Well, it's that time of the year again, where after the last paycheck of the year comes in, I like to sit down with a cup of hot chocolate, look at my net worth history, and get a feel of how the year has progressed.
I don't know about the rest of you, but to me, the net worth isn't just a bunch of numbers. To me, it's more like brief reflections of my past life.
For example, I can look all the way back to 2006, when I was going through divorce. I see that I actually put down $500 for asset. It was all the cash I had, and even then, it was probably rounded up. I remember fretting about how I was going to come up with the money for my divorce lawyers, who wanted $6000 up front, and even then, I thought that maybe I shouldn't do that because I still had hope that we could patch things up....
Or take Jan 2008 for example, where for the first time, I had no liabilities listed. I remember wanting to be debt-free so badly, I scrimped everywhere, and I still remember all the rice and ramen noodles I've eaten to accomplish that goal. 2007 was not an easy year, but 2008 seemed like it was full of possibilities, even in the face of the economic meltdown.
This year does seem a little different. The previous years felt like I was in some kind of disaster survival mode, where all I could do was take care of the basic essentials. This year, with everything seemingly ship-shape, I was able to indulge in a little bit of furthering and deepening my finances, such as saving beyond minimum emergency funds. I also became a consumer and took advantage of many recession deals. As a result, I've progressed roughly $900 less than what I did last year or the year before.... But I have to admit, this year was a bit of a luxury for me.
Next year though, I'll be back in survival mode because of my impending job loss. Obviously, for someone who is as concerned about personal finances as I am, the specter of job loss hits me pretty hard. Then again, compared to what I've had to deal with in the past, this shouldn't be so bad? I'm certainly not losing sleep yet, which is always good. 
Annual net worth review
December 18th, 2009 at 03:05 pm
December 18th, 2009 at 03:59 pm 1261151958
Good Luck in 2010
December 18th, 2009 at 07:56 pm 1261166184
Best of luck for 2010; keep your eyes and mind open!
December 19th, 2009 at 03:58 pm 1261238319
You've come a long long way in a very short time!!!
December 19th, 2009 at 05:42 pm 1261244575