2019 Annual Goals

For 2019, we are keeping things a bit basic here again in terms of our goals. 

We do have some savings targets for certain accounts which will be easy to track if we do them or not, but since we are not sure we will get all the home improvement items checked off because we don't know if we will have the funds to finish everything this year, we are breaking things up differently. 

What I hope we will do that doesn't cost us anything: 

1. Be more purposefully with our spending - As in, try not to regret purchases, but rather spend in a way that enhances our life or time spent together as a family. We are REALLY trying to make a list of what we need, limit trips to the store, and pick things up ONLY after we have decided we actually need them. If we don't need them, then they should fall into the "fun money" category and not household spending on crap we don't need.   
2. Track our finances with more detail - I say it every year, but one of these days i'm going to have an actual list of everything we purchases instead of "Target" "Walmart" or "Amazon" and a random amount tacked on to it in our year end report.

What we will do that costs us $$$$$$:

1. Replenish our savings accounts-  
1. Get vacation fund back up to $1,500
1. This will be done with our tax return.
2. Top off our 6-month emergency fund - Last time we ran numbers, we needed closer to $19,000 instead of our $17,000. (hey, stuff gets more pricey over the years)
1. I sold extra vacation hours. We should get a nice bonus check in June and we think this should be almost enough to fill this in after our tax return comes.
2. Add to the New Car fund: Get the account up to $20,000 (starting from 11,000.00
1. We are planning to save $425 a month, plus use our 4 "extra" checks this year and drop them entirely to the new car fund.
3. Maintain at least 15% of our income going towards retirement. 
1. We are going to count any matches we get. Hubs already has 10% deducted to his roth, gets a 4% match, and pays into social security.
2. I pay 9.5% to my pension and I stick about 3% into my 457 to get a 3% match from my work. 

What we hope to finish but we have a three year old and limited funds:

1. Finish some home improvement projects. 
1. Paint interior doors and trims....
2. Remove all the tile from our condo ourselves to save $$$$
1. Pack up our crap and take it to storage.
3. Figure out if we are adding a second kitchen pantry cabinet/shelves that can match our existing kitchen, etc. 
4. Get flooring installed
1. Move our crap out of storage and back home.
2. Purchase, build and install living room built-ins.
3. Install baseboards and paint them.