Metroplex Savers: 2012 Goals: April Monthly Update

At the start of the new year, I listed my personal & financial goals HERE. I have printed and posted these in my closet so I look at them EVERY DAY! It helps me keep motivated and on track. At the end of every month, I will be posting an update. Here are my April results:

Personal: (a lot of these are continuous)

* Lose 30 lbs - I have lost 16 pounds and several inches (not sure how many) since 1/1/12. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

* Cut coke from Diet - No drop of coke since 1/1/12.

* Eat more fish - I’ve been eating tuna for lunch a few times a week, as well as Salmon.

* Spend more time reading and relaxing - This month, I read The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain. I have been really intrigued and interested in the Paleo/Primal Diet, so it was nice to get some information on the foods I'm currently eating. Go HERE to see my 28 Day Trial. Other books I've read include, Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow, 168: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

* Load dishes in dishwasher as we dirty them - Since starting the Paleo Diet, we have been doing lots more cooking at home. So the dishes have begun to pile up. The key is having the dishwasher always unloaded, so any dirty dish can be loaded right then and there. We'll get the hang of it...

* Research home flipping and put together business model - Nada in April.

* Earn extra $600-$1,000 by any means possible - $0 in April. Grand total earned since January 1st: $561.75. I'm hopeful we will meet our $600-$1,000 goal for the year.

Financial:

* ~~Save & Pay Cash for Spring Break Trip~~ - We stayed in DFW for spring break this year. We did go fishing one day, but all we paid for were drinks and snacks, plus 2 fishing licenses - less than $100. Oh, and our fresh fish tasted SO GOOD!

* Pay off school loans - DONE in February!

* 3 months of expenses saved in Emergency Fund

* Start IRA, Contribute monthly - We started our IRA and will be contributing monthly.

* Start investing ($150/month) - We are going to cut this so we can concentrate on saving for the other things...like a family :)

* Save & Pay Cash for Summer Vacation - We purchased our 5 yr anniversary vacation last month on our credit card, and was able to get 5% cash back. Because we saved the money ahead of time, the credit card will not be carrying a balance. (duh!)

* Save & Pay Cash for New Car - We bought a new car. (I know!) Here are our reasons (or rationalizations) 1) My car is 10 yrs old and the engine start whenever it feels like it, 2) I went to get my oil changed, and the guy came back with all these things that needed to get fixed, 3) The used car price was just as much as the new car deals, 4) Financing - it would have cost us more to fix the car than how much we will pay in financing. We went ahead and bought a new car that is reliable and something we can use for our future family. We plan to keep this car for another 10 years, so it better last!

* Walk Dusty Bottoms (our dog) more - I have been walking and running with him a lot the last couple of weeks. I'm thinking about getting these shoes...watcha think?

**NEW** Pay cash for Brian's Master's Degree - Brian will start his master's program in June. We budgeted to pay cash for each class for the next 18 months.

Our new car was not really part of our plan for 2012. But I really did need a reliable car, being that I'm self-employed. I haven't had a new car since I got my driver's license, so it was time.

Sacrifice today for a better tomorrow!