Market Volatility, Summer Spending and a $617K Net Worth

I came back this past weekend from my vacation, which included a few days in New Brunswick. This year, I also visited the Rimouski area. Just look at the pretty houses and lovely scenery! I also visited the Jardins de Métis, which I look forward to writing about in a dedicated post.

Before leaving for my vacation, my net worth was at an all-time high of $631,085.60. That represented a gain of $105,000 so far in 2026! Over the past couple of days, there has been a little volatility in the air. I closed the month of July with a net worth of $617,499.06. It’s not a bad number at all, but it represents a decline compared to my excellent results on July 16. At this point, I wouldn’t like to fall below $600,000, but it could happen if we don’t resolve the tariff situation with the United States. With that in mind, I find the TSX to be quite resilient. I am actually very impressed!

The TSX closed today’s session at a solid 36,475.92 points, leaving my non-registered portfolio at $202,004.64, my US portfolio at US$5,898.34, my stocks-only RRSP portfolio at $112,032.61, and my TFSA portfolio at $186,228.58. I estimate my net worth to be around $617,000.

Currently, one of my largest holdings is experiencing a slight downturn, making it very difficult for me to remain in the $630,000 range, despite the TSX remaining in good shape. I have significant exposure to Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL) and Enbridge Inc. (ENB) in my non-registered portfolio. When PPL was trading above $70 per share, my net worth reached its highest value ever: exactly $631,085.60. PPL is currently trading at around $67 per share, and it’s weighing me down. Significant exposure to the oil sector comes with its highs and lows. It’s not exactly easy to go through, but it’s part of the game.

I currently have around $14,000 in savings: $4,000 in my bank account and the rest in my TFSA. I spent quite a bit of money over the summer, and I’m not even done yet! I don’t often attend paid concerts or go to the theatre, but there are a few shows in August that I wanted to attend. When I returned from New Brunswick this past Saturday, I arrived just in time to see the play Evangéline at Place des Arts. I also have two other concerts coming up that I didn’t want to miss: Elvis Experience and Génération MusiquePlus. Together, those tickets cost $380. I also spent around $100 on my bus ticket back to Montreal. Once I arrived in Montreal, I had to go grocery shopping as well. I’m also looking to renew my passport, among other things. All those expenses add up quickly....

In July and so far in August, I have received some great dividend distributions, which have really helped me stay in positive territory, but it has been a stretch. I’ve basically been withdrawing every little dividend payment I receive from my TFSA. I’m doing so because it’s still summer and my birthday is coming up at the end of the month, but September should be much smoother.