January was a month of lows… like REALLY low. Windchills of negative 20 to 30 degrees below zero canceled classes and work for many around these parts. So, with temperatures colder than Arendelle taking hold, did the arctic air freeze our net worth?
As always, you can check the latest and greatest info on the Track Our Progress page.
First, the numbers:
Net Worth:
- End of January Balance: $424,484 Up $32,646 (8.33%)
- Year to Date (YTD): Up $32,646 (8.33%)
- Since January 2017: Up $119,484
Portfolio:
- End of January Balance: $290,261 Up $26,724 (10.14%)
- YTD: Up $26,724 (10.14%)
- Since January 2017: Up $50,261
If you took December and flipped it upside down, then you would have January. The portfolio gains in this month alone equaled our gains from 2018! How crazy is that?
Monthly Contributions:
- $4,895 Down 43.5%
- We paid off the bathroom remodel and Christmas, which took a bite out of our monthly contributions. This will bounce back a bit in February.
January Highlights
Mondays Fundays
I negotiated with my supervisor to begin transitioning towards working from home on Monday’s. I dive a bit deeper into the thought process and strategy in my post Saying Goodbye to Mondays.
This upcoming Monday will be the first of the trial period. We are in the process of setting up an office in the extra bedroom. While I will still be working a full day, I am hoping the peace and mind of working from home will help productivity and provide opportunities to take advantage of this flexible work situation. At any rate…
So long to this:
And hello to this:
Getting Leaner and Meaner
I started my own weight loss challenge on New Year’s Day. With one month down, I have lost just over 7 pounds and 2 inches off my waist. My goal is 27 pounds by the end of March, so I am slightly behind the curve.
My strength is coming along nicely as well. At the beginning of the month I could barely do 2 sets of 25 kettlebell swings (50 total reps with a 40 lb weight). I’m up to 1 set of 50 reps and 1 set of 30 reps (80 total reps of the same weight).
I feel much healthier in general. I feel less bloated, more energetic, and a persistent upset stomach seems to have subsided.
Coming Up in February
Mrs. HOF Bringing Home the Bacon
Mrs. Heartland on FIRE received her merit raise on February 1st. Without diving into specifics, it was a decent raise. So congratulations Mrs. HOF… you deserve it!
Fitness Focus
I will be continuing to push onward in my weight loss quest. Hopefully, I can make up some lost ground and get back on track to reach my goal weight.
A Travel Hacking We Shall Go
Also, we are hoping to book a trip to San Francisco/Sonoma/Napa for later this year. So, if you have any good tips on places or activities there it would be much appreciated.
If we play our cards right we are hoping to cover the air fare and some of the lodging with travel rewards points. To do so we need just a bit more spending to reach the bonus for my wife’s card. We should reach this goal easily in February.
Beyond that, honestly, there is not that much on tap for February. After the craziness of the last few months… I am OK with that.
