what are your goals for this year and how do you track them?

[Deleted]

Do you have specific benchmarks to see how you are doing?  One of my goals is to get all my credit cards paid off.  It is easy to have a plan for that and a detailed checklist to see how I am doing. 

Another goal is to gain some strength. For that I joined a gym last week and have gone twice.   I have a detailed plan (3 times a week, starting strength), but am not sure what or how to plan for results.  I read a book on goals and one of the main themes was to be able to check how you are doing and write it down. I am unsure what reasonable goals are.

Mostly I just wanted to read how other people are going forward and what if any advice helps.

Thanks 

[msventoux]

On the New Years Goals and Aspirations thread I listed 3 things.  I'm still working on two of them.  I have not started volunteering or engaged in a group activity consistently every month.  Maybe when life calms down a bit.

For getting healthier I've started tracking my water intake and have a Fitbit that helps with tracking exercise as well as using an app for recording food intake.  Since the weather is getting nicer and the snow is melted off the bike paths I've started using the Couch to 5K app to try to get motivated to get into jogging.  I like walking but I think running would be good for me (though at this point I hate it) and if I get to the point where I'm in better shape I'd like to join a running or hiking club, which would meet the group activity goal.

I've always found financial and educational goals to be easier to follow through on.  There's specific steps you need to take and specific benchmarks that you can meet.  The more nebulous goals I've always had a much more difficult time with.  Get healthier, be more productive, etc.  For those types of goals I have to be very specific...walk 3 times a week, lose X amount of pounds by X date and limit caloric intake to X amount...do this task on this day at this time, and so on.

Being a procrastinator by nature certainly doesn't help matters.  If I don't detail out what needs to be done and give myself deadlines to get them done by, it simply won't happen.  Even then sometimes it doesn't happen. 

[Deleted]

I always had savings goals but last year I retired earlier than expected. Saving isn't a goal anymore!

This year I want to get a better handle on what our living expenses are/where all the money goes, and we're also going to move into a smaller house. Our current house will go on the market in a month or so after the pool is opened.  I'm finding that this is driving the financial control freak in me crazy.  What will our current house sell for?  What will the new house cost?  What will the interest rate be on the new mortgage?  How much of a reduction can we expect in utilities?  How much should we be putting into fixing up the current house before we put it on the market?  What will it cost to move?

For me, fitness goals are pretty much, "get in a decent workout every day".  It may be a 2-hour bike ride in nice weather, or an hour in the gym, or something shorter in the hotel gym or pool if we're traveling.  That's how I measure it!  I'd love to get a reliable heart rate monitor that works while swimming (in addition to other activities, of course) but I got sick of my Polar FT7 chest straps quitting ($40 to replace) and haven't seen favorable reviews on alternatives.  I do much better when I'm watching my heart rate!

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I just need to get through this #%}{ engineering program.  So far I am doing ok, but it is NOT a walk in the park.

For those who think a technical college is an easy way of getting an education, and that it is not as rigorous as a university, let me tell you.....it is NOT!

I'm lucky in that my undergrad degree gets me out of a lot (physics, calculus, chemistry, psychology, English), but I have seen some of the stuff my classmates are dealing with and I really feel for them.  With the Solid Works (this is a 3D engineering graphics program....like CAD) class I took, I had 7 hours of class time each week.  I had a figure to draw each week, and I probably put in no less than 10 hours into each one.  I got to build a robot in my other class.  I knew 0 electronics when I walked into class in Jan.

I am off until 4/7, and have probably spent 2-3 hours/day drawing to keep the skill up.  Next semester, I have the second part of this, and the second part of CAD.  I think my butt is going to be welded to my computer chair!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I currently have three measureable goals: Paying down debt, meeting an exercise goal of cardio 80% of the year (four out of five days), and decluttering/organizing my house. 

I track the debt pay down with YNAB. 
I track my exercise goal with a list on "Notes" on my phone
I track decluttering/organizing on a WIR thread. (although, I haven't been decluttering too much lately just maintaining a neat house.)

[Ava]

-Getting my diabetes into remission

-Finishing my MBA

-Start studying for and passing CPA parts. I can do my CPA parts for any state. It doesn't have to be for the state I currently live in. You can become a CPA in any state; there are no state residency requirements.  I can go to Florida and take the exam parts there. Then, after I have a couple of parts passed, apply for an entry level CPA job in Florida.

- Move out of this state

-Make healthy eating a habit. My mom is coming in a couple of weeks and she's an excellent cook. She's already learned a lot of recipes to accommodate my dietary needs. After she leaves I'm going to enroll in one of those food systems; Nutrisystem, or Personal Trainer Food, Jenny Craig, etc. The grocery shopping, wasting food that doesn't get eaten, and the impulsive take out because I'm tired and there's nothing ready at home are my downfall. I need a food program. I priced it out and for just one person it won't be more expensive than what I do now. It's easier for me to stick to it if the food is ready and all I have to do is come home and heat it.

