DISQUS

Consumerism Commentary: Why Do I Share My Finances Every Month?

  • klerg · 2 years ago
    Flexo:

    RE: point #1, while your're definetly not bragging (that's never been your style), DEFINETLY don't sell yourself short on your finances, because you have a lot to brag about right there.

    For every person your age that you know is doing financially better, I can guarantee that there at least two peole that are doing worse. You pay off your credit cards in full every month, your debt is consistently reduced, and you've amassed $100K in hard savings when you combine your retirement and bank accounts.

    You done AWESOME in that area right there!!!! KEEP IT UP!!!
  • Syed · 2 years ago
    Hi Flexo,

    I think its a great and courageous decision to share your networth online.

    In my instance I can say that reading about personal finance blogs has helped me take a hard look at my own finances and in the process of doing so I have discovered many bad financial habits that I had unwittingly got accustomed to.

    I fully support you in your endeavour and wish you all success in reaching your financial goals.
  • mapgirl · 2 years ago
    Very interesting. Thanks for the history. I suppose my reasons are very similar. I'm not writing to brag too since I have very little to brag about.
  • Lazy Man and Money · 2 years ago
    Four years of studying computational linguistics compels me to say, "WordNet rocks!"
  • dong · 2 years ago
    Your history sounds almost exactly like own history down to being the internet liason for my high school (I was more of alternate, but why get hung on details). Though the BBSs i hung out atdefinitely didn't have a 50/50 gender ratio, so i certainly did not meet any girls that way. Oh well.

    Personally I'm a little more hesistant about revealing the details of my finances just because it does feel like bragging even when I know it isn't. But even in the couple months I've started blogging, I've really come to enjoy the online community that is out there. I have developed my own opinion on who I like and don't like just by reading the what people write.
  • Doobie · 2 years ago
    Ahhhh, Heartbeat of Pompeii, how I miss it so. Thanks for the memories, "Fenric".

    And, holy crap, is that Robin up there??
  • MT · 2 years ago
    I wouldn't worry about the detractors.

    I think the interesting question is why does it remain so taboo to talk about finances?

    Personal finance blogs provide us with some financial voyeurism. It's the same reason people watch reality TV, read US weekly. Only bloggers are more likely to be your neighbor. just my 2 cents.

    For me blogging forces me to actually think and organize my finances in a way that I would not have done if it was just me and my wife With my debt load there won't be anything to brag about for years.
  • Yan · 2 years ago
    I think you made your point clearly but to wrap it up you should really fix that last link where it says "altruism doesn’t exist". ;-)
  • James Dwyer · 2 years ago
    Do you produce your net worth report manually using Excel, or do you automatically generate it from Quicken? I use Quicken and would love to be able to have a spreadsheet like that to track my progress, but I don't want to spend a lot of time at it. Thanks!
  • Fellowes · 2 years ago
    Flexo,

    First off, as a 32 year-old, I will tell you that you are far better off than most people I know in our collective peer group. Most people are know are buried in debt like I am and have very little savings, if any. So, you should give youself a little credit on that front.

    I'm very glad that you detail your finances and put systematic thinking and detail behind the blog. You inspired me not only to take a hard look at my situaton, i.e. I stopped ignoring just how bad things were, but I was also inspired to document my own financial journey.

    Don't change anything!
  • Debt Hater · 2 years ago
    I started blogging and continue to blog to learn things I didn't know before about finances (and I knew NOTHING when I started). I also do it for support, sometimes reading a comment like "Good job!" or "You can do it!" is all the motivation I need.
  • basem · 2 years ago
    First off, as a 32 year-old, I will tell you that you are far better off than most people I know in our collective peer group. Most people are know are buried in debt like I am and have very little savings, if any. So, you should give youself a little credit on that front.

    I’m very glad that you detail your finances and put systematic thinking and detail behind the blog. You inspired me not only to take a hard look at my situaton, i.e. I stopped ignoring just how bad things were, but I was also inspired to document my own financial journey.

    Don’t change anything!