Goals for 2016

2015 was year of *Continuing the Good Work* both in financial world and in Self-Love. However, within few days into the year bad news started pouring in. My household lost 2 family members in last year. Age and illness was of course well known but I never knew it is going to be this tough before actually facing it. My family was devastated at one point wouldn't be an understatement. My priority suddenly changed to just taking care of everyone around me than anything else. 

This new personal circumstances also resulted in noticeable increase in expenses of our household, but those were things I will never compromise on. 

Some of the key takeaways are:

1. Family is and will always be my number one priority, that’s how I am. 
2. Having money in bank gives you so much confidence and peace of mind and options when dealing with calamities. 
3. Baby's growth amazes me almost always. It makes me happy and sad at same time to see him grow so fast. Parenthood is unexplainable!
4. Though my expenses were high last year, I was able to meet most of savings goals.

I just hope 2016 brings some much needed good news in our household, please spare some prayers for us, if you can. :)

Over to goals for 2016.

  

Financial:

Hoping to have a solid year in terms of finances. And yes I continue to hope that Murphy decides not to visit us and we can pass this category.

1. Networth: Let’s keep it same as good old 20%. I can bet, if I will meet this goal in 2016, I would for sure have to lower my number next year or really increase my take-home money somehow. *Fingers-Crossed*. 
2. Savings: Save 67% of total money (all salary + bonus + any other money). I am trying to finally reach my dream equation - spend 1/3th on today and save 2/3rd for *consolidated fund of future everything*.
3. Retirement: Save 40% of net salary(inhand+automated) in retirement. 
4. Emergency Fund - 12X of monthly expenses as I otherwise believe in having risky portfolio at this age.
5. Save all of DH's salary - This means we get to live on my salary + reimbursements. Should be totally doable. 

Personal:

Continuing "Love Yourself".

1. Aim that I don't disturb baby's schedule on day to day basis, specifically when we have visitors.
2. Spend at least one hour on my new job related studying. Hope to succeed Must prepare myself to succeed in this category.
3. Love myself - Continuing same, follow my routine rigorously, esp. of Walk, Bath and Pray and diary writing.
4. Watch my spending -  All other goals that you see in above are mostly same as last year one or a slight modification of them. However, this is one of the area that I have recently realized as my weakness. I am frugal person by nature, making do without things comes so naturally to me, but when I am purchasing, I am not very good at getting the best value of my buck. This year I am trying to set some guidelines for every purchase and improve myself as more savvy spender.

9 goals for this year, please wish me best of luck and I promise to try and update regularly on my progress. 

Happy New Year - 2016

Wishing you all a very very Happy New Year 2016.

May this new year bring fulfillment of all desires and dreams.

I was almost gone for 6 months from this blog, a lot happened in my household, I needed a break. Though, I have been tracking all my finances and other goals offline, I just not felt like updating anything here. *Hibernation* is my way of dealing with calamities.

Will update about my life, my tracking of goals for 2015 and my goals for 2016 in separate blog posts.

For now, let’s cheers that 2015 is finally over and a new year is here that brings so many new hopes with it.

Indian Thoughts (IT).

Half yearly update and tracking - 2015

These are my goals for 2015.

Can't believe its July already. Since 6 months have passed, lets see how I fare in each of my goals.

Financial:-

1. Net-worth (increase by 20%): This goal I have achieved in all last 6 months. I count this goal as pass if the NW moves in positive direction for a month. Till June end my NW has increased by 9.8%. Predictions of future salary and automated/expected savings makes it look achievable. To be honest number greater than 10-12% would have made me happy but I can live with 9.8% as well. Status: On-Track
2. Savings (Save 65% of all money): Month wise I have managed to pass this goal only every alternate month, meaning 3 out of 6. However, till date I have managed to save 69% of total money. Status: Rocking
3. Retirement (Save 40% of net salary): This goal has been a 6/6 so far. Total 64% saved towards this. Status: Rocking
4. Emergency Fund (EF = 12X monthly expenses): As per the current numbers this is finished for the year. However to make sure that status remains as it is, need to replace all the FDs maturing in next 6 months with new ones. Status: On-Track
5. Save all of DHs salary: Yup, this one too is done nicely in last 6 months. Status: Rocking

Personal:-

1. Baby schedule: For sure this has improved a lot. It is totally visible in our bond and trust we share with each other. Touch-wood. Status: On-Track
2. Reading: Fail. All I am committing here is this will be a big focus area in next 6 months. Status: Need work
3. Writing: This one I am going to pick after August. This is stalled for now. Status: Need work
4. Improve myself: Pass. Routine of bath, walk and pray is working fine. Status: On-Track 

Score: 

Rocking - 3/9

On-Track - 4/9

Need work - 2/9

Previous Months:
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May
Jun

2015 Goals Tracking - Jun End

These are my goals for 2015.

