With the weather finally heating up, I thought I’d take some time to slow down and set some summer goals. I’m notoriously bad at goal setting in that I make goals for myself all the time, I just never post the follow-up. While I can’t promise that there will be a companion piece at the end of the month, I did come up with five things for me to accomplish this month that will boost our bottom line.
Write for money.
I don’t monetize my blog in general. I have written a handful of sponsored posts, but I’m so particular that I don’t see it as a big money-making opportunity for me. I did a bit of ghostwriting last year, though, and like any overly enthusiastic mom, my mom shared this news with a cousin, who shared it with her daughter, who shared it with her boss. No, my mom still doesn’t know about this blog. And no, I’m not actually convinced she really understands what ghostwriting it. But she found my article on the first page of Google, and by golly, she’s going to tell everyone about it. And my cousin’s boss actually offered me an opportunity to ghostwrite for him. The pay isn’t fantastic because it’s a very small company, but I figure it’s something I can do on my own time. Now I just have to wait for the first check to come in.
Finish a grad class or two.
Both graduate classes that I’m currently enrolled in have end dates in July. But I’d like to try to work ahead in at least one of them. Not only will we have more important things to worry about next month, but I also can begin the process of submitting my transcripts for a lane change in my salary schedule. It won’t offset my leave this year by any stretch, but it will make for a nice bump the following year. Mr. P is also finishing up two summer classes of his own, and he is then going to try to do six more classes this fall. I’m not kidding when I say we’re more than a little competitive with each other. About everything.
Save at least 45% of our income.
We do this every month, so it’s really nothing to write home about. In fact, this is really the minimum amount of our income that we save. With side hustles and teaching stipends, we generally put aside half of our income for savings, investing, and extra mortgage payments. Still, we only have three more months where we will be a dual-income family, so I want to savor the moment and brag a bit. So sue me.
Keep decluttering.
I surpassed the 100-item challenge the first weekend out the gate. While I’d like to take credit for having so much determination and tenacity, it’s simply because I still had too much stuff. As a result, I’d like to see if I can part with another 50 items by the end of the month. Perhaps, I’ll add a few more items to Poshmark. Likely, though, I’ll swing by a local resale shop and make a big donation to my favorite charity that resells items. Sometimes, Poshmark really pays off. But sometimes, it’s better to just let things go.
Get something from our garden.
Though June isn’t really a big month for gardening in terms of what comes out, I’m still hopeful that we’ll start to see the fruits (and vegetables) of our labor. In fact, if I could actually figure out what to do with green onions, I know we could harvest a bunch of them. It turns out that sometimes when you plant 100 bulbs and expect to get one or two to actually grow, you can, in fact, get 100 bulbs to grow. If nothing else, their fragrance is definitely helping to deter the critters.
So Tell Me…What are you goals for June?
Green onions are a great excuse for Shrimp and Grits…not that I need an excuse. But they’re also good in salads, omelets, pizzas, and quiche.
My June goals are to go through my shoes and some of Little Bit’s toys for decluttering, and to get more exercise and limit sugar (which I’ve struggled with lately.)
Oh, I fell off the low-sugar train HARD. I’m hoping to get back on track this summer. Good luck with the decluttering!
Bahaha! I feel you on the gardening woes. 🙂 We planted three cucumbers with the hope one would make it. Well, all three survived, and they’ve morphed into a weird “cucumber tree” sort of creature that can’t be tamed. You can always harvest the green onions and dry them in a paper sack for a few weeks. They’re good for soups like that. Good luck with those summer goals! 🙂
Lol! I remember the spring that my dad put six little cucumber plants in the ground hoping that one or two would take off. A few weeks later it looked like the backyard had been swallowed by a green vine monster of epic proportions! Lesson that I took away from this? Plant two cucumber plants. If both of them take well and start growing? Kill one. My daughter still has nightmares about vines creeping into the house and strangling her while she’s sleeping!
Thank you! Google the Gardner also told me I can freeze them. I might give that a go, too. And good luck with the cucumber tree, Mrs. PP!
These sound like great goals to me, especially the 45% saving rate. Mr. FAF and I don’t save as much since he’s still finishing up grad school. But once he’s done, we will accelerate our saving and mortgage payoff. Best of luck with the summer classes!
Thank you! I am trying to hard to get ahead in these classes, but it seems like such a slog. Grad school can definitely be a financial hurdle, but it’s worth it.
Goals for June…..finish goals for May, lol!
Isn’t that the truth?! 🙂
I’m notoriously bad at goal achieving, which I supposed means I’m notoriously bad at goal setting. Last year I set a bunch of goals, too many I believe, and met very few of them. This year I’m trying to be more realistic and narrow things down. One of my important goals is to get back to eating healthier and exercising regularly to take control of my health.
My very favorite part of being off work for a week is how many short walks I can weave in my days. I stand all day at work, but walks are just so much more peaceful. And daylight! Good luck with those goals, Gary!
I love the fresh kick that green onions add to almost anything. You can also chop them and freeze them in ice cube trays. We add a cube to a big pot of quinoa or rice every time we cook.
I’m trying to decide whether to renew my board certification. It expires in 2021 so I have plenty of time, but I can start the process now and get it over with early. In addition to what I’ve already done, there are four small exams at $100 each that I’ll try to complete this year, plus a giant exam that will require months of prep and $2000 next year. I think it’s a good idea overall and will keep me certified through 2031 and keep my employment options open, but it’s tough since I hope to be retired by 2021.
Oh, that is a tricky decision. But a good problem to have, I suppose! It’s great that you’re being so forward thinking with your certification. Re-certifying my teaching license ALWAYS sneaks up on me.
My June goal is to exercise at least times per week. And not to go crazy with both kids home all the time.
Have you ever taken courses from the company Learners Edge? I just finished a graduate education class from them and had a great experience. It’s extremely affordable, I thought the class was actually useful, and it’s on an extremely flexible time-table (all online).
My husband is! Our district stopped approving them, which makes me so angry. He does the same amount of work (if not more!) than my “university” courses and pays half as much. So glad you had a good experience with them!
I will have to try cucumbers again. I was not at all successful at growing them in S Florida, but maybe up here they might grow.
Good luck with your goals.
Summer goals: sock away half of my summer pay checks to pay for daughter’s sophomore tuition. The remainder of summer pay will cover expenses and maybe a few day trips.
Aside from puttering in the garden, I plan on being a homebody-I spend less this way!
Tracking expenses and allocating where my salary goes has been the best thing I’ve ever done. Once daughter’s tuition is paid off, 50% of my takehome goes straight to investment account, though I already set aside 15% into a 403b retirement account.
Cheers and enjoy your last month of pregnancy!