Ditching the Debt

A much overdue update...

2012-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

It's been brought to my attention that I have been woefully ignoring this blog. And it's true... it's been months, and it's embarrassing. But take heart, faithful readers (all three of you): I have not forgotten about this blog, and I have definitely not forgotten about its mission. Paying off our debt is still a hugely important part of our life, and will continue to be for a long time to come.

So, for that update...

2011 was a good year. I am thankful and humbled that even when the country as a whole was still having a terrible time financially, we were personally finally starting to feel an upswing (the depressingly sinking value of our house notwithstanding). All told, our total debt went down $12,565.83 in 2011, and we hit a very cool milestone when we dropped below 300K - including house, cars, and other debt. And that was with taking a 3-week, cross-country road trip. Now, one could argue that it wasn't very smart or responsible to spend so much money on a vacation when we still owe 5 figures to credit cards alone. And hey, that may very well be the case. But having done it, having taken a family adventure like that, a trip that was literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience, would we do it again?

Yes, yes, a million times yes.

Did it slow down our debt repayment for the year? Of course. Was it worth it? Yes!

We're cautiously optimistic about an even better 2012. There won't be any three week vacations this year, but there will be a week to ten day trip to San Diego this fall, and starting in April I will be doing something I've wanted to do for years now, and start the process to get certified to teach yoga. Those two big expenses aside, our "extra" money will again be earmarked for debt.

A couple of tangible goals for the year:

1) Pay off another credit card, leaving us with just ONE remaining card with a balance.
2) Pay off my car, leaving us with ZERO car payments, and two outright-owned vehicles! We'll keep putting money aside, so that when the time comes, we can pay cash for our next used car.
2) Refinance our house. Like lots of people, we are ridiculously ridiculously upside down on our mortgage, and there is finally a refinance option that may show some benefits for us.
4) Bring in some additional income. This one is all on me. And I don't really want to bring in an income for the sake of bringing in an income.... but as a side effect of finally allowing myself to pursue some of my own passions: writing, blogging, and teaching yoga. And I am SO EXCITED about all of the above.

As for this blog, I want to commit to updating it at least a few times a month again, both for those of you reading, and for myself.

Happy, healthy, and abundant New Year, just a couple of weeks late.

September Update & Naysayers

2011-09-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping this blog for three years this month, and for the vast majority of that time, everyone has been extremely supportive and kind. In fact, it took almost this entire time before I received even one negative comment about my writings about money. It wasn't even here; it happened when I took the - rather uncomfortable - step to talk about one of my shortcomings when it comes to money on my main blog. I think it's interesting that it's practically commonplace for people to brag about money, and it's completely socially acceptable to complain about money... but somehow saying the hard things and admitting an area where I might have need for improvement, and I'm ripe for ridicule. And you know what? Go right ahead, be cruel. Make fun of me, throw my vulnerability in my face, try to make me feel bad. I'll pick myself up, remind myself of Dave Ramsey's words, "live like no one else so you can live like no one else", and shake it off. While it would be nice to be debt-free and, therefore, free of the need for the blog in the first place... it isn't happening in the near (or not as near) future. So, I'll keep plugging and I'll keep blogging... naysayers be damned.

Total debt for September:
Down by 2020.11

August Update

2011-09-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

I spent a good portion of last month extremely stressed out about money... feeling the impact of a three week cross country vacation, and anticipating another 4 day, 4 figure jaunt to San Diego for a conference. What on earth were we thinking spending that kind of money? Was it a responsible thing to do, given that we should be focused on getting out of debt? But I don't regret it, on either front. It's paid for. And this month, I'm once again feeling hopeful and positive, because 1) we have no more vacations or extra big expenses planned for a good long while, and 2) we just took advantage of a great transfer interest rate and paid off one of our existing cards... which means that we're down to just two cards, our payments will have much more spending power and our balance will come down even faster. Yes!

Total Debt for August:
Down by $1263.16

Updates, Vacations, and Staying on Budget

2011-08-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that I skipped an entire month of updating. I thought about going back and doing an update for June too.... but ultimately decided that I'd just consider my hand slapped and move right along into July.

Our three week vacation has come and gone, and if you read my main blog, you'll know that it could not have possibly gone any better. Truly. We've been home for almost three weeks now, and I'm still a little awed by it (and still a little tired by it.) In hindsight, was it really the best idea to take such an expensive vacation when we're trying to pay off so much debt? Probably not. Was it 100% worth it anyway? Absolutely. And the great part - financially speaking - was that it held no unpleasant surprises when it came to money. Husband worked for weeks and weeks on a budget... figuring gas money, hotel money, food money, entertainment money. Over and over he'd make these little tweaks here and there until he finally pronounced it finished.

Anyway, when all was said and done, and we'd visited all our people and gone all our places and bought all the souvenirs... we added up all the receipts. And we were over his proposed budget by barely $200 ($80 of which was an unplanned nose piercing) Pretty amazing really. I couldn't even begin to make a budget like that, but he did it well, and even seemed to enjoy it (which might have something to do with the fact that he is involved in making budgets for a living, and I am not)

Of course, facing expenses now that we're home is another story. There are suddenly a lot of them, from Cub Scout and basketball and gymnastics registrations, to Diamondbacks games and birthdays and an unschooling conference. It'll work out, and we'll get there. Of this I'm sure. And I am very, very thankful that we're able to do all the things we do with not only not going further into debt, but also continuing to pull ourselves out - however slow it may seem at the time. Still, it is frustrating to have that constant feeling of, "Next month we'll get back on track."

I need to say it though: Next month we'll get back on track.

Total debt for July (only because our most recent payments for the trip are not yet reflected):
Up by $1334.69

May Numbers and Car Repairs

2011-06-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a bad couple of weeks to be a vehicle in this household. First was husband's brakes. Next was a pricey timing belt (and some other things I can't remember) on mine. This past weekend husband's transmission went, and yesterday mine decided to simply not go after it had been stopped at a red light.

Some of it has been paid for, and some of it has not. Coupled with trying to prepare for nearly a month long vacation, it's made for a financially stressful spring. Still, we're making (slow) progress, even if it's of the two-steps-forward, one-step-back variety.

Total debt for May:
Down by $586.10

Upgrades, Downgrades, and April Numbers

2011-05-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a month we had. Lots of financial ups and downs in a short period of time. And in the span of just a few days, we traded in my Sequoia for an older (but nicer) Land Cruiser, which netted us around a $3000 savings in car loans, and spent $2500 on a host of repairs for Mike's truck.

I keep thinking, "next month will be a calmer month", but we have an upcoming conference to pay for, and of course our nearly month-long trip this summer. Clothes to buy, car maintenance to be done, hotels to book. Lots of little details that I'm trying not to stress about just yet.

All told, our total debt still went down for the month, and I have hopes for at least a modest reduction next month as well.

Total debt for April:
Down by $715.01

Living Paycheck to Paycheck

2011-04-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

We live paycheck to paycheck, and we always have... no matter how much we made, and no matter how much we owed.

For the past 5 years, Mike has gotten paid twice a month. And twice a month, the paycheck is completely spent on paper even before we get it. By design, one paycheck is somewhat tight. We pay the mortgage with that check, and like most people our mortgage is far and away our highest expense. The other check is much more comfortable, or at least it would be if we didn't devote SO much of it to extra debt payments. That's the check we use to pay for any "extras" for the month... birthdays, entertainment, new clothes... anything above and beyond. We try to plan for as much as we think we'll need, and the rest goes to debt. It's a good system, except.. sometimes it's not. Sometimes we find ourselves misjudging and scraping through, and it is a horrible feeling that I'd hoped to never have to repeat.

I get frustrated sometimes, knowing that we're keeping things so tight by choice now, and that if we weren't aggressively paying off debt that we'd be fine; that we'd be comfortable; that I wouldn't have that constant "Can we afford this?" hanging over my head every month. But then I think: We created this mess, so it's our responsibility to get out of it. And just because we can go back to minimums and live it up, doesn't mean we should. We have no business living all free and loose with our money as long as we have any kind of debt. We should feel tight. We should send all our extra money to our credit cards.

And for better or worse, whenever I falter, I hear Dave Ramsey's words in my head:

"If you will live like no one else, later you get to live like no one else"

March Update and GOOD News

2011-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

The last time I updated, I was worried, daunted, and stressed out. Today I am hopeful, humbled, and grateful. Somewhere along the way in our A/C replacement process was the suggestion to have an official inspection done for hail damage. (We had a very severe hailstorm a few months back) Last weekend we had someone from our insurance company perform said inspection, and this Thursday they sent out another guy, specific to A/C repair. And the verdict is: DAMAGED. And because the unit is such an old model, repair is not an option. Which means.... replacement is covered by our insurance. Covered by our insurance! AND, because they offer a trade-in value of $300 for the old unit (which they use for scrap metal), we will barely have to come up with any money out of pocket, even for the deductible.

I'm sort of still speechless about it. It all really does work out.

Total Debt For March:
Down by $3303.01

February Numbers & Setbacks

2011-03-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

The good news is that our debt went down for February, even with birthday parties and out of town visitors.

The bad news is that our A/C (which has been admittedly on borrowed time for awhile now) has died. Gone. Kaput. Finit. I feel like I say this a little too often, but... this is where an emergency fund would come in handy. And we have no such fund. So we - and by "we", I mean my husband - called around to a bunch of places, and got several estimates. We've chosen the company we want to go with, and now it's just a matter of getting it scheduled, and weeping while we write the check. Our debt reduction plan is going to be set back at least a couple of months while we deal with paying for this. :( But it's life. And we'll move on.

Total debt for February:
Down by $1111.49

January Numbers

2011-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

The new couch, camera, and computer took more of a hit than I was anticipating, even though we came up with extra money. My hope for February is that it is a calmer financial month. We have two birthdays to plan, and out of town visitors to look forward to ... but even all of that shouldn't be on the scale of what we've spent the past two months getting things replaced.

Total debt for January:
Down by 698.20

Decisions, Decisions, Part II

2011-01-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I still get so worked up about money. Seriously. Everything works out, and I know this, and I've seen it happen again and again and

again, and

again.

You'd think that after the first several dozens of times, I'd start to learn. But nope. I still stress out. Then when things do ultimately work out - as they always eventually do - I vow to remember it. I promise myself that next time will be the time that I'll go with the flow.

And this is me, saying it again: NEXT TIME, I won't stress out. Next time, I'll go with the flow.

We found a camera on Craigslist, which we paid cash for. It is an almost new Canol Rebel XS, which is an even better camera than our Nikon. We found a nice lens for it (also on Craigslist), so we were able to sell the lens that came with it. That along with our barely used Nikon zoom lens was enough to recoup more than half the cost of the camera itself. We then listed our broken camera and dead laptop as-is on Ebay, and the bids on those are currently over $100 combined.

We had $75 in Amazon rewards from our credit card, and we also took advantage of a half-price gift card offer from Living Social. We combined that with some Christmas money, and some babysitting money, and last night we ordered a new laptop.

Our vacation is still on, though we've had to move the dates around. Since it moved from August to July, I couldn't take this session of yoga training anyway, so I'm at peace with postponing it. I can however, take the session starting in November, and because it's that much later in the year, we'll have that much more time to save for it.

It all works out.

Decisions, Decisions

2011-01-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

My brain is spinning with numbers, and I don't like it. My brain's been spinning with numbers for the past few weeks now, and I finally decided to blog about it. If for no other reason, in the hopes of making the spinning stop.

Just before Christmas, our sleeper couch (an old, worn leather couch that we got for a steal on Craigslist) broke. After some careful thought and planning - as much planning as you can do in the span of a couple of days - we bought another, brand new set. We had a pressing deadline, nothing was coming up on Craigslist, and what did come up was snatched up within hours. So we took ourselves to our favorite discount furniture store to take advantage of their 20% store wide sale, and plunked down $1000 that we'd not been planning on spending any time soon.

A couple of weeks ago, my beloved camera fell off the counter and broke. Broke the lens, broke the body. Just BROKE. The following morning, my beloved laptop (which, if I'm being honest was already on very borrowed time) chose that moment to give up its ghost and finally die as well. Dead. Fried. Finished. In less than 12 hours span of time, we were in the hole for over another $1000.

Not the most auspicious way to start the new year.

And now, I'm in a financial dilemma. Neither the laptop nor the camera are NEEDS, per se, but very strong wants. We are very fortunate in that we could take a month or two, just pay minimums on our credit cards, and replace them both. But it hurts... literally pains me to take even a month off of aggressively paying our debt. Especially since we already did it in December. I already declined a birthday present (a new tattoo :( ) because I just couldn't, in good conscience, spend $150+ when we have a camera and a computer to replace.

