. My net worth now surpasses $1 million. This is a first for me. That includes the value of my home, so certainly I can't retire today 
but it still is very nice.
What pushed me over the one million mark is that I've already received about half my inheritance from my mother. This was the money she'd invested in mutual funds, which bypasses probate. It was amazing how quickly that money was deposited in my account. I mailed in T. Rowe's forms (it took 3 phone calls to make sure I was filling them out correctly), along with the original death certificate, and 5 days later I saw the money in my account. It was lightening fast and I'm sure in sharp contrast to what the probated process will be like.
I know how very carefully my mother managed that money, and out of respect for that, and remembering how incredibly frugal my mother lived, I do hope to do the same. No doubt some of it was what was left of money she'd inherited from her parents decades earlier. At the same time, I don't want to simply hoard my money, being so afraid of spending it that I don't really get to enjoy it. I think my mother, who grew up in the Depression, was a little guilty of that. She hoarded everything.
Still, if and when I do spend the money, I want to spend it on meaningful, not frivolous things. In my mind, when I do sell my house, a meaningful thing would be taking a portion of my inheritance to purchase a nicer condo that I would have otherwise been able to afford. I don't plan to move again, so this will be my "retirement" home and I've long held onto the idea that this home should be a bit more luxurious than my first home, because I've earned it.
I like my house very much, but it is circa 86 years old with not-quite-level floors, beat-up walls and woodwork and stuff like that. Mice in the basement in winters is an annual reality. I would really like a fully updated kitchen but have done nothing to mine except wallpapering in the 20 years I've lived here.
Frivolous spending would be spending on things like clothes, jewelry, and random do-dads for the house although major home improvements are another thing I would willingly spend on. Like getting my driveway redone this spring, hopefully. Travel would also be well worth it, IMO.
I remember encouraging mom to replace the ratty carpeting in her condo, which she so wanted to do because of her allergies, and getting a new ceramic floor in the kitchen to replace the beat-up linoleum. I know she wanted to do both but probably ran out of steam. It would be such a huge, multi-step project just to move furniture and stuff out of the rooms. I wish I had made the time to help her figure out how to approach it. It's a little bittersweet remembering the whole thing because I did end up replacing all the carpeting in there, but she didn't get to enjoy it -- I had moved her out and into an assisted living place by that time, and the new carpeting was needed to sell the place.
Also reflected in the numbers is the fact my home value has been going sideways for a while. I can't say the value has recovered since the market peak I 2007-2008. In June 2013 it was valued at $289,000 by Zillow and today, 1.5 years later, it's valued at $286,000.
I keep plowing large sums of money into my Roth 401k accounts at work. Eventually, I hope all that bears some fruit.
Historic Day for Patient Saver
January 30th, 2016 at 04:54 pm
January 30th, 2016 at 05:12 pm 1454173958
January 30th, 2016 at 05:40 pm 1454175600
January 30th, 2016 at 06:41 pm 1454179306
LOL about the mice. When the buyers of my dad's house did the inspection, they noted that there was "mice activity in the crawlspace." Uh, go figure, in the middle of winter they would find there way into a 45-year old house!
Good luck with the rest of the estate.
January 30th, 2016 at 07:07 pm 1454180832
January 30th, 2016 at 08:09 pm 1454184589
The 1st winter we moved into this condo we were beset by evidence of mice which apparently gained access via the attached garage. I read that mice/vermin disliked any brand of Bounce type sheets. I was surprised to discover evidence disappeared nearly instantly. Sure was better than sweeping efficient traps with their holdings and droppings in awkward corners.
January 30th, 2016 at 08:16 pm 1454185001
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January 31st, 2016 at 07:09 am 1454224167
t's helpful to plot places of interest and research the general months of destination festivals and special events. Sometimes it's more practical to go 'shoulder' season when costs for travel and accommodations are more moderate. It adds a lot to the experience when the locals have time to give you a more personal experience. I was imagining how frustrated all those people must have felt stranded in Washington, DC or New York, when flights were cancelled and anyone with ongoing [international] flights were lost. It can be very difficult to re-book for a third country. Do you see value in learning a second language to make travel less traumatic?
January 31st, 2016 at 08:10 pm 1454271002
February 1st, 2016 at 04:39 am 1454301571