January's goals were to get organized and track spending.
We got off to a late start. At times it felt like we didn't have money to track, but we finally got on the ball the second half of the month.
We learned that we need to consolidate our accounts to be more organized and to simplify tracking. And we learned where we are spending too much.
Even if you think you know where the money is going, get a printout of a month of expenses. I was shocked to see so many transactions for things like coffee or eating at a restaurant. When you see the same place pop up on your statement, every other line, you know there's a problem. Seeing it in print makes a difference and has made us more mindful of what we're spending.
I'm experimenting with an app on my phone called Spending. It's very simple. It's basically a digital checkbook register. If you're more inclined to enter information on your phone than you are to write it down, this app is for you, and it's free.
How are your resolutions coming along?
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