by Hope
I am not making enough to cover my monthly bills. And my reserve cash will be exhausted after covering February bills. So while I do have some cash flow starting up…it’s a trickle, things are going to be really tight this month. And that is okay.
Last week, I made just over $200 on Upwork with my 3 new small contracts. I’m grateful, it’s better than nothing.
But there will most likely, most definitely, be credit card debt added this month unless I get one of these bigger contracts or the full time job, which would turn things around very quickly. Praying something comes through!
In the Meantime
This month, my number one goal is to get the house on the market. So that is going to require not only some serious manual labor, but also some money. Here are my current thoughts:
- Keep selling things I am not planning to keep. My sectional couch and rugs sold at the end of last week. I’m listing things on Facebook Marketplace almost daily. I am hoarding this cash for now in preparation for March bills.
- Moving everything I plan to keep and don’t need to live to storage this weekend. (Storage costs $79 per month.)
- Packing things that I need to: a) take to Texas to leave there, b) ship to a kid, c) find space in my car for the next phase of life.
- Making a list – room by room – of what MUST be done to put the house on the market + a list of supplies I need to get those items completed.
- Reviewing what I have here to complete the tasks identified in #2 (paint, putty, plastic/cardboard, etc.) and making a list of what I need to either borrow, rent or purchase.
- Prioritizing list and blocking time on a daily basis to get things started.
- Borrow and purchase items I need. Right away, I know I am going to borrow a shop vac, must purchase poly and such to refinish floors, and will have to plan to rent an orbital sander for at least 1/2 day (Home Depot has them for $55 for 4 hours, I think I can make that work.) I am guesstimating that the supply cost for refinishing the floors is going to end up being around $600-700. But I’ll get back to you how far off I am.
- Continue to spend a 1/2 to an hour a day looking for work and being very intentional with that until I get enough steady income to pay basic bills. Goal is to get to at least $6K per month to start.
Mental Health Improved
Having no one else to “care” for during this lean time and having decisions made has put me in a much better headspace than I have been in a LONG time.
I am looking forward to what ever adventure comes next. And staying very positive despite feeling a bit overwhelmed at the amount of manual labor this month…refinishing these hardwood floors is going to be a beast, especially the prep work.
However, I know I will learn a lot, save some money, and it’s one of those things that will take the house to the next level as far as selling it. (And if I do end up staying…I would have done this eventually anyways.)
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
Hope, I say this with kindness – do not try to refinish your floors yourself. This is not a DIY project, nor is it a quick project if it done correctly. I had a well known company do mine (they are well known throughout the country for doing many NBA courts) and they took a week to do the job to allow all the various layers of stain and finishes to dry properly. We completely moved out of the house for the week along with the pets to avoid fur contaminating the surfaces. And even with their professional grade equipment and cleaning up after themselves constantly, the mess/dust was still unimaginable.
Many amateur DIYers with more construction experience than you have ruined perfectly good floors.
From pictures you’ve shared your house has plenty that needs updated. The kitchen will likely be a gut. If you want a quick sale, price it competitively and let a professional flipper with the knowledge and resources do the work.
I find it so funny all the hate my kitchen gets. I realize it’s not for everyone, but lots of people who see it in person absolutely love it. And open shelving is the rage in many modern home publications. Well maintained butcher block countertops, new stainless steel applicances, a modern drawer dishwasher, etc.
Yes, we had the floors redone at the house my dad owned. And my parents stayed with me when they had their floors refinished. The house is completely empty and I am well versed in how to prep for the “mess” and I have nothing but time. The dogs and I can easily live in the “non-hardwood” side of the house while I do the work. Or I can stay with friends or at my grandmother’s now empty house.
So you don’t have money to cover your bills, but you have $700+ to refinish your floors for the next homeowner? Refinishing the floors isn’t going to add the value that you think it will add. Same for paint touch ups and all this other small stuff.
Your time estimate is also wildly unrealistic. I’ve helped refinish floors. It was ~800sq ft in a completely empty home. With 3 people working simultaneously, it took us twice as long as you are estimating.
