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Autumn and Settling In – $464k

Today is October 1st – I am in the process of getting over some really bad allergies. Almost took me out of commission with work but I powered through as best I could. This happens to me with every seasonal change. Napped a lot today and ate a pasta soup dinner my bf made for me ❤️. Doing what I can to doctor on myself and hope these feelings are temporary.

My mortgage is due today but I paid it in full about 2 weeks ago so don’t owe anything until November. I like this lower stress approach of ownership. The mortgage got sold to a different company that has mixed reviews. I figure as long as I pay them on time we won’t have a problem. I put aside $1500/paycheck and overall that has been working. well so far.

One of the larger expenses for me this month was paying off the alarm system. It was showing up on my credit report as a credit card with super high utilization. So I paid it off nearly 58 months early. A whopping $2,822.72. It was 0% but I just hated the idea of having that amount loomnig over my head. I still need to pay for the service monthly but at least the big part is out of the way.

My electricity bill was also up there at $258.26 during the hottest month of the year. It is what it is and has been paid in full. September is projected to be close to $200 with quite a few days where the high was in the 90s.

This past weekend we took a trip to Brenham TX and Houston TX for our 2nd anniversary. It was much needed for me to get away from DFW. I’d say the trip overall cost $3-400 including a bit of clothes shopping and activities. We saw the Galleria, Cistern, Blue Bell HQ and Homestead Heritage in Waco.

Trip pictures

Supermarket 2nd anniversary flowers I was glad to buy for about a 1/6th the price of fancypants ones

I did get AirPods Pro 3s to replace my PowerBeats Pro that I got at the start of 2020. Still getting used to the feeling of not having giant clips around the back of my ear but the sound quality is great and I feel a little more free. And yes I pitched ip for the AppleCare+ coverage. $249 broken out in $41.50/mo installments and $20.54 tax. Verdict is still out on whether my old buds will get me any cash back, even $40 would be nice .

It’s been some time since my school days but I had 2 TI calculators, an 83 from high school and 83-Plus from college. I was going to chuck the older one out since it wouldn’t turn on but the Internet came to the rescue and I was able to revive it. The 83 I’m keeping for nostalgia but got about $16 for the 83-Plus. Also keeping my dad’s old HP 10-B Business calculator stamped 1987 on the back.

Keeping my late 90s TI-83 it still works!

I sold a hose for the grill on Facebook Marketplace that I couldnt’ return on Amazon. Let me tell you that was the hardest I ever worked for $10 in my life. On the listing people asking if someone is still for sale then radio silence or wanting to meet during sketchy times. I sold the defective grill my friends gifted me for $20 on Marketplace too and sweat outside for a good 45 minutes while these guys dismantled it and put it into an older Lexus ES model. I was asking for more but at point just take it away. It also amazes me people would show up to buy something and not have all the money with them.. I also did a swap through Blue Rhino for a new propane tank just to rule that out.

$10 is better than just tossing in the trash

With the sale of the grill I wanted a new one and to buy it before it started getting cold out. So another Char-Broil it was given the cost. 5 burners, stainless steel, and a side rack. $299 plus tax, shipping, delivery fee. $365.89 less cashback through an Affiliate link and my credit card rewards. I bought a cover too for $38. Used it a few times already and really happy with the results.

New grill I tried not to buy but got tired of dealing with someone else’s headaches

At the start of the month we decided to go to a Jazz concert in downtown Fort Worth. The lady singing was good other than forgetting the words to some of the songs. We also had a nice romantic dinner at a restaurant called Walloon’s. I think that was the first time we ate out the entire week.

Early in the month I had a nice little housewarming party. My friends were so generous in their gifts I felt blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I used some of their gifts to buy things for the house including a storage rack from Home Depot to help with the garage. My car almost fits but is about 4 inches too long. We can fix that… 😀 We’re also planning to accelerate the time my bf is going to move in with me. Instead of July it will be more like March. He spends a lot of time here and I could definitely use the money to help with some of the expenses.

Getting back into the flow of cycling when I feel inspired.

We also saw The Wiz life at Fair Park. Everything was top notch including the choreography and singing.

