Examples of Financial Goals to Change Your Year

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Do you want to set some financial goals but are struggling to come up with ideas? Here’s a great list of examples of financial goals to help you out!

stack of coins with a plan growing out of it talking about examples of financial goals

Start on the road to financial freedom today – you can change your family’s life!

Let’s Get Started!

There is no right or perfect time, so whether it’s the beginning of a new year or the middle of a summer month start making a plan and gaining traction on your money goals.

Let’s start with remembering that goals have to specific and measurable. Having “saving money” or “paying off debt” as a goal might sound good, but they don’t make the cut.

Instead, have your goal be something like this:

Have $1,000 saved for our house fund in 6 months or

Pay $200 extra on our mortgage each month this year or

Pay off our student loans by December 1st.

Give yourself a starting a date (now), an ending date, and state exactly what you want to do.

Examples of Financial Goals

  • Pay x amount off of your mortgage
  • Pay off your mortgage
  • Save x amount to purchase a house
  • Save x amount for a certain house project (windows, air conditioner, kitchen, furniture etc.)
  • Save $2,000 for our emergency fund
  • Save x amount for 3-6 months of living expenses
  • Pay off your car
  • Save x amount to pay cash for a new car
  • Pay off student loans (or certain amount extra toward them)
  • Pay off _______ credit card (or certain amount on it)
  • Pay off any other debts you have (fill in amount and what debt)
  • Save x amount toward summer vacation this year (or dream trip in 3 years)
  • Save x amount to give to a cause you believe in
  • Save x amount toward child’s college fund (or your college fund)
  • Save x amount toward child’s wedding fund (or your wedding fund)
  • Make a budget with your spouse by x date
  • Monthly (or weekly) budget meetings for the next  year
  • Input expenses into budget daily/weekly for the next year
  • Use cash envelopes for 6 months and see if you save money
  • Put x amount towards retirement in the next 12 months
  • Put x amount in other investments in the next 12 months
  • Read x books about financial planning/investing etc
  • Do Financial Peace University by 6 months from now
  • Reduce grocery spending by x amount each month
  • Take extra jobs to increase your income by x amount each month
  • Don’t use credit cards
  • Purchase Term Life Insurance for you and your spouse
  • Spend less than you make
  • Stop x addiction and put the money towards _______
  • No spend month in ___________
  • No non essential purchases until _____________

You can do this!

Everyone’s financial goals will be different. If you are low income and have a lot of debt, don’t despair. Baby steps will get you to where you want if you persevere and work hard!  Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. You are doing great.

If you are already debt free, you still need to tell your money where to go! Don’t blow money, instead purposely put it towards different goals and saving plans.

I hope this list of examples of financial goals helps you as you sit down and make a plan for you and your family.

stack of coins with a plan growing out of it talking about examples of financial goals

Best Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

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Almost every Friday night, you’ll find an oven blazing with a round baking stone heating up inside. Homemade pizzas were made weekly when I was growing up and we’ve continued the tradition.  Try this basic pizza dough recipe and join in the tradition!

Last week I shared some ways to make homemade pizza frugally so that even if you are on a budget you’ll still be able to enjoy pizza night and my sauce recipe is here. Today I have my basic pizza crust recipe and baking instructions for you!

two lumps of pizza dough. The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

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My number one tip for a successful homemade pizza: A baking stone! We have a 15 inch round stone from Pampered Chef. It has become well seasoned over the years and is well worth the investment. 

My second tip: Don’t roll all of the air bubbles out of the dough. I use a combination of stretching, tossing, and rolling. I like to use my mini pizza and pastry roller (one similar to this).

My third tip: Preheat the oven and the stone. Give it longer than when your oven says it’s ready. You want the stone good and hot.

My fourth tip: Use a high temperature. I turn the oven to 475 degrees.

