Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Good job on your financial progress. I can't say I'm in agreement with your syncretism, but its nice that you are communing with the sacred.

Francis of Assisi was like the Dr. Doolittle of the Medieval period.

Barlotti wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:54 am

My net worth has increased $55,726 over the last year, and $196,813 since I started keeping track four years ago. Also, I've become a minimalist and become very peaceful and very resilient through meditation. All of this seems interrelated to me: good begets good, and all virtuous paths lead to the same destination.

Great financial progress. If I have calculated correctly you have increased your networth by 27%. Does this mostly come from saving or investing? Anyway keep on going.

Another statement stroke me as well. It is about "minimalist" and "meditation". That, IMO, is good for FIRE as well. At least it helps me being more content and aware. As you wrote you become more peaceful. It is always good to be happy and satisfied besides the FI-numbers.

Gotta read your journal. Also looking forward to hear more about your experiences in the Zen monastery and your retreat. I have done this for 10 days in Thailand and I don't want to miss this experience. It was insightful. Wish you all the best there.

Thanks Jason and MDFire2024.

Condo 200000
Checking 2475
Savings 1000
403b 126794
Roth 23892
Brokerage 0
Pension 11484
ASSETS 365645

Mortgage 96439
Credit card debt 8200
LIABILITIES 104639

NET WORTH 261006

My net worth has increased $1,770 in the last month. It's all good. It's all good.

Condo 200000
Checking 1167
Savings 1000
403b 130584
Roth 24041
Brokerage 0
Pension 11484
ASSETS 368276

Mortgage 94800
Credit card debt 6800
LIABILITIES 101600

NET WORTH 266676

Net worth has increased 5670 since last month

Condo 200000
Checking 2614
Savings 1000
403b 132000
Roth 24050
Brokerage 0
Pension 11484
ASSETS 371148

Mortgage 94800
Credit card debt 4700
LIABILITIES 99500

NET WORTH 271,648

My net worth has gone up by $4,972 since last month. A lot of that increase is due to paying off debt. DIE DEBT DIE! I've scaled back on 403(b) contributions so I can aggressively pay down my mortgage, and credit card debt, and also supplement my passbook savings account. The interest rate on the credit card is 0%, though I just paid 3% in transfer fees on the 4700.

My net worth should reach $300K while I'm 42. I'm turning 42 in about a month.

I often feel like my margin is tight. It feels difficult to fully fund my 403(b) and Roth, and also build my emergency fund, pay off my mortgage, and save for other life goals, like buying investment property, remodeling my bathroom, traveling to Europe to see friends. But I have to remember that I've been keeping track of my finances on "B in B II" for four years and some months, and during that time, I've made tremendous progress, largely thanks to my low-cost lifestyle. How? HOW?!? Does a single income family in Boston metro get ahead? It boggles the mind.

The Zen retreat was fun. Not mind blowing, but fun.

Barlotti wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:56 pm

I often feel like my margin is tight. It feels difficult to fully fund my 403(b) and Roth, and also build my emergency fund, pay off my mortgage, and save for other life goals

Haha... only on these forums is stretching to maximize savings considered "tight". You're doing very well at directing your cash flow fire hose toward your goals.

Barlotti wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:56 pm

How? HOW?!? Does a single income family in Boston metro get ahead? It boggles the mind.

A married filer in MA earning $100k would pay about $8k less in tax than an a single filer. So there's that at least.

Have you considered marrying an inmate serving a life sentence? You know, just for the tax advantages? (-:

Hi Chris, that's so true! All of us on these forums have high standards and expectations for ourselves. LOL.

Condo 200000
Checking 1000
Savings 1000
403b 134735
Roth 24076
Brokerage 0
Pension 11484
ASSETS 372295

Mortgage 92400
Credit card debt 4300
LIABILITIES 96700

NET WORTH 275,595

My net worth has increased by 3947 since last month.

I went to London this month. It cost about $1500. Funnily, while there, I helped a friend get a better handle on her retirement accounts.

I feel like such a different person than I was when I started this journal some 4 years ago. I'm much calmer, more compassionate and confidant. My values have changed too. I'm less materialistic. I find joy in different things.

Condo 200000
Checking 2722
Savings 6098
403b 143169
Roth 24160
Brokerage 0
Pension 11484
ASSETS 387633

Mortgage 92400
Credit card debt @0% 3900
Credit card debt 500
Unsecured @5.99% 7500
LIABILITIES 104300

NET WORTH 283,333
For an increase, from when I last measured my net worth, of 7738.

I'm writing this quickly before dashing off to a New Year's - Birthday brunch. I done well this last month. I done well. I took out an unsecured loan to live on in order to "max out" my 403 b. I'd been paying less into my 403 b for several months in favor of paying down my mortgage. I thought I was OK with NOT maxing out my 403 b this year, but this past month, I had an about face.

All's I can say is, Happy New Year!

My resolutions for this year:
Get a higher-paying, preferably government, job.
Pay down ye olde mortgage by 15%, that would be by $13,860

Condo 200000
Checking 1800
Savings 1500
403b 149105
Roth 24655
Brokerage 0
Pension 13000
ASSETS 390060

Mortgage 92200
Credit card debt @0% 2000
Credit card debt 800
Unsecured @5.99% 5000
LIABILITIES 100000

NET WORTH 290060

My net worth has increased by 6727 since last month. Also, I noticed that one of my FICO scores has passed the 800 mark. I've never had a FICO score over 800. Many thanks to the universe.

To be an Average Accumulator of Wealth, I'm supposed to have $365,400. I've got about $75,000 to go. If the stock market keeps it up, I'll probably reach AAW status in a year.

