Jill Russo Foster

Get Ready for 2014 with Smart Goals

What are your goals for 2014? Let’s see if I can guess… is it one of these?

Get organized
Lose weight
Eat healthier
Exercise more
Save money
Get out of debt

Almost everyone wants something on this list. Why do we keep setting and forgetting the same goals every year if these are the basics of a healthy lifestyle? Let’s step back and talk about goals in general.

All goals should be S.M.A.R.T.

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Reasonable
Timely.

Your goal to “Save more money” is smart, but it’s not S.M.A.R.T. With a general goal, you’ll never know how well you’re doing. “Saving more money” could mean adding an extra $1 to savings. It’s not going to do much for your budget in the long term.

But, if your goal is to “Save an extra $500 by the end of 2014”, that’s S.M.A.R.T. You have a specific amount, it’s reasonable, you can track your progress and make adjustments to reach your time limit.

Back to 2014 goals – here are some resources that I use to make my goals a reality.

A Scanner

I’ve been tackling “getting organized” as a goal for a few years now, but I’ve been using the S.M.A.R.T. method, so I organized different items each year.

In 2012, I scanned all of our medical records.

For 2013, I scanned and saved all my recipes. My grandmother and mother, being great cooks, left me lots of family recipes. Plus, I had a cookbook collection, and lots of magazine and newspaper cutouts. So far, my scanned recipes have been a big plus in my life. They’re easy to find and share, my cupboards aren’t stuffed with paper, and we were able to donate 75% of my cookbooks.

For 2014, I am scanning all the family photos, slides and movies. This is going to be a big project for me because I’ve become the archiver of family photos as relatives have passed away. I have to admit that I have started a little early with my new all in one printer / fax / scanner.

Websites I’ve used to meet my goals

TripIt.com is how I organize all of my travel plans in one place – airline confirmations, hotel and car reservations, tours etc. All the information is in one place and easy to access. It’s as simple as forwarded the email receipt to Trip It and it appears on your itinerary.

For my goal of getting healthier (making better food choices, eating at home more and fitting in exercise), I use LoseIt.com. It’s helped me with my 2013 goal of leading a balanced life and making more time for me. Part of my goal was getting to know the feeds I eat so I can make better choices. LoseIt.com helped me to keep track of my food and to stay balanced (like watching the carbs to protein ratio). The website and app lets you input a recipe and save it for future use. There is a section for exercise too.

What are your tips and resources to help you achieve your 2014 goals? We’d like to know what you do.

To really get your goals started for 2014, you can join my new Facebook group. It’s a month long class that will help you set realistic goals for the year ahead.

A Facebook Group for Your Goals

Join me for the month of January for Taking Charge of Your Finances. Many people want to have more in savings, to spend less, to pay down their debt, save for their children’s education, save for retirement, buy a home, and more. This will be your chance to connect with other like minded people, and get your New Year’s resolution off to a solid start.

completely-free

Learn more here

A Facebook Group for Your Goals

completely-free

We will run the private group through Facebook. You do need to have a Facebook account to join. Simply click here -> www.facebook.com/groups/takecharge2014/ then click the Join Group button, and we’ll approve your membership.

You can participate in this group from the privacy of your home, and on your own schedule. I’ll post questions and assignments for you, give you ideas and resources to use to help you succeed in your goals. In turn, you can share as much as you want about your goals and finances, so you can discuss your challenges and learn from one another. This is a closed group, which means your posts will only be visible to each other, and not to your Facebook friends.

Your first assignment

We’ll start out with you telling us what personal financial goals you want to achieve. The goals can be short term (something that you want to complete in 2014) or a long term goal that needs your attention in 2014 if it’s going to continue over the years.

We will limit the group size so make sure you sign up today!

https://www.jillrussofoster.com/4625/

Getting Ready for Winter

As I write this post the temperature is 51°, the winds are howling and we are expecting 2 -3 inches of rain. By tonight it will be in the 20’s. Hard to believe that winter doesn’t officially start for another few weeks.

Here are some of the things that we do to our cars and homes before the winter weather sets in:

For the car

Check the tire pressure for safe winter driving

Replace old wiper blades. You want blades that work in snow, sleet and cold heavy rains

Have the battery checked. There is nothing worse than having a dead battery in the middle of winter.

Get the oil changed

Add dry gas to your tank the next time you fill up

Make sure to carry a break down kit in just in case you get stuck on the road. North Dakota’s Department of Transportation has a good list.

