If you have been following Consumerism Commentary, you might be aware that I publish a monthly report of my financial well-being, and I have been doing so since 2003. Here is my latest balance sheet, whose bottom line represents my “modified net worth.” That number has increased in March by 12%.
Rather than provide all the commentary as I have done in the past, from now on I plan on posting the reports without additional commentary. I will be happy to answer questions or take suggestions, however.
Continue reading for the reports. Thumbnails are included in the post below. Click on the images to see larger versions of the reports.
Personal balance sheet and net worth statement
Income and expense report
Published or updated April 2, 2009. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
Rank: Platinum
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Flexo,
I know your’re a very hard worker, but what exactly did you do to make $21,000 in ‘extra’ income?
I guess you didn’t get the memo that we are in a recession. lol
Good Job as always
Rob: Mostly providing and maintaining services that people — and advertisers — find interesting. And yes, it is hard work in what is becoming a very competitive environment.
Is that your income from the blog? Or do you do something else? I’m sort of new to the blog, so I apologize if I’m asking for too much info.
No need to apologize, thanks for reading. The “other earned income” is mostly from Consumerism Commentary.
I like the format you have for the Personal Balance sheet, do you have it in downloadable form?
Flexo,
You are one lucky SOB. You provide mediocre information that is mostly covered by Kiplinger’s, Yahoo finance, etc. and somehow make a crapload of money doing so. Good for you.
Anyone who thinks they can achieve what Flexo or JD and Get Rich Slowly have, you’re seven years too late. There are thousands of PF blogs now that make little to no money. I tried for six months with information as relevant as Flexo’s and didn’t make a dime. Pretty much everyone who subscribed to my site was a PF blogger looking for posts to review, contradict or just to get me to become a subscriber of their site. The key to making in money in PF blogging was to start 7 years ago and be one of the first. Sorry, but like me, you need to get a job or start a real business to provide for your family.
Well, thanks for the glowing endorsement. :-) Keep in mind I’ve been “blogging” since 1994 and building on-line communities since 1989. Perhaps my success at this particular moment (anything can change in the future) is a culmination of my vast experience with this type of stuff — and of course, luck, particularly for writing about a topic that became profitable (several years AFTER I started writing about it), for which I am very thankful.
I’d also like to point out that many other bloggers are seeing enough success to make blogging their full-time and only job to support their family, and some have started quite recently. J.D.’s success didn’t come from starting early — because he didn’t. His success came from his excellent writing and his ability to use that skill to attract a lot of readers.
Furthermore, I agree that starting a business can be a great way to provide for your family — but you wouldn’t quit that after six months, would you? Many “real” businesses wouldn’t turn a profit for years.
Dude, just keep doing your thing Flexo – some people are bitter and want to bring down the others with ‘em. I think you handled the comment pretty well, regardless of his motivation for dropping it.
I can tell you, and him, and whoever else will be reading this next, that YES if you stick with it and blog because you like it and not just to make fast $$$, you can certainly be successful. Not that i’m raking it in like crazy over here, but it certainly replaces the income of hitting up a 2nd job! Every month it grows baby – it’s all about getting your head in the game and workin’ it.
Keep being passionate and helping everyone out there Flexo, they can surely use the advise these days :)
I had to check this out after I saw your note on Twitter about not posting these monthly details any more– I hope you reconsider! Don’t let the jerks get you down!
I love reading your monthly details! I’m forever trying to catch my money in a snapshot like this. Maybe I should open it up for the world to see on my blog to better motivate myself.
I especially like those zeros next to the student loans! Congrats on your success.
I was brought here searching for some inspirational blogs. I have the same question with Brian S regarding the sheet, do you have it in download-able form?
And since I am new here (enjoying it, by the way), how does posting Personal Balance Sheet affect the way people you know in real life perceive you?
I’d like to do it on my blog, too but I think that it might raise some problems, if there’s any. Haven’t you had one so far? If you have or had, can you share it to us?
Thanks!
I suppose you’d have to ask the people I know in life how this has changed the way they perceive me. I’ve never asked them. As far as I can tell, most of my friends aren’t interested in the finer details of my finances. I haven’t had any problems so far.
Thanks for answering Flexo!
I love the clarity of your balance sheet, Flexo. It’s interesting to see how it’s evolved over time. I do mine in Google Docs, as I like having access to it wherever I am.
My take on how to develop a personal balance sheet: http://www.answerfourquestions.com/2011/03/personal-balance-sheet/