My 2010 Financial Goals

DenaJanuary 3, 2010

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!

Comments (6)

  • David Damron

    January 3, 2010 at 8:26 pm

    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

  • Dena

    January 3, 2010 at 8:35 pm

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

  • Ken Kurosawa

    January 6, 2010 at 12:27 am

    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!

  • Laura@nms

    January 7, 2010 at 3:24 am

    Hi Dena and good luck with your goals in 2010.
    Your blog is very inspiring!

    Laura

  • Dena

    January 13, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    @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 Tips for Focusing & My Mini Meltdown : evolution you

    April 27, 2010 at 10:59 pm

    […] my goals are personal in nature and others have to be kept quiet for other reasons. I did share my financial goals in great detail earlier this year. I am proud to report that I am actually doing better than […]

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