I enjoyed the Halloween tweet-storm so much, I decided to do a Thanksgiving version. I asked people to give me one amount of money they are grateful for in 2016:
For my post tomorrow, tweet at me a specific amount of money you're grateful for in 2016 and why: $276 – 2 tickets to new Harry potter play
— Maggie Banks (@northernexpense) November 22, 2016
I thought about this a lot myself before tweeting it out and have an answer that fits in a variety of categories. For each category, I add my own answer and the Twitter responses I got that fit in that category as well.
Experiences
My $276 amount to see the second ever showing of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child would fit in this category. It was an amazing, historic experience.
around 650 and bunch of points for attending Canadian Personal Finance Conference this past weekend. So worthwhile.
— Bob | Tawcan (@Tawcan) November 22, 2016
£24 on 6 tap dancing lessons = great joy!
— Catherine Elizabeth Gordon (@CathElizGordon) November 22, 2016
~$1200 that it cost to go to #FinCon16. Highlight of my year. ?
— Tanja Hester (@our_nextlife) November 22, 2016
Financial Goals
$59,600 – the current mortgage balance. While I’m not super excited that we still have a mortgage balance, getting this below $60,000 felt great! It means we’ve lowered the balance by $30,000 since starting the blog!
$25630: Combined contributions to 401(a), 457(b), Roth, IRA and mortgage principal paid off this year (so far)
— Josh Overmyer (@Jovermyer1) November 23, 2016
$15,275 - the current balance of my house down payment fund!
— Desirae Odjick (@half_banked) November 22, 2016
$36467.65. Amount of debt paid off this year!
— Canoe Dock (@CanoeDock) November 22, 2016
~$4,000, unexpected self employment income for the year!
— Kudy (@MonetaryMusings) November 22, 2016
$15K, amount we've paid off in student loan debt so far in 2016!
— Matt Spillar | Spills Spot (@mattspills8) November 22, 2016
$765 - Total earned through freelance writing assignments, since starting in May, to help pay off debt.
— Harmony Smith (@CMK_Harmony) November 22, 2016
$19338.19 - YTD payments and extra payments on our mortgage! Two more months to hit $25K!
— Penny (@picksuppennies) November 22, 2016
$8,500- most I've ever saved for retirement!
— Bravely (@bravelygo) November 22, 2016
@Steveonomics $35,0000, downpayment on a house.
— ıllıllı ??????? ıllıllı (@slatermaus) November 23, 2016
Relationship-Building
$1,007.36 – The cost to drop our kids off with grandparents in a different state and take off on a couples tenth anniversary trip to the UK. I needed this trip and it was well worth the money.
$4000 - to properly care for my 2 cats this year (one is diabetic).
— Kate (@itsakatelife) November 22, 2016
$25 — adoption fee for our cat <3
— Taylor (@taymilam) November 22, 2016
£139 first holiday as a family (baby boy was 6 months at the time) ?
— Nicola - Money Blogger (@thefrgalcottage) November 22, 2016
$114 to take our niece on her first visit to a waterpark, including lunch and ice cream.
— Choosebetterlife (@Choosebetterlif) November 22, 2016
$200, part of a flight for one of my favorite people to come hang out for a long weekend
— Revanche (@RevAGSL) November 22, 2016
Giving
$1,180.75 – The amount we spent last month on tithing and other causes we feel passionately about.
$461.26 for a RT ticket to Hong Kong to volunteer. Picking my own seat/meal & not having to fly standby - priceless!! ???
— Miss Mazuma (@MissMazuma) November 22, 2016
one more... $300 worth of Christmas gift that we're giving out to a single mom family that we are sponsoring.
— Bob | Tawcan (@Tawcan) November 22, 2016
Other
$1,150.88 – The price for new carpet in our entire house. I still can’t tell you how much joy this brings me. I can roll around on the carpet and not be disgusted wondering what’s hiding in it and it feels like I’m walking on clouds!
