Reflecting on my money in 2021
Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful, wholesome Christmas and are enjoying your holidays, especially after the year it’s been. With only 3 days till 2022, I thought: what better time to reflect on 2021?
So here’s what my 2021 was like, across my personal life, mental health, and financial wellbeing…
I quit my job without another one lined up
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made! If you find yourself constantly wondering if you should leave your job and look for something better, whether that’s a job with a better culture or starting your business to pursue a life of entrepreneurship, consider it a sign and follow your intuition. While I took some precautions, such as checking my emergency fund and reducing expenses, quitting my job before I had another lined up was still a terrifying risk for me.
I’m so glad that I trusted that things would work out. 6 months later, things are better than I could’ve ever imagined - not only financially, but in my sense of self-worth. I’ve found myself consistently feeling more confident, feeling supported in my personal growth, and having the energy to work towards my dreams. It certainly beats feeling burnt out almost all the time. (And I love that my new company has mental health leave!)
Everyone else I know who left the same workplace has since found a job where they have more supportive managers, a more positive work environment, a more competitive salary, and more satisfying, meaningful work. If you’re constantly experiencing doubt about where you are and pondering the the idea of finding something better, take the leap!
For more on my experience, check out my blog post here.
Our income changed three times
My husband and I had a change of income three times in 2021. First, I increased my income by $14,000 in June. Shortly after, my husband received a pay rise of $13,000 in July. Here’s what we did with our $27,000 pay rise.
In November, my income reduced by $10,140 when my boarder moved out after four years. I’d purchased my home in 2017, and I was lucky that right around this time, my husband’s best friend had been looking for a room to rent in the same area, and so I rented out the second bedroom a month later. Charging only $195 per week, less than the lowest rent in my area according to Tenancy Services, it made for a stable, consistent source of passive income these past few years.
After four years, it felt like the three of us were outgrowing our shared space. We explained that we had baby plans on the way, and he moved out mid-November.
So how much did our income change in 2021? $14,000 + $13,000 - $10,140 = an increase of $16,860!
We got to live together as a married couple for the first time
With the house to ourselves, my husband and I got to live together as a married couple for the first time - ever!
When my boarder moved in, my husband - my boyfriend at the time - was living with his parents. He moved in a year into our relationship, 6 months after I bought the house, when his parents moved from Auckland to Te Awamutu.
Living together as a married couple has been life-changing. With the second bedroom freeing up a lot of space, our home has given us more breathing space both physically and emotionally. It helped me take a more holistic view on reducing our income by $10,140 - that despite this, we are happier.
This year, we hosted our very first Christmas dinner for my family, with a delicious candlelit feast out on our deck. We bought the Hello Fresh Christmas Box, which was $215 for 4-6 people and included dishes like roast chicken, Christmas heritage ham, cherry, strawberry & peach trifle, honey-thyme carrots, salmon crostinis, and more.
The whole evening was perfection. At times like these, I feel incredibly grateful to have my own place to call home; a place to decorate, make warm and cosy, and invite loved ones over to.
Despite the judgment I’ve received a few times over the years, this year, I’ve worked through some of this discomfort and learned to let go. After all, there’s countless pros of having a small house. My small house means a small mortgage, as well as less to clean, less to tidy, less to maintain. At the end of the day, if you have everything you need, and know you’ve made the right choice for you, don’t let the judgment of others stop you from enjoying the life you’ve made for yourself.
As for the money we spent on the Hello Fresh Christmas Box? When my family offered to bring food or presents, I’d politely said no, explaining that there was plenty of food and that we weren’t doing presents this year (my husband and I mutually agreed, and we don’t see the point of meaningless clutter). I explained that the Hello Fresh Christmas Box cost $215, so if they wanted to, they could contribute towards this - anything would be appreciated. To my surprise, they generously covered the cost and then some.
We travelled somewhere new + rescheduled our travel plans
This year, my husband and I got to experience Rotorua together for the first time when we travelled there during Easter weekend. We mountain biked through the Whakarewarewa Forest, did the Redwoods Treewalk during day & night and Redwoods Altitude, and enjoyed an evening at Secret Spot Hot Tubs. It was magical and so, so worth it.
We had travel plans booked for Wellington in October and Queenstown in November, but of course, lockdown meant we had to reschedule. We’ve discovered wonderful new places to visit around Auckland for the past few months in lockdown, including some beautiful waterfalls and local walks. Using credit issued by Air New Zealand, we’ve since re-booked Queenstown for Valentines 2022, spending a week back where we got married. I can’t wait!
A dream come true + a new income stream
On 4th February 2021, my lifelong dream of publishing a book came true when a year of writing my book on and off paid off, and I became an author!
I started selling copies of my book by koha (donation). In the first month or two, I was breaking even and occasionally making a loss on some copies, especially since I’d underestimated how much shipping cost.
It took me about 3 months to make back all of my printing and postage costs, which was when I started making a modest profit from my sales. I set a price of $28 per copy after seeing that most donations were between $25 to $30, plus accounting for an NZ Post price increase.
Then came along @mindfulwithmoneynz on Instagram and mindfulwithmoneynz.com on Squarespace. I can’t express enough how happy I am to finally have a blog & online store in one, not to mention one that’s consistent with my style and feels like me (unlike my old Wordpress blog). If you’re thinking about creating an Instagram, blog, website, or online store to share your passion with the world, absolutely go for it!
Despite the highs and lows of 2021, I hope your year has been fulfilling, bringing you closer to the life of your dreams. I’m so grateful that with 91% of our eligible population fully vaccinated, the country has opened up again and we can go about our everyday lives - working, eating out, travelling, getting together with friends & family, and making things happen. Bring on 2022!
Sophia
