Hi everyone, I have lurked here since discovering this site through a bad-day-at-work Google search for “How to retire on $XXX,XXX.” My $XXX,XXX is discussed below. I’m attracted to the ERE concept for a number of reasons. I have some natural inclination toward frugal living, or at least living within my means. I’ve set and adhered to annual budgets ever since entering the working world; paid my credit card bills in full each month; driven old cars until they die; worked full-time while obtaining a professional degree in order to avoid incurring a large student loan debt; and purchased a modest condominium for which mortgage and homeowner’s fees are cheaper than rents for comparable apartments. I also have a natural aversion to the traditional workplace and the rat race. According to Myers-Briggs, I’m an INFJ, an idealistic type that values things like harmony, sensitivity, growth, genuineness, connectedness, meaning, and humility. As long as I can remember, I’ve been unmotivated at work. I think this has to do with over-idealism, a strong “I” preference to work alone much of the time, and interpersonal over-sensitivity. My practical “J” side has carried me along. I also have a history of depression and anxiety, I think in large part because I stress a lot about work – fitting in, pleasing my bosses, worrying about fucking up, being jealous of others’ successes, feeling guilty about not working hard enough, feeling resentful about having to work on dumb things, feeling angry at being placed in difficult positions, etc. ERE for more I think would be more about financial independence – knowing that I could walk away if I wanted to, I think I would be more confident and more engaged at work (which would be work of my choosing) and, by extension, life. Obstacles to achieving this for me include an undeveloped independent streak (i.e., I’ve spent much of my life being a conformist and people-pleaser, as hard as it is to admit), vast ignorance about investing, and incredible lack of do-it-yourself skills (including cooking).
I’m 37 and, as indicated, male, single, never married, and don’t have kids. I currently live in an expensive city on the East Coast of the United States. I grew up in a very inexpensive area, housing-wise, and my family still lives in that area.
Here’s the scoop on the $XXX,XXX. My net worth is approximately $376,000, broken down as:
- $92,700 in a savings account
- $10,400 in a checking account
- $140 in a money market account
- $86,000 in a 401k plan from my prior employer
- $20,100 in a retirement plan from my current, government employer
- $8,888 in a rollover IRA account
- $3,723 in another IRA account
- $1009 in a Lending Club account (starting to play with it)
- $200,000, the market value of my condominium
- Less: $24,200, the remaining principal on my condominium mortgage
- Less: $19,600, in student loans
My gross salary just jumped to $92,000 from $89,000. When it was at $89,000, my expected annual take-home (including after maxing out the government 401k plan) was $49,500. Of that, I budgeted to spend $40,500 ($2,400 per month in monthly expenses, and another $12,400 in what I categorize as yearly expenses – shockingly high to this audience, I’m sure!).
I don’t have a clear plan; not even sure I will pursue ERE. But I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on what I’ve laid out, and how I could get to ERE – even just to have it in my back pocket for peace of mind. Ideas I’m kicking around include paying off the rest of my mortgage to free up extra monthly cash, or selling my place and using the cash to buy (without a mortgage) an income-generating property or properties in a cheaper locale.
Detente's journal
Hi Detente !
Welcome to the forums!
One area you could try out is to work on improving your skills as a means of testing ERE -- learning to cook more meals at home for starters, perhaps? Self-reliance is something that will have value to you regardless of whether you ERE or not.
I am sure others will chime in with more suggestions.
Good luck in your journey!
Welcome to the forums!
One area you could try out is to work on improving your skills as a means of testing ERE -- learning to cook more meals at home for starters, perhaps? Self-reliance is something that will have value to you regardless of whether you ERE or not.
I am sure others will chime in with more suggestions.
Good luck in your journey!
Anomie, bigato, thanks for chiming in! I do recognize that I need to set a direction and make some changes. Cooking for myself is a big one and would be a great place to start -- I'd save money by not eating out and spending more time at home, feel good about developing some new skills, and probably become more interested in food generally. I've been on travel for work the past month, but when I return I'll get that going.
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RealPerson
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:33 pm
Hello Detente, welcome to this forum (I am actually very new myself). I agree with bigato about the goals. You will lever reach your destination if you don't know what it is.
First, I think you have done great so far. A few things come to mind: why not use your savings account to pay off the student loans all at once? You have a minimal intest rate on your savings account and are probably paying a much higher rate on your student loan. To top it off, your savings interest is taxable, but your student loan is not tax deductible I believe. i would simply wipe out the student loan with money from your savings account. As you can tell, I am very debt averse.
Are you sure you need a car, even an old one? I used to live on the east coast and I remember a car was a real pain. Costly to keep it running and very expensive to park it. Have you considered a bicycle and public transportation instead? That definitely would cut your expenses drastically. Finally, I agree with the cooking skills. Cooking is not hard. Start with a few simple things and go from there. I was not able to cook, and now I make very healthy and delicious meals every day. Huge savings! As a single person, I would cook a standard size meal for a family of 4, and freeze the extra in individual portions. That way you always have an easy and cheap meal to heat up if you come home late or don't feel like cooking. If you travel so much for work, I assume that your meals on the road are paid for by your employer?
