What did you do today? 2019 version.

[Gumby]

New year, new thread. Cheers, everyone.

Link to 2018 http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/what-did-you-do-today-2018-version-90060.html

 

[SecondCor521]

Reconciled all of my accounts and did an end of 2018 net worth. Updated income tax estimates based on end of year actual numbers.

Currently have a cold, so I have drunk two cups of tea with no sugar and will dose myself with various OTC meds until the discomfort goes away.

Going to the gym shortly for my 45 minutes of cardio at 132 bpm. After that, I'll prepare for "Christmas" with my kids tomorrow and maybe watch some college football.

 

[Calico]

Replaced all the 2018 wall calendars with 2019 versions (I like calendars!)

 

[Calico]

Ooops - hit reply too soon.

I paid all the January bills.

I finalized my 2019 budget (still w#orking).

I tweaked my future retirement budget.

I updated my social security spreadsheet with the 1/1/19 amount from the website.

And to think my friends say I don't know how to party for New Year's.

 

[Moemg]

Made up my 2019 budget .Got to add a little from 2018's budget to my slush fund . Pork & sauerkraut in the crock pot for dinner .

 

[frayne]

Woke up, got out of bed and drug a comb across my head.

Three cups of Joe and printed out month and yearend balances and filed hard copies.

One and a half hour work out at the gym.

Breakfast at noon.

Pretty much doing year end clean up on my files and shredding a boat load of documents.

Getting ready here at five to watch my Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.

Martini and shrimp cocktail and misc. finger food for the game.

 

[MRG]

Woke up to more snow. Snowblower and I had a meeting with snow. In places snow was taller than the 22" mouth of blower. After a while man and machine were successful.

Main roads are the priority for plowing, we are not on one, and it was still snowing. Really wasn't expecting to get out today.

Later a few larger trucks, including a wrecker came through and we took off to lunch. Almost turned around as it was pretty bad, the vehicle had traction, but sometimes the ruts took you directions you didn't want to go. I didn't want to go down somewhere without roads. [emoji22]

When we came back they had plowed our development, at least one pass! Had to snowblow the driveway again as the plow has deposited a bit(30"[emoji12] ) of snow in the driveway.

An afternoon walk around the neighborhood, normally 30 minutes, took 45. It's generally very quiet, today there were many snowblowers running.

 

[Music Lover]

One of my bands played a New Year's gig last night. We led the crowd in the 2018/2019 countdown, played a few more songs, took a short break and then came back and played until 1:45.

Today I created an excel sheet for my girlfriend to track her 2019 expenses. She's testing out early retirement (age 52) and wants to know exactly how much she spends.

 

[street]

I did my year end numbers and went to the ranch. I started a fire and then went to cut wood and take care of a few things around the place. When I got back it was nice and warm, eat some lunch and sat back and enjoyed my coffee and took in the beautiful day. I started the new year out right.

 

[aja8888]

Woke at 6:30 am. Showered and then walked the dog. Met two friends for early morning coffee at Burger King. Took DW to breakfast at 10:00 am.

Walked the dog again at 1:00 pm. Started watching college football games and that's where I am right now.

Later? It's open.

 

[W2R]

Awakened late and feeling SO joyful that it is 2019! A new year, full of promise and potential and all that stuff.

Then, I got busy. I rebalanced my portfolio, using my new 110-age asset allocation plan that I am sliding into over the next three years. As always I did my computations very carefully, so it takes a while, especially to make sure I am using the correct numbers.

Then I doublechecked my RMD calculations for last year to make sure I was in compliance, figured out my 2018 spending as a percentage of my portfolio on 12/31/2017, and worked on my 2019 spending/financial spreadsheet.

I say "worked" but really I beat it to death mercilessly and it finally submitted and cried uncle. OK, I can joke about it with forum members because a lot of you probably did the exact same thing.

I feel pretty good about getting so much done in one morning. Then we went out to eat lunch at our favorite restaurant. I thought of ordering an actual meal instead of the side salad or soup that I usually order (for weight loss reasons), but at the last minute I just ordered a small Caesar side salad with water to drink.

Right now it's kind of a rainy, yucky day. F is doing his laundry over here at my house (long story), and it is so nice to be all cozy and happy here inside my Dream Home and enjoying this new year together.

 

[Bamaman]

We just got in from a week of camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's been 67 degrees in the MidSouth, but with warmth comes rains. I've been resting all day.

I was thinking about my income taxes and if I had enough withheld from my pension.
It's too early to think about my FIDO statement, as they're not exactly too prompt to put out info.
I do need to think about some small TIAA-CREF RMD's for my wife--due to be withdrawn by 4/1/2019.
Listening to my wife complete her plans for a Caribbean cruise in 2 weeks--with a girlfriend.
And about time to start cooking the turnip greens and blackeyed peas--for good luck. We're always glad for all the luck we can get.

