There's a lot of
dreaming and
planning going on in my neck of the woods at the moment. I've always read up on everything to do with creative businesses, online biz etc etc. And while I've always been doing all the right things
I don't think I've ever had a concrete goal to focus my energies on.
It finally twigged for me the other day that I need to save up a (rather substantial) amount of money in order to move out from my parents abode back into the real world. I came back to live with them a little time ago on a temporary basis - heaven forbid, I never actually thought the day would come when I lived with those two again. Neither did they for that matter.
Like most things it's been the
fear of failure that's kept me from trying to move out.
What if I don't make any money? What if I can't pay the rent or feed myself? I've been close to that many times before, and that was on a regular income, much less a sporadic freelance one. Overcoming that fear involves
assessing how to take that first step, and more importantly for me,
formulating a contingency plan if it all goes pear shaped. Having that insurance policy goes a long way to building my confidence - chances are I won't need to use it - but
just knowing it's there is reassuring and allows me to have faith in success.
So how did I do it?
- List - of what I'm going to achieve
- Research - costs, requirements and restrictions involved
- Calculate - what I need to earn each week/month
- Plan - using that information to formulate an action plan
My list involves moving into a
share house somewhere in Surry Hills or Redfern, near my studio space. I also want to buy a
bike to ride everywhere (which is becoming increasingly popular in the inner-city 'burbs). And finally, I would love to adopt a little
kitten from one of the animal shelters (and bring him/her to the studio with me each day).
Research involved sifting through
gumtree and
flatmate websites to get an idea of
average rent. I could also get an idea of
average utility costs from some of the ads. Some uni websites also give you an idea of the
average cost of living in your city as a guide to international students (groceries, entertainment etc). Then calculating my
fixed costs (phone, internet etc), along with my
fixed income (measly). Anyway - it's all basic stuff.
I'm going to be squirreling away most of my money from now on - building up the honey pot. I've worked out how much I need to live (basically) for 6 months.
Chances are I won't be stuck up shit creek for that long, but it's mighty reassuring. Some of the ways I intend to save on costs:
- Bike - not only insanely cool, but it's free and saves on lazy bus fares. Wishlist: Sydney Vintage Bikes
- Vegetarian - something I actually did before moving back home. Cutting out meat saves lots of $$, but also forces you to plan healthy, balanced meals to make up the shortfall in protein.
- 2nd Hand & Vintage - something bohemian types have known for a long time - scouring the op-shops and markets. And you know what? They look fabulous. Wishlist: Vintage & Retro Fashion Sale at Hibernian House.
- DIY - something that blogging types have known for a long time - unique, one of a kind garments tailored to you, whatever colour, fabric, pattern you like. Wishlist: Burda.
- Art Openings - free drinks. 'Nuff said.
- Clued Up - finding out the cheapest cinemas in Sydney (Randwick), cheap eats, and cheap entertainment. It's all there if you know where to look. Wishlist: twothousand, TimeOut.
- Pet - shelters like the RSPCA, Cat Protection Society & Sydney Dogs and Cats Home are always overwhelmed with animals needing forever homes. You can get a gorgeous little companion for next to nothing, complete with all it's jabbs and check ups. The RSPCA also offers various Pet Insurance policies to help you cover the cost of vet bills, medication etc. Wishlist: rspca, CPS, SDCH, Pet Insurance.
Fingers crossed!
