December 31, 2009
From December 2008 to December 2009, after the layoff and continuing unemployment, I’ve recorded a 47% total increase. The progress was distributed pretty well across the board: retirement accounts (aka untouchable money), emergency cash to alleviate recessionary anxiety. The relatively low increase in the short term cash isn’t a surprise; that money is saved in advance for spending throughout the year – I still haven’t decided if I’m going to change how that money is represented in the net worthing. Ultimately, I like seeing that I’ve kept a fairly even keel in terms of pursuing all my goals.
I’d forgotten that I established my cash expense account earlier in 2008. That reminds me that this process of building a solid financial foundation has been slow and steady, and not the work of a few weeks or months. It’s hard to say when the most progress was made, I guess that depends on how you measure progress? Straight numbers? Debt reduction? Asset building? These are all parts of the same puzzle.
These snapshots tend to reflect only what I saved, and not the income and spending. The first half of 2009 I was on a mission to reduce monthly costs down to the $2200 range. We had obstacles along the way like the truck payment until we sold it, getting the family car out of hock and then losing it in an accident. We also had happy expenses like marrying off a friend, planning baby showers, taking care of people, and bought some stock.
Oh yes, then I separated from my job! (Didn’t lose it, I know exactly where it went.) Went on a mess of trips: NYC, San Diego, Miami, Hawaii. Good grief, I’d lost track of everywhere I went in the latter half of 2009.
What I’m saying here is that I spent a whole lot. And you can’t expect me to keep track of all that! I kid, I kid. I’m just too tired to pull together a real spending report, but I’m going to say that it was in the range of $30-40,000. I think what I’m going to do for 2010 is tailor Excel spreadsheets to track spending my way. I just haven’t been terribly happy with all the templates out there.
In blogging, and no small thanks to Twitter, I’ve become much more at home here in my corner of the PF blogosphere this year, and appreciate the community and friendships – deeper than I would have ever have imagined to blossom from a purely online relationship. The Internet’s been an integral part of my life since childhood(ish) but I couldn’t have predicted the candor and wisdom to be found here.
I’m grateful to you, my readers and friends, and wish you all a very Happy and safe New Year’s Eve (New Year to my international friends)!
December 30, 2009
How do you like the new Snapshot format? I’m rather awfully proud of it, it’s growing up to be a real adult being formatted in Excel.
As you can see, the damage is rather substantial this month. I spent another $1100 on classes for next quarter and $210 for Christmas gifts. The rest of the discrepancy was a glitch in the unemployment but it should be resolved in the next two weeks. Oh and I didn’t really add another $231 to the emergency fund, I just “stole” that from the tax fund temporarily. It’ll probably go back. Or not, I like seeing 15k in the ING account.
I’m still prepared for costs to go up in 2010, and I didn’t pick up that 2% CD.
December 1, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Total: $35,309 (34,001)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Total: $36,535 (36,468) |
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,225
Insurance: $2,003
Travel/Con: $550
Taxes: $3,594
Moving: $2,798
Total: $11,170 (11,696) |
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102 |
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,095
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $15,587 (15,587) |
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $35,309
Semi-Liquid: $15,587
Liquid: $36,535
Expense Acct: $7,656
Goals Savings: $11,170
Total: $106,257 (105,181) |
| Debt and Liabilities |
AmEx: $799
Chase: $670
Rent: $1,360
Total: $2,829 (3,593) |
| Net Worth |
$103,428 (101,315) |
A few thoughts …..
Excel and I will have to become buddies to locate exactly when the e-fund tracking went off the rails, but in the meantime, I’ve reset the past numbers in parentheses for both the e-fund and grand total back to the correct September numbers for now.
The total NW is up again due to the uptick in the stock market and sort of controlling my expenses.
A note about the Tradeking account: as I’m a buy and hold investor, that total will only reflect the cash deposited, and not any gains or losses for now. I’m tracking that differently than my retirement accounts because I don’t have those assets in hand until I sell. Does that make sense?
