Retirement Planner

Last week I was excited to share with you my updated retirement plans.  In spite of everything going on right now I find it is really important for me to focus and work hard on my goals rather than the multitude of conflicting news reports and the negative rhetoric that seems to go along with all of that.  By looking toward the future I find I am better able to cope with the issues we are facing these days.

Last year I shared with you the ginormous day planner I used to plan and orchestrate our extremely busy 2019.  This year I went back to a much smaller and more compact day planner and decided to repurpose last year's and make it into my retirement planner.  And of course I got out all of my scrap papers and some craft supplies because I had to make it pretty.

Using up what I have on hand

First things first was to empty out the old binder and remove all of its contents from last year and give it a good wipe down.  Then I got out a roll of clear packing tape and reinforced the binding that was beginning to tear a bit.  I put a couple layers of tape inside and out.  This planner needs to last me for the next three and a half years and I think it will.  If not, I have more tape!

After sorting through everything I had taken out of it I kept the dividers, leftover notebook paper, page protectors and the pencil pouch.  I used a scrap piece of white cardstock to cut new pieces for the divider tabs and got out a partial sheet of clear labels I had.  Once I knew what I wanted each divider to represent I made fresh labels and put them on the new pieces of cardstock before sliding them into place.  Nice and neat.

New tabs and pretty papers

I had already made a calendar to print out for the final year leading up to my retirement date as well as six months after.  I printed that out and placed it after the divider tab marked "Dayplanner".  

I also printed out my savings goals blog post as well as a color map of my savings goals and added that after the divider marked "Savings".

I have a another tab for "Travel" and "Homemaking".

Travel guide for Europe! 😊

I added a smaller pencil pouch to slip notes and other things that was formerly used to keep my grocery coupons in.  Not sure if I will need it yet, but I've got it do use if I do.

My favorite section right now is one marked for "Housing Plans".  I have a list of qualities I want my next home to have as well as some pictures of homes I'm interested in.  This section really inspires me and helps me keep my eye on the prize.

Planning for a future home!

Lastly I made a supplemental journal to go along with my planner.  I carry this one with me every day to jot down ideas and make very detailed lists.  No detail is too small in my opinion, and it keeps me inspired and focused on a daily basis.  I'll go into detail more on this journal at a later time.

I cannot tell you how much joy I feel having these two journals to work with each day.  Especially right now when it might be easy to get off track and lose my focus.  Right now, more than ever, I need to stay the course and know that a bright future lies ahead of me.

Low Carb Coconut Cream Pie

I made this pie a couple weeks ago and I have to tell you, it is the bomb! 

Low Carb Coconut Cream Pie

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 packet sweetner

1 cup cream

1 cup very cold water

1 small box instant sugar free vanilla pudding

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

In a small mixing bowl combine almond flour, butter and sweetener until it forms a crumbly mixture.  Press into an 8 inch pie dish to form a crust.  Chill in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Almond flour pie crust

Filling will double in volume and be thick and fluffy

In a large bowl add remaining ingredients.  Use a hand mixer to combine until smooth at low speed for one minute.  Increase speed on mixer until filling doubles in volume and becomes thick and fluffy.  Add filling to pie crust and smooth.  Refrigerate for two hours to set.  Makes 8 servings.

Wouldn't this make a lovely Easter dessert?  A little dollop of whipped cream on top of each slice is good too!  I really liked this dessert and I hope you will too.  

Fleet (Vehicle) Management

Managing vehicles can be a process, especially if you have more than one.  Currently we have four at our house.  I have my car and my truck as well as an RV.  All vehicles need to be cared for and maintained if you want them to last and it can be expensive if you don't plan ahead.  In the coming months I'll be going over some of the areas we tackle when it comes to using and caring for our vehicles.

I have plenty of projects coming up with regards to Vehicle Management and so does my oldest.  We both have a vested interest in our fleet and want to make sure we are protecting those interests to the best of our abilities.

Automobiles can be incredibly expensive so the more we can do to keep them up and protect them the better off we will be.  Regardless of the age of your vehicle there are a lot of things you can do to keep them running well.  I was taught early on that if you take care of your car it will take care of you.  I've found that to be sound advice and it has held true.

I know for some people this is not a very exciting subject, but it is an important one.  I hope you'll stick with me anyway.

