Hristo's FI Journal

Where are you and where are you going?
Cheepnis
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Cheepnis »

Hristo Botev wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:33 am
In our prior house, weekends were spent doing yard work, cleaning, fixing stuff around the house, and so on.
When I told my dad that if I ever purchase a house it'll have a small yard he said "well I'm glad you're learning from my mistakes!". I don't even dislike yardwork that much, but there's no way I would want to burden myself with all the upkeep a large yard entails.

Yay to positive changes!

prognastat
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by prognastat »

Small Yard no HOA > Large Yard no HOA > Small Yard with HOA > Large Yard with HOA

HOA makes it so much worse due to having to always keep up on everything no matter your situation.

Hristo Botev
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

prognastat wrote:
Tue Jan 22, 2019 5:38 pm
Small Yard no HOA > Large Yard no HOA > Small Yard with HOA > Large Yard with HOA

HOA makes it so much worse due to having to always keep up on everything no matter your situation.
I have an HOA now (didn't have one in the big detached home). It's $200 and pays for water, landscaping, exterior upkeep (e.g., replacing roofs and deck maintenance), and probably a couple other things I'm forgetting. I much prefer having the HOA in my current situation than I did before when I'd have a tree go down and end up unexpectedly having to spend $2K or more on removal.

prognastat
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by prognastat »

Ah, my HOA does nothing except spy on my yard's upkeep and fine me if it isn't up to their standards and they charge me for that privilege.

George the original one
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by George the original one »

Hristo Botev wrote:
Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:41 am
I much prefer having the HOA in my current situation than I did before when I'd have a tree go down and end up unexpectedly having to spend $2K or more on removal.
I always cheer when a tree falls on my 4+ acres because that means I have more firewood, but then I'm retired, so I have time to cut the firewood without calling a tree service. Just a different perspective ;)

Now if I owned a townhome, your HOA is the kind I would have.

Hristo Botev
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

Augustus wrote:
Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:58 am
I thought I'd miss the yard work a little as well, but I don't because I get my outside fix instead by going on a hike, or to the park, or grilling out on the deck. Our first house was a small (but 3-br), 1920s bungalow on a tiny postage stamp of a lot with back alley access. That was a nice, manageable yard to take care of. I could knock out the grass in about 30 minutes (though on days I was looking for a break from our then toddler kids, I'd find some other stuff to do). I also miss my two large and productive vegetable beds.

The second house was a whole different story, as I could spend an entire Saturday doing yard work and still feel like I'd barely made a dent. That pretty much destroyed any interest I ever had in doing yard work.

Hristo Botev
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

Returning to the walking to work/school with the kids topic, last week I took my first e-scooter ride from work to my kids' school to pick them up before our 1.6-mile walk home. I'm a fan. They are of course a very hot button issue right now, but I tend to think they are great, though I do expect local governments to make the scooter companies figure out ways to make sure that they aren't blocking sidewalks and aren't left on private property. I also don't understand the objection people have that they are ugly in that they clutter up the roads/sidewalks; HOW IS THAT YOU ARE BLIND TO THE LINES OF EXHAUST-SPEWING SINGLE OCCUPANT 4,000 LB DEATH MACHINES CLUTTERING UP OUR CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAKING IT DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK/BIKE? If we are objecting on aesthetics and clutter, I'll take scooters and bikes over cars every time. Anyway, for $1.50 it got me to my kids' school in about 5 minutes. Honestly, I'm much less likely to drive thanks to having the option of scooting my way to my kids' school so that we can walk the 1.6 miles home, even if I only exercise that option once or twice a week.

Hristo Botev
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St. Augustine

Post by Hristo Botev »

To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one's heart, with all one's soul and with all one's efforts; from this it comes about that love is kept whole and uncorrupted (through temperance). No misfortune can disturb it (and this is fortitude). It obeys only God (and this is justice), and is careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery (and this is prudence).

Quantummy
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Quantummy »

Keeping it real, keeping it simple - amidst the chaos ....🙏

Cheepnis
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Cheepnis »

Regarding scooters: there's not any where I live, but they were fun as hell when I was in Oakland last summer. They were perfect for a visitor. Totally with you on cars being way uglier than scooters too.

Hristo Botev
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The 7 Human Virtues

Post by Hristo Botev »

It's always a good exercise for me to list these out.

The 4 Cardinal Virtues:
  • Prudence - Right reason in action
  • Justice - To each his due
  • Fortitude - Firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good
  • Temperance - Moderate the attraction of pleasures and balance the use of created goods

The 3 Theological Virtues:
  • Faith - Freely commit your entire self to God
  • Hope - To be united with Christ
  • Charity - Love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbors as ourselves for the love of God

Hristo Botev
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

suomalainen wrote:
Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:17 am
I often feel the tug of wanting to inflate my lifestyle ("I've earned it"), but I resist because I don't think my children have earned it.
One good thing about being a lawyer and knowing that, generally speaking, I contribute very little of value to society (as compared to teachers, plumbers, priests, nurses, etc.), is that I very rarely feel as if I've earned anything.

Jason

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Jason »

Well, I think you have certainly earned the right to be despised by the majority of the population.

Hristo Botev
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:42 am

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

@Jason: True; and justifiably so.

