Thanks J$! Thanks for helping to keep me inspired with your thoughtful and fun posts. Wishing you health and wealth in 2020!

Heyyyy very cool!!

Much more fun to read with all the pretty pics and gifs too :)

Congrats on killing it last year!

https://theusefulroot.com/our-first-year-on-our-journey-to-financial-independence-how-did-we-do/

Much appreciated!

Love it :)

So right on once you win the game…

I also recently heard that libraries are the top places to go when your kids are off from school when sick – ick!!

True, you can’t generally use HSA funds for Insurance plan premiums. Specifically, you COULD use it to pay for COBRA continuing coverage after leaving work. But I’ve never seen COBRA premiums that made it worth looking at. And COBRA only gets you 18 months.
Here, I can cheat a bit because I will have a Sheltered Employee Retirement Medical Account (SERMA) when I retire. Although new employees don’t get the benefit and mine won’t accrue any more after 2020, I will have $34,500 that CAN be used to pay the insurance premiums. I figure this should be good for about 4 years or so of premiums. The deductible $ can of course come from the HSA since that is what it was designed for.
Unless they come up with a better alternative, I’m planning on joining you on the Affordable Care exchange.
All of the Medicare premiums except Medi-Gap can be reimbursed from your HSA, you do just cut yourself a check. :)
I also plan on staying with an HDHP all the way to 65 (and Medicare) so I can continue to contribute to the HSA with money from my 401k (after age 55). That’ll be an additional tax-free conversion of $4,000 to $5,000 per year.

The 401k monies have been going into the fidelity diversified bond funds that are offered in my plan. I have a total of 25% exposure in some tax deferred and brokerage accounts.

I believe you once wrote: why keep playing the game once you’ve won.
With that, I started taking money off the table and stashing cash and bonds.
I keep 4 years of annual budget spend cash in a “high yield” accounts in both Money Markets and CDs.

$100k increase ain’t too shabby, sir! Do that for 10 years straight and you’ve got a cool Milly :)

Yes – by about $100k.

2. Did you reduce your debt?

Yep – even though we bought a new car a few years ago.

3. Are you tracking your spending and keeping a budget?

Mint & Excel spreadsheets for the win!

4. Did you reach a savings goal?

I guess? 401k match + max out Roth IRAs and HSA

5. Did you ask for and/or receive a pay increase, or take advantage of your company benefits in a way that allowed you to keep more money in your pocket?

I guess I received a pay increase, but I need to do better in this regard.

6. Do you have the right insurance policies in place?

Mostly, I guess? I’m not 100% sure what I should have, though.