May Recap and June goals

I think I should get this out while it still makes sense.

Let’s have a look back shall we?

May Goals

1. Exercise Monday through Friday Well … I was going good until the last week and a half of the month
2. Finish my vision board BAHAHAHAHAHAHA … ahhhhh … no
3. Finish my scarf, I’m almost to the halfway point Nope, I did not touch it at all
4. Read 2 books Done, I read A Walk Across The Sun and So You Call Yourself A Man.
5. Use only cash and stick to the budget Nope but I screwed it up extra special this month
6. 10 no spend days I only had 5 last month

Well my first thought is that it is better than I thought it would be considering I did not review my goals until way past mid-month.  Silly me.  And then between dress shopping and family visiting … well I forgot all about my goals.

On the financial front, I didn’t do all that I was supposed to so my banking was off, but I sorted out now.

	Budget	Actual
housing	30%	30%
transportation	6%	4%
saving	24%	13%
debt	24%	24%
life	16%	29%
	100%	100%

While I didn’t go over budget I can’t say for sure that it is all legit as I didn’t move over my savings at the time when I was supposed to.   So I just put what was left over in.

June Goals

1. Continue to exercise 5 times a week
2. Come in under budget
3. Finish my vision board
4. Finish my scarf
5. Read 2 books
6. Remove my credit cards and debit cards from my wallet
7. 10 no spend days
8. Declutter 30 items

I think that’s enough.  Now to print this out and post it all over my place.

Mid-month goals check in

I guess given the date this can not really be called a mid-month anything. lol

I actually forgot what my goals were.  But thanks to Mutant Supermodel, I made a calendar entry in my phone to check in on the 15th, which I ignored until today.

So what were my goals?

May Goals

1. Exercise Monday through Friday
2. Finish my vision board
3. Finish my scarf, I’m almost to the halfway point
4. Read 2 books
5. Use only cash and stick to the budget
6. 10 no spend days

Dang, I clear forgot about the vision board. Does one still do a vision board for the year when the year is almost half over?

I have not touched my scarf …

This month is not shaping up so well.

I wonder if I could pull a rabbit out of my hat.

 

March recap and April Goals

Oh March, you were an expensive month.

Firstly my March goals:

1. Carla is having an Easter Secret Sister Swap.  You know I had to join that, it was so much fun last time.  I need to finish putting my package together. Done
2. Stick to the budget (this is a given but since I didn’t write it in stone last month, madness ensued.) BAHAHAHAHAHAHA
3. Continue to work out at least 3 times a week Nope
4. Research new living room furniture. I bought new curtains yesterday and they let in so much light I can now see just how awful my couch really is. LOL I looked online so I am counting this as a win
5. Move my bookshelf Done
6. Start and finish my Steelers scarf Started but it is nowhere near finished
7. Read 4 books I read one
8. Finish my vision board Nope

3.5 out of 8.  Dang, I need to step up my game.

On the money front, I still track all my spending I just don’t post it here.  I’m leaning towards monthly updates, so let’s start with last month.

My girl Gail (I think she’s everyone’s girl) breaks down budgets like this:

housing	35%
transportation	15%
saving	10%
debt	15%
life	25%
	100%

March’s budget for me was supposed to look like this:

housing	34%
transportation	7%
saving	20%
debt	17%
life	21%
	100%

Instead my budget actually looked like this:

housing	31%
transportation	9%
saving	15%
debt	28%
life	30%
	112%

I think I double counted some things as I didn’t do my usual put the money on my credit card right after I charged it. I won’t be making that decision again any time soon.

Having said all that my savings increased, my debts decreased and my net worth increased by 3.5%.  Not as good as it could have been but I’ll take it.

Thankfully it’s a new month!!  And with it comes new opportunities to get it right.

April goals

1. Come up with a savings goal for Carla’s April savings challenge, post to come
2. Try something new; budget bi-weekly instead of weekly to coincide with my paycheck
3. Finish my scarf and post pictures
4. Finish my vision board (gotta get this done, it is way overdue)
5. Read 4 books
6. Work out 3 times a week
7. Do another cleanse
8. Wake up early every morning to read and/or workout
9. Figure out what to do with all my bank accounts

I have a lot of repeats from last month.  I am going to keep them on my goals list until they are part of my routine then I will come up with new goals.

On to March

I did not make any February goals and when I look at my budget it shows.  My savings barely moved.  My debt also went down but not by any great leap.

I guess if there’s a good month to “screw up” the shortest one is the best one!!

Time to get my head in the game.

