Well, after taking a 2 month hiatus from doing this post series due to a chaotic October and my Thanksgiving post series in November, it's time for my final financial-themed post! So I thought I'd close with some final thoughts in bullet point form.
I'm happy that...
- I made my goal of not purchasing any books in 2012. This goal ended up being way easier than I thought it would be. Yes, it required discipline and there have been books I've wanted to read this year that I haven't been able to due to a 1,233,523 person wait at the libary. Ok, I may be exaggerating but you get the idea! I am looking forward to having the flexibility to buy books again in 2013 and I actually have a stockpile of gift cards to use to buy them!
- I paid for all of my medical bills associated with my sinus surgery promptly. There was a time in my life when I would not have had the saving to do this, so I am proud of the fact that I have gotten to the point where I was able to pay them off right away. Did it totally and completely suck to pay $4,000 worth of medical bills in the first couple of months of the year? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY. Am I glad I got the surgery? Yes. Being healthy is worth every dime I spent.
I'm disappointed that...
- I didn't pay off my undergraduate student loans. I didn't proclaim this as an official goal for the year, but it was something I wanted to work on in 2012. But it just didn't happen. This WILL be happening in 2013. Mark my words. I feel sheepish over the fact that I am 31 and still have undergraduate student loans, but it's something I will work to remedy in the coming year.
- I didn't build up as much of a balance in my savings account as I would have liked. Part of this has to do with the whole sinus surgery thing, plus it was an expensive year with some out-of-town weddings (which were awesome and so much fun and so worth the money spent). I really struggle with knowing how much to put in savings as I still have student loan debt from undergrad and graduate school. Part of me wants to put every extra cent towards those dang loans, but another part of me knows that it's healthy and necessary to have a savings account. After all, there are unexpected events, like surgeries, car repairs, etc, that require savings, so I will continue to save. I haven't decided on a goal for 2013, but I will be aggressive at putting more aside each month.
So there you have it. All in all, I am more happy with how I did financially this year than I am disappointed, which is a good way to end the year! I am dating pretty much THE MOST financially responsible 30-something ever, so I am sure some of his frugal ways will rub off on me in 2013. :)
Did you have any financial goals this year? If so, do you feel good about your progress towards those goals?
16 comments:
You definitely shouldn't feel bad that you still have undergrad loans- some people don't pay those off til they are 50! It's great that you'll have paid them off so soon I think!
This was a pretty good year for me financially- my big trip up to Seattle/Vancouver actually came in way under budget, mostly because we stayed with my friend Ash for the majority of it and got a good deal on the Vancouver hotel as well. I still worked this summer but not as much as last, but I think I had more tutoring jobs during the year so it's almost balancing out which I never expected it to. So... all in all not bad. Next year I should really set some non-vague money goals and see what I can do :)
Agree that the question of savings can be a tough one when considering loans as well. We actually let my husband's law school loans ride with minimum payments for years, since his loan rates are an unheard of 1.2%. But now interest rates are so low we can't beat that in a savings account! We used to have CD funds over 3% so that was an easy decision.
Dating someone who is frugal can help enormously and I'm sure you'll have a great 2013. Don't beat yourself up about the loans--lots of people have them for much longer than you will!
Savings are tough for me because I have school loans & medical bills that feel more pressing to me... but had I *had* savings, these medical bills wouldn't be an issue! Funny how that works. ;)
I really want to put a bigger focus on my finances in 2013 and be smarter about how I spend and save. These posts have been very helpful in deciding my goals!
I don't think you should feel sheepish over your undergrad loans! Those loans are worth every cent and you would not be in the position you are today without them!
I did not have any set goals for 2012, I am not terrible with money, but I am not great. I know that next semester will be really hard with student teaching and no subbing income coming in, so I will really have to buckle down. I've been contemplating what to do and I just don't know... give up buying books? It's not like I spend that much on them (probably about $30 or less a month b/c I buy used) So give up... what? I feel like I have already given up so much! Ugh, we'll see!
I also smell a blog post here. lol
Also, sorry I just rambled on your blog. :)
That surgery was expensive and some of that would probably have gone to paying off your student loans, so that is a double bummer. But I, too, am happy you are feeling so much better!
This coming year I'm hoping to put aside a set amount of money each month into my savings; I always put something into savings but I'd like for it to be a regular amount, not vary especially because of all those emergency things like house stuff, cars, etc.
I carry a balance on only one credit card; it's not very huge but to me it is so I would like to get 75% of it paid off next year, if not more. It will take some serious penny pinching for me to get there but I feel so much better when I don't have a stupid credit card bill each month!
(I love these posts btw, because they always remind me to make sure I'm staying on my financial track!)
So, what does it say about Sweets that he's well into his mid-30s and still has student loans??? Look, the fact you have student loans and are working hard to pay them off is huge ... don't beat yourself up over the fact you still have them.
Sweets and I definitely need to buckle down in 2013 on the money front. We had some health-related expenses in 2012, too ... but, I think we also weren't as responsible as we could've been. It's gonna be a year of going back to the basics next year (that is, minus the trip to Europe!).
I agree with Kelly. Don't feel bad about still having undergraduate loans. You're less than a decade out of college and very close to having those paid off. You should be proud.
Last year I was more aggressive with financial goal-setting than I have been this year. In large part because there was so much flux going on once I knew that we would be moving to Alaska -- we bought a house, things are more expensive here, and Mark thought an employment opportunity was going to pan out and that he would have work in January but we just found out earlier this week that the company didn't land that client so he won't. I would like to start saving more again, but it will be easier once he starts bringing in a paycheck too.
I want to save and budget MUCH more aggressively next year as I'm not very happy with where my savings account is right now compared to where it's been in the past. I might have to pick up these posts to stay on track!!
I still have undergraduate loans as well, which I hate. I pay more to them every month than anything else. I would love to be able to pay them off in the next year, but know it probably 3-5 years away if not longer. Eventually though...
undergrad loans or graduate loans are nothign to ever feel sheepish or bad about. however, a credit card debt over stupid purchases? yes, feel bad about that.
I didn't make any and should have -- I'll feel the effects of that one with retirement! But I am very, very proud of you for doing so well. Makes me smile, my friend. (I'm catching up after vacation. If I miss a post -- sorry!)
My biggest financial goal was to be able to manage everything on my own ... and so far, I am far exceeding what I thought I was capable of.
I think you are way ahead of the game, even if you do still have some student loans. Don't worry too much about them. You need to have a good balance of living in the now and saving for the future, which I think you are doing perfectly!
Girl, I think by age 31, I'll still have undergraduate loans too!
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