Just Blabbing about Finances! Excuse my wordiness...
About Me
Monkey Mama
Just a 32-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. Big Monkey (BM) is 6 & Little Monkey (LM) is 4.
We have been a one-income family for 7 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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2009 Goals
**Financial**
[X]$8k to Savings
Revised Goal: $10k to Savings
....(12/30/09 Bal: $10,040)
[X]$4k to ROTHs
Revised Goal: $400/month to ROTHS
....(12/30/09 Bal: $4,466)
[X]Review Insurance Coverages
[X]Close BT Cards (3)
[X]Close IRAs with $0
[X]Invest CD Maturing September
**House**
[ ]Fix Gutter
[X]Have Trees Trimmed
[ ]Plant Fruit Tree
[/]Fix Tile/Sealing
[X]Clear junk from Master Closet
[ ]Buy Mattress/Bedding for LM
[ ]Paint BMs room
[/]Price Security Screen Door
[/]Price Stucco Repair
[ ]Price Security Upgrades
**Personal**
[X]Take it Easy
[ ]Monthly skype dates with mom/sister
[X]2 weekends away, with just dh
[X]1 camping trip
[X]1 trip to the snow
[X]More trips to the cabin
[X]More biking & hiking
[X]Season passes to Great America Raging Waters
**Long-Term Goals**
[X] 15% gross to retirement
...(Goal Met 2009; Currently 16%)
[X] 10% gross to cash savings
...(Goal Met 2009; Currently 10%)
[ ] $30k Cash Savings (minimum)
...(12/30/09 Bal: $20,000)
[ ] Max out ROTHs ($10k)
...(Currently contributing $5k)
[ ] Pay mortgage off by age 45
...(12/30/09 Bal: $209,500)
...(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).
Added in 2009:
[ ] Read a book a month
[ ] Start herbal garden
[ ] Replace Garage Door Opener
[ ] Paint Exterior of Home
[ ] Replace Fence
[ ] Replace 2001 Ford with a Prius (ideally, 2013 or later)
[ ] Purchase a used convertible in the $5k range
Increase Net Worth by 50% of expenses, annually:*
[x] 2007 +$30k [ ] 2008 down $10,777
[ ] 2009 +0k (as of 10/31/09)
*Our expenses are far more consistent than our income. Also, helps to prevent "living up to income."
