Goals Update: September Edition
At the end of July, I challenged myself to pay an additional $1000 on my mortgage by the end of year. And when my payment scheduled for tomorrow goes through, I will have paid off an extra $1150! This makes me so happy :)
This will be a little difficult because we are fast approaching an expensive time of year (partially because of birthdays and partially because of Christmas), so I'm trying to spread out the spending for a change. When we first started buying Christmas gifts for nieces and nephews (side note: shouldn't English have a plural word that lumps nieces and nephews together like "siblings" does for brothers and sisters?), we bought each child an outfit, a book, and a toy or two. Then as the number of nieces and nephews increased, we stopped buying presents for our siblings to compensate. And then last year, the clothing item was dropped as more little ones were added to the family. Now we're down to one book and one toy per child (and I don't think the kids have even noticed the difference). I'm sure people with big families can commiserate.
So our plan for this fall is to buy a little each month. We've already bought the book portion of the kids' presents (for pretty cheap on amazon) and all the gifts for our 3 November birthdays. That leaves us with the toy portion of Christmas for the kids and presents for each other (which we sometimes skip in favor of dinner out or a trip to NYC, but still need to set aside money for).
How are your goals going? Any one else already thinking about Christmas?
I am definitely already thinking about Christmas, but I don't have to buy for nearly as many people. I come from a huge family on both sides, so we decided years ago that we'd pull names out of a hat so each person would give and receive one present. I still exchange gifts with my parents and siblings (and their partners) though, but I try and make quite a few of them.
ReplyDeleteI like your one present exchange! That would certainly make my bank account happy and it sounds less stressful too. :)
DeleteCongrats on overpaying your mortgage! I'm already thinking about Christmas and wondering how I'm going to get through it and overpay my debts. With careful planning and a careful budget I think!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I agree, budgets are really helpful this time of year when you need to watch every penny.
DeleteYes - the English language does need that word! I suppose it's a little easier for those with kids because they can refer to all of the nieces and nephews as their child's cousins. Nice job on the mortgage overpayments! I have lot going on before Christmas (including travel) so I will be putting off thinking about it until mid-November. But not putting off saving and budgeting for it.
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) And yeah, Christmas is still so far away that it feels a little weird to be buying things already! But I'll be glad in January when I have an intact savings account rather than one with a Christmas-sized dent.
DeleteI don't think of Christmas yet - but perhaps I should! I usually want something 'perfect' for my direct family (parents and two brothers) and then the BF. Outside that, I'm stingy/frugal, though often do the Kris Kringle 5 gifts my family must buy for 5 extended relatives, but those are to a budget and I usually kill it! Last year I scrambled to get a handful of gifts for friends whom I've never gotten gifts from (nor given), but seeing they all gifted to me on Christmas, I rushed to get gifts for the Boxing Day celebrations. I spent about $50 per couple, and think I came out with decent gifts... but man... rushed!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope they're good enough friends that it wasn't awkward/uncomfortable! The stress of last minute presents would've been terrible for me, and only $50 a couple? You did great! I try to lead my friends toward drinks/dinner out rather than a gift exchange and thankfully they usually go for it.
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