Why track your net worth?
Net worth is your #1 barometer of long-term financial health. You can think of it like a personal balance sheet.
If you're planning big financial moves (not only physical ones) as an expat, you're not alone. Perhaps it's making new investments or increasing savings. Maybe this year is when you finally create new income streams with side hustles.
Whatever your money goals are, the first step is getting a clear, complete picture of your financial health — net worth, income, and expenses.
What's difficult about tracking net worth?
Many expats struggle to manage their finances across multiple currencies and accounts. Most online tools sucks when it comes to tracking your money in a foreign country.
That's why we list tools here that are specifically designed for expats, digital nomads, and global professionals.
Principles of managing money as an expat
Here are a few of the principles I live by when it comes to money management:
- Live outside of the spreadsheet: Learn to strike a balance between optimizing every penny and enjoying your expat lifestyle.
- Apply the 80/20 rule: Focus on the vital few actions that yield the most significant results when it comes to tracking your finances. Don't get analysis paralysis.
- View money through a couple lens: If in a relationship, aggregate your finances to get a holistic view of your financial health.
- Track assets holistically: Track assets and liabilities across various currencies, geographies, and asset types to ensure a comprehensive overview.
Understanding your financial health
Here are the different components of your financial health:
- Net worth: Your personal balance sheet, indicating your assets minus liabilities.
- Gross income: Total earnings before taxes from all sources, including salary, investments, and side hustles.
- Expenses: Money spent on savings, investments, and daily living expenses.
Net worth
Track your progress towards longer-term financial goals by regularly assessing your net worth. For example, your early retirement goal (investment returns covers your expenses).
You can use net worth to help identify gaps in your financial strategy and take action to bridge them.
Pro-tips:
- Use templates like our free Net Worth Tracker and tools like Kubera to simplify the process and maintain accuracy.
- Don't only track your assets. Also keep a full view of your liabilities, e.g. how you're paying down your debts.
Income and expenses
Regularly review your income and expenses to gauge short-term progress. It’s like your personal cash flow statement.
Answer more immediate questions like "What did we spend our money on last month?" and "Our savings rate is X. How do we increase it to Y?"
Pro-tips:
- Calculate your guilt-free spend to allocate funds wisely.
- Automate your money system to streamline financial management and reduce stress.
Summary
Use these tools to track your net worth, which is your best indicator of long-term financial health.
Make sure you're keeping in mind money management principles like living outside of the spreadsheet, applying the 80/20 rule, and tracking your money holistically (as a couple).
Keep a full view of your net worth, income, and expenses.
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