I think that there is some sort of unwritten rule that bloggers need to discuss their goals for the future year on New Years Day!
Or maybe it’s just an easy topic for brains fogged by staying up uncharacteristically late the night before 🙂
I have personal, professional and financial/frugal goals for 2009.
Start exercising on a regular basis again. My energy has been way down and I’ve added some extra “padding”. Also I find that I’m spending way more time seated in front of the computer-I need to even that out with some movement! I will not set a specific target amount, but it simply needs to become a part of my lifestyle.
Stop eating junk, and stop eating after I’m already full. I have been snacking way too much, and not on the right kinds of things. Although I want to loose weight, I am not going to tie myself down to a specific number of pounds etc. I cook good, homemade food. . . If I stopped eating the junk and simply stopped eating when I was full I’d see a huge improvement in the weight area.
Keep the importance of my family in mind. Things have started rolling professionally for me-and with that is coming more travel, more time spent on projects while I am home. I need to continue to remember that I became a SAHM in order to be able to be there for my husband and children. Now that they are both in school I have more time to work. . . but I don’t want it to take over and completely consume me. I have to maintain balance. Of course there will be short periods of time for specific projects where I may be consumed-but it cannont become an always, all the time thing.
Monetize Frugal Upstate. I have been experimenting a bit with advertising-but this year will see a total revamp of the site style, and a great deal of thought and effort put into earning some money off of what I am already doing, without making it annoying for my readers.
Expand my “brand”. I started doing this in 2008 by joining, and participating in, Twitter (yes-you can follow me at http://twitter.com/JennFowler), from that being chosen for Walmarts ElevenMoms program and most recently starting a Blog Talk Radio show (Monday nights, 830 EST with Lynnae of BeingFrugal.net)
Get the business side of things organized. When you start making money on line, you need to start tracking it, and paying taxes, and can claim certain write offs. . . all of those things need to be better tracked and organized.
Joyfully accept unexpected opportunities. There are so many possibilities out there for 2009. I have met wonderful people this last year who have discussed various projects with me, speaking, consulting, assistance with conference/seminar planning . . . . I am keeping my mind and options open and seeing where things lead!
Make enough money to actually consider it a salary.
Don’t let being busy trump being frugal. Obviously if my working includes more travel there will be some concessions made in my frugal lifestyle. . . but I need to remember my focus and not let “convenience” become an expensive way of life.
So there it is, my goals for the new year. I have tried very hard to keep them realistic, and yet to give myself something to strive for. Believe it or not, that is difficult for me. I like to dream big! But I know me. . . .I need to keep it real or else I can get discouraged (especially on things like weight loss).
I just KNOW that 2009 is going to be a fantastic year. . . what do you have planned???
Photo by Dreamsjung
“Don’t let being busy trump being frugal.”
This is a huge one for me! Since I took on a part time job, we’ve been going through the drive thru much more than we need to be and buying convenience foods! I have to start planning ahead!
Sherry
Good goals Jenn, you will reach them.
Dieting is one of my chronic New Year’s goals: it just never seems to work. So on 12/26 I just gave up simple carbs, cookies, cake, donuts, candy and refined flour products. Whole wheat products are easy to substitute for the white and I am grabbing yogurt, fresh fruit and popcorn when the munchies set in.I’m also shrinking my stomach by eating part of my meal and then waiting until I feel hungry again before eating more, I also made a weight loss time line, I’m aiming for 2 lbs per month, this gives me a specific goal to work towards and the results over 12 years would be 24 lbs!
Other goals include balancing multiple committments with downtime for relaxing and other health promoting activities.
Happy New Year 2009 to you and all the Frugal Upstate readers.
Great post, Jenn! Makes me think about kick-starting my list of goals for the year 🙂
Frugality can become a way of life if you let it, and being busy will lead to less of an excuse… you will find that is pays dividends throughout the year, as well, and gives some insurance for benefits throughout the future. I love that resolution!
Jerry
http://www.leads4insurance.com
I have been late this year to set my goals. But those are on my list as well! Creating a more healthy lifestyle is very important. That’s top of my list. Enjoying the time I have with my kids while they are still young is another. It seems the older they get the faster the years go by.
