2008 Goals Checkin: The Final Countdown

This is going to be one of those embarrassingly autobiographical/number crunchy posts, which unless you are a financial voyeur like I am, will be much more interesting for me to write than for you to read.

But first, a plug about the role of public accountability in goal setting: I am decidedly pro. Having committed out loud in the presence of others to do something is a fine kick in the ass to get that thing done. I am working on a post about our 2009 financial goals (once again, accountability!) but first I need to fess up on the status of my 2008 financial and non-financial (but still financial) goals.

Financial Goals
-Max Out Roth 401(k): Done. Well, sort of. A few months ago I switched my contributions to a pre-tax 401(k) rather than the after-tax Roth 401(k) so I could save a little more cash in preparation for a job change to a lower-paying job in mid-2009. But I've made $15,500 in contributions to one account of the other this year.

-Fully fund an IRA: Done. $5,000 into Vanguard's Total Stock Market fund, and all done after the September landslide, so I'm only down $300 rather than the $1700 I could have been down. I guess that's something.

-Home equity loan down to $12,900: Done. At the close of 2008, I'm at $12,900 and will get down to $12,700 or so once a work reimbursement comes in, though that may not be until early 2009. I could have paid down more, but I decided to stuff cash into my savings account instead.

-4 months of living expenses in an emergency fund: Done. I started 2008 with three months expenses saved, spent two thirds of that replacing a furnace, and have rebuilt from there, so this is even a bigger victory than it initially appears. I also have $5,900 in a slush fund that was going to cover our honeymoon, but since we've significantly scaled back the honeymoon due to economic uncertainty (and frankly, uncertainty/possible paranoia about my job security), I will have a bunch of that money left over--I think another month's worth of expenses for the emergency fund at least.

-Save $11,000 for the wedding Done. Shiner saved another $2,000 and I think we'll end up spending less than $12,000 on everything, including food and drink. A very expensive party, but not a very expensive wedding, and everything we could want.

Non-Financial Financial Goals
-Floss more: Success! I can officially say this is habit. My morning routine felt totally weird when I briefly ran out of dental floss in November. I should do this at night rather than in the morning but it's easier to remember in the morning and that's better than nothing.

-Read one classic book each month: Fail. There were only six or seven books read, though in my defense, one of them was Anna Karenina which is really freaking long.

-Maintain a high-quality blog: If I am being truthful, I think I have really slacked off on this. There have been a lot of fallow periods, and a lot of times I've thought "huh, I should blog this" and then bimbled off to have a nap. Even where I haven't felt up to snuff, the quality of comments on the blog has made me feel like it is still a useful pursuit. Thanks, gentle reader.

Build a pergola:: Done! I put up the cash but otherwise had nothing to do with this, it was all Shiner and his dad. It is beautifully designed, beautifully constructed, and it makes spending time in the back yard so much more enjoyable. It's like having a airy, romantic new room to the house during the wamer weather months. I think it really adds to the value of the house, too, though we're not looking to sell anytime soon.