Author Topic: Thinking about 2013  (Read 25994 times)

boy_bye

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2471
Thinking about 2013
« on: December 10, 2012, 09:46:47 AM »
Been thinking about my goals for 2013, since it's December, and thought some of you might be doing the same! Want to share what we're working on and see if we can't hold each other up?

The last 2 years of my life have been absolutely bananas, and things seem to be calming down now (knock on wood!) so I'm excited to make some progress! Here's what I am accomplishing in 2013:

- Get completely out of debt (the rest of our mortgage and student loans, about $50K total)
- Drop 30 lbs
- Move out of our neighborhood
- Finish my 2nd book (by June)
- Blog at least once a week to build my readership
- Have fun -- hang out with each of my besties at least once a month

Breaking that down weekly, that looks like:
- $1K of debt per week (stretch goal based on our income but doable!)
- .5 - 1 pound per week of fat loss
- One chapter a week (to have a 20 chapter book done by June)
- One blog post a week

Moving is directly tied to our ability to reduce our debt. After we pay off around $8-10K of the mortgage, we get the freedom to sell the house and not worry too much about how much we sell it for.

So, those are my major goals. What are you working on next year?

tooqk4u22

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2832
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2012, 09:56:42 AM »
Moving is directly tied to our ability to reduce our debt. After we pay off around $8-10K of the mortgage, we get the freedom to sell the house and not worry too much about how much we sell it for.


Great goals and a good reminder that I need to think about this.  Regarding above this only matters if you don't have any savings (i.e. you are worried about having to come out of pocket at closing), otherwise just get on with it if that is a goal.

cyclevillian

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 32
  • Location: KY
    • cycleville
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2012, 10:45:01 AM »
I have been thinking about my goals for 2013 as well. Figure I should see how i did with my 2012 goals first, then start planning for 2013.

2012 Goals

 80% bike to work - will accomplish, currently at 95%
 pay off wifes student loans done!
 save for car purchase- done! havent decided what to buy yet, her lease (grumble, grumble) expires in feb and will buy something then
 vanguard! roth, regular to keep things simple for this years taxes i'm rolling over the wife's old retirement accounts to vangard and opening a roth IRA for her starting next year
 get rid of car done! sold my 96 bonneville and now we have one car
 get scooter i opted to wait on this as i decided it was unnecessary given how much i bike
 donate more (money&blood) donated blood 3 times and was more charitable with cash and items
 new road & commuter bike realized this was unnecessary this year, will probably get a road bike next year ( i like to bike!)
 get rid of crap (bikes, junk) accomplished! got rid of some clutter in the garage, but there is always more to get rid of
 track weight, get to 160lbs failed, but i think i should track body fat % instead, better indicator of overall heath
 Crosstrain(run,swim, stretch) sort of accomplished, I run regularly, bike a lot, but dont have access to a pool. I need to stretch more though
 establish a doctor finally doing this, havent been in 5+ years so im getting a *free* preventative exam next week
 floss after being harassed enough by my dentist i finally started doing this regularly and my teeth feel great!
 read lots of books (1 per week) fail! im most upset at this, i think i set the bar too high but i did not read nearly enough books this year (maybe a dozen)
 fix up laundry room done!
 requote home/auto insdone!
 build garage shelvesfail.. really need to develop those wood working skills

2013 Goals, keeping it simpler this year

Increase networth by 50k
Read 2 books per month
Reduce body fat from 18 to 13%
Pass the PE exam
Generate $500 in side income (don't care how, i just need to shut up and do it)

James

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1678
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Rice Lake, WI
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2012, 10:49:22 AM »
Great goals!

My biggest is selling our house and figuring out where we will live long term.  It's hard living life unsettled, so more chaos is in order for us before things settle down.  :)  Good luck on your goals!