I know crust thickness is somewhat a personal preference. This crust recipe fits a 15 inch stone. in a hand tossed/New York Style type of thickness. If you like super thin and crispy, cut the flour back. If you like your crust thicker, increase it to 2 3/4-3 cups. Don’t forget, this means the water amounts will change as well. Gradually add the water to the flour until you come up with the right dough consistency. The first time you make this, it will be a little bit of a guessing game. Simply tweak it the next time to your family’s preference.

I prefer to let this dough rise for several hours but when I’ve been in a rush I’ve made and used it after a short 15-30 minute resting period and it was still good.

We’ve also used part whole wheat flour and all whole wheat flour. This will change the texture slightly and you’ll end up using more water.

Now that we are a family of 5, I always double this basic pizza dough recipe. Use a full tablespoon of yeast in a double recipe.
Picture of a lump of pizza dough and a yummy cooked pizza. The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

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Homemade Pizza Crust
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
 
An easy and delicious pizza crust recipe that your family will love!
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (optional, I no longer use)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • Scant tablespoon yeast
Instructions
Dough
  1. Place flour in mixer bowl.
  2. Top with salt, sugar, and yeast.
  3. Add water and oil. Should make a soft dough that isn't sticky at all.
  4. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Cover mixing bowl and let dough rise until at least doubled - a couple of hours. It's okay if it goes longer.
Preheat
  1. Thirty to sixty minutes before you are going to bake your pizza, preheat the oven and stone to 475 degrees.
Rolling the Dough
  1. Gently put the dough on a lightly floured surface.
  2. Next roll, stretch, and toss your dough into a 15 inch circle. When rolling, do it gently so not to deflate all of the air bubbles. I prefer to use my mini roller.
Topping
  1. Remove the stone from the oven and carefully carry and place the crust onto it.
  2. Spread with sauce of choice.
  3. Top with meats, vegetables, and cheese.
Bake
  1. Bake for 8-15 minutes.
  2. Cut and serve
Notes
I always double this recipe and simply use a full tablespoon of yeast.

 

a lump of easy pizza dough! The best basic pizza dough recipe and tips for making a perfect pizza. This is amazing and so easy. You need this for your pizza night tradition!

Things to Do On Christmas Day

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Christmas comes around every year. Often times we find ourselves doing the same things year after year, just because. This year let’s get intentional as we discuss things to do on Christmas day.

Ever wondered what are things to do on Christmas Day? Here are lots of fun and frugal Christmas family traditions you can start this year!

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Christmas normally means opening presents, eating food, and maybe seeing extended family but there are other ideas we can build into our family culture and enjoy making into traditions.

Life is all about finding what works for us and the life our family has been called to live. The same is true when we brainstorm things to do on Christmas day.

Things to Do on Christmas Day

Read the Christmas story. Read it straight from one of the gospels. Afterward you could also read it from a children’s bible. Something like Jesus Storybook Bible or The Big Picture Story Bible.

Special Breakfast. We grew up having homemade cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning. Add in a breakfast casserole to have some protein on the table and you are all set. Set out hot chocolate and hot tea to have throughout the day.

Opening Stockings. This is the first thing we open Christmas morning. There is something exciting, as a kid, about opening up stockings filled with little gifts. You can find many, many options for purchasing or making stockings. My stocking is the one my mom made me when I was born. I have now made all of my family one using the same pattern.

Open Presents. Of course, opening presents will still need to happen. Unless, of course,  you decided to go for the experience gifts. You just have to think about if you are going to have a free for all or have everyone take turns opening one present at a time. With my kids, they each take a turn giving out the presents they purchased for everyone else and they are opened one at a time. It also helps made opening presents last longer than 60 seconds. 😉

Fancy dinner or supper. Go all out for a formal dinner with turkey, ham, or even steaks or go simpler with something like a soup buffet. Lighting candles always makes meals more special. Have Christmas music playing softly in the background.

Snack supper. If you don’t want to spend the day in the kitchen, there is nothing wrong with putting on an snack feast! Pull out all your easy to throw together or make ahead appetizer recipes and I think you won’t find your kids complaining. 

