G.O.O.D (getting out of debt) October thread

[newmainer]

We're almost a week into the month, so I thought i would start the new one, with good news-

i just sold a book on amazon for $100! Granted, with amazon's cut, i only make $85, but its going to pay for my banner/advertising for my wahm business, which will hopefully generate more money, all of the profits of which go to our debt. I am soooooooo :D.

if you're wondering what the book was... a hardback, good condition copy of The Beatles recording sessions of Abbey Road. When I was in high school, i was a Beatles freak (actually, more like junior high) and got this as a gift. i don't think i ever read it, and apparently, you can't get the hardcover editions any more.So glad i saved it! that's the kind of thing that one might just send to goodwill!

[kerc]

WOW! I'm certain I don't have any books worth 100 bucks.

We just finished our basement remodel. Ok so it isn't quite done, but close enough that we decided to move furniture back in and let dh set up his desk. Anyhow, we have three rather tall bookshelves to put back up and put the books back onto. We'll be culling all the books that we no longer "need" or imagine using at any time in the near future. Amazon.com, I figure. Although I hate the steep commission, I like that there's no charge for listing them.

[Peppermint]

Oh ladies I need support :(

I am having a BAD day instead of a GOOD one :crying

I went to pay bills today, I knew I was a little late in getting to some, but as my usual way goes, I thought I had enough time. I found that one of my CCs had payment due date of the 3rd, and 2 others were today, with yet another due on Thursday. The one I was already late on, well, I jsut am sending it in, too late to do anything about that. The 2 due today and the one on Thursday, I had to call and make "speed payments" on, which is a charge of $14.95 (a piece) to make sure it posts by today. Sigh....when will I learn?

I think what I need to do as soon as I am done with this post is to print out some calendar sheets and write down every monthly payment we have, when they are due (when they should be sent by) and all of that. I have not done this in the past, b/c I didn't want it all written on my kitchen calendar where all of our guests could see our terrible/embarrassing debt.

What I REALLY need to do is to set up all my CCs to be able to get online statements and make online payments. I am really good with the few bills that I pay that way. I can do it while I nak, yk? Actual paying of paper bills requires the baby to be happily playing without me for a bit, and heck, I have to use that short span of time to shower and pee, yk?

Sigh.. I am really bummed right now mamas. :(

Dh will be starting his new job soon, he has another interview for a different job Thursday, but either way- it will be a new job and the way things are seeming right now, we will be paying COBRA health insurance so $750/month instead of the $600 for the next three months, with less income than he gets right now, so we will be down at least $200/month from where we have been- which was barely scraping by. :(

So- I am trying to figure out what I can do, where else I can cut back, or what else I can sell. :eyesroll

I HATE this, I am still resolved to get out of debt, and to acquire (sp?) no new debt, but I am just at a loss right now as to what I can do, and then- there's Christmas coming. :irked:

OK, baby fussing again.

Off I go....

[kerc]

Oh ladies I need support :(
I think what I need to do as soon as I am done with this post is to print out some calendar sheets and write down every monthly payment we have, when they are due (when they should be sent by) and all of that. I have not done this in the past, b/c I didn't want it all written on my kitchen calendar where all of our guests could see our terrible/embarrassing debt.

I did this. Printed a calendar from outlook or some other microcrap program. I printed them for the next 5 months, I think. each Sunday I wrote down all the bills that are due for the week. on friday I wrote down all the incoming pmts that are coming in that week. on saturday I did total in, total out and a penciled running balance on our checking.

Dh has his record keeping in quicken. That never works for me. so much more rewarding to cross it off on paper, kwim? anyhow we both have our lists now and we meet each week to discuss what's going out/in. He needs me to hold his hand in paying bills, but I guess that means we are talking more about what's going on.

Christmas....what I'm doing is selling off excess stuff and then taking the actual profit in paypal (transfering the postage to checking) and saving up for a christmas gift buying thing. we also have a 200 dollar amazon gift cert. luckily most of my family likes books :)

[mommy2boys]

Patty,
Writing it down helps, I got a notebook and keep all my budget and bills and write down everything in there and cross it off as it clears, helps me not forget anything. Also I too forget when to pay bills, when they are due so I signed up with mycheckfree.com It sends me emails when a new statement comes up and I set the date when it is due. It is a wondeful system for us.
We are doing pretty good finacially, we are getting ready to move across teh country and hopefully everything goes smoothly with the move and we won't have too much out of pocket expenses (military move). I'm hoping to use some (if we have any) of the extra money from the move to pay off some bills. We are very frugil so we are hoping that helps. Does anyone have any good tips for traveling with small kids on the cheap. We are planning on staying at motel 6 because htey are cheap and allow pets and we will bring a cooler, what kind of healthy snacks travel well? Any travel tips would be appreciated to help us cut costs.

[MamaMonica]

When we travel, we live on rice cakes, peanut butter sandwiches, corn chips, baby carrots and apples with some emergency cookies for when the kids lose it. We usually stop at a restaurant for a hot meal every other day. Good luck with your move.

We're still working on the mortgage- will be paying that down for awhile. Unfortunately the water heater just started leaking and we need that replaced today. The kitchen flooring is also peeling and needs to be replaced this winter or next spring. There are always surprises around the house.

My parents never had a mortgage and own their place. It's always shocking to me how much we still owe on this house after being here as long as we've been.

[kerc]

we always stop for dinner when traveling. I think it is nice to have a hot meal. preferably some little hole in the wall diner that has room and doesn't care if erin explores a bit.

we've done lots of traveling in the summer - it might still apply where you are. Dh and I like coffee (and ice cream). We often stop at this place about 2 hrs from home for a cup of java and an ice cream cone -- shared among the three of us. It calms us all down and we have fun chatting with the people who own the place.

other ways to avoid just stopping for a quick meal -- we bring along a picnic lunch and often stop at this place -- the great lakes visitors center (right on lake superior). It has a couple of nature trails that are about 1/2 mile long. We just go casually and let my daughter just run as much as she wants. We do it in the winter too...

food -- applesauce can be good when you stop. yogurt too. cheese and crackers. grapes. pretzels are our secret weapon. she loves them and we get them out when she gets pissy.

search in the toddlers forum -- there are LOTS of ideas there for traveling with kids.


i've been reading this yahoo list called something like cindy's porch -- it is about having a cash christmas. She provides daily ideas for how to save up cash for christmas. Now honestly, she's a little too focused on christmas for me, but she has some ideas for scraping together extra cash. peppermint you might check it out. www.cindysporch.net, i think.

We have about 300 bucks socked away in a low-interest savings account. It will come to us in the first of november -- one of those christmas club thingys. It didn't make much interest, but I think of it as peace of mind. We like to travel to see family and having that cash there means there will be no cc useage to attain that. We'll be continuing to put 30 bucks there every month beginning in january.

[Boobiemama]

I'm joining in here, So glad I ran across this thread.

We are in a ton of credit card debt.
My husband started a business this year, and alot of start up expenses went on cc. Then he wasnt making very much so our living exp started going on the card.
He took on a couple part time jobs until he is up and running so finally, we are making just enough to pay all our regular bills.
I am a diaper sewing wahm, so all I make there goes to bills.
I was reading the old thread this morning, and told my hubby how one of you called the cc and got the interest rate lowered. He wont do it. He says they are a pain in the butt to deal with and wont even try.
Theres only one card in my name, so if I call them what do I say?

we cant even juggle balances around since we have so many cards almost maxed out.
:(

So I have decided NOTHING goes on the cards. If I had to go shopping, and I didnt haev cash, it just went on the card. My hubby has a biz bank acct, so mine never has muvh $$ in it, so I told my hubby from now on, if I dont have the cash, or the $ in my acct for something, he either has to give me the cash, or go to the store himself.