And, if that's not enough, I was going to take a yoga teacher training this year... something I was very, very excited about. We were going to pay for most of it with our tax return, but as it turns out, we greatly overestimated what our tax return would be. We could come up with the money without it, but it would mean a good 4 or 5 months of barely above minimum payments on the credit cards. And again, I just don't know if I could do it.

And just to add to the equation, we decided to take a long-in-coming trip east this summer, for which we recently set up an automatic monthly savings. We're excited, we're ready, and yet that voice is there. Should we really be doing it when we still have all this credit card debt? Is it really the best time to take such an expensive trip? Nothing is set in stone, and I think the only reason I was able to save for it in the first place was because I knew it wasn't for sure; I knew we could still back out if we needed to.

Oh, how much SIMPLER life was when we didn't care; when we wanted something and we put it on a credit card without a thought. How much simpler it was when we just let our debt rack up, and worried about it later. Or someday. Or never.

I don't have the answers yet, but I will. I'm convinced that there has to be a way, has to be some happy middle ground that I haven't yet found. Something that allows us to have what we want and still be responsible and mindful about the goals that we've set.

And maybe then my head will stop spinning.

2010 Roundup and 2011 Goals

2011-01-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

2010 is over, and so are our financial goals for the year. Did we meet them? Some. Not all. Not most. December saw us with a few setbacks as well, as we were met with unexpected expenses (emergency fund anyone?) And while we generally do well staying within a budget for our Christmas gift shopping, we usually grossly underestimate what we'll end up spending on "extras" like food, carpet cleaning, and entertainment. This year we also made an extremely last minute purchase of a new sleeper couch, something we hadn't planned on replacing anytime soon.

Still, it has not been an unsuccessful year. There is much to be thankful for for sure, and lots of reasons to be positive about heading into the New Year.

Total debt for December:

Down by $877.22

Total debt for 2010:

Down by $6562.54

In 2011, we'd like that reduction to at least double. We also plan to:

1. Pay off two targeted credit cards, leaving just one with a balance

2. Bring our credit card debt down to 4 figures. (!)

3. Increase Mike's 401K contributions

and otherwise,

4. Just keep doing what we're doing.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.

Debt-Free Christmas & November Numbers

2010-12-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

Last month, even before Thanksgiving, we started - and finished - Christmas shopping. Thanks to a budget, our ING Christmas account, and careful shopping, we will enjoy a very nice holiday season without adding to our debt. In fact, while this past month our debt reduction was minimal, December should see us right back to our big payments. It will feel good going into the New Year without the added weight of holiday expenses to worry about!

Total debt for November:
Down by $335.41

Something New

2010-11-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

I have a great affinity for trying new things. It bodes well for me that our homeschooling lifestyle is free-flowing enough for me - and the kids - to continually try new things, take up new hobbies, and embark on new adventures. From a monetary standpoint, this has been both a blessing and a curse.

The good: I've explored, and continue to explore, lots of ways to make money (some successful, some not-so-successful) The not as good: I've also explored lots of things that cost money, in some cases a lot of it. $100 for lip-balm making supplies, $50 for ribbons, hair clips and hot glue guns, $40 for a better cupcake tin, flour sifter, and decorating set. Yes, I like to do new things.

This year I've been a little bit more focused. I am one final exam away from becoming certified to be a nutritional consultant, something I've wanted to do for most of my adult life. Next year, God willing, I am going to complete the training to become a registered yoga teacher, before I move on with the Master Herbalist certification, the next piece of the Holistic Health Practitioner Bachelor's degree. All of those things of course cost money, but anything that is furthering a passion (and will eventually lead to a career) is money well spent.

This month, I am writing my second novel for NaNoWriMo, and because that's apparently not enough newness for me, a few days ago I also signed up to be an independent distributor for Beachbody, because I believe in their products. Beachbody is the company that sells such workout programs as P90X, Insanity, TurboJam, and Slim in 6; as well as a whole line of supplements including the Shakeology shake. Because I've actually learned something from all my past endeavors, I know that I am not a salesperson. I know that approaching strangers, hosting home parties, and passing out catalogs is not for me. I am however, very excited to apply some of the internet marketing techniques I learned from my last e-course to share both the products and the business opportunity with others. I'm approaching it like I approach most new things: as a fun new challenge, and an experiment to see how much I can learn and how far I can take it.

If you want to join me in my challenge, this is a GREAT time to do it, because it is completely free to sign up from now until the end of the year (it is normally $39.95 to get started) You can check out my website for all the details, or you can just send me good thoughts and good luck, and vibes for another fun and successful venture. :)

October Numbers

2010-10-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

October was a good, good month. Going full steam ahead into the last couple months of the year. Total debt for October:

Down by $1553.51

Book Recommendation - 9 Steps to Financial Freedom

2010-10-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

It's not a new book... in fact, it's a decade old. But I saw it for $2.00 at Goodwill the other day , remembered how much I'd liked it way back when, and thought I'd buy it and give it another read. It's full of good practical advice on everything from 401Ks to mortgages to life insurance, and she keeps it interesting with lots of personal stories from her clients. But what I really love about Suze Orman isn't so much her nuts and bolts financial advice (which is of course helpful and sound) as it is the emphasis she gives to the spiritual aspect of money.

I'm a highly spiritual person, so I believe that everything is spiritually connected, but I think it's easy to lose sight of that when it comes to money. This book proved to be a good refresher. Everything from our earliest memories of money, to how we view money, to how we treat it (even in such seemingly trivial matters as how we line it up in our wallets) to how much and with what attitude we give to others.... it's all connected, and it's all important. Every bit as important - if not moreso - than paying your bills on time.

If you've read it already, it's a good one to re-read. If you haven't, put it at the top of your next library list.

September Update and Money Issues

2010-10-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

First, for some old business:

Awhile back I posted about some news that would have a positive impact on our finances that was not yet official. Well, it's official now and I'm excited to share it. Mike just got another promotion (the second in three months), and has now officially moved from a Manager to a Director position. I am so proud at his growth in the company, as it obviously speaks volumes to their satisfaction with his performance and work ethic. I am also very thankful - very thankful - that in this poor economy that he even has a steady job, one that not only puts food on the table and keeps a roof over our heads, but also allows me to continue to stay home with the kids. It is a blessing, and it's not one I take for granted.

Financially, the past few months have been .... weird. As excited as I've been at the blessing of having extra money, I've also been squarely confronted with the fact that I still have a lot of hang-ups when it comes to money and spending. And just like a dieter can never permanently lose weight until they identify and face WHY they were overweight to begin with, I know that we can never truly be financially free until I deal with my attitude towards money. It still makes me anxious, it stresses me out, and it takes up entirely too much space in my head.

A few weeks ago I went to Hobby Lobby with the kids because they wanted to buy a chemistry set. We spent a long, long time browsing through all the cool science kits, bought the chemistry set and then some, and ultimately spent twice as much as I'd planned. We had the extra money. All our bills were paid, all our cabinets were stocked. We'd paid extra to our credit cards. But I was still so wracked with guilt that I came home and immediately listed some unused Wii games on Ebay to make up the difference. Why? And why, when my sister invited us to go horseback riding (something I really love, and hadn't done in over 20 years), why was my first inclination to say no? Why was my first reaction, "That's crazy, we shouldn't be spending that kind of money"? Is there something wrong with spending money if you have it? Should you not be spending any extra money at all if you're under debt?

I'm not looking for answers to these questions... just sending them out into the great unknown. I've been surprised over the past several weeks, realizing how much work I still need to do.

It's not a bad problem to have though, and I'm thankful I have it. I know it's just another step in the journey. And any step, large or small, is a good thing.

Total Debt for September:
Down by $1101.70

P.S. Thanks to a little bit of sensible prodding from my husband, I did go on the horseback ride. And it was wonderful.

August Numbers

2010-08-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is lower than it should be because 1) we funded our TV project, 2) we had some unexpected expenses this month, and 3) we registered Everett for t-ball, which while not unexpected, we'd for some reason neglected to plan for it.

But it's still down, and down is good. Since Mike's raise in June, we've paid off $2720.71

Total debt for August:
Down by $542.46

(Almost) Free TV

2010-08-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

I feel stupid.

I feel like I should be doing one of those commercials.... "I can't believe I was spending so much for car insurance." Only instead of car insurance, it's satellite television. For years now, we have paid - way too much - for the privilege of watching TV, first through Directv, and for the past three years, through Dish Network. We didn't have the most basic package, but we didn't have HBO, Showtime, etc either. We still paid $90+ a month. Almost $100/month. For television!! It was our last really superfluous bill, and we've toyed with dropping it for awhile now, always coming up with some reason not to. The last time it came up though, we were determined to do it, which required some research and planning to make sure that everyone was happy and comfortable with the decision.

And yes, we could have just dropped it, gotten rid of the TVs and stopped watching altogether. Of course that's always an option. But, well, we like our TV. It's a funny thing. So many people (not all, but a lot) who choose not to watch it come off very self-righteous about it. Instead of watching TV, they're spending their time reading, crafting, playing board games, solving the world's energy crisis [insert any other "worthwhile"-sounding pursuit here] But it's not either/or! I LOVE to read, do crafts, and play games. But I also, unabashedly I might add, love my TV, and wanted to find a way to watch it without spending $100 a month.

The first step for us was to switch from Blockbuster to Netflix. I feel like we were the very last Netflix hold-outs, but I was stubbornly clinging to Blockbuster because 1) I liked that we could exchange our mailed movies in-store, and 2) I liked that the boys got a free game rental every month. As it turns out, neither of those things compare to the wonder that is Netflix streaming. TV shows, movies, documentaries.... all streamed to your house 24 hours a day, all included for the same monthly fee (which starts at $9 for one movie out at a time) You can watch live streaming on your PC, or if you have a Wii or PS3 you can request a (free) DVD to stream through those as well.

Step two was Playon. Playon is $39.99/year for the first year, and $19.99/yr after that, and makes it so you can watch from free websites such as Hulu or CBS.com right on your TV, through your game system. Where Netflix is great for catching up on past seasons or older series, Hulu is the perfect solution for watching current favorites. They don't have everything, but they do have most shows, and most everything else can be found somewhere, whether it's from Amazon's Video on Demand, on DVD a few months later, or..

on good, old fashioned live TV, which was Step three: hooking up to our local channels with an antenna.   We'd never tried it before because we've always had satellite, but lo and behold we get several local channels over the air - for free - and they come in beautifully.

We absolutely could have stopped there, and the total cost would have been for the Playon, which breaks down to $3 and some change per month for the first year, and $1.60/mo every year after that, and the Netflix subscription (which starts at $9, but we decided to get the $18 plan which I'll explain in a minute) That's $21 a month, instead of the $114 we were paying before!! ($96 for Dish, $18 for Blockbuster)

But because we have four kids and five TVs and wanted everyone to be comfortable (and did I mention how much we like our TV?) we did make some initial investments. We bought two Roku boxes (about $70 each), which allow you to stream Netflix right to the TV without having to go through a game system or a computer.   Extremely user friendly and easy to use. We also bought a newer TV for our bedroom, because we wanted to hook it to my laptop and watch Netflix and Hulu that way, and the one caveat to that is that you need a TV that has the proper outputs and inputs. Finally, we had to buy some new cable to get it all hooked up. And we opted for the $18/mo, 3-out-at-a-time plan with Netflix, because you can simultaneously stream to as many devices as movies on your plan.

We have been testing it all out over the past few weeks, and have so far been extremely happy with our decision. We've really been enjoying discovering new things to watch on Netflix, and are able to watch nearly anything we want the day after it airs on Hulu. In a couple of months, it will have all paid for itself, we will still be enjoying our TV, and we will be saving over $90 a month.

July Numbers

2010-08-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mike got this fortune from Panda Express a couple of weeks ago, and we liked it so much I pinned it up. Just days later, an unexpected event (so new and unexpected in fact, that it's not yet official) did begin to unfold. While it won't bring a fortune exactly, it will indeed make another positive impact on our finances, and for that we are thankful. God works in mysterious ways, and I'm keeping the fortune in my line of sight so it reminds me of just that.

Total Debt for July:

Down by $1689.10

Surveys, revisited

2010-07-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

I have posted in the past about the sites I use to make money through surveys. About a year ago, it was actually affording me a nice little consistent flow of spending money. Like anything else though, it soon took a backseat to, well, life.... The kids, school, medical stuff, etc, etc.