I had some large expenditures this past month. Bought a computer, bought 6 months worth of insurance. I also ate out too much. That's OK, I was sick with the flu, and didn't have the energy to cook or clean my kitchen.

I finished and filed income tax statements. They were real simple this year, and I'm getting some money back so yay for that.

Condo 200000
Checking 500
Savings 1000
403b 144622
Roth 24105
Brokerage 0
Pension 13000
ASSETS 383227

Mortgage 91800
Credit card debt 1200
Unsecured @5.99% 3000
LIABILITIES 96000

NET WORTH 287,227
My net worth decreased by 2,833.

Your net worth keep going up each month. Nice work!

Do you keep track of where your money is going each month? It is pretty good to identify areas where money feels wasted. You may also find areas where you should spend more.

I'm writing this update one year and one month since I started this journal.

Assets 421,200
Condo 225,000
checking 700
savings 3,000
403b 155,000
Roth IRA 24,500
pension 13,000

Liabilites 95,442
mortgage 90,542
credit card debt 4,900

NET WORTH 325,758
I bumped my condo value up by 25K, cause a unit upstairs sold for $283K.
My net worth has increased $258,335 since I started blogging.

This may be the first year since I started that I won't max out my 403b, and also I may not max out my Roth IRA this year. I was dealing with a health issue and took some unpaid leave. I lost one paycheck! I could max out 403b and Roth IRA by April 2019, and I'm still on the fence. I paid a 3% fee to get some cash on a 0% APR offer when I started my medical leave.

I got a little note from the IRS saying that I owe $3K in back taxes on $9K I withdrew from my Roth when I bought my condo. First off, I thought I was drawing out principle! I'll probably hire a tax attorney/accountant to remedy the matter. I ain't gonna mess with the tax man.

I'm very content. I think I've gotten to a point, through my meditation practice, where life feels very fluid and peaceful. It's about connection, man, and the occasional ice cream sandwich.

Shit, it looks like a lot of folks are getting those IRS notices. Was yours for 2016 as well??

@2birds1stone: No, not for 2016.

Assets 421,024
Condo 225,000
checking 1400
savings 2,000
403b 155,624
Roth IRA 24,000
pension 13,000

Liabilites 94,100
mortgage 90,100
credit card debt, 0% APR, 4,000

NET WORTH 326924

My net worth has increased 1,166 in the last 2 months.

My net worth has increased 259,501 since I started blogging.

I've been a little bit lazy about blogging and other stuff the last several months. I've realized, the blogging keeps me on track. Something about posting publicly motivates me. I was planning not to max out my 403b this year (to give myself a break), but I can't NOT. So I've upped my contribution. As for my Roth, I'm planning to max that out before taxes come due in April. Then I'll wipe out the cc debt.

Assets 510280
Condo 290,000
checking 3002
savings 18489
403b 156,212
Roth IRA 29,577
pension 13,000

Liabilites 93600
mortgage 90,100
credit card debt, 0% APR, 3500

NET WORTH 416680 -- My net worth has surpassed $400K!

My net worth, not including increased condo value, has increased 24756 in the last month.

My net worth has increased 349257 since I started blogging.

A couple unexpected windfalls -- a gift and a raise. I fully funded my Roth IRA for 2018. On track to fully fund my 403b for 2018. My condo is worth about $290K according to Redfin so I upped my condo value.

A lot of changes since I last checked in. I bought another property -- the cute little townhouse by a pond, and am renting out adorable little condo by the sea.

Assets 854052
Condo-1 290,000
Condo-2 335,000
checking 2100
savings 16787
403b-1 160831
403b-2 6409
Roth IRA 29,925
pension 13,000

Liabilites 427022
mortgage-1 89070
heloan-1 54171
mortgage-2 283781

NET WORTH 427030

Well, now that I'm going to be a landlord, I guess I'll see how quickly my net worth grows, here on out!

Thinking of getting a roomie in l'il townhouse, but it's nice to have the extra space. I guess I'll see...

Assets 855726
Condo-1 290,000
Condo-2 335,000
checking 500
savings 10000
403b-1 169703
403b-2 6423
Roth IRA 31100
pension 13,000

Liabilites 418477
mortgage-1 87454
heloan-1 52729
mortgage-2 278294

NET WORTH 437249

Hmmm... I'm not really sure how my net worth could have increased by $10K over the last month, but it has. Is this how property can make a person richer? And how the rich get richer?

Good news! I got a raise! 20%! It's a large raise.

I've never made a lot of money when compared to my friends. In fact, I just broke $100K per year salary. Boston is an expensive city. It would be difficult to raise a family on what I make, given the cost of child care and healthcare. But I'm single, and can throw what money I have towards my goals.

I am going to tighten my belt the rest of the year. My savings and spending used to be 2nd nature to me. That's not the case anymore, because too many things have changed, and I need to get used to this new chapter. Last couple weeks, I've been cleaning up my records and finances. Today, I did the same, though I didn't get nearly what I wanted to get done, done. It's OK.

Barlotti wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 28, 2019 8:52 pm

Hmmm... I'm not really sure how my net worth could have increased by $10K over the last month, but it has. Is this how property can make a person richer?

Better get used to it(*) because on assets of $855k, that's only a little over 1%. In other words, still less than 15% annualized. There can easily be years where you could hit 20%-30%, though usually not with real estate.

(*) Similarly, it's possible to have losses at this rate and faster. You are undergoing a mental shift here, in that the $$ numbers are getting larger than you're used to, but the percentages will be similar to what has always occurred.

Congrats on the 2nd property! Let us know how land-lording goes.

Congrats on the raise!
20% is huge, especially if you already earn quite a lot.

You said, that you could throw that money to your goals. What are your goals?