Mood: Good 
Weather: 26°C, Clear
Vaping: Vozol 12000 Grape Ice
Location: Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles
Late February this year I came across a video on Youtube where someone was talking about the “100 envelopes challenge.” The challenge requires the participant to save a certain amount of money within a certain timeframe. There are plenty of modifications to the challenge. The most popular being: you purchase this binder that consists of 100 slots. Each slot is labeled 1-100. You’re supposed to “stuff” 1 slot per day for 100 days, and the amount of money you put into a slot should coincide with the number that it’s labeled with. For instance, you’re supposed to stuff $6 inside slot #6. By the end of the challenge, on day #100, each slot should be filled. The total amounts to $5050.
Realistically however, it’s more overwhelming than it sounds, so most people just put in whatever they can, within a more flexible timeframe with the primary objective being: you save in cash because if your money is in the bank, you will probably use it.
I purchased and imported the binder. The issue is that the slot is a lot smaller than I expected, as it was designed to fit US $ bills. So Seychelles banknotes don’t fit into the slots. I’ve placed some of the US banknotes that I had in that. I’ve made 100 colourful envelopes instead, and I have been stuffing those with Seychelles rupees. Unfortunately, I actually forgot that I was doing the challenge and have only picked it up again a few days ago. I don’t even know how much I have in that. The money I put inside has been from my discretionary income – which is basically cash that I had left after paying the bills, needs and wants. Let’s just say I haven’t really been making any financial sacrifices at all this year. This past week, ever since I remembered about the challenge, I’ve really tried to limit my spending. I will be trying harder in the next few months so that I can complete this challenge before the end of this year. I want to do an unstuffing video on Youtube.
I’ve modified the challenge to suit my preferences. For instance, I only stuff denominations of 100 and 500. I designed a sheet of 100 envelopes divided into 8 columns. The first 8 envelopes will have SCR 100 each. The second 8 will have SCR 200 each, and this continues until the last 4 envelopes which will have SCR 1300 each. So the total should be SCR 67,600. This is the first savings challenge I’m participating in, so I want to take it a little easy. I do want to take a more serious stance on savings so I want to curb my spending. So the next challenge I participate in, I will turn it up a notch. The money saved in the first challenge will be converted into USD. I expect to have under USD 5000 after converting this. But I will put in a few more so that it rounds up to an even 5000. I will then create a bank account with MCB, and put the money in as a fixed deposit, for 5 years. To my knowledge, the interest rate at MCB is close to 4% annually. There is a chance that they will not allow me to do a fixed deposit with such a small amount of USD, so if they tell me that I can only do this with SCR, I’ll choose a shorter time period of 1 year, as SCR is not as stable as USD.
I’ll also put in more money into my voluntary pension, because the interest rate is pegged at 5%.
Had drinks with a friend the day before yesterday (well, it’s 1am so it still feels as though it was yesterday). I hadn’t seen him in a year because he was living abroad. We’ve always got along so well, I feel as though I can talk to him about everything and anything and it seems as though he can talk to me about anything too. Over the few years that we’ve known each other we’ve always made time to meet and catch up, he’s been there for me more than he knows. While my narc ex spent his time idolizing himself and breaking not only my morale but my self worth, this friend of mine consistently build me up. The issue is that what he feels for me is not 100% platonic, so whenever he’s single he will tend to want to discuss the possibility of us dating. I’ve not friend-zoned him entirely, but I find his life very complicated especially in comparison to my simple life. He just sent me a message at this hour, telling me that he can’t get me out of his mind. He’s a wonderful person, but I’ve just grown so comfortable at this point in my life that it’s so difficult to want to ever compromise again. I wonder if people who are in relationship are aware that we all become a different person when we are in a relationship. It’s great if you feel like you’re a better version of yourself whenever you’re in a relationship.
My sister and I have started “movie night”. We watched “Sixth Sense” a few hours ago. It was good but predictable.