Good Living and Lucky's Personal Finance Blog

This summer has been hard trying to figure out ways to enjoy it that still keep us safe. Trauma has been triggered in my household so it's been challenging. We have purchased bikes, inflatable kayaks, a new bedframe (switching out the one at the cabin for better sleep), WNBA league pass to watch the games, more storage shelves, bedroom chairs and a used elliptical). Most of these will be very good for the rest of the summer but the elliptical was purchased for us to continue to have some physical activity during the cold winter that we know is coming. We wanted to get it now before the demand is high. It makes me a little nervous with the spending but we're still sitting very good. Oh, we also opened a ROTH for my spouse. If there is a second stimulus check sent out, we intend to put it in there in it's entirety.

We did have a social gathering at a local lake one evening with friends, everyone masked, brought their own chairs and visited six feet away. We rode there on our new bikes, it's about 4 miles away. It was lovely.

This week we plan to go to the cabin for an overnight to switch out the frame and mow the lawn. Next month we hope to finally have a driveway installed. Sunday we leave to drive all day (12 hours) to go to a really special hiking spot. We were going to camp but because of the trauma response to everything happening in the world, we decided a hotel might be easiest for a better sense of safety.

Dreams we also have been having is next year or so purchasing a minivan and having it outfitted as a simple campervan. We've done some research, their are some folks in Colorado who do this and we hope to do some easy simple traveling in the next decade or so.

We've also been dreaming about retirement. If our country can't ever figure out healthcare. If I can stay healthy, I probably could retire around 62 and cobra for 18 months and free market healthcare until medicare (if things remain as they are) at 65. That's about 11 years from now. Dreaming...dreaming...

So I live in a suburb of Minneapolis. I have been staying up really late the last few night listening to social media about the police killing and the riots. I absolutely believe that there are issues with law enforcement and bias against people of color. That's not really what I'm going to talk about. The impression I got from listening to the Mayor of Minneapolis and the Governor of the state is that they were sympathetic about folks needing to grieve but that it's gotten out of hand with folks from outside of the state coming in to create nothing but destruction, specifically they mentioned the drug cartels and white supremacists. It seems that they are trying to save lives. It's very disturbing. This is history happening.

From a personal finance perspective, I think this is gutting our community and I can't even imagine how this will impact just nearly everything. I really do wonder what forces are in play here.

We're eating at home so much more but I'm wanting to find healthy low carb foods that will fill me up because when I'm bored, I'm snacking. It helps having regular walks to both keep me busy and burn some calories. I found a great vegan cream of broccoli soup that I've made twice now. Super easy and tasty.

We also were watching on Netflix Nadiya Hussain’s Time to Eat which is really good and inspiring. We want to make her seasoning that goes in her rice noodle dish.

I had remembered formerly known as patient saver's granola recipe so I went looking for it. It was back in 2015 that she shared it. I'm going to try and make a batch of that too.

CB, I've always appreciated your ability to be a single person and have the variety of homemade foods you do. You're amazing.

It's unseasonably chilly here today. I like walking in the cooler weather and enjoying that soup.

So far I'm still employed but who knows what the longer view is. I think if I lost my job, I could go a year but health insurance would be the issue. I sure hope things will be ok for us all. It's reinforced how careful I've been with money.

We got it and like many of you, we put it in savings. We don't have any mortgage or outstanding loans and I'm working so it's just extra emergency funds. If we really do go into a big recession that lasts a long time and/or if I loose my job. We might need it. So for now, I put it in our online savings account where it gets the biggest return on interest. Long term I think we'll be fine but these are such strange days.

We have symptoms in our household consistent with the virus but mild. It's not me, I feel fine. I walked to our local grocery store Wednesday night (I think). I also had to pick up some rx for prednisone. I wore a mask and washed my hands as soon as I got home. Today i had to go to work to get a new headset for working form home. They left it outside for me to pick up. I stopped by Aldi for a last bit of groceries and we should be good for another couple of weeks. While I was there I left a gf card of $20 for folks that might be a few dollars short with the cashier. On my way out, I also found someone's debit card on the ground in the parking lot. Normally I would have dropped it off at the bank it was issued but I know that wouldn't be helpful if the owner needed access to cash right now. She'd get a replacement in 7-10 business days. I left it with the manager and hope she'll return for it.
We have no loans, no mortgage and I'm still working and getting paid. I know how darn lucky we are. I hope we all get through this ok. This reinforces why I've done my life this way. I hope that this experience doesn't push me to be more extreme about it.

