Let me just say I love my commenters. I love different points of view, I love new perspectives, I love being shocked out of my mindset. It's something I think we could all use, and I am lucky enough to have it through people who care enough about what I write to tell me their thoughts. Especially now that I don't feel obligated to publish garbage, I really enjoy my comments.
So, here goes. Help me.
In 2009 (ignoring my severance), I made 44K gross, and Senor made over 100K take home. I believe that in a reasonable job climate I am capable of making six figures. Senor Dog's clients are so diverse that he could easily make it up if he lost even a whole lot of his clients. Unless something awful happens to him, he should make plenty of money. Of course, self-employment is always risk.
So, we have two housing choices.
(1) A generic, but easy to sell, townhouse. Around 350, give or take, depending on neighborhood and size.
(2) The home/office for 450-500 ish. This would be a lot harder to sell if we were in a pinch, however it would allow Senor to scale up and bring clients over and we would have commercial real estate instead of residential if we were to go the landlord route.
Opinions?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A DWI Trial Over
My friend went to trial on her DWI, and she won.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. Well, mostly relief. This has been such a long process, and it just needed to be over.
We've all learned our lesson, that's for sure. Her friends, friends of friends, my blogfriends even (y'all learned, right?), we've all learned. DWI costs you 10K. And that's if you're as lucky as she was and happen to win.
Don't drink and drive folks!
I'm not sure how I feel about this. Well, mostly relief. This has been such a long process, and it just needed to be over.
We've all learned our lesson, that's for sure. Her friends, friends of friends, my blogfriends even (y'all learned, right?), we've all learned. DWI costs you 10K. And that's if you're as lucky as she was and happen to win.
Don't drink and drive folks!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Financial iPhone Apps
I've had my iPhone for forever, and I finally got around to the financial iPhone apps.
Of course, there's a Fidelity app. It lets you trade stocks and such. But... It doesn't let you do Billpay or anything like that, and you have to sign in every. single. time. Ugh. That's a pain if you have a password as secure as mine. I guess it makes sense if somebody picks up your phone you don't want them stock trading (though it would just be within your account?). But for me it's worthless.
Same thing with Vanguard, which doesn't even remember my username.
But my killer app is Morningstar! It's totally sweet! You can make a Morningstar portfolio for free, and it has all kinds of charts and analysis and historical stuff on the full function website. On the iPhone app, I can see how the portfolio is doing, and I'm always logged in! And if someone were to hack in it, there's nothing to buy or sell. If I were a more active trader, I would probably even use the paid Morningstar features, but I'm not there just yet.
Of course, there's a Fidelity app. It lets you trade stocks and such. But... It doesn't let you do Billpay or anything like that, and you have to sign in every. single. time. Ugh. That's a pain if you have a password as secure as mine. I guess it makes sense if somebody picks up your phone you don't want them stock trading (though it would just be within your account?). But for me it's worthless.
Same thing with Vanguard, which doesn't even remember my username.
But my killer app is Morningstar! It's totally sweet! You can make a Morningstar portfolio for free, and it has all kinds of charts and analysis and historical stuff on the full function website. On the iPhone app, I can see how the portfolio is doing, and I'm always logged in! And if someone were to hack in it, there's nothing to buy or sell. If I were a more active trader, I would probably even use the paid Morningstar features, but I'm not there just yet.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Income Disparity
I have been kicking around this post in my head for a while. I've been thinking about whether I should even blog it because it is so raw.
I make $1,700 every two weeks. That's humiliating.
I used to make six figures. I made over twice what Senor Dog did. And I should have, right? I have a bulletproof education, and I'm worth that, right? He hadn't found his groove, and we were very comfortable with his artsy, low paying gig that let him express himself, and my high-paying, expense account corporate gig. Well, except for how much my job blew!
Now, I make $1,700 every two weeks.
As I'm writing a 10K check here, a 5K check there from the business account, this makes me feel worse and worse and worse. How can he be so good at making money and me be so bad?
Now, he's some kind of creative genius who people are throwing money at (with his insanely hard work ethic, don't get it twisted!), and I work my butt off in an emotionally exhausting, thankless job. How could our hours be equal and our incomes so far apart???
I'll admit it. I feel worthless. I used to be a hell of a breadwinner, and now my income is an expense or two on the business account. If not for health insurance, I'm not sure there's any financial point in me working at all.
I make $1,700 every two weeks. That's humiliating.
I used to make six figures. I made over twice what Senor Dog did. And I should have, right? I have a bulletproof education, and I'm worth that, right? He hadn't found his groove, and we were very comfortable with his artsy, low paying gig that let him express himself, and my high-paying, expense account corporate gig. Well, except for how much my job blew!
Now, I make $1,700 every two weeks.
