New Years Resolutions anyone? Don't do them? Thoughts?

[BusynMember]

Ok, so I don't usually do them, but I have three I'm going to try hard to keep because they are in my own best interest.

1/The normal weight promise. I've gained about five pounds over the holidays. Good food plus couldn't yet exercise due to car accident equaled five pounds. I have to start exercising five days a week again for at least a half an hour, but I won't. So my resolution is three-four days for 45 minutes each time and work my way up.

2/I have obsessed over my sister posting on other sites about me long enough. It is my hardest resolution not to go off of this particular site. It is harder for me to totally disconnect from my sister than I like to think or say so checking up on is sometimes tempting, but this will hopefully be the year that I totally let her go including her internet posts. Even if she can't do it, I have to do it for myself. I hurt myself when i don't.

3/Get down to Missouri twice this year!!!!! And get down to Chicago at least six times, hopefully ten.

HAPPY 2016 EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wiped Out]

Happy 2016!

I have a couple of resolutions this year:

1. Do a random act of kindness every day.

2. Get back to my healthy eating and get my exercising from 3 days a week to 5 days a week!

 

[KTMom91]

1. Get healthy...mind, body, and spirit.

That pretty much covers it, I think.

 

[New Leaf]

Yup, me too, healthy living.
That's a good one.
I like broad resolutions,
then I can always
say I accomplished something!
LOL


leafy

 

[witzend]

I've always kind of pooh-poohed them, mostly because I never needed to go on a diet and I can't really exercise with my MD. But for the first time this year, I am making one, because I can see a goal in sight and I need husband to help me with it.

When we moved South, we already had a considerable amount of debt. Our income was good, but our debt was always high. We'd always had some since we were married and could never get out from under it. Then the move more than doubled it, and it was atrocious. That will be four years ago in April. I've made large payments every month for three years now, kept a chart that I update monthly including how much we owe, what our minimum payments are, etc. The end is reasonably in sight for next December, but I have to stick to the plan.

If we need to cut back on something to be sure that we're making that large payment every month, then we need to cut back. I'm going to print a monthly accounting and we'll look at our income v spending every month. It's going to be gone. When its gone, I'll start using the cards for one thing each and pay it in full each month because I don't want to lose the credit should we need it. I do that with the gas credit card, and with a card I use for prescription and medical needs so that I can track easily for taxes. Other than that we don't use credit cards anymore. I have a friend whose husband got Alzheimer's and when she took care of her accounting when she had to put him in a facility, she paid off all of her debts and stopped using the cards. Then they cancelled on her for "lack of activity", so when she needed it it was gone. It's time for us to grow up on that front.

Speaking of growing, since we moved from the land of salmon and salads and beets & whole grain breads to the land of white bread and fried everything I've gained 25 pounds. I can hardly get up out of a chair anymore, and I'm sick to death of telling people that I'm not pregnant. I ordered husband & I a one month's supply of Nutrisystem from Costco. I'm not so much doing it as a resolution as that they have a great deal on it this time of year. It will be hard - it's the first diet either of us have ever been on, but I can try it for a month. If it works for one month, we'll try another. I've been moaning about my weight for 3 years now, it's time to try to do something about it. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Happy New Year, all!

 

[pasajes4]

Witz, I love charting things. I am very visual. I was able to pay off over 500,000 dollars in medical bills by charting every payment and making a game out of how much more I could get that line down every month. Nothing felt better than watching that line move closer to zero. I was also able to put money in savings at the same time.

 

[witzend]

Witz, I love charting things. I am very visual. I was able to pay off over 500,000 dollars in medical bills by charting every payment and making a game out of how much more I could get that line down every month.

Wow! Now that is an inspiration for me! I've been doing the chart for 3 years, and I admit that there wasn't much movement at first - not least because I wasn't paying much more than the minimum payment. But you are absolutely right about seeing the monthly balance of each debt and total debt go down. I started with 6 debts, 3 large, 3 small. Once I got rid of the smaller ones, I just kept making the same total amount of payments on the 3 cards with larger debts on them and I could see it going down every month in a big way. It feels great! I'll keep making that amount of payment every month until it's gone.

 

[pasajes4]

I followed the rule of pay yourself first (savings), then essentials (mortgage, medicine, utilities) the last thing on the list was food. There are ways to eat well and keep costs low. It meant less meat and processed foods. The end result was I was healthier and in a good place financially.

 

[Nomad]

I have the flu and although semi normal today, can't get out of bed. So, I'm not doing my official ones until I'm at least a little better. I like yours SWOT.

Mine usually have to do with losing the weight I gained at holiday time.
I think next year, I would like to put a cap on any weight I gain during this time. Maybe two or three pounds. I get it. I love my fave desserts and I won't deny myself. But, this is getting old. And I lose soooo slowly.

I think I'm going to put some gentle restriction on internet, mostly FB, usuage. A bit time wasting. Some leeway when sick, like now.

I too love the idea of charting things. Last credit card bill was nuts. Was seriously thinking of putting it on an excel chart and analyzing it to death. Might still do it when my energy comes back.

Other life improvement, growth and enjoyment things. Being true to myself and trusting my instincts. Etc.

Usually love this time of year. Ok, still love it. Truly hate the flu.

