Our Resolution Jars

We've decided to start off our year with some jars.  A memory jar and a savings jar.

OK so I know the start of the year was a few days ago but I've been under the weather since Christmas and today was the first day I was motivated to do anything "extra."  

Before we got any further in our year I decided to set up our jars. 

The first was our memory jar.  


There are many of these floating all around on Pinterest and the internet and I just love the idea.  Daily, weekly, as they  happen, etc. (whatever works for you) take a slip of paper and write a large or small, good or feel good memory down to remember for later.  That's it!  Easy peasy! 

At the end of the year dump the jar out and read all the memories of the amazing year you had. 

I think the key component for me was the small memories; the ones we aren't as likely to remember. 

I used this free printable set from The Dating Divas and since our computer only prints in black and white I printed them onto regular computer paper and glued/ taped them onto colored cardstock.  Then I tied it all up with a matching ribbon and set it out on our side table in the dining room.  

 The Second Jar was our Savings Jar.


Again I have seen so many various versions around the web.  Some have you start by saving a $1 the first day and then $2 the second day all the way until day $365.  Some have you set aside $1 a week increasing until you save $52 a week. (One blogger recommended starting with $52 the first week and decreasing until $1 the last week so you aren't hit as hard in Dec. and you have a much larger, substantial amount right up front to keep you motivated).  They all sounded pretty good to me and most of them promise a savings of $3,00-5,00 a year.  That sounds real good!  

But I know I'm not always so great at follow through and I'm not sure I could find an extra $202 in our spending this month when we have birthday parties, my husband's trip and you know... three, growing, hungry, always starving, little boys to feed.  

Then I saw the penny jar.  

I can get behind a penny jar!  On day one you deposit a penny, two pennies on day two, one dollar on day 100, $3.65 on day 365.  The amounts are small and I think I can keep up with it and if we do we will have an extra $667 and change at the end of the year. Not a huge amount but enough to pay for a hotel stay for a few nights and help make our family vacation extra fun this year.  

I could not find any printable labels for this one so I hopped over to word; typed up the title, a few increments to jog my memory of what I'm supposed to be doing and the total amount I'm shooting for to keep me motivated.  Then I threw a penny clip art picture on it and printed it out (in black) on gray cardstock-- blah and bland but it's all I had.  

I punched a hole and tied it to the jar with a ribbon.  I agreed with the belief that seeing results faster will keep me motivate so today I put $14.54 in the jar (catching me up to day 4 in the challenge going in reverse so that on day 365 I'll just have to add a penny).  

Amazingly enough I had that amount exactly in my wallet!  

... and I just have to find $3.61 for tomorrow (or 361 pennies).  



Comments

  1. These are great! I have a jar set aside to turn into a money jar for $1, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Thanks for the motivation!

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  2. I love the idea of the penny jar! Funny enough one of my husband's friends just paid him in pennies for winning his fantasy league this year (sore loser lol)! We live on one income, so saving can be very hard, but this seems doable! Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. We live on just one income too and I thought "oh, pennies; that sounds doable!" Most of the other savings jars were just a bit too rich for my blood.

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  3. These are awesome! I especially love the idea of a savings jar!

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    Replies
    1. I hope I can keep up with it. It will come in real handy for going on a mini vacation.

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