http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ --- for those on the fast track to financial independence en Sun, 19 May 2013 14:35:37 +0000 http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-51272 Sat, 18 May 2013 10:57:31 +0000 bigato 51272@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Give the money to a trustworthy friend. If you both succeed, you both receive the money back. If one succeed alone, he receives all the money. If both fail, the friend of yours keep all the money. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-51268 Sat, 18 May 2013 06:30:20 +0000 DutchGirl 51268@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Money's running away from me quickly these days. I sponsored a bike ride against cancer (the money is going to the Dutch Organisation against Cancer, and from my work I know they do a great job paying for good scientific research). From my personal life, there are just too many people I know suffering from cancer, so that was my motivation for this charity over others. I also combined doing volunteer work for them with treating my mum on a weekend away for Mother's Day, costing me some bucks for travel and a place to stay. But to be fair, Mum picked up the tab for our restaurant meal on Saturday evening. And it was great to spend some time together! I see my savings account dwindle though, and I don't like it. Time to stop (discretionary) spending for this month of May. </p> <p>We are saving on our grocery budget though, because we are dieting. The boyfriend and me both definitely could stand to lose some weight, and after some failed attempts, he found the key to my motivation: money. I'm blushing as I write this, because isn't that a bit low of me? But it is truly working. The deal is, that I pay him 500 euros (being 1/5th of a normal salary for me, equal to an "ouch" amount of money) if he loses xx kilos before July 1st, and that he'll pay me the same amount if I lose yy kilos before July 1st. So if we both reach our goal, no money is lost. If we both fail, ditto (which is a weak point in this system, anyone has a better idea?). The most painful experience for me would be him succeeding and me failing, because then I'll really lose 500 euros. The weight loss-amounts are between doable and hard, certainly not impossible. We started on May 1st, and it's going so well that we're both about 40% of the way (at 1/4th of the time). We're not sabotaging each other, because we know we are both susceptible to it... So far so good! </p> <p>That's it for now. Salary coming in in about a week, should be about 2500 euros. Next month the salary will be bigger again, because I'm working my butt of this month, in between all national holidays that are happening (Ascencion day etc). </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-50072 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:36:51 +0000 DutchGirl 50072@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@bulgaria: I was too afraid to just use ebay. What if I pay 100 euros and the thing immediately falls apart? Well, maybe next time :-) . I did buy a cover for it and am using that. </p> <p>Fun moment with the boyfriend: I recently told him that I estimate that together we have 175000 euros. Most of it is his. He hates talking about money, so he shrugged it off. Then, four days later or so, he says: "So we have 175k, ey? That's actually pretty cool." I believe it is a comforting idea to him; even when he claims not to care much about money. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-49939 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:19:00 +0000 bulgaria 49939@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I also have an iphone 3gs for 3.5 years.</p> <p>some tips: get yourself a protector ASAP! If it falls, chance is very big that it is gone since the casing is very fragile. I have one with a build in battery which doubles the battery time. I don't use it much, although it is always on, and I have the impression that the battery is not getting bad. So that is good :)</p> <p>I have not always been as careful with it.. but the phone is still doing fine. The only thing that went bust is the silver volume button on the side.. it fell off after 2.5 years.</p> <p>The glass is very good.. I often have it in my pocket with all kinds of junk (e.g. keys) and the damage to the screen is very little.</p> <p>The software: you can always jailbreak it (I have done that to get rid of mobile operator restrictions). Perhaps the jailbreak will also help you install software otherwise not available.</p> <p>I'm sure the telephone will survive another 1.5 years.. maybe even longer.</p> <p>PS: Next time buy a second hand one :) A lot cheaper.. let someone else deal with the depreciated value first.. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-49937 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 08:51:36 +0000 DutchGirl 49937@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Income in April: 2135 euros, of which 42 from investments (interest, dividend and increased value of stocks). </p> <p>Expenses: 1802 euros.</p> <p>Savings rate around 10-15% of my income, which is quite low.