[NikoSan999]

Hope no one minds if I start it and get it up there. I read this thread all the time and I think you're all doing great. You're all accomplishing SO much and I love reading when one of you knock something out of the ballpark

 

[Ayanka]

Niko could it be this has to be the 31 of december 2015 or in your weird date writing 12/31/2015?

 

[NikoSan999]

Niko could it be this has to be the 31 of december 2015 or in your weird date writing 12/31/2015?

Yep...and I've got a message in to Russ to correct it. I noticed the mistake and hit enter at the same time. You can fix the text body by edit but not the title. He'll get it fixed. I smacked myself already

 

[Russ]

Fixed it

 

[frugalwarrior2]

ayanka-maybe the weird date writning is in the eye of the beholder. hahahaha!
Thanks NikoSan

 

[bee9984]

Since seeing this thread my wheels are already turning....I have a couple of things to do in Jan 2015. I will have some money from my LIF that I can pay off one credit card and then transfer most of the balance from another one to the paid off one at 0% interest until August 2015. That will give me a bit of relief anyhow with getting the 0% card paid off in 7 months or at least pretty close to it. So yeah, I'm in

 

[Ayanka]

Ok, writing down what I want to do in 2015 is going to be a bit more difficult, because it aren't going to be 'simple' money goals.
First, a little back ground of my job. I work in a company where the lack of people/increase of jobs is about to finish people. This is partially because of my first class *insert swearing word here* boss, who thinks it is more important that his personal goals where he gets a bonus for are accomplished than that the work we get paid for gets actually done. This is the same charming guy that asks for volunteers when the 'company exam' comes, but we don't see that much, let alone see him work hard, during the year. And when I say volunteers, I actually mean volunteers, as in people that don't get paid. As you can imagine, I would love to quit and look for another job. Sadly there is an anti-concurrention part in my contract, meaning I couldn't go and work for the competition. Switching jobs is something that I will need to save for.

Further I live in a rental appartement that is a one bedroom, about 8-10 feet high and not too far from the city center. I am 5 feet 2 so the high ceiling is slowly getting a problem. Plus I just am not a city girl, but some things you only find out after you have tried them. I would like to buy a house of an appartement with 2 bedrooms and a yard. Yeah, I probably want too much all at once, but I do have a pretty decent chunk of money to put towards it. I know I ll be able to do it if I move to one of the not so great suburbs, but that is ok, it is still better than the neighbourhood I live now. The down side is I will be tied to my job for the moment being, till I save up to get the mortgage lowered enough to give me breathing space or an EF to fill in the void till I find another job.

So all together my 12/15/15 goals are: Buy a house and get the mortgage lowered to 400 EUR a month
Or divided into baby steps as hanging on the fridge:
1. Save up sum to break the contract with my landlord: 1465 EUR
First of all get part of the renters organisation and see what I am legally allowed to do about this, I might be able to make him swallow the security deposit, which would make it a lot less to pay out of pocket.
2. Save up money for the notary: 2050 EUR estimated, can vary depending on purchasing price
3. Save up money for 'other costs': 900 EUR estimated, should cover most bank costs etc
4. Save up money for registration rights: 5100 EUR estimated, depending on purchasing price.

The registration rights aren't really mandatory to have saved up before purchase if I need to I will take it of the down payment, the rest I would like to have.

Step 2: save up enough money to make a lump payment to get the mortgage payment to 400 EUR a month.

Ok, wish me luck I am going to need it. Sorry for making such a long post with all terms I had to try to translate, but otherwise it would be hard to explain. Anyone having advice, feel welcome to give it. Succes to all joining

 

[SallyC]

I've been kind of fidgeting around about publicly declaring my 12/15/15 goal. I know what the next step is in our financial journey and I believe we can accomplish it. The hold up is that I don't know what I'm starting with.

My goal is to get our daughter's college fund to $20,000.00 by the end of the year.

I think I have about $8000.00 to start but we need to subtract the costs related to the new vehicle we bought on Saturday. We paid cash for the car but there are a few details we need to take care of before we know the final cost, such as the immediate increase in insurance and any accessories my husband may want to have the car completely prepared for his daily usage (floor mats, CD holder, etc.).

I imagine the car purchase dust will settle in about a week and I'll know our exact starting point for the college thing. Fortunately, she's paying for her junior year and we're paying for senior year. She's a sophomore right now and has nearly all the funds she needs for her next year.

Our desire is that our only child have a debt free education. For the last few years, all of our other goals have been prerequisites to meet that main goal. We saved extra money for medical expenses that could crop up, we paid off the last of our mortgage and made sure we had vehicles that should last during this time of saving for school. I think we've planned for every contingency that we could so our singular focus will be on this one goal.

It helps not to have our efforts split by trying to achieve several goals at the same time, not only financially but psychologically. I like Dave Ramsey's description of being "Gazelle Intense". I realize he uses this term for wiping out debt, but I've benefitted from using it in terms of saving for a goal as well.

