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About Me:

Monkey Mama

Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH).

We were a one-income family for 13 years. In late 2015 my spouse returned to work (minimum wage/part-time/seasonal). Something recent on his resume just buys us more options for the long run. The main benefit of this job is that he just works while the kids are in school. As always, we are saving 100% of his income.

{2023 Update: I expect that MH will retire from this job when kids are done with college and/or home is paid off. I think he likes the idea of finding more interesting or full-time work, with kids both adults now. But practically, might just stick out the *good* and very flexible job as long as possible. The very part-time job is allowing him to pursue his film passions. We are only about 5-ish years away from financial independence. Would be very different if we "needed" the money or he thought he might have decades of working years ahead of him.}

We saved a lot while we were very young and also moved to a lower cost-of-living area, to make life much simpler. We still live in California though (in one of the most expensive regions of the U.S.). *Simple* and *inexpensive* is relative.

Likewise, we have never had debt aside from our mortgage.** My blog is a testament to how much simpler life is without debt; how we have that much more money to both save and enjoy!

**Caveat: I have no problem whatsoever with credit cards paid off monthly, or low-risk credit arbitrage (for example, 0%-interest debt while earning 5% on FDIC-insured cash). These are the kinds of debt we have had. Just not interested in high-interest debt, using debt to buy beyond means, and not interested in the hassle that comes with loans and payments. With age and means, the latter (hassle) is our biggest debt avoidance motivation.

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2024 Goals

[ ]Small monthly Charitable Contribution
...($35 @ 1/31/24)
...Trying to be more mindful about how the little amounts add up and are helpful.
...This is not an all inclusive list of charitable giving but it is a new habit I want to add in addition to other donations of time, goods and money

[ ]Pay cash for college
...This is so much a given, to me. But I realize not everyone can read my mind, and so will memorialize in my goal list.
...#1 We don't do Debt
...#2 The student loan system is a scammy and corrupt mess.
...Seriously, wouldn't touch these student loan servicers with a ten foot pole.
MM YEAR 1 ✔
MM YEAR 2 ✔
MM YEAR 3 ✔
MM YEAR 4

DL YEAR 1 ✔
DL YEAR 2

[ ]$10,000 to savings
...($4,529 @ 3/31/24)
...$1,000/month, plus interest
...Topping off with snowballs

[ ]$7,500 to investments
...($1,750 @ 4/30/24)
...$350/month, plus snowflakes
(Snowflakes: credit card rewards and dividends)
...Topping off with snowballs

[ ]$2,025 to mortgage
...($0 @ 4/30/24)
...Topping off with snowballs and/or excess cash
...Keeps us on track with $10K principal paydown per year

[/]9% of household income to work retirement plans
...(9% @ 3/31/24)
...This is the minimum for the match; I'd otherwise rather fund IRAs.
...Note: Total retirement savings rate is 20% (with IRAs)

Goal savings rate = 25% of gross salary, plus funding IRAs from other sources.

[ ]$14,000 to IRAs 2024 (MAX)
...($0 @ 4/30/24)
...Will fund with MH's income
...Will not fund until the year is over. This is for tax and planning reasons. I won't know what mix of Traditional/ROTH IRA we literally can contribute until we do our 2024 taxes. In addition to that, can make a more informed decision based on our financial and tax situation for the entire year.

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**Long-Term Goals**

[X]$500,000 in retirement accounts by age 45.

Current big picture goal:

[ ]$1 Mil in retirement accounts by age 52.

Stretch Goal: Achieve by age 50

Have decided to pretty much stay the course. Keep saving 20%+ to retirement. This means taking 401K match & maxing out IRAs.

NOTE: WE HAVE NEVER CONTRIBUTED LESS THAN 10% TO RETIREMENT. NO EXCEPTIONS.

If we can't achieve at least 10%, then something else has to give. I share because it's infinitely easier to save for retirement if you start early. Let the investments do the hard work for you.

-------------------------------

Debt: $85,000 mortgage
{Home Purchase Price $290,000}

Ongoing goal is to *never borrow money again.*

Took on a $230k mortgage in 2001 and have not added to that.

-------------------------

Net Worth: Increase net worth by $600,000 in the next 10 years. This is my "financial independence" goal.

