2016 | The Best is Yet To Come

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible

--St. Francis of Assisi

As I look forward to this year, and the next few that are to come, I know I have big dreams.  But sometimes getting from where I am now to where I want to be seems so daunting.  I am blessed to have several wonderful mentors who have shared their own career path with me. I want to be where they are (except they are 5, 10 and 20 years older than me), but I'm not.  I am where I am. They assure me that I am exactly where I need to be to achieve the dreams that I have.  All I have to do is work hard, and keep doing what I'm doing.  With that in mind, I am going to share with you some of my goals for 2016, and more importantly, the little steps that I am going to use to get there.

Big Goal: Buy a House

I can't wait to buy my own home one day.  But with housing prices in Toronto what they are, that day won't be this year.  But what smaller steps can I take to help me get there?  Well, in short: saving money.  Because I live at home I hope to be able to save a good amount of my take home pay each month.

Small Steps: Stop Buying Lunch

I probably spend $35 a week on lunch by bringing it one or two days a week and then buying it the rest.  That really adds up!  I am going to reduce my meals eaten out to two per month.  This includes lunch at work, dinner with friends, and even dinner with my boyfriend.  I know that saying I will never go out to eat isn't realistic.  But I think twice per month is something I can do.  

Small Steps: Reign in my beauty spending

The holidays really got me in that buying trap.  I need this.  I need that.  Just one more.  Oh but for the blog...but Christmas has come and gone and let me tell you:  I have more than enough stuff. Again the goal here isn't to spend no money at all on beauty.  Foundations and moisturisers run out. Brand new products hit the market.  But how can I reduce my monthly spending on my favourite thing?  Well I literally just cancelled my Birchbox subscription.  While I was cancelling the screen noted that I had received 11 Birchboxes and 56 samples.  Well of those 56 samples, really none of them stand out to me.  I redeemed my remaining points for the cheapest item that ships free that I liked.  So now that is cancelled! I am going to keep my Topbox for another month, and continue with Ipsy and Julep (skipping more months than not with the price of the CAD).  

Last month's Julep box cost me $46 USD, but $66 CAD was charged to my card.  Ugh.  I miss the days when the loonie was at par or better! 

Now, as for Sephora.  First I am going to shift my consumption habits such that if I can buy it at Shoppers I will (points) and if I can't then I will go to Sephora.  I'm pretty sure I will still make Rouge doing this and even if I don't... Optimum points are better any ways.  Free products that I get to pick out?  Hello.

Over all I am going to cut my beauty spending so I replace my every day essentials as they run out, but not add new stuff whenever I want to. 

Small Steps: Continue Living at Home 

At some point in the next 12 months or so I am going to move out.  However I'm not going to rush for March (my original goal).  Rather I plan to spend at least the summer living at home so I can save up a little but more money.

Small Steps: Invest 

Why watch my account earn at most a few bucks a month when it can grow at 8% or so?  Over the next month or two I plan to move my savings into some reliable low to moderate risk mutual funds. Nothing too fancy, but better than nothing! Over the course of this year I would love to learn more about investing to get the best bang for my buck!

Big Goal: Lose 50 lbs

This year my boyfriend and I both want to get healthier.  We want to look better on our next beach vacay (357 days away but whose counting?) and we want to look great when we get married (we're not engaged, but this will all happen in the next few years).  I don't know if 50 lbs is a reasonable goal for a year, but I think 30 is.  I don't want to crash diet my way there.  I want to do it through healthy eating and exercise.  It will take time, but small steps add up.  I want to be healthier.  I want to look my best.

Small Steps: Pack a lunch

You know the deal.  You get hungry at your desk.  Walk down to the caf and realize that the lunch special is pasta-- again.  You're hungry.  It looks yummy.  You grab it and devour its pastay goodness alone at your desk.  Rinse.  Lather.  Repeat.  By packing a lunch I can make sure I am getting lots of fresh fruit and veggies, lean meats and protein.  I can save money (see Big Goal #1) and live better.

Small Steps: Cardio (almost) every day

Lately I have been going to the gym 2x each week with my trainer.  I want to continue our sessions, and add 4 cardio sessions a week.  I plan to fit this in before work a few mornings a week and once on the weekend.  Get sweaty = get skinny.

Small Steps: Eat healthier 

On Monday morning I spend $26 at the fruit and veggie market near my work.  I bought some Greek Yoghurt, bananas, kiwi, blueberries, apples, grape fruit and instant oatmeal.  Say hello to my breakfasts for the New Year!  This morning I had a kiwi, a handful of blueberries and a grapefruit and I was full and satisfied until lunch.  I've learned how to make a simple healthy soup, and am slowly learning to tolerate kale.

Big Goal: Move Out & Get a Puppy 

So maybe these are more so dreams?  Some time this year I am going to move out and get my own place, and when I do I want to get a Maltese-Yorkie puppy.  To get to this goal I just need to keep on working hard, saving money, and eating healthy won't hurt.

What are your goals for 2016?