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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
...($1,250 @ 3/31/24)
...$350/month, plus snowflakes
(Snowflakes: credit card rewards and dividends)
...Topping off with snowballs

[ ]$2,025 to mortgage
...($0 @ 3/31/24)
...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 @ 3/31/24)
...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

Good Grief!

February 10th, 2012 at 01:37 am

Maybe January was just extra crazy, but I was just telling dh this morning that I didn't really work the last two Janaries (with us both having surgery). I think it is the lack of sunlight that is bogging me down more than anything. & I don't really remember the dark and the long hours (the double whammy!)

Last night I left work pretty late and the sun was out when I left. Yay!

This morning when I went to shower I didn't need to turn on the light - more sunlight. The natural light made me ecstatic.

Of course, I drove home for lunch and the day was GORGEOUS.

I spent the afternoon thinking how it would be summer in no time and by the way, seems awfully HOT in here. The weather didn't seem to say it was a freak 80-degree day or anything like that (was only 66?) and so I looked at the thermostat in my office.

77F! Holy cow.

Considering that we keep our house between 60 and 68, this time of year, it was a little hot to say the least. It started to feel humid, which was when I noticed. Thermostat is all messed up - I turned on the air.

Of course, if this sunny weather keeps up, we won't need to run the heat at home. I don't think we did the last 2 days. Thermostat maybe said 64 when I woke up and 68 when I went to bed, yesterday. The sun naturally warms the house a bit.

Well, I am not a fan of a humid 77 degrees in doors, but I do admit it lifted my spirits. Made me feel like it was closer to May than February. Wink

9 more weeks of tax season? Closer to May is good for my sanity. So, I wish!

Posted in Just Thinking | 1 Comments »

1 Responses to “Good Grief!”

pretty cheap jewelry Says:
February 10th, 2012 at 03:49 am 1328845798
1328845798

yep, it was a crazy near 80 here. Gotta get in our heads THIS is the summer weather and in July is the SPRING stuff so stop trying to go to the beach in JULY!!! dagnabbit

hee hee just noticed your **personal** goal to wear earrings everyday. Hope it is getting accomplished. Mascara here almost 50% of the time, a little blush too. Really does make an improvement, gotta keep it up myself.

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Good Grief!

1 Responses to “Good Grief!”

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