Well, another child has tested positive for Covid.  We are waiting on results for yet another one and I am getting myself tested today.  What a discouraging fog we're going around in.  I have been beyond tired and am not sure that the shortness of breath is anxiety or not.  

We reduced the price on our house by $10K and received a ridiculously low contingent offer that we passed on.  No sense counter offering to something reasonable when they want three months escrow and hope to sell their current home that our realtor feels is very overpriced for the area.  It's discouraging and tiresome, but I'm thankful that we're able to last paycheck to paycheck and cash poor for another duration.  Some people are not as lucky.

I have no real goals for 2021 at the moment.  But I look forward to seeing fellow SA'ers goals.

Happy New Year.

Wishing all the SA Family a wonderful Christmas; I hope it was a good one.

Concentrating on our positives and blessings.  Despite contract being cancelled on our primary home for sale and the nasty Covid virus coming to my house.

We are fortunate that those infected aren't doing horrid and have oxygen saturation levels at 99% (despite one having asthma).  And the house will sell.

Rejiggered the budget for less aggressive savings goals and need to be serious about a No Spend January.

For the first time we will no longer be cash-poor, paycheck-to-paycheck survivors eeking by.

We are set to close on the sale of the old house 1/15-1/25.  After we reimburse our kids accounts and parents, we are expecting $90K left over.  Value of townhome recently purchased cash: $260K, value of rental property owned outright: $300K with passive annual income of $20K (annual expenses $6K, net profit $14K).

I am committed to having goals and being proactive.  We should be able to save an additional $25K outside of regular contributions to the 401K and IRA.

I have already increased the 401K contribution for SO's account from 1% to 15%.

I am able to jump into budgeting YNAB style with January's income going to February expenses.

I am also planning on participating in the Uber Frugal Month over with Frugalwoods.  We've managed to adjust well to life in the townhome here with all the old stuff, though there are a few things I may pick up before January (ornament storage bins, pantry storage bins, shower curtain). 

I am just thankful for new beginnings after so much time of trying to make it all work.

Hard to believe that this version of my blog rebooted on December 10th of last year.  

It's been a busy year, aside from Covid.

I was fortunate to travel to Southern California in February, March, and October.  It is the place where I feel I live my best and happiest life; not sure exactly why. Probably has something to do with relief from SADD, love of the Pacific Ocean, and the general lifestyle in the Laguna Beach area.

It was definitely a year of accomplishing things and I generally suffer from analysis paralysis and can't get much of anything done in a timely fashion.   Most of my life plans were derailed or put on the back burner for a series of justified reasons: a cancer diagnosis for my SO, managing my daughter's modeling career when she was a minor, etc.

We've managed to downsize to a townhome in our preferred location.  We paid cash and liquidated all of our assets, also those of our children in a bold move.  (We are paying them back plus interest).  So since September it's been living on a prayer and our finances are all smoke and mirrors.

That being said, we are under contract now with an offer on the primary residence.  I am thankful that I was a bit of procrastinator and didn't rush to a price reduction as my realtor suggested.  It's been on the market for 60 days.  Sale price was $15K less than asking price with a very short escrow.  I don't think the reality of life without the mortgage monkey on our backs has sunk in.

I remain thankful for the health of my family, my now smaller but full house with all the young adults/teens here (22/21/18/16).  Looking forward to a much brighter 2021 for all of us.