Dear So and So

[Becky]

Dear Tulip,
Wow, you are doing so wonderfully with your finances...you are really getting it! Did you really budget and fund all your bills and expenses THROUGH APRIL already?? Funding and budgeting two months ahead is AWESOME! And saving for all those rainy day categories really makes life easier. Ahhhh...

Awesome! We're still plugging away at getting that buffer built up, but we're doing a great job of saving for rainy-day categories. No more scrambling to pay the heating oil bill! Any suggestions for buffer building?

[alexis_the_tiny]

Yay for Crazycanuk and Tulip! By the way, Tulip, ever since you mentioned budgeting software, I had a good hunt around and have been using a budgeting app. It's terrific, knowing I have a few thousand dollars stashed away is nice (even if that amount isn't a lot).

Dear friend, thank you for coming up and nudging me off the ledge of fear I've started to teeter on. Thank you for reminding me that now that I'm physically away from that person, they can only hurt me as much as I allow them to.

[Pax]

Awesome! We're still plugging away at getting that buffer built up, but we're doing a great job of saving for rainy-day categories. No more scrambling to pay the heating oil bill! Any suggestions for buffer building?

We decided to become a one car family again, our old Ranger is paid for and cheap to maintain so we're getting rid of the Wrangler. We're also stopping the extra payments on our house, we plan on selling it in the next 2-3 years so the money would be better saved.

The payments on the Wrangler and house are small but by making those changes we put ourselves in the place where we can put over $2000 a month into savings (which for us is huge).

I realize a LOT of people can't do the one car thing though, it's just doable for us because we live in a small college town.

[indysteel]

Dear fashion retailers: Why, oh why, are your skirts so short? You used to cater to professional women. I can understand the trend toward more casual business attire, but mini skirts? Is everybody but me able to wear such things to work and does everybody but me look get in them? I don't think so. So why are they so prevalent? And those that aren't mid-thigh length are pencil skirts. While they're not quite as unflattering or work inappropriate, I find them totally uncomfortable for summer. Please, return skirts to a more modest length and offer them in an a-line cut. Thank you.

[ultraviolet]

Please, return skirts to a more modest length and offer them in an a-line cut.

The Calvin Klein line has knee-length a-line skirt this year. Macy's has it for about $55. (link)

[indysteel]

The Calvin Klein line has knee-length a-line skirt this year. Macy's has it for about $55. (link)

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Catrin]

Dear Neck,

Please stop complaining because I dared to ride my bike two days in a row. You aren't even complaining very much, which is nice, but please stop all of it. I do thank you for allowing me to finish both rides without pain!

Ok, so it was a little windy yesterday...had to be for me to have a max HR of 173 - on the road I knew I was fighting a pretty stiff breeze across the fields but sheesh! Ok, I guess you had a right to complain, but please stop now!

Regards

Your body

[Becky]

We decided to become a one car family again, our old Ranger is paid for and cheap to maintain so we're getting rid of the Wrangler. We're also stopping the extra payments on our house, we plan on selling it in the next 2-3 years so the money would be better saved.

The payments on the Wrangler and house are small but by making those changes we put ourselves in the place where we can put over $2000 a month into savings (which for us is huge).

I realize a LOT of people can't do the one car thing though, it's just doable for us because we live in a small college town.

We did the one-car thing for awhile and it just doesn't work for us. DH's car is more than paid for (due to be replaced, even), and mine will be paid off in 2 months. The plan is to save up a significant chunk of money towards his car before we begin shopping.

I think part of this may be changing my mindset about long-term savings goals, in order to fund the buffer first and allow us to budget further ahead (like Tulip has done). We've been socking aside significant savings to severals goals, but maybe I need to free up those funds for the buffer and delay our other goals.

I have to confess: budgeting in YNAB is fun for me. I love seeing each dollar do a job, sitting down on payday to assign jobs to those checks, and prioritizing our needs each month.

[Pax]

We did the one-car thing for awhile and it just doesn't work for us. DH's car is more than paid for (due to be replaced, even), and mine will be paid off in 2 months. The plan is to save up a significant chunk of money towards his car before we begin shopping.

I think part of this may be changing my mindset about long-term savings goals, in order to fund the buffer first and allow us to budget further ahead (like Tulip has done). We've been socking aside significant savings to severals goals, but maybe I need to free up those funds for the buffer and delay our other goals.

I have to confess: budgeting in YNAB is fun for me. I love seeing each dollar do a job, sitting down on payday to assign jobs to those checks, and prioritizing our needs each month.

We don't use YNAB, but I have kept us on a budget sheet for many years. I have to say, it's MUCH more fun budgeting when you actually have "extra" money; rather than the old version of "holy cow, how are we going to pay the power bill this month!".

[tulip]

Awesome! We're still plugging away at getting that buffer built up, but we're doing a great job of saving for rainy-day categories. No more scrambling to pay the heating oil bill! Any suggestions for buffer building?

Becky, it took me a year to get my buffer. I started out with a small emergency fund, and then just kept growing it until it reached my buffer amount. Then I rebuilt the emergency fund, so I have a buffer and a separate emergency fund. Now I'm building up my rainy day categories, and it's going nicely. I have taken on some side work that I really enjoy, and that has helped pad out my rainy day funds. I could not have done this without YNAB, but now I find it really alot of fun and it's very empowering to me to be in control of my money instead of the other way around.

Alexis-the-Tiny, I'm glad you found something that works for you. If I can inspire one person to take control of his or her finances, it's a win for everyone. If I can do it, anyone can, that's for sure.

[Becky]

Becky, it took me a year to get my buffer. I started out with a small emergency fund, and then just kept growing it until it reached my buffer amount. Then I rebuilt the emergency fund, so I have a buffer and a separate emergency fund. Now I'm building up my rainy day categories, and it's going nicely. I have taken on some side work that I really enjoy, and that has helped pad out my rainy day funds. I could not have done this without YNAB, but now I find it really alot of fun and it's very empowering to me to be in control of my money instead of the other way around.

Tulip, thanks for sharing. This makes me feel loads better about not having a fully-funded buffer yet.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Tulip, you know what was REALLY fun? Realizing that at 16, I had on a 600 dollar a month allowance (I was living alone with no family, not a spoilt teenager) and now? I'm still doing 600 bucks a month. Well that's before I factor in rent. But I love knowing that in 10 years, I can still do with the same amount of money. On some level, it makes the financially paranoid side of me feel so, so, much safer.

[indysteel]

Becky, it took me a year to get my buffer. I started out with a small emergency fund, and then just kept growing it until it reached my buffer amount. Then I rebuilt the emergency fund, so I have a buffer and a separate emergency fund. Now I'm building up my rainy day categories, and it's going nicely. I have taken on some side work that I really enjoy, and that has helped pad out my rainy day funds. I could not have done this without YNAB, but now I find it really alot of fun and it's very empowering to me to be in control of my money instead of the other way around.

Thumb's up, Tulip. That's awesome! I'm really thrilled for you.