New year Old Style resolutions...

ginnyknit

Molly41 wrote: »

Its very hard for me to make new years resolutions as Im so afraid of what 2010 will bring. This year I have lost so much - my health and my beloved midwifery so Im having to re-evaluate everything. I don't know that it will get better but it could get so much worse.

There are a few things that I would like to do:
I would like to make some friends who live locally as Im very lonely
I would like to learn to crochet as I think it would help my anxiety

Mollyx

Ok Molly, where in the Uk are you? I know where you are coming from as I gave up work to look after hubby, it is scary but with MSE around you have friends at least just a click away!:j

lucy*locket

I love this thread, so inspiring and reassuring to see that we mostly share the same aims and values. Many of your lists could have been written by me, so I hope no-one minds but I've copied some of your resolutions onto my own list. I'm going to print it out and keep it on show to remind me over the next year what I wanted to achieve.

• Lose some weight. I must do this for my health, no excuses this year. I enjoy my food a bit too much:D
• Use the Wii Fit at least 4 times a week. I’ve been doing this for the past few months but it’s all too easy to miss a day, then 2 days…..
• Cut down on alcohol (rather too fond of a glass of wine in the evening). Have at least 4 alcohol free days each week.
• Go for more walks with DH, or on my own.
• Read more (just got to stay awake when my head hits the pillow).
• Take up sewing and embroidery again. I have a new sewing machine (bought from Ebay before Christmas) and a half-finished Union Jack needlepoint cushion I’ve only been working on for 18 months!
• Stick to the challenges I join in with: Sealed Pot, £365 in 365 days, Thrifty Gifty, etc etc
• Save my loyalty points to use at Christmas (Tesco, Sainsburys)
• Continue buying Christmas and Birthday presents through the year when I spot any bargains.
• Give home-made presents as much as possible.
• Sell unwanted stuff on Ebay and PUT THE MONEY IN MY SAVINGS ACCOUNT rather than spending it on more stuff!
• Try a new recipe each week-I have a bookcase full of cookery books that I don’t use.
• Log onto MSE every day for inspiration, tips and advice
• Strive to be content with what I have and appreciate my life more.
• Try to be a better person, be more tolerant, be nicer to people.
• Enjoy the simple things in life that don’t cost anything.
• Look into volunteer work during school holidays when I have lots of spare time. Give something back.
• Finish the little DIY jobs around the house.
• Decorate the living room (I already bought some wallpaper in the Laura Ashley sale)

Sorry I've gone on a bit but I'm really fired up and hoping for a MSE 2010:A. Huge thanks to all who take the time to post.

AlwaysHappy

Crikey there are some really good goals set, I could say I'll do all of the above - they all strike a chord but I'll try and be realistic:
1. Ask myself - do I really need it- before purchasing, and be honest
2. Use up what is in my storecupboards before immediately thinking I have nothing in.
3. Appreciate the good things I have in my life and try and count my blessings every day.
4. Try and stay motivated with the £10 a day challenge as otherwise we won't have a holiday, though it is getting tough.
5. I too would like to make some friends this year, I have good friends who live miles away but since moving 5 years ago, have sustained those friendships but struggled to make new ones, sometimes wonder what I do wrong, lets hope 2010 is the year.
6. Try and get on top of pacing myself - I have M.E - and really struggle with this but know I might need to go backwards before I go forwards so must persevere.
7. Try and find time to keep on top of all the threads I have subscribed to - no mean feat!
8. Declutter the house and make it one I'd be proud to have unexpected guests call on.
I'm sure there are loads more but I'll be happy if I succeed with those....

InfamyInfamy

Eat more, drink more, smoke more!!
:beer:

lizzyshep

This is a good thread :-)

I won't make too many resolutions or I will get overwhelmed, so will concentrate on what is really important. Money is pretty tight at the moment so I need to save every penny I can. I also want to improve my quality of life and make myself happier, so this will be a focus of my resolutions too.

