How are you doing on your 2011 goals?

[Life_is_Simple]

Me? I better get in gear:

SEP IRA - I should contribute some, though I do have until April to do it, I might want to do it a little at a time until then

Self-employment - still going great. I can work from anywhere that has online access. Got the one good client. Actually, a previous boss asked if I wanted to do a contract for him. No - I am too busy.

Business deductions - I am in the process of purchasing some items before the end of the year, to deduct from my taxes.

I have $15k more in savings compared to what I had a year ago. My goal was to increase my savings/emergency fund. So it looks like I have a year of living expenses in that fund. Woo hoo! :+1:

Next person?

[Lainey]

Life_is_Simple: my first thought when I saw your topic title was, "how did my boss get in to this forum"? because of course my corporate employer has a year-end evaluation based on your approved yearly goals ...

anyway, financially I got a fantastic rate on a mortgage re-finance, which allowed me to purchase a small foreclosure home in central Phoenix for cash. (that's now a rental home for relatives) This was not an initial 2011 goal, but everything came together in a matter of weeks and it's working out great.
My savings amount is stable, but my credit card will take a small hit for some much-needed home repair, due to be paid off with spring income tax refund.

Net worth is improving every year, slowly but surely.

[Life_is_Simple]

Life_is_Simple: my first thought when I saw your topic title was, "how did my boss get in to this forum"? because of course my corporate employer has a year-end evaluation based on your approved yearly goals ...
...
:laff: I can assure you, I am not your boss!! :laff:

Congratulations on your house purchase :+1:

[Mighty Frugal]

We did well. Both dh and I managed to hang on to our jobs for one more year (he'll go next year, me too-maybe)

Because of reduced nanny needs we are now saving $1000 more each month. We've increased our liquid account by 50% over the last 18 months

Next year we are going to try to just live off my income and put his into savings.

[Zoebird]

awesomely. took the biznez from 0 yoga students per week to 96 students per week. 2012 goal, 200 students per week. marketing plan in development and continuation of what has worked in 2011.

old guard is dead (elsewhere). new guard is healthy and growing. november was growth month for all aspects of business.

fixed costs cut in half.

good stuff!

[cdttmm]

I have to admit, I didn't have any formal goals related to finances in 2011, but I am pleased to say that I am ending 2011 with roughly the same bank account balance as 2010 and an increased net worth. This is pretty awesome because I was technically unemployed for the past 16 months and during that time spent a healthy sum of money getting a second graduate degree, which I was able to pay for in cash. Last week I started a new job, which I was specifically recruited for over a period of several months. This will allow me to max out my Roth IRA contribution for 2011 and in 2012 will provide an opportunity to contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement plan (likely a SIMPLE IRA as the company is not large enough to justify a 401k).

[jennipurrr]

We did ok. We are trying to pay our house off at an accelerated pace and we didn't meet our pretty aggressive goal. We did pay a big chunk to the mortgage balance and also met all our other goals as far as retirement savings, etc. A month or so ago we did a big assessment for our first year of trying to pay down the mortgage. We're trying to balance "enough" with "too little" and "too much"...its a work in progress. Slow and steady.

Recently I signed up for mint.com and am excited about migrating to it rather than my cumbersome spreadsheets. We shall see if it helps!

[treehugger]

2010 and 2011 were just about struggling to make ends meet for us, so no real financial goals. But now, at the very end of 2011, things are looking up for us for the first time in 4.5 years. So, I will definitely be sitting down with our budget in the coming weeks and focusing on positive planning for the future. Watch this space! :)

Kara

[RosieTR]

My goal for 2011 was to land a job in Colorado or save up a year's worth of expenses so that we could move sans jobs if we wanted to/had to. I will be starting a new job on Jan 3, in CO so that goal worked out! Plus we'd been saving (we don't have a whole year's worth but enough to move, do some home repairs and still have an EF). We also finished paying off our house in CO very early in 2011 so our housing costs will be mortgage on Phx house minus renter payments. Goal for 2012: job for DH in CO, and decent renters here. And *finally* some homegrown tomatoes and rhubarb! Which granted is not necessarily a financial goal but definitely a goal!

[Bronxboy]

I'm wondering why I will break 500 miles of fitness walking and hiking this week, and will still put on 5 pounds for the year!

[kitten]

You probably increased your muscle mass! Good job BB!


I'm wondering why I will break 500 miles of fitness walking and hiking this week, and will still put on 5 pounds for the year!

[Float On]

Money wise our 2011 goal was to hang on and survive. We saw our business failing, we'd relied on 80% of our business coming from wholesale orders and that dropped to about 10% of our business (a lot of art galleries closed in the last 2 years). but here at the end of the year I'm actually showing more of a profit on the business than expected, we cut expenses to the minimum and sold from what we had in stock. DH landed a .....job (first time he's worked for someone else in maybe 15 years). I'm feeling less stress so that's a good thing.