I just wanted to share this for anyone who might be interested.

Calm in the Time of Coronavirus.
A free online program to help us build individual and community resilience during this stressful time.

March 30 - May 20 | Live Talks Wednesdays @ 7pm CT
Led by Henry Emmons, MD

Bonus! Resilience resources for Parents & Kids led by Tim Culbert, MD.

https://www.naturalmentalhealth.com/free-resilience-retreat

I hope you take care of yourselves.

So my location on campus is considered a computer lab apparently (grrr...) and so we're still open. My spouse has severe asthma and we're very concerned about if she would get it. It would devastate me if I brought that home to her. I'm mostly working from home. Our state has a "stay home" order but my job is exempt. We'll see if they close the campus or somehow I don't have to go in. We have had 346 cases and two deaths as of today. I peeked at my retirement down $100k and I'm grateful knowing that I'm not trying to retire tomorrow. I'm checking on folks that I know...single parents, older folks. We're trying to organize something here in our townhouse development but we don't know all our new neighbors because we just moved here in September.

We have also discussed that if there is money coming to us and it looks like there is. We plan to give it to folks we know who are struggling far worse. I'm still working, we have an emergency fund and I think we will be ok. There are folks who don't have all that we have.

I hope you all are staying safe and healthy.

We got the taxes done last week and amazingly, we didn't owe. It's confusing since our tax guy told us it would be a large amount which we set aside to pay. The money we set aside, we'll use some for a big project at the cabin but save the rest. We're getting a little refund but it might end up going to all the additional spending for extra food and etc.

Because we went to the cabin 90 minutes away in another state for spring break, I have to self quarantine myself for 3 days. It makes no sense to me because I could have caught the virus and still not know until a week has passed. Trying to figure out working from home which I think I'll be able to do but it will be lonely and feel less effective.

We're in such strange days that I do even know what to expect. I wish I could lay eyes on my son but he's half way across the country in one of the hardest hit states.

I hope you all stay safe and healthy.

We're on track for early retirement. I asked when he thought and he said age 55 or 60. I can hardly believe it because that just seems too soon. My spouse is 6 years older than I am so if I waited until I was 62 or so, it would even be better. My spouse would be covered by medicare and if I could figure out health insurance for 3 years. He also mentioned the christian healthcare plans aka health care sharing ministries but I'm not sure they would take a couple of atheists who while pretty square also probably go against their personal beliefs in other ways.

He talked about since we live pretty frugally it's easier. Our expenses have gone up due to our move but it sure makes me motivated. I also think our expenses would go up if we were retired because we would want to travel more. I'm sure we'd figure out ways to travel inexpensively but who knows.

I'd also love to figure out how to earn income as a digital nomad.

Ugh, I've been so sick for at least three weeks, it's the cough that never ends. With all that has happened for the last month, I used the online nurse, minute clinic and a clinic at my employer to hopefully resolve all of this once and for all. While I'm no longer so exhausted it took weeks for my hoarseness to go away.

I'm taking an online class to formally know more about the microsoft suite. I only have to pay for the fees and the book. The wife is taking the same class but starts later. If I keep moving forward, I hope to get some kind of accounting certificate.

We joined planet fitness. I HATE to allow them to draft my bank account so I did a lot of work to figure out a work around. But I purchased a re-loadable american express bluebird card which I can add more money free on it through the store that must not be named...starts with a W. I've been there 4 times in the last week so I'm back to training.

I also registered for my first 5k in about 100 days. I would be doing it with my sister and her friends in honor of their good friend who they lost to melanoma.

It's been a dreary January, cloudiest on record. Thankfully it's not been too snowy or cold. We're in February now so spring can't be too far behind (or at least one could dream)!!

We're trying to start saving receipts so we can figure out a reasonable budget. It was easy when it was just me and now it requires coordination with my wife....that makes it a little more challenging. Wish us luck!

Now that we have a little room to breathe after the sale of the old house, I'm looking at what things I want to do now in the new place. We can afford the new place but now have a quarterly HOA fee. My spouse is looking to go back to work so that will help. We have a emergency fund but I would like to have it hold a year's worth of expenses. We also still need to pay off the taxes on the house sale.

