New Year and "Time is Nothing" Journey Video

Hello, this is my first post after the holidays so I´d like to wish all Mizé Journey visitors and friends a Happy New Year!

I´m starting this year without any New Year "resolutions", again. They stopped making sense to me a while ago. I prefer doing a sort of mental balance of what I´ve done/accomplish/lost and assess how that contributed to where I am and want to go.
For me, financially, 2011 was a sort of crazy year with more expenditures than income, no savings but with a lot of rest, some very nice trips and good entertainment in between. Plus, it was the first full year in which I didn´t work outside my home and lived as an "almost Financially Independent" person. Not bad :)

I´m ready to embrace whatever this new year will bring and will try my best to keep a positive frame of mind and attitude. I´m leaving you now with a very nice video I found today about a journey around the world.

17 Countries. 343 Days. 6237 Photographs. One incredible journey.

"After I quit my job last year, I packed a bag, grabbed my camera and bought a one way ticket to London. 17 countries later, I put together this time lapse video of the many amazing places I came across.
To follow the journey and learn more about each scene visit kienlam.net/around-the-world and kienlam.net"

Check it out:

Time is Nothing // Around The World Time Lapse from Kien Lam on Vimeo.

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Happy Christmas

Christmas Greetings to all Mize Journey readers, visitors and to my fellow bloggers in different parts of the world.
Wish you all the best.
I´m spending my "Christmas Holidays" in my hometown. This means I´m travelling, alone. Hope to be back to Algarve next Tuesday.
See you xx

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Life Update

Hello folks,
This week I´m feeling much better. I´ve been at home most of the time, last week I only went out to buy groceries and go to the dentist. I´m taking care of myself the best I can and feel that I´m almost recovered as the noticeable symptoms are gone.
In a near future, I will have to make more tests to check if everything´s all right with my kidneys but for now I have another priority: the dentist.
And what a priority...I went to the first dentist´s appointment with a problem, came out with a few more issues to solve than I expected, more pain than when I went in and one less teeth.
I paid 83.00 Euros for the treatments done in the first session and will be back there this Wednesday. As you can imagine, without a molar teeth and other issues, eating solids or meat has been an issue for me...and that is a problem for a foodie like me :)
Talking about food. In the past months, I managed to stick to our groceries budget. Since I have implemented our 600 budget, we only eat out (in average) once every two weeks and I use all the coupons I can find.
Eating out less, sticking to a groceries budget, coupons, buying supermarket´s brands, menu planning, cooking more meals at once and/or freezing have been my best money savers. Nothing new for those who have been following the frugal path but, for me, this also means that my goal of cooking more from scratch is being accomplished.
See you soon xx

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Apartment Options

My T3 city apartment has been for sale for six months now and there´s still no prospects for a sale. Currently, there are so many apartments for sale in this town that we can say the offer exceeds the demand. Consequently, prices lowered.
On the other had, and mostly because banks are not lending money as easily as before, the renting business seems to be growing. For many, renting is the only or the best option.
I have been thinking about the "renting versus selling" option. The idea of renting this apartment too and move back to my hometown has crossed my mind before but, weighting all factors at that time, I concluded it was best to stay here more time, sell and move to the T2. Right now, and after a bit of research with the real estate companies, I´m not so sure this is my best option anymore.
I reached another crossroad in my journey and need a new plan.
Renting this apartment means deciding between renting it furnished or not, and investing money in repairs. Basically, the apartment needs painting and new floor tiles in the kitchen, hall and bathroom.
The picture above is from the kitchen, if you read some of my previous posts you know that I´ve been dwelling on these repairs for quite some time now and although I already looked for quotes and materials, click here for some of the options I saw, I haven´t done anything yet.
Renting this apartment furnished would mean letting go of all this stuff/furniture and start fresh some where else.
Sometimes life puts us in a good path in strange ways...My need to start fresh is not new...it has been "slowly cooking" since 2009... maybe that´s what I really need to do.
Will be back to this topic when I have a more concrete plan.
See you soon xx

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Health Issues

Hello,
A few days after my last post, I started feeling sick. The first symptoms were fever and pains in the lower back. I went to the local hospital and after three exams was diagnosed bacterial kidney infection.
I´m taking antibiotic, pain killers and in the past couple days I´ve been feeling much better. After finishing medication I have to do more exams.
I also have scheduled a dentist appointment for next week. I´ve been having a few teeth issues and already have a caries with pain, can´t postpone it anymore.
Regarding the infection problem I paid 20.00 Euros for exams and hospital tax and 25.00 Euros for medication. I don´t have health insurance. In Portugal, health insurance is not mandatory because we have a "free" health care system which assists anyone in need for a small tax.
As far as the dentist I have to use a private clinic and the cost of the first appointment is around 35.00 Euros plus treatment.
These health issues reminded me once more that, due to my age, whenever making long term financial plans I have to consider health costs as a high priority category in my budget.
See you soon xx

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Video: An Incredible Apartment in a Very Small Space

As you may have noticed, Downsizing and Simplifying have been frequent words in my recent posts. My interest in this "lifestyle" goes way back to my dream of living in a country home but the fact is you can have a simple life both in a country house or in a flat. It all depends on your own concept of Simple Living and what you feels right for you in a given moment in time.
We are all beings in development and what suits us in a given moment of our life, may not suit us later on. Adapting to circumstances and using resources carefully have been two good guidelines for me.
But I´m dispersing. As my post tittle says, today´s post is about a video I came across and would like to share called: An Incredible Apartment in a Very Small Space.
If you´re interested in small spaces living and organizing, click the link to check out the video and let me know what you think about it.
Personally, I enjoy a last floor view but dislike stairs and the level of humidity these flats tend to have. Despite this two small personal preference details, I think the whole concept is innovative, well thought out and it offers some pretty cool organizing ideas which can be adapted and used in any space.
See you soon xx

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