| OP come baaaaaaack! |
Ha, ha, ha. Have you seen how full the restaurants are in DC and Bethesda? Before my DH and I got frugal, we were spending about $750 per month eating out! OK, maybe we just transferred some of those funds to Whole Foods, but it's still a savings... How packed are the malls? People here spend, spend, spend, spend and then complain about their taxes. |
Just catching up on this post...Ha! I'd say OP is a she because of the style of writing...very detail oriented, very polite, helpful, deferential...definitely a woman. |
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Hello, I like this chat, thanks a lot for your kind, and valuable advise.
I'm a bit out of the box case: 60 years (young in heart), Belgian, married, 5 kids, work for a NGO in South Thailand (no payment). I run a handicraft business to support my family = approx. USD 10'000.-/year Rental income from properties = USD 10'000/year (10% ROE) I wrote 1 ebook - but it does not sell yet Current assets: Stocks, Cash, Gold = USD 100'000.- Total net (incl. properties) approx. - = USD 300'000.- No debt. Live somehow frugal. I would love to share my life experiences in life seminars and or e-books. My current goal: current assets of >USD 3 Million |
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My situation is somewhat thorny and unique. I honestly can't think of a better place to get advice without spilling all my beans to family or friends! I am paralyzed about making my next financial moves: 1)as a divorced mom of three, or 2) hold on for another couple of years to see if I marry my BF, which seems pretty likely.
Me: 44, divorced with 2 elem aged kids, and one going to college this fall. Likely to marry my BF in a year or two. My income: 120K, company car, 5% company match which I fully take, 2% profit share/yr, great benefits including $1000 toward HSA each year. BF's income (we are not currently nor planning to live together): ~$175-250K in sales, company car, $30K loan for truck, no company match on retirement, potentially high medical bills due to chronic illness, one child in high school. My assets: Home: TH worth $450, owe $320 at 4.75% (I should refinance but if we get married and get a new place...see?) PITI: $2200, HOA $100, 401k loan on DP $200/mo=$2500/mo payment fully loaded 401K: $360K invested in mix of 1/3 each: Large Caps, Mid Caps, and Company Stock (financial) Retirement Account/ Pension fund: $90K Savings Liquid: $40K in the bank (see paying off CC debt) CDs: $12K 529b: $20K Child Support: $700/mo for two small kids (a joke) My expenses: Debt: $25K credit cards @15%, 13% from divorce costs Mortgage: $321K BF's Assets (vaguely): $500K retirement from prior employer, rolled over to an IRA Partial of ownership (~$150 equity) of a small corporation, hoping to grow the business and sell in 6 years for $3-5M. $50K savings accounts $40K college fund 529b BF's Expenses: Rent: $2K/mo (he rents due to a short sale/ divorce and can buy in another 3 years, assuming it's a 5 year ban for the short sale) Beach house: $1K/mo year round Truck loan: $30K No card debt, no student loans, no liens Child support: $800/mo for 16 y/o Neither of us expects any inheritance from parents, though he could have another banner year in sales making >$500K anytime the market decides to recover. Would also love to hear OP's thoughts on proceeding full speed ahead solo with a refi or selling and getting into MF home w/ a basement rental in the VA burbs, or pausing thoughtfully (or investing in other than real estate) for 1-2 years to buy a new place together. Thanks! |
| Live modestly. |
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OP, do you have a blog? Or any other sites with practical, specific advice like yours?
Also, where would we go if we wanted a good financial advisor, such as you? |
| OP, if you come back, what advice would you give to someone who is just starting out? |
| Me 28 - 60-100K virtually no retirement savings doing 6% contribution and 6% match to a 401K just my first job out of grad school), 100K undergraduate debt currently paid by parents but cosigned by me. Can get rewarded with company stock options. Do not own a home. 10K in savings. |
| OP is loooooong gone, people. |