I feel like we were just here celebrating $150,000 net worth. It was only 3 months ago. Money is compounding stupid fast it seems. As of today I have $177,746 in net worth thanks to my last paycheck and the stock market hitting a new all time high. $175,000 seemed impossible when I started seriously saving and investing 3 years ago. I kind of can’t believe it. Going from leaving college with $5,000 to my name to now doesn’t even seem real. Having 25% or 1/4 of my retirement net worth goal at the beginning of the year and now having 33% or 1/3 is crazy. I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to learn the power of saving and investing early and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring. My goal for the end of 2017 is to have $200,000 in net worth. If the market holds steady that seems doable. I’m half way to my goal of investing $60,000 this year and simply investing the rest will push me past that $200,000 goal. That number also doesn’t feel real. Oh well: Let’s do this.
Category: Finance
A $30 Phone and That New Gadget Feeling
When I find a product or company that I love I’m all about representing it. If someone asks for my advice, I tell them. When my partner’s brother and wife asked about our cheap phone plans I recommended Republic Wireless. However, apparently there is a large difference in service that we receive in the middle of a metropolis and that they receive in their 2,000 person rural town. I was sad to learn that they had infinite problems with the service and later their phones. In the end they moved and I feel like I failed them :(. However, I now have an additional data point to add to my recommendation. They might be my only friends that live in a rural area, but it’s good to know the limitations of companies I recommend. Continue reading “A $30 Phone and That New Gadget Feeling”
Literal Blood Money
WARNING: If you don’t want to hear about blood you will not like this story 🙂
I’ve been known to do a few weird things to save money. The most recent one involved bleeding all over our living room. I was perusing the website for my new health insurance (through my job) and noticed something awesome: they offer $100 if I get a blood test and health assessment. To combat my laziness they even send it right to your home. Hmm! Not only did I want the money, but I was also was curious. I have very small veins (there’s your weird fact for the day!) and people literally can’t take my blood. Even the…blood professionals…is that what they’re called? I haven’t had my blood successfully taken since I was in high school and as a result I have no idea what’s going on in there. Continue reading “Literal Blood Money”
401K and Roth IRA Challenge Complete!
World record! I maxed my 401K and Roth IRA in 4 months. The last time I took up the max your 401K challenge it took me 6 months. Improvement! It’s crazy what two years, a cross-country move and a 52% increase in salary can do. Now to the next challenge: Pouring as much money as possible into my taxable account. Let’s do this!
Resetting Autopilot
In response to my Autopilot post I’ve tried to keep busy by helping others. In the past few weeks I’ve: Continue reading “Resetting Autopilot”
How I Learned About the Used Economy
I’m going to tell you a story that my Mom doesn’t remember and denies it to this day. I remember vividly and wrote it down because it’s so ridiculous. This is how I learned about the used economy. I love reading. I’ve mentioned that before. Before the age of easily accessible internet the other outlet I had for this was books – from bookstores (because my mom and grama think library books are “dirty”, but we’ll talk about that and my love of libraries as an adult at another time). Continue reading “How I Learned About the Used Economy”
Bonuses and Making Things Real
I got my paycheck last night. It included a bonus. A bigger bonus than I anticipated. All of my concern that I didn’t feel excitement when I heard people get their bonuses unless they’re on an improvement plan completely faded away because I am PUMPED! I know lots of job search disappointments and life disappointments have conditioned me to not believe something until I see it, until it’s in my hand. And I think that’s what happened here. I didn’t believe I would get a bonus. I didn’t necessarily believe that new HR person knew what she was talking about. I didn’t necessarily believe that bonus was a part of my compensation package. But it is. And updating my spreadsheets last night was glorious. Continue reading “Bonuses and Making Things Real”
Q1 Budget Check-In 2017
Oooh maybe I should get another ledger like this.. And yes I’m that girl that always gets an itemized receipt 🙂
It’s 3 months into 2017 and we’re already 1/4 done with the year. Woah…that was fast. I wanted to check in on my goal to decrease my spending from $22,491.86 last year by $4,491.86 to $18,000 this year. Let’s see how it’s going: