3rd Quarter Update

Well, we're 3 quarters into 2009, so what better time than to check in to see how my 2009 Resolutions are going :)

The other day I heard a really awesome quote from Chris Gardener, author of The Pursuit of Happyness. He was on the Jean Chatsky radio show (on Oprah XM), promoting his latest book, and he said:

"It's ok to fail, but not okay to quit.....Baby steps count as long as you're moving forward."

This quote really touched me because it made me realize that with anything in life, even though you may not accomplish something exactly when you'd hope to have accomplished it, it still counts as long as you're moving forward.

And moving forward, I am!

Although I can't cross off each 2009 Resolution with a "Pass," I can at least say that I am moving forward and that I am still focused on them. Many people give up totally on their goals, feeling like failures if they don't accomplish them within a few months. But I've come to realize that even if I don't achieve all that I said that I wanted to achieve by the end of 2009, I am still moving forward, motivated to resolve these goals, ready to create new ones as the old ones are checked off!

Another thing I realized is that goals change. I once listened to an audiobook called Goals: How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible. The author, Brian Tracy, suggested writing down your goals each days, without looking at your previous list of goals; the most important ones will end up on your list over and over; others will fall off your list. The point here is that some of the things that were important in January 2009 may not be as important now, September 2009.

Anyhow, let's take a look at my list of original goals, and an update on each these:

Money

• Pay off my car.
I was doing really well with this one in the beginning of 2009; then, expenses started creeping up, and those extra $300 a month payments got knocked off. As for now, my current car balance is $3,530.86. When I made this goal, I made it based on wanting to simply get it paid off to relieve myself of the debt. However, my desire to get it paid off now revolves around the fact that to free up this money to use for our increased daycare costs for our new little son, Ohene, expected December 2009 (awwwww....) Daycare will cost an extra $800 a month, and paying off the car by December 2009 would benefit me in two ways: 1) no car payment while I'm out on maternity leave, and 2) freeing up extra money for daycare, so it will actually be less extra money we'd have to scrounge up.

But, I realized a couple things--if NOT paying the extra car payments means that I am able to save up more money monthly, then it's probably better to put that extra money in the bank versus giving it away to a creditor. In this unstable economy, even Suze Orman has said that having cash on hand is more valuable than actually paying off your debts. My interest rate is low at 4.5%, so even if I were to get the car paid off sooner rather than later, there's not much money in interests costs that I would even be saving.

So, in current conditions, paying my normal $310 per month payment will have my car paid off in 12 months (September 2010). If I could scrounge up an extra $100 a month, I could have it paid off in 9 months (June 2010).

On the other hand..............whenever I get the car paid off, I realize that I would like continue "pretending" to make car payments, socking this $310 a month into savings. I mean, the money is already spent each month--why not continue to budget it out, only into a savings or investment account? :) Or even into another "car fund" so that in several years or more, these bogus car payments will really be prepping me for another down payment on another car?

Just something to consider....... Lots of options. Ideally, I would like to pay the car off sooner rather than later. I will continue working on this. Baby steps, right? :)

• Create a working budget.
I haven't created a working budget, per se. I'm basically paying my fixed expenses, and whatever is left, is what's left.

• Create a long-term debt reduction plan.
A recent idea I've had is to cut as many expenses, and use that extra money to apply towards debt. For example, I've been evaluating car insurance. I currently have car insurance with Geico (~$104 per month). But if I switch to Progressive, I could save about $35 a month and have higher amounts of coverage. That extra $35 may not seem like a lot but if I apply it to my current student loan monthly payment, can you believe that I could cut my student loan payments by 3 years and save $2,000 in interest???? No shitting you!! Every little bit helps. And it would be a way to pay things off without necessarily needing to increase my salary (although any increase would be awesome.....).

• Use cash only (credit card only when absolutely necessary, e.g. big-ticket items that will be paid off within 1 week).
I have gone back and forth with this one. I do find that I spend less money when I use cash because after all--you can't spend what you don't have. However, there are times when it's just convenient to use my bank card--for example, I just spent my last $30 in cash at Trader Joe's, but I still need to stop at Target for a couple things--does that mean I have to spot at the bank first for cash?? Or can I just show some restraint in my Target purchases and not overspend?? Anyhow, I have made it a point to show restraint where necessary, and to use cash whenever possible, and to not beat myself up if I use my bank card.

As for credit card, I was putting some things on there that I shouldn't have; some things I had no choice. I'm now with a balance of $600, and I am getting it paid off asap. I haven't been using it, however.

