Retirement Goals - Update #2

My retirement date is set for 12 years and 6 months from yesterday!  Can you believe it?!  I think the last six months have just flown right by.  Now it is time to give you all an update of where I am.

Well...

Right On Track!

Whoo hooo!  Music to my ears!

In addition to a monthly review, every six months I do a thorough financial review to see where I'm at.  I am so pleased to be able to share with you that I am right on track with where I should be.  I had my last six month review back in August and then again In February.  Since August I have been plenty busy with my retirement preparations.

In September when I got a cost of living raise and I decided to put it all into my 401(k) at work.  I went in and immediately made the adjustments necessary and it was done.  It is amazing what a few percentages can do and as far as my paycheck goes I haven't noticed it a bit.  Since then I have seen a larger and steady increase in that account and it is exciting to watch it grow.

I'm not sure I have shared this with you, but I have $100 a month budgeted each month to purchase small items and supplies to make things for my future home and I track my spending on a spreadsheet.  True to form, I have hardly touched that money so what has been leftover each month has been added to my debt elimination payments.  Nice, huh?

However, in the past six months I have acquired or created mainly household items.  Some items at thrift stores like vintage canning jars, a sweet set of Pyrex custard dishes, a super fun entertaining set for snacks or desserts (can't wait to use that) and a pretty china bowl for decor or better yet to hold soaps.  Not a lot of shopping, but some and certainly not a budget buster.

This is one I made for a friend last year,
but I wanted you to see the kit I used

I took one of the vintage quart jars, filled it halfway with clear marbles from the dollar store and added a kerosene light kit leftover from the ones I had bought at the beginning of last year.  Now all I need is a glass globe for it and a bottle of kerosene.

I did make one sizeable purchase in October when I bought myself a sweet little Victrola stereo.  But I'm not waiting to use it.  We have really enjoyed it, especially during the holidays.  Love it!

Recently I went through the house and collected items to put aside for the future house.  In my kitchen I found a brand new dish towel I hadn't used with the tags still on it, an extra plastic food storage container and a sweet little cream bottle with a lid.

In my bedroom closet, of all places, I found bars of Yardley soap and two small bottles of eyeglass cleaner.  Sometime in November I added a bottle of body lotion and a bottle of shower gel I acquired at Bath & Body Works with a buy one get one free coupon.  Smells delightful!

Using my great grandma's embroidery hoop

Several projects are in the works.  I finished embroidering the top pieces for food bowl and cake pan covers.  I have all the other pieces cut out and ready to stitch together.  Along with that I made a hanging dishtowel that is waiting for a snap and a couple matching potholders that are almost done.  I also have 3/4 of a scrap quilt top put together and waiting to be completed.  Now all I need is a slot of time to sit down and get them finished.

Most recently, as you have already seen, I completed a granny square afghan and a coordinating throw pillow.  I am really happy with how they turned out and it was such a fun project to do using mostly scrap yarn leftover from previously completed projects, other yarn purchased at thrift stores and a couple more skeins bought on sale at JoAnns.

Now you all want to know how much longer until the new house becomes reality.  Well, amazingly enough, that is only about 18 months away.  I know, right?  Blows my mind that it is even possible, let alone that it is on the horizon.

So for now I keep on marching forward.  My hopes in the next six months are to complete a gob of almost finished projects and the scrap quilt.  Start up and complete a few others on my list.  Find another nightstand and/or a chest of drawers to rehab.  And keep on saving $$.

I think I can manage that.