Extra Cash Challenge - August results

Here are my results for August's extra cash challenge:

Advertising: $105.17
ING/Capital One 360: $17.51
Lending Club: $1.13
Part-time job: $83.69

Total: $207.50

Difference from last month: +$27.47

Extra cash challenge - June and July results

Another month went by too fast and I never got around to posting my June results last month, so this month I'm posting 2 months in one post. Here are the figures...

June:
Advertising: $201.05
Amazon: $20.88
ING/Capital One 360: $15.48
Lending Club: $1.10
Part-time job: $14.43

Total: $252.94

Difference from last month: -$49.43

July:
Advertising: $118.24
Amazon: $0
ING/Capital One 360: $17.39
Lending Club: $1.10 (estimated since statement is not available yet)
Part-time job: $43.30

Total: $180.03

Difference from last month: -$72.91

First a quick update on the eBay earnings from selling my aunt's stuff. I finally had my aunt come and pick up the rest of the stuff that did not sell. Based off the 20% commission I would have made $55.29 over the past few months. She decided to just give me $100 for my trouble, so that works for me!

I'm a little bummed to see my numbers drop significantly 2 months in a row. You may notice that my Amazon earnings were $0 for the month of July. Unfortunately it looks like I have permanently lost that source of extra income due to circumstances beyond my control. It is a reminder to diversify your income streams because you never know when one could stop producing income. Here is the email that was sent to me explaining why I can no longer earn commissions.

We are writing from the Amazon Associates Program to notify you that your Associates account will be closed and your Amazon Services LLC Associates Program Operating Agreement will be terminated effective June 30, 2013. This is a direct result of the unconstitutional Minnesota state tax collection legislation passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Dayton on May 23, 2013, with an effective date of July 1, 2013. As a result, we will no longer pay any advertising fees for customers referred to an Amazon Site after June 30 nor will we accept new applications for the Associates Program from Minnesota residents. 

Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned prior to July 1, 2013, will be processed and paid in full in accordance with your regular advertising fee schedule. Based on your account closure date of June 30, 2013, any final payments will be paid by August 30, 2013. 

While we oppose this unconstitutional state legislation, we strongly support the federal Marketplace Fairness Act now pending before Congress. Congressional legislation is the only way to create a simplified, constitutional framework to resolve interstate sales tax issues and it would allow us to re-open our Associates program to Minnesota residents. 

We thank you for being part of the Amazon Associates Program, and look forward to re-opening our program when Congress passes the Marketplace Fairness Act. 

Sincerely,
The Amazon Associates Team

Blah politics!  So that's a bummer because I had earned nearly $700 from Amazon since I signed up about two and a half years ago. Not life changing amount a money, but every little bit helps! Amazon has also made nearly $11,000 in revenue off of my referrals as well, so it's a lose-lose situation.

Net Worth Update - End of Second Quarter 2013

Assets:
Approximate value of our house: $201,152*  (+$23,330 since last quarter)
Roth IRA: $28,704  (+$640 since last quarter)
Simple IRA: $5,637 (+141 since last quarter)
Regular IRA: $2,656 (+$1,071 since last quarter)
Lending Club: $211 (+$2 since last quarter)
Savings (including emergency fund): $28,531  (+$4,987 since last quarter)

*Estimation from Zillow
Total assets: $266,891 (+$30,171 since last quarter)

Liabilities:
Mortgage: $174,909 (-$1,524 since last quarter)

Total net worth including our house: $91,982
Difference since last quarter: $31,695

I have been debating whether or not to include the value of our house in these estimates, and while I am very happy to see our house supposedly increased in value by over $23,000 in just three short months, I just don't know if I can believe that. I'm thinking I may just need to start doing these updates without the house value to get a more accurate measurement of my net worth. I don't include other non-cash assets like our cars or TVs so I probably shouldn't include the house either... But the one difference is those things are paid off and we are in debt with the house, so if I don't include the value of the house, does that mean I also should not include our mortgage liability? I feel like if I don't include what we owe on the mortgage then that also is not a good representation of what my net worth is either. Maybe there is a part of me that doesn't like the see a negative net worth if I were to ignore the house value, but include the mortgage on this net worth update. I also have been leaving off my husband's 401(k) (which I think has close to $80K in it), so I guess technically that is not giving me a very accurate reading as well.

So here are the numbers ignoring the house. I think I'm going to look at that ugly negative net worth value and that will be motivation to try to get it to a positive number!

Assets:
Roth IRA: $28,704
Simple IRA: $5,637
Regular IRA: $2,656
Lending Club: $211
Savings (including emergency fund): $28,531

Total assets: $65,739

Liabilities:
Mortgage:  $174,909         

Total net worth not including the house:  -$109,170