Archives for Weekly update category
25
Jun
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
Well, it’s official. By the time you read this, I will be heading off to my last day of work at my current temp job. It was fun, while it lasted, but with the swine flu epidemic in the past, there’s just not enough need for me at Sharp. I like the people, I like the location, I even got into the work that I was doing, but alas, what is done is done, and hopefully, I can find something soon.
But not all my news is bad news; two weeks from now, I’m going to be moving out to the western side of Pennsylvania in order to live with my fiancée. It should be wonderful, although I’m a bit nervous about how well it will go. I just wish I had a decent job waiting for me out there; it’s going to be especially rough, going back to being unemployed. Still, it does give me more flexibility, which is also a good thing. And I’m optimistic that I can get something out there (or who knows, perhaps I can turn this blog into a full time gig).
So, enough about me; what do you think about me? Just kidding, now it’s time to peek in on some of the other great bloggers I follow:
Cash for Clunkers: Is it Worth It? – My good friend My Life ROI discusses the government’s new Cash for Clunkers program. It seems like an interesting idea, and if you are planning to get a new car anyway, it’s certainly worth considering. As he notes, though, it’s only really valuable if your car is worth less than the voucher (either $3500 or $4500, depending on the gas mileage of the older car); otherwise, you should just sell your old car and put the proceeds toward the new one.
Beach Reading on Personal Finance - Mr. Tough Money Love shares a few of his summertime reading suggestions. I especially support his recommendation of Dave Barry’s Money Secrets
; it’s an absolutely hilarious book, and if you have the opportunity, you really should read it. (It especially seems funny after lots of personal finance reading; Mr. Barry has the number of most financial gurus.)
12 Common IRA Mistakes to Avoid – Jeff Rose of GoodFinancialCents notes several mistakes that people frequently make when it comes to IRAs. Most are pretty commonly mentioned, but Jeff raises some thoughts I never would have considered, including inheritance and trust issues of which I had never heard.
The Problem With Target Date Funds – Frank Curmudgeon of Bad Money Advice makes some interesting points concerning target-date funds, particularly as a default 401(k) investment. He raises some good points, but seems to put too much blame on the government for first allowing target date funds as a default investment, then attempting to correct some of the problems that resulted with the recent downturn. I think the government is just doing what it’s supposed to do, trying to respond to its citizens, and I hope a good compromise will be reached that improves retirement for the average person.
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23
May
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
Well, I’m back at home, and that means that it’s time to go through my finances and see where I stand. I’m a bit nervous to see how my accounts stack up after spending a week out in California, spoiling my girlfriend (and at times, her sisters as well) and paying a premium on gas. (To say nothing of the numerous tiny heart attacks I had driving on the California freeways; the higher insurance premiums when I get older aren’t going to be pretty.)
It was a fantastic trip, though, and I wouldn’t change the experience for the world. Plus, it seems that the economy had something of a good few weeks while I was indisposed, so my net worth didn’t take quite the hit I feared it might while I was away. Here, as always, is a summary of my finances:
A lot of changes with this one, although you wouldn’t know it from looking at my net worth change. The increase in my investment values masked all the money I spent on the trip, leading to an increase in my overall net worth. Hopefully, with my new job and a broader economic recovery (which I hope is here, but would not bet on), my net worth will only increase in the near future.
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2
May
Posted in Weekly update, milestones by Roger |
Hello and welcome! This post is going to be rather special. First of all, it’s actually my one-hundredth post! Slowly, steadily, and surely, I’ve been building up my little blog. It’s been a fun trip so far, and I thank you all for reading and following along with my blog.
Next, I’m currently in between jobs; my position as an organic chemistry tutor ended yesterday (in fact, if you’re reading this between 1 and 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on May 2nd, the students will be in the midst of taking their final). I’ve got an arrangement to run the organic chemistry lab during the summer, but that does not start until June 8th, so I’ve got more than a month of time off. Which actually works out pretty well for me, because…
I am going to visit my fiancée’s extended family over the next few weeks. I’ll be leaving on Thursday, and not returning until two weeks from now. This means, no Weekly Updates for a few weeks (although, I’m doing everything I can to make sure the other posts continue on schedule). It should be enjoyable , although meeting my future wife’s family will likely prove to trying, as well.
It’s going to be a busy (but fun and enjoyable) few weeks. Now, let’s get down to business, and take a look at my finances before I have to start packing:
A good week on Wall Street and minimal new spending (since I’ve already paid for many of the trip expenses), means that I saw a sizable increase in my net worth this week. My finances probably won’t be quite so rosy next time I can update my net worth, but for now, I’m doing pretty well.
Thanks again, everyone, for reading and following my blog!
