After a three week road trip from Alaska, we arrived back home in Virginia in September. The drive went pretty smoothly for how many miles were covered. Whitney wrote an article discussing everything we did on our road trips to and from Alaska and while in Alaska. You can read all about it here. My article discussing all of my expenses this summer can be found here.
Once back home we had only a short time to unpack and repack before heading to the Traveler’s Conference in Las Vegas. This was our fourth TravCon and the first time that we have flown instead of driving. Driving just wasn’t an option this year after covering over 15,000 miles during our Alaska/Canada road trip this summer. TravCon was a really great time like always, full of reconnecting with friends, parties, and events.
After getting back from Las Vegas, we spent time catching up with friends and family back home. We also did our best to get ahead on some business content with articles, videos, and social media content. It was really great to be back home for a couple of weeks and get back into some sort of routine.
Income
Income from our websites (FifthWheelPT and Travel Therapy Mentor) for September was about 15% higher than in August. It wasn’t a great month but pretty solid overall. We’re still on pace to more than double last year’s earnings this year which is wonderful. Our affiliate and advertising income continue to increase each quarter which has been a focus this year.
Expenses
In September, my expenses were the lowest they’ve been in a while. Even though TravCon was fairly expensive this year between flights, hotels, and entry, it wasn’t bad when compared to our adventures in Alaska. Besides finishing up the road trip and TravCon expenses, spending at home was very minimal. We’ve been shocked at how low cost everything seems in Virginia after spending the summer in Alaska and driving through Canada.
Investments
The S&P 500 was down by about 9.3% in September putting in a new low. That’s the biggest monthly drop since March, 2020. Bitcoin was actually down less than the S&P with a 3.1% drop on the month. I’m continuing to take advantage of these lower prices by adding to both my Bitcoin and index fund positions while still keeping a significant amount of cash on the sidelines as well. With Fed tightening continuing, it’s certainly possible that there’s more downside to come through the end of the year. Whether up or down, I’ll keep gradually reducing my cash position.
Financial Independence Progress
My net assets decreased by another 1% in September. Holding a high percentage of my assets in cash along with having a high monthly income continue to help me with these difficult months for the markets. Cash has actually started to earn a yield again as well with higher rates. My savings accounts are back to earning over 2% interest which has been a nice boost. With this month’s drop, my net assets are now at 51.7 times my average yearly expenses.
Next Month
In October, I’ll be turning 34 years old! We also have a week long trip planned to Mexico in the middle of the month, followed by the beginning of a much longer international trip at the end of the month. Stay tuned for details on our next big adventure!
How was September for you financially? Let me know in the comments!
Fifth Wheel Physical Therapist 