I also bough the New Apple Watch Ultra 3 mostly because my 1 was growing long in the tooth after 3 years plus I wanted better battery life and a brighter screen for direct sunlight. My phone is on the Apple upgrade program and would get hot all the time so I replaced that out too. Had a little hiccup where I shipped the phone in a box for the watch but it got where it needed to thankfully.

I also signed back up for kickball again. My body is going to need to adjust to playing again but I got this..

Work-wise found out about an incentive plan I’m potentially eligible for but still waiting to hear back on any kind of merit increase. I’m on the lower end of the range for my position but also thankful to have a job in this economy. Today I recieved a $200 check from my old apartment which was perfect timing considering I had to transfer $200 after paying off that alarm system. Surprised I got anything considering how much work the old place needed.

	10/1/2025	9/1/2025	Difference	% Change	10/1/2024	YoY Diff	% Change
401K	$383,633	$366,372	$17,261	4.7%	$ 297,589	$ 86,043	28.9%
Roth IRA	$53,212	$50,470	$2,742	5.4%	$ 47,091	$ 6,121	13.0%
Brokerage Accts	$2,516	$1,636	$880	53.8%	$ 549	$ 1,967	358.5%
Cash	$12,067	$15,420	-$3,353	-21.7%	$ 3,547	$ 8,520	240.2%
HSA*	$5,659	$5,220	$440	8.4%	$ 3,465	$ 2,195	63.3%
Total	$457,086	$439,118	$17,968	4.1%	$ 352,240	$ 104,846	29.8%
Credit Cards	$433	$3,245	-$2,812	-86.7%	$ 832	$ (399)	-48.0%
Auto Loan	$0	$0	$0	#DIV/0!	$ –	$ –	#DIV/0!
Subtotal	$456,653	$435,873	$20,780	4.8%	$ 351,408	$ 105,245	29.9%

Mortgage	$340,170	$341,000
Zillow Estimate	$347,700	$351,000
Equity Estimate	$7,530	$10,000
Net Worth	$464,184	$445,873

So there you have it. 42 years old, $464k net worth. I estimated $455k to close out the year and we’re ahead of that so this is good. I’m still maxing out 401k / Roth but it is def a stretch since I keep spending money at a fairly high rate. Need to switch back to the aggressive savings mode again soon. We are eating more meals at home and I try to find deals on everything I buy including clothes. I still have a couple more years in the tank. Projected to hit $1M in 2031, $1.5M in 2034, $2M in 2041. My goal is to have a paid off house by 59.5 and be able to leave the workforce then if I so please.

That said it’s past my bedtime. There are lots of things happening in the world, I can’t keep up. I continue to focus on what I have control over. We all have 24 hours in a day, what I choose to focus on becomes my identity. I used to spend that time chasing after people who wouldn’t give me the time of day. There is some truth to the expression you can’t relive your 20s. I believe it and I’m glad I’ve moved past a lot of things that ultimately weren’t the best for me long term. Still a work in process. Peace.

August 2025 – $451k and Pending Home Purchase

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12/9/24 End of Year Preduction

Almost 8 months I predicted I would have $455k net worth by the end of the year. Currently I am about a stone’s throw away from that or up $66k from the start of the year. My goal is closer to $2M come retirement age. That doesn’t necessarily have to be all investments though, one could argue I should diversify just a little bit.