2017: +$ 70,000 (partial year)
2018: +$ 51,000
2019: +$105,000
2020: +$104,000
2021: +$215,000
2022: <$ 65,000>
2022: +$ 85,000
TOTAL: +$565,000

This is in line with prior goal, saving 100% of our expenses every year.

{Our expenses are far more consistent than our income. Also, helps to prevent "living up to income."}

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My Pages

Sold the wii - & thoughts on missing Man

December 6th, 2006 at 02:59 pm

Sold the Wii for about $460 with shipping and all, made around $120 profit when all is said and done. phew - takes a load off.

I wanted to list some of our baby items from craigslist but was not feeling so well yesterday. Hopefully by the weekend, I need to scrub the things down and make them shiny so we get more money for them!! Wink

I got my shoes and they are the cutest shoes ever and I LOVE them, but Land's End apparently makes their shoes super-narrow. They do not fit. Bummer. I am sending them back today. I am sad because I lOVED those shoes. The search for a wide casual pair of shoes continues...

For the most part I am in a daze and could care less about any of this. Dh told me over the weekend that he was REALLY sad because James Kim from Tech TV, and his family, had been missing for over a week. We discussed that they were probably long gone, but how the worst part was not knowing. TO find out that Monday that his wife and young kids were saved. The story is incredible - their car was stranded in the snow in the ORegon mountains. They were all able to stay alive for a week in their car. After one week, on Saturdday, he set out to find help and has not been seen since. Yesterday I Watched the news reports all day and was sad when they called off the ground search for the night around 4pm, they felt they were getting very close - following his tracks and such. THey will resume today with the light of the sun. But each night passing looks less and less promising.

Dh and I discussed it and we figured no matter his fate, as long as the kids made it, that was the saddest part of it all. A 7 month and 4yo. We really took it to heart because our kids are close to that age. I Said if it was me I Would just be glad the rest of my family was saved. BUT there is still hope and I really pray they find him today - alive and well. To him, he may have just wanted his family saved. TO his family, if he does not make it, I Can not even imagine. I imagine I Would feel guilty being saved and him not making it as he tried to find help. & the poor kids to lose their dad. THough they are lucky to be alive, it is pretty bittersweet today, I imagine. THe worst part is still the not knowing I am sure. FOr now there is hope. I really pray they find him today, and that he is still alive and well...

A story like this really makes you stop and appreciate all that you have.

http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_120606ORBmissingf...

Posted in Saving, Just Thinking | 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Sold the wii - & thoughts on missing Man”

Broken Arrow Says:
December 6th, 2006 at 03:13 pm 1165418032
1165418032

Wii:

$120 profit as awesome! I was so tempted to do the same, but decided that the mad rush this time wasn't worth it.

James Kim:

I am also following it closely. Yeah... things do look grim at this point, but in my mind, there's also no reason not to remain hopeful. Incidentally, here's
Text is my thread on it and Link is http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?p=106280#post106280
my thread on it in case you missed it.
Thrifty Ray Says:
December 6th, 2006 at 03:54 pm 1165420459
1165420459

Living in Southern Oregon, I can assure you that there has been major coverage on this. My thoughts are sure with this family.
threebeansalad Says:
December 6th, 2006 at 09:28 pm 1165440480
1165440480

Yes, this story is so sad....
LuckyRobin Says:
December 7th, 2006 at 06:28 am 1165472915
1165472915

Yes, it is sad. I griped about how badly that storm affected me, but its nothing--nothing--compared to what that family is going through.

By the way, Lane Bryant catalog carries up to EE wide shoes sizes 7 to 11 and half sizes, too. They have an online catalog. Maybe you could find something similar.
monkeymama Says:
December 7th, 2006 at 06:50 am 1165474216
1165474216

I saw something similar to the other pair of shoes I bought but it cost twice as much and only went up to size 9 Wide. Bummer. I'll keep an eye out though. Thanks.

I got some really nice walking shoes on zappos.com and they have ALL sizes it seems. But really pricey. Thinking of splurging, I have been looking for some nice shoes for quite a while. Still bummed the Lands End shoes were so narrow - very cute and affordable. I generally only have to buy Wide for dress shoes.
monkeymama Says:
December 7th, 2006 at 07:26 am 1165476408
1165476408

Just so saddened by the news today. At least they have some kind of closure. But a safe and well reunion would have been much better. *sigh*

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Sold the wii - & thoughts on missing Man

6 Responses to “Sold the wii - & thoughts on missing Man”

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