Probable Upcoming Expenses:
1. Christmas gifts — $150-200 total?
2. Another pair of online courses — $1100
While I’m happy to see the NW slightly rebound, I’m not thrilled that it’s on the back of so capricious a creature as the stock market. Cash is my preferred net worth driver, unless it’s being invested purposefully. I look forward to the time when I’m generating substantive income again.
October 31, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Total: $34,001 (34,951)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Total: $36,741 (36,887) |
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,223
Insurance: $2,439
Travel/Con: $550
Taxes: $3,590
Moving: $2,894
Total: $11,696 (12,863) |
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102 |
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,095
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $ 15,587 (15,586) |
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $34,001
Semi-Liquid: $15,587
Liquid: $36,741
Expense Acct: $7,156
Goals Savings: $11,696
Total: $ 105,181 (107,893) |
| Debt and Liabilities |
AmEx: $653
Chase: $1,580
Rent: $1,360
Total: $3,593 (4,014) |
| Net Worth |
$101,588 (103,879) |
A few thoughts …..
Once again we have problems with Yodlee “updating” their site which means problems. This time, the drop down menu that should allow me to update account passwords won’t actually drop down. Those accounts’ll just have to remain inaccessible for now.
Wonky math. Somewhere in the emergency funds, we’ve got math gone wrong and I can’t figure it out. Last month, I was down $76. This month, $146. A difference of $222 total when the only outbound transaction from those accounts is a single $500 borrow when I needed to open a Chase account for a bonus offer. I’m starting to wonder if I just made a clerical error at some point?
Losing steam. I’m sliding dangerously close to the other side of the 6 figure mark. I apparently both miscalculated the bare bones scenario upon layoff, and have been traveling a LOT more than planned. The solution? Find a full time J-O-B! But also finish my classes with high marks because I’ve paid a good chunk of change for them. Which, of course, leads me to Item the Next:
Big things next month! Midterms, a trip to the Big Apple, a trip to the Big Island, hosting a Carnival, and final exams!
October 1, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $4,137
401(a):$30,814
Total: $34,951 (33,611)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 35,887
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $36,887 (36,963)**
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,244
Insurance: $2,467
Travel/Con: $568
Taxes: $3,590
Moving: $3,994
Total: $12,863 (12,144)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102
|
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,094**
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $15,586 (15,542)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $34,951
Semi-Liquid: $15,586
Liquid: $36,887
Expense Acct: $7,506
Goals Savings: $12,963
Total: $ 107,893 (105,862)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
AmEx: $144
Chase: $2,510
Rent: $1,360
Total: $4014 (1,770)
|
| Net Worth |
$103,879 (104,092)
|
A few thoughts …..
Yodlee is all over the place. A few weeks ago, I got an invitation to try their Beta and it kept locking me out of my account. When I gave up on the Beta, the original version kicked me out too! Now it’s showing me bills due two weeks ago that it didn’t think were important until now. Thanks!
Bills-owing are at an all-time high thanks to the school bills (>$1000), and the unexpected traffic fee. That’s eaten into the gains made in the retirement accounts. I’d better hit the books even harder, that quiz I took last night made me sweat!
**Dividend!! My stocks paid out a fat $4 dividend. Marked this one ‘specially because I’m excited. Whoo!
Wonky math. Somewhere in the emergency funds, we’ve got math gone wrong and I can’t figure it out. I never take money out of that account, or at least haven’t yet, but it’s down by a handful of dollars. No time to work on it today, unfortunately.
Changes. This snapshot is useful tracking, but everyone doesn’t need all these details. It’s time to consolidate more accounts and simplify both the system and reporting while preserving the subaccounts I love so much. Currently, my money is spread across ING/ED/Citi/Wamu.
I get free checks from Wamu, Electric Orange can’t serve all my checkwriting needs. Citi is the easier B&M from which to bank with linked checking and “high” interest savings accounts, while the ING/ED accounts have marginally better interest rates. It’s nice to have the flexibility of looking for either Chase OR Citibank branches when I’m travelling rather than hoping for one or the other.
