Well after a conversation with my BOFA loan guy, i'm still going to get the loan from them because they are offering to match some of the "benefits" from the other loan.
I'm getting an 1/8 point off for free... and in the long run, i'd rather work with BOFA then Chase at this point. Friendlier, more helpful... and more honest about what the fees are... plus the other GFE was only taking into account 3 months of property taxes, not 8... which is what it will more realistically be.
Friday, July 31, 2009
I've been at the doctor's the past two days
Yup. and they have no idea why i keep getting sick.
Xrays, blood and urine tests, the whole nine yards. and nadda.
They ruled out anything that can kill me in the time being and told me to come back next month when i get sick again (I get sick every month with the same thing and it just keeps getting worse... abdominal pains, eventually throwing up... all about a week before my girly time)...
When i was little... i had bad periods once every three months. I'd throw up and get sick. Tylenol (if taken the morning i wasn' feeling great) reduced my suffering and i didn't throw up. This worked till high school.
It was now every other month i'd get sick... and the tylenol only helped with some of the pain... and i'd still throw up. Towards the end of high school, the dry heves started... and i'd pray to throw up... it hurt less to be frank about it... and once i got to the point of throwing up, it normally subsided and disappeared.
In college it moved to once a month at 10:00am on a tuesday. this scared me since it was so exact and pin pointed... and since i finally had health insurance i went to the doctors about it... they did all kinds of tests and the doctor didn't know what it was so he called it abdominal migranes, and put me on birth control to "regulate my hormones."
and for the most part it worked, i got sick seldom, and then not at all.
I also decided that i personally needed to loose weight at the same time i started the birth control... i was fat and wayyyy too heavy for my frame. I went from 178 to 145-150 ish in a year... (and i've kept that off to this day.) towards the end of college I accidentally forgot to renew my meds after a long term paper so i assumed i'd get sick... But i didn't. So i went another month and i didn't get sick. I figured all the weight i'd lost ahd put my body back on tract hormonally and i was good. No meds, no sickness, WOOT!!!
Then i started getting sick after college at 148-150 lbs... they put me back on Birth contol since that worked before and they figured my hormones had re-escalated over time.... but then i got migranes... they switched to a different brand and gave me migrane meds... i still got sick and never took the migrane meds because they disappeared on their own... but we switched again to another brand... still sick...
But this month, yesterday the pain was the worst its ever been. I was at the doctors by 8:00am with an appointment... after a slew of tests, me vomitting in the office... I was eventually dismissed with a powerful liquid laxative (they wanted to clean me out for this mornings blood test to rule out an appendix even though my pain was not in that area)...
I took 10 ounces of that nasty liquid as directed (normally with constipation they have you drink only 5 ounces and your on the toilet all day) ... I had ten and the bathroom did not rule my world although it was frequently used... but i still had pain at 9:00pm when i went to sleep. When i got up this morning i still had the pain. It wasn't as bad as the day before... and not as frequent, but still there.
Forever in my history its always been gone by 2:00pm on the same day that i originally had it.
So, i went in today, got my blood tested and he ruled out anything that could kill me immediately.... and told me to tough it out and see if I could try and loose some ore weight (since that worked before and my BMI is still higher then it should be) and if i get sick again next month to come back... and they'd see what they could do.
as i type this is still get little spasms of pain in my stomach (which never used to be the carse). I guess i get to deal with it and go on an extream diet... and definently low carb according to the doctor... who prescribed me nothing for the pain... He offered me heart burn medication, but I don't have heart burn so i didn't get it.
The only thing i know that made me loose weight was the program for compulsive eaters annonymous. At that point i was using food for comfort... hense why i ballooned up in college...
It's basically 30 days of just protien, fruit, and veggies to continue to clean your system out (and its best to take some bene-fiber or something so your not constipated)... and then after that adding in whole grains that contain no flour and sugar-- aka Brown rice, brown rice pasta, bread without flour, and a few simple startches here and there in small amounts.)
I'm cleaning out the fridge today. If i know Boyfriend won't eat it, i'm not keeping it in there. Thirty Days Here I Come... anything to make my body function at this point.
Xrays, blood and urine tests, the whole nine yards. and nadda.
They ruled out anything that can kill me in the time being and told me to come back next month when i get sick again (I get sick every month with the same thing and it just keeps getting worse... abdominal pains, eventually throwing up... all about a week before my girly time)...
When i was little... i had bad periods once every three months. I'd throw up and get sick. Tylenol (if taken the morning i wasn' feeling great) reduced my suffering and i didn't throw up. This worked till high school.
It was now every other month i'd get sick... and the tylenol only helped with some of the pain... and i'd still throw up. Towards the end of high school, the dry heves started... and i'd pray to throw up... it hurt less to be frank about it... and once i got to the point of throwing up, it normally subsided and disappeared.
In college it moved to once a month at 10:00am on a tuesday. this scared me since it was so exact and pin pointed... and since i finally had health insurance i went to the doctors about it... they did all kinds of tests and the doctor didn't know what it was so he called it abdominal migranes, and put me on birth control to "regulate my hormones."
and for the most part it worked, i got sick seldom, and then not at all.
