Nice view! – Bali
2019 was our 7th full year of post-work life and probably our most “normal” year to date – we lived in a normal city, Jr went to a normal school, and we did normal life things. It was nice. And different.
We did manage ~5 weeks of travel vacation (Thailand, Vietnam, Bali) and I took most of the summer off from anything with a screen, which was also very wholesome and normal and nice.
So of course something happened that will completely change our lives, forever.
2019 Cost of Living
This was our 2nd full year without expense tracking. I know roughly how much we spent because I know how much we received in dividends / capital gains / blog profit. Since we spent it all, income = expenses.
Here are the gory details:
| Expenses | Monthly | Annual | $/day |
| Housing | $2,400 | $28,800 | $79 |
| Health insurance | $75 | $900 | $2 |
| Transportation | $250 | $3,000 | $8 |
| Food | $1,500 | $18,000 | $49 |
| Entertainment | $250 | $3,000 | $8 |
| Misc | $500 | $6,000 | $16 |
| Total (Core) | $4,975 | $59,700 | $164 |
| Other | $35,500 | $111 | |
| Total | (~$8,000) <--- | $95,200 | $261 |
That “Other” category is pretty big, so here is a break down:
- Montessori pre-school – $10,000 (includes some summer sessions)
- IVF – $10,000
- Self-employment taxes – $8,000 (paid throughout 2019 as estimated taxes – great way to get tons of award points!)
- New toys – $3,000 (Garmin EDGE 830 and Forerunner 945, iPhone 11, Samsung Galaxy Note 11)
- Chinese New Year trip to Chiang Mai – $1,500 (paid cash for everything – discount airline / hotel / airbnb)
- Spring trip to Vietnam – $1,000 (discount airline flights, 2 free hotel nights, rented Airbnb with another family.)
- Summer trip to Bali – $1,000 (free flights and most hotel nights free – details.)
- Income tax – $1,000 (2018 taxes paid in 2019)
Since we did only short duration regional travel we spent quite a bit less than last year (which included 2 months in Europe and a month in the US.)
Expenses would be about $4,000 higher without travel hacking – using rewards programs to get free flights and hotel nights. See our Award Travel Series for more details.
The Cost of Normality
Our core cost of living is now about $60k/year.
We’ve designed our lives to have a nice home in a city center within easy walking and biking distance of everything we care about, and easy access to bus and subway. We continue to be car free and care free.
Our big Other expenses are pre-school and elective medical procedures. Those stop within the next 1.5 years. (*)
We also pay some self-employment taxes, or as I like to call it – an involuntary annuity purchase with reasonable ROI. These wouldn’t exist without blog income, which also reduces our ability to do tax-free Roth conversions and capital gain harvesting. You win some, you lose some.
Everything else is spent on toys and travel.
This brings our total cost of living to ~$95,000 – $260/day.
Average spending over the entire 7 years of early retirement is much lower at $74k/year – $200/day (inflation-adjusted to 2019 dollars, excluding self-employment taxes. SE taxes add ~$6k/year or ~$17/day.)
For reference, here are the annual spending summaries for the previous 6 years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.)
Life Changing Events
Wait a second… what are these elective medical procedures mentioned above?
After a couple failures we gave up on having another child. Until we didn’t.
Winnie is now pregnant with our 2nd child, due in September. Yeah!
Jr is very excited to be a big brother.
We don’t plan a destination birth and will remain in Taipei for the duration of the pregnancy.
The Dr told us if the fetus doesn’t grow a penis in the next 1 1/2 weeks then it is a girl. This is the kind of deep insight I’ve come to expect.
We think it is a girl
For background, I wrote previously about the IVF process and childbirth in Taiwan, and our previous decision to not try IVF again.
Regional Photo Tour
Since we went to all of the trouble of traveling, here are a few of my favorite travel photos from the year. See many more on Instagram.
 Playing with Elephants – Chiang Mai, Thailand |  Taking a hiking break – Chiang Mai, Thailand |
 “You can live in bliss” – Hoi An, Vietnam |  Breakfast of Champions – Hoi An, Vietnam |
 Beach Reading – Bali |  Sunset Stroll – Bali |
Conclusions and Projections
It was a good year. We enjoyed a normal yet relaxing life in numerous countries for a reasonable sum. Best of all we are all excited to grow our little family.
I expect 2020 will be much the same in terms of cost. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like we will blow kid #2’s college fund (yet.)
With tax credit / bundle of joy #2 on the way, we recently moved into a bigger apartment. This increased our rent about 10%.
Childbirth and pre/post-natal care, with part-time nanny help for the first couple months, will cost about the same as IVF. Maybe we will come out ahead on that one with the additional $2,000 Child Tax Credit.
Our travel expenses will also be about the same. While we will be in Taiwan for the rest of the year, our January 2020 trip to Japan cost about the same as all of our 2019 travels combined. We might spend a little on Taiwan adventures as we are working on having friends and family come to us (my Mom is already booked for a flight in the spring.)