FitStash

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 82
  • Location: Virginia
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2012, 03:48:34 PM »
2013 goals:

-Increase net worth by $6,000  (Piddly, but I'm a grad student at 19k :-) )

-Increase max squat to 300 lbs by May 18 (I turn 27)
-Increase max deadlift to 300
-Increase max bench to 200
-OHP 135

-Run half marathon with my girlfriend in April
-Ride a century in August
-Complete Half-Iron man at the end of September
-Run full marathon in October

-Learn 2000 more Kanji (I only know about 50 right now :-( )
-Translate a kids book into english
-start a language exchange
-Actually talk to a Japanese person

-Finish code for my dissertation

-Read the bible cover-to-cover

-Floss 200 times

Also, for people who want to start getting into shape without spending money on a gym or equipment, there is a site with a 6 week program that uses only your body weight and a chair:

http://hundredpushups.com/#sthash.ZDADPBl1.dpbs


« Last Edit: January 02, 2013, 08:31:53 PM by FitStash »

PJ

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1427
  • Age: 53
  • Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2012, 06:41:55 PM »
Also, for people who want to start getting into shape without spending money on a gym or equipment, there is a site with a 6 week program that uses only your body weight and a chair:

http://hundredpushups.com/#sthash.ZDADPBl1.dpbs

I will finish week six and be doing the self tests on January first, so I will let you know how it goes.
FitStash, thanks for the link!  I've been feeling like I need to do *something* to improve my fitness level, but was having trouble figuring out something simple, cheap, don't need to travel to, think I might stick to, etc.  That hundred pushups thing and the corresponding http://twohundredsquats.com/index.html might be just the ticket.  I walk a fair bit with the dogs, but have poor upper body strength so not surprisingly did ok on the initial test with the squats and pathetically poorly on the pushups.  I'm going to try to do this! 
 
I have other goals that I'm working toward, including financial ones, but a lot is up in the air about some things with my work and living situation, and it might not all get sorted out until several months into the new year - I feel a bit stuck in terms of planning details until then.  On Jan 1, my boss is retiring and I will be stepping up to priest-in-charge at the church where I'm currently assistant.  That's a temporary position while they do a search for a new priest, hopefully just for 4-6 months but hard to know for sure.  During that time, I'm also looking for my next position.  I know that wherever that ends up being, I'll want to move to within walking/biking distance, and I'll want to reduce my housing costs significantly - by about 1/3 seems easily within reach, and possibly more.  So I guess my financial goals for now are just to keep my variable expenses as low as I possibly can, to make sure I put my (small) annual increase in salary straight toward my debt repayment, and to make the best possible decisions I can in the new year within the work/move situation.

FitStash

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 82
  • Location: Virginia
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2012, 10:36:30 PM »
Yep, they've got a program for pushups, squats, crunches, dips, and pullups (though those require something to hang from of course).  I've had fun doing them all at the same time, but I think they recommend doing one track at a time.

They had me at *free*

PJ

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1427
  • Age: 53
  • Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2012, 11:22:48 PM »
Yep, they've got a program for pushups, squats, crunches, dips, and pullups (though those require something to hang from of course).  I've had fun doing them all at the same time, but I think they recommend doing one track at a time.

They had me at *free*
I figured the pushups and squats would primarily work different muscle groups, so could be done together.  I definitely have my eye on adding the crunches one at a later date if I manage to stick to these two.  And I will say that having done the initial test plus day one exercises for both, then taking the dogs for a long fast walk (hour +) that my legs are feeling a little rubbery :-) 

catmustache

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 139
  • I jumped out of a plane once. So there's that.
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2012, 08:52:11 AM »
All those goals are awesome! I think I'll dive in as well, so I can have a public record tying me to my goals.

For 2013, I'd like to:
- Pay off all my (and DH's) non-student loan and mortgage debt. Funnel any extra into paying off at least 10% of my student loans.
- Save up enough to visit my extended family without having to put it on a credit card (they live in various continents and I haven't seen them in a long time)
- Boost income 20% from this year without having 3 or 4 jobs without boosting living expenses.
- Have no sleep debt at the end of each month
- Reduce body fat to 15%.
- Unpack my basement, sell off all the crap I don't need.
- Learn to speak Spanish well enough to understand potential clients.

Monthly, that probably breaks down to:

- $840 a month in debt payments, which is doable if we can get our expenses down to $2,000 a month and my job rehires me or I get another that pays the same or more.
- This is  a cost of about $250 a month, which, with the above, is only doable if we start making more money.
- No idea how to do this one as of right now. But I'm going to do it.
- I think I'll use that program FitStash posted. Hey, it's free. Also, reducing my living expenses will likely help because I spend a lot more than I should on restaurants and fancy food.
- Sigh. This is another just do it.
- A chapter a week while I commute to work should do this in less than half a year.

