Rosie, my first rule of gettting out of debt, is not to spend any money on books to tell me how to do it!
If you call your library and ask, they'll order it for you from another library. Free. And they can order you movies too. Took me years to find this out.
Does everyone here know about GPT sites? I know that's not what this thread is about, but I was getting desperate last month and tried it after reading some threads here on Mothering. It reminds me of years ago, (When most of YOU were unborn yet, or tiny babies ) and women would rebate and triple coupon and get their groceries for free AND $25 -50 bucks. Cash. THen they changed how coupons worked.
A few years ago, well probably 5 or 6, I 'Pricelined' my groceries. I bid on what i'd pay for everything, got my price and took my card to teh grocery store. It was like an ATM card. I got incredible prices.
This is gfrom your home computer. YOu Get Paid To...take surveys, sign up for free trials, or things liek a month of Blockbuster online (That cost 10.49 for 30 days, and I got $30 for it.) I don't want to take over this thread with it, but if anyone wants to know more, they can PM me. I made $366, without ever going out, and didn't feel overworked. THere are threads here on MDC about it, in FInding Your Tribe, I think. I spent some time searching for reputable sites, so don't hesitate to ask if you're looking to make money.
It's been a tricky few months....okay, it's been a tricky year.
But 2 weeks ago, some guy rear-ended the woman behind my DH, who rear-ended DH, who...well, you get the idea. DH was unhurt, but his car was totalled.
He wanted to buy a new (used) one, right away. I stalled and we got a rental for 30 days, which is under insurance. And ten I was freaking out! A car payment this winter will kill us! DH is due to be laid off anytime from christmas on. His car, a 1995 Honda with 270,000 miles on it wasn't worth anything , except to us. (New tires, brakes, gauranteed for life exhaust system, etc) It was to be the twins in the spring, so we were fisxing it up. Figured they'd get another year fulltime out of it, and then whoever was home from school woudl have it.
GOne. And if DH got his car, they were going ot have to just save up for their own. Then I had a brainstorm. Take the ins money, every penny any of the 4 of us could raise, and buy a car for cash plus, if necessary, $1000 loan. Buy a car for dh to use for the next month or so. Twins work and pay us back teh ins money, ($1000 loan, i'd pay for). THen in the spring, we use the money they pay back, plus every cent we can find, to put on a down payment for DH.
That gives me 5 months to convince HIM that he wants a car that costs as much as we've saved!
CAN I DO IT?! Can I put together (Oh this osunds so impossible)$5000? THe girls are hard workers, on has a job, the other wants her license first (2 weeks)and they'll pay up, so it's only $2000.
I WILL! Today, dh took back $12 bottles and cans. He picked them up at work, or around the neighborhood he was working on. THe guys at work all give them to him. (He gives them to the kids who return them for special projects...Like dd needing stuff for college, new clothes, anything their saving for. Usually he gets about $50 - $100 a month!)
WEll, this is long-winded, but ti was thoughts of a rather sad holiday, with few gifts and needing a car that got me to try GPT. So it all ties together. And I think it willl be a short-lived thing. Possibly a few years and then it will peter out, so I'm using it to patch things together. But $366 will put a big feast together, and a few fun gifts for everyone. And I'll still be able to make my CC payment on time.
No using those cards to buy gifts!!!! Make 'em (Theres a thread about that....I can find it if you need it. Lots of easy ideas), regift, bake, sell stuff on E-bay! If you think you can't do anything...start a thread. I'll come and give you ideas. Be a holiday helper. Offer to bake for people, put up a sign. (I did that years ago) Babysit a few evenings after your dh gets home. Have a sleepover weekend for kids,
: starts after dinner, you provide a few games, a snack, movies and the atmosphere. Bake cookies. String some crepe paper. Make a fun breakfast. Charge $50 a kid. Make it really fun, you can make a bunch. Even a sign saying you'll address Christmas cards, and mail them would probably work! Maybe $.10 a card? (pls postage)
A sign at the end of your driveway will get more response than you'd think...and I live 2 miles down a back, dirt road in a town of 900. But a sign sells eggs, pork and houseplants. (Divide that giant aloe, pot those baby spiders and sell them for $5.00 each! )
Ok, back to our regularly scheduled thread.
Jennbee, the first time I sat down and added up ours, I put my head on the table and cried. How overwhelming. Doing this (Snowballing) is really ahving an effect. I've paid off two, cut a third in half, and only have one more after that. And for the first time ever my dh (of 21 years) understands and is in on it with me! It will get better!
Congratualtions to everyone who's paying things off. YIPPEE!
The main thing is that we did not pay with our cc!
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