Final Update - 2011 Net Worth Funding Goals

Finally got this spreadsheet updated for everything!!  This is just my spreadsheet for items I consider to be long-term net worth. It does not includes money set aside for future expenses (like house repairs) or money I had to spend out of those expense accounts (like that $2,100 transmission that came out of the car fund).  It also does not include changes in market values of stocks or real estate that I have no control over.  This is just a snapshot of money I chose to contribute to "long-term wealth."

As you can see from the two negative totals (Rental E-fund withdrawals and the HELOC), this sure would have been alot prettier without that $5,300 assessment from the rental property's HOA!  But it is what it is, and we can only hope for more positive progress in 2012.


Now I need to get ready for dd10's party!  There's no school tomorrow, so she's having 5 girls sleep over tonight.  Maybe I should just load up on caffeine, and wait to clean after they leave???  

Net Worth Funded - 2Q 2011

At least I have the spreadsheet to make me feel a little better. It's nice to see that although it feels like treading water, slow progress is being made. I think my goal to pay down $10K of debt this year is definitely obtainable. Not exactly gazelle intense, but more like the persistant tortoise.

The next two months might be the killer. Our annual trip (600 miles away this year!) for dd9's dance competition and back to school expenses might just do me in. Let's hope I've socked enough away --or at least can juggle the budget-- to cover it all. I have my fingers crossed, but I'm leary.

First Quarter, 2011 Net Worth Funding

I should be working, but I'm procrastinating....

Remember this blast from the past? It's been months since I posted my progress. I figured out the final number I'm willing to pull from checking for the Roth. Combined with a little bit of stock I sold back at the end of 2010, I'll be funding a total of $1,525 into the Roth for 2010. A far cry from the $5,000 allowed contribution, but better than nothing I suppose.


This is a boring spreadsheet, but it helps keep me on track. The big withdrawal from the Rental E-fund in February was to pay the annual property taxes. I'm finally happy with the balance in this E-fund for the rental since it has a full 6 months of expenses. Good thing, since I'll be looking for new tenants as of the first of July.

The other numbers that make me smile are the stock dividends. Many of the quality dividend-paying stocks increase the dividends in the first quarter of the year. I'm reinvesting all these in additional shares, so the dividends keep going up little by little. Dividends for the 1st quarter, 2010 were $201.12 compared to $221.21 so far this year. I'm glad I have the dividends for an inflation hedge since the interest income just keeps getting punier and punier!

Very late with the July Net Worth Funding update

Maybe it's a good thing this blog is around. Otherwise, I think I could so very easily slip back into total avoidance mode. Out of sight, out of mind is kind of where I'd like my finances to be at the moment. But I know from past experience it just gets worse especially when I'm not paying attention to the spending.

So here is a catch-up post showing the July progress. The worst month so far this year except for the month I had to take that big withdrawal out to pay the property taxes on the rental. And *BIG SIGH*, I won't be surprised if August is even less progress. I just gotta keep from getting us further in the hole.




All tickers at the bottom of the page have been updated with the July payments even though I didn't post individually about all of them.

Final June '10 updates

Posting this partly because we're already halfway through July! And partly to remind myself that everything is not doom and gloom around here. Progress is certainly not as fast as I would like, and I'm not sure July is going to show much progress at all....but I need to remind myself where I've been and that financial progress is not a microwave, but a slow cooker.

Chase Card #1:
$75.46 paid. New balance = $5,422.21


Money Market Loan:
$5.29 paid. New balance = $4,597.79


Net Worth Funding Goal: (click to enlarge detail)


Items to note:

• Halfway through the year, but not quite halfway to meet the $15K goal. Really going to have to step it up to reach $15K.
• Dividends paid during June were down (as compared to March) mainly because of BP. GRRR!
• Nothing has been added to the rental emergency fund for a couple of months. We've been making some small, but necessary repairs to that property. Hopefully, that will change in July and more will be added to that separate emergency fund. My goal is to have the tenant deposit plus 6 months of expenses in that account (mortgage payments, association dues, and property taxes). I'm very close....but need another $550 in that account . I should at least be adding in at least 1/12 of the annual tax amount.
  

Final May Updates

It's so stinking hot outside, I've resorted to trying to stay cool by spending a
few minutes couple of hours at my desk getting caught up on the budget, bills and bank balances. Progress feels tremendously slow due to all the extra expenses with the the flood damage, the new puppy, and summer child care for my daughter now that she is out of school. I know I have so much to be thankful for, but it's hard to watch all the money come in then promptly leave with someone else's name on it!

Enough of my whining....here is the May wrap-up!

Primary mortgage - $ 351.28 paid, new balance = $251,870.18


Net worth funding goal - $1,285.94 added to net worth in May.


Net worth certainly decreased overall with the rollercoaster stock market, but at least I'm holding up my end of the bargain by continuing to pay down debt and add to savings.

