Comments on: Evaluating My Progress Against My 2009 Goals http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/ A premier personal finance blog, established 2003. Within, Flexo discusses his own experiences with money, and he and other authors comment on a wide range of personal finance topics. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:22:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brianne http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-201217 Brianne Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:14:49 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=7676#comment-201217 I reached my goal of paying off my car (I owed about $8K at the beginning of the year) and paying cash for my tuition. Since getting engaged in July, I have added goals for wedding savings and I managed to pay about $2,000 for the wedding so far and stash another $3k in the bank. It wasn't a great year for savings because our company chose to furlough us on Fridays, effectively reducing our pay by 20% earlier this year, but luckily we're back on Fridays for now. I reached my goal of paying off my car (I owed about $8K at the beginning of the year) and paying cash for my tuition. Since getting engaged in July, I have added goals for wedding savings and I managed to pay about $2,000 for the wedding so far and stash another $3k in the bank. It wasn’t a great year for savings because our company chose to furlough us on Fridays, effectively reducing our pay by 20% earlier this year, but luckily we’re back on Fridays for now.

]]> By: Financial Samurai http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-201191 Financial Samurai Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:46:01 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=7676#comment-201191 Wow, that's amazing you earned more than $138,000 this year from "other income"! You'll have to do a post providing some tips on how to do that, once the subscriber base reaches a certain point. I haven't been focused on monetization at all. Strangely, it doesn't interest me that much. However, my interests perk up if $100,000/yr can be achieved! Best, Sam Wow, that’s amazing you earned more than $138,000 this year from “other income”! You’ll have to do a post providing some tips on how to do that, once the subscriber base reaches a certain point.

I haven’t been focused on monetization at all. Strangely, it doesn’t interest me that much. However, my interests perk up if $100,000/yr can be achieved!

Best, Sam

]]> By: Flexo http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-201188 Flexo Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:02:00 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=7676#comment-201188 Dan: Those are good examples of specific goals -- money for a purpose. I think we're on the same page about the type of goals I don't like to see, such as "a net worth of $1,000,000." That's not a goal to me, because it doesn't indicate a real purpose. Elle: Great job getting a deal on your apartment! Dan: Those are good examples of specific goals — money for a purpose. I think we’re on the same page about the type of goals I don’t like to see, such as “a net worth of $1,000,000.” That’s not a goal to me, because it doesn’t indicate a real purpose.

Elle: Great job getting a deal on your apartment!

]]> By: Elle http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-201185 Elle Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:02:08 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=7676#comment-201185 I'm very happy my 2009 goals. My husband and I did want to get a house this year, but it didn't work out. We'll continue looking in 2010. We did manage to get a better deal for an apartment so our monthly expenses decreased a little bit. I’m very happy my 2009 goals. My husband and I did want to get a house this year, but it didn’t work out. We’ll continue looking in 2010.
We did manage to get a better deal for an apartment so our monthly expenses decreased a little bit.

]]> By: Dan http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/evaluating-my-progress-against-my-2009-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-201163 Dan Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:48:32 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/?p=7676#comment-201163 You open your comments by saying you're not a fan of financial goal setting because it evokes the image of an endpoint. But many goals do! For instance, this year, my two goals were: 1. Pay off $14k in credit card debt that was accumulated during a job loss and relocation to my current employment. 2. Pay for my wife's engagement rings and wedding without breaking the bank. I reached the end zone with both of them. They are now complete. Real goals for next year: 1. Establish a $10k-$12k emergency fund. 2. Save $8k for a vacation (and take it!... my wife and I are planning a trip to Thailand.) 3. Save $3k for some furniture and a big screen TV (and yes, we know what we want.). Each goal represents some sort of finishing point, in that when it is met, funds currently allocated toward it will be reallocated somewhere else -- car replacement, house down payment, etc... But I also think I get what you are talking about when you say that accumulating $X in and of itself, for no specific purpose, is an empty goal. What good is having $10 million if you are just going to put it in the bank? You open your comments by saying you’re not a fan of financial goal setting because it evokes the image of an endpoint. But many goals do!

For instance, this year, my two goals were:
1. Pay off $14k in credit card debt that was accumulated during a job loss and relocation to my current employment.
2. Pay for my wife’s engagement rings and wedding without breaking the bank.

I reached the end zone with both of them. They are now complete.

Real goals for next year:

1. Establish a $10k-$12k emergency fund.
2. Save $8k for a vacation (and take it!… my wife and I are planning a trip to Thailand.)
3. Save $3k for some furniture and a big screen TV (and yes, we know what we want.).

Each goal represents some sort of finishing point, in that when it is met, funds currently allocated toward it will be reallocated somewhere else — car replacement, house down payment, etc…

But I also think I get what you are talking about when you say that accumulating $X in and of itself, for no specific purpose, is an empty goal. What good is having $10 million if you are just going to put it in the bank?

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