So, there it is: our family's theme for 2015. It will be in the background of every financial choice we make for the year. I'll ask myself, "What's more important, having this thing I want to buy or having more in the college fund?" many times over the next 12 months or so. Since we started our serious goal setting in 2011, everything we've worked for has been to get us to this moment.

So begins the next phase of our financial journey.

Kind regards,

Sally

 

[Raiquee]

I've been bad guys. I knew I was gonna be bad cause we were gonna buy a house. And let's face it, it was an expensive house. We could have went cheaper. But, it is EVERYTHING we both wanted and more. After house searching and searching and coming to dead ends with people not wanting to come down on price, we stumbled upon a foreclosure. I didn't even want to look at it, but hubby insisted. It's wonderful. 4 bed, 2.5 bath, nestled on 4.3 acres in the country. Newer house, built in 92. It was a mess closing on it and we had to literally put every dime we had down on it because of the foreclosure company. Needless to say, we closed and now we are here. We bought it for 229k, the house is worth 310k, but won't be for years as the foreclosure puts a dent in its shine.

Big problems:

We financed furniture that frankly we couldn't afford.
We gave all our savings away towards the house.
We suffered a tragedy with losing our son at 31 weeks and now have medical bills.

So let's fix it. I'm here for support and for motivation to get it done! Is it doable? Yes it is. It's just stressful and I don't like being stressed about money.

So my goals are to pay debt and beef up savings.

Goal #1 pay off medical of currently $1200
Goal #2 pay off furniture of $4000
Goal #3 Get EF back to $1000
Goal #4 Get an extra $1000 EF in our gun safe (this is more an EF, the former more of a checking account safety net)

Income boosters:

-DH is getting a $5 hour pay raise with his first check of the new year.
-I canceled my insurance as we have insurance through DH so 1/1/15 I will have roughly $350 more a month on my paychecks.
- Once I graduate I as well will get a $5 hr pay raise. Boss already has it in the budget. This won't be until fall however.
-Tax return money is going to paying a month ahead on mortgage and on the car, then everything additional debt! (Or savings depending)

Can I get a Hoorah! Lol.

 

[SallyC]

Raiquee, I am so sorry about the loss of your precious son.

 

[pcaltman]

Raiquee, I too am sorry

Sally we are paying for 2 kids in college. It makes me happy we can do it, but sad knowing how broke we are and for how many more years to come. Unfortunately, we still have debt, but are working on it every month and hope to be debt free 2015.

Goal - be debt free Sept 2015!

We too bought a new to us house on 10 acres in the country. Needs tons of work, but we love doing that stuff. Problem is no money to fix it up with paying two colleges. It does look like Sept is when we will debt free barring no big catastrophes. I am so excited. Anything extra I can scrounge up will be going straight to the debt.

 

[Raiquee]

Thank you for your condolences. That's when I drifted away from FV, he was a Trisomy 18 baby so I went through the pregnancy pretty much waiting for him to end his fight. it was heartbreaking.

Pcaltman) I think I remember you and I have a lot of like minded ideas with homesteading, right? Our new place came with 3 asparagus patches and now that I know where they all are I'll be canning some next year! It also came with 2 mulberry trees, and 2 young pear trees. We planted a cherry tree and some raspberry plants and that was pretty much it. We put 1k into a 50x50 garden and will be adding onto it. We need to tackle more perennial things, but our budget is a bit too tight right now.

 

[brenda67]

Raiqyee, ((((HUGS))) I'm so so sorry that you loss your precious son! My heart aches for you ..I will be praying for you honey.

Congratulations on your dream home it like paradise to me.

 

[pcaltman]

Raiquee - Yep that's me We have waited so long for some property. This one sort of fell into our laps. We have had a hard last 2 years and have had to move to 5 different houses. The owner before us built the house on ten acres. He passes away last year on my hubby's birthday from a stroke just like my dad had. He was a Pastor and I have been praying, a lot. It just seemed like it was meant to be. It does need tons of work. He never fixed anything in the 15 year he lived here, but we love it minus one bad neighbor. It really is a blank canvas. I have only 1 pear tree and 1 blueberry bush on the whole property I was hoping for a few fruit trees, but he never planted any. Oh well. We spent the first 2 months building a chicken coop and now I have 28 chicken and they lay fresh organic eggs for my family's breakfast We planted a small garden from seedling my FIL gave us and we put 6 apple trees in the ground for future apples. That's it so far. Like you, money is an issue and it's frustrating not being able to get my fence up or have my huge garden. Hubby just keeps telling me we have the rest of our lives to make it perfect. I guess I am just a bit impatient. LOL......But we are having fun and OH, the view is to die for

 

[Raiquee]

Pcalt) that's so wonderful! My house is newer, which I'm thankful for because looking for acreage usually puts you in an old farmhouse. It does need updates (furnace, air conditioner, water heater. They all work, so it's not top priority right now. They are just older) we are hoping next year to get another 10 trees planted, maybe 20. The garden is good, but if we can expand that's even better. Strawberry plants we will probably put in too. Looking to put in a few hundred.

I also got chickens, we have 7 hens and a rooster and I also have 5 hen turkeys. Need to get them a tom.

