Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Living Debt Free Pt. 2
So hubby and I decided to get married. We went off to Sedona, Arizona and had a very private ceremony. Then we traveled around the Southwest seeing the sites. When we got back home and was completely moved in and free of my apartment, we had the "discussion" about my debts. I had been paying minimums on my loans since they were automatically deducted from my paycheck. It was the credit card debt that I was so so embarrassed to share. It wasn't super outrageous. I had roughly $6000 in credit card debt, plus my car loan and the furniture/debt consolidation loan. I can't remember exactly how much I owed on the loans.
Without even know what we were doing, we started paying things off. After all we were DINK's now (Double Income, No Kids. We were really starting to make a dent in things. I can't remember the EXACT order of things... Mommy brain and all. lol
My hubby listens to a lot of talk radio. He started listening to Dave Ramsey's show on the radio. He insisted we sit down and figure out a budget, then make some envelopes for each budget item and put cash into them from each paycheck. We quickly paid off all the credit card debt and my loans. We were left with just our mortgage. During this time, I was laid off. Big bummer. I was happy to be without the headache of my job, but oh so disappointed that it would take us that much longer to pay off the mortgage. Especially since we had agreed that we would pay it off completely before moving... so glad we didn't also agree to waiting on kids til then.
I was never able to find a job... this was back in 2001. I didn't really want a job and just wanted a break from working. I looked and didn't really find anything. Shortly after being pink slipped, we found ourselves unexpectedly pregnant. Talk about a game changer. Well, I ended up losing the baby. It got us thinking though about purposefully starting a family. We upgraded the cavalier to a camry. We ended up taking out a home equity line of credit to pay for it. So that pushed the mortgage up. Which also meant it would take longer to pay off the mortgage. BTW our mortgage was about $55,000 at that time on a starter house.
I'll pick up Pt. 3 with the next chapter of our life... KIDS! And how we had to adjust to one income with an increasing family size.
Without even know what we were doing, we started paying things off. After all we were DINK's now (Double Income, No Kids. We were really starting to make a dent in things. I can't remember the EXACT order of things... Mommy brain and all. lol
My hubby listens to a lot of talk radio. He started listening to Dave Ramsey's show on the radio. He insisted we sit down and figure out a budget, then make some envelopes for each budget item and put cash into them from each paycheck. We quickly paid off all the credit card debt and my loans. We were left with just our mortgage. During this time, I was laid off. Big bummer. I was happy to be without the headache of my job, but oh so disappointed that it would take us that much longer to pay off the mortgage. Especially since we had agreed that we would pay it off completely before moving... so glad we didn't also agree to waiting on kids til then.
I was never able to find a job... this was back in 2001. I didn't really want a job and just wanted a break from working. I looked and didn't really find anything. Shortly after being pink slipped, we found ourselves unexpectedly pregnant. Talk about a game changer. Well, I ended up losing the baby. It got us thinking though about purposefully starting a family. We upgraded the cavalier to a camry. We ended up taking out a home equity line of credit to pay for it. So that pushed the mortgage up. Which also meant it would take longer to pay off the mortgage. BTW our mortgage was about $55,000 at that time on a starter house.
I'll pick up Pt. 3 with the next chapter of our life... KIDS! And how we had to adjust to one income with an increasing family size.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Living Debt Free Pt. 1
So I have never really understood how different my family is. We became debt free from everything in 2006, so I've just gotten used to the idea. That doesn't mean free from bills, just we don't owe anyone anything. So it gave me the idea that I could write about it and maybe somebody could find inspiration, tips, or something from my story. So I'm going to start at the only logical place and that is at the beginning.
My debt story starts where it starts for a lot of people. COLLEGE! I started college in the fall of 1993 having no idea how to pay for it. I had won a small $1000 scholarship but that wouldn't come close to covering the cost of a 4 year university. A friend I worked with told me about this payment plan option through a 3rd party company. It was awesome. I made monthly payments so I didn't have to take out a loan. Not sure why I was so averse to taking out a student loan, but I'm glad I was! It was interest free as long as I paid on time. Which I did. I lived at home and I worked 20 hours a week. So I thought I was doing okay.
