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Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 9:38 am
by lilacorchid
Okay, here's the figures (percentages due to privacy):

Networth change: +17%
Portion of that due to house gaining value: 42%

Portion of net salary saved: 17%

Largest expenses (percentage of net salary):

Renovations/Mtnc: 26.7%
Food: 15.9% (Further broken down: Eating out: 7.1% and Groceries 8.8%)
Childcare: 13.5%

---

75% of the rennovation expense included a new roof, structural repairs and upgrading of our back entrace/untility room (we did some of the work), and landscaping to fix drainage. The other 25% went toward a new A/C system for our upstairs to make it comfortable enough so we don't have to move. My husband is an HVAC guy, so the system was had for cost, and he did the labour himself. I could see us living in that house for another ten years because of that outlay.

Food is obviously a big expense. I buy fresh, out of season fruits and veg anytime we want them, so I don't see our grocery bill going down any time too soon. The dining out bill is down about 15%, which is a good change, but still very very crappy as far as actual dollars go. It's mostly due to my husband working out of a truck and eating out all the time.

Childcare, in dollars, is nearly double what my friends pay. We chose the facility due to proximity to our house and the fact that it had no waiting list. (Too expensive for that!) I can walk our little guy to daycare and then walk to work. If we were to go somewhere cheaper, we would need a second vehicle. Adding up all costs of that, plus the cost of the other daycare, would have us spending the same but instead of a nice walk through our neighbourhood, it would be a shitty commute in a car. (Speaking of car expenses, ours was more than I expected this year. This is due to loss of work vehicle and paid gas, as well as a few tickets/tows and a couple of trips back home.)

Overall, I'm somewhat depressed at our savings rate. At this point, pretty much everything is done in the house that costs a bundle, so our bender on fixing up the house is coming to an end. I predict spending about a quartre of what we spent this year on the house next year, and then after that, just general upkeep. Childcare goes down as our child gets older, so there should be a 10% decrease there too.

This year, we do have some debt because we chose to front load our savings for the year. I'm much better at paying off debt vs saving, so we figured the small interest charge would be worth it. Due to illness, we are breaking even at this point, but mentally, we feel it's better to have it sitting in the savings box then not.

Goals for next year:

Reduce dining out again. Shoot for another 15%
Front load savings again, but three months at a time
Work on 2nd income stream

And finally, I am having troubles feeling good about these successes as they feel like failures when I compaire them to my goals or to others. Something non-monitary to work on this year.

There is also something coming down the pipe job-wise, but I don't want to talk about it until it's official. It's a good thing, but will greatly impact our cashflow. I'm hoping it all works out!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:09 pm
by lilacorchid
Husband took a sip from the koolaid today. I'm hoping it doesn't bog him down too much. It can be pretty disheartening when you see what was lost or what could have been done and seems like so much work ahead.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:05 pm
by lilacorchid
Happy birthday to me!

This coming trip around the sun involves taking time to look after myself now that the tyke is old enough to get food out of the fridge and knows where the potty is, even if he doesn't want to use it.

Life goals:

1. Keep up with sewing and music hobbies
2. Lifestyle adjustment for my health (drop 20-30 lbs as a byproduct)
3. Do something fun as a family or couple once a week

The event I am waiting on is still in the works. Things move slooooooow where I work, so even if it all has to be done by April of next year, and we are six months behind, it will not move any faster. I am not getting excited until I have something in writing. That being said, I have heard rumblings on the horizon at work that tell me my job's days are numbered. I'm expecting that my position will be eleminated, but some time off, say 10 year horizon. Considering this is my second career with the company I work for and I'm pretty good and finding a place to fit in, I'm not too worried. And if it is ten years off, FI should theoretically happen before the rolling shitstorm hits me.

This year's financial goals (added to above) are:

1. Top up RRSP to optimum level
2. Cross over into six figures saved up
3. Support husband at his final trade level in school
4. Get kiddo into cheaper daycare that is even more walkable

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:40 pm
by jennypenny
Happy belated Birthday, Lilac!

Don't worry about the kiddo--by the time they get to high school, they've usually figured out the potty. ;)

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:14 pm
by lilacorchid
Thanks @jennypenny! I'm just seeing this now. :D

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:00 pm
by lilacorchid
It's official! We are 1/4-millionaires! :D

I wish it was more liquid holdings then our house, but still! First time our networth is that high!!!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 2:34 pm
by GandK
Woohoo! Congratulations!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:05 am
by lilacorchid
My cat died suddenly this weekend and I never wished we had a second car more then when I had to figure out how to get to the vet with my toddler and cat to try to help him. :( There was nothing to be done, but at least they could have eased his passing instead of him dying in a cat carrier in the back of a cab. :(

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:10 am
by jennypenny
I'm so sorry!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:10 am
by GandK
Sorry to hear it. Losing a pet is hard on the whole family.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 3:34 pm
by lilacorchid
Thanks. It was really tough for us. I'm just glad I was home so our kitty wasn't alone when it happened.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:43 pm
by lilacorchid
So I can finally talk about the event I've been waiting for since August...

