Your new years resolutions

thrownaway_MGTOW · 2015-12-26T04:07:02+00:00

My physical is pretty simple, 50 push ups a day and 30 sit ups. It isn't so much a goal as a starting point. Starting small I've found is a good way to build habits and that's what most of my new years resolutions are. Me starting new good habits sometimes to replace bad ones.

That's really true; and a good reminder.

I mean I think you're correct in that forming the "habit" and getting into a regular routine is actually probably a more important part than the amount of what one does. Once the routine is solidly established as a "habit", it's a trivial matter to alter the quantity/quality up or down as necessary.

And people generally try to do way too much, too soon -- and so they don't form the "habit" and fail to follow through.

Which is why I think this:

My financial goal this year is to stick to my budget and save 3 months of income as a cushion against any financial disasters. This will be difficult, saving a quarter of my income over the course of the year will be difficult but I think I can do it if I cut corners and pinch pennies here and there.

Is more than a bit problematic in the way you have constructed it.

First of all, the goal should be to cover 3+ months of your BASIC NECESSITY EXPENSES not necessarily 3+ months of your "income" (not even your "net, after-tax" income), nor even 3+ months of your total "regular" spending. Why? Well in part because to do that, you're going to be trying to "save" an amount that itself contains the 1/4 of your income that you're planning on saving.

Since that probably sounds confusing, let me elaborate (using simple round numbers and assuming "net" amounts) say you make/clear $4,000 a month, equaling $48k a year. Well, to save up a total of $12k (three months of income $4k per income), you're going to need to set aside $1,000 each month -- that's a full 25% or 1/4 of the $4k. But that also means you're limited to spending $3k per month, meaning you're "goal" of $12k is actually equal to 4 months of your total regular spending (i.e. 4 x $3k = $12k).
Moreover, that $3k per month that you're still "spending" probably contains a lot of things that are NOT necessarily "basic necessity expenses" -- that is they're not food/rent/utilities, they're also things like cost of commuting to/from work (at least gas and/or parking fees, etc); as well as very likely an array of entertainment/optional expenses that are associated with work (i.e. fast food lunches, and so on).
If instead you were to attempt to save up 3+ months of your basic necessity expenses -- well first of all you're far more likely to REACH that goal (and more quickly), the "success!" of which is not something to be underrated provided you use it as an incentive to continue with/increase the saving (rather than an excuse to go on some spending "splurge").

Next is that I think that you're going to have a hard time "saving" 1/4 of your income every month, just by "cutting a few corners".

I say that because (and please don't take offense at this, but it definitely IS a relatively common problem) -- well, unless you're currently squandering a large amount of money on useless trivial crap (i.e. like well OVER 1/4 of your income, as in 1/3 or even 1/2 of it) then there just isn't "waste" there to save that much.
Most people are unable to "save" much money not just because they frequently spend/squander a big chunk of their income (i.e. the "cash in the wallet" that burns a proverbial hole and gets blown on booze, snacks, etc) -- but rather because they have often made spending commitments that are WAY too high: we're talking rent that is over 1/3 of their income, things like phone and cable-TV contracts that are another $100 a month (every month), and of course other things (usually bought "on credit") that have "payments" which cannot be reduced or foregone (car payments probably being the most notable).
With the exception of things bought on those kinds of payment plans (just $50 a month for the next 48 months! no big deal, except when you're doing 3 or 4 or more of those at the same time, ooops! -- or like cable-TV just $100+ a month in what ends up being "perpetuity") -- well the things that many people "regret" as having been some mistaken purchase, say the one time "splurge" in buying some gaming console or other ephemeral tool or appliance or toy; and which they then often "blame" for their lack of savings... well those are generally LESS of a problem than they think (especially if they bought such things with tax-refund or bonus money, etc). Why? Because they're ONE TIME purchases; a $500 Xbox One purchase is actually LESS of a problem than the $100 per month "contract" cell phone (indeed it's less than a single YEAR of a lesser $50 per month contract item).
NOW THAT SAID... I don't mean to denigrate the aggregate impact of, and the value in reducing or cutting off of the various other seemingly trivial "bad habit" expenditures: blowing $5 every single work-day at Starbucks will end up totaling to well over $750 a year; or $10 every other day at some fast-food joint for lunch (that's another $750 or more per year); or blowing $50+ at bars & clubs every weekend (which could be as little as $15 a night) will likewise end up being ridiculously expensive in the final aggregate (we're talking well over $2,500 a year total for that!)

