I have finished 3 weeks at the new job and am liking it very much. I lucked out a lot with this and am very grateful!

During the time, I have been training & exhausted in the evenings after physical therapy for my hand. So I am just now getting around to updates (in no particular order)

- My severance from my previous employer hit my bank account today and went straight to the emergency fund! Just a little over $9.2k

- My new employer pays up to date, so I got paid one week on my first Friday with them and paid 2 weeks per normal pay schedule yesterday

-We have a lot of savings goals - one being a new to us car for my husband. We plan on putting $7k down and then 0% financing the rest. We prefer to keep savings up for the moment given so many issues this year (job loss/change, major medical bills, etc).

-Medical Fund needs to be replenished. We finally hit the out of pocket max and have about $900 left to pay in medical bills. I payment planned it out just to cashflow it instead of stealing from any other savings. Our HSA accounts have been depleted.

- Our 6 month car insurance bill is coming up. We pay it in full by cashflowing. We already have the funds ready to go and are starting to save monthly for the next one.

- CC debt is at 0% still so we are saving cash and paying down. My husbands card will be paid off by the end of the year. My card might be a month or two behind that.

- I set up a daycare FSA from my new employer. I am sad to say that they do not supplement the funding, but its still tax-free, so we are utilizing it!

- Been back on Weight Watchers and packing lunches and its been good for my waist and my wallet!

- I am part of a professional organization where I received an accreditation. To keep my certification, I need to be a member of good standing. My previous employer paid for the certification, recertification and the yearly fee. My new employer is still getting 'authorization. The organization gives a little leeway, but in case my new employer doesn't come through, I have the funds saved from overtime at my previous job.

-Spent a bit more on new clothes - needed more tops than I realized. My closet was very bare of work appropriate clothing! All cashflowed though!

-Now that I have a full paycheck, I am able to rework the budget. That will be the goal for this weekend!

Current Balances:

Debt:
Spouse Card: 8k
My Card $6.8k

Savings and Sinking Funds:
EF (after severance) $16,797.16
EF2 (different place) $21,000.00
Slush Fund (yearly expenses) $252.13
Home Upkeep Sinking $219.62
New AC Fund (we know this will be happening in the next 1-2 years) $167.47
Medical Sinking $280.62
Professional Fee Sinking $295
Memberships Sinking $13.31
Clothes Sinking $10.26
2018 Gifts Sinking $1285.89
Vacation $800
New Car Fund $6100.20
Daughter Fund (for long term savings outside of 529) $502.86

My husband’s job is very stable. However, my work announced in 2017 that our work site will be closing in 2018. 400+ people at our work site. Many have already been given their severance and left. Several groups are still in the office. My team specifically is training a group to take over our work in another site, but the training is not going quickly. Upper management has no real idea what we do, so there is a very good chance that they will end our group before the other group has the required knowledge). So that should be interesting.

Of the people on the team in our state (8 plus our manager), 2 were given 120 day notice in November. They were the low performers. We have been ‘promised’ 90 day notice plus severance of 2 weeks per year employed. Which would be 8 weeks for me.

I have been applying without any luck. Part of it may be the last quarter of the year usually has businesses in my industry in hiring freezes and partly that there are a LOT of people in my field looking for jobs at once in a small area.

My position on the team has special knowledge and I am a Senior (assistant manager), so my position will likely not be eliminated until almost the end (HOPEFULLY). I am looking and have been doing insane amounts of overtime while I can.

This crush of OT + stress of losing my job has led to health problems, stress and all kinds of not fun things. I have to limit the OT for mental and physical health reasons in 2018.

The result of my losing my job is that I was in very specific industry sweet spot where I had responsibilities of a salaried person, but because of a job classification, was deemed hourly and given unlimited overtime.

My salary was also high and overpriced for the area.
Therefore, we are expecting a significant income loss. I will lose 20-30k in OT income plus I will likely lose around 10k in salary income. This is a horrible hit for us. We will persevere though!

That being said, my goals for 2018 are very fluid, financially.

