Pay Yourself First or How did you create a savings plan that worked?

[Andre1969]

Thanks, Maddy, that's pretty much the response that I was trying to put together, but I just couldn't find the words! My job can get annoying sometimes, but for the most part the government customers that we support really look out for me, and they're a great bunch to work for. And a few years back, we had this self-righteous nut-job that was running around making everybody's life miserable. He was one of those types that was probably brilliant, but his people skills sucked. And if he came up with what he thought was a better way of doing things, but nobody wanted to accept his ideas, he'd literally throw a tantrum.

And it was almost like he'd go out of his way to find ways to annoy you. For instance, he had the habit of blowing his nose...loud and hard. But one day I came in here with a summer cold, and every time I coughed or sniffled, he had to comment on how it was getting on his nerves. He actually went so far as to go to another co-worker to say that he thought I was doing it on purpose. She kept that from me, until AFTER he got transferred out, because she probably figured that as far as he was pushing me, I'd probably punch him out. I mean, you can only poke at a sleeping bear so many times before you lose a body part!

But, he's gone now. Let's just say that he ran up against me one time too many, and lost. And now he's at some other project making new enemies! : And throwing tantrums. Some people just never get it.

At this point, even if I got really lucky and could retire tomorrow, I probably wouldn't. But, a little at a time, as my retirement and investments grow, the additional empowerment does feel nice. I wonder what my attitude's going to be when I finally get to the point that my nest egg is earning more per year than I do?

 

[Sheryl]

I did a calculation, and figured that if I don't work any more overtime this year, but don't change my 401k contribution, I'd put in around $13,277.  So it's not like I can really put too much more in this year, since it's limited to $14,000.  Still, I'm changing my contribution rate to get me there!  And, next year, when the limit goes to $15,000, I should already be set!

Good job Andre!   I set my contributions to $700 per check ($1,400 per month) so by the end of October I'll be done.  My spending always goes up around the holidays - travel, gifts, parties, etc., so it's nice to have that extra money show up in the Nov. and Dec. checks. 

 

[Martha]

It's tough to put a timer on tantrum tactics, but eventually management becomes aware that everyone else has to work almost as hard as the high-production tantrum thrower just to keep up with the body count.

At some point the question has to be asked: "Is this person worth all the collateral damage?"

Just keep feeding them more rope...

Yup, the person was not worth the collateral damage. Should have been fired. The fall out was big and other good employees left.

 

[Gone4Good]

A nice summary of the advice in this thread might be:

1) Don't buy crap you don't need
2) Save the money you'd have spent on said crap
3) Retire early

 

[runchman]

A nice summary of the advice in this thread might be:

1) Don't buy crap you don't need
2) Save the money you'd have spent on said crap
3) Retire early

And I would add

2.5) sleep easy at night knowing you have a nice nest egg instead of mountains of debt eating at you.