• Create an emergency fund with 6-9 months of fixed living expenses.
See the next item......

• Set up automatic savings with 10% for me; 5% for Kwabena.
Well, again, this was something I was doing excellent with at the beginning of the year. I started "needing" that money for extra expenses that popped up (or to pay off credit card purchases), and this goal fell to the wayside. However, I am happy to report that just with week I reinstated my ING automatic deducations :) I don't think I ever really put in the percentages that I specified. However, I have elected a set amount for me, and a set amount for Kwabena, and it's once again priority to pay ourselves FIRST. All other things will get paid afterwards.


• Re-adjust 403(b) holdings to put 30% into bonds and 70% into stocks.
Nope, not even going to do this one, for several reasons. Since the market had dropped, moving money out of my stocks only means that I am not allowing them to go back up. So I'm keeping my investments as they are. Just last week I was checking my investments, and I realize that in one of my accounts, I am 100% vested in stocks. More specifically, 25% is invested in stocks that are considered pretty volatile. My goal is to look more into what I am invested in, and evaluate if I want to remain in those stocks, or put the money elsewhere. Here's what my Personal Performance was as of June 30, 2009:

Quarter: 15.82 %
1 year Return: -19.83 %
3 year Annualized Return: -4.32 %
5 year Annualized Return: -0.66 %


• Create will, durable power of attorney, and other estate planning documents by April 2009.
The good news is that I created all these documents!! Didn't necessarily do it by April 2009, but it has been done :) I realize, however, that since we're having a new baby, it may be best to hold off getting an attorney to review them, and wait having them notorized, until we can add Ohene to the necessary documents. But yes, I have actually DONE these documents! :) Baby steps, right?? ;)

Relationships

• Kiss Kwasi at least once a day.
Bad, bad me....Nope, haven't actually fulfilled this. Better get started on it. I think sometimes when you live with someone and have been with them for soooo long (we just celebrated our 14th anniversary together, married for 4 of those), you get very complacent and start living like friends and roommates than actually like husband and wife. Gotta do better with this one.....

• Once per week do something special for Kwasi.
Here's another one I haven't really been achieving. I've been pretty self-absorbed. Well, okay, not self-absorbed, really, but absorbed so much into being a mom and not necessarily into being a wife. I am trying to do better with this. I don't tend to wear these hats simultaneously. Kwasi often complains about it, that I "love Kwabena more than I do him." Even even though it's not true in terms of my feelings for them, in terms of my actions, he's exactly right. I haven't been loving Kwasi the way I have been loving Kwabena, in terms of caring for his needs, doing things "just because" he might enjoy them, etc. Soooo....gotta start addressing this and taking care of Kwasi's wants and needs, because he's still important, too. And if I think it's hard to shift between "wife" and "Mommy" now, wait until there are two kids!!

• Go out to dinner or dancing with Kwasi, alone, at least once per month.
See above.....

Education and Recreation

• Take a photography class.
Recently I was very close to signing up for a photography class, but every time I go to do this, I back away because of cost. Not that it's too expensive, just that I don't want to spend the money on something that I feel I could learn through a textbook, etc. However, the new Fall schedule of noncredit courses is out and open, so maybe there is still time to do this.......

• Take a CPR class
My job had recently sent out a notice about a full-day CPR class for the lay responded. Not realizing that the $90 fee would be covered by my company/department, I delayed on signing up for it. When I finally inquired about it, the class was full :( I'm currently #5 on the wait list. The class is next Monday, September 14, 2009, and I'm hoping that some slots open up. I've been informed that if there is enough of a wait list, they'll have another course. I would like to wait for it (so that my employer can pay the $90 fee), versus going to my local hospital and paying $50 for only 1/2 day (out of my own pocket). So......yep.....baby steps!


• Sign up for swim classes with Kwabena.
COMPLETE! :) I actually want to sign him up for more. Really, I think these swim classes are really just fun, recreational classes, where they sing songs and whatnot, while (I guess) trying to teach them skills. I really wish I could find some affordable lessons that will really get in there and teach him real lessons. Maybe that will be my next goal......

• Read at least one book every 2 months.
SUCCESS! I've been able to do this, thanks for my shuttle rides to and from work. It's amazing how quickly you can finish a book when you've got 15 minute rides to work and 15 minute rides from work :) In the last month or so I've slowed down on the reading a bit because I have been putting more time into knitting (check out the sweaters I know for Ohene on my other site). It's been bringing me lots of joy! And I've been using my shuttle rides for knitting a few rows here and there. I just went to the library last night and reserved a boat-load of interesting books so that I can start incorporating novels back into some of my shuttle rides.

