2016 Year End Happy Hour
Today is the last Friday of the month and in case you are new to this blog or my podcast, on the last Friday of the month, I host a happy hour on my podcast where the happy hour ladies and I talk about various money topics while drinking cheap drinks!Today’s Happy Hour is our last happy hour of 2016! As we did last year, the ladies and I are taking a look back at our 2016 to share our highlights and our lowlights, and then we are setting some big goals for ourselves in 2017. As always we had a great time, and I hope you enjoy this episode! Cheers!Don’t forget to check out The Financial Gym and its tools and resources to help you break free from your financial challenges and live a financially healthier life!
What are we drinking?
Melanie from Dear Debt — Menage a Trois Prosecco
Tonya from Budget and the Beach — Cook’s Extra Dry Champagne
Mrs. Frugalwoods from Frugalwoods.com — cheap champagne
Shannon — Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine
Podcast Notes
Tonya says 2016 was her best financial year ever.
Her net worth increased by $46,000!
Having readily available cash eliminated a lot of her worry when she needed to visit the ER and when her cat needed health care.
Melanie says this year has had the highest highs and lowest lows.
She reached her income goal that she set last year.
She published a book this year – Dear Debt: A Story About Breaking Up With Debt
She moved back to Los Angeles and is now near her family and friends.
The move turned out to be more expensive than she thought.
She didn’t realize she entered a new tax bracket and didn’t save accordingly.
A year ago her net worth was practically $0 and now it is close to $20,000!
Frugalwoods’s main goal for 2016 was to keep Babywoods and Frugalhound alive.
She achieved this goal – Babywoods is doing incredibly well J
The Frugalwoods closed on their homestead in May 2016 and moved to Vermont.
Frugalwoods quit her “W-2” job and started freelancing.
The highest high of Shannon’s year was opening the first physical location of the Financial Gym.
It has been a 3-year process!
The Martinis and Your Money Podcast had 1,000 downloads in December 2014 (the first year launched), 6,700 downloads in December 2015, and will have over 20,000 downloads in December 2016!
The ladies share their goals for 2017.
Shannon plans to have 10 gyms open by the end of 2017.
Tonya wants to increase her net worth by at least the same amount that she increased it in 2016, and she wants to travel.
She says she is at a crossroads about what she wants to do next personally and that 2017 will be an exploring year.
Melanie wants to change her income this year and make a lot more money from speaking, coaching, and events – not 99% from writing because she does not want to feel pressured to write anymore.
Frugalwoods wants to keep Babywoods and Frugalhound alive for another year and keep on top of managing the homestead.
She is also very excited to focus on strategic charitable giving in 2017!
Focus on the good stuff – there is always bad stuff, but life should be about the good stuff!
Look back on 2016 and appreciate how far you’ve come.
Thank you to my readers and listeners for making 2016 an incredible year for me. You made my highs even higher and made my lows more bearable. I love and appreciate all of you, and I thank you for coming on and staying on this journey with me! I hope you have a safe and happy New Year, and that 2017 is filled with big and exciting things for you and your families!