savings--- from my POV...

[gunsgirl]

since I posted how much we have in savings and investments and such a large response---
I thought I would just put it out there:

we had a little help: DH was in the gulf for 7 months so I was able to save alittle over 10 grand adding to the five we had already saved.

then in 2004 we sold a home making a 35,000 dollar profit- which we immediatley put 20,000 in laddered CD's.

we then took the other 15 and divided it between a ROTH and purchasing a nice chunk of land - which recently was aprriased for 7 thousand more than we piad for it.

DH also got a re enlistment bonus- and another 10 grand went into laddered CD's, the TSP and the ROTH.

we also save 25% of his pay-- or about 1,000 dollars a month, with 10% going to the TSP, 10% into savings and 5% into his ROTH.

we do not have credit card debt, we do not eat out more than once a week,
I use coupons every time I shop, I almost never buy anything retail.

we do have credit cards- but we pay as we use them and never run a balance, we had ( until friday) 2 car payments but they were only 400 for both.
now since DH paid off the truck we have only one payment of 199 a month.

we do have a new house but the mortgage is just with in the BAH rate.

also we have seperate accounts- I work full time and we keep all our money seperate-
he is the saver and I am the spender- I pay electric, phone, cells, DTV,food, landscaping, out of pocket medical bills, dental bills, anything he needs, clothing, shoes, ect... all come from my pay-- and up until this sept, everything the kid needed including the 8 grand for her braces,, and I put 10% of my income into MY ROTH IRA...

he only pays for the mortgage ( from BAH), the car payment and the insurance.
I pay everything else...

It works for us.

we have made a commitment to have 200 thousand ( not counting the house) in savings and investments by 2020.
and I think we will exceed that amount if we can keep going the way we have..


so that's that in a nut shell..


just to say too- we had kids at home, we live a good life, we drive new cars, we buy things we want.
we take 2 vacas a yr... but we made saving a number 1 priority- and if 10% took all the extra money for that month we did nothing- not eat out, not rent movies...
we have never faltered- and what started out 8 yrs ago at 200 a month into savings has gone too 1,000 on average into savings every single month--

we always always pay ourselves first.

[Kristen]

Wowsers! That is awesome. Thanks for setting a good example and sharing with us!

[mitziebella]

I can't wait to be at the positon your in.
We now manage to save about 300 a month in a high interest savings and DH has finally started to put money into his TSP, but only 5% so far.

We hope to one day invest in a home of our own, but still is unsure where to buy. Have heard the buying land is the best thing to do...but i am so clueless with it all, so i don't want to jump into anything blind.

But thanx for an interesting and motivating read!

[USNIwife]

good info. thanks!

[JennyK]

Thanks for the info!!

[missjenn00]

thanks for the info..maybe i can get some help.

[Kara]

Thanks so much for the info. How long have you been married?

[Rachael]

Thank you sooo much for sharing this information with us!!

[*Crystal*]

Thanks for the info. DH puts money into TSP but I have no idea how much he puts in there. How can I find that out?

[gunsgirl]

Originally Posted by Kara Thanks so much for the info. How long have you been married?

we have been married just over 8 yrs.