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Save $5,000 in a year for my Expedition Everywhere fund a bold proclamation and a financial challenge I started.

Many months ago, a pandemic seemed possible but unlikely. In a short amount of time everything changed but accomplishing items on my life list stayed constant.

If anything, the pandemic has taught that I need to increase my resolve to accomplish dreams before another wave of climate-induced disaster, infectious pandemic, or other human malady comes in and tries to smash my plans.

I say, no.

A resolution is my solution to my current convolution.

These are the shiny objects that kept me on track with minimal flack.

Busted Up Budget

You know what else has stayed constant? Budgets.

Budgets are still the best!

I use a budget which points to how much is coming and going every month. I use this data to direct money which support choices.

There have been expenses that I cut like personal and restaurant spending. As a way to offset some guilt for not supporting my local community, I donated it.

Helplessness feels like a wave trying to overwhelm me with sadness especially when I hear my loved ones who are furloughed or laid off. I baton the hatches, ride the wave of uncertainty, and use my untethered funding towards gift cards to buoy my swamped loved ones.

Bing Challenge = Bling Rewards

I cashed in a $5 Microsoft Reward. Microsoft has a useful reward program. If you sign up, you get rewarded for searching on their preferred internet browser Bing.

Bing is okay. I enjoy the scenic pictures and it has many functions similar to Chrome. But, sadly, Chrome it is not! It doesn’t have as many viable search options and user-friendly features. However, it pays me to use their platform. Is an occasional inconvenience worth five dollars every other month? I say, yes!  

Funding More Than Sinking

Sinking funds are fun. Sinking funds are small amounts of money I save monthly with the intent of using it on burdensome annual bills. I put this money in a separate savings account called, Adulting Adventures.

When I made this sinking fund, I had to invest time in calculating how much money I will need throughout a year for large occasional bills like car insurance, ring insurance, copay for medical insurance, Christmas gifts, etc.

I prefer to pay big bills in smaller, less noticeable, chunks instead of half my paycheck gobbled up by a bill. Adulting Adventures removes the sting from adulting.

There are savings advantages to paying bills in bulk too, a lump sum is cheaper than monthly installments. The savings won’t raise the Titanic, but it’s still worth the effort.

The Art of Homebody

I used to be an awful homebody. I was desperate to be seen and be seen doing things. That changed when I became broke and less young. Luckily, I changed on my terms versus Coronavirus sticking its ugly head into my personal life. Even before this pandemic, I spent most of my time at home with free hobbies.

At the top of my thrilling homebody endeavors is reading.

I love to read.

Right now, I’m reading three books and frequently read blog posts daily. Not to mention the other reading rambles that I pursue on the interweb. The variety increases knowledge and sparks creativity.

The guru Darius Foroux explains it better, “The best way to challenge yourself on an intellectual level is to acquire knowledge. The easiest way to do that is to read a book.”

Other homebound shenanigans include drawing. Drawing for Dummies has been a wonderful resource and seriously enhanced my skills. My initial comfort zone was stick figures, now I am confidently drawing birds.

Juggling, practicing yoga and meditation, talking to family and friends, taking walks, and baking have increased in frequency. I do recommend some caution with baking. What I lost in muscle mass, I gained in pies and pounds.

Slow Lane = Big Gains

My side hustle of babysitting is currently extinct which is unfortunate on various levels, but I am still grateful to be employed. This is the primary reason I can say that my Expedition Everywhere account currently resides at $1,761 and my challenge was to save $1,600.