Have Company Over. Find a family or individual that doesn’t have anyone to spend the day and invite them over for food and fun.

Watch a movie. Pull out a family favorite Christmas movie (Elf is a go-to for us) and spend a couple hours relaxing as a family.

Board game competition. Play any new games that were received for presents and get out some of your family favorites and let your competitive sides show.

Christmas themed games. Try some fun Minute to Win It style games or one of these Christmas games.

Play in the snow. Get outside for at least a short while. If you happen to have a white Christmas, build a snowman, go sledding, or have an epic snowball fight. No snow, still get outside for a brisk walk of a family football game.

Drive to look at the Christmas lights. You are in the last week of being able to enjoy all the bright lights. If you didn’t do it Christmas Eve, drive around and see the sights one last time.

Serve Christmas dinner with a food pantry, church, or other local ministry. There is most likely at least one or two organizations in your town that are serving a Christmas meal to those who can’t afford to cook their own. See if you can help!

Go caroling. Go caroling around town – stop by your friends’ homes to sing a song outside their front door. Don’t stay, just sing and leave you won’t have to worry about imposing on anyone.

Visit the nursing home. Not only will there will be individuals in the nursing homes that don’t have family to celebrate with but also employees that have to work. Stop by with some goodies and sing carols or just visit a while and give out hugs.

Bake cookies. Whip up the last of your cookie recipes you didn’t get to on Christmas Eve or earlier in the season!

Drink hot cocoa. Hot beverages are perfect for winter and especially Christmas day.

Write thank you cards. If you have time, get a jump start on those thank yous. Have everyone sit around the table and tackle them together.

Go technology free. Commit to Christmas being a family day – put up your phones and any other hand held devices. Enjoy giving your family your undivided attention.

Call or video message your family. Connect with your family that you aren’t able to spend the day with. Do at least a quick group video call to say Merry Christmas.

Share memories. Share stories from Christmases past. Tell about when you where a child and even when your parents were children. Let your kids share about their favorite Christmas memories.

Birthday Party for Jesus. Make a cake, put candles in it, and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. If Christmas day is too crazy for this, have a little party on Christmas Eve.

These are just a few things to do on Christmas day this year. Get your kids involved and see what would make Christmas special to them. None of these things cost much (or any) money – you can make them work on your budget.

What are your favorite things to do on Christmas day?

Ever wondered what are things to do on Christmas Day? Here are lots of fun and frugal Christmas family traditions you can start this year!

Easy Roasted Sausage and Veggies Recipe

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Have you jumped on the sheet pan dinner band wagon? They are so easy and customize-able. This  sheet pan roasted sausage and veggies recipe is no different.

This recipe for roasted sausage and veggies is so easy and delicious. Perfect healthy dinner for even busy nights. You can even change up the veggies. Check it out!

This recipe is a go to in the fall and winter months. (Actually, even spring. The only time I don’t make this is in the summer when it’s blazing hot.) It’s a simple meal to add to the menu for one of those days when life is crazy and you don’t really want to think about what’s for dinner.

(If you are wondering more about menu planning and why you should do it, be sure to check out this post!)

It’s easy to switch up the ingredients based on personal preference, what you have on hand, and what’s on sale. See, I told you it’s amazing!

pan of cut up veggies

Ingredients:

Italian Sausage: pork, turkey, spicy, mild – your choice. Amount is also up to you, but somewhere between 12-20 ounces or between half of a link to a whole link of sausage.

Veggies: 8 cups of vegetables. Celery, carrots, onion, bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, corn or any other roasting friendly vegetables.

Seasonings: Garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, pepper

pan of cut veggies and sausageHow to Serve: You can serve up just plates of roasted veggies and sausage (my preference)  or put over something like rice, potatoes, zucchini noodles or whatever you like.

Another super easy supper, is this Alfredo or these baked chicken thighs.

This recipe for roasted sausage and veggies is so easy and delicious. Perfect healthy dinner for even busy nights. You can even change up the veggies. Check it out!