One day I found an ad on a bulletin board for a student credit card from Citi Bank. The ad was pretty compelling and let's face it, I really wanted a credit card. It talked about building up your credit score etc. I was sold. I filled out the application and was soon sent my very own card. I was responsible with it at first, but it quickly turns into a slippery slope. This was the start, the moment, of my debt filled life.
During my Senior Year of college I got a job that increased my pay by quite a bit. I convinced myself that I now made enough to get a brand new car. Not just a new to me car, but a BRAND NEW car. I wanted a black Cavalier. It was a stick shift, cd player, CUP HOLDERS. I had an escort. It had a million miles on it. It had served me well, but I was ready for an upgrade... and a sporty one at that. So the payments were right at my limit of what I could afford, but I went ahead with it. I had the payments conveniently worked out so they automatically came out of my checking account. I was still living at home, so things were still going okay.
Now my dad had convinced me to join a couple of network marketing companies. The first one was a huge failure, and also a huge lesson moneywise. So I was super reluctant to join the second one. I finally did and it was great! I loved the products and I even managed to make a little bit of money with it. I then graduated from college and joined the salaried work force as an entry level programmer. So I was making pretty okay money.
Shortly after graduation, I moved out. My dad found a place for me that was pretty cheap and I was ready to move out on my own. It was after I moved out of that cheap rent place to an apartment that was quite a bit more per month that things really started to spiral out of control. I got a couple of store credit cards and somewhere along the line I decided it would be great to get another regular credit card. I also got a loan to pay for new furniture and to pay off some of my already accumulated debt. I had convinced myself that I deserved all those things. Anything less would mean that I was poor and I can't have anyone thinking that about me.
So things began to get worse and worse. The credit card balances weren't moving even though I was paying more than minimums. There were a couple of months I had to use credit cards to pay for groceries. I was still spending like crazy and not even on hugely expensive items. I didn't even own a computer at that time. I didn't understand how families could survive on less of a yearly salary than I was making. A single person! I just had a hard time saying no. Credit cards were easy money. I went to a few conventions for the network marketing company I was involved with and other trainings. I over-bought products, clothes, etc. I was getting into a bad spot. I even opened up a third credit card account.
THEN, hubby and I decided to get married. He had no idea about how much debt I had. He only had his mortgage. No credit cards and no other loans. Opposites attract! lol
Next up I'll start to cover our plan of attack becoming debt free.
My debt story starts where it starts for a lot of people. COLLEGE! I started college in the fall of 1993 having no idea how to pay for it. I had won a small $1000 scholarship but that wouldn't come close to covering the cost of a 4 year university. A friend I worked with told me about this payment plan option through a 3rd party company. It was awesome. I made monthly payments so I didn't have to take out a loan. Not sure why I was so averse to taking out a student loan, but I'm glad I was! It was interest free as long as I paid on time. Which I did. I lived at home and I worked 20 hours a week. So I thought I was doing okay.
One day I found an ad on a bulletin board for a student credit card from Citi Bank. The ad was pretty compelling and let's face it, I really wanted a credit card. It talked about building up your credit score etc. I was sold. I filled out the application and was soon sent my very own card. I was responsible with it at first, but it quickly turns into a slippery slope. This was the start, the moment, of my debt filled life.
During my Senior Year of college I got a job that increased my pay by quite a bit. I convinced myself that I now made enough to get a brand new car. Not just a new to me car, but a BRAND NEW car. I wanted a black Cavalier. It was a stick shift, cd player, CUP HOLDERS. I had an escort. It had a million miles on it. It had served me well, but I was ready for an upgrade... and a sporty one at that. So the payments were right at my limit of what I could afford, but I went ahead with it. I had the payments conveniently worked out so they automatically came out of my checking account. I was still living at home, so things were still going okay.
Now my dad had convinced me to join a couple of network marketing companies. The first one was a huge failure, and also a huge lesson moneywise. So I was super reluctant to join the second one. I finally did and it was great! I loved the products and I even managed to make a little bit of money with it. I then graduated from college and joined the salaried work force as an entry level programmer. So I was making pretty okay money.
