The Dreaded "R" Word

We are a little more than two weeks away from the start of the New Year and I’ve started to hear the dreaded “R” word on TV, radio and social media. What is the “R” word? Resolutions! Maybe that word isn’t dreaded by you but I stopped making New Year’s Resolutions years ago. The disgust and frustration I’d feel when I invariably failed to keep my resolutions just wasn’t worth it. Now I make goals. The word “Goals” just doesn’t carry with it the same negativity for me. That may seem weird to some. What can I say? It works for me.

So what are my goals for 2018?

My first goal is always to work on my finances and see what can change. It is an ideal time to take a look at all of my bills. In 2017, I reduced my entertainment costs by switching to internet television. I also removed a cell phone from my phone bill. This year I am going to review subscriptions and see if I need everything I have set up.

It is a good habit to look at your bills and inspect them for ways to save money. Call your services and see if you can take advantage of new promotional offers or remove services that you are no longer using. Common bills to find new savings are cell phones, cable TV, internet service, home phone, streaming video services, and any other online subscriptions you may have set up.

I also came across this list of home goals that I am going to try and implement.

1. Start a home repair slush fund: Things in your home are going to break and need to be repaired. It’s just a fact that comes with home ownership. Rather than letting expensive repairs take you by surprise, start planning for them. Set aside some money each month that you can eventually draw from when an appliance breaks or unexpected damage occurs.

2. Inspect your fireplace: Even if you have a gas fireplace, you should still inspect the valves and ceramic logs yearly to ensure that everything is operating safely and correctly. If you have a wood fireplace, hire a certified chimney sweep to do the job.

3. Maintain your garage door: Garage doors are big and heavy, and that puts a lot of stress on the hinges and tracks that are used to open and close the door several times a day. A regularly scheduled $50 inspection could save you hundreds or thousands in the long run.

4. Tune up your furnace: Regular furnace inspections will help identify minor problems before they turn into major ones. Also, set reminders to replace your furnace filter.

5. Clean your coils: The No. 1 refrigerator maintenance task should be cleaning the condenser coils. They can get clogged with hair and dust, reducing your fridge’s efficiency. Have you cleaned yours lately? You can hire a professional to do it, but it’s also an easy do-it-yourself job.

What about you? Are there some goals you are going to implement in 2018?