New Year.....Renewed commitment

I'm back!  I should have committed to re-reading my first post DAILY!  That might have kept me on track.  No worries.  We did recently complete Baby Step 2.  Better late than never.  Had we made the radical lifestyle changes Dave Ramsey suggests, we would be much further along.  Again, it all comes back to what we think we deserve and can't do without.  Paying off car loans in the next six months does not seem nearly as satisfying as the gorgeous sweater that's on sale right now at Ann Taylor. I guess I'm referring to instant gratification.  Yep, that's it!  That's part of my nature and I probably can't change that desire, but I can at least try to control it.  One thing I can tell you for sure, I have NEVER regretted reaching Baby Step 1 or Baby Step 2, but there have been many times I regretted a purchase. :)

Baby Step 3 is saving 3 to 6 months living expenses.  Mathematically, we can achieve that in 6 months.  But when you throw in "instant gratification" and life in general, I can't make any promises.  After Baby Step 3, I'm declaring a Step 3.5.  Dave wants us to payoff the car loans and pay cash for our automobiles going forward, but there's no step for "save $20k to $50k for your next vehicles".  So I'm declaring it Baby Step 3.5 :).

More Confessions.....
My husband and I are going to Hawaii for our 20 year anniversary in February.  Now, that trip does not fall into the category of instant gratification.  It was years in the making and is part of the reason we're just now finishing Baby Step 2.  BUT, the trip is paid for and should not hinder our reaching the next step.  No, it's not part of Dave's plan, but I'm not really sorry about it.....

Do you have some ideas for stifling the instant gratification desire and keeping me on track?  Please share :), and wish me luck!