Lemur Journal!

[Lemur]

@Bigato

That is a good idea...green cover wouldn't be too expensive either. I've been watching a lot of Rob Greenfield's videos lately. I really liked the one you shared on the survival crops. I'm really surprised that my 1 pumpkin seed turned to an almost 7 foot long plant that will likely have multiple pumpkins coming off it....no joke; two pumpkins would very well have enough seeds to generate a whole yard full of pumpkins. Add on some other 'survival crops' like yuca, potato, etc...one could get a significant portion of their calories.

I have been reading up on foraging lately and was pleasantly surprised to identify 4 different types of berries in my area - raspberries, elderberries, cloud berries, and holly berries. I think the elders & holly's are poisonous but I've been picking raspberries lately.

[Lemur]

Well that sucks. Actually came across this at my Grandfathers place rummaging through the Washington Post he had sitting on the couch,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ruiz_Zaf%C3%B3n

I read 2 of his books in the 'Cemetary of Forgotten Books' series. Always wanted to finish the other 2.

[Lemur]

I'm eating way too many raspberries lately. Can't believe these were hiding in plain sight. They grow all over my area lol.




1.) viewtopic.php?f=24&t=11430

I've been suffering from this cognitive dissonance over getting promoted at work for a while now. Posts in here (especially from @2Birds1Stone @Scott 2) really helped me get my thoughts together about my situation and I'm comfortable with the idea of just 'going for it.' I think I can 'be the change I want to see'....get promoted eventually...more money...and not do the long hellish hours my peers do because they're right; I shouldn't compare myself with them - they're trying to go for Partner / Next-Level. There isn't too many drawbacks from just playing along with the game. And maybe I'll learn a thing or 2 about leadership, politics, direct reports, etc. I'll adapt like I always do.

2.) After watching videos from Rob Greenfield lately, I've been purchasing more whole foods in my diet lately to try out. I think I've bought only 1 cantelope ever in my life....I've also never eaten a yuca root. I'll have to google what to do with this lol. I picked up both of them for pretty cheap at a farmers market I found.

3.) No energy drinks for more than a week now. I stopped looking at it from a saving money lens and instead looked at it from a challenge lens...I also just did the common sense thing I bought instant coffee. Each serving comes down to about $0.30 - $37 cents ish? Maybe less... Something struck me in a post somewhere on here about looking at things in different frameworks. The 'saving money on energy drink lens' was not a strong motivator - mainly because my pocket change ($50 I give myself every 2 weeks to buy frivolously things or do a dinner with my wife) was used and effectively budgeted in.


I like uploading and posting pictures lately in my journal; I'm open to suggestions away from Imgur. I find that website a bit clanky sometimes.

[ertyu]

1-3 are all really positive developments. Congratulations! Enjoy the extra money you now don't give to energy drink companies!

[Lemur]

Thanks @ertyu

I'm re-reading the ERE book at the moment. It has been maybe 2 years since I read it last time. I enjoy the very relevant paragraph early in the book that mentions that the book has different interpretations depending on where ones 'level is' and how they've changed/evolved over-time. I'm picking up a lot more this time around I feel.

[ertyu]

There is a chinese saying that roughly goes, "when you read the book 1000 times, the meaning will be revealed" that westerners use to justify looking down on them ("poor chinese! their inferior concept of learning has been ingrained for thousands of years! we should be patient as they struggle to see things our superior, western way"), but I actually think they've got it right. I've had similar experiences reading the ERE book, and also, a little less seriously, watching complicated sudoku solves on youtube. I have had the experience of re-watching the same video solve of the same puzzle and having a completely different set of things jump off at me *because my level of solving ability has changed between the two watches.* I have skills and tools in my belt on watch 2 that i did not have on watch 1, and this makes me be able to take a completely different set of things from watch 2.

this was kind of convoluted, but yeah, i get you and me too

[Lemur]

July 1, 2020

Investments:
Invested - $214,909.11 (+$12,486.27)
Spouse Note - $50,000.00
Cash Savings - $12,600.00 (+$0.00)
Net - $177,509.11 (+$12,486.27)

It is sort of funny to think of $50k as a debt when it isn't a real debt. It falls more under the definition of a promissory note to my spouse. My spouse and I have had conversations a lot lately relating to the future life we're looking for. We're thankful for one thing - no matter what we decide on, or whatever happens to my job or her business....having over $200k in investments has just created so many different options. I could literally quit my job and have enough invested to last 5-6 years on just the taxable account. In that timeframe, I could bring up my own business and all I would need as a short-term goal is to make enough net profit to cover our expenses.

We're semi-seriously considering moving out to her home country in the Philippines. Part of my Spouse's motive for FIRE is to get back to her homeland. A big part of being here in the United States is that it is just the best place for accumulation of capital. So the 'grind it out to $600k' strategy is the one we're going for but we have alternatives should I get laid off or even if we just want to take a 1 year grind brake. I also like the Philippines for my own personal projects - a chance to learn another language, tropical climate, lower expenses (part of our long-term plan is getting a nice home under $100k...In U.S hard to do unless it is a real beat up house or out in the middle of no-where but in Philippines - $100k goes very far....this satisfies my Spouse definition of a 'nice home' while satisfying my definition of just staying under a $$$ amount).

