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Lots of and lots of that white stuff has fallen and even more is forecast this evening. We've had some warnings ahead of time and living in the country, we try to keep things stocked up and ready. DH has a small tractor (a little larger than a riding mower) and he put the plow on it and we bought diesel fuel. I had my first snow plow lesson this afternoon. I most certainly need more lessons and practice, but it was fun learning something different. I shoveled the walk and St. Bernadoodle...
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Another crazy year; feel like I'm still catching my breath from it. Financially, there were ups and downs. Personally and in the family, same thing. Let's see if I can recap everything...
Snapshot of the past three year-end reviews:
 



Assets:
YOY change:


2021: $1,579,801
 


2022: $1,801,176
+$221,375


2023: $1,939,211
+$138,035


2024: $2,109,218
+$170,007


 
 


Debt:
 


2021: $370,966
 


2022: $791,694
+$420,728


2023:...
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Anybody else trying to figure out their 2025 IRA strategies on a Saturday night?  Well, maybe this crowd would, but I admit this isn't something I would be normally doing.
And yet, here I am, with an open question for anyone who is reading:
I am considering using money from my Traditional IRA to contribute to my annual Roth IRA, starting this year.  The reason why is because money continues to be tight as I enter year 2 of my hope-it-will-continue-to-hold early retirement,...
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These were my goals for 2024.
1. Save $3,000 in IRAs
I ended up saving $3,500 in my IRA this year.
2. Save $2,500 in EF
With my benefit fundraiser and really scrimping we managed to add $20,000 to our EF this year!!!
I am still so thankful to my friends and family for their generosity. Unbelievable! 
3. Get & keep both checking account buffers at $1k each
Done
This was such a different year than normal with lots of events and changes. Tons of medical issues, the...
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Debts
Mortgage -$110,003.35 (-$981.02)Land Loan -$6,203.91 (-$804.46)
Savings
Roth IRAs +$37,306 (+$728)401K +$76,020 (+$2,444)Emergency Fund +$25,236  (+$5,689)Animal Fund +$1,903 (-$616)HSA +$3,244 (+$1,343)
Overall: +$11,373.48 (This is for September - December)
Sorry for the lack of updates! I tried to post several times and the website deleted my entry and I got frustrated. I've also been super busy.
I got another cardiac cath where they were unsuccessful in placing...
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Current net worth is 302,134.  Overall networth went up by 40,000.00 in 2024.
Goals for 2025
1. Add 3600.00 to my Roth.
2. I upped my contribution to my 401k by 1%.  Hope to keep it there all year.
3. Add 1200.00 to my savings account.
4. Lose some weight and increase the amount of water i am drinking.
 
 
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Nearly every January for the past 8 years or so, I have participated in a January Eat from the Pantry Challenge to save money to save up for a bulk purchase of a steer or a hog and a couple of lambs on alternating years.  We would either raise our own meat birds or buy off farms when we could, grocery store when we couldn't, but in bulk if possible, as well.  Of course, we would be saving up through the rest of the year, too, as a line item in the budget and any leftover...
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Looking back, I guess it had been a fairly eventful year.



Visited my home country where I was born, after a 20+ year hiatus.


Went through the bureaucratic nightmare that was getting my passport updated to travel.


Went through the even bigger bureaucratic nightmare that was losing and trying to get my driver’s license back.


Learning to adjust to my own personal "Covid lockdown" due to my lack of driver's license.




On a brighter note, I am cautiously...
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It has been a rollercoaster few months! Lost net worth in October, gained it back and then some in November, then lost some again in December. The net gain to our net worth over the past 3 months? $2,000.
Well, it's better than losing ground. We are still about $60K ahead of where we need to be to stay on CoastFIRE, so it's all good.
Next I'll work on my 2024 wrap-up post!