As I'm writing a 10K check here, a 5K check there from the business account, this makes me feel worse and worse and worse. How can he be so good at making money and me be so bad?
Now, he's some kind of creative genius who people are throwing money at (with his insanely hard work ethic, don't get it twisted!), and I work my butt off in an emotionally exhausting, thankless job. How could our hours be equal and our incomes so far apart???
I'll admit it. I feel worthless. I used to be a hell of a breadwinner, and now my income is an expense or two on the business account. If not for health insurance, I'm not sure there's any financial point in me working at all.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Net Worth Feb. 2010: Hooray for Self-Employment!
Net worth Feb. 2010: $217,264 (+$28,181, +15%)
For 2010, +16K, +8%
Months like this make self-employment fun! Sometimes all the checks hit, and it's like wow!
Highlights:
* market recovered some. Still down a couple grand from two months ago. $6,500 invested this month in the SEP IRA. So, about a 9K increase, but most of that is the $6,500 invested.
* still don't have our big tax refund yet. Looking forward to that!
* obviously, a lot of self-employment income.
* Over 100K in liquid cash. Should be easy to make a house deal happen. I hope.
That's a lot of progress toward my $250K net worth goal. To make that goal, we now have to go up $3,600/month.
For the stretch goal, $350K, that would be over $14K/month. Er, that's sounding like a heck of a stretch. But, hey, that's why it's called a stretch goal.
For 2010, +16K, +8%
Months like this make self-employment fun! Sometimes all the checks hit, and it's like wow!
Highlights:
* market recovered some. Still down a couple grand from two months ago. $6,500 invested this month in the SEP IRA. So, about a 9K increase, but most of that is the $6,500 invested.
* still don't have our big tax refund yet. Looking forward to that!
* obviously, a lot of self-employment income.
* Over 100K in liquid cash. Should be easy to make a house deal happen. I hope.
That's a lot of progress toward my $250K net worth goal. To make that goal, we now have to go up $3,600/month.
For the stretch goal, $350K, that would be over $14K/month. Er, that's sounding like a heck of a stretch. But, hey, that's why it's called a stretch goal.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Rich Battered Women
I work with battered women. The weird thing about abusers is that they span every race, religion, income. It just doesn't matter. It's not really about cheating or money or whatever. It's about violence and control. Having said that, rich women usually have different resources than me, or I'm just one part of a larger plan. Not to say it's easy when you have money, it's just different.
Today, there was a woman who lives in a half million dollar house and doesn't work. He held a gun to her head and told her he would kill her. I'm not sure what happened after that, but it wasn't good, I'm sure.
I've never had a gun held to my head. I can't even imagine that from the person I love most in this world. It's hard to even contemplate it.
She was too scared to call the police because she is a stay at home mom and doesn't work. He would take everything, she wouldn't be able to see the kids. He said he'd never let her see anyone else. And so on. Same old. I even gave her a couple bucks to buy the kids burgers because she has no access to the money. Same old.
It's the exact same story every time, just with a few more zeroes. The first sign is that he controls her friends. He always controlled the money, but he gives her an "allowance" so she doesn't spend his money. He might even make her beg for it. She doesn't even know how much money there is, if there is any.
It's always the same. In the beginning, I wondered how these women could be so very, very clueless with the money, but I think it starts out as endearing, as protective. And there is some indifference in there. And you look up and suddenly you have an allowance, you have no idea what he blows all the money on, and you're a battered woman.
I get it now. This is why Suze gives the kind of advice she does with the all split finances and so on. I get it. You have to be an equal partner with separate accounts, no choice. But it takes teamwork, respect, and effort to make a joint arrangement work.
Today, there was a woman who lives in a half million dollar house and doesn't work. He held a gun to her head and told her he would kill her. I'm not sure what happened after that, but it wasn't good, I'm sure.
I've never had a gun held to my head. I can't even imagine that from the person I love most in this world. It's hard to even contemplate it.
She was too scared to call the police because she is a stay at home mom and doesn't work. He would take everything, she wouldn't be able to see the kids. He said he'd never let her see anyone else. And so on. Same old. I even gave her a couple bucks to buy the kids burgers because she has no access to the money. Same old.
It's the exact same story every time, just with a few more zeroes. The first sign is that he controls her friends. He always controlled the money, but he gives her an "allowance" so she doesn't spend his money. He might even make her beg for it. She doesn't even know how much money there is, if there is any.
It's always the same. In the beginning, I wondered how these women could be so very, very clueless with the money, but I think it starts out as endearing, as protective. And there is some indifference in there. And you look up and suddenly you have an allowance, you have no idea what he blows all the money on, and you're a battered woman.