The people pleasing part can be challenging for ERE, since our culture is generally so anti ERE. Seeking out people who share your values would make this a lot easier for you. Check out the book "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" by Harry Browne. Good luck. It looks like you are on the right track!
First, I think you have done great so far. A few things come to mind: why not use your savings account to pay off the student loans all at once? You have a minimal intest rate on your savings account and are probably paying a much higher rate on your student loan. To top it off, your savings interest is taxable, but your student loan is not tax deductible I believe. i would simply wipe out the student loan with money from your savings account. As you can tell, I am very debt averse.
Are you sure you need a car, even an old one? I used to live on the east coast and I remember a car was a real pain. Costly to keep it running and very expensive to park it. Have you considered a bicycle and public transportation instead? That definitely would cut your expenses drastically. Finally, I agree with the cooking skills. Cooking is not hard. Start with a few simple things and go from there. I was not able to cook, and now I make very healthy and delicious meals every day. Huge savings! As a single person, I would cook a standard size meal for a family of 4, and freeze the extra in individual portions. That way you always have an easy and cheap meal to heat up if you come home late or don't feel like cooking. If you travel so much for work, I assume that your meals on the road are paid for by your employer?
The people pleasing part can be challenging for ERE, since our culture is generally so anti ERE. Seeking out people who share your values would make this a lot easier for you. Check out the book "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" by Harry Browne. Good luck. It looks like you are on the right track!
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George the original one
- Posts: 5406
- Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
- Location: Wettest corner of Orygun
Welcome!
Your expenses are $30k/yr plus $12k/yr cushion for a single person? Wow, even in an expensive city, that seems high.
You have $92k sitting in a savings account, probably earning an abysmal interest rate, yet you have $46,800 in loans that are likely much higher interest rate. PAY OFF THE LOANS FROM THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT!
Your gross pay went up 3.37%, but you're not going to notice much of an increase because your payroll taxes are going to lop 2% off gross pay (social security taxes are resetting to 2009 levels), leaving you only a 1.37% increase to apply to net pay.
Your expenses are $30k/yr plus $12k/yr cushion for a single person? Wow, even in an expensive city, that seems high.
You have $92k sitting in a savings account, probably earning an abysmal interest rate, yet you have $46,800 in loans that are likely much higher interest rate. PAY OFF THE LOANS FROM THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT!
Your gross pay went up 3.37%, but you're not going to notice much of an increase because your payroll taxes are going to lop 2% off gross pay (social security taxes are resetting to 2009 levels), leaving you only a 1.37% increase to apply to net pay.
Welcome to the forum.
Your multitude of financial accounts makes me think that perhaps you could benefit from managing your investments in a more organized way. I agree with others that you should use cash from your savings account to pay off the student loans and mortgage. Also I would recommend rolling over the old 401k and two IRAs into one IRA at a good low-cost brokerage or fund sponsor.
Your multitude of financial accounts makes me think that perhaps you could benefit from managing your investments in a more organized way. I agree with others that you should use cash from your savings account to pay off the student loans and mortgage. Also I would recommend rolling over the old 401k and two IRAs into one IRA at a good low-cost brokerage or fund sponsor.
@ Real Person: Thanks for the support and advice. I feel like I have a solid baseline to work with from not having gone into consumer debt and managing to save some money. On the student loan ($19,600 remaining), it’s all government loans, and the interest rate is fairly low: 2.5%. My mortgage ($24,200 remaining) has a high interest rate: 6.35%. So between the two, I feel it’s better to attack the mortgage (although I do get to deduct the yearly interest payment on my taxes). For many years I simply paid the minimum monthly payment amount. Then, while in a high-paying job for a while and not sure what to do with my savings, I started paying down the mortgage. I paid off a very-high rate second mortgage of about $10,000, then started to pay down the first mortgage. In December 2010, it was at $71,000, and now it’s $24,200. BTW, I haven’t refinanced because I was never sure how much longer I would stay in my place. I’d been reluctant to use my $92,000 in cash savings to pay off my debts because that cash is the only capital I have access to to work with – everything else is tied up in equity in the condominium and retirement accounts. These moves may be dumb, but remember that I made them before discovering ERE. 
I think what I’ll do is pay off the mortgage and contribute less to the retirement account this year so that I’ll preserve as much cash as possible. Then figure out what to do with the student loan – maybe pay that off, too.
Re: the car, I could live without it. It’s paid off, and I don’t pay extra for parking at my condo complex, and I don’t use it to go to work anymore (in my new job I now use public transportation, the costs of which largely are covered by my employer, and I sometimes bike). So the costs are gas ($600 in 2012, much less than in years past because I drive a lot less), insurance ($600 in 2012), and repairs/upkeep/registration/fees/etc ($565 in 2012). Hmm, that’s $1,765 right there. I also live in a city that offers car-sharing services, so I could use that if I really need one. I have friends who are carless and do this. Having a car is very convenient at times, but ditching it is something to think about for sure.
Re: cooking, yes, it would help in many ways – saving, eating better, and developing useful skills and a new interest. Cooking is going to be at the top of the to-do list.
Re: travel, this is the first time I’ve traveled for work, and it’ll be pretty rare. If I did travel more, though, I could really save because meals are largely paid for.
Re: people-pleasing, I really do think having support and being in contact with like-minded people is key – whether for ERE or anything, really. Just driving an old car, living in a modest place, etc. is tough when friends and family have big houses, kids, better cars, etc. The desire to fit in is very powerful. Thanks for the book recommendation – I have heard of it (might be listed in Jacob’s book?) and I’ll check it out.
@ George: Actually, my expenses are worse than that. My budget amounts to $40,600 in spending, out of a total take-home pay of $49,500 (but that includes maxing out my retirement account). The $12,000 in yearly expenses really isn’t a cushion, although I certainly don’t have to spend to the max in each category. (Categories include gifts, car insurance, car repair/registration fees, etc.) I am still adjusting to a much lower salary; in my old job, spending at this level wasn’t that bad, given the high salary. At some point soon I’ll post my budget/expenses so you can see where the money is going.
@ KevinW: makes a lot of sense to consolidate the accounts. It’ll be much easier to manage.
I think what I’ll do is pay off the mortgage and contribute less to the retirement account this year so that I’ll preserve as much cash as possible. Then figure out what to do with the student loan – maybe pay that off, too.Re: the car, I could live without it. It’s paid off, and I don’t pay extra for parking at my condo complex, and I don’t use it to go to work anymore (in my new job I now use public transportation, the costs of which largely are covered by my employer, and I sometimes bike). So the costs are gas ($600 in 2012, much less than in years past because I drive a lot less), insurance ($600 in 2012), and repairs/upkeep/registration/fees/etc ($565 in 2012). Hmm, that’s $1,765 right there. I also live in a city that offers car-sharing services, so I could use that if I really need one. I have friends who are carless and do this. Having a car is very convenient at times, but ditching it is something to think about for sure.
Re: cooking, yes, it would help in many ways – saving, eating better, and developing useful skills and a new interest. Cooking is going to be at the top of the to-do list.
Re: travel, this is the first time I’ve traveled for work, and it’ll be pretty rare. If I did travel more, though, I could really save because meals are largely paid for.
Re: people-pleasing, I really do think having support and being in contact with like-minded people is key – whether for ERE or anything, really. Just driving an old car, living in a modest place, etc. is tough when friends and family have big houses, kids, better cars, etc. The desire to fit in is very powerful. Thanks for the book recommendation – I have heard of it (might be listed in Jacob’s book?) and I’ll check it out.
@ George: Actually, my expenses are worse than that. My budget amounts to $40,600 in spending, out of a total take-home pay of $49,500 (but that includes maxing out my retirement account). The $12,000 in yearly expenses really isn’t a cushion, although I certainly don’t have to spend to the max in each category. (Categories include gifts, car insurance, car repair/registration fees, etc.) I am still adjusting to a much lower salary; in my old job, spending at this level wasn’t that bad, given the high salary. At some point soon I’ll post my budget/expenses so you can see where the money is going.
@ KevinW: makes a lot of sense to consolidate the accounts. It’ll be much easier to manage.
I want to try to update this journal at least once a month, to chronicle my progress and try to maintain some momentum. Here are some highlights/thoughts:
- I paid off the mortgage.
- I'm paying down the student loan; when the last payment goes through, it should be approximately $10,000.
- I've spent February focusing on my budget and trying to trim down expenses. I'm now budgeted to spend $31,906 this year, which includes two months of regular mortgage payments. If I paid off the student loan to become completely debt-free, my yearly budgeted expenses would drop to $27,862. It would be nice to get that down to $25,000. If somehow I could push it to $20,000(with a corresponding asset requirement of $500,000 ($20,000/.04)), ERE would cease to be just a fantasy for me.
- My largest expenses are my condo fee (now $355/month, or $4,260/ year), food ($300/month, or $3,600/year), and entertainment ($300/month, or $3,600/year). Years ago I had the food and entertainment budget set at those amounts, but I could never stick to them. Hopefully with a renewed focus, a desire to begin cooking for myself (my pressure cooker arrived two weeks ago, ha), and less interest in high-cost entertainment these days (such as drinking in bars), I'll be able to stay within budget.
- I had a nice win with my Internet access. I approached a neighbor about the possibility of sharing Internet expenses, and instead she simply and generously provided me with her wi-fi password. This saves me about $720/year.
- My cell phone contract (about $72/month) expires this summer. When it does, I plan to go with a smart phone on pre-paid plan. (I won't go back to a dumb phone; I rely on it too much.)
- I made a batch of powdered detergent. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter much financially, but I took some satisfaction in undertaking a bit of DIY and avoiding an unnecessary cost. A similar goal for next month will be introducing safety razors to my life; I hate how much Gillette razors cost.
