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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.

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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

The Longest Week...

September 6th, 2018 at 02:07 pm

Having had like the worst year of my life, and more challenges than I ever remember... I was so utterly unprepared for how HARD this week would be. WOW!

I really thought that Tuesday would be my hump day. Wanted to cross off my last big project at work and I also had a really big job interview. All of that went well. Phew!

Wednesday, I had a phone interview. So now I have a second interview with them next week. (They wanted to do it today!) & I have third interview with tech startup next week. If I had to choose between these two jobs, it would be really really hard.

I then started blowing off everyone after that because I was just DROWNING. Got another callback. Thankfully they were mellow about me putting them off to next week. It was a recruiter that is handling the hiring, and most recruiters have been pretty obnoxious and impatient. Everyone needs someone who can start like yesterday. (& I totally understand if they had replied with, "You don't have 5 minutes?? You applied for the job!" But no, I don't have 5 minutes. I have absolutely reached my limit for this week).

Yesterday I started telling all my "easy" clients that I am leaving. The ones who have been pretty sheltered from our office drama and I didn't think would ask me a million questions. I had to make one difficult call because I need some information to finish up and they aren't getting it to me. Thankfully, they had it to me (the info) within hours of this call. Phew! But that one was very hard.

By 4:00 I Was pretty exhausted on every front, and started packing up my office a bit. I think the combo of that and telling clients made it all just very real. I was a bit of a wreck after that. NO IDEA how I am going to do this for two more days.

New receptionist held all my calls yesterday and is so totally awesome. Phew!

Today is just going to be more of yesterday, but worse. Friday, I can't even...

On the "fake job" front:

--We have no janitor service (they weren't paid) and that means we are almost out of toilet paper. New receptionist was writing e-mails about that. I told her to cc: me. My unemployment claim is a total slam dunk at this point. I have reams of ridiculous e-mails about unpaid bills and how desperate we are for staff (the staffing issues go back to March).

--I have still not heard one peep about my resignation. I think these people are done pretending. Could you even imagine resigning from a company and not even getting a response? For a high level/professional position you held for 16 years prior?

Whatever, this certainly helps my unemployment claim. I didn't have any time for their drama anyway. I am personally fine with it and never expected anything different. But it is just so completely ridiculous. I didn't even get a fake nicey nice e-mail about, "Sorry to see you go." That is the part I am surprised about.

I think it probably never occurred to them that I quit without another job lined up, so they aren't bothering to pretend like I have no other choice. I think also they are kind of moronic and have no idea what they are doing anyway. (If I file an unemployment claim, I honestly don't think they have the experience or organization to fight it). But if they wanted to make my life more difficult, they would pretend like they don't want me to go or that I could transfer to another office or something.

Posted in Just Thinking | 5 Comments »

5 Responses to “The Longest Week...”

snafu Says:
September 6th, 2018 at 05:22 pm 1536250936
1536250936

I'm so sorry that your departure is filled with drama. I hope you will stay firm on your rights and employers obligation to reimburse previous expenditures, pay your last week's salary, vacation days accrued and the myriad of small sums deducted for the period extending after September 7th. If you have a relative, friend, neighbour of former client that's a lawyer, I suggest engaging to write a letter that you initially prepare, to add emphasis to your expectation. Since the firm was sold, have you been functioning as a contractor rather than an employee? Can you take a deduction for sums spent?

If you believe the business will close, can super receptionist prepare some type of document that will suffice for IRS filing next April ?

Sending best wishes for a pleasant, satisfying final two days.
rob62521 Says:
September 6th, 2018 at 08:21 pm 1536261672
1536261672

My heart goes out to you. It sounds like you are so overwhelmed as well emotionally, physically, and spiritually spent. Hang on...just a few more days. You know you are leaving with dignity, even if your "fake" employer isn't responding or acknowledging what you are doing. You have more character than these morons.

Prayers for peace and sanity for you.
debtfreeme Says:
September 6th, 2018 at 09:52 pm 1536267136
1536267136

I am so sorry you are experiencing this. I had something very similar when I left the place I've worked for 10+ years just a couple of weeks ago. It was so hard when it happened but it goes to show I wasn't respected for the work that I did. YOU leaving on our own rules is amazing.
MonkeyMama Says:
September 7th, 2018 at 04:42 am 1536291770
1536291770

Thanks everyone!

@snafu - the business itself is very large and I am sure is fine, but they just clearly have no intention of keeping our office open. (I have the records that I need for IRS).

I am just an employee. I am still an employee so haven't said anything on that front, but a lawyer will most likely be consulted. I am not owed any money, that said. (I can't say with 100% confidence that I won't be owed money). I think it's most likely my final paycheck will not be received on my final day. It will probably be received, but just not very timely. That is crazy stupid and expensive in my state. What I don't know is: will they give me my freaking paycheck when I demand it or if they are too cash strapped to just hope I don't file a complaint with the labor board. I am also not entirely sure they are aware of the labor laws, based on other "nothing to do with cash flow" infractions I have dealt with. Will see...
VS_ozgirl Says:
September 7th, 2018 at 08:54 am 1536306866
1536306866

MonkeyMama hang in there, this too will pass and you will be on your way out of there before you can even blink. Good luck with your next employment role. By the way you did wonderfully well to be in the job for 16 years, hopefully you will be working for your next employer for a long time also 😊.

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Monkey Mama*s Monkey Money Blog

Over Prepare, Then Go With The Flow

The Longest Week...

5 Responses to “The Longest Week...”

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