Financial goals for 2010

[k0xxx]

We are going to try to get back to 6 months of living expenses put away. We had been there for a while, but some unexpected expenses had dropped it back to just two months worth.

Other than that, my goal is to put at least another 100 ounces of silver in the safe, and to keep better track of our food bill so that we can work on reducing it.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

we're going to work extra hard to get the feed bills down by growing our own. right now thats one of our biggest expenses. we've really gotten the grocery bill down with the critters... now just need their costs to go down.

 

[me&thegals]

Keep on doing what I've been doing about the money income and outflow, as far as frugality and such.

Start a farm journal in which I plan to keep better records of income and expenses: crop yields and profits, feed consumption and costs, weather conditions, grass quality during the different seasons, lamb crops and profit made, animal treatments and results, de-worming efforts and results, etc.

I hope to be more financially organized this year.

This sounds perfect to me.

We're good at saving, so we will keep up on that. It's kind of a constant challenge around here to spend as little as possible, and we will continue that, too.

For my "business," I will continue to find ways to do CSA more cheaply and efficiently, getting back more $ for my time. I have a couple ideas for this year. I also need to (as mentioned above) get better at recording everything. I like to start hobbies with the intention of making them pay for themselves, so I need to get good spreadsheets going on beekeeping, meat chickens, egg chickens, lip balm and soapmaking to see if they actually are paying for themselves. I keep track of feed for the chickens but forget to record all the other expenses.

Prepare for a new vehicle. Ours is 14 years old now and over 200,000, so I figure it's just a matter of time. I'm willing to spend a lot more for a very, very fuel-efficient vehicle, but there aren't any out there right now that do much better than what we already have--40 mpg--so I'm prepared to buy used until then. Gotta keep saving for that.

Try to save more for taxes. Wow. Taxes are really starting to eat up a lot of our income. Need to pay attention and stay on top of that for the year-end surprises like this year.

We already refinanced when interest rates dropped last year, but I'll keep an eye on them still.

It's way past time to check out insurance rates. I used to research them every year or 2, but it has been a long, long time since I sent in our info to all the surrounding insurance companies to price shop.

Also time to start researching health insurance. Mine is going up significantly at work again, and I need to see what it would cost to get it privately. I'm working this job solely for insurance, so I need to see if that's really necessary or if I could work at home doing CSA and my other things and still afford health insurance out of pocket.

 

[framing fowl]

It's way past time to check out insurance rates. I used to research them every year or 2, but it has been a long, long time since I sent in our info to all the surrounding insurance companies to price shop.

This is a great point! IMHO insurance rates are like the stock market. They vary widely and for no apparent reason Always good to shop around.

Groceries: I need to start planning weekly menus to reduce the grocery bill. I always shop the sales, however, I end up buying things that don't get used up just because "it's a good deal." And then it sits in the freezer or pantry...

Electric: Need to shop for a new (to us) dryer. Ours is from the seventies and only has a timer on it with no other settings. And no, before y'all go SS on me, line or air drying is not in my future according to MyT Man! (I tried that as a newlywed and would prefer to stay married to the man )

Debt: Need to transfer remaining debt from the old business credit card to our home equity line which has a lower interest rate and get that paid off this year.

 

[2dream]

Re-create my budget. I have been awful this year. I have done nothing about savings, have not kept up with our money at all. Seem to be always running late with bills. Things I have never, ever done. The last three months of 2008 and the first 3 of 2009 were awful and I just never seemed to find the time to or the inclination to get back on track. 2010 will be different. I have been working on the budget for the last 2 weeks. I will have it fine tuned by January 15th. (I needed a full month of tracking).

The hard part will be to pull DH back over from the Dark Side. He too has gotten lazy about it all because I did.

 

[ninny]

Stay frugal even with our first baby coming in march.

 

[TanksHill]

First and foremost I am going to keep my fingers crossed on the residential solar business we are trying to launch.

If it is a success and I get to stay in my home and Ca. for that matter I will get on with my list.

Rebuild the savings account.

Pay off credit card and equity line.

Spend a bit doing much needed repairs to home and property. Paint (inside and out), rain gutters(rainwater storage), Fence(my everlasting pipe dream, no pun intended).

Then you have the SS goals. More Garden, More canning, more hens, maybe goats.

I have also started a journal this Jan. Mostly to keep track of the roller coaster we are on. And hopefully remind me in the future of how we managed. Something to keep me in reality and grounded. For when we start making big buck of course.

Thinking positive always helps!!!

gina

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Financial goals for 2010,...first and foremost,..be more frugal. Second,..pay off my CC's and payoff our tractor.

 

[sekinkead]

Mine is also to be more frugal, pay off the credit cards, expand the garden and can more this year. I am already doing great with paying my bills on time, it's just all the incidental spending that gets me in trouble.

 

[valmom]

I really want to get our savings back up to where it was a year ago. Which requires both of us to stay gainfully employed where we are. My job is secure as long as the hospital doesn't go bankrupt (which they keep threatening, having talked the union into mid-contract concessions on that basis). SO's job is sort of at the whim of the Selectboard of the town she works in.

We are paying bills on time and actually putting away money for the (HIGH!) property taxes and savings. I am paying extra off on the car (5.4%) and the truck (ZERO% a couple of years ago!) -our commuting vehicles and work vehicle. I doubt I will pay off my car this year, but it is a young car and should last many years, like the truck.

We have one outstanding CC bill that I want paid off by March the latest that was for a new refrigerator that was a necessity.

I am going to save the $5 a bar handmade soap charges that my SO loves by making our own! Might not go too far, but it will make me feel better!

For our food bill- I will put in a garden again this year and hope for better weather. The only thing I got an actual harvest out of were my Jacob's Cattle beans for drying and my kale. (actually have a pot of bean and kale soup cooking now for taking to work for lunch this week- it smells good!) I got a whole 3 butternut squash, 2 acorn squash, a couple of summer squash, NO tomatoes :/ no eggplant, a couple of hot peppers (that I've never had much luck with but I keep trying!) and a couple of onions.