Women in Red Savers 2015

[Deleted]

Fund	2015 Goal	Current	Needed	% Complete
Roth	$5500	$5500	$0	100.00%
Replacement Car	$3600	$3600	$0	100.00%
2016 Roth	$2500	$2200	$300	88.00%
College	$2400	$2400	$0	100.00%
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	$20100	$300	98.53%

Well, I might be done for the year unless I allocate some of December's income to 2015 goals.  I'm getting three checks (and the third is a doozy since they're not taking any insurance or FSA money out of it), but I'll probably just call it a year and move on with a big influx into January.

Also, I thought I copied and pasted last month's for this but a lot of the numbers were off.  So either I recorded it wrong last month or I really copied an older one.

I'm proud to say I only raided one of these.  The private high school one to the tune of a few hundred.  ODS needed a new bed and mattress last month and it had to come from somewhere. 

[megaptera]

UPDATE

megaptera: 11/30/2015 $14,250.00 [1/1/2015 $0.00 / Goal: $15,000.00]

Have a great week, everyone!

[snapdragon]

Update - snapdragon 12/1/15 ( $4796 / Goal $ 6500 )

Travel Fund - $ 4500 (currently $ 3082)

EF - $1500 (currently $ 1214)

House/car - $ 500 ( currently $ 500) 


I believe that for next year I'm going to have to add/change a few accounts.

1 - Burial Fund for a Parent --- $2500 

2 - up my house/car fund to $1500, I have some things that will cost that I will have to do at the casa sometime. New waterheater, electrical work, and maybe put in those upper cabinets in the wash closet that I have been wanting since the first year I moved in. AKA extra pantry space. But I am going to save up the money first.

3- Up my EF to $ 3000 so I have closer to 1 months savings in case of something.

I just keep adding to this.. I need to stop thinking. 

[Jaguar]

I've been spending money on needed clothes, shoes and household items, so I will forgo this month and start new again in January 2016.

[forwardwego]

It's exciting to think of the new year on the horizon, and to see the WIR savers drafting their plans and goals. Sure hope some more of the WIR Racers will join us. Paying off and saving are a winning combination.


 

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 12/4/2015 $10578 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	5000	5000	100
homestead EF	1200	2000	60	800
vehicle EF	1000	1000	100
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	1378	1378	100
totals	10578	11378	93	800

*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+43+42+41+39+38 +33+37+36+35+34+32+31 +(22&30)+(29&23)+(24&28) +(27&25)=$1378

[seriousthistime]

SAVERS,

I will be doing shoutouts and smilies on Sunday.  Please get your updates posted by Saturday night/early Sunday. 

forwardwego has volunteered to handle the shoutouts in 2016!  Thank you, forwardwego.  As we can see, forwardwego already adds plenty of pithy comments, probing questions, and amazing encouragement to all of us. I am thrilled she will be handling the shoutouts for the Savers in 2016.  And everyone can help her by providing encouragement to fellow Savers as we go along.  

I will continue to do the smilies/updates in 2016.  My general plan will be the same as this year's, to do things the first weekend of each month.   That could be anywhere from the 1st to the 8th, depending on the calendar. And it could be even later if I am traveling around that time.  (Might I remind you of how late the updates were a few months ago when I forgot I was going on vacation?  Interesting two-track mind -- one track mentally packing a suitcase/planning a trip. and the other track focusing on Savers updates, with the two tracks running in perfect parallel... and never the two did meet.)

And please, y'all, continue to encourage each other in our common goal to put money aside for a rainy day.  No matter whether we are saving money for a trip, to buy or remodel a house, or even for retirement, all savings will be spent someday -- so we Savers are really deferred spenders. But because we have saved, we can spend that money for its intended purpose without too much angst. (And some of us   have been known to "rob Peter to pay Paul" when things get tight.  No harm in that, right?  In the end, it shows us where we ran short, and guides us to plan more carefully, increase savings goals, or create new categories of goals.)