But the point is that you need to REALLY look at your expenses; ideally TRACK what you're actually spending money on, and where you CAN (easily, readily) "cut back". Especially take a look at a lot of things that may be viewed as "necessities" -- but which really either AREN'T, or at least don't HAVE to cost as much as most people spend on them, per example:

The cellphone plan. Do you REALLY need the "unlimited minutes & data" that the contracted plan (probably $100 a month/$1,200 a year) actually provides? Or is that you USE the phone more often than you really need to because you have purchased that "unlimited" contract. Could you potentially switch to some "pay as you go" phone that would cost you $100 a year instead? And so save > $1,000 a year (every year if you become "habituated" to it) yet STILL not "suffer" any loss of actual "necessity" functionality. (Paygo phones may not use the "latest" Android/Apple smartphone software, but they've got > 90% of the base functionality... voice, text, apps, etc).
The aforementioned Cable TV. Even basic plans are often $100 a month (again $1,200 a year); and people then USE it more because... well fuck it, we're already PAYING for it whether we use it or not. Switch over to a NetFlix or Amazon Prime thing for $100 a year instead, and again you've cracked another $1,000 a year (every year thereafter as long as you don't backslide).

Then there are other things that -- in my experience (both my own personal life/experience, AND in trying to help others "budget" and save) -- most people really DON'T fully realize.

Things like excess driving. We're often so inured to this, that we really DON'T think about the impact -- the cost is MORE than just the gas; it's additional mileage on the vehicle (which reduces the value faster, AND makes it more likely you'll need to replace it sooner than you otherwise would); plus the wear & tear items like tires (even 60,000 mile tires will only last 3 years if you put 20,000 miles on your car every year; by contrast if you can constrain it to 10k a year you'll get 6 years out of them; cut back to 7.5k or 5k miles a year and they'll last a decade), and so on.
How do we do that? Well, a number of ways. We take little side trips far too frequently on the way home from work (hey it's only an extra 10 miles, and you've been meaning to stop at Home Depot and "look" at that tool thing, etc) -- or we make "special trips to town" to buy ONE object, usually something that we COULD have stocked up on at zero additional cost previously, and which we probably SHOULD have been aware we were running low on or otherwise were GOING to need (sooner or later) -- worse is when we do the latter, and then bounce around from store to store to "check prices" on something, and then defer the actual purchase because the thing just MIGHT come on sale a week from now at $5, $10 or even $20 less; or again, when instead of "overpaying" for something trivial (say $3 for a dozen eggs at the quickie-mart) we drive an extra 10 or 20 miles to buy them at $2 a dozen... blowing at LEAST a $1 on gas, and probably $10 in total cost to save a buck (really showed that quickie mart guy "we WON'T get ripped off" like that... nevermind we'll buy extra gas from the dude, Doh!)
And I know that sounds ridiculous. It did to me too... until I started "working from home"... and really (REALLY) cut back on my travel, and then finally fully realized how much driving I had been doing for years; how much really rather "financially stupid" things I'd been engaged in. (The aforementioned "eggs" -- now I plan so that I don't run out of eggs, and I appreciate that the local quickie mart HAS eggs, even if they're overpriced, because it's STILL cheaper to buy them than head into town.)
Plus shit like doing what I thought -- and had been "trained" {arguably "brainwashed"} into thinking was being a "careful shopper" and "responsible consumer" -- we're talking driving all over the local metropolis, multiple stores to compare prices... to pick out a new coffeemaker when the old one broke, hoping to find Model X at $30 rather than $40 or $55; and blowing probably $10 in gas, and $50 in total cost to save $10 or $25, Nuts! What do I do now? I buy an EXTRA coffeemaker when I see the things on clearance for $10... so it sits on the shelf for a year, who cares? It's there when I need it.

If you actually sit down and EXAMINE your behavior, I have no doubt you will find an array of similar "insane" things that you just don't THINK are costing you money.

roninstrider · 2015-12-26T02:36:28+00:00

Survive. Times are tough.

