New year Old Style resolutions...

Lily-Lu

Hmmm....I've never written a list like this before. Guess that's to save my feelings if I fail to do it in time. Anyway, hopefully this will be a reminder and get me motivated:D

Just a few (most important) things that I want to achieve.

1) Paint the kitchen (including cupboard/drawer fronts) and have it all finished (as well as make new curtains) by the end of January.

2) make a real effort to clear my £1,000 credit card debt by the end of the year.

3) Make a real effort not to spend any money unless I really need the item.

Good luck to all

sunshine6650

These are all great...i need to think about mine bit more, i have lots!!

*Print write mine out & keep somewhere i see, this will help remind me of my easy goals to make 2010 easier & more enjoyable - which is what its all about!!!

*Have lunches for work. it will stop me feeling bad about wasting money, give me a bit of pride & know im doing some good!!!

It makes it so much easier when you write it down in simple bullet points, this along with daily things & challanges will make 2010 easier, simple, less stressful & cheaper.

Keep them coming.

xx

foxgloves

I'm going to stop dieting for ever. I've been doing it on & off for about 30 years (started young!) and I've just got bigger, so I'm going to try something completely new, no scheme, no dietplan, no being either 'good' or 'bad' with food, am just going to make healthier choices & do a bit more exercise/activity every day (mostly this will be gardening as I do grow a fair bit of veg). Am thinking that once I stop this cycle of being 'good' and feeling guilty when I'm not dieting, so eating more than I really want, I'll actually start dropping weight naturally. Also planning to follow the rest of you with a really good declutter. May not be brave enough to tackle the loft but certainly planning to tackle every room. Finally, am setting myself a challenge to buy absolutely as little as possible in 2010 in order to pay for a much needed new kitchen as we have patched up our tatty old one as much as we can now. Apart from the kitchen I've come to the conclusion I have everything I need & most of what I want and so I'm hoping that this won't be too difficult a challenge. I did used to be a terrible spender so it'll be a bit of a test as to how much I have really changed. One sign is that the 'old me' would have just stuck the new kitchen straight on credit without a second thought!

skipsmum

Another January coming. Another year.
My house is a tip. My kids are insane. I have bipolar disorder, PTSD, and depression and am still getting over chemotherapy.
Today I made DH get up on his day off to take me 30 miles to Ikea to buy bedside cupboards on a whim.
Halfway there I burst into tears and admitted I don't have enough money for bedside cupboards. In fact I don't have any money at all, and am up to my eyeballs in debt.

So, NO MORE TEARS.
I have (with DH) made a list of debts and repayments. He has confiscated my credit cards and I have changed my littlewoods password to something I cant remember.
in between crying fits I have hoovered the front room and cleaned the litter tray.
I have failed to walk the dog, or start on the mountain range of washing that seems to be in every room.
Yesterday I bought a slow cooker, but didnt manage to use it today, but DS is now rummaging in the freezer to help me with dinner.

2010
I'm going to finish my course of counselling, even though its really hard.
I'm going to go back to the hospital and get my meds reviewed.
I'm going to pay off my credit cards.
I'm going to ebay some of the stuff thats filling the house (DS2s major buggy that he hasnt fit in for a year, 2 lifejackets that I keep for emergencies, etc etc).
I'm going to clear out the emergency stash of butter and tuna. I don't even like tuna.
I'm going to eat meals at mealtimes.
AND
I'm going to come back to the OS board which I stopped looking at months ago cos I felt so guilty.

katiesmummy

I am loving this thread!!

I have already printed out a list of goals for 2010 which I am determined to keep to:

• Have a budget and stick to it 90% of the time- bf and I are moving in together in a week and things will be tough, certainly for a few months as I will lose all my housing benefit etc, so need to stick to a strict budget for a while at least
• Save £300 a month towards christmas, birthdays, car and bike tax/mot/insurance (which are unfortunately all due the same month). Cutting down not really an option as oh needs bike for work, and car was a gift from his parents to us (which included first yrs insurance, mot and driving lessons for me- can't sell for at least a year or so even if i want to!)
• Continue with my homebaking- saving £££'s already as am no longer buying bread and cakes
• Where I can, make presents such as baskets for people, instead of buying a big gift
• Start flylady and STICK TO IT!!!
• Sort my garden out- it looks like a rubbish tip
• Pass my driving test so I'm not restricted to the shops in town for food shopping- loads of farmers markets not far away that I can't get to as can't drive and public transport is dire
• Earn as much as I can with daily clicks, points etc
• Save all my loose change in a jar
• Have at least 3 NSD per week
• STOP SMOKING!!!! dirty dirty habit that I really can't afford
• Decorate at least 2 rooms in my house by the end of 2010- I was given vouchers from bf's mum for christmas so I went out and bought paint today to get started on lounge and ds's room
• Lastly....to spend more time with my lovely family doing family things...even if its just a walk to the park and a go on the swings (I'm 28 going on 8 hehe)

Bitsy_Beans

Well done on facing up to your debts. Big step but at least you have a plan to deal with them.
As for the jobs around the house BABY STEPS. You did something which is ALWAYS better than nothing If you try to tackle everything at once you'll end up feeling a failure if you can't clear it all in a day. Just do one extra thing a day and build it up from there.

Welcome back to OS board, don't feel guilty - come and join us on the Daily thread - lovely bunch (if I do say so myself ) and always ready with words of support and encouragement

stefejb

Wow Skipsmum - that's a huuuuuuge to do list you've given yourself - Bitsy is right about the baby steps. In terms of the housework pop yourself over to Pigpen's flylady thread on the OS board - the first few weeks, if things are as bad as they were in my house - blush - you might only manage level one - don't try to do too much all at once. Best of luck!

kazmeister

Just wanted to say - its a huge achievement what you have done so far, the biggest was admitting there are problems but you are already halfway there in deciding you want to resolve them :T:T:T

SassyMoneySaver

Good luck. You have made the first step. :j:j But don't do too much at once or you will be overcome again. Just little things like the others have suggested and they all add up in the long run.

jc2703

Sounds like a mountain range you have there hun! on the plus side...at least you managed to bag a slow cooker before OH confiscated your credit cards:D

Maybe start there...meal plan for just two or three days ahead (like they said - babysteps) use the slow cooker (ten minutes prep on the morning = lovely dinner) a couple of days you'll feel like a domestic goddess in the making and you're self esteem will get a boost, which in turn will make the next 'to do' a little easier.

Go look in your cupboards fridge and freezer and see whats laid about and then plan what you're making for tomorrow and the next day (i have no clue what day today is) and put that on the meal plan thread - if your lacking in inspiration check out other peoples meal plans and the 'in my slow cooker today...' thread. As you plan the next couple of days edit your post until it becomes a week.

Start posting on the daily thread - just for support and see what everyone else is upto - ask for more help; people will offer what they can in the way of ideas or help.

Good Luck!!

J x