So, totally doable, as long as I stick to it. I'm excited this thread started!


swick

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2877
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2012, 10:26:10 AM »
This is a great thread, sounds like everyone has some great goals/plans for 2013!

Going to have to sit down with the Mr. and come up with some goals for ourselves. Will report back as I read everyone else's goals and get inspired:)

mindaugas

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 367
  • Location: Littleton, CO
    • Mike Says Meh
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2012, 12:34:09 PM »
This is a good thread and something we can all reference in the coming year. Plus MMM advocates making your goals public in an attempt to make you adhere to them.

-Ride a century in August
I think you'll be surprised how easy this is to do, just make sure u have support on the ride either in the form of gf in sag wagon or doing a rec ride with a group of people for charity. I did my first with a single metric and a couple 50 mile rides under my belt a few years ago.

Goals for 2013
-Pay off all consumer debt. CC, auto loans.
-Budget and cut back to allow wife to quit her job so she can stay at home with son
-Get some Microsoft certs
-Eat less, move more :P
-Read more, watch less

« Last Edit: December 12, 2012, 07:46:44 AM by mindaugas »

Kriegsspiel

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2012, 06:37:17 PM »
I'd like to read 70 books (I have read 66 so far this year, so I'll be around 70 in a few weeks).  I did read all of the Game of Thrones books, so I might be good for 80 or 90 small, regular sized books :).  Also, bench press 350, squat 450, and deadlift 500.  I think I'll be good for those; I just spent a week maxing out, I got 335 bench, 400 squat, and 425 deadlift.  However, 2013 might just be the first year in my life that I will not have massive interruptions to a consistent training schedule.  Lastly... a net worth of 150k.

mindaugas

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 367
  • Location: Littleton, CO
    • Mike Says Meh
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2012, 07:46:19 AM »
I did read all of the Game of Thrones books

"You know nothing Jon Snow." I read them too earlier this year, f'n fantastic. TV series is great as well. I don't really count how many books I read though but you know, a good goal for me would be to watch less TV and read more. I don't have anything against TV, but I'd rather set an example for my son early on. Plus with kindles and tablets it is so much easier to have a huge library of books and read anywhere.

The Taminator

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 132
  • Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2012, 08:24:13 AM »
My number one goal is to sit down and figure out how much I need to retire and when that can happen. Other than that I've got all kinds of things swimming around in my head that I need to sort out and prioritize. I guess that's goal number two. Getting into a new, serious relationship that has oodles of potential to go the long haul has thrown a wrench in my plans so in amongst goals one and two is to figure out how to integrate that relationship into the grand scheme of things. You know, shared goals and all that.

chucklesmcgee

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 613
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2012, 09:17:28 AM »
Also, bench press 350, squat 450, and deadlift 500.  I think I'll be good for those; I just spent a week maxing out, I got 335 bench, 400 squat, and 425 deadlift.  However, 2013 might just be the first year in my life that I will not have massive interruptions to a consistent training schedule.

Those are some impressive lifts, I hit that DL once, squat at 315 (though I don't push myself without a spotter). But I was training so hard I'd literally sleep for 10-12 hours a day then spend the rest of the time eating. Do you not completely collapse at those levels?

Kriegsspiel

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2012, 11:36:24 AM »
Those are some impressive lifts, I hit that DL once, squat at 315 (though I don't push myself without a spotter). But I was training so hard I'd literally sleep for 10-12 hours a day then spend the rest of the time eating. Do you not completely collapse at those levels?

Hah.  Thanks.  Nah I don't get crushed training for strength without planning to.  That's generally a good way to get stronger; keep pushing the weight and reps until you just feel like shit for a week or two, then dramatically cut back on the total reps, and push the weight up higher. I have been lifting for about 13 years so I've learned how to structure my routines.  I'm just starting 5-3-1 right now, which is the vehicle I'm hoping to ride up to some good lifts.

