Assets:
NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $1,702
AS's 403(b): $2,078
CJ's 401(k): $25,871
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $182,000
---
Total Assets: $507,601

Total Debt: $426,154

Current Estimated Net Worth: $81,447

5/28 estimate: $79,330
Change in net worth: +$2,117

Summary: My 401(k) lost $661 in value, so our assets went down a bit despite gains in AS's 403(b) and NT's 401(k). But our debt repayment gave us a bump in net worth anyway. We'll have to go faster than this to hit $100K by the end of the year, but I'm still happy to see progress.

Note on the numbers above: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

Assets:
NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $1,520
AS's 403(b): $1,878
CJ's 401(k): $26,533
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $182,000
---
Total Assets: $507,881

Total Debt: $428,551

Current Estimated Net Worth: $79,330

4/18 estimate: $75,156
Change in net worth: +$4,174

Summary: All our U.S. retirement accounts posted small gains again this month and we paid off a few grand in debt, so though it's not as big a gain as last month, I'm happy! I figure there's a chance our net worth could top $100K by the end of the year, which would be awesome.

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $1,332
AS's 403(b): $1,754
CJ's 401(k): $25,653
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $182,000
---
Total Assets: $506,689

Total Debt: $431,533

Current Estimated Net Worth: $75,156

3/21 estimate: $68,443
Change in net worth: +$6,713 (!)

Summary: All our retirement plans managed to hold onto some gains this month! The market must have done slightly better, but also, I hit the 2-year mark at work and so a bit more of the company's matching contributions are now vested. Plus, we paid off a whole crapload of debt!!

Note on the numbers above: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

I haven't updated AS's 403(b) because she's lost her PIN and will have to get it re-sent. Luckily for the purposes of this entry, her account's quite small and wouldn't be much affected by market fluctuations. So here's our progress as far as I know:

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $1,092
AS's 403(b): $1,440
CJ's 401(k): $24,704
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $182,000
---
Total Assets: $505,186

Total Debt: $436,743

Current Estimated Net Worth: $68,443

2/22 estimate: $65,704
Change in net worth: +$2,739

Summary: Well, I dumped about $225 into my 401(k) during the past month and ended up with a loss in value of about $25. That feels futile! But aggressive debt repayment increased our net worth anyway.

An interesting side note: We live a communal existence, but there are certain assets and debts in each of our names. Recently I totaled the debts up out of curiosity, and NT had the greatest amount (if I count his estimated future education debt), while AS had the smallest amount, and I was in the middle. Today I decided to see how our net worth would look if we parceled out our debt and our assets according to what's in whose name. Interestingly, NT had the highest net worth (in that he had any at all!) and AS and I both had negative net worth. Hers is slightly more in the hole than mine. So even though NT has the most debt, we're dragging down his net worth with our negative worth!

None of us has any savings to speak of. The biggest difference? NT bought his place in his early twenties, so its value has risen exponentially since then. (He's 35 today.) AS and I went in on a place together only five years ago, and it's depreciated more than $20K in value.

Note on the numbers above: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $820
AS's 403(b): $1,440
CJ's 401(k): $24,731
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $182,000
---
Total Assets: $504,941

Total Debt: $439,237

Current Estimated Net Worth: $65,704

12/22 estimate: $64,308
Change in net worth: +$1,396

Summary: Two retirement plans and one of the properties lost value over the past two months, but paying off debt helped offset that, so our net worth increased slightly anyway.

Note: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $359
AS's 403(b): $2,395
CJ's 401(k): $25,591
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $185,000
Total Assets: $509,295

Total Debt: $444,987

Current Estimated Net Worth: $64,308

11/19 estimate: $60,936
Change in net worth: +$3,372

Note: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $175
AS's 403(b): $2,152
CJ's 401(k): $25,248
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $185,000
Total Assets: $508,525

Total Debt: $447,589

Current Estimated Net Worth: $60,936

10/16 estimate: $58,328
Change in net worth: +$2,608

Note: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
NT's 401(k): $60
AS's 403(b): $1,788
CJ's 401(k): $25,633
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $185,000
Total Assets: $508,431

Total Debt: $450,103

Current Estimated Net Worth: $58,328

9/18 estimate: $54,903
Change in net worth: +$3,425

Note: House value estimates are conservative, and retirement totals don't include amounts currently unvested.