I also decided that i personally needed to loose weight at the same time i started the birth control... i was fat and wayyyy too heavy for my frame. I went from 178 to 145-150 ish in a year... (and i've kept that off to this day.) towards the end of college I accidentally forgot to renew my meds after a long term paper so i assumed i'd get sick... But i didn't. So i went another month and i didn't get sick. I figured all the weight i'd lost ahd put my body back on tract hormonally and i was good. No meds, no sickness, WOOT!!!
Then i started getting sick after college at 148-150 lbs... they put me back on Birth contol since that worked before and they figured my hormones had re-escalated over time.... but then i got migranes... they switched to a different brand and gave me migrane meds... i still got sick and never took the migrane meds because they disappeared on their own... but we switched again to another brand... still sick...
But this month, yesterday the pain was the worst its ever been. I was at the doctors by 8:00am with an appointment... after a slew of tests, me vomitting in the office... I was eventually dismissed with a powerful liquid laxative (they wanted to clean me out for this mornings blood test to rule out an appendix even though my pain was not in that area)...
I took 10 ounces of that nasty liquid as directed (normally with constipation they have you drink only 5 ounces and your on the toilet all day) ... I had ten and the bathroom did not rule my world although it was frequently used... but i still had pain at 9:00pm when i went to sleep. When i got up this morning i still had the pain. It wasn't as bad as the day before... and not as frequent, but still there.
Forever in my history its always been gone by 2:00pm on the same day that i originally had it.
So, i went in today, got my blood tested and he ruled out anything that could kill me immediately.... and told me to tough it out and see if I could try and loose some ore weight (since that worked before and my BMI is still higher then it should be) and if i get sick again next month to come back... and they'd see what they could do.
as i type this is still get little spasms of pain in my stomach (which never used to be the carse). I guess i get to deal with it and go on an extream diet... and definently low carb according to the doctor... who prescribed me nothing for the pain... He offered me heart burn medication, but I don't have heart burn so i didn't get it.
The only thing i know that made me loose weight was the program for compulsive eaters annonymous. At that point i was using food for comfort... hense why i ballooned up in college...
It's basically 30 days of just protien, fruit, and veggies to continue to clean your system out (and its best to take some bene-fiber or something so your not constipated)... and then after that adding in whole grains that contain no flour and sugar-- aka Brown rice, brown rice pasta, bread without flour, and a few simple startches here and there in small amounts.)
I'm cleaning out the fridge today. If i know Boyfriend won't eat it, i'm not keeping it in there. Thirty Days Here I Come... anything to make my body function at this point.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
loan stuff
My loan guys at BOFA are really helpful… which surprises me, since I’ve always had a weird relationship with Bank of America. They let me know that a regular FHA loan with BOFA is a whole point cheaper… (Saving me at least $1500.00 in closing costs since a CAL pers FHA loan requires that you pay one point always.)
I also got some new GFE… I can now get a condo with a $170,000 purchase price… without tapping my $7,000 emergency fund.
My House Dp fund has $12,817.66… my old work retirement fund has $1,283.28 in it (that I wouldn’t need to replace)…. And at the end of the month I can borrow from myself $2,000 that I haven’t deposited in my Roth IRA for this year… That brings me to $16,100.94 of the $16,228.54 I’d need by closing for a loan. I could then use my emergency fund to cover some of the costs I’d be short each month paying my mortgage and my rent on my apartment. So in a week I can start playing around with offers at $170,000.00!!!!
Woot!
-------
In another update,
I got pre-approved with another bank… (because it was required for another offer.) There closing costs are cheaper. I’ve sent it to my BOFA guy to see if we can work some magic numbers and get me a better deal.
Muahhhahahahah!
More offers went out this week... One isn't a short sale!!!!
I also got some new GFE… I can now get a condo with a $170,000 purchase price… without tapping my $7,000 emergency fund.
My House Dp fund has $12,817.66… my old work retirement fund has $1,283.28 in it (that I wouldn’t need to replace)…. And at the end of the month I can borrow from myself $2,000 that I haven’t deposited in my Roth IRA for this year… That brings me to $16,100.94 of the $16,228.54 I’d need by closing for a loan. I could then use my emergency fund to cover some of the costs I’d be short each month paying my mortgage and my rent on my apartment. So in a week I can start playing around with offers at $170,000.00!!!!
Woot!
-------
In another update,
I got pre-approved with another bank… (because it was required for another offer.) There closing costs are cheaper. I’ve sent it to my BOFA guy to see if we can work some magic numbers and get me a better deal.
Muahhhahahahah!
More offers went out this week... One isn't a short sale!!!!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Retirement Perspectives
My budget may be lost, but I was able to rebuild my niffty spread sheet based off my last blog post! HAHAHHA take that technology!
Since I’ll be par-taking in traffic school this weekend, an earlier installment of my Retirement Perspectives for you weekend viewing.
My Goal is the leave the workforce on my 55th birthday, 11,610 Days from now.
