Enlisted Net Worth

I recently separated from the military after 4 years of service. After a year of being an E-3, I realized the enlisted life was not good for my health, relationships, or my wallet. So, I decided to start tracking my net worth and prioritizing good personal finance and investing habits with the eventual goal of leaving the service. I am married, but the figures below are my personal assets. This is my timeline.

JUNE 2021

• Rank: E-3
• Net Worth: $41,694

JUNE 2022

• Rank: E-4
• Net Worth: $58,491

JUNE 2023

• Rank: E-5
• Net Worth: $96,663

JUNE 2024

• Rank: E-5 (recently separated)
• Net Worth: $170,991
  • HYSA: $28,384
  • TSP: $17,968
  • ROTH IRA: $15,518
  • Taxable Brokerage: $72,901
  • Crypto: $25,393
  • Individual Stocks: $10,825

Big takeaways

1. Choosing the right partner is important. My wife came into our marriage with $60,000 of student loan debt. She worked hard to completely wipe out the debt and she now boasts a net worth of $70,000. You have to find a partner who is on the same financial page as you.
2. Kids are expensive. My wife and I would not have been able to build up our portfolios if we had kids. While we do want kids, we determined we would have to push this off for a few years while we got our footing.
3. Set up automatic investments. I have my investments set up to automatically contribute a set amount every week. This way I never feel as if I'm making a big purchase. I see it more as a "bill" that I have to pay each week. This takes the stress and anxiety of investing off my mind and forces me to live below my means.

While I did not enjoy being enlisted, I am pleased with how to military set me up financially!