Just updated my expenses for the year.... it's kind of comforting that my core expenses match my target!
Everyday Expenses: $10,839
Housing: $14,566
Travel/Lifestyle: $14,764
Gifts/Tithes: $7501
Notes.
Everyday Expenses and Housing I total as my core expenses and they total about $25k which is what i'm targeting in early retirement as well. I dream about living in an apartment with a balcony but i also really enjoy having really low core expenses.
so for now, i'm quite comfy in my modest appointment inside the train, haha. I don't really live in a train, if you didn't know; i just live right next to a set of train tracks and boy it is LOUD often.
I wasn't sure what my expenses would be but i'm glad this is on target.
and i spent quite a bit less on travel which is nice.
i actually actively tried to spend more, hence the 2 cruises.
Life.
honestly, it's pretty good right now. mentally, i'm so much more stable and calm and happy. i'm still working through how much socializing i actually need. and with meds i have much more awareness of false urgency.
just today i went to use the last of a few gift cards and free food certs for a bingo game i used to attend. turns out they haven't really had the game all of 2025. wow, it'd been over a year since i went.
and i don't feel like i missed much.
i'm not sure why i just haven't had the social battery for many outings.
and i don't feel depressed about it.
i think knowing i'm not MISSING anything helps. like the life i'm living is one i chose. so it might look very similar on the outside than the life i was leading previously, but internally it is much different. i am happy and i can recognize this and verbalize it often.
this month was a range of feelings regarding next year...in terms of financially, i got nervous about what to do, when to do it, what it would be like.
but as it gets closer to sell my investments, i'm actually excited. there was a lot of calculations over the last months and tons of spreadsheets.
in the end, i just made a couple notes and talked to chatgpt and i have a plan.
i needed the spreadsheets but yeah the actual mechanics will be a few clicks.
the biggest surprise is supporting an overseas relative and just upping my general spend.
yep, i plan to spend closer to 60k next year. way over the 4% rule.
that's all for now!