Wasn’t quite sure how to go about closing out 2016, was it a
good year, was it a bad year? Well, it had some of both. I guess it finished
out as a sort of a good news/bad news type of situation.
The Good
The house is ahead of schedule for completion and on budget.
I’m still running the whole thing completely out of pocket. No debt whatsoever.
I’m very pleased to be able to say that. Yes, there are weeks where I'm scratching to make it.
I finally found a budgeting/financial software package that
I like very much and is working extremely well for me. I now have good control
over budgeting and spending. I only wish I had found it earlier.
The house is getting emptied out very nicely. A burglar
breaking into my house would be unbelievably disappointed to say the least.
Five rooms are completely bare, the rest aren’t far from it and getting closer
by the week.
The Bad
The truck is starting to fall apart at an increased pace and
is starting to cost a lot more than just gas and routine maintenance. I was
truly hoping to stretch it another year or so and then trade it in on the new
(to me) truck. Fingers are crossed on this one.
The stock market did a huge nothing for 2016. It bounced all
over the place and was a scary ride, but in the end it ended up right about
where it started in January. I didn’t lose anything, but I also didn’t make
much of anything.
The Ugly
Because the stock market did a big zero, I lost a whole year
of saving up to go. It then ripples into my having to push out the jump-off about
a year. Yep, I've had to push off the start of my grand adventure roughly a year
unless something highly unexpected good happens. I maybe could get by as is but the
budget would be scary skinny. One glitch and I would be screwed.
Trust me I am so unbelievably bummed out over this, for
several reasons. The first reason is obvious; I wanted to get out there as
soon as possible.
Another bummer is that I wanted to be able to put a for sale
sign in the yard about 30 seconds after the last brush stroke of paint. That
way the house would be at its very best possible condition (think sale price).
Now it will sit for nearly a year ready but I can’t sell it. Obviously I
could sell it but then I’d have to get an apartment for a year and I’d be
flushing rent money down the toilet instead of adding equity.
Maybe the biggest problem is that I’ll be asking the truck
to hang on for an additional year. That’s a very chancy proposition at the very
best and the odds are getting worse almost daily. I already drive it like a
little old lady trying to not push anything hard mechanically. Even with that
I’ve had two major breakdowns in the last two months.
There are however a couple of positives by waiting another
year. It gives me time to save up for the adventure. It does allow me to spread
out the last of the renovations which helps my monthly budget and it also
builds more equity in the house. So I guess it’s not a total downer, but I would
much prefer to get out there sooner rather than later.
I am exploring the idea of trading the truck and buying the
trailer on the original schedule and then spending a good bit of that
additional year going weekend camping. I would have to take out a loan (cold
shiver) and I utterly hate the thought of that, but it would get paid off when
the house sells.
At least I wouldn’t have to pay for storing the trailer as
the north side of the house is still set up for trailer storage (remember the
BBQ trailer?). I would have to extend the length a little bit as the fifth
wheel is somewhat longer than the BBQ trailer was, but that’s no big deal.
I’ve also decided to forego the apartment or condo idea. To
do either one of them would delay me even further. So the current plan is to go
ahead with the truck/trailer purchase on schedule (with the loan that I
absolutely abhor) and storing on the side of the house. Then when the house
sells I will simply hitch up and go. That lets me spend the least possible
amount of $$. Of course I will stay in the area for a few days to make sure
that everything is closed out and paid off.
I’m thinking Jetty Park might be a good first stop.
Here’s hoping that 2016 is a much better year!
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