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So I feel like I have grown a lot with many of the people on the board. My life has gotten significantly different and changed and I'm thrilled to have read about your lives as well. It's amazing to see people's lives and know that though we haven't meet I feel like I've been given a front row seats to important events in your lives. Anyone who reads this certainly has been given a front row seat to my life. Anyway thanks CCF. I have read about your girls since 2006ish and I...
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That is not my word of the year, but the description that popped into my mind when thinking about our retirement growth this year.

We ended 2018 with a balance of $488,534.97. Those funds along with contributions grew to a final total of $660,822.27!!

That is $172,287.30 change in ONE year!! Yes, expansion!

We contributed $13,000 to Roth IRAs in 2019 and $10,657.56 to my husband's TSP (Thrift Savings Plan). Or in total $23,657.56.

Not too shabby! Wouldn't we all...
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I dragged myself to the doctor on Monday and after 4 days on antibiotics and prednisone, I am starting to see a minor improvement. I had some wheezing in my upper chest, that wasn't quite bronchitis and a massive sinus infection. I waited too long to go, but I always think it is just a cold that never leaves. I am sleeping a lot, but in fits and starts. That's the prednisone. It always messes up sleep. I am starting to get a little strength back though, and my desire for...
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Yesterday was a no-spend and eat from the freezer day. We needed something simple and lighter after all the holiday food. I made potato leek soup with frozen leeks from last summer's CSA and some potatoes which were looking a little sad.

We did some cat sitting work, and I worked on my fill-in adjunct work. My DH is still really struggling with his cold, so he's just hanging on.

Today we drop off some gifts, and since it's DD's last "official" day of school holiday,...
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January is starting out well. Paid our mortgage bringing the balance to $112,730.75. I paid $100 towards the medical loan bringing the balance to $1,800. With husband's overtime from last week we have enough to pay $400 towards the construction loan bringing the balance to $3,550. Once the rest of my web income comes in I will have $400 to put towards the CC bringing the balance to $2,700!

Not bad for the first week of the month. Husband is taking off this weekend so we can...
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Cash/Liquid Savings:

$105 Animal Fund ($590)
$1,129 Escrow Fund ($690)
$1,100 EF ($1,000)
$1,665 Car Fund ($1,205)
$506 HSA

$4,505 Total Liquid Savings ($3,486)

Retirement:

$26,208 DH's 401K ($16,930)
$4,256 DH's IRA ($3,400)
$11,961 My IRA ($8,630)

$42,425 Total Retirement ($28,960)

Liabilities:

-$112,887 Mortgage (-$114,713)
-$3,100 Home CC (-$12,360)
-$3,950 Helitech Loan
-$1,900 Medical Loan


-$121,837 Total Liabilities (-$127,073) / -$8,950 Non-Mortgage Debt (-$12,360)


2019 Total Net Worth: -$74,907
2019 Net Worth without Mortgage: $37,980


Numbers in () are last year's figures for comparison.

Our retirement accounts went up quite a bit.

Liquid savings did not increase very much due to pregnancy and large medical bills.

We added 2 new debts this year but total unsecured debt is still less than last year so that's a win! Hopefully 2020 will be the year we are debt free again.
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CCF suggested this idea and I thought it would be fun. Post a comparison of where you were 10 years ago and where you are now, and talk about what happened in the interim. So here goes.

12/31/09: Total financial assets (not including home)
$395,673.73

12/31/19: Total financial assets (not including home)
$1,329,432.03

12/31/09 Mortgage balance: $92,285.99
12/31/19 Mortgage balance: $0.00

So our net worth went up by $1,026,044.29.

Major financial events of the...
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I went to Aldi yesterday and spent $58. $11 of that was for a snow broom. I've been aware that I needed to get one in order to sweep the roof of my taller car, so when I saw one at Aldi I grabbed it. It is a telescoping broom, which also has a swivel head. I assume it will make snow cleanup a lot easier on my car.

Variables are at 9%. Oh, and I ended up December with my variables at 82%. I don't think I reported that.