[seriousthistime]

Update

Category	12/5/2015	Goal	% Saved	Roses
Deferred purchases	$1,948	$2,075	93.9%
CC paydown	$1,835	$8,500	21.6%
EF	$2,600	$1,000	260.0%
Gifts	$2,653	$2,600	102.0%
Utilities	$257	$280	91.8%
Weekly Savings	$1,331	$1,378	96.6%
Total	$10,624	$14,498	73.2%

Serious this time, 12/5/15, $10,624 (Goal $14,498)

Got another rose this time, and likely three roses next time.  

I'm starting to think about my 2016 goals.  Just starting; haven't gotten very far... Who knows what's in the air for 2016.  It could be nothing, or everything. My crystal ball has a huge crack in it, and it isn't saying whether anything's afoot for 2016.

[tobinikui]

Hi all - Turns out I haven't updated since late October. Man, what a year this has been!? Good, crazy, nutso, and everything in between. Our savings have gotten thrown completely out of whack. We're not in the hole (yet), but ugh. I am not proud. We can still pay all of our bills thankfully, but we're running significantly closer to paycheck to paycheck than I've done in over a decade (and we definitely haven't done this since we've been married).  Not a proud time, for sure, but all I can do is buckle down, trim the fat, and focus focus focus (and make sure it doesn't EVER happen again)!

The short version is this:

1) my pay has been cut 30% to bank time for maternity leave next summer (this is voluntary).

2) we took on two loans this summer, at a combined total of $14,600, or there abouts (in retrospect, *neither* one was a smart decision, but it's too late to change that now!) #1 was for new bedroom furniture, and #2 was to have the house sided.

3) we emptied out almost all of our savings to minimize the loans we took out, and left ourselves with only about $5000 (which is significantly less than what I'm comfortable with having on hand)

4) Family asked for some temporary financial assistance, which we gave, with the understanding that it would be paid back ASAP. (From what I hear through DH, we should get our check back in less than a week. Phew!!)

5) DSS asked for temporary financial assistance, which we gave. (We bailed out his sister *once*  as well, so I felt it was only fair.) And I'm hoping this turns into a teachable moment. I'm trying to help him get his bills and collections accounts in order and under control. He is also supposed to pay us back, but it will be a long slow process for sure. So, we're not banking on having this money back any time soon.

What we're doing about it:

1) Cut back the internet/tv to the bare minimum.

2) Purchased a router/modem on our own, so there's no longer a monthly "rental fee". (It works better, too!)

3) Cut back our phone plan, saving $35+tax/month for now, and it'll be closer to $60/month when DH's phone is off contract in April.

4) More meals at home, less eating out, no junk food or impulse purchases & a skinnier Christmas for all!

5) We decided to sell one of our two cars. I work 4 miles away, on a direct bus route that goes by the street three houses down. DH stays home with the baby, and frankly, our smaller car won't even fit one decent car seat, let alone two! This will be a HUGE adjustment, but we are going to sell the car, and immediately put the proceeds towards our HEL loan, which will hopefully wipe it out entirely. Because of where I work, the bus route is a viable option, as is biking or walking to work. We are hoping to transition to being a permanent one-car family.  Time will tell though!

In addition, after a few months of not even contributing to my retirement accounts (because I had taken the initial pay cut to save time for maternity leave), I read Dave Ramsey's "Automatic Millionaire" book again in early November. And then promptly re-upped my pre-tax retirement contributions from 0% to 10%. The first check where that was taken out was this past week. It makes life tighter now, but I'd rather that, than end up eating cat food in retirement.

In a round about way, taking on the debt this summer has re-energized my attention to financial details - in a good way. I realized that I am way more motivated and focused on our finances when there are debts to pay, than when we're just saving money. Weird, I know, but it took this experience to help me see that. The key will be maintaining that focus once the debts are paid again.

In the mean time, our ER fund is painfully low, and my 2015 goals have been blown out of the water.  My final ER fund goal is still $25,000. But given how much of the year is left, my goal for this year is to finish with $2,500.  My 2016 goal is to hit $5,000 in our ER fund, and to pay off those two debts entirely, so that in 2017, we can focus 100% on the ER fund (and college tuition costs for our DSD).

Many thanks to the WIRS for their patience as I faded in and out this year, and to the WIRR for happily taking me back, as I try to fix this mess I put my family into.

Tobinikui ER Fund: $2,418.48 (Start $0, Goal $25,000) Current: 9.7%

Just for fun - here's a dancing banana! (I don't know why, but this silly little thing always makes me smile).

