2013~Finances

How many of us hate talking about, or even thinking about finances?!

It's not a FUN thing for sure. And for a lot of us it's stressful! 

We are always trying to do our best and make the best choices financially 

but also give our kids fun experiences without spoiling them. Sometimes that is hard to juggle.

Our goals for this year 

Finances

~GIVE UP COFFEE! (well paying for it anyway)

~Keep chugging along on Dave Ramsey's Snowball Plan

~Look for a part time, temporary job that fits our schedule

~Keep up with meal planning (avoiding buying things we don't need, or are not on sale)

~STOP going to Target as often, cause I have NO willpower there!

~SEW more clothes!

~Love our library even more

Plan

~Giving up coffee has been a multi year struggle for me. Starbucks just makes it SO easy! I have been getting decaf when I have been getting it hoping I can cut ties easier. But I won't be giving it up entirely. If I have to go into town for grocery shopping I think 2 a month will be fine. But no more trips INTO town for coffee. I also started using my coffee maker instead.

~We have slowly been using Dave Ramsey's Financial Freedom plan and it feels like we will be on step 2 forever some days. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel! 

We haven't been good with the envelope system, going to re instate that this year, like now.

~ I am looking for a super part time job. One close to home for a few hours after hubby gets home and maybe a little weekends. Wish me luck!

~Meal planning is usually easy enough for me. I do 2 weeks worth after checking the ads and our stock. I don't want to spend more than we need to or do more work than I need to. And living out of town makes forgetting something or changing the meal plan expensive by either having to drive into town or paying way too much at our local market.

~Oh Target we have an unhealthy relationship! Not only is it kinda far away, there really are few times we actually NEED something from there. So just planning on avoiding unless we absolutely need to go and taking all the kids with me, that makes me want to rush a bit more and shop less!

 ~I have a sewing machine and all kinds of patterns just lacking confidence. I have to get over that. My plan is to make a dress or pants (for either my mini or I) when hubby is out of town. I have all kinds of free nights and NO reason not to, especially since I already have a bunch of fabric too!

~Library love.. well I started these goals BEFORE Christmas and my birthday, but hubby and the kids got me a nook, so while I probably won't be visiting the library as much, I will sure download all the free books I can. This will save us some money. I usually read a book or 2 a week, that can add up!

Continue Reading ...

2013 Goals~Self

Self

Probably THE hardest one for me, and also the most important for me to
 be at my best in other aspects of life too!

Here is my list. Although I am sure there are many many more I should add!

~Get back to the gym a couple times a week

~Spend more time reading, less time on Pinterest

~Lose that last 15 pounds

~Apologize more, forgive more

~Put myself together more often

~Drink more water

~Get involved with my new group of girls for Bible Study (SUPER excited about this!)

~Spend more time on relationships that are good for me (stop feeling guilty about letting ones go that aren't)

And what are goals without plans?

 Not much. So here are my plans

~For the Gym.. stop stressing about gas money (its like 25 miles round trip but worth it) and just GO!

No more trips into town for coffee, saving the gas for the gym.

~Reading, I am happy to read, just need to limit my Pinterest time to 15 minutes a couple times a day!  

Using a timer on my phone.

~15 pounds really doesn't seem like it should be THAT hard! I am sure the gym will help, start using myfitnesspal.com again and tracking everything. Focusing on my protein and fresh produce.

~Apologize and forgive. I have NO idea what I can do to plan for this other than talking to the kids and asking them to TELL me when they think I need to apologize or forgive. I am around them more than anyone else and they will be honest about it!

~Put myself together more often. Ok really I think I have a whole page on this.. so watch for that soon! 

~I got a new 20oz cup, my last one broke and I got off track. 

I am aiming for 100 oz a day. That's only 5 little fill ups!

~The last 2 go together for me and while 1 will be easy because I am excited about it the other is just plain hard! I have a number of people in my life that I probably don't need, 1 way relationships where I am their friend all the time, and they are my friend when they need something. I also have some who just want to whine and complain to me all the time. Don't get me wrong venting is a necessity sometimes and I get that. But when I have something to talk to them about that isn't about THEM it just doesn't happen. Their opinions of how I am doing things is NEVER good enough. It's hard for me to like and want to be around people that just cannot be happy with what they have when they really have things great. The whole misery loves company thing does not work for me.  So to remind myself that I do NOT have to spend any of my few 24 hours in a day on people who don't care I am printing these!

So that is the plan to work on ME, other than a whole post that I can't wait to share about getting ready everyday!

Continue Reading ...

2013!!

I don't know why but I LOVE the new year and all the freshness it can bring. Sometimes a fresh start here and there just makes everything feel better. I am not making any resolutions though. Just sharing my goals! Putting them out there and hoping it will help with some accountability.  I have a LOT of goals, I like to have a bunch going on, it means I will always have something I can be working on! I broke them down into a few categories because I could make 1 HUGE list. Probably too long for 1 post. Today I am sharing the first which is Family, the others are Self, Finances and Home.


 Family
~make it to church together more often
~eat together at the table more often (I have been bad at this lately)
~take more pictures, and stop worrying if they aren't perfect!
~More family game nights, cause our biggins are starting to LOVE games!
~Once it's not freezing out, more bike rides and walks and family exercise!

Plan
~The only way we will make it more often is if I stop sleeping in and keep up my morning plans
 through the weekend!

~Eating at the table is something we used to do ALL the time, but as I was eating differently than the rest of the fam it made it easier to eat separate and not be tempted by what they were having and I just haven't gotten out of that habit. Setting the table (one of the kids chores) I think will help!

~As far as taking pictures goes. Our oldest LOVES to make goofy faces and I feel like I kind of just gave up on getting a REAL smile out of him for pictures for me. But I guess with as much as he purposely makes goofy smiles those are just as real and I need to just get over this perfection thing and take more pictures!

~Well game night should be a little easier, I think we got 4 or 5 games that we can play and I like that there will be something else that is NOT the TV!

~Our little one got a balance bike so now all 5 of us have something to do and our neighborhood has a cute little path. Even if we only get to this once or twice a week until spring I'll be happy!

Continue Reading ...

My Detailed Daily Schedule

I posted my shortened list yesterday but thought I would confirm how crazy I really am and share my detailed list today.

I only use this for the week, weekends are a lot more relaxed in the morning around here.

And some days the only thing that works is the time I get up and the time I go to bed.

I'll probably be re-making my Weekly Chores so they all look pretty together, cause that's important right?

And I am told these are printing out the right size for a page protector if you right click and save.. not that I would expect anyone else's schedule to be exactly like mine.

I made this using MyMemoriesSuite with NO extra add ons, just the basic program. It's inexpensive and I have a coupon code if anyone wants to use it!

You can get the program here.

and the coupon code is STMMMS87586 

Continue Reading ...