Making Progress Towards My 2024 Goals - January Update

January was a super busy month, yet I found time to work on my goals for this year.  To keep myself accountable, here's an update:

Financial

A new goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  I'm on track in Month 1.

In January, I earned $8,126* from meeting work.  I transferred $3,850 to my brokerage accounts.  As a bonus (not part of this particular goal), I also made a $1,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA.  I chose the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund (VTWAX) for the 30%.  The "more aggressive" investment was a PUT option against Beyond Meat (BYND) that expires in January 2025.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog.  I earned $8,126, but received less than that as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I want to lose weight and exercise 5x/week this year.  I've lost a few pounds and I met my exercise goal in January.

Simplify

This one is all about getting rid of things I don't use.  I found out both Amazon and Microsoft have a program where you can sell back your used electronics.  For me, this isn't about maximizing what I make from my old stuff.  It's about getting rid of things without hassle.  I sold 5 old items to Amazon (I received $22 as an Amazon gift card - pitiful but effortless).  I also sent off two Surface Pro 3 tablets and a Samsung S9 phone to Microsoft.  I just sent those and am waiting for the trade to be approved, but I should receive about 1/3 what I paid for the tablets when I bought them used.  I'll receive $58 for the three devices if they are approved.

I also added 6 pieces of clothing, a couple books, a lamp and a few miscellaneous items to the donation box.  I trashed our 10 year old Roomba and a second robot vacuum and replaced them with a new one.  I also trashed a worn out pair of shoes and broken solar charger.

Lastly, I simplified my finances just a tad.  The authorized user fee for my AMEX was $195/year, so I canceled that card.

Have Fun, on a Budget

I want to limit the fun budget to $5,000 in 2024.  In January, we drastically cut down on alcohol consumption.  We took a 2 night cruise on Margaritaville at Sea, but it was paid for in December.  I didn't book any other getaways, so the fun budget was barely touched last month.

I'm off to a promising start.  Of all these goals, losing weight will be the toughest.  It's ridiculously hard for me to stick to a diet.  Food is my addiction, yet I can't live without it.