- Keep up and improve my exercise program. Right now I'm doing the 4-mile walk Leslie Sansone DVD. I want to bring it to 5 miles in a couple of months and add hand and ankle weights for strength.

- Bring my weight down so I'm no longer in the obese category. For this year it'll be good to go into the overweight category. Then next year go to the normal weight range. Since I started controlling this in February, my BMI fell 1.5 points.

-Keep upping my 401K contributions one percentage point any time I can. I just upped my contribution from 4% to 5%. I'm going to stay there for a few months because mom is coming and she's expensive . Besides, when she's here the focus is more on going out, traveling within the U.S. for a few days, going to concerts, etc. I know saving is important but I also want to enjoy myself. The experiences with mom going out and having fun are priceless. And I know she loves coming here when it's winter back home. She HATES winter. I've been able to pay for her plane ticket for the past two years, and she saves money by being here. No winter utilities, food expenses, etc. We go to the beach during July-August, and we both love the beach.

- Get a social life after I finish the MBA. Go to MeetUp groups, volunteer, etc.

- Enroll in a student loan program. Either the IBR or PAYE if I qualify, in order to keep my payments under control.

[Ava]

I agree with the OP that tracking your goals' advance is important. It gives you a measure of your progress, and a sense of accomplishment. This, in turn, makes you more committed to succeed.

[Deleted]

I have a lot of financial goals which are pretty easy to track with excel.

For health/fitness.  I've found using things like a Fitbit and MyFitnessPal to log exercise and food and water intake helps a lot (as well as puts me in competition with friends for motivation).  Body measurements are a good way to track progress, but I haven't been good about taking any outside of weight.

Getting the clutter under control and the house ready to sell is a harder one for me to measure.  I just keep going and assume it's getting better if I'm not bringing more in.

I do post all my goals on WIR and try to update them all at least monthly.  It helps to keep me accountable and on track.

[Blonde Granny]

I'm with Athena, it's getting the monthly spending under control. YNAB has helped greatly as we've never actually tracked our total spending before. It's surprising how an attitude can change when the figures are staring back at you. But, I know we're OK as long as we're not taking any investment income.

[TheHaitian]

Goals for this year:

- get pregnant : in progress... Doing first round of IUI in April.

- move back home: in progress... Contract is up in 29 days and boss is looking into relocating me.
----> figure it beats starting with a new company

- Save 10k in EF : major setback and probably will not reach that this year.

- Save for trip to Arabia Saudi: trip
Postponed till next year because more members of my wife family want to go (so far counting 8) and an extra stop has been added (Dubai)... So that gives us more time.

- Max 401k : on track

[WholeLottaNothin]

Ok I'll bite...what happens to the baby when you go to Saudi Arabia? Are you planning on taking the baby with you?

[TheHaitian]

Mar 29, 2015 14:34:37 GMT -5 WholeLottaNothin said:

Ok I'll bite...what happens to the baby when you go to Saudi Arabia? Are you planning on taking the baby with you?

Grandma and Grandpa in NJ

[NastyWoman]

Mar 29, 2015 14:42:30 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Mar 29, 2015 14:34:37 GMT -5 WholeLottaNothin said:

Ok I'll bite...what happens to the baby when you go to Saudi Arabia? Are you planning on taking the baby with you?

Grandma and Grandpa in NJ

Or just take him/her along. It's vacation so it's not that hard. I don't believe there are many scary diseases to worry about, and that was the only thing that ever stopped me. Kids are fun to travel with unless you have a particularly fussy one. BTDT. 

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2015 11:59:40 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I'm with Athena, it's getting the monthly spending under control. YNAB has helped greatly as we've never actually tracked our total spending before. It's surprising how an attitude can change when the figures are staring back at you. But, I know we're OK as long as we're not taking any investment income.

How long did it take you to get the hang of YNAB?  I have it but have never used it.  I have a job now though and some ambitious though realistic money goals. 

[TheHaitian]

Mar 29, 2015 15:05:03 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Mar 29, 2015 14:42:30 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Grandma and Grandpa in NJ

Or just take him/her along. It's vacation so it's not that hard. I don't believe there are many scary diseases to worry about, and that was the only thing that ever stopped me. Kids are fun to travel with unless you have a particularly fussy one. BTDT. 

Haha ... No thank you!

For the first couple of years or decade all overseas travel will be just my wife and I, as least that is the plan.

It will give grandma and grandpa a chance to spend time with them since they are all the way in NJ.

I have been on airplanes with fussy babies that would not stop crying, I will not inflict that on others for as long as I can help it.

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2015 13:37:39 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Goals for this year:

- get pregnant : in progress... Doing first round of IUI in April.

