2011: The year of the budget

photo credit: brian.ch

Oh, 2010, what a good year you have been to me. You gave me professional, academic, consulting, physical health and social media successes. During 2010, I spent a substantial portion of my budget in strengthening my body, reclaiming my health, shedding 35 pounds and reducing 5 waist sizes (you couldn’t see them, but yes, I had extra pounds, quite a few of them actually).

I wrote blog posts about the cost of getting back in shape, and as I review my budget for 2011, I realize that I am now spending a relatively substantial amount of money in gym memberships, equipment (both for my exercising and for my blogging, teaching and research – I had to replace my digital camera, and some of my chargers both for my cameras and my iPhone), etc. I have also added on top a data plan (which deserves a whole write up in and of itself).

While I do have a couple of new projects coming up, and the fact that I teach more classes also increases to some extent my income, I do have to prioritize my travel money (not all conference travel is sponsored, and I’m determined to do the 2011 academic conference circuit, so I’ll have to save money to sponsor my own travelling around to present papers and my research). So, I do think that 2011 will be the year of the budget.

That’s ok. It’s not like I have not learned to live a budgeted, modest life. As mentioned a couple of years ago, the reason why I have lived this modest life is 3 graduate degrees (2 Masters and 1 PhD) and a crushing debt. But I’m on my way out of debt too!

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Related posts:

1. My 2011 year in review: Focusing on myself before helping others
2. 2011 in review: A year of personal loss
3. My 2011 Manifesto: Status Update at Mid-Year
4. The sandwich as a budget lunch item
5. Budget your time according to your priorities