I Defied The Odds!

 

Single parents tend to get a bad rap and to be honest, a lot of single parents do use their “single status” as an excuse as to why they go into debt, can’t make ends meet, have no savings or fail at whatever “married couples” succeed at so that isn’t helpful.  Dual income families are deemed to be more successful than single income families.  In fact, it is often thought that it is impossible to succeed without two incomes.  Fortunately for me, that hasn’t been true at all.

 

I became a single mom, a very determined single mom, in 1987.  I wanted the best possible life for both of us so when my son was six months old I put him in daycare, enrolled at a technical college and went back to school while working a part time job as a CNA at a nursing home to make rent and pay the bills.  I took out the minimal amounts in student loans I could and practiced super frugality.

 

Once I was out of school and had a job in my chosen field my focus was to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible while continuing to live frugally.  I also participated in my employer’s 401(k) plan as soon as I was eligible.  They matched 3% so I made sure to contribute what I needed to in order to get those matching dollars so I didn’t leave anything on the table.  I didn’t make a whole lot, but I made that and company health insurance benefits a priority.

 

The first thing I did after I got that job and filed my income taxes was to use that money to fund a $200 emergency fund and stock my pantry.  The next year I added to my savings and restocked my pantry and again the following year.  Consistently doing this fueled me to keep going.  After eight years of scrimping and saving I had saved enough for a down payment and I bought my first home.  I continued to save money, upgrade and improve my home and raise my son.

 

In 2000 I submitted my application to adopt my older daughter and three years later I did it again to adopt my youngest child.  I raised three wonderful children, kept them healthy, well fed, provided them with opportunities and extracurricular activities, like tee ball, taekwondo and karate, band, orchestra, dance, etc. and never made excuses.  We had pets, family vacations, camp trips and fun.  All of my children have been to Disneyland.  We didn’t just survive, we thrived.  Bonus points – all of my kiddos have gone to college and have degrees.

 

My parents did not pay for their children to attend college and neither did I, but we all went.  We figured it out on our own.  My parents instilled in all of us kids a strong work ethic and taught us how to be capable, resourceful and responsible adults and I carried that forward when I raised my own kids.  I also taught my children about money and how to save and responsibly spend it.  The biggest thing I did was to set a good example for them follow.

 

In the process I was able to live a thrifty, debt free lifestyle, launch my kids out of the nest with the tools they needed to live out in the world on their own and save for my retirement.  Then I retired early at age 57 after forty eight years in the workforce.  Yes, I had my first job at age 9 and my first savings account at that age too.  Prior to that age I had a piggy bank where I saved my change and squirreled away whatever I could “for a rainy day”.

 

I did a lot of side hustles along the way - babysitting, bookkeeping and tax preparation, graphic design, sewing and alterations, you name it, I did it.  Likewise, from an early age my children did too – babysitting, house and pet sitting, working fast food and at the neighborhood grocery store.  Like me, they all spent a little and saved most of their earnings so by the time they graduated high school they had quite a nest egg to start off with.  They also had a car, bought and paid for along with the basic knowledge to take care of that vehicle.

 

I made no excuses, tried hard, worked harder and always lived well below my means while I saved and invested money for my future.  Now that I am retired I do have a part time job which covers my groceries, gas and monthly expenses so I can continue to grow my wealth and be better prepared for my future when working is no longer an option for me.  As I sit now, if I were unable to work due to a change in my health or a job loss I’d be okay.  Knowing that I am financially set for the remainder of my life because of all the hard work I’ve put in so far is an amazing place to be.  If a single woman can accomplish this on her own while raising a family, then anyone can.  No excuses.

 

Now That I'm Out

 

I submitted my resignation, my last day of work was March 31st and my first official day of retirement began on April Fool's Day of all days.  Am I a fool?  I now know I would've been a fool to continue working.

 

I placed myself on house arrest for the entire month of April and even went so far as to declare it a no spend month.  I know me.  Before I even submitted my resignation I was making lists of all the things I needed to get done right out of the chute.  The list was HUGE and ridiculous.  I threw it away.  I knew I wasn't in very good shape, physically or mentally.  I just didn't realize how bad I actually was until I was face to face with myself every day, no distractions. The sheer physical exhaustion was almost overwhelming.  I couldn't seem to get enough rest, I was so incredibly tired.  The emotional exhaustion was unbelievable too.  Those first few weeks were a struggle and initially I kept chastising myself for not being productive or motivated enough.  Once I realized what I was doing I stopped that.

