Use this thread to post your mini-accomplishments so we can celebrate with you!
If you have a bigger accomplishment, feel free to start your own thread in the Share Your Badassity section of the forums, but for small milestones, things you just want to share with someone, but don't really have anyone to share it with (besides maybe your partner), toss em out there so we can celebrate with you!
This is kind of a "hello" to the MMM community and a general celebration post as well.
For years, i have asked "where did it go" after seeing our tax returns come in with pretty high AGI (both DW and I make good wages). We are pretty good savers, always maxing out 401K, but we spent so much money without thinking about the value. I probably have 20 bottles of wine in my house that cost us more than $150 per bottle just because we "could afford it".
I came across FI concepts 2 months ago and it really opened my eyes. In the last two months we have:
- moved all $ into low cost funds (50% was basically in cash and the others were sporadically invested in ETFs)
- Sold $1000s of stuff that was sitting around the house that we didn't need (bike racks, a guitar, TVs, etc)
- canceled cable
- started shopping at costco/target instead of running to the high priced grocery next door
- started budgeting and tracking everything in excel
- sold my 10mpg BMW X5 yesterday and bought a used CR-V that gets 34 mpg highway. i was grinning from ear to ear as i watched the MPG meter driving home yesterday.
- started taking the train to work and jogging home (around 5 miles but i am a runner so that's not a long distance)
- cancelled 2 $160/month equinox memberships
- cut out countless other expenses
- got a free breadmaker and make our own bread (still not coming out right)
- we determined that even with all the "mistakes" we made, and even though we are expecting our first child in 10 days, we can both definitely retire very comfortably in 10 years max. if we followed the strict 4% SWR and cut back our expenses we could probably retire right now, in fact.
- the best part is that we are sharing with friends and family, to a limited extent. they think i have absolutely lost my mind.
Just wanted to say thanks to no one, and everyone, in particular. The best way to capture the feeling is "liberating".