I'm convinced that a work brake isn't necessary - trying to just do this as a 'sprint' and just get it over with. One day I want to look back on this accumulation period as just 'one small portion of my life'. Kind of like how I see my 7 year military service...when I was in the service it was just a countdown until I was discharged.


Physical Health / Diet: Down 2 lbs from 194 to 192. It is a start. Just not overthinking this one. Getting whole foods. Dropping energy drinks. I'm 10 days or so I think without an energy drink. Coffee is a fine replacement....for some reason I suck at making coffee (probably have not nailed down the right temperature or haven't found a ground/taste that I can adhere too) so I found that just using instant coffee while a bit pricier per serving is quite the viable alternative. Can't screw that up really.... instant coffee + sugar additive + whole milk (optional).

Mental Health: Probably the best it has ever been in a while. Investments are recovering. I got over a hump of job stress. I have a 4 day weekend starting right now.

Job: Good. Confirmed, we lost our contract to a competitor. I'm out of a project November unless we're extended to help a transition team. So post-November either my firm will have another project for me before then or I will be potentially let go. More to come.

Gardening: Have my first pumpkin sprout Also I have giant squash plants but they're not producing Zucchini just yet. I have a few unripe tomatoes as well. Potatoes are doing well.

Family: Nothing eventful.

Other: Finished reading Blue Zones of Happiness. That book was meh...not sure I learned anything new. I need to go through my journal and look at book mentions. I am re-reading the ERE book; it has been about 2 years.

[Lemur]

We've been at a 52% savings rate the past 2 paychecks.

Per Paycheck: $3,592.31
Pre-Tax 401(k): $969.92
Taxes + Health Insurance: $767.38
Post-Tax Income: $1,855.00
Post-Tax Savings: $500.00
Total Spending: $1,355.00

Total Savings: $1,469.92
Income after Taxes/Health Insurance: $2,824.93
Savings Rate: 52.03%


Not bad. Holding this steady after being at 40% consistently the past few years... Some other calculations were interesting. Theoretically if Rent was the only mandatory expense (not even counting utilities/food/phone/internet/etc)...then highest possible savings rate is 86%.

My all-time high savings rate for a given month is still 65%. One day I'll defeat it. There is still room for better results. Namely food but having eliminated energy drinks, soda as of late, and sticking to more whole foods - I am noticing some extra dollars floating in the 'other' account.

[Lemur]

I fought against the instinct to go out and buy a pull-up bar or the materials to build one...instead I found a free way to put this together.

A 1” inch pipe laying around behind my shed and an old nylon strap that was sitting in my closet...I made some loops out of it and hung it up on 2 cross beams in my shed. Works perfectly



With a kettlebell and enough knowledge of bodyweight exercises, I dropped my gym membership. Saving me $8 a month + commute. Actually haven’t been to the gym since before COVID. I managed to live okay without it.

@bigato Thanks for reference to postimage.org More convenient for me and I don’t have to fight logins and captchas.

[Lemur]

I copied this https://youtu.be/iQZoAO7xMhQ
I did not have jalapeños so I used a bell pepper.

1 lb of yellow split peas
3 yellow onions
3 tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
3 tablespoons of garlic and ginger
2 cups of spinach
1/4 cup of olive oil or canola oil
Handful amount of broccoli florets
Seasoning: Tumeric and Salt

A days worth of calories, protein, fiber, and most nutrients in 1 giant meal. The lb of split peas cost me $1.19. This cost can be driven lower likely if one buys in bulk. I would estimate this meal cost between $2.00 to $2.50.



A challenge? I can get food cost under $100 a month if that was just what I ate. Add the occasional egg for B12, or supplement B12, and the occasional fish or fish oil (for Omega 3 fatty acids) and I would have all nutrition covered too.

[ertyu]

this looks DELICIOUS.

[Lemur]

@ertyu

I overestimated my own cooking skills...previous attempts at making lentils / split peas in bulk have not gone well and tasted bland or not good. This time, just decided to copy someone else and that certainly worked This is a great tasting meal. I think I’ll start adding carrot at least.

In terms of changing behavior, the ERE book reminded me of vision + dissatisfaction + practicality.

My vision is much higher right now. Food is the major blocker for us to reach 70% savings rate.

Today’s challenge is that I’m not allowed to eat anything else until I get through that monster split pea bowl first. I’m already having some nice problems:

1.) It is extremely filling.
2.) I am already done cooking for the day.
3.) The thought of eating the same thing makes me not hungry. This comes with a realization - most of my hunger is not due to real physiological reasons; I’m usually just stressed or bored.

As far as practicality...not bad. Only took 1 hour to cook plus clean. I’m lazy though so I’m debating finding a giant pot, more tupperwares, and mass cooking these for a whole week.

[ertyu]

The thought of eating the same thing makes me not hungry.