 

Fortunately, I've had plenty of time to come to terms with all the things I've been feeling, thinking and dealing with.  The biggest realization occurred one morning when I woke up with this one very real thought.  My workplace was incredibly toxic.  The environment and the culture in which we worked was not mentally healthy and the sheer enormity of the amount of work each of us was expected to perform was outrageous.  It is no wonder so many of my colleagues are sick and several have actually died.  Young.  Stress makes people ill and it will kill you.  Oddly, I almost feel like I was released from prison and now I'm having to acclimate to life on the outside.  It is really hard to describe.

 

Now I get up each morning and I thank the Lord for the day he has given me.  I sip my coffee and I breathe.  I only do the things I want to do.  It has been just over a year since my last heart attack at the age of 56 and now, I finally get to heal.  My only focus is to get better, stronger and to have my life back.  On my terms.  No giant lists of things I need to get done, no commitments or obligations I don't want to do.  Just living my best life.  I've got a ways to go, but in time I know I'll get there.

 

Trade Offs Are A Great Option

 

There is nothing quite like a health scare or life events (or even world events) to really make a person take pause and reevaluate the path one is heading down.  Often in life we are faced with wondering if the path we travel is truly the path we should be on, however far too many times we will just continue on.  It takes a lot of strength and courage to realize the path you are traveling isn’t correct and actually do something about it. 

 

Fear is a powerful opponent when it comes to making changes.  Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear that you might get hurt or sick, fear that you might be wrong.  Most of our fears when it comes to change are typically completely unfounded and we need to be realistic about that.  The things that we worry about and lose sleep over usually never come to pass.  So, it is with that knowledge that we need to set aside our fears, power through and carry on.

 

I have always wanted to retire early and when my health became compromised I realized I needed to retire early.  That desire now became a priority and I began to work really hard to get ready for my retirement.   As I was doing this I also realized that if I was willing to live more thriftily I could retire even earlier than my original plan. 

 

At first I was hesitant, but then I re-read a book I had, Your Money Or Your Life, and I quickly realized that not only could I do it, but that I should.  It is all about trade offs and I am quite willing to stop the 9 to 5 rat race and live my life frugally in order to gain my freedom.  I am definitely quite willing to live frugally and stop working to make someone else wealthier.  Time and freedom are now my preferred currency. 

 

If you have any desire to change your current situation, leave the daily grind, retire early or just change jobs I want to encourage you not be afraid to do it.  Read books, watch videos, do your research.  Get ready.  Take the leap.

 

Why Now?

 

I am 57 1/2 years old.  Two years ahead of Plan A and a year ahead of Plan B+, but the truth of the matter is I'm exhausted.  I am mentally and emotionally drained and completely burned out.  I have been coming home from work and literally collapsing into my recliner each evening with no energy left in me to do another thing.  It would take half the weekend to recuperate and rally once again on Sunday.  Then I'd start over.  The pace of work and overtime hours combined with all the stress and pressure a pandemic adds has been taking its toll for a while.  My entire team is completely wrung out.  And as much as I hate to abandon them and make their situation worse, I just couldn't do it anymore.  I was traveling a similar path from a year ago and we all know how that turned out.  I was headed for disaster.

 

In February it hit me full in the face, I don't think I can do this anymore.  I loved my job.  I was a VA patient care coordinator and I worked with veterans.  It was an honor for me to serve those who have served so many and sacrificed so much, primarily their health and wellbeing.  I am very proud of how I did my job and took care of those men and women.  But now, I have to take care of me.

 

I was able to determine that if I live very frugally for the next two years retiring early will not impact my finances nearly as much as I feared it might.  The difference will be nominal compared to what might happen if I were to persevere and ended up with another health setback.  Not to mention, I really don't want any health setbacks.  Which brings me to another thing.  Like my veterans I was sacrificing my health and wellbeing.  And the truth of the matter is that the corporation I work for could really care less about that.  The only person this was affecting is me and I don't owe them my life.  In fact, I don't owe them anything.

 

Add in the office politics (things have become messy) and a boatload of daily drama (insert eye roll here) and it begs the question.  "Why am I still here?"  It is a question my colleagues and I found ourselves discussing almost daily.  Nothing changes unless something changes.  So I mustered up the courage and submitted my resignation.  And I made the leap.  It isn't what I originally had planned but…..  I can do this.

 

You're Going To Want To See This!

