April has arrived and with it some welcome warmer weather. I gave my lawn tractor a tune up a few days ago in anticipation of the coming mowing season, and I started to clean out some of the mulch beds around the house. Work on our cabin continues with new electrical outlets and switches installed, a fresh coat of paint in the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms, and trim work throughout. Coronavirus is still front and center in all our lives pretty much touching the way that we do everything. Here is a look at my finances in these early Spring days.
Wealth Building
As you can imagine my portfolio has taken a large hit. It has recovered some, but I am still down around $80,000. I bumped up the contribution to my brokerage account by $100 last month to try to buy a little more during the lower market. No one knows when this will end and when life will get back to normal, but I do know that if I stick to a plan, not panic, and keep regularly investing, then it will pay off long-term.
Debt
Here is a breakdown of my current debt versus the last update that I posted in March.
| Debt | Last Update | Current Update | Change |
| Line of Credit | $1,715.22 | $1,675.93 | ($39.29) |
| Truck Loan | $15,146.48 | $14,775.39 | ($371.09) |
| Student Loans | $34,482.48 | $34,225.71 | ($256.77) |
| Mortgage | $182,901.21 | $182,391.49 | ($509.72) |
| Total | $234,245.39 | $233,068.52 | ($1,176.87) |
Down over $1,100 since March. I have said that I would like to see this number fall faster, but during these times I am holding onto cash. A job loss seems like a real possibility. I am still working and receiving full pay, so I am thankful for that. But until things normalize, I am doing minimal debt repayments in favor of beefing up my emergency fund.
Income
Income is thankfully holding steady. Our raises and bonuses are on holds at work, so that stings, but I am at least still working. Some of my friends are not so lucky. Due to coronavirus and social distancing guidelines I am unable to do any side work in peoples’ homes. So, no extra income streams now.
Changes for Next Update
Thins are changing in the world daily. This category is up in the air based on how things play out with the pandemic. I am going to continue building cash and paying off debt. Beyond that I have no idea. Please stay safe out there. Until next month.
See Also:
Personal Financial Update, March 2020
6 Tips To Better Manage Your Finances During These Wild Times
How an Emergency Fund in Iban Wallet Helps During Unemployment!
How To Make The Debt Snowball Payment Strategy Work For You
Based in the Pittsburgh, PA area, Brian holds full-time employment as a Warehouse Manager for an electronics firm. Brian enjoys wealth building, investing, gardening and the great outdoors. Brian holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Robert Morris University.
