Well, we’re officially through the first quarter of 2014! Although it seemed to drag a bit because of the long winter, it is strange to Image may be NSFW.
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think we’re this far along. I wanted to take a few minutes to look at my 2014 goals and see how my progress is coming. I’m also going to include some updates about the blog and the great progress there.
2014 GOALS UPDATE
- Increase my net worth by 40%. Through Q1, I have increased by 1.7%. I can already see that this will be a tough goal, but my gains should improve as the year goes on. I had a lot of expenses in Q1, including property taxes on my home and investment properties, and some insurance bills. I was able to grow by 40% in 2013 due to a strong stock market, and some good real estate purchases. I will need to be proactive to make that type of gain again.
- Save a minimum of 25% of my income, with a stretch goal of 50%. Through Q1, I have saved 28% of my income. I am very proud of this. I’ve actively been cutting expenses, and the results are paying off. Here are some of my tips for saving money.
- “De-clutter” to live a more efficient lifestyle. I’ve made progress here, but not enough yet. I have gotten my finances organized much better by tracking everything. I feel that its a great way to make gains, and hold yourself accountable. If you’re looking for an easy was to track all your finances in one place, check out Personal Capital.
- Read more. I’ve read a lot during this longest of winters. I read Jason Zweig’s Your Money and Your Brain. Excellent book on behavioral finance and how our brains can get in the way of our investment success. I’ve also been introduced to numerous blogs that I’ve found enjoyable, and have added to my reading list.
- Write more. This site has certainly helped with that. I’ve tried my absolute best to post multiple times per week with solid content. I’d much rather work on quality content than worry about getting a post out every day, and I hope that fits with what readers are looking for. I’m always open to feedback, too! But overall, I love writing and interacting here.
BLOG UPDATE
I started the Yakezie Challenge on January 18th. The goal is to get my Alexa site ranking under 200,000 within six months. I’m happy to say that I have surpassed that already, and my current ranking is 165,539. I’m happy to have achieved those gains, but the challenge of continuing to post and interact with others will continue. A HUGE THANK YOU to all who have taken the time to read and comment here. I’ve really enjoyed interacting with you all and I’m excited for the journey ahead!