This past week I decided I was going to start doing it again, and have since been faithfully checking the email I'd set up for that purpose, and doing my surveys while I watch TV at night. To my pleasant surprise I found on checking my sites that I have over $40 ready to be cashed in right now, and have already added to it significantly. Hurray for free money! As a bonus, I'd forgotten how much fun I have doing it.

These are the sites I've made money with this week:

Say Nation

Quick Rewards

Treasure Trooper

Inbox Dollars

This is just a very partial list, as I'm still just dipping my toes back in the survey waters. Visit my survey site for the entire list of sites I use.

Budgets and New Plans

2010-07-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

For someone who's not especially fond of numbers (I am, and forever will be, a word girl), I get a lot of pleasure out of making budgets. I like setting them up, changing things around, playing with different scenarios, and calculating the numbers again and again and again.

I recently read these guidelines for setting up the ideal household budget, recommended by the experts such as Dave Ramsey and Suze Ormen:

Housing - 40% (include your mortgage or rent payment, insurance, water, gas, electric)

Credit Cards, School Loans, etc - 10%

Car - 15% (include car payment, gas, insurance, repairs)

Savings - 1 to 5%

Food - 15%

Entertainment - 10% (cable, cell phones, Netflix accounts, etc)

Misc - 5%

I plugged in our own numbers, fully expecting to see one or more areas where we needed some adjustments. To my (happy) surprise though, everything fit neatly into its recommended allotment. We're doing something right!

Looking at the budget inspired me to once again make a list of financial goals, complete with a loose time table. I like making lists even more than I like making budgets. There are certainly smaller goals along the way, but these are the big goals, in order, that make up our plan for the next five years.

Pay off the rest of the credit cards
Pay off my Sequoia
Pay off the second mortgage
Save up for a good down payment on a new house (which we can do quickly by rolling the payments we'd been making on the credit cards, car, and mortgage into a savings account)
Sell this house and buy another, with NO debt other than the new mortgage, which we will of course:
Immediately start paying extra payments on, to pay off in a short amount of time

I like it.

June Numbers... onward and upward

2010-07-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

This past week was Mike's first paycheck with his new salary. While a big portion of the extra money was already spoken for, as we still had to get some i's dotted and t's crossed, our total debt did come down. And any reduction after the past few months is a very good thing indeed.

Total debt for June:

Down by 489.15

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

2010-06-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

A financial tightrope.

Living paycheck to paycheck, whether it's because of a low income (been there), a fine income, but too many bills (been there too), or just because of unavoidable life circumstances, is not a fun place to be. It's a stressful balancing act. If you stay upright, no problem, but that threat is always there... that one little thing that will knock you off-kilter and send you flailing off to one side. You might waver and sweat and feel your heart beating faster, and then you somehow right yourself again only to live in fear of the next gust of wind.

The past few months, we have been clinging to that tightrope tighter than ever. Every single paycheck has been a juggling act. If we hold this bill another couple weeks, this one will still be on time. If we borrow money from this account, we can get that one current. If we use our Christmas money (again), we can fund that trip that we probably shouldn't have taken.

Yes, it's not fun. Somehow, it all works, but it is stressful. It's stressful, and it's HARD! The ironic thing is that with the exception of our credit card balances, everything looks a-okay on paper. Everything is current. Our mortgage and car payments are paid on time... our electric, our cable, our water, our phones... we make our minimum credit card payments, plus some... we're doing what we need to do. We're doing what responsible people should do.

It's all in illusion though. It's NOT okay! As long as we have this debt, as long as we're living paycheck to paycheck: we're still walking that precarious tightrope.

Last week, we were given an answer to a prayer, when Mike received a promotion and accompanying raise that's been long in the works. Now, I know there's no magic bullet here. I know that money doesn't solve everything, and I know that unless we do the work and make the right decisions that our situation won't improve.

But... (and oh how I love that but!)

I also know that if God's willing, and we're able, that this can be a major turning-point for us - the time we can finally start making those big credit card payments, the time we can finally stick to a budget that actually has room in it for occasional treats like going out to eat and seeing a movie in a theater, the time we can finally step off that tightrope and feel the ground beneath our feet. I'm hopeful, and it feels good.

May Numbers

2010-06-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Because I promised I'd keep it real...

Total debt for May:
Up by $629.88

Now we wait for the dust to settle after two back to back trips, and look forward to a less crazy, less scheduled, and hopefully less expensive summer.

April Update

2010-05-02T07:43:00.001-07:00

I was actually pleasantly surprised that this month's numbers weren't worse than they were, and am once again feeling cautiously optomistic as we move into May.

Total Debt for April: Up by $77.07

Desperate Times

2010-04-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time, we took most of the money out of our Christmas account 8 months before Christmas. It was painful to do it, as we knew we wouldn't be able to fully replenish it by December. In the end though, we had a lovely Christmas, and didn't miss the lacking money at all. It had virtually no impact on our enjoyment of the holiday. In fact, last Christmas was arguably one of the best Christmases we've ever had.

This past week, due to circumstances largely out of our control, we did it again. This time our Christmas fund is momentarily drained completely, its funds sorely needed to get us out of a small hole and over another little hurdle. While I have no doubt that Christmas will again be just as wonderful without it, having to do it was an uncomfortable hiccup in a month has already seen our finances take quite a few hits (including the one resulting from our wonderful - and much needed! - vacation)

May is two days away, and brings with it birthday parties, travel, and well, more things that require extra money. Right now, my hope and prayer is that June can be a turning point for us, and that we can then get back on track towards ridding ourselves of this debt.

March Numbers

2010-04-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Yeah. I'm reminded why I was tempted to skip my monthly update for a few months.

Total debt for March:

Up by $1808.92

Good news: We've made my last school payment, and Mike's truck has had its much-needed repairs. Onward to April.

Being Happy With What Is

2010-03-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

I am a big believer in setting goals, something I've repeatedly blogged about in the past. In fact, this entire blog's reason for being is because of our goal to get out of debt and become financially free. I think goals keep us moving forward, keep us on track, and keep us positive. But there's a problem with focusing too much on goals.

A goal is something that you plan or intend to achieve at some point in the future. By definition, a goal is not met until later, or next month, or 10 years from now. A goal is intangible, even theoretical. While we're wrapped up in plans, and distracted by the ultimate prize - whether it's a new house, a better paying job, or a paid-off credit card - real life is unfolding around us now, whether we're paying attention to it or not. How can we expect to appreciate a realized goal if we can't appreciate what we have already?

I read another article the other day, about the state of the housing market in the valley. It warned about an even bigger crash, still to come, due to what's called the "shadow market," the number of homes soon to be listed due to foreclosures, short sales, and fed-up homeowners simply walking away from their mortgages and their responsibilities. For months now, the predictions have been changing... Home values will start leveling! Home values will start rising! Home values will plunge even more! I don't know what's going to happen in the next several years, but this much I know:

1. Goal : to eventually move out of this house and into something better suited to a family of six.

2. Reality : the market is not going be favorable to our being in a position to sell anytime in the foreseeable future.

We can plan, we can crunch numbers, we can save, we can dream.... but what good would any of that do if it prevented us from living in the present; prevented us from enjoying the lovely, safe, and warm home we have now; prevented us from living in gratitude for Mike's job, for our health, for our families, for lungs filled with air and two legs to stand on?

Compared to many, we live simply. Compared to many others, we have an embarrassment of riches! From computers and cell phones to game systems and large screen TVs. I never want to find myself in a place of needing more stuff to make me happy. I never want to find myself in a place of taking anything in my life, no matter how large or small, for granted. I want to enjoy where we're at and what we have, and be at total peace with what is: We make a fine income, much of which is sucked up by way-too-much debt and payments on a house that is worth a fraction of what we owe on it. We buy clothes - and furniture and cars and toys - second-hand, and it's rarely in our budget to do things like go out to eat. Some of those things may change in the future... and I hope and pray that they do!... but in the meantime, I'm happy.

Today I choose to be thankful.

February Numbers & Unexpected Expenses

2010-03-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

I'm tempted to skip my monthly summaries for the next few months, as we are going to be see-sawing up and down between our tax return, my school payments, and two vacations we have coming up... but in the interest of accountability, I know that I can't. So, total debt for February (thanks in large part to some tax return money):

Down by $2727.57

Unfortunately, March has brought with it some new expenses. Right now, Mike's truck is in the shop for a few different issues, and most likely won't be coming home for under $800. And this week, the boys went to the dentist for a cleaning, and while 2 of them are cavity free (for which I am thankful!) the third needs a couple of fillings: Another $250 we were not expecting or planning for.

I know we'll figure it all out - we always do - but I'm not excited about the $1000 blip in our debt repayment efforts. Ah, life.

Book Sneeze

2010-02-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

If you're a blog owner, check out Book Sneeze. It's a simple (yet genius) program that sends free books to bloggers, in exchange for a review posted on said blog, and on a retail site such as Amazon. After you post your review, they verify it, then you can request your next book. Pretty slick. I just signed up yesterday, and I've already selected my first book.

I'm not into shoes, manicures, or purses. If I buy myself new clothes, it's usually limited to jeans and t-shirts. No, where I spend my money (or would like to spend my money) is on books and movies. I LOVE books and movies, so anything that helps me get either one for free - AND gives me an excuse to blog about it - gets my two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Something Cool, Part Two

2010-02-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

For Lesa ;) and anyone else who's interested...

The person who designed the program I mentioned in my last post is a man by the name of Michael S Brown, an internet marketing expert. I really love his products. After I worked through the Niche Blitzkrieg course, I told my husband that I was glad I spent the money just for the information alone, and that any income would just be a bonus. I really enjoyed learning about researching keywords, what works versus what doesn't, how to get listed with search engines, etc. It's a fun little project, and I approached it like I did most projects: as an experiment.

I always feel weird mentioning anything that would make me money, since that is not the purpose of this blog, so to bypass the whole shameless plug thing - yes, I would make a commission if you signed up with anything through my links, but I wouldn't share it if I didn't find it worthwhile, useful, and interesting.

This is the site I built to explain a bit about the process, and Michael's products:

Make Money Blogging

There are links and explanations for some of his products, including the one I used, and there are some free downloadable items there too. Hope you find something helpful!

Something Cool

2010-02-21T18:58:00.000-08:00

Several months ago, I took a little e-course about making money through affiliate marketing. I was very excited about it, worked feverishly to start building my sites, and was thrilled by the first few pennies I started to make.

Then, because I'm me, I gradually lost interest and moved onto other things. My sites are all still up and running though, and apparently my due diligence in getting them set up properly is starting to pay off! My very first site, My Canvas Messenger Bag, is beginning to pick up in sales; and last week I made my first sale on this site: The Digital Book Reader, which netted me quite a nice little commission. Cool!

Seeing some returns has made me want to get back into it, and see what else I can do.

Taking Responsibility

2010-02-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

I saw an ad for a debt relief company yesterday. It wasn't debt counseling, or debt consolidation, it was just plain old "Sign up with us, and we'll help you lower your monthly payments and get up to 50% of your debt excused." So basically, lucky you. That $30,000 you owe to credit cards, largely because you were irresponsible with money in the first place? Guess what, you no longer have to pay it all off!

Those ads, and all the others like them, evoke a myriad of emotions every time I see them. Mostly what they make me feel is straight-up anger. There, I said it.

I know that what others do and don't do with their own lives is not my business. The thing is, when others' choices are affecting me and my family it becomes my business. The economy is partly the way it is because of people's choices. The housing market is partly the way it is because of people's choices. I say "partly" because I understand and recognize that things do happen that are beyond our control. I've seen first-hand what layoffs and furloughs can do. I've seen how catastrophic medical emergencies can devastate a family in all areas, including its finances. It's a harsh reality, but people get sick, accidents happen, and jobs are lost. This isn't about those specific circumstances.

The fact remains that there are A LOT of people who face financial hardships because of their own poor decisions! And because of programs like the one I mentioned above, they have no incentive to make things right or change their habits or prevent it from happening again. Sure, buy that plasma TV. Take that cruise. Get those manicures.

What's that? Having trouble keeping up with the bills? No problem, let's just forgive your debt and send you back on your way. Enjoy that TV.

I've watched people live their rich, lavish lives on borrowed money, oblivious to their growing debt. I've watched others spend all their money on extras and entertainment, then turn around and bemoan the fact that they can't afford to pay their electric bill or their car payment or their mortgage.

I hate that we have debt. I hate that we do without so many things so that we can make big payments on God-knows-what that we bought 2 years ago. I hate that we're paying on a mortgage that is a good hundred thousand more than the house is currently worth. I hate that we're in most ways stuck here until the market improves or we somehow fall into a great deal of cash.

