1500 Days to Freedom

Think different and escape the rat race.

Ask the Readers: What do you have planned for 2015?

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Hi there, Mrs. 1500 today after a long holiday hiatus.

Las Vegas (we don't stay here)
Las Vegas (we don’t stay here)

Our Christmas was good. We spent time at home with my side of the family, then packed up and headed west to visit with the Mister’s side. One very long (10+ hours!) car trip got us to his parents house, where we ate too many cookies and received too many presents. Both girls wanted to open their 200-piece Hello Kitty play houses in the car. No thanks!

So I took off the last couple of weeks, and wanted to check back in with you. Last year, we announced big plans for the first 6 months of the year, eating vegetarian, spending no money, etc. I can’t remember them all and, like almost all New Year’s Resolutions, they fell by the wayside, forgotten.

Mr. 1500 and I do not enjoy giving gifts. Can you tell?
Mr. 1500 and I do not enjoy giving gifts. Can you tell from hit note?

However, I earned my real estate license in March of 2014. I sold exactly zero houses the entire year. I hope to change that in 2015.

We want to sell some of our stock, and convert it to real estate. Big plans to flip houses in the coming years, but first I have to find one to buy. Our market is red hot and houses that aren’t under contract within days of being listed tend to sit around forever, with something major wrong. I hope to find at least one and maybe even two houses to flip in 2015.

I have a bit of a temper. I see red whenever someone cuts me off on the roads. I can be a bit snarky. I am trying to change this. This will probably be my most trying goal.

Mr. 1500 note: “A bit of a temper?” Understatement! Mrs. 1500’s father has been known to fly off the handle in a nanosecond; calm to red-faced, full-on yelling in a snap. Mrs. 1500 is exactly the same. I fear her wrath when she reads this…

Arizona!
Arizona!

I want to spend more time with my kids. We have been working on our house almost since we bought it. While I am a stay at home mom, I primarily have been doing projects and unpacking. I want to spend more time with the girls and with Mr. 1500.

I eat like crap. I love sugar. I LOVE SUGAR!!! I have got to stop eating so much of it. We visited one of my many cousins, and she cooks like a Goddess. She has also been vegetarian since birth. As Mr. 1500 says, “I don’t miss meat when your cousin is cooking.” She is really amazing. I want to learn to cook like she does, so that we don’t miss the meat.

Mr. 1500 note: Last summer, Mrs. 1500 was running significant mileage every week and wondering why the weight wasn’t coming off. I started paying attention to her diet and noticed that she was putting 500 calories (!!!) of creamer into her coffee every morning. Does sugar have anything to do with violent temper?

So enough about me. Let’s talk about you. What are your plans for 2015?

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    • Aah, the year of the kitchen. Kitchen remodeling brings to mind doing dishes in the bathtub and making lots of crockpot meals. Or perhaps this will be the year you try the raw food diet?
      Good luck with kitchen. Hey, Mr. 1500 and I can come down and help. You live where it is warm, right? Yesterday’s high was 10…

  2. I’m excited for your house flipping plans! I didn’t realize you had your real estate license–very cool. Looking forward to hearing more about all of that!

    Our 2015 financial plan is very boring: we just need to keep doing what we’re doing. Max out both of our 401Ks again and continue saving 65%+. Basically, we need to not mess it up!

    Non-financial plans are slightly more interesting: we want to take a wilderness first aid course (I’m a bit paranoid that one of us is going to chop off a foot on the homestead, so this will help assuage those fears… maybe), learn more about forestry & gardening, explore the New England region more, learn to play banjo (Mr. FW), play more/better piano (me), and other sundry items. Frugal Hound’s goal is to nap more. She’s already nailing it.

    Happy 2015 1500s!
    Mrs. Frugalwoods recently posted…What A Year Without Clothes Did For MeMy Profile

    • Well done, Frugal Hound! My children have the exact opposite goal…
      First aid classes are always helpful – you never know when you will need that information.
      Saving 65+% is amazing!

  3. Looking forward to reading about the house flipping plans. I’ve been reading about turnkey out-of-state real estate investing as investing in my very high cost of living city is almost impossible. I’ve been stuck in analysis paralysis but would like to finally take the plunge.
    Andrew@LivingRichCheaply recently posted…Live For TodayMy Profile

    • Have you checked out BiggerPockets.com? It is a site dedicated to real estate investing in almost any capacity you can think of. The users on the site are astonishingly helpful and located in almost every city. They have a podcast, user forum and blog filled with super helpful articles.