I am going thru my house trying to sell/ebay as much as I can.
This is so depressing, I cant beleive we let it get this far. But we moved out of state, bought a house(that was $13000 down) so at least we have our house now, started a biz, so I guess I dont feel so bad about the debt, but I really want to pay it down.

[newmainer]

I have a little calendar system too. It's taped on the inside of my bills binder, and i have bills that are due written in on the dates they *usually* are. It so rarely differs, so it works, it doesn't matter if its a day or two off. The rest of my binder is ideas taken from FlyLady, I think. In the pocket of the inside flap of the binder are all the bills that need to be paid. then i have a pocket folder for each month. As they are paid, i put the stub in the folder. On each folder, I have a list of the bills by name and a box to check them off as they are paid. that way, at a glance, I can see what I still need to pay. its been working really well for us. Pretty much the most organized we've been, as far as bills go.

Peppermint, I 've been where you are before and it sucks. But, I guess the bright side is there's always another month coming up to pay ontime and do what you need to do :eyesroll.

[dinade]

I have too much cc debt, a van that won't be paid off for 3 years and we scrape by every month. I'm going to take some of your organizing ideas for bills if you don't mind. Here lately I'm always paying a late fee eveyr month. Simply because we don't have any money and I'm tired of trying to come up with it for bills. The cc debt we have is business related and I'm working on not making any more cc debt. But sometimes it's just so hard. We had a little cc debt when I started the biz so that's mixed in with it also. It makes me tired just thinking aboiut paying bills. My dh threw his back out this week and he's off work. Really made me start doing the what if's scenarios. I love my van but sometimes I think it would be so much nicer without that payment. :eyesroll

[sm3247]

We're still kind of a mess. We all went out of town for a wedding and even though I planned for that expense, the gas, easy snacks to take with us, and all the other little incidental expenses really threw us off. So much for my starting over with no extra bills month huh?

I'm hoping that November and December won't bring a bunch of extra spending. DH and I have had a lot of talks about minimizing the Christmas extravaganza. Last year I tried really hard to keep our in-family purchases to a minimum in an effort to simplify and about had a heart attack when i realized that I was ending up spending more on office gifts than for my own child. It really got out of hand - first there was the ridiculously expensive gift someone decided to buy for the boss and "let" everyone chip in on. Then there was the office party where we each (dh and I) had to bring a $20 gift for the gift exchange game. Then, lo and behold, people showed up at the office with the stupid little gifts like red and green candles and birdhouse tree ornaments that no one wants but everyone gives. I decided to forget about the "friendly gifts" and just got a present for my secretary. If people don't like it, they can not get me something next year, right? Does anyone else get bogged down by this?

[newmainer]

Shannon, theres some great stuff in the Tightwad Gazette about how to not just "chip in" on all that office stuff. have you thought about just making cookies or treats or something? that kind of culture in an office can be so frustrating...

[Peppermint]

On office gifts---- IMO it would be the rare person who would rather have a birdhouse tree ornament over yummy fudge :yum . I am with newmainer on yummy treats.

[cinnamonamon]

:wave Hi everyone. I was meandering around MDC and decided to check out this forum...I'm not usually here for deep thought, kwim? I'm so glad I did, though -- this is just what I need. My dh makes a great amount of $$, but we have accumulated so many bills that we are now looking at an almost $300 deficit in our monthly budget. :(

I'm having a hard time cutting back and controlling my spending. Anyway, just wanted to say hi & subscribe to this thread for support -- and hopefully to help out, too! :)

[kamilla626]

I'm gonna need to hang out here for support too, esp. now that Christmas is coming.

I just filled out the RSVP card for a friend's wedding and had to say we won't be coming. It would be an 800 mile drive (or flight) plus a hotel & meals and there's just no way we could manage it.

It's one thing to deny myself Dunkin' Donuts or just avoid going to the thrift store for clothes every weekend, but not being able to go to a friends wedding really makes me feel how broke we are, kwim? He came to my wedding, (5 years ago) and I feel like such a jerk that I can't do the same for him.

I often daydream that Ed McMahon or whoever will just show up on my doorstep with a giant check. But I know the only thing that will really make a difference is if we spend less. A lot less. And that is so hard to do.

[kerc]

welcome to the new mamas. I can't wait till I can get off this thread -- but it will be a darn longggg time.

anyone heard from piglet in a while? did she have the baby?
yeah. i know I could just look her up and pm. but asking ya'll is easier and then i don't feel like a stalker.

christmas....i *just* realized that it is like two months away. Two very busy work months. So I need to get my butt in gear and get my gifts made. I also realized that I have a list of stuff to sell on the TP and some fleece and knit fabrics to maybe swap or sell and I should get on it. I promised myself (a) to buy dh's bday gift with paypal $ and (b). to try to save for a serger for myself. Thus far I've got 26 bucks. I want to get my dh ice skates for his bday, 26 bucks won't get me very far!

this is kind of a sewing board question, but I'm making a feltboard for my dd's birthday. She'll be two. She's getting a crown with her name on it and the feltboard from us for her bday. Anyhow...the thought is to cut shapes, numbers and letters out of felt. And/or shapes cut like clothing -- think paper dolls. Anyone have any other ideas? DH is reasonably handy at cutting stuff out (i know this from scrapbooking) and we are spending next friday night making said feltboard and her halloween costume.

[newmainer]

anytime you want to swap or sell that fleece, lmk... ;)

[Butter]

Can I join in. We are trying to get out from under more debt than I care to think about.

A couple good things so far this month:

1.) We had a yard sale a couple weeks ago and I sorted the "leftovers" into donate and sell on eBay piles. The eBay pile has all sold and will cover our November car payment :)

2.) I needed basic speakers to hook my XM radio up to and the cheapest we could find were $17. Not a huge cost, but more than we wanted to spend. As we were heading to the checkout we noticed a 50% off table and there were speakers on there for $5!

[Peppermint]

Welcome to the new posters to this thread- it is a place of great support.

Felt boards- cut out pieces to go along with her favorite stories so she can "tell" the story along with you. For example- The Very Hungry Caterpillar, you'd have a caterpillar that is small, all of the foods which she could make the caterpillar eat, then a big caterpillar, then a cacoon, then the butterfly. Kids love to tell stories with the felt board :) .

We will be finding out this week whether the next few months here will be feast or famine, dh is up for 2 different jobs, one paying not enough and the other paying at least $10,000 more than he makes right now. Wish us luck!

I've been wondering about Piglet too, hoping all is well.

[hypatia]

Hi everybody,

This is my first time posting on this thread, but I'm so glad to find it. I worry about money constantly.

DH and I just finished law school. In three years of law school, we managed to rack up more than $200,000 worth of student loan debt. In January, we have to start paying it off. It is just so much money that just paying off our fixed expenses (housing, insurance, etc) puts us in the red. We're trying to cut down on expenses, but I can't tell you how bleak our financial future looks.

I know I have to get a job, but I'm really chafing at the idea of working. I'm just so happy right now being a SAHM that I'm really in denial about the idea that I will probably be working in three months. I don't want to slow down on breastfeeding. I don't want to leave DS with a bunch of strangers all day. I know that I got myself into this, but I just feel so much pain at the thought of separating from DS so soon. I don't know how to make myself accept it.

