I went on a fancy dinner date and was actually able to pay the whole check + tip without stressing over a possibly declined credit card :/ . Then fun times were had afterwards.

I'm happy for you but feel pretty bad about my lackluster/crappy finances at 34. Not a lot of debt but no where near any of you w/r to retirement funds, home equity, savings, cash on hand. Most days I'm content with our simple/frugal lifestyle, but then I read threads like this where I realize DH and I are so far off in terms of meeting solid financial goals.

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

This brought a happy tear to my eye. Some people in America actually do care about more than themselves.

"How a society treats its most vulnerable members - children, the elderly, those without property, and young mothers - is the true measure of how civilized that society has become.

Six week vacation in France with my two kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

How much leave are you giving her?

I did the same thing with my nanny. I gave her 8 weeks paid, and I paid her cousin, who subbed for her not only for my kids but for an additional 5-8 hours per week to help her with the baby. I'm a lawyer too.

You are both awesome to do this.

+1. Agreed!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

How much leave are you giving her?

I did the same thing with my nanny. I gave her 8 weeks paid, and I paid her cousin, who subbed for her not only for my kids but for an additional 5-8 hours per week to help her with the baby. I'm a lawyer too.

You are both awesome to do this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

How much leave are you giving her?

I did the same thing with my nanny. I gave her 8 weeks paid, and I paid her cousin, who subbed for her not only for my kids but for an additional 5-8 hours per week to help her with the baby. I'm a lawyer too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

How much leave are you giving her?

Six weeks worth. I know it is not as much as I got at a law firm, but she comes one day a week and I am hoping some of the other clients also do it. I have not asked her that. This is her second child and I did it with the first one too.

Anonymous wrote:I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

How much leave are you giving her?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have ten dollars in quarters in my car cup holder. I can park anywhere.

LOL!

Just make sure that they are old eagle quarters, not state quarters, which sometimes do not register in the parking meter. I have a whole jar of eagle quarters. I save them whenever I see them...

I am able to give my cleaning lady paid maternity leave. As a lawyer, I got paid time off and I think she should be able to have that same support form an employer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just purchased a $10,000 TV, a 78" Samsung JS9500. It looks fantastic!

You got took. HARD.

How did I get taken?

So many of you are so impressive in what you have accomplished. Way to go!!!

I grew up in a family that seemed outwardly prosperous but the whole financial model feel apart when my father crashed his business. We spent many years trying to hang onto our house on our mother's school teacher paycheck. It gave me a lifelong respect for having money in the bank.

Last month we faced almost 20k in unexpected household repairs. It was one disaster after another. But because we're both quite frugal we actually had enough money in savings to weather those nightmares ok. That kind of financial security lets me sleep at night.

We work hard, save aggressively, and should be fine for kids' college funds and retirement (assuming no horrific disaster of course.) If we just get life insurance in place I'll really feel like we're ok.

And I just got a 16% raise and 15% bonus at my terrific job.

The thing I'm most grateful for is that my husband and I never fight about money. We are blessed in not having that as a major stressor in our relationship. I feel EXTREMELY lucky for that.

Anonymous wrote:I just purchased a $10,000 TV, a 78" Samsung JS9500. It looks fantastic!

You got took. HARD.

I just purchased a $10,000 TV, a 78" Samsung JS9500. It looks fantastic!