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About Me:

Monkey Mama

Just a 48-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. We've always saved 100% of MH's income, but we are starting to dial that down a bit in 2023-2025.

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.

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

2026 Goals

[ ]Small monthly Charitable Contribution
...($32 @ 2/28/26)
...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.
...#3 I don't understand why I would find student loan interest rates to be useful, as a middle class person with a high credit score. Would do better to borrow money from anywhere else. I think point #2 is more my 'hells no' reason, but this is my 'I don't get it' reason.

DL YEAR 1 ✔
DL YEAR 2 ✔
DL YEAR 3 ✔
DL YEAR 4
DL Teaching Credential

MM YEARS 1-5 ✔

[ ]$10,000 to savings
...(-$4,960** @ 3/31/26)
...$1,000/month, plus interest
...Topping off with snowballs
**Yes, that's a negative! 2026 started out rough, with some large emergency expenses.

[ ]$7,500 to investments
...($1,140 @ 3/31/26)
...$300/month, plus snowflakes
(Snowflakes: credit card rewards and dividends)
...Topping off with snowballs

[ ]$1,500 to mortgage
...($0 @ 3/31/26)
...Topping off with snowballs and/or excess cash
...Keeps us on track with $10K principal paydown per year

Taxable Investing/Saving rate is 14%.

[/]9% of household income to work retirement plans
...(9% @ 3/31/26)
...This is the minimum for the match; I'd otherwise rather fund IRAs.

[ ]$0 to IRAs 2026
**STRETCH GOAL $17,200 (MAX)**
...($0 @ 3/31/26)
...This seems pointless, other than the 'unexpected money' factor.
...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 2025 taxes. In addition to that, can make a more informed decision based on our financial and tax situation for the entire year.

Total investing/savings rate is 23%. Making progress on dialing this down from 30%.

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

**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**

As of 2026, our primary goal is just to contribute enough to retirement to receive employer match (9%).

~~Have decided to pretty much stay the course. Keep saving 20%+ to retirement. This means taking 401K match & maxing out IRAs.~~

Pre Financial Independence:

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.

Post Financial Independence:

I wish I could contribute 0% to retirement (age 50+). But that free company match... Just to be clear why we are dipping below that magic 10% number at this point in our lives. We are done saving for retirement and are letting the investments (and employer contributions) do the hard work.

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

Debt: $65,000 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
2024: +$ 95,000
2025: +$115,000
TOTAL: +$780,000