Hypatia

[cinnamonamon]

hypatia -- could you do research stuff for another atty. in the area & work from home? I believe I've heard of other atty.'s doing that. Good luck, I can't imagine having to leave mine, either.

[kerc]

welcome....on being a lawyer and working and all that stuff -- kofduke is a lawyer, i think, and posts quite frequently on the working mamas board. she might have ideas for you.

:banana I went to IKEA this afternoon and returned the unopened 2 packs of laminate flooring and didn't buy a darn thing!! Yay me! I looked around and then finally realized I didn't need one thing there.

Then I stopped and bought felt and some interfacing at the fabric store. Tonight I'm going to try my hand at making fabric bowls (potentially gifts for all those people I give xmas gifts to, i have the fabric need the interfacing stuff). Hopefully it will go well. i think the hardest part will be cutting out a circle.

[newmainer]

Welcome Hypatia! Tough situation you are in. I hope that you connect with some other working moms in your boat who might have some ideas. There are some great ideas and tips that run through this forum that can make a big difference too.

My update... well, I finished my second weeeknd of craft fairs today. I only sold enough to cover my tent rental fee and the entry fee, but made some good connections. Both from other wahms who are interested in collaborating, one on the web and the other has an actual store and is looking for wholesale stuff. She was interested in both what i was selling and my friend, so that is a good potential lead. I was extremely frustrated when a vendor from another tent who sells fleece items came over and remarked about my stuff that is was original and she had never seen it before. I am convinced she is going to start making them and selling them- probably at half my price. She uses low quality fabric-store fleece and sells her stuff for rock-bottom prices. :angry I considered walking back over to her tent and telling her that i am considering pursuing a patent to scare her off, but realized it probably isn't worth it. I am not planning on doing craft fairs as my main deal, and if she does it with cheap stuff... so be it. still frustrating though.

in another arena, the 500 minute long-distance calling card I bought in the middle of August for $25 still has almost 200 minutes on it!! I *knew* was waaaay overpaying for my long-distance, and now we are saving over $40 a month by using the card.

that's all from here...

[its_our_family]

I need to join you.

My name is Megan and my family has debt.

I have excuses for it all but I'm tired of them. I just need to work to get them paid down. We have no extra money to pay extra but I need suport on paying my current debt on time. I am notorious for being late.

My best news for the last week...we paid off a credit card and ten CANCELLED it!! I got the paperwork this week stating our account was closed! We sold our motorcycle to pay off a CC. It is huge weight off. We should get enough back on our taxes to pay off one car, a loan, and 1/2 a CC. I'm looking forward to the first of the year :D

The bad news. I called our car insurance co abou a letter I got. hey messed up and our monthly payment is 80.00 MORE a month. So, now we pay 250 a month for car insuance.

More bad news. After losing our last church dh looked for 6 weeks for new employment. He found it but its less than half the salary we were making. We struggled before and now we make LESS than we need to pay just our bills. That doesn't count food or gas or anything.

Well, I think thats all. I look forward to paying off debt with you all :D

[Indigo73]

I was just thinking that this thread had gotten quiet so I decided to go hunting on MDC - sure enough, I hadn't subscribed to the new thread. :duh

Things still seem to be moving along smoothly with the refinancing. I also upped my 401K contribution to the max. Even with that being taken out, my new pay rate gives me an extra $50 bi-weekly. Rather nice.

[Peppermint]

Hey ladies, I have a happy update for a change, dh got a new job- a great new job (actually he was offered 2 different new jobs, but he is taking the one he was just offered last night).

We are so excited, I am not sure what the actual take home per month pay will be, but once we get that figured out- we can make a budget, up until now, there was no need for a budget as there was NOTHING left over at all, anything I made on ebay went straight to debt, etc.

Now, I get to prioritize things like getting out of debt and putting into savings both for a safety net and to get the kid's account going.

I am so thrilled, dh will actually be making like $10,000 more per year, before he was making $38,000 and we were paying $8000 out in health insurance, now- we will have health insurance and he'll be making $40,000. We are thinking the actual take home difference will be around $6000/year. I think our 2 year plan to get out of debt has finally become realistic and I am sooooo excited. I still intend to skrimp and save and work hard to bring in some extra from home to put toward the debt.

I admit that since finding out about the new job at like 6:30 last night, my mind has been seriously tempted into a lot of things. Little things mostly, but I know those add up. I was thinking- great- today I should go buy the kids new Church shoes and Mary some tights to go with her dresses, etc. I resisted temptation and am trying to remember to buy used for the reduce, reuse, recycle mentality that is important even when not trying to get out of debt. So- I will be shopping ebay for new Church shoes for the kids, and Mary will wear khakis until Christmas when I can buy her some cute tights and put them in her stocking ;) .

Dh and I talked about going out to dinner to celebrate tonight- but I don't know that we will, I think I could just make some cupcakes for after dinner and we could celebrate just as well here. Maybe I'll make something special for dinner :scratch.

I admit that when having enough to make minimum payments on everything- I am going to have a harder time with this- I will be tempted constantly, and this is where we have fallen before. So- I am really going to be needing this thread to keep me motivated.

It is a sad thing that dh gets a $10,000 "raise" and really it'll just go toward debt for 2 years :eyesroll - we so have to resolve to get out of this and NEVER have it happen again.

And- I am going to start giving the kids an allowance- $1 per year of age per week, and teaching them to save, spend and give to charity :thumb . The best thing that can come out of this being in debt is to teach my children how to use money wisely.

[kerc]

:banana peppermint, that's great news. I think my family will be having a nice spaghetti supper (with chicken in the sauce, that's the celebration) for you!

and editing to add: welcome to megan. Have you read the book "your money or your life?" I also recommend "the overspent american" ... both are not books about how to budget. More like the first is how do YOU think about money and the second is about consumerism in america.

[Peppermint]

Woops! I didn't even see your post Megan- WELCOME! I am glad to see you here (not glad you are in debt, but YKWIM).

Are you still looking into getting out of the house work to make up the difference? I thought I saw you talking about that somewhere.

[ameliabedelia]

Jumping in here. I don't really post here much, but I do read a lot and you ladies really inspire me to be frugal and work on GOOD.

I have a question for you. Patty, you talked about this, prioritizing your debt and savings. I was just wondering how you all decide to do this. What gets priority?? I have gone through our budget several different times, and it seems that with living frugally and not buying extra's we should have about $500/month extra (after all bills, food, gas, money to church, and $50 to go to savings automatically etc. (we have to do this to avoid having "under minimum balance fees" of 3.00/month) As of right now we have less than $300 in savings and the way the the market is right now we get about 1-2% interest rate. Our debts include one car loan at 4.5% interest, about $3000 left which will be paid off by Nov. 2005 if we only make the minimum). DH also has about $12,000 in student loans at 6.5% interest rate. DH thinks all extra money should go towards the student loans since that has the highest interest rate. I would like to put slightly more into savings ($100/month instead of $50/month) and all extra money into the car and pay it off in 4 months instead of a year and than put all extra money including the money which had gone into the car into students loans (which should pay those off in two years). After that put all extra money into savings. I can see his point though, we are losing the most money on the student loans since it has the highest balance and the highest interest rate. I just feel nervous having almost no savings and it would be psycologically thrilling to get out of the debt with the car first and in only a few short months? Any advice or words of wisdom. How much priority do you put into getting our of debt vs. building up savings?? Obviously our debt interest rates are higher than our interest rate in savings, so it makes "sense" to get out of debt first, but I also like to have that cushion of savings, YWIM??

