by Welcome, fellow financial freedom lovers!
It’s time for our 4th quarter recap of 2017! The last months of the year seemed to fly by, with just a quick trip to Florida breaking up our routine. Now we’re almost in February, reminding us how swiftly life moves and why it’s crucial to make every moment count.
Adventures: Exploring Sarasota, FL
Our recent trip to Florida centered around exploring the Tampa area, with Sarasota emerging as the highlight. Why? We’re seriously considering it as our early retirement haven. The area left a positive impression, and we’re contemplating renting there after leaving Pennsylvania.
Have you visited Sarasota? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the area!
Passive Income and Expenses: Our Quarterly Financial Snapshot
We believe in streamlining our financial reporting to free up time for living life to the fullest. Our focus remains on the essentials: food, shelter, mobility, bills, and debt payments.
Bare-bones Expenses
Here’s a breakdown of our basic needs spending for Q4 2017:
Main Category | Quarter Amount | 2017 Monthly Average | Comments |
| *Net Rent | $637.41 | $447.24 | |
| Bills & Utilities | $465.09 | $163.82 | |
| Debt Payments | $0 | $0 | |
| Groceries | $1,490.71 | $519.42 | |
| Auto & Transportation | $241.65 | $248.64 | |
| Home Supplies | $162.14 | $62.08 | |
Total | $2,997 | $1,441.19 |
Our total bare-bones spending for 2017 came to $17,294, staying below our $18k target. Our grocery expenses tend to be higher than many in the FIRE community, which we’ll address in our upcoming annual spending post.
Passive Income
The fourth quarter is always exciting for dividend income. We received $11,840 in dividends, a 30% increase from the previous year. However, we focus on total investment returns rather than just dividends.
Our entire portfolio, including house funds heavily invested in bonds, returned 3.23% for the quarter. We expect to trail the U.S. Stock Market index by a few points until we settle on a property post-retirement and adjust our bond allocation.
Road to Retirement: Countdown to 2020
We recently posted an update on our FIRE plans, and we’re on track to retire by 2020. There’s a long to-do list ahead, especially as we start decluttering this spring.
From the Chef’s Kitchen: Culinary Adventures
Cooking at home is a cornerstone of our healthy, budget-friendly lifestyle. Here are some dishes we enjoyed last quarter:
- Tostones with chicken and avocado: A Dominican staple featuring fried plantains with garlic sauce and organic chicken breast.
- Boiled sweet potatoes with fried eggs and sautéed veggies: A creative way to use up our farm co-op produce, complemented with avocado.
- Omurice: A Japanese fusion of omelet and fried rice, discovered while watching a Korean drama – a delightful addition to our recipe collection!
What’s Next?
- A potential trip to VA in March for a concert and getaway
- Front-loading our retirement accounts
Remember, we all have one life to live; let’s make it the richest and most fulfilling one possible. Carpe Diem!
