End 2023 Review - So much has happened, but not much have changed. $819k net worth

Here's a recap of my finances over the years:

• 2016 - Unexpected review of 2016: hitting $200k in net worth
• 2017 - End 2017 review - net worth at $287k
• 2018 - End 2018 review - net worth at $372k 
• 2019 - End 2019 Review - inching close to $500k net worth (~$440k)
• 2020 - End 2020 Review - net worth at $550k
• 2021 - End 2021 Review - closing in to $700k net worth
• 2022 - End 2022 Review - failing financial goal for the first time, $660k net worth

2022 wasn't a good year for me and I spoke about it here.

I summed up 2022 with:

To sum up 2022:

• I paid tons of money on fertility treatments and embarked on the the most painful (physically, mentally and for my pockets) - IVF. The worst? Seeing no result despite the money and efforts poured.
• Stocks, crypto crashed which means a beating on my net worth. Income received couldn't cover the losses.
• The best thing that happened was a new job, with a better compensation. I hope the 2023 recession won't affect my rice bowl.

2023 Review

This year, so much has happened, but not much have changed.

Targets review:

My 2023 goals were:

• Aim to achieve $850k net worth in 2023, the exact goal as 2022❌
• Bring my parents out for an overseas trip✅
• To do well in my new job✅

I even created a vision board, which was the "trend" then, hoping it'd make all that I want come true. I only checked business class flights, bringing my parents overseas and doing well at work (which was of no use because the company is undergoing restructuring and I'm not getting any increments i.e my salary in 2024 stays flat).

In 2023, I stopped blogging. I didn't have much to share. I was over the stage of financial budgeting, tracking and even stopped being overly thrifty. I spent as I like, though I'd like to say I'm still rational as I still make use of deals.

Since I no longer blog much, I shall recall off my memory what happened across the months in 2023:

Jan

• Starting 2023 with extra $9,979.20
• Medical: dental and TCM visits
• Dreaded CNY visits

Feb

• CPF MA maxed out - Top up my MA again but shared I can no longer enjoy tax relief from my mum as I've maxed her out
• Shared that I was running out of cash - which made me aim to save up more cash this year
• More TCM visits

Mar

• Had Covid - my first brush after evading it for 3 years. This was when it was at peak wave. 
• Did LPA for myself, hubby and parents

Apr

• Took SQ business class flights and had a good holiday with my family
• Best month of the year, on hindsight

May

• Cross $700k networth. In reality, I crossed it in Feb, and then it dropped and spiked up again. I stopped bothering about my networth as it fluctuates given that I counted crypto in. Stock market was volatile too
• Started on 2nd IVF transfer

Jun

• For the first time in my life, I had a positive pregnancy. 
• By end Jun, I was forced to miscarry. It was just not meant to be
• Started mini confinement

Jul

• Continued mini confinement

Aug

• Did 3rd IVF transfer but failed

Sep

• Dental to remove silver filling
• Boring month

Oct

• Sought 2nd opinion and embarked on 2nd IVF. Restarted injections and egg retrieval. Decent outcome. Things were looking positive

Nov

• Prayed and received positive signs
• Did my 4th transfer. Doctor was hopeful
• It failed

Dec

• Did a surgery to check if there's any issues in my uterus. Removed polyp but did not find any issues causing failed ivf
• Put in $15,300 for SRS

As you could tell, I spent 2023 mainly on one thing. All my time, efforts, money devoted. 

As last tracking, I've spent SGD$60K+ across the years on these treatments, with no positive outcome. 

I actually thought of leaving these out of the post. I am anticipating people would comment unkind things. Even phrases like - you need to relax, things will come naturally - irks me. I also stopped sharing info with friends because no one else knows how difficult the journey is, until you are on it yourself. 

I am not in a good mental state. I sometimes question wtf am I pursuing these. Do I really want to be a mother so badly? I struggle to comprehend myself. I go back and forth between "the $ I spent could be good to much better use/enjoying life" to "the $ I spent will be worth it in the end". 

I wondered what's my meaning in life. 

Beyond the chase for having a child, I have most that I want. I made things happen. Perhaps I've always been able to secure what I needed, that resulted in me chasing hard for something I couldn't get.  

In 2024, another challenge awaits. There are retrenchments in my company and may potentially affect my role. At this stage, I feel I am capable enough to be rotated as I'm involved in key projects. But, retrenchment may just hit because it's not a matter of my work performance. 

Net Worth

Anyway, on to what people are here for: $819k net worth, increase of $159k from 2022.

My eyes popped. I was expecting yet another lacklustre year because I spent a lot and did not do much investments. I could only attribute my increase due to:

• improvements seen from crypto and stock market in 2023 (just between 28 Dec and 29 Dec, my stock portfolio increased by $4k)
• inaction of investing thereby saving most of my cash*
• better salary when I took on the new job (though as I shared, salary will stay flat in 2024)

*this may sound ironic, but I am a lousy investor. I am still sitting on losses, though not as bad as 2022. I do better financially just by saving. That said, I am doing on off investments through endowus OA and my SRS. 

If I could recap, my goal was to hit $850k networth back in 2022. If I had achieved it, by projection, my 2023 goal was to hit $1m networth.

Since I didn't achieve my 2022 goal, I pushed it to 2023. Sadly, I still didn't hit $850k networth. 

As of today, I'm sitting on stocks paper losses of SGD85k🙃 and unknown 5 digits crypto losses that needs to be written off. I will really be way richer if I didnt invest aggressively (stupidly). Hindsight is always 20/20.

Hopes and Goal for 2024

With a flat salary in 2024, I could only look forward to better increments in 2025. Or.... I could start looking out and aim for a better compensation in 2024. However, my current plan is to stay put as I could still gain something out of the job. I will only look out when I have a gut sense my job will be affected.

Onto what I plan to achieve:

• Hit $950k net worth for 2024
• Look out for a new house (possibly moving in in 2025)
• Stay healthy and be happy