[seriousthistime]

Update 

	Stars	Name	Amt Saved	Goal	% Saved	Roses	Smilies
1		azucena	$33,800	$39,300	86.7%
2		forwardwego	$10,578	$11,378	93.0%
3		megaptera	$14,250	$15,000	95%
4		minnesota paintlady	$20,100	$20,400	98.5%
5		movinonup	$2,123	$4,046	52.4%
6		Ombud	$30,000	$30,000	100.0%
7		PauletteG	$9,000	$9,000	100.0%
8		Saving4Norway	$15,000	$14,500	103.0%
9		scrgrl47	$22,138	$19,080	116.0%
10		seriousthistime	$10,624	$14,498	73.3%
11		shanendoah	$14,848	$15,500	95.8%
12		snapdragon	$4,796	$6,500	73.8%
13		speechchick	$17,585	$20,005	87.9%
14		Sugi Plum Fairy	$1,662	$8,300	20.0%
15		tobinikui	$2,418	$25,000	9.7%

Wow Savers!  The stars and dancing bananas are really lighting up the chart this month!

We have four new Savers to the dancing banana bunch:  Ombud, PauletteG, Saving4Norway, and scrgrl47. Congratulations!!!  And we have many more starts and roses on the chart too.  Next month we should have a few more Savers to add to the dancing banana bunch, judging from the Savers who have saved over 90% of their goal so far. 

It's a challenge to save money at this time of year.  It seems to me that every time I turn around there is something tempting to buy, or another worthy cause to donate to, or another gift to purchase.  Try, if you can, to resist buying that one last item (or at least shop around for a better price or a lower-cost idea) and add the money saved to your last savings update for the year, or donate it to a worthy organization of your choice.  The red kettle crew is out in force where I live, and I certainly want to help them out, but I have decided to put in $1 each time I see them instead of the $5 I usually donate each time.  I am donating the extra money to the local food bank and soup kitchen.  A friend of mine posted on Facebook about sending a holiday card to "A Recovering American Soldier," care of Walter Reed Hospital.  Apparently it is outdated info though, and the thing to do is to send such cards to local Red Cross offices -- but this year's deadline has passed.  I decided to skip the holiday cards this year and send the money I would spend on cards and postage to a Veteran's organization instead. 

Whatever you decide to do with your money this month, try to make sure it is a conscious choice because it has a way of slipping through our fingers at this time of year. 

[seriousthistime]

Shoutouts!

Sugi Plum Fairy, how is the apartment hunting going?  Any luck at all?  I am SO glad you are using some of your savings to buy a few new clothes.  I think it's safe to say you have gotten your money's worth out of the old clothes.  What is your strategy on the new clothes?  Shop the sales?  Buy from used/consignment stores? Discount stores like TJ Maxx?  With each new post about your clothes shopping, I am imagining the pleasure you get when you wear each new piece.  It's depressing to go into a closet or dresser drawer and see the same old clothes.

snapdragon, good job with your updates.  You are really making some nice progress here.  Do you think being part of the Savers has resulted in you saving more than you otherwise would have?  Regarding your post about starting to save for parental burial expenses in 2016, I wanted to ask: are there other options to get help with that? For example, is your parent a veteran?  It's sad to think about having to save for this, but even sadder to have financial stress when a loved one passes. 

Saving4Norway, I want to be just like you when I grow up!  Mind you, I am probably older than you are, but I still need to grow up.   Iceland Flight is at the top of your list.  I would LOVE to go to Iceland.  It is sort of on my bucket list which is not written down anywhere, so it's hard to know how many things are on there. It will have to wait a few years, at least. What is your draw to the North Atlantic region/Scandinavia ... anything in particular?  No, I cannot imagine being hit with a $10,000 car repair without money in the bank to pay for it.  It may not have been your intended purpose for that money, but that's what I referred to when I talked about "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

azucena, you don't have to tell us what you spent on take-out food over the past month.  I bet we can just imagine!  But I think it is money well spent.  Fingers crossed that this will be your last actuarial exam, and you can go back to home-cooked meals soon. I know that spending money on the retaining wall was not the most fun you've ever had spending a big chunk of money, but it is a big thing to cross off the list.

