Women in Red Savers 2014

[tobinikui]

Hi all -

Tobinikui here, posting for the first time in what seems like ages - and geeze, it's been a rough month. After DH's back surgery, he was home for 4 days recuperating just fine, then ended up in the ER with what we initially thought was a delayed spinal fluid leak. His blood pressure was off the charts - over the course of 4 days in the hospital, they (over) medicated him and sent him home - where his symptoms continued & he was on complete bed rest. Then, two weeks to the day after his back surgery, his blood pressure bottomed out - back to the ER by ambulance at midnight that time - followed by 8 days in the hospital, where they watched his blood pressure spike and drop, and spike and drop. Took him off all medications, and only medicated him as his blood pressure started climbing again. He's been home now for just over a week - and was actually cleared to go back to work by his back surgeon on Monday. Considering 80% of his recovery was spent in the hospital, he's not quite ready to jump right back into work, but his back feels phenomenal, and his blood pressure is slowly but surely regulating. We are thinking that his remaining symptoms may be more related to medication side-effects than anything else. He's been asking around on both sides of his family, only to find that cousins, aunts, and uncles on both sides are on similar (if not identical) medications. Yay, genetics!

Did I mention that I was 8.5 months pregnant while all of this was going on? I am now 6 days past my due date - don't get me wrong - I am thrilled that Baby decided NOT to arrive while daddy was hanging out in the hospital, but now that he's home, and feeling better, I am *READY* for sure! I unfortunately had to burn a lot of the sick time that I had saved up for my maternity leave in order to be with DH during his hospitalization - instead of dropping down to 75% pay for the next 3 months, I am now dropping down to 60%. Ouch. But, I will still be able to be out for between 11 and 12 weeks, and because DH chose the less-invasive surgery (which seems to have completely solved his back pain), he'll be able to go back to work for 6 to 8 weeks while I am home with the baby. That additional income will definitely help cover the short-fall from my paycheck. So, in the meantime, we wait for baby to arrive; I try to relax and lay low; and DH continues recovering and building back up his strength. Lots of long walks... both for him, and for me!

Accounts	Goal	Have	Spent	Need	% Saved
Patio Furniture	$1,500.00	$0	$1,500.00	$0	100.0%
Car Maintenance	$1,000.00	$1,001.52	$0	-$1.52	100.2%
Puppy ER Fund	$1,000.00	$1,000.91	$0	-$0.91	100.1%
Deck/Landscaping	$1,500.00	$0	$1,500.00	$0	100.0%
House ER Fund	$3,000.00	$3,001.55	$0	-$1.55	100.1%
ER Fund	$20,000.00	$8,011.03	$0	$11,988.97	40.1%
Taxes	$6,500.00	$2,990.07	$262.00	$3,247.93	50.0%
Insurances	$5,300.00	$169.52	$3,175.00	$1,955.48	63.1%
Christmas	$2,000.00	$975.27	$0	$1,024.73	48.8%
Vacations	$1,500.00	$151.07	$1,086.42	$262.51	82.5%
Random	$1,200.00	$150.01	$472.01	$577.98	51.8%
Totals	$44,500.00	$17,450.95	$7,995.43	$19,053.62	57.2%

Pretty much all of our savings will stay automated while I am out on leave - we will probably end up dipping into our ER fund a bit, but once DH is back to work, that should stop - and that's only about a month or so away.  I built back up all the smaller funds that I had borrowed from earlier this earlier this year to pay off the car too, so our buffer is pretty healthy at this point.  We did get to go on our 'babymoon' over Memorial Day weekend - we drove up to Maine - DH had never been, and I hadn't been since I was a child. It was a LONG drive for sure, but we do enjoy our road trips!  I am hoping to have our ER fund up to 12 or 13k by the end of the year - 20k in one year was a super stretch goal to begin with.  There will always be home improvement projects to save for, but that ER fund goal will come back year after year until it is full (and I can sleep better at night)! Unfortunately, I don't anticipate any new roses until the last few weeks of the year, when our automated savings will start hitting 100%. But time will tell.

