Women in Red Savers 2015

[speechchick71]

UPDATE: speechchick71 7/24/15 $5500 (goal=$20,005, started 1/1/2015)

	25-June	24-July	Goal	How much to go	% Met
Weekly Challenge	$3,510.00	$4,650.00	$13,780.00	$9,130.00	34%
$25/week	$650.00	$850.00	$725.00	-$125.00	117%
Roth 2015	$0.00	$0.00	$5,500.00	$5,500.00	0%
	-	-	-	-
Totals	$4,160.00	$5,500.00	$20,005.00	$14,505.00	27%

I thought I was going to start funding my Roth this week but had some bigger expenses on my AmEx so I have to shift some money that way.  I'll get it fully funded for this year but not likely by the end of the year unless I raid part of my savings to do that which is something I'll consider.  I know it's just a money shift but in my head it'll mean that I really didn't meet my goal as stated.  Maybe I'll take the overage from my $25/week challenge because I plan to keep putting money there.  That is actually my "car expenses" fund: anything from repairs to insurance to down payment for when I want to get a new one.

I'm already thinking of my goals for 2016.  Instead of the weekly challenge, I thought about "laddering" some cd's with a set amount per month going in each time.  Any other ideas?  I like the idea of having a (bit) higher interest saving that is not necessarily locked in for a long time but don't know if it's worth it to do. 

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 7/24/2015 $5500 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	900	5000	18	4100
homestead EF	1260	2000	63	740
vehicle EF	700	1000	70	300
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	640	1378	46	778
totals	5500	11378	48	5878

*52 week challenge summary

1   2   3  4   5  6   7   8  9  10  11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

sum of 1-17= $153 153+18+19+20+52+21+51 +26+50+49+48+47+46+40 =$600

 

Hoping to tip the scales to 50% of goal next week 


Keep up the good work fellow savers!

[speechchick71]

Forwardwego: you are a copy cat. You and I have the same saved amount.   

[nalto]

Happy almost August! I'll be glad to see July behind me. Sorry for my absence and lack of updates, but I've taken some pretty major (financial) hits the last month. Nearly all of my savings have been depleted, with future BIL's wedding being a big culprit. It's just been the perfect storm: everything emergency/expense I've been preparing for happened all at once. On the one hand, I'm grateful that I was prepared (thanks to these boards!), but on the other, it feels like breaking in traffic. You see the traffic ahead and step on the breaks. You begin to slow down, and you're glad you were ready to break or it could have been bad. Then, you see those red tail lights get closer and closer, and this wave of panic pulses through as you second guess when you stepped on the breaks, or how hard. Panic turns to fear as you realize this could be the end, but everything moves along just enough so that you stop just short of disaster. (On that note, I'd be curious to see the relationship between the cautiousness of a driver and the size of their emergency fund...)

I'm kicking it into gear for August though. I may not be able to tuck any money away, but at least I won't have to dip into the red. The plan is to create a great jumping point for September, and while saving is still my top priority, if it doesn't happen this month, it doesn't happen. The soon-to-be missus is in the same boat (it was her brother) and she figures if we go pretty extreme this month, the rest of our frugal saving efforts won't seem as intense in comparison. I look at it like a frugal/savers bootcamp

 It's kind of a cool feeling, like a month long camping trip in the city. We've got plenty of games (board, card and video) to keep us in, and when we want to go out, there are tons of free activities in the area, or a quick bus ride away. Should be a great time!

Enjoy your summers, and happy saving!

[Deleted]

Fund	2015 Goal	Current	Needed	% Complete
Roth	$5500	$5500	$0	100.00%
Replacement Car	$3600	$3600	$0	100.00%
2016 Roth	$2500	$800	$1700	32.00%
College	$2400	$1600	$800	66.67%
Vacation	$2000	$2000	$0	100.00%
Washer & Dryer	$1500	$1500	$0	100.00%
Pr. High School	$1000	$1000	$0	100.00%
Carpet	$500	$500	$0	100.00%
Sea Base	$500	$500	$0	100.00%
Christmas	$500	$500	$0	100.00%
Y Membership	$400	$400	$0	100.00%
Total	$20400	$17900	$2500	87.75%

Well, I knew July was going to be good, and it turned out better than I thought, so I was able to put away a lot for August.  I have pretty much met all my goals for 2015, so I decided to add another one.  $2500 towards my 2016 Roth.  Usually I use my FSA contributions which I don't turn in until the year is over to cover the Roth, but this year not as much is in there ($4500) and this will free some of that up for other goals.