But, we'll keep living the way we're living, and paying back what we borrowed, because WE BORROWED IT! We owe it! It's not the state's problem, or the government's, or the neighbors' down the street. It's OUR responsibility. If that means my getting a job - and it's very nearly come to that more than once - then it means my getting a job. If it means clipping coupons, shopping second hand, and staying home more often than we go out, then we'll do that too. Are there months that I'm tempted to just pay the credit card minimums and "blow" the rest? Are there times when we fantasize about what we could do with the money if we skipped paying some essential bill just once? Do we ever think about saying "Screw it," chucking our debt-paying efforts and living like everyone around us? Yes, yes, and YES!

Then I see those stupid commercials, and my resolve is strengthened yet again.

I'm angry that people can be irresponsible and just get rewarded for it. What's our reward for doing it the right way, the hard way? Besides the fact that we will someday be financially free, I guess there isn't one.

We do it because it's the right thing to do.

The Dollar Stretcher

2010-02-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't looked at this too deeply yet, but it was recommended on one of my homeschool lists, and it looks like it might be worth a gander. Any little tip helps, right?!

The Dollar Stretcher

January

2010-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

January is officially coming to an end, our first full month back to regular, non-furloughed paychecks. Total debt is up for the month by $237, a figure I'm content with. This month we made my first payment for school (which is worth so much more than the $237 we ended up netting!) and we have two more monthly installments ahead of us. With the big credit card payments we're able to make right now, we should be able to hold steady for February and March, and start seeing a reduction again in April.

Still feeling good about 2010.

The "List"

2010-01-18T16:38:00.000-08:00

I'm a list girl. I make to-do lists, shopping lists, planning lists, lists of goals, wish lists, even lists referencing other lists.

One list that has been hugely instrumental in our journey to pay off our debt was one I made a couple of years ago, and periodically add to, edit and adjust. It's a wish list of sorts, a list of "extras" or things that we'd like to buy but need to save up for, both large and small.

Just like dieting without ever allowing yourself a treat will backfire, so it is with saving money. Sometimes a person needs to splurge a little to keep herself on track! So we plan for those splurges, and we save for those splurges. Instead of rushing out with a credit card in hand, we wait until the bills are all paid, all the necessities are taken care of, and we have the funds available. Waiting for something you want to buy makes you 1) be sure you really want to make that purchase. Sometimes things get crossed off the list before we get around to buying them, and 2) appreciate it so much more. Delayed gratification is indeed a powerful thing.

This week, we pooled some Christmas and birthday money and ordered a new telephoto lens for the camera, something that's been on the list for over a year. I can't wait to get it, try it out, and enjoy it... 100% guilt-free.

Yes, I love lists.

2010 Goals

2010-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

3 days into the New Year, and after sitting down with a pen, paper, and calculator, it didn't take us long to determine where we needed to be headed over the next 12 months.

Our specific goals for the New Year:

1. Begin a monthly savings for our trip east in 2011. We are planning (loosely for now) to take 3 weeks off and drive back east to visit some friends and family in the fall of 2011. It's an ambitious goal, to be sure, but we know the only way we can possibly make it into a reality is to start saving what we can, and start now.

2. Reinstate our 401K savings. With the furloughs, we had to cut back everything we possibly could, and that included the 401K contributions for a short period of time. We knew we could only responsibly do it temporarily, so next month it will go back into effect.

3. Increase our monthly savings for our car expenses. We save every month so that we have the cash available when registration, insurance, and repairs become due. Like many other areas of our budget, it took a reduction because of the furloughs. Next month that will go back up as well.

4. It should go without saying, but we will also continue to snowball towards our target credit card. This year we hope to see a substantial reduction in credit card debt by the end of the year.

We're ready.

2009

2009-12-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

This year we made it through some drastically reduced paychecks, more unexpected medical and dental bills, and a generally lousy economy. So I was more than a little encouraged to see that our total debt still went down

$7609 for the year!

Some things we accomplished this year:

Paid off one of the car loans
Paid off one credit card
Paid off a checking overdraft balance

We are cautiously optimistic moving into the new year, and are looking forward - never back - as we formulate our financial goal for the next 365 days. What that specific goal is, we don't know yet, but when we do know, you'll find it here.

Happy New Year, and have a happy, blessed and prosperous 2010.

Mid December Check-In

2009-12-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

16 days till Christmas! The tree is trimmed, the presents are bought, the plans are made, and the kids are enjoying their annual Advent fun.

Overall, we've done very well sticking to a Christmas budget, and we have no doubts that the kids are going to be thrilled with their gifts on Christmas morning. We've even managed a few surprises this year.

We made it through the first majorly reduced paycheck of the holiday season, and are faring at least as well as we'd hoped for. Mike and I are both looking forward to the New Year, when the furloughs will be over and he'll have a relatively stable employment forecast for the near future.

In another positive bit of financial news - I periodically check our house's value at Zillow It's been like a train wreck for the past two years. I didn't want to look, but I couldn't seem to help myself. So I watched, feeling sick all the while, as it went down down down, often by several thousand dollars a month. The past couple of months the dropping had finally slowed, and when I looked yesterday, it had gone UP by $1000 over the last 30 days! I realize that it's going to take a long time for the market to stabilize, and for it to come up enough to make a difference. But a rise of any sort, now matter how small, feels very, very promising.

November, in short

2009-11-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

I need to do a much more comprehensive blog in the near future, but I couldn't let the night - and the month - draw to a close with at least a quick update. This month, in honor of Thanksgiving, I want to express my thanks for so many things... but specifically on the financial front, I am thankful for Mike selling his truck!! It's allowed us to catch up on bills, even splurge a little, and eased much of the burden of this first month of furloughs. Total debt for November:

Down by 2514.04

October Roundup

2009-10-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

First: Total debt for October - down by $434.66

Second: October was a big month for us, money-wise. Mike sold his 4Runner, and bought a (very cool) 1992 Land Cruiser to replace it. It netted us a fairly significant profit, which enabled us to take care of quite a few things that have been put on the back burner for all too long. It will also allow us to put some extra money to debt next month, and ease some of the burden of the reduced paychecks in November and December.

Our numbers will be a little crazy for the next two months: Next month we'll be making that big payment to our target credit card, and we'll also be putting all our Christmas money to our Amazon credit card (so that we can use it for our shopping and earn our Amazon bucks!) So we'll have a big reduction for November, but will likely show a rise for December. We'll have our last two months of furloughs in November and December as well, so that will also affect both our spending and debt reduction efforts. At the end of December, I'll do a update for the entire year, which I hope will show something encouraging!

Right now, I'm just thankful for how this truck situation panned out, as it removed a great deal of any current financial stress as we move into the holiday season.

Freebies

2009-10-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Dental Floss
Mentromint Water
Toilet Paper
Yogurt
Hand soap
Zone Perfect bar
Frozen pizza
Maruchan Yakisoba meal

All things we got FREE yesterday, thanks to the Grocery Game!

September

2009-10-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

Another month of numbers slowly ticking down, down, down. We had a lot of extra expenses this month (but really, does anyone ever not have a lot of extra expenses?) but we still managed to stay within budget, and make our extra payment to our targeted card. One more month to go until the heavily furloughed months of November and December.

Total debt down by $554

Pleasant Surprises

2009-09-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Spencer got braces on Thursday. Even with insurance covering most of the cost, we were resigned to the fact that 1) this was going to cost us some money, and 2) it was going to increase our debt temporarily.

Everything went smoothly, but the woman putting together the paperwork for the bill took a very long time getting it ready. She was apologetic when she finally presented it to Mike. He looked at it, and having gone over the numbers many times since they'd presented them to us at the last appointment, he noticed that something was wrong. He - politely - reminded her that we'd been told we'd be given a 10% discount for paying upfront in full.

More emphatic apologies as she rushed off to re-do it.

When she returned, she told him that ordinarily the discount was 10%, but that she was going to give him 12% because of her mistake. ! Which meant that our insurance card would cover the entire balance, and our out-of-pocket cost would be ZERO.

Happy Day!

Barring any other unforeseen emergencies, our debt should still come down for the month of September.

Another Blog Recommendation

2009-09-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Mikki for pointing this out to me!

Frugal Confessions

Christmas

2009-09-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Every year, I seem to think about Christmas earlier and earlier. I actually don't like thinking about Christmas this early. Life is always so rush, rush, rush... why would I want to think about Christmas in September?? But alas, necessity and practically have forced me to do so.

We have a savings account for Christmas, but for various reasons it is fairly significantly smaller this year. Which means that once again we need to really plan, be creative, and scale down. And once again, while I would love to make more homemade gifts, I know that it's just not our reality right now. I keep a very tenuous balance, and I know myself well. I would dive headfirst into a dozen handmade Christmas projects, all excitement and enthusiasm.... then I would burn myself out and wind up frustrated, sad and stressed out, which totally defeats the purpose. I have one small idea that I might do, but otherwise I am buying my gifts and feeling good about it.

And in the past couple of weeks, I have made an excellent start! I found a too-good-to-pass up deal on a big present that will be shared by Everett and Tegan mostly, but is something that I suspect the older boys will play with as well. It is currently in the neighbors' garage, until we can figure out a better way to keep it safe and hidden away from curious eyes. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT! Last week, I found something that I know Spencer will love. I'd started looking a few weeks ago, and was more than a little dismayed to find out that it'd been discontinued, and wasn't available anywhere. Ebay to the rescue! Someone was selling one his daughter had gotten as a gift and never opened. I was the first and only bidder, and got it for less than half of its retail price of $80!

So two big things crossed off the list, and it's only mid September.

It won't be easy to stretch our budget as far as we need to stretch it, but I know that we can do it, and I'm excited at the prospect of creating another magical Christmas morning for our kids.

Progress

2009-08-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

I just finished doing the numbers for the month of August, and I don't know if it was the lack of sleep or stress or what, but I truly had no idea where we stood until I finished. So I was very pleasantly surprised when I'd calculated that we'd come down by more than $600! What's more, that's the best month we've had since March! Our total debt actually went up a little bit in April, but we've done progressively better each month since.

May $134
June $365
July $594
and August $635

I don't know what's going going to happen over the next few months, as many things are up in the air. Mike is currently trying to sell his truck, which may or may not net us some extra money if and when a sale goes through and we find a replacement... Spencer's getting his braces next month... There are furloughs coming... There are birthdays, holidays, and baby showers... Halloween costumes and baseball cleats... Time will tell how it all shakes out, but for now I am mightily trying to convince myself to remain cautiously optimistic.

Grocery Game, Take Two

2009-08-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we did a big, stocking-up trip. Today we just bought some necessities and some too-good-to-pass-up deals. We spent $51.99 and saved $69.91 ($12 in coupons, and the rest in sale & store card savings). We saved more than we spent! Last time we saved 47%, and this time it went up to 57%. We got a great deal on rechargable batteries - something that's been on our list forever - at CVS, and got another $8 back for next time.

I'm a happy girl.

Date Night & The Grocery Game

2009-08-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

First, Mike and I went on a date on Saturday... a real live date, just the two of us. It's something we do twice, maybe three times a year, so it is hugely monumental when it happens. We went to the movies to see (500) Days of Summer (a movie that I give two very enthusiastic thumbs up by the way) while the kids played with their grandparents. We ate candy, drank gigantic sodas, and just generally enjoyed a care-free hour and a half. It was guilt-free too, as we paid for the whole thing with survey money! Ideally we should have "play" money built into our budget, but we don't. All our left over money (if we have any) goes towards necessities: new shoes for the kids, birthday presents, car repairs, etc etc. When it's at all possible though, the extra money I bring in is just that - extra- and I am so thankful for it. Sometimes you need a movie - or a pizza or a Jamba Juice - to stay sane. And you just can't put a price on sanity.

Yesterday, we did our big, multi-store grocery shopping trip. We just joined The Grocery Game again, and WOW! We will do better as the weeks go on and we build up more of a coupon base, but our first foray was not bad, not bad at all....

Much of what we got will last a month, some things (such as milk and eggs) will need to be replenished in a week or two. Keep in mind that we are a family of six! We spent $269, and saved $45 in coupons. Total savings with coupons and sales - $239, plus $9 ECBs to spend at CVS on our next trip. It always strikes me as sort of funny the things that make me happy as an adult, but I am so excited to see how well we do next time.

Answered Prayers

2009-08-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Every so often I allow myself a minor freak-out about money. Truth be told, every so often I allow myself a minor freak-out about a lot of things, but money is a common theme.

