Saturday, January 06, 2007

SMART Habit

I've been reading a new to me blog lately. It's called The Lazy Organizer and it's written by a woman named Lara. She's smart and funny and it's amazing how much she thinks like me about things. Because, really, being organized is not about being efficient. It's totally about making it easier to be lazy. I freely admit to being lazy. I also like organized things and places like the container store. I have not yet given my children cute nicknames like Lovely. They have to put up with redneck nicknames like Boo and Mo and Bubba.

Anyway, Lara has started a new challenge on her blog called SMART habit Saturday. We're supposed to pick a new habit and get doing it and report our progress. Me being the dork I am thought that we were just supposed to pick the habit and then be ready to start the whole thing today. Um. We were supposed to start last week.

So anyway, my goal is to balance my checkbook program everyday. For a while back in the dark ages I used to get onto my bank website everyday and download the days activity and then update our finance program for the day. I was so on top of our money when I did that. It took me about 15 minutes and I never bounced a check the entire time I was doing that and we spent our money more wisely. Well, things have not been going so well lately in that direction. I've been putting off balancing the checkbook and then I get surprised by junk. It's never good to be surprised by your bank account. It's never in your favor.

With Steve's new raise, I want to get a better handle on our finances. I've reread Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. Now I just have to get Steve to read it again. It should help us with our goal of finishing the remodel of this house and paying down debt.

so SMART habit goal: Checkbook everyday. Progress: thought about it.

Aren't you so proud of me?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amy- that is a great goal that I need to encorporate into my daily routine as well. Sometimes I have the attitude that ignorance is bliss.

I love that your children have redneck nicknames. My poor kids don't even have nicknames!!

Anonymous said...

Amy, I love the way you wrote that! And I haven't exactly STARTED my process yet. I got it worked out and figured out, but actually doing it yet? Nope, I'm going to start it today. So, you aren't alone it that one! :)

And for nicknames? My poor kids get Boy A, Boy B and Girlie. How original! Oy! :) But it makes it easy for me to write and remember the nicknames that I have given them online - and I haven't yet referred to my boys as Boy A and Boy B (notice I said "yet?") but I do call Girlie, well, Girlie sometimes. :)

Anyhow, good luck this week!

Anonymous said...

That is a great goal! I should totally do that to, DH and I both used to do it together but have gotten out of the habit.

And your kids have better nicknames than mine! Mine are 2 yr old and Baby lol. But that's just online. I don't know why but I'm not comfortable using their real names online.

Anonymous said...

I like that you chose something small that is what I did, too!! I wish you luck in accomplishing it everyday!!!

Anonymous said...

Good luck! It will be fun to see how you progress.

LOL at the redneck nicknames :) !! My kids just have regular old nicknames.

Lara said...

amy, thank you for the kind words! lovely's other nickname is boo too. at least that's what her daddy calls her.

you were right about the challenge. you were supposed to start today. all the ladies who started early are just a bunch of cheaters. just kidding!

i think you have picked a wonderful habit. i wish i was up for that at this point of my life but just cleaning the toilet gives me cold sweats! baby steps, right?

i can't wait to read your progress next week! (can you tell my shift key isn't working properly?)

Anonymous said...

Yes I am proud of you!! And thinking about it is half the work! I need to balance my quicken with the bank at least once a week. I need to write that goal down. :-) Well you helped me think of that one, thank you! ;-)