Reflecting on 2014 Aspirations

Well a year has passed since I created this list....a year ago when I was wide eyed with anticipation, hope and promise. A year where there was the possibility of everything going smoothly :-)

 

Here are my thoughts on 2014's goals.

 

2014 Aspirations - Planned Savings

 

1) TFSA - $2000. This was a success. This was the first time I had moved my goal from $1000 to $2000. I was a bit worried I was setting myself up for failure, but it was one of the first goals I tackled, and I was full of motivation and purpose.  My TFSA is sitting at $5100ish. The $100 being the sad tiny amount of interest that has accumulated over the years. 

 

2) RRSP - $2000. This was not a success. The expenses from over the year slowed this down considerably. Something had to give and it looks like this was what ...gave.  I managed to get to the bank just this week and put down $1200 in my RRSP. So not only did I not make my goal for 2014, I also put in less than I have the last two years.

 

3) RESP - $2400. Based on my numbers from Dec 1 to Dec 1.... I went from $15 800 to        $20 400. I put in $200 a month...hence my $2400 goal amount. This is a total difference of $4 600. So.....success.

 

 3) DS2's Trip - $2000. Success. I actually put in just over $2700 and paid off the last bit of the trip a couple weeks ago. I am so happy I can give DS2 his trip.

 

4) Summer 2014 - $1000. Success. I know I used a chunk of the money for our camping trip and the rest went towards our trip to the US to get DS settled.

 

5) Back to School - $1000. Success. I know I used some for DS2's back to school clothes, and a bit of it for my staff fees that are always due when we start the school year.

 

6) Christmas 2014 - $1400. Success. and spent. grateful I had it saved.

 

7) Vehicle Plates - $1200. Success. This was for DS2's plates which were due in October. I actually only needed $960 of it as his new vehicle was cheaper for insurance than his old one.

 

2014 Aspirations - Experiences

1) embrace the past at ancestry.ca. Semi success. I did bursts of exploration and found some new things. I realized I have little time to do it during the school year though.

 

2) feed your love of reading. total fail. I read less this year than I ever have. This bothers me.

 

3) move move move more to feel great. Sporadic success. I definitely move more in the summer and early fall months than I do in the winter. I need to figure out a plan to keep walking during our long snowy months.

 

4) get more weight off your body. Fail. I never seem to be successful at this. Will I ever value my health?

 

5) take a road trip to rediscover the past or explore the future. Success. We did the 17 hour drive to DS's new hometown. While my derriere did not appreciate sitting that long, I was pleased that DS2 and I navigated so well together. It was amazing to see a new place. I felt an instant kinship with DS1's new city.

 

6) work smarter, not harder. Semi success. I am more aware of how much time I do not use well, and I know that I can tap that resource to I don't feel so much pressure during high stress seasons.

 

7) make conscious efforts to focus on the positive. Despite my sadness with DS leaving, I honestly think I have done a better job of this, especially at work. Amazing how a change in your mood affects your day and the day of those around you.

 

8) notice the beauty of simple, small moments. Success. I find myself tearful at so many tiny moments. So appreciative of them. maybe almost too teary :-)

 

9) shut off the tv more and turn on the music. At home? fail. At school when I am working on weekends or evenings? Success.  Technically it is not so much actual TV but Netflix. Same things though :-)

 

 

2014 was a heck of a ride. 2015 will be even busier with  more new experiences. I need to practice patience and planning to cope with these changes.

 

A year of snowflakes

Ahhh sweet beautiful snowflakes. Each on their own is tiny, but together, they can create amazing things.  Here are my thoughts on snowflakes for this year.

The money comes from a variety of sources - leftover weekly jar money, rolled change, bottle recycling, income tax refund, garage sales, and little bits of money I get here and there. On the weeks or months where I am diligent about using cash, I have more change. Usually any change I get, goes in the jar.  That can add up fast.

This year it was mostly from change and from bits I syphon out of my weekly jar money. If you look at the amounts below, the snowflake amount has mostly gotten smaller each year.

