2023-05-26 - 9:11 a.m.

DAMN I just looked at my retirement portfolio.
The reason for a full time job for me is to kick that up.
I can live frugal and invest heavily in a 401 K when I land a good job.

I use the employee match feature to the max; so when working in my last full time job I did make some serious gains in my retirement income;

and then when working the 20 hr a week job that was negotiated with benefit of 401K I also made some serious savings.

So that is a huge hit for me- not having a full time job with a 401K.

Its a signifiant difference in long term income and stability.

My retirement plan as it is now shows me a couple thousand SHORT every month from what I would need in retirement.

That gap could be filled by a tenant I presume; for as long as I stay in my own home and use it as a source of passive income.

But still- its a pretty wide gap.

Motivating to not coast for too long enjoying the break from a full time job committment and workign part time.

Truth is I do enjoy only working part time at the contract work and then part time in service jobs.

BUT I NEED a significant increase in income.

Maybe this will work out perfectly. Since health care plans have gotten actually CRAPPIER and CRAPPIER ove the years; and I discovered the basic plans can buy on the Marketplace are really lacking-
AND that there is LACK of care with basic Medicaid and Medicare so it is advised save money to buy supplemental plans for when in retirement. (Heck I already joined AARP. Folks LAUGH about that but I was like- sign me up now for the next five years at the discounted price cause hell yeah I need to save and shop and be knoweldgable about supplemental health insurance plans for when I do retire.

I think it is a good source of educational information, hopefully financial literacy as well which is what most Americans lack unless they grew up rich.

Where was I even going with this entry..,,

Oh yeah; at least I did well while in the good jobs. Was very aggressive in my savings then. Never changed lifestyle as knew I was really short without retirement savings.

OH and maybe this gap is just a well times gap in which I am going to get a hysterectomy PAID FOR.

Yeah, maybe all things for a reason even when not planned for the reason? Possibly?

I have to report my new job to Social Services - and hope the income is not increased to kick out of receiving the benefit. It likely IS in the long term- as honestly I was on the CUSP- like literally
I think I came in $500 under the threshold. So that would mean an increase in income of $500 a month would kick me OUT of eligibility.
HOWEVER I had been filling in ALOT as the one gal was taking off much from her full time day shift.
I was working on AVG two days a week for her for a long time- almost every other Fri and MOn, and then a day or two here and there it seemed each week. Folks at first commented that she takes off all the time. It was moreso she did not plan weeks of vacation but regular long weekends or travel during the week because her priority it turns out is her family and she is a mom of a high school athlete looking at colleges. So she took off for the sports events to support her talented kid- traveled for games AND traveled to college visit and talk to recruiters. Watching Friday Night Lights helps me understand that ( HA HA .... none of my immediate family are athletes- although my Uncle was the High School Football Coach, and I think girls Basketball coach for a bit once too, and all his kids were athletes- so we grew up going over to their house and celebrating the cousins successess, although we did not go to the games. We just went to the family parties! HA and in High school the girls in that family played basketball and field hockey and all went onto college with field hockey scholarships. Watched alot of game tapes in the basement with my Uncle the coach! HA Even though we did not go to the games he of course did have game tapes running which is funny to think about now. I think my Uncle was never so depressed as when he took the job of Superintendent of schools and then had to deal with ADULTS and POLITICS . He transitioned from math teacher and coach to that and I tell you he ended up finding it misearble.But he did what he did for his family and also got to still teach a few nights at Queens Community College, a basic computer science class I thnk back in the day- which kept him sane as he still got to teach.)

OMG there was always beer flowing. Seriously I should not be afraid of the functional alcholics...
I mean there were enough of them in my family that did just fine, right?

Oh but it was the other unles... and the gradfathers that made that fear solid when young. I guess the impression of them was stronger than the good uncle cause as a kid I think I never picked up on the copious amounts of alchol regulralry ocnsumed at the NORMAL HAPPY HOUSEHOLD.

So funny as a KID I would not have identified that amazing Uncle as an alcoholic but as an adult would get together and that was obvious. I have cousins that grew up in that fam who told me they started drinking at age 12. There were always parties- and glasses to be finised off.

The responsible, successful middle class alcoholics-
HAHA
God I love that Aunt and Uncle. My Aunt was the best aunt as well! She was so loving and present and interested and supportive and nurturing.
My cousins are the best too- although one distanced and did not keep socializing even though we were in touch when first moved her as she too moved to Northern Va. I find it weird she lives just an hour away and we are not in touch. And it is sad to me as I get the sense I am just not good enough for her.

I mean I she came to the farmhouse at least once and visited us there when I was married. I came to her house with the kids when small post divorce once.
but we just never really became close. I was closer to her as a child.
It just seems strange as we live so close by. Maybe it has nothing to do with not being good enough and just both of us are not the social butterfly types. She is an accountant and was always the shy one.

I love my aunt so much. She was the one talking about the Autism/Aspergers trait and told me that she thinks it runs in my Dad's family pretty strong.

She shared with me her one son in law who is brilliant AND My Uncle both share some traits!
So interesting.
All really smart and nice people.
So funny to see this as an adults the similarities and traits- which are there but not pronounced.

OK off to work - to get the thing done that is in my IN box early in day,

Then I am going to look on line to find a good laundry line. Have been trying to figure out if it is worth it to take a Lyft to the laudromat ; to rent a car for a day just to get that done; or what... and decided the good old fashioned bathtub may be the best option for now as we have a hot summer projected.

I can do wash and hang it in the yard for as long as the HOA does not complain. I figure will try that first.

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