Savings milestone today.
- Thread starter JohnDoe
- Start date
Major Tom
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Hear hear to that one. This last down market has sure made me glad I had bonds as well as equities. I was at a point a year or so ago when I realized that even though I didn't like the way my portfolio had gone down, I'd be able to stomach it if it went down quite a bit further. Well, it did, and now it's back up close to the highest point it's ever been.
Living through volatility definitely strengthens the constitution.
retire@40
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Last time I posted on this thread was exactly two years ago. At the time my net worth was down over $200K. After two years, I'm glad to report my net worth has gone up $200K, so I'm back to my net worth level from two years ago.
Hopefully, the Great Recession is over and we'll have many more upticks than downticks over the next few years.
SecondCor521
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Hit an all time high yesterday, but anyone who is in the accumulation stage and 100% stocks is probably in a similar boat.
More notably, my FI stash exceeds 3 years expenses. Hope to hit 4 years expenses by Christmas or so, and 25 years of expenses sometime in the next few years.
2Cor521
nun
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I posted to this thread a year ago and the major change in my situation is that back then my mortgage balance was $200k, today it's $135k. My after tax savings haven't increased much because every time I see a 5% gain I cash it in and pay down the mortgage. It's conservative, but a great way to discipline oneself into selling on the way up.
Andre1969
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Hit an all time high yesterday, but anyone who is in the accumulation stage and 100% stocks is probably in a similar boat.
Yup, I hit a new high yesterday as well, coming in slightly above my previous high that was set April 23. Total portfolio's about 28% higher than it was this time a year ago.
It'll be interesting to see where it goes from here!
Yup, I hit a new high yesterday as well, coming in slightly above my previous high that was set April 23. Total portfolio's about 28% higher than it was this time a year ago.
It'll be interesting to see where it goes from here!
nun
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Past experience causes me to be skeptical of large gains or losses. I'm still in the accumulation phase, but I use a 50/50 allocation and regular rebalancing to iron the ups and downs out a bit.....also taking profits to pay down the mortgage decouples me even more from future swings. My ER philosophy is doing everything to reduce my need for income.
Andre1969
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Yeah, I'm sure it's going to swing downward before too long. I did cash in a little bit yesterday, and figure I'll let it sit awhile, and reinvest when things come back down.
Bimmerbill
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All time high for my TSP as well.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I know it's just due to market gains.... but still it's a lot of fun to realize that in my first 11 months of ER, I have
(1) bought a brand new Toyota Venza in cash,
(2) spent another $10K or so in home renovations and fix-ups, and
(3) spent the usual amount for living expenses,
and yet, the total of my taxable investments + bank accounts + TSP has grown substantially! I have more now than I started with.
Ah, if only every year was like this one.
(1) bought a brand new Toyota Venza in cash,
(2) spent another $10K or so in home renovations and fix-ups, and
(3) spent the usual amount for living expenses,
and yet, the total of my taxable investments + bank accounts + TSP has grown substantially! I have more now than I started with.
Ah, if only every year was like this one.
Also hit a new all-time high in net worth recently. It was a hell of a slog, the last couple of years, but 2010 has been great.
Key things for me were:
Be more conservative, and trust my own judgement (trade less frequently)
Increase international exposure
Stick mainly to dividend-paying stocks
Try to analyze trends on a long term basis, instead of my former practice of just considering the next six months.
Key things for me were:
Be more conservative, and trust my own judgement (trade less frequently)
Increase international exposure
Stick mainly to dividend-paying stocks
Try to analyze trends on a long term basis, instead of my former practice of just considering the next six months.
traineeinvestor
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Another all time high for us at the end of September 
It's amazing what favourable market conditions and a decent savings rate can do.
What the bear market takes away the bull market giveth back....and no doubt the next bear market will take it away again.....
Only four more milestones to go:
1. hit my FIRE number - which will trigger a letter of resignation shortly after the immediately following year end payout
2. pay of the mortgage on our home - shortly after my resignation takes effect when I get my capital back. The wife seems keen on this one for some reason
3. pay off the mortgages on our rental properties - given current interest rates current thinking is to let them amortise over their natural lives given how low the interest rates are - the longest of them still has 19 years to run
4. see my daughters become financially independent - hopefully while I am still alive to see it
It's amazing what favourable market conditions and a decent savings rate can do.What the bear market takes away the bull market giveth back....and no doubt the next bear market will take it away again.....
