My 2024 in Review

Despite experiencing a personal loss, my 2024 was better than my 2022 and 2023.
Here is a snapshot of what went on in my life, and an update on the goals I had set at the beginning of the year.

Revenge Travel

2024 was definitely my year for revenge travel. I took 3 trips this year: US, France and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In April, I went on a company-paid trip to Annapolis, MD. I was pleasantly surprised by this city, and really enjoyed myself. I met new people and learnt a few things.

In May, I took my annual trip to France. We travelled to Burgundy and had a nice time.

In September, I went to Winnipeg, Manitoba. A friend of mine had been there and recommended it. I was also pleasantly surprised by this city and had a good time. The weather was very hot and sunny.

I was supposed to go to Iceland in August, but this trip didn’t happen because of the below.

The Trip I didn’t Want to Take

In July, I had to make an emergency return to France, as my dad’s health took a turn for the worse. Sadly, he passed away a few days later. I am glad I was able to see him and talk to him and say goodbye.

I had a few difficult months afterwards, and I’m still adjusting to life without him.

Update on Goals

Here is how I fared on the goals I set at the beginning on the year.

• Reduce overall expenses: unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Revenge travel and my dad’s passing, as well as general inflation prevented me from reaching this goal.
• Experiment with cash envelopes: I did it a couple of times for my grocery shopping, and it was a resounding success. I noticed I was paying way more attention to prices and sticking to my list.
• Figure-out my mortgage situation: After many interest rates hikes, the bank of Canada finally started making cuts. Because I had to increase my mortgage payments, I am now paying more on the principal amount. Rates aren’t that competitive yet, so for now I am staying put.
• Rebuild my back-up fund: this is technically done. Working full-time over the last 18 months allowed me to do so. I’ll keep adding to it, just to be on the safe side.
• Prioritize physical and mental health: This was also done and is still ongoing. Thanks to having employer-paid extended health insurance, I was able to catch up on much needed physical and mental healthcare. I am feeling better, and I haven’t put any weight back on.
• Keep rebuilding my social life: This year, I’ve definitely gone out more and met more people as well. I found meetup groups closer to home, that have regular outings. I’ve also taken cooking and Spanish classes, which I really enjoyed. I connected more with my family and maintained my existing friendships. It did me good, but I am still a long way from new friendships.

How about you? How was your 2024?