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."}

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

My Pages

Archives

Array
(
    [May 2026] => /2026/05/
    [Apr 2026] => /2026/04/
    [Mar 2026] => /2026/03/
    [Feb 2026] => /2026/02/
    [Jan 2026] => /2026/01/
    [Dec 2025] => /2025/12/
    [Nov 2025] => /2025/11/
    [Oct 2025] => /2025/10/
    [Sep 2025] => /2025/09/
    [Aug 2025] => /2025/08/
    [Jul 2025] => /2025/07/
    [Jun 2025] => /2025/06/
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    [Dec 2023] => /2023/12/
    [Nov 2023] => /2023/11/
    [Oct 2023] => /2023/10/
    [Sep 2023] => /2023/09/
    [Aug 2023] => /2023/08/
    [Jul 2023] => /2023/07/
    [Jun 2023] => /2023/06/
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    [Mar 2023] => /2023/03/
    [Feb 2023] => /2023/02/
    [Jan 2023] => /2023/01/
    [Dec 2022] => /2022/12/
    [Nov 2022] => /2022/11/
    [Oct 2022] => /2022/10/
    [Sep 2022] => /2022/09/
    [Aug 2022] => /2022/08/
    [Jul 2022] => /2022/07/
    [Jun 2022] => /2022/06/
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    [Apr 2022] => /2022/04/
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    [Feb 2022] => /2022/02/
    [Jan 2022] => /2022/01/
    [Dec 2021] => /2021/12/
    [Nov 2021] => /2021/11/
    [Oct 2021] => /2021/10/
    [Sep 2021] => /2021/09/
    [Aug 2021] => /2021/08/
    [Jul 2021] => /2021/07/
    [Jun 2021] => /2021/06/
    [May 2021] => /2021/05/
    [Apr 2021] => /2021/04/
    [Mar 2021] => /2021/03/
    [Feb 2021] => /2021/02/
    [Jan 2021] => /2021/01/
    [Dec 2020] => /2020/12/
    [Nov 2020] => /2020/11/
    [Oct 2020] => /2020/10/
    [Sep 2020] => /2020/09/
    [Aug 2020] => /2020/08/
    [Jul 2020] => /2020/07/
    [Jun 2020] => /2020/06/
    [May 2020] => /2020/05/
    [Apr 2020] => /2020/04/
    [Mar 2020] => /2020/03/
    [Feb 2020] => /2020/02/
    [Jan 2020] => /2020/01/
    [Dec 2019] => /2019/12/
    [Nov 2019] => /2019/11/
    [Oct 2019] => /2019/10/
    [Apr 2019] => /2019/04/
    [Mar 2019] => /2019/03/
    [Feb 2019] => /2019/02/
    [Jan 2019] => /2019/01/
    [Dec 2018] => /2018/12/
    [Nov 2018] => /2018/11/
    [Oct 2018] => /2018/10/
    [Sep 2018] => /2018/09/
    [Aug 2018] => /2018/08/
    [Jul 2018] => /2018/07/
    [Jun 2018] => /2018/06/
    [May 2018] => /2018/05/
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    [Dec 2017] => /2017/12/
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    [Oct 2017] => /2017/10/
    [Sep 2017] => /2017/09/
    [Aug 2017] => /2017/08/
    [Jul 2017] => /2017/07/
    [Jun 2017] => /2017/06/
    [May 2017] => /2017/05/
    [Apr 2017] => /2017/04/
    [Mar 2017] => /2017/03/
    [Feb 2017] => /2017/02/
    [Jan 2017] => /2017/01/
    [Dec 2016] => /2016/12/
    [Nov 2016] => /2016/11/
    [Oct 2016] => /2016/10/
    [Sep 2016] => /2016/09/
    [Aug 2016] => /2016/08/
    [Jul 2016] => /2016/07/
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    [Dec 2015] => /2015/12/
    [Nov 2015] => /2015/11/
    [Oct 2015] => /2015/10/
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    [Aug 2015] => /2015/08/
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    [Jan 2015] => /2015/01/
    [Dec 2014] => /2014/12/
    [Nov 2014] => /2014/11/
    [Oct 2014] => /2014/10/
    [Sep 2014] => /2014/09/
    [Aug 2014] => /2014/08/
    [Jul 2014] => /2014/07/
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    [Mar 2014] => /2014/03/
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    [Jan 2014] => /2014/01/
    [Dec 2013] => /2013/12/
    [Nov 2013] => /2013/11/
    [Oct 2013] => /2013/10/
    [Sep 2013] => /2013/09/
    [Aug 2013] => /2013/08/
    [Jul 2013] => /2013/07/
    [Jun 2013] => /2013/06/
    [May 2013] => /2013/05/
    [Apr 2013] => /2013/04/
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    [Sep 2012] => /2012/09/
    [Aug 2012] => /2012/08/
    [Jul 2012] => /2012/07/
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    [Sep 2011] => /2011/09/
    [Aug 2011] => /2011/08/
    [Jul 2011] => /2011/07/
    [Jun 2011] => /2011/06/
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    [Apr 2011] => /2011/04/
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    [Feb 2011] => /2011/02/
    [Jan 2011] => /2011/01/
    [Dec 2010] => /2010/12/
    [Nov 2010] => /2010/11/
    [Oct 2010] => /2010/10/
    [Sep 2010] => /2010/09/
    [Aug 2010] => /2010/08/
    [Jul 2010] => /2010/07/
    [Jun 2010] => /2010/06/
    [May 2010] => /2010/05/
    [Apr 2010] => /2010/04/
    [Mar 2010] => /2010/03/
    [Feb 2010] => /2010/02/
    [Jan 2010] => /2010/01/
    [Dec 2009] => /2009/12/
    [Nov 2009] => /2009/11/
    [Oct 2009] => /2009/10/
    [Sep 2009] => /2009/09/
    [Aug 2009] => /2009/08/
    [Jul 2009] => /2009/07/
    [Jun 2009] => /2009/06/
    [May 2009] => /2009/05/
    [Apr 2009] => /2009/04/
    [Mar 2009] => /2009/03/
    [Feb 2009] => /2009/02/
    [Jan 2009] => /2009/01/
    [Dec 2008] => /2008/12/
    [Nov 2008] => /2008/11/
    [Oct 2008] => /2008/10/
    [Sep 2008] => /2008/09/
    [Aug 2008] => /2008/08/
    [Jul 2008] => /2008/07/
    [Jun 2008] => /2008/06/
    [May 2008] => /2008/05/
    [Apr 2008] => /2008/04/
    [Mar 2008] => /2008/03/
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    [Nov 2007] => /2007/11/
    [Oct 2007] => /2007/10/
    [Sep 2007] => /2007/09/
    [Aug 2007] => /2007/08/
    [Jul 2007] => /2007/07/
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    [Dec 2006] => /2006/12/
    [Nov 2006] => /2006/11/
    [Oct 2006] => /2006/10/
    [Sep 2006] => /2006/09/
)

Sites I Enjoy

My Blog Stats

Date Started: Sep 14, 2006
Entries: 3,008
Comments: 8,229
Total Visits: 17,241,684

Home > Credit Card Reward Deal

Credit Card Reward Deal

April 15th, 2015 at 07:57 pm

See link for $20 Amazon offer, if you have an American Express card:

http://www.creditcardwatcher.com/amex-offers-get-20-off-20-a...

We were able to redeem $40 because we have two logins for the same American Express card. Woohoo!

Posted in Credit Card & Bank Rewards | 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Credit Card Reward Deal”

ceejay74 Says:
April 15th, 2015 at 09:26 pm 1429133199
1429133199

Darn! I checked and I'm not being offered that reward. Not one of the chosen ones. Ah well.
Buendia Says:
April 15th, 2015 at 10:43 pm 1429137822
1429137822

I checked, too - it's not on my rewards either... but there is a $10 back if you spend $40 at Pharmaca. Don't know if I will... but it's good until 6/24.
LivingAlmostLarge Says:
April 15th, 2015 at 11:30 pm 1429140627
1429140627

Not being offered either. darn
creditcardfree Says:
April 15th, 2015 at 11:47 pm 1429141622
1429141622

Awesome! We each have them on our Amex cards. Not sure what I need to buy right now, but will keep it in mind.
MonkeyMama Says:
April 16th, 2015 at 12:35 am 1429144525
1429144525

Bummer that more did not get it!
CB in the City Says:
April 16th, 2015 at 01:09 pm 1429189775
1429189775

Me neither! But I'm not exactly a loyal customer.

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

Credit Card Reward Deal

6 Responses to “Credit Card Reward Deal”

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