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About Me:

Monkey Mama

Just a 47-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.

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
...($230 @ 8/31/24)
...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
MM YEAR 5

DL YEAR 1 ✔
DL YEAR 2 ✔
DL YEAR 3

[ ]$10,000 to savings
...($7,749 @ 10/31/24)
...$1,000/month, plus interest
...Topping off with snowballs

[ ]$7,500 to investments
...($4,786 @ 10/31/24)
...~~$350~~ $400/month, plus snowflakes
(Snowflakes: credit card rewards and dividends)
...Topping off with snowballs
...Note: Bumped up to $400 9/1, re: reduced food expenses

[ ]$2,025 to mortgage
...($0 @ 10/31/24)
...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% @ 10/31/24)
...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 @ 10/31/24)
...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.

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

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>
2023: +$ 90,000
TOTAL: +$570,000

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

Giving Blood - How About You?

September 15th, 2009 at 01:47 am

Paulette kicked my butt in gear.

http://pauletteg.savingadvice.com/2009/09/12/witterings-on-a...

Actually, it's a long story. But I stored blood for (my own) surgery at one point (age 16?) and realized that it wasn't so bad. So I signed up to donate, but alas, weighed too little. (I know - what problems to have!)

Of course, through storing my blood, I got on the list, and they used to call me all the time. & I had to repeatedly point out I didn't qualify. IT was actually rather obnoxious.

So at some point, post college, when I actually became a regular sized person, I decided to donate blood. I signed up 3 or 4 times over the years, but heck if anyone would call me back.

Doesn't that figure?

With time and distance it lost its appeal I guess. It doesn't sound terribly fun, though I've had times in my life where I was poked and prodded often, so I know it isn't the end of the world, and you get used to it.

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

So I read Paulette's post that she gave blood, and I tried again. Her post was just perfect timing. "Yeah, I should do that!" As I have said many times before.

My dh knowing my whole blood giving saga, just laughed when I told him. I told him I would show up uninvited if I had to, this time. He didn't seem so convinced. HE said, "Good luck with that."

So, I decided to skip Red Cross altogether. I decided maybe the issue was them - maybe they have more donors than they know what to do with. Maybe there is a mark on my record that I am uncooperative - because I kept telling them I weighed too little. I don't know!

I found the biggest supplier of blood in my region, and became even more convinced as I read on their website about how much giving blood saves lives, etc. I was also extra pleased it was only once every 8 weeks (at most). I didn't want to give blood like every week or something (something that stopped me in the past - not wanting them calling me incessantly, etc. I have low blood pressure, I faint easily, and I probably wouldn't want to do it any more than 6 times a year - no matter what the standards are. So I was rather relieved they weren't going to badger me to give blood every 2 weeks or anything like that. I just didn't know what to expect!).

So I did their little online form, and somebody immediately scheduled an appointment for me, tomorrow.

Boy, that was 10 years in the making...

I thought I would try to convince dh to give blood. I thought he may be hard to convince, but he was like, whatever.

Well, that was too easy. Paulette unexpectedly spurred me to action, I thought I would do the same here.

& I feel good knowing that it was so needed. Clearly, the need is there. I didn't expect I would be doing it TOMORROW! No time to get cold feet, eh?

Who's next?

Posted in Just Thinking | 11 Comments »

11 Responses to “Giving Blood - How About You?”

creditcardfree Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 01:53 am 1252976028
1252976028

Thanks to you and Paulette for giving blood! I'm one of those people who has little veins, can't stand people poking at me, faints when I have to give blood in a standing or sitting position. I have to say I felt a little nausetated hearing about it in your blog post as well! My fault for reading. But thank you!!
monkeymama Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 01:56 am 1252976182
1252976182

I understand - that's why it is so important for those less squeamish to "Just Do IT!!!" I actually do not have fainting issues with giving blood itself, and I have really good veins. Which helps. They always get so excited when they see my veins - but also means it is very easy on me. If it's a good nurse/worker, I won't even feel a thing. (Here's to hoping I get someone good).

I wouldn't give blood if I had roly poly veins - I've heard stories and seen the bruises. Ouch! Nor if the sight of blood made me sick.
monkeymama Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 02:26 am 1252977971
1252977971

P.S. I just realized I probably thought one should give blood more often because I did for my surgery. They should have told me that was unique! I probably did give blood 2-3 times a month before surgery, because you can only store it so long.
Jazzmint98 Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 04:24 am 1252985082
1252985082

Mmmm....no thanks! I have the exact same issues that CCF does. It's great that you were able to donate blood though.
kimiko Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 05:10 am 1252987816
1252987816

The blood drive at my local library even offers free AMC theater ticket. Unfortunately I can't give blood, or rather too scare to give blood. I had to go for blood test twice in my life and both time the nurses had such a difficult time locating my veil that they punctured all sort of places causing massive brusing. One even entertain the idea of taking blood through the veins on top of my hand. My dad has the same problem. The weird thing is that we both have very light, translucence skin. So translucence that you can see numerous blue veins running underneath. Yet the nurses can't find one to draw from on the first try.
zetta Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 06:41 am 1252993269
1252993269

My mom scores all kinds of freebies from giving blood -- t-shirts, free soup plantation meals, movie tickets, etc. So check out the various places that host regular bloodmobile drives -- you often don't even need an appt for those.

I used to give blood a lot but have been out of the habit since kids came along.
FrugalFish Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 02:49 pm 1253022592
1253022592

Good for you. Here's hoping it will be an easy and satisfying experience!

DH is a universal donor (do they even use whole blood anymore?) so he use to give whenever asked. He has had less than a stellar experience with Red Cross over the years. One of the most annoying things is that we live in one county and he works in another, and RC would not allow him to register in his work county, so he has not been able to donate blood for a couple of years now. Ugh, politics...

Good luck and enjoy your juice and cookies!
monkeymama Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 03:22 pm 1253024557
1253024557

I was a "universal donor" but they no longer universally donate any type of blood. So they don't call it that any more. (I just learned this yesterday, myself - that I am no longer universal!)
dmontngrey Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 07:18 pm 1253038719
1253038719

I don't mind giving, but we haven't been in almost two years now. Sad, but we just can't fit the appointments in our schedule!! I know that's a horrible excuse, but I always find out about the ones we could have gone to AFTER the fact. Why can't they advertise all blood drives on givelife.org? They seem to be missing quite a few in my area for some reasons.
debtfreeme Says:
September 15th, 2009 at 07:49 pm 1253040542
1253040542

I give blood every 8 weeks. Our agency brings in the local blood source people and they bring in their big mobile unit. It is so satisfying to be able to do it and I feel so good once it is done.

There is a type of infection I have never been exposed to making my blood O-negative, negative. They can give it to premature babies and infants needing surgery or transfusions. Hearing that the second time i gave years ago made it an easy decision to do. I bring my i pod and watch a movie or frontline episode while helping someone else.
nmboone Says:
September 16th, 2009 at 07:45 am 1253083544
1253083544

I'm one of those people who can't give because I don't weigh enough! I'm tiny!

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Giving Blood - How About You?

11 Responses to “Giving Blood - How About You?”

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