January Accomplishments

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
January Accomplishments
18
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 10:50am

It is said that people with written and measured goals get more done than those without.




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Avatar for sohappilyme
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 11:14am

For the longest while, the only place I've found that we can improve in our budget is food. So for Jan, I'm pleased to report that we've stuck to our cash food budget ... painlessly. I've also opened a savings account just for real estate and personal property taxes with plans to divert $200 or $250 a month in that direction. Most importantly, we knocked our monthly obligation down by $200+ a month.

My Feb goals are:
- To get the rest of my ebay stuff listed (more than 100 items), although I know I'll find more. I just want to get rid of what I've been looking at since the first trimester.
- To keep on going with the debt payoff. I wasn't expecting to see debt drop more than $1200 in Jan and I know it'll come down more in Feb because the govt is paying back that loan. =c)
- Knock another $400 off our monthly obligations. We'll still be in the red, but we'll be down over $600 for the year. That's awesome!
- Work on catching everything up to get rid of late fees. Won't get there 100%, but we'll see progress.

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FLINGING DEBT:
Sarah
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 11:49am

Good Post!

January:
Most of my goals are in my head LOL!

1. I have not thrown my savings at my debt! I really want to and have always struggled with this. I am learning about leverage and keeping my business and personal money separate. My credit line is quite high for my business but instead of putting my savings into the business I have been pretending they are not there and paying smaller amounts on bills and ordering differently. Those options, however, are just about out now and I still may have to put personal money in or pay outrageous fees but I am taking it one day at a time. If I do put money in, it will be the very least I can get away with and just deal week to week, day to day with it.

2. Trying to give myself a break. I don't feel very secure with the way things are financially. However, it is better than last year and I need to give myself more time. I think I am actually less stressed than last year, a little anyway.

3. I believe I was more successful with groceries. I tried really hard not to waste items in my fridge and cook bigger portions for left overs for lunches. I think we only ate out three times. That is not too bad.

4. I have not bludgeoned bf as much(that is what he calls it LOL) about our finances very much which I think has stressed him out in the past. We did have a major truck repair and that was not swallowed well but other than that things have been normal and I think our budget is working. It is likely because nothing has changed and we are finally getting into a bit of a routine but I will take it.

5. I have decided I am going to look at investments in March or April for my kids education. It is time to stop talking about that and do it. In early feb I am buying my first little RRSP!

So from all that. It does sound like I am growing up financially.


Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 12:17pm

This month in general was just blah and I'm glad it is over.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 1:36pm

Paid for nearly $1500 worth of home repairs in cash.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-15-2003
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 1:47pm

In January:


I used a written out budget as a guide for my spending (not sure how close to budget I was as I don't have final numbers yet).


I continued to track every cent of my spending.


I started and contributed to a non-monthly expenses sinking fund and a Christmas 2010 fund.


I continued to pay down CC debt (pretty aggressively), student loan debt, and put money towards savings.


I took a smaller monthly allowance from my parents than the month before.


I continued to go to work and earn my own income (haven't missed a day since I started November 9th) and as a benefit my insurance kicked in on January 1 (haven't used it yet though).


Dabbled in meal-planning, eating at home almost exclusively and using the occasional coupon to save money on groceries!


I can't completely speak for my BF's financial goals, but he did pay off/settle his largest CC debt in January! Whoo hoo!


In February I hope to ...


Continue with much of the above - meal planning, eating at home, coupons, tracking my spending, using my written budget, saving, paying down debt, contributing to my Christmas Fund and sinking fund, earning my own income. I will pay off my American Express card in February! That will leave me with just one CC to go - evil Target. I might handle my taxes in February (is that too early? I've never done it before). I also might take on my own cell phone bill, something that is currently covered by my parents - one more step towards financial indpendence. I also might take an FPU class through my workplace, hopefully with BF.



 


Daisypath Anniversary Years Ticker

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 1:56pm

For January:

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2003
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 3:38pm

January goals were mainly to get myself organized after paying off the CC's and dealing with that little Christmas splurge. I did manage to pay for everything cash and save $100 to put towards my hairstyle on the 9th (hopefully meaning I won't have to touch my ME sinking fund since its not all that great, lol).


My february goals are to get rid of at least half of the appliance debt ($500). I also want to start doing some around the house projects (finish painting the hall, finish up the kitchen floors, repaint the entrance, etc) just in case things work out with this new job and I end up moving and putting the house up for sale. It shouldn't cost too much since I have most of the stuff here. I do have $250 in my home repair sinking fund which will actually pay for the lions share of the work. So lets see how much I can get done in February!


Bex -


"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -thats why its called the present."


Bex -

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2005
Fri, 01-29-2010 - 10:42pm

1.

Wedding
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Sat, 01-30-2010 - 7:18am

January was a rough month for me.

Kate


empty purse

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2009
Sat, 01-30-2010 - 11:23pm

January was a good month financially for a great number of reasons...


1.

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