Net Worth Journal

As I read some other Personal Finance bloggers I have appreciated being able to see their net worth statements each month. Not for the specific numbers, but the history that it provides. Much like a diary or journal, their spreadsheet columns allow them not only see where they are but also where they have been and the progress (hopefully) they have made.

I have just started putting together my own net worth journal. I can pull historical data from my quicken data to fill in past data. At this time I am planning only to go back to January of last year. This should give me a baseline for the year ahead.

My primary reason for wanting to have this journal is that it will allow me to see if I am making progress towards my financial goals. Do I have more money in the bank today than I did last month? Last year? Without hard numbers to look at you can only guess.

Even though I started off saying how much I appreciated seeing the net worth journals of the other personal finance bloggers online, at this time I am not planning on posting mine online. My blog is not anonymous enough for me to feel comfortable having my net worth data out for everyone to see.

If I can figure out a way to show the progress I am making without exposing the actual data, then I would love to be able to keep the journal online. I will hopefully be able to get the data together shortly.