For the home:

Make sure you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors with new batteries

Have your heating systems checked and cleaned

Have your gutters and down spouts cleared after the leaves are down.

Have your trees trimmed, removing any limbs that might be dangerous. Your insurance may cover fallen limbs but that won’t protect you from physical injury or power outages.

Have your roof examined before the snow builds up on it.

If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove, have your chimney cleaned.

Be prepared so you can stay safe for whatever the winter season brings.

Happy Thanksgiving (Plus! How to Carve a Turkey!)

We celebrated Thanksgiving with family early this year. Here’s our family photo. We are so thankful for each and every one of them!

2013-thanksgivingphoto

Here’s my Thanksgiving video greeting to you. Be sure to watch through to the end, if you’ve been struggling with carving that big roast turkey every year!

Stay safe and have a happy holiday!

New rules for stopping robocalls

When you get a robocall, should you…

hang up right away
follow the instructions for removing yourself from their call list
try to get through to a real person, then shame them for calling when you’re on the “Do Not Call List”

Although “C” was tempting, I used to do “B” thinking that it was the most logical way to get the calls to stop. But the calls actually increased! How could that be?

It’s because some of these calls are from fraudulent companies who have no interest in following FTC regulations.

Like many of you, we’re on the Do Not Call Registry. (If you’re not, do this today at DoNotCall.gov.) It stops most unsolicited calls. The calls we do receive are from scammers like “Rachel from cardholder services” and the new “Life Alert” phishing scam.

While it does help to report these calls to DoNotCall.gov, you should know that some originate from outside the US, which makes it difficult for the FTC to prosecute them. It doesn’t help to try to remove your number from their call lists, because they don’t actually have a list. They’re just dialing random numbers hoping to get a live line. In fact, any interaction on your part could actually put you on a call list!

If you want to keep track of calls that violate FTC regulations, you can put in a formal complaint on the Do Not Call website or by calling 888-382-1222. We’ve started to do this. In fact, I did this yesterday as I received a robocall on my cell phone – which is against FTC regulations in every state no matter the circumstances.

Calls you shouldn’t report to DoNotCall.gov

Political campaigns
Charities
Companies that you do business with

Unless they’ve called your cell phone, it’s perfectly legal for companies to call you for these purposes. If you report them, you’re just wasting the FTC’s time, which is unfortunate around election time and the holidays.

While doing the research for this post, I came across some interesting tips for stopping the calls. Some people are suggesting starting your voicemail message with the three tones you hear when you call a disconnected number. Do you think the robocallers have programmed their systems to ignore disconnected phone numbers? I’m not so sure, but it’s a fun idea.

Let me know what you are doing to eliminate unwanted phone calls from your life.

Boo! It’s Time to Plan for Holiday Spending

The gift-giving holidays are around the corner. If you don’t believe me, go buy some Halloween supplies. You’ll have to walk around Christmas decorations to get to the costume aisle. My warehouse club had Christmas decorations on Labor Day weekend. That’s way too early, even for me.

Depending on which holiday you celebrate, you have about a month for Chanukah and about two months before Christmas. Where does the time go? It seems that we were just talking about planning your summer vacations.

Don’t panic. You still have time to tackle your to-do list so you can stay within your budget.

Here are my suggestions to keep the holidays bright on a budget:

1. Make a list. Write down all the names of the all people you want to give gifts to. This includes family, friends, coworkers, teachers, service people (baby sitters, hair dressers, delivery people, etc.). Then, don’t forget the additional expenses that happen at the holidays: special entertainment events, parties, and travel.

2. Set your budget limit. This is how much you can afford to spend without having credit card debit in January.

3. Put dollar amounts next to each person and event on your list. Don’t forget to include shipping and travel costs. Also, add in the hostess gifts and food for the events you participate in. Those should be part of the budget, too.

4. Compare your budget limit and your list. How is that working? Do you have more people than your budget allows? If so, go back and make adjustments. You don’t have to leave people out – think of fun alternatives, instead. Can you do a family gift, a gift-less potluck, or a name-draw gift exchange? You want to be able to afford the holidays and enjoy them. You do NOT want to spend more than you can afford. There’s nothing worse than greeting the New Year with January credit card debt.

5. Start shopping. Comparison shopping is by far the best way to shop. Know what you want to buy, do your research and don’t stray from your list. Compare retail and online for the best deal, but, don’t forget the after-sale deals. You should watch for rebates and make sure the store will give you a refund if you purchase something before it goes on sale (within a reasonable time period). Keep those receipts handy.

