Debt Free: January 2015 Breakdown

(Debt # & Outstanding Balance)

Debt #3: $2,000 =  $3,799.13

Debt #4: $200 =  $11,401.91

It’s been almost been 12 months since I have not posted the monthly breakdown to clearing up the debts, I’m sorry. But hey, life happens okay? Important thing is getting back up & picking up where we left off. That was a bit mushy, but here is this month’s debt free breakdown journey. We like to pay in big lump sum when my boyfriend ships out for work because money income is much better than on off sea months. Vacation will be coming up again for me next month so I needed to get a grip on the bills before flying off again like last year. This year, we are very determined to pay off Debt #3 by the first six months because it’s so close to hitting that $0 balance e-mail. When Debt #3 is out of the way, the main focus will be on the last Debt #4, damn I get really a good kick whenever I do bills every month. We are not only focusing on paying off the debt this year, but also on our credit cards. We have no kids (except for a dog & a rabbit) but we also have two 7-year-old debts that demand our financial attention.

2015 is game-time…. Err making big leap financially J

How are you doing with your debt free journey? How do you manage your wants & needs? Do you worry about paying big lump sum towards your debts? Anyone in their 20s stuck paying with student loans?

Aloha,

Elysia  

Changes to “Some Minimalist”

Okay, so I have been posting twice a week regarding tips and random beauty post I evaluated what I really want to accomplish this year and that’s erasing $30k of school loans, being frugal (or spending wisely), & my getting my health on track (vaping and fitness).

In the month of February, I will be organizing and editing this blog and hope that it will go on about the right path. Please excuse me while I confuse myself trying to shift things around as well as changing my post schedule. Give me at least on month to get it together.

Main post links to look out for & schedules:

Vaping Updates: Every 1^st of the month

$30k Debt-Free: Every 31^st of the month

Fit Before 30: Every 17^th of the month

Shopping Diet: Begins March 16, 2015 (After my vacation)

52 Reviews: Every Monday

New Year’s Resolution

I can cut this post in half and simply say I just don’t want to make the same pointless chaos I did in 2014. But that would also be pointless and it would suck, ha-ha.

This year I have decided to break my New Year’s resolution into four categories and called it “2015 bucket list”, and it just sounds less scary. I know “if your dreams don’t scare you, then they are not big enough”, but the way I see it anything will scare you, but to save yourself the disappointment at the end of the year (which most of us will), I decided to look at my resolution as a bucket list. This way at the end of the year, whatever I did not fully accomplish I can carry it out to the following year’s bucket. But please do TRY to empty out your bucket each intended year J

Enough ranting, here are my four categories (with brief summary)

Dream Job: I want to open a handmade dainty jewelry website for wanderlust souls. Maybe dabble slowly back into making clothes again.

• ·      Earn 1k Instagram followers
• Hold a giveaway contest 
• ·      Make total $500 in clothes sales
• ·      Make 20 product sales 
• ·      Participate in a charity event  (St. Anthony's Fun Bazaar Fundraise - Maui)
• ·      Launch “DaintybyArrow.com”

Health: Vow to never buy or smoke another analog, go back to being active, and test the limit of my body.

• ·      Strictly vape
• ·      Drop down to 115 – 120 pounds
• ·      Decrease waist to 26 – 28”
• ·      Be able to run a mile under 10 minutes again
• ·      Start picking up pilates again
• ·      Drink a gallon a day
• ·      Do a detox one-week each month to cleanse the body
• ·      Get more sleep (Goal is minimum 6 hours, so I need to learn to sleep earlier)
• ·      Stick to a workout regimen until it becomes a habit by the end of the year
• ·      Less red meat
• ·      Perfect my left and leg split

Financial: Know where the income is going & to erase the debts of our student life before we start our 30s.