AugmentedFury · 2015-12-26T01:46:21+00:00

I do not care about the beginning of a new year. It is merely an increment of the previous years value which holds no importance to me. If you have goals then start it now and don't associate them with new years imo.

My current objectives are to stop being a lazy slacking ass in my schooling and work on my speech (fucking speech impediment). I have other things here and there to work on but those two objectives above take priority.

oldredder · 2015-12-26T02:03:00+00:00

none. Every day I strive to meet personal goals to improve fitness, decrease costs and get better rest. Every year no matter what.

My social resolution is to go out and do/attend something new each month. Be it a new restaurant, a new activity, a new place to run etc. This one will be hard for me due to social anxiety but I think I can manage it.

Sounds great. I have no social anxiety but I also have no money to go out like that if I want other personal comforts like sushi, rum or a larger supply of stored food. Otherwise sounds like fun.

donald347 · 2015-12-26T06:03:49+00:00

1 Start flight training (helicopter.) I've wanted to fly for as long as I can remember. Already signed up so that's pretty much done. 2 Finish my second screenplay and at least start my third. I had to set writing aside for a few years for school/work. 3 Start a blog or YouTube

nightshadez94 · 2015-12-26T20:32:39+00:00

I'm a pharmacy student in my last year (2 more semesters left). Lately it's been getting hard to study, not because of the difficulty of the subjects (hell, it's all child's play to me now) but because of the lack of motivation. I'm not going to let all those years go to waste now, I'll finish this without a hitch.

ryeshoes · 2015-12-27T06:16:29+00:00

Thanks to r/financialindependence I've become motivated to retire by 55. Figured out what I'll have to invest to do so (it's affordable woohoo) so my resolution is to not be as hedonistic regarding the present.

Jurispearitus · 2015-12-26T04:27:09+00:00

Continue to do what I'm doing now, but at a higher level.

Darth_Sin · 2015-12-26T09:37:01+00:00

1) Start exercising more.

2) Stop eating junk food.

csehszlovakze · 2015-12-26T14:52:30+00:00

I don't believe in this stuff. However, I'll start doing keto eventually, and stop wasting my money on useless shit (impulse buying).

Appleseed12333 · 2015-12-26T15:09:01+00:00

Use Starting Strenght to add 50 lbs to each lift

Improve my self-discipline by limiting time spent on entertainment

Achieve a 80 average on my last semester of school.

Trrkndl · 2015-12-27T05:59:17+00:00

I have a few very specific goals/resolutions:

Going into a career change, get as much as possible out of my schooling. Attendance, good study habits, A+'s, networking. I fucked around on my first degree and didn't get as much out of it as i should have.
Take advantage of the gym membership included in the tuition. Body is is aging and needs some work.
Finish my second novel. Rather, write four or five days a week. I know by now that habits get more results than arbitrary goals.
Learn the 48 laws inside and out. Get skilled in sales and networking. Being weak in these areas has been a huge detriment.
Get to B2 proficiency in Russian.

These are broad strokes. Every year I create a 'business plan' for the year and I am currently hashing out the specifics.

Dren_Fetter · 2015-12-27T16:03:51+00:00

Physical - Quit cigarettes completely, 50 push-ups 50 sit ups, run 3 days a week at least. Mental - 3.5 GPA for uni, learn the violin, keep a better daily routine. Spiritual - Do some psychonautical exploration of self.

thorlovesloki · 2015-12-26T12:44:23+00:00

I began my "new years resolutions" in October. So I plan to continue with what I'm currently doing. The one thing I am earmarking for next year though is learning bushcraft and survival as I know very little about these topics/skills.

-contrarian- · 2015-12-26T15:27:43+00:00

Achieve 4.5 NTRP.
Achieve a specific amount net worth.
Complete 2nd degree.
Meditate 30 min/day consistently.

Title	Your new years resolutions
Author	AsexualMamba
Upvotes	10
Comments	29
Date	December 26, 2015 1:07 AM UTC (10 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MGTOW
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MGTOW/comments/3y8iq8/your_new_years_resolutions/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MGTOW/your-new-years-resolutions.639464 https://theredarchive.com/post/639464

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