</p> <p>Expenses included 340 euros on a new Iphone 3GS; which may or may not have been a good idea. My intentions were to be able to stop using my Samsung smartphone which has been a nuisance ever since buying, no, financing it into my payment plan, two years ago, and to be able to pick a sim-only or maybe even pay-as-you-go phone plan starting in July when my current contract ends (and by the way, if I want to end it early, I will still need to pay full contract price for every month I stop early, so no gain there). I'm currently paying 35 euros per month for my plan, and I hope to get to a plan that costs say 10-15 euros per month. </p> <p>I hope that this iphone will stay functional for at least two years, hopefully even three. Then the costs-per-month will go down to 15-10 euros. While my boyfriend is doubtful because it may soon become impossible to update the software; I hope that the fact that I only use a few apps will save me from needing an update, anyway. (What I use: a public transport app, a keep-track-of-money app; both very useful for a person like me; and I use the internet for amusement). It is a pity that newer and newer phones come out with options I never use, but with prices to match all those options that I'll never use. </p> <p>I hope my gamble was correct, but we'll see. </p> <p>I was also accumulating money in my savings account for a bigger emergency fund, but I just can't do it. There's 2000 euros in an emergency account already, and now there were 3500 more euros just sitting there and earning almost no interest. So instead I bought shares from a bonds fund with it; general profit has been between 0 and 6% annually for the last 5 years, average 3.8%, and so if I never need the money, I'll just sell the bonds and probably will have made more profit than in my savings account. Another gamble that I hope works out for me.</p> <p>(I bought bonds, not stocks, because A it is emergency fund money after all, could be needed sometime soon and B I have made a financial plan of how much bonds and how much stocks I want, and the balance had shifted too much towards stocks, so this was also a rebalancing act).</p> <p>Next month, my income will be a bit higher again, and my expenses a bit lower (at least that's what I'm aiming and hoping for). </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-49025 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:17:44 +0000 DutchGirl 49025@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Hi borisborisboris, have you tried firecalc? <a href="http://firecalc.com/" rel="nofollow">http://firecalc.com/</a></p> <p>We Dutch are famous for our frugality. You have the expressions "going Dutch" and "a Dutch treat". They are charicatures, though! In the last couple of years, the Dutch on average have 1500 euros consumer debt (about $2000). About 2 million people have a credit, from about 17 million in total (includes kids). 700,000 had problems paying their debt. </p> <p>Most Dutch families have one car, or two. But gas is way more expensive than in the US, luckily distances are much shorter in the Netherlands. Most Dutch people have a bike, too, which is often used for shorter distances. Walking can be an option, too. Fast food is used a little less often, I think, and there are less drive-throughs (I visited Boston and saw three to five fast food chains per highway exit). I think people eat their meals at home more often, and bringing lunch to work (sandwiches, mostly) is seen as normal.</p> <p>We have a mortgage problem, in that it has been possible for a long time to finance all, or part, of your house with a mortgage that you never had to pay back. All that was required of you, was paying the interest. As long as house prices went up like crazy, that was okay: you would sell your house and the extra money it would sell for was enough to cover your debt. Many people never paid down their mortgage debts, and now that house prices have fallen, many are underwater.</p> <p>Also, over the last 15 years, insurance companies had offered financial plans based on investing. When they started, the market was going up and up and up. So people were told they could on average make &gt;10% annually. On top of that, premiums often were &gt;5% of whatever people put in. In the recent five years or so, when markets collapsed, these plans also collapsed, and people are often left with less than what they put in. People were greedy. Insurance companies were unethical. I am glad that I never bought one of these products, maybe just because I was too young when they were promoting them. </p> <p>I don't think many Dutch people are planning on retiring early. About twenty years ago, there were many government-financed plans for people to retire early. After all, many young people didn't have work, so the old people should retire so that the new generation could get work. So many people could retire from age 55 and up with favorable conditions.However, currently there is a pension crisis, and the age at which we'll start receiving benefits will go up from 65 to 67, within a few years. Many, many people are complaining about having to retire later. This also shows, that these people apparently have zero money saved up to retire on their own conditions. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-48998 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 20:18:24 +0000 borisborisboris 48998@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Wow, cool website - wish I had seen something comparable in English before I built my own spreadsheet.</p> <p>I read through their 'over ons' page, and it made me wonder - what do people think of ERE in NL? I (an American) have family there but would never ask them such a question.