The last time I updated our household savings rate (HSR), (which is the amount of money we save for investments, as a percentage of our after tax income), was on September 30, 2007. By 'investments' I am specifically referring to my non-registered portfolio, my RRSP, my wife's RRSP, and now my son's RESP. Back then we were saving about 36% of our net income. At that time my wife and I were both working away at full time jobs. When our entire mortgage payments were thrown into the 'saving' category our HSR was 51% of net income.
Fast forward to the present day where my wife is taking a government allowance each month, maternity leave, and I am still working full time.
Here are the figures for the last 2 months:
January, 2008 --- HSR = 38%, HSR including mortgage = 58%
February, 2008 --- HSR = 44%, HSR including mortgage = 63%
Also, Goal #1 has been met for both months, as we've now saved $1,388 for our non-registered portfolio for the month of February.
I am extremely pleased with these savings rates. The improvement over late last year might have to do with a general mental attitude to spend less since we are earning less. Another explanation could be the actual reductions in our day to day living costs that come along with caring for a baby.
2 comments:
In your calculation, do you count dividends as part of your income?
FJ, No I do not include dividends as part of my income.
I also do not include dividends as 'saved' funds. Money saved is strictly money that was earned through employment and then used for investments.
Dividends then become just money that my investments produce, that subsequently get reinvested.
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