On money

This particular topic has been weighing quite heavily on my mind. 
Specifically, the changes I've implemented lately (increasing student loan repayment amounts) has caused quite a setback in my budget, and I'm brainstorming ways to either A) increase my income or B) cut back.
The difficult part for me is to identify which ways I want to spend my extra time, to earn the extra income. 

Finding a side job that I'm not interested in is not an option - I need fulfillment in my life and the feeling that I am wasting away precious time on a meaningless job is not worth it, to me.
I have always operated with a "do what you have to do to get by" kind of mindset, which was an okay way to fill my pockets, but left me feeling empty and/or exhausted at the end of the day.
I've even considered taking part in those take-a-survey-and-get-paid opportunities, but this would again fall under the category of wasting my time.

I'll be honest with you - I enjoy spending money. A lot. 
My last (relatively) large purchase was a battery-operated weed whacker, which was (in my mind) a necessary expenditure. Yes, I had one already, but it was not cordless. I live in one of those ancient houses that have no outdoor outlets - so the cord had to be plugged in from the inside of the house, and would have to be finagled around me as I cleaned up the front and back yards. It only got me so far in the backyard before I had no further cord left - thus came my decision to go cordless. 
If it improves my quality of life, I consider that a necessary expenditure.

I could have it much worse than I actually do - I know that and I try to remind myself every day that I am lucky to be where I'm at. 
However... I know I can do better at saving and investing my money in the right places. 
It's going to take more effort and creativity on my end to figure out where to go from here.