401 Account: Approximately 2.73 % of my portfolio
• $525.32 (Employer Paid 1% of Salary); $525.32 Worth
o Down 1.09% from inception, -$5.74
o Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 33.20%
o Milestone 2040 makes up 66.80%
457 Account: Approximately 5.43% of my portfolio
• Employer Funded. Future Contributions Discontinued (minimal interest earned)
o Positive $1,031.84
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 10.73% of my portfolio
• $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.95
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.95
o CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
o Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 46.36% of my portfolio
• $10,000 Invested; Worth $8,813.68
o Down 11.86% since inception… Loss of -$1,186.32
o Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
o Strategic Allocation Growth 6.70%
o Money Market Cash 1.10%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $12,404.05. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money (the rest has been my employer). So technically I’ve made 3.367%. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions (Totals $13,557.16), my portfolio is down 8.50% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 34.75% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account. New Statements Delivered every November
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- Contributions $299.74
o 2008- Contributions $336.12
o 2009- Contributions $201.39 (July 17th, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55.
• I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age (service prior to membership). It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 50 more installments.
o 2009- Total Contributions $66.12 (July 17th, 2009)
My entire portfolio (if I cashed my pension out today) is worth $19,009.60
Since I’ll be par-taking in traffic school this weekend, an earlier installment of my Retirement Perspectives for you weekend viewing.
My Goal is the leave the workforce on my 55th birthday, 11,610 Days from now.
401 Account: Approximately 2.73 % of my portfolio
• $525.32 (Employer Paid 1% of Salary); $525.32 Worth
o Down 1.09% from inception, -$5.74
o Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 33.20%
o Milestone 2040 makes up 66.80%
457 Account: Approximately 5.43% of my portfolio
• Employer Funded. Future Contributions Discontinued (minimal interest earned)
o Positive $1,031.84
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 10.73% of my portfolio
• $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.95
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.95
o CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
o Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 46.36% of my portfolio
• $10,000 Invested; Worth $8,813.68
o Down 11.86% since inception… Loss of -$1,186.32
o Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
o Strategic Allocation Growth 6.70%
o Money Market Cash 1.10%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $12,404.05. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money (the rest has been my employer). So technically I’ve made 3.367%. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions (Totals $13,557.16), my portfolio is down 8.50% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 34.75% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account. New Statements Delivered every November
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- Contributions $299.74
o 2008- Contributions $336.12
o 2009- Contributions $201.39 (July 17th, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55.
• I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age (service prior to membership). It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 50 more installments.
o 2009- Total Contributions $66.12 (July 17th, 2009)
My entire portfolio (if I cashed my pension out today) is worth $19,009.60
Thursday, July 23, 2009
I lost my memory stick... and an update on homes
I’m so sad to say this… I’ve lost my memory stick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That little SD thing was like my bestest financial buddy… sniff… it had my budget, my calculated paycheck with all the city gizmo calculations in it… my retirement perspectives… all the different home buying senarios…. (no personal accounts or data like that so it’s okay that I lost it…) but man that think was my financial life… and I lost it. Last day I had it was Saturday…. I’m also missing my garage door opener… I hope they aren’t hanging out together… cause I can’t find the garage door opener either…
So for the next few days… or possibly a week until I can replace it, posts with actual numbers and figures may be postponed a week as I hunt around for it… and if I can’t find it, I’ll have to buy a new one and work everything over from scratch…. STUPID me…
In other news, on the HOUSING FRONT… Apparently my desire to go outside the realm of FHA will not be possible. My loan guy told me the wrong information. I’d need a 15% down payment to be able to go non-FHA… because i'm looking at condos......... and the particular complex I was hoping to get… is basically only accepting Cash only offers from investors.
But I found out its cheaper for me to get a Non-calpers FHA loan because Calpers loans must charge points… so I may end up just getting a BOFA loan. Right now its 5.375% no points for up to $165,000.00--- I’m going to call my loan guy today and ask him about buying something in the $170,000 range if I upfront an additional $5,000 so the loan stays with in its limits, etc.
As I re-build my data, I’ll be able to better figure out where I stand with all the different loan options I have available to me… and how much above 165,000 I can go.
That little SD thing was like my bestest financial buddy… sniff… it had my budget, my calculated paycheck with all the city gizmo calculations in it… my retirement perspectives… all the different home buying senarios…. (no personal accounts or data like that so it’s okay that I lost it…) but man that think was my financial life… and I lost it. Last day I had it was Saturday…. I’m also missing my garage door opener… I hope they aren’t hanging out together… cause I can’t find the garage door opener either…
So for the next few days… or possibly a week until I can replace it, posts with actual numbers and figures may be postponed a week as I hunt around for it… and if I can’t find it, I’ll have to buy a new one and work everything over from scratch…. STUPID me…
In other news, on the HOUSING FRONT… Apparently my desire to go outside the realm of FHA will not be possible. My loan guy told me the wrong information. I’d need a 15% down payment to be able to go non-FHA… because i'm looking at condos......... and the particular complex I was hoping to get… is basically only accepting Cash only offers from investors.
But I found out its cheaper for me to get a Non-calpers FHA loan because Calpers loans must charge points… so I may end up just getting a BOFA loan. Right now its 5.375% no points for up to $165,000.00--- I’m going to call my loan guy today and ask him about buying something in the $170,000 range if I upfront an additional $5,000 so the loan stays with in its limits, etc.
As I re-build my data, I’ll be able to better figure out where I stand with all the different loan options I have available to me… and how much above 165,000 I can go.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
I really need your advice!
Ya, you!
If i get my own one bedroom apartment, I'll only be able to save 6,600 next year towards a condo. If i stay with my roommate, I'll only be able to save 10,200.00 towards a condo... The government will give me $8,000.00 for free if i buy by the end of November...