I'm going part time at work for a project! Looks like I'll be reducing my hours in less than two weeks, which will be just in time for winter. In a more practical and selfish sense sense, I can avoid leaving the house most days when it gets below -30!

It an approximate six month term, and I will go back to my full time job when it's done. I'm looking forward to getting the experience and also a change of scenery. This also fits in very well with my goal of being at work the least amout of time as possible! ;)

I AM EXCITED!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:55 am
by lilacorchid
Official part time start date: Dec 10! I'm in a flurry of activity today trying to pack up my shit and finish up all my calls (or hand them off) before I take next week off to prepare for my new office job.

I told my coworkers today was my last day and got a few "But you'll lose half your salary!" and some funny looks when I told them I was intentionally going part time. OH NOES, I HAZ NO IDEA!!! :lol:

I am so EXCITED. My plans are to finish the C25K and do a marathon and to explore turning my sewing into a part time business while I'm off. I also intend to take my little guy to some kiddy pools and maybe the museum this summer during business days so we can have it more to our selves. I am also excited to only have to walk him to daycare three days a week in -20C weather!

w00tz0rz!!!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:03 pm
by lilacorchid
Kid decided to potty train this weekend. I am guessing I will not have to buy many more diapers... just something for overnight until his bladder size catches up with the rest of him. Laundry costs are up this month, but that is to be expected.

I AM THRILLED!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:22 am
by GandK
Woohoo! I can't wait to get to that point with my youngest. He's dragging his feet.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 10:53 am
by 1taskaday
Great news about the part-time work and the potty training.
I did 0.5 whole time when my youngest was 3.The best move I ever made,even though I was conflicted about it at the time.(For both career and financial reasons).

The only problem is,once you reduce your hours it is an absolute killer to ever work full-time again.

It's like you discover this whole wonderful world outside work life,that moves at such a lovely leisurely pace.

I think kids love this pace and they thrive on it.

Enjoy!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 6:25 pm
by lilacorchid
First post of the year! Numbers coming soon, had a much needed weekend away from kiddo and weather so I have not done my end of year calculations yet.

Part time is going well, though I really don't feel the effects yet. Christmas break and all the crapola associated with Christmas ate up any spare time I may have had. Payroll f-up means I'm working four day weeks this month, and then I'm back to three day weeks until the project is over this summer. My productivity at work is absurd. I'm pretty sure it's partly due to being on a new project with different puzzles all day and partly due to all the time I have off to recharge. I'm hoping that some upper level people will notice they are paying me half the salary to do nearly as much work as the rest of the team so I can do this again.

Best non-financial achievement so far? It's been -50 (with windchill) and we still haven't succumb to buying a second vehicle to drive our kid 1 km to daycare in the morning. My mom is on my case about it and I'm still saying no. $20 a week in cab rides is still cheaper than getting a car.

I win.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 10:16 am
by lilacorchid
Okay, here's the figures for the last calender year (percentages due to privacy):

Networth change: +19.5%
Portion of that due to house gaining value: about half

Portion of net salary saved: 34%

Largest expenses (percentage of net salary):

Food: 16.5% (Further broken down: Eating out: 7.7% and Groceries 8.8%)
Childcare: 16.6%
Renovations/Mtnc: 11.8%

We did leverage the house to put some money in savings as I'm better at paying off debt than saving money. We are front-loading the savings for the year and also moving some around for tax purposes.

I don't anticipate any large home repairs this year as all the big stuff has now been fixed. Daycare is paid up until July, when it should go down again. We are going to break 6 figures savings this year; hopefully by summer!

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:19 am
by lilacorchid
New job is going fantastic. I actually got a "rush" from working from something I did. I think the last time that happened was 2002. I am going to have a very hard time going back to full time boring from this part time awesome.

I think I need a new job.

Re: lilac's journal

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:09 am
by lilacorchid
Made yogurt last night. I actually think it's going to turn out! Should be ready to eat by tonight or tomorrow morning. I thought about buying a yogurt maker, but I think I could probably get by on using my crock pot and the stove.