[Peppermint]

Amelia- I believe that what got *us* into debt was not ever having enough savings, so I am really going to work to build up a 2-3 month "cushion" although I think financial "experts" suggest a 6 month "cushion".

I also feel very strongly about saving for my kid's college while we work to get out of debt, b/c the younger they are when I put the money in, the better it will grow in time for college, I should be putting $600/month away for their college, and once we are out of debt that will be do-able- but- now- when it really matters- I'll be lucky to put in $100/month. (though dh and I both have life insurance that we put a total of $130 a month into, and it will eventually be cashed in to pay for their college, and they each started with $5000 in their college accounts from my dad)

I am thinking my priorities will be this (when dh's new salary begins):
#1- pay all minimum bills
#2- start tithing
#3- build up that 2-3 month "cushion"
#4- put all extra toward credit card debt, b/c that is where my guilt feelings lay(or is it lie? :scratch ).
#5- pay off dh's car
#6- save again when credit cards and car are done, while paying down dh's student loan.

I see your dilemma between paying down your dh's student loan (which will take you a long time- we have just a bit less than that on my dh's) and paying off the car. I am sure from a purely monetary standpoint it is always better to pay off higher interest things first, but if I were you, I'd do the car first just to have that stop hanging over my head, and feel the more immediate sense of accomplishment, then all of the money from that could go to the student loans.

So- IMO- I'd save a "cushion" first, then pay down the car, then pay on the student loan, but you and dh will have to plan that out. :)

[bamboogrrrl]

Welcome Amelia! You are asking all the right questions. If you pay off the car first, you can then take that payment and throw it additionally at the student loan (there's even a name for this: "snowballing" your debt payments). Keep throwing a bit into your emergency cushion while you reduce debt. It will give you peace of mind, and prevent future debt when those emergency expenses crop up.

Peppermint: Congrats on dh's new job! And on your restraint!

BTW, we just got back from a GOOD vacation, and I've enjoyed catching up and reading everyone's posts. We went camping at a state park for el cheapo to watch the fall foliage change and do lots of hiking. The downside was that we splurged on a few meals out, but nothing to go into debt about. Dh has an ancient motorhome made out of a schoolbus, so we were very comfortable. He had the idea to add a small solar panel to charge up the battery while we camp. I thought that was a very GOOD idea.

Gotta get back to the yard now. Every year I plant about 1,000 bulbs (I tell myself, "an investment in many years of future beauty"), so must get started in what's left of the warm sun...

[its_our_family]

Yeah, I mght end up working. I'm putting it off though.

We prioritize our debt by doing this.... find the smallest bit of debt. Pay extra towards it until its paid off. Take that monthly payment plus the extra and pay it towards the new lowest bill. It's the fastest way to pay off debt.

Us for instance. Our bills go--
Loan 950
Student loan 2500
Car 2300
Visa 3500
Car 12000
Student loans 14000

So the extra goes to the small loan. With our tax return this year we should be able to pay off the small loan and the car. We might be able to cover part of the Visa as well. We are thinking about consolidating the student loans because the larger one has an awesome interest rate...like 2.5%.

If we pay off those things not including any of te Visa we will end up making a payment of 275 a month toward our CC instead of 100. By the time we get to the car we'll pay 575 instead of 300...thats almost double! Then we'll just the he last loans left and we'll pay 715 a month instead of 140!!!

We'll knock it out fast that way! We jstu have to find a job that allows us to pay our debt AND utilities AND food AND gas And...you get the point...

[sm3247]

DH and I just finished law school. In three years of law school, we managed to rack up more than $200,000 worth of student loan debt. In January, we have to start paying it off. It is just so much money that just paying off our fixed expenses (housing, insurance, etc) puts us in the red. We're trying to cut down on expenses, but I can't tell you how bleak our financial future looks.

I know I have to get a job, but I'm really chafing at the idea of working. I'm just so happy right now being a SAHM that I'm really in denial about the idea that I will probably be working in three months. I don't want to slow down on breastfeeding. I don't want to leave DS with a bunch of strangers all day. I know that I got myself into this, but I just feel so much pain at the thought of separating from DS so soon. I don't know how to make myself accept it.

Hypatia

I am a lawyer too and my goal is to start staying at home shortly after this next baby shows up next March. The big thing standing in my way is that I still owe a big chunk from my student loan. My payments are quite high because I've insisted on staying on the shorter payment plan, but I know that you can extend the payments out quite a bit and also have the option of deferment. If it's really important to you to stay home, you might want to talk to you student loan company about your options for minimizing your payments or deferring them. Student loans are very flexible.

It's really difficult to be a working lawyer and mother at the same time so I've made some decisions that are terrible for my career but have allowed me a flexible enough working environment that I can spend lots of time with DS. I don't have any regrets about that. I'll probably never be a high powered lawyer like some of my law school friends, but my son knows who I am and that's important. If you want to talk, feel free to PM me.

Shannon

[ameliabedelia]

Thanks for advice, everyone. I agree with you about the 2-3 month cushion. So, I think I think I am going to put more in savings and take a little longer to pay off debt while still making it a priority. It should still all be paid off in 2 1/2 years! We are just planning to put all our money into one savings account (we figure it will accumulate more interest that way) and then give each child X amt. for college, whatever when they "come of age" :LOL. As of right now, we don't have a separate acct. for the children, but will probably start one once they are old enought that they actually can earn money themselves to put into it, either with chores or at a job and then we will give them a certain amt. when they either go to college or leave the nest.

[its_our_family]

Each of our children has a savings acount. hey only have about 20.00 in it each. But that way my dad can put money in it when he feels the desire. Plus, we can too. Its kinda nice.

[kerc]

we sometimes get $$ checks from relatives to buy toys or whateer for erin. 1/2 of it goes into her savings account and 1/2 to buy something for her. my parents did that until we understood what was going on. I wish they had continued and that they had added a 'giving' portion -- but nevertheless...erin's stands at 69 bucks i think (we don't get huge gifts).

someday we will both graduate from graduate school, get a job and then we will think about erin's college, etc. someday...

[Indigo73]

Speaking on child savings accounts, my BIL surprised us shortly after Ryne was born with a slip of paper. It was the account # to the savings account he opened for Ryne. He has $10 a week deposited into the account from his paycheck. He even came to the bank with me so that I could put my name as well as Ryne's on the account.

We also split any cash gifts and deposit a portion into his account. He already had several hundred in the account. I know it's cuz he is the only grandchild/nephew on both sides on the family and will probably be the only for a long time, if ever, on my side at least.

[newmainer]

wow, peppermint! that's awesome! I totally understand the struggle to stay in the frugal/saving/GOOD mindset when there is some extra money coming in. its hard. but - you sound resolved so you can do it! :thumb
,
not a ton of news here.

amelia- i second those votes that said to pay all the car first. I know having a cushion is important, and you should do what's best for you, but i know for myself the fewer the bills, the less psychological stress. if we could pay off our car in 4 months- i would be right there! we have no cushion, and its something we need to address, but in reality by the me we actually saved up a cushion, i could have paid off several thousand in our cc debt. that's our priority right now.

it does look like dh will be able to pay off his business creditcard this month. not as exciting as paying off a personal one, but its one debt down. we are also probably switching to a car insurance company that will lower our premiums by $120 a year, and next year when dh's accident is off the record, it will drop an additional $200! amazing what a little fender-bender does to insurance.

got dd some practically brand-new LandsEnd winter boots at the consignment store for $7 :D love that.