Last week I had one such freak-out. I was stressed that our paycheck was once again spent before it even hit our checking account, I was stressed that we were coming up short, I was stressed that we have Paxton's birthday coming up and don't have the money for his present, as well as a week-long camping trip that we are committed to but really can't afford. I was stressed knowing that our budget is so tight, and that if we're truly going to pay this debt off, it will only continue to be tight until we've done so. So last week my prayer was for.. well.. money. Just enough to meet our needs so we wouldn't have to rely on a credit card to get through the week. Just enough to ease some of the anxiety. I didn't know where it would come from, but I knew that if I truly trusted that God would provide. And did he ever!

Yesterday the unemployent money - which Mike submitted for a month ago - landed in his account, and it was twice as much as we were hoping for, and more than enough to lift our current burden. AND, on a totally unexpected front, he was able to fix a part in his truck himself, and subsequently canceled the order he'd placed for a replacement. This morning we were refunded the $135 he'd spent.

God answers prayers.

CVS

2009-08-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

We have a CVS right by our house. Living in Phoenix, we have most stores right by our house, but there's a CVS literally 18 seconds away, one block down. We often use CVS to fill our prescriptions, and we'll run there to pick up more Halloween candy or the diapers that we forgot on our regular grocery shopping list. Which is why I have no idea why I didn't know about their reward program until now. If you are like I was, and ignorant as to all that CVS has to offer, allow me to share: CVS has an awesome awards program for their card members!!

Every week in their sales flyer (which I previously ignored, since they weren't on our regular shopping list) they feature several sale items that will earn you ECBs (extra cash back) Some of these allow you to essentially get the item for free - for example last week they had lots of back-to-school items on sale for .99, with .99 ECB. So you pay the .99 now, and get another .99 back to spend next time! These ECBs print like coupons right on the bottom of your receipt. The next time you shop there, you can spend them like cash and earn even more. The idea is to keep rolling them into the next trip, and by taking advantage of the sales and the ECBs, you can shop there for many of your household and grocery items, and literally pay almost nothing out of pocket.

We tried it out for the first time on Saturday. We got 3 boxes of Kashi cereal (on sale 3/$10 with $3 ECB), and 3 12 packs of Coke - which we would have bought for camping anyway (on sale 4/$13 with $5 ECB) 2 good deals, and $8 to spend on our next trip! Cool!! AND, if you combine manufacturers coupons and in-store coupons with the ECB deals, you can save even more, to the point that they're essentially paying YOU to shop there!

Love it.

July

2009-08-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Total debt: DOWN by $594!

Money Saving Mom

2009-07-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm going to post my financial update for the month, but today I just had to share another great blog I found! It's full of money-saving ideas, links, coupons, tips, etc. Check it out.

Money Saving Mom

A Plan

2009-07-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

My husband and I make a good financial team. I like to play around with numbers and come up with creative solutions; he likes to make formulas and spreadsheets in Excel. We've had a working budget in place for awhile now, but yesterday - between the two of us - we came up with an actual debt repayment plan. We tried several scenarios (if we pay X dollars a month, it will take X number of months to pay off the credit cards, then the cars, etc) until we finally came up with one that seems both practical and feasible. We printed it out, and I have it right here in front of me... just looking at it, and seeing the numbers go down, down, down is a motivator in and of itself.

We know very well that even the best laid plans can change, and that God might have something entirely different in mind for us. But..

If there are no surprises, and we are able to continue snowballing our money, we will have everything but the mortgage completely paid off in less than three years. No credit cards, no car payments, no loans. Less than 34 months!! I see a light at the end of tunnel. It's still a ways off, but it's there.

One Down!

2009-07-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Mike's first full paycheck since January. As per our plan after much discussion, I completely paid off one of our smaller debts. It felt GOOD, and gave me the bit of a boost I've been needing. The next bill on our list will, God willing, be paid off in the next three months, then we steel ourselves to just hold steady through the paycut in November and December. Onward, onward, go go go.

Frustrations

2009-07-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

I hate that money is always an issue

I hate that we had to put gas on a credit card today, because we physically have no money left in the checking account until Wednesday

I hate that I need new moisturizer and have to keep putting it off because I don't have the extra money

I hate that moisturizer is just one of many many small things that we need... small things that feel huge because our budget just doesn't have any room for them

I hate that even with Mike's good salary, we have nothing left over - and are in fact usually in the red - after bills are paid and groceries and gas are bought

I hate that we are paying SO MUCH MONEY every month on credit card payments, because of house repairs, medical bills, and poor judgement in the past. I hate that there is nothing we can do about it now but just deal with it and pay for it and try to bring down the balance.

I hate watching everyone around me be so carefree, taking so much for granted. Talking about their iPhones and dinners out, vacations, movies, new clothes and houses and cars. Trips to Starbucks and hairdressers and spas. I hate that it bothers me.

And even as I'm hating those things.....
I know in my heart that we have so much to be thankful for!! I know we are very blessed to have Mike's job. We are blessed to have our health, and to have our home. To have the air in our lungs, and the roof over our heads, and good food on our table. I know that we have way more than we need. I know that we will get through this, and be stronger in the end, and I know that God will provide.

But the frustrations come, and all I can do is let myself feel them. It's exhausting having such conflicting emotions in my head all the time. No wonder I never sleep.

June in Review

2009-06-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Lots to be thankful for today!

First, today was our last reduced paycheck until November!! We made it through the past five months, and overall we didn't do badly at all. In fact, I think we did better than both of us were expecting.

Second thing to be thankful for - I made some money this month. Not a lot of money, mind you, but real money, that I made myself working online. I'm anticipating next month being even better, and I'm excited.

And finally, I am thankful - exceedingly, indescribably thankful - for good health insurance!!! I found out today that my unexpected surgery a few weeks ago was billed at over $16,000. $16,000! And it's not over yet, as I still need - at the very minimum - another CT scan to see what is going on and how and if I need to be treated going forward. This in addition to the 10's of thousands I've already cost with my gall bladder, emergency room visits, and dental work. And the ironic part about it is, I'm healthy! I'm not a unwell person at all... have just had a very odd, unexpected, couple of years health-wise. Very very thankful for good insurance indeed.

Our progress for June: Total debt down by $365.35

Furloughs, Revised Budgets, and Giving

2009-06-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

As is often the case, I spoke a bit too soon in my last post. There will be 6 more furloughs, and Mike's pay will be restored to normal - sort of. We were given three options: Take the reduced pay of the 6 days spread out over the course of another 12 months; take it over the next 6 months; OR get full pay restored now, and take the hit of the furlough days when they fall in November and December (the company will be shutting down for the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas) After weighing all the pros and cons, we chose the latter option. It just gives us the most control. Starting in July, we'll have our full pay again (!) and can 1) bang out some of our smaller debts to get back on track and 2) set some aside each month to prepare for the drastically reduced pay the end of the year. After the holidays, it's behind us, and we can move forward into the new year without having to worry about furloughs.

Planning for the next six months meant once again re-working our monthly budget. I enjoy doing it, in an admittedly somewhat obsessive way. Despite the availability of the internet, the computer, and a million different spreadsheet and budget programs, I will always feel most comfortable doing it the old fashioned way - with a pen and paper. I have been doing it that way for so long, it is now in the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" category, and will forever be my preferred method. For the past few weeks I have crunched, re-crunched, and crunched again, until I finally came up with a good workable budget that should get us through to the new year.

One of the things that we really had to take a good look at was our charitable giving. The question of how and what to give has been weighing on me a lot the past few months as things have gotten more and more tight financially. I have to say, I love to give. Deciding who or what we're going to anonymously give to at Christmas time is one of my favorite parts of Christmas shopping. And giving has always been part of our monthly budget, no matter how large or small. Lately though, it has felt.... off. I don't know any other way to put it. It just hasn't felt like we've been heading in the right direction.

The Bible is very clear that we should give, especially to the poor and to those spreading the word of God - although I think it's worth mentioning that the practice of tithing 10% was an OLD testament command that was not carried over into the new law. Another thing the bible is very clear about? NOT HAVING DEBT! Should we be giving to the detriment of our own financial health? If we give first, and then end up having to use a credit card just to feed our own family, is anyone really benefiting? Should we be giving money that isn't really ours to give in the first place? Is it like the oxygen mask on an airplane? We need to put ours on before we can help someone else?

It's important to give, no question. And we'll always have that portion of our budget set aside for just that. (It is small right now, but I so look forward to it growing!) Right now though, this month, we need to get back on our feet. We need to give to ourselves.

Back in the saddle again...

2009-06-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

I am so, so happy to report - after a stressful recent post, and a stressful month for that matter - that I have good financial news!

As of July 1st, Mike's pay is going to be restored almost to normal!! After weeks of waiting and wondering what the verdict was going to be, he found out on Friday that they are going to be going from 2 furlough days/month, to just 6 days ammortized over the next year. Which means... just a half a day a month, and a quarter of a day per pay period. If he couldn't get his entire salary back, this was the next best thing.

As I said in my last few posts, the past couple of months have been difficult. We've dug ourselves a depressing little hole, but we now have the resources we need to once again begin climbing our way out. It's going to take a couple of paychecks to gather our bearings, reclaim our equilibrium, and get back on track, but I have faith that we can do it.

Onward and upward into the summer we go.

Unexpected Expenses

2009-06-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sigh.

This is why you have an emergency fund. We don't have an emergency fund, haven't had one for a few years now. It's on the list of things to reinstate if/when the furloughs go away, but until then, all of our money goes to living expenses and debt.

Our hot water heater blew up on Saturday, leaving our garage temporarily flooded. We have a home warranty (very THANKFUL for the home warranty) and most repairs and replacements are only $50. They guy came today, and in addition to the $50, there was a $45 fee to dispose of the old one, and $90 in parts and labor to replace the valves. Another $185 that we don't have, another $185 further from our goal. Ack! It really does start to feel like a merry-go-round, but without the fun, colorful horses to sit on. I want to get off.

Good News & Bad News

2009-05-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

Good news - Our total debt went down, however slightly, by $134 for the month of May

Bad news - Our credit card debt went UP, by more than a couple hundred dollars. The reduced pay is catching up with us, and we're finding it harder and harder to keep up with everything. Everything is current, but we're struggling.

Good news - Thanks to Mike's new health reimbursement plan, the several hundred dollars we would have had to pay this month in dentist bills, copays, and prescriptions were 100% covered.

Bad news - The fact that we needed that much medical coverage in the first place!! It has been a horrible month for sicknesses, and we're praying for a calmer - and healthier - June.

Surveys (again)

2009-05-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

OK, this is the last time! I started one more section of my survey site, a blog, to give updates on new sites I've added, cool offers I've gotten, new things I've learned, etc. Which means that from here forward I'll take all survey talk over there, and keep this blog as it was intended - about money and debt :)

Here's the link to the survey blog, and I've added the link to the whole site on the right.

Survey Blog

Looking forward

2009-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

April was an incredibly stressful month finance-wise, in so very many ways. I'm glad tomorrow marks the start of May, a new month. That's all.

This number is not entirely accurate, as I never reflected the money we had to spend on new tires back in March... so I added it in this month to get myself caught up on the spreadsheet.

Total debt in April: Up by 310.30

Survey Site

2009-04-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

My little weekend project! I completed my survey website, and it is now online. Check it out if you want help making some extra money online (or if you just want to admire my hard work :-D):

Best Free Survey Sites

Payday Musings and Survey Stuff

2009-04-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

I paid the bills this week. I pay them twice a month: on the 15th and on the last day of the month. I know a lot of people who are stressed out when it comes time to pay the bills, and I can understand the feeling of having too much month left at the end of the money.

But I kind of like paying bills. I always have. I remember when I was first married and I told my mom that I enjoyed it. She laughed and said "You'll get over it." I had a whole ritual... I'd get out the checkbook, a beverage and a calculator. I'd get comfortable and I'd make a little ceremony out of it. I'd turn something that could be drudgery into practicing the proverbial art of seeing the glass as half full. No matter how little we had, we had something to be thankful for! We were able to pay for housing, for electricity and cable and telephones. We were getting it done. Now, 16 years later, things have changed a bit. I pay 99% of our bills online, and rarely need to fill out any checks. But the feelings of gratitude have stayed the same, and mom, I still enjoy the process. :)

I'm thinking of it now because this has been a difficult, difficult month in terms of money. A lot of new expenses... some expected, some not-so-expected. Our credit cards, previously tucked safely into our wallets, have once again come out to play. Most of it was paid off with this last check, but a portion of it was not. Not a good month, and it's only half over!

