Author Topic: Hardcore year #1  (Read 4705 times)

Gone Fishing

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Hardcore year #1
« on: September 03, 2014, 03:22:50 PM »
It's been right at a year since getting hooked on the MMM blog and starting a final 24 month push to FIRE.  Total PERSONAL discretionary spending on "stuff" for the past year was as follows:

$100 deer stand and $30 hunting license-although you could call this an investment as I shot two deer and put close to 100 lbs of meat in the freezer. (Handloaded my own ammo with materials on hand and did my own processing)

$350 Fruit and nut trees-if these ever produce I'll call them an investment, too. Not holding my breath though.

$20 on a used air compressor.
$5 on some misc tools at a yard sale.

Around $25 a month on alcohol.

2 lunches out if I recall properly

I've probably used a tank or two of gas for solo trips to visit friends.

Resoled my shoes twice from walking so much ($120) high I know, but he is the only game in town.

6 haircuts at $13 each

Misc hygiene items, probably not over $25

Bought $0 in clothing.  Going to need to spend a few $ here soon though.


To be fair, I've done plenty of things with the family: Dinner out about once a month, weekend camping/hiking trips, a 3000 mile summer road trip to visit family, visited friends, consumed plenty of groceries, enjoyed Prime/Redbox/Netflix, a couple of date nights.  I still get pretty nice gifts on birthdays and Christmas from the parents and grandparents with only token gifts in return.  I am certainly not deperived, the list is just the items I have absolute 100% control over.  All together I've probably cut over $300 a month in personal spending, mostly centered around micro-brews, hobbies, and lunches out.   

 There are a few things on the shopping list mostly shooting sports related, looking for an unusually low budget month to sneak them in on, but one hasn't shown up yet. 
« Last Edit: September 04, 2014, 08:10:55 AM by So Close »

greenmimama

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Re: Hardcore year #1
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2014, 04:22:17 PM »
Very nice!! I'm impressed

mrsggrowsveg

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Re: Hardcore year #1
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2014, 07:39:16 AM »
That is awesome.  Fruit trees can definitely be an investment.  We have been buying some every year and starting to get way more fruit then we know what to do with.  This is a problem I like to have.

Did you process your deer at your home or in the field?

Gone Fishing

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Re: Hardcore year #1
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2014, 08:00:20 AM »
That is awesome.  Fruit trees can definitely be an investment.  We have been buying some every year and starting to get way more fruit then we know what to do with.  This is a problem I like to have.

Did you process your deer at your home or in the field?

I need a problem like that!  Some of my 6 year old trees are over 20 ft (pears) but have yet to produce large amounts of fruit.  We are in a bit of a frost pocket which doesn't help, but I just keep planting with the hope that someday we might get something. 

The deer were processed at home after a ride in the trunk of my Carolla, I had to wash it out the next day, it was like a mofia scene from a movie!  Probably would have been fine if I would have field dressed them first, but I was so close to home, I just threw them in...

arebelspy

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Re: Hardcore year #1
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2014, 11:28:04 AM »
Your life sounds fun. I enjoyed myself just reading those discretionary expenses.  I bet your FIRE will be awesome.  :D
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Gone Fishing

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Re: Hardcore year #1
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2014, 12:13:13 PM »
Your life sounds fun. I enjoyed myself just reading those discretionary expenses.  I bet your FIRE will be awesome.  :D

Thanks Arbelspy!

Just totaled up the family's (4) spending for the last 12 months and we came in a hair under $30k!  Wohoo! This includes $690/mo P&I on the mortgage but does not include employer paid health insurance.  I'm hoping the gas bill from my 70 mile roundtrip clown commute will pretty much offset ACA costs once I reach ER (got plenty of buffer if it doesn't, though).