April Hosting Recap
I know it’s a little early to be posting this, but I’m not accepting any more bookings this month so I already know how much I’m making.
Ahhh, April is a beautiful month!
- Total Guests: 8 (or 10 if I include doubles)
- Total Bookings: 8
- Total Nights Booked: 35
- Total income: $1,829
- Income Year To Date: $2,969
- Monthly Average: $1,484.50
A good month, money-wise. But it’s been a lot of work. If I were working a full time job, there is no way I could sustain this. I have to clean the rooms, wash the sheets, etc. after every stay. That really adds up! Plus I haven’t had a lot of time to myself. I would really like to be able to strut around my apartment naked once in a while!
Interested in becoming a host or using the Airbnb service to book your next trip? Click here and get $24 credit (I get it too!) Thanks, man!
FUNemployment Update
This is totally me.
Sooo…. yeah…. I still don’t have a job yet. Not that I haven’t been trying.
I’ve been to a job fair, had my resume reviewed and have been applying to a bunch of jobs I would like to do. No hits yet. I’m kinda bummed but otherwise doing OK.
I posted a couple of weeks ago on how I was going to manage my finances whilst unemployed. Let’s see how I’m doing now.
1. Employment Insurance
I have submitted everything properly, but have yet to receive a payment. It’s definitely past my 2-week waiting period. This process is so confusing! The website says everything has been received and that they are processing my claim, but there is no other information. I don’t know if there is something else I should do?
2. Watch the pennies
This is going… ok. Not stellar, not horrible.
I’ve been doing a bit more shopping than I thought I would; a couple of trips to Zellers/Walmart for house & hosting stuff, grocery stores, a little bit of take-out and an expensive trip to Costco.
The good news is that I won’t have to buy paper towels or toilet paper for the next year! Or olive oil! The bad news is that it was a $210 visit. *sigh*
I think spending will continue to be an area of difficulty for me. I’ve been eating at home as much as possible and bringing my flask with me when I go out drinking (shh! Don’t tell anyone!) but food is so expensive! Sheesh!
3. Put loan payments on hold
Still good in this area.
4. Find other ways to make money
The Airbnb business is booming for me. I’m having to turn people away now and will post my April monthly update soon. I currently have a dude from Singapore staying with me for a few weeks, possibly extending to 2 months. This is good for the wallet! I’ve been able to pay the majority (if not all) of my rent with Airbnb bookings.
This month I was also able to top off my emergency fund with excess Airbnb cash. It’s now happily sitting at $6,000. Hopefully I won’t have to touch it anytime soon, but at least I know it is there in case things get dire. If things continue to go as well as they have been, I’ll try to increase it to $10,000 (but I think that’s going to take a while!). I also haven’t had to touch my RRSPs, but I haven’t been contributing, either.
Challenges
A huge challenge for me is boredom. I’ve been sleeping a ridiculous amount these days because I really have no reason to get up. It only takes a few hours a day to job hunt, and after that I don’t have much else to do. My apartment is clean, my shelves are stocked, I have food in the fridge. I’ve been reading a lot and watching movies, but that gets tiresome.
I started taking a yoga class once a week, but that only takes up about 2 hours total.
I told myself that I would use this time for self improvement and to become more healthy, but I’m really having a hard time staying motivated. I don’t want to go for walks because it usually means I end up buying something, which isn’t going to help me in the long run.
I see my friends as often as possible, but (lucky for them) they are all working regularly. I should probably be writing in here more often as well, but I just haven’t felt like it, you know? I”m pretty much in the dumps these days, operating at a snail’s pace.
I need to find things to do that don’t involve spending money. I looked into volunteering, but none of my groups need me right now, and everywhere else wants a commitment of at least 6 months (which I can’t do).
Maybe I’m just throwing up barriers for myself, I don’t know. But this drive through the doldrums is really starting to wear on me!
Suggestions?
Bachelor #1 WTFery!
bahahah I just had to share this.
Remember my post about Bachelors #1 and #2?
#1 guy just called me! WTF!
He said he was calling “to apologize”…. though for what I don’t know! At first he said he was sorry for not calling me sooner, but I really wonder. It’s been over a month since he should have called me. Plus, I know about his gf now and told him so.
He just sort of went “uhhh…. yeah…” I’m not sure if he was expecting me to know! At that point I just told him that I couldn’t go out with anyone that is seeing someone else, especially if the other girl doesn’t know!
