September 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on September 10th, 2026:

Asset	Aug 2026	Sep 2026	Change
Checking	461	318	-143
Money Market	84,188	99,541	15,353
Savings Bonds	269,050	269,857	807
Treasurys	146,000	146,000	0
CDs	75,624	75,823	199
Brokerage	557,267	566,038	8,771
401k	706,686	696,768	-9,918
Roth IRA	457,515	449,104	-8,411
IRA	1,802,389	1,776,771	-25,618
529 Savings	156,058	155,297	-761
Total Assets	$4,255,238	$4,235,517	-$19,721
			-0.46 %

The S&P 500 has been pulling back, falling 1.98% (+10.90% YTD) since the last update:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

Today is the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and I vividly remember working at my desk when they first announced on the radio that an airplane had hit one of the towers at the World Trade Center. I'll always remember, but will avoid as much of the media coverage today as possible since it's still hard for me to deal with.

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for August remained at 4.1%, with a better-than-expected 162,000 new jobs created. Oil prices rose to the $100 level (up 17% from $85), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $4.17 (up from $3.99) and a heating oil price of $5.15 (up from $4.50) at my last fill-up. It's hard to believe I paid $2.69 and $3.05, respectively, before our leaders started the Iran war on 2/28/26.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.714% -> 3.859%, 4 week 3.686% -> 3.839%, and 8 week 3.722% -> 3.742%. The Navy Federal 24 month @ 4.15% APY CD I had matured on 8/27/26 and I rolled that money over to the Navy Federal 4.00% APY 13 month add-on CD I opened in January. I also have an Alliant 17 month 4.35% CD maturing next month and will be considering 52 week T-Bills and 7 year T-Notes as a landing spot since current rates have become more attractive.

As for the non-financial, school is back in session and I'm going to do my best to enjoy the warm weather before Fall sets in. We're also hoping to have a small home improvement project completed before winter hits and are keeping our fingers crossed that the small company we chose will work out for the best.

August 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on August 17th, 2026:

Asset	Jul 2026	Aug 2026	Change
Checking	2,778	461	-2,317
Money Market	105,926	84,188	-21,738
Savings Bonds	268,249	269,050	801
Treasurys	136,000	146,000	10,000
CDs	75,387	75,624	237
Brokerage	532,265	557,267	25,002
401k	687,240	706,686	19,446
Roth IRA	446,973	457,515	10,542
IRA	1,787,039	1,802,389	15,350
529 Savings	155,525	156,058	533
Total Assets	$4,197,382	$4,255,238	$57,856
			1.38%

The S&P 500 continues to move higher, rising 2.24% (+13.14% YTD) since the last update even with the quagmire in Iran:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for July fell to 4.1%, with an unexpected 23,000 jobs lost along with downward revisions for May and June. Oil prices rose to the $85 level (up 20% from $71), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $3.99 (up from $3.60) at my last fill-up.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.694% -> 3.838%, 4 week 3.721% -> 3.686%, and 8 week 3.681% -> 3.747%. The CD/Treasury ladder in my Fidelity Cash Management account also got another rung with a 5 year T-Note (CUSIP 91282CRA1) at a 4.408% yield to maturity and I'm considering the 30 year TIPS (CUSIP 912810US5) auction this week with a potential real yield of 3%+ in my IRA.

As for the non-financial, we just returned from a nice family beach vacation on Cape Cod. Unfortunately that means summer is almost over and it's about time for school to start again. We also have a destination wedding coming up that I expect will be a grand affair, but I'm probably underestimating how grand it will end up being and will try my best to look like I belong there. :)

July 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on July 10th, 2026:

Asset	Jun 2026	Jul 2026	Change
Checking	1,375	2,778	1,403
Money Market	98,639	105,926	7,287
Savings Bonds	267,479	268,249	770
Treasurys	136,000	136,000	0
CDs	75,164	75,387	223
Brokerage	642,637	532,265	-110,372
401k	657,165	687,240	30,075
Roth IRA	431,334	446,973	15,639
IRA	1,765,838	1,787,039	21,201
529 Savings	162,463	155,525	-6,938
Total Assets	$4,238,094	$4,197,382	-$40,712
			-0.96%