Thank you for reading and for your support. I hope you have a great 2020!
Please share your GCC love on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Jeremy, Winnie, Julian, & TBD
Go Curry Cracker!
Congratulations to the (expanding) Go Curry Cracker family! It’s going to be an exciting year.
Exciting year indeed. Thanks!
Congrats Jeremy and Winnie! A very nice blog-reading surprise.
Thanks Neil!
Congratulations! Been following you all for a long time and also ivf parent here. Thrilled to see you have baby 2 on the way!
Congratulations and best wishes for the months ahead!
Thank you!
Congrats! That’s amazing news. I’m so excited that GoCurryCracker Jr is going to be a big brother! He is such a sweet kid and will be an amazing big brother!
Yay! So happy for you guys.
Way to go 2 is perfect,. Boy’s girl, doesn’t matter. Mine are adults now both in uni. Mom in chiayi is most proud of them. I am sure Winnie’s family will be tickled pink.
Longtime reader… first time commenting! I’m so excited for you and Winnie and wish you all the best with your second pregnancy and baby. Congratulations!
I’ve loved living the post-FI life vicariously through your blog. Thanks for sharing. ;)
Thank you Chrissy. You are too kind
I followed your blog for the last few years and really and joyed it. I live in Hawaii and have a eight-year-old daughter and now a one-year-old son. House is paid for and most expenses are kept to a minimum. But I don’t see how I will ever be retired… Ha ha Ha. By the way what does go curry cracker really mean?
That is a little motivational cheer we came up with on our honeymoon.
Congrats on the new baby! You are a lovely family and I wish you the best of everything!
Thank you!
Congratulations on the 2nd child! That’s great news. I love these reports you give us on income and expense for the year.
Thanks!
“spent it all, income = expenses”:
Dips me lid to your fortitude, Gunga Din.
I can barely part with 20%.
“He is richest who wants least.”
How fantastic! I mean, I love the numbers. But I am here for the baby news and the photos! Congrats, congrats, congrats!
That’s the best part :)
Thank you
Big Papa!! Congrats to you and Winnie!
And Julian is going to be a big brother. Exciting times in the GCC household.
Jr has been telling random strangers that his mom is pregnant, so I think he is the most excited of all of us.
1. Congrats on the next baby! Do enjoy them.
2. Thank you for using the word “normality” and not “normalcy”. Thank you. (Yep, I’m one of those)
3. Loving the blog!
Thank you. I’m one of those too
Congrats you guys!!!
Thanks Travis! Hope all is well
Congratulations to the entire family on your newest addition. Also, many thanks for your blog and advise. Best wishes.
Regarding your reference to earning awards points when paying self employment taxes by credit card … Do you pay a fee for using a credit card (close to 2% from what I’ve seen) to pay your taxes? If so, do you find the award points earned are worth the fee incurred? Thanks.
Yes, pay 2%+/-. Do it with a signup bonus worth $500+ and it is OK to spend $50 in fees.
In Q42019 I paid my estimated taxes with the Chase Freedom card to max out the 5% cash back category for Paypal transactions. I paid $1,500 in estimated taxes which generated a ~$29 fee but yield 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points worth $150+.
Here are the full details: Aloha Uncle Sam
Thank you Craig! When is the big Italy trip? ;)
Congratulations! That’s great news. Japan sounds like a lot of fun. Best wishes.
Thanks Joe.
Japan was great. Great snow, good skiing, and relaxing hot springs.
I’ve been following your blog for a couple of years and it’s truly inspiring. Congratulations to you and your expanding family!
Thank you Jeanette!
Congratulations! Wishing you and the family the best for 2020 :)
Thanks! You have big travel plans for 2020? Flights to Asia are super cheap right now for some reason
No travel plans, just got back from 6 weeks surfing Costa Rica and trying to stay local and lazy this summer. I’ve got an invention I’ve been tinkering with too, might try and bring it to market. Of course you’ll let us know if you come through NYC 😉
Rough life you lead, sir ;)
I will indeed let you know. We have friends in Taipei who want to do a NYC vacation, but we will be a little limited on travel options for the next 18 months or so
Congrats on baby #2! Happy for you, all! 2020 will be a great year!
Thank you Maria. We are super excited
Long time reader. Congratulations on the baby! We just retired at the “normal” ages of 63 and 61 and are finishing our first long trip. Should have done this years ago. Thanks for all you do. Best wishes.
Where did you travel for the first big trip? Congrats!
Congrats! Also long time reader. Very inspirational material. PS. Did you actually get a Note 11? That’s not yet set to release on the market until later this year =)
Thanks Mike!
Winnie corrected me – it is the Note 10+.
Congratulations on baby #2- that’s very exciting and I’m so glad whatever shift happened in your pursuit of IVF that it all worked out. Wishing you all the best!
Thank you. Just luck of the draw I think, but feels good to be lucky.
Congratulations on the new addition! Watching your family’s adventures and growing up together is such a joy for us readers :)
Thank you Kim!
