Or maybe I'm just fooling myself.
Anyway, since one of my tips in my New Year's Eve post was to tell the world about your resolutions, it seems like I should do the same.
Here's what I'm trying to accomplish in the year ahead, both personally and financially.
1. Buy my first home - This has been a dream of mine for a long time. Seriously, when I was a little girl, instead of dreaming about a fairy tale wedding or having a pony or whatever, I used to imagine the house I'd have. I think this is partially because my parents are both into real estate, so they would take me with them to open houses "just to look" when I was a kid. So, it was like I inherited one of their dreams (and they have a beautiful house now, so they're the right ones to look up to!) Anyway, I've been saving for a down payment for a long time (and somehow most of that down payment savings survived the epic financial crisis of the past year or so). With the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit (thanks taxpayers!) and the fact that my 30th birthday is just around the corner, everything seems to be lining up for this to happen in the next few months.
2. Earn $5,000 outside of my "day job" - I've been lucky enough to fall into a few random freelance writing projects over the past year or two... enough to show me that I could probably be doing a lot more freelance work if I start to seek it out more actively. I don't know if I'll ever be able to fulfill my dream of working for myself, but it seems silly to not try to point myself in that direction. After all, you don't know if you don't try. And, this will go a long way toward helping me achieve goal #1.
3. Run at least 350 miles this year - I never thought I'd be a runner, but after completing a "couch-to-5K" program back in 2007, I got hooked. Not only do I feel healthier, I think it actually helps me deal with stress better, keeps me from getting sick as often and helps improve my overall outlook (which can be gloomy - especially when it's so bitterly cold outside). I ran just over 300 miles in 2009, sort of in fits and starts (one week I'd run 10 miles, then I wouldn't run at all for two weeks). In 2010, I'd like to be more consistent with my runs.
4. Finish my novel - That's right, I'm more than just a blogger musing about personal finance. I'm also among the legions of writers working on what they hope will be the "Next Great American Novel." Of course, in reality, I'd be happy with "A Novel That Is Published." Either way, I have to finish it first.
So, there you have it. Four big goals. What are your resolutions?
I learned the value of the dollar at a pretty early age. My mom worked in retail and my dad was in sales. So just by virtue of being around their places of work, I saw the world through the lens of prices, 25% of markdowns and cash-back guarantees.
I'm back from my annual retreat away from the world and I'm thinking about how fun it is to see some old friends and get away from it all... without breaking the bank.
Well,
In case it wasn't obvious, this here recession is a bit of a bummer. To be more specific, 
My husband, and I are celebrating our first anniversary this weekend, in somewhat mixed circumstances. Of course, we're thrilled that we've been married for a year (woo hoo!), but, at the same time, so many tough things have hit us financially this year that it feels a little bittersweet.
It appears that I may have gotten married at the wrong time. That's right. I got married almost exactly a year ago. You might remember those times. That was back when everyone still thought that if they bought a house, it would rise in value. The financial crisis was just a glimmer on the horizon, nothing to worry about, right? 