Shortly after graduation, I moved out. My dad found a place for me that was pretty cheap and I was ready to move out on my own. It was after I moved out of that cheap rent place to an apartment that was quite a bit more per month that things really started to spiral out of control. I got a couple of store credit cards and somewhere along the line I decided it would be great to get another regular credit card. I also got a loan to pay for new furniture and to pay off some of my already accumulated debt. I had convinced myself that I deserved all those things. Anything less would mean that I was poor and I can't have anyone thinking that about me.
So things began to get worse and worse. The credit card balances weren't moving even though I was paying more than minimums. There were a couple of months I had to use credit cards to pay for groceries. I was still spending like crazy and not even on hugely expensive items. I didn't even own a computer at that time. I didn't understand how families could survive on less of a yearly salary than I was making. A single person! I just had a hard time saying no. Credit cards were easy money. I went to a few conventions for the network marketing company I was involved with and other trainings. I over-bought products, clothes, etc. I was getting into a bad spot. I even opened up a third credit card account.
THEN, hubby and I decided to get married. He had no idea about how much debt I had. He only had his mortgage. No credit cards and no other loans. Opposites attract! lol
Next up I'll start to cover our plan of attack becoming debt free.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
In the land of the living
Now that I'm officially fever free for 22 hours... only 2 hours shy of 24, I think I can return to the land of the living. I am still weak and tired and not really sure I want to return yet. At least not until I've had my nap. But duty calls. The cupboards are bare and well the natives need something to eat before they turn on me. What better time to gather up food than when they are at school. I get to give other moms "that look" as they shop with baby or toddler in tow. Little do they know it's really a look of sympathy and not a look of "OMG control that little heathen".
I've kept up on most household chores while sick. But mostly just the putting things away jobs. Which I can safely supervise from the couch while snuggled up in a blanket. Major cleaning needs to commence soon so we don't end up with another "man down". As long as hubby doesn't get sick we'll be alright. Seems that men just don't handle being sick.
Maybe now that my brain is slowly starting to function beyond sleep mode, I will have more in depth topics to talk about.
I've kept up on most household chores while sick. But mostly just the putting things away jobs. Which I can safely supervise from the couch while snuggled up in a blanket. Major cleaning needs to commence soon so we don't end up with another "man down". As long as hubby doesn't get sick we'll be alright. Seems that men just don't handle being sick.
Maybe now that my brain is slowly starting to function beyond sleep mode, I will have more in depth topics to talk about.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
No sick days for mom
I haven't been seriously ill in years. The last time I had the flu I was 18 and once I got over it, I was then sick for two straight months with doctors trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Finally after many tests, they came up with a diagnosis of Crohns disease. The very next day I landed myself in the hospital for two weeks on a liquid diet, 20 pounds lighter, had a feeding tube inserted into my chest, and missed my high school graduation. Talk about a bummer. But that was all before kids and I still had my mom to take care of me. That's another story for another time.
Flash Forward too many years than I care to count. Time for the flu round 2. At least according to my symptoms it is allegedly the flu. It hits me hard on Friday afternoon. Body aches all over the place, fever, coughing, fatigue. You name it. I can still function, but anything beyond turning the channel on the TV is a bit much. Let alone trying to figure out what to feed two kids who aren't old enough to make their own dinner. And since we now have an operational wood stove I have to keep stoking the fire and adding wood. Since I'm freezing my butt off with chills I get the temp. up to 75 degrees. Oh and did I mention I had to bring more wood inside at least twice......
Saturday roles around and hubby takes B to his cub scout hike. They are gone all morning, leaving me alone with Grainerd. Taking care of one child with a very active imagination is pretty easy. She just plays with baby dolls while mommy sleeps... or tries to. B's cub scout shirt was dirty so I had to do the kids' laundry. The floor needed to be swept, dishwasher emptied, things put away... and you guessed it, more wood brought in. If I don't do it then who will? and to what standards? Oh, and did I mention that hubby just had to go out and hunt later in the afternoon? leaving me with two kids to take care of and feed dinner to. He's great about taking over when I'm sick, but give me a break. We won't starve if you don't get that elusive deer.