I’m looking for a single bank with B&M and online access, free checkwriting (paper and electronic), ability to manage sub-savings accounts with good interest rates, and no fees. Too much?
August 31, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $4,035
401(a): $9,175
403(b): $20,401
Total: $ 33,611 (31,871)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 35,963
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $ 36,963 (36,798)
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,220
Insurance: $2,495
Travel/Con: $863
Taxes: $3,581
Moving: $3,985
Total: $ 12,144 (13,266)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102
|
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,050
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $ 15,542 (15,542)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $33,611
Semi-Liquid: $15,542
Liquid: $36,963
Expense Acct: $7,500
Goals Savings: $12,246
Total: $ 105,862 (105,463)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
AmEx: $150
Chase: $260
Rent: $1,360
Total: $ 1,770 (2,134)
|
| Net Worth |
$ 104,092 (103,329)
|
The slight uptick is due to gains in the market, so I’m not going to get excited about “progress” just yet, I won’t trust that these gains will hold.
More bills are coming down the pipeline: we had to replace the last tire standing this weekend. By that I mean, the sole tire that didn’t ever get replaced during the time my mum was damaging tires right and left finally gave up the ghost.
The hunt for a printer all-in-one remains in force; it’s darn near impossible to find a smaller sized machine that is wireless, has an auto-doc feeder, and is reasonably priced. Aggravatory. Then again, the search precluded HP models based on reader and friend feedback, it might be time to remove that injunction.
Oh and of course the net cost of the Miami weekend has yet to bite the pocketbook. Much of the trip was subsidized, my portion was small, but it’s still another little fishie nibbling away at the cash reserves.
Southern California’s on fire again, and not in a good way. (Is it ever?) Between the fires and the over 100 degree heat, we’ve done surprisingly well in not using the a/c. Shading the windows, fans and letting in the coolth from the early mornings keeps the house tolerable. We may survive this summer yet!
July 31, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $3,863
401(a): $8,760
403(b): $19,248
Total: $ 31,871 (28,946)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 35,798
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $ 36,798 (36,394)
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,218
Insurance: $2,493
Travel/Con: $998
Taxes: $3,577
Moving: $3,980
Total: $ 13,266 (13,614)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102
|
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,050
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $ 15,542 (15,492)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $31,871
Semi-Liquid: $15,542
Liquid: $36,798
Expense Acct: $7,986
Goals Savings: $13,266
Total: $ 105,463 (103,554)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
AX: $175
Chase: $158
Citi: $441
Rent: $1,360
Total: $ 2,134 (1,550)
|
| Net Worth |
$ 103,329 (102,004)
|
Mysteriously, the NW creeps up. *quirked brow*
There was an inexplicable contribution to the retirement fund mid-July, but all my contributions should have ended the 3rd week of June. I find myself hoping there’s a mystery paycheck to go with that extra $400. No such luck, but the overtime money from May and June did come in while I was in NYC. Vanguard’s CS was stumped by the deposit as well, so we’re just going to ignore it, I don’t have the energy to track it down. Those two things account for the increase, despite the wild-eyed spending of this entire month.
Goals are still A) get a job, and failing that, B) stop spending so freely. But relax and have fun in the interim.
From here on out, I’ve only got modest travel plans since my routine revolves around networking and job hunting, with some time spent with friends I haven’t seen very much in the last five years.
Decompression and detoxing is hard work! But completely worth it. In the last four weeks, I’ve only gotten angry twice, don’t think I’ve ground my teeth once, am starting to sleep again, and my skin is vastly improved. My appetite, memory, navigational skills and sense of direction are all on the mend, too. Amazing! I should be freaking out over not having a job yet but I feel so much healthier that I’m just happy.
Long term spending: I have to plan to attend weddings in Australia and Greece in the next two years. Off the cuff estimates call for about $5000 in case I want (and can) make a real trip of each. I’ve already got my tickets for Comic Con 2010, too.