  4. We have a few goals over in the SSC household – but they mostly have to do with saving lots of money and really trying to solidify a more frugal lifestyle. Since we are coming into about a year of our FIRE journey, it has lost some of that initial excitement and so I am hoping in 2015 we become frugal instead of just trying to be frugal. Become savers instead of trying to save… if that makes sense.

    And I also want to learn Spanish and lose the last 10 lbs of baby weight. lol – got to have that health resolution in there!!!
    Mrs SSC recently posted…Early retirement failMy Profile

  5. I’m very interested to hear more about your house flipping plans!

    This year we’re trying to cut back on our grocery budget. Our plan is to only cook 3 days a week and try this for a month to see what affect it has on our spending.

    Also coming up in 2015, we will be buying our first house!! Yay! And in October (maybe sooner) my student loans will be paid off!
    Rebecca recently posted…Most Popular PostsMy Profile

    • The house flipping is something we have done several times in the past, with fairly good success. We figure if we can flip a house with a $30,000 profit, and do this once a year, we can finance our life without a “real job.” Of course, we will keep you informed when we find a house. And all the issues that arise from the flip. There are always issues…
      One of the easiest ways to cut back on the grocery budget is to not go to the store. I know this sounds silly, but I read some book about a family who only goes grocery shopping once a month. They make a big list, and if they are missing in ingredient, they simply do without it until the next trip. The fewer trips, the less “extra” items they purchase.
      Before I read this book, I found myself going to the grocery store 3 or 4 times every week. And every time I am there, I go through the clearance aisle, and I always find something there that I could use, and the cart gets filled, and I end up spending way more than I planned.
      Meal planning goes hand in hand with this plan.
      Good luck! And yay for a new house and paid-off student loans.

  6. Regarding diets, have you read Wheat Belly? I just did and it made a strong impression upon me. According to the science in the book, wheat and other high glycemic index foods really can have an effect on mood because of the wild swings in insulin that they set off. So in our house we’re going low-carb and wheat free for the first few months of 2015. I’m considering giving up wheat and sugar altogether after that, though it will be hard because I dreamed about eating bagels last night, and pringles the night before!

    • Pringles might be gluten-free. Aren’t they just potatoes and salt? And deliciousness?
      I have heard Wheat Belly recommended several times. I am going to the library today, I will check it out. Thanks!

    • I hear that, Elroy. We still have doors to put up, trip around the whole house, and a bathroom to remodel. When we are finished with this house, the only thing that will be original is the oak floors in the living room.
      I am enjoying paying far less at the pump, but it has had a negative effect on the rest of the markets, and I would rather have that lost money back in my portfolio.

  8. We’re calling 2015 our year of beast mode! I’ve lost 15 lbs so far and my husband’s lost 10. We’re front-loading all of our tax advantaged accounts and should be done by May (employer limits 401k contribution % to 50). We’re also going on a European adventure in April and plan on buying our first eBusiness before Q3. It’s scary but we’re going for it!

  9. Happy new year! 🙂 Three goals for 2015: one financial, one reading, one health.

    Financially, I want to increase our household net worth by $36,500 (or $100 per day).

    I want to read one book per week (which is double what I did last year, but I need to spend more time on books and less on screens).

    And health-wise, I’m doing 4 Whole30s this year (one per quarter). I did my first one last year, and I’m currently my first of 2015.

    Other than that, I have general to do list items to cross off my list this year. Mostly though, I want to stay productive while also keeping myself open to opportunities that come up in 2015.

    • Wow, I like that $100 per day goal. I wish you well with it. I need to increase my book load, maybe that will be a future Ask the Readers for recommendations. I don’t think re-reading Harry Potter for the 12th time will count…

  10. I’m not really a person to set goals, but this year will be different. I plan to pay off my student loan this year (on track to pay it off by the end of April – 4 months to go!!!). I’m also going to try to exercise more – at least 3 times a week. I’ve been working out at least three times a week for the last month or so, so I think this goal is pretty doable.

    I would also like to read and write more. Won’t set any specific goals for these, but I’ll try to read and write a little every day.
    Aldo @ Million Dollar Ninja recently posted…Happy 2015!!!My Profile

    • Aldo, I wish you luck with your goals. We paid off Mr. 1500’s student loans back in the Cretaceous period when you had to write an actual check. That last check was the happiest check we ever wrote.

