All I do is win, win, win…and sometimes lose but let’s focus on the wins, shall we?

I didn’t do a great job with goal setting for 2022, but I did a fantastic job of looking back and finding the things that went well, that I’m proud of, or that I just enjoyed. In no particular order, here are 33 wins from 2002. Cheers!

1. Maxed out my tax-advantaged accounts

I just did a podcast episode about this and how this felt like a huge accomplishment the first time I did it but now it kind of feels routine. So I almost didn’t list this, but it’s still amazing and I’m still proud of it. It’s not something everyone can do based on income but some people who can still don’t so…I’ll take the win.

2. Spent 500 hours outside!

I didn’t even post about this goal online because I wasn’t sure I would hit it, but I did! I wanted to spend 500 hours outside, and as of the second week of December I’m at 496 hours so I feel confident I’ll hit it with a few more walks this month. I downloaded a free time tracking app on my phone to track the hours.

3. Started a podcast!

This is one of the most fun things I did this year. I’m really, really enjoying it. Thank you for listening and a big thank you if you left a review and an absolutely enormous thank you if you listened and then sent me a message with any kind of thought or response. The podcast feels incredibly personal, so when someone enjoys it I’m just completely over the moon.

4. Hit a really happy place with all that is Liz Gets Loaded

Social media can be hard and I feel really lucky to have struck a good balance here. I have a tiny little corner of the internet where I can share things and connect with other people. It doesn’t feel overwhelming, I’m not popular enough to have “haters,” it never feels like an obligation. For right now it’s just right.

5. Made new friends!

It’s really, really hard to make new friends as an adult. But I immediately hit it off with a woman who joined my team at work this year and I’m so happy about that! I also found my personal finance internet BFF in Maggie from Friends on Fire, so that feels awesome! And a good friend from college who lived far away just moved near me. I’m so happy I get to see her all the time now! I’m also really happy with how much I’ve kept in touch with people I really liked at my last job. I was afraid those relationships might end, and I’m so happy they haven’t.

6. Took good care of my pets

Neither of my two little fur friends are young, and we are at the vet a lot more than we used to be. I don’t want to go into boring detail, but navigating their challenges and setting them up to be as happy and healthy as they can has felt great. It also feels good to be able to pay for expensive vet care. I feel really lucky not to have to worry about that.

7. (Almost) finished my estate planning!

We’re in the home stretch. I’ve paid the invoice so I’m counting this as done. We do still need to go and actually sign the docs, but we have a will, a trust, healthcare directive, and all that exciting stuff.

8. Did all the house projects

This year we painted the house and the deck, we got our trees trimmed, we had the bats in our attic evicted AND we had permanent holiday lights installed that I’m completely obsessed with. You can program them for any holiday so like pink and red for Valentine’s Day, rainbow for Pride, I am loving them for Christmas and Hanukkah but I also can’t wait for the rest of the holidays through the year. All in all that was around $14k on the house. I really hope next year is a bit less expensive.

9. Did (almost) 10k Peloton minutes

I really really wanted to hit 10k minutes on my Peloton this year. That works out to right around a half hour per day and it includes not just rides on the bike but also like strength and yoga and stretching. I started the year strong! But you get busy or you get sick and it’s easy to fall off the wagon and then have to make up time later. I think I’ll finish right around 9k, so maybe next year! I also bought a rack and a set of dumbbells up to 30 pounds and got back into strength training more. That felt great. I really like picking up heavy things and putting them back down.

10. Went to great restaurants

After two years, I returned to indoor dining in February of 2022. It felt so good and it was so fun. I love going out to eat, and I did it a lot this year. I know cutting restaurant spending is the classic place people try to cut spending, but this very much falls under the category of joyful spending for me.

11. Started using YNAB

I was always jealous of people who used YNAB because they seem like such a happy, fanatical crew! I had tried it ages and ages ago. It didn’t work for me then but I decided to give it another go! With all the new features and updates since then, it’s become my new go to. I’m a convert!

12. Managed to make some beer money

Today it’s fashionable to call this a side hustle, but in my day we called it beer money. Little things you do that can cover the cost of a six pack.

I posted some affiliate links on instagram and my blog that generated around $80. I made about $50 through ads for Anchor on the podcast. I made about $150 in cashback through the Upside cashback for gas app, but most of that was through referrals. I think I made around $80 from the Fetch cashback app, again that’s mostly through referrals. And I did one sponsored post! In exchange for a $300 donation to my favorite charity, I made a post and stories about an online estate planning tool.

And I have also made around $270 from the reels bonuses on Instagram. (I literally can’t believe they pay me to post these crummy reels I make but it’s kind of fun and it’s free money.) That’s just shy of $1,000. I did pay for a podcasting microphone and I paid a web hosting fee to set up LizGetsLoaded.com but that’s still like 1/3rd of a peloton rower or 1/4th of the cost to paint my house. That’s more than I spent on gas for the entire year. It’s like 9 or 10 dinners out. I’m happy about it!