• I have a goal of an average 15-20 OT hours per 2 week pay period while at the current job
• Continue monthly networking events
• Revamp household budget
• Meal plan weekly in an attempt to lower all household expenses.
• Continue tracking all personal and household spending
• Complete cash only gifts/holiday spending in 2018
• Find a new job
• No new debt
• Payoff existing debt
• Post here weekly at least. Helps for accountability
• Continue 16% 401k contribution personally until new job/budget reset

Financial:
1. Get Renter Out – COMPLETED – Had to go through full eviction process. No recouped rent obtained
2. Sell Townhouse – COMPLETED 11/29/2017
3. Cash only gifts/holidays/Christmas. I include all birthdays, holidays, cards, Christmas, Thanksgiving groceries, my daughter's birthday party in this category, so it seems big. I need to add $1249 to this fund in 2017 – COMPLETED within budget
4. Pay off small debt at 0% before it runs out in 2018 $3481.09. Part is medical expenses that I am hoping to just cashflow paying the card for instead of using funds from my HSA. But we will see. – PARTIALLY COMPLETED – moved to another 0% card some balance due to financial changes through year
5. Keep up OT to pay Rental Townhouse Mortgage so we don't have to utilize any further savings – COMPLETED until Sale process
6. Add to Emergency Fund by $5000. Stretch goal is $8000. This would be significantly dependent on goals 1 and 2. – COMPLETED AND EXCEEDED $17k saved
7. No new debt [FAIL – small amount]
8. Continue FB sales of household and baby items. - COMPLETED
9. Continue 16% of salary to 401k - COMPLETED
10. Continue contributing to Childcare FSA for $1666.67 contribution from employer (Automatically set up already). - COMPLETED

401k Update (Self only)

Personally Contributed $11,710.92 YTD
Company Matched $4,391.84 YTD

TOTAL Contributions YTD: $16,102.76


RETIREMENT UPDATE
Current Personal Retirement Balance Total (without Spouse) $141,464.07 (UP from $119,755.27 on Jan 10th)



Health SAVINGS UPDATE
H.S.A Cash Amount: $43.24
H.S.A Investigated Account: $1743.20
Y.S.A (H.S.A) Account: $1916.36

Health Savings Accounts Total: $3702.80


Non-Mortgage DEBT UPDATE:
CC B (0%) $6,281.41
CC P (0%) $2,171.38
CC W (0%) Furniture Purchase $1754.35
CC B (PIF Monthly) $48.48
CC AZ (PIF Monthly) $66.31
CC T (PIF Monthly) $208.44

TOTAL: $10,530.37

SLUSH FUND SAVINGS UPDATE (to be used throughout the year as irregular expenses occur):

Facebook Kid Sales (sale & purchase of items for the 2 year old via yard and FB sales) $199.50
Facebook House Sales (sale & purchase of items for the house) $41.00
Clothing Fund: $60
2017 Gifts Fund $1271.00
2018 Gifts Fund $140.13 (all from free sources of income)
House Slush Fund $329.94
Home Upkeep $52.29
Medical Slush $93.26
Auto Slush $320.84
Membership Slush $52.48
2017 Gifts Fund $1271.00
Car Insurance Savings $195 (paid bi-yearly)


REGULAR SAVINGS:
Joint Savings: $500.19
EF1 Savings: $13,000
EF2 Savings $3855.03
2018 Gifts Fund $587.23 (all from free sources of income)
Nephew UGMA Acct: $947.74
Daughter UGMA Acct: $300.01
Daughter 529: $752.81
CC Repayment: $184

1) OT Hours Goal: 30 hours
2) Savings (not including sinking funds, 529 or kid savings). $300
3) Debt Repayment (0%) $200
4) Cash flow rental townhouse mortgage payment (from OT) $1009
5) Sell a min of 5 items on FB Sales Site
6) Pack lunches of 15 In-Office days in April, I will pack 12 times
7) Continue tracking all personal & household spending
8) Professional Tasks:
a. Complete 1-2 webinars
b. Update resume
c.
9) RENTAL UNIT:
a. Place for sale
b. Keep upkeep
c. Pay electric & water

10) Keep up calculations for utilizing OT to keep on track to max out 401k this year
11) Research larger house purchases:
a. Fence
b. Blinds for family room
c. Pressure washer
d. New bed & frame for master bedroom

1) OT Hours Goal: 60 Hours this month to cover mortgage on rental that is being prepped for sale, $300 per paycheck into savings and a 1/2 of the car repair I put on a 0% card [NOT MET – WORKED 44.92 HOURS OF OT IN MARCH]

2) Savings: $1046 (including Savings but not sinking funds, 529 and Kid Savings). [Actual Savings: $1410.03]

3) Debt repayment $400 (including the partial car repair) [Actual Debt Repayment: $551.05]

4) Cash flow Rental Townhouse Mortgage Payment: $1009 (from OT) [DONE]

