Starting the Year Right: Looking Back at 2018 and Setting Goals for 2019
We don’t need Mondays or the New Year in order to have permission to start things all over again but, let’s face it, there’s nothing more satisfying than making lists at the start of the week or year, right?
One of the things that really excited me for the New Year was setting goals and, of course, taking a hard look back at the past year.
2018 has been a very good year to us, reaching milestones for our business as well as our family life. And because this is a family finance blog, you can expect this post to be all about money.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always about the money – but I love talking about $$$ because they’re a good way to track successes and failures. You can’t go wrong with numbers; math is accurate and precise.
PSST! We’re also doing a 30 Days to Improve Your Finances series here on the blog, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for daily posts!
However, you should also take note that whatever I say here may or may not apply to you. Personal finance is still PERSONAL, as its name suggests, and even I do not follow to a T the rules that the gurus and experts tell everyone.
Nevertheless…let’s take a look back at 2018 – and also compare some previous numbers to give you a good look over our journey.
If you want to learn to calculate your own net worth, make sure to read this post.
NET WORTH
| July 2016 | July 2017 | July 2018 | December 2018 | 2019 Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | 0.00 | 48.57 | 35,800.42 | 35,093.90 | 700,000.00 |
| Investments (Stocks, MF, Insurance, Govt Securities) | 15,914.43 | 16,509.02 | 55,644.31 | 75,066.82 | 382,000.00 |
| Real Estate | 1,350,000.00 | 1,350,000.00 | 1,350,000.00 | 4,335,942.00 | 4,335,942.00 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | 1,365,914.43 | 1,366,557.59 | 1,441,444.73 | 4,426,071.00 | 5,417,942.00 |
| TOTAL ASSETS W/O RE | 15,914.43 | 16,557.59 | 91,444.73 | 90,129.00 | 1,082,000.00 |
| Credit Cards | 150,000.00 | 130,700.00 | 64,000.00 | 64,000.00 | 0.00 |
| Personal Loans | 0.00 | 26,500.00 | 0.00 | 5,000.00 | 0.00 |
| Home (Equity + Loan) | 1,170,299.84 | 1,046,488.69 | 1,031,572,12 | 1,025,202.28 | 800,000.00 |
| Condo (Equity + Loan) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,958,917 | 2,838,050.70 |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | 1,170,299.84 | 1,046,488.69 | 1,031,572,12 | 3,977,994.15 | 3,638,050.70 |
| TOTAL NET WORTH | 45,614.59 | 162,868.90 | 345,872.61 | 384,076.85 | 1,779,891.30 |
| TOTAL NET WORTH W/O RE | -1,304,385.41 | -1,187,131.10 | -1,004,127.39 | -3,951,865.15 | -2,556,050.70 |
Some things worth mentioning over the past two years that we’ve been tracking our numbers include:
- Transitioning from employee to remote worker to freelancer (end of 2015), then back to remote worker (2016), then to full-time business owner (Oct 2017). In 2018, I reached Php 1 million in gross revenue, with a 70-80% net profit.
- Traveling sporadically (3 weeks in Q4 2016, 1 week and 2 weeks in 1st half of 2018, staycations in between).
- Moving to our house in June 2017 and giving birth to our second child in July 2017.
- Reaching my first Php150k-month ($3k) since starting my business in July 2018. When I started my business, I immediately increased my rates to 4x more and currently charge (Dec 2018) about 8x more than when I started.
- Going through the first phase of our home renovation in August 2018.
- Purchasing our first investment real estate – a condo – in November 2018.
- Starting several savings funds and restarting our insurance policies in 2018.
- Bringing up our mutual funds account to Php51k in total invested money in December 2018.
I love making IMPOSSIBLE goals so for 2019, here is our loooong list:
- Fixing our business legalities – taxes, government contributions, etc. Also making sure that we are paying maximum contribution to each (useful for loans, retirement and other benefits).
- Building our baby emergency fund to around Php50k. And hopefully doubling it by the end of 2019.
- Paying off all credit card debts. Since they are sadly now with the collection agency, I’d estimate this to be about Php65k now.
- Bringing down our mortgage debt to less than Php1million and down to Php800k by end of 2019.
- Paying off Php200k for our condo downpayment by end of 2019.
- Getting our car – secondhand or brand new, depending on how our loan application rolls out.
- Opening a business checking account starting at Php30k and saving around Php60k-100k for my business by Q2 2019.
- Opening PERA accounts of around Php25k each, and mutual funds account for each of our kiddos to correspond to their age by month – around Php84k and Php30k.
- Upping our Pagibig MP2 account from Php500 to Php1k monthly contribution each. Possibly opening an SSS Peso Fund at Php1k monthly contribution each, starting at second half of 2019.
- Increasing both mutual funds and stocks account to Php100k in VALUE each.
- Continue paying insurance premiums (make sure partner’s is updated to current month/year).
- Avail of HMO and senior health care (for partner’s mom) by second half of 2019.
- Exploring other business and diversifying income: ebooks, e-courses, affiliate marketing, freelancing (personal and agency), dropshipping and e-commerce. Also considering opening two physical businesses – one shared with my family and another one our own – plus encouraging the partner to start trading stocks. We might also venture into real estate and insurance selling. I’m also exploring partnering with a gas station and becoming a co-owner – this will cost Php330k.
Ultimate goal: reach Php1 million in NET WORTH before I turn 30 or before end of 2019.
Of course, we have to keep in mind that we also have goals of getting the house renovated and making sure that we are able to travel every now and then. It’s all about balance.
Ahhh…I have such crazy goals, I’m not even sure how or when I’d have the time to get all this done.
One thing I know for sure though is that I think it’s totally possible as long as we are able to really focus and set our sights on the goal.
What are your impossible goals?
Are you joining us?
Our current goal in 2019 is to achieve Php 1 million in net worth before I turn 30 in October, or before the year ends. It’s a crazy goal and we are only a quarter through the journey.
If you want to build better financial habits, achieve financial freedom or even follow the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, then follow us on Facebook or join our brand new Facebook group! Let’s encourage each other and slay our goals!
We’re also doing a 30 Days to Improve Your Finances series here on the blog, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for daily posts in January!