Still, we're paying our bills and pushing on through. Just like 16 years ago, we're getting it done. We'll do it.

Finally, a couple of months ago I posted a blog about taking surveys, and shared some of my tips. I've increased my survey taking - and subsequent money-making - tenfold since then, as well as signed up at more than a dozen more great sites. I decided to give it a little more attention than I can give in just a blog, so I've been working on a website (yay!) It will have a list of links of my favorite sites, my tips, and FAQs for your perusal. I'll be posting the link very soon.

March Update and our Bounty of Produce

2009-03-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

Aren't they beautiful fruits and vegetables? I wish I could say that we grew them ourselves, as I have been wanting to do a garden for the longest time, but this just isn't going to be the year. We did however, get them from a wonderful local food co-op for a great price. $30 for around $70 worth of fresh, delicious produce. And none of those awful plastic bags from the grocery store either! The kids have been especially enjoying the mangoes, peaches, and strawberries, and are looking forward to seeing what's in next week's basket.

On the debt front, March was another good month. Total debt is down over $700, and that is with Mike's furloughs still in full effect! When we first heard he was going to be getting such a substantial paycut, we were just hoping to be able to make ends meet. Debt repayment was the furthest thing from our mind... our hope was simply that it would not increase. The fact that we're making ends meet AND still paying down our debt?? A visible reminder of the grace of God.

Frustrations and Epiphanies

2009-03-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

I've been stressed about money. Incredibly stressed. Stressed, frustrated, and sad (especially when it comes to having to tell the kids we can't do xyz because we don't have the money for it) I realized the other day that this is possibly the most stressed I've ever been about money, which made no sense to me. Our money situation has been much more dire than it is now. There was a point in time that we were bringing in half as much money, and had twice as much debt. That was a stressful time, to be sure, but I still don't remember feeling it, really FEELING it, quite as acutely as I do now.

So what's different this time?

For one thing, while many in the country are in our same boat, most in our own immediate circle are not. I'm watching as everyone around me plans trips, goes to museums, goes to the movies, goes out to eat. It is difficult to see day after day, when none of those things are in our immediate future. I'm not proud of feeling bothered by this... I know that what others do is none of my business. But the feeling is there, no matter how distasteful it may be.

More than that though, is the fact that perhaps for the first time since we've been married, we are truly living within our means, and are therefore intimately aware of every penny that comes in and goes out. We are living it and feeling it and not burying our heads in the sand. With the exception of my unexpected ER trip in early February, we have not used a credit card for any purpose since the beginning of the year.

We have never been a family that's been terribly into "stuff." We don't buy the fancy cars, expensive clothes, nice furniture. But we have in the past been known to reach for those credit cards... to go out to eat, because we "deserve it". To take a vacation, because it's been such a long time. To buy something for the house or the kids or each other, just because we wanted to. We always found a way to justify it, to turn it into a "need." Did we have the money to pay that bill at the end of the month? Who knew? Who cared? We were living like true Americans. Buy now, worry about it later.

Well, "later" is now. Now we pay for past mistakes. Now we live the way we should have been living all along. Now if we don't have the money, we don't spend it. Simple. And it IS frustrating at times, and it IS stressful. But I've realized that even more than being frustrating and stressful, it is freeing! This is the way it is supposed to be. I like knowing that when we buy something, we're using hard earned cash and making it a thoughtful, planned purchase. I like knowing when I pay the bills every month that we are being responsible, and that we are blessed to have the extras - internet, satellite TV, cell phones, etc - that are so so easy to take for granted. I like knowing that we're living simply, and I like knowing that we're still finding new ways to do so.

I like knowing that if we keep doing what we're doing that we will eventually be debt free, and out from under the burden that so many people consider to be an inevitable part of life.

It's officially chic to be cheap

2009-03-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

Saw this on CNN, and thought it was a good read. I was happy to see it indeed, as lately I've been frustrated by people around me who are continuing to talk up their lavish spending. It's encouraging to know that society at large is beginning to "get it."

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>
By Lisa Respers France
CNN

(CNN) -- Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt is the first to admit that she likes nice things.
Stylist Philip Pelusi has offered his clients bargains and hosted two designers' shows to help them save money.

Stylist Philip Pelusi has offered his clients bargains and hosted two designers' shows to help them save money.

But these days when she passes the new upscale shopping area en route to her Chevy Chase, Maryland, office, she refuses to even glance at the lavish goodies.

"There's a Ralph Lauren store, a Louis Vuitton store, Tiffany's," said the attorney and principal of The Ghatt Law Group. "I drive by and I don't even look in that direction."

With the economy in shambles and so many people losing their jobs and homes, it is no longer considered cool to brag about possessions and purchases.

For many during a deepening recession, conspicuous consumption is out and frugality is the new black.

"People have long used the way they shop and what they buy as a way to communicate with other people about their values, their tastes and their interests," said Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist and professor at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California.

"A year ago, what was considered the ultimate status symbol would have been the chicest bag or the most luxurious outfit," Yarrow added. "Now what's chic is being the most knowledgeable and efficient at saving money."

Yarrow said that despite the tough economic times, there are many Americans who still have disposable income.

Those people are choosing not to spend, she said, or making more thoughtful purchases.

"What I am saying is that we have moved from an era of conspicuous consumption to an era of considered consumption," Yarrow said. "People at one time wanted to showcase all of the things they are buying and now they are stopping and really thinking about it."

Brett Wright, co-founder and chief creative officer of Uptown Magazine, is also seeing evidence of that attitude shift. iReport.com: What adjustments are you making to your budget?

His publication is targeted at what he terms the "triple A's" -- affluent African-Americans and those who want to be.

Wright said he is seeing consumption of big ticket items being put on hold or done more discreetly.

"Buying the new red Ferrari is certainly not in favor," Wright said. "Everybody is trying to do things sort of under the radar screen. No one is looking to be as ostentatious as they may have been in the past."

Consumers are looking for value for their spending, Wright said, and focusing on "How do you live like a king without having to spend a king's ransom?"

To that end, Wright and his staff are brainstorming ways to address the change in spending habits in their publication.

"We don't believe that luxury lifestyle has gone away," Wright said. "We're looking at maybe not having the $250,000 watch, but a great watch you can get for perhaps $7,500."

Renowned hairstylist and salon owner Philip Pelusi said he, too, has seen the focus shift to more bang for the buck during the economic downturn.

Pelusi said clients are opting for money-saving tactics like extending time between visits, partial highlights or getting services on "training nights" for the salon, which can trim their bill up to 60 percent.

"We are doing everything we can to accommodate the clients," said Pelusi, whose Tela Design Studio in Manhattan has only seen a slight decrease in business.

Pelusi is also reaching out to others in the industry who are looking to economize.

Two designers, Susan Cianciolo and "Project Runway" finalist Jillian Lewis, opted to forgo staging more expensive shows and used Pelusi's design studio during Fashion Week for their presentations.

Marilani Huling is a Washington-based jewelry designer who said she has reduced prices on her creations to cater to her clientele.

Huling said that during the recent "Crystal Couture" event in Virginia, one of the most popular presenters during the two-week fashion festival was Goodwill Industries.

"Goodwill had stylists put together things off their racks and put them on the runway models," Huling said. "I was surprised, because everything really looked good."

HLN consumer advocate Clark Howard said a new term is "in-sourcing" instead of "out-sourcing."

"People had their collection of 'Mys,' " Howard said. "My massage therapist, my yard person, my hairdresser. Now people are really stepping back from that and saying 'If I cut my own lawn, I'm going to have that $60 in my pocket.' "

Howard said he has noticed from listeners to his popular call-in radio show that even those who really don't need to cut back are still choosing to do so. That didn't happen, he said, during the last deep recession from 1979 to 1982.

Howard said he attributes the rush to downsize in part to the 24-hour news cycle, which continues to pepper the public with bad news.

"People didn't have access to the constant drumbeat of news that they have now," he said.

With so much personal spending being tied to emotion, Howard said consumers are being much more cautious while they ride out the economic turmoil and are taking comfort in being able to score good deals.

Ghatt posted unabashedly on Twitter when she spotted a pair of Cole Hahn shoes originally priced at $180 going for $20 at Marshalls.

When a friend expressed his surprise that she would go public with shopping at a discount store, she had a quick comeback.

"I tweeted and said 'Don't you know that bargain divas are in style now?' " Ghatt said, laughing.

February in Review

2009-02-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I spent most of the month of January thinking that it was February. So when February really did come around, it felt exceptionally long, especially for the shortest month of the year! It was a good month though, financially speaking, something I was not expecting. Last month we found out that Mike was among the many people who would have to take take 10 unpaid furlough days over the next five months, resulting in a temporary 10% pay cut. Perhaps I was a little more cryptic, and dramatic, than I needed to be when I posted about it, but it was difficult news to swallow. Yes, we're extremely fortunate that so far he won't need to be laid off. And yes, it could have been so much worse than 10%! But when you're living paycheck to paycheck, and using every last penny of those paychecks just to get basic needs met.. 10% feels enormous, and at times insurmountable. I allowed myself to feel extraordinarily frustrated for a good part of the last month... and then I moved on.

We got our tax return and used it as carefully and deliberately as we possibly could. We paid off some outstanding bills, got our Wii repaired (an $85 fix that we'd been waiting on since December), and paid a portion to our lowest balance credit card. Once that was all taken care of, it was on to the task at hand: adjusting our budget to accommodate the 10% decrease in pay. I have to laugh when I read or hear most tips on stretching your dollar - things like bringing your own coffee to work instead of going to Starbucks, getting your hair cut every 10 weeks instead of 6, going out to eat just once a month. Etc. We are way, way beyond that. We never go to Starbucks, never EVER go to hair salons, and "going out to eat" consists of infrequent $5 Hot N Ready pizzas from Little Caesars. We don't go out to the movies (one of my favorite things) save but once or twice a year. We conserve water, conserve electricity, don't shop for clothes - or anything, really - unless it is a necessity. I thought our budget was just about as stripped down as we could get it, but we've managed to strip it even further. I'm strangely proud of the progress we've made on our groceries.

Just a few short months ago we were spending upwards of $800 a month on groceries. As of this month, we have cut that in half (without compromising the quality or quantity of the food we eat) We've been shopping the sales, clipping coupons, utilizing our Dollar Tree and Grocery Outlet, and only shopping twice a month instead of weekly. It's become a sort of game, and I have to say that as exhausting as it is to shop 6 different stores on one Saturday - just for a few weeks of groceries - the prize is worth the effort.

All told, we ended up shaving 2473.83 off our total debt for the month of February, and are feeling cautiously optimistic about March. On Mike's next payday, we will already be one third of the way through the furloughs.

Another way to save money

2009-02-26T16:28:00.000-08:00

My latest discovery!

My Homeschool Rewards is a program that sells gift cards - for everything, from gas and groceries to your favorite restaurants, clothing stores, book stores and toy stores. If you're a homeschooling family, you can register for an account (it's free to sign up) and you receive cash back on every purchase that you make, as well as purchases that others make on your behalf. You can use the gift cards on yourself for your everyday purchases, or give them as gifts. If you're not a homeschooling family, you can still buy all your gift cards there, and the cash back based on your purchases will go to the homeschool family of your choosing. We tried it out for the first time this week, and I was amazed at how simple it was. We ordered a gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods to get Paxton some cleats, a Chevron card for gas, and an Amazon card to get Bibles for the boys. The shipping was FAST (2 or 3 days), and our account already reflects our $1.50 cash back. Cool! Best of all, they only accept electronic checks as payment, so we had to have the cash on hand to buy them. No temptation to use a credit card and go further into debt.

Talking About Money

2009-02-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

I read a Debt Support message board. It's refreshing to hear other women's stories, no matter where they are on their journeys. I love that people are sharing where they've been, where they're going, and where they never hope to be again. A lot of that sharing is of ideas, concepts, and inspiration, but a lot of it is cold, hard numbers as well. Yesterday there was a post from a new member, who introduced herself and then said that she couldn't share any numbers, because she'd shared something before, and got "scolded" by a family member for giving away sensitive information online. I think that's interesting.