5) Sell 8-10 Items on FB Sales Site. Baby items plus household items [DONE – sold over 52 items]

6) Pack Lunches a minimum of 3 times a week (only work in office 4 times per week, work 1 day remote) [FAIL]

7) Do Alt Income tasks (Bing, mypoints and mycoke rewards) [DONE]

8) Continue to track all personal & household spending (I don’t bother with DH’s personal spending – no need to know how much he spent on lunches, etc when it’s his fun money) [DONE]

9) Professional Tasks:
a. Mail Professional Membership recertification paperwork [DONE]
b. Complete 1-2 webinars [DONE]
c. Update resume [FAIL]

10) RENTAL Unit:
a. Complete repairs [DONE]
b. Meet with realtor about putting up for sale [DONE]

11) Meet Tax Professional – Appointment set for 3/7/17 [DONE]

12) Keep up calculations for utilizing OT to keep on track to max out 401k this year [DONE]

13) Research/plan for bigger house purchases: [FAIL]
a. Fence
b. Blinds for 1 room
c. Pressure washer
d. New bed and bed frame for master bedroom

1) OT Hours Goal: 60 Hours this month to cover mortgage on rental that is being prepped for sale, $300 per paycheck into savings and a 1/2 of the car repair I put on a 0% card

2) Savings: $1046 (including Savings but not sinking funds, 529 and Kid Savings)

3) 3) Debt repayment $400 (including the partial car repair)

4) Cash flow Rental Townhouse Mortgage Payment: $1009 (from OT)

5) Sell 8-10 Items on FB Sales Site. Baby items plus household items

6) Pack Lunches a minimum of 3 times a week (only work in office 4 times per week, work 1 day remote )

7) Do Alt Income tasks (Bing, mypoints and mycoke rewards)

8) Continue to track all personal & household spending (I don’t bother with DH’s personal spending – no need to know how much he spent on lunches, etc when it’s his fun money)

9) Professional Tasks:
a. Mail Professional Membership recertification paperwork
b. Complete 1-2 webinars
c. Update resume

10) RENTAL Unit:
a. Complete repairs
b. Meet with realtor about putting up for sale

11) Meet Tax Professional – Appointment set for 3/7/17

12) Keep up calculations for utilizing OT to keep on track to max out 401k this year

13) Research/plan for bigger house purchases:
a. Fence
b. Blinds for 1 room
c. Pressure washer
d. New bed and bed frame for master bedroom

1) OT Hours Goal: 54 hours in the month FAIL: 27.80 hours. Was sick the first week of the month and did not worry about doing OT.

2) Savings: $1046 (including House Savings, 529 and Kids Savings); Actual: $1061.64

3) Debt repayment $100; Actual: $157

4) Cashflow Rental Townhouse Mortgage Payment: $1009 – GOAL MET

5) Sell 5-10 Items on FB Sales Site – Sold 2 items and a 10 pack of clothes

6) Meal Plan all 4 weeks - FAIL

7) Limit lunches out to 4 days in the month - FAIL

8) Do Alt Income tasks (Bing, mypoints and mycoke rewards) – Did, but not consistently

9) Continue to track all personal & household spending (I don’t bother with DH’s personal spending – no need to know how much he spent on lunches, etc when its his fun money) - DONE

10) Keep within budget for Atlantic City Trip. Budget $200 for DH & I. We have a free room, are bringing drinks & food, have coupons for meals and are planning on only playing a few penny slots and enjoying time with our friends. - DONE

11) Professional Certification Tasks:
a. Attend Chapter Event - DONE
b. Complete 2-3 webinars - DONE
c. Sign up for recertification & start paperwork (once work pays) – DONE (Work submitted payment as well)

12) RENTAL:Unless paid up by Day 11 after court date (where the renter agreed to all amounts owed and the judge said we have the right to evict), the PM company will fill Writ with courts for 24 eviction. That would be on Monday the 6th, so wish us luck - DONE - Eviction complete. Repairs started and hoping to put on market asap

13) Set up tax appointment - I normally do our taxes, but with the rental, the rental income loss, etc, I am going to a professional for this year only - DONE

14) Start sale process on townhouse - Pending

15) Keep up calculations for utilizing OT to keep on track to max out 401k this year - DONE