- I considered dropping the car but have opted to hold onto it for now. I ignorantly had been maintaining collision and comprehensive insurance coverage on this old car for years, and saved a little bit by dropping that.
- Much of my progress outlined above will be thwarted by my dentist, who is charging me $5,500 in necessary (so he says) but uninsured dental expenses this year. I knew this was coming, but it was extremely deflating when the day of reckoning arrived nonetheless. I may cut back (maybe all of the way back) on contributing to my defined-benefit plan (TSP) this year to cover those expenses. As a personal finance newbie, I I'm not quite sure how compatible 401k/TSP plans are with ERE anyway. It would seem that locking up money until traditional retirement age makes such plans incompatible. (I assume this is discussed on these boards somewhere.) The other option is to view this as an impetus to finally begin freelance writing and editing and see if I could earn enough to cover the dentist's bill.
I have lots more to say/spew, but I'll leave it at this for now.
- I paid off the mortgage.
- I'm paying down the student loan; when the last payment goes through, it should be approximately $10,000.
- I've spent February focusing on my budget and trying to trim down expenses. I'm now budgeted to spend $31,906 this year, which includes two months of regular mortgage payments. If I paid off the student loan to become completely debt-free, my yearly budgeted expenses would drop to $27,862. It would be nice to get that down to $25,000. If somehow I could push it to $20,000(with a corresponding asset requirement of $500,000 ($20,000/.04)), ERE would cease to be just a fantasy for me.
- My largest expenses are my condo fee (now $355/month, or $4,260/ year), food ($300/month, or $3,600/year), and entertainment ($300/month, or $3,600/year). Years ago I had the food and entertainment budget set at those amounts, but I could never stick to them. Hopefully with a renewed focus, a desire to begin cooking for myself (my pressure cooker arrived two weeks ago, ha), and less interest in high-cost entertainment these days (such as drinking in bars), I'll be able to stay within budget.
- I had a nice win with my Internet access. I approached a neighbor about the possibility of sharing Internet expenses, and instead she simply and generously provided me with her wi-fi password. This saves me about $720/year.
- My cell phone contract (about $72/month) expires this summer. When it does, I plan to go with a smart phone on pre-paid plan. (I won't go back to a dumb phone; I rely on it too much.)
- I made a batch of powdered detergent.
In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter much financially, but I took some satisfaction in undertaking a bit of DIY and avoiding an unnecessary cost. A similar goal for next month will be introducing safety razors to my life; I hate how much Gillette razors cost.- I considered dropping the car but have opted to hold onto it for now. I ignorantly had been maintaining collision and comprehensive insurance coverage on this old car for years, and saved a little bit by dropping that.
- Much of my progress outlined above will be thwarted by my dentist, who is charging me $5,500 in necessary (so he says) but uninsured dental expenses this year. I knew this was coming, but it was extremely deflating when the day of reckoning arrived nonetheless. I may cut back (maybe all of the way back) on contributing to my defined-benefit plan (TSP) this year to cover those expenses. As a personal finance newbie, I I'm not quite sure how compatible 401k/TSP plans are with ERE anyway. It would seem that locking up money until traditional retirement age makes such plans incompatible. (I assume this is discussed on these boards somewhere.) The other option is to view this as an impetus to finally begin freelance writing and editing and see if I could earn enough to cover the dentist's bill.
I have lots more to say/spew, but I'll leave it at this for now.
I want to post my expenses each month to keep me honest and motivated. I've always set up budgets with monthly, recurring and often set expenses, and yearly, non-recurring and variable expenses.
My gross salary this year is $92,000, and my estimated take-home pay is $49,057.06 ($1,886.81 per biweekly paycheck, multiplied by 26 paychecks). My budget calls for saving 38% of my take-home pay, or 18,907.68. My budget also calls for maxing out my Thrift Savings Plan retirement plan, which amounts to 22,004.58 after employer contributions are included ($846.33 per biweekly paycheck, multiplied by 26 paychecks).