 But no, I usually feel great, I'm made more to be a big strong barbarian.  The only times when I've just felt damn terrible were when I was training for more endurance type stuff, especially when I was in the Army.  Running 10 miles isn't my strong suit, so training up to it was just horrible.

jrhampt

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2016
  • Age: 46
  • Location: Connecticut
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2012, 11:39:41 AM »
2013 Goals

ongoing yearly goals:
increase net worth by 100k minimum (stretch goal: 150k)
pay down 20k of mortgage
max out 401ks

major one-time goal:
finish capstone project to complete Master's degree

lower priority:
invest in total international vanguard fund
get predictive modeling work experience
get pistol permit
replace grad school with fun activities: join local choir group, hiking group, volunteer at library, etc.
replace grad school with income-generating side activities: teach class at local university, contract work for ETS

Kriegsspiel

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2012, 04:09:57 PM »
I did read all of the Game of Thrones books

"You know nothing Jon Snow." I read them too earlier this year, f'n fantastic. TV series is great as well. I don't really count how many books I read though but you know, a good goal for me would be to watch less TV and read more. I don't have anything against TV, but I'd rather set an example for my son early on. Plus with kindles and tablets it is so much easier to have a huge library of books and read anywhere.

Absolutely, they are one of the best series I've read, it's totally absorbing!  I have a couple seasons of the show that my friend let me borrow like months ago, but I've been waiting to finish reading them.  I have a feeling the show is going to be more "Lost World" than "Jurassic Park" as far as the quality of the jump from paper to screen, but I'll still give it a shot!

c

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 300
  • Location: NYC
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #18 on: December 12, 2012, 09:01:36 PM »
2013 Goals

Increase net worth by 60k (money I put in/pay off, not including any gains/loss)
Work up to 2000 "jumps" on my speed rope
Make more of an effort to see and re-connect with people (this is my major failing/phobia, I am so bad at it)
Drink less
Get to work on time
Properly set up my studio space (closet)
  Carve a pound of wax
  Set 200 stones

sol

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8433
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Pacific Northwest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2012, 10:25:20 PM »
My old 2012 goals are retrospectively less than sterling, in all departments except for finances.  Every year I set a series of broad goals and then a bunch of numerically quantifiable sub-goals to measure my progress on the larger goals.

1.  Juggling goals; miserable fail.  Have juggled less than six hours all year.

2.  Climbing goals; 70% success, despite losing four toenails.

3.  Diving goals;  60% success, but dive buddy was pregnant so I kind of have an excuse.

4.  Financial goals:  125% success.  Retirement date moved up two years.

5.  Fitness goals;  only about 30% achieved.  My lifting schedule has been irregular, and it's hard to make progress that way.

6.  Musical goals; 50% achieved.  Did lots of playing, very little recording.
 
7.  Professional goals;  only about 40% achieved, which suggests I set my sights a bit too high. 

On the bright side, I managed to not backslide on ANY of my main seven categories.  Which means I can look back on the past year and say I definitely made progress.  I feel bad for people who spent the whole year working long hours but not saving money, ignoring their kids, and watching television.  Those people have wasted a year of their lives, and it is my fear of becoming like them that motivates me to do even better next year.

Skinnyneo

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 97
  • Location: Yokoahama, Japan
    • Tsumashiku Kurashii - Living Frugally in Japan
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2012, 11:32:12 PM »

-Learn 2000 more Kanji (I only know about 50 right now :-( )



I used James Heisig's Remembering The Kanji and the website kanji.koohii.com to learn all the Joyo kanji.  Was pretty quick and way less painful than doing it one by one.

Hamster

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 623
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2012, 01:04:11 AM »
2013 themed goals
Financial:
Stash away at least $87,000 for the year consisting of:
  • $17.5k each in my 403(b) and wife's Indiv 401(k).
  • Plus $2013 per pay period toward other investments/prepayments on mortgages

Motivation: I am strongly considering a reduction in work status from my current >>1.0 FTE to 0.8FTE or less. If I can meet those financial goals, then I think I will be able to convince myself I can do the work reduction and still move quickly toward FI and further FTE reductions in the next few years.

Fitness for first half of 2013:
  • Bike 2013 Miles by July 14 (Seattle to Portland Ride)
  • Run 201.3 Miles by end of June (prep for local triathlon)
  • Swim at least 201.3 lengths per month Jan-Jun (more triathlon prep)
  • Determine strength program to go with above
  • Body fat from current ~22% (at 182#)... to 15% or ~167# by late June. (I can't figure out a way to squeeze 2013 into those numbers...)
Non-mustachian guilty fantasy: Get a mountain bike, for a bit over $2013... hehe..

