May Net Worth Outlook
I got a surprise when I checked my primary checking account. My federal tax refund has arrived! Seeing that it’s over four figures, I am putting most of it towards my credit card debt.
I see that I have netted $400 in reduction on my credit cards this month. Add the additional $1k+ I am paying and it will be close to $2K when I prepare May’s final numbers. I look forward to getting a tuition reimbursement by my company. That will help the numbers a lot! I decided not to take the suggestion of commenters and put the tuition into a separate category since I could decide NOT to take the reimbursement and then quit my job whenever I like, which is something I always think about since I get ants in my pants.
The last note I have to make is that I decided that my car is looking really crappy lately, so I adjusted its valuation down to $5000. That’s $1K less than before. I will probably depreciate it further next year, but will not sell it till I need yet another clutch in 80K+ miles. I think I can stomach new brakes (Again! The last set are really squeaky), a new set of tires (within another year or two), and all the oil changes you can shake a stick at.
There’s only one other thing to say at the moment which is that the studio under my apartment is for sale and has been dramatically reduced. I am mildly upset about this because I think they are letting it go below market value by almost 10%. I know the market is rough out there in Northern VA, but this does not bode well. I have always been a bit smug since my apartment has appreciated in value 20+% since I bought it. I have always felt I had room to fall. But now it’s falling and I really don’t like it! I will be really unhappy if I have to adjust the value of my real estate downward at all since I feel I’ve been pretty conservative with it since tracking my net worth. The current valuation is the official county assessed value. Market value in my opinion a lot higher. We’ll see what next year’s assessment brings.
HC wrote:
I’m pretty sure I need to replace my struts. [sigh]
Congrats on throwing another chunk at your debt.
Posted on 23-May-07 at 3:54 pm | Permalink
Ian wrote:
Talking about your car stuff (I’m a car guy by marriage) for a minute…
Ever seen brake pads? They have this goofy little tab on them. When they wear down to a certain point, you start hearing a squeal all the time EXCEPT when you push the brake pedal. THAT’s when you need to change them. Squeaky brakes often just mean dust in the rotors and a $100 repair tab for parts that aren’t really worn out yet. Even better, invest in the Car Repair for Dummies book, which has all kinds of useful tips and step-by-steps for home maintenance of your car. You can do a brake job by yourself with a couple basic tools, the cost of the pads (usually $20-$30), and some brake fluid. Anyone, even the chronically fumblefingered, can usually manage basic maintenance, and it will save you loads of money!
It might stretch out the usable lifespan of your car and help your budget a bit. Just my $.02.
Ian/EDog
Posted on 23-May-07 at 9:33 pm | Permalink