I'm looking into the "none to run" training to see if that will help with my health. I've never been an athlete but I've enjoyed more activity in the last few years and with a recent weight loss, I want to keep going. My sister did a running program and maybe I can do it too.

We have holiday plans set, 2 nights with my sister and then a drive up to visit my mother. I'm looking forward to it. NY will be for gathering with friends and a little time at the cabin. We plan on reviewing the last year and decade and make plans for the new year/decade.

Does anyone know the best way to include a picture? I tried adding an image but it doesn't seem to work.

The old house is finally sold. Now we wait to see what our final tax bill is next year. I'm looking forward to this being all wrapped up.

Yesterday we went through our expected bills and there's a little bit of wiggle room each month that we can use towards building our emergency fund back up with the goal of being $50k. I think we are approximately 50% of the way there. Also my spouse is looking to go back to work. We don't expect that she will make much money due to the nature and therefore the pay of the work.

Mostly except for the unexpected, we'll be mostly chugging along at a good pace towards our future.

My position is union work and recently the contract has been settled, I will have a small increase in January and then a one time payment in July. I don't know if I will have summer hours next summer and if I don't, we'll be fine. If I do, then we can build that emergency fund back up quicker.

We have our holiday plans scheduled. We also plan to look back at the last decade and do some thinking about what we want in the next decade. The decade after that will be looking at what retirement looks like.

April was when we realized we were going to sell our house and buy a new one. It took a lot out of us to sell a camper and a very old truck (1935) and then pack up everything to put the house on the market. The house was on the market just before July 4th and and after multiple offers, we accepted a bid. Inspection and then just a bit before close, it fell through. It was back on the market at the end of August and the close was September but it was canceled. Then it was back on the market and within a week multiple offers and that fell through just a couple of weeks before close but we were able to keep the earnest money. Back on the market and maybe two weeks we had multiple offers with the close date of being December 2nd. We've gone through with inspection and everything, there's just one more load to empty the house and we're crossing our fingers. I can't wait for it to finally sell so we can pay off our bridge loan. I really want to figure out what the monthly budget will be.

Going forward we'll be working on our health, maybe taking some classes and looking into travel.

So the house went back on the market on 10/11 and we ended up with one really low ball offer which we countered up and then a second one a day later so we could call for highest and best which resulted in a purchase agreement. We expect the close date first week in December. It's not as good as the first one and frankly, I forget the amount of the second one. I just really hope this one goes through. I'm going to be holding my breath until it's finalized. I really do want to get back to a place where we don't worry too much.

We have just a couple of things left in the house and the garage to empty, perhaps 3-4 loads.

I'm really looking forward to a month of just one house so we have an idea of what our normal expenses will be. I tend to take the income subtract all the fixed expenses and then the rest gets put back to savings.

My spouse is heading to Indiana for a week to lay eyes on her brother. I'll be on my own which is rare but it will be good.

We're also still in the game, we have not turned on our heat yet. We're in the same state as CeeJay!

That's what I'm calling it. It's 33 degrees outside and snowing. We're inside at 62 degrees and the heat is still off. Next Friday it is supposed to get back up to 62 degrees so I'm hoping we're still in the game. It helps to live in the middle of other connected townhomes.

Thanks for the links Ceejay, is there a way I can re-insert them into my blog? back date them?

UGH, bummer with the loss of posts. I lost all of our trials and tribulations on getting ready to move. We moved in our new place and our old place is back on the market. To recap: first buyer signed agreement, "inspected it" and we discovered a little bit of mold and repair that needed to be done. Apparently, the first buyer didn't actually have a real inspector go through it. She canceled after the mold but we cleaned it up and put it back on the market. Second offer, inspection and a couple of repairs. We were about 18 days from the sale and the second buyer canceled. ARGH!! We do get to keep the earnest money and it's back on the market but in the midwest, we're past the busy season. We need this to go in the next couple of months. We have a bridge loan that is interest only but we have bills on both houses now. I'd really like to get this off our plates. We need to put the money back in our emergency funds and figure out what our monthly expenses will now be. Part of why I always had a healthy emergency fund was so that I could help in any trouble with my son and my spouse is concerned about her brother who just ran into some life altering health issues. Feel like we're just holding our breath. Good thoughts are welcomed.

Glad to see this back up, I would miss you all.