• ·      Go on a shopping diet for three months (March – June)
• ·      End the year with 850 credit score
• ·      Find a new PT/FT job
• ·      Pay off $6,000 for Debt #3 (PAID OFF - March 2015)
• ·      Pay off a total of $2,500 for Debt #4
• ·      Have $2,000 in emergency fund
• ·      Save a total of $6,000 – $8,000 in personal savings

Personal: To learn that I deserve my love just as much as anyone else. To continue working on myself, traveling to discover what I want, & stop clinging on to fear.

• ·      Learn to say “No” more often to things that I don’t want to feel, do, or see
• ·      License (because I need to drive legally & stop being afraid of parking a car ha-ha)
• ·      New beginning, new apartment, new city, new people!
• ·      EDC 2015
• ·      Finish writing my first book's manuscript 
• ·      Send out 5k paper cranes to “Cranes for Cancer”
• ·      Send 2 shoebox to two children for Christmas
• ·      Learn a new full song on my ukulele
• ·      Grow out my hair to my waist
• ·      Apologize more when I hurt someone
• ·      Write more
• ·      Read a total of 10 books
• ·      Make 2 canvas paintings
• ·      Enter 2 poetry contest
• ·      Start writing a memoir for #SelfInjuryAwareness
• ·      Finish my silhouette tattoo with a mandala
• ·      Focus on what matters
• ·      Move on from those who makes you question your worth

What will your 2015 look like in 2016? Your life will be the thickest book you will ever write. The only book that will not hit the bookstore shelves, but everyone after you will read. Make sure it’s written exactly the way you want it to be & that it speaks volume.

Aloha,

Elysia  

2014: Top 5 beauty favorites

My favorite type of once a year post :) Top beauty favorites of 2014!

OPI Nail Envy Strengthener: I just have to say, the staple for all my fellow nail biters out there. You have a new best friend that you will never ever turn your back on. After the first 2-weeks of on this miracle bottle, I could not stop tapping the wall because my nails grew so fast & triple in thickness. 

3D White Strips: I cannot eat hot soup & drown it down with ice cold water. I have really sensitive teeth that I am so afraid of biting a popsicle. I'm also a coffee drinker (I drink A LOT, by the dozen if I could) & no matter how often you brush your teeth, it will not keep my pearlies white. 

Juice Beauty Blemish Cleanser: I have tried all sort of cleanser from the drug store & to the expensive  ones that will only last about 2-months. Not only is this cleanser gentle & organic, but it is also effective. 

Aveeno SPF15 Daily Moisturizer: I used to be an Olay girl, but I started noticing the blots & the greasy feel it left my face. Then I discovered Aveeno while searching for something to use in the day that can mask up the smell of the ACV toner I have been using. This works perfectly for me & my dark acne scars started to fade. 

Original Frank Scrub: Ahh yes! The popular coffee scrub that everyone on Instagram has been raving about. I jumped on the wagon & refuse to get off of it. It has helped me get thru the winter months from dry skin. Thank you, babe ;).

These are my TOP 5 Faves of 2014 & where would I be today? Dramatic I know, but hey - I do love my beauty regimens. Full reviews will soon follow, ladies!

Have any of you tried and loved any of these products? Or any bad experiences? Share in the comment box below. Enjoy gals! 

Aloha,

Elysia  

Going analog-free

[Picture source]

First of all, I just want to point out that I have been smoking sticks for about six years now. I also started a monthly blog post about living with “Vape Lyfe”, yes that's a famous hashtag for vapers now. Check it out on Instagram if you don't believe me. My journey started about 6 months ago when I decided to end my vacation by purchasing a basic vape pen. It took me awhile to take the vape seriously because lets be completely honest here, it is HARD to quit! A habit is just, too hard to leave behind. My first attempt lasted about a whole week until friends came over for a barbeque that involved 2 packs of beer, food, & everyone being a smoker. Totally hard to resist.

Just a month ago, I decided to purchase 5-weeks supply of e-vape juice (12mg) & restocked my dual coal as well. I figured “Okay, so I have all these supplies that I spent under $100 for that should last me for 5 weeks. So why should I let them collect dust in the drawers & spend $40/weekly to sustain my 4-pack a week habit? Why waste my supplies?” That was what got me to start, the fact that I wasted money to purchase my vape supplies only to waste more money to purchase analogs.

