Jan 2006 Resolution Report
You’ll remember that, at the start of my 2006 resolutions, I resolved to have greater fiscal tracking. I’ve got it.
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Financial tracking software be procured for my home computer as well as my Treo handheld no later than 15 Jan 2006.
I picked up Quicken 2006 for Mac and Pocket Quicken. Both have been excellent; I find that I only use PQ for realtime balance checking at the moment and not for data entry. I imagine that I’ll use PQ for data entry on business travel and when I’m away from home for more than a day or two. It’s been a good choice—I was already familiar with the software, and it’s working well.
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Aforementioned software shall be learned and implemented no later than 20 Jan 2006.
There wasn’t a steep learning curve to it, but I just barely snuck in under the line on getting the stuff in place—no one sold either package locally, and I couldn’t get a download of Q2k6 for Mac, so I ordered both via for postal delivery. The USPS took their sweet time getting me the stuff—I ordered on the 7th and didn’t get my packages until the 19th. I squeaked this one in under the wire.
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A basic budgetary outline [mortgage, house-related expenses, groceries, entertainment, vehicle maintenance, etc.] be completed no later than 31 Jan 2006.
It’s in place. I’m reviewing it every two weeks—when I get paid, of course—to see how I’m doing. This is a constant revision process, but with some fixed expenses to be sure. I’m liking how I’m doing—the greater visibility has made me far, far more conscious of my spending, and that alone has been a huge benefit.
This has been a great exercise for me to undertake. I’m really happy with how a bottom-up approach has helped me to see the forest and the trees. Personal and professional experience has hammered into me, repeatedly, that bottom-up approaches are how I work best. [I argue that they should be the norm, but I'm also wary of magic bullet solutions and blanket statements, so I'm trying to stay me-specific and not put my foot in my mouth too often here.]
See y’all back here in four weeks.
I’ll be here.
It’s nice to see that you have finance software. I’ve been using Microsoft Money since about…2001.
February 3rd, 2006 at 20:39[...] [In case you want a review: I did get organized with Quicken and Pocket Quicken, I did get my taxes filed early, I did take a vacation, and I did end up buying a new car, even if that wasn’t really my intention as 2006 dawned. I had some technical issues with Quicken, though, and after April, I really … didn’t keep up with it. As to the other one, I never built SandraMcCracken.org/info, but I did help build squarepegalliance.net. I would like to fiiiiiiiinally build the Sandra site this year, but I’m not making any definite plans.] [...]
January 1st, 2007 at 19:53