[sm3247]

As someone who worked as a teller in high school - I'm going to offer a piece of advice to those starting savings accounts for kids. It's probably a smart idea to have a two signatures requirement or else keep a close eye on the account. Your kids may be too young to take out money now, but kids as young as 12 or 13 will start going down to the bank and there's nothing to stop them from clearing out their savings and spending it on ice cream cones.

Just my 2 cents.

[Indigo73]

Good advice Shannon, I was going to come back and edit my note with similar advice. You beat me to it...

[onlygirl]

Hi, I just joined today and found this thread and I'm so glad to find others to talk with about this situation that I'm practically in tears. I'm going to do more reading, but I just wanted to say hello and I'm glad to find you all!

[Peppermint]

onlygirl

Welcome to MDC and to our GOOD thread, this thread is such a great supportive, inspiring place, hope to see more of you around MDC. :D

[cinnamonamon]

Welcome onlygirl! You'll love it here -- this thread & this whole site. :D


Guess what, ladies! We just got approved for a $6600 increase in our home equity line! :D We will be able to pay off our car (25%) and some of our credit cards that are riding really close to the edge. :D Yaaaay!

[cinnamonamon]

Well, dh -- who surprises me every once in a while, had a great idea...we are paying off 4 smaller bills to open up an extra (almost) $100/month, and in a few months our credit will be better, then we will most likely qualify for a refinance on our auto loan at a better rate. Unfortunately all these paid off bills won't help us pay others faster, it will "only" make it so we can live within a monthly budget! Ah well, live & learn, right? :D

[Boobiemama]

I was wondering about this.
Would it make sense to pay off the smaller debts first, if it can make our credit look better to qualify for a card with a lower intrest rate to transfer the higher rate balance to?
Make sense?

[kerc]

i'm not sure how it makes your credit report look. but mentally it is easier for me to think of having fewer bills to pay per month. As in that's 4 fewer bills to worry about did I write the check, did it get there, etc. And honestly sometimes my money struggles are about simplicity.

I've gotten one serious phone call about my car ad that has been running for two weeks. I'm kinda depressed about it. I know I only need one call, but no one has even come by to look at it. It is a sporty car and we're asking 8500. so we're going to park it by the high school next week and see if that brings any kids whose parents have $$.


I also got po'ed at my insurance guy and will be spending the afternoon getting quotes from other insurance companies. How many freakin times do you have to tell the guy that although term life insurance might be important, I HAVE NO EXTRA CASH RIGHT NOW!! Plus it is state farm and people have told me they are kind of expensive. We never shopped around at all for insurance just went with Erik's parent's old insuance and have moved four time since.

The good news is that it has been a month since we cancelled our cell phone and I only missed it once. Being handy once a month is not something I need to pay 40 bucks a month for.

[cinnamonamon]

Yea, Kristin, I kwym about the credit report, but when we get our tax return that will help even more, so THEN we should be all good for sure. It's really demoralizing to be turned down for something -- I didn't realize how bad it had gotten -- we haven't missed any payments, so I thought our credit would be fine.

I would definitley call around for insurance -- State Farm has a great rep. for cus. service, but they are expensive! We switched to Allstate & our payment went down 30 - 40%!!

[kerc]

I would definitley call around for insurance -- State Farm has a great rep. for cus. service, but they are expensive! We switched to Allstate & our payment went down 30 - 40%!!


I have a call in to Allstate. I could use 30-40% more every month. Plus our current agent is kinda sleazy and I hate dealing with him.

[its_our_family]

Geico has decent rates. Metlife will screw you over...they did us... and Liberty Mutual is a little high. We've switched insurance too much in thelast year so we are sticking with where we are...250 a month!! My dh is under 25...makes it more expensive! Plus a speeding ticket but that comes off next year.

[newmainer]

We just switched to AIG and are going to save about $100 this year, and then another $200 once dh's accident comes off next year. I think i mentioned that already, but anyway, definitely good to shop around.

i just finished paying bills this month, and it was a doozy. My f*&*^% back taxes, ate up a huge chunk that could have gone toward a credit card. Plus, dh hasnt' been as diligent about putting money from each check into his tax account, so we need to start doing that again. we've gotten way screwed at tax time the last 2 years. We're still paying off last year (well, not even paying it off. it's sitting on a card :irked: )

On the GOOD front, we did actually manage to put aside money every month and can pay the first half of our property taxes this month w/o having to dip into anything else. I'm amazed. We've never done that before. but, that's about it. food bill has been declining, which is awesome. i'm about to do Sept. totals and am curious to see how much we spent on food. once i've started to cut back, i'm angry at myself for taking so long to do it. old habits die slow.

[onlygirl]

Just paid bills today, very depressing. Haven't paid any medical bills yet, just added them up, ouch.

I saw an ad today for a WAH job and called; it could work out okay, but dh isn't very supportive. He says I'll be tired and whiney if I take this on. But I don't see any alternatives. I have a 22 mo. ds plus two ds in school (the oldest gets home at 2:30) so a regular job isn't do-able. Plus I was a secretary before becoming a SAHM, and I wouldn't qualify for a job that would cover daycare costs let alone bring in enough $$ to help us get out from under our debt. Oh to win the Powerball.

[ameliabedelia]

We switched to Allstate & our payment went down 30 - 40%!!

Allstate has definitely been the cheapest for us. We started out with Geico, but they kept upping our premiums on us. Then we switched to Progressive, and they were a little cheaper. Then we bought a house and switched to Allstate to have both the house and the cars on one premium, and we bought a second car. Well, we sold the house and moved, so our premiums went up since we don't get the house/car discount, but still with Allstate we are paying less for TWO cars than we paid for ONE car with both Geico and Progressive.

[annettemarie]

I am totally addicted to shopping. :bag: Seriously, I have run up almost $8,000 in credit card debt, and this is on top of our other bills. It's truly a compulsion. I try to suck it up and quit, but I don't feel like I can. I'm in therapy, and I lie to my therapist! :o
Is there a place on MDC for things like this, or am I where I need to be? How do you stop shopping?
I know I need to sell stuff to make up the money, but I totally lack the time and energy. I tried to become a UBB consultant to make some money, and ended up sinking probably $2,000 into merchandise, and haven't really sold much to anyone but myself. I'm a licensed kindermusik teacher but I'm not teaching, and I'm shelling out money every year to renew my lisence, not to mention sitting on about $500 worth of materials and instruments.
HELP!!!!
Annette
PS- If you see me on the TP please DON'T SELL TO ME!!!! :)

[newmainer]

wow, annettemarie, major kudos to you for coming to the thread!! Definitley you've made a huge step that a lot of people don't make in just admitting that you spend what you shouldn't and then to go and seek out support for doing that. awesome!

I think i would not be alone here in recommending you read Your Money or Your Life. Its a bit dated in terms of examples and whatnot, but its really the philosophy and overall vision that are the gems of the book. Several of us here on the thread have read it and work on applying the principles in our lives.

Everyone is on a different path and I know for myself, denial has been a big part of mine! it has only recently really been something I have am getting control over, and even then, its so easy to slip back into old patterns. One of the great things about YMOYL is the mantra, No Shame, No Blame. No one is perfect, and most of society is *not* supporting us in our missions to be out of debt and living sustainably, both financially and in all other ways.