March goals

1. Carla is having an Easter Secret Sister Swap.  You know I had to join that, it was so much fun last time.  I need to finish putting my package together.
2. Stick to the budget (this is a given but since I didn’t write it in stone last month, madness ensued.)
3. Continue to work out at least 3 times a week
4. Research new living room furniture. I bought new curtains yesterday and they let in so much light I can now see just how awful my couch really is. LOL
5. Move my bookshelf
6. Start and finish my Steelers scarf
7. Read 4 books
8. Finish my vision board

I think that should be enough for March.

January Challenge – 1/5/13 Updated

Inspired by the mini challenge to declutter, with the help of my girls, we attacked the coffee table, hall table and the fridge.

Prepare to be amazed!

Coffee table before

Coffee table after

 

On the top are my library books.  Below, my magazine “collection”.  I got rid of a few, a very small few, but the majority are still in my house. But at least now it looks great!

Hall table before

 

Hall table after

 

Princess helped with the dusting and the decluttering

My fridge before

 

 

Fridge after

 

Diva did the cleaning of the fridge.  Everything that was expired is gone.

Now I just need to make a list of the groceries I need for the week and buy only what is on the list when I go to the store tomorrow.

January Challenge – 1/5/13

It’s a grey day here in T.O. and as such I should stay in and declutter.

I still have not done more than glanced at my dining room.  I keep hoping that the maid I wished for would show up and deal with it but so far no luck there.

Carla issued a mini challenge of making do on the financial side and decluttering some of the knick knacks/magazines etc that are taking over your home.

Financially, I’m doing pretty good.  I have used up a lot of the perishables in my fridge so as not to go grocery shopping or better yet throw out rotten food.  The amount of food waste in my home is horrible.  I have challenged my girls to use it up before it spoils.  They are aware of my “you are throwing out my time” lecture when it comes to food waste.  This time around I am getting more vigilant.  No more stock piling perishables with the hopes that we will use it up.  We are going to reduce our waste.  I was doing well with the no spending part and was at $3.18 before my NSF fiasco.

For me the magazines are a big one.  The road to hell is paved with good intentions and my intention is to read old magazines. *blush* I have piles of magazines through out my home and the intention to read them all.  Once I’ve read them then they go out the door.  Some are passed on to a neighbour, the others I drop off at the hospital.  I do keep one.  In fact I have every issue every printed of O.  I’m not sure what I am going to do with them all but I have them.

Today I am going to clean my fridge, coffee table and hallway table.

I’ll be back with pictures.

2013 Goals

Happy New Year!

 (Source)

This year will be better than ever!!

Isn’t that what we say every January first?  Only to have life return to “normal” by February/March?

Then all resolutions or goals and plans are forgot or deemed to be out of reach.  Too hard.  Takes too long.  Requires too much effort.

I can’t say I have elaborate resolutions … or even any resolutions at all.

There are some things that I would like to accomplish but they are not resolutions per se; more of a lifestyle plan.

Family

I don’t see my family nearly enough.  My Dad & Mom often but my Uncles and Aunts that are in Toronto, not so much.  I need to do better than once a year.  I see my family in MD more than I do the ones that are local.

Friends

Other than my BFF, I can go months without seeing some of my friends.  We will talk/text often but we are not in front of each other often enough.

Fitness

Project Get Healthy will continue.  I have not worked out in almost 2 weeks and even thought my weight is remaining steady, it’s time to get back on the exercise wagon.  While it’s nice to see the numbers on the scale decrease, it is not the most important factor.  I don’t want to turn into a “dieter”.  I just want to eat healthy 80% of the time.  Life without cheese treats is not as exciting to me.

Financial

Reduce my debt is still on my list.  Along with increase my net worth.  Try to keep my eye on the prize and not get distracted by shiny new toys.

Personal

Learn and grow.  I think it’s been a long time since I have really stretched myself.  I haven’t learned any new skills that I can think of.  I’m stuck in a rut.  In the future I would like to learn something new.  What that is I have yet to determine.  But I will push myself out of my comfort zone.  I will remember the following quotes and try to live my life by them.

Life is too short. Live your life worthy while you’re here. Because we’re only here temporarily. Live life to the fullest! ~ Unknown

Life is too short to be sad all the time, so laugh everyday, smile when you want to cry, love the ones that care for you, forget the ones that don’t, hang out with friends whenever possible, regret nothing because at one time it was everything you wanted, never backstab someone cause they will backstab you back, and just live life to the fullest because you only get one life. ~ Unknown

Nothing too outrageous.  Just common sense.

November Goals

I can’t believe that it’s November already.  The year is almost over.

I don’t want to put too many goals on my list this month.  I would prefer to do 2 things well than fail at 10 things.

So here goes.

New Goals

1. Ripped in 30; 5 times a week for 4 weeks
2. Complete my Christmas shopping
3. Start and possibly finish my vision board

On-going Goals

1. Reducing my debt
2. Increasing my savings
3. Tracking my food/calories
4. Track my spending and try to stay closer to the budget

I think this is enough for this month.

