simpler-living report: CY23Q1

I made big purchases in both January and February this year.  I bought a new phone—I replaced an iPhone 6 that had a battery that went pfft in cold temps (not good for hiking in Nova Scotia) with an iPhone SE.  This is the first phone I’ve had to pay for since 2014 (my last two were my step-mom’s old phones).  The iPhone SE is a base model that does everything I need and which should last me a long time.  I also paid for airfare (ouch!) for the first time in five years (more on that adventure soon).  And because I’d planned for last year’s birthday and Christmas gifts to go towards a new phone and /or a trip, I met my budget for the first quarter.

Since the start of the new year, I have been diligent about getting to the local farmers market on Saturday morning.  In January, I also tried a food box service connected with the market.  It’s really more a CSA / food box fusion. The ingredients are local produce supplied with recipes and other components provided in reusable jars.  I tried it to help give myself a kick-in-the-butt for cooking new things.  Living on my own, I generally make the same simple food daily—a big salad in the warmer months and a curry in the colder months.

Most of my food shopping has been from local farms and businesses since I moved to the Annapolis Valley in 2019 so I haven’t noticed much of a price difference with that food but I certainly notice an increase when I go for items at the corporate grocery stores.  As demonstrated at the start of the pandemic, our local farmers are vital for feeding us—I want to support them (and particularly young farmers) so they will continue to be here now and when we need them in the interesting times ahead.

In January, I attended a motivating and heart-warming event at a community center with a talk by local produce farmers (and included a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal).  Small community centers were a theme for me in Q1!  In February, a Saturday Night Speakeasy at another community center featuring a swing band went far beyond my expectations.  And for the spring equinox, I joined a Yoga Nidra (sleep yoga) class in an oh-so-cozy community center heated with a wood stove!  These small buildings are all active hubs in their communities and it’s remarkable how many are supported throughout the valley.

Since I started tracking all my expenses way back in 2018, Q1 has been the only quarter in which I met my budget all six years—no big yearly expenses, less social activities in a Nova Scotia winter, no vacations, New Year’s resolve, etc. all contribute.  The provincial government recently announced that a rent cap implemented during the pandemic to help ease housing challenges here has been extended by two years to the end of 2025, with a maximum allowable increase of 5%.  I expect once this cap is lifted, my rent may shoot up 40% or more so this was very good news for me. I won’t be forced to make a decision just yet on my next move.

References and related links:

• CY23Q1: Calendar Year 2023, First Quarter (January to March).  Calendar Year distinguishes from a company’s Financial Year (FY) which may have a different start date than January 1^st.
• CSA: Community-Supported Agriculture. For example, a weekly veggie box direct from a farmer in the summer and fall that is paid for up-front in the spring.
• simpler-living report: CY22 (post #189)