Taking Care of Business

I think I'm at that place where I've wallowed in self-pity for as long as I can and now I just feel damn angry.  While I'd say I'm better at wallowing than I am at demonstrating anger I need to get things done and wallowing isn't good for getting things done. So...ahem...
                                 BITE ME!!

HEY, not you guys!! Come back!!

You know who I mean! That being said this will NOT be a blog where I pulverize Michael. While I am angry at him I am not a basher...except in my own mind. I won't get into "he said, she said" kind of stuff. He has his own issues to deal with, he's made his decision. Now I need to get off my ass and take care of business because....life goes on.  Right now it feels like a crappy life but once you've reached my wise old age you know there's nowhere to go but UP. 

So I got my budget done for January and paid all outstanding charges on my Mastercard. What with all the renos I was a little afraid of facing this day so I waited until it was a payday to buffer the numbers a little. I also lost a day of pay too so the paycheque wasn't quite what it should be. I now face 2014 with no credit card debt and no debt except for a small mortgage on my PEI home. I've paid off more than half of the original cost and have the amortization whittled down to 8 years remaining. Where I have fallen short is in my savings - I'm short by $1500. Yes - $1500.00!! Not too bad eh? I can live with that. What with interest, tax refund and extra scrimping I can probably make that up by the end of June.

Yes, June 30th is on its way! I have around 180 days left til retirement. The day after new years I am going to phone OTPP (Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan) and get the process rolling - I am going to make it OFFICIAL!! Exciting!!

I went out grocery shopping for the 5 day juice fast I'm going to do starting tomorrow. For those of you interested in the details of the juice fast GO HERE. This is the "Reboot with Joe" site (Joe from Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead fame); scroll down to see the different plans - there's a 3 day plan, a 5 day plan etc. I still felt a little light-headed while shopping - that flu bug was nasty! I also took back 2 large bags full of wine bottles (no alcohol while fasting! - hence starting tomorrow not today!) Now I'm gathering up all the garbage around here which will be no mean feat! I'm making a fresh start tomorrow - JANUARY 1, 2014!!
I don't know what 2014 will bring but anything will be better than December 2013!! Tonight I am getting together with my gal pals for drinks, treats and laughs. Honestly, I can't think of a better way to start the new year.

I wish for you all a blessed New Year, lots of time spent with loved ones whether they be partners, siblings, children, friends or the furry kind :) Love comes in all different sizes and shapes, sometimes it lasts forever, sometimes just for a brief moment in time. Experience all that you can!

                                Me and my Best Girl
                                  December 25, 2013

By the Numbers - Keeping it Simple

It's been a long time since I've talked about those all important NUMBERS: number of days until summer holidays when we can go east again, number of days until I retire and of course - the financial numbers - how much I'm saving and how much I need to pay off. 

Down the side of my blog....WAY down....are my two counters - and I am happy to report that there are only 124 days until summer begins with the annual trek to PEI and only 491 days until RETIREMENT!!  YOWZER!! Getting below 500 days is so exciting!

Below my two counters are the financials. I just updated them and this is where I'm KEEPING IT SIMPLE! There are only two financial bars now plus the one that I've completed which was the repayment of my Line of Credit last year. I could delete it, I suppose, but it was such a HUGE moment I'm not ready to let go of the reminder of one of the most significant financial accomplishments of my life! Oh yes, and the Line of Credit account is officially CLOSED!

It was either April or May of last year that I emptied every savings account I had (with the exception of RSPs) and paid off the remainder of my Line of Credit. It felt a little scary, no a LOT scary but I felt I could replenish my savings accounts pretty quick since I'd no longer be making payments on the Line of Credit.  Here it is 9 or 10 months later and I've resaved $15,000 plus I made a $2400 RSP contribution today. I am still on track to save $100,000 by the time I retire plus I am steadily reducing my PEI mortgage month by month. I've reduced the amortization period by 8 years over the past 2.5 years by paying an extra $42.00 twice a month and when I renew in August at a lower interest rate the amortization will be reduced even more.

Eventually I'll sell my condo and add that to my little nest egg of savings. People tell me I'm lucky because as a teacher I have a defined benefits pension tied to the rate of inflation. Believe me, luck had nothing to do with it. I've had hefty deductions taken off the top of my paycheques for over twenty years now. That's why my RSP room each year is only around $2400. I've put the maximum into my RSP that I'm allowed annually plus 12% of each paycheque goes into my pension plan.

I won't be living high off the hog. Retiring two years early means a smaller monthly pension.  Happily, my needs are few and my wants fewer.  I have no consumer debt and hope to have my PEI mortgage paid off within the next few years. I'll manage quite nicely on my monthly income and can look forward to getting more pension monies as I age - CPP (can begin to collect at age 60 or higher) and OAS at age 65.

 With low monthly costs I'll still be able to save each month to pay for home and vehicle maintenance as well as travel. I plan to have a barn built on my land and renovate my kitchen.

Best of all I plan to watch the sun rise every morning from my front porch - free of charge!