Thursday, Happy New Year 2015!!!!

     Happy New Year everyone!  This is going to be the best year yet, I can just feel it in my bones.  Speaking (I mean writing) of my bones, my left wrist has officially collapsed.  Very painful as the nerves that run through it are pinched and it feels like it is burning, with shooting pains in the bones of my hand.  Lovely way to start the New Year right?  You know that little bump we all have on our wrist?  Well my left one has disappeared into a mess of other bones I guess. I wish this 10lb. roll of fudge and caramels around my waist would disappear.

     Hub's got home really late last night from the yearly office hearts game(jungle rules apply).  I think he felt guilty as he insisted we go to the movies last night and it was nice.  We went to the Hobbit.  I need to reread that book.  I just remember the first 60 pages about drove me crazy, as in get on with the story.  But who am I to tell Tolkien how to write?  I have already put a large patch on a hockey jacket this morning. I don't even get New Years off?  No when you own a home business and people know you you don't.

     Looking back at 2014, I think it was a pretty good year, no real major disasters. Some sadness and trials but we all have those and they are never ending.  We were or I was able to take 3 really nice trips last year and pay off about $27,000 of debt.  In fact Sarah and I were withing 20 bucks of each other for debt payoff.  She paid about $19.00 more.  Isn't that funny?

     I really don't know what 2015 will bring with the studio going non-profit.  All I know is that I will continue to pay off my debts as quickly as I can without making myself miserable. A couple of major changes for this year that will hopefully change the bottom line to the positive are that we are both hubs and I trying to downsize our household and things.

     For instance, I will no longer be shopping loss leaders at stores to add to food storage.  This is how I keep my grocery budget down,  But we have a good supply of food and it needs to be eaten.  So no more bargain purchases, or Rite Aid shops.  Unless an item is needed no matter how good the price I will not be buying it for later.  Menus will be planned around what is in the storage and freezer.  When the freezer is empty I can buy more meat.  We will only buy fresh veggies, milk, fruit, cheese.  Canned goods and staples will come out of our storage.

     We will buy no new clothes or shoes, unless something specific needs to be replaced.  As in hubs work shoes.  We both have way too many clothes.  I specifically am bad about this.  I love to go to Ross or TJ Maxx and pick up a few things on sale.  Well no more, I have plenty.

     We will buy no new tools, or knick knacks for the house.  No new kitchen gadgets, pans, towels, etc.

     We will get rid of things we don't use or wear.  Every drawer and closet, nook and cranny will be scoured through out the year and ruthlessly downsized.

     We will continue to pay down debt as quickly as possible. 

     I am not so sure how much money this will save, but with Hubs retirement looming at the end of the year we may be selling the house or putting everything in storage and renting the house. Things are up in the air right now.  So the more stuff we get rid of the easier it will be to take off on a mission for our church.

     I really don't see us going any where until Spring 2016 as our youngest will be out of college and hopefully know what her future plans are as far as graduate school is concerned.  I know we won't go anywhere until that is worked out.

     So my life has big plans!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim