Former academic turned CPA/Financial Planner (CFP(r))
My philosophy
Invest wisely and for the long term. Invest in yourself and not just in the market. While sometimes you need to be frugal to save funds to invest, at other times, spending more money in the short term will yield more valuable long-term results. Think about major decisions, THEN make saving for them automatic. Creating good financial habits and systems is key to success. The goal is not to die with the most money, but to live a full, meaningful, and satisfying life!
Goals for 2024
Word of the year = Simplify and key areas of focus = health, wealth, and systems, habits, & routines.
1. Health: Maintain/regain health gains from 2021-2023. 150-300 "zone minutes" per week. Keep up the running and run the Turkey Trot next November in under an hour. Add in "micro workout" resistance training weekdays. Target more outdoor activities for next spring - kayaking, hiking.
2. Wealth: Continue to save, and to pay down total debt to 60k by January 2025. DONE!
Revised debt paydown schedule:
End of 2024: 50k
Jan 2025: 45k (25k mortgage)
Jan 2026: 35k (20k mortgage)
Jan 2027: 25k (15k mortgage)
Jan 2028: 15k (10k mortgage)
Jan 2029: 5k mortgage, pay off! 23 years & 1 month
PRE-RETIREMENT GOALS set 2024:
-Retirement accounts over 7 figures
-Pay off consumer debt
-Pay off mortgage
-Built up at least one years' basic living expenses in savings
3. Systems, habits, and routines: Improve workflow to get tasks completed earlier. At home, add some time weekly and monthly to maintain my filing system, and bring in a professional help to declutter in 2025 & 2026.
Home Improvement Projects for the next several years..not sure about order
2018: landscaping (some)
2019: decluttering (some); main roof coated (10-year warrenty)
2020: replaced front & rear porch roofs
2021: replaced water heater; washing machine, A/C, bed; plumbing upgrades; decluttering;
2022: nada
2023: replaced refrigerator
2024: new scupper; plumbing repairs
2025: replace front stairs and front/back doors; declutter phase 1; have electrical system reviewed
2026: declutter phase 2; replace oven and dryer if I haven't been forced to previously
2027-2029:external painting; front steps; door/window updates; update kitchen & bath; replace current car
2030-2034: consider selling & moving to a home more suitable for retirement.