Pop the champagne! 2018 was a banner year at the world headquarters of Meldel…wait….I owe HOW MUCH in taxes!? Better make that a cheap Prosecco.

As I near my 10-year freelance anniversary, I zoom in to take a closer look at my financial picture including insurance, taxes, income, investments and expenses. My total income begs the question, where does my money go!?!? I’m still happily rocking thrift store clothes, taking the bus, and always scouring free boxes for treasures. My husband and I even vacation on the cheap with our discovery of the Home Exchange network. We live comfortably in our North Portland bungalow, and have enough money for restaurant meals, a Netflix subscription, organic food and the occasional getaway. We’re not in debt, but also not saving enough. We're knee deep in middle-classdom, just keeping pace with our growing expenses and cost of living. I ambition to a be a super savvy, bad-ass boss babe. In actuality, I still have a lot to learn in the realm of financial planning, investing, and prepping for tax season. This report is an effort to wrap my arms around some of these topics.

Let’s dive into the details.