The S&P 500 has rebounded, rising 4.24% (+10.66% YTD) since the last update despite hostilities resuming at Strait of Hormuz:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for June fell to 4.2%, slowing to 57,000 new jobs created. Oil prices fell to the $74 level (down 19% from $91), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $3.60 (down from $3.79) at my last fill-up.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.704% -> 3.828%, 4 week 3.665% -> 3.640%, and 8 week 3.665% -> 3.722%. I also finally completed the 2026 529->Roth IRA rollover process for my children, taking a third bite out of the $35k total allowed by the SECURE 2.0 Act.

As for the non-financial, the school year finally ended and I'm happily on the other side of some unexpected excitement at work that is now thankfully returned to normal. Bring on summer vacation!

June 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on June 10th, 2026:

Asset	May 2026	Jun 2026	Change
Checking	3,803	1,375	-2,428
Money Market	85,856	98,639	12,783
Savings Bonds	266,703	267,479	776
Treasurys	136,000	136,000	0
CDs	74,942	75,164	222
Brokerage	632,951	642,637	9,686
401k	662,194	657,165	-5,029
Roth IRA	440,035	431,334	-8,701
IRA	1,783,870	1,765,838	-18,032
529 Savings	170,094	162,463	-7,631
Total Assets	$4,256,448	$4,238,094	-$18,354
			-0.43%

The S&P 500 has pulled back a bit, falling 1.97% (+6.16% YTD) since the last update:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for May remained at 4.3%, again beating expectations with 172,000 new jobs created. Oil prices are fell to the $91 level (down 11% from $101), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $3.79 (down from $4.30) at my last fill-up. We also had a bad inflation report yesterday with a 4.2% annual CPI reported (a 3 year high), which resulted in a "I love the inflation!" comment from our President. Let's just say that I believe Series I savings bonds will see increased demand in Q42026.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.694% -> 3.714%, 4 week 3.655% -> 3.665%, and 8 week 3.645% -> 3.681%. I also participated in the 20 year Treasury Bond auction last month (CUSIP 912810UV8 : 5.00% coupon, yield 5.122% to maturity) to add to the fixed income holdings in my work retirement plan. It's also time to start the 2026 529->Roth IRA rollovers for my children, but the process can be a bit slow since Fidelity has to physically mail a check to Vanguard to complete the process.

As for the non-financial, the school year is almost over and we finally completed the small home improvement project that began months ago. I'm ready for summer and can't help but think about retirement being on the horizon in the next few years.

May 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on May 11th, 2026:

Asset	Apr 2026	May 2026	Change
Checking	2,037	3,803	1,766
Money Market	81,036	85,856	4,820
Savings Bonds	265,845	266,703	858
Treasurys	136,000	136,000	0
CDs	74,724	74,942	218
Brokerage	503,317	632,951	129,634
401k	610,672	662,194	51,522
Roth IRA	414,775	440,035	25,260
IRA	1,742,446	1,783,870	41,424
529 Savings	168,175	170,094	1,919
Total Assets	$3,999,027	$4,256,448	$257,421
			6.44%

The S&P 500 has hit all-time highs even with the Iran ceasefire being "on life support", rising 8.74% (+8.29% YTD) since the last update:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for April remained at 4.3%, beating expectations with 115,000 new jobs created. Oil prices rose to the $101 level (up 5% from $96), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $4.30 (up from $3.89) at my last fill-up. At this rate would could be seeing $5 gasoline next month, just in time for the summer driving season.

On the financial front, my assets have again hit another all-time high, surpassing the previous high from September 2025. I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.684% -> 3.694%, 4 week 3.681% -> 3.655%, and 8 week 3.696% -> 3.665%. I'm also going to be monitoring the 20 year Treasury Bond auction later this month (CUSIP 912810UV8) for a potential purchase in my work retirement plan.

