Net Worth

Popping in to make a notation of our net worth prior to my husbands retirement from the military at the end of this month (February 2026). My husband is 56 and will receive a pension monthly for the rest of his life. He isn't ready to not be working, so he is looking around for other ways to spend his time and potentially earn another income. It's possible that he won't work again, thus the reason I want to make a note here at this transition period.

Our cash on hand is $121604.

Our home is valued at $419,600 and we owe $282,336, which means equity of $137,264.

Our retirement accounts combined are valued (as of 2/29/2026) at $1,729,613.

$121,604
$137,264

$1,729,613

Total $1,988,481

Our 2023 Honda Odyssey is valued at $29,000

Our 2007 Honda Ridgeline is valued at $3000

$1,988,481

$29,000

$3000

Total Net Worth $2,020,481

Saving, investing and making good decisions with our resources pays off! Thanks to God for all his blessings. 

Cash is Back!

Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I talk about our personal finances. If you scroll back, you will notice I document each month where I find extra income. 

For many years we were moving around with the military and I was dreaming of putting down roots. I decided to start saving for our next home down payment. I made a Big Goal of $200K saved! In late 2021, we made an offer on the home and I made a final post about where we ended up with our Big Goal. You can read about it here.

Spoiler alert, we didn't meet the Big Goal, but we saved over half! In the end, we had $112,487.84 saved towards our goal. That was ALL of our savings outside of retirement. We put about $80K down on our mortgage and then spent another $25K on some needed upgrades, specifically a new deck, siding repairs and painting of the exterior. All money that has been well spent!

Today, I was making note of the cash we have in our savings accounts and noted that it was over what we had saved in 2021. It has taken us over 4 years to get back to that large of a balance. Today we are at $114,100.37. We even bought a new Honda Odyssey in during that time and paid it off in full. 

At this time, we are embarking on a transition. My husband (age 56) officially retires from the military at the end of this month (February 2026). He will be receiving a retirement check that we can live on, but our budget will be tighter than the past. Thus we have a lot of cash we can supplement from as needed. I am so grateful to the habit of saving. The ability to live on less than we earned. 

For anyone that comes across this and reads, please know that saving provides a safety net, breathing room, and options. If you look for money to save from your income, or in unusual sources, you will find it. What we focus on expands! Keep track...it helps so much!!  

December 2025 Extra Savings

The final month of 2025 was fruitful for extra income to add to our savings! Here is where the money came from:

Amex Rewards $76.34

Amazon Rewards $1.18

Chase Rewards $6.09

USAA Rewards $267.78 

FNBO Interest $76.86

USAA Interest $0.20

NFCU Interest $190.05

Warrior Dividend $1776.00

Total $2,394.50

Total YTD $6,351.43

I wrote a note in 2025 that it would be a year of abundance and it definitely showed up in our found money this year. We usually exceed $3,000, but never have we doubled that number. It was a great year for saving cash from my husband's paycheck as well. We are always grateful for the abundance God provides. 

Tracking our progress brings awareness and gratitude. I would recommend tracking, even if you spend the money or send it to debt. That is money that has blessed your current circumstances. 

November 2025 Extra Savings

I track sources of extra funds and passive income each month and set these aside in our savings account. In the past I would send these extra funds towards paying off debt. We are debt free minus our 3% APR mortgage. 

Amex Rewards $31.09

Chase Rewards $4.08

Amazon Rewards $16.30

Southwest Rewards $75.00

Ebay Proceeds $75.15

US Bank Rewards $30.64

FNBO Interest $74.20

USAA Interest $0.18

NFCU Interest $173.36

Total $480.00

Total YTD $3,956.93

Do you have extra sources of money coming in that you could put towards your goals? It is easy to spend it if we don't pay attention! Make those funds work for you. 

October 2025 Extra Savings

Want to pay off your debt? Start tracking where you have extra income coming in. After that start using those extra funds to send in a larger payment towards paying down your debt. 

This is where we found extra income this month:

Amex Rewards $29.16

Chase Rewards $8.48

NFCU Rewards $50.88

USAA Rewards $7.95    

FNBO Interest $76.48

USAA Interest $0.17

NFCU Interest $177.50

Return of Escrow $347.13

Total $697.75

YTD Total $3,476.93

It was a great month for interest and a return of excess funds in our escrow account. This month was nearly double our average for the month of extra money! As usual, all the money is set aside in savings as we prepare for my husbands retirement from the military in February 2026. He plans to get another job, and our savings will help smooth the income out as we transition! 

Savings over debt will always feel like freedom! 

September 2025 Extra Savings

Prepare and Save!

I track streams of extra income, all of which we save. At one point, in time we applied these extra earnings towards paying down debt. We are debt free except for our mortgage. Truth be told I should probably be applying this extra income towards the mortgage, but currently we are saving since my husband has a job change on the horizon. The extra savings will be helpful during that time. 

