Just Blabbing about Finances! Excuse my wordiness...
About Me
Monkey Mama
Just a 33-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. Big Monkey (BM) is 7 & Little Monkey (LM) is 5.
We have been a one-income family for 8 years. This arrangement used to be "temporary." Our goal is to make this a long-term arrangement.
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. "Simple" and "inexpensive" is relative.
Likewise, we have never had much debt but 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!
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My dear hubby (dh) was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor in 2009. He had surgery to remove it, in January 2010, and his recovery has been remarkable.
The whole experience has been very life affirming and makes us feel more strongly than ever that slowing down and spending time with our family has been worth just about any "sacrifice."
We've been called "deprived" may times for our financial choices, but now we know we are "more rich" than we realized.
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2010 Goals
**Financial**
[ ]$11,000 to Savings
....(8/1/10 Bal: $9,350)
[ ]$4,080 to IRAs
....(8/1/10 Bal: $1,080)
**House**
[ ]Fix Gutter
[*]Plant Fruit Tree
*Put off to 2011...
[ ]Replace Kitchen sink caulk
[X]Buy Mattress/Bedding for LM
[ ]Paint BMs room (maybe)
[/]Price Security Screen Door
[X]Price Stucco Repair
[ ]Price Security Upgrades
(I was going to move the last 3 to "buy," but expect too many expenses in 2010 with house and medical...)
**Personal**
[ ] Read a book a month
...As of 7/15/10: 3 books read
[ ]2 weekends away, with just dh
[/]1 camping trip
[X]1 trip to the snow
[/]More trips to the cabin
[ ]More biking & hiking
[ ]Season passes to Raging Waters
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**Long-Term Goals**
[X] 15% gross to retirement
...(Goal Met 2009)
[X] 10% gross to cash savings
...(Goal Met 2009; Currently 10%)
[ ] $30k Cash Savings (minimum)
...(8/1/10 Bal: $22,000)
[ ] Max out ROTHs ($10k)
...(Currently contributing $0k)
[ ] Pay mortgage off by age 45
...(8/31/10 Bal: $207,500)
...(Current payoff age: 61)
***We plan to hit it as hard on the back end as we did on the front end (same method - with second income).
[X] Paint Exterior of Home
[ ] Replace Fence
[ ] Start herbal garden
[ ] Replace 2001 Ford with a Prius (ideally, 2013 or later)
[ ] Purchase a used convertible in the $5k range
[ ] Buy a second home in Bay Area
Increase Net Worth by 50% of expenses, annually:*
[x] 2007 +$30k [ ] 2008 down $11k [ ] 2009 down $2,300
[ ] 2010
*Our expenses are far more consistent than our income. Also, helps to prevent "living up to income."