Talking about debt is a sensitive subject, and before I started this blog, I asked Mike how he felt about it. (He, as I suspected, didn't care in the least) Sensitive or not, I'm not ashamed of our debt. It is what it is. I would be ashamed however if I shared other kinds of financial information that other people quite freely share, not because the numbers are too high or too low, but because there's a time and a place, and all too often the line of good taste is crossed. It's kind of ironic to me that people will talk (ie: brag) about how much money they make, how much they spend on their house and their cars and their "toys", but talking about their debt is too personal. I was at a party - in a roomful of people - and someone was talking about his first post-college job that he'd just started. He then proceeded to tell the room the exact amount of his salary and his signing bonus. That to me is the kind of sharing that you just don't do in polite conversation. I'm never impressed with high salaries anyway, because it's such a small small piece of someone's financial picture... not the whole story. And what does it matter anyway? Would you think more highly of me if I said we brought home 90K a year? What if I said we brought home 30K, but we owned our house and our cars outright? What if it was actually 150K, but we owed 70K on credit cards? (None of those are real, by the way)

Who cares how much money someone makes? What do they do with it? Do they waste it? Do they use it to help others? Do they live within their means? Are they trying to keep up with the neighbors? Do they think "the guy with the most stuff wins"?

I guess I'm unusual in that I like to - politely - talk about money. I do. I never would have started this blog otherwise. Sometimes I'll share specifics, and sometimes I won't. But as long as I feel that I've shared honestly, and humbly, and remembered that at the end of the day money doesn't matter, I'll be happy.

A Setback

2009-01-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Monday night I went to bed feeling pretty good. Mike had just filed our taxes, and I was looking forward to getting our fairly sizable return, most of which was earmarked to go towards debt. Then Tuesday came, and brought with it some financial news that will hugely alter our course, at least for the next 6 months. Debt repayment will be taking a back seat to staying afloat. We're not unique in this, and I understand that. And we're surely better off than we could be. The amount of cutbacks and layoffs and foreclosures out there is truly staggering. Still, it was difficult to process. In just one evening I went from sad, to mad, to scared... and back to sad again.

But onward we go. Yesterday was also National Chocolate Cake Day, and I was wanting to make a chocolate cake after dinner. But suddenly celebrating didn't seem like such a great idea. At 7:00 I decided that cake was exactly what we needed, so Spencer and I went to the store for a cake mix and frosting, and all three boys helped me make it while we waited for dinner to cook. We had a nice dinner, watched American Idol together, and at 9:00 we had our cake. And ate it too.

:)

The best laid plans...

2009-01-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

So I'd decided to get a job. I was sure, I was resolved, I was peaceful. All the things you want to be when making a big change like that. But ... always the but ... it didn't sit well in my heart. The very night I'd made the decision, I couldn't sleep. The following night I started having nightmares. I felt uneasy and unsettled from the time I got up till the time I went to bed. Yes, the money would have been helpful. Yes, I could have made it work if I had to. But God was telling me loud and clear that the timing wasn't right, so I listened.

Then what to do? We can't keep going the way we are headed, especially with the state of the current ecomony. We're fortunate in that we're not falling further behind - I know a lot of people are right now - by we're not exactly making progress either. Our progress is slow, essentially one step forward, two steps back. We're spinning our wheels. How do we change that without my taking a job, which would mean time away from my husband and babies?

We take a deep breath in, and tighten our belts another 2, 7, 10 notches. Every dollar we can save is another dollar knocked off our debt.

Mike just started taking the train to work, which not only benefits the environment but also saves us over $100 a month (closer to $200 when the gas prices rise again!) We just started grocery shopping once a month, instead of weekly, and on our first go we saved $100 by shopping the sales at several different stores and stocking up. We're going to start coupon clipping again, and seeing if we can do even better in February. I'm starting to check my survey mail daily again, after taking a few months off, and have around $100 coming to me next month. I also did a major purge of my movie collection, and currently have over 100 movies listed on Ebay. It's something I'd been saying I'd do for awhile now, and was finally ready. Next, I'll do my books!

I feel good and positive moving into the new year, and I feel relieved that - at least for now - our plans do not include my getting a job.

The Grocery Outlet

2009-01-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

A benefit of insomnia!! The other night I couldn't sleep and was watching a news program in the wee hours. The piece was about salvage grocery stores, where you can buy groceries at a significant discount because of damaged packaging, overstocks, etc. While I didn't find one of those in the near vicinity, I did find The Grocery Outlet nearby. We checked it out this weekend, and will definitely be going back! They carry all the same brands as our regular grocery store, but at a much better price. Not everything was a bargain - it took careful shopping, and knowing what the normal prices should be - but we found some absolute steals. We just bought a handful of things (we'd already done a full shopping trip the day before) and spent $21.00. We totalled it up when we got home, and the same items would have been $35+ at our regular store. Awesome. I can't wait to see what a full trip looks like!

New Year, New Plans

2009-01-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

We just ushered in the new year, and with it came a renewed determination to get ourselves back on track. I did December's numbers yesterday (which included doing the final numbers for the entire year), and while things certainly could have been much worse, we did not end the year on a high note. But rather than wasting even a second dwelling on that, we are taking action. Today.

I really want to move into a bigger house, and in order for that to become a reality a few things need to happen. The market needs to improve, we need to pay off our credit cards and cars, and we need to pay down our second mortgage. Now I unfortunately have no control over the market, but I can make changes to more quickly pay down the debt. So with the goal of a new house in mind, I am going to get a part time job. I don't NEED to get a job, and for that I am eternally thankful. We are able to pay our bills, keep a roof over our heads, and food on our table without it. But do we want to spend 5, 10, 15 or more years paying on debt that we could pay off in two if we get aggressive about it? No.

Today we put it all down on paper - our budget, our short-term goals, our long-term goals. For 2009, a few simple (but important) things are changing. We're setting up an automatic contribution for church so that isn't something that goes by the wayside when things are tight. We're reinstating our savings for gifts and car expenses. We're bumping up our credit card payments again. Step one though is finding me that job...

Two weeks till Christmas..

2008-12-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

and we've managed to stay under budget! Shopping is done, boxes are piled high, and we are just waiting on more ordered present to arrive. The only part of the plan that I did not carry out - so far - was the Christmas cards. I went ahead and ordered Christmas cards like I always do. There were many reasons that I caved on this, but I think the biggest one was that the thought of not doing them just plain made me sad. And there are enough things to be sad about without adding something as silly as Christmas cards to the list! The cards, like the rest of our Christmas shopping, were paid for with cash, and we incrued NO new debt this season.

This week is Mike's company Christmas party, and we will be going for the first time. Afterwards, we're going on a real, honest-to-goodness *date*, to a movie and everything. We never go on kid-less dates... partly because of money, partly because of our busy schedule, partly because we LIKE hanging out with our kids. But this week we are, and it'll be paid for by yours truly, with money I earned taking surveys. All the more sweet.

November's Numbers

2008-11-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

Celebrate with me:

Total debt: DOWN by $790.67
CC debt: DOWN by $209.06
House and cars: DOWN by $513.85

Yay!

Simple Christmas

2008-11-21T16:19:00.001-08:00

Simple Christmas. It's the name of the current series at church, and I love it for its... simplicity. This year, I'm more excited about Christmas than I've ever been, and it's in no small part due to the fact that we are slowing down, scaling back, and remembering the true meaning of the holiday. The wonderful thing about it is that not only does shifting our Christmas practices improve our focus and help protect the environment, but it saves money as well! We put money into savings all year long for Christmas, and this is the first year that not only have we not gone over (and subsquently added to our debt) but have actually come up under budget!

Some main points of our new and improved - and SIMPLE - Christmas:

1) Gifts -

Santa is guilty of going overboard on gifts to the kids in the past. While it's fun in theory, it's also excessive, wasteful, and overwhelming. This year each child is getting just a few carefully chosen gifts that we know they will love. We drew names with the adults this year, so we get to have the fun of shopping without the added pressure and expense of trying to include everyone. We always give to someone less fortunate each year too, and this year I'm thankful that we have more money to do so than in seasons' past. We are going through World Vision this year, and because of corporate sponsors, each monetary gift is multiplied 14 times. They offer a lot of ideas to help people in other countries, but we wanted to stick closer to home. A gift of $100 buys $1400 worth of necessities for a needy family right here in the United States.

I wish I had the time to make homemade gifts for friends and loved ones, and it's still something I aspire to do in the future. For now, I'm happy with the changes we've made.

2) Wrapping -

This year, we aren't buying ANY wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, or gift tags. We are using what we have in the house! Leftovers from last year, decorated pillow cases, cut up sheets, construction paper, pretty magazine pictures. We'll be creative :-)

3) Christmas cards -

This was one of the hardest for me. We have sent out a photo Christmas card every year since Spencer's first Christmas, and this year we are cutting it out. Our list has grown exponentially, and there's just no way to justify the expense of the postage and cards and envelopes (and the trees! All those trees!) to send to that many people. Instead, I'm going to create an online... something... with Christmas pictures, music, and a slideshow as our Christmas greeting this year. I can easily send out the link to all our friends and family, and no trees have to suffer. :) I'll still make a couple of prints of my favorite picture, to give to the people who really look forward to them every year.

4) The tree -

We have an artificial tree. Before this tree, we had a hand-me-down artificial tree, and before that we always bought a real tree. From a monetary standpoint, the best choice is to use what you have. For the environment, the best choice would be a potted tree, that you could actually plant when you were done using it. Artificial trees, since they're not biodegradable, aren't the best choice. But since we have one, we'll continue to use and enjoy it for many years, before we pass it on to someone else.

5) The party -

We always have a houseful on Christmas day, which I love!! We also always go through a ridiculous amount of paper plates, cups, plasticware, and napkins. This year we're using REAL plates, real cups, real silverware, and if I can scrounge enough up, real napkins.

I wish you all a joyful - and simple - holiday season this year!!

October's numbers

2008-11-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

Just keeping accountable. Like I said in my last entry, October was not a good month. And the final week only continued that trend. Here's where we ended up...

Total debt: Up by $991.49
CC debt: Up by $1544.46
House and cars: Down by $592.94

I'm ready for a new month.

One step forward, two steps back

2008-10-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Since this was intended to be a blog about the ups and downs of our journey, I feel like I'd be remiss not to report that October hasn't been a good month for us. There was still a lot of month left at the end of the money.

On October 9th we made the difficult but necessary decision to have Ally, our 14 year old lab, put to sleep. Getting a bill for something that emotionally devastating is a strange thing... very different than getting a bill for say, a car repair. The money didn't matter at the time. In fact it was several days later that I finally looked at the statement. Mike had taken care of it when we got there, and I never even asked what it had cost. Now, nearly two weeks later, I'm trying not to think about that day... trying to think about the good times... and here's this bill that needs to be paid, regardless of the feelings that surround it.

The day after we said goodbye to Ally, we immediately shifted gears (the best we could) and welcomed some good friends who were visiting from New York. Quite the opposite of the money we owed the vet, the money we spent when they were here was all fun money. We went out to eat numerous times. We went to the movies. We went to the zoo. And while it was all worth it - except, perhaps, the Chihuahua movie - it was a LOT of money to spend over the course of four days, and it took more than a nibble out of our budget.

On a more positive note, we started going to a new church about six weeks ago. Every month they start a new series, and this month the topic is... MONEY! I always knew that the bible had a lot to say on the subject, but I've never heard it broken down so succintly. The first week was our attitude about money, and this most recent week was, appropriately enough, debt. Most of what the pastor said was not new to me, but it always helps to hear a new perspective from a good speaker. And I was happy to hear that despite the little roadbump that was the month of October, we are still on track and doing what we need to do.

Truck Update and Free Stuff

2008-10-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

Last night, Mike came home from work, changed his clothes, and headed straight outside to investigate the problem with his truck. One hour later he came back inside and pronounced it fixed. One hour of his time, and not a penny out our pocket. YAY! What could have been a financial crisis turned out to be an easy - and free - fix.

And speaking of things that are free... If you're a mom, and not signed up with this site, you need to do it now. It's a company that reviews new toys, books, clothes, equipment, etc for kids. There is no cost to become a reviewer, and you get lots of cool stuff to review (and keep) a few times a year. I love it! I've received products 3 times now, and each time has been better than the last. Most recently I've gotten over $300 worth of cool stuff, and because they match the products they send to your profile, it's all appropriate for your own unique family situation. The reviews are easy to do, and when you're done you get a check in the mail in addition to keeping all the products!

To apply to become a reviewer, just send an email to reviewers@iparentingmediaawards.com I get nothing for referring people by the way. Just spreading the word! : )

You know how I know?

2008-10-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

From Scott Noelle's Daily Groove. I got this in my inbox this morning, and thought it was a timely and appropriate reminder, especially with today's ecomony the way it is!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
:: Do You Know How I Know...? ::

There's a scene in the comedy movie "The 40-Year-Old
Virgin" where two men get into a back-and-forth
exchange of insults, each beginning with "You know
how I know you're gay?"

