WE DID IT! 1 MILLION NET WORTH!
I know it's not what it used to be and these numbers can fluctuate wildly, but 9.5 years after crossing zero we have built a million dollar net worth. What a ride! The craziest part is that so far this has been a bad income year; we are saving far less than usual (18% vs 30%) because my income has dropped for the time being. That's such a great illustration of this journey though - good decisions compound and can become an incredible buffer for the ups and downs of life. Immensely proud over here and optimistic for the future; if we did this in less than ideal conditions, it's amazing what is possible.
Our keys have been:
1) Making rational, rather than emotional decisions... when those disagree, doing the inner work to address what is clouding our emotions.
2) Saving consistently with a Boglehead's approach and not trying to get rich quickly. We want to build wealth with certainty.
3) Buying a home when we knew where we'd be for at least a few years, and refinancing down from 3.875% to 2.5% as opportunity arose. Not paying extra to the mortgage!
4) Trying to enjoy the journey along the way by spending on the special things but not extravagance. |