$8,316.12 for the privilege to pay one year's worth of health insurance for one! Such good value! ?https://t.co/22XT8FvyyS
— Financial Samurai (@financialsamura) November 22, 2016
$6k on a new driveway. Sounds boring but it's been bugging me for 10 yrs. I'm happy every time I drive in.
— Chief Mom Officer (@LizOfficer) November 22, 2016
What’s Your Grateful Number for 2016?
Emily Jividen
$1566…one week’s rental, beachfront duplex in May. Swimming, boogie boards, walking along the beach and drinking my morning coffee to the sound of the waves.
MaggieBanks
That all sounds amazing!
Mrs Groovy
Thanks for including Mr. G! I’ll chime in with – $2,700 on our 10 day retirement kickoff road trip. (App 60% of the cost was on hotels and a cat-sitter.) I’m still in a food-induced coma and now there’s Thanksgiving eating to contend with! Have a wonderful holiday.
MaggieBanks
Food induced comas = the best times were had! Congrats!
TheRetirementManifesto
$389k, the price we received for selling our primary residence, and a major step in our downsizing move en route to early retirement in 2018!
MaggieBanks
Woo hoo!
Chuck
It’s great to see all of the responses that you received. Looks like some rockin’ things to be thankful for this year.
I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving!
MaggieBanks
Thanks, Chuck! We have much to be grateful for!
Harmony Smith (@CMK_Harmony)
Great collection of numbers! I love how people in this community track numbers and are so purposeful with spending/saving. It is such a nice difference from the people I encounter in real life who honestly have no idea where all of their hard-earned money is going.
MaggieBanks
I love it too – and so many great answers!
Alyssa @ Mixed Up Money
These are seriously awesome reasons to spend money. It makes me feel better about choices I’ve made because it’s a reminder that we all want and admire different things. It also makes you realize all of the good saving and investing in things and experiences can do!
MaggieBanks
I loved this exercise and I agree that we’re all different and we’re all capable of our own greatness! Tiny amounts at a time!
Our Next Life
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, M! Sending lots of love your way. 🙂
MaggieBanks
Thank you, friends.
Miss Mazuma
Yes!! Grateful I made the cut!, 😉 I should have also mentioned the $6 massages I indulged in every night I was in Chiang Mai! Totally necessary – I shoveled enough elephant poop to build a small city out of dung.
MaggieBanks
Those sound amazing (I remember you mentioning those before). The only massage I’ve gotten was in Cambodia and it was much more painful than I anticipated, though I felt great after!
Matt Spillar
Really cool to see all these money amounts rounded up like this, thanks for putting this together and for including mine as a part of it!
MaggieBanks
It was fun to do!
tirelessworker
What a wonderful way to feel blessed and happy about money well spent. Nice way to get everyone involved as well. Have a great thanksgiving!
MaggieBanks
Thanks. I thought this was fun!
ChooseBetterLife
And today we took our other niece to a kids’ amusement park and her favorite restaurant for her birthday. Turns out that you get the place to yourself with personalized attention and no lines the day before Thanksgiving. Then home to paint our nails, make popcorn, watch a movie, and play at the park. $36 but priceless.
MaggieBanks
That sounds like an awesome day out for everyone!
Gary @ Super Saving Tips
$2,700 for a new front entry door and storm door to finally keep us warm. The old door literally had wind blowing through the cracks around it! We got the new doors installed just before a huge snowstorm in January. They made a difference in our energy bill right away.
MaggieBanks
I think front doors make a big difference! Well done!
Carrie
$23,000 lump sum payment we made to pay off our mortgage in July. I’m so grateful for the peace of mind this gives us.
MaggieBanks
AHHH! I can’t WAIT to pay mine off! Congrats!
MrFireStation
Fun post, Maggie! Happy Thanksgiving! I’m grateful for the $0 I’ve made since quitting my job for early retirement on April Fool’s Day. 🙂
MaggieBanks
Yay for doing it right!