Here's hoping my next post will have only good news. Hope everyone is enjoying the start of their summers - be happy, healthy, and don't forget the bug spray!

Tobinikui: 6/26/2014 $25,446.38 ($10,028.27 on 12/28/2013; Goal - $44,500)

[Jaguar]

[seriousthistime]

I'm jumping the gun a bit, trying to get this posted while I have time.  

Serious this time, $29,218, 7/3/14 ($0, 1/1/14, Goal $51,258) --- 57% of goal.

I've said this before, I'll say it again.  Posting here does me a world of good.  Most of the time I feel like I should be farther along in all my financial goals, and sometimes I feel like a loser. Posting makes me realize WHY I feel like a loser.  I'm saving darn near half my income!  No wonder I feel like I have no wiggle room in my budget!

We had a huge storm this morning.  The lawn is too wet to mow, still, but the weeds are easily pulled so that's something. 

tobinikui, you are doing fine!  I'm glad DH is on the mend, and I hope that by this time your little one has arrived and everything went well. 

[Ombud]

Jun 30, 2014 13:00:38 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

I'm saving darn near half my income!  No wonder I feel like I have no wiggle room in my budget!

Wow just wow!!

[Ombud]

	Stars	Racer Name	Current	Goal	% Saved	Roses	Smilies
1		DVM gone riding	3383	$12,700	27%
2		megaptera	$11,775	$15,000	79%
3		nalto	$798	$5000	16%
4		Rocky Mtn Saver	$7717	$8000	96%
5		Saving4Norway 2014	$13,000	$17,000	76%
6		Seahorse	$3147	$9100	35%
7		Sealy	$400	$10,000	4%
8		seriousthistime	$29,218	$51,258	57%
9		Shopaholic	$8725	$18,600	47%
10		Sugilite	$550	$3640	18%
11		Tobinikui	$25,446	$44,500	57%

  Reached goal:

Ombud - 10k

Anyone notice how many have made 1/2 their annual goal [inc nalto who started over after reaching his degree] and we even have 2 who saved over  25k!!

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Hey, that reminds me that I didn't do either my May 30 or June 30 updates! I've been sooooo busy this month. Here it is:


Rocky Mtn Saver 06/30/14 $7,717 or 96% (01/01/14 = $0; Goal = $8,000)    

Fund	2014 Goals	Jan 1st	Last Update	Current Update	% Met
Emerg Fund	$1000	$0	$1022	$1022
Roth IRA	$1300	$0	$1145	$1745
Vacation Fund	$1000	$0	$1100	$1800
Investing	$500	$0	$100	$100	20%
HSA	$2500	$0	$1755	$1915	77%
Car Fund	$700	$0	$615	$730
Insurance	$1000	$0	$295	$405	41%
Totals	$8000	$0	$6032	$7717	96%

[Ombud]

Rocky Mtn Saver, put it in there &  you'll be in the  zone next month

[nalto]

nalto 7/1/14 $797.62 (Start=$91.09 / Goal=$5000)

Bah! Forgot to do month end update. Oh well, guess this is just a decent head start for July (though not sure if I'll be able to save much more, July always seems to suck money from me!)

Happy saving and happy Fourth of July!  

[Ombud]

Jul 1, 2014 12:34:33 GMT -5 nalto said:

nalto 7/1/14 $797.62 (Start=$91.09 / Goal=$5000)  

Got it!!

[nalto]

Thanks Ombud!

[DVM gone riding]

I changed my goal total and am really late posting but this is for June. Didn't quite reach half way but I will get there--I always do!

dvm07 6/30/14 3383.08 (1/1/14=$0 Goal=$12,000)

Fund	Goals	Saved YTD	% Met	Roses
General Savings	$2,000	$707.03	35.4%
Roth IRA	$5,500	$2,900.00	52.7%
Gifts	$500	$182.10	36.4%
Taxes	$1,200	$569.31	47.4%
House needs	$800	$160.07	20.0%
Travel	$2,000	$1,087.52	54.4%
Total	$12,000	$5,606.03	46.7%

[Ombud]

