1.34 %

Amazing how such a simple net worth increase can make me happy

0.86% increase in assets. -0.87% decrease in debt. Don't think I could have made a better balance. 

Could have been so much better had this not been such a bad spending month. 

February Net Worth

is posted here. Not great, but not as bad as it looks. The tax refund helps, but the pending reimbursement for my dental work means the dental work is showing on my credit card balance because the one check I've received has not posted and I'm expecting a mid-month direct deposit of the rest, which means the dental work will be paid off before the bill is due. But in the mean time, they show in my credit card balances. I suppose it will balance out because my dental work Wednesday will then be on the card until I get reimbursed. Insurance reasonably speedy so I can't complain, too much.

Now that my paycheck has been right I can see the difference in my FSA. Last year's election: 200, this year's, 3000. Total difference in 2x/month paycheck? $50 or $1200/year. I think that works out well in my favor. It also makes paying for the dental work far less painful. Further, the fact that I'll use the bulk of my FSA combined with my 2K dental insurance limit on dental work scares me. 

December 2008 Net Worth

My figures are posted.

Not great, but about what I expected. Fiscal and physical diet have started and I'm trying my best to make a list of payoffs to make and prioritize. Tax refund will make a dent, but not sure yet a) the amount b) how I'll apply it.

Here's to 2009 more in the black!

I'm here....

Life's just seriously gotten in the way of late. On the plus side, it means I've been too busy to spend money. On the minus side, I can't remember the last time I made it to the grocery store and have been buying lunch and eating out way too often. Eek. I'd like to say December will be better. The trip is pre-paid and I have a special fund set aside (included in the Networth) for the expenses i.e. food, so there is going to be a dip, along with that which will come with Christmas spending, so we'll see. 

I admit, as bad as it is, I can't wait for my tax refund to clean up some. In the mean time, the above could have been worse. Far far worse. That said, making a $450 (includes extra to pay down principle) student loan payment hurt but it felt so good.

A good month (+3,065)

Well I actually did my Networth IQ on time and I'm pretty pleased with the results: September vs. October. Better actually than I expected to come out. Was helped in part to the re-calculation of my consolidated student loan but I also put a good chunk in the credit cards, which made be happy, and was partially reimbursed for a dental claim. But still, it's progress.

Generally been a good shopping week. I went to KMart for toilet paper and came home with an alarm clock, but that's another story. Been a crazy work week, which is why I haven't been posting, but hey that keeps me from spending! :)

Belated September Net Worth

Debts $ Diff% DiffHome Mortgage(s)$0$0-Other Mortgage(s)$0$0-Student Loans$61,171($829)-1.34 %Credit Card$16,928$4,02731.21 %Car Loans$0$0-Other$0$0-Total Debts$78,099$3,1984.27 % Net Worth
($63,817)($2,543)-4.15 %

Nothing there that really surprises me. I knew September was a bad month. I've actually put a good dent in that and am now on the pay-it-down stretch. The dental reimbursement helped and it's good to know I have ~$800 left to play with that will go toward reimbursement of the crown when that's done.

I'm glad to have a set starting point, I really am. Glad to have a final number for the student loans instead of guestimating and now I'm able to figure out what I have to pay there and how I can split the rest of my pay to pay down the two credit cards. $16,000 is a scary number there but not an unexpected one. Given that it wasn't much less than that before grad school and I did have to lean on the cards a bit, I'd have expected worse if you asked me this before I started school.

I don't show the assets side of this because it's not accurate. I don't have my 401k or Roth IRA in there. I need to sit and be better with Networth IQ on a monthly basis, not two weeks into the next month.

Net Worth + 1,001

Wow, didn't expect that much of an increase. I think the numbers almost work now although neither my 401k nor my Roth IRA are factored in. It would have been better had I not had some rather large but necessary expenditures (more dental work) but I'm still happy with that. 

Expected issues this month:

• more dental work (1 crown, 1 root canal re-treatment) whose coverage is uncertain. This is the first time I'll be filing with my new insurance.
• Although I just charged the December trip, that will be paid off with the account set aside for that purpose so that will be a decrease but a planned for one.
  
• Hopefully student loan consolidation will be complete to enable one payment that includes principal payment. 

I don't expect to incur any further debt and really want to begin paying this all down.