2010 Goal Final Status

2011 Goals are up, but how did we do in 2010? I really should have tracked my progress quarterly, like any other blogger worth their salt, but such is life. Maybe thats another 2011 goal. Anyway, here is our one and only 2010 check in.

SAVINGS
Save $2669.48 to bring long term savings up to 40k.
STATUS: DONE AND DONE. Actually pretty much blew this one out of the water. Mostly due to the acquisition of job number 2, and some other unexpected windfalls.

Build a CD Ladder.
STATUS: Decided this wasn't such a good idea after all. With CD rates as pathetic as they are, I saw no reason to lock up my money to receive a meager .10%. I actually ended up consolidating my money somewhat.

Build slush fund back up to $1500.
STATUS: Done. Actually maintained a much higher balance than that on the slush fund for most of the year.

Save $2315 to open Roth IRA account.
STATUS: Done, but I opted not to open the IRA account. I am feeling less and less positive about putting my money into the stock market. I ended up rolling all this into my long term savings account.

GIVING
Donate $25 per month to my charity of choice.
STATUS: Abject failure. I think we did this once. We did make several food pantry and Goodwill donations. In general our cash giving sucked.

SPENDING

Outside House Projects.
To be accomplished in Spring, no earlier than April, no later than end of June.
Paving or graveling the driveway/back patio area. Husband has been assigned the task of getting quotes for this by EOM January. In my mind I think it will be ~$1000.
STATUS: Half Done. Did the patio, postponed the driveway due to monetary restrictions.

Rebuilding the side gate to backyard. Its a large sagging gate, so the project is bigger than it sounds. The husband can do the labor (thankfully). We need a quote for materials. Again with the EOM January assignment. My guess is somewhere in the $250 neighborhood. Time frame is roughly the same as the paving.
STATUS: Postponed same as above.

Inside the House.
We are in desperate need of more seating for our living room. Have been ever since we moved in. I am working on getting my Mother to pass down a family chair she had re-upholstered a few years ago. That prospect looks pretty grim, so I am adding it to prioritized spending for the fall no earlier than September, no later than mid-November. Max budget $250. Preferably chair should be used.
STATUS: Done. Mother relented. Family chair acquired.

Pets.
Spend no more than $100/week on pet supplies.
STATUS: Mostly an abject failure. Started off good, and snowballed to hades from there. I did demonstrate that it can be done though, and I added a few new tricks to my bag. Must get back in the swing of this.

New Laptop.
STATUS: Done. Used family contributions from my birthday to subsidize the purchase of my lovely new MacBook Pro.

Live without Cable for a year.
STATUS: FAIL! I am still with cable. This goal is making a return appearance for 2011, where I intend to bust it out of the park.

30th Birthday Trip.
STATUS: Another very sad fail. Due to a myriad of circumstances (employment and unemployment mostly) we were in now position to take a grandiose trip last year. We celebrated my birthday at home in the back yard. It was a lovely time.

Final Thoughts.
This was the first year I set formal goals. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it was a mixed bag in the way of accomplishments. 2010 took so many crazy twists and turns for us. At some point pretty early on, I got derailed. It became much more about survival than goals. It likely would have been good to circle the wagons and regroup with the above list. But, I didn't. Considering, I dont think we did that bad. All I can really say is onward and upward.