Back on Budget - yucko

Ok I took a break from being my normal frugal self. I got two vacations and a new wardrobe out of it hehehe

But back I go to my real world, today I made "The List". The list consists of where I want to be by the end of 2008 with mini goals in between. Items on the list include:

1 - where I want to travel: I love cruising and I am going to try to cruise 2-3 times a year in the off season. The Triumph will be my third cruise for this year and next year I have 2 booked at the end of 2008. I have a short trip planned to Myrtle Beach and another one to Disney for free dining (if it's offered - this trip is more for mommy than Natalie, I love Disney!) in 2008 in the 19 month cruise gap (waiting for the kiddo to be 2 so she can play in Camp Carnival if she wants).

2- fun things I want to do with Natalie when she's home: things like area parks, setting up a mini play ground at the house, taking her to g-pops to swim in the pool and going on trips with her itchy feet mommy.

3- my emergency fund: do you have one? What happens if you loose income for a month? For 2 months? I had an outrageous emergency fund planned but it was taking away from my quality of life. So I loosened it up and it's working much better for me. By the end of 2007 I'll have 1/2 of my yearly salary in an emergency fund. In 2008 I plan to really bump up my 401K from 11% to 25%. Sad to say I make so little I'll still be under the 13K limit with a 25% contribution BUT that will help me out so I won't have to work until I'm 70 - woohoo!

4- home fixer upper stuff: I'm to the landscaping part of the program. I want to put those stacking stone tings all around the house and add lots of flowering bushes and bulbs. I am pricing it all out tomorrow. The Home Depot is running a 12 month free financing promotion for $299 or more, I guarantee my fancy rocks will qualify as "more".

5- My car fund: or lack of car fund. Mine has 85K miles on it, it's time to stop stealing money from the car fund to go on cruises (twitch twitch)

Ok so now everything is right with the world, I have lists again. I promise to cool it on the clothes buying and the eating out. My lunches taste way better than the places near work. I promise to start bargain shopping again and to hunt for deals. I promise to start the freebies at Walgreens and CVS again. I promise to go through my rebate book and find out what has come and what hasn't and follow up on it. I promise to be good! :D