My budget calls for $30,833.96 in total expenses ($17,598.96 in monthly expenses -- $1,466.58 each month -- and $13,235.00 in yearly expenses). Here is how I did for April (the first columb of numbers are what my budget calls for):
Student Loan $137.00 $137
Condo Fee $354.68 $354.68
Child Fund $25.00 $25
Netflix $8.40 $8.40
Gym $15.00 $15
Sirius radio $9.50 $9.21
Gas (utility) $14.00 $11.25
Electricity $40.00 $28.04
Internet $5.00 $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean $25.00 $40.00
Cell phone $85.00 $76.02
Groceries/Food $300.00 $249.06
Entertainment $300.00 $258.00
Music $10.00 $0.00
Transit/Parking $40.00 $3.00
Gas (car) $48.00 $38.85
Haircuts $10.00 $20.00
Miscellaneous $40.00 $2.00
Total $1,466.58 $1,276.55 (87% of budgeted montly expenses)
(I'm not listing January numbers here because they were out of whack while I was on travel for work -- my expenses were much higher, but my income was, too, so it evens out.)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 3/23/13(the first column of numbers is what my budget calls for):
Other charity $150.00 $0.00
Career/bar dues $350.00 $0.00
Final mortgage payments $1,400.00 $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous $1,750.00 $577.30
Condo Insurance $170.00 $0.00
Condo property tax $1,860.00 $0.00
Clothes $600.00 $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass $2,000.00 $0.00
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration $750.00 $38.77
Car Insurance $425.00 $207.67
Disability insurance $305.00 $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses $400.00 $0.00
Gifts/Cards $1,250.00 $197.79
Health/beauty other $500.00 $159.00
Subcriptions/Organizations $150.00 $0.00
Health $375.00 $30.95
Fitness $200.00 $35.00
Miscellaneous $600.00 $60.00
Total $13,235.00 $2,701.12 (20% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 3/23/13: $10,972.94.
Total expenses as of 3/23/13: $7,214.09.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 3/23/13: $4,169.72.
Total savings shortfall as of 3/23/13: $410.87.
My gross salary this year is $92,000, and my estimated take-home pay is $49,057.06 ($1,886.81 per biweekly paycheck, multiplied by 26 paychecks). My budget calls for saving 38% of my take-home pay, or 18,907.68. My budget also calls for maxing out my Thrift Savings Plan retirement plan, which amounts to 22,004.58 after employer contributions are included ($846.33 per biweekly paycheck, multiplied by 26 paychecks).
My budget calls for $30,833.96 in total expenses ($17,598.96 in monthly expenses -- $1,466.58 each month -- and $13,235.00 in yearly expenses). Here is how I did for April (the first columb of numbers are what my budget calls for):
Student Loan $137.00 $137
Condo Fee $354.68 $354.68
Child Fund $25.00 $25
Netflix $8.40 $8.40
Gym $15.00 $15
Sirius radio $9.50 $9.21
Gas (utility) $14.00 $11.25
Electricity $40.00 $28.04
Internet $5.00 $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean $25.00 $40.00
Cell phone $85.00 $76.02
Groceries/Food $300.00 $249.06
Entertainment $300.00 $258.00
Music $10.00 $0.00
Transit/Parking $40.00 $3.00
Gas (car) $48.00 $38.85
Haircuts $10.00 $20.00
Miscellaneous $40.00 $2.00
Total $1,466.58 $1,276.55 (87% of budgeted montly expenses)
(I'm not listing January numbers here because they were out of whack while I was on travel for work -- my expenses were much higher, but my income was, too, so it evens out.)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 3/23/13(the first column of numbers is what my budget calls for):
Other charity $150.00 $0.00
Career/bar dues $350.00 $0.00
Final mortgage payments $1,400.00 $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous $1,750.00 $577.30
Condo Insurance $170.00 $0.00
Condo property tax $1,860.00 $0.00
Clothes $600.00 $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass $2,000.00 $0.00
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration $750.00 $38.77
Car Insurance $425.00 $207.67
Disability insurance $305.00 $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses $400.00 $0.00
Gifts/Cards $1,250.00 $197.79
Health/beauty other $500.00 $159.00
Subcriptions/Organizations $150.00 $0.00
Health $375.00 $30.95
Fitness $200.00 $35.00
Miscellaneous $600.00 $60.00
Total $13,235.00 $2,701.12 (20% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 3/23/13: $10,972.94.
Total expenses as of 3/23/13: $7,214.09.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 3/23/13: $4,169.72.
Total savings shortfall as of 3/23/13: $410.87.
Thanks C40. I browsed through your journal, and I think you are the standard-bearer for detail and visuals. I, on the other hand, could not figure out how to make columns work...
Your journal addressed a question I had on how to factor in TSP/401(k) contributions into the savings rate. If I treat them as income, I think my budgeted annual savings rate would be 57%:
Job take-home income of $49,757.06 + TSP contributions of $22,004.58 = total income of $71,761.64.
Total income of $71,761.64 - total expenses of $30,833.96 = total savings of $40,927.68.
Total savings of $40,927.68 divided by total income of $71,761.64 = 57%.
Your journal addressed a question I had on how to factor in TSP/401(k) contributions into the savings rate. If I treat them as income, I think my budgeted annual savings rate would be 57%:
Job take-home income of $49,757.06 + TSP contributions of $22,004.58 = total income of $71,761.64.
Total income of $71,761.64 - total expenses of $30,833.96 = total savings of $40,927.68.
Total savings of $40,927.68 divided by total income of $71,761.64 = 57%.
Here is how I did for April [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $8.88
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $20.45
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $71.98
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $298.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $268.78
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $13.00
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $120.39
Haircuts [$10.00] $0.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $33.81
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,391.21 (95% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 4/3/13[budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $0.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $577.30
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $0.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $0.00
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $22.18
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $38.77
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $207.67
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $235.42
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $159.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $0.00
Health [$375.00]: $68.95
Fitness [$200.00]: $95.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $60.00
Total [$13,235.00]: $2,858.93 (22% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 4/3/13: $14,790.22 (not including total TSP contributions of $5,928.29).
