How did you do in February?

[Constitutionally Speaking]

I hear you, but what does that really mean?

We own three homes. Two are rented out and all are paid for.
Obviously, that is a large portion of our net worth and certainly not very liquid. But on the other hand we have no intention of selling anything. Didn't worry about appraised value and all that during the housing panic (still going on in most places) and had no renter turnover.

We have enough cash in insured accounts to last several years and stock/equity investments could sit as they are for 10 years or more if need be.

We're not big on vacations and fluffy stuff. I'm driving the same '90 model GMC shortbed 4X4 that I bought new in 1990. I don't ride my lawnmower; I push it. I have no particular education; never took a single college course and did poorly in high school.

Obviously, I'm sharing some pretty personal information. My purpose in doing so is because it follows the model that most financial counselors encourage their young clients to follow, and perhaps one of those clients will find inspiration in my results. It can all be done, people.

PS: My favorite financial book? "The Richest Man in Babylon"

Sounds like you are doing fine - just make sure you have enough easily liquidated assets (cash is good) to live on when things get tight. It IS going to get tight again. That IS a very good book by the way.

[djones520]

All of my investment is in my Thrift Savings Plan, and I keep all of my money in the Government Securities. Slowest growth, but with the trouble of the last couple years, I have still made money, while others who went for the riskier portfolio's took big losses.

My profile isn't broken down monthly, just shows the year to date, and I've made about $120 in earnings so far this year, but with my other contributions, my funds grown by about a thousand dollars.

[Starbuck]

All of my investment is in my Thrift Savings Plan, and I keep all of my money in the Government Securities. Slowest growth, but with the trouble of the last couple years, I have still made money, while others who went for the riskier portfolio's took big losses.

My profile isn't broken down monthly, just shows the year to date, and I've made about $120 in earnings so far this year, but with my other contributions, my funds grown by about a thousand dollars.

:)Sometimes return of investment is more important than return on investment.:)

[Rockntractor]

It snowed and rained all February, I won't be able to buy those new underwear again this year.:(

[SaintLouieWoman]

Sounds like you are doing fine - just make sure you have enough easily liquidated assets (cash is good) to live on when things get tight. It IS going to get tight again. That IS a very good book by the way.

I thought things were going fine. It's a good thing that I've always been thrifty and a saver. You just never know what's going to happen in life. One stroke and the earnings are cut down to nothing (wasn't there a whole year, so he had no family and medical leave protection). We were on different insurance plans. Thank God I still have mine. With continuing medical expenses, we have to stay on COBRA for SR.

This is a reason to try to live conservatively and save. If a health problem strikes out of the blue, there needs to be a cushion. On the other hand, having that cushion also insures that there will be no gov't handouts.

Life can be cruel. It would be tempting to abandon our Republican beliefs of fiscal responsibility and fending for ourselves with our current situation, but not going to succumb to the entitlement mindset. I still wish that his company could have been a tad more helpful, but SR says they were just going with company policy. We'll survive, but not as nicely as we did before.

[Starbuck]

I thought things were going fine. It's a good thing that I've always been thrifty and a saver. You just never know what's going to happen in life. One stroke and the earnings are cut down to nothing (wasn't there a whole year, so he had no family and medical leave protection). We were on different insurance plans. Thank God I still have mine. With continuing medical expenses, we have to stay on COBRA for SR.

This is a reason to try to live conservatively and save. If a health problem strikes out of the blue, there needs to be a cushion. On the other hand, having that cushion also insures that there will be no gov't handouts.

Life can be cruel. It would be tempting to abandon our Republican beliefs of fiscal responsibility and fending for ourselves with our current situation, but not going to succumb to the entitlement mindset. I still wish that his company could have been a tad more helpful, but SR says they were just going with company policy. We'll survive, but not as nicely as we did before.

Yeah, I've been following your string of rotten luck, and wish you and SR both the best. And that's all it is sometimes - luck.
I have to smile when I remember the quote, "Some people are born standing on 3rd base and go through their whole life thinking they've hit a triple". I remember that when I see someone clipped by a foul ball like you guys were.

Keep on truckin' y'all. The Dispatcher In The Sky is still on your side. But you already said that. Sorta.:)