tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post5704473333657022577..comments2024-03-28T21:23:54.204-04:00Comments on DON'T READ THIS; IT'S BORING!: $20K Savings Challenge....SEPTEMBER Update slugmamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-63577321311743690052012-10-03T22:50:20.890-04:002012-10-03T22:50:20.890-04:00I am so glad to see SOMEBODY thinks about me, and ...I am so glad to see SOMEBODY thinks about me, and often!lolslugmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-65921604747312592082012-10-03T14:40:44.792-04:002012-10-03T14:40:44.792-04:00My husband has an ESOP too which is a big bonus. ...My husband has an ESOP too which is a big bonus. We are doing some car juggling right now to try to bring down the mileage on my car. I think he is going to start walking to work soon too. Would you believe we have TWO Rite-Aid stores within a mile of our house? I think of you EVERY time I drive by one of them!Alex Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-71378976707257974352012-10-03T14:23:22.422-04:002012-10-03T14:23:22.422-04:00We don't have a 401(K) per se. We do have 2 o...We don't have a 401(K) per se. We do have 2 other instruments through Hub's work. One is like a 401(k) and we max that out every year plus we get the full company match amount. The other is an Employee Savings Plan which replaced the company pension plan. We are currently adding $14K+ to that each year. I couldn't tell you what we contribute off-hand to the other account but let's just say, if things continue compounding for a few more years, even without SS, we'll be aok. ;-) <br />The little bit I do in my saving challenge from the money Hub's takes home is just bonus for us.<br /><br />After taxes(35%) and all the savings, insurance, etc. $(15%) is taken out, Hubs brings home about 50% of his pay each yr. I try to save 33% of that 50%...which means I try to live on less than we pay in taxes! That's crazy....<br /><br />But with 2 in college now, it's very difficult. Kids are expensive!lol<br /><br />Once ALL the kids are off the payroll, we should have a few years of employment left to squirrel away more of the take home pay.<br /><br />As for cars.....car #4, while we bought it is now #1 son's headache. He pays for everything related to that car, so while technically we "own" it, we don't pay for it. <br />I give Daughter a gas allowance(per mile) to cover her mileage to and from school(she goes 2 days a week and I calculate the price based on the current week's gas prices here). Any other mileage(fun and to go to work)she pays. I pay about $8 or less a week for her gas. <br />I hardly ever use my car anymore besides the grocery store or Rite-Aid trips in town. I can go 2 months between fill-ups if no one borrows my car.lol Hubs commute takes about $80 a wk. in gas. I might use $6 in a wk. for a normal week. It's safe to say normal for us is under $100 a week at the current $3.86-$3.95 price range. If hubs needs to go somewhere(hardware store, etc.)he does that on the way home to minimize the gas costs.<br /><br />Outside of Rite-Aid I hardly ever use coupons anymore. It's a combination of not having good ones and not buying the types of foods much that offer coupons.<br />Just buying at rock bottom and stockpiling in that way is still saving us about35-40% for only food or 60-70% on the complete grocery/toiletry bill.slugmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-78969297680598713122012-10-03T13:44:38.680-04:002012-10-03T13:44:38.680-04:00My middle name is ornery....but you know that. Th...My middle name is ornery....but you know that. This is why we get along so well, right?lol<br /><br />I have decided that I have now passed into the Cranky-Hood Years. My normal mood is now cranky. I want to tell people in RL to STFU! and then slap them. I am well on my way to Battle Axe status.....<br />The only antidote is drinking heavily. ;-)slugmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-52509145498710809042012-10-03T13:42:00.863-04:002012-10-03T13:42:00.863-04:00Well at least $6K+ to save in 3 months time sounds...Well at least $6K+ to save in 3 months time sounds doable and this means you already have $14K +/- in your EF already so you'll get by even with an emergency, right? ;-)<br />And you said "closing costs"....just think of how much more per month you'll be saving in interest once you've "covered" what you paid out in those costs. You'll have even more traction toward savings at that point!slugmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-19333403413749637412012-10-03T13:38:36.736-04:002012-10-03T13:38:36.736-04:00Yes, our school bill is separate from our local ta...Yes, our school bill is separate from our local tax bill. They are both tied to your property value and considered a property tax.<br />Don't the rest of us not in AL wish our property taxes were $400 a yr!lol<br /><br />We don't get that "not charged p. tax perk after age 65" here, but we do have a "homestead/farmstead" rebate. We save a small % due to that one. <br /><br />I'm glad you got your water works going again.slugmamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12728856166374248591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-75130042637601904652012-10-03T12:49:18.958-04:002012-10-03T12:49:18.958-04:00Stop bragging! Bahahaha, just kidding. I'm a l...Stop bragging! Bahahaha, just kidding. I'm a little ornery today. <br />No really, you are still my savings hero!Sonya Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01985227040902078422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-23156377766123146712012-10-03T08:48:47.124-04:002012-10-03T08:48:47.124-04:00Curious Sluggy.... do you also save in a 401(k)/re...Curious Sluggy.... do you also save in a 401(k)/retirement? We had an expensive September because we had a party -- but we haven't paid a utility bill since we moved in because of overages at the old house. And the bills at the new house are waaaaay lower. We are getting about 20K a year into our 401(k) but probably just about 5 - 6K a year into liquid savings. I've stopped going coupon crazy and it really hasn't hurt much. Now, if only gas would go down! What do you spend on gas for the four cars?Alex Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-25686438831745838392012-10-03T08:00:05.541-04:002012-10-03T08:00:05.541-04:00Thanks to closing costs, painting our kitchen, new...Thanks to closing costs, painting our kitchen, new car tires, a new lawnmower, etc. etc. our savings goals are a bit behind. I'm hoping to have at least $20,000 in our EF by December 31st, which would mean we would need to save $2,151.33 for the next three months. I'm not sure that we will even come close....Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13940623529019637336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1611711622146875201.post-91598346054426525852012-10-03T07:22:36.153-04:002012-10-03T07:22:36.153-04:00My school taxes are in my property tax. Is yours a...My school taxes are in my property tax. Is yours a separate bill?<br /><br />I had to have help to pay my bills in September. I saved nothing. Since I had not been able to take a bath or shower for four months, I finally was able to get it all fixed, and still owe $57. I also got the commode fixed so I did not have to cut off the water under the commode all the time.<br /><br />On a more cheerful and positive note, since I turned 65 last year, I do not have to pay property taxes this year. That's about $400 I don't have to worry about where to get it. Property taxes are very low in this town, probably in all of Alabama. Before I paid off the house three years ago, the taxes were paid from an escrow account. No, I don't have enough money to save 1/12 of property taxes each month. <br /><br />Getting old has its perks...lol. Practical Parsimonyhttp://www.practical-parsimony.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com