I want that 8,000 since I've decided it's this year or next... and if it's next i'll essentially have less money since $6,600 that i have to save is less then a free $8,000
So, I was re-looking online at a complex that lost it's FHA approval because it had 52% of the place as renters. It's in a really cute neighborhood, near the new church building site, close to boyfriends family... and not in the city I work for... =)and has a lot of amenities. It's nice, gated, in a good area, and I'd get a garage with this one bedroom (which is nice to know that my car is safe.)and the building is a lot newer then some of the other places I've been looking.
The only thing is that because it's not FHA approved, I'd have to have a 10% down payment (not the 3.5% with an FHA loan). The listing price is 139,900 but because it's not FHA approved, its still an active listing. (because people don't have money for down payments.)If i keep my closing cost estimates as a guideline, I'd need approximately 20,241 to cover everything ( the closing costs, down payment, and a few hundred to help cover the rent of my current apartment that i'll be short each month while I'm paying for a mortgage)
I have $12,817.66 in my house down payment fund.
I have $1,500.00 sitting in my Florida vacation fund
I have $1,283.28 sitting in an account to repay myself for buying that extra work retirement.
in 2 weeks i'll have the remaining $2,000.00 to deposit in my Roth IRA...
all together that's $17,600.94
I have $7,000 in an emergency fund... (which i could borrow $2,640.06) from and still have $4,000 as a cushion. I also found out that if roommate looses her job, we an walk away from our apartment without any penalty fees so if i get a condo, and she gets fired, we can just end our lease on the basis of that and i won't have to fork over the whole rent money.
That gives me all the $$$$$$ i need.
In January when i get the $8,000 i can max out my roth ira for 2009. I'll also have gotten my raise by then so i won't need to pay back the purchase retirement money (1283.28) I can put my emergency fund back in tact and still plan the Florida trip.
At the end of August (which is more likely the time i'd have to close escrow by and fork over all the dough if i make an offer on this place in 2 weeks when i get paid again, I'll have another 1138.95 to toss toward the house downpayment fund... so i'll only have to borrow $1500 from my down payment fund.
Essentially, i'd make money on the deal in the long run because the government would be paying my closing costs... and I'd have 10% equity in the property.
Thoughts????
If i get my own one bedroom apartment, I'll only be able to save 6,600 next year towards a condo. If i stay with my roommate, I'll only be able to save 10,200.00 towards a condo... The government will give me $8,000.00 for free if i buy by the end of November...
I want that 8,000 since I've decided it's this year or next... and if it's next i'll essentially have less money since $6,600 that i have to save is less then a free $8,000
So, I was re-looking online at a complex that lost it's FHA approval because it had 52% of the place as renters. It's in a really cute neighborhood, near the new church building site, close to boyfriends family... and not in the city I work for... =)and has a lot of amenities. It's nice, gated, in a good area, and I'd get a garage with this one bedroom (which is nice to know that my car is safe.)and the building is a lot newer then some of the other places I've been looking.
The only thing is that because it's not FHA approved, I'd have to have a 10% down payment (not the 3.5% with an FHA loan). The listing price is 139,900 but because it's not FHA approved, its still an active listing. (because people don't have money for down payments.)If i keep my closing cost estimates as a guideline, I'd need approximately 20,241 to cover everything ( the closing costs, down payment, and a few hundred to help cover the rent of my current apartment that i'll be short each month while I'm paying for a mortgage)
I have $12,817.66 in my house down payment fund.
I have $1,500.00 sitting in my Florida vacation fund
I have $1,283.28 sitting in an account to repay myself for buying that extra work retirement.
in 2 weeks i'll have the remaining $2,000.00 to deposit in my Roth IRA...
all together that's $17,600.94
I have $7,000 in an emergency fund... (which i could borrow $2,640.06) from and still have $4,000 as a cushion. I also found out that if roommate looses her job, we an walk away from our apartment without any penalty fees so if i get a condo, and she gets fired, we can just end our lease on the basis of that and i won't have to fork over the whole rent money.
That gives me all the $$$$$$ i need.
In January when i get the $8,000 i can max out my roth ira for 2009. I'll also have gotten my raise by then so i won't need to pay back the purchase retirement money (1283.28) I can put my emergency fund back in tact and still plan the Florida trip.
At the end of August (which is more likely the time i'd have to close escrow by and fork over all the dough if i make an offer on this place in 2 weeks when i get paid again, I'll have another 1138.95 to toss toward the house downpayment fund... so i'll only have to borrow $1500 from my down payment fund.
Essentially, i'd make money on the deal in the long run because the government would be paying my closing costs... and I'd have 10% equity in the property.
Thoughts????
Retirement Perspectives update
The weekly update on how I plan to leave the workforce at 55… 11,616 Days From Now.
