My first job was as a babysitter for family when I was pretty young, I did this throughout my life and still do. My next job was helping my aunt file paperwork for her stay at home business. In middle school I had my first real job as an attendant at Dairy Queen, which only lasted for a month because my boss wasn't the nicest guy (he was really awful actually, especially when it was busy) and I remember thinking very responsibly about my decision to quit. I walked into a local pre-school, asked if they were hiring and filled out an application on the spot. An hour later I was called and I immediately headed over for an interview and was hired on the spot. I quit DQ and worked at Building Blocks for years. Even after going away to college, I spent my first summer back home working there. In college, I started to work retail and continued to do so at a store in Sarasota, Fl (where my college was, I was attending Ringling College of Art and Design) because retail paid more, so I could work a little less and focus on school a little more.
I've also always been a little bit of a business starter. I bought myself a Japanese ball-jointed-doll made from resin for $550 in high school. I was like 16! But I knew it was an investment. I drafted some clothing patterns and began to make doll dresses. My first doll dress sold for $20 and the last one I sold was for $250. I only did this for a few months because I have a tendency to do something creative like this until I feel fairly accomplished and then it sort of bores me and I move onto something else. It's ridiculous, honestly and I really wish I could stay focused on one thing for a longer period of time. Since then I've also made paper dolls, paper toys, hand-bound books, clothes (people clothes!), plush dolls, and now I'm making portraits and will be making more plush dolls in the future. I also have tons of ideas for other things I'd like to make.. Toddler clothing being one of the adventures I'm about to begin.
Throughout my working life, I have saved every penny. Especially in high school. I managed to pay for a roundtrip guided tour of Japan with my savings from high school as well as my first car and still had some extra savings for college. I saved less in college (partied more). Now that I've graduated, I'm back to saving. I love making things so I'm playing around with that and hoping to produce a successful online store as well as continue advancing my photography work (I keep getting jobs!) so that next year I won't have to nanny or babysit or dogsit to earn the money I want to earn.
Since moving to our new place, we've started to save our change in a big carboy. When it's completely full, Zak and Odin and I will use the money for an international trip. I've been dying to go to Australia since I was in primary school and had a fantastic penpal from there. Now, I seem to have made tons of Instagram friends from Australia (I adore all of you!!!) and they've made me want to go even more! So maybe, when this jug is nice and full, that's where we'll go. It's one of the many places we'd like to visit so we'll see when the time comes (I say we'll have it full by winter 2014!).
How do you fund extra trips or adventures? Where would you visit if you had the means?
I've also always been a little bit of a business starter. I bought myself a Japanese ball-jointed-doll made from resin for $550 in high school. I was like 16! But I knew it was an investment. I drafted some clothing patterns and began to make doll dresses. My first doll dress sold for $20 and the last one I sold was for $250. I only did this for a few months because I have a tendency to do something creative like this until I feel fairly accomplished and then it sort of bores me and I move onto something else. It's ridiculous, honestly and I really wish I could stay focused on one thing for a longer period of time. Since then I've also made paper dolls, paper toys, hand-bound books, clothes (people clothes!), plush dolls, and now I'm making portraits and will be making more plush dolls in the future. I also have tons of ideas for other things I'd like to make.. Toddler clothing being one of the adventures I'm about to begin.
Throughout my working life, I have saved every penny. Especially in high school. I managed to pay for a roundtrip guided tour of Japan with my savings from high school as well as my first car and still had some extra savings for college. I saved less in college (partied more). Now that I've graduated, I'm back to saving. I love making things so I'm playing around with that and hoping to produce a successful online store as well as continue advancing my photography work (I keep getting jobs!) so that next year I won't have to nanny or babysit or dogsit to earn the money I want to earn.
Since moving to our new place, we've started to save our change in a big carboy. When it's completely full, Zak and Odin and I will use the money for an international trip. I've been dying to go to Australia since I was in primary school and had a fantastic penpal from there. Now, I seem to have made tons of Instagram friends from Australia (I adore all of you!!!) and they've made me want to go even more! So maybe, when this jug is nice and full, that's where we'll go. It's one of the many places we'd like to visit so we'll see when the time comes (I say we'll have it full by winter 2014!).
How do you fund extra trips or adventures? Where would you visit if you had the means?
(adelaidesmom from IG here!) So, we never have extra money, but I've been doing decently saving money for Adelaide's future. (Decently being $50 here or there.) I want to travel, but I just don't see us having extra money to save for it any time soon. However, supposing there's not another pair of little feet coming along (which, hopefully there will be at some point), and supposing I'm able to either stay home and homeschool her, or maybe she goes to public, I plan to SAVE THE HECK out of the money that we have been spending on day care. Like, $770+/month. That's over a $7000 savings in just one school year (as a teacher). So, feasibly, in just 4 years, we'd be able to definitely travel! Woot! Something to look forward to!
ReplyDeleteYes! We want to homeschool Odin too. I'm trying desperately to make some extra money with art so that it will ensure some sort of regular income and secure my ability to stay home with him in the future! (I also hope to have another little soon!!)
DeleteHooray!! If you visit, you are most welcome to stay with us, should you come to Queensland!! We can visit Fraser Island, you would adore it!!! Saving is such a great idea, now that I'm taking on bits and pieces of work again, that's our aim too (to save!) : )
ReplyDeleteOh, Mietta! That would be amazing! That's much too sweet, but when the time comes I maye have to take you up on that offer! We're able to save a lot because we're living in a teensy tiny apartment on Zak's family's property and Zak is making quite a bit of money at his work! I'm finding more and more odd jobs that I'm able to do. Loads of babysitting and a little artwork. <3
DeleteI knew I liked you instantly for some reason! I used to (well, still do I guess considering I own several still) ABJDS and wrote my own knitting patterns for them and sold hats to fund my purchase of MORE dolls ;) I seem to drift a little with creative interests too and I'm always thinking of ways I can put my skills to "use".
ReplyDeleteIf you come to Australia I would LOVE to meet you all :) Good luck with the saving.. it's can be so hard.
That's amazing!! My friend's mom had so many. She had been collecting them for years and years (Probably around 25 years now?) and she had all of these beautiful custom dolls and I fell in love immediately. I wish I had photos or still had my website up. I HTML coded my first website when I was 16 using google as a guide to create a professional space to show my work and dolls. I only had 2 Super Dollfie dolls.. (I still do, but they're in Florida at my mum's!) I can't wait to come to Australia. When it happens I'll have to do a little shout out to make sure I get to see everyone!!
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