Happy New Year!!!
Kim
http://www.mycarseatblankie.com
Hello!
It sounds like you’ve got some great goals for the new year. I like how you set business goals for yourself — my husband and I are business owners and belive it’s one of the most important ways you can ensure more revenue.
Take Care,
Trixie
http://farmhomelife.blogspot.com/
Aston Villa rode their luck at Hull City where an 88-minute own goal from Kamil Zayatte saw them leapfrog three points clear of Arsenal and into fourth place in the Premier League wow gold with a 1-0 win.
Villa had to survive Hull penalty appeals for a handball against Ashley Young in time added on, television replays showing that referee Steve Bennett wow gold correctly rejected the claims after consulting a linesman.
Bennett had been involved in controversy after just five minutes when American goalkeeper Brad Friedel looked to have handed Hull the initiative and threaten Villa’s return to the Champions League qualifying wow gold zone.
Friedel spilled wow gold the ball under pressure from Nick Barmby and stand-in right-back Nigel Reo-Coker turned it into his own net as he attempted to wow gold clear.
But Bennett cut short wow gold celebrations at the KC Stadium — and let Friedel off the hook — when he ruled out the score for an apparent infringement by Barmby.
Zayatte’s intervention from a Young cross bound for wow gold Gabriel Agbonlahor then saw Villa leapfrog Arsenal and draw level with Manchester United on 38 points — seven adrift of leaders Liverpool and four wow gold behind Chelsea.
Stung by an on-pitch dressing down wow gold by manager Phil Brown at Manchester City last week, Hull showed five changes and a vastly improved performance.
Promoted Hull were looking for only their second win in 11 games while wow gold Villa arrived unbeaten in seven and it looked to be heading for a goalless draw when the home side suffered a cruel late blow.
Premier League leaders Liverpool thrrew their “full support” world of warcraft gold behind Steven Gerrard after their captain was charged with assault on Tuesday following an incident at a local nightclub.
Gerrard, 28, and two other men were charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and affray, Merseyside police said.
They are scheduled to world of warcraft gold appear in court on January 23.
In the wake of the charges, Liverpool issued a wow power leveling statement on their official Web site.
“Steven has been an outstanding servant to world of warcraft gold Liverpool for the last ten years and the club will give him all the support he needs at this time,” it read.
The offenses with which Gerrard have been charged carry cheap wow gold a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Three other men, who were also arrested, were world of warcraft gold released without charge pending further inquiries.
Gerrard was arrested cheap wow gold in the early hours of Monday morning and eventually charged after over 20 hours in police custody.
His wife Alex Curran was seen near the police station where world of warcraft gold he was held but drove off without talking to reporters.
Gerrard had been celebrating his side’s 5-1 buy wow gold win over Newcastle on Sunday when the alleged altercation occurred.
He had scored two goals in the victory at St James’ Park which left world of warcraft gold Liverpool top of the English Premier League and on course for their first English title in 18 years.
He was released on bail to wow power leveling appear in court on January 23 with John Doran, 29, and Ian Smith, 19, who were charged with the same offenses.
Gerrard, who has spent his entire career with Liverpool, world of warcraft gold is one of the most celebrated players in the club’s history and renowned as a model professional.
In 2005 he lifted the European Cup — Liverpool’s fifth — wow gold kaufen after a thrilling penalty shooting victory over AC Milan and turned down the advances of cash-rich Chelsea to stay with his local club.
The midfielder has also made 70 appearances for England, dofus kamas captaining his country on four occasions.
He was made an Member of the British Empire (MBE) last year and received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool’s John Moores University.
Liverpool’s next match is against Preston in the kamas dofusEnglish FA Cup on Saturday, a game Gerrard was due to sit out because of suspension
Great goals!! One goal of mine is to become more frugal in our cooking, utilities, and entertainment. Another is to exercise and get out and LIVE! The biggest is to get my husband on the frugal bandwagon. Grrrrr. He needs to get on or I’m taking his checkbook away!