February 4, 2019
On Money
Income
Our primary income comes from our full time jobs. We earn money on the side, including tiny cash flow we don’t touch from an investment property and investing in dividend stocks.
Our side income comes from Swagbucks, occasional sales on Poshmark, cash back sites like Ebates, Mr.Rebates, and tracking physical activity through Achievement (my introduction to it). Some posts have affiliate links that pay a tiny commission to keep the blog lights on.
The long term goal is to replace our day job income before my health declines enough to prevent me from working.
***
Dividend income. We received $157 in dividends this month and year to date net dividends are not surprisingly, $157. I currently reinvest all our dividends.
BeFrugal cashback. After a week long tussle with them, they finally paid me my cashback and $10 join up bonus ($31). I’m so annoyed with their irritating nonsensical “verifications” that after I withdraw the last of my money with them, I’m closing my account. Their extra .25% cashback is not worth it. Strong do not recommend.
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January 14, 2019
Hello 2019!
I started breaking out the new calendar year goals into a new post last year and I like that format.
{Money Goals}
I don’t know what PiC’s raise will be this year. I assumed he would get something nominal, though that could be wrong and I’m making myself paranoid about assuming right now. They had a few rounds of layoffs and normally that would come with a hiring or salary freeze year but there was confirmation that some raises were happening. I already negotiated mine for the new year, so that’s set and budgeted: we’re splitting it between our regular savings and saving for big expenses. Whatever PiC’s raise is in the spring, that’ll go into savings and cover increased expenses. Daycare will go up again, I’d love to put a little bit more toward mortgage principal, we’ll also need to add (and pay for) some activities for JB this year. If he doesn’t get one, I’ll shuffle our savings rate around a little to take care of those expenses.
- Investment vehicles: Max out PiC’s 401(k), both IRAs, reduce contributions for JB’s 529 to the annual $5000 Dependent Care FSA. I’ve got enough left from our cash savings in 2018 that was intended for investing to cover our IRAs right off the top this year. I set aside the cash for JB’s 529 at the end of last year and was able to do that for PiC’S IRA, this year we saved diligently enough that I can take my IRA out of the monthly equation. That will increase our cash flow by $459, which goes straight back into investing. I’m reducing the 529 contributions so I can focus on our retirement contributions this year.
- Save 35% of our income in cash for investing. This continues to be a stretch.
- Invest at least $30,000.
- Reduce mortgage principal by $15,000.
- Maintain charitable donations at same level as 2018 or 10% more.
- Maintain side income at $3500. This is going to be tough because none of this income is passive and we’re pretty crunched for time with the adjustments to our jobs of late. Edited to note: This is per year but I wouldn’t say no to per month!
- Create a FIRE outline. I’m still putting this one off. Our assets are low in comparison to even our lowest milestone goal for being comfortably retired.
{Health & Fitness}
I’m not in the mood for a lot of detail this year. Keeping it simple.
- No sugar, low carb.
- Walk every day, maybe hike the dogs twice a month.
- Put on sunblock always.
- Put JB in swim and self defense classes. ($200 a month, I think)
{Life}
- Continue to deal with the consequences of adopting a second dog – training, socializing, training, and training!
- Take a pretty cool vacation.
- Be grateful that I have an incredible partner and that I love my chosen family. Use that privilege and gratitude to help others.
:: What are you working on in 2019? How are you working on becoming the person you want to be ten years from now? Who would that person be?
January 7, 2019
How did we do with 2018 goals?
{Money Goals}
- Max out PiC’s 401(k), my IRA, his IRA, and one parent worth of contributions for JB’s 529. Done on all fronts but we had a cash boost from the home sale.
- Save 35% of our income in addition to the above contributions. No but this was always a stretch.
- Invest at least $50,000. We had most of this from our home sale, I did cash flow the rest of it and achieved the hardest part – committing the money to investments. I didn’t love buying high earlier in the year but the important thing was getting myself in the mindset to invest whatever cash we’re holding above our emergency fund cash, and that worked out well.