Man, it would be so awesome to make this kind of money every month!  I'm projecting a decent August (although nothing like July), then back to poor. 

[snapdragon]

Update - snapdragon 7/31/15 ( $4799 / Goal $ 6500 )

Travel Fund - $ 4500 (currently $ 3332)

EF - $1500 (currently $ 967)

House/car - $ 500 ( currently $ 500) !!!

Just a early update. Hopefully I will have some more positive movement at the beginning of fall. I would really like to have the EF done by the end of the year. 

[megaptera]

UPDATE

megaptera: 7/31/2015 $5,900.00 [1/1/2015 $0.00 / Goal: $15,000]

[Jaguar]

Well onward and upward, I'm still crawling along and saving, little bit by little bit.

Saving Funds	Goals	Current	% Saved	Woo Hoo
Moving Fund	$1,300	$1,260	97%	?
Gateway Voyage	$4,600	$0	0%	?
Mattress Fund	$2,300	$0	0%	?
GRAND TOTAL	$8,200	$1,260	16.4%	?

Sugilite - 7/31/2015 - $1,260 - [NEW GOAL - $8,200] =


My bathroom and entranceway look just smashing, I'm very happy with the result. That was my last big money splurge for 2015.

[seriousthistime]

Hey Savers,

Please get your updates posted by Sunday morning.  I plan to do the smilies and shoutouts on Sunday afternoon.  
Thank you in advance!

[Ombud]

Thanks, seriousthistime, for doing it all! I unfortunately have no update and am backsliding instead. Gotta get a grip on this

[seriousthistime]

Update

Category	8/1/2015	Goal	% Saved	Roses
Deferred purchases	$1,408	$2,075	67.9%
CC paydown	$300	$8,500	3.5%
EF	$1,700	$1,000	170.0%
Gifts	$1,753	$2,600	67.4%
Utilities	$160	$280	57.1%
Weekly Savings	$854	$1,378	62.0%
Total	$6,175	$14,498	42.6%

Serious this time, 8/1/15, $6,175 (Goal $14,498)

Obviously slacking in the CC paydown category.      Still.

I knew things would be tight until September 1.  Things will ease up then, and will ease up a bit more at the end of the year.  


Thanks to all of you who keep me motivated not to just give up, as I see so many others doing around me. 

   

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 8/1/2015 $5715 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	1000	5000	20	4000
homestead EF	1300	2000	65	700
vehicle EF	730	1000	73	270
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	685	1378	49	693
totals	5715	11378	50	5663

*52 week challenge summary

1   2   3  4   5  6   7   8  9  10  11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

sum of 1-17= $153 153+18+19+20+52+21+51 +26+50+49+48+47+46+40 +45=$685

 

A little bit over 50% of goal...woo hoo  


Keep up the good work fellow savers!

[scrgrl47]

Update! scrgrl47 08/02/2015 $14,351.01 (Start: $42.04 / Goal: $19,080)

Fund	Start	Last Update	Saved Since	Current Balance	Total Saved	Goal
HSA	$0.00	$1,903.80	$451.90	$2,355.70	$2,355.70	$3,300.00
Rowing	$0.00	$210.00	$490.00	$700.00	$700.00	$1,260.00
Retirement	$0.00	$4,456.65	$1,380.70	$5,837.35	$5,837.35	$7,500.00
Car	$0.00	$1,350.00	$750.00	$2,100.00	$2,100.00	$3,120.00
Vacations	$0.00	$1,150.00	$750.00	$1,900.00	$1,900.00	$2,400.00
EF	$42.04	$1,500.00	$0	$1,500.00	$1,457.96	$1,500.00
Total	$42.04	$10,570.45	$3,822.60	$14,393.05	$14,351.01	$19,080.00

[PauletteG]

update 8/2/15, $4740 (Goal $9000)

Fund	Goal	Current	Needed	% Complete
Car Payoff	7000	4730	2270	67.27%
Trip	1800	1800	0	100%
Furniture	200	10	190	5%

[seriousthistime]

Update!

