Joined
·
18,562 Posts
Dh and I decided to go on the cash system and put away our credit and debit card. We are finding it too hard to keep up with entering receipts in the checkbook after using the debit card. The CC is just too tempting. It was very useful the last 2 years to help pay dd's medical and feeding expenses but she's getting better now and there is no reason to justify using it.
We just keep having unexpected expenses. In the last few mos we've had to buy a new stove and dishwasher, repair the fridge, a car repair, and then our a/c broke!
![]()
: So we are about at the same place we were with the debt a few mos ago.
![]()
I was hoping to pay it all off in a couple mos but it's not happening.
First we tallied up the monthly bills: mortgage, car payment, car insurance and registration (monthly average), utilities, cell phone (which we only use for emergencies) etc, we get the following in cash envelopes. We don't want this money sitting around so some of it is "virtual" with a small paper stating the date and amount put there in place of money. Then when someone wants to spend some of the money from the evelope they can take out the paper receipts and toss them and withrawl that much from the ATM. We will know it will be there because we are not spending any money on anything unless it comes from a certain envelope or has been budgeted towards bills. Some of the money we use weekly and are not saving up is real money.
Also, there is some money that is probably over budget
This is per week:
Grocery, cleaning suppies, and spending for me 100
Clothes/shoes for me 15 ---> 720 per year
Clothes/shoes for dh 15 ---> 720 per year
UU church offering 5
Vacation fund 15**
Spending money for dh 10
Yard care 10
Incidentals for kids (shoes, clothes, etc) 30
** Vacation will be 720 per year plus 2 weeks' worth of food money, 920 per year. We like camping and driving so this should go really far vs hotel costs and airfair. We usually rent a car to save wear and tear on our car.
We have cancelled cable in favor of Netflix and library DVD's. We have cancelled our Y membership. It was nice but we were not using it enough to justify the cost. Will not be renewing the Science Center membership but will keep the zoo membership b/c that is used almost weekly in good weather. We are not renewing our mag subscriptions.
I am going back to college, one class at a time. In about 3 years I should hopefully get into nursing school which is expensive. After we pay off the debt we will put that same amt into a college fund for me, so I should have enough to pay for nursing school. Hopefully I will get some scholarships though. I'm hoping my new career will help us be more comfortable just as the kids are getting to be fully school aged and not needing me 24/7 like they do now.
Oh, and we are all flying to India in the winter and plan to use our tax refund to pay for it. At around $1200 per ticket it's going to be expensive but we have not been to India for 5 years and it's time to see them all again. The grandparents are not getting any younger.
We just keep having unexpected expenses. In the last few mos we've had to buy a new stove and dishwasher, repair the fridge, a car repair, and then our a/c broke!
First we tallied up the monthly bills: mortgage, car payment, car insurance and registration (monthly average), utilities, cell phone (which we only use for emergencies) etc, we get the following in cash envelopes. We don't want this money sitting around so some of it is "virtual" with a small paper stating the date and amount put there in place of money. Then when someone wants to spend some of the money from the evelope they can take out the paper receipts and toss them and withrawl that much from the ATM. We will know it will be there because we are not spending any money on anything unless it comes from a certain envelope or has been budgeted towards bills. Some of the money we use weekly and are not saving up is real money.
Also, there is some money that is probably over budget
This is per week:
Grocery, cleaning suppies, and spending for me 100
Clothes/shoes for me 15 ---> 720 per year
Clothes/shoes for dh 15 ---> 720 per year
UU church offering 5
Vacation fund 15**
Spending money for dh 10
Yard care 10
Incidentals for kids (shoes, clothes, etc) 30
** Vacation will be 720 per year plus 2 weeks' worth of food money, 920 per year. We like camping and driving so this should go really far vs hotel costs and airfair. We usually rent a car to save wear and tear on our car.
We have cancelled cable in favor of Netflix and library DVD's. We have cancelled our Y membership. It was nice but we were not using it enough to justify the cost. Will not be renewing the Science Center membership but will keep the zoo membership b/c that is used almost weekly in good weather. We are not renewing our mag subscriptions.
I am going back to college, one class at a time. In about 3 years I should hopefully get into nursing school which is expensive. After we pay off the debt we will put that same amt into a college fund for me, so I should have enough to pay for nursing school. Hopefully I will get some scholarships though. I'm hoping my new career will help us be more comfortable just as the kids are getting to be fully school aged and not needing me 24/7 like they do now.
Oh, and we are all flying to India in the winter and plan to use our tax refund to pay for it. At around $1200 per ticket it's going to be expensive but we have not been to India for 5 years and it's time to see them all again. The grandparents are not getting any younger.
