Monthly Archives: January 2011

2011 Family Goals

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Happy 2011!


I hope you are feeling refreshed and renewed for the new year.  After a peaceful holiday season, we are feeling more blessed than ever before. And  I’m definitely looking forward to continued financial success and sustainable progress in the year ahead. 


I don’t get wrapped up in resolutions, but we do set our annual family goals at the new year. Our goals cover three main life areas: financial, family, and sustainable home. I’ll share our financial goals with you:


1)   Continue to track family finances and take action to reduce expenses
2) Meet monthly to discuss finances and progress
3) Complete savings for trip to Denmark ($3k more, $4k spent already on tickets)

4) Complete mortgage refi (save for rainy day, split between home maintenance and saving for a beach cottage)
5)  Double family rainy day fund to $20k (saving 2010 tax returns, plus refi surplus)
6)  Update wills – our old wills don’t include Girly or our current home
7)  Evaluate Car/Mini-van/ZipCar alternative
8) Evaluate health care costs and coverage
9) Sell baby stuff in spring sale – pre-sale for friends – proceeds for DK trip

While this blog may help us focus on our family finances, our family’s success is not defined by external things or superficial status. Setting goals helps us make sure that we are on the same page and have similar expectations for the year ahead. Mismatched expectations are the root of disappointment, and goals need to be set to be achieved.



Sustainable Home Goals:


    1)  Track carbon footprint – gasoline, natural gas, electricity, etc.
    2) Bicycle more – average 2x weekly for 2011
    3) Install water heater blanket
    4) Install drip irrigation system
    5) Grow vegetable garden – potential as a yardshare
    6) Buy blinds for the house – increase comfort and efficiency
    7) Prune tree and roof maintenance
    8) Recycle aluminum storm windows – replace screen door  
    9) Reupholster yard-sale find chaise lounge


We also have family goals. Obviously these are pretty personal, but since sharing your goals is key to achieving, I figure that I may as well share away:

1)   Investigate school options for Big Guy – get into best school
2)   Potty train Girly – solve/improve digestion
3)   Retrain Doggy – watch training videos
4)   Volunteer in the community:
a.   Friends of Trees
b.   SOLV beach Clean-Up – Spring Break
c.   Big City Mountaineers
d.   Grace Green Team/Campus Master Plan
e.   Adopt family for holidays
5)   Recreation: Plan family trips
a.   Sledding/Snowshoeing
b.   Trip for Great Oregon Beach Clean-Up
c.   Silver Falls State Park
d.  Cabin Trip
e.   Oregon Country Fair
f.    Denmark Trip
6)   Relationship: Plan bi-monthly “date” night (current average 3-4 months)
a.   Find good babysitters
b.   “Flex Friday” afternoon date/hike/bike
7)   Local Recreation: Plan special family days
a.   OMSI once a month
b.   Complete Portland Hill Walks, Wilderness Hikes and Portland City Walks
8)   Spiritual: Attend monthly Grace Family Services

Here’s good post from The Simple Dollar on financial resolutions , and how they often fail us and how to move beyond forgotten resolutions . So make sure that your goals inspire you, you share them with friends and family, and celebrate your small successes.


Wishing your family a prosperous 2011!


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Sustainable Family Finances 
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.