Hello 2024

Hello 2024.. a brand new year is ahead of us and a chance to make progress on the foundations we built in 2023. 

No ‘new year, new me’ mantra 

There are no grand plans to bring in a ‘new year, new me’ mantra. I think I’m getting too old for all that. Experience is on my side and I’m a lot kinder to myself now than I was in previous years! Don’t get me wrong, if I could wave a magic wand and be a size 14 I’d go for it, but there’s a lot more on my plate that needs my attention than the size of my waist!

That being said, I’d like to do some more exercise, increase my daily step count, and take the dog on longer evening walks. Maybe go swimming more regularly or start a home workout routine. Our schedules during the week are pretty busy with work, school, and clubs but I’m going to try and work it out somehow. 

Budget, budget, and eat from the fridge 

Last year we spent far too much money on convenience foods. Both at work during my lunch break and on an evening when we were all exhausted and just needed to eat fast! This year, we are going to do more meal planning, make and take lunch to work, and plan our dinners. Each morning we’ll decide what we want to eat that evening so we know what to prepare and cook when we get in. My lunch at work wasn’t always unhealthy but a Subway salad at £6.60+ is not easy on the bank balance when it’s a regular thing! 

This year, like many others, our household bills have sky-rocketed. Our mortgage has increased, our utilities are on the rise, and many others, living costs have jumped, yet our salaries remain the same. We have a monthly budget, everything is written down on a spreadsheet and we’re tracking our spending. We’ve got the equipment to cook delicious meals (I love our Ninja) and access to lots of delicious recipes so there is no excuse! 

More experiences, fewer things 

When we moved house in 2022, the amount of boxes we moved from the old house to the new was painful! We had hoarded SO much! We still haven’t emptied all the boxes from the garage, which just goes to show that we don’t need it all. I’m hoping to continue to declutter the house and make the house lighter and brighter with fewer, material things. We are hoping to spend time and money on experiences rather than clutter. The whole family has loved visiting race tracks to watch BTCC and we’d love to do more of this in 2024. Watching more live sports, spending more time with family and friends, and spending more time outside is on the cards. 

More DIY incoming 

We love our not-so-new-anymore home. It’s our sanctuary and we’re so pleased with how it works for us as a family. I love the renovations we did to our kitchen and being able to cook and talk to the boys as they eat their dinner, do their homework, or play with Lego is ace. We are planning to make changes to the garage to turn it into a games room. There are plans to move the office to the back of the house and turn the current office into a walk-in wardrobe. My clothes are forever on the floor as clothes storage is terrible in our bedroom! Of course, it’s all money-dependent but we’re hoping to rope our friends and family in to help with our plans and I’m currently binge-watching YouTube to ‘gen up’ on all things garage conversions and garden makeovers! 

Whatever the year holds for us, I hope it’s kinder than 2023. Last year was a big year of change for us all and we have adjusted well. We’re grateful for the opportunities we’ve been given and the path we’re taking together. There are no great expectations, just hoping to make a little progress in whatever form it comes!