10/24/2009 Bash On the Boat (I'm with B.O.B.) -Thread #6

[DISNEYDUET]

Here are the pics I took at our August 2006 DISmeet at Grills. A fun time was had by all!!! ​

Looks like another event to add to the BOBer schedule! Meet at Grills!!!​

 

[Verandah Man]

Looks like another event to add to the BOBer schedule! Meet at Grills!!!

I'm up for that!!!

 

[Verandah Man]

Since I'm home today, wifey-poo is putting me to work. I get the job of cleaning the ceiling fans, "cuz" (for Karen) even with a step-stool, Hazel still can't reach them.........

 

[JLDSMD]

It's open enrollment time at work and I've just started to think about plannign for retirement. I've been putting into a 401K for years now, but I'm going to increase my contribution into it this year. I would love to retire before 60 -- I'm thinking 55. So between now and then, I want to have a nice big savings, have the house paid off and all improvements finalized, and get the kids through college. Hopefully I'll still be working at the College so they can go for free.

Sounds like a great plan!

DH and I would like to retire early too....we'll see how that goes. Right now, Andy's tag sort of fits us too....gotta pay for those vacations!

Actually, we'll be in better shape once we're done paying for daycare - that eats up a chunk of money each month....but we're almost there! September 2 will be here soon!

I just did our calculations the other week to see where we'd be when I reach age 62 - my target retirement age (I have Suz retiring when she is 56 - she is 4 years older than me). I used 8% return on the investments, which is a very conservative rate. If that rate comes in more like 10%, I'd would have the same amount of money at age 55 that I would at age 62. The only thing, our pension is really screwy and very age discriminatory (sp?) and rewards older people, so if I stay, they will give me 16% of my pay from 55-60 and 18% over age 60 EACH YEAR. Kinda hard to give that kinda of cash up.

I've been putting away since age 18. I'm thankful I started early. I have so many clients that pull their money out to pay for things. They get nailed almost 50% in taxes and penalties and then have nothing left for retirement and have to start over. I can't stress enough to the young people who start here about getting in a plan early and not touching it. And when your pay increases, up your contribution percent a little more each time.

The laws are written so that as long as you have income, you can put into IRA's. What I'm going to do with DS is set up a Roth IRA for him as soon as he starts working. I could fund it with an amount equal to his earnings or $5,000, whichever is less. If I put $5,000 in at age 16, when he turns 59 1/2 (the age he can touch it) at 8% it will be worth $142,000. Now if I do that for him for 4 years, it will be worth $471,000. Not a bad little gift to leave him and it is TAX FREE. If it returns 10%, just the one year would be worth $316,000 and the 4 years a whopping $1,001,000. Nice way to leave your kids a million dollars for retirement.

 

[JLDSMD]

Just wait until the two are in college at the same time................
4 cars......4 car insurance..........two apartments....... At least now one is home, but grad school is so expensive. We are trying not to get any loans we don't want them to struggle when they get out to pay back loans.

I'm so thankful for the 529 accounts being there. I just have it pulled off the check every pay period. Don't miss it in little chunks. After 7 years, it has really added up.

My problem is going to be the $8,000 per year for High School.

 

[JLDSMD]

Yep, when you have 2 it can certainly add up!

We just have one, I can't imagine the $$ if we had 2!

Daycare for DS from birth to when he started school was something like $45,000.

Man, that's a lot of cruises.

 

[JLDSMD]

No, not me......I think it might have been Mike "Dawg" or Jeff "Sneaky #1"

That was me. We were talking about the pictures people got before the KK cruise and it seemed like a lot of us were up at that time. So I threw it out there for a 4:00 a.m. DIS meet to watch the Magic sail back in.

Just need someone to make the run down to the Dunkin Donuts.

 

[JLDSMD]

I've also been surfing the 'net for hotels near O'Hare that do free extended parking. Our flight to AZ leaves at 8:10 am, so I think we might drive down the night before.

The absolute cheapest parking at O'Hare is $9/day (x8 days is $72) and I've fould a couple hotels in the $89-99/night rate with free parking for 10-14 days plus airport shuttle.

Clarion on Cumberland. We use that one if we fly in the winter because they have a two-story parking structure and we park on the lower level - no snow.

We've also done the Four Points Sheraton, Ramada Plaza and I think a Hampton Inn (down by Thrifty).

All were good.

 

[JLDSMD]

Oh it is, I got "MOUSEBUMPS" watching the Magic sail by.........

It was really cool seeing it come back in. Really quiet too.

It got me excited. Hard to got back to sleep after seeing it.

 

[JLDSMD]

I've been awake on the ship watching us come in but never from the port. That would be fun, but don't you get really tired the first night then?

I'm always awake when we come into dock. Don't know why.

As for being tired the first night, I think the excitement keeps you going.

 

[JLDSMD]

One time we did RCCL from Port canaveral. It was hard to watch the Wonder pull out. We did have a really nice time on the mariner, but it's just not the same.

Suz says she'd be the same way. It would be hard enough leaving from PC knowing that the DCL ships leave from there, but to see a DCL ship would be bad.

We'd also have to pick an itinerary that does not have a stop the same place as a DCL ship on the same day.

 

[JLDSMD]

Two for Grills!!!

We've had a couple of DISmeets the night before our cruise at Grills. In August 2006, we had about 50 show up for the DISmeet!!!

Tried going to Grills for dinner the night before the KK, but it was packed. It was kinda wet out, so they didn't have the outdoor seating.

Want to try it though.

We ended up eating back at the Ron Jon.

 

[JLDSMD]

A little bit, but it sure was worth seeing the Magic sail up the channel, instead of sailing out the channel.

Plus, how often do you get to see it in the dark all lit up?

 

[JLDSMD]

O.K., all caught up. Time to start working.

 

[Karen Mouse]

I'm on my way Karen, after I vacation with Lori and my "date".


A BOBabus??






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Actually, it means nothing to me. I just wanted to scare you.

It worked - I thought "oh god what have I typed in this time" (after the humping incident


Norty Nancy

Bobabus - I like it - you could all check your bobigators while you travel down together

ps- the ironings all done - I am a .

Kitchen immaculate - so much so I'm now afraid to cook incase I mess it up - could be take our for tea

Lounge immaculate - even my lilies have all started opening - show home here we come!

Still got mirrors to polish, skirtings to wipe down and vacuuming and polishing. -I'll do the rest tomorrow.

 

[Karen Mouse]

Ive never had a mochaccino...but it sounds good! I never made it to the coffee shop either...

What DID I do last cruise??? Seems like I missed a lot of stuff....

I went to the coffee place onboard with Suz - we nicked all the chocolate eclairs

 

[JLDSMD]

I went to the coffee place onboard with Suz - we nicked all the chocolate eclairs

Yeah, and Neil and I didn't get a one.

 

[Karen Mouse]

Yeah, and Neil and I didn't get a one.

- you did too ya big fibber - we bought you ONE each - (thats all we thought you were both worth )

 

[Karen Mouse]

I now have Neil vacuuming the whole of the upstairs

Its bribery for me going to this awful party tonight

That'll teach him to come home early

 

[Verandah Man]

Tried going to Grills for dinner the night before the KK, but it was packed. It was kinda wet out, so they didn't have the outdoor seating.

Want to try it though.

We ended up eating back at the Ron Jon.

Really need to get to Grills between 4pm and 5pm, after 5pm forget it.

Oh yeah, Grills does not take reservations after 4pm.