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Usually I have goals with measurable results and I achieve maybe half of them? So for 2018 I tried to really analyze why goals succeeded or failed, and come up with ones I was sure to meet, and enjoy meeting.

Well, the results were not what I expected. Over the year I ended up abandoning most of them and doing some other equally awesome things. Basically, my focus and priorities changed. It was still one of my favorite years, but I don’t like the feeling that I didn’t meet...
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I'm ready for 2019. We've ended in a good place.

The tenant didn't the rent before going to Poland and it didn't wreak havoc on our financial life. The 12/28 paycheck covered everything and a $250 tuition payment for 1/11. The tenant did contact us and will pay on 1/7. And again on 1/20. In our old life this would have caused major headache and heartache and juggling. Now, not so much.

My grandmother passed away in October, and that is still a very sore subject. ...
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My FIL picked up a bunch of misc items for sale for us! It's hard to find the regular price for a lot of the stuff at Walmart as they don't print it on the receipt, but I did my best looking it up.



Camp Forks (Bought 10)
Regular Price $4.17
Our Price + Tax = $1.60 each
(Marked $3.00 each for rummage sale)
*ETA - Sold 4 for $3.00 each on FB on 3/25/19

Girls Athletica Tennies (Bought 12)
Regular Price $14.87
Our Price + Tax = $3.20 each
(Marked $8.00 each for...
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Hi, everyone.

I am creating a Financial Plan for 2019, not a resolution. I have found resolutions to be too wishy-washy and not specific enough. For example, a lot of people say they want to lose weight or get out of debt, but there is no follow up or plan behind that. The goals must be achievable, measurable, and have a date or “ongoing” attached. So, here is my plan with notes on the steps needed to accomplish it.

1) Purchase a used car with saved funds and tax refund...
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It was a pretty slow week for sales with the Christmas holiday here. I still had 5 people pick up 8 items, for a total of $141.50!!

Sale #1100 (CC) $110.00
Beats Pill Speaker - I paid $84.73
Sold for $110.00
Profit = $25.27

Sale #1101 (JB) $15.00
Zumba Set (Joint with my FIL) - We paid $5.33
Sold for $15.00
Profit = $9.67

Sale #1102 (FMO) $8.00
Organic Face Mask (2) (Joint with my Mom) - Free After EB
Sold for $4.00 each
Profit = $8.00

Sale #1103 (DA) $4.50
Softsoap...
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Oh lordy, I wrote a long entry and then lost it.

Here's the short version:

My BFF has come and gone. We had a good time, and I spent a total of $67, which included gas, a new hat, kitchen items, gifts for the gift stash, one lunch out, and one movie.

I have been making lists of what I would like to do around the house next year, and here is what I came up with:

Sort old pictures.
Repair and paint a chair, paint a footstool and a shelf.
Organize papers.
Get dining...
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Assets:
NT's UK pensions:
AV: 17,967 pounds ($22,459)
SW: 28,134 pounds ($35,168)
FL: 6,462 pounds ($8,078)
NT's 401(k): $65,000
NT's Roth IRA: $28,427
AS's trad. IRA: $17,592
AS's Roth IRA: $45,967
AS's SEP IRA: $31,914
CJ's 401(k): $119,579
CJ's Roth IRA: $32,096
NT's flat: $212,500 (200,000 pounds value x1.25 -15%)
CJ/NT/AS house: $427,281 ($454,554 value -6%)
---
TOTAL ASSETS: $1,046,061

Debts:
US Mortgage $383,174
Loan from friends (duplex) $9,000
UK Mortgage...
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We are leaving in less than 2 weeks to go to California for the weekend and spend time with my three wonderful nieces and their boyfriends/husbands! So excited, and so is F who really looks up to her older cousins. We are staying with K and her husband S who just got married in October (we missed the wedding, and that's why we're going out there - we get to spend a lot more time with them than just a few hours at the reception with 200 other people, so I'm glad).