1) OT Hours Goal: 54 hours in the month
2) Savings: $1046 (including House Savings, 529 and Kids Savings)
3) Debt repayment $100
4) Cashflow Rental Townhouse Mortgage Payment: $1009
5) Sell 5-10 Items on FB Sales Site
6) Meal Plan all 4 weeks
7) Limit lunches out to 4 days in the month
8) Do Alt Income tasks (Bing, mypoints and mycoke rewards)
9) Continue to track all personal & household spending (I don’t bother with DH’s personal spending – no need to know how much he spent on lunches, etc when its his fun money)
10) Keep within budget for Atlantic City Trip. Budget $200 for DH & I. We have a free room, are bringing drinks & food, have coupons for meals and are planning on only playing a few penny slots and enjoying time with our friends.
11) Professional Certification Tasks:
a. Attend Chapter Event
b. Complete 2-3 webinars
c. Sign up for recertification & start paperwork (once work pays)
12) RENTAL:Unless paid up by Day 11 after court date (where the renter agreed to all amounts owed and the judge said we have the right to evict), the PM company will fill Writ with courts for 24 eviction. That would be on Monday the 6th, so wish us luck
13) Set up tax appointment - I normally do our taxes, but with the rental, the rental income loss, etc, I am going to a professional for this year only
14) Start sale process on townhouse
15) Keep up calculations for utilizing OT to keep on track to max out 401k this year

JANUARY Financial Goals: Update
1) Pay $463.08 towards 0% Debt: ACTUAL PAID: $866.09
2) Sell 5-10 Items via FB sales site: 7 ITEMS SOLD - Made $18 in Alt income from FB sales
3) Work 60 hours of OT: ACTUAL WORKED: 60.26 Hours
4) Meal Plan each week: COMPLETED 3 OF THE 4 WEEKS WITH A PLAN (It’s a start)
5) Calculate what is needed to meet Professional Re-Certification
a. Make step by step plan: DONE
b. Start request for employer to pay for recertification: APPROVED, PENDING PAYMENT
c. Pay to join Local Chapter (not covered by employer) $30 fee annually: DONE
d. Sign up for 1st Chapter Event (Free with membership): DONE

Mix of personal, work & financial

1. Pack breakfast and lunch for work 3 of the 4 days per week we are in office. There are 2 holidays in January, so the Monthly Goal would be to pack 17 times this month.

2. Drink 48 oz of water every day. Its more than my annual goal, but I want to have a great start.

3. Exercise 3-4 times a week for a minimum of 30 days. My schedule is hectic, so incorporating this time will be a challenge. Once I start working it in regularly, I hope it will be easier.

4. Eat Healthier (nonspecific goal either than high protein, low fat, added dairy)

5. Pay $463.08 towards 0% debt

6. Work 60 hours of OT

7. Attempt to sell 5-10 Baby/Household Items

8. Meal Plan each week

9. Calculate what is needed to meet Professional Re-Certification. Make step by step plan. Start request for employer to pay for recertification. Make plan for if they refuse to pay.

Financial:
1. Get Renter Out
2. Sell Townhouse
3. Cash only gifts/holidays/Christmas. I include all birthdays, holidays, cards, Christmas, Thanksgiving groceries, my daughter's birthday party in this category, so it seems big. I need to add $1249 to this fund in 2017
4. Pay off small debt at 0% before it runs out in 2018 $3481.09. Part is medical expenses that I am hoping to just cashflow paying the card for instead of using funds from my HSA. But we will see.
5. Keep up OT to pay Rental Townhouse Mortgage so we don't have to utilize any further savings
6. Add to Emergency Fund by $5000. Stretch goal is $8000. This would be significantly dependent on goals 1 and 2.
7. No new debt
8. Continue FB sales of household and baby items.
9. Continue 16% of salary to 401k
10. Continue contributing to Childcare FSA for $1666.67 contribution from employer (Automatically set up already).


Health/Household
1. 30 Minutes of Activity 3-4 times a week. So for the year 156 days of a minimum of 30 minutes activity. The Stretch Goal would be 208 days of a minimum of 30 minutes of activity.

2. 5 days a week of hitting 48 oz of water per day. I am terrible with water. So I am setting the 5 of 7 days goal with a stretch goal of 7 of 7 days. (260 days of the year/stretch 365 days).

3. Eat healthier. I don't want to put a weight loss goal on it, but that essentially is my goal. To have more energy, stamina and to lose weight.

4. Mealplan each week.

Work:

1. To refocus myself in the position. I have been feeling burnt out and want to expand my experience in a few areas. I will not be sharing the specific steps
because its work specific.

2. Finish completing requirements for my career accreditation. Need to re-up at the end of the year.