I still have to determine goals in less material aspects of my life...

icefr

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 325
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2012, 10:36:21 AM »
2013 Goals:
1) Max out 401(k) - $17,500 (plus max employer match)
2) Max out my 2012 Roth IRA (am waiting to know what my AGI is since I can put some in the front door)
3) Pay extra on the mortgage with the remaining monthly and bonus savings, which should be somewhere between $50k and $70k.

This could turn into a net worth increase of $100k and paying the mortgage down to 50% of my condo's value.

I have a feeling the next few years will be a bit boring (financially) as I pay off the mortgage aggressively while maxing out my 401(k) and then switch to aggressively building up my taxable account. I'm estimating mortgage payoff as EOY 2016 and then another 8 years to FI, so 12 years total to FI from now. We'll see what that estimation looks like next year!

ruthiegirl

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 336
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2012, 11:37:39 AM »
2013 is a huge year for us.  We are new to the Mustachian way of thinking, but ready to high speed it to badassity.   Dh was just offered a terrific job in a dream local.


So, first things first:

Sell house (on the market now, lots of lookers)
Sell second car
Move

Now, we need some financial goals:

Pay off 5K of credit card debt.  (Yes, you can punch me now)
Max out 401K
Save for a down payment (25K)

Our lifestyle needs some tuning:

Embrace the biking/athletic culture of our new town 
Scale down our spending to 60% of our net pay


And after 1 year, I expect that we will be happier, healthier and closer to FI.  Sweet!
« Last Edit: December 19, 2012, 11:32:48 AM by ruthiegirl »

chicagomeg

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1196
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2012, 12:17:57 PM »
Goals for 2013...

-Increase Net Worth from Slightly negative to $50k+\
-Get completely out of debt
-Bike to work 98% of the time
-Put less than 100 mi/month on our car except trips home to see our parents
-Get married!!! :)

To be honest, none of these are going to be huge stretch for us, but I'm comfortable with the progress we're making :)

10moreyears

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2012, 12:42:20 PM »
Ok, I'll make my 2013 goals public. I'll be checking back on 12/31/13 to report my progress!

1) Hit the 200k mark in 401k (currently @180k)
2) Pay mortgage down to under 105k (currently @112k)
3) Read 1 book per month. (Cut down TV time!)
4) Lose 50 lbs. 315 to 265. (I'm 6'6")
5) All other debts from $22k down to $8k (vehicle, CC , HEL)
6) Cut down my car mileage from 1350 miles/month by biking more.
7) Continue to tithe 10% of my income.
8) Run three 5k races this year. (July, August, September)
9) Find a new on-line income stream. (Blog, e-book, e-bay, etc..)
10) Attend 1 weekday mass per week.

I'm looking forward to an exciting 2013. I am thrilled I found this MMM community. It is such an inspiration!!


Russ

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2211
  • Age: 32
  • Location: Boulder, CO
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #26 on: December 13, 2012, 01:47:22 PM »
  • Body fat from current ~22% (at 182#)... to 2/013 (~15%) or ~167# by late June.
FTFY

Super thread idea. I'll post my goals here when I get home.

StashinIt

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 138
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Fort Worth, TX
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #27 on: December 13, 2012, 05:45:53 PM »
Thinking about my 2013 goals here is what I came up with.

1) Quit my job and move to a more affordable locale
2) Lose 15 pounds (220 down to 205) 6'4''
3) Spend more time with my wife
4) Reduce families grocery budget $100 per month by reducing eating out (from $500 to $400).
5) Increase bike commuting (from 1-3x per week to 3-5x per week)
6) Call my parents at least 1x a week
7) Re-institute monthly game night with my friends
8) Purchase a house (contingent on moving)
9) Update estate plan (could be accomplished in 2012)
10) Start 529 plan for my son (could be accomplished in 2012)

kudy

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 945
  • Age: 41
  • Location: RV Traveling the U.S.
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #28 on: December 13, 2012, 09:45:14 PM »
Bike to work once a week until March, bike to work twice a week starting in March.
Increase my net worth by at least 30,000.
Kick ass at work and help rocket my company to a new level, earning a nice raise (and maybe a bonus) in the process.

