simplify, simplify, simplify

Since the beginning of mine and Chris' relationship we have always lived on the edge financially.  We've always seemed to live paycheck-to-paycheck no matter how much we've made.  Since moving to Austin, we've grown much more responsible and moved up the financial ladder (albeit slowly).  Since having Izzy, we've gotten even better, throwing a large chunk into 401K, setting up an ESA for Izzy and putting money from every paycheck into savings.  Over the last 3 years, we have all but cleared our credit reports (minus college loans, but who the hell counts those?)  Hell, in the last 3 months, we've even become stockholders.

But these days, even those grand improvements are not enough.  I need more simplification.  I want to get rid of stuff, cancel more things and save even more.  In fact, I feel an obsession coming on.  Starting in June (because May is already booked solid), I've decided I'm going to start selling off our stuff.  We have too much crap around here.  The best houses I've walked into are houses that are clean and simple.  We do not live in that house.  And already Izzy's toys are taking over around here.  It's starting to drive me insane.

In addition to selling off stuff, I'm going to really put our finances under the microscope (again).  I already know the cable is going to go.  I'm a slave to the television and it's unhealthy and irritating.  In addition, we are going to learn to survive in the heat.  Chris and I have never paid attention to the thermostat and it shows every month in our electric bill.  We have a programable thermostat and it sits on "Hold" at a steady 73 degrees.  That is not a conservation make.  Also, we are going to stop buying fast food completely, and instead go out for dinner every payday.  That's the plan anyway.

Already I'm super conscientious about waste.  I'm a serious recycler, take my bags to the grocery store with me 80% of the time and have gone "green" with more than even I thought possible (ie: The Keeper).  But I need to take it to the next level.  I need Izzy to grow up differently than I did.  I need her to be conscious about spending, waste, conservation and keeping things simple.  And the only way I can ensure that is to make sure we live that way as well.

Oh yeah, and I need to quit smoking.  Because smoking breaks ALL of those rules.  But that can't come until I have everything else in order, and in keeping with always providing deadlines for myself, the end goal for smoking cessation is December 31st.  This will be my last year of addiction.  Period.  The end.