Hi everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was pretty slow, just spent some time cleaning up around the house and trying to relax.
I wanted to update you on my “Reconnecting with Family” post from January. I finally called my aunt on Saturday! I had been debating it for a while and would often call and then hang up out of nervousness. Turns out, she had been doing the same and was really glad I called.
We played phone tag a bit at first because she was busy, but on Sunday, we talked for nearly an hour. It was really nice catching up with her. We didn’t talk much about my dad; she mentioned he would be proud of me but didn’t want to make the call depressing. I’m still not ready to talk about him without getting upset, so I was fine with that. Overall, I’m glad I finally reached out.
I also asked about my grandfather and was about to get his phone number when she told me he had passed away. They weren’t close, so she didn’t say much, and I didn’t press for details. I regret not reconnecting sooner, as I spent every summer with him growing up. It’s hard to type this, so I’ll switch topics.
I recalculated my student loans and decided to wait until May to pay them off. I didn’t want to drain our emergency fund just to pay them off early. I know it seems like we’ve been spending a lot lately, but oh well.
Spending-wise, we didn’t do much shopping this past week. We did go to Lowes and spent $300 on plants and a fire pit, but we used a gift card for that, so it didn’t impact our budget much. We still have other things to buy for the house, but we’ll get to those eventually.
Extra income was good last week. I’m working on increasing affiliate income and thinking of new ways to diversify. What do you do to diversify your income? Any tips on passive income? I’d love some help!
Lance is looking for a staff writer for his blog, so if you’re interested, email him!
Food-wise, we did great this past week. We hardly ate out and made healthy meals every night. I’ve been following “healthy eating” and “clean eating” accounts on Instagram for recipe ideas. One of my favorites is FITalacious. Have you heard of her? Who do you follow on Instagram?
Our menu for next week includes grilled salmon, grilled chicken, brown rice, vegetables, and peppers. We’ve been eating more “clean,” which means not adding much to our food besides lemon. Surprisingly, we enjoy the food more this way. What’s on your meal plan? Share any recipes or tips in the comments below.
On the health front, I’m doing great. I’ve been running more, mostly outside with my dog instead of on the treadmill. She makes me feel guilty if I run inside without her.
How are you doing with your extra income, spending, and staying healthy?