While I'm not inclined to re-enact the homophobic
banter, the scene inspired me and my wife to use the
back-and-forth format in a positive, playful way...

One day, when we were stressed about money, we
deliberately shifted from scarcity to prosperity
thinking by asking each other repeatedly:

"Do you know how I know we're rich?"

Each time, we sifted through our current life
experience for evidence of abundance and answered...

* Because we have two wonderful children.
* Because we have plenty of good food.
* Because we have supportive friends.

Soon our kids caught wind of the fun and joined the
game enthusiastically...

* Because we can play all day.
* Because we all love each other.
* Because... Because... Because...

Soon we were all *feeling* rich, and the ebb in our
cash flow didn't seem like such a big problem anymore!

So... How do you know YOU'RE rich? :-)

http://dailygroove.net/how-i-know

Feel free to forward this message to your friends!
(Please include this paragraph and everything above.)
Copyright (c) 2008 by Scott Noelle

Sigh

2008-10-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is why you need savings!! Once upon a time we had savings in place for emergencies, car needs, etc. Now we do not.

This morning, Mike went out to leave for work and put his keys in the ignition. The car chimed twice like normal, then just died. He checked the battery and it was fine. It's not the starter or the alternator either. But the car is getting no power, and he is stumped. So we have no idea what could be wrong, but we're thinking it can't be good for us and our debt repayment efforts.

Suze Orman on Oprah

2008-09-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

I don't watch Oprah very often, but I always try to catch it when Suze Orman is on. She talked about the current financial situation in the country, as well as individual problems and issues with money. I love how honest she is, how she will call people on their bad financial decisions, in a no-holds-barred kind of way. She read the riot act to one couple with 90,000 in credit card debt, who were trying to justify to her how they could still afford their house even though they were $2000 in the hole every month. She talks a lot about the spiritual side of money problems too, and how ALL of our attitudes and behaviors in life can be reflected in our money situations. She always reminds me of the connection between clutter and debt, and inspires me to get rid of the clutter in our own house. Again. So this weekend, we're doing just that, and tackling one of my least favorite jobs - cleaning out the kids' toy room. We're going in armed with lots of trash bags.

Here's the link to highlights of her appearance on Oprah

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20080918_tows_suze/1

Earning Money Online (or, Every Little Bit Helps)

2008-09-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I saw one of those ads for making money at home by doing online surveys. This particular ad was for a site that charged a one-time fee - around $30 - for a list of sites. I decided I didn't need to pay any money for this information, and looked around on my own for free survey sites. I did in fact find some, signed myself up... and promptly gave up when nothing materialized.

Earlier this year, I saw another similar ad and thought I would give it another go. This time I decided to treat it like my own little research project. Again I didn't pay any money, instead searching for free lists of sites that paid for surveys. That in itself was a lengthy process, I'm not going to lie. Once I had a good list going, I signed up for them one by one, taking careful notes in a notebook that I used just for that purpose. I jotted down my login information, how they paid, what kinds of online activities they paid for, and what (if anything) I actually earned from them. When all was said and done, I'd signed up at over 60 sites, and still occasionally sign up for more when I hear of them.

So how many ended up being good, legitimate sites? I have around 10 that I deal with regularly, and another 10 that are great, paying sites, if a little more sporadic. The rest of the 40+ other sites... a complete and total waste of time. I've posted the links to the keepers if you want to check them out for yourselves. They are ALL free to join, and I've received paychecks or Pay Pal payments from all of them (from some of them regularly.) They won't make you rich by any means, but are great for spending money or extra cash to pay down debt!

Here's my very own top five tips for making money through surveys, learned through the old-fashioned process of trial and error;

1. Create an email address (yahoo, hotmail, or gmail are all free) just for surveys and survey-related emails. Sign up with that email, and check it every day. You will get a LOT of email. What I do when I check my mail is first delete any spam, check the highest-paying offers next, then quickly scan everything that's left, one by one. Sometimes I have to pick and choose if time's an issue.

2. Don't discount the sites that offer surveys for points instead of cash. When I first started doing them, I was ignoring the emails that didn't list a dollar amount. I wasted a lot of potential money that way! Opinion Outpost, Global Opinion Panels (Synovate), and Creation Rewards are just a few great sites that award you points that you can then redeem for cash.

3. Make sure you do all your screening surveys and profile questionaires when you sign up. A lot of them pay you just for filling them out, and they make you eligible to receive more surveys.

4. Keep a spreadsheet of your sites to keep track of your earnings, when you're eligible to cash out, etc. Also, make a list of sites to visit daily, whether you received emails from them or not. Some sites simply send you email invitations when they have surveys available. Clear Voice, My View, Your 2 Cents, Mindfield, and Survey Spot are a few of my favorites that send email invites. Some never send emails, but always have surveys available on their sites. At Cash Crate you can do two a day for $.80 each. Quick Rewards lists over $2.50 in surveys daily. Creation Rewards, Send Earnings and Inbox Dollars all also post daily surveys. They add up!

5. Don't limit yourself to surveys. A lot of these sites pay for reading emails, viewing ads, sign-ups, taking quizzes, and shopping. I've done product evaluations for more than one site too. They send me something to try, and I answer a follow-up survey. Those are fun and pay well too! Right before I started this blog entry, I got paid $1.30 to sign up for a Home Depot club (completely free of course) and take a quiz on how well I knew my Grey's Anatomy trivia :)

And a bonus number 6.... ASK someone, such as yours truly, if something is confusing. I wish I'd had someone to ask when I was blindly signing up for my 78th useless site.

Phone Calls and Balance Transfers

2008-09-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I married the man I married. And sometimes I'm really glad I married the man I married. At the risk of sounding completely cheesy, he really does complete me. Together we're one smoothly running, unified team instead of two separate halves of a whole.

Case in point:

A week ago, I got an $800 dental bill in the mail. My first inclination when I get dental bills is to whine and cry about it (at least figuratively) then stick them up in the mail holder, and eventually suck it up and get them paid. Now we don't actually HAVE $800 just lying around - if we did, there would be no need for this blog - so it would have gone on a credit card. I never doubted we owed it though. I've had a lot of dental work done lately. A lot, a lot. And those root canals and crowns aren't cheap. So I'd pretty much resigned myself to an $800 step backwards in our debt repayment efforts. But then my groom came home, took one look at the bill, and said "We don't owe this. We already paid our portion." The next day he made some phone calls, the insurance was re-billed, and we suddenly don't owe $800 anymore!

It works both ways too. Just a few days after the bill from the dentist, we got one of those balance transfer offers in the mail. I generally just ignore those, shred them up and throw them out. I opened that one though, and read it carefully. It was an offer from a current card, NOT an offer for a new card, and the interest rate for transfers was much lower than that of our smaller balances cards. I read the fine print, and I read the fine fine print (so important), and we decided to go ahead and pay off and transfer the balances from two of our cards. I have to stop right here and say that we never would have done it if we weren't well aware of the two major caveats of such a transfer: 1) we won't use the paid off cards again, and 2) we won't make any late payments! The lower interest is in effect for the life of the balance transferred, and since we aren't spread over 3 cards anymore, that means that even making the same exact total payment every month our debt will come down faster. Awesome.

The Grocery Cunundrum

2008-09-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

There are a countless number of ways to cut back costs in the monthly budget, but I'm finding that groceries (if you want to eat healthfully, and especially if you have a family of 6) are fairly inflexible. We're going to spend a certain amount on groceries no matter what. I admittedly make it even harder when it comes to groceries, because there are certain things that I won't compromise on. I won't buy eggs unless they're cage free. I won't buy milk unless it's organic. I won't buy bread unless it's 100% whole wheat.. you see where this is going. We could certainly save money buying the cheaper milk and the cheaper eggs, and we could certainly save money serving the kids Oodles of Noodles and canned vegetables. Some things are worth spending more on. We clipped coupons for awhile, but eventually had to admit that it wasn't saving us any money. The coupons are for brands we don't use, things we didn't need to be buying anyway, or just plain junk.

Still, we've been slightly shaving down the bill over the last few weeks. We're back to eating 99.9% vegetarian again (we compromised on turkey sausages to go with our Saturday morning breakfast), and we're trying to be creative and actually use what's in our pantry. We bought a big bag of rice and have been making beans and rice dishes again, or tossing it with stir-fried or steamed vegetables. Cheap, easy, and at least marginally healthy.

If we could just figure out a way to keep the dog from stealing food (a $5.00 bag of cereal yesterday!) we'd be in pretty good shape.

The Law of Attraction

2008-09-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

The law of attraction basically says that like attracts like. Whatever you think about, whatever energy you give off - be it positive or negative - is returned to you. This concept applies to all aspects of life, including health, relationships, money, career. It's mentioned numerous times in the Bible, and there are countless books on the subject. The Secret is arguably one of the most well-known, but there are many many others.

I'm thinking about it now because I have been watching it manifest itself in my own life over the past few days. I decided to do something about our financial situation, and I announced it to the world (well, maybe not the world, but to my half dozen readers) I believed things would change. Tuesday I got an unexpected $3.00 check in the mail from one of my survey sites. Later that day Fed Ex came with a package, a product for me to test and review (for pay) for yet another survey site. Yesterday, our swim teacher had an unavoidable appointment and had to cancel our lesson, saving us another week of fees. And when we got the mail? An out-of-the-blue $250 check from an insurance error in our favor... from Everett's hospital stay 15 MONTHS ago.

Call it coincidence if you'd like. I choose to believe, and I cannot wait to see what God and the universe have in store for us next.

There IS such thing as a free lunch

2008-09-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last night Mike and I went to a Diamondbacks game (to watch them lose, as it turned out) and it didn't cost us a dime. We had awesome seats, free parking, and plenty of food. Mike had won the tickets in a trivia contest at work, so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go. They came with a free parking pass too, for the parking garage right across the street. We thoroughly enjoyed the night out, the game... and our overpriced pizza and hotdogs and soft pretzels, all paid for with money we'd gotten selling some stuff on Craigslist. It was a great night, made even better by the knowledge that we didn't go further into debt to do it.

And so as not to shatter my illusion of perfection, I'm pretending we didn't drive our gas-guzzling SUV to get there.

The End of an Era

2008-09-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

I cancelled my TV Guide subscription yesterday. I cancelled my People subscription too, but that wasn't nearly as traumatic. I have been a TV Guide subscriber since 1992, ever since I got married and realized what a necessity it was. Now, 15 years later, I say goodbye to my friend TV Guide. I have to admit that I don't need it in this day and age of the internet, and the $80 renewal would just mean less money for scouts and baseball and art supplies and car payments, and well, food! Ditto for the $115 People renewal. Yesterday, I cancelled my magazines. Today, I start saving money.

We were in debt before - lots of it - to the tune of 40K+ in credit cards alone. I'm not proud of that, but I'm not ashamed of it either. It was what it was. Being under that much debt is like living under a dark cloud, the weight of which is enormous and indescribable. That fear is always there, that fear of "What if Mike loses his job? What if someone gets sick? What if there's an accident? What if something happens to the house?" The what-ifs were terrifying. Making the changes necessary to pay it all off was terrifying too, but we did it. Three years ago we moved to Arizona completely debt free, the weight on our shoulders gone.

Two years ago, we bought and remodeled a house, fully intending to live in it for a year then flip it for a profit. Of course as everyone well knows, God had other plans, and the market changed - NOT in our favor. That was the start of our new debt. Then the "what-ifs" we'd feared before started to happen one by one. I needed my wisdom teeth pulled, Spencer had eye surgery and oral surgery, Everett spent 3 days in the hospital with a stomach virus. And then the pregnancy! No less than half a dozen ER visits, the birth, and a 5 day hospital stay 3 months later to remove my gall bladder. After that it was back to the dentist for me, for two root canals and two crowns and counting. The debt ticked up, up, up.

So here we are, no worse for the wear, with a few less teeth and no gall bladder.... and a beautiful baby girl who was worth every second of it. I am thankful that we're in much better shape financially than we were the first time, and I'm thankful that Mike's job, while boring at times, puts food on the table and clothes on our back. I'm thankful that we're in this together, and that I'm not married to someone who feels the need to "keep up with the Joneses."

But it's time to ditch the debt. All the time, I hear people say "I'm debt-free except for the mortgage and car payments." I want to be debt-free, period, with no qualifiers. I want to get off the merry-go-round and get out from ALL the payments. Today, right now, on September 1st, we have $324,564.07 in debt. That includes our two mortgages, our cars, and our credit cards. I share the number because 1) it makes it real, and 2) it keeps me accountable. It's going to go down, and I'm going to document the journey.