3 Things for 2015.

I have a love/hate relationship with  New Year's Resolutions. Some years I'm all about it, making lists and game plans with bullet points. Other years I'm just like "I just want to LIVE, you know?". This year, I'm sort of in between.

There are three things- resolutions, I guess, I want to work on.

1. Money saving. I'm really bad at saving money. I don't even use my Kroger fuel points to get a discount for gas. Not that I don't want to, I just forget about it. But in 2015 I want to become more frugal. My ultimate goal is to be able to purchase a condo or house within the next two years...and if I want to do that, I have to save. Sure, it will be hard. With rent and a car payment and student loans and every other bill I have coming in. But, I know that I can do it because I know people who have done it. I just have to be more careful. I got a kickstart on this over the weekend. I studied my bank account statements and saw where I am wasting my money. I also did a little experiment and went on a spending freeze this weekend. I did not buy ANYTHING "extra". Not a cup of coffee, pack of gum, magazine, etc. I only spent money on groceries and bills. Tom and I did have a date night with dinner and a movie, but the movie was free with a gift card and dinner was on him because I made dinner the night before and purchased all the ingredients. (We try to take turns on things like that). Tom and I are very careful as a couple with our money...we take turns, split bills, and try to do things that are free or don't cost a lot of money. Anyway, the point is I usually spend about $60-$100 in a weekend on meals out, post workout coffee and bagel, extra things at the store that I don't really need. This weekend I spent about $20, and that was just on groceries for Friday night and Sunday night dinner.

I am going to continue my "spending freeze" in the sense that- if I don't need it, I won't buy it. I get in the really bad habit of going out for coffee even though I have a Keruig at home or grabbing lunch after the gym on a Saturday. My new habit is to eat almost every meal at home, with the exception of some date nights and nights out with friends. I do have to have some fun.

I also did some major research on coupons and reward programs, and I am simply just not using what's out there. I went to Kroger tonight for my grocery shopping for the week and with my rewards, a few coupons and buying store brand products, I spent about $15 less than I usually do for a week of groceries. Success!

I know it will be hard but it will also be worth it. If you have tips/ideas, feel free to share. I'm new at this!

2. This one is a little harder to admit, but we all have our flaws right? In 2015 I need to check my attitude. I have a bad habit of snapping at someone when I am under stress. Tom and my family usually get the brunt of this since it typically happens to the people closest to me. I used to think it was just me being a hormonal girl and that I would grow out if it, but as I've gotten a little older I HATE that I do it, and I want to stop, I think that, most of the time, it's coming from a place of anxiety. But I still don't want that to be an excuse, and I don't want to do it anymore. The past few times it's happened I have apologized- which I never used to do before. Before I would just storm off and shed a few tears. Now I've bitten the bullet and apologized when it's happened. And also have been trying to fix it. I've been trying a few methods: yoga (bonus: there is a great free class every Sunday in downtown Birmingham!), meditation, writing, etc. I'm not some kind of monster and it's not like it happens all the time, but it happens enough that I have decided to do something about it.

3. This may be obvious, but continue on my weight loss journey. In June 2013 I made a promise to myself that I would not stop until I reached my goal weight. I'm not there yet and there is no giving up! It's time to amp it up, actually. I am down 92 lbs, I want to get to 100 by our trip to Florida. After that, I will only have about 40 more lbs to make it to my goal weight. I don't care how long it takes me, but I will get there. And 2015 is not going to be about giving up, it's going to be about amping it up trying new things, pushing harder. I just read a quote today that actually fits me quite well:

Are you making resolutions this year?