticing about a new year and new possibilities. And this “new goal” has been in the works for awhile and is finally turning into reality. In the past year, I’ve made a lot of progress toward ongoing goals. I’ve paid off my credit card debt and traveled. I’ve focused more on self-improvement and read plenty of non-fiction books. But I also had some set-backs; I didn’t get a job I thought I wanted, and then spent seven months trying to figure out my life. That included clarifying my professional goals, turning down a few seemingly perfect opportunities that weren’t right for me, and thinking about relocating to a lower cost of living location. I wrote all about 2018 in my last post.

drinking champagne from fridge 2018 new goals
I need a drink after that 2018… (via GIPHY)
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A Year of Book Recommendations: Nonfiction

I’ve always been a voracious reader, primarily of fiction (and specifically fantasy novels). This year, I decided to consciously track the books I read throughout the year, both so I could be keeping myself accountable with regard to reading more nonfiction, and so I could know how many new books versus old books I read/reread respectively.
belle reading book recommendations
via GIPHY
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Breaking Free of Assigned Identities

breaking free of assigned identities colored pencils owning the stars

In every high school movie, there are the stereotypes. The jocks, the nerds, the music kids, etc. Take a minute—think of the stereotypes in your school. Which one were you? I’m assuming that some sort of answer, even if it isn’t a perfect fit, popped into your head. Or, at the very least, a hybrid of a couple archetypes. Having assigned identities provides security—a platform to define yourself upon and to explore from. But it also limits you. To reference a teen movie masterpiece, Zac Efron’s character in High School Musical (Troy) struggled because his identity was “jock,” but he wanted to perform in the school musical.

zac efron assigned identities jock musical heart's in the song high school musical

Those limits, the constraints of the identity that you either chose for yourself or that someone else assigned, can be stifling. And how do you break away from them, especially when the identity overall seems like a good fit or a natural choice? What opportunities are you missing because you have on blinders that only let you see a straight path forward?

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Domestic Geoarbitrage and Job Searching

domestic geoarbitrage moving job search owningthestars owning the stars blog

Y’all, let’s be real. Living in Washington, DC or right across the border in Virginia or Maryland, is super expensive. I don’t blink at $12 cocktails and $1650 rent. And it gets really old when you’re trying to be frugal, or plan for financial goals like owning a house or starting a family. I’ve written before about needing a professional change, and about realizing that I no longer like living here and need to move. But what I didn’t realize was how freeing those decisions would be. Searching for a new job when I know I’m going to relocate anyway opens up some fantastic opportunities for domestic geoarbitrage. Continue reading “Domestic Geoarbitrage and Job Searching”

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The Value of Happiness: Why I Walked Away from $40k

value of happiness why I walked away from $40,000 blog owning the stars

Could I have picked a more clickbait-y title? You’re welcome. But it’s 100% true too. This is my second weekly update post, and it’s been one hell of a week. This is a pretty long post because there’s some background that needs to be established, but bear with me. I eventually get to the part about lighting money on fire and walking away. But I’ve also discovered that the value of happiness doesn’t have a price tag. And as trite as that sounds, it’s so true.

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