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This blog was originally started to document different things that we were doing in order to move towards early retirement.  That was years ago before we decided to have our Sweet B.  We planned to work, travel a little, and budget so we could retire and spend the rest of our lives doing whatever we wanted.... 
Life had other plans, and we now have the best gift of our lives - along with all of the expenses that come with having a child, as well as the want to not work as much so we could spend more time with her.
Even with these new diversions, the goal remains - Retire Early, and Enjoy Life. 
We have seen so many friends and family that are working into their later years, or who have too little money to actually enjoy their retirement, and even worse - those that never made it to their later years with the chance to retire and relax.
Every year we give ourselves a large goal - one that is just enough of out reach to make us stretch for it, but realistic enough that it can be done.
Our goal for 2017 - pay off our house, which we still owed over $50,000 towards.

On December 23, 2017 - I hit Submit to make the last payment. 

It was a hard year for us - scraping and saving - and working, working, working.
Bailey took trips for work that meant he was away from home more then he had been since B was born.  My company got an amazing contract that allowed me to make extra money - even though it meant extra meetings on days I was usually home with B, as well as close to 2 weeks of being at work from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Bailey helped out with this project as well, adding to the extra income.  A few weeks later we got a call that we were needed to help feed Hurricane workers in Texas, and Bailey and my dad made the trip, and they were gone for 23 LONG days.  All of this was hard work, made for us to stretch WAY out of our comfort join, and something I wouldn't want to have to do on a daily basis, but for us, it was enough extra income to help us reach our goal.  We took money from our savings accounts (something that is not recommended, but we were determined) to reach the last of the money needed.  We agreed not to buy each other gifts for Christmas - because we wanted that money for the house.  Christmas morning we woke up with such a new sense of relief.  Our house was ours.  We had no credit card bills to worry about.  Now we could focus on our "real" goal - Saving for Retirement.  

And of course.... Bailey didn't listen and bought me a Christmas gift - one of the best I have received over the years.


So, please follow my journey about how I continue to coupon and save money, while enjoying life to it's fullest and creating experiences that B can carry with her through life.

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