Resolutions Are Just Goals With A Fancy Name
Setting goals keeps me motivated and helps me see where I am headed, as well as allows me to track my progress. I am a big fan of setting goals and therefore, I like the idea of resolutions. Yes, nothing magical happened between December 31st and January 1st – but the arbitrary designation of a new year gives one’s brain the idea of a fresh start.
I’ve already detailed my dual plan of paying off debt and saving for a new-to-us car this year, but I have some smaller goals related to our budget that, if I can stick to them, will help me to reach those more lofty goals. I like to think of these as my New Year Resolutions, and they are:
1. Spend $0 out of pocket at CVS and Walgreens this year. Last year I really got into playing the Drugstore Game, which is using sales, coupons and rebates to get many items free or almost free at CVS and Walgreens. In total, looking at my budgeting sheet, I spent less than $200 total at the two stores combined, but this year I want to keep that to $0. I received a gift card to each store for Christmas for $50 (each) and combined with the ECBs (CVS) and rebates (Walgreens) I have already saved up last year, I am going to continue to get great deals and pay almost nothing for many toiletries but this time, with no initial or continuing investment (no matter how small).
2. Stick to a $100 per week grocery (including household items and toiletries) budget. My actual spending has wildly varied in the past on groceries. Some months it was easy to stick to my grocery budget, and some months it seemed impossible. The prices of groceries in my area, according to my price book, have gone up about 15-20% in the last year, so I have raised my weekly budget, the key is going to be consitently sticking to it. I am going to look at it on a month to month basis ($400 or $500 per month depending on how many shopping weeks there were). But the key will be to only by items we need, even if they are a good deal.
3. Spend less than $100 out of pocket all year on clothing for the entire family. This excludes socks and underwear. I originally was going to set this number to zero, but I know there will be some unforeseen needs that I can’t set myself up for absolute failure. We did get a JCPenney gift card as well as two Target gift cards for Christmas, so we can spend those on clothing before we spend any money out of pocket. I have been an avid yard sale and thrift shop shopper in the past, and the kids both have plenty of clothing in their current sizes, and a lot of clothing in future sizes as well. I really shouldn’t need to get much in the way of clothing for them this year. My spouse has gotten a lot of new clothing in the last year due to his weight loss, and I did a lot of Goodwill shopping, so I think no one actually needs anything.
Related to that third resolution, I was also going to set a resolution to sell all of my kids’ outgrown clothing, but I read that laws are changing that all kid clothing has to go though lead testing to be sold, even old clothing. This goes into effect in February. Even if I donate my kids’ old clothes instead of sell them, they will probably end up just getting tossed after February. It makes me sad. I have a lot of kid clothing my kids have outgrown that are destined for a trash heap. Sigh. I guess I have to try and find some people with babies who want my hand-me-downs, because I can’t bear to just throw them all away.
Did you make any resolutions for this year?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Happy New Year!
My resolutions…
Reduce my expenses even more without sacrificing the quality of my life.
Start composting and figure out how to grow vegetables in containers in the intense summer heat.
Track every penny I spend…sure keeps me from spending when I have to write it down!
PS…I wonder if the new law applies to fabric used to sew children’s items as well.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Good luck with those goals! $100 a year for clothes for the whole family. Dang. I can’t imagine… and I’m not a clothes horse by any means. You go!
January 5th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I have a Walgreens giftcard for I think about $7 I’d be willing to send you. I used to do the Drugstore Game, but I moved, and I go to Walgreens way less often now. Like I said, it’s only worth about $7, but I know how far that can stretch at Walgreens! Email me your mailing address: silantrosquirrel at aol period com.
Also, I believe in you! Sounds like you’ve set some good goals. Good luck!
January 5th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I am sure you may of thought of this but just in case. I noticed you mentioned that you like to shop at yard sales and thrift stores for clothes.
You should take how ever much is on your target GC’s out of your grocery budget in cash, and us that during the year to buy clothing at a place cheaper than target…and just use the Target GC’s to buy your groceries there. That way your not tied to Target to buy your clothes for your family.
Hope this helps! You are doing great!
Shepherd
Shepherd Savings!
January 5th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
@ Jeremiah – That’s a good idea! But we don’t have Super Targets (ones with grocery stores) here. Just regular Targets with very very limited grocery items.
January 5th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I agree that resolutions are really just goals — except more dangerous. Goals are understood to be long-term. Resolutions, once broken, are often considered done and over. Yeesh, give yourselves a break!
I want to at least double my readers by July. I haven’t been doing much work in that arena, which is why I’m stuck around 140 right now.