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25
Apr
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
Ah, it’s a wonderful time of the year. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the grass is turning green, and college students are preparing for finals. And, as a supplemental instructor, I am helping the organic chemistry students at my old school to learn and prepare for their test.
I always find it interesting, seeing just how far the students can come in a semester. Chemistry that was giving them trouble when I started up my sessions in January is now second nature to them, although I wonder how many of them even stopped to realize it. Of course, they have also managed to forget much of the material from fall that they haven’t used lately, so I suppose they’ll have some use for me yet.
Of course, out in the real world, there are no final exams or mid terms. Instead, you have to keep monitoring your progress through life as you go and keep track of how you are doing. With that in mind (and my awkward segue over), let us see where my finances are this week:
My net worth took a pretty heavy blow this week. This doesn’t surprise me; on top of my usual expenditures, I also booked a flight, hotel room, and rental car for a trip out to California to visit my girlfriend’s extended family. It’ll be nice to see her family and have a relaxing time out in the sun, but it does hurt my finances, at least for the time being.
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18
Apr
Posted in Weekly update, milestones by Roger |
I have some big news. I am engaged to my sweet, wonderful girlfriend Sondra. I bought her an adorable engagement ring, which she helped me to pick out. It was fairly inexpensive, as engagements rings go (none of that ‘three months’ salary’ stuff for us), but she seems to love it.
It’s going to be a fairly long engagement; her grandmother is paying for her education, but only so long as she doesn’t get married before she graduates. Since she has three more semesters of school to go, this means the earliest that we can get married without incurring a large amount of debt to finish her schooling is to wait until 2011. Plus, the time we take before we tie the knot can be used to build up a house down payment or create an emergency fund. (To say nothing of giving me time to find a job…)
I am very happy about these events, if a little nervous about my future. But, I have faith that everything will work out for the best in the end. Now, to review my financial state, with all this personal business out of the way.
A pretty messy week for my finances, with my credit card bills coming due, my Sharebuilder investments activating, and my unemployment check arriving. Still, my net worth is steadily increasing, which is always a good sign.
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11
Apr
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
If you’ve been reading The Amateur Financier for a while now, you’re probably aware that I use Sharebuilder to purchase my non-retirement investments. Overall, I’m satisfied with the service I receive and the investment costs that I incur, but I can’t help but wonder if I should be investing via mutual funds instead.
My main worry is that, since I am paying $12 a month for Sharebuilder’s Automatic Investment plan, for a total of $144 each year, that I’m losing out the investment potential of that money. It’s not a huge amount, but if I invest that amount each year over the next thirty-five years, I’ll have an extra $25,000 for my retirement, which is not a piddling amount. If I stuck with index funds from Vanguard, as I do for my retirement funds, I’d be able to save that money and invest it instead.
Of course, there were reasons I invested via Sharebuilder in the first place. The initial investment amounts were much lower than buying new mutual funds from Vanguard (which has a minimum requirement of $3000 for most of its index funds). By buying ETFs, I was able to invest and build my portfolio with much lower initial investment, buy a larger variety of funds than I would be able to get via mutual funds with my present assets and I’m currently benefitting as the economy is starting to pick up again.
I’m still thinking of what to do, whether I should stop investing via Sharebuilder and put that money toward saving up for index mutual funds, or if I should just keep investing with Sharebuilder. I’ve already been charged for the automatic investments this month, so I’m going to use them (this Tuesday, in fact), but after that… well, I’m still thinking. If you have any thoughts, I’d appreciate hearing any opinions on ETFs vs. index funds.
With that off my chest, let’s look at how my accounts did this week:
I rolled over the bank CD I had in a Roth IRA into my Vanguard Roth, into the Total Foreign Market fund, and I removed the bank CD from my asset page. That’s why my Total Savings amount dropped, even though all my (listed) accounts either stayed the same or increased. Other than that, not too much excitement; my net worth is a little higher than I was expecting, but I have a few bills to pay this week, so we’ll see how long that lasts. As they say, easy come, easy go.
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4
Apr
Posted in Weekly update, blogging by Roger |
“Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer man”
Actually, unlike David Bowie, I WOULD like to be a richer man. Also unlike Bowie, I can’t issue ‘Bowie Bonds‘ in order to raise money. Instead, I’m trying to monetize my blog more effectively. I’ve actually approached Mrs. Micah through her BlogCrafted site in order to make a number of changes to my blog. Some will be cosmetic (like putting up a new theme) and some will be more functional (changing how I go about monetizing my blog, so I can start to make more of a profit from my efforts). The end result will be a more interesting, more useful, and more profitable Amateur Financier.