Home purchase updates:
1. Offer made on a home, final selling amount is down to about $351k, my mortgage payment estimage is just under $2,900 including insurance, taxes, and interest. I originally offered full asking price before asking for another $3k which will be covered by a concession made with the agent’s commission.
2. Concessions – There are quite a few including: Replacing 24 year old microwave with stainless steel model, redoing tile in the bathroom to replace cheap fiberglass, replacing defective dishwasher, (didn’t ask for it but cost prohibitive to repair) fixing or replacing the garbage disposal, replacing flex pipes under sink with PVC, installation of a dryer vent in the garage, have a licensed plumber do needed repairs to fix low water pressure, have HVAC system serviced by licensed professional, adding ground and neutral wires to the sub-panel box, cleaning out gutters, repair a damaged sewer cleanout cover
3. Massive cleanout of clothes that either don’t fit or were out of style. Bf helped me with the majority of packing. 90% of things I am not actively using right now are packed away.
4. Setup – Water and electricity switched over, Pest control appointment made, alarm system provider chosen,
5. Furniture delivery date set, ordered a loveseat, sofa, bookcase, and swivel chair from Nebraska Furniture Mart for ~$1,030 plus a $140 shipping charge. I ordered the furniture 4th of July but the prices dropped since then so I was able to place a new order through a super helpful store associate. The chair was on clearance for a whopping $80. If I had just that item shipped it would’ve been $140 to do so but with the other order they were able to just get it added to that.
6. Moving company and time + date selected
7. Electric lawnmower, blower, and trimmer tools purchased. Got an incredible deal for all 3 from Lowe’s. $566 less card cashback and 2% cashback from an affiliate link
8. Bf isn’t moving in with me right away but we decided on $ a rough amount he would contribute toward the payments that would be win-win for him as well as me. Utilities I said could be TBD but planning to cover on my own.

The main thing I’m trying to do right now is make sure not to overextend myself. The lawn equipment I sold some investments to cover. I also pulled $10k from my Roth IRA for a first time homebuyer credit where I won’t have to pay a penalty to the IRS. I really debated for a while whether I should run lean and just let that money grow or keep it as an emergency fund to help me sleep better at night. I chose the latter. Having less than 2 months of cash in hand is cutting it dangerously close. With mortgage payments being roughly $1600/mo more than my rent I knew it would take me significantly longer to build up reserves.

Other notable things this month

-I dropped about $471 on my car after driving hard in the rain caused the plastic undercarriage piece to unlatch from the car and drag on the ground. Also decided to get an alignment at the same time. They had my car for 8 days which I wasn’t thrilled about.
-We saw a lovely artist Mereba live in concert. She’s fusion of different genres, R&B, Rap, Soul, Folk music. Very unique experience, definitely recommend.
-4th of July pool part with friends despite the rain, coincidentally was at Home Depot buying gloves to help bf move into place when the fireworks went off. Got some really good shots in.
-Went to New York for work and saw family for a few days. It was a low budget trip to me. Flights, hotel, meals covered by work during the 3 day period. Then time with my parents doing dinner / eating out regulary and putting on 8 pounds which I subsequently lost in a week.

	7/30/2025	7/1/2025	Difference	% Change	8/3/2024	YoY Diff	% Change
401K	$ 360,084	$ 348,738	$ 11,346	3.3%	$ 271,447	$ 88,637	32.7%
Roth IRA	$ 49,304	$ 57,216	$ (7,912)	-13.8%	$ 42,544	$ 6,760	15.9%
Brokerage Accts	$ 1,805	$ 3,710	$ (1,905)	-51.3%	$ 3,520	$ (1,715)	-48.7%
Cash	$ 35,018	$ 23,743	$ 11,275	47.5%	$ 3,759	$ 31,259	831.6%
HSA*	$ 4,901	$ 4,691	$ 211	4.5%	$ 3,617	$ 1,284	35.5%
Total	$ 451,113	$ 438,098	$ 13,015	3.0%	$ 324,888	$ 126,225	38.9%
Credit Cards	$ –	$ –	$ –	#DIV/0!	$ –	$ –	#DIV/0!
Auto Loan	$ –	$ –	$ –	#DIV/0!	$ 7,497	$ (7,497)	-100.0%
Net Total	$ 451,113	$ 438,098	$ 13,015	3.0%	$ 317,390	$ 133,723	42.1%

They say a lot can happen in a year and it’s true. I never would’ve imagined my net worth would be up $133k in a year. Compounding is a powerful force. At this rate if the forces behind my come up continue I will break $500k NW in 2027, $600k in 2029, and $1M in 2032.

