End of Year Update and 2015 Goals

Been a weird year.
Had insurance covered hernia surgery, it was much worse than I could have imagined, had two huge hernias and needed mesh and the works.
And, looked amazing for maybe two months, and it came back.
Sigh.
According to doctor it's not weight related, but according to common sense it must be, so before I go under the knife and back into hell, I need to be at a much lower weight.
Financially, paid off the mortgage at the beginning of December, just waiting for the paperwork to be filed with the county.
And the house needs work, some cosmetic, some structural, all expensive.
And, dental surgery for youngest at the beginning of the month, around $6k.
Got two big hairy goals for this year, with one long term three year goal.
Max out Roth Ira and Roth 401k, 25k, yearly from now on.
Second, bi-monthly complete projects to get house up to par for a decent sale price.
Third, three year long term goal is 100k for a down payment, so if and when house sells no contingent agreement in the contract, and then just plow sell price back into the new mortgage, with the goal being a totally paid off new home. or one with a tiny mortgage.
Never thought I'd be consumer and mortgage free, and achieved that, so this I guess I'll see.
M.

Financial Thoughts

What a difference six months makes.
I have some recent cc debt, due to yet another surgery and dental bills, interest free for six months on Discover and will have it paid off within two months or so, so meh.
What's left is the mortgage, only $13,500, steadily paying that off.
My next huge financial goal is three fold.
I need to put aside 20k for my surgery.
Would like to start a sludge fund for a new to me gas efficient car, my minivan is not only a gas guzzler has well over 100k miles on it, the repairs are getting a little more expensive each time something goes wrong, and starting in June will be driving a lot more, so looking at maybe 15k.
Last is that I am still trying to get into a bigger house, which requires a down payment of roughly 80k.
This house needs a lot of repairs, updating, and I keep going back and forth between putting it on the market as a fixer upper or sinking funds into it, which is sort of counter intuitive with Rainman's  banging behaviors.
All of the above costs money, of course, so my plan is:
Pay off the cc debt.
Start setting aside $500 a week no matter what to start chipping away at the total needed of 115k.
Just wanted to get this down somewhere.

Money, Money, Money.

  I am roughly still in debt for 35k, student loans, mortgage, everything, which isn't bad, considering where I started.
  In order, I need to pay off:
  SallieMae $8350.
  NationalEd: $5676.
  Mortgage: $18,365
  Credit Cards: $3000, interest free, pretty much paying off monthly.
  This week, need a plumbing problem looked at and fixed, so that will make my balance increase.
  When I get a quote on that, will pay that off first, then transfer SallieMae to a 0 balance transfer, then NationalEd.
  Then it will be only the mortgage, and as I pay that off, will be throwing money into fixing up the house, still need to do gutters, eventually windows, then see where I stand on selling and what I can afford for a new house.
  M.

I'm back :)

Total Debt $59,640

Since last year, it has gone down, by quite a bit actually, but not as much as I had planned. 

Plumbing emergency (which is going to need another expensive visit as the problem is ongoing), medical bills for my youngest for a surgery that was considered "cosmetic" but without it she couldn't walk without extreme pain and blood, upcoming dental visits for same one that may necessitate her going back into braces and definitely will require an expensive implant, and the usual expenses slowed me down, but seeing how far my total has gone down in a year, can't complain too much.

This year's belated goals are to pay off what's left of the student loans and the transferred to Visa private loan (a little under 40k total),and then I'll only have the mortgage, which is roughly 21,500.  My taxes are coming up, I need new gutters that I've been putting off forever and this year I need to replace my mattress and bed, the fridge, and the living room set that has been jumped on way too many times. 

Yeah, we shall see.

Meal plan for the week: 

Sunday:Pizza the Ex pays for, for lunch, then dinner is usually leftover pizza and get yourself some fruit or veggies.

Monday: Roasted carrots and red potatoes, crockpot skinless chicken breast (food allergies, I cook the chicken with just a little olive oil, and let each kid season it as they want), mac and cheese for Rainman.

Tuesday: Chicken fajita roll ups, side of brown rice (just me and babygirl).

Wednesday: Steak and roasted potatoes and carrots (just me and babygirl, she's the one with the worst food allergies).

Thursday: Rainman mac and cheese, me and babygirl cranberry walnut chicken salad with spinach.

Friday: most likely just me, so steak and spinach salad most likely. 

Saturday :Me and babygirl, veggies (of course) and a clean the fridge meal.

Goal is to bake blueberry muffins and oatmeal cookies for snacks. 

Me. 

 

Meal Plan Monday

The joys of motherhood ;)
I used to be fun.
Monday: Crockpot Chicken with red sauce that two will have on sub rolls, and the other two with spaghetti, and side salad.
Tuesday: Pork Chops and baked potatoes with broccoli medley
Wednesday: Crockpot Southwest Chicken with quinoa
Thursday: Spinach steak and side salad.
Friday: just me so easy.
Saturday food shopping, don't know yet.

What's for dinner and a quickie update.

Total: 83604.
Credit Card: 10,004.
I am about to have a root canal (never had one and am really scared), and this will have to go on my Discover, then will do a balance transfer at 0% to Visa, so my balance will go up roughly $2000.
Ouch, but it's needed to be done for a long time, and if I put it off any longer, I am afraid I'll end up like poor quest and her painful expensive root canal.
Should have done this post after February 1st, as the total from credit karma as usual is higher than what I actually owe, but it's close enough.
Menu Plan Monday:
Monday: Spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs (Rainman approved)
Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas
Wednesday: Cheesy Chicken Bake with mixed veggies on the side.
Thursday: Crockpot Hot Sauce Chicken with potatoes carrots onions clean out the veggies.
Friday: just me, so leftovers.
Saturday: Food shopping.
Yes, I am in a dinner rut, and the younger two will start complaining soon, need to experiment with some of my go to food bloggers, like the go to blog to avoid eating out and the OMG I love this blog foodie site.
I made blueberry muffins last night, and will make apple muffins Wednesday, for breakfasts and snacks. :)

2012 Goals

Pay off $10250 credit card debt.
Goal June 1st.
Next is pay off the private student loan that NEVER goes down.
Access Group:$18570.
From June 1st -if I then apply my credit card payment to Access, it'll be roughly ten months, so roughly April 1st 2013.

My other two student loans are due to be paid off in less than two years, but they are federal and had low interest rates.

That would leave the mortgage.

Debt hell has a light at the end of the tunnel.