April 2014 Net Worth Update

I selfishly come back to this site a day or two after a new month to update and share my net worth growth (or loss).  Why is it selfish? I don’t think readers other than the few who, have taken a vested interest in my success, get a whole lot out of these net worth posts.  Notwithstanding net worth posts force me to account for the previous month and refocus on goals and objectives.

My Short Term Financial Goals

To keep myself focused I provide myself with short term $5,000 savings/investing goals.  I say “short term” but really they stay alive as long they need to until I complete each objective on the list.  Not every item makes it way to my net worth growth.  For example, my vacation fund, son’s 529 and home improvement fund are not found on my balance sheet.  These goals were created in January of this year so I am 90 days deep.  Last month I said,

I am hoping to finish up 1 and 2 this month and then shift the money that was being saved there to my dividend fund until I hit $2,000 (and then to the next one on the list and so on).

I finished up all three of my cash goals last month.

1. Save $500 to emergency fund – 78% to 100%
2. Save $750 to Vacation Fund – 86% to 100%
3. Save $2,000 to Dividend Fund – 32.75% to 40.25%
4. Save $500 to Son’s 529 – 10% to 15%
5. Save $750 to Traditional IRA – 6.67% stays the same
6. Save  $500 to home improvement fund – 53% to 100%

I didn’t realize just how fantastic ING/Capital One is when it comes to saving until I realized I couldn’t set up an savings stream with fidelity.  Fidelity is in the asset accumulation business you’d think they (and EVERY OTHER BANKING/INVESTMENT institution) would take the model for weekly, bi-weekly and monthly contributions.

Calculating my Net Worth

My Assets

• My Cash Savings Accounts – I only really count my emergency savings since everything else is ear marked to be spent elsewhere.  For example, the above house improvement fund is not included, but the funds I have saved (plus some) will be converting the house from oil to gas soon (see my calculations behind converting from oil to gas).
• My 401(k) – Just keep throwing part of my paycheck at my 401(k) even though I sort of hate my 401k.  For the past few months I have been buying and selling within this account…pure market timing.  I keep eeking out a small return as compared to the overall market.  Not a long term play just seems like we are in a sideways market.
• Random Non-Qualified Investment Accounts
• The Wife’s Roth IRA – This account only holds to 2 funds. An index fund of the market and a dividend paying fund.
• My Dividend Investment Portfolio – Easily my favorite part of my financial empire hut.
• Home Value – A lot of bloggers seem to stress over home value.  In my old place I just rounded to a number that I thought I’d sell for (I was off by less than 1%).  I am just going to keep using my purchase price for a while.
• My Traditional IRA – I started to actively trade this account lol.  Not proud.  Speculating in some really shitty stocks.

My Liabilities

• My Mortgage – Every so often I think about putting money towards the mortgage but I always back off.
• Law School debt – A while back I paid off the much smaller of the loans I have a while before this category makes any significant moves.
• Credit Card debt!

My Net Worth Growth

• From March 2014 to April 2014 my net worth increased 2.19%
• Year to date I am up 4.32%

How was your month?