Rube's journal

Where are you and where are you going?
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dxxr
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Location: the Netherlands

Re: Rube's journal

Post by dxxr »

rube wrote: Currently travelling for 2 weeks in North America and I am now for a week in Toronto. Just had my first geocaching adventure. Quite fun. Anyone else here doing geocaching?
Yeah. Tried it a few times. It was quite fun. Should do it again soon.
rube wrote: Edit: and also this flight was overbooked so I volunteered again and got another 250 euro. Now total 500 Euro for waiting and reading for 8 hours at the airport.
Well done :-)

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

You could make a living of volunteering for NOT taking a flight :-)

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

Yeah, well I had 8 other flights in August but wasn't able to "earn" any money anymore in the same way...so not really a reliable way of earning money :D .

The last 7 weeks I traveled quite a lot for work and holiday and covered 3 continents, 4 time zones and had 14 flights...In between I have been home only 7 days and today is the first Saturday I am home again since 7 weeks. I am glad to be back home and I won't be travelling now for a while, I was getting pretty tired of it, even though the holiday was really great.

Net worth is almost flat for the last 4 months, mainly due to the market pull backs which were to be expected sooner or later. I am pretty calm under these "losses" despite they count for probably about 60% yearly expenses orso. I see the last time I posted some graphics was March, time is flying! Maybe I'll post some new graphics early next month.

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

Yeah, the market. It happens :-) . My net worth went up a bit this month, and I guess that's only because my investments aren't very big, so a 5% loss on my investments doesn't mean much yet. But some time in the future, it'll just go back up again. And then some.

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

I see I skipped the September update...and still didn't post any new graphics :?

Anyway, end of September, Early October I travelled again for work, but all within Europe and only for about 10 days.
I might need to travel for work in the future a bit more frequent, though it will be locally and short trips. Will see how things develop.

I went hunting a couple of weeks ago. Well, actually I just joined some other people and watched them and the dogs doing the work. Not at all as spectacular as I first thought. But it was fun though and a good exercise to walk in the country for a large part of the day.

Last Sunday I went kayaking with a friend. The water looked fabulous, very serene, quiet. No wind, silent, about 10 degrees. Great to do and to see my friend again after a couple of months.

Financial: as already posted in another thread here, market is finally a bit up again. I expect our NW comes out by the end of this month at about 410K. Finaly firm above the 400K mark which seemed to be a real hurdle.
Most of our expenses and income is fairly much all on autopilot. Our current 12 month rolling savings rate 64%. I target to hit 70% the 2nd half of 2016. Hope to get to realize this by the additional income of our rental (so far it counts only for a few months), hopefully more income due to a 2nd rental* and with some decreased expenses as we plan a cheap(er) holiday for 2016. But then there is also the car which might need to be replaced next year....

* 2nd rental: the first rental, although we only had it for 4 months so far, is going very smooth. And I like this 'business', so I am looking into the possibilities for a 2nd rental. We would leverage the 2nd rental for about 50% to 66% with a cheap mortgage on our own home. Target CoC is 15%. Our personal balance sheet would then still be less then 30 foreign equity (currently 20%). I want to be carefull as leverage can wipe out savings fast, but I believe 30% overal is manageable (hey, many people have no savings at all and a 100% mortgage on their home...)

And the combined income from the rentals, dividend and interest would then be just above 50% of our forcasted expenses in 2016, which would be really awesome.

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

Hmm, not sure whether I would count the influx of money from the rental as income. In that case, you would also have to count the profits from your stocks (gains and dividends) as income, too; because they are both money gains resulting from investing (in the rental or in the stock market).

Congrats on getting above 400k; hopefully it stays that way and grows more! Enjoy the rest of October!

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

@DG: I count cash flow from investments as income (Rent, interest, dividend). Since I keep track of this all I have not sold, so not realized gains of, stocks, bonds, precious metals yet.

Still reading here but posting less....just a quick and short update:
-NW end of October was 414K, end of Nov. 419K and end of this year I expect around 422K. It goes a bit up and down but the average direction is ok.
-Saving rate around 64% currently.

