Trying to Break Old Habits.......

I have a habit of trying to schedule something to do outside the home almost everyday! Not such a good idea when you are trying to stimulate the savings account! Lately I have to stop myself and rethink the days plan. I have been searching my memories for what my mom did with her days, knowing full well that we didn't go out everyday. I have been taking on cleaning and reorganizing projects. This may seem simple to some, but for me this decision making process can be painful!!!! I have a hard time getting rid of things. I always think I might need it again........."Maybe I will lose that ten pounds and these will fit again", "Maybe next year I will want to decorate the laundry room for Christmas and this would be perfect", "Maybe my iron (computer keyboard-kitchen mixer-coffee machine-microwave) will go on the fritz and I will be so glad I kept this!" "Maybe one of us will be home for lunch tomorrow and will want this little left over!" The list goes on and on and on................

Well, with the new year I plan to make some changes.....not resolutions....but changes! I plan on tackling some small area of the house each day. It might be a vanity in one of the bathrooms or something as small as a drawer in my dresser. Yes, just to get one area clean and organized each day would make me feel really good!

Another change I plan on making is my weekly menu! I want to try more exciting meals.......just something different! After many years of fixing the same basic meals every month, I want to think outside the box and try new spices, condiments, vegetables and meats! I want to make cakes from scratch.....don't laugh now.......but I find the cake mixes so handy that I rarely think outside of THEIR box!!!! I will have homemade cookies for the kids when they are here and not a bag of store bought sweets:D I will have some sweet treat around at all times for the hubby......he really enjoys his desserts.

I am going to try and be a better shopper.........meaning that I will take advantage of those coupons I hate to cut out of the flyers! I need to use those instead of leaving them stuck on the side of the frig:D So many times I find myself at Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics while my coupon is neatly displayed under a magnet at home! Also, Shop and Save and Dierbergs (grocery stores in our area) have specials that I plan to take advantage of! At one store you can purchase 50.00 worth of groceries for 40.00 on Thursday! Kind of a run-a-round, but certainly worth the planning. Another has 4 meats for 20.00! That can be a huge savings if you plan your menu in advance. The last offer I want to continue to take advantage of is the "10/10.00" offered by Schnucks. If you can just make it in and out without seeing anything else you HAVE TO HAVE.........it is a great deal:D Well, these are not very exciting resolutions, but if I can keep to them it will make me happy! What do you plan to do differently in the New Year?

What am I saving for...you ask! Well, I thought I would make a short list to set my priorities down in black and white.

New carpeting

New kitchen flooring....maybe hardwood, maybe vinyl 18" tiles that are actually grouted like ceramic!

New memory foam mattress in the "kids" room. Their mattress is uncomfortable!

New "hide-a-bed" sofa for the lower level. This could solve a heap of "musical bed" problems when we have visitors!

Crown moulding in the dining room and a ceiling medallion for the chandelier.

Well.............I have emptied my cache of wants and plans for 2010 and I feel so much better having written it all down!

What are your wants and plans for this coming year?