The goal for GYSTember (pronnounced JIST-ember) is to clear out those lingering, niggling “adulting” tasks that you’ve been putting off. You must declare them and try to get them done before the end of the year.
Examples of GYSTember tasks:
Cancel recurring subscriptions that you don’t use
Calling up your phone or cable company and negotiating a new rate
Finally set up an IRA and autodeposit
Move over to a new budgeting or tracking system
Call your credit card company and move to a no-fee card
Organize and categorize your stash of yarn or fabric before you rebuy things you don’t need
Eat down your pantry
Call your student loan providers and get the paperwork moving for loan rehabilitation, IBR, or PSLF
Setting up a new 401K savings rate before the new year (perhaps you want to up your amount to do 2020 Challenge: Race to the max!?)
Fix that problem with escrow that’s been going on for years
Figure out sinking fund amounts based on previous year averages for categories
Listing or donating clothes or electronics you’re ready to pass on
Finally get a “hit by a bus” folder together (find a checklist in A Cat’s Guide to Money)
Book doctor, dental, or hair appointments for the first half of 2020
It will have a special forum badge and even a STICKER for people that complete the whole month, that will be cat themed.
Basic rules:
You must establish your own rules about what you are trying to accomplish as your GYST task(s) this month. State them in the first week of the month to get us kicked off.
Each Sunday (or Monday or the Aussies/Kiwis) you will report how you did on your challenge for the week on this thread . You can report on where you’re at, and what your biggest challenge and victories of the week were. Then, you’ll put your predictions/goals down for the week ahead.
Who This Challenge is For
Anyone who wants a little public accountability and discussion about their money goals on a weekly basis. If you liked No-Stress November and want to keep it going, here we are!
What do you get out of participating?
Deep Satisfaction of working on those tasks that hang over your head and not bringing them into a new decade
A community to support you as you get sh*t done
A CUTE forum badge for participating in the weekly check-ins
And if you do all 4 week check-ins, you get a STICKER mailed to you. I have only printed these for this challenge.
If you’re in to participate (or on the fence and need encouragement), comment below with your tasks for GYSTember.
Convert rewards checking account at Bank1 to another checking account type since I can no longer meet the requirements former this account type (saves a fee);
DECLUTTER at least 15 items in December;
Test Local clothing consignment shop (take items there for resale - they may not accept any items);
Take at least one bag or box of items to Goodwill;
Do end of year account reconciliation/ spreadsheet update (including delta net worth);
Decide whether it makes sense for us to refinance our mortgage to a lower interest rate, even though we just got it in March.
Set up a full list of our financial accounts and how to access them. We don’t have that many but I want them all in one place.
Set up some sort of ledger for tracking what’s in our emergency fund and what’s in various sinking funds. Theoretically we already know the answers more or less but I want to be precise about it.
Inventory my yarn stash and knitting/crochet supplies so I don’t accidentally purchase something that I already have.
There are more things I’d like to get done but I need to start prioritizing based on what’s most important and not what’s most enjoyable.
Do the paperwork to certify our new lower income for income contingent student loan payments (I’ll do this online rather than calling, which I strongly recommend for all things related to federal loans - customer “service” reps can and will lie to you).
Finish the work I owe on a grant so I can get paid
Help husband update LinkedIn, CV, and resume
Update the “hit by a bus” book and put an updated copy in the safe deposit box
Find/get a rewards card for the property taxes due on the 20th (better do this before December, really - can I count it if I do?
Look at budget-like stuff with husband for medium-term planning. Can we max both IRAs in April while still saving enough in cash for June and July, which will be no-income months?
Organise private health insurance as our current plan is being scrapped, do I want to stay with current provider or search around? (For both myself and husband.)
Declutter wardrobe to fit floordrobe into actual wardrobe. (likely attempt over Christmas - NY break. At least get rid of 30 things? Hmm, may update this number.)
Find a better way of tracking expenses and update FI spreadsheets.
Establish a weekly base meal plan & corresponding ingredients list. This will hopefully help with “what are we eating there’s nothing in the house fuck it we’re getting pizza” syndrome.
Get done with projects I don’t want to carry over into next year. Finish moving the dirt pile, finish the anvil stand.