</p> <p>Part of the reason I ask was the recent coverage of DividendGuy et al in the national media here, and the predictably ignorant comments on those articles. But in my experience Dutch people treat money differently than Americans--they are more naturally frugal.</p> <p>DutchGirl, what has your experience been? </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-48981 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:59:04 +0000 DutchGirl 48981@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@CarharttGuy: wow, this was your first message, cool that I was the receiver!</p> <p>I actually already knew that website, and have been using it to make some calculations! But your post inspired me to look at it again.</p> <p>I used to use it to calculate my own path towards retirement. But... My boyfriend has been stressing out lately about his chances on the job market. So this time I used it to calculate when one of us can retire. I put all our current assets in there, both of our possible contributions for the next several years, and... One of us could retire in 4 years time. The other then needs a few years more. </p> <p>Very reassuring, and it shows the power of DINKs :-) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-48950 Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:45:56 +0000 CarharttGuy 48950@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Hi DutchGirl,</p> <p>this Dutch calculation site might be of interrest<br /> to you;</p> <p><a href="http://www.derentenier.nl/calculate.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.derentenier.nl/calculate.html</a></p> <p>Keep doing what you are doing! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-48198 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:47:10 +0000 DutchGirl 48198@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>It's finally becoming spring. So welcome, hay fever... (ha).</p> <p>In March, I made 3729 euros (salary 3627; interest/stock value growth 102 euros) and I spent 1363 euros. So a savings rate of 63%, which is exceptionally good for me, and both due to high income and low expenses. </p> <p>On April 1st, my net worth was about 36,100 euros. So with a 4% SWR, if I could live on 120 euros per month, I'd be golden :-) . Still, compared to a few years ago, when my income from interest/stocks was about 0; now getting more than 1000 euros annually "for free" is really cool. And it does feel like it's going somewhere! I could still spend it all on (only) one very luxuruous car, but of course I'm not going to do that.</p> <p>By the way, last month I did work enough hours so that I can expect a paycheck of 2000 euros, not 1500 euros, in a few weeks. Which means my savings rate will not go in the negative and will probably be something like 25%-30%. And this month, I'm working more hours again, so it should get better. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-47471 Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:13:23 +0000 DutchGirl 47471@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>PS. I DID get a very cool income this month. Well, for me. I'm ok with earning 1500 euros/month. I'm used to earning 2000-2500 euros a month. This month, it was 3650 euros! All due to working hard and many hours in February; but I think it was worth it. </p> <p>I'll be spending about 1400-1500, so that's a nice savings rate of 59%. On the other hand, this month I took a week off, and I'll also work less hours during the other weeks, so next month I'm expecting a paycheck of about 1500 euros. Eeeh, I still won't have to touch my savings account! (I'm currently building up a 5000-euro-buffer in my savings account, which I find very annoying because the interest rate on saving accounts is so low - high for current American standards, but yeah, interest rates are abysmal everywhere; still it is smart to have some money at hand... ). </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-47470 Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:04:01 +0000 DutchGirl 47470@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>The Dutch are a moody bunch, probably, these days. Except the ones who were smart (and rich) enough to take a winter holiday somewhere in the sun. </p> <p>They predict more snow next week. Sigh. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-47407 Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:14:10 +0000 rube 47407@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Hey DG, I fully agree with you that it is time it become spring again. It is affecting my mood also. </p> <p>I'm sure you will be able to handle the the different topics and give them the attention they need. Nobody is perfect and able to pay 100% percent of their time and devotion to each subject. It's a live time learning proces, a journey. </p> <p>When you can finish Phd, hopefully soon, you'll will probably also feel better. </p> <p>Thanks for your yournal! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-47378 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:13:58 +0000 DutchGirl 47378@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>@m741, funny :-) Not my intention to imply that. </p> <p>My new salary will be coming in, this Friday. I should be able to save more than 50% of it. That should feel good, but currently I'm feeling a bit... Sad. That is not an unusual state of mind for me. I need it to become spring :-) . </p> <p>I was ill, too; which also affects my mood. I'm almost better now, will resume work tomorrow. </p> <p>I need to lose some weight. I feel like I should shift some of my attention from "money things" to "healthy eating" and "getting some exercise". I am a bit afraid that if I take my attention off the money-thing, I will start losing money again. But I don't think that's a very realistic fear. </p> <p>And I'll always have you guys to keep me steady there. </p> <p>Maybe I'm good at focusing on one thing, and doing that (pretty) well; but I find it more difficult to pay attention to several "projects" at once. Things like: money, family, friends, weight/health, work. I have had periods were one or more suffered because I was focused on something else. </p> <p>OK, that's enough philosophy for now. It's time to go to sleep, here. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46560 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:57:30 +0000 m741 46560@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>When you said you bought something sinful for your niece, I was picturing a stripper pole. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46546 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:54:45 +0000 GPMagnus 46546@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Nice present! At some point she'll be able to read it :) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46529 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 08:07:04 +0000 DutchGirl 46529@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>My niece is one. I bought her a picture book about a train station. Her father loves train stations for some reason and always visits them when on holiday. I think he will love reading it with her. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46500 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:46:35 +0000 secretwealth 46500@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Depends what you bought her. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46498 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:00:28 +0000 m741 46498@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I don't think spending 13 euros on your niece is a sin. :) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-46497 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:32:03 +0000 DutchGirl 46497@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I haved teamed up with team ERE, but I'll have to wait until repayments come in before I can make a loan. </p> <p>I must say that I'm getting tired of the PhD project. I was doing well, but unfortunately another problem turned up (discovered by me, NOT caused by me) and now I have to wait for the person who caused the problem to e-mail me back, to tell me what went wrong and what he's going to do about it. It's frustrating. </p> <p>A colleague of mine is finishing her PhD in a few weeks time. Maybe it will inspire me to try and finish mine, too? I'm feeling very cynical about the whole process right now, finishing my thesis is one thing I'm doubting, but going through the official ceremony and obligatory party when I absolutely don't feel like celebrating, is another. (Maybe I will feel like celebrating by the time this is finally done).</p> <p>Money-wise I'm doing reasonably well. These are my recent sins: I just spent 13 euros on a present for my niece, and 30 on two dvd boxes of the series "Bones". We have loved watching the first two series that I got as a birthday present from my boyfriend. The series is going to go downhill, we don't like the most recent episodes that are currently broadcasted, but hopefully season 3 &amp; 4 will be enjoyable. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-45713 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:29:10 +0000 DutchGirl 45713@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Cool, didn't know they existed! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-45711 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:59:05 +0000 m741 45711@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>If you loan on Kiva, loan with team ERE!</p> <p><a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/ere" rel="nofollow">http://www.kiva.org/team/ere</a> </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-45708 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:39:47 +0000 DutchGirl 45708@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I worked hard in January and February. I was hoping that my January salary would be 3500 euros but it was 3300 euros, thanks to changes in taxes and insurance premiums dictated by the government. I put almost 1000 euros on Kiva (kiva.org) (will stop doing that for the rest of the year) and 800 in my savings account. I will need the remaining 1500 to live on, also because some membership contributions are due this month. </p> <p>Next month I'm hoping for another 3300, and I'll be able to put more in savings than this month. Looking forward to that.</p> <p>Also starting next week I will work less hours per week. That's ok because I need time to finish my PhD thesis. But the consequence of course will be that my income will be less. I don't like that... </p> <p>Tax season has started here as well. We should do our taxes before April 1st. We might not make it (because of my boyfriend's business) and then we can ask for a postponement. I already know that I'll be getting some money back again (I can't reduce my monthly tax payments, I have to ask it back afterward). </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-44647 Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:52:12 +0000 DutchGirl 44647@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I started tracking my expenses in February last year, so by the end of January I had 1 year of data. Turns out, I had a savings rate of 40% exactly, just a bit less than 12.000 euros (or 1000 euros per month). I wanted to get to 1000, but just didn't make it. </p> <p>I saw a nice decrease in expenses on food over the year, at the beginning I spent 325 per month, at the end it was down to 285 per month. Still working on it, too!