	Stars	Racer Name	Current	Goal	% Saved	Roses	Smilies
1		DVM gone riding	5606	$12,000	47%
2		megaptera	$11,775	$15,000	79%
3		nalto	$798	$5000	16%
4		Rocky Mtn Saver	$7717	$8000	96%
5		Saving4Norway 2014	$13,000	$17,000	76%
6		seahorse	$3147	$9100	35%
7		Sealy	$400	$10,000	4%
8		seriousthistime	$29,218	$51,258	57%
9		shopaholic814	$8725	$18,600	47%
10		Sugilite	$550	$3640	18%
11		Tobinikui	$25,446	$44,500	57%

  Reached goal:
Ombud - 10k

[FemaleSam]

Update time (actually way passed due).  Not a lot of saving happens when you are not working. I'm now starting my 4th month of taking a break from working. I originally thought I would take 3-4 months off but now feel like I need about 6 months of recuperation. Boy, that job really got to me in the end. I can't tell you how much better I feel now that I'm not working there anymore. I frequently see the building that I worked in because I can see it from the freeway that I am on a lot and it feels like I never worked there. Anyway, here is my update.

Fund	Goals	1/1/2014	Current	% Met
IRA - 2014	$5,500	$0	$0	0%
Rental savings account	$20,621	$0	$9,541	46%
Holding account		$0	$0
Total	$26,121	$0	$9,541	37%

FemaleSam 7/11/14 $9,541 (1/1/14 $0, Goal $26,121)

[mak]

Mak 7/11/14 $11,276.67 (01/1/14 $0, Goal=13,700.00)


Fund                             Goals         Previous         Newly Added     YTD              Met
House Down Payment     10,000.00     6,425.00       3,900.00          10,325.00      103.25%
Emergency Fund             1,000.0          150.00         100.00              250.00        25.00%
Christmas                         800.00        200.00           50.00             250.00        31.25%
Boat Expenses                 400.00          100.00          25.00             125.00         31.25%
Family Vacation             1,500.00          224.67        102.00             326.67         21.78%
Retirement Percentage      10%                 7%             2%                 9%            90.00%
TOTAL                         13,700.00       7,099.74     4,177.02        11,276.67          82.31%


I came online to post and couldn't believe that I had not checked in since we moved. Moving and settling was crazy busy, but we are pretty well settled in. We have a few more things to unpack, so hopefully we will get to it soon. This month will hopefully be our settle down month on all of the extra expenses that moving brought. Now we get to rebuild all of the savings that we used to make our down payment and move.

[Saving4Norway]

I just got back from Denmark last night then off to a family reunion on Monday. I'll try to update this weekend. Ombud, please keep me on the list if I don't get to it this weekend.

[Ombud]

Saving4Norway, That's why I tagged you. Posters are active if they post anything including a comment. Plus those not here are on the master list. I only removed those who were off over 91 days. FemaleSam and mak will be on the August list!! Good to hear from ya

[shopaholic814]

Hi Savers!  I have not been here for about 2 months? I think. I know, I know I'm sorry.  I honestly can;t believe summer is half over.  I have thought about posting my meager savings, but honestly the chart is what is stopping me.  We have had to draw funds out and I really dont know how to adjust my chart for it b/c the different savings funds are all kind of lumped together but we have had to "borrow from Peter to pay Paul" essentially, and it is all just a giant mess.  I havent even looked at it all since I was here last.  DH & I fight about money all the time. Anytime I try to have a conversation with him about anything involving money-he explodes on me.  So I stopped trying.  He has all these home projects that he wants to start on, but when I dont jump on the band wagon b/c I know he won't follow through with any of them, he gets angry.  But I tried clearing out an old ugly cement bench that is on the back side of our garage so that I could clean up that area & make it ready for a flower bed next year, he blew up at me again.  It would not have cost a penny, and I didn't ask him to do a thing except tell me where he kept his sledge hammer.  A month ago he started replacing the back door & the storm door.  Its still not done.  If I had any idea how to do it, I would.  I would just YouTube the damn thing & finish it myself, but I think that he lost all the hardware for the storm door so I have no idea what to do now!

