Monday, March 3, 2008

Hello Bloggers

Everyone - please bear with me. I am BRAND SPANKIN NEW at this blogging thing. So, if there is anything that you don't like or something that you love - either way, let me know. That being said, I shall start my first post.

With a new year (although it is already March) I have decided to start new goals for 2008. The thing about goals is that you must set them to be attainable. That in and of itself is not an easy task. I want to say that I will save $50,000 towards a down payment on a house, or will put $30,000 towards my retirement, but that is not all going to happen in 2008. And since I have never actually set real-life money goals, I am going to take baby steps in 2008. That being said, I am writing them down and declaring them as I type. My goals for 2008 include:

1. Reducing student loan debt - $10,000. As most of you can imagine. Student loan debt begins to pile up. Especially if you went to a private graduate school, such as myself. While you are given plenty of time to re-pay your student loan debt, I just cannot see only making minimum payments and eating all of the interest. So. . . I am going start putting more money towards student loan debt.

2. Pay off credit card debt.

3. Fun in the Sun (travel budget) - My bf and I take many trips in a year, and to say the least this is where the majority of our money is spent. Thus, my first goal for 2008 is to save $3000 before taking another trip. This $3000 can either stay in a saving account for a future investment or be spent to take a trip, but it should first be saved. (While many of you may see this as crazy - why would I save to travel with so many other expenses, what I can say is this...sometimes you just have to do what makes you happy. To save any money this year is going to be a hard strain, and I think that if I am able to save $10,000 towards student loans and pay off my credit card debt plus save $3,000 - I DESERVE a vaction).

If I stay on a tight budget, I believe that I can meet my 2008 goals. Any tips on how best to pinch pennies, let me know.

1 comment:

Bouncing Back said...

Welcome to the blogsphere and good luck. We are all here for you!