Plots, plans and ponderings for 2018

You know, it's funny. Each year about this time I search online for an image that depicts my feelings about the coming year. Some years there are so many that fit my mood, it's hard to choose.

Yesterday I spent over an hour surfing the net and looking for the right one. Not only did I NOT find the right one, I didn't find ANY one that even remotely appealed to me. That gets me to wondering about my focus or lack of focus for the year.

The closest pic that matched my thoughts was what I posted last year:

Someone, more graphically orientated would be able to change it to 2018. That is definitely not in my wheelhouse.

Those are really the kinds of goals that will make me a happier person.



A lot of the money basics are hardwired into me now after almost 10 years of doing this:

1) RRSP - $1500

2) TFSA - $1000
This will come out of the change I roll each month after the Back to School goal has been met. I may have to top things off if I have low or no change months. I already have $400 of it ready to go since I didn't reach this goal in 2017

3) Summer 2018 - $1000
I have no set plans for summer. We did our last family camp last summer and that era is now over. I know DS1 plans to go back to the mountains but I think that is a non parent trip :-)

4) Back to School - $500
This will come out of my change each month from January to August, or earlier if that is how the change works out

5) XMAS - $1500

6) LOC - $1500 Bonus payments
I hope that nothing keeps me from my regular monthly payments on my LOC. I also hope that nothing happens that causes me to have to add to it. Life does its own thing sometimes. Beyond the regular payments I would like to try to get another $1500 in lump sum payments put down on it. This could come from $ not spent from my jar money each week. That would put my LOC balance at about $16 500.   I also have the option after DS is done college to direct some of that college savings money towards the LOC to get it lower yet.  We shall see how things unfold

7) Plates 2018 - $1200
Both boys' vehicle insurance is under my name. DS2 has started paying me $ each month to put towards his so that will save me $1200. DS1..... I have no idea where he will be in the fall. If he moves to the US permanently, we will have to figure out the proper paperwork to have it licensed wherever he ends up. If he ends up in Europe, we will have to figure out a different plan.  I won't know until at least July so there is no point worrying about it. I will save the $ and if  I don't need it, it definitely has other places to go.

8) the House -
I have been told that my parents wish to leave me their house when they are both gone. I very much hope that is a long long time in the future. I also know that the value of the house is more than what my value of their estate would be. Should this unfold in 2018, I will have some $ decisions about what to do and how to fund the balance of the $ to purchase it from the estate.

9) Reading
I have reset up my ABC book list to see if I can be a bit more motivated to read a little more voraciously.

10) Travel
I set aside a little bit of $ each month for travel. I will be headed down to DS1 for his last home game and Senior Parent Night. That will be a flight and hotel cost.

I also would like to go somewhere else this year. It doesn't have to be far. Just so I can live a little bit.

I guess that the most important part of 2018 will to appreciate the moments I have left with mom and dad as well as stay sane and balanced on my own home front as well as at work.  Nothing from the above list works if I am not healthy - mind or body.