My goals for 2017
Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night
I did a pretty good job of getting at least 7 hours of sleep this past week and one night I even made it to 9 hours!! That’s a pretty big deal for me. Sleep. I LOVE it. I should do it more often. 😉
Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea
Well. So this is exciting. The HH received a nice bonus from work and instead of spending it, we decided to apply it towards the principal on the mortage. Totally not fun at all, I know. But hey, it knocked an additional 2 years and 7 months off the principal. Do you remember when I first started this goal in 2016? Do you remember what my reason was? Here’s what I wrote down in January 2016 in case you forgot:
“The inspiration for this goal came a few months ago when I was pestering the HH about moving {for the millionth time}. I jokingly asked him “What about if we paid off the mortgage. Then could we move to the east coast?”
“Ya sure, whatever.”
Well then. GAME. ON. HUSBAND. GAME.ON.
***************
So let this just be a little reminder to all of you with BIG GOALS.
DO NOT GIVE UP. Even though sometimes it feels like you’ll never get them crossed off your list….HANG IN THERE. There is a prize at the end waiting for you. You just have to STAY IN THE GAME if you are going to win it.
Live a little
Hmmm…. I don’t know that I did anything super exciting this week.
Visit 52 REAL Bakeries
Mom and I went to another bakery…. That makes 6 bakeries in 2 weeks. I think I’m good for a while. 😉
Have 1 “no spend” week each month
I’ll probably do this at the end of April.
Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns
While we were back on the east coast I worked on two versions of my “Flowers for Lucy” pattern and I listed the pattern a few days ago on Etsy. This is actually the 8th pattern I’ve made this year {12 is my goal} but the first one I’ve listed. I LOVE the way both pieces turned out!!!
Turn My Wool Stash into $2,500.
I sold $200.93 worth of goodies in my Etsy and Ebay shops last week. That brings my total to $1839.30 for the year so far. I added more items to both my Etsy and Ebay shops including some hand dyed wools. This week I’ll be working on more flowers and two whale rugs and possibly even a pillow if I have the time. I love the fact that I can earn a little extra money from something I genuinely LOVE doing. Something made by my hands, in my own time. We all need a hobby, and I’m so glad I found this one over 15 years ago because I adore it.
Play in The Dirt
Dear Spring, I think you may have saved my life. I was getting so sick of the rain… Finally, I get to play outside again and I’m sharing pictures over on Dig for Your Dinner. Life is good.
Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need
So far I’ve purged 63 items this year. I need to find more.
Learn to Crochet
I did learn to crochet. So yay for that. 😉 Goal accomplished.
As I mentioned last week, My friend Zoë is making a quilt top for me!! Once she’s finished with the top I’ll add the batting, back the quilt and then hopefully have it finished by the end of the year. I’m excited!!!
Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.
Workin’ it!
Lose the Muffin Top.
Even though we did visit a pastry shop last week…. I ate less overall so that’s good. The goal is to kick Muffy to the curb by the end of June.
Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.
Yep Yep.
Try 52 New Recipes
This past week I made fig and hazelnut biscotti and Mrs. HB made Guinness pork chops with an onion gravy. I’ll post the recipe later this week.
Read 52 Books
Right now I’m listening to Good Dog on audiobook via Hoopla. Our library lets patrons “check out” 8 items a month for free {It used to be 12}
Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community
- January – Donated to Quilts from the Heart in Memory of my brother
- February – Donated to Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club
- March – Donated to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.
- Secret Goal #1 – Working on it.
- Secret Goal #2
- Secret Goal #3
- Secret Goal #4
How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2017? How are they coming along?
~Mavis
Read About My 2017 Goals HERE.
Beth says
I can’t wait to do yard work. I just have to wait for all the snow to melt……sigh…….
Bridget p. says
Spring is sneaky here! It will look it’s never never coming then bam tons of things start blooming at once and I feel behind! Dear Son was able to help me yesterday to tackle the butterfly bush (never had one before so I didn’t do anything to it last year, big mistake) we got a lot accomplished but we STILL have dead stuff way up top so going to ask DH to pretty please finish the butterfly bush saga today!
