Another Christmas Comes and Goes -or- Pensive.

So, that time of year is here... and passing quickly. Christmas is easily one of my favorite times of year; yet I am always *so* glad when it is over. Our family made out well this year - and best of all - we did it almost exclusively in cash! Our cupboards are a bit more bare this week as a result, but the holidays felt so much better knowing that we weren't going to be making minimum payments on the credit card for the next ten years paying for our hour of enjoyable gift-opening.

Now, a New Year is upon us, and with that, I am trying to pin my husband down to one goal. To find a shared goal that we can work towards during 2009. Not so much a resolution, but more of a commitment to make some type of impact in where our family stands. There has been much talk of adding a new family member - which certainly has impact! - but I was thinking that perhaps we could commit to something bold that will positively impact our bottom line. (Not that a new baby doesn't have positive impact!) Something like:

No using credit cards. -or-
No dining out unless it is a special occasion (i.e. birthdays, anniversary, etc.) -or-
Moving into a more budget-friendly rental, or perhaps back into my father's home.

As time passes, I realize that I am approaching mid-30s without much to show for all my hard work over the years. I have no retirement savings. We have no life insurance on either of us. We have managed to live way beyond our means this past year (and we have the balances to prove it). So, as 2008 ends, I challenge us to find a way to bring positive financial change to our lives.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.