  11. I was pretty new to coffee and would add cream and sugar every day, I drink it black, like the flavor and prob keeps me from putting on 20 lbs for no good reason.

    Plans for 2015: Pay off loans, invest, take over the world.
    Even Steven recently posted…What Sacrifices Are You Making?My Profile

    • Yeah, I don’t think I really like coffee, but you can’t drink just cream and sugar. (Funny scene on The Office when Michael leaves DM to start his own paper company. He picks up Pam on the way to work and she asks if he has coffee. He hands her a cup and says “Milk and sugar” and she obviously thinks he is handing her a cup of coffee with milk and sugar added. Nope, just a cup of milk with sugar in it.)

    • I wish you luck with the sale. Hopefully your home is located in a hot market? I completely agree with renting until you know the area. Would have saved us at least $15,000 if we would have rented when we first moved to CO…
      BTW, if CO is on your list of places to look, send me an email at mrs1500 (at) 1500days (dot) com.

  13. That’s cool that you’re doing house flipping. Very excited for you, are you going to be on one of those TV shows about house flipping?

    We will be putting auto pilot on for 2015 and continue doing what we’ve been doing. Yes it’s boring but seeing how well we did in 2014 there’s no reason not to continue doing the same.
    Tawcan recently posted…Recent buysMy Profile

    • Once you figure it all out, autopilot is great.
      No we won’t be on one of those flipping shows. We don’t live where they film. I am not sure I would want to be on one of those shows, because there is always an issue when you flip. Something you couldn’t possibly have planned for. I don’t want cameras around when we find it.

  14. In 2015 I think I’ll actually be able to make my business profitable. I saw real progress the last half of 2014 so I’m going to knuckle down and make it grow. On the project list are:
    – create new product designs and ship them to Amazon
    – open an eCommerce site (I’m currently enrolled in Steve Chou’s course Create a Profitable Online Store, which is really good)
    – Market, market, market (I already joined HARO this year)
    – Resume a more regular posting on my blog

    Here’s to a happy, healthy and wealthy 2015 for everyone!
    Ree
    Ree Klein recently posted…Don’t Wait! The Time is Always Now.My Profile

  15. Happy New Year! Here’s to a great 2015…

    So far on tap for us:

    -max out 401(k) contributions
    -max out IRA contributions
    -improve on our grocery budget
    -rebuild a tractor (Mr.)
    -make a quilt by hand (Mrs.)
    -build a refrigeration and dispensing unit for our homebrew
    Mr. Maroon recently posted…Look Back at 2014 and Ahead to 2015My Profile

  16. This year, my main goal is to retire! Wooooot!!
    (That is, if I don’t chicken out. I’m alternating between being super-excited and feeling sick to my stomach. Sigh.)

    My other goals are to lose a huge amount of weight, get in super shape, and keep the house and yard in tip-top condition (which is fine with me since I love gardening and don’t mind cleaning or errands if I’m not exhausted from working).

    Stretch goals:
    • fund both our Roths
    • start an Etsy shop for the cool stuff I’ve collected (and should sell) & ideas I have
    • learn a ton of new recipes (and set up a rotating menu that simplifies meal planning/shopping
    • CLEAN OUT THE CLOSETS and GARAGE (the horror, oh the horror…)
    • go someplace awesome that we’ve never been before
    • volunteer with therapy horse group for children (just found one near my house!)
    • bathroom remodel? (would require pros – involves taking out wall/installing pocket door)

    • Early retirement can be scary. Mr. 1500 is leery of pulling the trigger as well.
      I don’t know anything about horse therapy, and judging from the looks of my garage currently, I should not give out any advice about cleaning one. Ditto for the closets.
      I can tell you that you CAN do the remodel by yourself. YouTube is filled with videos of how to do almost anything. Hiring a pro can be a daunting task all by itself. DO NOT GIVE ANY MONEY UP FRONT!!! Check out BiggerPockets.com for possible recommendations in your area. Good luck!

