How to spend a Saturday...

1) Start your research, gather your tools, get pumped up
2) Wrangle up the fiance for some fun ;)
3) 2.5 hours of time together in close proximity creating...
4) SPREADSHEETS!! :-D

Yep, we love our spreadsheets around here. :) OK, maybe one of use loves them and the other tolerates such madness. I'll let you decide who is who. :) But the fruit of our efforts was definitely worth it and we got a lot accomplished yesterday.

A) We have a cash flow projection for the wedding expenses and will most likely come in right around where I hoped for costs (about 50% of the average wedding).

B) We determined our net worth (better than I expected) and we are at 8% of our 15-year goal of $1 Million (long-term goal). :)

C) We created our joint budget and made a plan that we both agree on based on current circumstances. The plan will most likely change once kids are in the picture, but we have a year before we need to worry about that.

D) So here's the plan. By January 1, 2010 (short-term goals):
- All of our credit card debt will be paid off.
- The wedding will leave us debt free (excluding the honeymoon which depends on how the market does - if my stocks perform well they would cover the costs, we'll see)
- We will have enough in savings to pay the property taxes (no escrow for us)
- We will have our emergency fund 12% funded.

E) And by 2012 (medium-term goals):
- My car and student loans will be paid off.
- All family debt will be paid off.
- Our emergency savings will be 100% funded.
- The home equity loan will be 50% paid off.

And that's how you spend a productive Saturday in this household... poor Jeff. :)