Jump Start January: Week 1 Day 1
Hiya. How’s your hangover? Oh yeah, and a very happy New Year to all of you – hope it’s a good one. As usual, I have no resolutions because I find them impossible to stick to, so I’ve come up with a more manageable 30-day challenge.
The underlying themes, as always, are personal finance and general wellbeing. In addition to this, each week’s going to be based around a different subject.
Here’s the running order for January 2015:
- Week 1 – Personal finance (small steps that build to make something bigger), see daily listings below
- Week 2 – Decluttering, spring cleaning and organising (even if you’re feeling overwhelmed)
- Week 3 – Increasing income & improving productivity
- Week 4 – Tenner Week (live on a budget of £10, pull your finances into line before payday)
- Last few days – Fine tuning (the difference between success & failure with budgets/plans)
The personal finance week schedule is as follows:
- Day 1: Think about main priorities and goals (see below)
- Day 2: ‘Small picture’ records – start a spending diary
- Day 3: Small savings – in the coin jar
- Day 4: ‘Big picture’ records – financial filing
- Day 5: The War on Error – check, check, check
- Day 6: Quick wins – cut an overspend or reclaim something
- Day 7: Bigger savings – stop dreaming, start doing
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Today’s simple, manageable activity
Today is ten minutes to hear yourself think day. Get away from the noise and have a think about your current situation and your priorities.
It’s not an exercise in beating yourself up or feeling guilty, it’s about considering your current situation and making some realistic plans.
Consider:
- Your general financial situation, and your main goal for the year.
- Your general personal situation, and your main goal for the year.
Don’t try to set several goals or make huge generalised resolutions. If you like, you can pick one or two secondary goals but it’s probably easiest to simply stick to the two main ones. The less you weigh yourself down with, the easier it is to prioritise.
So, for your financial situation, of course everyone’s going to be different. Here are a few possibilities:
- In debt and debt is getting out of control >> Tackle my debts, gain control, start paying them off (some people will be able to pay them off completely, depending upon size of debt and income)
- In debt, but in control and paying it off >> Continue to control my finances and pay off a specific amount of debt, or clear it completely
- Not in debt, but only just keeping head above water financially >> Keep my finances stable, spend less, earn more, start saving – or any combination of these
- Not in debt >> Pay off extra chunk of my mortgage, earn more (get a pay rise, a better job, start a business etc), save more, invest more, improve potential retirement income etc, etc
That’s not an exhaustive list, but should give you some good places to start.
For example, I’ve had an idea for a little microbusiness that I’ll be starting in the next three months or so, so that’s hopefully going to provide a new source of income. My secondary goal will be to put any post-tax money it raises towards savings and investments.
As for the personal goals, well, how long is a piece of string? You will probably have something unique to you that you’ll want to enjoy, achieve, improve or fix.
My personal goal is to have a proper holiday this year. At least seven days away somewhere beautiful and interesting, probably September or October. That gives me some time to start saving up, so I’ll be setting myself monthly targets for it soon.
Now write your two main goals down on a file card or a postcard, and stick them somewhere that you’re going to see them every day. For me that’s on the office pinboard, but you could use the fridge door, car dashboard, hall mirror, wallet, computer wallpaper or virtual desktop note, whatever you like. Add an image too – it can give you some extra motivation.
That’s it for today! What are your two main goals right now, financial and personal?
Happy new year Penny!!!!
Thanks for this – I’m definitely needing to sort out my finances after a bit of an overspend at Christmas. A tenner week at the end of the month will be very welcome.
My financial goal is to clear my credit card debt by April and my personal goal is to also save for a nice holiday somewhere!! Where are you going to go to Penny? I need some inspiration!!! X
Happy new year!
My goals are going to be to clear credit card by the end of the month, complete “Dry January”!
I need to apply for a new passport for me and hubby so will definitely need £10 week to be able to afford them.
We’re of to Portugul in April to visit family…Its the big 50 for me this year and my long term goal for this year is to sort out my finances !
Here’s to a great January
Happy New Year Penny!
Nice plan of attack…
Financial – complete the Moneystepper Savings Challenge (25% net wealth increase & 30% average savings rate)
Personal – still be successfully self employed (running my own business) by the end of 2015
Hi Jackie – Good luck sorting out the credit card bill, it feels so great to not have debts hanging over you all the time. Not sure about holidays yet, but promise to keep you posted in case inspiration strikes. It would be a real treat to have a week somewhere interesting and another week where I can just sit and write in pleasant surroundings (unlimited tea and coffee will probably be needed).
Hi Nikki – doing a dry January will definitely make it easier to do a Tenner Week, and it’s nice to have a clear head for it too. Passports are so expensive, aren’t they? Congratulations in advance for the special birthday!
Hi Moneystepper – you’re going to be nice and busy this year! It’s good to push yourself and have something definite to aim for, you can always surprise yourself at how much you achieve when you make a smart plan.
Happy New Year everybody!
Penny xx