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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
...($6,653 @ 4/30/24)
...$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% @ 4/30/24)
...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

Vertigo

January 10th, 2007 at 10:41 pm

Feeling so stressed today.

Hubby has vertigo. What would we do without our moms, eh? She calls last night, talks to him, tells him to go to the doc ASAP - he has an inner ear infection. Since he's been sick I figure he is just sick. But he goes in today and he has vertigo - most likely brought on by virus. Cure is hopefully 2 days of lots of sleep. So wasn't inner ear but might as well be.

So I am home again. I made the mistake (or good choice) of checking my work e-mails and voice mails. Mind you I was at work until noon yesterday, so it had been less than 24 hours and it was like everything imploded. My office can not function without me (good and bad?) and client issues left and right. Plus my laptop was having technical difficulties and so I sat baby in front of the t.v. for over an hour and ignored him while I served him lunch - hoping being strapped down and fed would pacify him. Just to put out some of the fires. He is in his crib right now refusing to nap, but happy enough I guess.

Anyway, spent $50 on health copay today (twice this month already - oy vey!!!!). & probably around $15 in drugs because I went to get the drowsy dramamine so hubby can sleep but got the non-drowsy by mistake though we already have it out our ears - LOL. Going to try again later.

The good/bad is preschool can take Little Monkey Friday morning. Since this is not a regular preschool day may cost a lot of money and all for both kids, but if dh is not feeling well at least I can go to work in the morning. & probably work work work all weekend.

Oh well, dh is mandated to bed through tomorrow - and hopefully it helps/works.

Thinking fast food tonight. Between all the extra gas/driving, doctor visits, daycare, and my crappy cooking/tendency to get fast food, dh being sick is a pricey endeavor. But I really hope he is feeling better soon. I hear vertigo can be an ongoing issue. Hopefully the sleep and rest will kick it to the curb!

Posted in Just Thinking | 2 Comments »

2 Responses to “Vertigo”

debtfreeme Says:
January 10th, 2007 at 11:45 pm 1168472721
1168472721

Vertigo is actually caused by the hair of the inner ear having crystals on it of build up inside the ear canal.

Ask you doc for a physical therapy referral. I swear to go that any good PT will know exercises to teach him to make it go away and prevent it from happening. One major part is to shake the crystals off the hairs of the inner ear.

My mom fought this for months before they figured out what it was and what to do. The PT was the best thing ever!!
monkeymama Says:
January 11th, 2007 at 06:03 am 1168495392
1168495392

Yes - this is another possibility. But apparently the PT is not covered by our plan (or covered but would cost us a lot) and the doc said often sleeping it off if it is caused by virus helps - there are many different causes. Anyway, if the sleeping and resting doesn't work, that is the next step - I forget how long we had to wait it out - a couple of days or a couple of weeks!

So for now I am hoping it doesn't come to that but we the doc mentioned that already. But thanks!!!

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Vertigo

2 Responses to “Vertigo”

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