The Quiet Power of Net Worth
There’s something oddly comforting about a Google Sheet.
Mine isn’t flashy. It doesn’t have dropdowns or graphs or conditional formatting that turns cells red when things dip (thank God). But it’s been with me for years. Through the peaks, the valleys, and that strange middle part where everything just… hovered.
Every now and then, I open it up, type in some new numbers, and watch my net worth shift ever so slightly — like measuring growth rings on a tree. A bit more here, a dip there. Sometimes it’s thrilling. Sometimes it’s sobering. But mostly, it’s just honest.
It’s a habit that stuck — one part childhood money geekery, one part slow-burning FI obsession, and one part curiosity about what all this effort is actually doing.
Why Net Worth Is the Metric I Come Back To
Let’s be honest — “net worth” can sound a bit stiff. Something reserved for tabloids, high-flying CEOs, or that one smug bloke on LinkedIn who thinks being 33 and mortgage-free is a personality.
But underneath the polish, it’s surprisingly grounded. It’s not about flash. It’s about truth. Because while income tells you what you’re bringing in, and savings show what’s (maybe) stashed away, net worth tells the full story — debts, assets, and all the messy bits in between.
Here’s why it’s still the most useful number I track:
- It includes everything: savings, investments, property, minus credit cards, loans, and “oops, forgot I owed that” amounts
- It cuts through the noise: salary raises, bonuses, surprise bills — it shows the net effect, not just the shiny highlights
- It tracks progress: whether you’re sprinting, crawling, or stalled on the financial motorway
- It reflects reality: not just how much you earn, but how well you’ve kept hold of it
Basically, if money metrics were a group of friends at a party, net worth is the one cleaning up the kitchen at 1am while the rest are passed out. Not glamorous, but solid. Dependable.
It’s Simple Maths, But It Tells a Deep Story
Net worth is just a basic equation:
Assets (what you own) – Liabilities (what you owe) = Net Worth
That’s it. No wizardry. No need to consult a high priest of spreadsheets or pay £9.99/month for a neon-lit app that gives you “financial vibes.” Honestly, my humble little Google Sheet has been going strong for years. Not a single notification badge in sight.
Think of net worth like a financial selfie. It’s unfiltered, a bit raw in certain lighting, but it tells the truth. The good, the messy, the slightly-overdrafted.
So what does it look like in real terms? Let’s make up some numbers — just big enough to feel grown-up, but still believable enough that you don’t throw your laptop out the window.
Example Net Worth Breakdown:
Assets:
- Cash savings: £8,200
- Stocks & Shares ISA: £42,750
- Lifetime ISA: £13,000
- Pension pot (across a few old jobs): £71,500
- Home equity (after a recent revaluation that made you feel very smug): £310,000
- That Brompton bike you swore you’d use for commuting: £1,150
Total assets: £446,600
Liabilities:
- Credit card balance (which you swear you’ll pay off next payday): £2,100
- Student loan (Plan 2, the slow burn variety): £39,800
- Mortgage outstanding: £243,000
- Car finance (the reliable Skoda): £9,750
- That weird Klarna balance from a blackout shopping spree in 2022: £640
Total liabilities: £295,290
Net Worth = £446,600 – £295,290 = £151,310
Not bad, right? It’s not a competition (unless you’re secretly in one with your past self — which, let’s be honest, most of us are). But it’s a number with meaning. It shows the shape of your decisions, the story of your slow progress. It’s like a time capsule with receipts.
And the best part? It changes. Sometimes painfully. Sometimes thrillingly. Always honestly.
The Milestones That Matter (And the One That Made Me Cry a Bit)
I still remember hitting my first £1K. It felt massive — like a marker that I was in the game. From there, it became a breadcrumb trail:
£1K → £10K → £50K → £100K
That £100K was a big one. Not just because of the number, but because of what it meant. It meant consistency. It meant progress over perfection. It meant all those quiet, boring decisions — skipping takeaways, choosing index funds over impulse holidays — were adding up.
I didn’t throw a party or post it on Reddit (though I was very tempted). But I did sit with it for a moment. I think I might’ve made tea, stared out the window, and let the win land.
It’s not always smooth. Sometimes I forget that my ISA balance isn’t the whole picture — and feel briefly like a millionaire, before remembering student loans and that one lingering credit card from Christmas 2019.
Still, the milestones help. They’re markers on a journey I’m learning to enjoy, not rush.
Dips Happen. Don’t Panic.
Some months, your net worth will take a nosedive. Mine does, usually due to the markets moving.
At first, I used to feel a little “uh-oh” moment when that number dropped. But now, I just think, “Ooh, sales.” A little Warren Buffett mindset never hurt: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.”
In fact, those dips often mean I’ve taken a step forward — just not one that shows up right away. Like planting seeds in the rain and trusting something will grow later.
Your Net Worth ≠ Your Worth (At All)
Here’s the thing. Net worth can feel like a scoreboard — especially in the FI space. The Reddit posts, the Twitter milestones, the “Look at my portfolio” graphs.
It’s easy to compare. To feel like you’re behind. To think you’re failing if your number isn’t skyrocketing.
But that’s not what it’s for.
Your net worth is a tool, not a trophy.
If yours isn’t where you hoped it would be? That’s okay. It’s data, not a verdict. It’s a checkpoint, not a finish line. And it’s often more interesting when the story’s still unfolding.
Also — if you’ve never checked your net worth, and it feels scary? I get it. But truly: it’s just a number. You might even be pleasantly surprised. And if not? You’ll still feel more grounded knowing where you stand.
There’s power in the knowing.
Gentle Questions for the Road:
Tracking net worth has been with me longer than most habits. From counting coppers on my bedroom floor to quietly celebrating six-figure milestones, it’s become a kind of compass — not always pointing north, but at least pointing somewhere.
I track mine in a Google Sheet, solo mission style. My partner’s off chasing FIRE glory ahead of me — but I’m running my own pace, in my own shoes. (With a few spreadsheet tabs open for company.)
When my number dips, it usually means something interesting just happened. An investment. A risk. A choice. And honestly, that makes me feel more alive than any straight-line graph ever could.
How about you?
- When did you first check your net worth — and what did it tell you?
- What milestone felt like a quiet revolution in your journey?
- Do you track solo or as a team — and how does that shape your approach?
Let me know. We’re all playing the long game here.