tobinikui, welcome back to the Savers.  Wow, you've really got some plans afoot!  Seems like when we're gone for a bit we return with renewed purpose and strength to tackle our finances.  You have a lot of exciting things on schedule for 2016.  I've gathered that your DH is older than you (he's retired, right?).  Have you factored in what his current benefits are, and what they might be when you reach your retirement age?  You may not need to save as much for retirement as you think.  Just an idea (which you've probably already got covered). 

forwardwego, <ach cough cough cough ach> -- I think I'm choking from all the deposits you made to the 52 week challenge!!!! Congratulations for finishing off that goal!  How did you like your strategy of picking weeks as you needed/wanted to?  Would you recommend it? What are the pros and cons?  Good job getting a head start on 2016 goals. Watching your posts has been like watching my garden; so many roses coming up!

speechchick71, I think you are doing amazingly well with your varying amounts into savings, but if the ever-increasing amount is stressing you out, it is not the only way to handle it.  Stress comes from NOT having the money to pay for what we need.  It shouldn't come from SAVING for what we need.  I say pick a method or combination that won't cause your stress to increase, and go with that.   I HATE airline delays and overnights with the extra expense, the not being able to sleep in my own bed which I was so looking forward to, and I hate getting jerked around by the airlines. I have been told a few big fat lies by airline gate agents about why my flight took off earlier than scheduled (i.e., "all the passengers booked on that flight were boarded." Umm, no they weren't, I was booked on that flight and I am standing right here in front of you!  Grrrr.  I hate that!

PauletteG, great job on meeting your goals!!!  Which did you decide: mini goals for December, or take a month off and start fresh in January?  Which would you prefer to visit, central Canada or St. Louis?  Is it not possible to do both? Seems as if home maintenance is on a lot of our lists!

Ombud, I've watched you fight to get to your goals this year.  You're doing great!!!  What an amazing year for you, with DD and the kids moving out, and did I read DS and his wife are expecting a new grandchild, etc.  Lots of stuff going on for 2016.  How do you think you'll adjust to an empty nest?  Honestly, in your situation I would fret less about working half the year and start enjoying life a little more, but hey, that's just me. 

scrgrl47, you say rowing is expensive but necessary. Ever try weekly therapy sessions?  I think rowing is your therapy and it's way less money that seeing a professional therapist once a week. There are unhealthy substitutes for therapy (like the alcohol and all) and I think rowing is a healthy and very reasonably priced substitute. I hope your reentry back home was uneventful -- pleasant, even!  

minnesotapaintlady, you've done a fantastic job shuffling things around as needed.  I am SO impressed with your ability to save money.  With two kids and what I gather is a modest income, look at what you've done.  All those in favor of minnesotapaintlady holding Savers classes next year?  Let's see a show of hands!  You can hold them in your barn...  We could all learn something from you.

megaptera, stop and give us a personal update if you care to.  What are you saving for?  What obstacles do you face/what battles do you fight?  Where would you like to be in 3 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc.?  I'd love to know what makes the Saver in you tick. 

To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there? 

[Jaguar]

Dec 6, 2015 18:38:28 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Shoutouts!

Sugi Plum Fairy, how is the apartment hunting going?  Any luck at all?  I am SO glad you are using some of your savings to buy a few new clothes.  I think it's safe to say you have gotten your money's worth out of the old clothes.  What is your strategy on the new clothes?  Shop the sales?  Buy from used/consignment stores? Discount stores like TJ Maxx?  With each new post about your clothes shopping, I am imagining the pleasure you get when you wear each new piece.  It's depressing to go into a closet or dresser drawer and see the same old clothes.

I don't need to move now, the place did not sell. That's why I can finally update my clothes and shoes. I hit really good sales of 40 to 50% off. I threw my 20 year old sweatshirts out. It feels fabulous.

Plus I bought much needed stuff for my kitchen and computer and that was on sale as well. Now I can save in peace and find my perfect new apartment on my own time. My savings took a hit but I'm a really happy camper.

Come January 1, 2016 I'm in with the Savers again, WOO HOO !!!

