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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.

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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.

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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

My dh is a Hopeless Romantic

February 15th, 2009 at 03:57 pm

We always say we aren't going to do anything for V Day or B Days or whatever, but he always does!!!!

I came home from work close to 5 and he had picked up a heart shaped pizza at Papa Murphy's. Okay, pizza is certainly the way to my heart!!!! He has also been experimenting with cheap crappy garlic bread, to my utter dismay, but last night he got the GOOD stuff. LOL.

Anyway, he hadn't got a chance to watch Battlestar Gallactica (oh the humanity) so I immediately told him my gift to him was he could go watch it right after dinner and I would try my best to corral the kids. (They are so used to daddy being around it his hard for them to leave him alone when he is home, at all). It was then he informed me the kids had been crazed all day, and there was nothing he probably wanted more (a break from them) but they were actually little angels for me, phew. I think my work schedule was probably getting to them a bit. Though I did see a hint of wild crazy behavior. LOL. But mostly they were fine. I don't think dh could have been happier. I think he hadn't got a chance yet because I was sick the last few evenings. Usually it's like torture to ask him to wait a day or 2 to watch it.

So I guess you can say we are easy to please. Big Grin

Posted in Just Thinking | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “My dh is a Hopeless Romantic”

whitestripe Says:
February 15th, 2009 at 07:00 pm 1234724416
1234724416

lol. DF and I watched four episodes of battlestar galactica on valentines day too! what season is your hubby watching? my dad just gave me season 4 on dvd (i have them all).
baselle Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 06:34 am 1234766047
1234766047

LOL. Holy Lords of Kobol! I just finished four episodes of BSG season 2.5 last night on V-day.
Broken Arrow Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 01:08 pm 1234789704
1234789704

Wait, pizza is the way to your heart?

...

Got a twin sister who is available? Hahaha.

Seriously though, I'm glad your hubby is a hopeless romantic. May he stay that goofy way for all eternity.
monkeymama Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 05:14 pm 1234804447
1234804447

Reminds me he sculptured a meatloaf in my likeness when we were first dating. I am a foodie! So yeah, almost any food will do. & yes he is goofy.

BSG - He is watching the current season. Just the last episode on the DVR - I knew he was busy/stressed if he hadn't watched it yet! (When does it air - Friday?).

Though I do think he may also have been putting it off - I am well aware there are only FIVE more episodes - oh the humanity.

He tried to get me started on it but I can't stay awake past 8pm. LOL. Actually, we just last night got ALL cauht up on Big Love. Some nights we only watched 5 minutes before I fell asleep, but I am getting better. So I will probably try BSG again. I've only seen a few minutes of the first episode so I have yet to taste the greatness. But yeah, now that we have kids that sleep through the night, I may be able to watch a few seasons.

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

My dh is a Hopeless Romantic

4 Responses to “My dh is a Hopeless Romantic”

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