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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.

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

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

It Got Me

February 17th, 2007 at 03:14 pm

The stomach bug. Frown

It turned out the laryngitis thing I had came from work. 1 lady got it and gave it to EVERYONE!!!! Blech.

Kids are well on the mend from the stomach bug and dh and I well on the med from the throat thing. But last night I felt completely useless at work and when I got home had NO appetite. I worried aloud this might be a sign of the bug. & then I woke up to it. So far it is just the diahrrea but I am pretty much scared to eat anything. There is hardly anything I dislike more than vomiting. & after being pregnant and having horrendous morning sickness twice, I think I have had my fair share this life. LOL. You think I would be grateful that if I am sick it won't last months, but not really, I am just terrified of the idea of throwing up. Of being nauseous. Plus the thought of saltines and ginger ale makes me want to puke - I just equate them with very bad times. LOL. I will never sip ginger ale again probably.

Anyway, I have renewed respect for BM. He messed his pants a number of times this last week and probably TMI but I ran to the bathroom about 5 times in the last 1/2 hour. I am looking at BM quite impressed he made it to the potty as many times as he did. He hasn't been potty trained that long.

Blech.

I went and I talked to my boss last Monday about all the sickness. I hadn't wanted to because I didn't want to sound whiny, but I wanted to give him a heads up. Feels like there is always something lately. Anyway, he made it abundantly clear he did not care if I was out 2 weeks with this bug as long as NO ONE else got it. LOL. & I don't blame him, the laryngitis thing has hit us hard at the office. I think I will take today and tomorrow off, rest up, try to nick this in the bud, and pray dh doesn't get it too. & praying I have it a little more mild and won't have to hover over a toilet all week. Blech. LM was out both ends for almost 24 hours and LM puked once and that was it. So I will go for something more like that please. Wink

It's been so crazy I haven't updated my Quicken or anything. Been waiting to make a deposit to pay the rest of the month's bills. Should probably get it all ready and ask dh to run it to the bank for me before I collapse. Then when I am feeling better I will have money to pay bills. I need to go rest...

In the meantime my overtime is so out the window. Frown Dh asked me yesterday if I had to work too long today. I said well, um, I could work ALL weekend and not make 40 hours, I missed 2 days work. & he says you only missed 2? LOL. If he thought I missed more than 2 how does he think I would not have 2 days+ to catch up. Oy vey. I hope I can make some progress next week. Luckily I had no tax appointments next week. I have a lot of work to get done, but as long as I am on the mend by my tax appointments I guess this won't wreak too much havoc.

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL day!!!! Too bad I can't enjoy this nice weather...

Posted in Just Thinking | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “It Got Me”

frugalmomof1 Says:
February 17th, 2007 at 03:29 pm 1171726194
1171726194

Hope you feel better soon!
Ima saver Says:
February 17th, 2007 at 03:59 pm 1171727963
1171727963

Get well, sweetie!!
LuckyRobin Says:
February 17th, 2007 at 11:47 pm 1171756066
1171756066

Yuck. Much sympathy.
Broken Arrow Says:
February 18th, 2007 at 02:04 am 1171764271
1171764271

I just gotten over a cold myself, from since last weekend. Hope you get well soon!

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

It Got Me

4 Responses to “It Got Me”

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