The Race to $250k

Some recent life events have triggered and affirmed my plan to die Sat, Nov 8, 2031. Honestly, I'd forgotten the date and had to check my notes (and this blog). No one (God or otherwise) is coming to save me. I have to save myself! Adults meet their own needs.

Not getting the Big Pharma job was kind of disappointing. I'm handling it much better than anticipated, still not that well, but much better than where I was this time last year. I broke my own rules chasing the dollar. Oh, well.

I remember last year after my first job rejection thinking I never wanted to feel this way again. But my next thought was to fight back, so over the course of 2019 I'd inevitably get over it along enough to keep applying and keep hope anew.

But alas, it's true, I never want to feel this way again.

And if it's not this, it's something. It's little things too.

The joy I feel knowing I can check out when I want excites me, provides some sense of control. I like just having it as a default.  To me it's like, this annoying, stupid, hurtful thing happened, oh well, I'll be dead in x years.

I did the same old scratch notes as before, no real concrete plans, and decided to headline my next financial goal of $250k. That's my default goal for now. If I get fired or don't reach it by 2021, there are different branches of the decision tree.

But let's follow the happy trail for now.

Step 1: Reach $250k in savings and investments by Oct-Dec 2021.

Other things to do before then include taking a trip to Spain and Portugal. Not really sure why as much as it's a bucket list item and on my death salary, I don't think I'll afford to travel. Honestly, I don't enjoy travelling that much anymore.  Well, I  mostly just don't like not sleeping in my own bed; disrupting routines; air travel; and spending money.  But I figure those are the only other things I can think of that I wanted to do at some point in my life - that or maybe visit Israel. But Israel doesn't seem that relaxing or economical.

Other things 'going good' in my life
I finally got a shower head that shoots water instead of a light mist. In case you're also in the market, I got the Waterpik brand w/ PowerSpray for $22 at Walmart.

Some of my good routines in my new house/life are ongoing. Still keeping internet and TV out of bedroom. For most nights, I've been falling asleep and staying asleep to the sound of an audio book. Only once or twice, I've had to restart the audiobook after it automatically shut off.

Most nights, I have not been eating after 8p, so heartburn symptoms are at least not progressing.

I've cooked and used my oven three times just this week.

Love having a job eventhough the call volume has dramatically decreased (not so everywhere else in the world)!

Opportunities for improvement
Still working on stretching regularly.
Got a pile of dishes downstairs to wash.
Still not sure what to do about garbage pick-up. If I were brave, a colleague suggested talking the next door neighbor into splitting the cost. Ugh, humans.

Money news
I finally got my Chase credit card and kind of decided to use it even before shopping for washer and dryer. I need to watch that. That's a slippery slope. I've been in credit card debt twice now. But again, I got seduced by the dollar. I get $200 cashback if I spend $500. And there are 2 other cards I plan to apply for next month with similar cashback deals. I rationalized that I'm spending such huge amounts outside my normal everyday spending to setup house, that I might as well take advantage of some deals.  Keep me accountable on that, would ya?

Contemplating getting a kitchen utility table that was about $110, but with shipping and tax, it's about $150. That's more than my brain was hoping for.

Decided when the time comes, I'm going to sign up for direct deposit for stimulus checks. I usually don't like giving the government my information like that, but I figure I'll just use it to meet a direct deposit requirement on one of the bank bonuses I'm churning - two birds, one stone. I get the money faster and I don't have to give my information for my regular account.