Hamster

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 623
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #29 on: December 13, 2012, 10:06:28 PM »
  • Body fat from current ~22% (at 182#)... to 2/013 (~15%) or ~167# by late June.
FTFY

You rock!

kythuen

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 76
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #30 on: December 14, 2012, 09:58:58 AM »
This is hard, because there's so much I want to do in the next year, and I know some of it would be getting the cart far before the horse.  And some of my goals will have to be adjusted in spring, when I find out whether my dad will be moving north - I'm planning to shoulder most of the expense of that if it happens.

1.  Continue using credit cards for normal monthly expenses and paying them off monthly, to build credit
2.  Pay off car loan
3.  Max out employer match funds on 401(k) (3% monthly)
4.  Fully fund Roth IRA and invest in Vanguard index fund
5.  Begin aggressively paying down student loan debt (currently deferred) as soon as car is paid off
6.  Win promotion to management level (this is basically a lock, as long as the position opens up)

Those are the big goals.  I have some more minor ones to aim for on a daily basis:

7.  Extend bike commute to the next train station rather than the closest one (tiny increase, up from 3.2 miles round trip to 5 miles round trip)
8.  Skip breakfast (intermittent fasting) and bring lunch to work every work day
9.  Lose 50 lbs body fat
10.  Get my dad moved out of his house into a small apartment in his town or my town (preferably mine!)

FitStash

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 82
  • Location: Virginia
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #31 on: December 15, 2012, 02:41:52 PM »
I used James Heisig's Remembering The Kanji and the website kanji.koohii.com to learn all the Joyo kanji.  Was pretty quick and way less painful than doing it one by one.
[/quote]

I really like his book so far, I had just quit using it about a week into it, letting life's other stuff creep in.  Are you fluent in Japanese, or still starting out?

NumberCruncher

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 610
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #32 on: December 17, 2012, 07:44:17 AM »
2013 Goals:

1) Start tracking our money so we know our monthly expenses (esp. food) - trim and set goals where it makes sense - meet with husband every quarter to review (it will be like a tiny board meeting! how fun! ^_^)
2) Gym (or equivalent) 2x a week - no excuses (we have a fairly reasonable membership at the local YMCA, and very little space for exercising in our tiny apartment!)
3) Move closer to work - bike! (buying a house if it makes sense, renting if it doesn't)
4) Increase net worth at least 100k
5) Travel to another country
6) Get a target retirement date
7) Clean weekly - avoid allure of hiring a maid.
8) Publish monthly podcasts

YAR

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #33 on: December 17, 2012, 08:16:34 AM »
2013 Goals:

 - Commute via bike atleast 180 of my planned 188 workdays.
 - 3500 total miles on bike
 - Sell Felt S22
 - Cap 401k

Emerald

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 97
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #34 on: December 17, 2012, 12:07:57 PM »
2013  Goals

Financial

Increase TSP contributions to 18% (with 5% matching)
Refinance mortgage to 15 year
Save at least $500/month in liquid savings (for upcoming major purchases)
Continue to cut monthy costs with phone and TV
Look for part time job to increase savings

Personal

Work out at least 5 days/week
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to build construction skills

FitStash

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 82
  • Location: Virginia
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #35 on: December 17, 2012, 01:01:28 PM »
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to build construction skills

What a great idea!  I may have to steal this one from you.

Emerald

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 97
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #36 on: December 17, 2012, 01:58:54 PM »
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to build construction skills

What a great idea!  I may have to steal this one from you.

My goal is to build a small home within 5-10 years.  I want to know as much as I can about building before I start.  Of course, the more work I can do myself the better. 

SwordGuy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8955
  • Location: Fayetteville, NC
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #37 on: December 17, 2012, 05:28:52 PM »
Here are my goals for 2013:

Debt
  • None, keep it that way.

Savings/Investing
  • Maximize both 401k accounts, for $45,000 contribution and another $5,000 matching funds.
  • Open $10,000 Vanguard investment account.
  • Invest an additional $36,000 in the Vanguard Account.

