Thursday, January 30, 2014

January 2014 update ($304,263 +$5,834 or +2%)



Company shares went down by $ 0.4 a share but with the re-invested dividends number of shares went up from 271 to 275. Overall value went up by $70.
EUR and GBP are up to USD, for me it means $2,339 USD for EUR and 620 for GBP.
accumulated $4,000 as part of my annual savings goal.
Dividend Vanguard Energy ETF 578 USD after paying 10% tax
Vanguard SPF 500 ETF 82 USD after paying 10% tax.
Gold is up by $1,030
Grand total additions:  $8,719

Vanguard Energy ETF is down $1,800
Vanguard 500 Index is down $500
Gazprom shares are down $290
RUB is down to USD by $325
Rosneft shares are down by $690
Grand total losses: $2,885

Friday, January 10, 2014

Real life portfolio performance 2012-2013



There is two ways, how could I look at my portfolio and actions in 2013:
Option 1
Value
Performance indicator
Comments
Absolute return
$, K
%

6,2
2.7
Relative return
S&P 500, %
Portfolio, %
Missed opportunity due to overexposure to cash.
30
2.7
Cash accumulated in 2010 money
Planned $, K
Actual $, K
On target.
40
42
Personal plan
in 2010 money
Planned $, K
253
Actual $, K
265
Also the saving were on target I manage to exit damaging emerging market mutual funds

Monday, January 6, 2014

2014 Financial Independence Goals



Financial:
- Accumulate at least $47,000 (This is  40,000 in 2010 money)  or $4,000 a month for investments during 2014, beginning  2015.
- Portfolio to be at $370,000 by end of the year.
- Think about additional source of income.  My blog start bringing some measurable income but want to beef up with some streams.

Blog:
- Regular monthly updates
- To cover 6 themes on financial independence.
- Create easy tracker for the long term portfolio performance.
I have no intentions to move towards an entertaining blog with 2-3 weekly posts.   I will endeavor my best efforts to stay on personal subject of financial independence and family budget.  

Educational:
-  Create list of books to read  & read them- 12 books is minimum.
-  Publish the books reviews.

Family Budget:
- Stay under $84,000 with the family expenses
- Accumulate $7,000 towards durable goods replacement over 10 years.

Be happy.  Run 1,000 miles during the year.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Financial Independence Annual Goals Achievements – 2013.



These were my goals for the last year:

Financial:
- Accumulate at least $42,000 for investments during 2013, beginning  2014 – Achieved. I have accumulated $47,000.
Year
2008
2010
2011
2012
2013
Money of the day
153,400
119,800
165,600
226,800
298,400
Inflation %

2
3.5
3
4
Cumulative inflation

1.02
1.06
1.09
1.13
2010 money
153,400
117,451
156,967
209,032
265,244

- Continue to diversify the nest egg – Achieved. The nest egg is diversified. I went from 39% in stock market and the rest in cash to 85% in the stock market and 15% in Cash. It will continue to increase, as I am re-building my emergency fund.



- Think about additional source of income – Not achieved. I have been heavily involved in the current job and manage to get some additional work in my time off. This converted in the income that pushed  my investments. Albeit it was short term, undiversified measure.

Blog:
- Regular monthly updates – Achieved.
- To cover  6 themes – Achieved. Rate of Return vs Inflation, Rate of Return on Investment, Energy stocks screening, Portfolio performance, Real Rate of Return, Currency wars. There is additional one – is ready but no published- to buy or not to buy. To be published soon.

Educational:
-  Create list of books to read  & read them- 12 books is minimum- Not achieved. No excuses. Need to make time for it.
-  Publish the books reviews – Not achieved.

Family Budget:
- Stay under $80,000 with the family expenses -  Achieved. The actual expenses was $81,505 which is within margin of accuracy.
- Accumulate $7,000 towards durable goods replacement over 10 years – Achieved. Kept separately.

Be happy.  Run 1,000 miles during the year – Not achieved. Ran only 700 miles. Happiness was intermittent as well. I am generally satisfied with my life.