Budget Challenge: No-Stress November (Nov 1 - Nov 30)

[glfdtz43]

Update: Fairly uneventful week that allowed me to work and rest. Have saved up enough money for my few treat days next week. Am on track to pay off my credit card in December. Things are looking up but i’m also learning that I need to plan more for the unexpected and that I feel more at ease when I do.

[Gdogg]

UPDATE:
Roth - read Vanguard site info. Might call them just to review. Amount to convert without Fed tax cost determined.
Medical Insurance: Done last week. Confirmation of enrollment received last week.

[Crow]

@Crow

Four goals for the month

1. cancel health insurance - done!
2. do a partial rollover into an IRA
3. track Thanksgiving food spending separate from regular groceries, just to know
4. open new travel rewards credit card

Week 2 check in:

1. (Health insurance) Done in week one. Got a letter from the insurance company yesterday confirming the cancellation, so now this goal is not only done but closed.
2. (Rollover IRA) This week I managed to log in to the originating account, start the transfer process, learn I have to send paper forms to the receiving institution, and print out the forms. Goals for week 3 are to find out where to send the forms and get them sent.
3. (Thanksgiving food spending tracking) Nothing spent yet
4. (New cc) Applied. Status is pending.

Making slow but steady progress. Please feed a stray for me.

Week 3.

1. (Health insurance) Done week 1
2. (Rollover IRA) Didn’t do anything on this. Forms still languishing in my bag.
3. (Thanksgiving food spending tracking) Spent $42 on food for the holiday meals. Still need to buy wine. Spent $20 on extra food for houseguests. Still need to buy bread.
4. (New cc) Got letter from company, called to verify info, and was approved. Still waiting for the card so I can make people warm and full.

[TrisPrior]

@Bracken_Joy

Do you have a crock pot? You can run those with the lid off as an emergency humidifier.

I do! And, again, I’d have to stand guard so that no kitties climb inside and burn/drown their little asses! But, at least I could put that somewhere near me and not be chained to the kitchen. Little jerks!

[anomalily]

Checkin for this week!

• Get a source of income other than OMD Well, success. Starts tomorrow.
• Meal Prepping Was traveling so doesn’t apply. Still below monthly goal for travel food spending and groceries!
• One marketing task per day Nope, was traveliing, behind on work
• Pre-plan ahead my Cyber Monday spending on skincare - Done, spent the money, and kept it all under $25. Hopefully have enough to get me to Feb.

I just want to say how much I love these check-in rewards, @Smacky

[anomalily]

If you’re a sucker for challenges and want to keep the stickers going, we have two year-long challenges kicking off for 2020.

Save 20% of your income in 2020.

20 in 2020 Challenge: Save 20% of your income in 2020

2020 - a new decade - is almost here. It’s time to get ambitious about savings goals. So I present the 20 in 2020 challenge. It’s simple but not easy: save 20% of your income in 2020. If saving 20% of your income is easy for you (or if your income is over 100K) - please use the alternative 20 in 2020 Challenge: Save $20,000 in 2020. Both get the same sticker, but the threads will have people at similar income/challenge levels. Here’s all the 20 in 2020 Challenges: 20 in 2020 Challenge: Save…

or for the high rollers:

Save $20,000 in 2020

20 in 2020 Challenge: Save $20,000 in 2020

2020 - a new decade - is almost here. It’s time to get ambitious about savings goals. So I present the 20 in 2020 challenge. The goal is simple, but not easy: save $20,000 this year. *If saving $20,000 of your salary isn’t practical - or if you make less than, say, $80,000 - consider the alternative 20 in 2020 Challenge: Save 20% in 2020. Both get the same sticker, but the threads will have people at similar income/challenge levels. Basic rules: The goal is to save $20,000 of your pre-tax i…

[Greyweld]

A note about your sticker quality: it’s amazing. One of my stickers ended up on the bottom of a bowl, stuck to it with water. It went through the dishwasher. It is somehow in perfect shape still. HOW.

[anomalily]

Made in America offset printed goodness! Seriously, I care about sticker quality! if you need sticker referrals for specific types, let me know! I have gotten test stickers from most printers.

