B got paid and after tax we have saved the majority of this invoice - $1470. Two more invoices to go and $2230 left to save. I can't wait to have it saved because I'm out of my comfort zone with having to save this much money in such a short amount of time - the anxiety I am experiencing is my indicator. $1470 is just under 40% of the required amount, I am reminding myself of this. And reminding myself that this will be a great night, and worth the anxiety.
B keeps telling me that we still have 5 weeks to we don't have to save so hard, but I worry that something expensive could come up and derail us, so it's better to get it over with. Even if the expensive thing is simply a slow-payer for his business! I do look forward to getting back into the challenges too - the mortgage dropped again, now it's $995 per month with a saving of $183, looking forward to adding that saving to the challenge, trust me 
Invitations got sent out to everyone this week, so that is an important thing done.
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All of the talk on this site about retirement funds has made me want to check mine - I really only look at the annual statements and that's it. Last year at 1 July it was $69000. So I decided that on 1 July I would get out the statement from last year and register to log into the website and check everything there. I did that, and found that it has increased to $79031! My current pay is $55000 per year, however I'm not sure that I would need that as a retired person, I'm imagining I could get by on $40000 a year. Remembering Ceejay74's post a while ago about saving amounts by looking at the annual pay and multiplying it by x depending on how old you are - I am 37, so would fit into needing 2 x times my salary in my retirement fund. If the market continued in this fashion I could have my actual annual salary by 40 multiplied by 2, but currently it is sitting at 2 x $40000, so I am happy with that.
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My gripe: my inlaws are lovely but have become accustomed to eating out at every birthday, which is so expensive! We had to go out for the MIL's birthday last Sunday and his cousin's birthday is this weekend. (Close family) The uncle told us that she just wants to go out with friends for her 30th. Now we get a phone call today that we the family are to go out a restaurant in an upmarket suburb for the family celebration the following night! Grrr. Two days notice is pretty rude for something where you need to buy a present, pay for two dinners and drinks. Do they think we're rolling in it and would just happen to have a spare $150 to blow??? No, they obviously didn't think.
To cut costs I told B that we would buy her present, not put in with his sister (she likes buying vouchers, so will ask for $50, whereas I will shop around and spend around $30 - I'm thinking perfume of some sort), and to call back his uncle and ask him if the restaurant has BYO alcohol (a lot of chinese restaurants do).
I know, looking at the bigger picture, it is good to have family that do these things and are close, and we will get to have a nice meal. Hopefully we can bring our own alcohol too to cut costs too. I told B that we will not be spending a lot on food this week - we have bulk bought so only need to buy meat and vegetables, everything else we have. We have a spaghetti sauce and spaghetti, so just need mince, and I am thinking instead of having steak etc of just buying a big packet of sausages and eating that a few different ways.
Apologies for the super long post! I am constantly telling myself to relax and not be so anxious - I figure if I keep doing this, keep breathing and going to my happy place, everything will all work out and it will all be fine.
Party Savings, My Retirement Fund & A Gripe
July 2nd, 2015 at 01:48 pm
July 2nd, 2015 at 04:33 pm 1435851194
Would you want to try to bend family culture a bit by you and your beloved each asking for a pot-luck picnic gathering rather than a restaurant celebration this year? Or a pot-luck dessert party? Or a wine and cheese party? You might find you are not the only ones who need to keep the birthday spending a little lower key, but maybe no one has thought of how to introduce it as a pleasant alternative.
July 2nd, 2015 at 06:31 pm 1435858275
We've just started this seasons endless visitors and I did a serious whine on Laura's blog. DH and I can't agree on how to feed the hordes. I like to make ethnic stuff so I'm thinking Pilaf, Jamabalaya, Stroganoff, TexMex, Lo Mein. Pulled Pork entrees that are cheap but filling. I need meals that are fast and easy since I'm out, driving folks to various venues. DH doesn't want to look like a cheapskate. Cost of meat doubled for our famous beef, even cheap cuts are $ 10.99 lb and veggies are all imported. I'd like to make Casseroles, Skillet dinners and Crock Pot meals or Wraps using chicken, ground beef, Cheese, pork or fish combined with a rotation of green salad, coleslaw, bean salad plus potato, pasta, rice and a veggie. What do do?
...sorry for whine
July 2nd, 2015 at 11:46 pm 1435877176
July 3rd, 2015 at 12:25 am 1435879556
July 3rd, 2015 at 12:56 am 1435881379