Open, consenting relationships are one thing, but if she doesn’t know he’s dating around, it’s not cool in my books.
Fingers crossed he got the message!
No matter how much I want to get out there and start dating, I can’t go out with deceptive people like that. Once a cheater, always a cheater.
March Hosting Recap
I’ve decided to start tracking my income via hosting on Airbnb. I knew I was making money, but didn’t know how much! I also wanted to see if the money I sunk into redecorating recently was worth it.
Here’s the rundown for the past month.
- Total Guests: 3
- Total Bookings: 4 (one guest extended her stay)
- Total Nights Booked: 20
- Total income: $1,140
- Income Year To Date: $1,140
My year begins in March because that is the first month that 100% of the income is mine. Previously I had to split with my roommate.
So far April is shaping up pretty well. I will be making almost the same amount, perhaps more if I accept more bookings. This is good news for me!
Interested in becoming a host or using the Airbnb service to book your next trip? Click here and get $24 credit (I get it too!) Thanks, man!
Managing my budget while unemployed
I'm not *quite* there yet...
As many of you know, I left/was laid off from my ad job this past Tuesday. I’m not thrilled that I don’t have a job anymore, but it wasn’t too bad of an exit. They didn’t really want to let me go, but there wasn’t any work at my level, and I couldn’t get caught upon the nitty gritty kind of work they needed fast enough to justify my salary.
So we mutually agreed that this situation wasn’t working out. They have paid me through to April 15th and my benefits continue until then, but I left on Tuesday (nothing to do at work). I will also get a reference from them for the right job. Nice people, it’s really too bad it didn’t work out.
Anyway, this is pretty much the first time I have ever been unemployed, so it’s a whole new world for me! I’m going to take some time to figure out what I really want to do with my life – advertising/media was ok, but I found myself increasingly unhappy in it. I think the universe is giving me a kick in the pants, telling me to find a better career path. So that’s what I’m going to do.
Monies
So how am I going to manage my money situation while I don’t have regular income?
1. Employment Insurance
Since I was laid off, I qualify for EI in Ontario. I applied the day after I ended my employment at the agency, and I hope to hear back soon. I’ve never applied before so I’m not totally sure what to expect with this process or even how much I will receive. I think the maximum per week is around $400, which would be great if I can get that.
2. Watch the pennies
I’m going to have to be much more diligent in budgeting in the coming few months. Luckily I don’t really need to shop for anything but food coming up, but there are always going to be unforeseen expenses, so I will try to pare things down as much as possible to accommodate.
I am trying to cook more at home, as well as cooking from scratch. This will be a good chance for me to explore/practice cooking some new dishes! Since I eat so little now (due to weight loss surgery) I’ll either have lots of leftovers, or the ability to invite friends over for nice meals now, with no extra cost to me.
3. Put loan payments on hold
Luckily my current loan (to pay for my surgery) was through my granny. She is sympathetic to my loss, and I am allowed to put my loan repayments on hold until I get a full time job again. Thank goodness! If the loan were through the bank it would have been a different situation–but I would never have borrowed from a bank for this purpose to begin with.
4. Find other ways to make money
I’ve been quite involved with my bed & breakfast, and hope to continue at a decent rate. My goal is to earn $500 per month through bookings. I have started tracking all my bookings and earnings and it’s not looking too bad! If I can make at least $500 per month, it will really help me cover all my expenses.
Obviously, I am also looking for a new job. If I can’t find anything decent soon, I will start to look at part time options in industries I am interested in. If that doesn’t pan out, then I’ll start looking at retail/service-type positions (ie: Starbucks, Chapters, etc.) but I hope it doesn’t get to that point.
5. Emergency Fund
I’ve got an EF for exactly this kind of situation. It is not quite as large as I would like it to be, but it could cover my rent for 3-4 months. Combined with EI and/or B&B income, I would be able to live for that period of time or longer.
So, that’s the plan for right now. Keep costs as low as possible, and create as much side income as possible until I get a full time job. While I am prepared for a few months of living expenses, I don’t want to rely on them. I’m going to pretend that I’m hanging on by a thread so that I’ll be more motivated to find a job. A fellow blogger was prepared for a year of unemployment, but found that because she had that safety net she was less inclined to spend a lot of time and effort looking for a job. I don’t want to fall into that trap!
What time is it, Mr. Wolf?
haha I love this random image
Yeah, so here’s my update.