The big change over is currently scheduled for Sunday, so watch this space for a new look and feel to my blog. Onward now to my financial report:
As you can see, I’ve also switched up how I’m doing my weekly update posts. Rather than type out my finances each week, this way I can put the new numbers in a spreadsheet, and have all the calculations I want to run done for me. Spreadsheets are always fun.
There’s not much change this week; I added my more money to my savings and my investments went up, for an overall increase in my net worth. Given the current financial environment, I didn’t get much of a boost from interest payments on my savings,but with any luck, that will change soon. I’m happy with the progress I’m making.
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28
Mar
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
I’m feeling rather manly. As I write this, I’ve just completed constructing a salad table for my girlfriend and her mother. My girlfriend got the idea from Martha Stewart, and I, um, ‘volunteered’ to help her out.
A salad table, for those who don’t know, is a wooden frame (similar to a table) with compartments lined with mesh underneath. The mesh keeps the soil in the compartments from falling out, while allowing water to pass through. This makes it ideal for growing plants, particularly vegetables, in situations where you don’t have much access to soil.
If you do build a salad table, I suggest you stick with the directions as given, and use screws. I built my table using nails, and it seems somewhat unsteady. It’s still stable enough to use, but screws would make it more secure.
Even with that caveat, I do feel proud of my accomplishment. It’s nice to able to make something with my own hands, and to have that item be put to good use. I’m especially glad, as I had never heard of a salad table before, so it’s been a learning experience all around.
Onto my finances:
Offline Savings
PNC (Checking Account) $ 100 -$1229
Susquehanna (CD) $ 2542 +$0
Online Savings
ING Direct (Checking) $ 55 +$0
ING Direct (Savings) $ 1118 -$220
ING Direct (Orange CD) $ 1016 +$0
HSBC Direct (Savings) $ 23 +$0
Smarty Pig (Savings) $ 1398 +$450
Total Savings $ 6252 -$1900
Investments
Vanguard (Roth IRA) $ 6935 +$281
- Small Cap Index (NAESX) $ 3470 +$144
- High Dividend Yield (VHDYX) $ 2917 +$121
- Foreign Total Market (VGTSX) $ 547 +$15
Share builder (ETFs) $ 2948 +$177
- Total US Market (TMW) $ 960 +$55
- Extended Market (VXF) $ 811 +$55
- Total Foreign (VEU) $ 575 +$25
- Small Cap Value (VBR) $ 277 +$21
- Emerging Markets (VWO) $ 324 +$20
Other Investments
Lending Club $47 +$47
Vanguard (Money Market) $ 901 +$0
Total Investments $ 10831 +$1406
Total Assets $ 17,083 -$494
Debts
MasterCard (JCPenney) ($ 28 ) +$0
American Express ($ 813) +$161
Student Loans ($ 11,882) -$8
Total Debts ($ 12,723) -$169
Net Worth $ 4360 -$663
I shifted the organization of my investments and savings around. I’ve also added the funds I’ve had in Lending Club to my investment list. This arrangement more accurately reflects how I actually view my accounts, and should help me to monitor things more readily. There’ll be more changes next month, as I’m closing out my two CDs and reinvesting the money.
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21
Mar
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
The big news this week, at least for those of us with a geeky bent, is the series finale of Battlestar Galactica. It was an excellent series, not just in the science fiction genre, but as a broader drama, touching upon and exploring some of the deeper issues facing our society. It’s a rare series that can be so emotional enveloping, but this series succeeded. The fact that it had semi-regular spaceship fights and some cute robot girls was just an added bonus.
Just two things that bothered me: first, the ending. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but cripes was that a convoluted way to wrap things up. To say nothing about raising more questions than it actually answered…
Second, apparently there’s going to be a two hour ‘event’ in the fall, looking at some of the events from the series from the perspective of the Cylons (the race of evil robots, if you’ve never caught either the original series or this current remake). While this is a good thing (I’m not going to complain about more Galactica), it does make me think: is it really a season finale if they’re already planning more stories (even if just as a two-hour movie)? These are the questions that haunt my mind (which tells you quite a lot about said mind).
