New Year's Budget Resolutions

[luvsJack]

Ok, so I know most of us are still thinking about Christmas and getting everything done in the next couple of days.

But, has anyone thought of things they plan to do differently next year or to start next year--budget related?

I was paying some bills online and did a print out of my checking account for the year. It really made me sit up and pay attention to some of the places my money has been going. We are not in a position right now to let so much slip through our fingers!! So right now my plan is to sit down with dh after Christmas and go over the print out and figure out our best plan of action together. Then I will really make our New Year's resolutions.

 

[wdwfan16]

We will have the same as last year. Fully fund both of our 401Ks, keep funding the kids educations, save $X more toward retirement, prepay our vacations, give generously to help others and to enjoy life.

 

[KibbyCat]

Good for you!

I plan on not buying any gifts without having a reason. I used to buy things when they were on sale and stick them away, even if I didn't need something. Now, every time I'm in need of a birthday, wedding, or shower gift, I have three for every one that is needed. I would love to use up (and clean out) the gifts from my "gift closet" and save tons of cash in the process.

 

[Starbrite]

I was just saying today...

Next year I'm going to be a couponer. I never take the time to save coupons & I'm sure it would pay off in the end

 

[fakereadhed]

I'm going to unsubscribe from all of the shopping newsletters and delete all the online hotdeals forums from my bookmarks. I have been staying out of the B&M stores, but great online deals are very tempting to me.

Also going on a no buy makeup diet. I will only be refilling empty items.

Both of these things sound very silly, but I really feel like it is unnecessary spending that probably adds up to more than I think.

 

[wdwfan16]

I'm going to unsubscribe from all of the shopping newsletters and delete all the online hotdeals forums from my bookmarks. I have been staying out of the B&M stores, but great online deals are very tempting to me.

Also going on a no buy makeup diet. I will only be refilling empty items.

Both of these things sound very silly, but I really feel like it is unnecessary spending that probably adds up to more than I think.

Neither sound silly to me. So much of ones purchases are impulse purchases. These sites make you want to buy that bargain and then many do. We are saving ourselves right into the poor house.

 

[luvsJack]

I was just saying today...

Next year I'm going to be a couponer. I never take the time to save coupons & I'm sure it would pay off in the end

This is something I really need to start doing to. I tend to collect them, clip them and then not use them. I think one of my resolutions will be to curb overspending at the grocery store and couponing will definitely help with that. I ad-match at WalMart most of the time, but sometimes I just don't take the time to make a list or to check the sales ads. I will have to make every effort to get a bit more diligent in that area.

It would be neat to get started and then keep up with how much is saved each week with coupons and other savings for groceries and then to be able to look at it in 6 months or at the end of the year and see how much it really comes to. I would think it would kind of be like getting on the scale during dieting and seeing a loss--encouraging to work harder and do more.

 

[luvsJack]

Neither sound silly to me. So much of ones purchases are impulse purchases. These sites make you want to buy that bargain and then many do. We are saving ourselves right into the poor house.

Ain't it the truth?!!? Shopping online I am so much quicker to go ahead and buy something that I see on sale. I don't use credit cards but I think I will be putting away my check card too. Its just too easy to use and if I have to wait until I go get the card to order something, chances are I won't order it.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My resolution is to put some money aside in savings to help get us through the summer. DH started a new job a year and a half ago and we didn't know last summer that it was their slow time and his hours were cut so we were struggling. This year I know what to expect so I have no excuse.

 

[Ava]

I'm going to unsubscribe from all of the shopping newsletters and delete all the online hotdeals forums from my bookmarks. I have been staying out of the B&M stores, but great online deals are very tempting to me.

I need to do that in the worst way! I get at least 10 e-mails a day from various websites listing all of their "hot deals" and I was always hesitant to delete them because "what if I do need to buy something and then I don't have a coupon code!?"

I will probably save more money in the long run by only buying things I *really* need when I *really* need them than by constantly having coupon codes to tempt me. Now I just need help convincing Julie to delete babycheapskate from our bookmarks - she actually called me this morning and said, "Today is the Hanna Andersson 60% off sale. Tell me I'm not allowed to shop." (Our DD needs more clothes like she needs a hole in the head. The cute tiny clothes are so hard to resist!)

