I DID IT!

[SiouzQ.]

I got paid today and after paying off my little Visa bill from last month (from when I had to purchase a used but new-to-me washing machine and pay the AT&T bill), I was able to transfer some money out of my daily living checking account and accomplish the goal I set for myself the other month - I now have $19,000 exactly in my savings account!

And it is likely to get bigger at X-mas, as my dear ex-MIL usually gives me a check for $1000, bless her! I try to tell myself to never count on it but she has been doing this for years on my birthday and on X-mas (this is in part how I have ended up with such a big chunk of savings while working retail jobs for years).

I will probably let myself spend some of it (usually around $100) on clothes during the sales after X-mas, and on the electric guitar I ordered way back in October that I STILL don't have (apparently it is on back order).

[puglogic]

Congratulations, SiouzQ!!! Doesn't it feel great?

[Tussiemussies]

Congratulations SiouzQ, a great accomplishment! Fantastic savings! Glad for you...

[razz]

Well done SQ!

[cdttmm]

Congratulations, SiouzQ -- what a fantastic accomplishment! Doing a happy dance for you! :cool:

[Jilly]

Yay!

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea very impressive for years of working retail. A real emergency fund.

[SteveinMN]

Good on ya!

[awakenedsoul]

That's fantastic. You sound very disciplined. And what a nice and generous MIL! My father always taught me, "It's not how much you earn, it's how much you save." I find it's also in how little I spend. Great news!

[Blackdog Lin]

You go girl! That's wonderful.

[Zoebird]

Super awesome! Way to go!

[Selah]

Right on! You're doing us Michiganders proud, girl! :)

[lhamo]

That is so AWESOME! As you are. remember last year when you were so stressed with the situation at the music shop? You've come a long way, baby!

Hoping 2013 brings you even better results and happiness....

lhamo

[rosarugosa]

Wow, and so many people say that they don't make enough money to save - you sure didn't fall for that excuse!

[citrine]

Yay!! I am so very happy for you :) Having that cushion will make you feel calm and confident...plus you will sleep better at night ;)

[dado potato]

If ya hit any bumps in the road, ya got shock absorbers now, baby!

[SiouzQ.]

Thank you all for the acknowledgements! All I can say is that this whole thing has been a long and winding process; a path I have been on for 20 years ever since I left my marriage in 1991 with a six month old and even ended up on welfare for a little while. I have to say I couldn't have done it without the help of both families; specifically my mom and my ex-MIL. Both of them helped so much with childcare so I could go out and work. My father and ex-FIL also helped in their ways, and all pitched in with some monetary help when I needed it.

I think the thing that saved me the most was refusing to go into debt for "extras" for the last twenty years, like fancy cell-phones and what-not. I had about $900 on a credit card and a student loan from grad-school when I left the marriage; somehow I got the CC paid off within about two years as I started working and then started paying on the student loan, and after that loan was paid off I applied all that money towards paying off my car loan. I just don not like to be beholden to anything or anyone, and carrying debt totally limits one's options. I was even able to pay $5000 cash for my used Honda 8 years ago (206,000 miles and still going strong, knock on wood)!

Again, I have to reiterate that a good portion of my savings stash was and continues to be generated by my very generous ex-MIL over the years, in addition to a worker's comp settlement I was awarded 15 years ago. She always knew I was a good investment and would use the money prudently. But the savings kept piling up because I learned to love this game of living as well as I can as cheaply as I can! I also have been able to stash money in an IRA that I started a long time ago when I was self-employed and the tax-advantage of that has been very good for me because of my relatively low income. I don't think I have ever earned more than $20,000 a year, ever.

Anyway, it feels so safe and good knowing I have this huge (to me, anyway) stash. I'll have to figure out what the next reasonable goal should be. I plan on taking a nice road trip out west next June for my vacation, after I hit the one year mark at Wholefoods. It would be a good idea to start a little fund earmarked specifically for that so it doesn't feel like I'm dipping into savings to do it.

[jennipurrr]

Very inspirational story! Thanks for sharing :)

[Kat]

Woo hoo! That is great, SiouzQ! Doing the happy dance with you! :-)

[Gardenarian]

Mazeltov!
:cool:

[cattledog]

That's great, especially keeping it intact all these years. What a sweet ex-MIL too!