So needless to say, I have just wanted to stick my head in the sand where money is concerned.  Bills are getting paid and that is all that matters right now.  We are staying afloat for now.  My son's 11th bday is coming up & we are taking him & 3 friends out for a day of fun next week to celebrate.  Thats what he wanted this year.

I hope you are all doing well.  Maybe I will brave the financial jungle soon & get something figured out to post, even if it is just a tagline.

[Ombud]

Welcome back!! I think it's a good sign for posters to migrate from being in debt (WIRR) to savers (WIRS) to investors (IBB) so I don't really think anything of it when we stretch out to other boards or just take a break for life's other priorities

[nalto]

Jul 15, 2014 20:22:06 GMT -5 Ombud said:

Welcome back!! I think it's a good sign for posters to migrate from being in debt (WIRR) to savers (WIRS) to investors (IBB) so I don't really think anything of it when we stretch out to other boards or just take a break for life's other priorities

100% agree!

I said it a while ago, but it's pretty cool to see how posters (especially me) evolve. Questions/posts about debt, to savings and then to accumulating wealth and investing.

[Saving4Norway]

Fund	2014 Goals	Last Month	This Month	% Met	Roses
Denmark	$2,500	$2,500	$4,000	160%	March
Sisu	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000	100%	March
Vehicles	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000	100%	March
Harley Trip	$2,000	$500	$2,000	100%	June
Gifts&Donations	$1,500	$500	$1,500	100%	July
Vacay Property	$1,500	$500	$1,500	100%	July
Palm Springs	$500	$500	$500	100%	January
Cultural	$500	$0	$500	100%	April
Christmas 2014	$500	$0	$0	0%
PS Flight 2015	$1,000	$0	$600	60%
Iceland Flight2015	$3,000	$0	$600	20%
Home Improvement	$3,000	$0	$0	0%
TOTAL	$20,000		$15,200	76%

Saving4Norway 7/18/14 $15,200 (12/22/13 $4,000 / Goal $20,000)

[seahorse]

shopaholic: I'm so happy to see you posting ! I'm so sorry that your DH is being in such a bad mood and taking it out on you. I hope money can be talked about without so many strong emotions. I know how good it feels to have a financial conversation and be on the same page. My DH has lots of unfinished projects also. He bought a table saw to finish our kitchen cabinets and they are still unfinished almost 7 months later. I've been waiting for a total of 14 months and he thought the table saw would end the wait time. I cringe when I think of all the "toys" and "needs" from his unfinished projects just sitting on the credit cards. We did have money allocated in savings but it seems every project goes over budget for some reason or another. He blames the kitchen cabinets on his aunt and uncle splitting up. His uncle by marriage was helping with the project and had all the tools and then the split happened so he no longer had access to tools and it's always so hard to keep a relationship with a family members ex. On the plus side our savings for long term house projects is growing. We have a back door/screen door in need of replacement but we also have a sinking foundation in that area. DH has been pondering the issue and trying to focus on the door only so hopefully that will happen in the near future. That door lets in all the hot and cold weather so I know we will see a savings just by getting in a new door. Plus it's flimsy and I HATE it.

I'll update my savings chart today. I keep thinking I should have more progress but progress of one penny is always a good thing so I need to keep that in mind

[Jaguar]

Sugilite Update ~

PME FUND	GOALS	CURRENT	% SAVED	WOO HOO
1ST	$443	$443	100%
2ND	$443	$111	25%	?
3RD	$443	$-	0.00%	?
4TH	$443	$-	0.00%	?
5TH	$443	$-	0.00%	?
6TH	$443	$-	0.00%	?
7TH	$443	$-	0.00%	?
GRAND TOTAL	$3101	$554	18%	?

Sugilite - 7/30/2014, $554 - [GOAL - $3101]


I didn't save anything in July, BUT I'm not going backwards either.

[Jaguar]

My August though I will be going back about $60, but that's the last go back until 2015. My goal is to get to the 50% mark by Christmas.

[megaptera]

UPDATE

megaptera 7/31/2014 $9490.00 [1/14/14 $0.00 / Goal: $15,000]

My savings decreased from last update (due to moving stuff around, UGH!), but I'm still hoping to meet my goal by year's end.

