And today, I embarked on the.. biggest of changes since the divorce. I've listed my house for sale, and have cancelled my credit cards.
The house is too large for me to take care of AND take care of homework and the kids. On top of that, some of the financial burdens of the divorce are taking their toll. The bottom line is, between these issues and my children, I have to choose what is best for them, and what is best for them may not be this, the house of our dreams, where Daddy has to spend his time vacuuming, cleaning, cooking, gardening - all things he loved to do as a couple, but instead, a house that's a little smaller, and much more conducive to parenting.
Part of this plan involves selling the house, and renting closer to downtown - to a location where our commute times will drop, our expenses will decrease substantially, and where the headache of running a house while working and parenting will minimize substantially. The rest of this plan involves simplifying my finances.
I've never really carried credit card debt before, yet I possess many cards - mostly because of 'don't pay till 200x' sales at the Brick, or at Ikea. However, given the risk of credit card fraud, and the fact that an individual is 30% more likely to overspend with plastic, I was convinced to cancel and destroy all but one of my credit cards. This is part of a larger, far more aggressive budgeting regime designed to help position my children and I in the best of spots in the future.
It's not going to be a fun year or so. My focus is now on the major restructuring of life that comes after a divorce. The superficial environmental stuff has been taken care of. The emotional has been dealt with. Now the action that leads to good long term results begin.
It'll be an interesting ride.
With love,
-SingleMuslimDad
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