I want to pay down another $4,000 in debt by the end of May. After that, we don’t know what will happen, since hubby’s unemployment will run out. By then, we’re hoping he’ll at least be working toward a career, if not in one. Depending on what happens with that, I’d like to be done with all $10,000 left of debt by 12/31/09. But if he has to go back to school, that may prove difficult.
I need to at least lose the weight from the holidays. I’m pretty sure I’ll stick to this because, between my old shoes giving out and the cold weather, my knees have NOT been happy. It’s a good reminder that weight isn’t just vanity — it’s a health issue. (This will also mean less grocery money spent on junk food.)
January 5th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
When you say $100 a week exactly what do you mean? For example, you spend $80.00 one week, do you then consider $110.00 the next week to be on target?
Mark
January 5th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
BTW, I would not be surprised to see some amendments or other such action taken on that law. There have been a lot of gripes out there about it.
Those testing requirements are really going to hit thrift stores hard.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
That silly law is really going to mess with my budget. I try to use the money I make at consignment sales on my kids clothing to buy clothes that they need. I’ve wondered if we could still sell the clothes at yard sales & Craig’s List.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
@ Mark – I am going to look at the groceries on a month by month basis. I didn’t set a month # because some months have 5 shopping weeks and some have 4. But basically, each month, my grocery spending should average to $100/week (or less, hopefully). If there were 5 Saturdays (my designated shopping day) then that’s a $500 month, if there are 4 Saturdays, then a $400 month.
Hope that helps!
January 5th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Don’t forget that used clothing can still be sold at yard sales, craigslist, and the like. Also, check out your local freecycle for clothes as well!
January 5th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
PaidTwice,
Yeap, it does! Last year I was tracking grocery expenditures and was doing so on a weekly basis, it made me do some spreadsheet gymnastics and you can guess the result – I eventually stopped doing it.
A monthly budget makes sense. So, in my situation if you spent:
80
80
130
110
per week over a four Saturday month, you are at budget.
Catherine, what you say may be true but Craig’s list rummage sales, & Freecycle are not as convenient as one Goodwill or St. Vincent Depaul, and I bet a lot of people will just toss instead of running the risk of violating the law.
January 5th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Oh man! I’m sure you can do it!
Shoes were always our downfall, since those I wouldn’t get second hand. Also, don’t worry about a charity “throwing away” clothes. Not that it’s particularly appealing, but most charities send what they can’t use overseas. How in the world do you lead test clothes anyway???
Though I got into the Walgreens thing this year, I found they didn’t carry stuff I REALly needed, so tho I saved some, I doubt I’ll be using it as much this year. #2, might be easier this year since prices hopefully will go down. I got a bit OCD with coupons from eBay, so I’m thinking we have enough staples to last a year; so for 3 “adults” we’re shooting for $100/2 weeks (at least allocated from paycheck–not necessarily spent that neatly). I think your goal is reasonable with your kids to feed. #3: good luck; but using your strategies it’ll work (diapers, anymore?) unless the kids have a major growth spurt
January 5th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
This new lead testing law gives me an anxiety attack. I’m all for stricter testing but at what cost? This has been created with a broad stroke brush and needs to be tweaked.
January 5th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I think I am going to try and get all our clothes I was going to try and sell and donate it to Goodwill (if they’ll take it) this weekend. I just want someone to use them. lol.
SHOES. Darn, I forgot all about shoes. I may have to revise that goal…. I can never get used shoes for my son because he is an XW and I can never find them secondhand.
Shoes. Argh. Heh.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
For the 100 on toiletries and clothes, are you going to be keeping detailed receipts or put aside that money in an envelope or jar so you know if you have gotten to that amount. I know that I would have a hard time remembering by September if I spent $20 or $25 in February or March.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
@Angelle – the $100 in clothes would be noted on my budget sheet and added up every month. I keep track of every penny of my spending with a budgeting worksheet.
January 6th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Congratulations on some realistic 2009 resolutions/goals.
I have a suggestion for you on the kids clothing you don’t think you’ll be able to sell. If you or someone you know is quilt-crafty, take those clothes and cut them into quilt squares. You can make (or have made) a patchwork quilt specific to each child with clothes they used to wear. Free warmth in the winter too!
I always wanted to do this with my girls old clothing, especially the stuff they wore often and their too small school uniforms, but I, sadly, never motivated myself to get it done.
k.
Just an idea for you.
January 7th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Like Catherine says…
Freecycle is a great place to give and receive old clothes. Our clothes budget last year was JUST socks and underwear as a result of freecycling. Oh, and a snowsuit for my son. And I don’t have all my old stuff lying around taunting me.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I actually put up a post called “09′ Will Be Mine” the other day where I decided that this year I would have “goals” instead of resolutions.
I made them fairly far reaching, and then over the next few weeks will refine them into smaller mini goals. I’ll cover them o n my blog as well.
Great post!