401 Account: Approximately 2.71 % of my portfolio• $525.32 (Employer Paid 1% of Salary); $506.68 Worth
o Down 3.55% from inception, -$18.64
Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 34.90%
Milestone 2040 makes up 65.1%
457 Account: Approximately 5.51% of my portfolio• Employer Funded. Future Contributions Discontinued (minimal interest earned)
o Positive $1,031.79
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 10.89% of my portfolio • $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.53
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.53
CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 45.63% of my portfolio • $10,000 Invested; Worth $8,544.25
o Down 14.56% since inception… Loss of -$1,455.75
Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
Strategic Allocation Growth 6.60%
Money Market Cash 1.20%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $12,121.25. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money (the rest has been my employer). So technically I’ve made 1.01%. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions (Totals $13,557.11), my portfolio is down 10.59% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 35.27% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account. New Statements Delivered in November
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- Contributions $299.74
o 2008- Contributions $336.12
o 2009- Contributions $201.39 (July 17th, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55. • I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age (service prior to membership). It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 50 more installments.
o 2009- Total Contributions $66.12 (July 17th, 2009)
401 Account: Approximately 2.71 % of my portfolio• $525.32 (Employer Paid 1% of Salary); $506.68 Worth
o Down 3.55% from inception, -$18.64
Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 34.90%
Milestone 2040 makes up 65.1%
457 Account: Approximately 5.51% of my portfolio• Employer Funded. Future Contributions Discontinued (minimal interest earned)
o Positive $1,031.79
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 10.89% of my portfolio • $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.53
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.53
CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 45.63% of my portfolio • $10,000 Invested; Worth $8,544.25
o Down 14.56% since inception… Loss of -$1,455.75
Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
Strategic Allocation Growth 6.60%
Money Market Cash 1.20%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $12,121.25. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money (the rest has been my employer). So technically I’ve made 1.01%. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions (Totals $13,557.11), my portfolio is down 10.59% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 35.27% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account. New Statements Delivered in November
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- Contributions $299.74
o 2008- Contributions $336.12
o 2009- Contributions $201.39 (July 17th, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55. • I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age (service prior to membership). It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 50 more installments.
o 2009- Total Contributions $66.12 (July 17th, 2009)
new Blog Feature???
Since i went through and wrote out all my retirement prospectives, got more information on what benefits I contribute to and what my employer provides, and ran the numbers on what it's all worth... I Think normal updates would be a great way to tract my progress and figure out which Egg's are good and what strategies are kind of rotten.
For now, (since taking a more active role in planning my retirement is new,) I think I'll aim to make weekly updates on Saturdays since the markets are closed and all the balances are updated on-line.)
I figure since the house hunt is drying up and nothing is really new (other then being able to save up some more cash for a larger downpayment), this will at least make me feel like i'm doing something productive.
=)
For now, (since taking a more active role in planning my retirement is new,) I think I'll aim to make weekly updates on Saturdays since the markets are closed and all the balances are updated on-line.)
I figure since the house hunt is drying up and nothing is really new (other then being able to save up some more cash for a larger downpayment), this will at least make me feel like i'm doing something productive.
=)
Friday, July 17, 2009
pay day friday!
Today is pay day!!!!
I'm really excited, because Drum roll please
I get to start beefing up the house down payment fund again!!!! it was only $290 this month, but all my annual obligations will be met in 2 weeks so i can begin to dump money like a lunatic into my home fund.
I have officially set aside 1500 for a vacation to Florida... Which if it cannot be used for Florida (depending on our friends), possibly a fun cruise to Alaska??? or viewing more of the west coast in a mini drive the state road trip... or possibly the grand canyon... Sky's the limits in my opinion.
I'll update the side bars and all my saving accounts in a little bit. In other news, It looks like I'll be a brides maid after all again. So the overtime from my paycheck and most of my house sitting money will be put towards those upcoming November nuptials... but i should have enough left over to get my cell phone contract renewed and my cell replaced for just the tax and fee of the plan... (boyfriends old cell phone from when he was 16 was wonderful when he lent it to me, but I think it's time for a new one... while i can still return it in working order as a back up for him in case he breaks his.)
I think I might like the Samsong propel... any thoughts?
I'm really excited, because Drum roll please
I get to start beefing up the house down payment fund again!!!! it was only $290 this month, but all my annual obligations will be met in 2 weeks so i can begin to dump money like a lunatic into my home fund.
I have officially set aside 1500 for a vacation to Florida... Which if it cannot be used for Florida (depending on our friends), possibly a fun cruise to Alaska??? or viewing more of the west coast in a mini drive the state road trip... or possibly the grand canyon... Sky's the limits in my opinion.
I'll update the side bars and all my saving accounts in a little bit. In other news, It looks like I'll be a brides maid after all again. So the overtime from my paycheck and most of my house sitting money will be put towards those upcoming November nuptials... but i should have enough left over to get my cell phone contract renewed and my cell replaced for just the tax and fee of the plan... (boyfriends old cell phone from when he was 16 was wonderful when he lent it to me, but I think it's time for a new one... while i can still return it in working order as a back up for him in case he breaks his.)
I think I might like the Samsong propel... any thoughts?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Pay reduction
After a work meeting today, It looks like I'll have to pay more money into my pension for the same benefits I'm currently receiving. It will now cost me double what I was already paying. While a 50% increase might sound HUGE, it's not much additional money. I currently pay 1% of my Salary; Come August, it will be 2% of my salary. Right now they take $13.43 out of every check. Come August 1st, they will take $26.86 a check. For some this will be a budget breaker (since a lot of people make wayyyyy more then I do), but for me, this is understandable, and I'm willing to pay the additional amount without any complaints.
Why? Because I'm glad to still be employed, and it still is better then paying into social security.
I hope my raise/merit increase from last physical year goes into effect by August 1st so I don't really notice the additional 1% loss in take home pay... but who knows.
It's ironic that after i elect to purchase some additional retirement credits ($33.06 a check for 2 years), the pension price "goes up."
With my mandatory contributions and my elected contributions, 4.46% of my pretax income is going to Retirement. Then I max out my Roth IRA ($5,000.00), and my employer puts 1% of my salary into my 401 account.
Why? Because I'm glad to still be employed, and it still is better then paying into social security.
I hope my raise/merit increase from last physical year goes into effect by August 1st so I don't really notice the additional 1% loss in take home pay... but who knows.
It's ironic that after i elect to purchase some additional retirement credits ($33.06 a check for 2 years), the pension price "goes up."
With my mandatory contributions and my elected contributions, 4.46% of my pretax income is going to Retirement. Then I max out my Roth IRA ($5,000.00), and my employer puts 1% of my salary into my 401 account.
New Retirement Perspectives...
My Goal is to retire on my birthday when I turn 55. I’m 23 now… and this is what I’ve got:
401 Account: Approximately 2.60 % of my portfolio
• $511.89 (Employer Paid); $481.76 Worth
o Employer pays 1% of my Salary into this 401
o Down 5.87% from inception, -$30.13
Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 34.90%
Milestone 2040 makes up 65.1%
457 Account: Approximately 5.57% of my portfolio
• Employer Funded (when I was 16-18 years of age)
• Future Contributions Discontinued as I’m now a “real employee” (minimal interest earned each month until I sever employment).
o Positive $1,031.74
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 11.01% of my portfolio
• $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.53
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.53
CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 43.13% of my portfolio
(My first investment vehicle)
• 10,000 Invested; Worth $8,354.45
o Down 16.45% Loss of -$1,645.55
Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
Strategic Allocation Growth 6.60%
Money Market Cash 1.20%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $11,906.48. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money. So if I look at the money I’ve physically put towards retirement, my portfolio is only down 0.78% since inception. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions, my portfolio is down 12.09% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 35.68% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (employer and mine, plus the 6% interest it earns)
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- My Contributions $299.74
o 2008- My Contributions $336.12
o 2009- My Contributions $187.96 (July 2nd, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55.
• I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age. It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 51 installments (it started with my last paycheck).
o 2009- My Contributions $33.06
This month I max out my ROTH for the year...
401 Account: Approximately 2.60 % of my portfolio
• $511.89 (Employer Paid); $481.76 Worth
o Employer pays 1% of my Salary into this 401
o Down 5.87% from inception, -$30.13
Stable Value Money Market Accounts make up 34.90%
Milestone 2040 makes up 65.1%
457 Account: Approximately 5.57% of my portfolio
• Employer Funded (when I was 16-18 years of age)
• Future Contributions Discontinued as I’m now a “real employee” (minimal interest earned each month until I sever employment).
o Positive $1,031.74
ING DIRECT Roth IRA: Approximately 11.01% of my portfolio
• $2,000.00 Invested; Worth $2,038.53
o Up 1.91% from inception. Positive $38.53
CD’s ranging from 1.5% to 4.5%.
Current Average CD rate 3%
ShareBuilder Roth IRA Approximately 43.13% of my portfolio
(My first investment vehicle)
• 10,000 Invested; Worth $8,354.45
o Down 16.45% Loss of -$1,645.55
Strategic Allocation Moderate 92.20%
Strategic Allocation Growth 6.60%
Money Market Cash 1.20%
Excluding my Pension, my variable retirement accounts are worth $11,906.48. Of that I’ve only invested $12,000.00 of my money. So if I look at the money I’ve physically put towards retirement, my portfolio is only down 0.78% since inception. If I compare all the “free money” and my contributions, my portfolio is down 12.09% since inception.
Pension: Approximately 35.68% of my portfolio
I’ll have my 5 years of service in July of 2010. If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (employer and mine, plus the 6% interest it earns)
• Up until 2007, Employer paid all contributions.
• Jan 2007- July 2009 Employee’s contributed 1%
o 2007- My Contributions $299.74
o 2008- My Contributions $336.12
o 2009- My Contributions $187.96 (July 2nd, 2009)
• As of August 1st, 2009 – Current, Employee’s will now contribute 2% of income.
o Cash Value as of 07.01.2008 $6,605.55.
• I’m ALSO buying additional time in my retirement accounts from when I was 16-18 years of age. It’s less then a year’s worth of service credit, but I’ll be paying $33.06 for 51 installments (it started with my last paycheck).
o 2009- My Contributions $33.06
This month I max out my ROTH for the year...
Monday, July 13, 2009
houses keep disappearing
The more I keep looking, the less I think I'm going to be able to find something this year.
Properties just keep disappearing off the market. People are renting out and moving so a cheap apartment instead of selling (which they have every right to do). I keep getting outbid and properties end up going to someone else.
I wonder what's going to happen? I think I'll call my Realtor and see if there is any news.
Properties just keep disappearing off the market. People are renting out and moving so a cheap apartment instead of selling (which they have every right to do). I keep getting outbid and properties end up going to someone else.
I wonder what's going to happen? I think I'll call my Realtor and see if there is any news.
the downfalls of puppy sitting... but i don't miss my roommate....
Now before I rant. I love puppy sitting. I REALLY DO!
and i hate the idea of complaining, but so be it. I'm really bored.
It's my day off... The only day I get to sleep in (work 5 days, and I'm in the worship band at my new church so i have to get there early) and the dogs woke me up at 5:30am....... and they didn't even have to go to the bathroom!!! They just decided to get up. Of course I let them sleep in the bed with me and not in their kennels because i'm a good sitter and they like the bed.
Normally, I get up and take a nice 3+ mile walk on Monday mornings around the pretty lake that's by my apartment.... but now i'm just sitting around the house... cause there is no place to walk to. their gorgeous house is in a gated community and their in the back... after long twisted hills... It would take at least 2 hours for me to walk up hill from their house to the main gate... and then i'd be stuck stairing at cookie cutter houses all morning long... and another 2 hours to walk back looking at more cookie cutter homes. Looks like I'm stuck in a world of driving all week long.
I garden on Mondays... I can't prune my plants... (but boyfriend is going to water them so they won't die.)
I left the book i was reading at home on accident, and boyfriend will bring it later today, but I was looking forward to finishing it now... oh well...
and i'm just plain bored... I don't watch TV... i like to be outside... I like having things to do...
The AC is nice for a change. and so is the internet. I just don't want to just sit around on my day off and do nothing but laundry... (which is nice not to have to drag down three flights of stairs and across the complex... but i kind of miss that because that's normal.)
I kind of miss my little silly community and my routine...
not so much the roommate... who got proposed to the other day by one of her ex's who she hasn't seen in a year (since her last pregnancy. He's the guy who popped the question when he got her knocked up, then ran away when she lost it.) Outta the blue he took her to Palm Springs for the week, proposed with a promise ring and told her he'd give her a week to think it over and if she said yes, she's get the engagement ring.
I think she's just using him for the week since they are both going to a mutual friends wedding and she wants to not go solo. She told our mutual friend that she's not going to marry him cause he's a jerk... but she wears the ring, accepts the gifts (the dress to wear to the reception, heels, purse, flowers....)
Will the drama ever stop with her? It was soooo hard to even look happy for her when she told me. In my mind i was like, here we go again... She was just pregnant a few weeks ago with another man's child and now she's engaged....
why can't life juts be simple?
and i hate the idea of complaining, but so be it. I'm really bored.
It's my day off... The only day I get to sleep in (work 5 days, and I'm in the worship band at my new church so i have to get there early) and the dogs woke me up at 5:30am....... and they didn't even have to go to the bathroom!!! They just decided to get up. Of course I let them sleep in the bed with me and not in their kennels because i'm a good sitter and they like the bed.
Normally, I get up and take a nice 3+ mile walk on Monday mornings around the pretty lake that's by my apartment.... but now i'm just sitting around the house... cause there is no place to walk to. their gorgeous house is in a gated community and their in the back... after long twisted hills... It would take at least 2 hours for me to walk up hill from their house to the main gate... and then i'd be stuck stairing at cookie cutter houses all morning long... and another 2 hours to walk back looking at more cookie cutter homes. Looks like I'm stuck in a world of driving all week long.
I garden on Mondays... I can't prune my plants... (but boyfriend is going to water them so they won't die.)
I left the book i was reading at home on accident, and boyfriend will bring it later today, but I was looking forward to finishing it now... oh well...
and i'm just plain bored... I don't watch TV... i like to be outside... I like having things to do...
The AC is nice for a change. and so is the internet. I just don't want to just sit around on my day off and do nothing but laundry... (which is nice not to have to drag down three flights of stairs and across the complex... but i kind of miss that because that's normal.)
I kind of miss my little silly community and my routine...
not so much the roommate... who got proposed to the other day by one of her ex's who she hasn't seen in a year (since her last pregnancy. He's the guy who popped the question when he got her knocked up, then ran away when she lost it.) Outta the blue he took her to Palm Springs for the week, proposed with a promise ring and told her he'd give her a week to think it over and if she said yes, she's get the engagement ring.
I think she's just using him for the week since they are both going to a mutual friends wedding and she wants to not go solo. She told our mutual friend that she's not going to marry him cause he's a jerk... but she wears the ring, accepts the gifts (the dress to wear to the reception, heels, purse, flowers....)
Will the drama ever stop with her? It was soooo hard to even look happy for her when she told me. In my mind i was like, here we go again... She was just pregnant a few weeks ago with another man's child and now she's engaged....
why can't life juts be simple?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Extra money month!
Besides getting three paychecks this month...
1. I'm puppy sitting for a week = $170!!!!!
2. I have overtime coming in from the 4th of july
3. my car insurance just sent me a $30.00 check in the mail... which means my monthly Bill/savings for the 6 month bill gets to drop down a bit!
Looks like i might just replace that really old cell phone after all =)
1. I'm puppy sitting for a week = $170!!!!!
2. I have overtime coming in from the 4th of july
3. my car insurance just sent me a $30.00 check in the mail... which means my monthly Bill/savings for the 6 month bill gets to drop down a bit!
Looks like i might just replace that really old cell phone after all =)
Monday, July 6, 2009
I love the friends of the library bookstore
I do! (paper back 2 for $1.00)
I keep walking around the neihborhood and stop by and always find something. My to read stack is getting larger which will be lovely since i'll be spending a week house sitting this month with nothing to do but read!!!!! it will be lovely! I can't wait.
Anywho, I dunno if i'll be house hunting today. My realtor is out of town and her partner forgot to call me to schedule an outting so depending on when he finishes some stuff up will determine if i'm going to get to see some places or not.
=(
I'm going to try and make some fresh Bruchetta tonight. Never tried, but i got the recipe off of olive garden's website. Looks like i'll hit up Henry's for some tomatoes... and use my fresh basil! =)
well i'm off to walk home, shower, and then to laundry. I walked from my apartment to the bank, to target, top the library, and now home. One nice big loop and a bit of gas saved and some calories burned.
Till Later.
I keep walking around the neihborhood and stop by and always find something. My to read stack is getting larger which will be lovely since i'll be spending a week house sitting this month with nothing to do but read!!!!! it will be lovely! I can't wait.
Anywho, I dunno if i'll be house hunting today. My realtor is out of town and her partner forgot to call me to schedule an outting so depending on when he finishes some stuff up will determine if i'm going to get to see some places or not.
=(
I'm going to try and make some fresh Bruchetta tonight. Never tried, but i got the recipe off of olive garden's website. Looks like i'll hit up Henry's for some tomatoes... and use my fresh basil! =)
well i'm off to walk home, shower, and then to laundry. I walked from my apartment to the bank, to target, top the library, and now home. One nice big loop and a bit of gas saved and some calories burned.
Till Later.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
the house hunt... Some extra money & R.I.P
The housing hunt is still going… which I think is starting to drag on my realtor. But whatever, if I don’t like it, I have every right to say nope, lets keep looking. One place asked for a BPO… and that’s a good sign... we should hear back in a week or two.
I think we are going to go back out again on Monday to take a look at some other places, but in all honesty, the prospects aren’t that great. The few places I’ve come to really like have lost their FHA standing, and I just don’t like a lot of the other floor plan’s I’ve seen. If worst comes to worst, I’ll rent a place and save more money up. Who knows… maybe I’ll wait another year or two and save up a real 20% down payment and be able to do a real mortgage on a property around $200,000.00? But I hope I don’t have to wait that long. This month I get to begin setting aside money for the house down payment again. (I’ll have set all the money aside for Florida, so there are no other goals I really need to meet minus saving money for the condo.)
I get three checks this month so I’ll be able to use one of them to finish off my Roth IRA for the year. I’m torn between mutual funds and cd’s… I put $1,000 in CD’s already (like last year).. and part of me is thinking that another $500 won’t hurt (since I actually see a profit on that money)… but part of me also wants to keep buying my mutual funds low in chance that the market rebounds eventually… but I’m also adverse to risk. Hmmmm… I’ve still time to ponder.
There is a chance Florida could get cancelled if our friends can’t afford to go. I hope that’s not the case… but if it is I’ll go to Colorado or some place else. I’ve found I really do like this traveling thing. =)
I’m working the 4th of July holiday at work… which means some nice 2.5 times my pay. And I’ll be puppy sitting for a whole week. I’m kind of excited to have some extra cash coming in. I need to buy a few things for my wardrobe. The stuff my sister gave me ended up going back in the box for the next rummage sale I have. (it just didn’t all fit right) and I could use some bottoms and some gym clothes.
On a sad note, roommate fell down a flight of stairs while I was on vacation. She’s not hurt or anything (not a scratch on her) but she lost “Thing.” R.i.p. baby.
I think we are going to go back out again on Monday to take a look at some other places, but in all honesty, the prospects aren’t that great. The few places I’ve come to really like have lost their FHA standing, and I just don’t like a lot of the other floor plan’s I’ve seen. If worst comes to worst, I’ll rent a place and save more money up. Who knows… maybe I’ll wait another year or two and save up a real 20% down payment and be able to do a real mortgage on a property around $200,000.00? But I hope I don’t have to wait that long. This month I get to begin setting aside money for the house down payment again. (I’ll have set all the money aside for Florida, so there are no other goals I really need to meet minus saving money for the condo.)
I get three checks this month so I’ll be able to use one of them to finish off my Roth IRA for the year. I’m torn between mutual funds and cd’s… I put $1,000 in CD’s already (like last year).. and part of me is thinking that another $500 won’t hurt (since I actually see a profit on that money)… but part of me also wants to keep buying my mutual funds low in chance that the market rebounds eventually… but I’m also adverse to risk. Hmmmm… I’ve still time to ponder.
There is a chance Florida could get cancelled if our friends can’t afford to go. I hope that’s not the case… but if it is I’ll go to Colorado or some place else. I’ve found I really do like this traveling thing. =)
I’m working the 4th of July holiday at work… which means some nice 2.5 times my pay. And I’ll be puppy sitting for a whole week. I’m kind of excited to have some extra cash coming in. I need to buy a few things for my wardrobe. The stuff my sister gave me ended up going back in the box for the next rummage sale I have. (it just didn’t all fit right) and I could use some bottoms and some gym clothes.
On a sad note, roommate fell down a flight of stairs while I was on vacation. She’s not hurt or anything (not a scratch on her) but she lost “Thing.” R.i.p. baby.
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