- Reduce mortgage principal by another $10,000. Win! Paid down $12,000 to principal.
- Increase charitable donations by 50%. Win! We did it.
- Increase side income from $2000 to $5,000. I didn’t hit $5000 if you don’t count investment income, I don’t.
- Create a FIRE outline. Nope.
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December 31, 2018
On Money
Income
Our normal income comes from our full time jobs. We earn money on the side, including tiny cash flow we don’t touch from an investment property and investing in dividend stocks.
Our side income comes from Swagbucks, occasional sales on Poshmark, cash back sites like Ebates, Mr.Rebates, and tracking physical activity through Achievement (my introduction to it). Some posts have affiliate links that pay a (very) small commission to keep the blog lights on.
The long term goal is to replace our day job income before my health declines enough to prevent me from working.
***
Dividend income. We received $291.40 in dividends this month. I reinvest all our dividends into new stocks or move the cash out to be invested into index funds.
Costco Cash Card. Costco was prompt in sending us the cash card for our furnace. Thank goodness! This cashback brings our ghastly total down to around $13,000 (not counting the asbestos cost that was nearly $2000 and has been negotiated down to $1200).
Craigslist sale. +$40. I’m grateful PiC is still able to work on these sales a little at a time even though we’re in over our heads with work. My own sales have petered out pretty badly and I think it’s time to donate all that “inventory”, I gave it a good try.
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December 26, 2018
What I read
Daniel José Older
Half-Resurrection Blues
Midnight Taxi Tango
MANY thumbs up. Annoyed with myself for not requesting that the library buy all three in the Bone Street Rumba series because I didn’t realize #3 (Battle Hill Bolero) was out! I have fixed that mistake but still waiting on the library to actually buy it.
Seanan McGuire
Discount Armageddon
Midnight Blue-Light Special
Half–Off Ragnarok
Pocket Apocalypse
MANY thumbs up. I want more. I keep thinking over how to fund cryptozoologists so they can do the crypto part of their job without having to work a day job. Passive income FTW!
Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
MANY thumbs up. I knew this was going to be good. It was EXCELLENT.
Rin Chupeco, The Bone Witch
MANY thumbs up. Stunningly good. I can’t wait to read the Heart Forger.
Sabaa Tabir, A Torch Against the Night (Ember in the Ashes Series, Book 2)
A Reaper at the Gates (Ember in the Ashes Series, Book 3)
So gripping! I have now learned, after three attempts, I can never start a Sabaa Tahir book and expect to put it down before the end.
Gary Paulsen
The Winter Room
Road Trip
Hatchet
Mary Hoffman, City of Masks, Stravaganza Series, Book 1
City of Stars, Stravaganza Series, Book 2
City of Flowers, Stravaganza Series, Book 3
City of Secrets, Stravaganza Series, Book 4
City of Ships, Stravaganza Series, Book 5
City of Swords, Stravaganza Series, Book 6
Gregory Harris, The Bellingham Bloodbath
Interesting enough I’d like to read more of the series.
Imogen Hermes Gowar, The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock
Not my usual genre but very engaging and well written. I was mildly stressed hoping the characters would make good decisions. It was solid but I didn’t really enjoy the experience so wouldn’t read it again.
Danette Haworth, A Whole Lot of Lucky
A totally random middle school pick from the library because none of my books were available. It was about a poor kid whose family wins the lottery and I was reasonably impressed with how the parents dealt with the windfall. Less so with the kid but I’ve always struggled to relate to normal kids so this isn’t a surprise. Overall, pretty well written.
Ilona Andrews, Magic Bites (Kate Daniels Series, Book 1)
Magic Burns (Kate Daniels Series, Book 2)
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels Series, Book 3)
Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles, Book 1)
Sweep in Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles Series, Book 2)
One Fell Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles, Book 3)
Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy Series, Book 1)
Wildfire (Hidden Legacy Series, Book 3)
My first Kate Daniels books! I’ve heard about this series before but never picked one up. I need our library to get ALL of them. I LOVED the Innkeeper Chronicles, I reread them four times. Hidden Legacy is also interesting and fun. I’m ready to say anything Ilona Andrews is a sure bet for me.