6. Buy hot items early. These are gifts that are guaranteed to go out-of-stock because every child (and some adults) think they have to have it. It might be a video game or console, or a new kind of toy. Whatever it is, if it’s important to your gift plans, don’t wait.

Remember that planning ahead and taking your time will help your stress level. Pace yourself, and follow your list, so you can relax and enjoy your special time with family and friends.

Financial Housework: Deciding What to Clean First

Have I ever had credit card debt? Yes! There have been times in my life when I haven’t been able pay my balance in full when the bill arrives.

Credit card debt is the enemy of a good budget, but life happens. Even the best budgeter can have unplanned expenses.

According to a recent study by Trans Union, the average US adult carries $4,878 in credit card debt. That doesn’t include zero percent balances. That means the average US adult owes almost $5,000 plus the additional interest.

If this is you, I want you to take a deep breath. Debt repayment is just financial housework. There’s nothing to be afraid of here.

Do you know what’s really scary? Having company due in 5 minutes when the bathrooms aren’t clean. When that happens, do you lock the front door and pretend you’re not home? No! You walk into the bathroom and decide which part needs to be cleaned first (just in case you run out of time before the doorbell rings).

That’s right. I just compared paying off credit card debt to scrubbing the toilet. That’s because you want to use the same thought process with your credit cards. Some cards will need more attention than others, so you need to make a list of your debts which includes the interest rate and minimum payment amounts.

There are two methods to setting priorities on your credit cards.

Option 1: Pay the highest interest rate first. Your list will look something like this:

Priority	Interest Rate	Minimum Payment	Current Balance
Card #1	19%	$100	$5,025
Card #2	15%	$47	$2,141
Card #3	11%	$177	$9,056

This is the best option if you want to save money. Using the example above, you pay as much as your budget will allow on card #1, and only the minimum on cards #2 and #3. When #1 is paid off, you make card #2 the highest priority. Rinse and repeat until all cards are paid in full. When you pay the highest interest rate first, you pay less overall.

Option 2. Pay the smallest debt first. Your list will look something like this.

Priority	Interest Rate	Minimum Payment	Current Balance
Card #1	15%	$47	$2,141
Card #2	19%	$100	$5,025
Card #3	11%	$177	$9,056

This option is good if you need to see results to stay motivated. Receiving a bill with $0 due is really satisfying. A positive emotional boost can really keep the momentum going. You can compare it to housework, dieting, or exercise. We like to see improvements.

Bottom line: You have chosen to get out of debt (your goal) and the actions that will get you there (your plan). You’ll know the best option for you and your family, and you can change tactics whenever you want as long as you’re moving forward.

Let us know which option you choose and how you are doing.

Prevent Grocery Store Overspending

grocery-store-sales

Does this ever happen to you? You go to the grocery store to buy a few recipe ingredients. After walking the aisles, you find yourself at the checkout with 2 full bags of groceries and a receipt for $60-$90.

Here are some tips to prevent grocery store overspending. The most important (and easiest) fixes are on top.

1. Use cash! This is the most important and the easiest rule to follow. In the example above, if you’d only brought $10 in cash to the store, you would have walked out with just the butter, eggs and cinnamon you needed for your baking project. You cannot spend more cash than you bring with you – as long as you leave your credit and debit cards at home. (I do this myself)

2. Don’t shop when you’re hungry! This is also an easy rule to follow. If you shop hungry, your body will tell you that everything you see is delicious and that you must buy it right away. In fact, you’ll think it’s a good idea to get 2 or 3 packages of all kinds of foods you’ll regret buying later.

3. Compare prices in store. As long as you’re standing there, it’s not too hard to try to choose the best price on a can of tuna or package of grated cheese. Store brands are usually the best deal, but if they want you to buy 2 to get the sales price, the brand name could be a better deal.

4. Plan your meals and shop from your list. This is a little harder because it means you have to plan before going to the store. Once you have your meal plan, check your cupboards and fridge to see if you already have any of the recipe ingredients. This prevents you from buying something you already have at home.

5. Rewards cards. You have to plan to get the best use out of them, but when you do, you can save substantial cash. They give you discounts and coupons, but you won’t get the same discounts on the same items every week. You’ll need to be on top of what’s in your cupboards, be careful to buy only the items you’ll actually use, and sometimes you’ll have to wait on a purchase until the discount cycles around again.