As for the non-financial, the lawn and gardens have really started to take off. The school year is coming to an end and we're renting a house for house near the beach for our summer vacation this year, which should be fun.

April 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on April 10th, 2026:

Asset	Mar 2026	Apr 2026	Change
Checking	2,935	2,037	-898
Money Market	84,661	81,036	-3,625
Savings Bonds	265,049	265,845	796
Treasurys	136,000	136,000	0
CDs	74,495	74,724	229
Brokerage	526,618	503,317	-23,301
401k	602,033	610,672	8,639
Roth IRA	409,623	414,775	5,152
IRA	1,731,368	1,742,446	11,078
529 Savings	167,925	168,175	250
Total Assets	$4,000,707	$3,999,027	-$1,680
			-0.04%

The S&P 500 is somehow up a bit despite the head of our government claiming "a whole civilization will die tonight" last week, rising 0.52% (-0.42% YTD) since the last update:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly employment rate for March fell to 4.3%, with 178,000 new jobs created. Oil prices are up to the $97 level (up 10% from $86), with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $3.89 (up from $3.09) and a heating oil price of $4.50 (up from $3.05) at my last fill-up. I wouldn't be surprised to see $6 heating oil later this year if the war-induced supply disruptions continue.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.652% -> 3.704%, 4 week 3.686% -> 3.681%, and 8 week 3.701% -> 3.645%. I'm also going to be monitoring the 5 year TIPS auction later this month (CUSIP 91282CQP9) for a potential purchase in my work retirement plan.

As for the non-financial, springtime has finally arrived after a cold and snowy winter. Mrs. Frugalson and I have already started with yard cleanup and lawn and garden prep for the upcoming planting season. We're already due for a patch of really warm weather this week, so it's only a matter of time before we'll be dining outside, taking a summer vacation, and enjoying beach season. If nothing else, I'll at least be happy for the distraction from the never ending circle of chaos our country seems to be experiencing.

March 2026 Financial Asset Roundup

Here are my current financial assets as of the market close on March 10th, 2026:

Asset	Feb 2026	Mar 2026	Change
Checking	3,464	2,935	-529
Money Market	84,849	84,661	-188
Savings Bonds	264,317	265,049	732
Treasurys	136,000	136,000	0
CDs	74,301	74,495	194
Brokerage	552,095	526,618	-25,477
401k	608,646	602,033	-6,613
Roth IRA	412,276	409,623	-2,653
IRA	1,745,218	1,731,368	-13,850
529 Savings	168,258	167,925	-333
Total Assets	$4,049,424	$4,000,707	-$48,717
			-1.20%

The S&P 500 has pulled back a bit courtesy of our "Major Combat Operation" in Iran, falling 2.31% (-0.94% YTD) since the last update:

(chart courtesy of cnbc.com)

On the jobs front, the monthly unemployment number for February rose to 4.4%, with a disappointing 92,000 jobs lost. Oil prices are up to the $86 level (+32.5% from $65) after a weekend spike of $116, with that price reflected in a local unleaded regular gasoline price of $3.09 (up from $2.59) at my last fill-up. I'm also wondering if my next heating oil delivery will cost $2 per gallon more ($3.65 -> $5.85) like it did after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

On the financial front, I again skipped my usual Fidelity 401k transaction (FSKAX) and Vanguard VTI purchase in my taxable brokerage account because I am not comfortable adding to our equity holdings at this time. I did take an S Corp distribution and my T-Bill holdings automatically rolled into new ones: 13 week 3.813% -> 3.694%, 4 week 3.691% -> 3.686%, and 8 week 3.640% -> 3.701%. Mrs. Frugalson and I also maxed out our 2025 Roth IRA contributions since our tax returns are complete.

As for the non-financial, the three feet of snow we got during the Blizzard of 2026 has melted quite a bit over the past couple of weeks and I can start to see all of the downed trees and branches that I need to clean up. I'm going to try to enjoy the warming weather as I sadly recon with all of the needless chaos, death, and destruction unfold in the Middle East.