Journal of vraxxos

Where are you and where are you going?
vraxxos
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:36 am
Location: UK

Re: Journal of vraxxos

Post by vraxxos »

November 2016

Looks like I was right to be cautious over the increases in my net worth in the past few months. For the first time since I started keeping track, my net worth actually decline in absolute Sterling terms, despite me maintaining contributions. Unfortunately, the strengthening of Sterling was a major contributing fact towards the slight decline this month. Things are already looking much brighter for December though, and I am confident of meeting my year end target.

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vraxxos
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:36 am
Location: UK

Re: Journal of vraxxos

Post by vraxxos »

August 2017

I'm baccccckkkk!

Things have been going a little slower on the savings front than I would have liked, but overall I am pretty happy with where I am at the moment from a financial standpoint.

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Some updates on my personal situation, and it's not good. The two children that I originally had when I started this blog are now three. Unfortunately, one of them has been diagnosed with a mental disability. We had suspect for quite some time that something was not quite right, but now it is confirmed by a paediatrician. It's been hard on me (but worse on my wife). We are hoping that the little one can be helped and become a functioning adult, but it really is too early to say at this point what will happen.

Having a disabled child and two others running around has meant my wife has had to quit work. Also, our current house just isn't really suitable for 3 children (one of whom is disabled), so we're going to have to look into buying something more suitable (and more expensive). This is going to put a lot of pressure on my plan to retire. I had thought that I could be done by 8 years, but with my wife out of work and a new house being required, I think it'll be more like 10 years. Ouch, but family comes first.

EdithKeeler
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Journal of vraxxos

Post by EdithKeeler »

I am so sorry to hear about the little one. While it's intimidating to think about some of the costs and other challenges you're facing, the good news is that because you've embarked upon the ERE journey, you've given thought to your spending, you've analyzed and dealt with the weak points, etc., you're much better prepared to deal with this than you would have been.

Sending good thoughts and/or prayers to you and your family.

Jason

Re: Journal of vraxxos

Post by Jason »

I don't want to say sorry about your little kid because that means the disability is defining. It's a challenge that contains its own unique blessings.

I know someone who's kid had issues. I picked up on it when the kid was a toddler. Something was just not right. The parents denied it for almost five years. Now the kid is seven and its just not able to be overlooked. But because it was never discussed originally, its fucked up.

I also had a girlfriend in college who had a mentally disabled brother. She didn't tell me about him until I went to her home. Her father was like this Hemingway type of guy who couldn't handle it. He was yelling a the kid for not being able to fill out a form. "I hate people who can't fill out forms." I was like motherfucker, your son is seriously handicapped here. WTF. I filled out the fucking form.

My point is acceptance. Accept the kid in order that those around him accept him and everything is cool.

RE: Falling off the wagon. I fell off the wagon last year, specifically on a holiday. I ordered room service like I was the king of fucking Dubai (You know your country is wealthy when its pronounced Do Buy). 3AM cheeseburgers and shit like that. I wanted to puke when I got the hotel bill. I kept it for posterity.

Anyways, good luck with everything.

BlueNote
Posts: 501
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:26 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Journal of vraxxos

Post by BlueNote »

Sorry to hear about the disability. I'm glad to hear you and your family are so supportive though, it's great for the kids to have a SAHM. Sounds like extending the goal date is a good idea. I don't know how much room you have for increasing your income but that's the other area I'd be thinking about if I were you. I'd be looking at skill upgrades, the the type of stuff that would have a positive ROI for my new longer work life.

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