Things To Do By 30, Challenge 3: Learn to Budget

3) Learn to Budget.

I am not excited about this challenge.  Mostly because I shouldn't be doing it now, at 26.  Utterly ridiculous.   But, I will confess that I want a second dog, and I need to save up for puppy and our future hobbies and needs, and that's just not going to happen unless I start budgeting.  And I hear money management is part of adulting....which don't I need to learn more about in general before 30??

So I got a calendar and wrote down all the due date for all the random things I have lurking in my life.  Loan payments, gas, electric, audible, rent, etc, etc.  I found out these crazy things, like if you want to split the expenses on two paychecks you have to set some aside from one because there are more due dates on the second.  Who knew?!  Well, Sherman said he did, but probably only because he's so particular about Greenie stashes and when they are restocked.

I also got one of those little books they make for the cards.  The ones that look like a checkbook ledger.  And I write in it now, or save my receipts to fill in there within at least a couple days.  A clerk at Safeway complimented this little book, so I know it must be part of proper adulting.

Also, here's to two blog posts on the same day after almost a year of silence.  Good thing I'm feeling far too smug about card booky to note down any complaints on the topic...

-Em

Things To Do By 30, Challenges 1 and 2: Well, read the entry...

Well, really it's challenges 1 and 2:

1) Give my number to a guy.  Just because he seems cool.
2) Draw a picture for a stranger.

I might have combined these. I might have drawn a self-portrait with my face looking as awkward as possible (thank you mirrors and images of Zooey Dechanel for helping make this possible) and holding a card with my number on it.  Above it, I might have written that it was a picture of me awkwardly giving him my number.  There might have been other notes (mostly about how stinkin' hard it is to draw hands).

I also may have made extreme eye contact while placing this folded treasure in his hand and saying, "open it later" in true middle school style, before scampering off with my friends to drink cider and watch darts.  It's possible I felt incredibly brave after this.

It's yet to be seen if it actually makes me braver about talking to strangers, or ever being public with my drawing again.

One other notable events from the night: I wont Battleship....the final spot to hit and sink and end the game? I 1.

It was a glorious night at Hops on Birch.

-Em