- move back home: in progress... Contract is up in 29 days and boss is looking into relocating me.
----> figure it beats starting with a new company

- Save 10k in EF : major setback and probably will not reach that this year.

- Save for trip to Arabia Saudi: trip
Postponed till next year because more members of my wife family want to go (so far counting 8) and an extra stop has been added (Dubai)... So that gives us more time.

- Max 401k : on track

aren't you a body builder?  How do you track that?  Do you just track input and let the results be what they are or do you have specific results you make yourself meet?

Good luck on getting pregnant.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Mar 29, 2015 15:13:47 GMT -5 @hickle said:

Mar 29, 2015 11:59:40 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I'm with Athena, it's getting the monthly spending under control. YNAB has helped greatly as we've never actually tracked our total spending before. It's surprising how an attitude can change when the figures are staring back at you. But, I know we're OK as long as we're not taking any investment income.

How long did it take you to get the hang of YNAB?  I have it but have never used it.  I have a job now though and some ambitious though realistic money goals. 

I took to the majority of it pretty quickly, but I was already a budget-oriented person. I was looking for a program that gave me flexibility from month to month; MSMoney didn't allow me to have that. The part that I can't quite figure out (and I've been using it since June 2012) is the "buffer". The idea is to have one month's pay somehow in the system and then when you enter in your paycheck, you put it as income for the next month. Well, I already do that, but I'm not sure I have one month's pay as a buffer. I have $5,000 in an "EF" line item in my "Savings" category. I really like how YNAB clearly demonstrates how we're m plannign to use  our money for the month. That has been altering for us. We're able to save a lot more money now--which is diverted to debt payments.

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2015 15:30:53 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Mar 29, 2015 15:13:47 GMT -5 @hickle said:

How long did it take you to get the hang of YNAB?  I have it but have never used it.  I have a job now though and some ambitious though realistic money goals. 

I took to the majority of it pretty quickly, but I was already a budget-oriented person. I was looking for a program that gave me flexibility from month to month; MSMoney didn't allow me to have that. The part that I can't quite figure out (and I've been using it since June 2012) is the "buffer". The idea is to have one month's pay somehow in the system and then when you enter in your paycheck, you put it as income for the next month. Well, I already do that, but I'm not sure I have one month's pay as a buffer. I have $5,000 in an "EF" line item in my "Savings" category. I really like how YNAB clearly demonstrates how we're m plannign to use  our money for the month. That has been altering for us. We're able to save a lot more money now--which is diverted to debt payments.

If you're putting this month pay in for next month's budget then you have the buffer they're talking about.  You're living off of last month's income. 

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2015 15:13:47 GMT -5 @hickle said:

Mar 29, 2015 11:59:40 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I'm with Athena, it's getting the monthly spending under control. YNAB has helped greatly as we've never actually tracked our total spending before. It's surprising how an attitude can change when the figures are staring back at you. But, I know we're OK as long as we're not taking any investment income.

How long did it take you to get the hang of YNAB?  I have it but have never used it.  I have a job now though and some ambitious though realistic money goals. 

I've been using YNAB since 2009 and I love it more than my kids (well, more than my kids at the moment).  It probably took me two to three months to really get into the swing of it and these days I can't imagine not having it.  I honestly don't think I could do what I do on my income without it.  It's taken so much stress out of my finances.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Mar 29, 2015 15:43:16 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Mar 29, 2015 15:30:53 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

I took to the majority of it pretty quickly, but I was already a budget-oriented person. I was looking for a program that gave me flexibility from month to month; MSMoney didn't allow me to have that. The part that I can't quite figure out (and I've been using it since June 2012) is the "buffer". The idea is to have one month's pay somehow in the system and then when you enter in your paycheck, you put it as income for the next month. Well, I already do that, but I'm not sure I have one month's pay as a buffer. I have $5,000 in an "EF" line item in my "Savings" category. I really like how YNAB clearly demonstrates how we're m plannign to use  our money for the month. That has been altering for us. We're able to save a lot more money now--which is diverted to debt payments.

If you're putting this month pay in for next month's budget then you have the buffer they're talking about.  You're living off of last month's income. 

And that's what I like to tell myself. Except for the fact that I am paid on the last day of the month. So, While I tell myself I'm fine, it seems like the January 30 pay check should go to March 1 and not to February 1.

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2015 15:49:16 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Mar 29, 2015 15:43:16 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

If you're putting this month pay in for next month's budget then you have the buffer they're talking about.  You're living off of last month's income. 

And that's what I like to tell myself. Except for the fact that I am paid on the last day of the month. So, While I tell myself I'm fine, it seems like the January 30 pay check should go to March 1 and not to February 1.

But, on February 1st you have all the money you need to carry you through until March even if you didn't get a single paycheck in February.  It really doesn't matter when you get paid in January, you're still a month ahead.