Next trip...
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This is just a really quick overview:

Wins:
Fully funded Roth and 403B

Saved $27,200 in cash (I use this to pay yearly property taxes, car insurance, Condo Insurance and just keep a very large emergency fund)

Earned $1475 through Swagbucks

Fail? Not sure I would really categorize this as a fail, but I tried an experiment for 2018 to see if I could keep my monthly spending below $1000 per month. As a note, my condo and car are both paid in full. I successfully stayed...
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Well last year they sold our house and we got new owners and new landlords...and everything has been good...well I was sick and trying to get the bills paid etc before christmas...I stupidly pay our water bill to the old account and not the new one...didn't know till we got an email saying it was late and I went back and checked it...well I made the mistake so paid the account in full to the new owners and have to wait till the 6th jan to contact the other group to get our money...
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New Year's Eve and I have one resolution, which is to not drink caffeine (on my 5th day) and one financial goal, which is to reach nzd10,000 in my EF. But we'll see about plans for 2019 after I get back. India has a wonderful way of putting things into perspective.
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Wow one day left in this year. It's my oldest sister's birthday also. We drove to town to drop off my daughter's family's laundry, then over to visit the widow for a while. We stayed too long and were really hungry once we headed home.

We decided to stop and get some lunch meat to make sandwiches after deciding against stopping at a local sandwich shop. We stopped at Costco and got roast beef and sliced cheese, and some hummus that was super cheap and a discontinued Fitbit...
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So we got stuff from every store this time. First time I have had the energy to do so. Not all in one day. We did this in two days, Friday and Sunday. There is still a limit to what my body can tolerate even on a good day with the rheumatiod arthritis.

Our first stop was Winco where I spent $143.60 and purchased the following:

1 bag of hamburger patties (20 ct)
1 bag frozen corn on the cob (4 ct)
1 5 lb bag of French fries
1 5 lb bag of Tater Tots
1 quart of Strawberry...
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$268.74 Tithe
_400.00 Grocery Envelope
__75.00 Household Envelope
_900.00 Dental Crown
__61.74 Life Insurance DH
__60.46 Life Insurance Me
_100.00 Blow Money Adults
_120.00 Allowances
_500.00 Monster Mom Loan Payment
-----------
2485.94 Total Money Out

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Wins: 1. Decrease in debt (I’ll calculate the total on Jan 1), but good progress. 2. Good retirement savings contributions (13% withholding + 3% company annual contribution plus a nice annual profit-sharing-plan contribution from the company totaling close to 15k. Also, contributing nearly 8% to HSA & LPFSA for additional tax-deferral. 3. Made some progress on reducing a few recurring expenses—changed trash hauling services, changed individual disability policy, cut a...
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This is my second entry into the blog.
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So this week is pay week to say that I am excited is beyond belief....I love payday to see everything being paid and savings grow a little each month but this year I have some set goals that I want to achieve and I am looking forward to starting them this week..I know it may sound silly to some...but it's the little things in life that make me happy.

So here is wishing everyone a great..safe and prosperous new years...may all your goals be achievable
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Overall, I cannot complain too loudly on my losses, although I'm not sure I have too much to credit myself.

Wins:

Saved money by canning/freezing. We eat many meals at home.

Christmas was paid for with cash -- no outstanding debt. I made quite a few gifts.

We had a couple of home improvement projects which we had saved for and paid for in cash.

We still live below our means.

House and second vehicle are paid for.

Fortunately we did not have to touch any retirement...
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Earlier this year, I wanted to downsize my job from full-time to part-time, and I wanted to see if I could cover most or all of my ongoing living expenses working part-time.

The answer is YES, I covered 96% of my expenses, which this year totaled just $38,822. There was a shortfall of about $1,600.

UPDATE: The agency paid me my last paycheck for 2018 on 12/31; the paycheck was late because my boss failed to sign off on my timesheet on time with the holidays and all. So that...
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I decided to put up my 2019 goals on sidebar. Which are pretty much the same as 2018, except that my $12,000 salary decrease means that we will have to fund IRAs from other monies.

Our health insurance went up $50/month and I may have some more expenses with the third car, BUT I already lowered our expectations about funding IRAs, so just didn't want to cut back on any of our other savings. So I probably committed to saving at least $50/month I don't have, but I suppose I...
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