I went on that date with Mr. Lawyer from POF. He was nice enough I guess, but I didn’t really feel any attraction. He was totally into me though which was nice. We started off with a drink at one place, moved to dinner at another, then finished with Starbucks before I wanted to head home.
He was polite and offered to pay for everything (I ended up getting free dinner though because there was something wrong with my dish so he didn’t pay, and I offered to pay for Starbucks) and also offered to drive me home, but I declined.
There wasn’t really anything wrong with him per se, other than I think he was just trying too hard to be charming and suave. But that’s a fault everyone has. I also kept thinking about Mr. Wolf and comparing the two, which of course is a bad idea.
So anyway, don’t know what’s happening with Mr. Lawyer. I suppose if he calls me again I might try going out with him to see if he’s a little different. If not, oh well. My friend’s husband said I did all the right things on the date which is reassuring. My major hangup is that I don’t know how to go on a date. So this was a learning experience. I felt almost normal. Weird.
Onto the man with the delicious wolfish grin.
So I called and left him a message on Wed. night letting him know that I’m not working in the industry anymore, and then also following up about the party invitation for tomorrow.
He called me today on his lunch (waking me up from a daydream about him, funny enough!) and we talked about why I left my job and my plans, etc. blah blah blah.
Then I turned it to more personal topics and he told me he couldn’t come to the party. He had a decent excuse but I’m still bummed. I should have expected it though, things have never worked out for me before, why should they now?
He said he still wanted to share food photos and descriptions with me, but when I suggested we also check out some resto’s and stuff too, he didn’t seem too into that. I don’t feel that I was coming on too strongly or anything. If he wants to be friends or bond over this food stuff or whatever, I am treating him the same as if he was one of my gal pals with the same interests. Why is getting all weird over that?
I told him I thought he was interesting at some point in the conversation and he said thanks but the convo sort of fell flat. I wish I remembered more details for you all! Anyway I told him to give me a call if he wanted to hang out, and that I would re-send him the recipe & photo he wanted to see. He mumbled something about being really busy, or lack of time or whatever. Wahh wahh. Rejection! Way to make me feel important, bro…
So that’s it. I guess yet another crush has fallen flat, and I have once again found myself in the friend category. I just don’t get it! I have tits! I’m a model! Why don’t guys want to date me?
I even called my brother to ask him his opinion on this. He thinks that Mr. Wolf either a) just wants to be friends, b) is really shy but still possibly likes me or c) still might be closet-gay. This doesn’t really help me.
Bah! Can someone please find me a good man in Toronto????
Bachelor #3
Continuing from the last post, there is indeed a third man.
I met him recently on Plenty of Fish (gahh I know) but his email was good, his follow up better, and he was able to chat just fine!
Turns out he’s a lawyer and lives nearby. He’s around 30, can carry a conversation and is tall! He’s ok in the looks department but not as handsome as Mr. Wolf.
So we chatted online for a bit and then he basically asked me if I’d like to go for drinks this week. I figure why not, I’m turning a new leaf. Even if we don’t end up hitting it off, at least I tried, right?
We exchanged phone numbers and then he gave me a call and we talked for maybe 45 minutes before I had to run out to a birthday party. He seems pretty normal and I’m actually looking forward to going out with him tomorrow. He had the right amount of compliments/flattery for me which was refreshing. I still can’t accept compliments, especially if they’re false-sounding or there’s just too many of them. Either he struck a balance or I’m finally starting to accept them properly.
So that’s my rundown. I reaaaaaaallllly want to bag Mr. Wolf, but I’m still open to meeting other people. I think that if nothing disastrous happens tomorrow, I’ll see the lawyer again… just for practice. I need to get used to being around people, being comfortable in my skin and flirting! Guys are uncharted territory for me!
Then, if this party pans out with Mr. Wolf on Friday (still don’t know if he’s coming for sure!) then I’ll have a whole new set of circumstances to consider!
My oh my!
He’s just not that into me?
We all know that I don’t really have much romance going on in my life, but lately it’s been a bit interesting. Allow me to regale you with some tales…
Bachelor #1
My bff is so desperate to see me go on a date that she tried to set me up with a guy at her job. Ok, I go along with it. It would be a good “practice date”.
He sends me some bizarre emails after creeping me on facebook, but never calls me even after she gives him my number. Ok… weird. I don’t really care much since I wasn’t really into him, I’m mostly just trying to push my personal boundaries these days and this would have been a good exercise.