April Net Worth Funding Update

April turned into a very good month for progress towards the 2010 Net Worth Goal. You can see that I added a new line for the Roth Funding goal I set midway through the month. I was also able to add $165 to my existing Roth accounts as a 2009 contribution.

I hope this progress continues. It's nerve-wracking at the moment with the money we need to spend to get our house back in order after the flooding. We already had some other electrical/appliance repairs that came up even before the water damage. And we added a new member to our family in April (a 2-month old black labrador retriever) who needs all her shots. We're also trying to figure out how to pay for an invisible fence for our acre-plus yard so she can burn off all that puppy energy without running down the street or requiring constant supervision. It's kinda one of those "when-it-rains-it-pours" scenarios....and I guess based on the events of May 1-2 you can take that literally. LOL

So my focus is changing...we're in the land of minimum payments on the debt since the priorities are now to pay for these larger unbudgeted expenses without taking on any additional debt AND to fully fund that 2010 Roth IRA.

I'm tired, but I can post a spreadsheet

I guess I should be pleased that March was more on track. Year-to-date, I'm still not quite on track to meet my annual goal, but I missed quite a bit of work in February trying to keep the rest of my family on track. I did not plan on buying any additional stock this month, until BP sent a notice that they are discontinuing their direct purchase and dividend reinvestment plan. I sent in enough to round up my shares, and, from now on, I'll be using those quarterly cash dividends to increase my other stock investments.

Treading Water in February

I'm showing the piddliest (is that a word??) progress on the net worth funding goal. I had to pull funds out of the rental emergency fund to pay the real estate taxes, so I guess I should feel lucky that it ended up with even $2.66 to the positive.

Actually, if I want to make myself feel a little better, I'll remind myself that the employer contribution was deposited into my otherwise inactive 401K account. I quit making contributions into the 401K over a year ago, but my employer contributes 3% of my salary (a safe harbor contribution made whether the employee contributes or not). So that was a little boost to my net worth, although it doesn't meet the definition of counting towards my personal goal since it is not money I can access at the present time.

January Progress - Net Worth Funding

January ended up being a very good month toward my annual $15,000 goal. I was able to put almost $600 into the Rental emergency fund, even though all that and more will be coming back out in a couple of weeks to pay the real estate taxes. Overall, I'm pleased with January's progress and hoping I can keep this up for 11 more months!

Thanks again to The Borrower for helping me with putting a spreadsheet inside a post. :)

My Financial Goal for 2010

If you've read my profile over there on the sidebar, you see that I started this blog because I was fed up with the fact that these debts are keeping me from being able to build wealth for the future.

In my former life (a/k/a Before Kids), I was an avid saver. I remember the pain of cutting back my 401K contributions and my stock investments to pay for diapers and daycare. I will never never ever regret the tradeoff because there are just too many things money cannot buy. Those little hugs I get at bedtime and sweet conversations we have during the day are all worth the stagnant net worth I've dealt with the past few years.

But, at the moment, the debts are manageable, and I'm ready to start thinking again about making some headway on that net worth number. Of course, the market conditions of the stock exchanges and real estate affect net worth. However, they are beyond my control. I am fairly comfortable with how my investments are allocated, and I just have to ride out the ebbs and flows of the markets. What I choose to save or invest from current cash flow IS in my control, and that is what I'll be tracking.

My goal for 2010 is to increase the dollar amount that I am actively adding to that net worth each month. That can be by paying down debt or by adding dollars from current income into financial assets. If I reinvest my stock dividends to purchase additional shares that is adding to the asset side. If I increase my emergency fund, that adds to the asset side. If I pay off a chunk of debt, it decreases the liabilities but increases net worth.

My goal for 2010 is to make sure that $15,000 of current annual cash flow goes directly to net worth. I am only including money that I have (or could have) direct access to. For example, mutual fund dividends inside an IRA that are reinvested will not count since I cannot access those earnings without triggering a taxable distribution. But I will include the stock dividends since I could easily opt out of the dividend reinvestment plans and receive checks each quarter.

I'm hoping I'll learn how to embed an Excel spreadsheet in my post someday. In the meantime, here are the categories I'll use to track this monthly:

ASSETS:
Emergency Fund interest reinvested
Cash Additions to Emergency Fund
Rental E-fund interest reinvested
Cash Added to Rental E-fund
Less: Rental E-fund withdrawals
Stock dividends reinvested
Additions to stock purchase plans
Additions to IRAs/Roth IRAs

DEBTS:
Principal paid-Primary Mtg.
Principal paid-HELOC
Principal paid-Chase Card #1
Principal paid-Chase Card #2
Principal paid-Bank VISA
Principal paid-Kroger card
Principal paid-Capital one card
Principal paid-Money Mkt. Loan

TOTAL ADDED TO NET WORTH

Here's to hoping that this time next year that last number will be $15,000!!!