So far, so good is all I can say at this point. My quarterly increments are working out quite well, even though I’m a bit behind on the savings portion of this quarter’s plan.

Last year, I came across a website that offered free, small house plans, The Small House Catalog. The owners of the site at that time were building a quaint cottage called the Beekeeper’s Bungalow. Well, they finished building their bungalow and it’s now for sale in Washington.

I’m in a mad frenzy to save money and buy a home by late next fall. That gives me a little more than a year (14 – 16 months) to save up enough cash for a down payment. However, in Southern California, homes are crazy expensive! I’ve budgeted a reasonable amount for a “starter” home and am hoping to snag one for under $410,000.

I’ll admit I really don’t like to clean. Sure, I’ll pick up after myself or wipe down a counter top, but when it comes to deep cleaning, I often procrastinate.

I love the idea of tiny homes, but recently I wrote about the viability of actually living in one. There are plenty of people out there (just look at the popularity of the tiny house movement) who can live in a home that’s under 200 square feet, but I’m sure downsizing is the biggest hurdle.