Welcome to our February net worth update. My net worth updates have also turned into a bit of a general life update too. I hope you done mind. It doesn’t always have to be about the numbers. February turned into a busy month for us. My youngest son performed in his middle school play, The Lion King. He was Scar. The entire show was amazing and we were proud parents after seeing him perform over three shows. A bit sweet ending to his middle school acting days, it’s now on to high school. We also hosted our annual Bagna Cauda party. A little late, we typically host during the holidays, but great food, drink and times were still shared by all.
I have cut back my posting on Tuesday and Thursdays. I’m also just blocking a certain amount of time each day for reading and commenting on other blogs. This is all in an attempt to find the best work/blog/life balance.
We don’t expect to slow down in March. We have our twins seventeenth birthday to celebrate. We are in the market for a gently used car for them that we will pay cash for. My daughter will be performing in her high school play, High School Musical. I’ll be taking part in my first speaking engagement. Sharing our story about our debt and giving tips on how others can help themselves do the same. Wish me luck!
Now on to the numbers, I continue to poke around Personal Capital* using all of the free tools that they have available. I really like having one place to aggregate all of my accounts. I also continue to update my excel spreadsheet. I still like crunching the numbers myself.
Here are our February numbers:
Net Worth Details
Cash (-$106.00): Our typically budget is around $6k, but with our first full month of two paychecks and income tax return we were just about able to break even, after cash flowing a gathering at our house for about 30 guests. We dust off our old budget and updated it based on our new income.
Vanguard (-$655.00): Things seem to be settling down just a bit. Hopefully, we are in for some steady gains over the next few months.
529s (+$82.14): Baby steps here. We are depositing $25 per account each month, but with our new budget bumping this up to $100.
Autos (-$4,960.00): I use Kelley Blue Book for our car values, a little tumble this month. Still a good feeling to have two paid for cars in the driveway.
Home ($0.00): Still an estimate, we have no plans on moving anytime soon.
Mortgages ($-1,035.00): Our one and only liability. Slow and steady wins the race right? The building wealth priority is our e-fund, and college funding. Once those are complete we plan on attacking the mortgage.
How was your February? Do anything special with the extra day in the month? What’s your big plans for March?
*The Personal Capital link is an affiliate link. If you sign up, the blog makes a little bit of money. Personal Capital is a free tool and a great way to keep track of your net worth. I only recommend products or services that I use personally and believe you would benefit from.
I haven’t started putting our numbers together (hopefully tonight!) but our numbers should be fairly solid. I only track our net worth on a quarterly basis but from quick snapshots throughout the month, our spending seemed to be pretty in line with where we want to be.
Nice job on another solid February! Sounds like March will be just as busy!
Thanks Thias. Good luck with your numbers.
Hitting that work/blog balance is hard! I think you’ve got a good schedule idea, though: T/TH posts and time to comment every day. I’ve got to find that kind of balance. I may just follow your lead:)
Setting time limits for reading and commenting has been the key. Good luck!
Lots of great things happening in the Brian Debt Discipline household! Congrats on your kid’s plays! I know what you mean about blogging. I want to do more, but I just know I need downtime, so I have to sacrifice a few things with this job.
Thanks Tonya. A good busy around here. Agreed. My income producing job take priority. 🙂
I definitely know what you mean about work/life/blog balance. I’m going a little crazy here myself. But I’d like to avoid cutting down my posting schedule because my traffic tanks so badly on the 3rd day after posting. Maybe if my Pinterest traffic keeps increasing I’ll feel better about it.
I think it’s great to add some life updates. Like you said, it’s not only about money — and besides money affects most parts of our lives in some way.
Hopefully, your son won’t take too much of his villain role with him know that the show’s done, haha.
I really not concerned about chasing traffic or page views anymore. Just want to post relevant content.
He did enjoy the villain role, and being evil for a weekend, but he’s a good kid. 🙂
I really like you adding some of your life happenings on your net worth posts. I do the same and it seems readers like that. Plus it lets us get to know you a little better! 🙂
I always enjoy reading the personal stuff too and since I’m not posting any round ups any longer figure this was a good spot for the info.
Where will you be speaking, Brian? All the best with that! Congratulations to your youngest son for his acting, and good luck to your daughter for hers. 2 actors in the family – impressive. I will not let my children read this post because they’ll ask me why we don’t buy them a car too. Great to have those checks rolling in again, right?
I’ll be speaking at our local library. 1.5 hours to share our story and give out my best tips. Looking forward to it. Thanks. We have a well rounded group over here.
We were hopeful that the twins would have P/T jobs and be able to pitch in for the car but that has not happen, major push for that now and there will be certain rules for the car. Being able to drive themselves might be the springboard to employment they need.
Very nice indeed!
I haven’t watched our net worth too closely since the stock market started to tumble. It stresses me out! And I don’t even want to know what our cars are worth anymore – not much. But like you, they are paid off so I don’t have to worry too much!
Given the recent volatility this sounds like a good approach. Its like a car accident I just can’t look away.
Always interesting to see updates, particularly during these somewhat turbulent times. While unpleasant, I understand that this is just one brief period in time on a long road.
I’m in it for the long haul. No panic here. 🙂
I used to blog twice a week too, like you do now, but I just wasn’t seeing the traffic I had hoped to see. So I decided to blog everyday but I could feel myself burning out. It really is important to find the right balance. I’m really glad February turned out to be a good month for you! Wishing you luck for March 🙂
I’m not sure I’d have something to write about everyday. Thanks Fehmeen! Have a great March too!
I’m blogging around 2x per week now too. It seems like a nice balance. Originally, I hoped to create 1 piece of “evergreen” content per week with an occaisional personal piece, but I seem to always pitch my best ideas to someone who will pay me for them, so it doesn’t end up on my own blog.
All 3 kids in high school next year! That is sure to be an exciting year for you!
It was like a light bulb moment when I read your comment. I should be trying to write one person and one evergreen per week too. Thanks for that!
The kids are excited to be in the same school for one year too.
I love the general life update aspect of your net worth updates!
Congrats on being back to two paychecks! And good luck finding the right balance. I think that something we all struggle with…
Thanks Amy.
I find I have to remind myself what my priorities are and not get sucked down the rabbit hole.
We haven’t looked at our net worth yet since we do that every quarter. Next update is April. Wow seventeenth birthday for your kids. As a young parent (our son is 2 and another coming soon), it’s hard for me to imagine what it’d be like to have teenagers in the house. Paying cash for used car is a great idea. Should be able to find some reliable used Civic or Corolla easily (I’m a Japanese car type of person).
Three teenagers is a different kind of busy than a 2 year old. 🙂 The time went quick. Yes in the market for a import Civic or a Accord.
I like reading these posts but I’m always reminded of why I don’t track my net worth. Right now it would be hugely negative and not going up. Maybe we’ll start tracking it when my husband is finished with school and we finally get started paying off his student loans.
Good luck Cat!
This post just reminded that I need to re-look and track my net worth once again. I only track in from time to time and not on a monthly basis. I think it’s better to track it monthly. This way I know how I am doing every month vice quarterly or semi-annually.
This is a great post and you just gave me a much clearer idea my need to keep my net worth on a monthly basis.
Good luck in March. I hope you are as busy as you were in February.
Btw, kuddos on your attempt to have a work/blog/life balance. It sounds easy but it’s not. I’m in that situation too, but every day is a new day to do better when it comes to balancing all the tasks I have in my life.