brin_bellway: forget-me-not flowers (Default)
Brin ([personal profile] brin_bellway) wrote2024-02-05 01:27 pm

(no subject)

[cw: poverty]


I've finished my 2023 cashflow analysis! We're in the black this year!!

We obtained $57,195 and only spent $55,839.

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I'm impressed that we were able to get back to barista FIRE this year despite the high prevailing interest rates (which our rent is more-or-less-directly tied to the *derivative* of, after a flat percentage point: that is to say, if bank rates go from 3% to 7%, our rent *doubles*††): about 17.3 hours per person-week, after Brother's contribution (but *before* most government contributions).

(I almost said 16.5 there, then realised that I'd neglected to factor in the change in minimum wage partway through the year. 17.3 is with the weighted-average minimum wage for 2023.)

Okay, yes, if there hadn't been delays every step of the way in our attempts to get a heat pump, 2023 expenses would have been much higher; OTOH, it would have been only barely above barista FIRE *with* a heat-pump purchase (maybe around 22 - 23 hours/week), and that's *before* the energy-efficiency-program rebates show up.

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†"The state of being able to cover your living expenses on 20 minimum-wage-hours per week". *Normally* connotes that [your living expenses are higher than this but you have investment income covering the rest]. (Though we do own roughly two-thirds of the house equity, so the "rent" that we "pay" to "ourselves" *is* effectively a form of investment income for this purpose. Same with the owned-outright car, if you're from a culture where not owning your car outright is normative.)


††They actually went from *less* than 3% to a bit *more* than 7%, so our rent has *more* than doubled

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