I NEED YOUR HELP / KNOW YOUR EXPENSES / SAVE THE HOUSE PLANTS / HARDCORE HISTORY / ART OF MINIATURE GOLF
I’M SERIOUS, I NEED YOUR HELP!
I want to provide the best information to my readers, but I need to know what topics are most important to you. Here’s a quick poll that could point me in the right direction:
DO YOU KNOW YOUR REAL RETIREMENT EXPENSES?
One of the biggest mistakes people make in their retirement planning is underestimating their expenses. When we’re working, most people kinda-sorta know what their spending on a monthly basis:
Mortgage + Utilities + Car + Medical + Food + Miscellaneous = A Guess.
One problem is if you have steady income it’s easy for dollars to leak out of your pockets with quick lunches, prizes for the grandkids, and that shirt you bought that will never be worn. It adds up quick. One estimate I saw said people under estimate their monthly expenses by $400 a month compared to what they really spend.
Another problem is today’s inflation train wreck. “Great news” they say, gas prices are going down. But food and housing costs continue to seek a high orbit. The wizards in DC celebrated zero increase in the inflation rate in July, which meant it didn’t go down, it stayed at 8.5%. With saving interest rates at 1-2%, you’re spending 6-7% more every month without buying any more stuff!
You Got To Know Where You Stand
Here’s what I recommend. Give yourself an audit. I’m sure you will be able to give me a million excuses why you can’t do it or don’t have the time but it may be the most important thing you could do for your retirement financial well being.
I did our audit a couple of years ago by setting up a spreadsheet and listing every expense category we have. You’ll see a screen shot of my current handy work, with some alterations to protect the guilty. I took the time to go back and list our expenses for the previous 6 months. I then maintained the effort every month since. Since so little of our spending today is cash, we have detailed credit card statements to detail almost every expenditure.
Using this method I know what our monthly total expenses are compared to our budget and the average for each category so we can adjust our budget as we go. Once this is set up, it takes around 30 minutes every month to update it. Then I go upstairs and give Sue Sue a thumbs up or a thumbs down.
A Bit Of Humor
Tips And Scoops
Just In Time For Fall - A Guide For Not Killing You House Plants
We don’t try to be mean, but sometimes we treat our house plants worse that our younger siblings when we were growing up. We’re not looking to harm them, it’s just we forget they need love too. Here’s an article with some help:
Read More Here - Your Plants Will Thanks You
Reading, Watching, And Listening
Check Out Amazing History Podcasts
One thing I miss about being retired is my long commute. Not exactly, but it was during those long drives that I was able to get lost in podcasts. My favorite was Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Dan covers history from the Romans through the World Wars. His research and story telling is the reason his podcast is one of the best rated. He is so descriptive that you almost smell the scenes. Sometimes I would deliberately pass my exit so I had time to get to the end of an episode. Check it out:
Link To The Hardcore History Podcast
Curious & Odd Picks
The Lost Art Of Miniature Golf
Here’s a nice article about the miniature golf masterpieces that dot the country. It’s a nice history and has a lot of great pictures.
Read More About The Lost Art Of Miniature Gold
A Quote To Chew On
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for”
From The Art of Happiness by Epicurus Via Ali Abdaal
If You Have Anything To Offer, Have Any Advice, Or Would Just Like To Say Something Sarcastic, Please Leave A Comment!