</p> <p>Housing is 400 a month or about 16% of my income.<br /> Entertainment was 135 per month or 5% (this includes our holiday).<br /> Health care (both insurance and uninsured care) was 125 per month or a bit less than 5%. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-44195 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:35:53 +0000 DutchGirl 44195@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>At the beginning of January, I paid my health insurance for the entire year (because the company offered 4% reduction if you did it that way). 1150 euros left my possession in one fell swoop. It hurt. (Still, I believe this is incredibly cheap compared to most US health insurance premiums). </p> <p>At the end of January, I still have 195 euros more in my possession than at the beginning. It seems so little, but I musn't forget the 1150 euros... So actually I could have seen 1250 euros progress this month if I had decided on monthly instead of annual premiums... But seen long term, the annual premium is better.</p> <p>I worked my butt off in January, lots of colleagues got the flu, so more work for me. My paycheck in February will probably be more than 3000 euros, of which I'll be able to save over 50%. Cool... I need to build some money in my savings account, my PhD thesis is drawing to an end (a few months more) and I'll have to pay for printing then. Plus a small party. Most of my money is currently stuck in CDs (4% interest here) and investments (don't want to sell them), so for the next few months money needs to go to a boring savings account with only 2.1% interest. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-43760 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:18:02 +0000 DutchGirl 43760@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Thank you :-) More next week after the new salary.</p> <p>And PS The dishes have been done! Amazingly, all that talk did lead to action eventually :-) </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-43759 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:59:05 +0000 llorona 43759@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Hi DutchGirl,</p> <p>It's nice to watch your progress! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-43756 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:24:01 +0000 DutchGirl 43756@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Friendship is... A discussion about your washing up tactics...</p> <p>(The boyfriend has a friend visiting, I did the cooking, they do the washing up (we have no dishwasher), and so far they've been discussing washing up tactics for 4.5 minutes now.).</p> <p>Funny...</p> <p>Otherwise, things are a bit boring here. I have been doing really well on the "spending money" part so far this month, but no income until next Friday... </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-42672 Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:52:52 +0000 J_ 42672@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Well done DutchGirl.<br /> Peace of mind is of so much importance, and now you have it. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=4#post-42658 Sun, 30 Dec 2012 13:11:24 +0000 DutchGirl 42658@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Thanks!</p> <p>Indeed, George, that 31k euros cushion does feel... cushy? And comfortable. If all goes down the drain, I'm pretty sure I can find a 1200-1500 euro/month job, first I'll try within my field of work, and if I can't find anything there I'll try the fastfood restaurant :-)</p> <p>By the way, to make my goal for next year more palpable while still allowing for the unknown future: I intend to save this much money: income after taxes minus 18k euros for expenses. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-42643 Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:23:10 +0000 m741 42643@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Wow, good progress this year! </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-42638 Sat, 29 Dec 2012 20:48:24 +0000 George the original one 42638@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Way to go, DutchGirl!</p> <p>While your future may look insecure, at least you have the $31,827 "insurance policy" to provide a cushion. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-42619 Sat, 29 Dec 2012 10:11:12 +0000 DutchGirl 42619@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>OK, end-of-the-year overview.</p> <p>At the beginning of the year I had 20,105 euros. At the end it's 31,827 euros. So I have managed to save 11,722 euros this year (of wich 700 was interest, dividend and growth from my assets); and I have increased my savings by more than half. And yes, that does make you wonder what the heck I did with my income in the about 8 years before that I have been earning money...