Sharing a few pictures…

I had a 70 year old woman that lives on the same block I grew up on who I haven’t seen in 25 years suddenly take an interest in who I was dating. I posted a pic of my great grandparents from around the 1930s and she in all caps had the nerve to ask what would they think if they knew you were gay. Her son is special needs and her other son died in his sleep when he was 7 so she of all people shouldn’t try to tell others how to live their life. Nope. Before that she commented on a pride related post of mine saying she didn’t know I was gay even though I’d been out 21 years at that time. The son also left me a voicemail on fb messenger saying we’ll always be friends but don’t be promiscuous or something to that effect. Just blocked them both. The moral of the story is life is too short and life with peace not drama. Someone I worked with died at age 40 just a day or 2 earlier, I was her boss around 2007/2008. Managing her with a chronic health / lung condition was very challenging but she was still a very kind-hearted person who made lots of friends along the years. I wish the best to her husband and family. The service is about 4 days and 1600 miles away I def won’t be able to attend. Death has become all too familiar over the years, I still like to think in terms of what’s possible in life and living to the fullest.

Signing off, I should be asleep now. This is all uncharted territory for me and I’m taking it one step at a time. I desperately am craving the additional space. 5+ years working from home in my 1 bedroom or living room in a 700 sq ft. is tough. Over a decade living here in general. I’m just done. They never fixed the spot where the water leaked, tub looks so rundown. A friend came by to drop over boxes and was like I can’t believe you stayed here that long. I never invited her over though I’ve known her for about 4 years. No one can say I didn’t sacrifice.

Mid June Update – Back From Mexico!

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Mid-June 2017 update

Yesterday I returned from Puerto Vallarta where I got the joy to experience the unity of two friends in marriage (yes one of my ex and I initially wasn’t going to attend). The trip was a balance between having as much fun as possible I’ll also being practical. I had fun but didn’t go overboard.

Specific to credit card debt my balance as of today is $8,055. I will have an additional charge of approximately $90 which includes food and alcohol for 3 nights at the resort. I paid some friends $100 in cash to watch my dog, a cheaper rate than leaving her with a dog watcher (~$150). There were some other meals involved at the airport / miscellaneous purchases that were ~$100. I saved $200 by doing DFW -> AUS -> DFW on Wednesday then DVR ->PVR.

I started reading a book called Bachelor Pad Economics by Aaron Clarey (assholeconsulting.com fame). It’s one of those books that really makes you take a step back and assess whether the decisions being me today are having a positive impact on your future. A common theme is to focus on having fewer things and more experiences of people. The concept of not being the richest man in the graveyard is a common theme.

Between my company and insurance I’m being charged a $25 dollars fee per paycheck again because I have not completed proper coaching pertaining to being overweight. Have one session remaining and would gladly have began earlier, but I’m at the mercy of the coach’s schedule and my own with work. Not a huge sum of cash but the principle itself is what bothers me….

A little over halfway through 2017 a time I reflect on the things that worked, didn’t work and what I’m doing to help me get closer to my goals. What prolific thoughts do I have????

Death by 1000 cuts – little shit adds up fast. Like that $10 membership, or $15 glass of alcohol. Or fancy entree that costs twice as much as everything else on the menu. I write a god damn blog on this and sometimes I don’t look at my expenses as closely as I should.
You can’t be a penny pincher with everything. There is a time and place. You can’t take things with you when you’re dead. So live a little. If you’re like me get the v6 instead of the slow 4 cylinder. Or a moderately fast / light road bike over the heavy cheap one you will regret riding every time. Or for special events like weddings, family you haven’t seen in a year, it’s okay to splurge a little bit.
Insurance – Get it. Self employed are at a disadvantage because it costs way more. Without it you’re looking at medical bills for years, or bankruptcy instead of a 6 month inconvenience.
Work within reason. I got my Bing certification along with Google AdWords / Analytics. I work hard while at work but I really try not carry it with me. I may hit up a library or Starbucks after work, but it’s always things that will help drive me further long term. Closer to 6 figures/year. Today without any debt I’d be doing amazing, with I’m still doing really well compared to many other millennials.
I love vacations. Hope to do more while I’m young enjoy to enjoy them and have no physical mobility issues. I also have 3 more weeks left of vacation for the year…. Why the heck not?? 😛
Lighten the fuck up – Joan Rivers was right. Life is short, you should enjoy it. Some folks just want to be a victim, complain all the time and do nothing to change the situation. I used to be like them. Life isn’t perfect but focusing on the solution works tons better.

Here are some pics from my trip. I could write a lot more about the trip, but I know my audience… Be well. Live with passion. ❤