Today is the last working day for 2007! I have to say I made some money mistakes this year. Not bringing my own lunch to work has cost me hundreds of dollars this year. Just like a lot of other people, I go over my budget at the grocery store and on lunches. I guess I underestimate myself on how much I DO eat. So one of my goals to be added to my list for 2008 is to stay within the budget on groceries, and bring brown bag lunches to work.

1) Exercise (whose isn't?)
2) Be debt free
3) Increase my EF
4) Be more responsible in all aspects
5) Be a nicer person
6) Do better in school

What are yours?

We spent around $400 for Christmas on gifts. I think I could have managed to spend about $100 less and cut back on a few people, but it's all fine in the spirit of Christmas. What I would really enjoy for Christmas is I think not having to travel, and just staying in surrounded by friends and families by the fire place, talking, reading, listening to music or watching good movies on the tele and drinking good wine. I really do not care for all the hustle and bustle and people rushing through. For the next Christmas, we plan to make it much low key and spend a lot less. We might go back to catching good movies in the theater or on dvds and getting Chinese take outs. Chinese take outs are so much better on cold winter days, don't you think?

We are almost done with Christmas shopping. Just a few tiny items to buy. We are planning on doing a lot of cooking during the weekend before we go and see family/friends on Tuesday. In the past years we have tended to eat out a lot on Christmas hols. We will not be doing that this year. What is your Christmas tradition and is there one thing that you do that you always look forward to besides spending time with family of course?

I went to a shop yesterday. I was on the queue to pay when I saw a girl in front of me take out a coupon. I thought to myself, "I could have looked online and printed out a coupon before I came shopping". I told the cashier I "forgot" to bring the coupon with me. She asked me what the coupon looked like and I could answer that because I had seen the other girl's coupon. She said no problem, and took the % off. She also said "It's fine, we don't really need the physical coupon". Is it cheating? I don't really feel bad. I just think that "there is no harm in asking". But maybe I should have just said I don't have a coupon but can I still get a discount? Would she have laughed to my face then?

2008 is when I intend for us (me and my sidekick) to be completely debt free. It seems possible as of now, but who knows what surprise expenses will pop up. I find budgeting very difficult. So my goal for 2008 is for us to discipline ourselves to remain within our budget. Anything that is not in the budget, we will just have to do without. I hope we can obtain this goal. If anybody can share any budget success stories, that would be awesome.

Hi all.
I have decided to join this blog after much lurking. I have some debt, but I am working on paying them all off. I think I can use the motivation and ideas from the good people here.