So, yeah, join us and read some of the old threads. There's alot of discussion history that has great tips and suggestions.

[kerc]

I second the idea that YMOYL is a great resource. As is the book "the overspent american" by juliet schor.

I didn't get a call back from allstate. Calling again today - urgh. I knew that this would be a major PIA. My insurance was cheaper than progressive and what they suggested american family would be. I'm not sure we have any AIG agents in town.

I've been thinking we were going to make erin a little kitchen set for her birthday/christmas. I was thinking that bc although her grandparents offerred to pay for it, I was thinking they meant like 70 bucks -- you know enough for the plastic version. But I chatted last night with MIL and she sent me several links -- we settled on a nice wooden one that will fit in my living room. So she's buying it and we're getting erin some play food. No new construction project :banana.

[cinnamonamon]

Awesome, kerc -- my ds LOVES his play kitchen. :)

[newmainer]

kerc, that is *awesome*. Dh and i are talking about building Raelin one for Christmas as well... though lately things that i've wanted for her are just falling into our laps. For example, i have wanted playsilks for awhile adn have even been in the checkout at Magic Cabin and backed out. Almost bought blanks at Dharma Trading. Then, my friends mom who lives in Turkey busted out with about 20 the other night when we were over there for dinner. I got 4 for free!! I've been wanting a small wooden table and chair set for her and a rocking chair. At my last fair, i bartered for a rocking chair, and my mom just called and said my aunt has my cousins wood table and chair set and she is bringing it over. Sweeet! I am so about waiting until things come to me now- patience pays off! (so, maybe when my MIL visits and goes to our Waldorf Parent/Child class she'll be interested in helping us get a kitchen).

[kerc]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! "A quick call could save you 15%" .... well not exactly. That commercial is for progressive. We are switching to allstate and saving 25% on home insurance and ~20% on our cars. And I get rid of the slippery old man insurance agent.

[cinnamonamon]

Yay kerc! :D We are signing the papers for our increased home equity line on Thursday -- we will be paying off everything that has over a 9% interest rate -- except my car. That we hope to pay off with our taxes -- or at least pay way down & refinance at a more reasonable rate!

I've also been working/helping a friend this week, & getting $$ for it. :D So I will be able to buy the rest of the diaper making supplies I need soon, without feeling guilty. :D

[annettemarie]

wow, annettemarie, major kudos to you for coming to the thread!! Definitley you've made a huge step that a lot of people don't make in just admitting that you spend what you shouldn't and then to go and seek out support for doing that. awesome!

I think i would not be alone here in recommending you read Your Money or Your Life. Its a bit dated in terms of examples and whatnot, but its really the philosophy and overall vision that are the gems of the book. Several of us here on the thread have read it and work on applying the principles in our lives. .

Thanks- I'll have to check it out if the wee ones can behave themselves in the grown-up section of the library!
Annette

[kerc]

Thanks- I'll have to check it out if the wee ones can behave themselves in the grown-up section of the library!
Annette


my secret for that -- 1 of two things -- either I ask the librarian to get the book off the shelf for me because my kiddo is just past her limit or (shh don't tell anyone) I go to the library without my kid!




I stopped at a yard sale this morning and bought erin's bday gift from us for 50 cents. I also bought my dh's birthday gift last night using a gc we had at amazon.com. I think I paid about 5 bucks more than I might have at another online store and it kind of kills me to buy from amazon but...no cash out of pocket.

[its_our_family]

Good news.... Dh appliedfor a new job! Its making over 2x what he is now and over what he was making in VA. Which will be very very good. We've paid off quite a bit from his severance check plus what we paid off by seeling our motorcycle. It'll be easier to live ont hat amountof money. Then wecan focus on paying thigns off!

What is nice about his current job is that he is collections for a credit card. He now knows a lot more about credit and interest rates and loans and everything. So, now he has a new perspective on things. Its nice.

So, hopefully things will move along!

Everyone keep your fingers crossed!!!

[cinnamonamon]

**fingers crossed** ;)

[kerc]

ooo. The job sounds great. I hope it goes well.

[dinade]

today and got a good rate 5%. So now I will be able to cut up the 20 and 26% interest rate credit cards. Why do they punish you for being a few days late by jacking up your rates? It's so not fair. Anyway I'm glad we are gettin gto cut up all the cards and never go back into debt again!!!!

Congrats on the job possibility. HOpe it all turns out.

Kerc I shop yard sales all the time for gifts. I'm giving my oldest a perfection game I got at a yard sale for 1.00 and it has all the pieces to my oldest for Christmas. It's great to think outside the box!!

Hugs,
Dina

[newmainer]

Well, after doing our monthly totals last night and beign utterly frustrated that we *still* are not spending any less each month, i have come up with a new system.

We will write checks only for monthly bills- committed expenses. The rest of the money allocated for the remainder of the month, we will take out in cash each monday. For example, i am hoping that we can do $200 a week for the remainder of the month for everything- food, gas, any clothing purchases (at goodwill or otherwise) gifts, doctor's bills/health, etc... If there is any cash left over each week, it will go into the savings account for surprise expenses that would bring us over one week- that way, we never have to dip deeper into the account. theoretically, this should work and we should start accumulating extra money that can then be put toward the credit card the following month. GOT to get the lowest balance one paid off so we can start on the biggies. So, we'll start next week- we'll see how it goes. Well, it has to go- we're running out of options :eyesroll

[cinnamonamon]

Sounds great, newmainer -- we need to start doing that!!

We are actually doing really well -- turns out our house has gone up 55,000 in the last 3 years, so we were able to get a 14,000 increase on our home equity line (with the option of 35,000 more -- which we won't use unless we decide on another remodel in a couple years to increase the value of the home that amount!!) -- all at a 4.5% rate. As of the 26th, our 28% credit card will be paid off along with a couple other little ones! :D I was so mad when they increased our rate from 9% to 28% -- if we hadn't been so overextended they never would have done that -- but they knew we couldn't just transfer the balance somewhere else. I will enjoy writing and sending the letter canceling that credit card a great deal! If they hadn't done that, we may have never been nudged enough to consolidate! That's their loss. :D

[lunchbox]

Joining in....

I am a SAHM with one dd. My DH works for the state so we will never be wealthy. We accumulated a lot of debt in dd's first year due to medical bills (mine and her's) and some carelessness. I don't think we knew how hard it would be to live on one income. Actually, if it weren't for cc debt, we would be doing just fine. We have about $11K in credit card debt and are just making the minumums on two of them.

I did finally call and close my account and got them to lower the interest rate from 24.9% to 14%. They also stopped the overlimit fees. I hadn't used the card in two years anyways. I was really surprised at how they were willing to work with me on getting it paid off. That was a load off my mind. DH plans to do the same with his big balance card.

I always shop thrift stores and yard sales for 90% of our clothes. I would like to start selling on ebay. My brother sells books on ebay and abebooks.com and makes a very nice living at it. I have a ton of collectible antiques type stuff to sell, including my precious lunchbox collection. :(

I cannot believe how much food we used to waste before dd. We never ate leftovers and ate out a lot. I can recall spending $60 on groceries for ONE dinner. Now, I spend about $100 a week.

We've come a long way but we still have a way to go. Cash tends to burn a whole in my pocket - I am a very compulsive spender.

