I am learning. Always learning. Stay away from shiny new objects. Shiny objects can run you off course. They can derail you! They are pretty, but must be avoided! I am referring to shiny objects and financial goals of course. I have spent a lot of time, energy, blood sweat tears, and dead bodies to put myself on a financial path to freedom and retirement. I don’t want to get off course.

Yet, it is so easy to do if you are not vigilant and careful. A couple weekends ago, Kerry and I were headed to Eden to our friend’s house for a lovely day of celebrating Cinco De Mayo. We had a blast! I love going up there. I love the company. I love the hosts! We always have so much fun when we are up there and it is hard to leave. The views from David & Cory’s deck is AMAZING!

Well…..while we were up there, Our host, David Nelson informed us that the home next to his was going to be for sale and he was going to be the listing real estate agent. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?  If David’s home had the most insane view of the Pine View Reservoir, what kind of view could the home next to his have! I had to see! and David offered to take us over to see the home.

He told us that the owner had told him if anyone wanted to preview the home, to bring them over. FUCK YES WE DID! We jumped at the chance. and I fell in love!!!! The deck on the front of the house is the biggest I have seen. And YES the views were just as stunning. I felt they were even more beautiful.

The home was in great shape. it needed some updating was we could have moved in ASAP. The house was speaking to me. Calling me. Singing my name. Totally distracting me.

I could not think about anything else the rest of the day and I kept trying to figure out how Kerry and I could purchase this home as a 2nd home. In my mind, while eating and drinking a lot of margaritas, I was trying to figure out how to move money around so that we could purchase it. We could do it! I wanted that house! I couldn’t quit talking about it. I know that Kerry liked it too! I was obsessed! Head over heels in love!

Here is where the “voice of reason” comes in and takes over. As much as I wanted this house and had all sorts of ideas on how to justify this purchase. We could put the home on AirBnB and rent it out! But, I knew that before I did anything of this significance, I needed to talk with my financial adviser.

FOLKS! If you do not have a financial Adviser! I suggest you get one. Really research and find one that fits your personality, that understands your goals, interests, dreams, and life expectations. Find someone that is going to be your voice of reason in times like that and will listen to you and guide you through this type of decision. Find someone who will offer (and you will accept) their sound advice.

I am so glad I have Trenton! I made the call. I am sure he was expecting it, because I had been drunk texting him from the cabin. We talked about my finances. We talked about the possibilities of that house. He asked questions and told me to go find the answers to them, like what is the market for vacation rentals in Eden, before we made the final decision.

After my call with Trenton, I thought long and hard about our discussion and how this decision if I decided to purchase would impact our lives and our plans for retirement. I realized that I would be really stressed under the pressure of keeping this home rented and expecting rent money to come in for this home. I would have a HUGE nut to cover. I mean the home is going to $460,000. That is more than I owe on our current home and I am trying to pay this off!

They payment would have added an additional $2600 to my monthly outflow of cash. That is a lot to trying to come up with when I am aggressively saving for retirement and buying flip houses and rental properties in Idaho. These types of activities are in the PLAN.

These flip home and rental properties may not be a ton of money, but they are sound investments and plans right now that are a means to an end. They are helping us work towards our goal of retirement and living comfortably in retirement. I don’t want to have to worry about not having enough money to enjoy retirement. And I sure as hell don’t want to have to work until I am dead and not be able to enjoy our lives in our golden years!

Now I know that this home could be an incredible risk and people say that risk is good and risk can pay off. What if you are missing out on a great opportunity for your future. I have weighed all of that in my mind and I have no guilt for passing this opportunity up. I already have sleepless nights with the current things on my plate. Adding something of this magnitude, I feel, would put me right over the edge! I don’t want that. Not going to do it.

And I am ok. Still on track! YEAH ME!