[Sunflower]

@Sunflower

• Find free boxes
• No new furniture/rugs/etc. for the new place in November (aka no mindless spending until we figure out how we actually want to use the space)
• Transfer renters/car insurance addresses and use this as a time to shop around for cheaper rates
• Have snacks and food plans ready for moving day so we don’t spend money on convenience when tired
• Cancel internet/power/etc. for last day of the lease so we don’t overpay

Other money goals for November:

• Rollover 2 old 401ks into current employers 401k. I have 3 and want to consolidate down to one before possibly getting new job in 2020
• Work from home a few extra days this month (save $$ on gas! be happier! stop stressing about loosing good work reputation!)
• Update resume and apply for any job that looks exciting, even if it’s a pay cut or not ‘prestigious’ enough

Checking in for a quick update.

• Resume is update! And, I just applied for a random job. Not sure I want it but it sounds interesting so we’ll see if they call back.
• I got the paperwork printed for combining my 401k, now I just need to decide if it makes sense to do it
• Most of the packing is done, all of it is in free packing supplies
• Trying to convince myself to work from home tomorrow…things are blowing up at work though and I’m not sure I can handle it from home. We’ll see.

ETA: please give Daisy a treat!

1. Moving is so much work. We definitely ate out for three dinners during after the move. And I purchased four boxes and some packing paper 90 minutes before the movers arrived or else we weren’t going to have everything in boxes. Oh well, not gonna stress. 90% of the boxes are unpacked, and lunches are prepped for the (short) week so we’re back on track!
2. ATT is the worst and we have to pay until the end of the monthly cycle so we’re double paying for internet for two weeks. Boo
3. I heard back from the random job that I applied to and have an interview set up this week! This is too fast…I don’t want to leave my job until Jan/Feb. I’ll interview anyway in case it’s amazing. It is a huge pay cut but might be interesting to do for a couple years?

[diapasoun]

Am back on top of tracking. Life feels good. Unf.

ETA: We have awesome 2020 challenges (yesssssssss) but do we want anything for December?

[anomalily]

@diapasoun

ETA: We have awesome 2020 challenges (yesssssssss) but do we want anything for December?

I was wondering if some sort of “get your shit in order” challenge would be useful? Like clear out those to-dos for the year (cancel cards with annual fees, figure out why auto-links are broken, deal with HSAs, etc)?

Or maybe a holiday spending ~plan~ challenge. I know it’s not the holidays for everyone (me included) but if you live in a majority Christian country, there’s plenty of festive spending pressure no matter if you celebrate.

[anomalily]

ETA: Or a very easy challenge, join the OMD patreon during December 1 - Jan 10th when we’ll be running the matching challenge (every new patron’s pledge will get doubled by a special matching patron meaning $2 a month turns into $4 a month)

[diapasoun]

I would find both of those handy, tbh. I need to get some paperwork shit together (a will??? I have a cat, she needs provisions™) and have been thinking about moving my HSA, plus my Decembers get expensive because of plane tickets to visit my parents and giving Christmas gifts despite not being Christian.

Also that is SUPER COOL re the matching!! Yay!

[daffodil2001]

@anomalily

I was wondering if some sort of “get your shit in order” challenge would be useful?

Yes, I find forum peer pressure and badges more motivating than the inherent benefits of having my shit in order.

[bucketsofrain]

I think a get your shit together challenge would be awesome!

[CalBal]

I also need to get paperwork shit together, and it probably won’t happen in November…

[JRA64]

I could use a get your shit together challenge too. I’m not sure what my goals for that should look like…

[Crow]

@JRA64

I’m not sure what my goals for that should look like…

Mine would include dealing with this stack of papers (mostly $ related) which has been growing all year.

[JRA64]

So, I just messed up the time of a hike this morning. Arrived at the carpool site when we were supposed to be at the trail head. How do I quanitify something like getting my schedule organized / not over-scheduling / being on time?

[GJT]

A minor challenge for December would be a clean up in the first week or two and then get what can be donated so that it can be sent out to the needy in time for the holiday?

Works for us as we get the kids to donate unused toys which go to St Kilda Mums.