[movinonup]

movinonup 12/6/2015 $3,123.35 (Goal $4045.95)

	Saved	Goal	% Saved	Periods Completed
Weekly Challenge	$1,378.00	$1378.00	100%	52/52
Daily Challenge	$667.95	$667.95	100%	365/365
Skiing	$1077.40	$2000.00	53.870%

I saw the update tonight and was annoyed that my nummbers hadn't changed.  So I transferred $1,000 into my WIRS account.   

	Goal
Monthly Challenge	$780.00
Weekly Challenge	$1,378.00
Daily Challenge	$667.95
Skiing	$2,000.00
House Addition	$20,000.00
Total	$24,825.95

Since I'm not that creative, I added a Monthly Challenge by simply moving the decimal and changing the frequency of the savings.  I will save a multiple of $10 each month for the year ($10, $20, $30, ...$120) for a total of $780 for the year.  I kept my skiing goal the same for next year, though I may actually spend more than that during the season.  Since I'm an idiot, I am going to put an addition on my house.  Twenty grand is going to be a drop in the bucket for what this will cost, but I don't want to put up a ridiculous number that will just depress me if I can't save that much.  This total of just under $25,000 is very ambitious if it is only coming from my salary since I also put money into my 457, Roth, and 529.  I do expect to get reimbursed a lot (hopefully all) of the money that I laid out for my MIL's estate as soon as the Court issues the Letter Testamentary, which will allow us to get to my MIL's accounts.  What I do get will be split (not necessarily evenly) between debt and savings.  

-movinonup

[snapdragon]

Dec 6, 2015 18:38:28 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Shoutouts!



snapdragon, good job with your updates.  You are really making some nice progress here.  Do you think being part of the Savers has resulted in you saving more than you otherwise would have?  Regarding your post about starting to save for parental burial expenses in 2016, I wanted to ask: are there other options to get help with that? For example, is your parent a veteran?  It's sad to think about having to save for this, but even sadder to have financial stress when a loved one passes. 


To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there? 

I think having to actually put it "out there" has helped on the saving for sure.

Both my parents have life insurance but they don't automatically pay out and after K passed this summer my dad was telling me about all the problems he was having RE: burial, decisions and memorial. Basically to cremate costs over $1000 in my state and you need at least 6 death certificates with cost something like $20 each. Than if you are going to do a memorial or something it is min about $600. Than you have problems when you let the banks and everything know that they have passed. Cards and accounts get frozen and transferred so you need ready cash. That's what happened to Dad. I'm on both parents accounts but it is possible that it will get a hold or something will happen so I will end up paying until the matter is resolved.

I am doing alright. But I am working on paying off the 2nd mortgage and I hope to have it done next year. I know I could slow down on that but I have a few other things that will be coming up and I need to have that money liquid and not set into a payment. Than I can really put my plans for financial domination into motion. 

[tobinikui]

Dec 6, 2015 18:38:28 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

tobinikui, welcome back to the Savers.  Wow, you've really got some plans afoot!  Seems like when we're gone for a bit we return with renewed purpose and strength to tackle our finances.  You have a lot of exciting things on schedule for 2016.  I've gathered that your DH is older than you (he's retired, right?).  Have you factored in what his current benefits are, and what they might be when you reach your retirement age?  You may not need to save as much for retirement as you think.  Just an idea (which you've probably already got covered). 



Yes - DH is 12 years older than I am, and has been retired for more than 2 years (law enforcement). I was 29 & he was 41 when we met. It's been a crazy ride, for sure! Now, he is a full time stay at home parent to our 17 month old, while I work full time for the state. He is already collecting a pension, but we are also still paying child support for his college age youngest daughter. In 2.5 years, that will be over with, and suffice it to say, I'm counting down the months! We pay willingly, but we would be happier if we thought that she was benefitting from it in some way. But, that is neither here nor there, at this point.

I will also have a state pension when I retire (in 25+ years). *gag* ha! But, even with our combined defined benefit plans, which I know we are incredibly lucky to have, I am not willing to put all our eggs in the state's basket. So, the additional retirement savings help me sleep a little easier at night!

In other news, we sold the car today! DH was totally on board, thankfully. And, I immediately applied the half of the check that cleared directly to our loan principle!!! I will wait to post the numbers until the dust settles, but by next Friday, the HEL should be paid off & 100% gone!! Wheeee!!!!

