One Year Ago Today

Wow… One year ago this day… On this day one year ago, I moved into my new home. After months of frustration and seemingly endless torment, I took a major step in my life and moved into my new home. It was one heck of an experience. It was an experience I learned a whole lot from. I moved in the same day I signed the papers at the closing and went to work the next day. That wasn’t a good idea, but time was of the essence during this period. Next time I move, I will be sure to make things easier on myself and take the next day off from work (provided the situation allows).

Another thing I learned was that you tend to have more stuff then you realize. I anticipated being able to pack everything and transport it all over in one trip that afternoon. I packed up everything beforehand, but all of that could not fit inside the U-Haul van, so two trips were required. While most of my stuff was over by that night, it would take a whole other trip the next afternoon to bring the rest. I also underestimated the time it takes to load and unload everything. Next time I move I would like to get started in the morning rather then the afternoon/evening.

My studio was pretty much a mess for the next several weeks. I also went for three months without a couch. I was unpacking and putting things in on order bit by bit, both after work and on weekends when I was off. Honestly, the most time-consuming part was the cleaning. Let’s just say, the previous owner would not have won the award for cleanliness. I scrubbed the kitchen, the floors, the closets, and the bathroom. I did all that on my days off which dragged the process of unpacking longer as my only time was after work. But I got one thing done at a time and little by little my apartment was shaping up nicely.

As I mentioned before, financials played a huge roll in my decision to move where I did. I intentionally looked for a place near where I work as to cut out transportation costs completely. Now I walk to work and back every day instead of taking the bus, thus saving over $1300 a year. As I started managing all aspects of my finances I began putting frugality into practice. Starting with my electric bill I began adopting practices that would lower costs. In fact, my electric bill has gotten so low that my dividends from Con Edison (my electricity utility) cover 3 months’ worth of bills out of the year.

Since I moved I have been brown-bagging it to work every day. By packing my own lunch, I have been able to cut my lunch bills in half (saving over $500) on a yearly basis. By switching cell phone providers, I managed to save $420 per year with a more modest cellular plan at $30 per month. The financial effect of choosing to live a more frugal lifestyle enabled me to achieve a 50% savings rate. I get paid twice a month. I have been able to life off one paycheck and then save the other. All that money gets placed into my money market and invested in more dividend paying stocks. One of the great highlands of the past 12 months was that I had crossed the $250,000 mark in net worth.

And there was an addition health bonus that came with moving that I did not expect. Many years ago, after experiencing much pain in my feet whenever I got up to walk, I went to the pediatrist and was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. I have flat feet and the tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot called the plantar fascia would become inflamed. I was prescribed orthotics for my feet and the pain when away. But if I would stop wearing them, the pain would return in a matter of weeks (or less). I have not worn my orthotics in seven months and have experienced no pain. What happened?

Well, in my first month of moving I had a rug put in my apartment (requirement was 80% had to be carpeted or rugged). That turned out to be a great unexpected benefit. For many years, I lived in a place with hard wood floors. I believe that was the real cause behind my plantar fasciitis. Those hard wood floors did a number on my flat feet. No cushion, no support. Now that I have a rug, I have not used my orthotics and have no pain in my feet at all. I walk everywhere and have no foot pain! Great!

Overall, I have enjoyed living on my own, managing my finances, and setting my own course. You really do learn a lot by doing all three. I am very happy with the choice I made to move where I did. Still hard to believe that was one year ago today. Anyone else move in the past year? How was your experience? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