</p> <p>My income was 29,176 euros after taxes; thus I managed to save 40% of my income. </p> <p>The future seems a bit insecure, as always, I would say. I have a contract at my work until the end of February, after that things are unsure. My immediate supervisors like my work, but there have been budget cuts and I have seen colleagues leave who had a contract until December. It might be that they tell me by the end of January that they're very sorry, but they "have to let me go". </p> <p>I wish or hope I will still earn at least 2000 euros a month next year; of which I could at least save 500 euros every month. That would give me a savings rate of 25% and would mean by the end of next year I'll have 32k + 1k interest + 6k is 39k. Let's aim for 40k :-) . If I'm lucky and keep my current work (with income often between 2500-3000 euros), I'll be able to save much more. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-41707 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:23:37 +0000 DutchGirl 41707@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Cool... In the ten months since I started tracking my expenses and income in earnest, I earned 26000 euros (posttax and post-retirement savings), spent 15000 euros (yeah, more than 50%...), saved 11000 euros and thus upped my net worth from 20k to 31k. I'm getting somewhere, at least... </p> <p>Holiday starts tomorrow, am looking forward to it. Tomorrow we're probably going to travel and then crash at the apartment we rented :-) That's us... </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-41273 Sat, 24 Nov 2012 08:23:23 +0000 DutchGirl 41273@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>My new salary came in and it was good: 3200 euros for the work I did in October. First time above 3000 euros in like, ever. It will not always be this good, but these last two months have been very hectic and also quite stressful, so I am actually looking forward to December when I have two weeks of holiday. Because I do get paid per hour, that'll mean my January salary will be around 1400 euros or so, but I think the free time is great, too. </p> <p>I already used the money to get my emergency fund back up to normal levels (it now sits at 2200 euros in that new place where I can't be bothered to look up how to get it out again - I will when an emergency happens), I made a 500 euro buffer for my checking account (possibly to be used when a good investment deal pops up) and I did put in 500 euros towards a wind mill investment (after all, I'm Dutch - I went with <a href="http://www.windvogel.nl/)" rel="nofollow">http://www.windvogel.nl/)</a>. There's enough money left for next month's expenses of course, including the holiday to Edinburgh we'll take during the first week of December. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-40864 Sat, 17 Nov 2012 15:45:38 +0000 DutchGirl 40864@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>I know. Still, I think I can manage at least 6 months of expenses with my current emergency fund plus the money of the benefits (which is 70% of normal income I believe). </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-40861 Sat, 17 Nov 2012 12:18:20 +0000 rube 40861@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>DG, concerning the "good benefits" for people who lose their job in the Netherlands:<br /> yes, it is better as in many other countries, but in many cases it's limited to just a few months benefit for a much lower part of their usual wage income. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-40859 Sat, 17 Nov 2012 11:31:12 +0000 DutchGirl 40859@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>So I just did transfer 1300 euros to my new emergency fund, one that I would have to look up how to touch (I'm sure it can be touched, but I don't know how, yet). After the next salary, 800 more euros will be added and that will be my real-emergency emergency fund. (Remember that we do have things like health insurance here and good benefits for people who lose their job). It is in a savings account, 2.4% interest which is high-normal, and guaranteed by the national bank deposit plan. </p> <p>I think I will keep the old, easily accessible, savings account for what I actually did with it: save money in there until I see a golden (?) opportunity and want to invest in something. Maybe keep a 500 euro buffer in there for when the next salary is delayed or so. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-40833 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 20:30:01 +0000 George the original one 40833@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>The CD is a good choice considering the recession in Europe. </p> http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=1496&page=3#post-40824 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:36:26 +0000 DutchGirl 40824@http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/ <p>Hey all. I tend to dislike keeping my money in a savings account, so I went ahead of myself and already thought about next month's salary and already put in money towards a CD (yes, again, silly me,but it was at 4% interest) and towards obligations. Now I only have €450 in my emergency fund, which is something like $550. Will get topped up again with the salary coming in. </p> <p>(by the way, I only just now thought: "hey, they are called "obligations" for a reason..." . Duh...)</p> <p>Somehow I keep telling myself, after topping it up, that I will not touch it again for non-emergencies. But then the next opportunity comes along... Maybe it is time for me to put the emergency fund in another savings account that isn't directly attached to my checking account! </p>