Preparations-A brief note

I think it is important to set some ground rules regarding preparing for the coming year.  It would not be fair to my experiment to buy a years worth of toilet paper (for example), and then say, "Look how great I am. I didnt buy any toilet paper all year."  Instead I have decided to keep most of my shopping habits the same until next year.  Instead my prepartion time will be used reading blogs, planning meals, and creating a working budget.  So for me prepartion means planning.