Bring On The Cheap!

Being one who doesn't usually make New Years resolutions, I still do seem to 'take inventory' at this time of year.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that in our household all things seem to start anew in January.  My husband and I both have birthdays in January and our anniversary is also in January (thanks to Martin Luther King Day being the next three day weekend available for eloping!).  So while the calendar indicates that things have started over again with a brand new year, so too do all our major milestones. 
January has become a time in which we take stock.  Sort of see where things are, evaluate if we are on track for long and short term plans, look at finances, see what needs doing or fixing, etc.  This year my husband and I are completely on the same page.  And oh, what a page it is!  While we are NOT giving up on our dream to move to Texas, we will be embarking on a project that will ensure that we have access to warmth and sun even if it takes a while longer to get to our desired destination.
I am excited and super determined to help make this happen in any way that I possibly can!

Photo credit: packphour.wordpress.com

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOME 

THINGS WERE DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE?!

So this project of ours is going to require some serious saving.  And I am pretty good at that.  Really, I am.  In the past I have been known to do things that are not that fun or glamorous to make things I really want to happen, happen.  For example:  when my husband and I were newly married and in a pretty big mountain of debt, consisting mostly of student loans, I went to work at a real estate office down town so we could pay off the debt and save for a down payment on a house.  Now, you must understand that I am not at all a 9 to 5 kind of girl.  I don't do office politics, ever.  So this job was a stretch for me and my artistic self.  And it just plain sucked.  I mean sucked hard.  It was so bad that on most days I ended up crying in the bathroom by lunchtime.  The people in the office were mean and the boss was truly the biggest ass I had ever met.  And yet... I knew that the 1400 extra dollars I was bringing in every month was just the thing we needed to get our plans on track.  So with that knowledge and a deadline in mind I was able to work there for exactly the time it took me to get $10,000 for a down payment while also cutting way back on expenses so as to seriously bring down the student loan debt at the same time.  Yup, I managed to work at that office for just over 7 months.  And then I promised myself that I would never do that type of work again. 
So here I find myself at another time in my life when cash is needed and dreams are big.  How bad do I want it?  What am I willing to do?
OK, maybe not this.... (pause my music player)

That was just plain scary...

But I am willing to do a lot.  I've already decided that there will be no more driving to places that are within 2 miles of my house.  My cruiser bike will get me where I need to go.  And it already has a nifty rack and basket installed to carry things... 

And I'll get a great workout while I'm at it!  I also intend to put my crock pot to some serious use in the near future as well as buckling down on buying in bulk and freezing and preserving- and making sure that I put every last food item we already have to its best use.  No more letting leftovers go to waste.

While I was at the hairdresser the other day, getting my quarterly trim, I ended up sharing my plans with her.  She wasn't nearly as excited as I am about all this.  She told me she would never be able to stand the idea of greeting the weekend knowing that she wouldn't be going out and asked me how I could possibly cut back any more as she is aware of just how good I am about saving money already.  It got me thinking. 

I guess I am one of those people who enjoys delayed gratification more than immediate satisfaction.  At least when it comes to something that is bigger and better, anyway! 

So, what do you do when you really want something?  What's the cheapest or hardest thing you've ever done to get to a goal?  Was it worth it?