Celebrations Thread

[arebelspy]

Yesterday was my six-figure day!  I finally crossed over the 100k mark in investments!!

I feel a little giddy typing that.

Congrats!  :D

[chaskavitch]

We got rid of our cable TV last month, which will save us about $70/mo.  All we ever did was complain about commercials anyway, so it's a doubly good thing.

Also, my tIRA at Vanguard just got above $10,000, so I qualify for Admiral pricing.  Now all of my accounts are super inexpensive!  Yay VTSAX!  This was the last one lingering down below that value because it was a rollover from a PERA account from grad school, and I was only putting money into the Roth IRA and ignoring the traditional. 

[Sonos]

Just set my husband's 401k contributions to max out for 2017.

With the tax deductions from the 401k contributions plus the employer match, it's like he'll be getting a $10,000 bonus :D

I already knew about the advantages of contributing to the 401k, but somehow thinking about it as a $10,000 bonus really makes it more awesome. Perhaps the word "bonus" is more exciting/visceral than "match" and "deduction."

[Rural]

Husband got admission letter and assistantship offer to an R1 PhD program close enough for weekend visits. And the stipend is a living wage, and tuition and (I think) fees are covered.

[PJ]

Submitted the last of my expenses for 2016 - later than I should have, but I was sick at the end of the year, and we've been swamped. 

Regardless of timing, they're in.  I should be getting a decent amount back (reimbursements for items purchased, as well as mileage.)  It'll go straight to my CC, of course!

[Inaya]

Boss set up a one-on-one meeting out of the blue. I thought I was going to be on notice for my work quality slipping (due to school work and medical issues). Turns out I got a promotion! Time to see if I can actually prevent lifestyle creep!

[Izybat]

Just got notice in the mail that one of our debts has officially bitten the dust!

[NinetyFour]

Just got notice in the mail that one of our debts has officially bitten the dust!

Woo hoo!!  Great work!

[PJ]

Boss set up a one-on-one meeting out of the blue. I thought I was going to be on notice for my work quality slipping (due to school work and medical issues). Turns out I got a promotion! Time to see if I can actually prevent lifestyle creep!

Congrats!

Two celebrations in one day for me ... well, 3 actually!  One I posted this afternoon, and two I'm adding this evening.

Sat down with the team at work to discuss our budget for the coming year.  I'm paid slightly above our scale, so the recommended cost of living increases don't automatically get applied to my salary.  Leadership has to support the raise, and submit a request.  Which, I found out tonight, they did.  Since I get paid stipend plus separate housing allowance, I took the opportunity to mention that my rent also went up this past year.  They agreed to include that small increase in my housing allowance too.  Utilities are more expensive these days too, but I didn't push my luck - our budget for the organization is pretty tight, and I worry about equity issues with our other employees.  (We allocated some improvements for them too though.)

[happy]

Howdy PJ, nice to see you post again ( or maybe you are just hanging out on different threads to me these days...anyway Hi!). And congrats on the raise and getting stuff done.

[PJ]

Howdy PJ, nice to see you post again ( or maybe you are just hanging out on different threads to me these days...anyway Hi!). And congrats on the raise and getting stuff done.

waves

Hi happy!  I am only recently back again, so don't worry, you weren't missing out.  I've dipped my toe in a couple of places over the last couple weeks, mostly in Throwing Down the Gauntlet section - Uber Frugal January/February and Eat All the Food threads.

It's nice to "see" you again too!

[FirePaddle]

We joined the double comma club today! Our house is worth ~$220k with ~75k left on the loan, so we're feeling good about those too! I think our FIRE number is somewhere between, well, $1M and $1.4M, depending on where we live, but we're thinking about part timing it soon to ease into it. Exciting!

[MommyCake]

My credit score finally got back up to 700!  Yay! 

(I know some here say credit score is irrelevant, but I will need a mortgage for another investment property next year)

[SuperSecretName]

NW hit 600K with the up market today.  I'll be 35 in a couple of days.

It's significant to me, since with the 4% rule, that provides 2k/month - e.g. my calculated basic living expenses (once I move). 

I'm not going to FIRE for a few more years since my kids are only in middle school, and I can't move out of our HCOL area now.  My 2k/month is for me alone, without counting the kids.  600k has "only" been the bottom of my acceptable range.

[Slinky]

$50k in my 401k. Yay.

[DeskJockey2028]

Finally, FINALLY opened up that Roth IRA. Started off at $3100 and hope to shovel in another $4-500 before Tax Day.

Goal for next tax year is to max it out.

This also brought my projections much closer to 100% at my target date (FireCALC 96.8%, Fidelity 100% and my spreadsheet 99%).

[chaskavitch]

We got rid of our cable TV last month, which will save us about $70/mo.  All we ever did was complain about commercials anyway, so it's a doubly good thing.

