· · · ·

My 2010 Financial Goals

fleurs // livelovesimple.com

I took off from work last week, the week between Christmas and New Year. It was quite possibly the smartest thing I have ever done. It was an absolutely necessary break from the confines of my “routine” and job. I feel more as though I took a month off than just a week. I have done so much, seen so much, loved so much, and learned so much.

I spent genuine, quality time with friends, family, and my boyfriend. I spent my time between New York City and my hometown in Northern New Jersey.

I am at a place of extreme clarity. My mind is clear & fluid. My goals are crisp, clean, ready to be accomplished. I am focused, determined, & ready.

I am going to work very hard this year to bring myself closer to financial freedom. I am going to continue building my blog (and my businesses) at a faster rate than ever. I will continue to work 40-50 hours per week at my job, but I will also hustle and devote between 3 – 5 hours+ per week strictly producing content.

As of today I have two remaining debts:

$24,892.40 – Student Loans
$1,085.22 – Credit Card

(My car loan doesn’t count because I will be able to sell it [and ultimately make a profit] when the time* comes.)

Here is the plan:

By December 12, 2010* I will have cut my debt almost in half. My student loan debt will be cut down to just under $14,000 and my remaining credit cards will be cut up.

I will finally be in a position where I do not feel completely overwhelmed by my debts. I can not wait for that day!

How am I going to get there?

It isn’t going to be easy! But I can and I will do it. I plan to:

a. Put $1,000 a month into savings (ING Direct, earning 1.3% APY) = $11,143 (after 11 months, Jan thru Dec).
b. I already have $1,000 cash in a CD earning 2.0 % APY which will be available to me on December 12, 2010 = $1,020.
c. That will bring my total debt down to $13,814.62!

There are some doubts and questions that plague my mind. For example, “How am I going to put $1,000 per month into savings when I currently only put in $300 per month?” “What if an emergency strikes?” “What if I falter?” etc. etc. I find it pretty pointless to focus on these questions. There are a million what-ifs that we can ask ourselves everyday — “What if I walk out into the street tomorrow and get hit by a bus?”

The most important thing to me is this: I am working toward living the life of my dreams. I am empowering myself to live the life of my dreams. Through my blog and my businesses I am empowering other people to live the lives of their dreams. Those things alone make all of the effort 100% worth it.

In addition to all of the things mentioned above, I have also started to sell my jewelry (vintage & handmade) on Etsy. I am planning to start selling my other belongings on Craigslist & possibly Ebay in the near future. I hope that the extra money will help me reach my goals faster.

~~~

I am so excited to be sharing my goals with you all. I hope that my goals can help you to set out to create your own. Yes, my plan is ambitious but if you shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll be among the stars.

If you would like to help me along my journey feel free to use the donation button on the right side of the page!

So, what are your financial goals for 2010? Is there anything that I can do to help you reach them? Let me know in the comments!

you may also like

  • · ·

    Are You Oblivious, Aware, or Getting It?

    This is a guest post from my friend, Andy Feld.

    ———–

    As I travel and meet new people all over our country, it seems most everyone falls into one of the three areas mentioned in this month’s title. What am I talking about? It’s the societal evolutionary change which is now in progress, although admittedly sometimes imperceptible. It is easy to see that violence rarely leads to anything but more violence. Overt materialism, absent integrity, brings happiness and abundance to very few. Additionally, centuries of male dominated insensitive energy added to a populace unwilling to take responsibility has us at a precarious tipping point.

    So, do you sense what I say is true? Are you oblivious to these changes in the air, or are you ahead of the curve and already taking the steps necessary to not only survive, but thrive in the years to come? Frankly, I am often greeted by individuals with long faces who tell me they will be happy again when things get back to ‘normal’. Normal for many means simply getting back to a life dominated by financial gain and the purchase of new things, but those days may be long gone. Banks are not lending money, our population is increasingly unemployed or aging and dependent, houses are not selling, there seems to be an oversupply of everything and worldwide competition is greater than ever. What if today is the way things will be for the next 20-30 years or longer? What are you going to do to be happy, prosperous, and emotionally abundant?

    Make no mistake, everything is changing and just about everyone is affected. Personally, my income does not approach what I once earned as a corporate CEO, my car is not as new and shiny as it once may have been, and I visit fewer restaurants, but my life has never been more pleasant. Would you agree that now is the time to not only re-evaluate, but also re-create our lives? If so, you are GETTING IT loud and clear, but if not, let’s look into what we can do about it.

    1. We are all One, connected with a common thread of spirit. When I say WE, I mean ALL humans, animals, plant life, earth, and stars. We all are of the same source energy, and understanding and respecting this Oneness is a key to thriving in our new age. Allowing all else to be, with love and respect, and without judgment of unique individual differences will open our portals to Universal Light. One cannot mistreat another human, the earth, our vegetation, and the animals without also mistreating oneself. We are all connected and what we put forth to others is what will always come back to us.

    2. Listen to our heart, our Inner Radar as I call it in my books, without the fear of judgment from others. We are all unique and different, and learning to reach within and hear that guidance we all individually brought forth to this lifetime allows us to grow and prosper in alignment with our life’s purpose. There is no better way to accomplish this than a regular practice of meditation and contemplation.

    3. Understanding the process for manifesting our life’s dreams. It takes quite a bit of practice and self-discipline, and you may be getting tired of hearing me speak about it, but we are the product of our thoughts, emotions, words, and actions. Very little we desire will manifest without the alignment of these four elements. Believe in this, practice and have faith and you will embrace your life like never before.

    4. Learn to appreciate all that you have. From hot running water, to clothes in your closet, and food in the refrigerator, most of us have so much to be thankful for yet rarely acknowledge. The beauty of nature, our relationships, our health and the list should go on and on. Write it down and truly rejoice in how many ways you are blessed.

    5. Diligently work on balancing your male and female attributes. We are all a combination of both masculine and feminine, and the more we keep these two in balance the more we vibrate with the earth.

    Yes, everything is changing. First, become aware and then jump on board, but it will always be the choice of the individual. No one, other than you is responsible for your rescue.

    Whether it is a business, an organization, or individual, the time for changing the status quo in right now. How to go about it in this new environment is what I speak about and teach. I would love the opportunity to work with you or your group.

    With much love and appreciation,
    Andy

    ———-

    Andy lives in Morrison, Colorado outside Denver. He travels the country as a frequent speaker on life inspiration and business sales. He is also a regular guest on radio programs across the United States and on local TV.

    You can read more about Andy at his website, Simple Happy, and you can find his books on Amazon at the following links.

6 Comments

  1. Good Luck!!!

    Glad you are so focused on the goals you have established.

    Keep it up and don't ditch your time on your blog.

    David Damron
    LifeExcursion

  2. @David – Thank you so much, Dave. I am excited & I appreciate your encouragement, definitely no ditching the blog! 😉

  3. Dena,
    Good luck on your goals. I have to say that paying off college debt is a major undertaking and I'm on the same boat. We can do it!

  4. @Ken – Thanks so much! It is indeed a huge undertaking, but we will get there – one step at a time. 🙂

    @Laura – Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed. Stick around! I'm going to check out your blog now.

  5. Pingback: 5 Tips for Focusing & My Mini Meltdown : evolution you

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *