July/August check-in.

als1982 · July 2015

Another month comes to a close! I thought with some of the recent conversations, I'd change-up the monthly check-in. If anyone thinks it too intrusive, let me know and I'll go back to the old questions.

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

2. Were you able accomplish them?

3. What were your greatest achievements?

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

2. Savings success

3. Net worth watch

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

als1982 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month? Student loan payoff! Also, survive bathroom remodel without going too much over budget, including avoiding any hotel stays.

2. Were you able accomplish them? Pretty much, but everything seems to be going so slowly!

3. What were your greatest achievements? I really trimmed down my personal spending this month. With the exception of a $20 happy hour last night and a $5 lunch at Sonic a few weeks ago, I haven't bought anything unnecessary, which I'm pretty proud of considering we're in the middle of the Nordstrom semi-annual sale!

4. What were your biggest downfalls? Even though I kept my mad money spending down, we weren't great with our entertainment budget this month. We visited friends last weekend, and ate out several nights last week to avoid the bathroom construction dust.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month? Keep plugging away at H's student loan. I'd love to get that first digit to a 4 (it started with a 6)! Also, keep any extra costs associated with the bathroom remodel down, including new towels and decor after the fact.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals? Just continue to try and spend as little money as possible.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month? Have another month of minimal mad money spending, which is always tough. I need new jeans, and again, the Nordstrom semi-annual sale is taunting me!

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

In June we started right around $58,000

Since June 1, we have paid $5,130.40

Our current balance is $53,415.50

We'll hopefully be paying $3,425 next week after we're sure we won't have to spend more than budgeted on the bathroom.

Stretch goal for payoff is October 2016

2. Savings success

We'll see what the balance of our savings account becomes after we finish paying the contractor! But the positive is our new bathroom will be paid for, in cash.

$3,513 to retirement accounts (including employer matches), which is a little higher than usual because of a PTO payout for me and a nice bonus for H.

3. Net worth watch

Just shy of $57,500, but will drop some when we deplete our savings to pay the remaining $6,500 we owe the contractor.

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school? In elementary and middle school, I loved reading and social science. In high school and college, I loved history and political science. (Which I credit largely to loving the American Girls books when I was younger!)

cbee817 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month? To save $1000 this month

2. Were you able accomplish them? We were only able to save $500

3. What were your greatest achievements? N/A

4. What were your biggest downfalls? Having to get a new car for DH earlier than we were planning.. the peace of mind of a reliable car and the super low interest rate on the loan made it easier.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month? Keep status quo through the summer (DH is a teacher so he only gets $1000/month during July and August)

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals? Stick to usual budget

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month? N/A

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

Mortgage is $96,185 (15 year refinance - will be paid off in 10 years), car is $23,779 (Just bought it- will be paid off in 4 years), $0 in SL (paid off in January 2013), and if we do sell in 2 or so years, we're hoping to clear $100,000 from our current home for a DP.

2. Savings success We have about 9 months of expenses saved, Roth IRAs are maxed for this year, girls' 529 plans are on a monthly automatic deduction

3. Net worth watch - still doing well +$326,500

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

Math and art

jessica490 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

Just save as much as we can for our upcoming home buy

2. Were you able accomplish them?

Yes! It was a big help to stay with my parents

3. What were your greatest achievements?

Just saving a lot and less bills to pay

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

Putting a deposit on a shed for the new house...it could have waited but we wanted it soon after we moved in

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

Keep saving until our mid-month closing

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

Spending less money, free/cheap activities

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

Keep doing the same things

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

Down payment is coming along good, we should be able to pay the rest of the DP and closing costs with the money we saved up and still not touch the $10K in our savings account

2. Savings success

We are happy with our $10K e-fund and will add a little more after we close on the house

3. Net worth watch

Don't pay attention, but it's high right now since we don't have a mortgage or any debt and only a car lease to pay for

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

Mine was science

simplyelise · July 2015

(I like this format!)

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

Follow the budget, save some for car replacement & gym, put as much as possible to SLs

2. Were you able accomplish them?

Yup! We oddly just don't have trouble following our budget, it gets tight in the last week and we usually have to break out a calculator at our final grocery trip, but we never go over.

3. What were your greatest achievements?

$2476 to the SL. Our goal each month is to try and hit 2500. But we've been putting an extra 100 in car maintenance sinking fund each month lately because I need a new timing belt and some other maintenance. So still, 48% of our takehome went to debt, which rocks!

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

I think just not having any sinking fund for gifts has bit me a couple times this month. I had to use blow money for a small gift for a baby shower that I only found out about once the month had started.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

$2446 to SLs this month. $100 to car replacement fund. $20 to gym fund. And we managed to fit in $50 to help out a friend of a friend in need.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

The budget is the law! We've also been really strict with ourselves that anything outside our needs comes from blow money or extra, usually selling stuff on local swap shops.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

I'm going to switch a prescription over from my pharmacy to my grocery store and get $25 in groceries free. We are on the schedule to bring food for our church small group in a couple weeks. You have to make enough to feed about 15 or so, so we usually give an extra $20 in the grocery budget to cover it. We're challenging ourselves by only adding $10 this month for that.

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

We started attacking student loans in November 2014 and they were about 54,000 then. Today our total balance is $30,998. That means our next payment will take us under 30k!

2. Savings success

Just doing that 100/month for future car replacement. We'll add it on Saturday and be up to $800. Just keeping our efund at $3000 while we pay off SLs.

3. Net worth watch

Around -21,000

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?
It's always been pretty evenly spread for me across the main subjects, but probably English if I had to pick. In college, my degree was Middle School Math & Social Studies. But I got a minor in Leadership and Public Service and it had my favorite course: the Honors College Community Involvement Program which was dubbed "Idealism 101."

lifeonthehill · July 2015

I haven't been here most of the Summer. We went rouge to have a spendy summer of fun! and following the board was making me uptight about money. I can't stay away anymore!

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month? Stay sane enough to only spend H's paychecks.

2. Were you able accomplish them? We have a hard time spending money and have a good amount left over at the end of each pay cycle.

3. What were your greatest achievements? We had fun!

4. What were your biggest downfalls? N/A

August

1. What are your money goals for this month? Continue to only use H's paychecks for the fun. Also get my books for classes.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals? Same Ol' Same

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month? N/A

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff
Debt Free!

2. Savings success
We don't have a goal currently but come September it will be saving for my Spring semester or a baby fund if we get pregnant.

3. Net worth watch

I haven't thought about it too much lately but I think we are at the $21k mark!

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?
English!

csuave · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month? Keep to low spending budget, not dip into savings.
2. Were you able accomplish them? Yes! We did the best since we have been on the low spend budget. A lot of cooking at home and great savings on food--yay garden, finally giving us veggies!
3. What were your greatest achievements? My husband is using the library!!! He used to buy all his books, then I introduced him to half price book store, and that helped, but now he is using the library! I am so excited by this! Also he got a temp job and started contributing to the family account again!
4. What were your biggest downfalls? None. Our washer broke but wasn't a downfall because we have airbnb money to pay cash for a new one.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month? Now that DH has a temp job I want to increase savings by at least $500. This will eventually go to retirement.
2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals? Stay the course, keep meal planning.
3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month? Keep with the plan of minimum spending.

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff. DH SL is not a goal but if/when he gets a full time job I am going to suggest a plan for it.

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?
I loved all my economics classes in college and currently serve on an alumni advisory board to the department.

KatieCutie05 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

To actually stick to our budget and pay extra to my car.

2. Were you able accomplish them?

Well we totally blew our budget...

BUT We are still paying an extra 1700 to my car! It could have been a lot better tho! We made more then we thought we would.

3. What were your greatest achievements?

Paying an extra 1700 to my car and it will be paid off next month!

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

its laughable how bad we are. groceries 150 over and a whole bunch of other things that we bought out of budget.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

I must be crazy because our grocery budget is 325... we've been spending 500! i really don't think this is possible but H said he's staying out of the store. I don't think he's ever walked in there without spending 30 bucks.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

Keep H out of the grocery store, Chicken is on sale right now so i'm going to go to the store and buy enough to make it through the month.

I've gotta start couponing again.... meal planning... buying in bulk... i still don't know if its possible but i gotta try!

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

Getting our grocery bill down and not buying anything we really need because my deductions got messed up at work so my income is going to be like 400 lower this month.

MissChanandlerBong · July 2015

July
1. What were your financial goals for the month?
Cash flow our first family vacation and start saving for our DP.
2. Were you able accomplish them?
Yes, but we did go over budget.
3. What were your greatest achievements?
We were able to cash flow vacation and save $500 to our DP.
4. What were your biggest downfalls?
We got a little more relaxed about sticking to our budget now that we're CC-debt free. Also getting take-out and buying lunch is still one of our toughest categories to stick to, even though I meal plan every week. I also think we have some legitimate expenses that I didn't plan for, and I feel like we go over budget, but it's more of a budgeting issue than a spending issue. I need to work on making a more realistic budget I think.

August
1. What are your money goals for this month?
Save $3K to house DP.
2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?
Sticking to the budget and being more conscientious about the little purchases that add up. Also staying focused on the big picture of getting a house.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?
Rework the budget to make sure it's realistic and then stick to it!

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff
DP is goal #1, so we're hoping to save at least $3K this month. Minimum student loan payment is $1,100.
2. Savings success
So far so good.
3. Net worth watch
We're at around $51-52K at the end of July.

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?
Math! I'm a CPA

orangehills · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

To figure out a plan to reach our goals!

2. Were you able accomplish them?

Yup!!

3. What were your greatest achievements?

We canceled a vacation and saved $4,000. We also made the decision to sell one of our cars, because the amount we could sell it for, we could pay it off and buy another car all for the same price. We just bought a car in cash because it was an awesome deal, so once we sell the truck, we're good to go. Also I paid off my student loans. And we met with a financial adviser and she's setting up a plan for us to catch up on retirement saving.

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

Maybe spending too much on food

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

Sell the truck and reimburse ourselves, and pay off the rest of DH student loans.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

To keep up our budget and save.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

Stick to the budget!

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

pay off DH's loan this month. and then we are debt free except the mortgage!

2. Savings success

Doing good. Have a 6 month e-fund totaling what it would be to support us if both of us lost our jobs at the same time. Now it's time to catch up on retirement and start saving some more for another house one day

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

English, it was my major

dragonstarjk · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month? Set up a payoff plan for our emergency vet trip; start making payments to our porch project.

2. Were you able accomplish them? Yes and no. We do have a plan to pay off the vet bill in two months without having to use the e-fund. Our porch project has been delayed another month due to too much rain at the beginning of the season. All of the concrete companies are behind schedule. I'm planning to put the amount that would have been a payment into savings, so we'll have less to finance--so it's a blessing in disguise!

3. What were your greatest achievements? Our bank just started offering a 5-yr CD special at 2.1% so I jumped on that! We have our e-fund in a CD. We only had $1,000 and were planning to open another CD with $1,000 in October. I really want a CD ladder, but the interest special was too good to pass up, so I pulled the trigger and opened a $2,000 CD to get the rate. Even with the $25 forfeiture for cashing in our current CD early, we will come out ahead on interest earned. We also paid off our mattress set well before the 0% interest ran out, so that's exciting!

4. What were your biggest downfalls? We went overbudget in a few places, so weren't able to save quite as much as expected. I expect things will slow down come September/October.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month? Just keep cash flowing things and getting ready to tighten down our budget once summer fun is over

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals? Getting back into the habit of meal planning; we've been slacking on that a little bit over the summer. Get our vet bill paid off and get ready for the tighter budget once we have our porch to pay for.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month? I'm going to try to have at least one no-spend week in August because I love the feeling of that.

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

We don't have specific plans for any of these as we are not debt-averse. Just pay as agreed. H's truck will pay off in December and then that amount will go straight to his retirement

2. Savings success

Nothing changed

3. Net worth watch

I think it was about $130K when I calculated it for the last post.

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

blondie42107 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?
To keep balanced even with cash flowing the bathroom project.
2. Were you able accomplish them?
Nope
3. What were your greatest achievements?
We were able to keep on track with some categories of spending.
4. What were your biggest downfalls?
Bathroom project. We had some changes as the project progressed.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?
Stay on track!
2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?
Update our spreadsheet more often. We got so busy in July that I didn't keep up and our spending was gray.
3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?
I'm going to try and update the spreadsheet 2x weekly.

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff
Nothing big, just the norm.
2. Savings success
With cash flowing the bathroom, we had no extra in savings.
3. Net worth watch

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?
Geography!
I loved school! I'm getting really excited to take my kiddo back to school shopping even though it's only preschool. We have his supply list and we're taking care of that this weekend. He's so excited!

formerlyGDaisy09 · July 2015

July

1. What were your financial goals for the month?

stick to our baby budget

2. Were you able accomplish them?

yes! we managed to put our daycare and insurance budget into savings plus an additional $500 or so.

3. What were your greatest achievements?

meeting our goals while we cash flowed our slow stock-up of baby needs

4. What were your biggest downfalls?

the grocery budget still needs work. our plan to switch the dogs to a kibble backfired (both ended up with really icky poo) so we're back onto a more expensive commercial freeze dried food.

August

1. What are your money goals for this month?

Keep doing what we're doing. Hopefully be able to cash flow a crib purchase and some nursury decor type items.

2. How do you plan to be successful in your goals?

our approach last month seemed to work...however we've got 3 weddings in the next 8 weeks so that's going to be tricky.

3. How do you plan to improve or challenge yourself financially this month?

I think working with the weddings is going to be enough of a challenge

Status of Ongoing Goals

1. Student loan payoff, down-payment savings, and mortgage or car payoff

We're in baby saving mode...no additional progress being made on these things until January.

2. Savings success

First month successfully operating on our baby budget

3. Net worth watch

meh...we're mid construction on our house so the actual value is in flux...we're probably hovering between $0 and $20K

GTKY Bonus

It's back to school time! What was your favorite subject in school?

I was always really good at Math and Science...but I always looked forward to Music classes (concert band/music theory, etc.) in college it was my dance classes that kept me happy.

July/August check-in.

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