Ok I think it’s super clear that this blog is now just a part time hobby, but it’s good because I’ve started other hobbies!! I’ve picked up travel hacking, for one. In fact, I’m even trying to start writing an online guide about how to do umrah entirely on credit card points.

I’ve also been trying to take care of my health more. Sometime early this year, I read a post that said women lose 1% muscle mass every year after turning 30 and for some reason this triggered me WAY MORE than gaining weight, slowing metabolism, body changes, or biological clock talk. Anyway its been kind of nice forcing myself to exercise. The habit it so hard to form, and I have to constantly remind myself that exercise and health is the long game, and that every little bit counts.

I’m struggling to get my eating on track, partly because when I actually try to stick to a nutrionist’s diet I am CHRONICALLY HUNGRY like straight up RAVENOUS ok. I see all this info around online about how you’d have to eat 3500 extra calories just to gain a single pound of fat and I simply cannot stress HOW EASY IT IS TO CONSUME THAT IN A WEEK!!! Anyway. Honestly getting that out into the ether helped a little bit.

It’s also the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah so I’m really trying to FEEL like it’s the first ten days and it’s tough! The weather really isn’t helping tbh.

Oh yeah! Some general money updates

• I’m still not really tracking anything, although credit card bills have been generally trending lower. It can be hard to really see that when paying for current or future travel though because those are larger expenses.
• We’re still one income rn – although Mr. H is working on job apps and interviews as he made the decision to go back to work.
• Net worth has been fluctuating wildly and I don’t even care to look why
• OH MY GOD I PAID A $14,000 TAX BILL that was a shock tbh, and I had to pull $10K out of our brokerage to pay for that. I thought I was gonna pay it back pretty quick but instead, I changed my additional withholding at work to be an extra $600 per paycheck. I figure that’s the only way I’m actually gonna save money is by having smaller paychecks

	December 2022	May 2023
Cash	$23,908.47	$26,038
Investments	$83,407	$97,563
Net Worth Total	$92,882	$119,705

Honestly, not bad considering the tax bill we paid, and that I withdrew $10K from the brokerage (plus another $6K that I withdrew in January).

Until next time!