I was planning to go to a furniture store, but I...
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or payment #3 since the refinance.

My automatic payment of $407.58 has posted. The new principal balance is $36,806.23. I have now paid off more than 20% of the original balance.

Since the previous regularly scheduled payment, I managed to pay an extra $5,883.06.

The last payment date has moved up to 4/3/29; that is 9 years and 3 months to go.


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First payday of the year and I was able to put $838 onto the CC and put money into our ice/car & house accounts...went to the store and didn't even look at anything...I have a budget and I'm sticking to it..feeling good about this budget...here's hoping we all have success in reaching our goals!!
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Great day today.

I had the boys and they were pretty good. We made homemade pizza 🍕, and completed a few home work assignments. They opted to watching a cartoon/movie on Netflix. So that was our day.

I ended up not having a spend day. After the boys left, I finished up putting away a few of the Christmas items, straighten up the closet in the spare room, and moved the elliptical in my bedroom. I figured having the elliptical in my bedroom I’d be more likely to use...
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More good news. A few days ago, I bought a scratcher lottery ticket for $1.00 or $2.00. Today, I found out I won $10.00. So, I am adding $10.00 to the UFM total.
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I declared January was going to be UFMC success.

Blew it on the first day. I have, however, decided that my new approach to spending money is going to be buying better, but less.

My family was in need of new towels. I had some Kohl's cash to spend ($30) and I thought I'd use those funds toward that purchase. Certainly $30 should cover new towles for most of us (six). I fell in love the luxury bath sheets by Vera Wang. $25 for one! Their sale was buy one, get 50% off....
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I left the house only once yesterday, and that was to take a short walk to the mailbox. I was sending in a $2 payment to a Wells Fargo credit card I never use. I think I mistakenly used it for an Amazon purchase without realizing it. (Clicked on the wrong button.) I'm grateful that I got a paper bill, because otherwise I might never have realized I owed some money, and it would have exploded into a much bigger bill eventually, and a ding on my credit report.

I tried to pay...
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I am super far behind on logging new clearance items from my FIL. I am trying to log new orders as they come in so I don't get farther behind. This was a nice small haul so I was able to get it done and posted right away.

Anchor Hocking 30pc Glass Baking and Storage Set (Bought 1)
Regular Price $199.00
Final Price + Tax = $21.45
(Marked $50.00 for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold for $50.00 on FB on 2/23/20
Profit = $28.55

Pooparoo Toy (Bought 1)
Regular Price $14.88
Final...
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I have seen a couple people on here doing a 52 week challenge..not the coin one but actual savings one so I have decided to do the same this year....I'm not sure if I should do all savings for all accounts or just the house account...what do others do or think??
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Current Balance $16,660.00
+$120.00 FB Sales (Week of 12/22)
Balance $16,780.00

Local Savings $8145.00
GC Savings $490.00
Capital 360 Savings (US) $2695.00
Capital 360 Savings (Mom Loan Payback Account)$3100.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #1)$850.00
Capital 360 Savings (Rental Deposit Account #2)$1500.00
Total Savings = $16,780.00

52 Week Challenge
2020 Total = $0
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Only a few sales picked up this week, but they were good totals and moved some big and expensive items! Total sales for the week were $227.00!!

Sale #1598 (SS) $4.00
Bath & Body Foaming Hand Soap - I paid $2.80
Sold for $4.00 each
Profit = $1.20

Sale #1599 (JZ) $34.00
Bath & Body Foaming Hand Soap - I paid $2.80
Sold for $4.00 each
Profit = $1.20

Wonder Nation Kids Watches (2) (Joint with my FSIL) - We paid $1.07 each
Sold for $4.00 each
Profit = $5.86

Duracell...
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In response to CCF's idea, I've spent some time thinking about the last ten years of our financial life.

While we'd paid our mortgage down to $35,000, we used the small inheritance from my mom to pay it off. Our biggest expense is our property taxes.

We've had challenges--mostly the uncertain job market for my DH. But things seem to have settled down for him, and his contract has been extended out a year. This is the happiest he's been in a job, and also the best paid....
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