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Getting Out of Debt, March 2010 - Page 3

post #41 of 123
3/5/10 at 2:08pm
Belia- I totally know what you mean. It's not as satisfying as actually cutting back in your budget and putting that money towards debt. It's like you didn't have to sacrifice to get there so what lesson did you learn? I'm there with ya.

In other news, we just found out that the prevailing wage that DP would be getting at his job all summer will be paid to them in 401K benefits. WHAT???? Apparently that is legal. So I guess I won't be counting on that money for like, 30 YEARS or so. But at least I can now stop putting our own money into the 401k so that will help, although not nearly enough. It would be at least $1,000 a month. And when the boss was asked why, one of the reasons was that they didn't want people getting used to big paychecks and then when the job is over, go back down to regular wage. So DP is all offended that the company is treating them like irresponsible kids. As if they can't handle and increase and then decrease in money. Anyway, I'm really POed cause I was planning on using that money to finish paying off the debts.

/rant over

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post #42 of 123
3/5/10 at 5:32pm
As of March 8, my CC debt will have a 2 in front of it, instead of a 3! I'm happy.

We had an expensive fall necessitating plane tickets for a funeral and then an uplanned trip for Thanksgiving. And then, really I charged too much at Christmas. I think I last saw the 2 in the early fall - then all hell broke loose. I'm chipping away at it in $20s and $50s whenever there is leftover money at the end of my paycheck. This paycheck I committed a chunk of money to get the debt to something with a 2 in front of it. I *should* be OK, but I think it means I'll be paying the tax preparer out of next paycheck.
post #43 of 123
3/5/10 at 8:02pm
This thread has been very encouraging. I'm really trying to sock "extra" money away towards our FFEF but it is sooo hard. Expenses keep coming up and we are on such a tight budget. We have no car payments but I am scared that our cars are going to start needing tires, matience, etc as they are getting more miles on them. I am still trying to convince DH that no we DO NOT need a CC "just for emergencies". Any ideas?
Here is how we finished BS#2:
We paid off our cars using our tax returns every year. It took 4 years. Plus, we sold our house and we paid off of the rest that we owed on our cars. This resulte din a little less of a down payment on our new house (though we did put 20% down). My rational was that we couldn't afford to double out mortgage and pay a car payment. It was smart short term at least. We got married young and don't have student loans (DH'd company reimburses him and he is working on his degree). We try to just live within our means and it is really hard. I just keep reminding myself that the new outfit or whatever is not worth being stressed about money. It is still a struggle though. It's really hard to be a parent and not want your kids to have the cutest clothes/toys/hairbows/etc.
Sorry to unload I just don't know many people who "get" why we live the way we do.
Keep up the good work ladies!
post #44 of 123
3/5/10 at 10:04pm
I paid off my 2 cc's- total 3800. So now I will be working on the Heloc- close to 9000. then on to the car- 12000. I am so relieved to have those darn cc's gone.
post #45 of 123
3/5/10 at 10:31pm
Pic sharing, take II!

http://eirualspics.shutterfly.com/
post #46 of 123
3/5/10 at 10:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by eirual View Post
I love that idea, I should probably do something like that. I'm definitely a very visual person!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deir View Post
I paid off my 2 cc's- total 3800. So now I will be working on the Heloc- close to 9000. then on to the car- 12000. I am so relieved to have those darn cc's gone.
Congrats!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellien C View Post
As of March 8, my CC debt will have a 2 in front of it, instead of a 3! I'm happy.

We had an expensive fall necessitating plane tickets for a funeral and then an uplanned trip for Thanksgiving. And then, really I charged too much at Christmas. I think I last saw the 2 in the early fall - then all hell broke loose. I'm chipping away at it in $20s and $50s whenever there is leftover money at the end of my paycheck. This paycheck I committed a chunk of money to get the debt to something with a 2 in front of it. I *should* be OK, but I think it means I'll be paying the tax preparer out of next paycheck.
Wooohooo, that is a great milestone to achieve.
post #47 of 123
3/5/10 at 10:38pm
I'm late to the party. We are on Babystep 2. As of last month, we have paid off over $28,000 in credit card debt. We're all done with what was on CCC. We still have debts. A lot actually-- medical bills from the miscarriage last year, property taxes, a Lowes card, student loans, and a car payment. But this means we have $524 a month to throw at those debts. So yay!

We are celebrating by going out to dinner tomorrow... but we'll be paying cash and I have a coupon.
post #48 of 123
3/5/10 at 10:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
We are on Babystep 2. As of last month, we have paid off over $28,000 in credit card debt.
Holy cannoli! That's huge! Well done!
post #49 of 123
3/5/10 at 11:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deir View Post
I paid off my 2 cc's- total 3800. So now I will be working on the Heloc- close to 9000. then on to the car- 12000. I am so relieved to have those darn cc's gone.
WOO HOO! Good job
post #50 of 123
3/5/10 at 11:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
I'm late to the party. We are on Babystep 2. As of last month, we have paid off over $28,000 in credit card debt.
Wow. How long did it take?
post #51 of 123
3/5/10 at 11:34pm
annettemarie - yay for the dinner out - w/a coupon!!