I went to a foreclosure auction some time ago. Very interesting but the only apartment I was interested in, was sold for 20% more then I offered. I also visited another apartment, but they decided not to sell. Next week I have another appointment to view an apartment.

Some points in random order:
-Busy with the family, work, some repairs, administration etc. Time is going fast.
-Bought a new laptop for the family, the old one was 6 years and beyond reasonable repairs.
-Have seen a lot relatives lately
-Started to read about mental models, want to read more about this (after I finished the current book, we are our brain)
-Need to exercise more (as always)
-Often/sometimes focused too much on the monetary aspect, instead of the holistic ERE approach. I think it is partly of the available time and energy after work. Though I am aware of it, I think...
-Will be traveling the whole month of January for work
-I will likely travel more frequently next year (short trips within the EU).
-I read more now I have an e-reader
-Still watch too much Netflix, but quitting the cable has been good decision. Reduced mindless zapping and annoying commercials
-I do complain about my job now and then, but actually I make much more then my peers (same age, same education), work mostly 4 days from home and it's easy. So I hope I can continue here till I reach FI(RE).
-No idea when I will post another update and/or graphics :-)

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

Our offer on another apartment was accepted. We plan to sign the contract in a few days. We can probably rent it out in May or June.

Most of January I will be travelling for work again. Now still enjoying a few holidays with the family.

Thanks to everyone who contributes to this great community and I wish you all a great 2016!

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

Lately I am in the lurking mode, haven't update my journal in over 3 months.
All is ok, some changes here and there but overall still going steady towards (e)r(e). Working more and more towards a date: max. 5 years and 2 months.
My employer is happy with me and gave me a 10% raise. I don't complain :D.

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

Nice raise, Rube!

Do you now indeed own two rental houses? Are you working on the second one, to prepare it for a renter?

Five more years, and a bit, that sounds like a great short-ish period. You're getting closer; nice.

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

Thnx DG. The transfer of the 2nd one will be in May.
I will then paint all, lay a new floor and install a new kitchen. I aim to rent it out in June.

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

NW surpassed the 450K mark last month. When I realize how much we save every month, I amazed. Never thought we would even make that amount. But still it doesn't satisfy me (completely). More and more....I wonder if I will ever be satisfied and how hard it will be to give up my golden handcuffs. But maybe I will be fired before I need to think hard about that :D

Today we received the keys of the 2nd rental. I already removed the old flooring and kitchen. I'll be busy this week (month) with making it ready and getting it rented.

Hankaroundtheworld
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Congrats to get your 2nd to-be-rental acquired, and start making it work for you! You will see, once you start receiving 2 rental amounts coming in every Month, that deadline of ERE will become more realistic. In some countries, that double rental income would already be enough to live on (assuming those 2 houses are paid off). One way or the other, this is great progress!

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

@HATW: thnx!

Net Cashflow of these 2 rentals and some interest and dividends we recieve, is covering now about 60% of our average expenses.

5 more years before we have enough for income + buffer, tution money kids, be able to build our own home. Slowly but steady we'll get there. NW will be 460K in a few days. Estimations: close to 500K by the end of the year and 530K a year from now.

2nd rental: I painted all, lay new flooring and floorboards and installed a new kitchen. Took quite some effort, but I think it helped to secure good tenants fast.
Within a few days after putting it on the market the lease was signed and deposit made. Today I handed them the keys.

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

You're doing great, Rube, well done and congrats!

Dragline
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by Dragline »

+1

rube
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by rube »

Thanks DG, Dragline.

NW came in at 466K end of June. PP performed great under the Brexit news. Though I anticipate that some of the gains for gold and long term bonds might be temporarily, until "the market" has digested this unexpected news.

Other news: we got married last week :P.
We celebrated it with our direct family and some close friends.
It was not 100% completely ERE style, but if you look at our NW & expense charts, you can't really see anything unusual, enough ERE-ish for me ;)
Most important, we enjoyed it at lot.
Last edited by rube on Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Ego
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by Ego »

rube wrote:Other news: we got married last week :P.
Proost!

Congratulations!

Hankaroundtheworld
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Gefeliciteerd!!

DutchGirl
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Re: Rube's journal

Post by DutchGirl »

I'm late to the (wedding) party: congratulations :-D

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