	Stars	Name	Amt Saved	Goal	% Saved	Roses	Smilies
1		auburnsky	$5,235	$9,600	54.5%
2		azucena	$34,632	$39,300	88.1%
3		forwardwego	$5,715	$11,378	50.2%
4		megaptera	$5,900	$15,000	39.3%
5		Minnesotagirl7	$6,100	$10,000	61.0%
6		minnesota paintlady	$17,900	$17,900	100.0%
7		movinonup	$297	$4,046	7.3%
8		nalto	$2,516	$10,000	25.2%
9		Ombud	$26,000	$30,000	86.0%
10		PauletteG	$4,740	$9,000	52.7%
11		scrgrl47	$14,351	$19,080	75.2%
12		sealy	$7	$1,378	0.5%
13		seriousthistime	$6,175	$14,498	42.6%
14		snapdragon	$4,799	$6,500	73.8%
15		speechchick71	$5,500	$20,005	27.5%
16		steph08	$4,256	$5,200	81.8%
17		Sugilite	$1,260	$8,200	15.4%
18		tobinikui	$14,585	$25,000	58.3%

We have our first   -- congratulations to minnesotapaintlady, who met her goal for the year, and then increased it!  The number reflects the original goal, and next month's update will catch up on your upwardly-revised goal.  Credit where credit is do, and all... and I was dying to pass out a dancing banana!  

I see a few more stars next to Savers' names, and a few more roses to add, a few additional smilies assigned, and in general there is lots of progress here!  I also see a few revised goals, some upward, some downward to reflect changing realities and priorities.  

It's easy to see who has been busy this summer.  We lost a few more Savers this month.  Any Savers who didn't post an update after message #307 are gone but not forgotten.  You are still on the master list. 

In all, a great month Savers!

(shoutouts to follow tomorrow in a week)

[sealy]

this is my anniversary month. I'm determined yo finish this year.

[shanendoah]

I am still reading, but not really active. We're at the point where we are spending on fixing up the old house. I honestly have no real idea of what money is where right now.
Hoping for the house to be sold by end of Sept. If we're lucky, it may even be under contract by the end of this month.

I just honestly don't know what the goals are right now, beyond don't spend all of our cushion on fixing up the old house.

[Minnesotagirl7]

Update!

Minnesotagirl7: 8/5/15 $6,700 (1/1/15 Start $0 / Goal $10,000)


Not nearly as big of a deposit as I wanted to make. Things just added up. We had a good time though, and I'm mildly proud of myself for at least putting this much towards my savings goal. I'll be making a larger deposit later in August or early September.  Race on!  

[steph08]

Chugging along.

UPDATE: steph0808 8/6/2015 $4,456.25 2/4/2015 $2,500.00 Goal: $5,200 Stretch Goal: $ 6,800

	Previous	Added	Current	% Toward Goal	% Toward Stretch Goal
Disney	3,500.00	100.00	3,600.00	90.0%	72.0%
College Fund	755.78	100.47	856.25	77.8%	71.4%
	4,255.78	200.47	4,456.25	68.8%	58.4%

Saved this update $200.47
Total Saved $4,456.25
Percentage Saved Toward Goals 68.79%



Goal Stretch Goal
Disney 4000 5000
College Fund 1200 1800


$5,200.00 $6,800.00

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 8/7/2015 $5779 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	1000	5000	20	4000
homestead EF	1320	2000	66	680
vehicle EF	730	1000	73	270
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	729	1378	53	649
totals	5779	11378	50	5599

*52 week challenge summary

1   2   3  4   5  6   7   8  9  10  11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

sum of 1-17= $153 153+18+19+20+52+21+51 +26+50+49+48+47+46+40 +45+44=$729

 Even though it's an itty bitty update ($64),  it feels like a good habit to have savings be a weekly event.



Keep up the good work fellow savers!

[sealy]

*52 week challenge summary


  1  2   3  4   5   6  7   8  9  10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51 52

total 4+3=7+2=9+1=10+6=16 

Not mathematically correct but . . . it's just a running total.

[Jaguar]

Oh I didn't spend what I thought I would, so now an extra $100 is going into next months totals,

[dogmom]

Sorry, I haven't posted recently.

I have stayed on track with $100.00 every two weeks into an interest bearing account.  Currently it is at $2263.45.  I haven't marked it for anything specific.

[seriousthistime]

Aug 8, 2015 15:15:47 GMT -5 dogmom said:

Sorry, I haven't posted recently.

I have stayed on track with $100.00 every two weeks into an interest bearing account.  Currently it is at $2263.45.  I haven't marked it for anything specific.

I'm not sure how to do a tagline for you, dogmom.  $100 every two weeks with the balance you've got now means you didn't start the year at $0, or if you did start the year at $0 then you're saving more than $100 every two weeks.  We're probably 30 weeks into the year, so wouldn't that be only $1,500 in savings at $100 per 2 weeks?  

