Saturday, December 13, 2014

2014 Goals. How did I do?

Almost one year ago I laid out my goals for 2014. With only a few weeks left I look to see how I did...

Total Portfolio: $30,000 ACHIEVED.
This portfolio has been going on for quite a few years in several iterations. To hit the $30,000 mark I would have to more than double the account in just 1 year.
To do that I would have to tighten up the budget. I have always been pretty good but it was time to kick this into overdrive. While I did splurge here and there, especially recently with a new high end computer, I kept true to my goal.

The Investing and Lending Club portions only add up to $29,600 as of the day I am writing this. What is less recorded on the spreadsheet is the $1,500 I threw at the Real Estate Portfolio's mortgage and I have one more deposit for the year coming in. Regardless if the market continues to go down and drops me below my goal level, I am considering this one achieved.

Total Dividends received: $1,000 ACHIEVED.
I find it fitting that while much of the investing community is calling IBM dead and looking at their revenues dropping as reason to be short, that it was IBM's dividend that pumped me over my limit this week.

Average Monthly Dividends: $100 ACHIEVED
This one looked to have been in danger of not be completed for the year. I hit it earlier on in the year but then started taking profit in positions. I'm at 40% cash and have a $105 average expected monthly income amount.

Revisit Lending Club: ACHIEVED
This one was a rather easy goal and I knocked it out early. Not only that but it has become a cornerstone of this portfolio's strategy. With its higher yield vs bonds and equities, I am able to keep a high level of income and free up capital for capital gains positions.

Continuing Education: ACHIEVED
I started, and ahem slacked off on, reading the Warren Buffett letters
Read Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty
Read a book on Bonds.
Started reading Barron's Economics, and Finance. These are textbook like and I have to warn anyone.. very dry.
Education can be measured in more then just reading. Lending Club gave me new insights into how debt works and with Capital the 21 Century, how wealth transfers from 1 group to another.

All in all 2014 was a great year for me. I'm already thinking about the goals I want to set for myself in 2015.

How about you? Have you achieved what you set out to do in 2014?


Disclaimer: The investments and trades discussed are not recommendations for others. I am not a financial planner, financial adviser, accountant, or tax adviser. The financial actions I talk about are for my own portfolio and money and only suited for my own risk tolerance, strategy, and ideas. Copying another person's financial moves can lead to large losses. Each person needs to do their due diligence in researching and planning their own actions in the financial markets.

8 comments:

  1. I'm behind on my eBay profits goal. I'll have an upcoming post about it, but I also have a lot of good excuses as to why I didn't hit my target (moving, new job, etc.). As a teaser, I'm looking to have 10k in profits next year. We'll see how I do!

    Amazing that you were able to hit all of your targets! Congrats!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Chris. Looking forward to your ebay goals. I looked into it once but my heart is with equities.

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  2. Impressive job on reaching all of your 2014 goals. Looking forward to seeing what your goals are for 2015.

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    1. Thanks CC. I love this time of year when the community shares its successes and challenges for the next year.

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  3. Congratulations on achieving all of your 2014 goals. Definitely take a lot of work to complete them all. Looking forward to seeing your goals for 2015.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Tawcan. I'm working on those now and debating what I am going to strive for.

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  4. Congratulations on achieving all of your goals. I wish you continued success in 2015!

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