Finally! We are completely out of debt except our mortgage! I paid off our home equity loan on Monday!
I had a goal to save $10,000 for a new car (or slightly used) but by the time it got up to around $5500, and seeing the HEL balance at $4100, I was feeling like I just needed to make it go away.
The rest of the car fund unfortunately went toward monthly bills. I returned to work but only 4 hours per day which means no more disability supplemented with sick hours to get 100% pay. My paychecks are actually less than half since benefits costs are still deducted (health ins, dental, FSA, etc.). I stopped paying to my retirement account for now. I’m not ready to touch our emergency fund because we still might really have an emergency.
I have become a LOT stronger and have better stamina than when I first returned to work 3 weeks ago. I think in a few more weeks I should be able to handle FT again. I did have a moment last week when the fatigue was horrible and I was ready to collapse. I had to go sit in our lunchroom and put my head down for a while. Everyone made a big fuss but they don’t realize I felt like that ALL THE TIME for the first 2 months I was home sick.
Sometimes I kick myself for not getting into a field where I could sit at a desk. I could keep going all day and night but that probably has its drawbacks too. Oh well.
So now the plan is to not fall behind on bills and required savings that are earmarked for quarterly & semiannual bills such as property taxes, car/HO insurance, and sewer bills while I’m PT. I am hoping to not have to tap into our Vanguard account. Once I get back to FT I will start up the retirement savings, start my snowball again for a car, then Christmas money and then start hammering down our mortgage. The remaining money from dh’s inheritance will complete our “3 months of expenses” nest egg.
I would sooo love to have no mortgage! Some day…