Christmas is 2 mos away! Ack! We have pared down our Xmas spending a lot. I make 80% of our gifts - jewelry, knitted/crocheted stuff, jams and chutneys. We limit spending on kids to $10. We don't really buy for each other anymore, just dd. :crying

So that's my story in a nutshell. I am looking forward to hanging out in these GOOD threads. :)

ETA that we got rid of our debit cards and that helped a lot. Its so easy to get $20 out and then wonder where the hell it went, KWIM?

[lunchbox]

If anyone is military or ex-military, USAA is really cheap for car insurance. We pay $94 a mo. for two cars. However, they are really strict about good driving records.

[dinade]

lunchbox. I love your username btw. It frustrates me about cc interest rates too. I'm glad yours were so nice. That's awesome. I could spend too but am having to control. I'm always in awe of people who have money leftover to apply it to their housenote or have a need new tires fund funded before they need it. There's rarely anything left here. Now that I've applied for a heloc there is at least a light at the end of the tunnel (albeit 37 mos from now and then our huge van note will be gone too!!) Anyway welcome to our little area of frugality and spending less! Hope you learn lots. :love

[kerc]

aaak I fell off the wagon yesterday. Well sort of. I was invited to a body shop at home party -- You know a tupperware party kinda thing. I went, knowing it would be a big $$ suck, but I like the woman who invited me and she's shy so I didn't want to say no. But I ended up buying about 50 bucks worth of stuff. I was good and only bought stuff that's on my "buy at big box store" kinda list, but I spent about 15 bucks more than I might have at target.

Ok i needed to share, trying to feel no guilt -- from YMOYL.

[cinnamonamon]

Well, I think $15 isn't bad for an afternoon spent with friends, and a potentially better quality product...not to mention that buying it helped your friend get points or whatever I'm sure.

Not that I'm advocating doing it again! ;)

[newmainer]

kerc- if those parties are like most parties, and you agree to host one next time, you'll get free stuff depending on how much the guests buy. I'm hosting an Usborne party this week, and hopefully will make out enough to get some new books for dd for Christmas. So, maybe if you agree to host a party in a couple of months, you'll make out for what you spent?

not much new here. we took out our $200 for the week. Dh already spent $40 at the hardware store for various things to do house projects. So- $160 for a week of groceries and..? I *hope* we can do that!

[dinade]

Parents night out. They took donations only for a youth camp for next summer. So my dh and I took this opportunity to go Christmas shopping. I'm pretty happy we only spent $90 (put on layaway) and got 2 outfits a piece and 3 toys that they will use a piece!!! Whoohoo. I'm very excited to think we didn't just fill our carts with junk like we used to. Now we actually think about each purchase...will it last...will they play with it...limits the amount of junk that way. :thumb

[Peppermint]

Hey ladies, just checking in.

Meagan- when will your dh hear on the new job? I'll say a little prayer for that to work out.

I am so glad to see new mamas posting here, and a few of us who have been on these threads for months now. It is so great to see new people "getting it" and "old-timers" sticking with it :thumb .

I am so excited about dh's new job and the extra money that will soon be coming in. It will be 3 weeks before he gets his first check, and I can't wait to see how much his take home will be so I can figure out our budget. In the meantime, I am writing down what needs to be paid when and how much on calendar pages I printed out, and getting tax stuff together so we can get taxes done early in 2005.

[its_our_family]

Patty-- Th job posting comes down tomorrow at 5. He could hear something by next monday or as late as 1 month. We are hoping we hear from them soon.....really really soon!!!

We have been scouring the clearance aisles. We bought Tracy 4 hhotweels for 75 cents. We bought him some sidewalk chalk for 10 cents. And one of those automatic bubble blowers that you hold for 2.00. We have a couple other ideas and his next bday present. We still have to think about Bryce though. He is little so jut about anything will due. For T's first xmas we bought him 3 little sport balls that came in a pack. Bryce loves all kinds of things so he will be easy.

Anyway, thats how we are handling cmas. I can see why ppl buy presents all year round. Sales are the best....especailly cheap clearance sales.

[kerc]

call me cheap. call me what you want but my neice is getting a little farm i just bought for 50 CENTS! at a yard sale. :banana

and umm, I got my dd a doll cradle, a wooden doll cradle for a few dollars.

and you can also call me a trashpicker because yesterday i stopped in the rain and almost picked up some plastic kitchen and one of those beauty mirror thingys (do you call them vanities?) that kids sit at and put on makeup. i didn't pick it up for a handful of reasons -- the wooden kitchen is coming to my house and i can't imagine as an adult needing a little place to sit and put on makeup -- never mind the message I'd send to my dd by getting her one. I did consider in the back of my brain the fact that I could sell it in the paper or somethign and make some cash (ads for merchandise <75 bucks are free), but then it was raining...and I had the stroller in the trunk.

:blah
that's been my morning. how are ya'll doing?
peppermint -- only a few weeks till the new paycheck? how're you doing?
megan -- have you heard anything on the new job for dh?
piglet? anyone heard from piglet? she did have the baby...but ??

and newmainer -- somehow my dh forgot to get your fabric int he mail. It should have gotten there by now.

speaking of mail ---> I discovered this week that if you can weigh your package and buy the postage online at usps you can get free tracking info -- so essentially delivery confirmation is free. And you don't have to wait in line with a kiddo at the post office.

[dinade]

and we're approved. Yay! We close on Sat. at 5% instead of 20 and 26% on those stupid cc. We have 30 years to pay it off. LOL I'm planning on doing a 37 month pay off plan. That's how much I was sending to the cc co anyway. But if something catestrophic happens (won't I'm sure) then we can send in interest only. Yeah let me pay interest for 30 y and then still owe the same amount. That's crazy.

Nothing new here. I cooked dinner every night and wanted to go out to eat bad. I hate pms time I just want to sleep and sleep and not cook or fix food. gotta go.

[newmainer]

kerc, i got the fleece the other day. thanks! pretty.....

well, this operating strictly with cash is working really well. It is really showng me how *un* conscientious I was when I was using my debit card. I have been thinking constantly about how to make the money stretch and realizing that there are things i would have gone out and bought this week if i was using my debit card, but since i'm not, I didn't. we have $11 for the rest of the weekend! oh, wait, $16 cause dh has 5 bucks in his car. I think that will buy some Halloween candy :D . Maybe we'll even come out in the positive a few bucks. whoohoo!

[cinnamonamon]

congrats newmainer -- we start the cash system on monday :D

[newmainer]

good luck, cinnamonamon! I'll be interested to hear how it goes for you. I thought we had this week all beat and would come out ahead and bam! AF shows up and i had to send dh out to get me some tampons. of course, i only get the organic kind, so we have $1. until tomorrow! But- that's better than having to "borrow" against next week. I am already trying to figure out how we are going to stretch through my chiro appt. and the animals need new food... hmmm looks like a week of rice and beans :eyesroll.

[cinnamonamon]

Well, I'll admit I cheated a bit -- I went grocery shopping today, bought the rest of the stuff I needed for some crafts, and tomorrow I'm finishing up a "replenish the fridge" shopping trip along with getting cat food. We start our system on Monday, so we'll be starting out ahead... of course we immediately need to start saving up to get our 2 cats spray & neutered -- and any/all shots...:0 Goll, I might just do that with the little bit of extra $$ from our home equity line -- I'd hate the cat to get pregnant before we had her fixed!

Ah well, here's hopin'! Dh seems to think it should be a breeze -- then again, he doesn't realize what our weekly grocery bill ends up at...

[Peppermint]

How is everybody doing? :D

[A&A]

Yeah, somebody start a November thread.