So my iPhone crashed and went *boom* - out of warranty and not eligible for an upgrade. This is going to be a huge decision for me. I have my entire life managed through that phone. I have no clue what I'm going to do...
post #52 of 123
3/5/10 at 11:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leav97 View Post
Wow. How long did it take?
It took over 5 years, BUT we were going through Consumer Credit Counseling and didn't do Dave Ramsey stuff until last November. We probably could have dumped it quicker if we had been following FPU principles.
post #53 of 123
3/5/10 at 11:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyTwoAs View Post
annettemarie - yay for the dinner out - w/a coupon!!

So my iPhone crashed and went *boom* - out of warranty and not eligible for an upgrade. This is going to be a huge decision for me. I have my entire life managed through that phone. I have no clue what I'm going to do...
Oh no! I'd google anything you can for any hope of a cheap sol'n. Other than that....I wish you luck! They certainly are handy buggers!
post #54 of 123
3/6/10 at 6:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyTwoAs View Post
annettemarie - yay for the dinner out - w/a coupon!!

So my iPhone crashed and went *boom* - out of warranty and not eligible for an upgrade. This is going to be a huge decision for me. I have my entire life managed through that phone. I have no clue what I'm going to do...
Would an i-pod (without that expensive dataplan) be an option for you? I'd really like an I-phone but it's not in the cards right now. We're thinking about an I-pod touch but it's also not at the top of the list!
post #55 of 123
3/6/10 at 8:03pm
I have to say that Apple customer service is exemplary! I found out that I could replace my phone via Apple's "out of warranty service" plan for $199 - this would be our March blow money (husband offered to 'donate' his to the cause hehe). Not cheap but not the $599 that AT&T wanted because I wasn't eligible for an upgrade. I went to the store and the guy confirmed that the phone suffered a hardware failure. He swaps out my SIM card and gives me a new phone and says "Since it is only 17 days out of warranty, the phone is in excellent shape, and it was obviously out of your control I went ahead and waived the fee."

Wow!!! I was so unbelievably excited I could barely contain myself. I didn't realize how much I relied on the phone to keep track of all of the kids' specialists (both are considered special needs), all of my coursework (I graduate in May), my clients, etc. It is also my primary business phone number.

So I'm back up and running...for FREE. The iPhone backs up all of the data, pictures, settings, etc to the computer when it syncs so I just had to come home, plug it in, and *poof* - all of my data is on the new phone.
post #56 of 123
3/6/10 at 9:20pm
that is amazing customer service.
post #57 of 123
3/6/10 at 9:38pm
That is fabulous!
post #58 of 123
3/6/10 at 9:43pm
ARGH!!!! I just found out the my DH (and the D doesn't stand for D) hasn't been paying social security because he "couldn't figure out how." In his defense, he apparently tried to pay it one year and they kept sending it back. I'm really scared and angry and annoyed that tax law for the clergy is so freaking impossible to understand.

I think there's a small chance he could file an exemption to opt out of SS altogether, but I don't know if that's an acceptable solution to all this or not. He has a pension and we would certainly have time to tweak all that before retirement, right?
post #59 of 123
3/6/10 at 10:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
ARGH!!!! I just found out the my DH (and the D doesn't stand for D) hasn't been paying social security because he "couldn't figure out how." In his defense, he apparently tried to pay it one year and they kept sending it back. I'm really scared and angry and annoyed that tax law for the clergy is so freaking impossible to understand.

I think there's a small chance he could file an exemption to opt out of SS altogether, but I don't know if that's an acceptable solution to all this or not. He has a pension and we would certainly have time to tweak all that before retirement, right?
Are the SS taxes part of the self-employment tax or is it something different for clergy?
post #60 of 123
3/6/10 at 10:48pm
I don't know. Clergy counts as self-employment for some things and not for others. They have to save their own SS and send it in with income taxes. I'm really hoping that if he goes in, fesses up, and pleads ineptitude and ignorance, they'll work with us on a payment plan. Or they'll miraculously be a way to opt out, which might be a terrible idea, I don't know.

Would it be terribly wrong until we get this year's tax refund back and allocated to go into the SS office though? We really cannot afford to lose this year's tax refund. We need it to pay property taxes, medical bills, replenish our emergency fund from the washer we just had to buy and to get some plumbing work done so we don't have sewage backing up into our basement anymore.

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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Frugality & Finances › Getting Out of Debt, March 2010