That equates to a 57% savings rate.

Health
  • Bicycle 12 miles round trip to/from work 3 to 5 days a week.  (I teach or take classes that interfere with a 5 day routine every week.)
  • Bicycle most errands on weekends within 3 miles.
  • Armoured Swordfighting 2 to 4 hours, 1 to 2 days a week.
  • Office Gym for flexibility muscle training 3 times per week.
  • Lose 60 lbs of fat.  (Guesstimating that equates to 40lbs of weight.)

Art/2nd Career Prep
  • Average 1 piece of silver and/or enamel jewelry per week.
  • Average 1 piece of pottery per week.
  • $3,000 income from sale of art or jewelry training classes to offset material, tool and training costs.

totoro

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2188
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #38 on: December 17, 2012, 05:38:31 PM »
http://hundredpushups.com/#sthash.ZDADPBl1.p51s06YZ.dpbs

Thanks for the link - its a 2013 goal :)

Other goals:

1) save $100 000
2) start another business
3) finish neverending renos


Kriegsspiel

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #39 on: December 17, 2012, 05:52:23 PM »

Armoured Swordfighting 2 to 4 hours, 1 to 2 days a week.

That sounds sweet.  Do you do actual classes with technique and whatnot, or do you do some LARP style 'beat the shit out of each other' swordplay?

Quote
Lose 60 lbs of fat.  (Guesstimating that equates to 40lbs of weight.)

Hey brother, you might not want to set yourself up for dissapointment.  Usually losing that much fat with bring down LBM along with it, you might look at losing 70 total pounds of weight or more, depending on what you weigh now.

SwordGuy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8955
  • Location: Fayetteville, NC
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #40 on: December 17, 2012, 06:32:06 PM »

Armoured Swordfighting 2 to 4 hours, 1 to 2 days a week.

That sounds sweet.  Do you do actual classes with technique and whatnot, or do you do some LARP style 'beat the shit out of each other' swordplay?

Actually, I'm qualified to teach classes. :)    It's a full contact sport and technique is very important.
It's just to much fun to give up.   

I've attached a couple of pictures.  Check out www.sca.org for a list of groups near you, they usually have loaner armour for new folks to try out.  An inexpensive set of armour can be made for about $100 if you can borrow the tools (and many groups have someone with tools who will let you.)  Classes are free.  It's a good group to get free arts and crafts classes from, too.

Quote
Lose 60 lbs of fat.  (Guesstimating that equates to 40lbs of weight.)

Hey brother, you might not want to set yourself up for dissapointment.  Usually losing that much fat with bring down LBM along with it, you might look at losing 70 total pounds of weight or more, depending on what you weigh now.

I'll stop when I'm not fat anymore, whenever that is.  I'm at 261lbs, 5'11".    180lbs was bone thin, 230lbs was more belly than I needed.   I understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that I should be building up muscle with the biking and general exercise regimen.  So, I'm guessing that I need to be around 220 lbs with a higher amount of muscle and less of fat.   But as long as I'm no longer fat and I'm physically fit at the end of the year, I'll declare victory, whatever the number actually turns out to be. 

Hamster

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 623
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #41 on: December 18, 2012, 12:54:35 AM »
I understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that I should be building up muscle with the biking and general exercise regimen.   
FWIW, you probably won't gain much muscle mass from the cycling unless you are pushing big gears very hard.

That's no reason not to cycle, of course. It burns a ton of calories, is great fun, and is transportation. I can't think of another exercise where you can push a high heart rate for as long a period of time.

Shandi76

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 90
  • Location: Sweden
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #42 on: December 18, 2012, 07:57:31 AM »
In 2013 I'd like to:
  • Be able to do at least one unassisted dead hang chin up (wanted that by the end of this year but haven't quite got there yet)
  • Deadlift 1.5 times my bodyweight (currently manage about 1.2 times)
  • Squat my bodyweight (currently about 75 - 80% of BW)
  • Bench at least 60% of BW (currently only manage 50%)
  • Clean and Jerk 60% of BW (just over 50% currently)
  • Snatch 50% of BW (currently only about 33%: it's the OHS I struggle with)
  • Row 500m at sub 1:50 (currently 1:54.5)
  • RX a Cross Fit WOD! (hence the desire to master pull-ups and up my weights)