My Christmas list is relatively small compared to most; only my parents (3), siblings (3) and kids (2).  Grand total 8!!  *small dance*

I have no idea what to get most of these folks.  I would like to not spend a fortune in total.  I have counted and rolled most of what’s in my sealed pot.  It adds up to $412 so far.  I would prefer not to use it all, but right now it is about $50 per person.  Do-able but it would require me to be creative.  I think I am up for the challenge.

My Dad wants men’s yoga shorts like these from Lululemon, but doesn’t want me to spend the big Lululemon price tag   In fact he would be very annoyed with me if I bought him a pair of the desired shorts. *big sign*

My Step-mom is usually easy enough.  She likes sparkly things and nice scents.

My Mom … needs nothing.  Not sure what to do for her as I don’t want to give her another “thing”.

My sister (from my Dad) is easy enough; either gift certificate to the movies or something sparkly.

My brother (from my Dad) is not so easy.  He likes Best Buy … would probably love a gift card from there but that makes me uneasy as how much does one give without it appearing “cheap” or “too expensive”.  (My Dad is old school and still believes $20 is a lot of money.  Well it is, but it no longer has the buying power like it used to.)

My other sister (from my Mom) usually gets $50 cash from me.  But that was before she worked.  Now I am not sure if I really need to give her that much as she now has cash of her own.  She likes brand name things and is at an age where if she doesn’t like it she won’t wear/use it.

Princess doesn’t have a lot of wants.  She is “sitting” on a bucket load of cash from working this summer and has purchased very little, mainly food.  I know she needs some undies as there was a laundry mix up … I’ll leave it at that. But other than that I am at a loss.

Diva wants to change her hair colour.  I do not want her to use chemicals.  She would like hair chalk.  I am agreeable to this option.  As my luck would have it one of those daily deal sites had a set on sale.  So this gift has been ordered.  I would also like to get her the latest Dork Diaries book.

Some where I read about getting your children 4 gifts for Christmas; something to wear, something to read, something they want and something they need.

Hopefully I can think of a few options for my kids and 2 of my siblings and my Mom.

Any ideas?

Recent thoughts

Being on a budget sucks.  I know I don’t have to tell anyone that, so really I am only just stating the obvious.

I had an “ah ha” moment the other day.  I realized the reason I am in debt is because I spend tomorrow’s earnings today.  I know this on an intellectual level as it is simple math but I don’t think I ever “got it” on an emotional level.

Recently I challenged myself to live off of $170/week as per Carla’s September savings challenge.  This would be fine had “things” not popped up.

First extra pull on my funds was the first week of school.  Between both my girls, the amount they needed was almost 65% of my weekly allotment.  I decided to challenge myself and not pull the money from my savings.  A decision I did not regret at the time.  Not saying I regret it now but it sure made life a lot more challenging.

Then I filled my tank.  And bought groceries.  Ate out with friends.  Went on activities that were planned long before I made the decision to live on $170/week.

With the exception of the treetop trekking & Niagara as they were budgeted events, I have pulled all other spending from my weekly total.  It’s been hard and has challenged me more that I care to admit.

So this brings me to my next 2 conundrums.

1. Tomorrow I planned a birthday lunch along with one of my co-workers for another co-worker’s birthday.  The cost for this will be $17.
2. Saturday I am supposed to attend a retirement dinner party for 2 ladies I used to see almost daily at the Post Office.  In total the evening will cost me $55.

Both these activities were planned last month.  At the present moment I think I am going to go, borrowing against next week’s allowance.  Then challenging myself to live off the rest.  Bad mindset I know.

I also want to put Diva in badminton lessons through Toronto’s parks and rec programs.  This will cost $35 for 9 weeks.  This will leave me with just $63 for next week. I think it is do-able, it just might not be pretty.  Thankfully I still have 3/4 of a tank of gas left.

It just feels like there is ALWAYS something.  It really does make me think about those who don’t have a choice; why it is that the poor get poorer.  And to think I don’t even have to think about paying for most medical expenses.

 

 

It’s that time of the year again!

Revenue Canada has reached the point where they figured they have clawed obtained more than enough out of my pay cheque and are now stealing taking less.

My last pay was $160 more than usual.   More than $320 extra this month? Yes please!!

Looks like I will be meeting this month’s goal of increasing savings and paying off more debt!!!

Speaking of this month’s goal, I still have $60 in my wallet to spend for this week.

It’s amazing how little I want to spend when I know there is a limit.   That coupled with the fact that I am still saving all my change for the sealed pot challenge.  I am even less likely to part with my money.

Ahhh mind tricks to save, gotta love ‘em!