[Saving4Norway]

Seriousthistime said...

"Saving4Norway, I want to be just like you when I grow up! Mind you, I am probably older than you are, but I still need to grow up. Iceland Flight is at the top of your list. I would LOVE to go to Iceland. It is sort of on my bucket list which is not written down anywhere, so it's hard to know how many things are on there. It will have to wait a few years, at least. What is your draw to the North Atlantic region/Scandinavia ... anything in particular? No, I cannot imagine being hit with a $10,000 car repair without money in the bank to pay for it. It may not have been your intended purpose for that money, but that's what I referred to when I talked about "robbing Peter to pay Paul.""

Serious, thanks for the compliment! I encourage you to "be like me" but first, consider what is it about my savings plan you like. Then make that happen in your life. I have no secret to saving success. I just make a plan and execute it.

On my dad's side of the family I'm Norwegian, on mom's side I'm Danish. Icelandair is the easiest and cheapest way to get from Seattle to the Scandinavian countries so I've had layovers there a few times. In 2013 my dad and I stayed a few extra days there and loved it. Now I want to go back and take DH. I have PTSD so I prefer to fly one class up from coach to minimize panic attacks. But, of course, it's more expensive, so I save for that.

When I first started saving I had a category for an Emergency Fund and separate funds for things like vacations, Christmas presents, etc. Some folks questioned my logic, thinking I should only focus on the EF until it's fully funded. I explained that while I'm saving for the EF, if I really do have an emergency I just change courses and use any and all money needed for that emergency. Although that was almost 10 years ago the thought still applies. In fact, when I got the news the engine replacement would be $10,000 DH suggested we take it out of our EF (a stocks and bonds account) but I said "No, I want to save the EF for a real emergency." Kind of goofy notion that an unexpected bill to the tune of $10,000 didn't seem to dawn on me as a "real" emergency, huh.

[forwardwego]

Dec 6, 2015 18:38:28 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Shoutouts!



forwardwego, <ach cough cough cough ach> -- I think I'm choking from all the deposits you made to the 52 week challenge!!!! Congratulations for finishing off that goal!  How did you like your strategy of picking weeks as you needed/wanted to?  Would you recommend it? What are the pros and cons?  Good job getting a head start on 2016 goals. Watching your posts has been like watching my garden; so many roses coming up!


To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there? 

Hey there! Thanks so much! I love the 52 week challenge. I thought of bumping it up for 2016 to make the final amount higher, but am going to stick with my general approach from 2015 (which is all over the map). That method suits me so well, because I love putting in the "big amounts", but there are phases and events in life that don't allow it every single week.  I'm hoping more of the racers will come to this thread and try the 52 week challenge, or maybe build their EF. Since I eventually used the money to reach 2 of my 3 EF goals I kind of got "double credit" here, but that's okay because I think of that as having made 2 good decisions 1)To save the money and 2)To put it to a very constructive use. 


seriousthistime Thank you for your dedication to all the savers here, I'm happy to team up with you and know you'll help me build my shout out skills to encourage and engage all the WIR Savers 

[tobinikui]

I don't think my sigh of relief could have been any bigger yesterday, when DH sent me a picture of the bank check we received from our family, paying us back. In my head, I was doing the happy dance of all happy dances!!! Once that check clears (it's a bank check, so the hold should be minimal, at best!), I'll put the money back into the various sub-accounts I borrowed it from.

*phew!!*

[Ombud]

seriousthistime said:

Ombud, I've watched you fight to get to your goals this year.  You're doing great!!!  What an amazing year for you, with DD and the kids moving out, and did I read DS and his wife are expecting a new grandchild, etc.  Lots of stuff going on for 2016.  How do you think you'll adjust to an empty nest?  Honestly, in your situation I would fret less about working half the year and start enjoying life a little more, but hey, that's just me. 

To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there? 