Hristo Botev
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

January 2019 net worth numbers

Net worth w/o house: $336,696.06
Net worth w/ house: $514,364.57
% of $1.8m target net worth: 28.6%
Net worth change from last month: $17,009.52
Monthly PPI from total net worth: $1,714.55
"True" PPI (excluding house, 529 from net worth): $1,052.64

January 2019 savings rate numbers

Total after-tax income: $17,795.95
Total expenses: $6,831.57 (a less embarrassing number, finally)
Surplus/profit: $10,964.38
Savings rate: 61.61%
NW needed to cover expenses: $2,049,471.00
[S]WR based on total NW: 15.94%
[S]WR based on total NW, excluding home and 529 accts: 25.96%

Good month for net worth, expenses, and savings rate.

Hristo Botev
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:42 am

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

January 2019 expenses

- mortgage, insurance, property taxes: $1,925.30
- less mortgage principle: ($337.95)
- health/dental/vision insurance/FSA daycare: $811.66
- HOA (water, trash, landscape, insurance, etc.): $200
- electric: $124 (use was less, but DW has this on a plan)
- gas: $72.32
- DW cell: $66.32 (DW went over her data, but is switching to a $15 Xfinity Mobile plan like mine)
- my cell: $14.32
- kids' tuition: $1,517.60
- dog: $125.03 (drugs and food)
- grocery/home consumables: $710.83 (Whole 30 was expensive for groceries)
- restaurant: $149.51 (Whole 30 was good for our restaurant expenditures)
- alcohol: $141.13 (did I say Whole30? I meant Whole 18, plus we bought some booze to stash for an upcoming cruise)
- cars (insurance/gas/maintenance): $77.10
- clothing: $0
- catchall (ent., gifts, travel, personal, kids rec): $581.05 (see my prior post about how fabulously this budget item exploded)
- cleaning lady: $130 (yeah, I was kidding about foregoing the once-a-month cleaning service)
- internet: $19.99
- term life insurance premium: $59.15
- kids' stuff (school projects, lunches, etc.): $70.56
- ATM: $149
- gym: $59.98 (for me and DW; DW replaced her fancy gym with a regular one; likely will be $0 once it warms up enough in March)
- church/donations: $156.67
- kids' allowance: $8

Total: $6,831.57

suomalainen
Posts: 979
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Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by suomalainen »

Hristo Botev wrote:
Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:08 pm
I very rarely feel as if I've earned anything.
That sounds like some good ol' fashioned Catholic guilt. Have a beer tonight. You've earned it.

Jason

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Jason »

I think he might be depressed due to his rich people's problems.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this- ... 2019-01-30

Hristo Botev
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:42 am

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

@Jason: Whatevs.

Speaking of rich, I shouldn't have jumped the gun on my January numbers, because the market had a good day yesterday. So, revised January net worth numbers as of Jan. 31.

January 2019 [revised] net worth numbers

Net worth w/o house: $340,548.17
Net worth w/ house: $518,216.68
% of $1.8m target net worth: 28.8%
Net worth change from last month: $20,861.63
Monthly PPI from total net worth: $1,727.39
"True" PPI (excluding house, 529 from net worth): $1,064.80

Just need to figure out a way for my family of four to live on $1,064.80/month, without foregoing Catholic school education. My in-laws do have a 2-br condo in town that they never use. So there you go, we move in there and rent out our house, and we're pretty much there.

Hristo Botev
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:42 am

Re: Hristo's FI Journal

Post by Hristo Botev »

In the interest of tracking progress on resolutions:

Average 50%+ savings rate for the year (this is an ERE forum, after all) on track; 62% for January
Pray daily (suscipe; St. Joseph's prayer; rosary; kids' prayers; examen; lectio divina) on track; still struggle with the Examen
Monthly confession not in January
Monthly adoration not in January
Yearly retreat not yet
More board/card games with kids on track
More family hikes and public park time on track
Be a better dog owner, and specifically, more walks and trips to the park fail
Make my bed daily, and don't allow dishes to pile up in the sink on track
Read more books (aim for a book a week); listen to more music and podcasts; and watch less TV on track; currently finishing my 5th book of the year; and DW and I opted to play Scrabble last night after the kids went to bed, instead of watching TV
Schedule each day and stick to it (including up at 5:30 and asleep by 9:30) mostly on track
Workout 5x week (HIIT run; HIIT body weight exercises; HIIT run; power lifts with weights; distance run, swim, or bike) on track, surprisingly
Shower at the gym to save money on gas not yet; but likely cancelling gym in March
Start 2019 with Whole30 in January, and eat more whole foods and drink significantly less throughout the year after January completed a "Whole18" :lol:
Weight to 160 on track; down 9 pounds since the beginning of the year, from 190 to 181
Actively participate in selected social/religious/professional organizations on track
Always think bike/walk first, car second mostly on track; it's been a little cold for the kids to walk/bike some days
More handwritten correspondence on track
Agree to monthly budget and stick to it so far so good
Spend more time with friends who have a positive impact in my life, and less with those who don't on track; spending more time with church friends whose values are more closely aligned with mine (including willingness to spend less on consumerist "stuff" so they can afford to send their kids to parochial school; lot of old, used cards in the parking lot and used uniform sales, which is heartening to see)
Tackle honey-do items around the house as I encounter them, rather than waiting to tackle them at some indefinite time in the future on track; finally did some touch-up painting I've been meaning to do, and fixed a toilet, garbage disposal, the gas fireplace, and a couple doorknobs--regular Handy Manny here

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