Rogers' Family Goals for 2012 - including new ideas for this blog!

This is the first time I have ever made official goals for a year, but I think that I am to a time in my life where they are necessary to keep Joe and I on track, and will give us something to work towards.  Here's that Goals that I have planned for this year, hopefully I will be able to cross everything off this list!

Family/Household/Personal Goals:

• Live a more simple life!
• We already do this some, but I really want to focus more on Joe and starting our family, and less on getting every great deal and being involved in so much - I need to start saying no to excess stuff and activities!
• Also with this comes living more 'green.'  Joe and I already recycle, use rags instead of paper towels, wash our laundry in mostly cold water, and hang dry our clothing.  Once our napkin stash runs out, we are going to start using cloth napkins as well.  I am also going to start making some of our own cleaning and health and beauty items, which is simple, green, and frugal!
• Spend January, February, and March cleaning out and organizing the house.  More stuff needs to go!  If I'm sick of looking at it, dusting it, or storing it, it--is--leaving!  This will include clothing, as I (hopefully) get thinner!
• A combination of these three things should help me to run the household more smoothly and efficiently, as to work smarter, not harder!
•  Get Healthier!
• We have started to make some progress here by switching over to more natural sweeteners, and buying more natural (but not necessarily all organic) foods.
• I would like to add natural meats into our diet, which I have been pricing out, and I think that buying at BJ's is going to be our best bet, especial since I already have a membership, and it's right in town.
• Strive for five a day, fruits and vegetables that is.
• Joe and I have also gotten a gym membership at a discounted rate, so we can add some more exercise into our lifestyle.  
• We are planning to start trying to have a family this year, after I am comfortable with my weight, which means I need to lose at least 50 lbs, but I think I can do it!  We plan to start at 2 days a week, and work up to 4 or 5 by summer.
• Seek out a 'naturalist'-style doctor, that is close to Westminster, and is affordable.
• Grow Spiritually!
• Because Joe and I live at a very busy museum, we very seldom get to actually go to church, but I really want to make an effort to go every Sunday we can.  This probably means we will get to go until April when the museum opens for the season, and sporadically after that, until Christmas time, but it's something that I think is important, and something that we need to get back on track with.
• I would also like to do some kind of nightly devotional with Joe, maybe read our way through the Bible (if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears), to help better our relationship with each other, and God.
• I'm not really sure how spiritual this is, but I think it fits in this category best.  I want to really strengthen Joe and I's relationship.  Not that anything major is wrong with it, but no marriage is really perfect, especially at only 4 1/2 years in.  I'm not really sure how we are going to do this, but I would like to...
• Make our time spent together, away from the museum as meaningful as possible.  This is mainly in regards to our ocean vacation we take every August.
• Read about the Love Languages together, possible do the study as well, and focus on meeting the other persons wants and needs in that respect.  (In other words, if Joe's love language is acts of service, then I need to do the things that make him feel happy and loved, and vise-versa.)

Blog Goals:

• Increase Postings and Add New Topics!
• I will continue to post my Weekly Shopping Trips and Weekly Spending Report, as well as my Weekly Menu Plan, and ALDI Deals.
• I want to make an effort to post at least 5 days of the week.
• I am going to start a new section for my blog called, Frugal Finds Friday, which will post each Friday with a Linky.  I will post my Frugal Find for the week and encourage you to share yours.
• I want to start sharing more about Joe and I.  Things we are doing, crafts I am making, books we are reading, placing we are going, etc.  I love to read these types of things on other people's blogs, so why not share them on my own?!

Finance Goals:

• Continue to live a Frugal Lifestyle!
• Continue to shop the weekly deals, focusing only on freebies we need and will use, as well as good deals on things we use daily, like contact solution and food.
• Start making some cleaning, laundry, and health and beauty items by myself.  This is not only 'green,' but frugal, and better for you I think.
• As I (hopefully) lose weight, shop for new to me clothes at the Goodwill and local Thrift stores, and then only buying the bare necessities.  If I can't find something I need there, say dress pants, then I will scour the clearance racks at various stores and online, until I find the best deal for what I need!
• Drive my car more often and leave the Suburban parked!  Also, I am already trying to combine errands, and will continue to work on this throughout the year.  Along with this, I really want to strive to only buy gas from BJ's, as it consistently the lowest in the area, this will take planning on my part, but I think that it can be done.
• Continue Saving and Paying-off our Debt!
• This is the first year since Joe and I have been married that we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We were able to pay off two of our three credit cards, in full!  Plus we have starting putting extra money on the third each month, and have started a savings account.  We can't afford to save much, just about $30 a month, but at least it's something!  We also plan to start putting extra on out loan payment each month, once we have paid off our last credit card - we are definitely on track to being debt free!
• Earn Extra Income.
• We live on a very fixed income.  Joe only makes so much money a month, luckily, his income also pays all of our bills every month, so my income is mostly for food, gas, savings, and other various needs and wants.  I want to increase our income throughout the year though.  
• Joe and I already do a couple flea markets a year, we are going to add at least 3 more this year for a total of at least 5.
• We are going to look into selling on craigslist, E-bay, and Amazon, as we find things that would suit this selling method better throughout the year.  Which if anyone has any experience with these and has some tips, they would be much appreciated!
• I am still waiting to hear back about my Medical Transcription final, which I hopefully have passed!  This will hopefully provide some much needed income as well!