  17. I can’t wait to vicariously live through you with the house flips!!
    I have a ton of online goals, many of which require me to write-write-write. Then, I also have a few offline goals, mostly “convince spouse to travel even more” and “finish that stupid certification.”
    Anne @ Money Propeller recently posted…I Spent Money to Save MoneyMy Profile

  18. I have 3 realistic and simple goals for 2015.

    1. Bring in $100/month in side-income.
    2. Read one new book per month.
    3. Invest a minimum of $350 a month in my dividend stock portfolio.

    Can’t wait to see where I’m in Dec 2015!

    • We will finish up our remodel and have already started making our house a real home by spending more time with the kids and less time working on the house. I love my new house and wish you luck with yours.

  20. Good luck with the real estate goals.

    My biggest goal this year is to work from home one day per week. Already had a good discussion with my boss on that today! Second most important is to become more active in a couple church/charity areas where I currently lurk on the sidelines.

    Other goals are pretty typical – healthier, better savings, better dad, etc.
    Sir Salty recently posted…Wilderness (Re)discoveredMy Profile

    • Sir Salty, allow me to give you a bit of advice regarding working from home. Shut everything out. When Mr. 1500 first started working from home, our daughter was 3 weeks old. I was a stay-at-home mom for the first time, and he was a work at home dad for the first time. I just assumed that since he was home, he could help with the baby. He finally said to me, “If I were at work, I couldn’t help you with anything. Pretend I am not here.” Those words seemed a bit harsh at the time, but were really spot on. He had a job to do, and helping me with the baby wasn’t that job. If you are going to be successful at working from home, you have to be able to shut out the crying baby, say no to playing with the younger kids, not read stories to them before nap, not have lunch with them, not take them to the park. It sounds like a no-brainer, but you have to be able to focus on the work, and ignore the household stuff if you are to be successful working at home.
      (I did once call Mr. 1500 out to the living room “RIGHT NOW!!!” once when the baby’s diaper exploded all over me, the couch, the floor, etc. He comes running out, “what’s the matter?!?” “You have to take the baby right now!!!” He comes a little closer, and I could tell from the look on his face he was just a bit sorry he did. Emergencies are ok, but try to stay in your office as much as possible.)

    • My sugar intake is probably as much as 12 people should eat… I could give up salt almost forever, but sugar is going to be so hard for me…

  23. Not surprised that 2015 looks like a busy year for a lot of folks in the PF sphere — the economy is definitely heating up.

    I’m just crawling out of the hole, myself, so I’m hoping to hit a positive net worth and starting juicing up the savings rate to at least 50%. Pretty excited for the future!
    James@StartingNegative recently posted…Financial Goals for 2015My Profile

  24. My husband and I also consume way too much sugar and one of our 2015 resolutions is to improve our diet. We have a baby who will be going on solid foods soon – we need to develop healthy eating habits for our little one to follow!

    Other personal resolutions are to spend more quality time with family (this will be difficult now that I am going back to work full-time) and also to increase charitable giving.
    Mrs. Bookworm recently posted…Our Newb(orn)My Profile

    • I’m beginning to think sugar is the devil. I’ve been paying attention and when I eat sugar (looking at you Cap’n Crunch), my appetite is much greater throughout the day. The answer for me at least is more vegetables. The weight melts off when I start eating carrot and broccoli in favor of noodles, potatoes, etc.

      Best of luck to you in 2015!!

  25. Our 2015 is all about saving money, making money, and paying off debt (including $42,000 in credit cards :P). Oh, and do it all in the midst of welcoming a new baby! I can’t wait to read about the latest side hustle – every little bit helps.
    Harmony recently posted…Hunting For A Better Cell-Phone PlanMy Profile

  26. I’m planning on a pretty crazy 2015. These are just a few of the items on the docket for the next year:
    -Welcome another baby boy in the world
    -Start a new job
    -Buy a house
    -Sell a house
    -Move closer to family
    -Somehow find more time to add to the blog
    -Meditate
    -Finally learn to play the guitar

    I’m sure there is much more I should be adding, but I think that list is plenty for now, sheesh.
    Frugal Buckeye recently posted…Go Bucks!My Profile

  27. A bit late thanks to my RSS reader being broke 🙁 I thought you guys hadn’t published anything lately *cry*!
    2015 is the year of our new house – and not living with my mother any longer. It may get done in February with us moving in in early March! Just generally trying to get ourselves on stable footing in the new city, and starting to establish new routines. Good luck with all of your goals!
    Mom @ Three is Plenty recently posted…Detailed Financial Picture – January 2015My Profile