This is why it's a weight-loss tip to create a set daily meal plan and just eat the same thing every day. And inversely, why people eat more at buffets. Alternating flavors makes one want to eat more.

[Lemur]

Achieving $100 a month in food costs means limiting food intake for 1 day to $3.33. Seen this way, purchasing a energy drink for $1.99 plus tax, or a 3 for 12 pack of diet soda, or even casually buying a mentos gum for $4.29 are all ridiculous purchases seen in this light...

Calling it now, July 2020 will be the month I get my own food costs under $100 or under. Seems completely doable after getting through one day.

[Lemur]

1.) My spouse's favorite treat - a sub at wawa with chips and a drink. Cost $12 or so. That is like...3 days worth of eating in one meal. Not a problem. Nor should it be as she bought it herself anyway. I would like to have a end goal where we can sync up on the food goal together. End aim is eventually $200 a month for food.

Problem - my latest excursion is another '"shenanigan" in my spouse's lens and I can't say I blame her for having been so inconsistent myself of the past years in regards to food. No matter. In due time.

2.) While I need to prove myself worthy of consistency, I also need to work within my spouse's current behavior. For instance, she will continue to make meals for the whole family and purchase ingredients I might not necessarily purchase myself. In these cases, major thing here is to ensure no waste. This has unfortunately happened before where ingredients have been half used and rotted (think veggies) or leftovers have simply been tossed out or composted. Second, easy this one is as I don't have to partake myself. In point one when my spouse asked if I wanted anything before she went out, I stated I was good . Previously I would have asked for an Arizona Tea ($0.99) or my sin....energy drink for $1.99.

So in the meantime, I got a flow chart going here...

Look in fridge for any leftovers --> If none, eat the current pantry (use expiring ingredients if available) --> Design a days worth of food for $3.33.

Edit: Stahlmanns thread revivals have been useful. Found this one after learning about a Google Tip.
Found this one: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=597

[Lemur]

On-going thoughts

The 'Other' spending category in my budget. As I've been deeply thinking about cash in-flows vs cash out-flows (i.e. burn rate) it has become very apparent that the dollar amount I actually save doesn't matter as much as how efficient I can use my dollars. Efficiency of incoming cash will decrease out-flows. The 'Other spending' account, aka purchasing products when I just need (no ...want) the convenience or when I do not have a creative solution to the problem.

In previous journal entries, these thoughts were not seriously tackled as my higher than normal salary above the median wage had created a convenient excuse to not dive more into this area. Same with Food. Same line of thinking also allowed my food budget to get out of control post COVID but probably before that as well.

When I built that simple pull-up bar, I felt great satisfaction. No dollars were spent. I likely saved $40 on a cheap pull-up bar...or $50-$70 for materials, or even more than that for an unnecessary set-up. Thinking now, there are a TON of areas I can apply this thinking too. Perhaps the 1.25 gallon laundry detergent I buy does not have to cost $9.99. Maybe making my own through the raw materials would cost $5 or less; thus making my dollars 2x or possibly even 3x more efficient if the raw materials are really cheap in bulk.

One does not need to be cheap either. or should be cheap...For instance, we bought these cheap $29.99 hair cutting razors from Walmart a few months ago to save money on haircuts. Well, that thing requires batteries (an on-going expense), it snags your hair, and I doubt it will work anymore a year from now. Had I bought a good quality one for like a 'ridiculous' price of $130...well it could last me a decade more...thus in 10 years only being $13 dollars a year for hair-cuts and forever solving the hair-cut problem.

Not sure what is pushing the recent paradigm shift in my thinking lately. It could be that I am re-reading the ERE book. This time i'm reading from left-to-right....Maybe it is because I also realized that if my high salary suddenly vanished (a real possibility now that I know my project ends in November and I could quite possibly not have another one lined up for 2021), I would be in a real draw-down period.

I can think more on this and articulate better later - the shift in thinking is something i want written down as someone who struggled with food costs for years - the information may be useful for those with the same issue.

[BookLoverL]

That DIY pull up bar looks super awesome!

[Frita]

FYI If you still have the packaging/receipt and purchased the hair clippers within 90 days ago, Walmart will take it back and refund your money.

[Lemur]

@BookLoverL

Thanks! It works pretty good. The loops that hold the pull-up bar are at the exact distance from the strap ends; therefore, allowing the pull-up bar to be almost completely level. Its picking at the small details but one would want to do pull-ups for one set facing away, one set facing towards. Similar analogy like they tell track runners do not repeat clockwise every single day because you'll put strain on one knee. Must change directions daily.

@Frita

I don't have the receipt so just taking this L.


In terms of taking a W today....Spending was so under control this month thus far that I was able to, at least for one paycheck, record a 76% Savings Rate

2169.92 Savings / 2829.92 Post-Tax Income = 76.67% Savings Rate

Next paycheck will conclude July and would cover rent for August so more to come.

[Lemur]

Going down the ERE rabbit hole is too much fun. It’s like being a teenager again hooked on a MMORPG...except it is real life and everyone else is a NPC