Ideas and Coffee at 3.47 AM

New year resolutions

1. Move to domain: Focus more on domain knowledge than on Technicalities. My blog will be filled more with how a technology applies in solving a business problem rather than how to solve a technical problem.
2. I will track my investments: All these years I have been only investing to save tax. It is mandatory to invest in Insurance linked funds and so I invested. It increased my salary a little bit. I didn't look at it from a returns perspective. After I got married October last year, I was made to realize by my investment savvy wife that saving tax is just not enough. There is potential to make our lives better and that I should. That's another reason why I love my wife so much. She brings out the best in me and makes me want to get better every day
3. I will cut costs: Yes I have lived a lavish life. Beyond my means, beyond what a sane person should do. This year I will not put money into things that I do not have to. Every extra penny that I have after spending the constant costs, I will save.
4. I will Make a savings Plan: Every month after I get my salary, approximately 60% of my salary goes directly into Infrastructure costs (big word...!!) Rent, Maid Salaries, car EMI, House hold expenses for mom and dad and household expenses for us are infrastructure costs. The rest of the money is slowly spent over the month on small things such as eating out and such. Since I am not keeping track of where the money is going, I end up spending more. Up-front investment is required. A savings plan is required which gets implemented as soon as I get the salary.
5. Insurance Policies: Re-activate the LIC policy that became dormant last year. Save for the new annual tax benefit investments on a monthly basis rather than on an annual basis. It is always a fight around December when I have to make the savings towards the end of the financial year.
6. Gym: Last entire year I was extremely irregular in gym. I need to get back into discipline
7. Guitar: At least 5 hours of cumulative practice over a week should be good.