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Sunday morning I decided to get a jumpstart on my April grocery shopping and headed out early to Cash & Carry, Wal-Mart and the Grocery Outlet.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the stores quiet and decently stocked with the items I wanted to buy.  The only thing I wasn't able to buy was rice, so I'll keep searching.  On the way home I stopped and topped off my truck with fuel.  Once home I put all of my groceries away and did some meal planning for the week ahead.

Both of my girls worked all day on Sunday so I pretty much had the day to myself.  I made a batch of pork verde in my slow cooker and some rice for supper.  They were able to eat once they got home from work, which was at different times and there was plenty of leftovers for additional meals.

Tuesday we ended March on a rather crazy note.  It had stormed all day, super weird weather, and just as we sat down to dinner that evening we had an earthquake.  No kidding!  6.5 lasting about thirty seconds.  Fortunately, all was well and we carried on.  A big thank you to all of you who reached out to check on us too!  That was really nice.

Bacon cheeseburger - Yum!

Wednesday we began a new month and I was pretty happy to leave March behind and see what April has in store for us.  I worked all week, which included overtime, and when I wasn't there I was home.  I cleaned, cooked and kept myself busy planning, making lists and researching information for some small projects I have in mind.

I've been re-growing some green onion roots

Friday afternoon I was at my desk at work and we all felt an aftershock from the earthquake Tuesday.  It only lasted a couple of seconds.  We've been having them, but that was the first one I actually felt.  Pretty crazy.  By the time I left work I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.  What a work week I had!  Right now people are fearful, agitated, anxious and temperamental and I completely understand, but boy it sure can take its toll on a person.  By Friday evening I was definitely ready for some weekend.

I found these out in the garage

Saturday I spent the day in my pajamas doing research on long term food storage and making plans to start a prepper pantry.  I think it is a good idea and it will give me great peace of mind to put this together.  I also placed an order on eBay for some supplies using my PayPal credit account to pay for these items over the next six months with no interest.  Highly doubtful I will take that much time to pay it off, but nice to have the option.  I will be posting more about this as I get busy and put my plan into action.

 I had put these books into my donation bag, but I pulled them back out
Under the current circumstances I think I want to continue using them

I also did some research into some car repairs and maintenance I will be doing this summer and started a parts list.  I also searched for best prices and quality on those parts.  Once the weather gets a little nicer I am hoping to get started.

A really BIG pot of turkey chili

I thawed out a five pound package of ground  turkey and made a huge batch of beanless chili.  My oldest likes beans in her chili so I cooked up a small batch of pinto beans for her.  I mixed beans and chili together for her and the rest is for me and my youngest.  It was really good with grated cheese on top.

Some of the 15 Minute Chores I accomplished to keep my home in order:

Laundry Room & Half Bathroom - vacuumed floors, scrubbed sink, cleaned mirrors & light fixture.  Daily swish & swipe.

Dining Room - vacuumed floor, cleaned dining room table & chairs.

Kitchen -  vacuumed & spot mopped the floor, cleaned microwave, cleaned range hood, wiped down appliances, scrubbed & bleached sink.

Bedrooms & Main Bathroom - vacuumed & dusted.  Scrubbed sink, washed bath mat.  Daily swish & swipe.

Other - two large loads of laundry, vacuumed & dusted living room, hallway & entry, moved living room furniture to clean underneath.

How was your thrifty week?  Are you staying healthy and keeping busy?

Updating My Retirement Plans

Part of my endeavor in 2020 to GYST is to firm up my plans for retirement.  I've already shared with you my Savings Goals for this year and beyond which include some last minute stocking up of $$, but there are some other plans to make and the time has come to make them.  It is hard for me to believe it, but I am less than 3 1/2 years away from my planned retirement date.  Oh my gosh!

In the last few months I've been firming up my plans of where I want to live and a housing plan.  This has been a really difficult decision for me because I am blessed with so many opportunities.  Because of that I've gone through three different plans, have changed my mind, waffled back and forth and done a ton of thinking.  Probably way too much thinking to be honest, but that's how I roll.  I even bought a sweet little motorhome with the idea that I would start out as a traveler and then settle into a place later on.  I'm really glad I bought the RV too, because I've been able to putter around inside and figure out whether it would work for me.  I've come to the conclusion it probably won't and she is now going up for sale.

My current home is quite lovely, but it is more house than I need for one person.  It is also a two story home which could be difficult as I age.  The winters here are quite cold and I do not love the cold weather.  Our city is growing by leaps and bounds and the cost of living has been dramatically affected by that.  I've known for quite some time that I'd be far better off financially if I move and retire somewhere else.