We're looking forward to our move. We discovered that to avoid capital gains tax, we can't sell the house we're currently in until end of April 2020. We're so ready to move. The market is crazy where we want to move towards but we have an idea of what we want. I think 9/2019 we're going to get pre-qualified which won't be a problem. We have no debt and can probably come up with 20% down payment. I'm guessing an ARM should be fine because our plan would be to buy in October or November and close in December or January. Do a slow move in Feb or March with the house put on the market by March and then sold and close by end of April. That's my hope. I hope that buying something in the slow period and selling at the start of the high market will allow us to benefit.

Anyone have any thoughts about that? Know any special tricks or finance vehicles? Our current home is paid off and we're trying to stay in the same budget but with realtor fees and closing costs, that might be a bit tough. We'll see depending on what we buy and where we can sell at...

We've put up our small travel trailer for sell. Lots of interest in the less than 24 hours but we'll see how many actually come an look at it. After that, it's a partially restored mid 30s Ford Farm truck. I need that OUT of my garage. It was my Dad's project and he's been gone 10+ years but it's still painful to deal with. I wish a really nice person would come along. Cross your fingers as we deal with that.

This has been a very busy semester. I'm glad it's almost over.

We just completed buying out my sisters of our Dad's cabin. It got a bit sticky towards the end but it's done. I've got a few days left of work before a couple of weeks time off. We've figured out the schedule which includes a week at the cabin but a couple of days in a hotel for swimming and etc. We're going to spend some time with my sister. It will be good to relax.

I also got some unpleasant news, recent diagnosis of just over the end of type 2 diabetes. I know that it's likely my destiny because my Father and younger sister had/have type 1 and my mother and maternal grandmother had/have type 2. I'm too young. I've done some research and I'm planning to reverse it. I've gone completely off added sugar even though it's hard to avoid as it's in everything. I'm looking into taking potato starch and something called berberine. I haven't lost as much weight as I had hoped to do but it's only been about 6 weeks. As soon as we're back into the cities, we hope to have an elliptical and get moving more. I'm trying to move as much as I can before that. We had two hikes last weekend and plans for more during winter break.

We bought tickets for a May trip to AZ, bringing my mother and perhaps my son and his GF will come and visit when we're there too.

Not much spending for Christmas but some. I hope this time of year is bright for all of you.

I'm mostly back to work full time except for a couple of days. So much has happened this summer, landscaping, road trip, sister got married, visit to my son in WA and he was here for the wedding too. We're starting our foster care training. Work is heating up, and I will have more responsibilities. I feel like I've got to mindfully pay attention to self care. There's not a whole lot of wiggle room for getting sick and etc.

As far as net worth, I've been hanging around $800k for the last few weeks. I did meet with a Tiaa Cref representative to see when I could retire. With the marriage and my spouse not having great retirement, if we can figure out healthcare, I could probably retire at 62. I love what I do but I'm not sure where things are going. This is the longest I've been at any job (10 years) but I feel like I'm working with golden handcuffs.

With the current state of the country, I also dream about leaving. Listening to podcasts and reading blogs about expats. I loved New Zealand and heard that Thailand is a great place to be as well.

We sold the townhouse, after closing costs we received a check for over 108k which is pretty good since I bought it for 35k in 2012. I used a chunk to pay off the mortgage on the house we're now living in and will use some to buy my sisters out of the family cabin(they both want to sell). I've got it currently in Ally bank because that online savings account has the best interest annual interest rate at 1.6%. Anyone know any better rate to keep it liquid in? The rest will be used to do some things around the house. I feel pretty good about it. I'm now completely debt free at age 48.

Our family is a single income family right now and our plan is to begin the process for foster care licensing.

While I don't care to live where I do because it's so conservative and rural, the house is paid for and if we lived closer to the metro area, we'd have a higher housing expense. We will plan to live in our current location for at least two years to avoid capital gains. It's been hard to return to where I lived because of the isolation I feel. We just returned from a nice two week road trip to see some of the National Parks. Roosevelt, Estes Park, Arches, Canyonlands and hiked Bear Butte. It has me dreaming about purchasing some kind of campervan or simply a van for future road trips. We spent more on hotels than I'd like because camping wasn't has comfortable as it has been when we were younger.

I've also been dreaming of living abroad for a few years....but I'm not sure what country I would want to live in that is affordable. I guess I feel like I'm trying to position myself for future.