What do you want to achieve in 2015?

[Deleted User]

Wow lots of newbies.

Well done Lee on the job - great start to the new year.

I am gonna look to do an update later on this week.

Dxxx

smileygirl18

OK - I'm another newbie - so apologies if I get anything wrong with abbreviations, etc. Was going to write a these down in a notebook and keep tucked away to refer to but then saw this and thought I'd give it a go - a bit if support goes a long way.


So - my aims for 2015


- to finally get the right support in place for my son and I to help improve his autism related behavioural challenges (I seem to have been battling for this forever - it's very wearing!)


- for my son to be sleeping in his own bed at least 3 nights a week by summer and all week by Christmas 2015


- to eat and live more healthily with the aim of improving my fitness levels and losing 70lb in weight


- to continue to reduce my c/c debt - all on 0% at the mo but will not be able to clear completely when deal ends so just want to make sure have reduced as much as I can


- to review my teams workload and work division - I want to work 4 days a week (not 5) so I have one day a week to do sewing/craft activities I enjoy - to help me relax and stay strong to deal with first aim


- to finish off fitting and decorating the bathroom (cowboy builder messed it up and did a runner half way through 2 years ago - ggrr!!)


- to make a start on the garden - focus on the first section near the house to make it a pleasant place to sit in when the weather gets warmer


These perhaps don't seem very specific but as a single mum working full time with a child that requires constant attention and has unpredictable behaviour patterns I've had to accept that planning to achieve things in a certain time frame is rarely achievable and I just have to try and grab time opportunities when they arise so I can get things done.


Good luck to everyone with your aims.

Pookie_lou

Love threads like this! I've been thinking about my aims a lot over the last few days but havnt yet written a list, so here goes!

* I am due baby no 2 on 1st February, so want to have my money diary / money plan in order as my wages will drop and I really want the year off.

* Sort out my only CC - I have a Huge balance on there, currently being charged interest, so I want to balance transfer some and massively reduce the balance. I know I won't clear it this year, but if I can reduce it by a few thousand il be really happy.

* Meal plan better and change to Aldi for most of our shopping

* Start comping, I aim to enter at least 10 a week

* Make more use of coupons, discounts etc

* De -Clutter and sell, sell, sell!

* Work more on setting my online business up

* Continue our families healthy eating habits

* Guide my family into living more simply and to slow down and embrace each day

Mjkpio

Happy 2015!

• Pay off £1,800 credit card by April
• Have in excess of £20k savings by December
• Reduce mobile phone bill from £30pcm to £15pcm
• Lose at least 6 kg/1 stone in weight
• Gain at least 1 new work related qualification
• Do one really cool thing this year
• Read at least 1 book

angelbob

This year my goals are:
Will update each week x


1. Pay off £5000 of debt Paid £31.60 so far


2. Loose two more stone at Slimming World Enjoy SW, am part of the social team, tonight is first weigh in since Xmas so could be tough


3. Sell treasures on facebook and ebay Going to start when I have a week off work at the end of the month


4. Paint bedroom Not yet


5. Lay patio Haha


6. Sort & tidy attic Nope


7. (new one) Develop all photos and put into albums I'm old skool

FatVonD

Update from me...

1. Ring bank tomorrow to get remaining balance on my CC, divide it by 10 and adjust the direct debit amount to get it paid off by the time my 0% deal ends. As per a previous post I did this and during the course of the conversation realised it is interest free until Dec 2016 and not Dec 2015 as I thought. I gritted my teeth and still changed the direct debit to pay it off in a year (at the expense of my savings/loan) then rang back to change it back to minimum amount again. Unfortunately they can't do it in time so I have to cancel the DD, pay over the phone this month then set up a new one.
   
2. I will still have a bank loan outstanding but am currently on a year long contract so I plan to just continue making normal payments on the loan but save at least £300 per month in another account for the next 10 months. That will give me a £3,000 buffer in case work is slow picking up next year but if work is plentiful then I will use it to pay down my loan. [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]I get paid next week and have decided to set up a SO to transfer the savings to an account with a different bank so it's not so easy to just move it back with a click of a mouse![/COLOR]
   
3. I get nearly six weeks holiday where I am currently working so I'm going to try to book myself some freelance work for at least one of those weeks so I get an extra weeks money for that week. [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"][COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]Haven't emailed anybody yet but am going to book a couple of weeks off in the school holidays when demands is highest for freelancers.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
   
4. I must get around to ebaying some of the bigger ticket items I have laying around but have to admit I'm not looking forward to it and most of the 'smaller' stuff is being periodically carted off to the charity shop. My biggest problem with ebay is getting nice pics as I currently don't own a proper camera and these bits aren't things I can steal pics from the internet for.)[COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"] [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]Still haven't done this [/COLOR][/COLOR]

Drop 3 dress sizes so when my contract runs out at the end of next year I reenter the freelance world/job market as the slim old me (5 days into diet already ) [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]I have no idea how much weight i've lost (I don't own any scales!) but I know I have lost some because the dress I'm wearing today which was, ahem, snug, now has a good couple of inches of spare fabric[/COLOR] :T

Do the illustrations/photo montage for a children's book I have written. [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"][COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]Haven't done this but have done some pic research.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

Complete the mock up of new magazine idea I have to pitch to publisher. [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]Haven't done anything towards this.[/COLOR]

Declutter the house and add more storage.[COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"] I've done lots of this, stuff has been left outside the house for people to take, my car is full of stuff to be taken to the charity shop and there is a pile of stuff in the garden ready to be taken to the dump. I bought a chest of drawers from a charity shop to store spare bedding in so our junk room is now (nearly) a study.[/COLOR]

Redecorate the house in a style that will be more appealing to others in case I can't find as much work next year and need to downsize. [COLOR="rgb(255, 0, 255)"]I've painted the landing and fixed the wobbly stair rail, put up a big light-reflecting mirror in the sitting room and bought new duck egg blue curtains in the Debenhams sale (they're currently black.) I've also made appointments to see a couple of cheaper houses at the weekend which will hopefully spur me on to get mine on the market.[/COLOR]

System

Can I join please ?

I am keeping it simple this year as last year I was to ambitious and didn't get some things done so consequently felt a bit of a failure.

I want to pay off my sofa debt.

Pay off my catalogue debt before BNPL kicks in in September.

finish decorating hallway.

These are my priorities for this year.

charmed1318

Hi to all. Can I join?

Have joined a couple of threads after being a long time reader. Much of this week has seen me read post after post, thread after thread. Be nice to have one place to hold it all. I'll try and update each week and might add (if this is allowed)?
Quite looking forward to see how I stand Jan 2016.

1. Loose weight - Aim 3 months
2. Keep track of all spending - Aim Year
3. Find a job - Aim 5 months
4. Save for Safety net fund - Aim 4 months
5. Keep to agreed debt pments - Aim All Year
6. Move - Aim 6 months

2015 will be my year. :j
Charmed

headoutthesand

Hi everyone


My goals for 2015 are:

1. Not to spend on Credit Cards
2. To buy a house
3. To have an emergency fund in place
4. To say 'NO' when I know that I can't afford to do something or go somewhere
5. Be more frugal with my money

I really do hope I stick to this list as I know it will improve my finances dramatically

malefic

Quick update from me:

• £110 paid off the CC
• £150 paid off the loan
• Bought a book about introverts in an extrovert world, see if I get some tips

Will be dismantling a few pallets tomorrow and digging the veggie patch over so hopefully that will kick start the weight loss by a pound or so.....well until I find the cheese board left in the fridge!

Happy weekend all!