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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

Flat Tire

December 18th, 2011 at 12:40 am

Eh, thankfully it was only a minor inconvenience! We've actually had a good flat tire run. I had a car that seemed to get a flat tire every few months. Rolleyes It's funny how certain cars just attract certain trouble! But, in the end, it's been a long time since either one of us has gotten a flat tire. Phew!

I noticed it this morning when I tried to drive dh's car. I went to work today and so just put it back in the garage and took the van instead. I had a feeling dh would be too lazy to take care of it today, so I was relieved when he called to tell me I had the good tire iron. SO, he is out fixing it right now. (Who knows how long it was flat and if the tire is salvageable - it was flat all the way).

OF course, that tire was one that had a continuous slow leak and dh mentioned that was probably what happened. (For YEARS it had a VERY slow leak that no one could diagnose - we just made sure to fill it often). Anyway, that commented reminded me that it is not the same tire. "Um, it was the slow leak tire, but I just replaced the back tires a few months ago?"

Great! So the car has a rear driver side wheel jinx? See what I mean?

That said, our car repairs have been well below budget for the year (& for the decade?). A flat tire at home, when I don't need the car, is a pretty minor inconvenience in the scheme of things. If I have to have a flat, this is the way to do it. (Dh has nowhere to be for like 2 whole weeks, so why I thought he would be more lazy about it).

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Have you all seen these Christmas light glasses? They are so cool!!! All the christmas lights look like snowmen (& they have different shapes).

http://www.amazon.com/Snowman-Holiday-Glasses-Christmas-Ligh...

I had actually bought some after Christmas last year and had totally forgotten about them. What a FUN surprise when we got out all the Christmas lights and stuff.

Tonight we are going to wear them when we do the Christmas light rounds. I haven't used them on such a large scale - should be fun.

Posted in Just Thinking | 2 Comments »

2 Responses to “Flat Tire”

frugaltexan75 Says:
December 18th, 2011 at 04:27 am 1324182472
1324182472

Glad you caught the flat tire before leaving!
MonkeyMama Says:
December 19th, 2011 at 07:40 pm 1324323631
1324323631

Apparently a stick punctured the tire clean through? Oy vey!

Have to get a new tire. Figures!

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Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Flat Tire

2 Responses to “Flat Tire”

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