It's a good thing I wrote about 2010 "goals" and not "resolutions" or they'd be broken already! That's one of the nice things about goals, it doesn't really matter when I reach them, as long as sometime in the future I realize these things, then I'm successful! How's that for rationalizing?
With that said, we've had a couple of setbacks in the last two weeks that will probably make our goals...umm, well, a little bit more "futuristic."
What?
OK, they might not get accomplished this year (then again, it's only February...), but they still remain goals.
For those of you scratching your heads (geeze, like ALL of you, duh!), here's why all this rambling about meeting goals, or lack thereof:
- One of our cars died this last week and one of our goals was to ramp up the car fund for "when" the car died. So, how much did we have in the fund? $275. Whoa, that'll get us a real beauty.
- Our 25-year-old heat pump kicked the bucket. Initial quote? $4,000. Ouch. Today, though, we talked it over and our repairman thinks it can be replaced for half that. This seems like such a relief (?!!) that we fear he quoted the higher price so we'd happily part with the lower amount. Just kidding... I think.
- We've had more computer problems, but we are hoping a $60 hard drive will solve them. This seems like pennies compared to the other two.
Gee, Dear Ramsey's $1000 emergency fund plan is not really gonna help us here, huh? We had secretly put aside more, though (shhh...don't tell him).
No matter how discouraging it sometimes seems to me, I firmly believe that God is in control and has provided for all our needs, and will continue to do so. Now, to just let go of the wants. :-)
Here's the blessings I'm counting today:
Blessing: my wonderful in-laws are giving us an old car of theirs that should see us through a year or two while we save for a newer car.
Blessing: my wonderful brother and his wife have loaned us their car in the meantime.
Blessing: the heat pump quote came back half what we originally thought and we have the cash to pay it, so we won't add to our garage debt.
Blessing: we successfully ate from the pantry during January and lowered our food bill by $100, which went to help the people of Haiti. I learned I can, and should, shop less some months to use up more of what we have. It's actually easy and will allow us to put the extra into...hum, let's see...car fund? garage debt? replenish emergency fund? Oh, the choices!
With regards to the goals, it's one step forward and two steps back, but we'll hopefully get moving forward again soon on the financial goals. The house goals are going to feel the brunt of the blow, I'm afraid. But I am determined to loose this horrible carpet, one way or another.
I just have to get creative, it seems.
-Jami
This is linked to Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers.
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