Short-term Goal Challenge

[Kat]

I mentioned on another thread that I wanted to try to save $2500 to buy DH a new guitar before the baby comes in August. I will need to save for it little by little, and could use some accountability (I'm still not even sure if reaching this goal in this timeframe will be possible). I figured I could post updates here and invite anyone else to join in with their short-term goals. Mine is financial, but yours doesn't need to be. Is there anything you've been meaning to do? I'd love for us to support and encourage each other!

Here's where I'm at:

$245 banks savings (saved allowances, birthday money, etc.).
$24. 53 (Money my dad owed me for prescriptions)
$108.00 (no auto insurance due this month)

Total: $377.53/$2500

So...I am 15% of the way there!

[razz]

Good luck on this project! Have to think some more about something that is a short-term goal for me.

[Spider In The Bath]

Good luck with the saving. This is a lovely thing to do for your husband. I am doing something similar.

I have been very ill recently and for three months my husband has looked after me, cooked, cleaned the house, done all the shopping and still been working full-time. So I am going to save up to treat him for a few days away somewhere in late spring when I am more or less back on my feet again.

[Kat]

@spider--What a sweet DH you have. :-) A few days away sounds like just the ticket! You could both do with a little spoiling! I hope you get to feeling better soon!

[Kat]

Our modest home remodel has become a financial nightmare, so all I was able to set aside this week was $3.55 in loose change. I am hoping to get an extra class or two to teach and come in under grocery budget once the kitchen is done and we can stop buying expensive frozen dinners and convenience foods. But until then, $3.55 was the best I could do! :-(

Total $381.08/2500

Still at 15%

[Madsen]

Based on an end date of 8/15, you've only got $15/day to go! That's do-able! :) :)

[chas&rod]

Great!!! That's a good start! Good luck!!!

[Kat]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate the encouragement. :-) I'm not sure this is going to happen since the cost of the home remodel has spiraled so far out of control (problem after problem after problem). But I am still going to try. And maybe if I don't make it, I can still buy him an ipad. That would make him happy, too (though the guitar would last far longer)!

[Madsen]

Might be worth extending your deadline a bit, to get him the guitar which would truly be the "right" gift? Are you worried it will be too tempting to dip in to that particular savings for the baby?

[Sad Eyed Lady]

May I ask, what kind of guitar are we talking about?

[Kat]

@Madsen--I think you are right. If I don't make it by August, I think I'll just keep saving. We have a pretty good budget with adequate savings, so barring anything catastrophic, I think I would be disciplined enough to stay out of that fund.

@Shalom_Poet (love that name!)--it's a Taylor 700 series. (714 to be exact). It's one of Taylor's cheaper guitars. I know that $2500 is a lot of money, but I feel like a quality instrument that could be passed down to future generations is worth the investment. And Taylor is known for beautiful sound and amazing quality. The 714 in particular has received glowing reviews.

DH has a guitar now, but the face is splitting down the middle and cannot be fixed. So we learned a hard lesson about buying cheap no-name guitars (his is only around 5 years old). Now, could I buy a nice quality guitar that would last a long time for less than $2500? Yes. However, this particular guitar is his "dream" guitar. And for as hard as he works and as much as he sacrifices (without complaint, I might add), I'd really like to give him that. He doesn't ever spend any money on himself. Seeing as how Taylor guitars can sell for upwards of $8000 (and that's not even custom--yikes!), $2500 doesn't seems so bad.

So maybe if I can't make it buy August, I can make it by Christmas or his next birthday. We'll just have to see. Obviously I wouldn't put us in debt or make our child do without for a guitar. It's not worth hardship. But if I can pull it off by working a little extra here and there or setting aside "found" money, I'd like to try.

[Kat]

I just found $4.50 in the pocket of my spring coat. I must have left it in there last year! What the heck? I'll add it in! :-)

Total: $385.58
Still at 15% :p

[Kat]

I was able to put another $20 in this week. We are actually saving for the baby right now--medical bills, maternity leave from work, etc., so it is pretty slow going. But we'll keep plugging away and see what happens.

Total: $405.58
Oooh...up to 16% now! LOL