My house is now completely empty with furniture all sold or put in storage. The dogs and I can easily live in the kitchen/dining room while I do the work on the floors. I have nothing but time at this point.
I will confirm with the realtor tomorrow when she comes to see what direction I need to go optimize the time it will take to sell and the expected ROI for the work I think I should so. Then make a final decision.
I hope Princess is currently applying for student loans. It certainly doesn’t make sense for you to take out high interest credit card debt to pay her rent. Sorry things are tough right now.
No student loans. She graduates in 3 months. We are counting down.
To clarify on my comment:
It took 3 people 10 hours to sand 800sq ft. One person on a rented floor sander, and 2 people doing detail work with handheld detail sanders. And again, this was in a completely empty house.
You need a floor sander for the main area, and detail sanders (they look like a clothes iron) to make sure you get in all the corners and along edges. It would take you weeks to do any amount of flooring with a handheld orbital sander by yourself.
The $55 for 4 hours is a standing commercial orbital sander. And I own a edge sander. You are right, the prep work and sanding and cleaning will be labor intensive. But the house is empty. I have been selling and moving stuff out for weeks now.
The dogs and I can easily “live” in the kitchen and dining room while I complete the work. (I can also stay with friends or at my grandmother’s empty house).
I’d consider not doing anything to the floors rather than DIY.
I am also inclined this way. I am meeting with the real estate agent I have selected and will get her take on it tomorrow. Then decide how to move forward. It’s just alot of work. And while I have the time and know I will learn alot…ugh!
You are going about this income/bills thing backwards. If you aren’t making enough to cover your bills, you need to change your lifestyle, not hope you’ll be able to get a job making at least $6,000/month. How long have you ever consistently had an income that large? It seems like you will get a well paying job or contract, then that fizzles out within a year. What happens if you never make that much again? If you are out of cash reserves, then all extras and help to your kids must stop. You cannot afford to pay your daughter’s rent. You cannot afford a storage unit. If/when you do move, don’t bother with storage. The fees will very quickly add up to more than your stuff is worth. Frankly you can’t even afford the repairs you want to make to your house. Unless you are planning on updating everything, including installing a real kitchen, you are better off selling as-is. Someone who see a kitchen with no cabinets isn’t going to care that the floors have been freshly redone.
Where would you suggest I put my “things” that I plan to keep upon selling the house if no storage unit? I’m not “moving” somewhere.
I suggest you sell or give away what won’t fit in your car. You said it yourself, you aren’t moving anywhere. How many months or years is the stuff going to sit in storage while you pay fees? Besides, it sounds like you need the money.
I will not sell or get rid of baby books, antiques from my family that I have refinished, etc.
I do not believe $79 per month will be a stranglehold on me as selling the house will eliminate almost all of my debt if not all of it. And it will allow me to set up house with again someday with little to no set up costs. I have all the kitchen, all the basic furniture (outside of a bed), etc. I have sold most everything extraneous.
Are you unable to see how poor of a plan it is to be 50 and selling a house with no plan on where you will live or how you will live if if does sell? The fact that you are and I quote ” not moving somewhere” doesn’t seem to concern you in this economy is just another example of following your feelings and not having a well thought out plan. I would expect a plan like this from a young 20 something NOT from the mother of kids in their early 20s. I have hoped and prayed that you would get the counseling that has been so often recommended so that you no longer feel the need to have a life in constant chaos. You need to sit with this thought; when your children start having families of their own, are they going to want you in their childrens life with all the upheaval and chaos that you still need to feel? Get help Hope, it will soon be too late and I cant imagine you want to be a burden to them.
I get that this is not a choice many my age would make. But this is something I have considered doing for years and years. The thought of being free to explore, open to opportunities absolutely anywhere, and debt free. I know it’s not for everyone. But I have been more at peace since the decision was finally made. You call it chaos, I call it adventure.
It’s not forever. It’s for now. And with the house sale, I will be almost entirely debt free, live off the income I am making now, and have a little put aside when I figure out what is next after some time drifting around, helping my parents, and seeing what work comes my way.