Amanda Bouchet, A Promise of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles Series, Book 1)
Breath of Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles Series, Book 2)
Heart on Fire (The Kingmaker Chronicles Series, Book 3)
Beverly Cleary, Ramona and Her Mother (Ramona Quimby Series, Book 5)
A little trip down memory lane.
Kelly Barnhill, The Witch’s Boy
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Both of these were really well written and I would definitely recommend them.
Mercedes Lackey, Blood Red (Elemental Masters Series, Book 10)
Bastion (Valdemar: The Collegium Chronicles, Book 5)
Hunter (Hunter Series, Book 1)
I’ve always enjoyed this series and really particularly liked this take on Little Red Riding Hood. I don’t love the Valdemar books anymore after thinking about the Companions and kidnapping to impress citizens into the service of the government buuuut I needed a book to read.
Where we went
We finally made it down to Monterey for a short weekend trip and tried a new place in Pacific Grove, escaping a little bit from the fires and visiting a friend.
The Deer Haven Inn was a very basic but nice enough place to hang out for a night and day while we escaped the massive fires and the toxic air from up North. We loved our little fireplace and had take out on the beds which we never ever do. I had hoped to see some deer hanging out near the inn but instead we were startled by them wandering around the roads in the pitch dark! It was pure luck that we didn’t hit any. Be careful what you wish for and all that. Unfortunately our usual fantastic Mexican food place that we eat at almost every time we’re in Monterey really didn’t come through. Everything we had was dry, or oversauced, and disappointing. Darn.
What I watched
The Good Place. I’d seen advertisements for this show all over the place at SDCC but since there are only about a billion things vying for our attention, I didn’t think twice about it. I do like Kristen Bell a lot so that should have been a warning flag that I’d like it but I randomly found it on Netflix one day and it is fantastic.
Grimm. I’d enjoyed Grimm the first time around but didn’t watch it all way through when it was still live. This has an entire cast of supporting characters I loved. The main character was fine but my favorites were the supporting characters: Munroe, Rosalie, Sergeant Wu, Hank, I loved. Juliette and the Captain, I liked. Adalind I had trouble liking both times around, but for different reasons.
What I did
I picked up needle and thread for fun this fall and while my stitches are laughably uneven, I’ve really enjoyed it as a hobby. Inspired by Kristine at Frugasaurus, I’ve been making drawstring bags. It’s very weird to have a hobby that costs money but it’s also oddly soothing. Is this what they call relaxing?
:: What are you enjoying right now?
December 3, 2018
On Money
Income
Our normal income comes from our full time day jobs. We earn money on the side, including tiny cash flow we don’t touch from an investment property and investing in dividend stocks.
Our side income comes from Swagbucks, occasional sales on Poshmark, cash back sites like Ebates, Mr.Rebates, and tracking physical activity through Achievement (my introduction to it). Some posts have affiliate links that pay a (very) small commission to keep the blog lights on.
The long term goal is to replace our day job income before my health declines enough to prevent me from working.
***
Mini-windfall, Tweetchat: The random number generator loved me and gave me a win for the many tweetchats I’ve participated in this year, a big Amazon gift card! Woo! This will be really helpful to defray normal household costs – I’ve got a huge list of things we’ve been holding off on buying until we have the money for it and we’ll get a few of them. I’ve also allocated a small part of it to buy one random person in need of help a small gift from their wishlist because I believe in passing on the luck / love.
Dividend income. This was a huge month for dividends: $504.44 which is our highest month of the year. It’s just the way the quarterly dividends shake out. Most months are typically around $200 but they’ve grown little by little each month. Our year to date net dividends are now $2,855.80. We don’t spend our dividends, these go right back to work for us purchasing more shares of something.
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