Author Topic: How do you calculate your savings rate?  (Read 11267 times)

MelodysMustache

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How do you calculate your savings rate?
« on: July 23, 2013, 11:54:00 AM »
I have been trying to figure out the best way to calculate my savings rate.  So far I have the following included in my list - 401k, 401k company match, HSA, mortgage principal (exclude interest and escrow), annual company stock award, money put into investment account.  I did not include IRA and consumer debt repayment because they do not apply to me.  I did not include money that I set aside for annual bills, auto maintenance and home maintenance.

How do you calculate yours?  Is there another thread or blog entry somewhere on this topic that I have missed?

arebelspy

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2013, 12:58:15 PM »
Is there another thread or blog entry somewhere on this topic that I have missed?

There's about 20.  :)

And about 20 different ways to calculate it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=site%3Amrmoneymustache.com%2Fforum+calculate+savings+rate
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MelodysMustache

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2013, 01:17:15 PM »
Thanks.  My bad for not thinking about the search feature.

mpbaker22

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2013, 01:21:25 PM »
LOL, I find it hilarious the other thread has the exact same name!

Edit - These can be annoying, but it's important to remember that especially new people, don't necessarily realize there is a search feature.

velocistar237

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2013, 01:29:57 PM »
How do you calculate yours?

Sometimes I use a spreadsheet, but since it's only 2 numbers, I often just use the built-in calculator in Google.

mpbaker22

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2013, 01:34:05 PM »
How do you calculate yours?

Sometimes I use a spreadsheet, but since it's only 2 numbers, I often just use the built-in calculator in Google.

HA HA HA

MelodysMustache

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2013, 01:39:57 PM »
It's ok to laugh.  I know better and it was a silly mistake.  :)

arebelspy

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2013, 04:38:16 PM »
It's ok to laugh.  I know better and it was a silly mistake.  :)

Don't mind the small teasing; it's a common question so you don't have to feel embarrassed.  :)

Feel free to ask any questions you have, and we'll either start a rowdy discussion or point you to a previous one. 
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

oldtoyota

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2013, 09:23:29 PM »
Here's one answer. It's not a problem to state it again for a new person.


Pre-tax contrib. + principal repayment on mortgage (not interest) + any other savings
____________________________________
Net home pay + pre-tax contrib

dragoncar

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2013, 09:34:05 PM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

martynthewolf

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2013, 04:57:34 AM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

Stackoverflow will do this,it'll give you a list of other questions matching keywords in your question title. So you can check to see if it's already been answered.

ender

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #11 on: July 24, 2013, 05:32:47 AM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

Stackoverflow will do this,it'll give you a list of other questions matching keywords in your question title. So you can check to see if it's already been answered.

That's one of the ways I search for duplicate questions to close duplicates on StackExchange sites - most people seem to ignore questions which appear in that list :P

arebelspy

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2013, 09:09:20 AM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

We need to do an FAQ at some point, but that sounds like work.  :P
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

matchewed

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2013, 09:23:01 AM »
I've been meaning to set aside a day to do just that. Maybe this weekend...

maybe.

arebelspy

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2013, 09:24:40 AM »
I've been meaning to set aside a day to do just that. Maybe this weekend...

maybe.

Just a list of potential topics would be amazingly helpful.  That's the barrier I'm stuck at. If someone wants to compile the questions, I'll work on the answers. :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

matchewed

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #15 on: July 24, 2013, 09:38:58 AM »
I stumble on the same issue, what I think are common questions may not be. To the Forumobile!!

mpbaker22

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #16 on: July 24, 2013, 09:47:47 AM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

We need to do an FAQ at some point, but that sounds like work.  :P

When you say FAQ you mean answers to questions like how to calculate the savings rate?
I think it would be nice to have a clear definition of how to do it, but the reason these discussions exist is because different people do it differently.  Maybe there could be a philosophical discussion of what savings rate is, then it could give examples of using/not using 401K, taxes, pension, etc.

matchewed

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #17 on: July 24, 2013, 10:14:13 AM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

We need to do an FAQ at some point, but that sounds like work.  :P

When you say FAQ you mean answers to questions like how to calculate the savings rate?
I think it would be nice to have a clear definition of how to do it, but the reason these discussions exist is because different people do it differently.  Maybe there could be a philosophical discussion of what savings rate is, then it could give examples of using/not using 401K, taxes, pension, etc.

I think the very first topic on savings rate is a been there done that. There is no clear definition because there are several different methods and factors that aren't universally applicable.

oldtoyota

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #18 on: July 24, 2013, 12:01:02 PM »
The forum software should definitely push back when someone wants to start a new thread with the same name as an existing.  I swear I've seen some that will give you a list of similar threads and make sure you want to go through with it.

That said, I think we rehash a lot of topics willingly.  In fact, we often seem to have a few related threads going on at the same time.

We need to do an FAQ at some point, but that sounds like work.  :P

So true. Kind of a superguide for the most common questions. =-)

velocistar237

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Re: How do you calculate your savings rate?
« Reply #19 on: July 24, 2013, 02:08:59 PM »
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