Our medical insurance went up an extra $60 per month. Grrr. Oh well, at least we have insurance.

[leomom]

I have been BAD! My newborn is 7 weeks old, and I haven't followed my budget since she came along!

I am spending more money on things I don't need...mainly because we take short "outings" so I can keep my sanity and I end up shopping..

Our entertainment bill has gone up because now DH and I have a "date night" and we eat out...we weren't doing that before, so it's not really in our budget.

Also, some nights I'm too tired to cook after all ady with Kate, so we end up bringing food in...another money zapper.

Any suggestions for getting back on track???

[newmainer]

I was wondering how we were all doing! Thanks for giving the nudge, Peppermint.

We're doing ok. Our cash system is *awesome* and we are sticking with it... It requires a lot of planning. Like, "ok, i have a chiro appt. this week so dd's jacket will have to wait until next week and hopefully the cat wont' run out of food, etc..." Its requiring us to do a lot more planning and waiting, rather than just buying and feelign frustrated about how much money we are spending. Dd needs a new winter jacket and after checking out both the consignment store and Goodwill and finding nothing, we went to TJMaxx. But, with only $20 left in the kitty, i couldn't get the jacket. So, we put it on layaway. I never would have done that before! Not that i have anythig against layaway, but i would have been like, oh well, just get it! Ha! The story of my life!

And, my business is going. Slow, but going. The challenge is only to buy new material with what i make, which is hard. So, there's no real profit yet, but its still early.

Congrats, leomom!! Teeny, tiny babies...sigh. i love them.
Can you and dh do a cheaper date night? Like appetizers instead of the whole meal, or rent a movie? the cooking part is tough. freeze, freeze, freeze. make big ole pots of soup and just freeze portions- I put mine in a tupperware that holds about 3 bowls worth and freeze that. perfect for lunches or "whatever" dinners. roast chicken (if you arent' a veggie) is good too. Pop some onions, apples, and whatever else in the cavity, sprinkle with olive oil, s and p, and in the oven about 2 hours before you want to eat. So easy, tasty, and leftvovers!

[cinnamonamon]

leomom -- try making up a couple freezable meals when you do have time (i.e. double batches), then u can just grab one of those when you don't feel like cooking. And depending on where you are, can you go to a park for your short outing? Just sit on a bench & chat with other moms, or go to a mall that has a play area & sit & watch/enjoy the older kids?

As for the date night -- I'd bend over backwards to find a way to keep it if you feel you need it, ya know? Maybe try going to the grocery store deli for food, and the 2nd run theatre for movies? Good luck!



We are 1/2 way through our second week of the cash system. Food-wise we are great, which surprised me -- $150/week, which includes dh eating lunch out almost daily, and one or two cheap take outs/week. You'd think that with that and our budget for bills, we'd be all set...well, I have (once again) not left any money available for things like presents, household goods, new baby prep. goods/services, entertainment, misc. home improvement/repair, etc...so it's back to the drawing board to find an extra $100 or $200...

[kerc]

we are doing ok. i don't have time to write a ton here.

wtg to those of you on the cash system. that requires so much planning, how do you find the mental energy to do it? or did you just take one big gulp and give it a go?

[cinnamonamon]

:LOL kerc...I just looked at what bills we had & made the leftover $$ our cash system -- it really is great for keeping us within what we have...although I still have some tweaking to do -- newmainer sounds like she is doing great! :D

[Peppermint]

Newmainer-

What size coat does your dd need? I have a cute 3T coat Mary wore last year from Carters, and surely have a 2T in the attic, if you can get out of the layaway one :D.

I am anxiously awaiting Friday for dh's first paycheck from his new job so I'll know what we have to work with, I think we'll be moving to a cash system too, sounds like a great way to go.

Gotta go buy boots today- DAMN SNOW!

[its_our_family]

Cash system-- Right now we use it because the bank took our debit cards.

Did you know there is a federal law that you can only move money from savings to any other account 6 times a month?? We didn't. So, when dh lost his job and got the severance check I just transferred smal amounts in order to balance our budget the best. Well, we overdrafted once and the other 5 times it was me moving money to checking. Well, I went to move money again and it wouldn't do it. So, we overdrafted again (8x) and the money wouldn't transfer to the checking. So, we had to pay the overdraft (even though we had the money) fees plus they took our debit cards. Wea re now 10-12 hours from our credit union and because of the stupidity of another we have a mark on our bank record with "Checksystems" and we can't get a checking account anywhere. So, we have to do all our banking long distance!! I hae to drive 45 minutes away to get to a service ccenter for credit unions!

Now, a bit of excitement, dh has a job interview on wednesday at 1pm. It isn't the power plant job which is fine. Its an interview with a church (dh is a minister) and he thought he wanted to leave ministry but he realizes he really misses it. So, POSITIVE thoughts for tomorrow!!

More excitement, he called me yesterday during his break at work and said that he did a lot of thinking this weekend. He apologized for sometimes making me feel pressured into buying certain things and not just taking my word that we can't afford it. He made a commitment to me to be more trusting and more satisfied with the things we have.

I just wanted to cry :D

[LambQueen]

Hi - new here, and very interesting to read everyone's posts. I definitely recommend to get out of credit card debt first and foremost! Also, DH and I both have student loans, but mine are at a higher percentage rate due to when the loans came out, so we are paying that one down first, even though DH owes about $90,000 more than me in student loan debt.

I have been thinking about selling things on Ebay here and there...but I don't have a digital camera to post my photos. I feel like people are most interested in things only if they can see a picture of them.

[newmainer]

Megan- we have been through that exact same thing!! Since dh is self-employed he has a business account and we ususally just bank online and transer money into our personal account. We've been "warned" several times about going over our limit. We have run out of our grace period and now we only have 2x a month. So, we are getting better about dh writing a paper check to me and then i deposit it. So sorry about your situation- that sucks!!

kerc- how i figured out our system is that ive been trackign our spending for several months, so I know what our committed expenses are and what we were spendign on everything else. "everything else" wasn't necessarily necessary items. I just bought them and hoped we could cover it (though they *seemed necessary*). If i could cut a lot of those expenses, we should be able to have a fairly sig. leftover amount to throw at cc. So i just decided, ok, $100 a week (avg.) for food, and $100 for everything else- mostly because i am trying to keep our overall monthly expenditures under a certain amount. Doing little things like putting that jacket on laywaway, or realizing that since I have a chiro appt. this week, we need to put off buying the xyz until next week. So far we have spent up to the last dollar of our $200 a week (but havent' gone over), but I am going to cut back $10 starting next week and see how we do.

I'm glad so many others are trying it!! Lets keep posting our tips.

Peppermint- thanks for the jacket offer. where do you live? since we're in Maine, it gets mighty cold here. I'm wondering if Carters jackets are made for single digits weather? I get so snobby about my outerwear. LMK 'cause i can get out of layaway- if you'll take less than $30 ;)

[newmainer]

New thread y'all. Come on over:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?p=2274770

[Peppermint]

Peppermint- thanks for the jacket offer. where do you live? since we're in Maine, it gets mighty cold here. I'm wondering if Carters jackets are made for single digits weather? I get so snobby about my outerwear. LMK 'cause i can get out of layaway- if you'll take less than $30 ;)


We live in Syracuse NY, the NY city with the highest snowfall last year, single digits are common, the coat is warm, I'll send it to you for shipping cost, I was going to donate it- what size? 2T, or 3T? PM me, ok?