2012 Financial Goals

Every year I list out some financial goals that I hope to achieve. Many times I don't reach those goals, but that's often because life takes me in a direction that I didn't plan for. Still, when I compare where I am at after 12 months, I am usually in a better place. I think it's fun to list the goals out and then compare at the end of the year.

2012's motto is: Don't waste a single penny! Yes, we are going on another "financial challenge" and this time we plan to be far more aggressive than ever before. This might actually mean more cost cutting... considering we live rather minimally, I can't believe we are still able to find more ways to save even more. Every single penny for one year will be allocated towards our goal of a vacation, a move or put towards a financial investment. Every.single.penny.

My husband jokes and says he feels like he is going to jail for one year. He's the one who has to give up more than I do because he goes out for dinner once a week and he has some other routine indulgences that he's willing to give up for one year. I'm glad he's on board.

While we live leaner than most, we still have some room for improvement. When we went on our "minimum wage challenge", we cut out a lot. When the challenge was over we allowed some treats to come back into our lives - those will be cut out again.

• We are going to clean up our diet and buy less meat and dairy (expensive) which should help our health over all. 
• I am going to give up coffee (my husband already gave up coffee years ago) including coffee made at home because I need to cut out the cream and sugar that I normally use. Tea it is!
• We are going to give up wine and beer entirely for a year (unless friends bring it over!)
• We are going to make use of investment tools to help us save.
• We are going to make use of points systems to pay for Christmas next year. 
• We are going to save/invest every single cent we can find. (We used to apply this to debt)
• We might consider extra or new jobs (eek!)
• We are going to have a yard sale! We don't expect this to be a money-maker, but we sure have many things kicking around that we just don't use. 
• I will do more meal planning and cooking/prepping ahead for the week. No going out, no running to the expensive grocery store or convenience store when we forgot something.
• We will spend less time with screens (computer, TV, IPhone) and more time on fun, free activities or activities that will help us save or earn more money. (Even without cable we manage to spend hours a day in front of a screen.)

Overall, our main goal is that we hope to become a little healthier this year. Funny though, we aren't focusing on the fitness or nutrition aspect of improving our physical health, we are focusing on the financial aspect of it (i.e. meat and dairy is expensive, cream and sugar in coffee costs money, water is free). Maybe that's a little more motivating for us?

I'd love to hear of some of your financial related goals for 2012!! To the left here you can find my Facebook page if it's easier for you to chat there than here!