My Resolutions

Yet again New Years eve has descended upon us at a rather alarming rate and yet again my thoughts turn to New Years Resolutions. Over the years I have come to realise that resolutions are easy to make but hard to keep so this year I'm determined to keep them!

My usual pattern is to make several promises to myself that I do not write down, instead committing them to memory. Generally by 6th of January they have been broken and by the end of January all have been forgotten.

This year I have decided to do things a little differently, a friend of mine (who is extremely organised!) advised me to write down my resolutions and put them in a prominent place.
Rather than put them on a wall (where I will only take them down after a week!) I have decided to publish them on Ciao as a constant reminder to myself so here goes...

TO GET FIT

I wasn't about to write anything silly like "To join a Gym" as I already know that that wont happen.
Instead I would prefer to improve my fitness. At present I am an extremely lazy human being. An example of which includes driving around a shopping centre Car Park until I find the nearest space!
Whilst its not an excuse I also have an office job which involves 37 hours a week of sitting on my backside!

This year I intend to leave the car at home more often and indulge in a little light exercise. This shall include walking my dog more often (please don't think he is neglected my Mum walks him every morning!)
Leaving my car at home whilst I walk to the shops and just a general overall improvement of my fitness. I don't think its too promising that I get a stitch from walking around the Trafford Centre!

TO CUT DOWN ON IMPULSIVE SHOPPING SPREES

If I had a pound for every time this year I have just nipped out to town on my lunch break and come back with something either completely pointless or that I will never wear, not only would I be rich but I would have also saved a lot of money!

Unfortunately I have a compulsion where shopping is concerned. I won't just buy a top of a certain style in one colour I will buy it in three. Several weeks later I will have worn all three probably once and then they will be cast to the back of my wardrobe never to be seen again.

Recently I read a review by Shazzaspannered, I hope she doesn't mind me giving her a mention but it was a particularly helpful review regarding spending and featured a mantra to repeat before buying anything:

Can I really afford it?
Do I really need it?
How much will I use/wear it?
Do I have anything the same as it?
Is it worth it?

This is to become my mantra for 2007 before buying anything. Hopefully this, and a little willpower will go a long way.

TO IMPROVE MY FINANCES

This resolution ties in with the last.
Where money is concerned I am not the best and can be quite frivolous. This year I hope to put the money I am not spending on pointless purchases into savings. I aim to keep a spending diary so I can record exactly where I am spending too much and identify other areas where I need to cut back. I plan to put many of 2006's pointless purchases on Ebay over the next few weeks to get the savings started!

This year I would like to pay off my Credit Card, although I do not owe a huge amount It would be nice to earn some interest this year rather than just paying it. To save from any further spending from tomorrow my Card shall be cut up.

I also plan to stop using my Debit card and instead plan to withdraw any money I need from the bank. Paying by card is all too easy and makes it all very easy for me to forget what I have bought. Doing this make me less inclined to actually go to my local bank and hopefully stop me spending as much.

So there you have it, Three resolutions. I'm sure many of you may be thinking what's the point in just making three but I would much prefer to make three rather than making ten and breaking half of them within the first two weeks.

I shall update this review throughout the year and keep you up to date with my progress. I have no doubt that I will make slight lapses but any improvement is better than no improvement so here goes...

Heres to 2007, I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year and would advise anyone who is keen to keep resolutions to get publishing!
Thanks for reading

Victoria

x x x x x x

(January update)
Although I appreciate we are only a month into the new year I feel so far I am doing rather well. I have made more of an effort to up my physical fitness and have started training for a charity run I am participating in later on in the year.

My spending is doing pretty well too.
I did have one small lapse at the beginning of the month and spent a little in the January sales but so for I have kept to my spending diary and, much to my annoyance at times have been back and forth to the bank drawing money as I need it.
I am also house hunting so all the more reason to be careful with my money. Will be back at the end of next month with another update.