I've decided that rather than have one overarching resolution for the whole year (which clearly I don't have), it might be better to split it into smaller goals or objectives, to be implemented on a month-to-month basis.

Next month, I'll be challenging myself to live on only $80 worth of food. No, this doesn't mean I'll be starving myself or stealing food. Rather, it means I'll be scouring the grocery store flyer to find the best deals (once I found a jar of kraft peanut butter for $0.99 that lasted me almost a month). I'll also be steering clear of prepackaged and premade food, since these tend to be rather expensive. Instead, I'll opt for fresh fruits, vegetables, canned corn and peas, whole wheat bread and pasta, and of course, I'll be buying less meat.

For those of you wondering if I'll be cheating by over-inflating my "eating out" budget, I will not be. That one is set at $25 for the month of February.

It's going to be tough, but I'm pretty excited about seeing how it all turns out!