Net worth update: April 30, 2008

Savings / Checking : $ 68,000     Last Month : $ 78,000
Illiquid assets    : $      0     Last Month : $      0
Taxable Investments: $252,000     Last Month : $226,000
Retirement Accounts: $219,000     Last Month : $218,000
Credit card debts  : $ -5,000     Last Month : $-11,000
Combined Net Worth : $534,000     Last Month : $511,000

Well it was a pretty good month. That big jump in our taxable investments was me adding another $10,000 in funds into Zecco combined with some great comebacks on a few of our stocks, and my wife's scheduled ESPP purchase. That ESPP money is basically in limbo until the purchase occurs. I suppose that could be listed in Illiquid assets, but I'm not going to check her paystub right? Hmmm... You can track my stock purchases on two portfolio sites I use: Cake Financial and Icarra.

Our rent is increasing by 8%. Our apartment in San Francisco is not eligible for rent control since it was built after 1979. That means a little less savings each month, but I think I can get around that by contributing to pre-tax 401k rather than after-tax Roth(k). I'll have to think about that. I'm currently contributing 10% to pre-tax, and 5% after-tax. By going to a full 15% pre-tax, I think I could regain the rent increase. Still, more to calculate.

The housing market is still looking pretty poor. Patrick.net is pretty much all doom and gloom. There's a web site trying to petition against the housing bailout at AngryRenter.com. It will be interesting to see whether that's successful or not.

Icarra.com down: Wednesday April 16 2008

Could not connect
Count not connect to db

These are the words I see when trying to connect to icarra.com, the portfolio/performance tracking site I recently moved over to. I had originally used Cake Financial but it didn't properly track my basis positions when I transferred stock between brokerages. I don't think there's any easy method to track brokerage transfers, so I've done it manually through Icarra.com.

Apparently Icarra.com has had outages before, just like Zecco.com. I guess I get what I pay for (nothing but my time).

Zecco web site unavailable: 11am EST Monday

Right in the middle of trading day. Zecco.com isn't for the avid trader, folks. I doubt this is for a "scheduled upgrade" as they say it is. Why didn't they do this on Sunday when the markets were closed?

I initiated a funds transfer from my checking account at 8:00am EST this morning, and a check on some the market today looks like there are some good bargains. So I go to Zecco.com and it's down. How unfortunate. I'm sure I'll see other days for good bargains over the course of 2008.

Random Rant

Have the markets recovered? Are we back in business? StocktradingToGo doesn't think so yet. The financial houses seem to have gotten past the worst, but I would expect that this is going to be more than just a pebble in a swiftly flowing stream. Interest rates are again very low, but banks are now reluctant to lend after taking such massive losses in the subprime market.

The bailout of Bear Stearns was upsetting for me. I'm thinking selfishly I suppose, but really, I wish they would have taken their punches like men instead of begging for money. I suppose if they did go down, it may have snowballed into a massive chaotic panic in the streets. Who knows. What's really disgusting is the CEO still cashes out with millions of dollars, leaving existing employees and shareholders holding the short straw. Who ends up footing the bill for the Bear Stearns bailout? Me. You. Taxpayers across the country. WTF?