• Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Kalyn Brooke

Simple Solutions to Manage Everyday Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Shop
  • Contact

Not Your Typical Financial Journey {Part2}

December 7 // Leave a Comment // 2 Minute Read

Jump To Recipe · Print Recipe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

 

Quick, go back and get caught up on the story with Part 1!

You know how you look at everything your parents have and think that will be you in the first year of marriage?

Ha. Not so. I don’t know what I was smoking.

Everything looked so neat and nice on my registry list, and I dreamed of coordinating furniture and comfy couches, but it ’twas not to be.

For one, we didn’t have a lot of money to start. Oh, we had more than we would have had we not talked about our finances earlier in our relationship, but Joseph was currently working full-time as an assistant camp director, and I was working part-time as a retail associate at our local Kmart.

We weren’t necessarily raking in the dough.

A move to the middle of nowhere

After we got married, we moved straight out to camp. Staff training started within a week after our honeymoon, followed by 8 weeks of camp. That summer, I managed the bookstore and snack shop, plus I was helping Joseph whenever I could.

Because camp income was limited, and they didn’t provide any insurance, we had to pay through the roof for our own policy. That set us back a little bit….and we were 25 minutes from the nearest Walmart, so we spent a lot on gas too. (But housing was free!)

Despite all that, it was a great summer, and I really don’t regret any of it. Not only did we spend time with some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met, it really taught us to pinch our pennies. And we needed the practice since I would finish up my degree come Fall.

Time to move….again

Because we didn’t have a lot of money from the summer, we were really limited on what we could spend on an apartment and what we could put in it.

Thankfully, we heard a pastor and his wife were trying to find someone to rent their upstairs apartment, and they also happened to be good friends with my grandparents.

We were even given some hand-me-down furniture from family. We had a dining room table with chairs that broke, a pretty scratched up bedroom set, and an ugly couch from the 60’s, but it was home. And lets not forget the variety of bathroom and kitchen towel colors I received as wedding gifts. I got over it quickly.

Everything just seemed to be working out. Within a week of moving, I got a part-time job at a bank, Joseph started working as a manager at McDonalds, and we were still holding out hope he would land a job at a local news station so he could make use of that degree he had!

It only took a couple months before he was hired as a news videographer position and even though he had to work two jobs for about a year, we were very happy.

Minus the car breaking down twice.

And not having a clothes dryer for a while.

Oh, and Joseph ended up in the hospital with an appendix issue.

Nope, we were still happy! {grin}

 

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
« Previous PostQuick Tip #2: Start a Toothpaste War
Next Post »Sign Up for a Vendor Fair and Kickstart Your Business


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

New? Start Here!

  • Take a Tour
  • Become a BFF
  • Favorite Recipes
  • The Printable Library
  • Just for Bloggers
  • Visit the Shop

kalynbrookeco

👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
💬 | INFJ / Enneagram 1
🚙 | RV Life @openroading
👇 | Resources + Links

Kalyn Brooke | Virtual BFF
When you want to “make over your finances”, wh When you want to “make over your finances”, what first comes to mind? 🤔💭

Cutting back on a few expenses? Overhauling your budget? Establishing an Emergency Fund...or increasing its size? 💰

These are ALL worthy endeavors. 👏

But none of those things matter if you don’t check in on your finances on a regular basis. 😳

It only takes a couple of days (or weeks) for that motivational wave of “I’m gonna become a financial rockstar” to wane... then fizzle out completely. 🤯

That’s why the most important financial habit you’ll ever create is a weekly finance routine. 📆

In this newly-released blog post, I’m sharing why a weekly finance routine will influence your bottom line more than anything else, as well as dish ALL the details of what I do, every Friday, to get in tune with my bank accounts and budgeting app. 📱

