Fiscal Update – Mar 2012

Pretty bad month compared to this time last year. My income for the month was pretty good but the TSX dropped 2.6% so my portfolio didn’t fair too well. Also had my car maintained and washed, which is part of my discretionary spending. My swing trade on volatility is also under water right now, which drags my net worth down for the month despite any savings I’ve accumulated. On well, that’s what I get for speculating. Hopefully you can learn from my experience and don’t make the same mistakes I did. My long term goal is to just manage my debt and invest extra money I have, especially when the stock market is dips.
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*Side Income:
  • Part-Time Work = $700
  • Dividends = $300

*Discretionary Spending:

  • Eating Out = $100
  • Others = $400

*Net Worth: (MoM)

  • Assets:
  • Cash = $3,900 (-$100)
  • Stocks = $70,200 (-$2,300)
  • RRSP = $21,700 (+$100)
  • Home  = $248,000
  • Liabilities:
  • Mortgage = $207,500 (-$400)
  • Margin Loan = $18,700 (Unch)
  • Bank Loans = $2,600 (-$1,100)

*Total Net Worth = $115,000 (-0.69%

I wonder if anyone else’s net worth dropped? In other news the federal budget came out yesterday. I like that we are phasing out the penny. I think it’s about time we removed the 1 cent coin from our currency. I think this will speed up cash transactions and we can use the metal for something else, like manufacturing it into something actually useful or at the very least sell it to other countries. Our national deficit now is $25 billion, which means after collecting all the taxes, the government is still short $25 billion this year to fund all it’s programs. The shortfall means the government will need to borrow more money and we’ll slide deeper in debt. The ideal situation is a balanced budget, where the government spends as much as it makes, and there’s very little or no debt. Maybe we’ll get there some day, but not any time soon.

* Numbers are rounded to the nearest $100.
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Vicky
Vicky
03/31/2012 8:09 am

I know my net worth definitely dropped this month! If your drop is mainly a result of the TSX dropping, then that’s ok; more buying opportunities! As for the speculating… 🙂

Liquid
Admin
03/31/2012 12:31 pm
Reply to  Vicky

Ha, I know. And the other thing is I should diversify what I already have. I currently don’t hold any bonds for example. You’re doing great considering you don’t have a 9-5 job (^-^)

vtomar
vtomar
03/31/2012 10:00 am

our networth is pretty close to each other

Liquid
Admin
03/31/2012 12:45 pm
Reply to  vtomar

Very cool, your rate of wealth accumulation is impressive. Congrats on your latest bonus. Don’t spend it all in one place and keep up the updates.

Not Working
Not Working
04/01/2012 5:12 am

Hey Liquid ! It’s fun to see that you were in my position about 4 years ago, i wish i will be able to do as good as you do !

Liquid
Admin
04/02/2012 12:50 am
Reply to  Not Working

Who knows, maybe you can do even better.

Leigh
04/01/2012 7:51 pm

Your net worth only went down $800! That’s not that bad overall 🙂 Mine went down about $600 last November with the stock markets moving, but I’ve been doing okay since then.

$300 in dividends in March is pretty good!

Liquid
Admin
04/02/2012 12:55 am
Reply to  Leigh

Thanks. I Hope to make a $3,000 come back in April.

Phil
Phil
04/02/2012 7:14 am

Investments down 2.6% last month… Net worth still up $17K for the year… I’m married and almost 40 though so have played this game a bit longer than some of you with 2 incomes coming in. I retired from my job last September and my wife hopes to be done in the next 5 years… My tip to the younger bloggers here – read a great book, Your Money or Your Life. The sooner you learn your own relationship with money the better your life will be.

Liquid
Admin
04/02/2012 9:13 am
Reply to  Phil

Congrats on your early retirement. It’s inspiring to know that hard work and patience does pay off. Thanks for the tip. I’ll look into that book.

Not Working
Not Working
04/02/2012 10:34 am
Reply to  Phil

Any other books you recommend?

Phil
Phil
04/02/2012 5:30 pm
Reply to  Not Working

I have ammassed quite a pile of books over the years, but by far “Your Money or Your Life” was most influencial to me. Other good ones include: “The Rules of Wealth”, by Richard Templar, “The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing” by Jason Kelly and “Stop Working” & “The Lazy Investor” by Derek Foster. Most of the other books I have are more related to sectors or history on the markets like “Black Gold” or “Anatomy of the Bear” which I find equally important in being able to make money in the markets. Knowing where and when to put your money to use will increase earning potential!

Liquid
Admin
04/02/2012 5:35 pm
Reply to  Phil

Thanks for sharing Phil (☞゚ヮ゚)☞. I’ve read “Stop Working” as well, great book. I’ll keep an eye out for the other ones you’ve mentioned. There’s so much inspiration out there.

RickPsychGuy
RickPsychGuy
04/02/2012 7:15 pm

Great blog! Don’t worry about the small bumps in the stock market, I’m confident over the long-term the market will rise.

Canadian dividend stocks were pretty flat in March, so my portfolio went nowhere (except for dividend payments). I wonder if the TSX has any more steam left in it for the year? You know the ole saying “Sell in May and go away” …. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

By the way, your Net Worth for March shows an (+) in Stocks and RRSP. I think that’s supposed to be a decrease (-).

Liquid
Admin
04/02/2012 9:44 pm
Reply to  RickPsychGuy

Nice catch Rick. The RRSP barely eked out a gain because I have a lot of US companies in there which did really well in March. But that’s definitely a typo on the Stocks. I’ll change that now (^_^;) I’m weary about the markets as well. Spain’s unemployment rate is over 20%, and the whole Euro zone still looks a bit shaky. If people are selling off in May, perhaps there will be opportunities to buy in June (^_-) .

Iorekk
Iorekk
04/06/2012 11:47 am

How much of your portfolio would you say you devote to dividend stocks?

Liquid
Admin
04/06/2012 11:53 am
Reply to  Iorekk

I’d say about 90%. I only have a couple of uranium mining companies that don’t pay a dividend, but all other stocks I hold have at least a 1% dividend yield.