Roasted Sausage and Veggies

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Easy Roasted Sausage and Veggies Recipe
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced (2 cups)
  • 3 large carrots, sliced (2 cups)
  • 1 onion, large dice (1 cup)
  • 1 bell pepper, large dice (1 cup)
  • 2 potatoes, large dice (2 cups)
  • Italian Sausage, 12-20 ounces
  • 2-3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil (or oil of choice)
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½-3/4 teaspoon salt
  • freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  2. Prepare all of the veggies and place on a large sheet pan (or two smaller ones).
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and toss together.
  4. Sprinkle evenly with parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  5. Slice the sausage (see notes) and spread over the veggies.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Bake another 20 minutes.
  7. Serve by itself or with side of choice.
  8. Enjoy
Notes
1. Sausage: I prefer slicing my sausage when it's partially frozen. You can either slice in circles or cut in half lengthwise and then slice. That is what I do, because I feed kids and don't want to worry about it being a choking hazard. You could also leave the sausages whole.
2. Servings size depends on if you serve with rice or by itself.

 

This recipe for roasted sausage and veggies is so easy and delicious. Perfect healthy dinner for even busy nights. You can even change up the veggies. Check it out!

 

The Best Cranberry Salad Recipe

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When I think Thanksgiving this best creamy cranberry salad recipe is one of the first things that comes to mind. In fact, my family loves it so much it also makes an appearance at our Christmas Eve dinner.

This is the best creamy cranberry salad recipe ever! This recipe will be passed down to your kids and you will be asked to make it every holiday! It's my FAV!

One of the things that sets this recipe apart is that it uses fresh cranberries. No canned cranberries allowed here. 😉

I like to stock up on cranberry discounts after Thanksgiving is over and store several bags in the freezer to last through the year. They are perfect for this salad, muffins, and any other fresh cranberry recipes.

This particular recipe came from my grandma. It was one of the ones that my continued to make and now so do my siblings and I. Recipes that hold special memories are the best kind. Add this cranberry salad recipe to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner (or really, just meal) and it will be the dish you are always asked to make.

Ground cranberries and sugar mixed together.

Ingredients:

What are the other components of this dish besides good old cranberries?

  • Marshmallows
  • Crushed pineapple
  • Sugar
  • Heavy cream, whipped

That’s it! See how easy it is?

You can also make this dish the day before. The marshmallows absorb any liquid and turn into this delightfully light and airy bite.

Cooking for a crowd, be sure and double this recipe! Besides, you will want leftovers too.

Let’s talk sugar for a minute.

This recipe calls for 1 cup. I never make it with the full cup. Not even when making it for company. To me, what’s the point of cranberries if you aren’t going to have a little tart. Your first time making it, try with 3/4 of a cup and see what you think. If you think it’s too tart, you can always add more. (But I don’t think you’ll need too – the pineapple and marshmallows add sweetness as well.)

When I made this cranberry salad recipe for these pictures, I used just 1/3 cup of sugar and a sprinkle of stevia. It’s a little tart, but still good! Disclaimer: I would not recommend starting with that small of amount of sugar your first time making it!

The Best Creamy Cranberry Salad Recipe

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The Best Cranberry Salad Recipe
 
Ingredients
  • 10 ounce bag of cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 20 can of crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 1½ -2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Using a food processor or blender, grind the bag of cranberries. Pulse button works well. I like them to to be ground but with some large pieces mixed in.
  2. Drain the can of crushed pineapple very well. It yields approximately 1⅓ cups after drained.
  3. Add the drained pineapple and sugar to the cranberries and mix well. Stir in the marshmallows.
  4. Whip the heavy cream until medium to stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the cranberry mixture.
  5. Refrigerate until serving (at least several hours or up to a day early).
  6. Enjoy!

 

This is the best creamy cranberry salad recipe ever! This recipe will be passed down to your kids and you will be asked to make it every holiday! It's my FAV!