Total expenses as of 4/3/13: $7,625.88.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 4/3/13: $5,620.28.
Total budget surplus as of 4/3/13: $1,544.06.
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $8.88
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $20.45
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $71.98
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $298.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $268.78
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $13.00
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $120.39
Haircuts [$10.00] $0.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $33.81
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,391.21 (95% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 4/3/13[budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $0.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $577.30
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $0.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $0.00
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $22.18
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $38.77
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $207.67
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $235.42
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $159.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $0.00
Health [$375.00]: $68.95
Fitness [$200.00]: $95.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $60.00
Total [$13,235.00]: $2,858.93 (22% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 4/3/13: $14,790.22 (not including total TSP contributions of $5,928.29).
Total expenses as of 4/3/13: $7,625.88.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 4/3/13: $5,620.28.
Total budget surplus as of 4/3/13: $1,544.06.
Here is how I did for April (the last post was actually March) [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $19.27
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $18.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $71.92
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $331.39.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $315.10
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $53.75
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $81.31.39
Haircuts [$10.00] $0.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $33.81
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,456.10 (99% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 4/3/13[budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $0.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $857.30
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $181.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $0.00
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $340.25
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $38.77
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $207.67
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $245.42
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $189.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $0.00
Health [$375.00]: $68.95
Fitness [$200.00]: $128.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $107.25
Total [$13,235.00]: $3,758.25 (34% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 5/11/13: $18,823.32 (not including total TSP contributions of $7,628.91).
Total expenses as of 5/11/13: $10,554.35.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 5/11/13: $7,152.86.
Total budget surplus as of 5/11/13: $1,116.11
- Generally, I've been pretty good about cooking my lunches for the week and bringing lunch every day, but I've slipped a bit
- I've been doing a lot more hiking/outdoors-type activities, which feels great and cuts down on costs (although I'm spending more on gas to get out into the countryside).
- My cell phone contract ends early next month! Looking forward to reducing that bill.
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $19.27
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $18.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $71.92
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $331.39.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $315.10
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $53.75
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $81.31.39
Haircuts [$10.00] $0.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $33.81
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,456.10 (99% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 4/3/13[budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $0.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $857.30
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $181.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $0.00
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $340.25
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $38.77
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $207.67
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $0.00
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $245.42
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $189.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $0.00
Health [$375.00]: $68.95
Fitness [$200.00]: $128.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $107.25
Total [$13,235.00]: $3,758.25 (34% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 5/11/13: $18,823.32 (not including total TSP contributions of $7,628.91).
Total expenses as of 5/11/13: $10,554.35.
Total take-home savings (38%) as of 5/11/13: $7,152.86.
Total budget surplus as of 5/11/13: $1,116.11
- Generally, I've been pretty good about cooking my lunches for the week and bringing lunch every day, but I've slipped a bit
- I've been doing a lot more hiking/outdoors-type activities, which feels great and cuts down on costs (although I'm spending more on gas to get out into the countryside).
- My cell phone contract ends early next month! Looking forward to reducing that bill.
Re: Detente's journal
Here is how I did for May [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $9.28
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $26.59
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0
Cell phone [$85.00] $292.64 (includes cost of new phone)
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $324.40
Entertainment [$300.00]: $245.90
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $26.70
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $82.64
Haircuts [$10.00] $21.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $2.12
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,587.19 (108% of budgeted montly expenses)
- Slipped a bit, but I had the extra cost of buying a new phone that comes with a cheaper plan. The monthly savings should even it out by year's end.
June's numbers, however, will not be so great...
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $9.28
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $26.59
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0
Cell phone [$85.00] $292.64 (includes cost of new phone)
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $324.40
Entertainment [$300.00]: $245.90
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $26.70
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $82.64
Haircuts [$10.00] $21.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $2.12
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,587.19 (108% of budgeted montly expenses)
- Slipped a bit, but I had the extra cost of buying a new phone that comes with a cheaper plan. The monthly savings should even it out by year's end.
June's numbers, however, will not be so great...
Re:
Congratulations Detente!Detente wrote: - I paid off the mortgage.
Paying off your mortgage alone should result in some nice peace of mind.
For me, achieving that plus other recent events has produced a much more optimistic outlook of the future.
Re: Detente's journal
Thanks Anomie! Yes, it's really been a nice psychological boost living mortgage-free. I had a fairly high interest rate, so paying it off seemed like a good financial move, too. Part of me wants to knock off the only remaining debt I have in my life (student loans, now down to $9,369), but the interest rate is very low, and most of my payments go to principle now.
