*This was written March 30, 2020

Hello again. I haven’t posted since Valentine’s Day and boy has the world changed since then. Like many people in the world I am on lockdown. I am now a fully remote worker which is new. When I first started freelancing I worked remotely part of the time. This time has been completely different. I have co workers and students to check in on. I also have a job that does not lend itself well to remote work.

If this is the first post you’re ever reading of mine, welcome to the party. I…

In light of the pandmic, this post feels even more relevant.

*NOTE: This was written March 8, 2019

Illness. Whenever I get sick, I feel like I have to perform sickness otherwise I won’t be believed. I can you hear you saying, “Well that’s silly.” It is silly but as a female with chronic health issues, many stemming from my uterus I’m not believed the majority of the time. I say I don’t feel well or there’s something wrong and I’m told I’m wrong. That what I’m feeling is invalid. …

HOW I paid off $25,000 of student loan debt in 1 year

I wrote my monthly money checkin series last year about paying off my student loans. Today I’d like to talk more in depth about the steps I took to pay off my debt.

Step one was getting a full time job with health benefits and a steady paycheck. Prior to my current job I was freelancing full time. My yearly income was consistent but my month to month pay fluctuated making it harder to plan. With obamacare, costs fluctuated from year to year.

Step two was good fortune…

A short film I worked on three years ago is going to be released. And I feel weird about it. I feel proud of the short of the film. I feel sad that that particular experience and version of filmmaking can’t exist for a long time. I feel sad that I can’t make something like that now.

I was a production assistant on this film. We shot in the mountains for 4 days and all slept up there for the film shoot. It felt like going to camp. Everyone was lovely. I was miserable. I did not know until this…

We are more than half way through the year so let’s check in on our goals. Click here to see my 2019 goals, mid year check in and end of year review.

A disclaimer before you read this post. I am in an extremely privileged position. My money related goals have not been impacted by the coronavirus. I am aware of how fortunate I am to still have my full time job with benefits. I understand that many people’s lives have been turned upside down in catastrophic ways. If reading about other’s money situations is difficult for you right now…

There is a hashtag going around twitter where authors are sharing their advance amounts. It was started to highlight the financial disparity between black authors versus their white peers. It’s illuminating. Here are my numbers for articles I’ve written.

The Billfold: $40 per article

Business Insider: $0 reprint of an article

Matador Network: $40 per article, $25 per reprint of an article

Copywriter: $15-$18 per hour, part time

At the now defunct billfold, they paid all writers the same fee. It was great for equity purposes. But it means that when an article did well or went viral there was…

Good morning!

It’s been a while. In 2016 I started posting daily, then weekly then never. I’m ready to come back. This week I’ll start with a bit of an update.

I wrote my first TV Pilot and full length play! I’m really proud of these pieces.

One frequent question I get asked is whether or not gardening helps save me money. I would say yes and in more ways than one.

Gardening is similar to a CSA: you pay for everything upfront and then enjoy the food for the season. At this point, my yard is already sectioned off. I have the number of pots that I need and leftover seeds from previous years. I also have help. My grandfather helps me plant at the start of each spring and answers any questions if I’m unsure of things. …