About

The Present

I’m a self-employed massage therapist in New York City, working from my hideously expensive apartment in midtown. I’m in my late 30s, single, and completely debt-free. My income varies unpredictably, but I always seem to meet a certain minimum and live within that. Everything over that is “gravy”, and I’m now focusing on making sure all that gravy isn’t wasted.

A few other tidbits about me that you might find interesting…

• I have an MA in applied linguistics from the University of Edinburgh, largely unused.
• I have been actively unmaterialistic since the age of 11 – no label whoredom here!
• My grand passion is travel, and since I prefer a little grit over luxury, I can afford some pretty fantastic experiences.
• I used to be very fat and am now just a bit fluffy. I mention this because it explains some of the stuff you’ll read here related to my work, shopping for clothes, health, etc.

The Past: Experience with Debt

I’ve never had a problem with debt, except for the brief era in my early 20s when I was married to a Scotsman who defied the national stereotype and behaved like a financial dunce. My college loans were minimal – Perkins, $6200 @ 5%, $198/quarter for 10 years. I paid it off a few years early…would have been many years earlier if not for the dunce. I’ve had a credit card since I was 18 and have never carried a balance of more than $2000. I haven’t carried any balance at all for 7 years.

However, I come from a family of Moneytards. My immediate family is reasonably bright but generous to a fault, and they have a habit of burying their heads in the sand when the money stuff gets too confusing. I bullied my parents into declaring bankruptcy five years ago, which upset the power balance in the family. I’m the first person they all go to for financial advice – and they usually follow through. Those trials and tribulations will be featured here from time to time.