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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

Kudos and Shout-Outs

February 11th, 2007 at 03:25 pm

Just wanted to say thank you to LuckyRobin & Living-In-Oz

I finally got off my lazy butt and made headway on the house this weekend.

First - I mentioned I had to replace the shower curtain, and extra annoying since it is an odd size. I just mentioned this offhand.

& Living-in-Oz replied:
"Just a household hint, you can put the shower curtain in the washer with a little detergent, bleach, and a few white towels and it comes out very clean. Put it into the dryer on the lowest heat setting for 5 MINUTES(no more or it will melt) and it will come out perfect! I hardly ever buy new shower curtains anymore because this works so well."

So I gave it a try yesterday. I brought down the filthy shower curtain and was a little skeptical. I was lucky I happened to glance a folded white towel on the floor because I Didn't think we had any - was going to use a bunch of white rags, but then remembered we have a pile of white towels in the baby's room - we had used them over the changing pad to protect the pad from poop and such - hehe. So we had a big pile of white towels in there. So I tossed it all the wash and watched it go for a while. I decided hot water should be fine. So I Watched it skeptically for a while and walked away. I put it on super heavy wash settings. An hour later pulled it out, and clean as a whistle. It was AMAZING. Sure I am happy I do not have to go track down this particular sized shower curtain but I am even happier that I do not have to throw that hunk of plastic in the landfill. I am so pleased. Now I wish I could throw the bath tub in the wash too. LOL. I skipped the dryer, the last thing I needed was to leave it in too long and ruin my dryer and my curtain, but was fine, just hung it back up in the shower to dry. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

& then I was ranting about static cling and LuckyRobin posted this:
"Okay, this will sound weird but it works. Clean the hairbrush
completely out so there is no hair or dust in it at all, then wash it in the
dishwasher in the silverware holder. When it is done and dry again,
lightly spray it with a fine solution of non-stick cooking spray or olive
oil (I ususally use olive oil in a spray pump) and let it dry. Works
for me, I do it about once a month during the winter. If the brush acts
up again during the month, just lightly spray it again and let it dry
before you use it."

I had been meaning to give my hair brush and comb a good wash anyway but had never thought to put it in the wash. so I did last night. I haven't tried it yet, but I am pleased to have something to fight the static cling. We'll see. Thank you too!!!!!

I actually have gotten lots of great tips - just not enough hours in the day to try them all. But these were both pretty big so had to share. That reminds me, that e-mail dinner subscription thing did not really appeal to me but I mentioned it to dh and he actually sounded like he might like it. We will probably try a free trial then. I did notice when looking at the sample menus that even though I Feel like we cook a wide variety of food, we have a very spanish flair to our food. Lots of onions and peppers and corn, etc., bUT I was looking at these sample menus and they had piles of veggies I never even heard of. LOL. No, I think it could be good to widen the variety in our diet. Well, we'll see, will keep you updated.

Oh - found the link - http://www.savingdinner.com/

Posted in | 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Kudos and Shout-Outs”

zetta Says:
February 11th, 2007 at 04:40 pm 1171212006
1171212006

Just thought of an alternative to the subscription -- see if your library carries Saving Dinner or Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way. The books are by the same person who does the subscription, and include a full year of menus and shopping lists. The subscription has more variety of veggies in the side dish suggestions and some other perks, but a book from the library is free.
boomeyers Says:
February 11th, 2007 at 06:19 pm 1171217964
1171217964

You can also subscribe to her FREE newsletter and she gives free advice and receipes each month to your inbox!
living_in_oz Says:
February 11th, 2007 at 06:36 pm 1171218967
1171218967

Oh I'm so glad it worked out for you! I can't take the credit for the idea...it came from my Mom. She's a tightwad like me and she's always experimenting with cost cutting ideas. Some work and some don't. This one is a keeper, though
LuckyRobin Says:
February 12th, 2007 at 06:48 am 1171262923
1171262923

You're welcome. It's the only thing that works on my hair right now. Just crazy static otherwise.
threebeansalad Says:
February 13th, 2007 at 01:23 am 1171329837
1171329837

Who-hoo! I just read the tip on cleaning the shower curtain. I'm going to try this with mine! I spray, scruub, wash WHATEVER and it still gets mildewy. This is a great alternative! I don't have white towels, either. I wonder if it would work with a bunch of white t-shirts?
monkeymama Says:
February 13th, 2007 at 05:39 am 1171345162
1171345162

I am sure it would be fine threebean. Towels maybe a little heavier - just trying to balance the load a bit - depends on your washer...

The static cling is coming back - I don't know. Grrrrrr. More cooking spray I guess...

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Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Kudos and Shout-Outs

6 Responses to “Kudos and Shout-Outs”

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