Plan to Make it AND Make it with a Plan!
This year we are going to be really hitting the debt and we have a few goals and plans to get us there. I really believe that without written goals and plans, achieving something is almost unattainable.
I wrote a few of our financial goals in this post, but I really wanted to get more in depth with them today...
2010 Financial Goals
- First and foremost, Andy and I will be sitting down monthly and preparing a budget together. Dave Ramsey heeds the wisdom of spending ever dollar on paper first. I really like this approach and it works well for us.
- We will stick to the budget. No more, "Well we have the $$ so we can go ahead and buy..." I will be praying about every $ spent and will no longer give into impulse buying. Every dollar will have a purpose and all extra money will be air-marked to debt!
- I will begin couponing. I am a big encourager of whole, real foods but I do believe that there are some healthy eating coupons out there and to be honest, so days I just don't feel like spending 4 hours in the kitchen. On those days this past year, we would jump in the car and head to a fast food establishment. Now you tell me... What is worse- a frozen pizza or a trip to McDonalds where we do not get the healthy choices?
- We will be eating at home a lot more! No more eating out during the week at all. Weekends we will occassionally and sparingly use our gift cards but just on date and special times.
- Grocery shop with a list and STICK TO IT!
- Spend the summer and fall gardening and harvesting as much of our own food as possible.
- We are going to be staying at home more regularly and be a better steward of gas by planning before we go. If we aren't driving just to drive, we will have more gas!
- Menu Plan! We save so much money if I follow a menu plan and cook around the sales.
- We closed all of our credit card accounts this year but we really need to start using cash more and the debit card less.
- We will make better use of free resources such as the library.
- When the weather is nice, we will do more family activities outside such as bike riding, hiking, going for walks, playing outside, etc.
- I am going to journal all purchases and catelog our receipts.
- We are going to continue the tradition of mostly homemade items for Christmas gifts.
- I am going to be blogging more regularly about financial topics.
- MOST OF ALL... We are going to take care, use up and be content with what we already have been blessed with instead of wanting different or more.
- establish and KEEP our emergency fund.
- pay off $10,000 of medical debt.
- save for my dental implants.
- and lastly save for our awesome vacation coming up in September (I will fill you in on it more later. I am so excited!)
This post is linked to Frugal Friday.
5 comments:
Glad to see that someone else is serious about getting out of debt! I get so tired of the "spend everything you earn" mentality. Wishing you the best this new year!
You can do this! Eating at home at first can be such a chore, but it is sooooo worth it! And I've been surprised at how my things I've gotten with coupons that aren't just prepackaged.
Thanks for stopping by! you have so many awesome goals, hoping you have a blessed year!
We have a lot of similar goals. I am big about being on a budget, I feel more organized (in the finances) with it. Also, we are starting to eat more at home, we are really cutting back on our eating out. I am so glad I chose to participate in the Eat from your Pantry Challenge, that will really help us start our New Year off right.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I look forward to more of your posts. Blessings!
PS...love the Ohio post, to cute!
You have some wonderful goals! I'm an avid couponer and have been for several years now. The funny thing is that I've built up such a stockpile that I either only buy 'fresh' foods these days or don't even go to one store or another at all. And even if you never use coupons for food, you can get great deals on things like razors or shampoo.
Just remember the most important thing: don't buy things when you need them, buy them when they are at their cheapest. (That is, combine coupons with sales and start building a stockpile of your own.)
As far as those days you don't feel like cooking, boy do I relate! I find it is helpful to have parts of meals made up ahead of time when you are in the mood. Cut up your meat or vegetables, for example, or brown ground beef and keep it in meal-sized packages. There's nothing easier than mixing already browned ground beef with tomato sauce and boiling up a box of spaghetti!
Have a wonderful new year!
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