So after a few years of really mulling it over I am back to my very original plan of purchasing a home in Arizona and heading south.  I am super excited about it and I can hardly wait to get this plan into action.  I've shared with you my love of tiny homes, in particular park model RVs and I've decided to combine the best of both worlds.  A little house/RV hybrid will be just perfect for me.  And it the realm of housing they are quite affordable.

I know myself well enough that I am someone who needs a base, a set place to call home, I'm really not a nomad.  With a park model I'll have more room than an RV and less maintenance and upkeep than a house so I can leave and travel as I choose.  A nice park location will offer me safety and security as well as a community to feed my social needs (I'm afraid that if I was completely on my own somewhere I would withdraw and become a hermit as I have those tendencies).  Overall this is a very economical lifestyle that I can well afford so I'll still be able to do the other things on my ever growing list.

My goal is to have all of my finances in place so I will be able to purchase the new home approximately one year ahead of my retirement.  Then I can have that year to move in and set up my new home.  It will also give me time to clear out and sell my current home while making sure my youngest child is all set and ready to take flight on her own.

So that's the plan, back to the original Plan A, keeping things simple and cost efficient.  Could my plans change in the next three years?  Possibly, but I doubt it.  Through everything I think through and think I want to do I keep coming back to this.  This is, and has always been, the plan that feels right.  And if it feels right I know it is the right plan for me.

Financial Management - Emergency Funds

An Emergency Fund is super important.  There are many theories on how much one should stick away, but it is really up to the individual as far as what one is truly comfortable with.  I take my monthly expenses into account so I know the bare minimum amount I need each month and then multiply that by six months to determine what I consider to be enough.  Since I don't want to have to save up a ton of money into this fund I want to keep my monthly expenses as low as possible.

I only touch this fund if there is no other possible way to pay an expense.  If I've exhausted all other avenues and there is simply no other way to meet my obligation then I will use this fund.  Once I've done that I will do everything I can to put those funds back in place quickly so I have them restored and ready in case of another emergency.

If you do not have an emergency fund I encourage you to decided on an amount and fully fund one as soon as possible.  Even if you can put away three or six months worth of funds establish something.  Something is always better than nothing.  And then once you have that in place bump it up 25% to 50% and fund that amount as well.  You will breathe much easier knowing that you have that money in place.  Just in case.  Because, speaking from experience and we are all experiencing it at the moment, you just never know what might happen.

Wrapping Up A Thrifty March

I am so extremely excited with how last month turned out.  February was fabulous too and I went into March with a really good feeling I was going to do just as well, if not better.  It was better!!  I ended February with my low fuel indicator light on in the car and $41 left in my checkbook so I decided on that last day of the month I'd fill up and start March with the needle on F.  Good decision too because the next day fuel prices jumped 10¢ a gallon all across town.

On payday I paid all of our monthly expenses, hit all of my savings goals, set aside a small amount for groceries and then put everything I had left toward my car.  That was a nice big payment, more than I was expecting to be able to make too.  Yay!  Mid month I received my annual bonus and it was enough to PAY OFF the remaining balance on my car with money left over.  I went ahead and paid it off in full and pushed the rest toward my emergency fund goal.  Then on the 20th I paid the mortgage payment, hit my savings goals again, made a nice sized payment toward our medical debt and set aside a little more for groceries.  In spite of everything going on in the world around me I feel like I am making some serious progress!

Staying under budget on groceries turned out to be much easier than I thought it would be.  With everything going on in the world and the panic over COVID-19 people cleared the shelves so I decided not to be a part of it.  We managed quite nicely with what we already had on hand and I only needed to make a couple quick runs for dairy, produce and cat food.  We didn't need to do any other type of shopping either, thankfully.  Until things calm down and we move past this I've put all other non essential tasks on hold.  We can wait to go to the dentist, get the oil changed on the car and pick up supplies for home projects.  Fortunately I have nothing dire requiring any immediate attention.  Instead I will focus my attention on other things I can take care of from home and use up items I already have on hand.

Financially and emotionally I am moving into April with optimism.  As far as everything else goes it is up in the air.  I'll just need to roll with it and pray for the best.  I'm not going to track the plummeting stock market and my 401(k) right now as I know it will rebound and I have plenty of time to wait for it to do so.  I'm confident we will get through this and come out on the other end just fine.  For now I will just take things one day at a time.