[Money] Thoughts and dreams and plan

There are many things I want to do. They all require money.

Things are getting better now that we're all being paid again. But we're still playing catch-up.
I've applied to be a trainer, to take the course and train new school bus drivers. That will increase my income a bit, if I get it.

I need to save up roughly $20,000 in the next 2 years to accomplish everything I want to.

1) Richard's teeth. He needs all of them out, under general, and dentures. This is at least $10K. ASAP

2) The DC trip for our 30th wedding anniversary. We've never taken an actual vacation, just us going somewhere and seeing things. We can probably manage for $1500, but $2000 to be safe. Most of what we're seeing and doing is free. This is gas, food and hotel for 8 nights, metro fare, Monuments by Moonlight tour and maybe Williamsburg. (Deadline Aug 2019)

3) The Disney trip: This is $8100 now, not counting getting there. I don't plan to pay for more than half of it. (myself, Oli and Gabriel if need be), plus gas (1604 miles, or 82 gallons, we're taking the Nitro for Oli's chair) and maybe 2 motel nights during the trip. So $4500 travel, plus pocket money, figure $5000. (Deadline Aug 2020)

4) Billings trip. Mudd wants to see his family in Billings. That's a least 75 gallons of gas, 9 motel nights, and food for a week or so. Again, about $1500.   Preferably June 2019.

$19,000 is a fair chunk of money. Especially when my annual income is about $24000 and most of it goes to running the household.

My plan:

All my Michaels paychecks go into savings (not much, about $150/mo)
All my Etsy sales
All my mystery shopping money
Any royalties
All my Patreon (about $30/month)

My timeline:
We need about $4000 by this summer.
8 months is $500/month.
if I stash the Michaels, it goes to $350
With Patreon, $320.

I have to actively make $10/day to get to my summer goal.
That doesn't sound unreasonable.



So, when you buy stuff I make, or sponsor me on patreon, it's going to get Mudd's teeth fixed. It's going to give us a celebration of 30 years together.

It's going to let my father (age 74) take what will probably be his only vacation with the grandkids.