Also, my tIRA at Vanguard just got above $10,000, so I qualify for Admiral pricing.  Now all of my accounts are super inexpensive!  Yay VTSAX!  This was the last one lingering down below that value because it was a rollover from a PERA account from grad school, and I was only putting money into the Roth IRA and ignoring the traditional.

This is a good year for us so far!  Last week I got a promotion that comes with a 13% raise, so I'm going to up my 401k contributions from 14% to 17% (at least, maybe more if DH doesn't mind).  AND DH got a new job today, with a $10,000 raise, a chance for a 10% bonus every year (historically 5%), and a 401k option that will match 4% after a year. 

[MommyCake]

I handed in my resignation letter yesterday.  I have been telling my boss I can't work unplanned OT because I have to get my baby from daycare.  He keeps making me work late anyway and said yesterday that it would not change.  My passive income exceeds my expenses, so I pulled up my already-drafted-and-waiting letter and emailed it in.

I feel relieved, and nervous. 

[happy]

Good on you MommyCake! I wonder what his response will be? Who knows the power of FU money. Keep us posted...maybe you'll have a story for the FU story string.

[Cherry Lane]

Hooray, MommyCake!  Do let us know how that is/was received.

As for me, it turns out "the market" gave me a lovely Valentine's gift yesterday:  a second comma.  Maybe I'll go buy some discounted chocolates today to celebrate.

[MommyCake]

Congrats Cherry Lane!  And happy, the ending of my story I'm afraid doesn't qualify me for the "epic" FU thread....

My boss offered me better hours and a better location with a promise of no OT if I stay.  I said yes.  I am kind of regretting it, but I think it will be better for everyone if I stay on at least until this hiring freeze is over. 

[happy]

Well it does sound like you got what you needed - i.e. better hours, better location and no OT.  Thats the power of FU money.

[thedigitalone]

Other than our mortgage, we're officially debt free as of this morning.

I "woke up" back in October of 2015 when I realized that the lifestyle we were living was incredibly wasteful, we were overspending and accruing debt and for no reason.

I shut down my self-employed business that was under performing and went back to a full-time job, we refinanced the mortgage into a 3% 15 year term and aggressively started paying down our debts. It took 16 months but we did it, the cars, credit cards, everything is paid off!  Now I can accelerate paying off the mortgage and start our post-tax investing (we've been maxing the 401k's along the way) with the funds we've been paying off the debt with.

I started lurking here about 9 months ago, it has been very helpful in maintaining the mindset, I don't know that I would have had the willpower to pull this off without the constant reminders of the goal and reading about everyone else's successes along the way.

[soccerluvof4]

Congrats! ^

[PJ]

Lots of good things going on for people to celebrate.

Special congrats to thedigitalone for being debt free other than a mortgage

Other than our mortgage, we're officially debt free as of this morning.

...

I started lurking here about 9 months ago, it has been very helpful in maintaining the mindset, I don't know that I would have had the willpower to pull this off without the constant reminders of the goal and reading about everyone else's successes along the way.

Also, I agree with happy!  MommyCake, you got to have your cake and eat it too! 

Well it does sound like you got what you needed - i.e. better hours, better location and no OT.  Thats the power of FU money.

[v8rx7guy]

Annual review and 5% raise on Friday.  Not a "huge" accomplishment by any stretch of the imagination,  but it is the first time I went straight to my 401k benefits site and raised my contribution by the same amount.

[greengardens]

Our net worth hit $100,000 this week and I paid off my student loans! (still have DH's loans though)

[AccidentalMiser]

We hit 750K net worth a few days ago!

FI, here we come!

[facepalm]

Our net worth hit $100,000 this week and I paid off my student loans! (still have DH's loans though)

That is awesome! Crossing the $100K mark is a huge accomplishment.

My celebration: I just finished setting up max contributions to both my 403(b) and 457(b) (as a state employee I qualify for both). Will also be able to max out the ROTH IRA this year too.

[TravelJunkyQC]

Our offer was just accepted on a fantastic piece of 26-acre land 15 minutes outside the city. Yay! We'll be building over the next 3 years :)

[chaskavitch]

Our offer was just accepted on a fantastic piece of 26-acre land 15 minutes outside the city. Yay! We'll be building over the next 3 years :)

Woo, that's awesome!  That's our eventual goal, having some land but also access to people :)  Have fun building your own house! 

[Zaga]

Not something we did, but cool nonetheless. 

DH has been at his current job since April of 2015, and I thought I had read that in addition to the 3% 401-K match there would also be a 3% company contribution, but until today we had not seen any evidence of this.  Nor is it in any of the paperwork I've read since he was hired.

Well today I checked his 401-K and it was larger than expected, the 3% contribution for 2016 went in this week!  (I have no idea what happened to 2015, maybe you have to work there the entire year to get it?)

