With the first half of 2014 down, I want to take a look at how my goals for 2014 are shaping up. I made some very lofty goals in doubling my portfolio numbers in 1 year what it too me 3 years previous to do. I started the year thinking I set them too high...
Total Portfolio size of $30,000: On Track
Start of 2014: $13,512
Q1: $18,327
Q2: $23,070
I'm adding almost $1,000 - $1,500 a month with capital gains, dividends, and deposits, $4-$5k a quarter.
I wasn't so sure at the end of Q1 but this is looking like it will succeed.
Total Dividends received of $1,000: On Track
Q1: $181.54
Q2: $430.27 ($248.73 for the quarter).
To hit $1,000 I'd obviously need $250 average a quarter. I knew Q1 would be short of that average and the question stood: Would the second half of the year with its extra deposits make up for a light first half? Dividends have a big drag time on them in that you purchase them and may not get any income from them for a couple months. With Q2 essentially at the average I only need $570 for the rest of the year... $95 a month average. If I can hit my average monthly dividend amount I can hit this one.
Average monthlydividends income of $100: COMPLETED
Start of 2014: $55.88
Q1: $80.49
Q2: $101.51
I started the year focused on just dividends and didn't know if Lending Club would have a place in my portfolio. It does and has added quite a bit of income. I had felt this would be the easiest to hit because this stat is forward looking with each purchase even though I may not hit a dividend payment for a position for up to a quarter after a purchase.
Revisit Lending Club: COMPLETED
I wanted to revisit Lending Club and see if they improved enough for me to come back. I knocked this one out early and have made it an active part of my portfolio.
Continuing Education: On Track
Q1: FAILED Improving my skills and knowledge in finance was an important goal I set for myself and this goal I feel I am failing at. I started strong with my Warren Wednesday series of looking at Warren Buffett's past letters and pick up several finance books. Things at work deteriorated and derailed me.
Q2: SUCCEEDED Work is back under control. Where once I was on a team of 5 of us we are now 10 and I am the manager. The team is coming along and my stress levels have dropped allowing me energy and focus to get back to not only college but my financial education.
I've also picked up Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty. The blogosphere of professional investors can't stop talking about this one so I felt it deserved a read. Its pretty good so far but only about half way done.
One final thought and comment. My portfolio stands at about 20% cash. I have hit my goals and am on target with a very large cash position and essentially one arm tied behind my back.
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.
Total Portfolio size of $30,000: On Track
Start of 2014: $13,512
Q1: $18,327
Q2: $23,070
I'm adding almost $1,000 - $1,500 a month with capital gains, dividends, and deposits, $4-$5k a quarter.
I wasn't so sure at the end of Q1 but this is looking like it will succeed.
Total Dividends received of $1,000: On Track
Q1: $181.54
Q2: $430.27 ($248.73 for the quarter).
To hit $1,000 I'd obviously need $250 average a quarter. I knew Q1 would be short of that average and the question stood: Would the second half of the year with its extra deposits make up for a light first half? Dividends have a big drag time on them in that you purchase them and may not get any income from them for a couple months. With Q2 essentially at the average I only need $570 for the rest of the year... $95 a month average. If I can hit my average monthly dividend amount I can hit this one.
Average monthly
Start of 2014: $55.88
Q1: $80.49
Q2: $101.51
I started the year focused on just dividends and didn't know if Lending Club would have a place in my portfolio. It does and has added quite a bit of income. I had felt this would be the easiest to hit because this stat is forward looking with each purchase even though I may not hit a dividend payment for a position for up to a quarter after a purchase.
Revisit Lending Club: COMPLETED
I wanted to revisit Lending Club and see if they improved enough for me to come back. I knocked this one out early and have made it an active part of my portfolio.
Continuing Education: On Track
Q1: FAILED Improving my skills and knowledge in finance was an important goal I set for myself and this goal I feel I am failing at. I started strong with my Warren Wednesday series of looking at Warren Buffett's past letters and pick up several finance books. Things at work deteriorated and derailed me.
Q2: SUCCEEDED Work is back under control. Where once I was on a team of 5 of us we are now 10 and I am the manager. The team is coming along and my stress levels have dropped allowing me energy and focus to get back to not only college but my financial education.
I've also picked up Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty. The blogosphere of professional investors can't stop talking about this one so I felt it deserved a read. Its pretty good so far but only about half way done.
One final thought and comment. My portfolio stands at about 20% cash. I have hit my goals and am on target with a very large cash position and essentially one arm tied behind my back.
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.
You're making great progress Pulley! Give that portfolio time to compound and you'll be shocked at the results. Oddly enough I was thinking of you and your Warren Wednesdays yesterday, when I picked up a Buffett book that's a compilation of his op-eds (and Fortune's articles about him). Thank God I picked it up at the library, because this is not the best best book on Buffett. Still, looking forward to Warren Wednesday. Take care
ReplyDelete-Bryan
Thanks IS. I'm hitting a threshold in my monthly income and capital gain sizes that are really surprising me... and it just keeps getting better as time goes on.
DeleteCongrats on your progress so far this year. Work does have a way of affecting other things going on in people's lives. It definitely does in mine.
ReplyDeleteThanks IP. That it does. All the more reason to focus on becoming financially independent!
DeleteYou're doing great dude :) Having cash on hand is good. I wish I could be in your position too but I recently just depleted my cash reserves on real estate debt.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Liquid. Paying off debt and buying assets are good reasons to be low on cash. Far better then showing off a new giant TV or car to your friends.
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