2008 New Year's Resolution Report Card

My New Year's resolutions for 2008 were: 1) Healthier lifestyle; 2) Implement tax strategies to maximize after tax income; 3) Contingency plans for near term retirement income needs; and 4) Have fun. Here is a two month check on how well I am doing:

	New Year's Resolution Activities and Status
Category	Category Activities	Activity Status	Grade
Healthier Lifestyle	Lose 10% of weight	Lost 2% in January. Gained 2% in February. No net weight change.	C
	Better diet	Up to 3 servings per day of vegetables and fruit versus target of 5.	B-
	More exercise	At 1.5 times per week versus target of 3	C
Tax Strategies	Identify five strategies to minimize taxes	Will use IRA contribution, Child tax credit, and Roth IRA conversion in 2008. Two more need.	B
Contingency income	Earn 20-40% of retirement income needs in first 3 years	Achieved 20% in 2008. Part time seasonal work was not as useful or accomodating as I had hoped. Will be testing a new business idea later this year.	B-
Have Fun	Family activities and vacations	Attending 100% of daughter's pre-school activities. Planning 2008 and 2009 vacations.	B+
	Hobbies	Playing tennis and may take up golf again. May also learn magic :-)	B-

Overall, my report card is not as good I as I would like. And I no longer have any excuses like work being a barrier:-) It was good to do a two month check. It will enable me to make some changes and get better results next time.

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This is not financial, health or tax advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2008 Achievement Catalyst, LLC