I am a MAJOR list maker. (If you followed me on Beautiful, Crazy Life, you know this already!) One thing I don’t want to do in this new year is start out with a ton of resolutions that I’ll never stick too. Let’s just be real–who sticks with those resolutions all year anyway?
For 2015, I set five simple goals for myself. Goals that are important to me, but not so demanding that I won’t be able to reach them.
1. Blog. I LOVE blogging. It is a big hobby of mine and I would like to do better at it. (Thus, the name change and website move.) I don’t expect to become The Pioneer Woman overnight (or ever, although that would be nice), but I would like to get more serious about this hobby. (In my head, this means posting at least three times per week and pursuing network connections.)
- Side note: Previously, I blogged at Beautiful, Crazy Life 4. The 4 stood for the number of people in our family. For some reason, I was not ok with becoming a family of 5 and still having that number 4 at the end of my blog. Yes, I know most people didn’t realize that’s what it stood for, but I did. Just humor me. Therefore, Our Alabama Life was born.
2. Budget. We are really bad about just spending money, with no regard to where it goes. Justin and I have sat down and discussed a budget several times in the last few weeks and are working on getting it all mapped out. The ultimate goal of our budget is too fatten our savings account, of course.
3. Cook. I don’t do it. Ok, I rarely do it. This year, my goal is to cook more. Hopefully, this will help goal #2 and help me shed the baby weight once Jase gets here. I also want us to have more meals as a family, at the table, instead of on the road or in front of the TV.
4. Date nights. Justin and I had a day date before Christmas for the first time in at least 6 months. We are so rarely together, just the two of us, that I forget how much I really like him. We both want to set a goal of at least one date night per month this year, even if that means sending the kids to GraGra’s and getting pizza and red box at home.
5. Collect app. I am a big supporter of the scrapbooking industry. I am passionate about saving all these memories for my girls and myself and our family. But every year I start some project–Project 365, Project Life–to keep up with our days, and every year I fail. This year, I am using the Collect app to keep our memories. One photo per day, with a quick description. The app even sends me reminders every night at 6:00. Totally do-able, right?
What goals (or resolutions, if that’s your thing), have you set for yourself for 2015?
I think I’m as passionate about budgeting as you are about blogging! I love having a budget! I hope you find it freeing and not a chore. 😉 Happy New Year to the Wests from the Fergusons!
I may need lessons from you on budgeting. We have NEVER made and actually stuck to a budget, so I’m hoping this is our year. 🙂
I do mine a year at a time and then average it out by months. That’s not the Dave Ramsey method but oh well. 😉 I feel more comfortable that way because of the expenses that come up occasionally and not monthly. But the main thing I like is that I have a plan. I know we only make x dollars a year. A certain amount has to go to mortgage, utilities, food, gas, etc. And then I know how much is left for the wants (clothes, club vball, movies, travel, etc.). So when November comes around and basketball wants $160 for spirit pack, I already had it in the plan and it doesn’t bother me. We never stick exactly to the plan. But we know if we spend more than we planned on movies, we have to adjust the planned amount somewhere else like books. Because there is only a finite amount. The major key is having a way to keep track of how much you have actually spent on your planned categories. That’s the only way you can know if you need to adjust. We’ve completed 3 budget years now as a married couple and this last one required the least editing as the year went on. The first year required more editing. Give yourself some grace. Also give yourself lots of cushion. Don’t try to make the budget restrictive to a lifestyle you know you won’t maintain. Then you’re just going to get frustrated. A budget is not a leash! It is a plan. Ok that is way more than you asked for! Don’t hesitate to ask questions!
A yearly plan is a little more than my brain can handle right now, but that makes a lot of sense. I just know we throw a good bit of money away by not budgeting, and I need that to stop.