1. Do the sealed pot challenge (with 50ps) and the 20p challenge. To keep these up all year and try very hard not to open them before (unless desperate).
2. Do a monthly budget and stick to it. Any money left over at the end of the month (I'm laughing as I write this!) will go into my ISA (this has nearly £2000 in which I'm very pleased with, this also will not get touched unless an emergency).
3. Really think about things before I buy them, using the 'can I afford it etc.' mantra - I am a terrible impulse buyer.
4. Keep a spending diary - I did this for a while last year and couldn't believe where my money went.
5. Keep using my credit card but pay off in full before the end of the month where possible. I get reward points for using this and am about to order myself a very nice set of kitchen knives for free!
6. Never go overdrawn because my bank charge 50p per day which is a rip off!
7. Keep an eye out for good deals on bank accounts, ISAs, credit cards etc and apply if something comes up. I switched bank accounts 3 times in the past couple of years and made £400 in the process!
8. Use the extra money I am due from a late pay rise (backdated to September) and insurance refund to help pay off my credit card - anything left will go into ISA.
9. Pay my mum back £25 per month without fail (except for January).
10. Clear my freezers and storecupboard before I buy anything new, and only buy fresh stuff as needed, especially this month as I'm a bit short. I will also menu plan, as this helps immensely and makes sure I eat well and cheaply.
11. Use up all the bath stuff etc I have, instead of buying new - I have enough to last me all year, plus I have the 'ingredients' to make my own bath bombs, bubble bath etc (got these a couple of years ago and have hardly used them). I will refill nice bottles, as it is often the packaging that attracts me anyway. I've already made some nice aromatherapy bath milks and bubble baths and am about to have a nice relaxing bath.
12. Keep doing paid surveys when I get the chance, and use the vouchers for things I need, rather than things I want.
13. Make sure I have at least half an hour 'quiet time' every evening - TV off, read a good book, relax. The time will also be spent doing things like keeping a journal, thinking about the things that are good in my life, focusing on the positive and enjoying the simple things in life. I also want to avoid the messages given by advertising and the media, as these breed discontent and make us want things we hadn't even considered before.
14. Have some fun nights in with my other half - we have plenty of entertainment in the form of DVDs, board games, Play Station etc. Will also invite friends round to share in our fun, and this will be cheaper than going out.
15. Make a concerted effort not to let work and part time study stress me out - life's too short to be miserable all the time!

That's a few more than I meant to make, but a couple of them are only for this month anyway, and the others shouldn't be too hard to stick to. I am determined that 2010 will be a happy year for me :-)

gemma1984

We've today totalled up our debts and to be honest I'm really quite scared about the amount we've racked up. I thought only people on tv shows had this much debt.

I'd love love love it if eventually we could become debt free, so we're starting out on our way.

First of all, I've long lurked on the OS board and often used ideas etc, but I suppose I'm just re joining again to say hello.

My general questions etc......

1.) I'm thinking of getting a bread maker- now where can a buy a VERY cheap one, that makes nice cheap bread and also is it hard/time consuming to make with a 1 year old running around?
2.) Where can you get those energy monitor thingies that show you which devices are using the most electricity?
3.) Please can someone tell me where you canbuy a money tree

zippychick

just running out the door but well done on taking the first step. Have you posted an SOA on the DFW board? thats always a good start.

Dont worry - it's not half as bad now you have faced it and are sorting out a plan xx

WOuld you try making bread by hand to save the cost of a BM? i got one off freecycle (ask for one, people have them in cupboards never used), but have now changed to hand mdae.

juliapenguin

Hello and well done for facing up to things :beer:

I can't answer your questions (especially the last one!!) but one thing I know is that when I've had the time and energy to live Old Style (ie spending next to nothing and following the good advice of people here) we've all lived really, really well and been very happy.

Good luck - you can do it! Just start with baby steps and keep away from the shops and spendy people as much as you can.

DianaMattos

I just wanted to pop by to encourage you in your journey in becoming debt free. Set yourself small targets and meet them one by one. For example, would it be feasible to pay off your Tesco credit card debt by the end of Feb? Look at where you could cut back in your spending, the little things all add up, like lunches at work, magazines, chocolate bars when you fill up with petrol, takeaways etc.

We are looking to become debt free by the end of this year, with some savings put aside as well. We are tightening belts and going without for the short term so that long term we are not paying loads of money to the debt companies.

There is plenty of advice on this board, on the DFW (Debt Free Wannabe) board etc, so make good use of it!

taffy1969

Hi all Happy New Year!
I would like to post my updated NYR list, I've add a couple of things.
These are my NYR's:
1. Meal plan watch what I spend
2. Ebay stuff (I've got loads!) towards our holiday in 2010
3. Get on top of my cleaning and work out a realistic rota. Re-joined Flylady
4. Get up when my alarm goes off! Do a HHC in the morning
5. Tidy everywhere in the evening and get everything ready for the morning
6. De-clutter and keep on top of it.
7. Do more batch cooking for when DH away and more baking and bread making
8. Give up smoking
9. Keep school/accounts for other people up to date
10. Keep in touch and meet up with my friends more
11. Exercise more, use my Wii Fit
12. Eat healthily and hopefully lose weight. Not by going to any clubs
I started no 8 today - I GAVE UP SMOKING. 1 day done, now off to bed.
Tomorrow I will start 11 and 12. I really need to do these, I can't tell my girls they can't have the cake or chocolate when I'm sat there stuffing my face!
Good evening everyone
Taffy