Well the good news is that I believe my computer can be fixed! I found a local shop to repair it, and I'm waiting for the right parts to come in.

It was $135 for the diagnosis and to fix one part. Plus another $450 for the main part that I need. Thankfully my family is buying me that part for my Christmas present! Seems like a pricey fix but still much much cheaper than the few thousand a new computer would cost. Hoping I get a few more good years out of this one! Whew.

But...
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Yesterday's spending - $11 to send a package, $5 for canning lids, $41 for groceries, $1.50 for laundry, $27 for Christmas gift. Variables are at 71%.

The canning lids are for making jam, which I hope to get to today or this weekend.

Today is a gym day, but I slept so poorly I wonder if I will be up to it. I don't really have too much to do today, so maybe with a little more octane (coffee) I can get myself there.

I do expect some packages to be delivered today, so there...
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$15,259.56 401K
+_9,478.38 IRA
-------------
$24,737.56 Total Retirement

$262.44 let to hit $25K.
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$996,205 is our combined retirement balance. So close yet so far. UGH. Ha I guess we'll hit the magic $1 million in January. I'll do a max out Roth IRA and then we'll be over. It's been a good year. Our retirement started out at $789,426 and it's grown $200k. Yes a big chunk was savings but also a big chunk was growth.

The plan seems to be firming up that we are going to stay put until DK2 is launched and finished with college in 2034. That means 14 more years? Considering...
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Shoot, I just realized I forgot to factor in NT's annual salary since he got a raise in October! That changes our retirement goalpost. I'll update next month. To remind myself, salary WAS $62,100 and is NOW $64,118.
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%^(&(^^%!!!! Can't believe I parked too close to a fire hydrant and had to pay $60! It was my fault -- I was tired, it was dark, and I wasn't paying attention the way I should.

Spent another $102 on Christmas gifts. I keep thinking of people I need to buy for. I didn't have a very good gift stash this year. I did buy gifts along the way but used most of them for birthdays.

Variables are at 64%. Eventually I will move the gifts out of variables and tap savings, since...
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I know as a financial site we discuss saving tips /good deals /better interest rates etc.
It is fun to see some bloggers get excited and inspired as they climb out of debt or start a journey into financial fitness. Even reading about items some do for fun.

I am on good footing lately but I am not I would say satisfied or really happy.
I have been talking to others and see that all jobs have problems and perhaps I should find a distraction like e-book...
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I spent $34 on my wheel tax yesterday, and $20 for dinner at Noodles & Co. That was for three of us, so pretty good. And my DIL may reimburse. I also spent $5 at Aldi for water and snacks, and $5 at PetSmart for fish food. Variables are at 47%.

I learned that once I load $75 onto my Brinks card, it will be there until I use it up; I cannot lose it. The only stipulation is that I cannot load more than $75 per month, and I cannot have a balance above $150. This will be great...
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Made another $400 payment to the CC today...getting it there slowly...only $1361.33 left to pay off...will be done by jan 2020 then to start saving for a house and get our ice acct back up to where it was
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No time until the semester ends for a real update, but here's my quickie.

I spend more time worrying about work and DD's college financing than anything else. Kind of tired of both.

My university is undergoing a title and compensation update that is making everyone angry.

I CANNOT wait for the semester to end. I want to cook, read, plan for next term, and not get up at 5:45 for a few days. And start an intense hunt for scholarship cash for DD.

A long-time friend...
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I am trying so hard to be frugal, but it's hard right now. Some wins, some losses.

Here are some thoughts on spending and saving:

1. It's hard because we are going to Iceland in March and we need some clothing items (including thermals!). Actually they are probably things we should have gotten a long time ago (we live in a cold climate). I am trying to buy sale, sale, sale items where possible and have taken advantage of holiday sales. I put together a list in September...
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or payment #2 since refinance.

The regularly scheduled payment of $407.58 happened today. It had been 6 days since the last payment, so 6 days of interest came to $32.60, leaving $374.98 to go towards principal.

If I never pay another extra cent, the last payment will happen on 3/3/31. The total interest paid will be $13,735.76, a savings of $14,118.80 from the originally scheduled interest of $27,854.56.

I am including a snip of my spreadsheet here, since it is not...
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2019 is about to come to a close and I wanted to document what our current financial situation is at the moment. I am a bad "blogger" in that life gets in the way and I forget to jump on here very often...

Oldest DD should be graduating college in May 2020.
Youngest DD will be starting college in June 2020.

We have just gone under contract on a small 1100 sq ft 2bd/2ba home as of yesterday. It was listed at $175k and we got it for $168k. Most properties in our area get...
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All our mortgage payments hit:

US Mortgage $760 to principal
UK Mortgage 1 $183
UK Mortgage 2 $37
UK Mortgage 3 $41

All told, that's $1,021 of debt paid.

New household debt totals:

US Mortgage $374,193
Loan from friends (duplex) $9,000
UK Mortgage 1 $29,238
UK Mortgage 2 $6,164
UK Mortgage 3 $6,490

TOTAL DEBT $425,085
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Goal: $776,700 by March 2024

Current retirement balance: $517,266

October 2019 balance: $506,160

Progress since last update: $11,106

Still needed: $259,434

The new interim goal is based on getting my and NT's retirement to 4x our salaries (currently $75,120 and $62,100) by the time we turn 50 and AS's retirement values to 3x her annual income ($75,940 in 2018) by the time she turns 45.
$75,120 x 4 = $300,480
$62,100 x 4 = $248,400
$75,940 x 3 = $227,820

It...
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I was so busy last month that I'm late on my update. Therefore some retirement contributions that would ordinarily show up in my December net worth update will be here. This note will remind me not to be disappointed at our progress end of December!

Assets:
NT's UK pensions:
AV: 22,397 pounds ($27,996)
SW: 29,047 pounds ($36,309)
FL: 6,462 pounds ($8,078)
NT's 401(k): $82,940
NT's Roth IRA: $40,895
AS's trad. IRA: $21,198
AS's Roth IRA: $62,163
AS's SEP IRA: $37,479
CJ's...
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After updating my spreadsheet with the laundry I've done and buying gas, my variables are now at 40%.

Today I'm going to pay my wheel tax. Yes, I really will! While I'm there, I want to verify that if I load $75 onto my Brinks card (for discounted ground transportation) that I won't lose the unused portion at the end of the month. Wording on the website is unclear. Once I do that, I'll get the Uber app and link this card to it.

I am taking the boys to music lessons tonight....
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Hello everyone! I met my goals of paying off my consumer debt and student loan this year. A few really good-paying projects from our side business was the key to help us get the debt paid off. Using the snowball method was also important to keep the momentum gong.

I must say what a relief it was because I became unemployed at the end of September. You can't put a price on peace of mind but for me, it was in the thousands of dollars. On a happier financial note, I accepted...
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Monday:
Garlic Herb Baked Chicken
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans
Oranges

Tuesday:
Beef Stew with potatoes, carrots, celery, and parsnips
Broccoli
Apples

Wednesday:
Chicken Stir Fry with broccoli, carrots, celery, cauliflower, cabbage
Rice
Oranges

Thursday:
Sirloin Steaks
Baked Potatoes
Zucchini and Yellow Squash
Apples

Friday:
DH's work Christmas party
Baron of Beef
Roasted Red Potatoes
Green Beans with Almonds
There are lots of other choices, but none...
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Was able to make a CC payment today...$3200 so feel good about that...hoping to make 2 smaller payments during the month. Yah getting there
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