Non-exercise-related goals:
  • Get a book published
  • Get a journal article accepted
  • Get more contract work lined up for the summer, or get a suitable full-time job
  • Find a decent rental property to double my portfolio (to 2...)
  • Improve my android programming skills
  • Get more involved in my new community

sol

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8433
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Pacific Northwest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #43 on: December 18, 2012, 09:15:38 AM »
Juggling goals (improve skill level)
1.  20 3club backcrosses
2.  200 catches of 5ball cascade

Recreation goals (be active)
1.  6 climbs, including 2 over 14k.
2.  20 dives.

Financial goals (be responsible and prepared)
1.  max tsp and roth IRA
2.  pump taxable accounts to double current size.

Fitness goals (be strong and active)
1.  increase all lifts by 40 pounds
2.  run 200 miles
3.  26 martial arts workouts and two competitions.

Musical goals (improve skill level)
1.  record 26 songs
2.  attend 12 group sessions
3.  three paying gigs

Professional goals
1.  publish twice
2.  secure 200k in new funding
2.  complete ongoing transition process.

forward

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 198
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #44 on: December 19, 2012, 09:03:13 PM »

In 2013 I would like to do a few things.  These goals are important and at the same time are realistic for me.  They are not really stretch goals but something I would like to maintain over time given my current life commitments.

1.  Increase after tax investments to at least $100,000
2.  Keep car through 2013 (this is probably an ongoing yearly goal for me)
3.  Workout at least 4 days per week
4.  Ride bike to work at least 25 times
5.  Sell sea kayak (as well as at least 5 other unneeded items that have some significant monetary value)
6.  Buy lunch at work no more than 2 times per month times, take lunch other times
7.  Take a 5 day vacation (I’ve actually never done this before)
8.  Stay engaged with the MMM forum

totoro

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2188
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #45 on: December 19, 2012, 10:20:23 PM »
Oh frick, forgot a bunch of important ones:

4) make mead and hard organic apple cider (seems fun and frugal and party-like)
5) make my whole family write out 10 goals for the year on New Years eve
6) learn to make different types of pickles, including refrigerator pickles
7) radically, radically improve our diet/health... yep, radically.  We eat pretty well but I'm thinking its time to experiment and see who can improve the most in terms of nutrition and health. I'm going to make it one of the ten goals and put up a prize with trophy for who in the extended family is most improved.

kiwichick

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #46 on: December 19, 2012, 10:30:54 PM »
2013 Goals:

  • $20,000 off mortgage
  • $3000 off student loan
  • $6000 into retirement accounts

And one weird one - no fast food! Last year it was no gambling (including lotto etc). Worked really well.

Flynlow

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 81
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #47 on: December 21, 2012, 09:02:55 AM »
Great topic, these are my goals for 2013:

-Earn $5K net in my personal stock portfolio (seperate from retirement accounts)
-Earn $2K total in non-work pursuits (CC cash back offers, selling stuff, etc.)
-Weigh <162 lbs
-Bike to work at least 50 times
-Sell off spare stuff around apartment and shop (books and spare wheel/tire sets mostly)
-Read 3 Financial Books
-Read 2 Business/Incorporation Books
-Get salary to $80K or more


Should be attainable, I'm mostly trying to work on the "earn more" side of the "spend less/earn more" path to FI ;) . 

JanMN

  • Guest
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #48 on: December 23, 2012, 10:29:12 AM »
Excellent thread!  My goals this year:

Max out 401(k)
Save 30k cash, put into investments
Lose 4 lbs
Do backpacking trip and canoeing trip this summer/fall
Grow more than tomatoes and peppers in our garden!

kkbmustang

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1285
Re: Thinking about 2013
« Reply #49 on: December 23, 2012, 03:39:25 PM »
Great goals!

My biggest is selling our house and figuring out where we will live long term.  It's hard living life unsettled, so more chaos is in order for us before things settle down.  :)  Good luck on your goals!

I'm right there with you. I HATE the unknown. Hate it. But, I'm a faithful person, so I know whatever will be, will be and I have to be at peace with that. That doesn't mean I'm not proactive in my actions, but have to be at peace with the fact that I don't control timing.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!