Early Retirement Extreme Forums

June 2014 numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00
Dentist [$170.00]: $170.00 (Just didn't pay it)
Condo Fee [$368.75]: $368.75
Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00
Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99
Gym [$15.00]: $15.00
Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity ...

Thanks for the replies, all, and link, Dragline. Seems like something to avoid at all costs, except in the case of a true emergency (one that the withdrawal rules don't already allow an exception for).

My first thread here. Apologies if this has been addressed elsewhere. My question is whether anyone has or has considered simply liquidating funds in tax-advantaged retirement accounts, accepting the penalties and tax hits (maybe a total of 50%?). Would you do so if it would immediately put you over ...

I also know very little about investing. I have been reading up on dividend growth investing and following a lot dividend growth investing blogs right now. It appeals to me because there seems to be a relatively small universe of companies to choose from that consistently increase their dividend ...

Ugh, I spent a couple of hours writing and editing a long post about talking a mental health day today from work and having a breakdown over the weekend; how I've always let work define me and overwhelm me; how I don't date because of the stress and shame I feel from work I don't enjoy; how I'm ...

This is the only place at this point where I keep any kind of journal at all. I have never kept up the discipline of maintaining a personal journal. At any rate, I want to record somewhere the reasons why I am taking the new job at my agency in the very likely event I end up hating that job as well ...

Your story really struck a chord with me, too. Thanks for sharing.

May 2014 numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00
Dentist [$170.00]: $0.00 (Just didn't pay it)
Condo Fee [$368.75]: $368.75
Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00
Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99
Gym [$15.00]: $15.00
Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity ...

Thanks BlueNote! I interviewed last Friday. I think it went pretty well. It would actually be a lot more intense and stressful probably, but I would at least have my own workspace and a bit more privacy. Sad that that is what I'm looking for in a job these days.

April 2014 numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00
Dentist [$170.00]: $170.00
Condo Fee [$368.75]: $368.75
Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00
Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99
Gym [$15.00]: $15.00
Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $29.16 ...

I withdrew from consideration from the NYC job after interviewing for it, and was told I would have been selected. It was the right decision; I wasn't excited about the position at all. I didn't want to start off in a new role already unenthused.

Abbreviated monthly numbers so far in 2014 ...

Overall I'm in very rough shape right now. Work is awful. My day-to-day physical environment is punishing. I'm sharing a cubicle with a coworker, so no privacy. We're stuck in a corner, so no sunlight all day. A lot of people around us are loud. I have to truck up two floors to get filtered water ...

My 2014 budget calls for the following:

Estimated take-home pay: $60,303.72

Estimated expenses: $45,205.80 ($19,183.80 in monthly expenses and $26,022.00 in yearly expenses, with $14,750 of that toward more condo projects)

Estimated cash savings: $15,075.93

Estimated TSP contribution: $9,466.08 ...

Overall 2013 numbers:

Total take-home pay (salary, performance award, bank interest, freelance, tax return): $55,673.92

Total expenses: $45,008.72 ($18,535.77 in monthly expenses, and $26,473.00 in yearly/non-monthly expenses)

Total cash savings: $10,655.15

Total retirement account contribution ...

December 2013 numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00

Condo Fee [$354.68]: $354.68

Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00

Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99

Gym [$15.00]: $15.00

Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44

Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25

Electricity [$40.00]: $19.36

Internet [$5.00 ...

Gilberto, thanks for reading and replying. And thanks for the congrats on the mortgage payoff. It serves as a reminder that I'm doing OK and have some security if nothing else.

On cooking, I think it's a skill I'd like to develop and experiment with, but these days it (and ironing, washing clothes ...

Thanks for updating this. I recently subscribed to your blog as well. Inspring stuff.

Some quick thoughts/observations/updates:

- Work continues to be terrible. Uninspiring work, but busy and chaotic at the same time, plus the worst office environment I've ever been in (loud cubicle neighbors, cramped, no sunlight, dingy). It's wearing on me. I need to make a change next year ...

November numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00

Condo Fee [$354.68]: $354.68

Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00

Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99

Gym [$15.00]: $15.00

Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44

Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25

Electricity [$40.00]: $29.89

Internet [$5.00]: $5.00 ...

October numbers [Monthly budget in brackets]

Student Loan [$137.00]: $137.00

Condo Fee [$354.68]: $354.68

Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00

Netflix [$8.40]: $7.99

Gym [$15.00]: $15.00

Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44

Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25

Electricity [$40.00]: $29.12

Internet [$5.00]: $5.00 ...