About Me

Dido

GOALS for 2008

1. Continue to save 15% of earnings (ideally 20%). To do this, I will make special effort this year towards cutting food costs.

2. For 2008 only, put most of that towards short-term savings (CD ladder) to give myself sufficient liquidity during a career change.
Jan 1, 2008 cash balance: $8023
Mar 31, 2008 balance: $8200
June 30, 2008 balance: $8606

3. Do everything possible to make that career change happen! Planning to do an internship this summer and apply for jobs in the fall. Although I'm not a traditional college student, that's what the market is geared for, so I expect the career changeover to occur in June 2009. I am set with employment until then (phew!)

4. Continue paying extra on the mortgage. Goal is to cut my payoff date down to 22 years total (age 67) or ideally 20 (age 65).
Jan 1, 2008 balance: $89,300.
Mar 31, 2008 balance: $89,000
Jun 30, 2008 balance: $88,560

5. Continue investing for retirement--at least 1 million. Goal is to get there by no later than age 65, ideally age 60. Currently I'm on track to do so, as long as I can (1) earn an average of 8%/year on my retirement savings and (2) get some contributions towards my retirement from my employer.
balance 1/1/08: $127K
balance 6/30/08: $121K (market drop)

6. Nonfinancial goals: Lost at leat 15% of my weight (so far I lost weight during Jan & Feb and regained it during Mar & Apr), exercise daily, and maintain at least a semblance of a social life.

ABOUT ME

I grew up just outside of Beverly Hills in a family characterized by both a Depression-era fear of want and a tendency to solve many problems by throwing money at them. I still struggle with both tendencies myself. About 15 years ago, I had a "financial awakening when I read "Your Money or Your Life" and I've made significant progress since then, but I still find the journey a struggle on a daily basis.

Another no-spend day

August 9th, 2006 at 05:54 pm

I've only had two since breaking the no-spend challenge last Friday. Back to the typical pattern. I think of myself as "hating" shopping, but what I mean by that is mall-shopping. The kind of shopping I get sucked up into is at the grocery store, the hardware store....and the bookstore. (At least when I go to the bookstore, I usually just buy a cup of coffee and browse. When I go to the grocery store and usually when I go to the hardware store, money gets spent.

Not today, though!

Posted in $20 Challenge, No Spend Day | 5 Comments »

5 Responses to “Another no-spend day”

contrary1 Says:
August 9th, 2006 at 06:26 pm

Start prowling your library system instead of the book stores. Better all the way around, especially if they let you bring in your travel cup of coffee brewed at home! Coffee & free books and magazines, definately the definition of contentment in my life.
Dido Says:
August 9th, 2006 at 07:57 pm

Oh, I'm at the library every week too (no coffee allowed, though). But the books are different. There's more variety of new books at the bookstore--I can learn what books to look for or ILL or ask my library to order when they go. I'm enough of a book nut, I need *both* sources.
Bookie Says:
August 10th, 2006 at 04:15 am

Congrats on being strong in a bookstore. I'm another junkie when it comes to the printed page, and I agree that the library just isn' t the same (much as I love to go there).
Dido Says:
August 10th, 2006 at 09:47 am

My strategy for books is to browse them in a bookstore when I can first. I'll look at the library or for used copies. It's not unusual for me to check a book out of the library, read it, or a good chunk of it, and *then* decide to buy it--because for me, reading a nonfiction book is a dialogue in which I make commentary in the margins. I refrain from doing this with library books, of course, so I do indulge in book buying--but way less than the 100 pr so books I year I used to buy. I've bought 40 books in the past year, 6 of them new. So while I exercise will, it's not *that* strong. Of course, being an educator provides a good excuse for buying!
flash Says:
August 10th, 2006 at 04:50 pm

Bookstores are my weakness too!

Fiscal Fitness

Aiming to save 15% of my earnings and to lose 15% of my weight in 2008!

Another no-spend day

5 Responses to “Another no-spend day”

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