I went with that thinking for the first week, then 2^nd week, & it eventually became a habit that I do not regret! Basically, I want to share with you the benefits I experienced since I went analog-free.

• I don't wake up feeling like a total crap anymore. No matter if I overslept or not enough.
• My sense of taste has improved!
• I can't stand the smell of analogs anymore (especially when the neighbors smokes like a chimney.)
• I have more energy!
• My thinking is no longer clouded (no pun intended haha.)
• Better mood
• I can breathe easily
• No more annoying & unnecessary coughing
• No smell seeping thru my windows & into the room
• Fingers don't smell
• No yellowish stain on my nails (trust me, I obsess over my nails.)
• No bad breakouts all over my chin area
• Teeth stain diminished

The list might be short now, but it is only my first month. If you think about it, this list is pretty long for just my first month of going analog-free. Can you imagine next month, 3^rd, 4^th, & a full 12 months of going smoke-free? I'm excited!

No research was involved into this post. These are my actual results since going analog-free.

Are you also trying to quit or have started your own journey to quitting? How is it going for you? Any ideas or benefits you have experienced from quitting?

Month 1: The hardest 30-days

During my 2-months vacation in Las Vegas this year (2014), I decided to purchase a vape pen to "try it out". To be honest, I didn't really think much about committing to it fully. Until recently when I was waking up pretty crappy & slugging throughout the day. So a month ago, I smoked my last analog and just went straight to vaping. I am no expert but I know how to go on about the basic such as little tricks & the juices.

 I tried many times & failed here and there for 6 months. I decided to get it together & be serious this time around, so here I am wanting to blog my monthly struggle with vaping & trying to quit in general. I know how hard it is trying to quit smoking, but I think vaping has changed that.

I tried cold turkey, chewing gums, patch, and even drowning out my cravings with food (not the best idea haha). Just a month ago, I decided to put my vape to good use, smoke my last analog & started training my mind. For someone who smoked everyday for the last six years, used it as a stress reliever, & when I am bored, I must say that I was very surprised with myself. I had a slight craving about eight times in a month, but I ignored them. I can officially say that this has been the longest time I have not purchase or smoked a single analog, very proud of myself.

Getting started is somewhat hard, but the e-juices comes in different level of nicotine. I smoked an average half a pack a day so I'm vaping 12 mg nicotine juice. Nicotine level goes from 0mg – 24mb (but it can vary from different brands of juices.)

Getting started:

• I suggest checking out a Vape shop in your local area. They usually offer a sample juice bar where you can try out different juice flavors & nicotine levels. You can also ask the workers what they can recommend you.
• Purchase a basic vape pen to help you get started. I don't recommend starting out with a vape mod as they are for the expert level vapers. Besides, do you want to start quitting while trying to figure out how to build your coil?
  • My first vape pen is an iTaste VV with a pro tank mini.
• Start at your own pace. I started cutting down my analog count by half & in between I will vape (I started doing this before my first continuous month.)
• Start reading up on the benefits of vaping vs. analogs. Trust me, this will help you out a lot. Think about the difference your body will feel like when you wake up in the morning & your savings.
• Get rid of anything that will trigger your cravings such as lighters or analog butts on the ground.
• After a week, try to go through the days without smoking analogs, but strictly vaping. Maybe write down rewards for each week you don't smoke or monthly.

I have to admit, it was hard for me because I had a morning routine where no one is allowed to talk to me after my morning coffee, 15 minutes worth of music, & 1-2 stick. I liked to sit outside in the backyard just thinking about what my day will be like. I still do that morning routine except I switched out the sticks with my vape.

We all have to make little adjustments & find something that will work for us. Once you find something that works, stick to it. It is all about training your mind & self-control. I am sure everyone can do it! 

Aloha,

Elysia