Mellow Joe

• Take a class on how to start a business.
This is another course that I wanted to take through the community college's noncredit courses. Specifically, the courses were Legal and Tax Consequences of Starting a Business (which sounds really interesting and relevant!!) and Starting a Successful Business. There might still be time to sign up for them. Again, not really having the cash on hand was a factor for not signing up sooner. And I don't want to put them on credit card when I still have $600 I'm trying to pay off as extra money comes available. SOO......these courses might have to wait until the spring.

• Make at least one carrier a month.
Again, because of my love of knittng, I really haven't any time in the last months working on carriers. I still have a few of them in the local arts and crafts shop, but they haven't sold. I don't know how that store sells anything, really, because the prices are way too expensive. Artists have to mark up their items just to make any profit. The store recently moved locations, and instead of 35% commissions, they want 45%! WTF?? I took 3 of my carriers out of the store, and just left 3. I think I should open an online Etsy shop.

• Update MellowJoe.com.
Still haven't done this, even though I had done lots of research on it months ago. I'm actually thinking about scraping the site and getting a free Etsy shop. However, I hesistate, because if I ever want to use www.MellowJoe.com again, I might not be able to get it. However, paying $13 a month for the site is eating money I could be putting towards my debt, dammit!

• Approach at least two businesses re: selling my carriers.
As mentioned above, my carriers are in a local arts and crafts shop. I haven't approached anyone else about it, I believe in part because I know the commission is such a rip-off. I have to price the carriers way above and beyond what I would even sell them for personally (and much more than what people would even pay), that it's not even worth it.

• Develop a marketing plan.
I'm considering Etsy, and just word of mouth.

Health

• Manage my sugar intake
SUCCESS!! I've since been able to get my Hemoglobin A1c down from 6.0% to 5.8% as of the last time I checked. I think it probably will be even lower (or at least the same) if tested in another few months, because of all the changes I've made. Since Memorial Day (May 25, 2009), I did a total overhaul of my eating habits, and cut out a lot of processes snacks and junk food. Whereas it would have been easy for me to go gaga over some piece of cake or candy within a 5-foot vicinity, I'm now able to walk away, unscathed. I have never given up pizza or ice cream, however, I eat ice cream with caution. I try to stick with soft serve occasionally, although lately I am really loving the Trader Joe's brand chocolate, with macadamias added in. Yummy! But all other junk food I have foresaken. This weekend we were at a friend's cookout, and I didn't even touch the "fire chips (aka Doritos...lol, Kwabena calls them "fire chips). Doesn't mean I won't have a nibble on a chip here or there, or a piece of something. But I do with with extreme caution. I have cut my sugar cravings, and am very satisfied that I've been able to keep my pregnancy weight gain within normal range!!

• Obtain weight of 150 lbs
Early in the year, I was getting to this goal. I was at 154, down 10 pounds after cutting back on sugar and processed foods, etc. Of course, getting pregnant nipped all that in the bud. ;) As I mentioned above, I am happy that I have kept my pregnancy weight in a normal range. I am now 26 weeks today (woo hoo!) and where I was this time around with Kwabena, I had packed on about 33 pounds. This time, I have gained 15 pounds so far! Well, my scale has dead batteries, so I may have put on another pound or so since. But you get my point. I should be well within the 30-35 lb range by delivery (I hope!).

• Do cardio 3x per week...Weight training 2x per week
Since becoming pregnant, I have not been exercising. I don't know what it is about pregnancy but I just don't care to exercise while pregnant. I go for occasional walks, but that's about it. I'm okay with that. I know that after delivery, I will resume my workout schedule.

• Take multivitamin daily
Yep, take my prenatals! :) Except on the days I forget.....

Career

• Evaluate at least 3 certification programs.
I haven't been looking into certification programs, but I have been looking into some classes that will allow me to express my creative side. I found a couple art and design classes with the community college noncredit course schedule (one for Photoshop, and one for InDesign). The cost to take both of those was about $1,000, and honestly, I just can't swing that kind of cash right now. I could take a web design class for $275, which would be pretty interesting.

These aren't necessarily certification programs, but they are classes that will give me more insight into these types of art and design and computer courses, which are the areas I'm most interested in as of late.

So there you have it! The status of the things I said I wanted to accomplish this year. And although I may not achieve all of them, I am at least taking baby steps :)