Only four more milestones to go:
1. hit my FIRE number - which will trigger a letter of resignation shortly after the immediately following year end payout
2. pay of the mortgage on our home - shortly after my resignation takes effect when I get my capital back. The wife seems keen on this one for some reason
3. pay off the mortgages on our rental properties - given current interest rates current thinking is to let them amortise over their natural lives given how low the interest rates are - the longest of them still has 19 years to run
4. see my daughters become financially independent - hopefully while I am still alive to see it
Spanky
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Our portfolio has reached an all-time high and exceeded the interim goal. However, we still like to postpone ER until another goal is reached.
mews
Recycles dryer sheets
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yes, a new high today when I checked. I am happy to see that saving while everything was tanking seems to be paying off.
The new high isn't terribly high, by some standards, but I am more pleased than when I was saving and saving in the 401k & IRA, and my total wasn't moving off the floor!! That was depressing
ta,
mew
The new high isn't terribly high, by some standards, but I am more pleased than when I was saving and saving in the 401k & IRA, and my total wasn't moving off the floor!! That was depressing
ta,
mew
grasshopper
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My taxable bucket went over the top even after taking a big chunk of long term CG off the table. Remember the 0-5% LTCG rate may go away in January. My qualified plan stuff has 5% to go before I do the happy dance.
Oh, this was just the thread I needed to find today. It was like a suspense novel once I noticed the first posts were from 2007. I was scared to keep going to the next page .
Whew - how many of these downturns must we live through? Two has been plenty for me! I went from $210K to $120K to $340K. My goal is a modest $600K by 2020.
.Whew - how many of these downturns must we live through? Two has been plenty for me! I went from $210K to $120K to $340K. My goal is a modest $600K by 2020.
Birdie Num Nums
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Considering where we all were Sept. 2008, and the lows of March 2009, and trying not to get too political, I am a little surprised how some people bemoan today's economic environment. I realize too many people remain unemployed, but this could have turned out to be the New Depression if it weren't for the drastic actions the govt. took. We could rather be looking at double the unemployment of what it is today, 80-90% reduction of real estate values nationwide, and 40-60%-plus reduction of net worth/investments for years to come. Today, instead, most of us who did not sell during the "blood in the streets" days are sitting pretty, relatively-speaking.
jimday1982
Dryer sheet wannabe
My investments hit a bit of a milestone as well yesterday, but I'm embaraased to admit that my total nest egg is still pretty pathetic compared to many of you all - a paltry $25,138 .
In addition, thanks to the current foreclosure crisis, I'm losing approximately $8,000 / month on the value of my house (according to zillow.com anyway), so my net worth is close to an all-time low!
If there's any good news to be had, it's that I'm only 28 and have a good 32 years of saving and investing before I trade in my laptop for a fishing pole. In addition, I'm pretty proud of the fact that my wife and I are debt-free (excluding mortgage) and although she's currently not earning an income, I'm cash-flowing her master's program. If our plans come to fruition, we'll nearly double our income in a year's time when she gains employment and then we can REALLY sock away some serious money.
Anyhow, congratulations to those of you who are already FIRE'd - you're all an incredible inspiration to this young buck.
.In addition, thanks to the current foreclosure crisis, I'm losing approximately $8,000 / month on the value of my house (according to zillow.com anyway), so my net worth is close to an all-time low!
If there's any good news to be had, it's that I'm only 28 and have a good 32 years of saving and investing before I trade in my laptop for a fishing pole. In addition, I'm pretty proud of the fact that my wife and I are debt-free (excluding mortgage) and although she's currently not earning an income, I'm cash-flowing her master's program. If our plans come to fruition, we'll nearly double our income in a year's time when she gains employment and then we can REALLY sock away some serious money.
Anyhow, congratulations to those of you who are already FIRE'd - you're all an incredible inspiration to this young buck.
Sarah in SC
Moderator Emeritus
Jim, I'd quit looking at that Zillow business and focus on the savings/investments element of your net worth. Houses are use assets so money gained or lost there isn't as relevant to your current position. And keep up the good attitude--being debt free is a big deal in your age range!
bbbamI
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Heh...at 28, my nest was pretty much empty...My investments hit a bit of a milestone as well yesterday, but I'm embaraased to admit that my total nest egg is still pretty pathetic compared to many of you all - a paltry $25,138
Keep on keepin' on....y'all will be just fine.
jimday1982
Dryer sheet wannabe
Jim, I'd quit looking at that Zillow business and focus on the savings/investments element of your net worth. Houses are use assets so money gained or lost there isn't as relevant to your current position. And keep up the good attitude--being debt free is a big deal in your age range!
I appreciate the encouragement, Sarah - god knows I need it! Watching these investments creep up at such a glacial pace is maddening, but I do take solace in the fact that diligent, uninterrupted investing has paid off for so many folks here in the long run.
I'd love to log into these forums 35 years from now and laugh my ass off at my $25,000 portfolio as my wife and I sip cocktails in Tahiti
