This is one weird winter in Nova Scotia. My area of the Annapolis Valley has had little snowfall. There were a lot of gray and rainy days in January. Last Saturday, we had the crazy-cold temperatures impacting the northeast (below -40C / F windchill here) with an all-day snow squall. The next day was mild and melty.
So I haven’t covered my simpler-living budget since … CY22Q1. Last winter.
After working with a budget since January 2018, I didn’t throw up my hands or wobble off the back of the wagon in Q2 so much as just start thinking about it all differently (which I may write about in a future post). I still track all my expenses. I still consider who and what I want to support with my $.
Beyond basic living costs, in 2022 there were three main areas of expenses:
In the summer, I transitioned the apartment from good-enough furnishings to items I love.
- Bought a one-bedroom unit’s worth of vintage MCM furniture.
- For the walls, bought a fun hooked rug from an artist at the Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival in Lunenburg and had some existing art reframed.
- Ordered modern (and made in the USA) floor mats that are (you guessed it) just like the ones I’d had in my condo out west.
In September and October, I got rejuvenated by travel experiences again after a three-year pandemic hiatus.
- Welcomed MAC for a visit in September that included a road trip to Cape Breton, day trips around Nova Scotia, and lots of great restaurant meals.
- Embraced another solo road trip to Ontario in October that included visits with family in Ottawa and Mississauga, nights in hotels, and more yummy restaurant meals.
- Joined my sangha for a meditation weekend at a beautiful rural retreat center in upstate NY.
Per usual, I had new gear and other fitness expenses.
- Added an assortment of items for biking, including a bike rack for the little car (that I got “used” but was new-in-box).
- Delighted in new REI-brand items, which I can’t get in Canada, including a pair of soft-shell pants for cold-weather activities (note: with so little snow, I haven’t snow shoed yet).
- Once I came back from the road trip in October, joined a gym to take fitness classes through to spring. These classes are kicking my butt in a good way.
Of course, despite not following a budget, it wasn’t a free-for-all of buying stuff (OK, except the MCM furniture). As for my challenge of not buying any books the entire year, I only bought one. 2022 for me was about shaking off pandemic stress, being more social, and letting myself be happier. I don’t have cable / TV, so, in the autumn, decided to get a subscription so I could stream NFL games.
I know that I may not fit a football fan stereotype, but the ability to watch a game during the regular season on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday upped my happy even beyond what I expected. In January, I enjoyed watching playoff games with my dad and stepmom on the weekends (note: they tolerate my spontaneous commentary). And to up my fun, CY23Q1 includes Latin dance classes!
References and related links:
- CY22: Calendar Year 2022. Calendar Year distinguishes from a company’s Financial Year (FY) which may have a different start date than January 1st.
- MCM: Mid-Century Modern.
- MAC: mon amie Caroline.
- Sangha: A Buddhist community.
- REI: Recreational Equipment, Inc.
- simpler-living report: CY22Q1 (post #179)
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