Well it's been two weeks since my first post and I have to say that things are going well so far. I have started working on my goals for 2011 with good progress. For my first goal, the run a 5k and get back in shape, I have started a beginner running program with one of my best friends, Kayla. I found this great Running for Beginners program on the Women's Health website. It is a 6 week program where you do intervals of running/walking on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. On Tuesdays and Thursday they give you a workout program to do as well and Saturday is a rest day. Each week your running intervals increase and after 6 weeks you should be able to run 30 minutes without stopping. We started this program on January 3rd and I must say after the first week I was pretty sore. I guess that is what happens when you do not work out on a regular basis. We are finishing up week 3 tomorrow and it has gotten a lot better. No more soreness, but the longer running intervals are kicking my butt! I have not yet weighed myself to see if I have made any progress, but I am starting to feel better about myself. I've had a couple bad days with food, but for the most part I have done pretty good.
Another goal that I have been making great progress on is saving money every week. So far I have put money in my Savings account every week this year. Yes it's only been 3 weeks, but I haven't missed a week so I am off to a good start.
Also I have already finished my first book this year. I read "Hope in a Jar" by Beth Harbison in two weeks! It was a great book about two friends who were inseparable throughout high school until a vicious rumor ended their friendship. Twenty years later they reunite at their class reunion and realize that friendship and the truth are more important. I felt like I could really relate to this story. I have had similar events happen in my past with friends of this nature. I have started my next book, "Harvesting the Heart" by Jodi Picoult.
Just a short little update on my progress. More to come...
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
My First Post...New Year, New Goals
Goals for 2011
I'm not making resolutions this year because resolutions are hardly ever kept instead I am setting goals for myself. These are things that I can hopefully accomplish throughout the year. I've got quite a few, but I believe with a little effort that I can accomplish most of them. This blog is to help me track my progress.
Get back into shape and run a 5k. Ever since I moved back from school I have gotten out of shape. I use to run and workout with my best friend at school and have not continued to do so at home which was almost five years ago. Some might say playing on four volleyball teams during the summer would be enough, but we usually drink before, during and after volleyball. Through the winter I am still playing volleyball two nights a week, but I’ve decided I need to do something more. My goal is to run the 5k at the Bridge the Gap race on May 14, 2011.
Be debt free by the end of the year. Hopefully if all goes right this should be an easy one. My car loan is up next January so if I pay a little extra each month I can have it paid off by the end of the year. Also, I have acquired some credit card debt while living on my own, especially after paying $2700 in dental bills in the last year. I’ve only got a few hundred left to pay and have moved my balance to a 0% interest card for six months so that I can pay it off by this summer. This leads me to my next goal…
Save at least $20 each week. I’ve been really bad at saving money lately. I want to get my debt paid off, but I also want to save money while doing it. I moved home in July to help me with this goal, but I have only saved a couple hundred dollars since then. I’m going to place a reminder on my calendar every week so that I make myself do it every week. I could just do $40 every pay check, but his way I know that I am saving something every week. Also if I have any extra money left over one week I will put that extra money in the bank as well. Any money that I make babysitting needs to go into my savings account as well.
Eat out less, eat at home more. Flaiz and I recently got a credit card together to put our eating out expenses on. Getting our first bill was quite a shocker. I couldn’t believe how much we spent eating out. With our busy schedules it’s more of a convenience to us to eat out, but we need to try harder at eating at home. We usually eat dinner together Wednesday-Sunday. My goal for 2011 is one of those nights we eat out and the rest we cook at home, unless there is a special occasion. I go to lunch every Tuesday with Ryne and occasionally with Flaiz one day, but I need to work on bringing my lunch to work or going home.
Read more books than I did in 2010. Reading is a good way to help improve language skills and a good way to escape for a period of time. A good book is enjoyable, and allows you to get caught up in the plot, and forget your problems temporarily. If my memory is right, I read five books last year, which isn’t that many for a whole year.
Look for a new job. As much as I love my job at Mercantile, the pay is crap. I have great benefits, flexibility and great coworkers, but it seems all my money is going to bills and that’s about it. A new job with better pay would help me get out of debt sooner and help to save more money.
Keep in touch with friends. We are all busy people, but I need to do a better job of making time with friends and keeping in touch, especially with my friends that don't live close by. I recently found this great quote, "your job won't take care of you when you're sick, your friends will, keep in touch".
Wish me luck, here's to a great year!
I'm not making resolutions this year because resolutions are hardly ever kept instead I am setting goals for myself. These are things that I can hopefully accomplish throughout the year. I've got quite a few, but I believe with a little effort that I can accomplish most of them. This blog is to help me track my progress.
Get back into shape and run a 5k. Ever since I moved back from school I have gotten out of shape. I use to run and workout with my best friend at school and have not continued to do so at home which was almost five years ago. Some might say playing on four volleyball teams during the summer would be enough, but we usually drink before, during and after volleyball. Through the winter I am still playing volleyball two nights a week, but I’ve decided I need to do something more. My goal is to run the 5k at the Bridge the Gap race on May 14, 2011.
Be debt free by the end of the year. Hopefully if all goes right this should be an easy one. My car loan is up next January so if I pay a little extra each month I can have it paid off by the end of the year. Also, I have acquired some credit card debt while living on my own, especially after paying $2700 in dental bills in the last year. I’ve only got a few hundred left to pay and have moved my balance to a 0% interest card for six months so that I can pay it off by this summer. This leads me to my next goal…
Save at least $20 each week. I’ve been really bad at saving money lately. I want to get my debt paid off, but I also want to save money while doing it. I moved home in July to help me with this goal, but I have only saved a couple hundred dollars since then. I’m going to place a reminder on my calendar every week so that I make myself do it every week. I could just do $40 every pay check, but his way I know that I am saving something every week. Also if I have any extra money left over one week I will put that extra money in the bank as well. Any money that I make babysitting needs to go into my savings account as well.
Eat out less, eat at home more. Flaiz and I recently got a credit card together to put our eating out expenses on. Getting our first bill was quite a shocker. I couldn’t believe how much we spent eating out. With our busy schedules it’s more of a convenience to us to eat out, but we need to try harder at eating at home. We usually eat dinner together Wednesday-Sunday. My goal for 2011 is one of those nights we eat out and the rest we cook at home, unless there is a special occasion. I go to lunch every Tuesday with Ryne and occasionally with Flaiz one day, but I need to work on bringing my lunch to work or going home.
Read more books than I did in 2010. Reading is a good way to help improve language skills and a good way to escape for a period of time. A good book is enjoyable, and allows you to get caught up in the plot, and forget your problems temporarily. If my memory is right, I read five books last year, which isn’t that many for a whole year.
Look for a new job. As much as I love my job at Mercantile, the pay is crap. I have great benefits, flexibility and great coworkers, but it seems all my money is going to bills and that’s about it. A new job with better pay would help me get out of debt sooner and help to save more money.
Keep in touch with friends. We are all busy people, but I need to do a better job of making time with friends and keeping in touch, especially with my friends that don't live close by. I recently found this great quote, "your job won't take care of you when you're sick, your friends will, keep in touch".
Wish me luck, here's to a great year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)