Michelle, I purchased your book Trailer Park Rules. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and decided to donate my copy to our local city public library. I lived in the same house my entire childhood. It was constantly being renovated by my father and never was anything “special” in our suburb near Washington, DC. I suppose we were poor but I didn’t realize it if that was true. But we always had a decent place to sleep and adequate food. I truly admire your openness about poverty.
Love that you got a windfall that for a brief moment staves off that feeling you get when an unexpected payment comes up, that you can relax and say there’s some cash there. Very happy with pool idea, I’m a great believer that when you get an unexpected amount of cash, for whatever reason, to treat yourself , to splurge on something that just makes you and others happy.
What happens at 59.5 is that you can withdraw from a retirement account without the 10% tax penalty you pay to the IRS before that. I don’t think loans are affected by being over 59.5.
Bought and read your book. 🥰 Loved it! And it was none of those I did NOT want to end! I found myself wondering how all the folks got along with their various lives after the end of the book, and would live to see a sequel, if you’re up for that! Thank you for sharing and for your amazing ability to create three-dimensional characters in a realistic situation that encourages the readers to care about. 🥰
I think it's important to share with people how I found their post. So, thanks are due to Caroline Osella's restack of your article and Counter-Intuitive's like on Notes. How people spend their extra money says a lot about their life and who they are as a person, so I really enjoyed this little glimpse into your life as an introduction even though I've never visited your Substack nor read your work before! Also, I love beagles (had two former failed hunting dog rescues) and it's nice to see that people still take care of family these days. For what it's worth, I work in community development finance and I'm familiar with ROC USA which helps residents convert mobile home parks into cooperatives. I've put your book on my list to read. We (coworkers and I) share work-related fiction and nonfiction; happy to have yours to read and share.
Welcome, Emily! I would really love to hear your thoughts after you read the book.
I adopted Cashew after my two other beagle-mix mutts died. One was a couple of years old when I got her in 2003 and she lived until 2020! I just love to offer dogs new lives.
Here’s what I like about it: It’s not a permanent structure in your yard. At the end of the season, you put it away. Ours is just big enough that my grandchildren could swim a little. My preferred pool activity is floating around while reading a book and it’s great for that. By putting it on a patio, you don’t end up with a dead part in your lawn. It’s cooling off here and we are already looking forward to the fire pit. Of course an in-ground pool would be the ultimate, but those are way out of my price range.
Thanks for sharing all the common-sense ways you've used your windfall. It's interesting to learn how others prioritize. And your back yard is awesome! That would be staycation enough for me, too! Hugs to your pupper....you're a good dog mama 😊
I am very impressed that you very skillfully steered a course between the two extremes of "save it all" and "splurge it all" as various of us were advocating one way or the other. I'm glad it's worked out so well and that you've managed to do both!
Michelle, I purchased your book Trailer Park Rules. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and decided to donate my copy to our local city public library. I lived in the same house my entire childhood. It was constantly being renovated by my father and never was anything “special” in our suburb near Washington, DC. I suppose we were poor but I didn’t realize it if that was true. But we always had a decent place to sleep and adequate food. I truly admire your openness about poverty.
Thank you!
Yay for swimming and memory making!
Brava, Michelle! I enjoyed learning what you decided. It sounds like love is a big motivator for you.
It is, yes :)
Congratulations on the windfall! You deserve it. 😍
Michelle, what smart things you did!
Enjoy the pool. It looks like a great place.
Love that you got a windfall that for a brief moment staves off that feeling you get when an unexpected payment comes up, that you can relax and say there’s some cash there. Very happy with pool idea, I’m a great believer that when you get an unexpected amount of cash, for whatever reason, to treat yourself , to splurge on something that just makes you and others happy.
So, well done on the seasonal pool :)
Good for you! Someday I long for a home of my own with room to garden and a fancy stock tank pool.
Come to central Illinois!
How wonderful Michelle! Loved how you decided what you spent and what you are saving.
My dad always said to save first, spend second. It has proved to be good advice and glad I listened.
What happens at 59.5 is that you can withdraw from a retirement account without the 10% tax penalty you pay to the IRS before that. I don’t think loans are affected by being over 59.5.
That's incredible. Congratulations. It's sort of like winning the freaking lottery!
Yes! I look at it that way.
Bought and read your book. 🥰 Loved it! And it was none of those I did NOT want to end! I found myself wondering how all the folks got along with their various lives after the end of the book, and would live to see a sequel, if you’re up for that! Thank you for sharing and for your amazing ability to create three-dimensional characters in a realistic situation that encourages the readers to care about. 🥰
I think it's important to share with people how I found their post. So, thanks are due to Caroline Osella's restack of your article and Counter-Intuitive's like on Notes. How people spend their extra money says a lot about their life and who they are as a person, so I really enjoyed this little glimpse into your life as an introduction even though I've never visited your Substack nor read your work before! Also, I love beagles (had two former failed hunting dog rescues) and it's nice to see that people still take care of family these days. For what it's worth, I work in community development finance and I'm familiar with ROC USA which helps residents convert mobile home parks into cooperatives. I've put your book on my list to read. We (coworkers and I) share work-related fiction and nonfiction; happy to have yours to read and share.
Welcome, Emily! I would really love to hear your thoughts after you read the book.
I adopted Cashew after my two other beagle-mix mutts died. One was a couple of years old when I got her in 2003 and she lived until 2020! I just love to offer dogs new lives.
Ooh, what’s the takedown pool? I keep waffling about one.
Here’s what I like about it: It’s not a permanent structure in your yard. At the end of the season, you put it away. Ours is just big enough that my grandchildren could swim a little. My preferred pool activity is floating around while reading a book and it’s great for that. By putting it on a patio, you don’t end up with a dead part in your lawn. It’s cooling off here and we are already looking forward to the fire pit. Of course an in-ground pool would be the ultimate, but those are way out of my price range.
Do you have any links? Sounds perfect.
Thanks for sharing all the common-sense ways you've used your windfall. It's interesting to learn how others prioritize. And your back yard is awesome! That would be staycation enough for me, too! Hugs to your pupper....you're a good dog mama 😊
I am very impressed that you very skillfully steered a course between the two extremes of "save it all" and "splurge it all" as various of us were advocating one way or the other. I'm glad it's worked out so well and that you've managed to do both!