Jet Setter Interview – Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.

 

Hello there, this is your pilot speaking! (Why yes, I am calling myself a pilot.)

Today, our Jet Setter Interview is with Sherry, of Save. Spend. Splurge.  fame.

This series covers Passengers on the Jet Setter Manifest, so we can all learn more about money from the experiences of others.

Drop me a line to be featured in an upcoming Jet Setter Interview, we would love to have you on board.

 

Welcome on board! Who are you?

I am a 30-something year old who started personal finance blogging since graduating college. I got out of $60,000 of debt in 18 months, and am now a freelancer in a field I love.

Money is for buying stuff, what was the last purchase you made?

My last major purchases are: $3500 on Invisalign clear braces, and a black Muubaa leather jacket. You can see everything I buy every month here.

Why did you buy that stuff, in particular?

Well the braces are so that my teeth don’t look crooked and drive me mad every time I look in the mirror, the black leather jacket was because it was a good deal and exactly what I had been looking for for a while.

I keep a list of stuff I want to buy but lately, I have been reluctant to pull the trigger, although I am FOR SURE going to buy a pair of neutral ballet flats in September.

We like airplanes around here.  When was the last time you were on an airplane and where were you going?

The most recent trip I took was in 2013 to Europe for 2 months to hang out in Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon. I am going back to Europe for a few months at the end of 2015 after I roll off my project.

Before that trip, in 2012, I went to Hong Kong for 2 months, stayed in Manhattan for 6 months, 2 months in Miami, and a month visiting Texas.

In 2011 I took my biggest break and traveled the world and went to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Paris, Lyons, London, Vienna, Brussels, Lisbon, Madrid, Salamanca, Evora, and Stockholm.

What is your current financial goal and how did it come to be your goal?

I’m aiming to hit $250,000 in net worth by the end of 2014, and $400,000 (a big stretch!) by the end of 2015.

I can realistically reach $375,000 (after taxes) at the end of 2015 but I want to see if I can really push myself.

Who is your favourite person in Top Gun?

I have never watched Top Gun in my life, but I have a feeling I’m going to be urged to do so after this interview!

Many people harbour some sort of fear of flying.  What do you find the most overwhelming or scary about money?

As a freelancer, it’s not having a steady income.

I make a lot of money but it comes and goes in spurts, so I have to try and even out my income to match my (rather extravagant) spending in between projects.

If I was super-rich and gave you $50,000 with no strings attached, tomorrow, what would you do with it?  (I’m pretty benevolent.)

Squirrel it away,invest it in index funds and wait to see if I can use it to buy a home in cash.

Lots of things “cost peanuts,” what is a small expenditure that you just can’t live without?

The occasional purchase of loose leaf tea. I LOVE drinking a good cup of hot tea in the morning.

How long have you been the pilot of your own money? Did you have a job as a teenager? Did you have a lightbulb moment at a certain point in time and take control of your finances?

I’ve always been the pilot of my own money but it wasn’t until I graduated from college with $60,000 in debt that I actually took control in the cockpit, realized I needed a budget and to get out of debt.

I ran a few businesses as a teenager (this business in particular being quite memorable) and flipped burgers on the regular.

The lightbulb moment to take control of my money was when I graduated, saw the amounts I owed and had to pay back, not to mention the interest rate I was paying each day for the money I borrowed, and vowed to conquer that debt ASAP.

From there, I turned into a minimalist and have never looked back.

 

Pretend you have a sky-writing airplane (that can write as many words as you want.) What is the main money message that you want the world to hear?

No one else should be more interested in your money than you, and including Investing Series learning how to invest it properly.

 

You can read more of Sherry’s writing at  Save. Spend. Splurge. She’s also on twitter @saverspender, give her a follow!