Your 2009 Self-Assessment

**ml2620** · 12-07-2009, 08:20 AM

I had to complete my self-assessment review for work this weekend, and it made me want to do a personal self assessment of my life in 2009.

What do you think were your three greatest successes in 2009?

What do you think are three shortcomings or issues that needed work on in 2009?

What are your top three goals for 2010?

Here goes:

Successes:
*Saved a BEF, three times actually - had to spend and restock.
*Credit card debt and use free since April.
*Improved spending habits, particularly eating out and just blowing money.

Shortcomings:
* Didn't stick with the lose a pound per week challenge
*I could cut more out of the budget (food and utility costs particularly) and save more $ for a baby.
*Could have been on the same page financially with my husband, instead of driving him to frugality with a pitchfork at times. We are in a far better place now, better communication and better sense of peace.

Goals 2010:
*Have a baby through birth or adoption.
*Save more, goal is 3 months of expenses. ($12K)
*Get back on the pound per week challenge for healthy eating regardless of weight loss.

How about you?

**NcsstyBrdsIngnty** · 12-07-2009, 11:38 AM

What do you think were your three greatest successes in 2009?

1) Purchased my first home and sold future DH's condo within two weeks of each other - surrounding the bottom of the stock market in March. I'm really proud of this one because I marketed that condo, staged it, and kept it perfectly clean every single day it was on the market.

2) Semi-remodeled new home without loosing our EF. Had to say no to ourselves a lot!

3) Kept my job and didn't pull out a student loan this year.

What do you think are three shortcomings or issues that needed work on in 2009?

1) Eating out way too much. So much that I got food poisoning and didn't know which of three fast food restaurants gave it to me. Yuck.

2) Save more, spend less - it's always a shortcoming because if I was were I want to be we would live off of 1/3 of both of our salaries and save the rest.

3) Stockpile. Instead of eating out I could have spent that extra money in my pantry and would know if I lost my job we would at least have 3 mos of food!

What are your top three goals for 2010?

The same as my shortcomings: Eat out less, save more, increase stockpile.

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 12-07-2009, 11:54 AM

Well, this could be hard!

Greatest successes
1. saving $10,000 for a new car
2. increased my income from writing
3. made healthy eating more of a priority

Disappointments
1. we had to take out a van loan to cover the rest of the new car
2. have not been able to pay off the van as quickly as we would like because other things kept coming up (washer breaking, major car repair)
3. we were all sick way too much - too many surgeries and hospitalizations and too many illnesses

Goals for 2010
1. pay off the van
2. increase our EF by $1000
3. continue to eat healthier and more whole foods

**Inkstain82** · 12-07-2009, 12:05 PM

Successes
Helped my wife through a wildly successful first pregnancy with a strong, healthy baby
Made more progress on debt and became more financially secure than we ever dreamed possible, learning to significantly simplify our lives
Solidified my standing at work and in my career

Disappointments
Made little progress learning French. I'm still trying, but it's just a lot slower than I'd hoped
I'm still out of shape and don't eat as well as I should. Better than five years ago, sure, but not where I'd like to be
I honestly can't think of a third disappointment

Goals for 2010
Take up running again
Pay off all non-studentloan debt
Be a great father!

**shoiji** · 12-07-2009, 01:05 PM

Successes:

Got control of the budget.
Really good stockpile in place
Because of being frugal, able to take a class and branch out more socially

Dissapointments:

Can't think of any off hand

Goals for 2010:

Keep up with budget and bargain hunting
Save for a vacation

**monkeywrangler71** · 12-07-2009, 04:33 PM

Successes:
1. Completed several repair and building projects that were outside my comfort zone
2. Did a major cleanout and got every square inch of the house organized.
3. Made it to end of year with money left in the incidentals account

Shortcomings:
1. Too much eating out
2. Didn't finish quilt for my bed
3. Not doing or planning enough enriching activities for the kids

Goals for 2010
1. Do more with kids
2. Have all the renovations in the house done
3. Finish all the projects that I've started

I won't bother making a goal to eat out less. I say it every year and never do it.

**EmilyD** · 12-07-2009, 06:52 PM

Successful:
1. Returned to school and completed first semester classes
2. Sucessfully separated from my husband
3. Returned to my preferred religion and began practicing again

Disappointments:
1. Had to get rid of dog
2. Husband back again (?) We will see how this works out
3. Didn't get a job I applied for the first time
(she called back later for me to come to work for her but things had changed)

Goals for 2010:
1. Finish second semester of school successfully
2. Follow budget and pay off some bills
3. Save up BEF again

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 12-07-2009, 07:24 PM

monkeywrangler - obviously eating out is something that you value right? Being frugal is about making choices. As long as you are within your budget, it is ok to scrimp in some areas to fund other areas that are important to you - so I guess what I am saying is that if eating out is important to you, and you can afford it, don't feel guilty about it.

**monkeywrangler71** · 12-07-2009, 07:33 PM

I wouldn't call it important, just better than cooking

. I really don't like to cook, and I tried to get better and make myself like it. But really, I dread suppertime every night, so I'm starting to accept that our dining out expenses are always going to be higher than I would like.

**old_lady_in_the_shoe** · 12-08-2009, 11:45 AM

Successes:
1. Graduated dd from homeschool (who never went to public school)
2. got funding for dd to attend college who is now completing her 1st semester. (close to home too, so less expense)
3. Working with my ds to help him complete many belts in TaeKwondo and who will be testing for his brown belt on Thursday.

Shortcomings:
1. Too much eating out
2. Give in to the kids "wants" to much (not their needs, but wants)
3. not enough EF fund saved

Goals for 2010
1. Working with son so he completes Black Belt.
2. Keep dd in college and allow her to stay at home with no cost so she can occur no debt from college expenses
3. Get back to working on some homesteading projects here at home that have gone by the wayside.

**nuisance26** · 12-08-2009, 02:22 PM

What do you think were your three greatest successes in 2009?

1.becoming a fairly organized and fairly effective homeschooling teacher
2.giving my problems to God
3.managing my time better which means a cleaner house, planned meals, more free time, less procrastination. I've been able to keep our expenses about the same this year as last year, although prices have gone way up, by being more organized.

What do you think are three shortcomings or issues that needed work on in 2009?

1.home improvements. I had much planned and we got less than half done and even those aren't completely done.
2.remembering birthdays. I start out strong and get muddled half way throught the year.
3.socialization. Our circle of friends is dh's and my parents. I don't do playgroups or church with the kids due to their sensory disorders so it has been very frustrating.

What are your top three goals for 2010?

1.get this house ready to sell
2.work on socialization
3.increase EF to a full year's expenses ~