Speed is an important stat to have in a pokémon battle.  Since the attacks are turn-based, speed is what determines the order of the attacks.  The faster the pokémon, the earlier they get to attack.  This can make a difference if the pokémon has low defense and one hit will knock it out.  They need to attack first in order to knock out their opponent before they faint.
 
Timing is an important factor in the financial world too.  Buying a stock at the right time.  Paying bills on-time.  Making sure we deposit money into our accounts before that autopayment goes through.  These are all based on the moment in time that we do them, just like pokémon attacks are based on speed.  However, both pokémon battles and financial institutions have an invisible mechanic of priority that allows some attacks and payments to go earlier than others, before ever considering their speed.  These are called priority moves and transaction processing order, or what I call priority transactions.
 
Before diving too deep, today’s post will be one of the most technical posts I have written to date.*  Hopefully, I will make it as interesting as I find it.  Please, try not to yawn and fall asleep.

I know 2018 has just begun, but tax season is coming.  Before I know it, an IRS Spearow will be a-rattata-ta-tapping at my window, trying to collect my 2017 taxes.  Businesses have until the end of January to get us the tax documents that we need from them.  February, I usually gather my receipts together to determine if an itemized deduction will help or if I should just take the standard deduction.  March, I file my taxes before the slush rush to get taxes in before the April 17th deadline.
 
These tend to be the three months I focus on my taxes and my tax record keeping habits.  In 2017, I did a horrible job tracking the information I will need to complete my 2017 taxes this year, and even worse sorting my receipts, checks and other paperwork from 2016.  Hoping to turn over a new bayleef, I plan on starting a 2018 Tax Notebook.  In this three-ringed binder, I plan on tracking all of my general receipts, business-related receipts, large purchases, medical expenses, paychecks, and my future tax documents.  I dream that once 2018 closes, I will instantly have everything ready for the tax spearow and I will store it easily for the following 3-7 years.

Whether I am playing the video games, the trading card game or other RPGs, there comes a time when my naturally formed team needs direction and training.  This usually involves determining my team’s strategy and replacing the pokémon that doesn’t quite fit.  I am currently playing Ultra Sun and I determined that my lycanrock needs to be replaced.  Her low defenses cause her to faint before she does any damage.  Luckily there are many pokémon of different types and species that can fill her position on the team.
 
In Part I, I discussed that in June 2017 a sludge wave hit my financial pokémon team when our rent checks were stolen.  While recovering from the damage, I learned I misunderstood my team’s strategy.  I needed to replace my servine, nicknamed Income, with a Checking pokémon to strengthen my team.  That meant I had to replace my system of different bank accounts made up Income.  Just like the multiples of pokémon, there are also numerous types and species of financial accounts.  This is how I found the ones that worked best for my team.

Welcome to January and 2018!  The first post of the month means that it’s time for December's Review and Net Worth Update.
 
For those who are new to The Grown-Up Pkmn Trainer, each month I write a financial review to xatu my net worth by writing down my thoughts on the previous and following months.  I share these summaries so everyone can gain insight into my personal finances and my thoughts behind them.
 
I started tracking my net worth to measure my progress, inspired by Budgets Are Sexy, which has helped me keep a keen eye on my personal finances.  I have been tracking my net worth since January 2015 and writing monthly financial reviews for myself since 2016.  I recommend both because they have been such helpful tools to watch my personal finances stat changes.