Make your trip to the grocery store less costly the next time you shop. What do you do to save money in the grocery store? Tell us in the comments below.

I Created a Work / Life Balance on a Small Budget

This year my goal was to create a better work / life balance. Sound familiar? I know that others have tried it, and frankly I’ve tried before, too. This year I was determined not to fail. (Just like every other year.)

Well, we are in the 9^th month of the year and I’ve actually done it. My daily routine has been reformed. I’m still going strong on my first small action steps, and I’ve added more over the year. I didn’t go from nothing to full speed ahead. Instead I made little changes to clear the road and aimed for forward movement.

The first thing I did was to start meditating each morning. What I do, is get my iPod out and listen to a guided meditation. My mind is always racing on to the next thought, then the next thought, and so on. I need help so I can set aside my mental to-do list and work on relaxing instead. I’ve enjoyed meditations by Collette Baron Reid and The 21 Day Meditation Challenge from the Perfect Health series by Oprah and Deepak Chopra

Next, I wanted to get a grip on my eating and exercising. I still have my garden for fresh vegetables. There is nothing better than picking the lettuce and tomatoes from my garden for a salad and eating it that very day. Sadly, it’s Fall and the garden is winding down for the season. What will I do this winter?

With the help of my good friend, role model and inspiration, Vicki Heise of Live Your Health Life I tried LoseIt.com. It helps me track my eating and exercise. Most of the foods Dave and I eat are already programmed in by brand and restaurant – and I can add my own recipes. It’s a website and an app, so I can use it wherever I am – no more pad and paper for me. I check the calories and nutritional break down to see if I am eating too much of the same types of foods. The best news? There’s a free version.

Now for the exercise portion – I have always been a walker but recent vertigo attacks have made me nervous about walking by myself. Then I found a program called WalkWithADoctor.org. It’s a health program where you can take your walking exercise with a real, honest-to-goodness, right-there-with-you physician. The nearest location to me is Stamford, CT. I walk with two cardiologists for 45 minute sessions. This program has locations throughout the US. Now that the weather is getting cooler, it’s such a pleasure to be outside.

As you can see, I am moving forward with my goals and making lasting changes versus quick fixes. I’m not letting distractions or disabilities get in my way.

All the little improvements have come at a much slower pace than I’m used to. I make one small change, get used to it, then make another. That’s worked much better than the all-or-nothing, go-all-out-for-30-days-and-fail routine. And, I haven’t spent a whole lot of money. That’s good for the budgeter in me and it’s another step towards maintaining my work / life balance.

Cards Declined in Copenhagen: Lessons in Travel

In the last edition of my newsletter, you heard about our amazing trip and how we were able to pay for almost everything with points and some smart pre-planning. (You’ll see photos today).

Now, you will hear what didn’t work. This was big lesson for me.

To stay on budget, we used mainly cash. We even bought foreign currency before leaving home. We were able to purchase Crown, Kroner, Euro and Rubles at our local exchange in Connecticut.

But we knew we would want to use credit occasionally, so we called our credit and debit card companies to let them know where we’d be travelling and on what dates (as I’ve told you to do many times).

Imagine our surprise when our cards were declined in Copenhagen. We had dinner with friends and asked the restaurant split the bill between us – half on their card and half on ours. Ours was declined. We knew it wasn’t the machine because they processed our friends’ card first. We could see that theirs worked because the staff at the restaurant actually processes the credit card at your table using a portable machine.

We wondered if it was because we were using our US debit card with a pin. So we ask them to do it again as a credit card. It still didn’t work. The staff said that a lot of US credit cards are declined for some reason.

And, it wasn’t just the restaurant. We tried using the credit card when we checked out of the hotel. Again, declined! It was very embarrassing.

When we returned, I called the credit card company to ask why they wouldn’t accept our transactions. After a lengthy conversation, and several people, they realized that they couldn’t see any of the attempted transactions in their system. Fortunately, I kept the receipt as proof, but even with the evidence right in front of them, they still couldn’t give me an answer.

The mystery continues. Thank goodness for our American Express card. It saved the day.

Remember, no matter how prepared you are. Things can go wrong. Make sure you have a back-up plan when you travel.

Update: A big thanks to Heidi for giving us an explanation! Apparently, their credit card machines are programmed to accept cards originating from countries in the European Union – and nowhere else. I guess that makes things easier for Denmark, but not for tourists! Read her full comment below.