Any rate. As of right now we are just sitting here, floating in place. Gotta harvest a few rows of carrots, one row of parsnips and some odd beets still. Snow is flying.

 

[brenda67]

Thank you for your condolences. That's when I drifted away from FV, he was a Trisomy 18 baby so I went through the pregnancy pretty much waiting for him to end his fight. it was heartbreaking.

Pcaltman) I think I remember you and I have a lot of like minded ideas with homesteading, right? Our new place came with 3 asparagus patches and now that I know where they all are I'll be canning some next year! It also came with 2 mulberry trees, and 2 young pear trees. We planted a cherry tree and some raspberry plants and that was pretty much it. We put 1k into a 50x50 garden and will be adding onto it. We need to tackle more perennial things, but our budget is a bit too tight right now.

I planted (25) 3-year old asparagus crowns( from a online place in Tennessee) last week in hopes that they all grow next spring..I had already planted asparagus 3-yrs ago..but must of did something wrong because only 5 plants came up out of the 25 I planted..

Anyway,have you ever canned them before? How was the texture and taste?

I also planted Egyptian walking onions and Jerusalem artichokes added to my perennial gardens.

I have many raised beds (made using cinder blocks..they retain heat and are cheap) with a Greenhouse in the middle of the raised beds then enclosed completely in a beautiful fence my dh made for me.

I have 19-Fruit trees of Apple, Peach, Pear, Plum & Mulberry tree.. I love the mulberries! ( I have no nut trees yet.)

I planted white & red raspberries,blackberries,blueberry,juneberry,elderberry,gooseberry,strawberry patch ,rhubarb, grape vines.
mint and herb garden, horseradish.

I'm learning what perennial medicinal plants to grow..so far I have planted Echinacea, Bee Balm, Comfrey, St Johns Wart, Elderberry (is used for both food and medicinal purposes) Lemon Balm, Daffodil's.

I just learned that you can eat Hosta's..weird right?

I have 2-chicken coops..each holds 5-hens and 1-rooster..fresh eggs everyday :mdance:

I also learned/found some edible wild food on our little homestead like fiddleheads ,blackcaps, wild grapes, dandelion's and stinging nettles.

Instead of getting my hair done, buying clothes, buying jewelry, getting pedicures & manicures I buy perennial's that will feed my family for many years.

My next adventure will be growing my own Mushrooms.. can't wait!

When the walking onions and artichokes are well established I can send you some if you like..

Congratulations! Homesteading is so freaking awesome imo.

 

[pcaltman]

Benda - you're right homesteading is awesome I have been looking for asparagus as well. Would love to grow them. Ok would love to grow everything I plan on putting tons of fruit trees in the ground next year. Problem is I have my wants that out way my money, lol.... Little at a time I guess. If I keep adding in 20 year I might have the perfect place. Our big problem now is getting a fence up. We are looking into Belted Gallaway cows too. They are so cute.....But need the fence a and barn. My biggest dream (bucket list) is to get a horse or two and start riding again. Even with my back I want to ride. It's the best feeling in the world to me. I know that horse aren't really useful animals for a homestead but I love them so we will have them some day.
I is funny this thread popped up. I have been dreaming with hubby and putting things down on paper goals for this next year. I have every month planned out with one to two items to be checked off as we go and to pay cash of course. Now to budget everything.

R - tell if the turkey's are as easy as chicken? I have always want turkey's, but a little nervous to add them to our farm yet.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

This coming year I will have to give up the money for the heating and A/C
plus a new vehicle.So
I will be saving once again for our 8 mo. EF
Maxing out the retirement
And I'd like to fund an IRA
Will have to think about a driveway,water heater
Dhs car should be replaced but i'd rather hang on to it another year?? 2007 Saturn Ion (prob. not worth anything) Still have 2 recalls to do PFFFT!

Just a bunch of vague ideas so far. Have to see how Dmoms' health fares. Definately wanting to spot repair many things.

 

[knotme]

1. Fully fund DH's Roth
2. Add to my IRA
3. Add to our savings accts ( aim here is an 8-9 month EF)

We moved to this place about 15 yrs ago and our fruit trees we put in then are doing great. It took several years for them to get to the pot of providing the fruit. ( I have 6 apple trees, 3 pear trees, 4 peach trees, just put in 2 cherry trees, and apricot tree, and need to replace 2 of the pear trees. It is so worth it) May have to replace my strawberries, and blackberries, waiting on the blueberries to start really producing. Go for the thornless blackberries though.

 

[gaja]

A lot of changes round new year, so it is very difficult to set targets. Downsizing in house should reduce our mortgage by a substantial amount, but how much we do not know. Best case scenario we could be debt free by 12.15.15, worst case scenario it will take us 10 years to reach that goal. It all depends on how much this house sells for. The sale price also decides how large a house payment we will have every month, and therefore how much we have left to pay down other debt and save.

In prioritized order:
1. Student loan 1: $16 000
2. Student loan 2: $47 000
3. 6 month EF: $35 000
4: Mortgage: realisticly somewhere in the range of $85 000 to 270 000

Even in the worst case scenario we should be able to pay down both student loans before next christmas.