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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

Laughing at this Scam!

August 19th, 2009 at 02:00 am

My dh told me about this, but the picture is priceless:

37-inch flat screen TV for $100 is really an oven door

http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_13...

I noticed on the picture that a remote control was also taped to the "TV." Dh had missed that detail...

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

Today dh sold our last "baby" carseat for $40. Say la vie.

If only I was so prompt (just retired it about 30 days ago - has been trying to sell for about 2 weeks) - I am still trying to sell a tricycle (never listed it yet) and some crib bedding (have tried but keep lowering my price with hopes of bites). I need to get off my butt and list some things!

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

In good news, Dish removed their charge and Chase removed their double charge.

Chase had an online dispute form, and though I Was supposed to send in "documentation" that I didn't have - I guess it was a clear mistake - because they sent me a note today that they removed the charge.

Well, that was easy! (Wasn't so easy the last few times).

Reminds me, I mentioned Chase sent me a note to tell me that they increased my grace period by 5 days.

About a week ago they sent me some disclosures, in fine print, about all the negative things they did to my account. Just struck me as funny.

"LOOK AT US - WE GIVE YOU 5 MORE DAYS TO PAY YOUR BILL!!!!!!!"

"BTW, we are raising all your interest rates and fees, astronomically."

I don't know exactly what they changed - nothing that matters to me. Interest rates and such...

Let me be clear - I don't depend on my credit cards for anything. I don't trust them farther than I can throw them. I just enjoy rewards and grace periods, and the convenience, as long as they last...

Posted in Just Thinking | 2 Comments »

2 Responses to “Laughing at this Scam!”

Broken Arrow Says:
August 19th, 2009 at 02:21 am 1250648491
1250648491

Hahaha!
sweetmama Says:
August 19th, 2009 at 03:27 am 1250652422
1250652422

LOL! I showed the "TV" to my dh, he seemed to remember seeing it on the news one night. You do get what you pay for, hu?!
Yeah, I agree about the cc's, but I could throw them pretty far and still don't trust them! *snicker* (They are handy, I luv 'em for that!)

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Laughing at this Scam!

2 Responses to “Laughing at this Scam!”

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