Financial Goals: 2015

We have a few financial goals for this year, and I’m writing them down so I can check in as the year goes on.

1. Rebuild our emergency fund. Having 6 months of living expenses saved up was our saving grace when JC was laid off, and so I’m trying to get us back there.
2. Pay off our 2 smaller student loans. These are at a pretty high interest rate (6 or 7% I think?), and there’s not that much left on them. I just want them out of my life. We’ll still have the bigger one for a long time, but the rate on that is a very manageable 2%. Also, why does the Sallie Mae/Dept of Ed loans site suck so very much? It’s like they paid a designer to make it obtuse. Once they’re done, that line item in our budget will roll over into auto-deposits into the kids’ 529s. I sometimes feel like a sucker for even bothering to save for college, because what we’ll be able to save is going to be such a pittance relative to what college will cost, and there’s also some possibility that having some money saved will lower their eligibility for financial aid…but it feels irresponsible not to at least try. And the 529 can be used for any kind of education, not just a traditional four-year college experience, so even if they choose something else for their path, it’s there.
3. Replace this door:

I hate this door. HAAATE it. It’s 40 years old, and was probably cheap when it was new. It leaks like crazy, doesn’t shut properly, is awful to open and close, and is poorly insulated. It’s awful. Also, it only opens to the width of a normal door (not a double door), so it looks like it would be really helpful for bringing furniture and stuff in, but it is not.

I love the light it provides, but I hate literally everything else about it.

My goal is to have a door I don’t have to bubble wrap by next winter.

Can we do it? We’ll see.