Ellen in Clackamas says
Today it looks like it might not rain! Hooray, might make it two days in a row. I was running errands yesterday so mostly missed out on the dry day but did take a walk around my yard and noticed neither of my hardy fuschias look alive☹️. They should be having some green on them but are looking done for. I will trim them back and leave for a while but might need to fill in the big holes they will leave.
Amy Schmelzer says
That’s awesome about your hubby’s bonus taking such a huge chunk out of the mortgage. Paying off our mortgage by my 45th birthday is one of our goals I set this year after turning 40. I bought the house when I was 25. It feels great knowing that we can shave over ten years off the thirty year mortgage. I’m working on my Dave Ramsey debt free scream already.
Mavis Butterfield says
Awesome!
Rebecca in MD says
Wow, 2 years and 7 months of your life SAVED! I think that was a very smart thing to do with your HH’s bonus – – – if you look at it from the perspective of less years of working full-time, it is worth every single penny. We knocked 10 years off our mortgage by paying extra each month. Some months we were able to make bigger extra payments than others, but I am so proud of that accomplishment. Going into retirement early without debt is the best gift to yourself and your family. Security and peace of mind – – – priceless!
deb k says
Mavis,
I’m sorry if this is going to be a dumb question, but I really need to know. I’ve looked at your rug hooking projects a lot and seen some I thought about getting but I’m really unsure about how to use them in my house ( except the flower ones, I know those go in a vase! ). I figure the little ones, like 12″ x 12″, for example, might be hung on a wall. But what about the bigger ones? Sorry again to sound like a dummy.
deb
Mavis Butterfield says
The little ones tend to be hung on a wall or placed on a table while the bigger ones are used on the floor. 🙂
Deb k says
Thanks
JoAnn says
Mavis,
I love your blog, following it daily. I have to ask…you are encouraging me so much with paying down your mortgage. Have you figured up how much time you have taken off your mortgage since you started paying extra? Every week your goals just inspire me by the progress. Keep up the good work. I live in Pennsylvania and the buds are popping, lotsa rain last few days. We are biting at the bit to till the gardens. I hope you reach your goal and make your way back eastbest of luck!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes. We are 9 years and 5 months ahead of schedule. 🙂
Margie Hudgins says
OW WOW! That’s amazing. I just paid off my mortgage two months ago, several years early, and can’t tell you what a wonderfully freeing feeling it is, especially for a widow. Keep up the wonderful job you are doing Mavis; you’ll get there. P.S. I have been reading your blog daily for a few years now, and love it. Please don’t ever stop blogging. Margie
Sara says
Well done, Mavis!!
Goals for the year are going well! Crazy story… One of my goals for the year was to host a huge garage sale & sell a lot of stuff. Well, I might have jumped overboard a little. We ended up having mice in the rental, and I know this isn’t a big deal to everyone, but it has pretty much sent me over the edge while trying to keep everything super clean without any crumbs & keep an active 10 month old from picking up & ingesting any mouse poop. :/ So we decided it was time to get out of the house (which means moving AGAIN), and also decided it was time to sell everything. So we are literally selling everything, going to stay with family for 2 months until the school year is out (I work for a school district), and then spend 6-8 weeks in Europe!!! ❤️ I can’t wait! It feels SO freeing to be getting rid of stuff! And the possibility of traveling Europe makes it all worth it! Needless to say, I got to have my big garage sale this weekend! Made a little over $1000.
Never in my life have I hosted a garage sale, or done anything this crazy.
But what an adventure!!
Mavis Butterfield says
WOW!!!! I’m so excited for you!
Tisha says
Mavis, Can you please share what tracking app or program you use that shows the mortgage information in that way (specifically, contractual versus actual). Thanks bunches.
Carolina says
I see Mavis didn’t send you back an answer, yet. But I think that I can help you. Just google “mortgage amortization schedule.” Put in your values (current mortgage amount, number of years remaining, current monthly payment, etc). There will be a form to guide you. Then, print out the amortization schedule, or save it in your computer. It will show interest, principal and balance for each month going forward from this month. When you pay an extra PRINCIPAL payment, that will reduce your time to pay by one month. When you pay that month’s principal payment ahead, then you no longer owe the interest for that month!!! You just cross that month off (or several months if you pay several moths of principal ahead). From there it is easy to see how many more months and years you have to pay. I hope this helps!!!