I don't feel I did my best job this year. I let the overwhelming nature of moving a child to another country and beginning to pay for college..............muddled my focus and my clarity.

Nevertheless, I am pleased that I still kept up with snowflaking, and that I put it towards good uses. In the latter part of the year, the snowflaking went to pay off the expenses from our trip down in the summer, as well as in October to DS's USA home.

Here is the breakdown of years past and a link to their pages, if you are interested.


In 2013 the snowflakes were $3671
In 2012 the snowflakes were $3136
In 2011 the snowflakes were $4350
In 2010 the snowflakes were $5070
In 2009 the snowflakes were $4295

And for 2014..... well the snowflakes, including the change I rolled this week, came to a grand total of $3112

Here is to another year of being wiser with money and remembering that every little bit saved or not spent, can add up and make a great impact on goals.

2014 - a quick glance

Looking at the numbers, I have done the poorest job of debt reduction in 2014, out of the years I have been blogging.

And if we wanted to get technical, the debt is really up. Not included in that 2014 number is the LOC  for DS's college expenses, which is setting at a bit under $8 600. So technically, I am UP $5200ish.

It also doesn't include DH's truck loan, but I have never included it as I do not pay it off.

Debts December 2009 - $70 771.99
December 2010 - $52 410.25 (down $18 361.74)
December 2011 - $40 055.29 (down $12 354.96)
December 2012 - $35 921.04 (down $4 134.25)
December 2013 - $25 925.49 (down $9 995.55)
December 2014 - $22 494.06 (down $3431.43)

The only thing on the debt amount just above is the mortgage. I don't anticipate this  number will change a whole lot as I do not plan to put anything extra on it. I have one child in college now and as of the fall of  2015 I will have two. 

My focus must must must be on finding a way to reduce expenses to get through the next four college years.

Despite this doom and gloom prospect, I rejoice in the fact that I started this blog in 2008 and I started becoming money AWARE. I would not have had any of the successes or planning I have now, without that start then.

So if you are reading this, and just starting out, or just thinking about starting out, please DO. You will be so happy you did. I know I am.

Taking a bit of Canada back with him

Well that visit home went far too fast. I suppose I had better get used to it as that is our future.  He got time with 'the boys' (hockey buddies), his friends, his kitties, his cousins, his brother, his gf and her family, and ...the rest of us.

His flight left at 4 PM today. We drove into the city and I swear it was harder saying goodbye this time than it was in August when we left him in the US.

He went over to say goodbye to his grandparents last night. They miss him so much. My dad was full of advice. DS just smiles and nods. My mom gives him advice about taking care of his dress clothes.

We came home and watched the World Jr Canada vs Germany game and he worked at his lottery scratch tickets he got for gifts. A total of $32 in winnings which are going into his Craven 2015 fund.

I ended the night watching The Hobbit 2 with BOTH my boys. They sat on the same couch, each holding a cat. Such a great moment.

Since he had room in his checked luggage, some favourite items went home, that he can't get in his college town.  I miss him already!

All the whiz down there has queso in it,

mmm unhealthy juice crystals

He missed his ketchup chips

M and Ms are NOT the same thing.

He loves this on his chicken.



A Year of Change

Just take it to the bank and put it in one of those machines and it will count it for you!  I often hear that, but honestly, I just love that feeling of watching the change in my jar grow, then dumping it out, sorting it and rolling it up.  I am definitely weird, but I am ok with that.

I haven't added up my yearly change as I am typing this. My gut tells me that it is lower than in the past. I think I recall a couple months where there wasn't even enough of any one kind to roll anything to take to the bank.

Last year's total was $980.  I suspect this year is much less. Let's head to the month by month as I rummage through my blog history to see if I am correct.


January -$45
February - $80
March - $40
April - $0 recorded
May - $15
June - $75
July - $50
August - $50
September - $100
October - $57
November - $0 recorded
December - $100

For a grand total for 2014 of $512

ouch. I hate it when my gut is right. That  was a lot less. This tells me I used my debit card a lot more and actual cash a lot less. And if I was using my debit card, I probably was spending more of the budget line.  All things within my control to change.(no pun intended)