Re: Detente's journal
Here are the June numbers [budget in brackets]:
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
Condo Fee [$354.68]: $354.68
Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00
Netflix [$8.40]: $3.20 (discount provided for some reason)
Gym [$15.00]: $15.00
Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $33.87
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.25 (new, no-contract phone plan)
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $247.28 (spent more than that, but traveled for work and received a stipend)
Entertainment [$300.00]: $644.96 (ouch; not sure what happened here)
Music [$10.00]: $1.29
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $31.36
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $37.50
Haircuts [$10.00] $0
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $39.50
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,633.58 (111% of budgeted montly expenses)
- Not a good month. Work has been fairly insane with a lot of travel and chaos. It throws me off my routine (like cooking for the week) and leaves me spending more.
- I'm carless right now. It was going to cost about $500 in repairs to my really old car to pass inspection, so I decided to get rid of it. I was able to sell it for $1,000. I'm debating whether to replace it. I drive very little these days, but it is handy having one on hand. If I get a new one, I'm aiming for something around $5,000, so I'd be out a total of $4,000.
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
Condo Fee [$354.68]: $354.68
Child Fund [$25.00]: $25.00
Netflix [$8.40]: $3.20 (discount provided for some reason)
Gym [$15.00]: $15.00
Sirius radio [$9.50]: $9.44
Gas (utility) [$14.00]: $11.25
Electricity [$40.00]: $33.87
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.25 (new, no-contract phone plan)
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $247.28 (spent more than that, but traveled for work and received a stipend)
Entertainment [$300.00]: $644.96 (ouch; not sure what happened here)
Music [$10.00]: $1.29
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $31.36
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $37.50
Haircuts [$10.00] $0
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $39.50
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,633.58 (111% of budgeted montly expenses)
- Not a good month. Work has been fairly insane with a lot of travel and chaos. It throws me off my routine (like cooking for the week) and leaves me spending more.
- I'm carless right now. It was going to cost about $500 in repairs to my really old car to pass inspection, so I decided to get rid of it. I was able to sell it for $1,000. I'm debating whether to replace it. I drive very little these days, but it is handy having one on hand. If I get a new one, I'm aiming for something around $5,000, so I'd be out a total of $4,000.
Re: Detente's journal
Here are the July numbers [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]: $12.40
Electricity [$40.00]: $44.34
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.50
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $468.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $32.00 (If I recall, work was so crazy that I didn't do anything else; that's why the groceries/food -- really, eating out -- amount is so high)
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $64.16
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $0.00
Haircuts [$10.00] $20.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $152.08
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,384.59 (94% of budgeted monthly expenses)
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]: $12.40
Electricity [$40.00]: $44.34
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.50
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $468.00
Entertainment [$300.00]: $32.00 (If I recall, work was so crazy that I didn't do anything else; that's why the groceries/food -- really, eating out -- amount is so high)
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $64.16
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $0.00
Haircuts [$10.00] $20.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $152.08
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,384.59 (94% of budgeted monthly expenses)
Re: Detente's journal
Here are the August and year-to-date numbers [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $38.67
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.50
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $380.10
Entertainment [$300.00]: $467.73
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $25.00
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $0.00
Haircuts [$10.00] $20.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $48.56
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,582.92 (108% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 9/18/13 [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $515.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $8115.30 (reflecting condo upgrades)
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $181.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $962.23
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $2029.26
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $(1,011.23) (negative based on car sale)
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $165.43 (reflecting refund after car sale)
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $291.82
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $584.50
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $189.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $75.00
Zipcar [$60.00]: $60.00
Health [$375.00]: $3,471.50 (reflecting first of two payments for $5,500 in orthodonics)
Fitness [$200.00]: $128.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $765.75 (reflecting unknown subcription to job search site that I cancelled)
Total [$13,247.00]: $17,917.20 (135% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 9/18/13: $36,558.69 (not including total TSP contributions of $14,784.02).
Total expenses as of 9/18/13: $45,106.56.
Total budget take-home savings (38%) as of 9/18/13: $13,892.30.
Total budget deficit as of 9/18/13: $8,547.87
Total actual take-home savings (accounting for budget deficit) as of 9/18/13: $5,344.43
Notes:
- Really struggling in all facets of life right now -- work, health, recreation, finances.
- Work has been very busy, very unsteady, and demoralizing -- feeling very stuck and trapped.
- I'm struggling mightily with what financial, career, passive income, and freelance moves to make -- lot of ideas, but not getting traction; I just need to get started on something!
- The yearly numbers are very bad because they incorporate major expenses for dental work and upgrading my condo; I finally decided that I need to get my condo in shape to rent or sell so that I'm not weighed down by it anymore and can be free to look at opportunities anywhere in the country, or even abroad.
- I will be happy to break even this year -- I still have $2,500-ish to pay the dentist and likely $11,000-ish to get the kitchen done.
- My goal is to get the condo done, the dental work done, and possibly buy a car and have $50,000 in cash (when I pay my credit card bill this month, my cash will be about $63,000); at that point I'll have a free-and-clear $200,000 condo and $50,000 in cash to work with.