I’ve been following along since before Jr. and your news brought a tear to my eye. Congratulations!
Thank you Meghan. It’s been a wild 7.5 years and keeps getting better
That is awesome! Wishing Winnie a healthy and happy pregnancy. In fact, wishing a healthy and happy life for all of you!
Thanks Ann!
Whoo hoo! Congrats on baby#2 guys! Best of luck through the entire delivery process. Our was definitely easier the second time around.
Get a night doula. Totally worth it!
Sam
Thanks Sam
In Taiwan most people spend a month at a baby hotel – basically a 5 star resort with 24/7 nurses, doctors, etc.. They provide all meals, change the diapers, feed the baby, and let Mom sleep at night.
Just curious- does that work if mom wants to breastfeed? Or is the culture there most people don’t breastfeed?
You just do it on a schedule/as needed and they can bring the baby in at night to feed, but mom still gets some extra sleep since the staff takes care of changing diapers etc…
And then of course you are together throughout the normal waking hours with whatever breaks you need.
That’s what we did with kid #1 anyway.
You know age is weird. 20 years ago, the friends of mine having kids felt very unlucky. Now the friends of mine having kids feel like the luckiest people in the world. I have long enjoyed your writings and congratulations on joining the “lucky” list. :)
The time is right when you are ready.
Congratulations. I am so, so happy for all of you. Sending many blessings
Thank you Margie
That’s fantastic to hear Jeremy & Winnie! Congrats to you both! Hopefully this time around will be easier for Winnie.
Thanks Bob. It has been easier these first 3 months…. *fingers crossed*
That’s so exciting!!! Congratulations to the whole family!!!
Thanks!
Congrats on baby #2 Jeremy and Winnie!! Thanks for sharing the news to us. All the best in the delivery process.
Thanks Kris. It is going to be an exciting year.
you sure eat well each month, $1500 especially now that Winnie has to eat for two. Congrats…Name the baby a unisex name: Dale, Pat, etc. This way a penis isn’t required
We do eat well. Had a great ribeye for date night last week
Congratulations!!
2020 promises to be a great year!
Oh my gosh, so happy for you guys! May you have all the richness in life experiences with your new little one! Love your blog, you guys are my heroes. I am finally joining my husband in ‘better late than never’ retirement, at 60 years young this summer. We are (sort of) mirroring your first year in Mexico for our first travel adventure. Thank you for all the inspiration, and great information you have shared. <3 <3<3
Mexico is amazing. I hope you love it as much as we do.
Thank you!
Yay!!! Congratulations!! I am so excited for you. What awesome news for your family. :)
Congratulations! Lol ed at the insight from the doctor.
On a financial note, if Winnie did not have the Taiwanese healthcare option; would you have considered USA ?
The cash price (no insurance) for childbirth here is about $2,000 so we would probably just do that.
Aww, congrats. So happy for you.
Thank you. Our 400% FPL just went up :)
So very happy for you all! I have been following you since the beginning. Your moderate approach to financial freedom is an inspiration.
Thanks so much!
Congratulations on the baby! Very happy for you all!
Thank you!
Congrats! Excited for you guys :)
Thanks Nick! Double the kids, double the fun, right?
Congratulations and welcome to the fraternity (Morgan Freeman voice)!
Wow congrats to both of you on your new family member. Bye bye sleep.
You continue to inspire! I appreciate that your annual expenses feel more like what I would expect my family’s to be. Keep it up!
And congratulations, two is a whole different dynamic!
Congratulations! Can’t wait for October which is when we will expect to see pictures of the little one. Does Jr. tell people his mom is pregnant in Chinese or English?
Wow, congrats guys! You don’t know me but I’ve been lurking and am super happy for you!
Thank you Heidi
What wonderful news – congratulations! Sending good vibes to Winnie for a smooth pregnancy and delivery! 😀
Congratulations Jeremy, Winnie & Jr! Good luck to you all in 2020!
Long time reader here, may have commented when Jr was born. Again, congratulations! How exciting! Can’t wait to hear about the adventures you will have as a family of 4.
That is so awesome! I’m so pleased you kept trying. As my friend who encouraged me to keep going said, ‘you just need that one good embryo’. She also said (after getting up to 40 embryo replacements trying for her second) that ivf was a tax on us women who had put our careers first. Unfortunately I agree with her having seen many of my career women colleagues delay child rearing till 30 (I was 29 when I started) only to find it doesn’t happen as easily as the 20-25 year olds. I basically stopped telling anyone about our ongoing ivf efforts as most people were uniformly discouraging. After multiple attempts they do not have the stamina and want you to move on. This made it hard for the first trimester not having anyone to share my excitement/fear with but I didn’t need their negativity. So awesome congratulations
Congrats on GCC baby #2!! I love reading your adventurers and your spin on living a FIRE life. So happy and excited for you and Winnie! Best wishes from Switzerland.
Yay! I’m so happy for you guys. Congratulations!!
Looks like you had a great year. Here’s to a great 2020