June 2021 Net Worth Update

June Net Worth: $191,378

June has been a good month for our money growth. We have actually just been locked up due to this Covid lockdown here in Taiwan. So that means we have been going out to eat less. 100% of our meals have been cooked at home, or the food has been bought at the store. With these restrictions our June net worth 2021 has gone up to $5,617. 

Being restrictive is not always the most fun. It is something we have to deal with and make ways in order to stay active and to stay sane. Instead of going to the gym, we are doing more home workouts. I am going, to be honest, I have slacked on home workouts while my wife is on week 11 of hers. She is super committed, and I usually like going to the gym. 

This month, we have also had less income coming in. Due to the pandemic, we are no longer doing any additional tutoring, which would bring in an extra $60-70 a week. That is ok. I have been trying to do some freelancing and other work to help bring in more income. 

One thing that was a huge surprise was getting my tax return money from the U.S. government. I sent in my taxes for 2020 in March and was supposed to get the $600 from the second stimulus. That money came on June 30th, which helped boost our income stream. For July, the 3rd stimulus payment of $1400 will be deposited in my account as well. It is better late than never.

The Year is Going By Fast

It is already July, and we have gone past 6 months of 2021 already. My goal for 2021 was to hit a Net Worth of $190,000. If you read earlier, we have surpassed that already. That means it is time to make some higher goals. The great thing is that our taxable brokerage is already up to $128,000, and it keeps on growing higher and higher. 

Charlie Munger said, “That First $100K is a Bitch.” Once you get all that money saved up and working for you then the compound machine gets rolling pretty fast. Right now, I could coast my way to $1,000,000 in 27 years with a growth rate of just 8%. So I have surpassed Coast FIRE, and I am working my way on down to the Barista FIRE part of our plan. That is amazing news. 

At age 61, without even investing another dollar I could be a millionaire. That is the great thing about investing. The earlier you start the more time compounding can have an influence on your money.

No Traveling For Us

In June, my wife and I were doing some planning to go to the states and travel to many of the national parks on the West Coast. The day before we booked everything, my wife prayed to have doors open or doors closed for our trip. Logistics were getting tight, and we were having some unneeded stress due to the Covid restrictions. We were also pretty excited to see family, and my folks were going to fly out west to see us.

The next day, the news came that we would have to quarantine in Taiwan at a quarantined hotel. We had been quarantined before in our own apartment, but this time the government would separate my wife and me into two rooms, and the cost would be about 2000 NT per person per night. That would be about $2000 or more for us to quarantine in Taiwan. 

That cost plus us not getting paid in the process from work was going to be too huge of a financial hit to us. We did not want to do that so we canceled our trip. Sadness hit us, but we decided to focus on other goals. One day, we will be back traveling.

June Expenses:

As I look at our expenses, I thought they would be much higher than expected. Our savings rate came in at 64%. Even with more spendings on health things and food, we just didn’t do much that would cost extra money. Our transportation expenses were down, plus our expenses of going out to eat were down. 

June was a great month for our budget, and we are hopeful the next two months bring us even more.

Net Worth Breakdown

That was a bit of an update for us. In June, our Net worth grew by $5,617. It is truly amazing what 2021 is doing for our finances. Our stock portfolio is growing so much, and our savings rate has been increasing by a ton as well. By the way, this is going, we could hit $250,000 Net worth by the end of 2021.

Here is the breakdown of the month:

Cash Savings: (+$3,037)

The thing that is helping with our cash is not spending money. Being able to live below our means really helps us to keep more of our cash. We just use the cash for the things we want to spend on like traveling and experiences. If we were enjoying time with friends we would use cash to be generous as well.

Taxable Brokerage: (+$3,082)

This Bull market has really cranked up our investments a ton. We only invest every few months when we can transfer some cash over. Even with an investment every few months, our current stocks and index funds keep going up. That is the cool thing. Over the long run, the stock market goes up. 

As the market keeps going up, we will continue to invest. If the market goes down, we will still continue to invest, but then our investments are on sale.

This month was also the month to get dividend income from my Vanguard funds. It brought an extra $425 in dividends for my funds. That just helps in buying more and more shares.

Roth IRA: (+$107)

My Roth grew with the upward movement of the market. Every month it will slowly grow. This is the future piece of retirement. Getting this Roth higher, but we shall see where we live and what type of retirement we will need.

Wife's Super: (-$758)

My wife’s Super has shrunk a bit. This number is misleading. I took a look at how much it has gained in Australian dollars, and it is going up a $1000 AUD, but the currency exchange has shown it shrinks a bit. I am quite amazed. Looking at the growth of this fund. 

At the end of June, I wanted to check how much it has grown. In the last 6 months, it has gone up over 19%. The thing that makes this so worthwhile was to invest it into a balanced index fund. The fees were at the bottom, and it keeps gaining as the U.S. market goes up.

Liabilities (-$19)

This month of June, I helped a friend do her taxes for two years’ worth. We used our credit card to get points, and she paid us back. So this number is a little misleading as well. It is ok. I will take some more points for our future travels.

Conclusion

Every month is a little bit different. My wife and I have been sticking to our budget, investing, and staying frugal. 

It is not easy to reach your financial independence number. There are many ups and downs. As we continue to strive for our goals, we will continue to see increases in our net worth. 

With the market being in a mighty bull market right now, we do not know when more lows will come, but we stick to our strategies. That is what you must do as well. 

No matter what happens stick to your strategy. Being patient is a good thing. If your strategy is not working try something else, and just keep it simple.