Make sure everything that I usually pay through the mortgage is re-routed to me & everything that needs to be filed is files. Insurance, taxes, mortgage payoff statement, escrow balance and getting that back, loan paid certificate, mortgage release docs, make sure auto payments will no longer be made.
I meant to get a head start on things on the list yesterday, but I didn’t. I went to the library, the post office, at the hardware store. Plus I emptied boxes to take back for the second round of moving, and we built the dog a new bed (using the memory foam mattress from grad school apartment, so it’ll be good for his old bones). But we’re having a chill holiday at home today, so maybe today.
Goal 5 nearly accomplished. Card with no annual fee and decent signing bonus for reasonable spend found, applied for, and approved. It’ll be here in 8-10 days, which gives time to pay the property tax on the 20th, and that alone gets us to the minimum spend. It’s the Bank of America Cash rewards card, $200 reward for $1,000 spend in the first three months. It’s in husband’s name because almost everything is in mine these days, and he needs a fallback if I’m T-boned by a logging truck (the rural equivalent of “hit by a bus”).
Edit because I think autocorrect is developing sentience and a sense of humor.
I’m in!
Me and my partner just moved into a flat we purchased, it’s been a long journey to get here but I have a lot of shit to get together! Will be back with a list!
Clean off desk at home so it only has things that are supposed to be on it (e.g. laptop, keyboards; not jumbled receipts or paper waiting to be recycled)
Put children’s books we own, that are not board books, on shelves in the wiggler’s room
Ship back earbuds that stopped working
Inventory and store baby bottles
Sort, inventory, and attempt to sell maternity/nursing clothes
Figure out how to spend the last $40 in my health FSA before the deadline on the 15th
For the first time ever — create and stick to a legit meal plan for the full month —closely tied in with general eat down the pantry goals
Decide on a firm budget for christmas gifts for my sisters and decide what to purchase (or make?) for them
Week 2 (12/9 - 12/15)
Create a full list of artistic goals for 2020, as well as finalize my 2020 bingo game card
If I still don’t have a sublet, find five new places to post room available
challenge myself to bike to and from work every day this week
Week 3 (12/16 - 12/22)
2.5 hours of yoga practice at home spread throughout the week
all christmas present chores completed
Week 4 (12/23 - 12/29)
Read 2 novels this week/ over the holiday —choices TBD
Find a special dessert recipe to make on Christmas eve/Christmas day
General goals to maximize and track throughout the month (idealistic but not firm targets):
How many bike trips/ miles biked?
How many days have I made breakfast or coffee at home before work?
How many home chores completed?
How many hours of sleep?
Oooooh yes. I will have to sub gluten free flour, but using a 1-1 gf baking flour usually works for most things. I love the flavor of almonds, especially when it’s in a sweet dessert.
This is really easy to make. You can make individual tartlets in ramekins, or a bigger tart. I like to decorate the top with a few sliced almonds. After baking, I dust the tart(s) with powdered sugar. Very yummy - I like the texture.
ALMOND TARTS:
King Arthur
Crust:
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c soft butter (coconut oil for vegan)
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond extract
1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 c almond flour
Filling:
1/4 c soft butter (coconut oil for vegan)
1/4 t salt
1 c sugar
2 T unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract
3 large eggs (flax seed for vegan)
1 1/4 c almond flour
(Optional) Chopped chocolate or mini-chips
Glaze (optional):
1 c glazing or confectioners sugar
2 T milk
Raspberries for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350F.
To make the crust: beat together the sugar, butter, salt, and extracts. Add the flours, stirring to make crumbs that cling together when squeezed. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of six 4 1/2 inch mini tart pans; prick them all over with a fork. Freeze the crusts for 15 minutes, then bake them until they are just beginning to brown on the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
To make the filling: beat together the butter, salt, sugar, flour, and extracts. Beat in the eggs, then add the almond flour, stirring just to combine. Spread the filling into the crusts. Add chocolate before filling, if using. Bake the tarts for 18 to 24 minutes, until their tops are lightly browned. Convoluted in pans.
Mix together glaze ingredients. Spread over cooled tarts. Top with raspberries.
Note: did not use glaze. Used chocolate at the bottom of the tart (not in original recipe)
