January/February Net Worth

I report on the second of every month for the transactions of the prior month (plus loan payments on the first).

Personal Items

The KBB value of my car actually rose slightly(?), but I chose to leave it at the same valuation because I'm pretty sure I need to replace my struts.

Cash and Cash Equivalent

Overall, my cash balances were almost identical between the two months, but the allocations to each category were quite different. Paying off credit cards and sending funds to long-term savings drove down both my checking and bank savings, while improving my online savings account balances. (I also received a boost from using up all my ING referrals; I'll be closing that account when the balance is fully available.)

Investments

The raise I already received in December was augmented by a cost-of-living adjustment increase for my most recent pay period. The salary increase passed through to both my contribution and my employer match. My mutual fund was recently rolled from one fund to another, ostensibly better-performing one, which explains some of the bump-up.

Loan Balances

I continue to make my scheduled payments on my loans. I sent an additional $200 to my Perkins loan (which is much larger than the usual payment) via the lender's "e-check" feature. I incurred a $1 service charge, but I figured it was worth it to avoid disrupting my normal ACH transfers to that loan.

Other Debt

I managed to get both cards to a zero balance for a short time. My secondary card is currently holding the balance for some theater tickets for which I'll be partially reimbursed by my friends. I continue to pay off my statement balances in full.


I started tracking my net worth in March of last year. I don't display it because I had to refine some of my reporting, but even after "corrections" I believe that I've improved my net worth by around $20K in one year. I know that's peanuts to some people, but I'm quite pleased.

The Month Ahead

I filed my taxes yesterday, so I expect my refunds (which are smaller than last year; W-4 adjustments DO work) to hit their respective accounts before my next monthly statement. I trust that will offset the plane ticket I plan on purchasing.