Goals Update: Second Quarter

Evaluating our goals at the end of the second quarter is making our family very happy as we continue to cross things off our list! It also reminds me to keep setting goals for myself and for us as we go along.

Financial:

• DONE Pay off our consumer debt (both car loans, credit cards, student loans, personal loans)
• DONE Sell the 2008 Jeep and buy a 2008 GT500
• DONE Open an ING Account that contains 6 months' living expenses for an emergency (David losing his job or a death in our family)
  
• DONE Open an ING Account to house Emily's college fund until we choose a 529 Plan
• DONE Meet with our Financial Advisor about 529 Plans
• DONE Adjust David's withholding on his W-4 ("married", 5 exemptions) so we DO NOT get a refund next year
• DONE Adjust David's 401(k) contributions to 8.75% in order to max out the IRS limit for 2008 of $15,500
• DONE Contribute to my IRA in order to max out the IRS limit for 2008 of $5,000
• DONE Revamp our monthly budget to include savings for short-term (annual travel, weekend fun, gifts, birthday and anniversary celebrations, etc.) and long-term goals (intercontinental travel, a new car, Emily's first car & wedding, etc.)
• DONE Increase the death benefit on David's life insurance policy from $250K to $1M -We actually increased it to $1.25M
  
• DONE the death benefit on Amanda's life insurance policy from $100K to $500K -We actually only increased it to $300K after assessment
  
• DONE Purchase a small, whole life policy for Emily $50K
  
• DONE Downsize our cell phone plan (we waste over 1,000 minutes a month because we don't use them and can talk to everyone we know for free anyway!) to less than $150/month
• DONE Purchase a new MACBookPro laptop
• Purchase a new color printer
• DONE Be more conscientious of my "extras" spending and not so wasteful with stuff we just don't need (Emily does NOT need anymore shoes!!!)
• DONE Save $8,500 so we can move this summer (rentals in our area requre 3x monthly rent as a deposit upon move in, argh!)
• DONE Cash in AMEX rewards points for 4 free roundtrip flights and give them to my mother so she can continue to fly out here to see Emily
• DONE Sign up for CreditSure Credit Monitoring Services and review our credit reports every quarter
• DONE Plan and save for our trip to Disneyland for Emily's 2nd Birthday
• DONE Plan and save for David & I's romantic getaway to Las Vegas

Family:

• DONE Set aside Sunday as "family day": no plans with other people, just a day with each other
  
• DONE Plan and save for an annual family vacation (just the three of us) every year -We are going to Disneyland in September!
  
• Begin creating Photobooks from the thousands of pictures we've taken and stored, digitally, over the past 4 years
• DONE Move over all photos, videos and documents from the computer's hard drive to our new, external hard drive monthly AND make a backup copy on a DVD to put in our safe
• Have our family portrait made every Christmas
• Have lunch together up at Pixar once a week
• DONE Enroll Emily in fun, social activities that meet up weekly including: tumbling class, Gymboree, Fun With Music Together and purchase annual memberships for Habitot, Studio Grow and The Oakland Zoo
• DONE Hire a nanny to watch Emily once a week so David and I can enjoy a night out
• DONE Invite Emily's Gran and Aunt Jenny to come out and visit once a month
• Host Christmas at our house in 2008
• Continue our family traditions for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter
• Plan to expand our family in 2010
• DONE Move into a bigger house this summer -We moved in June!!!
  
• DONE Clean out our storage unit and donate everything

Personal:

• Loose 15lbs before summer so I can take Emily to the pool and feel great about myself!
• Go dramatic this year with hair color and a new cut
• DONE Wear "real" clothes anytime I leave the house, not my old mom gear: black yoga capri's and a t-shirt
• DONE Be sure to wash off all makeup before going to bed and use Firming Night Cream
• DONE Wear sunscreen every day
• DONE Do a better job of having my cell phone turned on and within earshot
• DONE Keep up with the housework! - I keep up daily and have a housekeeper come every Friday
  
• DONE Don't shop just because I am bored!
• DONE Continue to keep in touch with friends on a weekly basis and meeting up with my mom's group as often as I can
• DONE Donate Emily's outgrown toys and clothes to friends
• DONE Set aside time for myself at least once a month for a day at the spa and some shopping time to actually try on clothes -I usually get a pedicure, have lunch (alone) and do a bit of shopping once a month AND I usually read my book, scrap or just chat online each week on Friday nights while David spends time playing video games, something he loves to do!