 

[NW-Bound]

Went to my son's home as he was hosting the big family New Year Lunch Party. After the meal, the men sat down to sample different Scotch whiskeys, to get away from the usual cognac drinking. I am not a whiskey drinker, so still working on discerning the difference between different Scotch, single malt, Bourbon, etc...

Tomorrow, life will be back to the normal for the relatives who still work. With all the festivity behind us, we will settle down in the old routine ourselves. Need to spend time to think about the trip this year. If I am serious about spending 2 months wandering around Spain and Portugal, I need to plan the trip, but being a single-minded person I cannot stop thinking about my ongoing home project.

 

[travelover]

DW and I started planning a trip to Scotland. We are planning to splurge on a Road Scholar trip rather than just plan it all ourselves. This trip will be expensive compared to most of our trips, but having just started SS, we need to bleed off excess income, i.e. blow that dough. I spent a lot of today looking at the logistics - flights, travel insurance, ground transportation. Need to figure out the cell phone thing.

 

[Dtail]

Updated all my spreadsheets for the new year. Budget was already finalized by last night.
Otherwise just hung out at home, as last night was a late one.

 

[NW-Bound]

...Need to figure out the cell phone thing.

Get T-Mobile One 55+.

Then, check off the "cell phone thing".

 

[travelover]

Get T-Mobile One 55+.

Then, check off the "cell phone thing".

Hmmmm..currently have PagePlus and an unlocked iPhone 6. Can't I just buy a SIM card when I land and pop it in?

 

[NW-Bound]

I dunno.

With free text and data in 210+ countries and keeping the same phone number in case someone needs to reach me, T-Mobile deal works for me. Voice will cost $0.25/min in Scotland, and most European countries.

 

[Ronnieboy]

Slept in till 10am

Ran the dishwasher

Showered and got 'dressed' in sweats

Watched the alma mater beat Washington in the Rose Bowl

Found out and then laughed that Utah gave up an almost 20 point lead to lose to Northwestern in the Holiday Bowl, kinda like BYU did with Utah. Karma and all that.

Tried my new indoor Hamilton Beach electric indoor searing grill on two NY strips and two sirlion steaks (for the kids, they don't appreciate the NY strip just yet ) Worked perfectly. Had it with mashed potatoes, corn and gravy (see weight loss post about not wanting to eat less calories)

Might have to demote DW to (chopped) sirloin as she still asks for ketchup with her steak

Typing this just before bed because I have w*rk tomorrow

Basically a wasted day.

 

[Finance Dave]

Caught up on paperwork...bills, junk mail in trash, collecting rents and mobile depositing them, and reading magazines...relaxing day.

 

[misshathaway]

Boy does this thread load fast now.

Yesterday, at 7am when the gym opened I had my pick of any treadmill. Then I went home and did the net worth spreadsheet. Well, I don't have to rebalance this year, so I guess that's good.

Today was back to 5am opening and the pool and gym were packed. You get to know the schedule of other people who come at the same time. It was striking to see people poking around getting ready for their work day. Every single one that I noticed was a few minutes behind their normal schedule and had a world-weary face. I'll take my stock market anxiety over that.

 

[MBAustin]

Yesterday I fixed a yummy brunch pizza (crust of cheesy hashbrowns baked with eggs and smoked pork on top) and we enjoyed just hanging out with DD and her girlfriend before taking them to the airport. Fixed Hoppin John (blackeyed peas with ham over rice) for our good luck New Year's dinner. Watched Texas beat Georgia - enjoyed texting with DS who was at the game.

Today it's raining and in the 30s - even the dog doesn't want to go for a walk. So I've been trying to finish the jigsaw puzzle we've been working on for several days in between doing end-of-year financial stuff. Was surprised to find that 35% of the miles I put on my car last year were still for charitable activities even though I have cut back on my time commitments.

Sadly, I heard this morning that a good friend is starting hospice care. Her cancer treatments over the past few years wore down her body (and spirit) and after a bad fall and hospital stay in November, her condition deteriorated rapidly. She's only 63. Very sad for her husband and children.

 

[Music Lover]

I went back to the office yesterday for the retirement of a former co-worker who is also one of my golf buddies.

 

[street]

Going ice fishing for blue gills. I haven't catch one yet this year maybe my lucky day. LOL

 

[Philliefan33]

Finishing up the un-decorating. DH is starting the process to get certified for AARP Tax Aide, so I’m helping him a bit when he gets stuck on a practice problem. (Since I’m an Instructor, I had to complete certification in December).

Making a run to the UPS store to ship packages. Dad left his jacket here after his visit so I have to ship that. Also, the bride-to-be DD is sending “please be my bridesmaid” gifts to friends that she couldn’t see during her recent visit. She got everything packaged up but couldn’t get to the shop before it closed last night. She flew out at 6 am this morning, so the package sending is left to me.