Sunday comes around and I get out of bed feeling great! That feeling is fleeting and within an hour or two of waking I'm feverish again and all I want to do is sleep. At least the body aches have gone away. Since I didn't get to hubby's laundry on Friday or Saturday, I feel I must get his done so he has clean underwear.
Monday shows it's darling face. Hubby is working on a special project at work so he is working 1st shift. Which means that mom has to get B and Grainerd ready for school. Getting B on the bus is no big deal. But Grainerd I have to drive to school. Which also means I need to at least look presentable. We get on the road and I'm sure that I'm not fit to drive but we are already at least halfway there, so I press on. I sleep while she's at school until it's time to pick her up. Maybe I'm a bad mom because I took her to school when I was sick. But she wasn't so why should she suffer. I take the easy way out for lunch and run through the BK drive thru. At least she wanted apples instead of french fries. Still had to make dinner for the family since hubby who normally does the cooking doesn't get home until 4:30 and we are having chili.
So here we are at Tuesday. I'm still tired but at least there is no fever... yet. And we aren't talking a high fever either. Only like 99.5 but it knocks me out for the count. I'm left wondering how kids can still act "normal" when their fever is 101 and sometimes higher? My kids seem to do okay until it hits 102.
I've also been trying to quarantine myself this whole time hoping that nobody else in my family gets sick. Time will tell if that works. So far so good. At least this time around with the flu things seem to be pretty mild.
Flash Forward too many years than I care to count. Time for the flu round 2. At least according to my symptoms it is allegedly the flu. It hits me hard on Friday afternoon. Body aches all over the place, fever, coughing, fatigue. You name it. I can still function, but anything beyond turning the channel on the TV is a bit much. Let alone trying to figure out what to feed two kids who aren't old enough to make their own dinner. And since we now have an operational wood stove I have to keep stoking the fire and adding wood. Since I'm freezing my butt off with chills I get the temp. up to 75 degrees. Oh and did I mention I had to bring more wood inside at least twice......
Saturday roles around and hubby takes B to his cub scout hike. They are gone all morning, leaving me alone with Grainerd. Taking care of one child with a very active imagination is pretty easy. She just plays with baby dolls while mommy sleeps... or tries to. B's cub scout shirt was dirty so I had to do the kids' laundry. The floor needed to be swept, dishwasher emptied, things put away... and you guessed it, more wood brought in. If I don't do it then who will? and to what standards? Oh, and did I mention that hubby just had to go out and hunt later in the afternoon? leaving me with two kids to take care of and feed dinner to. He's great about taking over when I'm sick, but give me a break. We won't starve if you don't get that elusive deer.
Sunday comes around and I get out of bed feeling great! That feeling is fleeting and within an hour or two of waking I'm feverish again and all I want to do is sleep. At least the body aches have gone away. Since I didn't get to hubby's laundry on Friday or Saturday, I feel I must get his done so he has clean underwear.
Monday shows it's darling face. Hubby is working on a special project at work so he is working 1st shift. Which means that mom has to get B and Grainerd ready for school. Getting B on the bus is no big deal. But Grainerd I have to drive to school. Which also means I need to at least look presentable. We get on the road and I'm sure that I'm not fit to drive but we are already at least halfway there, so I press on. I sleep while she's at school until it's time to pick her up. Maybe I'm a bad mom because I took her to school when I was sick. But she wasn't so why should she suffer. I take the easy way out for lunch and run through the BK drive thru. At least she wanted apples instead of french fries. Still had to make dinner for the family since hubby who normally does the cooking doesn't get home until 4:30 and we are having chili.
So here we are at Tuesday. I'm still tired but at least there is no fever... yet. And we aren't talking a high fever either. Only like 99.5 but it knocks me out for the count. I'm left wondering how kids can still act "normal" when their fever is 101 and sometimes higher? My kids seem to do okay until it hits 102.
I've also been trying to quarantine myself this whole time hoping that nobody else in my family gets sick. Time will tell if that works. So far so good. At least this time around with the flu things seem to be pretty mild.
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