Will You Keep Your Resolutions?
Guest post by APB
At the dawn of the New Year, we all vow to improve ourselves and our lives in one way or another throughout the upcoming 12 months. Our spirits are renewed and we are encouraged by the thoughts of “this year will be different”. What we may not consider are all the things that kept us from being successful at meeting our goals in years past – namely, financial obstacles that come with meeting any goal. I have a few suggestions for what seem to be the most common New Year’s Resolutions, and how to keep them from cracking that cute little piggy bank.
Getting fit a.k.a. losing weight and spending more time with friends and family seem to consistently be at the top of everyone’s list. There are so many ways to accomplish those goals with little thought and little effort – if you’ve got unlimited time and money – and let’s face it, most of us don’t. Something that may help you save some coin is actually combining the weight loss and spending more time with friends and family.
Gym Memberships
- Gym Memberships – usually costly per month, especially when you give up around March and you’ve signed that darn 12 month membership… A gym membership CAN be a beautiful thing for those of us not blessed with in-home fitness equipment or age/injury limitations that prevent us from just going for a daily run to stay in shape. So – if you’ve gotta do it, here are some things to think about.
- Get those family members and friends together that you resolved to spend more time with, approach a gym together and ask for a group discount. If the gym tries to play hardball – stick to your guns. They are not going to let a group of wallets and purses walk out, they will eventually give you what you want. And what you want is: No contract, No hidden fees, No automatic renewal and No early termination fees.
- Working out in pairs or in groups with your family and friends accomplishes both resolutions and will also help you sustain them. There is nothing like a little accountability (and not wanting to be the jerk to call and cancel) to keep that fire lit under your tush.
Diet Programs
Diet Programs – same spiel as a gym membership. Great if you stick with it, even greater if you stick with it while not blowing your savings. Most of us have been a part of a diet program or group with all of the great materials, flyers, recipe booklets, weight charts, etc. Dig them out of the bottom of whatever you hid them in when you subconsciously quit doing it the last time, make copies of all of it, and make your own group! Eating right is just like working out – it works much better when you have someone else to be accountable to – not to mention the encouragement you can get from your family and friends dieting group.
Spending Time with Friends and Family
- Try to get together once a week (there you go spending time with friends and family again, check check), swop recipes, weigh in, and talk about your slip-ups and accomplishments. Meet at one of your homes instead of a restaurant… Why not at a restaurant? Because we are bucking the trend, people! Not only are we keeping our resolutions all year long by spending more time with friends and family WHILE losing weight, we are saving money by eating out less.
Just like any goal you set for yourself, a little planning goes a long way.
Whatever your New Year’s resolutions may be, write them down – along with a plan of action. Tracking your results so that you and your supporters can recognize your progress is important for continued success throughout the next year as you resolve to skinny up your jeans and fatten up your wallet.
My goal is 1000 Facebook likes before the end of the year. Please hit the “Like” button and help me reach my goal. .
Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke and @cilburke
Like-Facebook
Circle-Google +
Link to me-at Linked In
Friend-Facebook
Don’t miss anything here-RSS
Tags: keep those new years resolutions, more time to exercise, more time with family and friends, New Year's Resolutions
