I fucking did it. I started this year with the goals to:
- Max my 401K
- Max my Traditional IRA
- Max my HSA
- Overall contribute $35,000 to investments
I have reached all of those goals and then some. As of December 31st I will have invested $43,564 in 2015. 125% of my goal. I have maxed my 401K, Traditional IRA and HSA (except for $150 because of rollover weirdness). I can’t believe it’s been a year since I made these goals and started this blog. Time really does fly. Not only this year, but the time to retirement. I’m so glad I’ve been counting down the days. It seems to give each of them more purpose. Setting my alarm to say “1 Fewer Day to Freedom” and erasing the previous day’s countdown number every morning at work seems to make living this life a little easier.
At the beginning of this year I was 10 years to retirement. As of today I am 1390 days or 3.8 years away. In order to make this happen over 2015 I:
- Moved literally across the country to the other coast in Seattle
- Reduced rent expense from $1,337.50 a month for ½ a 400 sq ft studio to $798.88 for ½ 700 sq ft 1 bedroom that’s walking distance to work and has a view of downtown, the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier. It has southwest facing windows and is a top floor, corner apartment
- Found a new job that I love and make almost $20,000 more than I was making in NYC and a few awesome amenities I didn’t know about
- This job also provides a free transit card as well as lots of food, snacks and beverages – reducing my transit and grocery bill. Walking to work helps as well
- Travel hacking when appropriate and getting Mom onboard with it. I have hacked my way to free tickets home for the holidays, as well as First Class seats to Vietnam next year and Thailand in 2017 for me and Mom
- Changed phone from $90/month for 2 GB with AT&T to $15 Republic Wireless plan (previously $25 unlimited everything plan)
- Overcame my obsession with gadgets and expensive vacations and reigned my love of restaurants in to fit my budget
2015: Year 1
Only a few changes have gotten me to this point and I’m so excited to see what 2016 brings.