I have my 40 x 40 goals, but I am going to make a few specific resolutions for this year as well. If I write down what I want to accomplish, I feel accountable. I don't know who I am accountable to, exactly, but it seems to work.
1. Create a budget. This actually fits in with my 40 x 40 goals, because the budget will include college savings for both kids. We have a vague, general budget for our major expenses, but I want to keep track to the dollar. If I have cash, I tend to lose track of where I spend it.
2. Set stricter screen time limits and stick to them. I let the kids watch a lot of TV over the holidays. A lot. I was so busy getting everything ready for all of my hosting and present duties that I just needed them out of my hair. We developed some bad habits. And before the holidays? Well, I wasn't that great about restricting screen time then, either. My new plan: they get one hour a day. This will most likely work out to one show after lunch and one show while I am making dinner OR the equivalent time using the tablet to play games. I tried this schedule last week, and while there was a lot of initial complaining, we got through it and ended up having fun playing dress up and doing puzzles and putting on puppet shows. (And now that the holidays are over, I have time to facilitate the playing of such games, if I need to.) Of course, there will be exceptions for sick days and below zero days. There have to be exceptions to every rule, right?
And that's it!
I'm with you on the screen time. One hour a day seems like a good rule ... unless it's the weekend. ;)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your resolutions!
Have you heard of YNAB? https://www.youneedabudget.com/
ReplyDeleteIt's a minimal cost a month, but I've heard RAVES about it, especially from my BFF the budgeting wizard. The promise is that after 1 month of being on the budget, you'll have a whole paycheck in savings already.
I'm very intrigued, but not sure I could get the hubby onboard.