Assets
 
 
 


NT's UK pensions:
 
 
 


AV1: 26,511 pounds
$33,139
 
 


SW:...
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Goal #1:  To save $10,000 for the bathroom fund.  We had to completely gut the bathroom to the studs due to black mold in February.  At the time we had no idea how much it would cost to fix it.  Spoiler alert: $45,000 including materials.
Did we meet this goal?  Yes, and we exceeded it.  We saved $15,200 in ten months.
Goal #2:  Save enough money for a snowblower and purchase it.
Did we meet this goal?  Sort of.  We saved enough money...
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The last time I updated my sidebar my retirement sat at $174,400.86 for the combined 401K and IRA.  The total is now at $199,429.57.  It was almost at $200K, but there was a downturn in the IRA last two weeks.  I am seriously thinking about moving it over to the same company that manages the 401K and putting it in the same fund that doesn't seem so sensitive.  Anyway that is an increase of:
$199,429.57 New total
-174,400.86 Old total
---------------
$25,028.71...
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Still have to wait for the final 12/31 numbers, but they should be close and I'm rounding in any case.  Total assets, around $1,070,000 (high in November was $1,085,000).  Added around $129,500.  Total debt, around $50,750, a significant decrease of about $23,500--a big improvement over my typical $10k decrease a year.  Motivated in part by the acquisition of the company I work for, which lit a fire under me for getting debts paid off just in case I don't like...
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Happy New Year! 2024 was good to me, despite health challenges for myself and my mom, who spent a month as an inpatient between the hospital & rehab. I have great expectations for 2025. 
My financial goals for 2025 have not changed much. I am readjusting my budget & cash flow after building my home.
1. Max out TSP: $23,500
2. Max out Roth IRA: $7,000
3. Max out FSA: $3,300
4. Contribute $500 monthly to brokerage: $6,000
5. Begin to replenish my savings re-starting...
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On the last day of the year, I like to compare what I've spent to what I've spent in other years. It always surprises me how similar the total is, even though the years are very different, and I have put my money in different buckets, so to speak.
This year I spent $343 less than I did the year before. Yep. I suppose my low income puts a cap on my spending year after year -- there is only so much I can spend, without getting into serious trouble.
So, comparing categories -- my...
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If you celebrate Christmas, did you have a ham? We did, complete with ham bone. We had multiple meals from that ham and I have saved the ham bone. We did a grocery run yesterday to pick up a few things to tide us over until the next major shop. I didn't have enough dry beans to make ham and beans so I bought a bag...97 cents. So, with the ham and ham bone, chicken broth I canned, some carrots, celery, and onion I already had, a reasonable meal. I imagine we will have enough for...
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While we were at Costco doing our household supply run, we also did a grocery run as a separate purchase.  I like to keep my grocery budget separate from my household budget.  It helps when using the envelope system if I don't mingle the cash from different envelopes just to make things easier on the cashier or people behind me to do one purchase.  I'd rather make it easier on me so I don't have to try to figure it out later.  I'll have two separate receipts...
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I've been saving up my household budget money for several paydays.  I budget $75 every two weeks and other than a few minor items, I havn't had to buy anything for a bit.  I had $351 in my envelope.  I did my big Costco trip for these supplies yesterday and spent exactly $310.73, which was spot on.  The remaining 27¢ went into my coin jar.
I got everything I needed except for tissues, which will come out of Friday's paycheck.  Costco only carries...
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Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to 2025!
My Christmas season was very, very busy. Besides shopping and baking and sending cards, I also tackled the storage room with the many, many, many Christmas decorations of my new husband and his late wife. We went through every tote of stuff, and he chose a few items he wanted to keep, but the rest we boxed up and donated to our church bazaar.  A lot. Hopefully someone else will get some enjoyment...
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I celebrated with my local son and his family yesterday. On the real Christmas Day, I will open packages mailed to me by my son in Oregon. A few days after New Years Day, I will host a luncheon and gift opening with my ex and his wife, and my local son's family will join in that as well.
Christmas spending has topped $600. I still have gifts to buy for my ex and his wife, but am otherwise done.
I have also spent $730 on my vacation to Oregon. A big chunk of that was the Amtrak...
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As the boys have gotten older, I don’t enjoy the big gift shopping since they usually want money. But I still enjoy filling their stockings. Three of them no longer live at home but they all get stockings (plus one serious GF).
 
For those who might be interested either because you have boys or may need to buy a gift for one, following is a compiled list of things in stockings this year.
 
Sunglasses
Apple airtag
Gift card – Chipotle, Amazon, Chewy
Socks
Cologne...
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