December net wroth is up $10,241 from last month.
In May of last year I started using Mint.com religiously for financial tracking. That month my net worth calculated out to be $1,941,949. Now just seven months later my net worth has grown $297,191!
I’m very proud and humbled at the same time. Tracking money and net worth are not as important as surviving cancer, ending world hunger, or saving Syrian refugees. But I don’t have cancer, don’t know anyone who is hungry, and probably couldn’t find Syria on a map. So for me and my family being financial sound, and more importantly, financially independent are a high priority.
My battle for autonomy is just that, a battle. Every moment of every day living in this country is a battle to protect yourself from consumerism. All ads are designed to sell you something. Your friends and neighbors put pressure on us to keep up. Spenders are incentivized (low interest rates), savers are punished (low interest rates). It’s not easy saving and investing when everyone and every message around you screams for you to spend all you have!
I drive a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, that I bought used! Do you think it’s easy to see some guy pull up in a shiny new 7 Series BMW? Knowing full well that I can stroke a check for that car. But for what? My Jeep costs me $0 a month in car payments. That poser in the BMW probably lives paycheck to paycheck. His car doesn’t get him from point A to B any differently than mine does.
“You deserve it Bart!”
I’ve heard that one on many occasions. Told it to myself for several years. What I deserve more than material possessions is the ability to control my own destiny and create my own freedom. I don’t have special skill sets, I’m not seven foot tall, or particularly fast, I’m average. So that means I have to make sacrifices in order to create my freedom. Sacrifices are hard. Results from sacrifices… are worth it.
“You can’t take it with you!”
No you cannot take it with you. But why use that as an excuse for being broke or living paycheck to paycheck. And although you cannot take it with you, leaving it to your kids isn’t that bad a thing is it?
My financial goals are simple:
- Create a predictable stream of passive income that exceeds my personal expenses. I’ll be sharing with you the details of my personal expenses starting in January. The goal is get them under $7500 per month. My goal for passive income is $10,000 a month. Currently the monthly passive income fluctuates between $7,000-$9,000. Which using simple math would average out at $8,000. I will get it to $10,000. And I will get my average personal expenses to $7,500 or under. Once I’m there, it’s GAME OVER! Game over, meaning I know longer have to worry about money. For the past eighteen years I’ve programmed myself to become good at producing money. How wonderful will it be to do whatever it is I want to do without the pressure of making money?
- Reach my Enough is Enough number. The enough is enough number is founded in the same sense as the Game Over philosophy. Specifically there is a net worth number that I am closing in on, that I defined as Enough is Enough. It doesn’t mean I won’t continue to make money, or save money, or track money. It’s just a specific number I set a few years ago right after the real estate market crashed.
As we continue together I will be sharing more and more with you. If ever you’d like to share with me, you can email bart AT bartsellshouses DOT com or call 219-531-1111. I wrote my email address weird so that computer robots can’t swipe it!
Without further ado here is a look at my December Net Worth:
Talk to you soon!
Bart
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