Now that we're in the Christmas - New Year between time like many I'm taking time to reflect on 2012 and make plans for 2013. I've gone over my 101 goals and been honest with myself about the ones I'm no longer interested in or that no longer serve a purpose. My office has been open this week but all the companies we do business with are closed so it's been very quiet, giving me the opportunity to have a good think over what I want to learn, do and achieve in the coming year. The only criteria is that they are things I want to do and which I feel will improve my life and take me closer to the lifestyle I want. Here's what I've come up with:
Gardening:
- Keep it small and simple - I don't want to feel overwhelmed by growing too many different things (like last year).
- We havn't got a car so I can only carry small amounts of compost home, so I'll have to plan differently this year and grow things that need less soil as they grow closer together or which give a fairly high yield, for example. Climbing plants like peas fit the bill, as do radishes, salad leaves, bush tomatoes and courgettes.
Making:
- Learn crafts that are new to me - soap making, candle making, preserving, sewing.
- Try making different wines - Vimto wine has intrigued me!
- Make more gifts and plan ahead eg. making chutney and red wine for mulling in Summer so they have time to mature in time to give as Christmas gifts.
Home:
- Have less things coming in and more things going out so.
- Follow the Down To Earth Forum 2013 de-cluttering plan month by month.
Extra income:
- Get items onto Etsy or Folksy by March, even if just a few.
- Tag along with the Frugeler 2013 challenge on the Frugaldom Forum. I've got lots of ideas for this.
Astrology course:
- Complete two or more test papers a month to finish by the 12 month deadline.
Finances:
- Buy no cheap clothes from Primark - buy second hand, make do with or mend what I've got or save up and spend extra on good quality versions of items like work shoes or a sturdy bag from an ethical supplier.
- Have another 'Stoptober' as the last one was useful. February could be a good month to set myself another one.
- Buy as much meat and veg as possible from the market where it's a fraction of the cost of the supermarket stuff.
- Carry on saving the same amount every month as I have been but be a little stricter over it ie. by transferring money over to savings every single month.
- Accept that saving up a large amount isn't possible as we're on a single income - and don't beat myself up over it! When things change saving will shoot up and in the mean time something is better than nothing.
They all sound good goals to me. Reference compost, do you use a compost bin, makes a huge difference. We have 3 raised beds 1m x 1m x 3/4m high, full of a mixture of compost and soil. Our 2 compost bins give us around 2 inches of friable food every year for each bed (plus the garden and fruit cage). I now only grow what we eat and nothing that takes up too much rooms such as potatoes, pumpkins etc. Have you tried the savings challenge seen on other blogs. We began mid summer and by December 4th had £125 in it, amazing.
ReplyDeleteI've been considering getting a compost bin for a couple of years and I think you may have persuaded me to take the plunge - all that free compost after the initial outlay for the bin is too good to miss. I've not had a go at any of the savings challenges on forums and stuff, but we save all our 5p's, 20p's and coppers, and they build up fast.
DeleteWe got our bins via our local council, they were a lot cheaper. I think it is known as cold composting as it takes nearly a year but as one bin gets full, the other one starts (we have 2). Then each Spring, we empty out the old one, roughly sieve it and put back into the other bin anything not fully composted. That empty bin then begins as the new bin and the other one is closed off til the following Spring,.
DeleteHi they sound like good goals to me..we are doing more or less the same..grow more,make do and mend more..and learning new things..i ama stay at home mum who has started down the path of home educating my 2 girls..i want them this year to learn to sew and knit..might be a tall order but will try it out..
ReplyDeleteWe have compost bins and they save us a lot in the long run..i agree with the sentiment more out and less in the house this year..
good luck
sara
I hope your girls enjoy learning to sew and knit and that you have fun teaching them. They're such good things to learn and I think it can boost children's self esteem to be able to make things, not to mention it can be very exciting.
DeleteI havent even thought about any goals for 2013! I didnt keep to many of my goals this year so have decided not to make any, other than perhaps save a bit more money and lose a bit of weight!! I admire your goals and hope you achieve them all.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'll manage to stick to them, hopefully my good intentions will turn into habits...maybe. Either way it's made me feel like I've got a plan.
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