Chase Rewards $13.32

Amazon Rewards $8.57

NFCU Rewards $52.71

USAA Rewards $6.00

US Bank Rewards $31.53

FNBO Interest $79.80

USAA Interest $0.19

NFCU Interest $173.99

Settlement Payment $4.84

Total $370.95

YTD $2779.18

Keep saving! Extra funds in your bank account provide so much freedom. 

August 2025 Extra Savings

Welcome to my blog where I primarily track extra income. I share this as a way to encourage you to find ways to save small amounts of money for your future or even to pay down debt. Small amounts add up! Look for creative ways to save. 

Amex Rewards $75.39

Chase Rewards $7.84

Amazon Rewards $4.01

USAA Rewards $4.00

FNBO Interest $82.24

USAA Interest $0.16

NFCU Interest $154.12

Total $328.36

YTD Total $2,408.23

Thank you to the creator God for blessing us with abundance and fruits of our labor!

July 2025 Extra Savings

The year is more than half over and we are on track to save at least $3500 this year for non work income! This is how that money showed up this month:

Amex Rewards $69.40

USAA Rewards $5.00

US Bank Rewards $31.05

Chase Rewards $31.37

Amazon Rewards $5.49

USAA Interest $0.14

FNBO Interest $82.18

NFCU Interest $151.01

Total $375.64

YTD $2079.87

Small amount of money add up! Passive income from savings or from your credit card rewards are one place to find extra income. Do not sign up for a rewards credit card if you cannot pay off the balance and are racking up interest on your debt! We use our credit cards like debit cards and pay the balance off twice a month when we get paid. 

Saving small amounts can build an emergency fund or a car repair fund. Many people save this way for vacations and big holidays such as Christmas. What do you need to be saving for?

June 2025 Extra Savings

Here's where we found extra funds to add to our savings this month:

Amex Rewards $41.85

Amazon Rewards $3.77

Chase Rewards $9.08

NFCU Rewards $65.08

USAA Rewards $2.00

USAA Interest $0.14

FNBO Interest $81.63

NFCU Interest $145.57

Total $349.12

YTD $1,704.23

Track your savings contributions, interest, extra income for a year. This practice reinforces savings and abundance mindset! We live in a world of abundance. If you look for lack you will find it. If you look for abundance you will see it! 

May 2025 Extra Savings

A break down of extra savings in May 2025:

Amex Rewards $25.56

Amazon Rewards $8.29

Chase Rewards $4.19

US Bank Rewards $45.78

USAA Interest $0.16

FNBO Interest $84.12

NFCU Interest $138.54

Total $306.64

YTD Total $1,355.11

I track any extra income beyond earnings from work. Usually, the income is from credit card rewards or interest earned on our savings. We are on track to earn an extra $3000 from these sources this year! We are grateful for all blessings that flow into our lives!

April 2025 Extra Savings

Here's a list of where we found some extra funds in the month of April!

Amex Rewards $36.31

USAA Rewards $6.36

NFCU Rewards  $50.00

NFCU Interest $103.03

FNBO Interest $82.95

Total $278.65

YTD Total $1,048.47

I will track this data every month, all year long. Small amount of money add up over time. Keep saving!

March Extra Savings 2025

I'm tracking our extra savings beyond earned income for 2025. This extra income generally comes from interest on our CD's and savings, and credit card rewards. 

March 2025

NFCU Amex $50.00

Chase Freedom $20.91

US Bank $30.73

USAA Interest $0.11

FNBO Interest $89.71

NFCU Interest $97.32

Total $287.97

YTD Total $769.82

Small amounts of money add up over time. One can look for lower prices at the store when shopping, and save the difference. Or something bigger such as investing regularly overtime. The power of saving compounds through our habits! The tracking reminds me that it is a worth pursuit and adds value to our hard work. 

February 2025 Extra Savings

I'm tracking our extra savings beyond earned income for 2025. This extra income generally comes from interest on our CD's and savings, and credit card rewards.

February 2025

USAA Refund $3.00

USAA Interest $0.10

Chase Rewards $11.23

Amex Rewards $72.84

Amazon Reward $2.44

FNBO Interest $80.82

NFCU Interest $80.41

Total $250.84

YTD Total $481.85

January 2025 Extra Earnings

I will continue to track our extra income sources for 2025. In the past I referred to these as snowflakes, but will no longer do that. It's an old term that comes from paying off debt, one small snowflake at a time. Extra income generally comes from interest on our CD's and savings, and credit card rewards. 

January 2025

US Bank Rewards $44.78

USAA Refund $3.00

Chase Reward $4.64

USAA Interest $0.10

Claim Settlement $14.81

FNBO Interest $79.53

NFCU Interest $84.16

Total $231.02

YTD $231.01

Interest rates are likely to fall this year, so interest earned may fall. In the past we have been able to save around $3,000 per year through credit card rewards and interest. Let's see how we do this year.

We pay off our credit cards in full monthly (often more frequently) and do not pay interest on them. It is unwise to use credit cards for rewards if you are accruing interest on your purchases. 

2025 Financial Goals

Welcome to 2025!! Let's talk about the financial plan for the year. My husband will retire officially from the military on February 28, 2026. We have 14 months to prepare for this change. We have been planning for this in many ways for years, sending more to our retirement fund than many and keeping our expenses low. 

