It's not just what you have. It's what you can reasonably expect to have this time next year. And what you can plan for 10 years down the road. Will one bad diagnosis or a car crash wipe out everything I've managed to tuck away in the past three years?
This--although I definitely consider myself fairly financially comfortable, what with having been laid off three times, I worry that I might end up unexpectedly jobless, and now that I have a mortgage (which I can only barely pay on my own WITH a job)--what if my roommate left, and I lost my job? Or was in an accident or sick? (Heck, for my job, it doesn't even have to be THAT sick--just bad enough to not easily get through airports would mean being on disability!). But I definitely know I am lucky lucky lucky to have what I've got, and be able to make the choices I do. Growing up we didn't have much (I think after a year at my first job, I made more than my dad made my freshman year of college).
Will one bad diagnosis or a car crash wipe out everything I've managed to tuck away in the past three years? That could happen very easily.
Yeah. That's one of the things I dislike about being single. I mean, I love my life, but my safety net, inasmuch as I have one, is the generosity of my family. And they all have their own financial responsibilities.
No-cancer-ma, Typo. I shall keep my fingers crossed.
Man, it's been a hell of a week for Buffistas.
Yeah, definitely. In terms of real stability, i.e., wouldn't be in trouble if something went south, I'm definitely not there. But the thing is, I wasn't when they were bringing us cash in wheelbarrows at the end of every day either. I think I'm just a lot closer to understanding that then I was then.
We're...ok. But we are likely 1 thing away from disaster. Either one of us being out of work and we're back to bologna and cheese sandwiches. We do have a little in savings and are slowly paying off our debt (painfully slowly) from when I was out of work. We just got to pay $1600 tax bill that wiped us out for a bit. I don't think we've ever been completely financially stable.
Much ~ma to Typo.
Hugs to everyone.
Suzi, if you're looking for a financial advisor, I might be able to help you out.
I'm so frustrated. I need to find me a financial advisor to deal with my financial mess. I just tried to see if I could do an early withdrawl of some of my 401k funds to pay off my current debts which would make life SO much easier and apparently I can't touch any of it. I'm willing to pay the crazy tax penalty just to get out from under my current mess, but noooooo.
Sorry for the mess Suzi, I hope you get a good local person you can sit down with. You can check here to find someone: [link]
Most financial advisors would (or at least should) tell you that you should never cash out a 401K unless you are facing foreclosure, since basically, between paying the 10% penalty and the income tax on the money, it is the equivalent of taking out a loan at 35+%.
If I were independently wealthy I'd travel and be all dilletante-like take art-school courses. And maybe open a pie shop or independent cinema. If I were entreprenuerial, I would open a pie shop now.
Thanks Megan. I'm just so crunched for money on a month to month basis, ending up with all the debt post divorce, that I'm grasping at straws. The % is crazy but the allure of having some wiggle room was strong.
I am paying low interest on all the debit, so it would be nutty to shell out 35% but being able to make the debt go away....when I technically have the money. I guess it is just as well I can't touch it.