Big news to share.  Click here to find out what it is.  No foolin'!.   

Making My Goals For 2022

 

I have a lot of goals mapped out for the new year, too many to put into one post actually.  I think I will be breaking them down and sharing them in smaller increments.  But, what I do want to share with you right now is how I came up with those goals.

 

Last month I grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil and did a huge brain dump.  I listed out all of the things I would like to accomplish.  Then I went back to each item and wrote out in more detail what each goal would entail.  The next day I went back over that list and fine tuned it.  Then I gave it a few days and went back over the list removing things that no longer seemed important and adding in more details on the ones that were.  By the time I was done I had it all written out on one sheet of paper and I am ready to get to work.

 

When it comes to setting goals I make sure they are reasonable, attainable and important enough for me to spend my time on.  My goals need to enhance my life adding value and quality.  Otherwise, I don't see the need to do them.  Some of my goals are things I need to do and others are things I wish to do, but at the end of the process what is actually on the paper needs to be important.  Now that my list is complete I'm excited to get working on it.  Stay tuned to hear more details about the goals I've set for myself, either here or on my new blog.  I'm super excited about my plans.

 

Have you set any goals to complete this year?  I'd sure love to hear about them.

 

A New Blog!

I have something exciting to share.  I've started a new blog and it launched this weekend on New Year's Day!  Rather than spill the beans here I want to encourage you to check it out.  I'm about to embark on a whole new chapter in my life and the new year seemed like the best time to start something new.  I'm super excited about it.

I will continue to post here this year as I prepare to transition over to the new blog.  I do hope you will follow along with me onto my next adventure.  It has been a boatload of fun having all of you tag along with me.  Happy New Year everyone!

Warning! Blog Changes Are Coming!

 

Not to worry, I am not going away.  It is just time for me to make some changes.  And change is good!  I want to give you a heads up that after the new year this blog is going to be a little different.  And!  I have a surprise for you as well.  But!  I'm going to make you wait until the new year to find out what this is all about.

 

I know some of you love cliffhangers and some of you really don't.  And some of you don't mind change and others really hate it.  But, it will be good, that much I can tell you.  In order to grow we all have to change at some point.

 

This has been an incredible year for me, as so many of you are aware, and it is time for me to switch gears a bit and prepare for my future.  A different future, which is pretty exiting really.  And!  I can't imagine doing it without all of you either.  Stay tuned, updates are on their way!

 

Prepping For Retirement

 

I'm about six months behind (plus some) in my progress of pretty much everything I had planned to do this year.  That's completely okay, but one of the things I've decided to get back to work on is my prepper pantry.  We've managed to maintain it pretty well this year, mainly because we haven't had the need to dig into it much, but with retirement looming up ahead it is time to really think about what direction I want this prepper pantry to go in.  And I've decided I want it to go in the direction that will best serve me in my retirement years.

 

Before you decide on anything make sure you read the ingredients list

I've long thought it would be really good to add some freeze dried options for even longer term food storage.  Freeze dried foods can last up to twenty five years until they are opened and have a good long shelf life even once they are open.  I did quite a bit of dehydrating last year and I love that I can put away dried foods in a much smaller space with a good long shelf life.  Meats, however are one of those items I feel would best serve me long term if they are freeze dried.  You get a lot of food in a #10 size can of freeze dried meat, or vegetables, or pretty much anything for that matter, so again you can pack a lot of servings into a much smaller space.  The #10 cans are expensive, but when you look at the number of servings inside they are much more economical than the smaller cans and the pouches.  I just want the basics - diced chicken, diced beef and ground beef.  I think that would be perfect to add to the other things I already have in my prepper pantry for good meal preparation and no need for a lot of space or any refrigeration (such as in a motorhome).

 

This year I was hoping to add some cans of freeze dried meat so that by the end of the year I would have two cans of each of the meat options I want.  Then once that was complete I would re-evaluate where I am to see if I want to add more or some other items altogether.  I've shopped around online quite a bit and will be placing my first order with a company with the best price and they offered free shipping.  And they have what I want in stock.  After all the pandemic shopping a lot of companies are still struggling to keep up with demand.  Plus they use PayPal.  In order to get "caught up" a bit I was able to place an order for four #10 cans of freeze dried meat - ground beef, diced beef, diced chicken and because of the discount they offered me for purchasing three cans I added ground sausage.  It ended up being just over $100 for all of it making one of the cans essentially FREE.  You all know how much I like FREE groceries!  The other three cans averaged less than $37 each which, if you've priced freeze dried foods ever, is a screaming good deal!!

