I missed posting an entry the month of June (aaah!!) Too much going on. Want to blog at LEAST once a month to stay on task. I'm having a hard time with exhaustion and fatigue and job burnout, but still pushing forward.
Charting my progress by doing my 'mid year review'. My sidebar shows balances as of the end of 2011 for comparison.
MIDYEAR REVIEW as of June 2012 --
Mortgage: $51,102 remaining
Credit card debt: still 0
Retirement: $38,125 IRA(trad'l)
Retirement: $127,918 401K
Retirement: $2,263, Roth IRA
Wealth acct: $28,630
Freedom acct: $3,851
Christmas acct: $509
House Repair acct: $710
Grandkids: $438
The Kid: ? (keep reworking my ideas on this)
Education: $9,050 (savings bonds & savings acct)
I remain encouraged, but seems like progress is slow. (I want to get from 0 to a million in 10 seconds.) I still haven't completed a will, though I do have most of my beneficiary forms updated like I want them.
Later, I'll sort out my net worth. Guess I should be looking at that as well (Just read another post about net worth).
Notes:
The savings categories of The Kid and Education are flexible and up in the air.
The 'Kid' dropped out of college for a while to get himself together, but failed miserably that last semester, which meant the money for that semester is GONE and counted for nothing. What's left of the education fund, I can still gift him toward tuition if he decides to go back and get more serious about schoolwork (if I can get over being mad about it), but I have to take it day by day and see where his head is.
If he decides NOT to go back to school, then the money is ALL MINE!!
He's also engaged to be married, which changes my thinking about the 'move-out gift'. I have no idea what I'll end up doing. I don't want to help with the wedding, but I might... I'd rather help them get an emergency fund started. It's a year off.
In the other savings categories, I keep thinking two things: I need to concentrate on paying off my mortgage and I need to concentrate on contributions to my Roth IRA. Not quite possible to do everything I want, since we'll need to get another car soon as well as do some major house repairs, but I'll keep doing the small things I'm doing.
Have to constantly remind myself to be grateful. BE GRATEFUL! I'm not always smiling when I'm looking at these numbers, but I want to be smiling and know I should be grateful.
Anyhoo, I still get inspired everytime I read other posts. Thanks all you saving advice friends. Happy saving!!
Mid Year Review
July 6th, 2012 at 07:37 pm
July 9th, 2012 at 01:43 pm 1341841388
I really enjoyed your blog posts. It was certainly entertaining and very educational.
I would like to see whether you'd be open for guest contributions. I am looking to write something related to your site and thought that the topics I had in mind may go well with your blog.
I was thinking about the following subjects:
1. How To Save Money Online
2. 6 Simple Tips for Frugal Parents
What do you think about these? If you're interested to receive a custom article which is also absolutely free, I am happy to get something written up and sent over to you - or if you have another topic you'd like to see covered, I am more than happy to write on that.
Thanks and I look forward to your response.
Dana
dana@guestpostu.com
Guest Post U
The University of Great Content
July 15th, 2012 at 07:39 pm 1342381165
July 24th, 2012 at 08:07 am 1343117251
How are you?
I understand that the article ideas I presented to you did not catch your attention. We can do custom content! If there are any topics you'd like to see covered, I am more than happy to write on that.
Thanks again and I look forward to your reply!
Dana