Can you please add a tagline so I know how to put you in the smilies list? It's okay if you start 2015 at $0 or at a different number. 

Congrats for staying on track!

[seriousthistime]

Shoutouts -- only a week late...

Rocky Mtn Saver, sounds to me as if you're got the part time/travel routine.  Keep us posted on the work-in-progress.

Sugilite, saving DOES give us options!  Isn't it a great feeling?  What did you to do your entryway and bathroom to make them look SMASHING?

shanendoah, I read the update on your house.  Wow, you're doing a lot to sell that place.  How did you prioritize what needed to be done?

sealy, is it just me or are you managing better this summer than last?

speechchick71, I'm looking forward to seeing your savings now start to REALLY add up!  Good for you, for starting to think about 2016 goals. 

forwardwego, vacations are so much fun, especially when you get to see the kids -- but then there's the financial damage... Ugh.  Have you considered starting a vacation savings category next year?  Looks like you're doing well on the 52 week challenge. 

PauletteG, I occasionally have to change priorities for savings goals, so sometimes I'm "robbing Peter to pay Paul" to build the borrowed-from categories back up  Then I sit down, refigure how much I'll need by a given date to meet the categories I robbed from, and then buckle down.  And that, in large part, is why my budget is so tight until the end of this month.  

steph08, good job changing priorities for your savings goals.  What factored into the decision to do that, as opposed to saving what you could in the 52 week challenge and then transferring that amount to the college fund? I don't think it really matters which you do; either way works, but it's always interesting to hear WHY people do it the way they do. 

azucena, congratulations on the actuarial exam, and good job on committing some of the raise to the 401(k).  You are already seeing a personal benefit to your generosity.  It's a great teachable moment.

Ombud, instead of focusing on the "demoralizing" month, why not focus on how very well you did in all the months before?

minnesotapaintlady, you are doing an amazing job on the savings.  Looking forward to seeing you knock out your new goals!

scrgrl47, WOW!  Almost $4,000 saved with the last update!!!

snapdragon,  when will you be using your vacation funds, and where will you go?

megaptera, you're really making progress on your goal --up $1,600 from your last update.  Nice! 

This takes us through the last smilie update.  

 



 

[Jaguar]

I got the landlord to paint my bathroom a color called Opal Silk and I got towels to match. I also got new shower head, shower curtain and bathmats, plus some odds and ends to bring it all together. It looks awesome and clean.

The entryway I just cleaned it out and added in new mats.'m still looking for that one decorating item to make it awesome though, so still work involved.

[shanendoah]

seriousthistime - Some things we just knew. We had been in the house for 10+ years and hadn't put in any new flooring or painted anywhere other than the bathroom, so we knew those things needed to be done. The same with having someone come in and do the yard (since we haven't been living there). Otherwise, we had our real estate agent come by and look at the house and asked her what needed to be done to sell. We listened to her advice, mostly. The mostly part being that we are doing somethings a little more "high end" than she recommended, such as refinishing the actual hard wood floors instead of just covering everything in a laminate.
There are certainly things we wished we would have done while we still lived there. Hind sight and all. Hopefully it will help us remember to do the things we want to do on the new house.

[snapdragon]

Aug 9, 2015 15:15:56 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

snapdragon,  when will you be using your vacation funds, and where will you go?

I have several places I want to see -- Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand and Australia are at the top of my list along with Montreal, Prague, Paris and most of Europe. 

It will take me quite a bit longer than expected due to when K passed the miles I was gifted were not transfered over to my Dad's card. So I will be saving up for a while. 

I was talking to a friend and we were talking about Paris in 6 years for our 45th birthdays. 

[dogmom]

The account did not start at zero.  It was started at $225.  I also throw in change jar, rebates, etc.  I'm not sure how you want to mark it.   The good part, I haven't withdrawn anything, and it keeps growing.

[Deleted]

Aack.  I raided the Christmas account...badly.  As in $364 of the $500. 

My kids are my biggest spending weakness.  I'll go without a bra that fits properly and spoil them rotten.  They've been working on these summer math books and I told them if they finished I would get them something special.  Younger son wanted a trailer bike that attaches to mine and older son wanted the Rosetta Stone software to learn German.  That software was way more spendy than I wanted to go for a "treat", but he's been asking for it for a couple years and if he really works on it, it will be worth it.  If he doesn't...well...there's $225 down the drain.  Or maybe I'll have to learn German.  

I'm hoping to get the money replaced before my September update.  I have a property tax refund coming this month, so that will help, but this might put the damper on me making my last add-on goal.