This year has been rough:
♤ retirement account down 60k (50k to DS, 10k to DD for downpayments)
♡ flaky boss and flakier work schedule
◇ constantly doubting next year financially
♧ back in debt
PLEASE let 2016 be less stressful

At this point, I hope by the end of 2016 I'll be out of debt with 6500 deposited to Roth

seriousthistime,  thank you for all the shout outs

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 12/11/2015 $10678 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	5000	5000	100
homestead EF	1300	2000	65	700
vehicle EF	1000	1000	100
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	1378	1378	100
totals	10678	11378	93	700

*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+43+42+41+39+38 +33+37+36+35+34+32+31 +(22&30)+(29&23)+(24&28) +(27&25)=$1378

ETA: I   being a WIR Saver!

[forwardwego]

Ombud You have had a "rough" year, but some of the things were key to 2016 being a better year. For example, you have your space back! And now you are taking stock of 2015 tp plan for 2016. Good for you. It's hard but important to review as part of making improvements. Why are you doubting 2016 financially. Be specific with yourself and then you can make some plans to address that. What are you afraid will interfere with 2016 finances? How could you plan for it? 2016 can be the year of rebuilding!


Saving4Norway said:

When I first started saving I had a category for an Emergency Fund and separate funds for things like vacations, Christmas presents, etc. Some folks questioned my logic, thinking I should only focus on the EF until it's fully funded. I explained that while I'm saving for the EF, if I really do have an emergency I just change courses and use any and all money needed for that emergency.  

I like this strategy. It puts something in writing to show savings as a means to fun things as well as necessary things, and feels motivating. Saving can be tricky at first. I was a lifelong "good at paying the bills" person. Saving up an EF was a whole new level, and saving up for fun things...WOW  


tobinikui Yippee for having the money back where it belongs 


snapdragon Gonna love seeing you tackling the 2nd mortgage, and going for financial domination 


movinonup Good for you with the $1K bump to savings...felt good didn't it? And adding a monthly savings challenge to the menu!

Jaguar So glad you don't "have" to move. I'll bet you're enjoying finally having your wardrobe updated.  Looking forward to seeing your savings goal for 2016 


I spent some money I hadn't planned for: a vet bill, and $150 for a pretty darned good fridge for the garage. So probably won't get my dancing banana, but really excited for 2016 savings goals.

[Jaguar]

I'm so happy that I didn't have to move and yes a new wardrobe is really exciting and so fresh. I just got my hair cut and it looks cute, so I'm really extremely pleased. I plan on cleaning up my place this winter and yes I'll be on the saving train again cause that gave me so much control over anything that happens.

[PauletteG]

Dec 6, 2015 18:38:28 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

Shoutouts!

[shoutouts to buck-squeezin' savers redacted]

PauletteG, great job on meeting your goals!!!  Which did you decide: mini goals for December, or take a month off and start fresh in January?  Which would you prefer to visit, central Canada or St. Louis?  Is it not possible to do both? Seems as if home maintenance is on a lot of our lists!

[shoutouts to buck-squeezin' savers redacted]

To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there? 

Ooh, errr, start fresh in January. I'd prefer to visit central Canada but St. Louis we could stay with relatives. Family have not seen eastern Canada beyond Canmore, Alberta. Home maintenance definitely on the list. 

[azucena]

11/16/15 +275 extra from paycheck $34,077
11/18/15 +1636 daycare reimbursement $35,713
11/20/15 +100 paycheck deduction $35,813

11/23/15 -1295 down payment for a mini-van $34,518

    heat went out in my 02 stratus and would have been $600 - got $750 for trade in   Bought an 06 odyssey with 67k for $11k

12/16/15 +1270 daycare reimbursement $35,788

I have one more small daycare check coming and should be able to squeeze a couple of hundred more into savings for this year but won't make my goal of $39,300.  All in all, I'm proud that I was able to increase my savings by almost 80%.  That's definitely a record for me and my family.  I get a little giddy each time I open my account and see the balance this high. 

I will definitely be participating in the savings challenge in 2016 and will start thinking about what my goal should be.

[teachermom]

HI all.....sorry I have been MIA.....been a tough year! 2016 will be better!! Good to see all of you reaching so many goals!!! Congrats!! Back soon with 2016 goals.

Teachermom

[megaptera]

Welcome back teachermom !

"megaptera, stop and give us a personal update if you care to. What are you saving for? What obstacles do you face/what battles do you fight? Where would you like to be in 3 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc.? I'd love to know what makes the Saver in you tick.