[Ombud]

Updated:

	Stars	Racer Name	Current	Goal	% Saved	Roses	Smilies
1		DVM gone riding	5606	$12,000	47%
2		FemaleSam	$9541	$26,121	37%
3		mak	$11,277	$13,700	82%
4		megaptera	$11,775	$15,000	79%
5		nalto	$798	$5000	16%
6		Rocky Mtn Saver	$7717	$8000	96%
7		Saving4Norway 2014	$15,200	$20,000	76%
8		seahorse	$3147	$9100	35%
9		sealy	$400	$10,000	4%
10		seriousthistime	$33,351	$51,258	65%
11		shopaholic814	$8725	$18,600	47%
12		Jaguar	$550	$3640	18%
13		tobinikui	$25,446	$44,500	57%

  Reached goal:
Ombud - 10k

I am tagging everyone here bc the office was sold & I'll be out of work 10/15/14. Others will be let go 10/31/14. So I don't know if someone wants to take this over now or end of year. If I have to go on UI, I won't be saving

[seriousthistime]

Ombud, I'm not sure what's involved but I would be interested in finding out what is involved in "taking over."  You are leaving big shoes to fill...

So refresh my memory.  Is this a bad change to be out of work, or is it a blessing?  

[seriousthistime]

Serious this time, $33,351, 8/1/14 ($0, 1/1/14, Goal $51,258)

I'm at 65% of my goal.  The only reason the numbers look good is that I include my 401(k) and Roth contributions, which are on autopilot.  Actually, the rest is on autopilot too. 

And that's the reason why I feel poor.  I have so many automatic deductions made from my paycheck for all sorts of things, including charitable contributions, health insurance, and so on, that I take home 51.4% of my gross. Then, 38% is transferred from my checking account each payday and put in various sinking funds. And another 25% of net goes to debt payoff.  Then with mortgage, utilities, gas and car insurance, and so on, I have very little left at the end of the pay period.

One good thing, at least when I retire, I'll know I can actually live on much less.  (Hopefully.)

[Ombud]

Aug 2, 2014 7:41:03 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Ombud, I'm not sure what's involved but I would be interested in finding out what is involved in "taking over."  You are leaving big shoes to fill...

It's easier than it sounds. A cheerleader for posters and to update once a month. I just expect a funk to set in soon

So refresh my memory.  Is this a bad change to be out of work, or is it a blessing?  

I want need to work as GS1 is looking at colleges and DD still isn't doesn't work. LOL she wants the xH to take the kids on his tax return from now on so I gave her this month's bill for them to pass onto him:
♢ GS2 $272.60 cell phone
♢ GS1 & GS2 Marching Band $720
♢ GS2 starting charter HS so 2nd laptop needed by August 13th
♢ all 3 have outgrown their shoes and socks are full of holes
♢ it's California so they won't need coats replaced until November

■ then there's monthly food / clothes / cells

She flipped!! Had no idea that $125 biweekly did not cover everything

[seriousthistime]

You're a real trooper, Ombud. Wow, those are some whopping expenses.  Do you think DD purposely buries her head in the sand so she doesn't have to know how expensive kids can be?  Is there any way you can use this as a starting point for discussing the finances?  Even if she doesn't pay more, she should at least know how much they are costing you.  What's her current "plan" for getting a job or going to school?  

Just curious, but how on earth does GS2 have a $272 cell phone bill?  Please tell me that's for more than one month...

I have no idea about how financial aid is these days, but isn't the income of the custodial parent the only income taken into account in awarding aid?  And if the custodial parent is remarried, then the stepparent's income is counted too, but I'm not sure a grandparent's income is counted, even if they live with the grandparent.  (I could be wrong, and there are far more people on here who have current information.)  I seem to recall that Rocky Mtn Saver is someone who knows a bit about this topic.


 

[Ombud]

I've just started counting that $125 differently. I now let her know how far it goes in covering the kids expenses. No she has no plans for getting a job as she has had a fourth kid 6 months ago

As to the cell phone bill: it is for one month. We were on a cruise for four days and he apparently texted A LOT in international waters when off with the other kids