As I put together my monthly assets and liabilities table on Tuesday, I thought I was April Fooling myself! I was hoping for a month where I didn't lose too much money. I actually got very excited when I started entering numbers and realized that for the month of March, I was going to end up with a net worth increase! Ok, so it's not much. My net worth went up 0.06%. The increase was due to my cash accounts, as my investments dropped a bit, … [Read more...]
February Net Worth Update (-0.69%)
Another drop in my net worth this month. Down 0.69%. I suppose that's not a huge drop, but it's movement in the wrong direction. I look at the numbers and just shrug. There's not a lot I could do about it. The loss is mostly due to the downward movement in the market. In terms of cash accounts, the decrease was very small, and the fact that I already paid my state taxes but haven't received my federal income tax return was part of the reason I … [Read more...]
January Net Worth Update (-2.0%)
My net worth in January actually ended in a better place than I thought it would, based on some tentative calculations I did mid-month. My net worth dropped a total of 2%. This is mainly due to current market conditions, but I also spent more money this month than I would have liked. Much of that is due to infrequent expenses, such as 6 month insurance bills coming due, and the fact that I had to buy a very overpriced plane ticket, but some of … [Read more...]
Suze Orman’s Top 10 List for 2008
On last night's Suze Orman Show, Suze gave a top ten list of things to do for 2008: Suze's Top Ten List for 2008 Try to get out of credit card debt. Begin a 6-8 month emergency fund Sign up for your 401(k) to the point of the match, then fund a Roth IRA Look for the best buy on a home. Purchase only if you have enough for a 10%-20% down payment and qualify for a 30-15 year fixed mortgage. Never loan money or co-sign for … [Read more...]
2008 Financial Goals
As the year is winding down, I've finally taken the time to solidify my financial goals. I made a list of things, some of which I think are very doable, some of which I think will be a struggle and might be a bit more dependent on the market than I like. So here we are, my 2008 Financial Goals. 1. Fully fund my Roth IRA for 2008 (if possible). The plan this year is to set aside the full $5000 for my Roth IRA contribution. Because I'm not … [Read more...]