Monday, November 17, 2008

How did I get so lucky?

Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself!

Tammy and I finally feel that we are starting to get a handle on everything. What a relief. The last several months have been pretty stressful in some ways. I don't know if it was the election, the economy, our debts, or our income, but I was getting into just a little bit of a funk. Saying that, if you had asked I would have said everything was perfect, but underlying that I had just this little bit of uneasiness. Now that the election is over, I know what my paycheck will be each month (it was unclear in September as Gov. Culver helped out the educators in Iowa!), and we have some very clear goals. I know exactly where I am going now.

This all might sound crazy as I would probably say I have always felt this way, but now I am cranked up to 11. Tammy and I have been monitoring our spending habits very closely the last few months. We have looked at our investments, retirement accounts, debts, and goals. What became astonishingly clear was that we needed to tweak a couple of things to make our goals happen. Like a lot of people we live paycheck to paycheck. That tends to happen a bit more when you only get paid once a month! Goal one was to rid ourselves of all small debts (small credit card balances), two, save more in liquid savings, three, refinance to 15 or 20 year mortgages. If I want to retire in 18 years this must happen.

This probably sounds stupid to y'all. Overall, on a happiness scale of 1 to 100 I normally am about a 99. Right now, I am pushing 99.9.

Now onto stranger things. Being on the list for Trans Iowa is really going to help me set some fitness goals so I can get out there and get training. I plan on reporting back to this blog on a very regular basis now so I can keep you all informed.

Now.... keep me accountable to my goals! %^)

Happy training.

8 comments:

Andy said...

Save yourself the refi costs by keeping your 30 year mortgages, but paying on a 15-year schedule (if you can stay disciplined to pay the extra). Google an amort calculator to figure the payments yourself. Finally, someone blogging about money!!!

Paul said...

Well Andy, right now I am in year 4 of a 7 year arm. That is why. If I had a 30 yr. fixed I would do it.

B I D W E L L said...

Good too see your out of that funk-those stressors are no fun! but we all got 'em;) TI may seem like a way off - but I got a ways to go to get into acceptable form. Already doubting my single speed entrance. I'll be following your blog as always in search of the magic training tip!

Paul said...

You are so funny Jeremy! I wish I knew something about training! We will have to get together for a ride or three before TI comes!

Reflector Collector said...

Good luck Paul in your training. Who knows, perhaps I will get lucky and see you again in IA.

gjc said...

Hey, Paul, I will keep you accountable. You bet your ass I will.

Andy said...

Oh yeah...I forgot you told me that. Good plan then!

Steve Fuller said...

Congrats on getting in. Gonna be a lot of adventure and discovery occurring in the next 6 months.