- So many ideas/things to work on: cooking, real estate investing, freelance writing, job search/career change, dividend growth investing, dating, fitness -- it's paralyzing right now.
- This can be a lonely path for sure -- I need to develop some better support networks with people who understand this approach.
- Hell, I'm not even sure this is for me -- maybe the right job under the right conditions is all I need, or working for myself; I do know that I hate being in a large organization and being at the mercy of others' decisions.
OK, enough grumbling. Time for some gratitude: good health overall, a paid-off home, student loan debt that I can pay off whenever I choose, a job with good benefits, people who care about me, a working brain that, when utilized, enables me to learn and try new approaches.
Student Loan [$137.00]: $137
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]: $38.67
Internet [$5.00]: $5.00
Laundry/Dry Clean [$25.00]: $0.00
Cell phone [$85.00] $37.50
Groceries/Food [$300.00]: $380.10
Entertainment [$300.00]: $467.73
Music [$10.00]: $0.00
Transit/Parking [$40.00] $25.00
Gas (car) [$48.00]: $0.00
Haircuts [$10.00] $20.00
Miscellaneous [$40.00] $48.56
Total [$1,466.58]: $1,582.92 (108% of budgeted montly expenses)
Here's how I'm doing for the year as of 9/18/13 [budgeted amount in brackets]:
Other charity [$150.00]: $0.00
Career/bar dues [$350.00]: $515.00
Final mortgage payments [$1,400.00]: $1,394.64
Condo Miscellaneous [$1,750.00]: $8115.30 (reflecting condo upgrades)
Condo Insurance [$170.00]: $181.00
Condo property tax [$1,860.00]: $962.23
Clothes [$600.00]: $0.00
Travel/vacation/EZ Pass [$2,000.00]: $2029.26
Car Oil/Repair/Tax/Registration [$750.00]: $(1,011.23) (negative based on car sale)
Car Insurance [$425.00]: $165.43 (reflecting refund after car sale)
Disability insurance [$305.00]: $291.82
Contact Lenses/Glasses [$400.00]: $0.00
Gifts/Cards [$1,250.00]: $584.50
Health/beauty other [$500.00]: $189.00
Subcriptions/Organizations [$150.00]: $75.00
Zipcar [$60.00]: $60.00
Health [$375.00]: $3,471.50 (reflecting first of two payments for $5,500 in orthodonics)
Fitness [$200.00]: $128.00
Miscellaneous [$600.00]: $765.75 (reflecting unknown subcription to job search site that I cancelled)
Total [$13,247.00]: $17,917.20 (135% of budgeted yearly expenses)
Total take-home income as of 9/18/13: $36,558.69 (not including total TSP contributions of $14,784.02).
Total expenses as of 9/18/13: $45,106.56.
Total budget take-home savings (38%) as of 9/18/13: $13,892.30.
Total budget deficit as of 9/18/13: $8,547.87
Total actual take-home savings (accounting for budget deficit) as of 9/18/13: $5,344.43
Notes:
- Really struggling in all facets of life right now -- work, health, recreation, finances.
- Work has been very busy, very unsteady, and demoralizing -- feeling very stuck and trapped.
- I'm struggling mightily with what financial, career, passive income, and freelance moves to make -- lot of ideas, but not getting traction; I just need to get started on something!
- The yearly numbers are very bad because they incorporate major expenses for dental work and upgrading my condo; I finally decided that I need to get my condo in shape to rent or sell so that I'm not weighed down by it anymore and can be free to look at opportunities anywhere in the country, or even abroad.
- I will be happy to break even this year -- I still have $2,500-ish to pay the dentist and likely $11,000-ish to get the kitchen done.
- My goal is to get the condo done, the dental work done, and possibly buy a car and have $50,000 in cash (when I pay my credit card bill this month, my cash will be about $63,000); at that point I'll have a free-and-clear $200,000 condo and $50,000 in cash to work with.
- So many ideas/things to work on: cooking, real estate investing, freelance writing, job search/career change, dividend growth investing, dating, fitness -- it's paralyzing right now.
- This can be a lonely path for sure -- I need to develop some better support networks with people who understand this approach.
- Hell, I'm not even sure this is for me -- maybe the right job under the right conditions is all I need, or working for myself; I do know that I hate being in a large organization and being at the mercy of others' decisions.
OK, enough grumbling. Time for some gratitude: good health overall, a paid-off home, student loan debt that I can pay off whenever I choose, a job with good benefits, people who care about me, a working brain that, when utilized, enables me to learn and try new approaches.
-
workathome
- Posts: 1298
- Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:06 pm
Re: Detente's journal
I can't operate seriously on multiple fronts, or I'd feel overwhelmed as well! Try taking things one-at-a-time and either focus on the easiest, just so you can see some progress and motivation, or focus on the area of most significant impact. Maybe a job change would give you more free time, a bigger salary, and solve your fitness issue by letting you bike more often? You can also combine things, like maybe real estate investing + freelance writing. Or cooking + fitness. (Does that save mental bandwidth? It does for me).