Goals update!

I'm sure most of you aren't interested in our progress on our lovely goals for the year but tracking it through the blog helps keep me on track and see our progress (or lack of) and makes me feel a little bit more accountable to actually continue them!

So where are we at....

1-Do the compact for 2 separate months: We have chosen MARCH as month number 1! I'm excited and a bit nervous as well! Our friend Jessi is just wrapping up her families 6 month endeavor with the Compact so I am looking toward her for tips! We've settled on 75$ for the month for new items. My hope is that doing it twice this year, each for a month will give us some insight into what things we are spending money on that we don't need to.

For those of you who don't know about the compact, it started in California as a pact between ten friends to not buy new for one year. To decrease your impact on the earth, be a bit greener, recycle, buy used etc. What our friend did was give her family 600$ for the 6 months to buy new things (clothes, gifts, etc) and so far has around 150 left with only 11 days to go so she is doing amazing! The new fund excludes things that you can't or shouldn't buy used (food, gas, bills, house payment etc.). You still can pay for services (oil change, alterations, fix its, etc). You can still go out to eat, go do activities etc. So our plan is to do the 75$ for each of the months and be very intentional on what we spend it on. We'll have to make some of the rules up as we go and see what happens... obviously there are a few things we wouldn't wait on (like if the furnace died, we'd have to get a new one if it wasn't fixable, etc). My plan is that anytime I see something that I would normally have wanted and think I may still want it at the end of the month is to write it down along with the cost. At the end of the month, we'll take a look at the list and see what things we still need/want and what ones would have been more impulse buys. If there are things we actually need now, then I will see what I can find in second hand stores, craigslist, ebay, etc. or will dip into the new purchase fund if I can't find it anywhere else. Hopefully by doing this it will help us save a little money, be a little greener, and learn to be less of an impulse shopper.... We have 11 days left prior to starting so I am not stocking up or thinking ahead to what we may need for the month. The thing that I know I will struggle with most is that I LOVE a good deal (hence the impulse buying)! I love clearance sales and seem to be drawn to them. I also have friends (you know who you are) who are insanely good at clearance sales and doubling deals so I'll have to ignore them for the month! OK, I won't ignore you, I just won't be able to join in the fun! Now most of the time, I am getting things that we will need at some point, clothes for the next season, etc. But sometimes its random stuff that we don't really need.

Obviously there is a lot of stuff from a financial standpoint that we could do (not eat out etc.) but for now we are going with not buying new and seeing where it takes us. We aren't having financial issues or anything but saving is a good thing! Jared is sort of on board... The main material thing he buys is frisbees so he's been warned that he needs to order them now because if he orders them during the compact, when they come in the mail I'll hide them until the compact is over! So 11 more days until our month begins!

2- Decrease processed foods: Going ok! Went on vacation and didn't follow this there. I figure vacation, eating out, or friends bringing food over doesn't count. So when we are at home and I am cooking, we are doing really well. We are doing well for healthy, natural, or organic snacks as well! Apparently the kids love dried fruit, organic crackers, and healthy bread/toast! So overall this is going well! We still haven't used up all the processed food that was in the house to start with so that's sneaking in once in a while as well but we are mixing it with healthy stuff so that helps a little bit! So we'll keep plugging along!

3- Increase family time: Minus our recent trip, we have been making more of a conscious effort not to schedule a ton of things on nights when everyone could be home. We've been sharing more kid activities to allow more time at home as well. Jared does swimming with JT, I'm doing dance and swimming with AJ. Basketball season is almost done so that will help, although disc golf season is starting so that may be a bit challenging but I think we have a schedule worked out that will give us more time together!

Random little things:

Basement: unpacked, put away, reorganized, stuff to dump, pile for garage sale, just have a few things left to stick in the trash and a pile of styrofoam to bring to the recycling center.

Living room: toys gone through, reorganized, pile for garage sale, pile brought to Meenas

Picture wall: DONE and GREAT!

Next up... Painting the living room! So we are making progress on the forever long "wish I could do" list!