• Pay off car.
  

  Photo: SXC

• Increase revenue, especially from residual income sources. (I had really cut back on jobs and writing obligations when I had two bouts of Lyme disease and related complications over the past three years, but I am feeling much better and am ready to get back to work.)
• Get grocery bills below our current $200 a month so we can add a bit more to savings.
• Figure out ways to cut electricity and water usage. (If you have a barn and need a mouser who excels at her job, you can help me out. Just adopt the really nice kitty who is living on my porch. Then, I can turn off the heating pad in her cat house and cut about $5 a month off the Winter electric bills and another few dollars off the grocery bill.)
• Really think about whether we need all the little stuff that money goes trickling out for every month. Kids don’t need to have their families participate in all five school fundraisers. I remember doing one each year when I was in school, but this year, we had pto fundraisers, office fundraisers, band fundraisers, orchestra fundraisers, more pto fundraisers…
• Really encourage everyone to learn to save, to plan for big purchases and to think about whether they need the next “it” thing.
• Plant a patio garden for fresh veggies and continue to keep the strawberries and raspberries well fertilized and producing. (I do this every year and it really can cut costs in the summer, but my veggie garden used to be an acre away. This year, I’m keeping it next to the house.)

What do you plan to do with your finances in 2010?