I get it now. This is why Suze gives the kind of advice she does with the all split finances and so on. I get it. You have to be an equal partner with separate accounts, no choice. But it takes teamwork, respect, and effort to make a joint arrangement work.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Negotiating for the Home/Office
I think the deal on the home/office might actually work. We are very close to a number around 450K. Of course, there are still appraisers and inspectors and blah blah blah. But I am thinking this might actually happen.
We can either buy some generic, cheap construction townhouse for $350 next to all the other ones, or we can buy a well-built commercial building for $450. To me, the answer is obvious.
I've been trying not to get too excited, but I really feel like this is the perfect option and maybe this is why everything seems to have gone so wrong for us in our house-buying adventures. We could scale up the business, or just rent out the office for a couple grand. Either way, we have an asset-generating part of our home, which isn't something most people can say.
I am so glad we have so much cash and are just so with it that we have the resources to actually make this happen.
We can either buy some generic, cheap construction townhouse for $350 next to all the other ones, or we can buy a well-built commercial building for $450. To me, the answer is obvious.
I've been trying not to get too excited, but I really feel like this is the perfect option and maybe this is why everything seems to have gone so wrong for us in our house-buying adventures. We could scale up the business, or just rent out the office for a couple grand. Either way, we have an asset-generating part of our home, which isn't something most people can say.
I am so glad we have so much cash and are just so with it that we have the resources to actually make this happen.
Monday, February 22, 2010
A Trial for a Halloween DWI
Remember my friend who got a DWI at Halloween time?
Well, a couple months later, the wheels of justice move very slowly. She is scheduled to go to trial in a couple weeks. Holy crap, a trial? My friend? A criminal?
As for me, I've been taking a lot of cabs, and I have learned more about DWIs than I wanted to know. In Texas, you can refuse to blow unless you hurt somebody or something. She refused to blow. After that you either plead guilty and go to jail or plead guilty and get probation. Or you go to trial, which is what she is doing.
At trial, they show the jury the tape of your field sobriety tests. You get to tell them how tired/stressed out/nervous you are, and you hope they feel sorry for you or aren't sure or something, I guess.
The total cost is going to be well over 10K plus she has to be in court all the time waiting for the lawyer or the judge or both. I'm tempted to go to the trial just to see what it's like but I'm so nervous for her.
So, don't drink and drive! NOT WORTH IT!
Well, a couple months later, the wheels of justice move very slowly. She is scheduled to go to trial in a couple weeks. Holy crap, a trial? My friend? A criminal?
As for me, I've been taking a lot of cabs, and I have learned more about DWIs than I wanted to know. In Texas, you can refuse to blow unless you hurt somebody or something. She refused to blow. After that you either plead guilty and go to jail or plead guilty and get probation. Or you go to trial, which is what she is doing.
At trial, they show the jury the tape of your field sobriety tests. You get to tell them how tired/stressed out/nervous you are, and you hope they feel sorry for you or aren't sure or something, I guess.
The total cost is going to be well over 10K plus she has to be in court all the time waiting for the lawyer or the judge or both. I'm tempted to go to the trial just to see what it's like but I'm so nervous for her.
So, don't drink and drive! NOT WORTH IT!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Power of Goal Trackers
My 2010 goals are freaking hard. And you know what, I hadn't done anything on any of them. I keep looking at those bars, and there was nothing I could do on them. And that to-do list, gah. Is that what being an adult requires? All that tedious nonsense? No wonder nobody ever gets any of this done.
So, I threw in $3500 to the IRA. That means we are 3K from goal #1, at a solid 80% with a couple months to go until 2009 contribution ends. Good to have made some progress on something.
So, I threw in $3500 to the IRA. That means we are 3K from goal #1, at a solid 80% with a couple months to go until 2009 contribution ends. Good to have made some progress on something.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Working and Living
I've been thinking a lot about what work means.
I don't like my job. It's not a good fit for me. The emotional load is unsustainable. I don't have the motherly, give-give-give personality that you have to have to work with battered women (or do a million other women's jobs). I need to do something else. But I have no idea what to do next.
I don't really believe in "early retirement." I don't get why you would want to work at a job that you hate. Ideally, I think I'd like to have a job I love. Something that I wouldn't have to do just to pay the bills.
Obviously it's a really crappy time to be on a job hunt. And I don't even know where I want to go. I keep thinking I can last here for a while and then go somewhere else. But I really don't know.
I don't like my job. It's not a good fit for me. The emotional load is unsustainable. I don't have the motherly, give-give-give personality that you have to have to work with battered women (or do a million other women's jobs). I need to do something else. But I have no idea what to do next.
I don't really believe in "early retirement." I don't get why you would want to work at a job that you hate. Ideally, I think I'd like to have a job I love. Something that I wouldn't have to do just to pay the bills.
Obviously it's a really crappy time to be on a job hunt. And I don't even know where I want to go. I keep thinking I can last here for a while and then go somewhere else. But I really don't know.
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