 

Are any of you working on a prepper pantry?  Are you adding, changing, expanding or rethinking anything you've done so far?  I'd love to hear about what you are doing.

 

100 Hikes

 

Recently I came up with the idea that I wanted to track and complete one hundred hikes when I retire.  I love to go hiking and get outdoors in nature.  I see so much and I love the beauty that surrounds me.  In the spring the creeks and rivers are running at full tilt from the winter snow melt and the wildflowers are abundant.  By summer the trees have fully leafed out and there are different flowers.  Fall is spectacular all unto itself with the changing colors and gorgeous foliage.  The crisp air, freshly fallen snow and glory of winter is breathtaking.  The places I can go.  The things that I will see.  The mountains I can climb.  Creeks, rivers, lakes, waterfalls.  It sounds glorious.

 

I have been putting together my gear and have already tried some of it out.  You already know about my new hiking boots.  A couple weeks ago I picked up a tactical bumbag to carry supplies in around my waist and free up space and weight in my daypack.  I'm still working on the supplies part.  I also bought a telescoping hiking pole to try out and so far I like it.  I now plan to purchase another one to keep in Laverne.  I have a bright neon green safety jacket in the closet.  New gloves and a hat are on my list as well as socks and hiking pants with the zip off legs.

 

I love the Sawtooth Mountains

Another purchase I made is a gently used book off of Amazon listing a gob of hiking trails in the greater Boise area.  Even though I've lived in the area pretty much my entire life there are a lot of things I don't really know and feel I should.  I'm using it now.  This has given me the idea to pick up a few more books to keep in Laverne.  I won't always have internet access so maps, books and an atlas make a lot of sense to me. Plus, I like books so a handful of hiking and adventure books will be a good thing to have on hand.

 

No better place to greet the sunrise

I'm "practice" hiking at the  moment.  But I can tell you that since I created this goal I've been extremely excited about it.  I'm really chomping at the bit to get started.  One of the places I yearn to go is Yosemite.  And back to Yellowstone and Grand Teton.  Glacier National Park is another one on my list that I haven't been to since I was a child.  The Olympic forest in Washington state too.  We have so many treasures in our country.  I'm just itching to get started.

 

Laverne - What Is Making The Cut?

 

Last week I talked about my current plans for Laverne and for early retirement.  I am ever so excited about it and I have so much to do to prepare and get ready.  Laverne is a 19ft motorhome that I've been restoring since I purchased her in the spring of 2017.  Since then I have been working to restore her interior and exterior as time and finances have allowed. So far we have taken her on only one adventure to test her out and determine what needed to be done and I was very happy with her performance.  The biggest thing that keeps her grounded is that she needs new tires, six of them.  So for safety sake she is not allowed out of the neighborhood.

 

One of the large storage bays I've refurbished

Inside Laverne has an amazing amount of storage as well as a few smaller storage areas you can access from the outside.  Over the years I have cleaned all of those storage bays up and refurbished them so they are really nice, clean and very usable.  So what do I plan to put inside my motorhome?  That is a really good question!

 

Lightweight & durable

Food & Kitchenware - I will do a whole other post on this particular subject.  As you might imagine I've got a good list going and a lot of ideas.  You may remember last year I found a vintage set of melmac dishes on eBay.  They were still in their original box.

 

CDs & DVDs - I plan to spend a fair bit of time in remote areas without wifi or cell service so I will be old schooling it a fair bit.  I don't want any subscription services either so streaming music isn't my bag.  Laverne has a nice stereo in the cockpit so depending on what kind of a day I'm having this hard rocking mama has it covered.  I had put my old laptop in to use as a TV and it has a DVD player so I can watch my favorite movies like Tombstone or My Cousin Vinny.  When I'm in town and have a wifi connection I can watch Youtube or Amazon Prime.  Prime is probably the only thing I will keep and Netflix will likely go.

 

I got this vintage sewing box to store my supplies in
I already know where it will go inside Laverne

Craft & Sewing Supplies - I have designated a fair bit of my storage space to this because crafting and sewing are going to be a huge part of my retired life along with the travel and outdoor activities.  I've been downsizing, sorting and organizing these things quite a bit so not only will these things fit in Laverne but so they are more manageable too.  I'll do another post on this too.

