2019 Milestones evaluation
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I realized, as the year comes to a close, that I barely mentioned anything about my milestones. Especially the personal ones were left untouched -which isn’t good- for the majority of the year. Time to take a look at how I faired. I can already tell you, not great…
Financial milestones
Lets start with the milestones that made excellent progress, my finances. Already early in the year I reached my target deposit of 12,500 EUR. That was a great start and up until the summer I was well underway to reach my Savings Rate target. Unfortunately -for the milestone- I moved together with my girlfriend to our own place. This change of address had quite the impact on my rate. It’s not like I’m not able to save anything anymore but it’s definitly a lot less.
The Savings Rate
My average Savings Rate for 2019 will come at about 57%, depending a bit on the final SR of December of course. Especially this last month saw a huge drop because of the somewhat unforeseen new trip to my GF’s home country that costs quite a bit in plane tickets (650 EUR x 2). I shifted the expense from November to December but I really can’t move it again.
This level isn’t, by all means, bad, but it’s still 15% to 20% off from what I originally envisioned in my milestones and my look ahead. I did manage to achieve at least twice an SR of 80% or higher. Thanks to the great year start I was able to invest in some good dividend stocks.
Delightful dividends
While I didn’t reach my Savings Rate milestone, my dividend stocks performed very well. I was able to reach and go beyond my target of 200 EUR in dividends. I reached an excellent 208.24 EUR. This makes me hopeful for the year to come.
My personal milestones
Where my financial milestones moved along nicely, my personal milestones barely moved, though there was some movement! Kinda…
Hablando español
I didn’t get to subscribe to a Spanish course. our priorities shifted when we moved together, I could use every bit of money to make sure we made a good start,i.e., get IKEA furniture and some second-hand stuff. As an alternative, I did start with Duolingo and made very good progress in the last couple of months. I was even able to catch a few words and sentences whenever my GF talked Spanish!
Of course, this is nothing compared to a real course but I can at least say I made the first steps. That’s more than what I can say about my book reading, unfortunately.
TL;DR
In total I completed 0 books and started one: “Common Sense on Mutual Funds” by John “Jack” C. Bogle. That’s anything but amazing, I know. I did have good intention though! That doesn’t mean anything now at the end of the year. Too late; didn’t read any books.
I won’t give in though. I need to overcome my procrastinatio and just pick up those damn books. Once I really get into reading, I usually can finish them relatively fast.
What about you? Did you start what said you would do at the beginning of the year? Did anything come from those lofty New Year’s resolutions or is there just a pile of smoldering ash left from what was once a passionate fire?