Tracking time is here, let’s see what my progress is and what the scorecard is after end of the June.

Financial:

1. Net-worth (increase by 20%): Pass. - On-track ( it was very marginal change this month but anything positive is a YAY!)
2. Savings (Save 65% of total money): Fail. (another expensive month and a month where for a change I wanted to spend-it-all rather than save.)
3. Retirement (Save 40% of net salary): Pass. 
4. Emergency Fund (EF = 12X monthly expenses): Pass 
5. Save all of DH's salary: Fail

Personal:

1. Baby Schedule: Pass 
2. Reading: Pass - feels so good. Just need to continue this. 
3. Writing: Fail. I have left this goal as 3rd habit to improve and will pick most probably after August. 
4. Love myself: Pass. 2 out of 3 has become a part of daily routine already. Every 4 months, I will take 1 of the 3 things and work on it for next 4 months. This seems like a better and more doable approach than aiming all 3 at one time. 

Life Update:
I am at a very difficult mental phase of my life. 
Nights where "I will just get up and won't be able to sleep back till dawn" have become a norm. 
Subconscious mind is filling conscious mind with all negative things. It's as if former is playing a game of joining all the dots that I purposefully ignored so far. This gives lot of fodder to latter to feel sad/depressed/angry/frustrated. 

Everyday, I pray to God to keep me sane, give me positive thoughts, give me strength to cope with all this in positive manner. This is the only hope that still puts a smile on this face. :)

To be honest, can't wait this year to be over, damn we are only midway through. :(

Score: 6/9. 

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

2015 Goals Tracking - May End

These are my goals for 2015.

Tracking time is here, let’s see what my progress is and what the scorecard is after end of the May.

Financial:

1. Net-worth (increase by 20%): Pass. - Ontrack
2. Savings (Save 65% of total money): Fail.
3. Retirement (Save 40% of net salary): Pass. In fact, started pushing some of the last months remaining corpus back as well. 
4. Emergency Fund (EF = 12X monthly expenses): Pass 
5. Save all of DH's salary: Pass

Personal:

1. Baby Schedule: Pass 
2. Reading: Fail. 
3. Writing: Fail. I have left this goal as 3rd habit to improve and will pick most probably after August. 
4. Love myself: Pass. 2 out of 3 has become a part of daily routine already. Every 4 months, I will take 1 of the 3 things and work on it for next 4 months. This seems like a better and more doable approach than aiming all 3 at one time. 

Life Update:
Unplanned travel caused 2 to fail. This year has been really bad so far on personal front. Now I pray everyday for strength to bear all that is happening around me. :(

Score: 6/9. 

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

2015 Goals Tracking - Apr End

These are my goals for 2015.

Tracking time is here, let’s see what my progress is and what the scorecard is after end of the April.

Financial:-

1. Net-worth (increase by 20%): Pass.
2. Savings (Save 65% of total money): Fail.
3. Retirement (Save 40% of net salary): Pass. In fact, started pushing some of the last months remaining corpus back as well. 
4. Emergency Fund (EF = 12X monthly expenses): Pass 
5. Save all of DH's salary: Pass

Personal:

1. Baby Schedule: Pass 
2. Reading: Fail. At one point it was really going well, but all southwards from there on. :(
3. Writing: Fail. I have left this goal as 3rd habit to improve and will pick most probably after August. 
4. Love myself: Pass. 2 out of 3 has become a part of daily routine already. Every 4 months, I will take 1 of the 3 things and work on it for next 4 months. This seems like a better and more doable approach than aiming all 3 at one time. 

Score: 6/9. 

Jan

Feb

Mar