 

[BusynMember]

I third loving the idea of charting. Very resourceful and smart, Pasajes4. You rock, dear

 

[Scent of Cedar *]

I have a friend whose husband got Alzheimer's and when she took care of her accounting when she had to put him in a facility, she paid off all of her debts and stopped using the cards. Then they cancelled on her for "lack of activity", so when she needed it it was gone. It's time for us to grow up on that front.

This is good to know.

I really like the idea of charting ~ not only for debt, but for behavior change. I am trying to motivate to do a particular thing. I am forever making lists to include it, but then, I don't do it, or don't do it consistently and soon enough, it is just one of those things I need to tuck in somewhere.

I will try charting that activity.

That's a great idea.

That will be my resolution, then. To chart that activity. Just whether I've done it or not, or whether there was something else happening that day. I think that will help me commit to it. I really like the way charting financial goals kept the goal in your minds and also left you feeling empowered.

Also, the resolution I made to be kinder to myself made such a nice difference in my life. I will continue with that resolution.

Also, I will keep in mind Wiped Out's daily random act of kindness. I like looking at the world that way very much. I will try to do that, too.

Those are three very nice resolutions, I think.

Cedar

 

[nlj]

Two New Year's Resolutions for me:

1. Decide what you don't give a **** about.

2. Stop giving a **** about those things.

 

[Tanya M]

I resolve to continue on my journey of being the best me I can be. I will do this by being mindful of the choices I make whether it be food or people in that if it's not healthy for me it will be omitted from life.
As always I will live with an attitude of gratitude.

 

[witzend]

SWOT, another thing that I did that helped with procrastination was to set a kitchen timer to go off every 30 minutes. I'm terrible about starting something and then moving on to another thing, and another, and never getting to what it was I wanted to do. I big problem for me is that if I move from one place in the house to another, I always bring something with me that needs to be put away or worked on. I can not make a wasted trip with my physical disabilities. But then I forget.

It especially helps when I sit down at the computer to do bookkeeping or research. Before you know it I'm playing candy crush and totally lost. That timer goes off and gets me back on track. I need to start that again.

 

[Scent of Cedar *]

Witz, that is genius.

Cedar

 

[Lil]

Jabber likes to say the only New Year's resolution he ever kept was to not make any more resolutions.

I don't think that it counts as a "resolution" because the timing was coincidental, but we quit smoking on January 2. Today is day 3. So far so good. I'm armed with nicotine gum, but haven't resorted to any yet.

One thing we NEED to do is get our finances in order and pay off some debts as well as build up savings. I suppose going to Vegas put a bit of a kink in that. lol

 

[AppleCori]

Well, we live debt-free, but I could sure lose a few pounds! Gotta get in my bikini for the beach this summer.

OK, maybe not a bikini, but I do want to look good in the pictures at the wedding!

Pasa,

I am amazed! That is one incredible story. I had some debt problems once upon a time, but no where near that amount! I am floored.

Lil,

Great job on the quitting smoking! Hubby quit two years ago Saturday. It has saved at least $150 dollars a month.

Witz,

Keep it up! You are doing great!



We should post our progress here, and try to encourage each other in our struggles.

Apple

 

[susiestar]

My resolution a few yrs ago was to give up on NY resolutions for good. So far I am still quite successful - only one I ever managed to keep, lol! I hope all of you are successful with your resolutions!

 

[Lil]

Lil,

Great job on the quitting smoking! Hubby quit two years ago Saturday. It has saved at least $150 dollars a month.

Yep. Jabber and I only smoked 1/2 pack a day each, so that's one a day total, or about $6 a day - $180.00 a month. Add to that the fact that our health insurance is $40 per person cheaper if we don't smoke = $260 a month. That's well worth quitting.

Today is day 5 as our first full day without was the 3rd. So far so good. I have not used my nicotine gum and really didn't think I would, but since they sent it for free - a BIG box of like a 60 day supply! - I figured I might as well have it just in case I was having problems and needed it. I haven't.

Anyway, I can't say I haven't wanted a cigarette...but nothing so far I can't ignore. It helps that it's freaking cold outside and I don't want to go out! lol

 

[Californiablonde]

My New Year's resolution is the same as it has been the last 3 years: to finally lose this darned weight! And since my new boss came on board in September, I completely went off my diet, and have been binge eating daily to deal with all the stress I'm under. I don't know how much weight I've gained back, but this time it's a lot. My size 14 jeans no longer zip up or button, except for one pair and those are barely hanging in there. I am now officially a size 16 and plus sized. Something I was trying hard to avoid. I have been putting off weighing myself for the last few months. Finally jumped on the scale last week to see how much damage I've created. Well guess what? Our darned scale broke. So off I went to Target this past Saturday and bought a new scale.

I have yet to weigh myself. I'm still too scared, but will have to face the music sooner or later. I am going back on Weight Watchers, and I'm vowing to stick to it. My boyfriend is morbidly obese at 400 pounds, and he is having gastric bypass surgery in a couple months. I'm jealous! I wish I could take the easy way out and not diet or exercise to lose the weight. But anyway, as jealous as I am of him, I am making it a priority of losing this weight so we can both be skinny together. I don't want him dropping off tons of weight, then deciding he doesn't want to be with an obese fat *** like me. So I am determined to do it this year.