On that geeky note, onto the finances:
Savings
PNC (Checking Account) $ 1329 +$1144
Susquehanna (CD) $ 2542 +$0
ING Direct (Checking) $ 55 -$50
ING Direct (Savings) $ 1338 -$1668
ING Direct (Orange CD) $ 1016 +$0
HSBC Direct (Savings) $ 23 +$0
Smarty Pig (Savings) $ 948 +$248
Vanguard (Money Market) $ 901 -$400
Total Savings $ 8152 -$726
Investments
Vanguard (Roth IRA) $ 6654 +$1128
- Small Cap Index (NAESX) $ 3326 +$167
- High Dividend Yield (VHDYX) $ 2796 +$429
- Foreign Total Market (VGTSX) $ 532 +$532
Share builder (ETFs) $ 2771 +$61
- Total US Market (TMW) $ 905 +$10
- Extended Market (VXF) $ 756 +$11
- Total Foreign (VEU) $ 550 +$24
- Small Cap Value (VBR) $ 256 +$7
- Emerging Markets (VWO) $ 304 +$9
Total Investments $ 9425 +$1189
Total Assets $ 17,577 +$463
Debts
MasterCard (JCPenney) ($ 28 ) +$107
American Express ($ 652) +$1260
Student Loans ($ 11,874) -$8
Total Debts ($ 12,554) +$1359
Net Worth $ 5023 +$1822
Not bad, I’d say. A combination of getting my tax refund deposited (over $1300) and some investment gains allowed me to get some substantial increases in my net worth. I paid off my credit cards; a neutral issue as far as net worth, but it was nice to eliminate the debt.
I am in the process of opening a Foreign market fund with Vanguard for my retirement account; on April 2nd, the Susquehanna CD will be cashed out and transferred into my VGTSX fund (which is why I was able to open that Vanguard fund without meeting the $3000 minimum, in case anyone was curious).
All in all, pretty solid week.
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14
Mar
Posted in Weekly update by Roger |
I feel stuck between two different worlds this week. On one hand, there’s four-day rally in the stock market. There are almost as many different perspectives on what exactly this upturn means as there are commentators on TV, in the newspapers and online, which is to say thousands all told. I personally don’t claim to have anywhere near the amount of knowledge and experience to predict what this means, if anything; I’m simply going to hope for the best and continue to invest my money as regularly, calmly, and automatically as possible.
Now, onto the other world…I am working part-time as an organic chemistry tutor at my old university. There is a test this coming Tuesday, the second of the year. For many of the students, this test could very well determine the course of their future; many of them are trying to get into the Pharmacy school, and if their grades are not good enough, they won’t have a chance. Add in the drop course policies, and this is literally the last chance some of them will have to make it into the Pharmacy school.
Why do I bring this up? Simple; for these students, the broader economy is last thing on their mind. By the time they graduate from Pharmacy school in 2013 (if they make it in, of course), this week’s financial news might be remembered as a temporary deviation in a horrible market, or as the first coffin nail for the Recession of 2008. And that’s assuming it’s remembered at all.
Much more importantly, this is yet another reminder of the importance of a long-term perspective. What happens from week to week isn’t nearly as important as where you end up. The struggles the students face from one test or even one course are nothing compared to their final degrees. And by the same token, we as investors have to focus on our goals, and not the ups and downs the market throws at us.
Which is why, even though I track my portfolio’s progress every week, I do it for my own information and knowledge. Slow and steady wins the race, and makes Roger a wealthy man…
Savings
PNC (Checking Account) $ 185 +$85
Susquehanna (CD) $ 2542 +$0
ING Direct (Checking) $ 105 -$550
ING Direct (Savings) $ 3006 +$0
ING Direct (Orange CD) $ 1016 +$0
HSBC Direct (Savings) $ 23 +$0
Smarty Pig (Savings) $ 700 +$0
Vanguard (Money Market) $ 1301 +$0
Total Savings $ 8878 -$465
Investments
Vanguard (Roth IRA) $ 5526 +$636
- Small Cap Index (NAESX) $ 3159 +$359
- High Dividend Yield (VHDYX) $ 2367 +$277
Share builder (ETFs) $ 2710 +$555
- Total US Market (TMW) $ 895 +$241
- Extended Market (VXF) $ 745 +$99
- Total Foreign (VEU) $ 526 +$101
- Small Cap Value (VBR) $ 249 +$59
- Emerging Markets (VWO) $ 295 +$55
Total Investments $ 8236 +$1191
Total Assets $ 17,114 +$726
Debts
MasterCard (JCPenney) ($ 135) -$28
American Express ($ 1912) -$115
Student Loans ($ 11,866) +$63
Total Debts ($ 13,913) -$80
Net Worth $ 3201 +$646
A rather good week, investment-wise. I will admit to a mild bit of disappointment; if I was still making the same level of investments I was making while I was working, I’d be in an even better position to take advantage of this rebound (if it is in fact a rebound and not a fluke) and make money on the uptick.
But, other than that, things are looking good; investments are doing fine, my Sharebuilder purchases went through alright (three hundred dollars of the increase there is added investment capital), and my spending was kept under control (especially for a weekend I went to visit my girlfriend). All in all, an excellent week.
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