It’s a good thing I never did go out with him! My bff tells me over drinks later that he was already engaged to another girl! Sheesh! Who does that??? I feel so bad for the girl he is going to marry 
Bachelor #2
Ok, this is one that I’m still not sure about. Opinions requested! (some of you may remember my Mr. Darcy, this feels sort of similar… hmmm…)
“Wolf” is a sales rep that I work with. I am one of his clients. A couple weeks ago he took me for lunch at the Keg (after determining that we were both really, really into steak). I really like this guy. He’s cute/hot, well dressed & groomed, interesting to talk to and makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.
We had a really fantastic lunch together with wine & red meat. Mmmm. Well, as it turns out, we both share a passion for food and cooking, hosting, entertaining, etc. among other things. Somehow we got talking about BBQ and we invited each other over to our places “whenever we have our next BBQ”. I know Wolf is single, and bff has verified that he’s not gay (For some reason I am attracted to a lot of gay guys… must be the good hygiene!) so I’m starting to wonder where this is going.
He decides to add me to facebook right away via his phone at the table. Woohoo!
We finish our lunch (even though I can tell that neither of us wants to!) and head back to work. Later that day I got a message from him on Facebook:
Subject: Dinner Photos
“Hey Ginger,
After talking food this aft, I remembered reading about people who take photos of their meals and blog about them and I always wanted to do it.
If you’re up for it, I was hoping we could trade meal pics and descriptions. I’m a little nervous by the thought of it but I think’d be fun.
Let me know your thoughts.
Ciao”
Ok blogging friends, what do you think of this? Is it even worth reading into? At this point I can’t tell if he really just wants to talk to someone about food because it’s interesting; or if he’s into me and wants a reason to stay in contact; or if maybe he just has a fat girl+food fetish.
I reply back saying that it sounds kinda funny but cool and mention that I’ve heard of this before (duh, I sort of do this already on here!). I tell him I’m sending over my crockpot lasagna recipe & photos and do so, but through his hotmail address.
And then I never hear back.
BUT!
Maybe I can excuse this behaviour? His company was throwing a huge party the following Thursday, and I’m sure that he was involved in making it happen in addition to his other client service stuff during the week. Perhaps that is why I never got a response via email or FB?
The good news is that I was invited to that party, so of course I fantasized about seeing him all week… *sigh*
I enlisted the help of my bff and we stormed that party in all our hotness. After a few rounds at the bar I finally located Wolf and got a chance to talk/shout over the music with him. Bff graciously left us alone (well, as alone as you can get in a club). He said that his phone was acting up this week and that is his normal method of accessing FB, hence the lack of reply. I didn’t remember at the time to ask him why he didn’t reply to my old-fashioned email instead…
Anyway, I was a little drunk and A LOT touchy-feely that night. So I touched him. Yup, I actually crossed that self-imposed line! I reached out and touched someone! OMG his skin is SO SOFT. I just wanted to rub/lick/do naughty things to it all night. But we’re technically at a work party, so that was out of the question. Plus, I still don’t really know if he’s into me or not. We talk, and I re-invite him to this awesome Alice in Wonderland themed party I’m going to next week (this week) and he says he’ll come as the Mad Hatter!!! I’m so excited.
I can’t really remember what else we talked about, but I was able to casually bump arms and stuff with him throughout our conversation, which is pretty good for me since I’m usually anti-touch by default. Progress!
Anyway, a bunch of other stuff happened (took a bunch of photos with him at the photo booth, some VERY questionable in content!) but what it all boils down to is that I still don’t know if he is into me or not. He was a little drunk, trying to schmooze with everyone (it’s his job), performing his sales rep duties, and my bff thinks that he was a little geeky & awkward, so maybe that’s why he wasn’t reciprocating towards me? I’ve talked about the difficulties of sales rep/client relationships before.
He didn’t pull away from my touches, but he didn’t really touch me back. Is that bad?
Anyway, I haven’t heard from him since the party. I am assuming that he’ll be coming out this Friday but wonder if I should follow up with him or not. I really DO want him to come because I think it will be a great time and a chance for us to get to know one another outside of work. Plus, I can tell him that I’m leaving the industry. That will be the real litmus test. If he’s actually into me, it should make it easier for him since there are no business lines to cross anymore. On the other hand, if he was only flirting with me to get my money, his attentions will abruptly drop off.
So yeah. A nice, big, complicated story. My friends and I have no idea what to make of him for now. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, but it felt like something might have been there. Once I leave the industry things might make more sense (compared to Mr. Darcy) since Wolf is single, my age and into similar things. I also think he is secretly a geek masquerading as a hot dude. But I’m ok with that. I’m sort of doing the same thing, or trying to!
Whew. This got really long. I’ll have to tell you about Bachelor #3 tomorrow… maybe after my date with him!!
*leaves you hanging*
Multi-Makeovers
Ahhh, excitement abounds!
My mysterious disappearances lately can be attributed to an upcoming photo shoot of my apartment.
Airbnb.com, the service I use to promote my B&B is sending its top hosts a professional photographer to take shots of the properties for use on the listing pages. This way, travelers will know that what they see is what they get when they book, as verified by the company.
I think this is a great concept, even though it is extremely similar to one that I submitted to them a while ago. I don’t know whether to be upset that they’re using my idea or flattered. Hmm. I think I would prefer to be paid for it.
I don't smile like this when I clean...
In any case, since the beginning of March (when my roommate left) I have been furiously updating my space. New furniture, paint and deep, deep cleaning (omg old houses get SO dirty SO fast!).
Every night I am cleaning something, rearranging something or planning out my next move. I’ve drafted friends and family to help me with things like painting, picture hanging and general repairs, and my granddad has generously donated a really nice bed & furniture to my cause.
I’ve been totally consumed by this… but I think that it’s not just because of the photo shoot. Sure, I want my home to look its best that day, but I’ve also been purging and decluttering as I go along which leads me to think I’m trying to get my whole life cleaned out, too.
With my upcoming unemployment I definitely looking for a fresh start. So many years I have been unhappy. Unhappy with my job, my living situation, the seeming lack of control in my life. And you know what?
I’m over it.
I’m tired of being unhappy. I have some fantastic friends now that I wouldn’t trade the world for, and I want to pull a Madonna and reinvent myself. I’m gaining independence, confidence and insight, and losing weight, fear of the unknown and negativity.
I will always face challenges, but I’m hoping that with a clean break from my old life I can start to tackle them in different, more successful ways.
I guess it’s not just my house that is getting a makeover. It’s me, too!
Parting Ways With Employment
I am about to boldly go where no Ginger has gone before… the world of unemployment.
I had the official sit-down with my bosses yesterday and I’ll be unemployed as of March 31st. I’m actually looking forward to it a little bit.
Many years I have toiled fruitlessly in the media industry and I’m glad to bid it adieu. The decision to part ways with my employer was mutual. I have a background in the greater concepts of communications planning and marketing, but they needed someone with a more granular background in media planning and buying.
We gave it a good shot, but it just wasn’t meant to be. They really liked me though, so are making my termination as nice as they can.
- I finish work on the 31st, but will be paid through to April 15th
- My benefits will also be extended to that date
- I am allowed to leave work for interviews at any time
- The bosses are going to call around and see if anyone is looking for someone with my talents
- I can use them as a reference for the right kind of job
All in all it’s not a bad way to leave work. Few bitter feelings. But it’s still a little awkward. No one really wants to lose their job or be told that they’re not right for the position. Why hire me in the first place?
Anyway, I’ve got to switch into recovery mode now. I’ve started the job hunt, but no bites yet. Currently I’m looking at social media-esque positions, and also admin stuff that pays well.
(Not that you can always tell on this blog, but) I’m incredibly good at writing and editing. I can spot typos from a mile away. I would love to do more communications or writing jobs, but so many of them require a comms, English or journalism degree that I don’t have. And really, I don’t feel like going back to school would give me much more of an edge. Sure there are a few things I could brush up on (proper proof-reading notes, etc.) but with practice I would meet the level of my peers in simpler journalism.
How does one convince a person to give them a chance? It’s tough.
I’m looking for just about any job right now. My goal for the next year or so is to get a stable job with stable and sufficient income. I need to make around $22 hourly or $40,000 a year in order to pay for my apartment, lifestyle, etc. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.
While I work my nice, stable job I can work on my personal self. I need to get my eating habits in check (currently not eating enough nor correctly) organize and follow an exercise regimen and also increase my social life. I also want to do things that I’ve been meaning to do, such as take up pottery and sewing again.
Basically I want to feel satisfaction and fulfillment in my life.
I think this is going to be the year of change. If anyone has any advice or job suggestions I am all ears.