[kitten]

Ha ha, the J word! Sometimes they come in handy! Good for him :)


Money wise our 2011 goal was to hang on and survive. We saw our business failing, we'd relied on 80% of our business coming from wholesale orders and that dropped to about 10% of our business (a lot of art galleries closed in the last 2 years). but here at the end of the year I'm actually showing more of a profit on the business than expected, we cut expenses to the minimum and sold from what we had in stock. DH landed a .....job (first time he's worked for someone else in maybe 15 years). I'm feeling less stress so that's a good thing.

[Bronxboy]

You probably increased your muscle mass! Good job BB!
Likely, yes. But am still 25-30 pounds too heavy to do any long-distance hiking. Everything just hurts!

[kitten]

Still, after a year of doing that kind of workout regularly, your cardio health and stamina have got to be tons better than before - is it muscle aches you get, that muscular burn you feel when you push yourself?

My husband lost 65 pounds on Jenny Craig - he looks great and feels much better, but he still gets winded going uphill. Proud of him though!


Likely, yes. But am still 25-30 pounds too heavy to do any long-distance hiking. Everything just hurts!

[dmc]

2011 was a good year. We spent about 12k over budget, but we usually do, something always comes up. 2011 my son got married in St. Thomas and I started flying lessons, so that blew the budget. I increase my targets every year and still can't seam to hit them. But our investments did OK and our net worth is still climbing so life is good.

Its been 4 years now that I quit working and my net worth is higher that its ever been, so I'm still living well within my means. I use to tell people that I early retired, but now I find it easier to just tell them that I'm out of work. It seams easier to explain.

[RosieTR]

Its been 4 years now that I quit working and my net worth is higher that its ever been, so I'm still living well within my means. I use to tell people that I early retired, but now I find it easier to just tell them that I'm out of work. It seams easier to explain.

Don't overlook the fact that you could change someone's life by being selectively open about it if you find someone who seems like they'd be interested and you have time to talk. I know that finding out someone I knew had done YMOYL steps and made some impressive financial goals really opened my eyes and started directing me into SL. But yeah, explaining to every random stranger at length what your financial situation is would be time better spent elsewhere.

[TVRodriguez]

2011 was a great year financially for us, all the more because it was very unexpected. DH had his best year yet, business-wise. Consequently, in 2011, we:
-paid off the last of DH's student loans with a $36,000 check
-paid down $92,000 on our mortgage
-refinanced the remaining mortgage to a 10 year note at a 3.375% rate
-had a third kid (who was a "surprise" baby and is awesome!)

After having the baby, I also changed jobs to a much better fit for me. It's reduced my stress level by a very large amount. It's closer to home and is better work in the same field with a better boss and overall a better situation. I'm so much happier now than I was a year ago. MUCH MUCH MUCH happier. DH and I are also in a better place, relationship-wise, than we were a year ago (or even 4 months ago). MUCH MUCH better. I'm really lucky and thankful each day to have the life I have.

[Mighty Frugal]

2011 was a great year financially for us, all the more because it was very unexpected. DH had his best year yet, business-wise. Consequently, in 2011, we:
-paid off the last of DH's student loans with a $36,000 check
-paid down $92,000 on our mortgage
-refinanced the remaining mortgage to a 10 year note at a 3.375% rate
-had a third kid (who was a "surprise" baby and is awesome!)

After having the baby, I also changed jobs to a much better fit for me. It's reduced my stress level by a very large amount. It's closer to home and is better work in the same field with a better boss and overall a better situation. I'm so much happier now than I was a year ago. MUCH MUCH MUCH happier. DH and I are also in a better place, relationship-wise, than we were a year ago (or even 4 months ago). MUCH MUCH better. I'm really lucky and thankful each day to have the life I have.

Amazing TV!! What an awesome year you've had. And congrats on the new bundle of joy!

[TVRodriguez]

Amazing TV!! What an awesome year you've had. And congrats on the new bundle of joy!

Thanks, Mighty!!

[lhamo]

2011 was a great year financially for us, all the more because it was very unexpected. DH had his best year yet, business-wise. Consequently, in 2011, we:
-paid off the last of DH's student loans with a $36,000 check
-paid down $92,000 on our mortgage
-refinanced the remaining mortgage to a 10 year note at a 3.375% rate
-had a third kid (who was a "surprise" baby and is awesome!)

After having the baby, I also changed jobs to a much better fit for me. It's reduced my stress level by a very large amount. It's closer to home and is better work in the same field with a better boss and overall a better situation. I'm so much happier now than I was a year ago. MUCH MUCH MUCH happier. DH and I are also in a better place, relationship-wise, than we were a year ago (or even 4 months ago). MUCH MUCH better. I'm really lucky and thankful each day to have the life I have.

This is so awesome, TV -- so happy for you and your family, and glad to see you back. We've missed you! But obviously 2011 was a busy year for you. Hope to see you around more in 2012, though.

lhamo

[TVRodriguez]

Thanks lhamo!