The weather is miserable here today. Oh, it’s warm enough, at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but it’s icy and gray. I keep thinking that winter is just about to end, but then I remember that we’ve still got weeks left to go. So I’m grateful that at least February is shaping up to be an excellent month on the debt reduction front. As I said last week, this month should see a large reduction in my debt. Part of this will be due to big things, like my tax refund, but part of it will be due to my snowflakes. Snowflakes keep me motivated. Seeing the principal drop down each time a payment is posted boosts my spirits. Though being debt free is still far away, each payment brings that goal closer within reach.
Winter is the season of snow, so it’s only fitting that for me, it is the season of the snowflake. The latest one is for $16 – I made $14.90 selling books online, and I added in $1.20 just to bump it up a bit. I read Paid Twice’s survey primer and signed up for a few survey companies. I expect it’ll be a while before I see earnings from them, but it gives me something to do during downtime at work since I’m on the internet all day anyway.
I’ve also racked up quite a few National City points with my debit card, and it might be time to cash those it. That’s another thing I like about snowflakes – every time I make a payment towards my loans out of my checking account, I earn 25 points. There is a cap on how many points can be earned this way per statement cycle – I think it’s 200, but I’m not sure.
Life goes on. My roommate and I are getting a new car this weekend. A new used car, that is. Our 1992 Ford Tempo is being swapped out for a 1998 Ford Contour. My roommate’s dad buys and sells used cars as a side business, so this is at no cost to us. On Sunday, I’m going to go see Avenue Q downtown with A. and J. Tickets were $17 apiece, but I think it will be worth it. ^_^ I still haven’t gotten off my butt to send in my resume to do freelance work with the Gazette. Bleh. But I have been workshopping a 100-page story by my roommate, so I’m in a writer’s frame-of-mind. He’s an excellent storyteller, very Stephen King-esque, so working on his writing is very enjoyable. I’ve also been making an effort to walk more, but only when it’s above 20 degrees or so. Two nights ago, my roommate and I walked to the video store to return his rentals and it was so foggy out that it was like walking through a cloud. Cold mist brushed our faces and dampened our clothing. On the way home, the sky burst under its own weight and there was a flash downpour. We ran while it lasted, leaping over puddles, but after a minute or so it was over, and the fog returned. We’ve gotten all caught up with Avatar: The Last Airbender and are eagerly awaiting new episodes. If you are a fan of anime, comics, or just enjoy consistent characterization on television shows, then I highly recommend this show. It’s a good time.
So, despite the dreary weather, things are going well. I haven’t succumbed to the winter debt doldrums.