[Trifele]

Our NW went over $1M this month!   Holy crap.  It snuck up on me, because I don't usually include the kids' 529 accounts in our NW calculation. 
So, so happy. 

[NinetyFour]

Excellent--congrats!!

[Izybat]

I had a surprise one as well. I logged into my bank and the balance of all of our accounts together was over $20,000 (this isn't including investments). I've never had that much just sitting around waiting to be put to work. Now, to be fair, most of it is earmarked for something. $x goes to the kitchen reno, $y is for paying off debt, $z is emergency fund, but still, it was a very pretty number to see.

[Trifele]

Nice, Itzybat!  That is a very pretty number indeed. 

[marielle]

August net worth: -$26,670
March net worth: -$12,000

Change of $14,670 in 7 months, on a $55k/$60k salary. (received an increase halfway through)

Could be better but not bad considering other expenses I've had and no 401k. I spent ~$2500 on car maintenance, $700+ on new bike and accessories, and who knows how much on moving costs and furniture.

[plainjane]

August net worth: -$26,670
March net worth: -$12,000

Change of $14,670 in 7 months, on a $55k/$60k salary. (received an increase halfway through)

That is huge.  You are more than halfway there, and then all the habits and skills you have developed are going to stand you in great stead.  Soon the power of compound interest will be in your favour instead of holding you back.

[marielle]

August net worth: -$26,670
March net worth: -$12,000

Change of $14,670 in 7 months, on a $55k/$60k salary. (received an increase halfway through)

That is huge.  You are more than halfway there, and then all the habits and skills you have developed are going to stand you in great stead.  Soon the power of compound interest will be in your favour instead of holding you back.

I never really had "bad habits"...I was always broke and living off of a few thousand a year (after rent) so I just continued the trend into the workforce. I don't really know what to spend on to be honest, except travel but credit card signup bonuses take care of that as well! Only $16k in student loans left...

[sw1tch]

Net worth eclipsed 500k this month when I include the cash-out balance of the pension at work.

This is huge and almost surreal.  It's crazy to think of where I was at just a couple of years ago and am really considering going FIRE or part-time FIRE later this year.  That Big Move counter just might become a FIRE one...

[Trifele]

Congratulations, Sw1tch!!  This is awesome!

[Izybat]

Just paid off another debt! That's two that have been paid off since January. Three more to go. Keep on trucking.

[marty998]

My net invested assets (non-house, non-super) went over $250,000 the past week.

[jengod]

I finally got my $75 payment for a freelance article I wrote several months back. The woman I'd been working w disappeared and was replaced so if took a loooong time to process the invoice.


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[Etlav5]

I handed in my resignation letter yesterday.  I have been telling my boss I can't work unplanned OT because I have to get my baby from daycare.  He keeps making me work late anyway and said yesterday that it would not change.  My passive income exceeds my expenses, so I pulled up my already-drafted-and-waiting letter and emailed it in.

I feel relieved, and nervous.

What a great FU money story.

[KMMK]

DH got his tax refund and became debt-free (except mortgage) for the first time in 10 years today. I'm very glad he had mostly fixed his financial situation before we met.

[NinetyFour]

DH got his tax refund and became debt-free (except mortgage) for the first time in 10 years today. I'm very glad he had mostly fixed his financial situation before we met.

AWESOME!!!

[chaskavitch]

We got rid of our cable TV last month, which will save us about $70/mo.  All we ever did was complain about commercials anyway, so it's a doubly good thing.

Also, my tIRA at Vanguard just got above $10,000, so I qualify for Admiral pricing.  Now all of my accounts are super inexpensive!  Yay VTSAX!  This was the last one lingering down below that value because it was a rollover from a PERA account from grad school, and I was only putting money into the Roth IRA and ignoring the traditional.

This is a good year for us so far!  Last week I got a promotion that comes with a 13% raise, so I'm going to up my 401k contributions from 14% to 17% (at least, maybe more if DH doesn't mind).  AND DH got a new job today, with a $10,000 raise, a chance for a 10% bonus every year (historically 5%), and a 401k option that will match 4% after a year.

Zetus lapetus, this is a REALLY good year.  We just reached $100,000 in our retirement accounts :)  And DH opened his 401k - he was originally going to start off at 5% to ensure his 4% match (3% match at 100%, then 50% up to 4% total), but he upped it to 7%, then 8%, then said "aw, screw it, let's just start at 10%."  Yay!

[sw1tch]

Congratulations, Sw1tch!!  This is awesome!

Thank you!

Here's my rough numbers at the beginning of each year:
2015: 236,000 (included estimated house value at beginning of year but sold it mid-year 2015)
2016: 338,000
2017: 474,000
Current: 515,000

Definitely worth celebrating!  I just wish I had started sooner, but as I always say: better late than never.

[Izybat]

My husband just got a job offer that includes a 10k sign-on bonus and a 59% pay increase!