Here's what we want:
- A family, we'd really like to have a baby
- Our back yard to be finished
- To pay off our Car Loan
- To invest in a property that could provide income in retirement
- A house with a backyard bigger than a yard stick
I have budgets for just about every scenario:
- Paying our Backyard in Cash this year (current plan)
- Split an annual camping spot with my mom
- Paying off our Escape in 2014
- Going on Maternity leave in 2014
- Going back to work w/ Baby in childcare and paying off the Escape in 2015
- Buying a Condo in 2014, 2015, or in 2016
You'll have to click on the image to look at them in more detail - but these annual budgets give a big picture view of some of our options. There's an assumption the our income won't change (which it will) and I didn't include planning purchases like Christmas, Gifts or upping our Emergency Fund but you can see that I included Retirement/Education Funds in each scenario and that there is cash flow remaining under each one as well.
What have you done when you wanted it all?
I have just prioritized and tried to make a decision on what was really important at the time. Some things can easily wait and others can't.
ReplyDeleteI've actually done something similar but just based on different salary levels to try and help me figure out exactly what the lowest amount is I can live on and still have money for the stuff I want to do. I'm planning to switch jobs in the next 2-3 years and what I want to switch to will never pay as well as the company I'm in now (but I earn that extra money with far too much stress so I'll be happy enough to trade less stress/more enjoyment of work for less money). I did up multiple spreadsheet with varying salaries and that was very useful. I'm working on plans now to get a certificate or two in hand before I make changes which would make earning a side-income a realistic proposition, too. Congratulations on your promotion. I don't read along very often but have dipped in and out of your blog over the last few years and it's always nice to come back and see good news.
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