To all Savers: Where are you now, where do you want to be a year from now, and how will you get there?"

Thanks for the shoutouts, seriousthistime .

This past year, I've been tracking our moving fund contributions here. About a year ago, I estimated we would be moved by Spring 2016. My estimate was WAY off.  I'm going to amend that to Spring 2017. We're going to have a house built on some land we purchased several years ago, and we're still in the permitting stage. Apparently, our county is notorious for some of the strictest environmental regulations around. Anyway, this fund was/is paying for engineering, critical area designations, surveys, permitting, etc.

I'm looking forward to 2016 and thinking about goals. We've been saving for other items like Christmas, property taxes, car, etc. that I haven't tracked here this year, but will next year. I also need to add a pet fund since we just adopted a rescue pup.   We're very new to this pet thing, but it's going extremely well so far. For those with pets, is it better to have pet insurance, or to just set aside some savings for vet/emergency bills?

Merry Christmas to everyone!

ETA: Hmm, I can never quite get the hang of the quote function.

[seriousthistime]

Megaptera, I may have mentioned once or twice (AT LEAST!) that I have a pet fund.  My pet has an expensive-to-treat long term disease, so I set aside money each paycheck to deal with it.  I am not sure whether the pet insurance is a better bet.  I know that we would have been paying out for insurance for her first 6 years without anything serious going on, but when she was diagnosed at age 6.5, it got very expensive.  I've never crunched the numbers, I used to say she is the $10,000 dog but I think it's more like $15-$20,000 for the testing and injections  If you are not able to weather the expense of a costly surgery or expensive maintenance drugs and tests, I would recommend the pet insurance because that is not a time when you want the decision to be dictated by finances.  

Maybe someone who has had pet insurance can weigh in on coverage, deductibles, co-pays, and so forth. 

[Saving4Norway]

Megaptera, We have a Bernese Mountain Dog. He's 3 and we have $2000 in our pet fund, but no insurance. I contemplated insurance and the thing that kept me from committing was the fact that big dogs have shorter life spans in general (Beyond 6 years will be a gift.) Like human life insurance, when you've got a shorter term, rates are considerably higher. We always have $2000 earmarked for him, plus more in our emergency funds if needed.

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 12/20/2015 $10778 (goal $11378)

fund 2015	present	goal	% met	$$ needed
rental EF	5000	5000	100
homestead EF	1400	2000	70	600
vehicle EF	1000	1000	100
tree removal	1750	1750	100
truck tires	250	250	100
52 week challenge*	1378	1378	100
totals	10778	11378	94	600

 I   being a WIR Saver!

 I tapped into the homestead EF and vehicle EF accounts to progress to paying auto insurance every 6 months instead of monthly, which saves us 18%, a pretty awesome ongoing savings. So my chart shows gross total saved, but the net amounts are Homestead EF $1100 & Vehicle EF $500... 

[lund]

Not in the US, but we had pet insurance that covered accidents, such as a broken jaw, and acute illness, such as uteritis/pyometra (obviously more rare in the US since more dogs are fixed), and some non-acute things such as removal of benign skin tumors.

It was not possible to get pet insurance when the dog was older (over eight?), and it was more expensive if bought for an older animal.
We had it from "puppyhood".

We also had a pet fund. Usually, the pet costs are small and foreseeable as long as the pet is healthy, and then there is a slew of co-pays, travel costs and time of work to go to the vet, and sometimes some uncovered costs in addition, just as for humans. Also, the vet costs increase a lot with age.

A set monthly or "checkly" amount covering the yearly (or probable) known expenses (insurance, yearly vet visit including dental at least for middle age and older dogs, a small sum for "dog stuff", agility classes,...) plus an additional monthly amount to build up savings for when they are needed. Usually, that money was spent on deductibles and co-pays.

Of the dogs, most had some acute illness or accidents and recovered fine, then fell ill and were put down due to acute leukemia, breast cancer, unknown cancer of the abdomen, unknown cancer with brain metastases causing severe problems,.....
Per our vets, treatment was not an option for any but one of them due to advanced age, advanced illness or the kind of illness. We kept the dogs at home as long as they were comfortable if this was an option.