Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

The restaurant is no more. Wow...that was a quick page in my book of life. Moving on, it's time to make some important changes. I've lived here all my life, so I am a little nervous about moving somewhere. But why not? Worst that can happen is I don't like it and decide to move back.

I also feel a twinge of desire to take things slower. I've been working long hours for as long as I can remember. Is it okay to slow down and live a little? My best friend tells me I'm not the type of person who will be content with not pushing myself. He might be wrong, but he might be right.

My partner and I will leave Friday, June 3rd for Tampa. We are driving, and I found a hotel mystery shop halfway down there, so that room will be free. In all we will be gone four nights this first trip. My mission is to look at neighborhoods, talk with locals, and figure out what parts of Clearwater, Tampa or St. Petersburg would be ideal. Beyond the basic criteria of having a safe place to call home, I am looking for a pedestrian-friendly area. I want to walk to the library, grocery store and park. I've not used public transportation much in my life but think proximity to a bus route will come in handy. It's time to park the car, simplify my life, and enjoy the little things.

I've Cut My Debt In Half This Year

Wow... I was looking at the progress I've made paying down my credit cards and car loan. Even with not taking a salary for most of the year I have managed to cut this debt by more than half, from $44,979.53 to $21,067.76.

This just shows that living a (mostly) frugal life can yield results fast. In fact, working at the restaurant without pay has helped because I've been there instead of being out and about tempted to spend money. My food bills have been next to nothing, and other categories such as entertainment and household spending have been greatly reduced.

I expect to pay my Pontiac G5 off in June, even if I have to borrow from my HELOC to do it. I want to pay it off as quickly as I can so I can drop my full coverage insurance. I'm not sure how much I will save but right now I spend more than $100 per month on car insurance so hopefully I can save $25 a month or so by dropping it down to liability coverage only.

Restaurant Closes Friday

We've settled on a date, sort of. Originally we decided the 17th of May would be our last day, but business has been so slow that we have a lot of food left to sell. But now it's official - we will close on Friday, regardless of how much is left. The good news is that we've depleted most of our inventory. The bad news is we have some unsettled bills I might have to pay.

It's possible I will leave Friday afternoon for Tampa to look at houses. It really depends on how much is left to do at the restaurant. I would love to travel down there so quickly, but I realize I might need to stick around for a few days to settle our accounts and dispose of assets.

I hate that we have to do this, but now I'm just ready to be through with it and move on.

Go Anywhere, Give Up Everything

Whether or not I move to Tampa, I want to dispose of some belongings. Over the last few years I've noticed how material things have largely become a distraction for me. I prefer to spend my money on experiences rather than stuff. It's so rewarding to know exactly where everything I own is located, to not have to clean around useless knick knacks, and to be able to leave my windows open at home and not worry about the boogeyman stealing my valuables.

It's time to get serious. Between me and my partner we own two cars, two flat screen TVs, two Cartier Love bracelets, and a lot of little stuff. Until now we've needed both cars, but I wonder if we could get by with just one. My goal is to sell some things to more aggressively pay off my debts. The little stuff can be donated to charity. Ultimately, I should be able to go anywhere I want and not worry about material things.