It's been about two weeks since my last update - but I've been loosely formulating plans of attack for all my goals and quieting all the mental noise I've been having as of late.

The most of which has been paying down my credit card debt.  I haven't been carrying a large balance, my balance is definitely lower than the national average.  It's still something that lingers when I pay my bills every month.

There are only a few handful of ways to approach this problem and stick with a solution:

1.)  Minimize expenditures and save more, thus increasing my monthly payment.
2.)  Make more money, and increase my monthly payment.
3.)  A combination of 1 & 2.

As with most things in life, easier said than done.

The "best" way to solve this problem is going to be option 3...

One of the many places Siobhan and I spend our money is going out to eat, drinks, entertainment, etc...  This is something I have to be more disciplined about.  She's not the antagonist, it's mostly me wanting to go out to blow off steam.

This works hand in hand with me wanting to lose the last bit of weight, so I've placed a rule on myself, I can only have beer at most once a week, and no more than 2 bottles/pints.

Another way is to save money by cooking more and eating out less, something that's relatively easy to do.  We both enjoy cooking and eating at home, we just need to cook more often and I need to be more disciplined in bringing food to work.

I need to plan out my spending and stick with a budget.  I don't splurge when I spend but I do get very impatient when I want something and I know how easy it is to simply use my credit card(s).

We've also been trying to simplify life a little more and getting rid of things we no longer need or use.  My motorcycle is one of those items.  I really don't have time to enjoy riding the bike anymore and it sits about 95% of the time collecting dust in the garage.  That'll be posted for sale on Craiglist fairly soon.

As far as making more money, ideas include getting a second job, asking for a promotion, or taking on freelance software work.

I won't go into details about work, that's a post for another day, rather I'll say that I know I can do a lot better in terms of salary and responsibility at other companies.  The current job I'm in right now is a dead-end unless things change, something I'll discuss this weekend.

We also have plans on moving in June once Siobhan finishes her semester and having a smaller rent payment will help immensely.

More to come.

- Jonathan

P.S.  In the weight-loss battle, I've gone down a few pounds since Jan 1st, currently weighing in at 205lbs.