In July we continued our house hunt. We put in an offer on another place that seemed just about perfect, but unfortunately we got outbid again. Although the housing market is softening throughout the country, our area in Virginia is still fairly strong with good houses getting several offers and often going for above asking price. There is more and more inventory on the market each month though, so it feels like a matter of time before things turn around. After missing out on another place, we decided to consider other options.
The housing market is so out of whack right now that for houses in the price range we’re looking at, it is actually much cheaper to rent than it is to buy. I’ve been looking at this discrepancy for a couple of years now, but I was holding out hope that prices would drop and we’d find a good place. We were really hesitant to rent a place because we knew that would mean moving again in a couple of years, but out of curiosity I looked at what was available for rent in the area we wanted to be in. To my surprise, there was a very nice house for rent in the exact neighborhood we want to be in for significantly less than it would cost to buy the same house. I showed Whitney and she was very against it at first, but after going to look at the house, we both felt like renting this house was the right decision for us for the time being.
After looking more into the numbers, we’re going to be able to rent this house for over $2,000/month less than the mortgage payment would be on the house if we were to buy it. We also won’t have to worry about any major repairs and will have time for the housing market to soften further, which I really think is going to happen over the next year or two. Although the rent price is high compared to the monthly costs for our current house we paid cash for in 2020, it’s well within our budget and we love the idea of moving to a bigger house in a much nicer part of town. This house is more than double the square footage of our current townhouse and on a one acre lot with way more privacy. Aria will have a big play room, and Whitney and I will each have an office to work from home.
It feels weird to be going from a paid off house to renting, but we always knew our townhouse would just be temporary. It served its purpose extremely well allowing us to save a lot of money over the past five years. The value of the townhouse has also increased by 70% since we bought it, so from an investment standpoint, it was solid as well. We’re listing our townhouse and moving into the rental house in the middle of August. We plan to live there for a couple of years while we continue to save and plan to pay cash for our next house at that time.
Besides the house hunting and change in plans to rent a new house, in July we also took a 10 day trip to Wisconsin to visit two sets of friends there. We were worried about the flights and new environment for Aria, but she did very well all things considered. The flights went as smoothly as can be expected, and she adapted to the change in time zone without too much issue. It was nice to get out of our normal routine for a while, but we were also excited to get back home and on a set schedule for her again.
Income
Income from our business (FifthWheelPT and Travel Therapy Mentor) for July was almost double what we made in June. It’s looking like the second half of the year is going to be pretty good for us, with a lot of revenue in the pipeline to be paid out in coming months. Whitney and I haven’t worked in the clinic as PTs at all in about 15 months now and have both been considering trying to find PRN or part time PT jobs in our area in order to be able to keep our licenses, but we are on the fence about that right now. Although I don’t have any need or real desire to work in the clinic anymore, it’s still nerve wracking to consider letting my license go completely. We’ll see what happens over the coming months with that.
Expenses
My expenses were pretty low again in July, but higher than June because we took a 10 day trip to visit friends in Wisconsin. July will be the last month of very low housing expenses before we move into the new place. My new housing costs going forward will be more than I spent on all of my expenses for most months in the past. While that will be a big change, I still anticipate being able to save 50% or more of my income each month.
In total, my savings rate for the month was around 80% when all was said and done in July.
Investments
The S&P 500 was up by 2.2% in July. This put the index at a new all time high despite continued economic uncertainty. The old saying that “bull markets climb a wall of worry” seems to be very applicable lately. Every month there are new fears and concerns about the economy weakening, but despite that the market relentlessly climbs higher. The CPI remains above target, but with housing prices starting to cool and even drop in many markets, it’s unlikely to see another real surge in inflation, assuming there is no sudden increase in fiscal spending on the horizon. The labor market is weakening, but, at least based on official data, isn’t at concerning levels yet. The market remains significantly overvalued, but that’s been the case for many years now, and I always remind myself that the market can stay irrational for way longer than anyone expects.
Bitcoin was up by about 8.0% in July and put in new all time highs as well. With Bitcoin being the biggest allocation in my investment portfolio, that meant a pretty big jump in my assets. I haven’t taken any profits yet on my Bitcoin holdings as I continue to anticipate higher prices over the next six months or so. I’ll likely start to de-risk in coming months though if I’m right about continued upward momentum. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a pullback in price in either August or September, but I believe that Q4 will be strong going into the end of the year. I’m not trying to hit homeruns with my investments anymore, so I will be happy to take profits gradually even if the price continues to run higher and further than I think is possible. With that being said, I don’t plan to sell more than 50% of my Bitcoin holdings this cycle in case I’m wrong and the price does go much higher which is a real possibility.
Financial Independence Progress
My net assets increased by 4.2% in July and are at another new all time high! I continue to be shocked by how much the numbers have increased in recent years, but it goes to show how living below your means and investing heavily can really compound over longer time spans. My net worth fluctuates more in an average month now than I made in an entire year as a new grad travel therapist. This was certainly a factor in us deciding to upgrade our living situation. After all, what’s the point of watching numbers go up if it doesn’t translate to an improvement in quality of life? Going forward, and especially in 2026, I’m actively looking for ways to spend more money to improve both our and our family members’ lives when possible. Having Aria has really changed how I’m looking at life and wealth for the better. My net worth has been doubling every two years on average for the last ten years, but I’m well past the point of needing more to be able to live a wonderful life now. If spending double or even triple each month means even a marginal improvement in happiness, than it will be well worth it.
My assets are now equal to approximately 146.1 times my average annual expenses!
Next Month
In August we’ll be spending the month packing, moving, and getting settled into our new house. We’re beyond excited for our new house and new area of town. After many years of traveling the world and living frugally, this feels like the beginning of our new life settled down into a more normal situation.
How was July for you financially? Let me know in the comments!
Fifth Wheel Physical Therapist 
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