 

[DawnM]

I just spent too much for Christmas! YIKES! I am normally good about it too....just irks me.

January we will be putting our credit cards in a drawer and using CASH only! Enveloping for things and when the money is gone, we are DONE with that for the month!

Dawn

 

[ziggystardust]

i plan on saving more, paying off the debt i've accumulated in the last 2 years and def plan on couponing. i've been trying to recently and I'm so proud of myself when i use them (and especially when combining them with a sale). I need to take more time each week to go thru the circulars and plan out meals accordingly. I really want to get the most for every last cent i spend.

 

[jrnunzio3]

I started mine today (putting money away for retirement) . I signed up for my Roth IRA at my bank and they will start taking money out of my account starting January 5th. I also rolled over all of my 401K money from previous employers to some mutual funds at the bank.

I also spoke to my husband about us making wills. We will get to that sometime in 2010.
Jenny

 

[crazelion]

I continue fund my 401k. I pay on trip for New York in cash. I am pay Orlando trip with my rewards programs so can be free. Pay down debt. Do not use any credits at all. Fund my emergency fund a little at time. I do better with a little time than putting a big amount in.

Declutter the house. No I am having a yard sale. I have three all was total bust. I made less than five dollars.

 

[minnie1928]

This was our year to really get an emergency fund going, and we did better than I thought we would. I'd like to double it next year, at that point we'd have about 9-12 months of expenses set aside. I'm currently studying for a professional certification that should give me a 25-30% salary increase when I go back to work (planning for late 2010 or 2011).

I'm also planning on re-evaluating my DH's tax withholding after I complete the 2009 taxes. I think we may be having too much withheld and I'd rather have the money earning interest for me than for the IRS.

I also plan on decluttering (ebay or donation), painting the house (interior) and landscaping the front yard ourselves. By doing much of the work around the house ourselves, we've already saved a ton of money.

 

[neatokimmo]

I am going to use a yearly budget instead of a monthly one in 2010. There isn't a whole lot that we need anymore, so I am going to try to "low buy" in 2010 and save a nice chuck of $$.

 

[luvsJack]

I just spent too much for Christmas! YIKES! I am normally good about it too....just irks me.

January we will be putting our credit cards in a drawer and using CASH only! Enveloping for things and when the money is gone, we are DONE with that for the month!

Dawn

Me too! I thought I was doing better. But, its just fewer gifts that cost more each!

Does anyone here have a Christmas club account? I am opening one in January for next year and whatever is in there next November-that's what the Christmas budget will be.

 

[minnie1928]

Me too! I thought I was doing better. But, its just fewer gifts that cost more each!

Does anyone here have a Christmas club account? I am opening one in January for next year and whatever is in there next November-that's what the Christmas budget will be.

Think about opening an account at ING or HSBC online. Christmas club accounts at banks traditionally don't pay squat! You can accomplish the same thing with an online account and earn a better rate on it.

 

[mfd25wife]

This is something I really need to start doing to. I tend to collect them, clip them and then not use them. I think one of my resolutions will be to curb overspending at the grocery store and couponing will definitely help with that. I ad-match at WalMart most of the time, but sometimes I just don't take the time to make a list or to check the sales ads. I will have to make every effort to get a bit more diligent in that area.

It would be neat to get started and then keep up with how much is saved each week with coupons and other savings for groceries and then to be able to look at it in 6 months or at the end of the year and see how much it really comes to. I would think it would kind of be like getting on the scale during dieting and seeing a loss--encouraging to work harder and do more.

I wish you lived in my area. We have one person at work that goes through and enters the stores and the sales prices in a Word document on Wednesday mornings and e-mails them to us.

 

[mfd25wife]

Me too! I thought I was doing better. But, its just fewer gifts that cost more each!

Does anyone here have a Christmas club account? I am opening one in January for next year and whatever is in there next November-that's what the Christmas budget will be.

Check Credit Unions if you qualify. Ours is offerring 5%.