My Frugal Miser - Goal Setting and Accountability and Purple Sticky Notes

Every month I post my 30 day goals, and on the right hand side of this page I post my annual goals. Setting these goals isn't something I do one day each month and then forget about it until the next month.

How I Stay Focused

• Since financial goals are easy to track, that's what I focus on at My Frugal Miser. I have other goals. For example, losing weight is very important to me right now (unfortunately, I'm not doing well with this one yet!).
• Each month I list 3-4 goals for that month. I write those goals on a purple sticky note and stick it on the wall at eye level to serve as a constant reminder.
• At least once each week, I run a report in Quicken to monitor my progress.
• When there are 10 days or less remaining in the month, I adjust my behavior to achieve my goals. It doesn't always work, but I find this really helps. For example, if I am approaching my limit for food spending, I remind myself of this when thinking about ordering Chinese takeout.

Behavior Modification is one of the most important tools in achieving realistic goals. If I'm not willing to sacrifice, there really is no purpose in having goals to begin with. Now, if only I could modify my eating habits for more than a day or two at a time...