https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:45:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765603 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 12:14:46 +0000 runnerd 2765603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: ahhhhh, poor thing!!! We just moved to a new house and were really careless the first month and got $400 electric bill (we were expecting more like $175). Now we are constantly increasing the thermostat, closing blinds, turning lights, etc :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765602 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 12:12:11 +0000 snowjewelz 2765602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@merriment: I agree... better to anticipate ALL kinds of costs! At least daycare costs are pretty all-inclusive but you're right... School has so much random expenses as you go along. I'm paying 24k a year for daycare for 2 now. man, just typing that is super depressing. Expected, but still! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765600 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 12:09:26 +0000 merriment 2765600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: We pay about $15000 per year for daycare (8 am- 6 pm, they only close for major holidays). So once school starts, my daughter will attend aftercare from 3 pm- 6 pm ($300 per month, about $2700 for the school year), she will need to go to camp in the summer (the only camp around us that offers extended hours is $5000 for the summer which includes busing). So immediately we are down 1/3 of the anticipated savings. There<br /> are a bunch of holidays scattered throughout the year. We hope to organize a coop of parents to cover some of those days, but we are anticipating having to pay for a sitter for a handful of days, so I assume five or is days of a sitter at $80 per day? I would rather over budget and be prepared...<br /> those are the big expenses. Supplies, requests from the PTA, activity fees, uniform (as she gets older and maybe wants to do sports or band or whatever) etc I expect will fold into our normal budget. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765598 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 12:06:40 +0000 snowjewelz 2765598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: ahhhh that ac bill :sad: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765592 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 11:57:23 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2765592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: Our savings just got seriously depleted by unexpected house repairs and come to find out keeping our ac at 78-80 for about 7-9 hours a day (when it's generally 95-105 outside) yields a $750 electric bill. So there goes that. 😩 We get a large check annually but it's not for another 5 months. So our retirement is doing ok but otherwise my dh either works a lot of planned OT or we have to be very careful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765584 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 11:29:30 +0000 snowjewelz 2765584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runnerd: I'll be honest that most of my nest egg is before I got married. I lived at home until I got married at 28 so I had time to save. Even after getting married it was harder to save b/c of house/house projects and then before you know it, kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765567 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:19:25 +0000 runnerd 2765567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: I feel ya. We prioritize our retirement, HSA, and 529 (and definitely not maxing any of those out!!) and have an extremely pitiful emergency fund, so I'm gawking at responses in the opposite way. Sometimes I'm not sure why we don't prioritize liquid assets more!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765549 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 09:52:15 +0000 snowjewelz 2765549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@babypugs: yes! a lot of our friends/family are way more well off than we are and I am usually just living vicariously through other people's insta-stories :silly: I've taken DD1 on one overnight trip and that was tagging onto DH's work conference! </p> <p>@bluestriped bee: Yes, I feel like everyone openly complains about how expensive childcare is but you don't really go in depth talking about this with your friends/family, so it's nice to know that I'm not alone, with details (i/o of just general commiserating). </p> <p>@KayKay: That's totally where we are some months where I'm literally down to the last budgeted dollar or worse. And I think it is just a scary feeling just b/c I've never been this tight before!</p> <p>@merriment: wow, that's a good point. Just curious, new school costs as in like school supplies? Or more than that? Ugh, totally agree that after school care/summer camp stuff will add up too.... </p> <p>@DesertDreams88: I def don't have a 529 for the kids and not even sure if we're gonna do that. And an "investment portfolio" may sound fancy but it's really just so my small nest egg can get a little more than minimal interest! I think we all do what we can! I feel like baseline is to have emergency fund and anything beyond that I guess is just what you can do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765320 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 22:58:23 +0000 DesertDreams88 2765320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Anyone reading this thread thinking man, this sounds nice? Investments and choice-based retirement? 529s? We are nowhere near that.</p> <p>We have 3 months of an emergency fund and have a mandatory 10% pension contribution. We try to max out our HSA but keep having to spend it. We don't have any other retirement savings, only $100 in the 529, and no investments. I don't know how we would do any of that.</p> <p>We save for smaller goals, like a badly needed pool renovation, unpaid maternity leave, paying for my mom's flight for the birth, and summer travel to see family.</p> <p>Other than that, student loan debt and car debt is more of a focus. Luckily we have only one car loan, and it was for a great-value used car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765318 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 22:51:37 +0000 Pumpkin Pie 2765318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have 2 kids in day care, we max out our 401K, and aside from that we don't save much. We do have an emergency fund. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765275 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 16:48:51 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2765275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just keep reminding myself you can take out a loan to help pay for college but not for retirement! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving/page/2#post-2765254 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:47:04 +0000 Modern Daisy 2765254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After paying for a full time nanny and private preschool (no public prek here either) we are lucky to save anything. But we also have the emergency fund and contribute to 401ks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765253 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:36:27 +0000 merriment 2765253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is sort of unrelated, but...<br /> My daughter finishes daycare this month and will start Kindergarten in September. We were excited for "all the money" we would be saving. Well, we sat down and did the math for our new school costs, and while there is still a savings, it isn't as much as we had hoped for. After school care, summer camp (with extended hours), and extra help for those random days off of school...all that added up to quite a bit. I would look at your area and try to get estimates of your actual costs before expecting a giant post-childcare windfall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765237 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 13:55:54 +0000 IRunForFun 2765237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are saving only a very small amount per month right now. Like, maybe a couple hundred bucks in a month where we don't have unexpected expenses. It's been a tighter year because we bought a house (and of course we've had to do a lot of maintenance/repair to it) and had a baby. But, we had a healthy savings/emergency fund built up already (even after the down payment on the house), we keep a cushion in checking for unexpected expenses, DH maxes out his contribution to his 401k, I've got a decent amount invested, etc. As long as we don't have to dip into savings on a regular basis I'm "comfortable." (That's a relative term because I tend to worry about money no matter what.) </p> <p>@babypugs: What's a vacation? 😜 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765213 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 12:11:06 +0000 808love 2765213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We established savings for specific purposes- retirement, emergency, future car and college. I'm comfortable not saving anything beyond those categories. Anything remaining is spent on a wish list item or invested. I definitely don't want to spend more than my means/budget or dip into my savings, other than that, I'm good to go. ETA: I just added disability (not sure if I'll keep it) insurance and have another insurance plan in case of unforeseen events. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765201 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:30:48 +0000 KayKay 2765201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd be fine with it as you described. In an emergency situation, you have adequate liquid savings to access, could decrease your 401(k) contributions (just to get the match), and worst case could access your investments. Based on all of that, your (relatively) stable job situation, and for a defined, short timeframe, I wouldn't worry about it.</p> <p>I'm very risk averse and generally we are financially smart/sound people...but 2 years ago, we had a special circumstance where, for 1 year, we were in the red every month. Like, I literally had a spreadsheet that showed what we could spend/had spent each month in order to just hit zero on our liquid savings at the right time! We still had investment accounts we could've accessed in a catastrophe had it been necessary, and we had zero debt. But it was still a REALLY weird situation for me! I just had to keep perspective that it would only be for a short time and would be worth it! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765191 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:05:33 +0000 BSB 2765191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Man, childcare expenses is killing us right now. I thought I was fairly comfortable financially. Savings is minimal or probably will be cut out soon. I'm leaving my 401K contributions the same for now. Glad to hear others are in the boat while the kids are young. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765180 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 10:49:08 +0000 BadgerMom 2765180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I think if you're maxing out your retirement then you ARE saving! And since you have a significant emergency fund already then there really isn't anything to worry about... If you have to dip into that, that is when I would tighten my belt to get your emergency fund back up to that level, but if everything remains status quo and nothing big comes up, I think you're doing just fine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765165 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 10:28:12 +0000 babypugs 2765165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so glad that you started this thread. I was totally feeling like I was a Hellobee outlier in that we are not saving massive amounts of money and taking yearly lavish vacations. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765163 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 10:17:36 +0000 travellingbee 2765163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are the same. I am maxing out my 457, and DH is getting his 100%match, we are putting a little into a 529, and we have an emergency fund that is fine but we aren't contributing more to right now. We aren't saving a bunch to invest like we were before because of daycare costs. And we'll contribute more to 529s once they are in school. I'm perfectly comfortable with this situation but DH is a little stressed about not saving as much as he used to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765144 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 09:25:26 +0000 yoursilverlining 2765144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you are contributing to your 401(k) and have any savings at all, frankly you’re doing much better than many Americans. I personally wouldn’t worry even if I wasn’t able to save anything as long as I was still contributing to retirement and not dipping into existing savings. Daycare is a season of life, it will pass. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765128 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 09:00:33 +0000 reverie 2765128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The internet is totally a crazy bubble of ideal circumstances. I would venture for a majority of parents with younger kids there isn't substantial savings going on. Our month to month varies greatly on my overtime... but we contribute to a 401k up to my employee match and then have a set small amount go to an IRA and the kids 529s. I will have preschool costs for the next 5 years (with a year off when my son is in kindergarten and my daughter hasn't started) but I think a car might be paid off in the meantime so there will be a little more wiggleroom. </p> <p>Anyway, depending on the month I save a few hundred extra cash or none at all or dip into savings. It is what it is. I do over pay my taxes as a forced savings which seems to work well for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765126 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 08:48:00 +0000 snowjewelz 2765126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: what the heck! so wouldn't you just use your daycare for aftercare still then? Or they don't offer that for that age? that is a really good point and so glad you brought it up... I'm gonna ask around! But I was also thinking that when they're more or less "independent", maybe grandma/daddy care will be fine too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765124 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 08:46:25 +0000 snowjewelz 2765124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: There's a trip I need to take next year (I want my kids to meet their great grandmother), but I've been hoarding all my credit card points so I shouldn't have to spend much! But yeah otherwise no vacations for us either. Which I feel is fine when they're young; they just care that we spend time with them and there's plenty to do locally! </p> <p>And totally agree with you about downsizing too. But our current plan is actually for my parents to move in with us maybe within 10 years (they're in their 60s now). Then after our kids are grown we def plan to live in a much much smaller place too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765109 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 06:33:43 +0000 looch 2765109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I couldn't agree more with you about way downsizing the house...we could (and probably should) do it sooner rather than later and put that money into our retirement funds. I have no desire to have a big, empty house, a small 2 bed/2 bath apartment will be more than enough.</p> <p>@snowjewelz: I don't think there is a "right" answer really. There were times in my life where I didn't have enough to save. It wasn't pleasant, but it was a season in my life I had to deal with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765085 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 22:33:08 +0000 Corduroy 2765085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: Sounds like you're doing well. Not to be a negative Nancy but have you looked into afterschool care costs to see where you will be in two years? I was surprised to find after school care for kindergarteners at our local public school is more than we pay for in-home daycare and preschool. It drops to 90% of daycare cost for elementary aged kids. I'm glad I know now with one year to explore options. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765079 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 20:52:45 +0000 Truth Bombs 2765079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: Given all the details you've provided about your situation (including the fact that this is short term), I would have no issue with a zero savings rate as long as it doesn't dip past the line where you are having to access savings to cover regular living expenses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765073 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 20:24:01 +0000 skipra 2765073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read all the responses so sorry if it's already been mentioned, but one thing I do try to set aside some money for is holiday and birthday shopping so we don't totally bust our budget for those events. And other things that we have to pay for just once a year vs. monthly like insurance, car registration, etc. It's nice to put a bit aside every month. We have multiple savings accounts to keep track of all these things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765064 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 19:38:44 +0000 JCCovi 2765064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just moved to a high cost of living area and dropped from 2 incomes to one. We basically aren't saving at all. We are:</p> <p>1) Maxing out 401k to the $18k limit<br /> 2) Contributing a tiny bit to 529s<br /> 3) Just sold our house in NC and are looking to buy a rental property there (can't afford anything here!) and all the rental income will stay in an account to be reinvested when there is enough of it.<br /> 4) All stocks (including those given as a signing bonus that haven't fully vested) will stay as investments and won't be spent.</p> <p>So actually our savings is in pretty good shape, but since none of it is coming out of our take home pay, it feels pretty weird. When the kids go to K we'll have more to put aside every month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-little-money-are-you-comfortable-with-saving#post-2765063 Thu, 03 Aug 2017 19:21:18 +0000 Mae 2765063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We actually haven't been contributing to savings (other than retirement and 529) for a while now! We built our emergency fund to a place we are very comfortable with, and beyond that we have other priorities. We've been working on paying down my student loans, and when we have 2 kids needing childcare we probably won't have much/any left over most months. But it's just temporary, and as long as you have a good emergency fund its fine IMO. </p>