 

Quality Shoes & Good Clothing - I have one closet for hanging items and several bins.  Most of the bins will be in the cabover sleeping area next to my bed.  I am still working on my "bedroom" storage areas and I'm sure there will be a post about that as well.

 

"New" active wear from the thrift store

There is much more that will be added to her and of course I will need to keep weight in mind so I don't overload her.  A common mistake made by a lot of people is to overload their RVs.  Fortunately Laverne is a very rugged all season motorhome with a steel frame and a solid chassis and I know that I don't need a whole lot to be happy so weighing her down isn't a huge concern but I do want to be mindful.  More posts to follow on how I get her road ready and outfitted.  I'm definitely in my happy place!

 

Change Is Constant - Finding My "New Normal"

 

Oh my gosh!  2021 has been a wild ride for me so far, but while I've had my fair share of frustrating days I'm not about to give up or give in.  No way!  While I have no qualms or concerns about death or dying I sure don't feel the need to just sit back and wait for it to happen, because who really knows?  That day could be anytime, tomorrow or decades from now.  A couple weeks ago I decided to just get on with it and get back to living.  Is this what my doctor wants me to do?  Well, sort of…  but not exactly, however I'm just not one to sit and vegetate.  It drives me nuts and it is stressing me out!  I do not plan to do anything stupid or jeopardize my health, but at the same time I've got to do things.  I've got to live and that is what I plan to do.

 

I was discussing this at length with a friend of mine who knows me pretty darn well.  He asked me if I could be fully retired and ready to pull Laverne out of my driveway in 20 months.  Without hesitation I said yes!  He is retiring (early also) in 21 months and he has challenged me to do pretty much do the same.  He knows I'm ready, I know I'm ready and with all that has just happened to me this year I feel this is something I seriously need to do.  I've done a whole lot of thinking, soul searching, financial planning and talking with my girls.  I need to be done so I can get on with life and do all those things I've been planning to do for a very long time.  It really needs to be this way.  Now I am officially in retire early mode.  So what does that mean exactly?  Well let me tell you.

 

We are so close to completion!  Click here to see inside!

Laverne is a HUGE part of my plan.  She will initially be my home, my transportation, my safe haven and most importantly my adventure mobile.  In the next year I will be getting her ready to hit the road with new tires and batteries last on the list so both will be as new and fresh as possible since right now I do not know exactly how long I will be living in Laverne.  But I will tell you I am super excited about this!!

 

Downsizing, organizing and preparing what is inside of my house and preparing to sell our home will also be a big part of my process.  Right now the plan is to rent a small storage unit in about a year and a half to set up and store the personal belongings that are most important to me.  This will also act as my home base, if you will.  A place where I can swap out things I need with items I no longer currently use.  A space to store my overflow and extra items so I can keep Laverne as clutter free as possible.  Sporting equipment will be here, off season clothing, bulk items like T.P., laundry detergent, etc.  You get the idea.  It will basically be a giant closet.

 

A new wardrobe is going to be necessary as well and right now I am working on that.  I've been shopping for new, durable and comfortable footwear and thrift store shopping for clothing items that will fit my new life because obviously my current office wear isn't going to cut it.  So far I have a brand new pair of hiking boots (the catalyst that has spurned me in this direction), light jackets and leggings in a variety of lengths, some active wear tops and a good pair of winter boots.  I also have an insulated fluorescent lime green and black safety jacket for being out in the woods or to wear when I'm on my bike.  I'll need a few more active wear pieces and other clothing items for various activities and weather conditions so I will keep hunting the thrift stores but I am already off to a good start.

 

There will be BLM land, forest service land, campgrounds and RV parks in my future.  Lakes, rivers, creeks, hiking trails, mountains, deserts, kayaking, fishing, campfires, rocks, dirt, water, rain, snow and sunshine.  Loads of fresh air, exercise, beautiful scenery and new people to meet along the way.  Can you tell I'm a little bit excited?  This is what I need!  This is what is in my currently bruised and battered heart.  This is what is going to heal me.

 

I've got gobs of ideas!

I spent an entire afternoon in Laverne figuring out the last of the improvements I plan to make and coming up with good storage solutions for the things I want to take with me.  With the help of my girls and a few friends we are drawing up plans to get me ready to roll.  We are also making up a plan of what we want to talk to my cardiologist about and my oldest is planning to go with me to my appointment in July.  At the time of that appointment I will only have eighteen months left until my retirement date!  That is not a lot of time at all.  I better get busy!!