Secreting, Sort Of

TGIF friends!

For a lot of you, this is a three-day weekend, which means today is either going to fly by or everything is going to blow up. I really hope it’s the former.

So I’ve got something a little heavy to talk about for a Friday, but if it’s too heavy for you now, come back and read it come Tuesday. (Or come back and re-read it on Tuesday anyway, because I love pageviews.)

I’ve never read The Secret, but I know people who did. I think the gist of it – the big Secret – is that if you put what you want out into the world the power of the universe and the power within yourself will make it happen. I have no clue if this works, but let’s give it a try.

My goal (which Leon is happily joining in on) is to buy a house within the next 12-18 months.

This is a lofty goal. It’s scary and feels very adult. But it’s also a goal that I am thrilled to death about for two big reasons.

First, it involves making a big, long-range financial plan with lots of SMART (Specific, Meaningful/Measureable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Timely) goals. I am a little bit of a personal finance nerd, so I’ve excited to put some of my knowledge to work and to learn more.

I’m going to use a lot of the information and resources from one of my favorite blogs, Our Freaking Budget, along with some Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey books to make our plan. The first step is having a very honest (read: scary) conversation about Leon and my financial situations.

Second, it involves making something beautiful, because Leon and I are planning on buying an ugly, old house.

Wood paneling? Oh baby!

Shag carpet? Yes, please! And make it maroon.

Laminate countertops and pastel bathroom tiles? That’s what I’m talking about!

I know a little bit about fixing up a house from growing up in my mom’s house, which we nicknamed “the structural nightmare.” Leon knows a lot more about fixing up a house, because he did that for work for a while. Between the two of us we are capable of doing a good bit of the work ourselves, and I know enough to know when I need to hire someone. (We’ll see if Leon has that self-awareness.)

The idea of taking an ugly, old house that would normally get overlooked and investing our money, time, and energy into turning it into something beautiful that not only looks like us, but that feels like our home is the most amazing thing. I’m not delusional to think that fixing up a house ourselves will be anything like what you see on HGTV. We’re not the Property Brothers or Nicole Curtis. It’ll take a few years and we’ll be living in a construction zone for a good bit of it. It’ll be a huge financial investment not just for this next year, but for a long time after that as we invest in fixing it up and paying off our mortgage.

This goal is scary like a rollercoaster. (I don’t like rollercoasters, but it’s a good simile.) But everything I’m doing right now – moving, trying to find a job, getting married – is scaring the shit out of me. So while I’m already scared, let’s go ahead and add one more thing.

Tell me, friends: am I completely bonkers? If you have any advice, send it my way.

Cheers, Kara