Meeting Goals - Slowly

I am halfway to a goal - my savings account. Looking back through my transactions, I am disgusted to see how low I let the balance get. Seeing all my withdrawals and debits made my heart sick.

But .... I am pleased to report that I have nothing but deposits since September 2010 and on December 30 I will be half way to my Emergency Fund Goal. It isn't much, but it is something. And something is better than nothing.

I struggle with wanting it to be fully funded right now! But I need patience. I think back to a quote I read a few weeks ago:

"Gratification is best prepared in a Crock Pot. Nice and slow."

~ The Simple Dollar

I am showing a house on Wednesday, too. I am so thrilled about that.

I will make 2011 the year I pay off 2 more debts. 2011 I paid off the Furnace Guy. 2011 I will pay off BP Oil and Bank of America. And hopefully a few more.

Make it a great day, friends!!

2011 Goals

I guess I should call this blog Christina's Goals since it is going on to 2011 and I want to keep it up.

2010 is not over so I won't measure up my progress on my goals I set last year. I can tell you that I will work harder at my goals because I think I will come short.

I have done a lot of reading about blogs over the past year and I believe that blogging really has become the way to stay connected to your interests. I have become so dismayed at the news media - local, national - and they way those news outlets whip themselves (and the public) into the darling frenzy of the moment. We should seek out the news that interests each and every one of us and follow those trends, stories, etc.

So I have subscribed to several money saving and personal finance blogs. 2011 must be the year I really get my debt under control.

Anyway, here is to the last 2.5 weeks of 2010. I wish I could say it was a year of sensational change and progress. I think I managed to spin my wheels a lot. I hope I can regain traction in 2011.

So that will be my mantra for the next year:

"2011 - the year I gain traction" ... and get my mojo back.

Stay warm (if you live in the north and east), have fun if you live in the sun!

~ Christina

Encouragement in the most unlikely places

I was feeling very discouraged this evening. In one of those funks where I doubted about every decision I have made in the past 6 years. Not happy with my weight, looks, health, and many other things.

It was making me grumpy and impatient. And I knew I had to shake this mood.

My husband and I had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. I made good food choices. And you want to hear my fortune that was in my fortune cookie?

"Endurance and persistence will be rewarded."

And I began to shake my discouraging mood.

Now, the things that brought on the mood did not go away. I just know that I need to keep focused on the things that matter most to me: health (physical, spiritual, financial), family and balance.

I cannot forget that we must keep on keeping on.

That is all for tonight. I hope I have encouraged all those who read this post.

Good night my friends.

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Everything Counts

So last weekend I counted all of our change and rolled it - there was $15 and half of it was pennies. This is "found" money - pieces and parts of dollars spent. I put this $15 in my savings account so it can earn some interest. OK - I know that $15 is not much, and the interest it will generate will not be much either. But everything counts and adds up.



Just like recycling cans. Each can equals about 1.5 cents. Two cans make 3 pennies, 100 pennies make a dollar and so on. Again, every little bit adds up. Just like I've earned $57 so far from recycling. Couple that with the $15 "found" money and you have $72. Not much either, but think about that that $72 can pay for...

- A new pair of running shoes

- Meals for a needy family

- Groceries for a homeless veteran

- Supplies for a diabetic patient

- Food for homeless pets

- Utilities for an elderly person for a month

- Gas for my car - 2 fill ups

- 24 fill ups for my scooter



These funds are "found" money.



In these times of economic hardship found money does pay for many expenses. So what happens once the economy improves? Should we relax or continue our frugal ways?



If we continue our frugal ways, just think of how much more we could save.



And every little can recycled helps the environment and the economy. From the time an aluminum can is recycled it can be back on a store shelf in 60 days. This new can is made from reused metal. This re-use means less energy spent mining for new metal, less land destroyed for mining, leading to less pollution caused by mining.



My husband considers my effors - recycling and coin counting both - as a waste of time. But to me I am growing my personal wealth, improving my financial health and improving the environment. Plus putting these coins back into circulation makes them available to the banking industry and general public. Hopefully this effor will lessen the need to mint more coins. Like recycling, it will save energy land and pollution. Since the minting of coins is handled by the federal government I wonder if they even care about saving money and resources.



Sorry - I kind of went off on a tangent. So how does this post relate to my goals I set early this year? Depeche Mode sums it up perfectly:

"Everything counts in large amounts."

Keep on counting, saving, reusing, renewing.

Been Away Way Too Long

Isn't that a song? Anyway, I have been away from this blog for way too long. I can only say that I let other stuff get in the way, and I shouldn't. Writing here is theraputic.

I read a post on Sparkpeople.com about mindful eating. The basis of the post is that we need to be mindful of what we eat - every little thing does add up. And it takes more effort and more time to lose that extra 10 pounds than it took to gain it. Much easier to be mindless about your life than to be mindful. But the result of mindful eating is so worth the effort.

You could apply this "mindful" concept to about any area in your life. Mindful spending. Think about it. Every little purchase adds up. Dave Ramsey has said something to the effect that large ships are sunk by small leaks. And like the weight example, it takes more effort and more time to save, or earn, that $100 than it takes to spend it. But again, the result of mindful spending is so worth the effort.

I have a new friend at work who recycles everything. We took a walk at lunch and she picked up every aluminum can she saw. I recycle too, but not as much as she does. And it made me think - I can do that too. Mindful consumption. Making the world a better place by recycling cans, which also makes the area litter free. It is a simple action, but makes such a difference.

I often wonder why more people don't recycle, or at least throw their litter away. Do they not care? Do they think that their actions won't make a difference? Can they not be bothered? Probably yes to all of these questions.

So, think about mindful living. You can make a difference in your life, in your community, in your world. Every little action does add up.

I have started a savings account with my recycling money and hope to take a trip with the proceeds this fall. I'm up to $57. Not bad for collecting, crushing and recycling cans.

My quote today speaks to me on so many levels.

"Happiness is not a reward - it is a consequence.

Suffering is not a punishment - it is a result."

Until next time - I promise it won't be months between posts again.

6 Pounds

Hey Friends - just a quick update. I've lost 6 pounds since I started this blog. And it it coming off in odd places - like my wrists. My watch is too big. Hmm.

Anyway, I was getting discouraged, and then I realized this small weight loss.

So don't give up. Many small changes and efforts lead up to many small victories. Small victories add up to large victories.

Have a terrific weekend!