Want the link? Leave a money bag emoji in the comments below! 💰

If you have a similar routine (or want to adopt one for the first time!), I’d love to hear about it! 👇🏻
Over the past six months, I’ve changed. ⁣ ⁣ Over the past six months, I’ve changed. ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Joseph and I adopted a plant-based diet.⁣
2️⃣ I got the tattoo I’ve been wanting for years.⁣
3️⃣ And last November, we bought a motorcycle.⁣
⁣
Needless to say, people have commented about my recent changes too.⁣
⁣
Most are positive. 🥰⁣
⁣
Others are not. 😳⁣
⁣
And of course, in typical people-pleasing fashion, I tend to focus on the critics more than the cheerleaders. 📣⁣
⁣
But you can't live your life by other people's expectations of you.⁣
⁣
I'm not saying to disregard what anyone has to say or ignore every opinion that doesn't line up with your way of thinking. Listen to wise counsel and learn everything you can from those who've walked whatever road you want to travel. 💞⁣
⁣
But know the difference between wise counsel and someone who wants to subconsciously direct your life.⁣
⁣
Because the critic doesn't get to live your life.⁣
⁣
You do. 🥳
I’ve seen a lot of new faces follow me this mont I’ve seen a lot of new faces follow me this month—welcome! 👋

My name is Kalyn (swipe right to see my husband, Joseph, and I shivering at the beach). We travel full time in an RV, but are Floridians at heart. 60 degrees is NOT warm enough for a beach day! 🏝️

I started blogging in 2012 to share my love for saving money. Today, I help thousands of women live a more minimalist lifestyle, establish planning systems and routines, and pursue positive personal growth. 💪

It is a huge privilege to connect with you here. 🥰

Other random facts: I love to read (lately I’m a fan of psychological thrillers), crocheting relieves my anxiety, and I’m five months into eating a plant-based lifestyle. 🌱

I used to hate meal planning and being in the kitchen but going vegan helped me fall in love with cooking nutritious meals. 🍽️

New or not, thank you for adding me to your feed. I’m so grateful we connected on social media. 

Now it’s your turn! Share a random fact about yourself in the comments. I want to get to know you better! 💞
Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣ ⁣ Sadly, I find m Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
⁣
Sadly, I find most people resist minimalism because they can't wrap their head around "having less." People tend to equate this movement with blank walls, white IKEA furniture, and decluttering everything in your home down to practically nothing so you can live full-time in an RV. Like me. 😉⁣
⁣
But, while minimalism could be all that, this mindset misses the point. Minimalism is not only about “having less.” 🚫⁣
⁣
It’s so much more than that.⁣
⁣
This week on the blog, I'm sharing the REAL definition of minimalism (that people who love their stuff can totally get behind!) as well as practical ways to incorporate minimalism into your life. 🎉⁣
⁣
Drop a heart emoji in the comments below and I'll send the link to your DM's! 💖
I love lazy Saturday mornings...as long as I have I love lazy Saturday mornings...as long as I have a book and a cozy blanket! 😍
I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣ I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣
⁣
“I’ve been thinking about what tech boundaries I want to instill, including boundaries related to work and productivity. I’ve become less careful about my media consumption, and it’s having a negative affect on my mental health.” 💞⁣
⁣
Have you ever felt a similar tug? ⁣
⁣
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I pick up my phone because I’m bored or lonely or jealous or unhappy. It almost always makes me feel worse. And yet...I struggle to stop. 😝⁣
⁣
Here are the ideas I’ve been trying this month and I’m already seeing a positive effect:⁣
⁣
➕ No logging into social media after 8pm. I need to wind down for the night, not get lost in my phone! 📲⁣
➕ Open Instagram with a purpose—either to post or to interact. Stop endlessly scrolling.⁣
➕ My only screen time before 9am should be for Bible Study apps or News. 🗞⁣
➕ Turn my phone on Do Not Disturb during Tiger Time (when I need the most focus for work) 💪⁣
➕ Work no more than 4 hours on my business per day. If a task isn’t complete, push it to the next day. This time frame has really helped me prioritize! 💻⁣
➕ Watch one show per day (or two if they are short!) and leave movies for the weekend. 📺⁣
⁣
What tech boundaries have you set up? Are any new as of this year? I’d love to hear your ideas! 😃
Load More... Follow on Instagram
ARE YOU EXHAUSTED TRYING TO DO IT ALL?
Privacy Policy
You'll love the freedom found inside my Saturday morning newsletter
Copyright © 2021 · Privacy Policy
ALMOST THERE!
Complete this form and click the button below to gain instant access.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
ARE YOU EXHAUSTED TRYING TO DO IT ALL?
Privacy Policy
You'll love the freedom found inside my Saturday morning newsletter
Privacy Policy
ALMOST THERE!
Complete this form and click the button below to gain instant access.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
ALMOST THERE!
Complete this form and click the button below to gain instant access.
Privacy Policy
ALMOST THERE!
Complete this form and click the button below to gain instant access.
Privacy Policy