Our main goal is to stockpile cash to assist with the transition. Worst case scenario it's money will live on to supplement my husband's retirement pay (which is less than half of what we receive now). Best case scenario, he will find another job (which he wants to do) and we can use the cash towards buying a new vehicle to replace his 2007 Honda Ridgeline. 

We are shifting our retirement contributions. He will continue to contribute 17% of his Basic Pay to the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan). We will stop automatic contributions to our Roth IRA's and put that money into a CD paying over 4.5%. If he has a job before the 2025 contribution deadline (April 15, 2026) will send this money in for investment. We do max out both of our Roth IRAs (we are over 50), so this will result in $16,000 by year end and $18,666.66 by the retirement date. 

I am estimating on the high side that we can save an additional $45,000 by year end. On the low end maybe closer to $40,000. It's a fine line this year of stockpiling cash, but also enjoying the higher income while we have it. This cash will get funneled to CDs or money markets where we can be earning some interest. I think we are around 4% APR on our main savings account. I will keep my eye out for good offers! 

I will continue to save all interest earned and deposit credit card rewards money into our savings account. We do use credit cards and pay them off in full every two weeks, we do not pay interest on our credit cards. 

I will note mostly for myself that we ended 2024 with $51,826.53 in cash. We will approach or exceed $100,000 in cash by year end or when my husband retires. 

I have no doubt, based on years of experience, that we will make great progress on our goal. Just having a goal and working towards it means we will get close, meet it, or even exceed it. 

December Snowflakes

This is the final report of 2024 on our interest, credit card rewards and other extra income! 

NFCU Rewards $50.00

Amex Reward $55.79

Chase Reward $2.96

Amazon Rewards $14.73

USAA Subscriber Distribution $171.47

USAA Interest $0.09

FNBO Interest $78.58

NFCU Interest $81.33

Total $454.95

YTD $3,385.86

As expected, the final tally for 2024 exceeded $3000! The average amount is $282.16 per month. 

Earlier in the year, the credit card rewards money was going to the van loan. That loan is now paid off! Now all extra income is being saved. In 2025, we will be accumulating as much cash as possible as we prepare for my husband to transition out of employment with the military. 

November Snowflakes

I'm tracking money coming in this year from interest, credit card rewards, and other miscellaneous places. 

Amex Rewards $57.11

US Bank Rewards $36.36

Chase Rewards $7.76

USAA Interest $0.10

NFCU Interest $78.40

FNBO Interest $81.64

Total $261.37

YTD $2,930.91

In the past credit card rewards money was going to the van loan. That is now paid off! All extra income is being saved. In 2025, we will be accumulating as much cash as possible as we prepare for my husband to transition out of employment with the military. 

Van Loan Paid Off!

On November 22, we made the final payment on our van loan. The final payment was $654.37. I expect a little bit of interest may come back to us, since banks ask for 10 days of interest on final payments to cover any float while payment clears.

We were sending over $1,200 a month towards this loan. In the last few months we increased it by another $950. All that money is now going to be saved to prepare for my husband's retirement from the military and into civilian employment. 

We are debt free except for our mortgage. 

Our Van Loan

We purchased a new 2023 Honda Odyssey late August 2022. We paid for it with cash and a loan at 3.49% for 48 months. The principal balance started at $40,399. We have consistently made payments of much more than the minimum for just over two years and have a balance today of $5,725.96.

We currently plan to pay off this loan before the end of the year, possibly before the end of November. I have never been one to want to hold debt any longer than necessary...paying the bank interest sucks! 

The less debt we hold, the fewer expenses we have relative to our income, the more space we create for flexibility. The ability to adapt to increasing prices and inflation. The flexibility to put our money into places that earn us money. The flexibility to spend on things with meaning to us, like family vacations.

We are also about 14 months away from my husband retiring from the military. He may get another job because he likes to work, but we are also minimizing our expenses to live on the pension he will receive and our retirement savings. The less debt we are obligated to the better! 

I highly encourage anyone reading to get your house in order. Cut unnecessary expenses, establish an emergency fund, pay off debt as fast as possible. Regardless of income, we have personal responsibility to ourselves, our family and community to be a good steward of the resources given to us. 

October Snowflakes

I'm tracking money coming in this year from interest, credit card rewards, and other miscellaneous places. Reward money is going towards paying down our van loan. Each month I calculate the total and send it in towards the principal of the loan. Interest is just accumulating in our bank account to add to cash savings this year. 

Amex Rewards $38.93

Chase Rewards $19.81

Lumbee ROC $39.61

USAA Interest $0.11

NFCU Interest $80.70

FNBO Interest $103.89

Total $283.05

YTD $2,669.54

Still on track to 'earn' more than $3,000 this year. I notice that tracking this extra income from interest and rewards from credit cards brings me to a place of gratitude. It's like appreciating the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae or the cool breeze on the hot beach. May you find gratitude in your life and in your financial situation.