Last night we tried to figure out our net worth. All our assets are retirement funds and real estate, so we can only estimate, as those things go up and down (and half are in British pounds).

But it wasn't terrible. Here's what we came up with (not counting nonvested amounts, and very conservative house valuations):
NT's pensions: 7,250 pounds ($14,500)
10,725 pounds ($21,450)
AS's 403(b): $1,400
CJ's 401(k): $25,200
NT's flat: 130,000 pounds ($260,000)
CJ & AS's condo: $185,000
Total Assets: $507,550

Total Debt: $452,647

Estimated Net Worth: $54,903

Not too much divided between three of us, but considering I estimated our value to be in the $40s only a couple months ago, it sounds really good to me! And by virtue of paying off over $2500 of debt a month, and contributing a few hundred to our retirement plans a month, that number will go up quickly.

It's nice to write something that's actually positive about our finances, not just me being optimistic and keeping my chin up! :-)

Maybe I'll make this a regular blog feature, every month or so.

That was my mantra in my late 20s, when for a period of time I was diligently chipping away at mine and AS's $50K or so of debt (much of it student loan, some credit card). Well, I turned 33 this year, and when I totaled my debt in March, it had more than quintupled! Granted most was mortgage debt, but a good deal still student loan and much more credit card than before.

Another adult entered my household this year as well, with his own adult-sized debt. I just "took on" (psychologically) NT's debt as well last night, and that adds another $141K to my $277K, bringing me (psychologically) to $418K in debt. Whoa, close to half a million. That's nutty. At this point, you can't even freak out because there's no human reaction befitting that. And that's not counting the 4 years of college he hopes to get, I imagine to the tune of not much less than $40K total. And. And. And...

On the upside, whereas mine & AS's assets are only about $180K worth of home (that's an estimate; we bought it for $207K but I know home sales have been sluggish in my building) and $26K of retirement funds (probably less from the recent crash, but soon to build to that again), NT gives me (psychologically) with his debt a home worth $260K and a retirement fund of unknown value. That gives the three of us assets worth $466K not counting NT's retirement.

Coming to a net worth of $48,000 between us. (If you don't count the upcoming college costs, which could very well take us down to net worth of $8K.)

As a pick-me-up it ain't much, but I'll take it. Now to roll up my sleeves (or should I say shine my shoes?), because I have some fancy financial footwork ahead of me.

NT's rental income isn't quite covering his mortgage and credit card payments, so I have to come up with an extra $400 per month. He also has a new job which we should (hopefully) find out the compensation details of soon, but unfortunately I was already eyeing that extra income and thinking about where I could put it, so it's a bit of a downer that I have to spread it a little more thinly than I thought.

First step today: move back a credit card payment that I usually pay early, and use that money to do an emergency transfer into his checking account to cover some bills hitting tomorrow. Hoping everything happens in the right order; if not we'll have some overdraft fees to contend with.

Sigh. The funny thing is, I knew some reckoning was coming for at least a couple months, ever since NT told me he hadn't checked his accounts for awhile and wasn't sure the payments were being covered. I think the reason this all seems overwhelming is a tiny straw: AS charged $13 for drinks last night on our check card, and NT bought a messenger bag on one of his credit cards for $70. Now, neither of them rebels very often, and I've been reining them in pretty strictly since March, so these aren't huge deals in the grand scheme of things. But finding out about them at the same time that I'm trying to deal with all this just makes my stomach feel hollow.

Ah well. no one I've encountered on this site is in anywhere near this kind of debt, but at least I know you guys will be thinking of me (hopefully sympathetically) and pulling for me. It makes me feel less isolated.

Thanks for listening!
CJ