13. We donated more than $9k

I set a goal for us to donate $750 per month, which is $9k per year. We hit that and exceeded it by a bit! I partnered with my favorite charity The Life You Can Save to promote one of their campaigns. I put food into the Little Free Pantry in my neighborhood for the first time. And I’m hoping to open a Donor Advised Fund by the end of the year. I feel really good about all of that.

14. Worked in an office

I started going into my office once a week-ish. I was super, super nervous and awkward at first but I have done a complete 180. I love it now and really cherish the opportunity to connect with my teammates in person. Not mad about the free snacks.

15. Off the Couch August

In August I committed to doing things after work aside from eating dinner on the couch. Didn’t have to be anything fancy, so just doing laundry would count. I went on a lot of walks, did some work outs, met up with friends, went out to dinner. And just generally tried to take my weeknights back and make them more than just recovery from the workday. It was fun to have a few other folks “join the challenge” as it were and share what they were up to. I felt a little vulnerable sharing that I’d been spending so much time glued to the couch and it felt great to connect to other people feeling the same way.

16. Saved my Christmas Money

You may remember early in the year I was struggling with what to do with the cash my parents so generously gifted me for Christmas! I’ve been super lucky to receive $1,000 per year every Christmas since I was an adult.

17. Ate 30 Plants per week

I read about a study that said that people who eat 30 different kinds of plants every week have better health outcomes. (Probably goes without saying but I’m not a doctor or a scientist or even particularly smart so do your own research.) But I did it for a few weeks! And like all things, it’s more fun when you post it online and do it with other people. So if you posted your list of 30 plants, thank you for sharing!

18. Achieved Laundry Inbox Zero

Once, and only once, and for the first time in my life, I achieved Laundry Inbox Zero. Every piece of clothing in my house was washed and put away. The only exception was the clothes on our bodies. It was glorious.

19. Survived E. Coli

I went on a disastrous trip to Mexico in the spring. Planned an 8 day vacation and on day 2 I went down hard. Didn’t leave the hotel room for the rest of the trip and didn’t eat more than a few nibbles of bread. But! We returned to Mexico in November for a redemption tour and this time I got to enjoy all the tacos and margaritas.

20. Painted my own nails

And they looked halfway decent? I’ve never really painted my own nails before. I’d occasionally get manicures, but when the pandemic started I just let my nails be naked. I got into doing at home manicures. They don’t look as good as when the pros do it, but something about having painted nails really is a mood booster.

21. Got hooked on Wordle.

Sharing our results on a group text chain became a really lovely little ritual in my day.

22. Was on 5 podcasts!

I joined Ambitious Money, Money Your Way, Friends on Fire, Joel Saves Big, and The Price of Avocado Toast. It was really fun, and I managed not to make a total ass of myself. Win win!

23. Got boosted

I got my 4th COVID shot. Two of the OG, a booster last year, and the new variant booster this year. Knock on wood, I still haven’t had COVID, even though I had a couple of close calls.

24. Found bootcut jeans

I have been on the hunt for bootcut jeans to wear with heels! But then I hurt my foot so I settled for a pair that’s the perfect length for flats. I hope to wear jeans that look like they’re eating my shoes again one day.

25. Did some volunteering!

I spent some time working with a group that helps people who don’t have connections break into careers in the tech industry. It was incredibly fun and rewarding. One small thing I do that feels like direct anti-racism work.

26. Did my first price match

At Target I asked for a price match on something that was being sold on Amazon for less. I wasn’t sure what to expect so I was surprised and delighted to save like $50!

27. Took 18 days of PTO

I am very, very guilty of not taking time off. Such a cliche American thing, I know. This is the most time off I’ve used in years, and it felt great. Overall, I have a healthier relationship to my work this year than I have for a long time.

28. Led a personal finance lunch and learn at work

I held a session aimed primarily towards women and marginalized genders and got a lot of positive feedback! We talked a lot about investing and smashing the patriarchy. A good time was had by all!

29. Read 20+ books

Now almost half of these I read while on vacation. I could do better about building my daily reading muscle, but a win is a win.

30. Bought wooden hangers

If you follow me on Instagram I documented this in detail in stories. I’m thrilled with the results. I spent maybe $150 on hangers, a splurge for sure. But now every time I walk into my closet I feel like I’m shopping at a boutique!

31. Hosted house guests

It was great for my office-slash-guest room to get to fulfill its other duty! Hosting guests is really fun and I love giving guests what I hope is a comfortable experience. 

32. Got a Raise

I’m still within my first year at this job, so I was surprised to get a 5% pay bump. The money is definitely nice, and it made me feel valued and important and like the work I do matters.

33. Fixed my foot!

I’ve been experiencing mystery pain in my foot for more than a year! After bouncing around to several medical professionals, I finally got a (correct) diagnosis and am on the mend. Oh, how I (and my mental health) have missed long walks!

Any big wins from 2022? Any small wins? I’m happy I post to Instagram stories so often. Perusing through those helped me remember a lot of these.