Getting Finances in Check

Monday August 24, 2009

I've decided that I seriously need to get my finances in check. With a wedding coming up and "what's yours will be mine", I seriously do not want to burden my family with my..um..debts. I have numerous credit cards and store cards that I've used to make myself happy, but now that they are full and am paying a trillion dollars in interest, I am no longer happy. Figures, right? The worst part about it is that Truly and I live with my family, so I do not have to pay rent, utilities, and all that other good stuff when you live on your own. The only real things I spend my money on each month are things for Truly, me, and the rest go to my credit cards. Sound simple enough? I thought so too, but with eating out all the time, buying things I want, not need, I am always left penny less when it comes to bill time.

So what do I need? A total financial makeover! Makeover's are fun, but when it means that I can no longer spend how I want to, it just sucks all the fun out of it. Better sucking out the fun, than sucking all my money.

So what's the plan? *Sigh* Here it is:

1. Make more money. Easier said then done. But with all my businesses and the power of eBay and Craigslist, it can be easily done.

2. Buy Groceries. Instead of spending $150 on eating out each month, I'll spend $20 each week at the grocery store (this is for a 2 year old) and buy her food then.

3. Transfer balances on my high interest cards.

4. Pay off the lowest balances on cards first, and work my way up.

5. Remember that If I save now, I'm saving for a better future.

I'm thinking about staring up a finance blog to blog about my journey to become debt free Hmm... Yeah as if I need another blog! We'll see :-)

8 comments:

  1. Maybe try to pay off the cards with the highest interest rate first not the lowest balance. Just a tip! good luck it's gonna be hard, but soooo worth it when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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  2. Thanks so much Stepfanie for stopping by my blog. I must say your blog is very nice. I too am working to become debt free, it's a struggle but I'm almost there. Good luck to you and I hope you'll drop by again....I'LL BE BACK!!! lol lol

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  3. Here's a resource for you: Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. I know so many people who have achieved debt-free lives by following this plan. Maybe it will be something that clicks for you.

    Also, as a mom who has a few years on you-yikes!, here's my serious,serious advice about Truly and eating out. Break the habit NOW!!! I don't care how good your intentions are, your child is not getting the nutrition she needs from eating out. She is at an age where everything you do is a learning opportunity for her. So you have to decide what it is that you want to teach her. Eventually the eating out thing will have its affect on her. She could end up as an overweight child- that would be the outward consequence. But, she could end up being unhealthy in so many other ways. Make the investment in your child and teach her the healthiest way to eat. If she's used to her meals out, she may resist the change. Be persistent. Be consistent. A little pain now will save a lot of pain later. She's so worth it.

    ~Kacy

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  4. I agree with the previous comment. I use Dave Ramseys envelope plan and it works really well. The idea is to "spend" your paycheck before you get it, so you know where your money is going. It is a real eye opener.

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  5. Thanks so much ladies for all the good advice! Truly does eat out often, but not what people think as "eating out". We don't do the fast food route with mcdonalds and such, we always eat at nice, expensive restaurants, where she gets vegetables, apple juice or water, baked chicken, and that sort of thing. I shell out a lot of money for her when I could make the exact same thing at home. That $150 a month for food is just her eating. I do enforce her to be healthy with ballet and gymnastics and I will definelty have her eating at home more :-)

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  6. OH yeah! and I did look into the Dave Ramsey book, and that's where I got the idea of paying of the lowest balance on cards and work my way up so I could see the effect of paying off my debt and become more motivated! Great Ideas!

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  7. I'm commenting to cheer you on. I have a 25 year old who likes to spend also. I often sit down with him to help him curb it all in. It is so hard when others seem to spend blindly around you. Just one suggestion; don't visualize money contracting, see it expanding. Focus more on money coming in. When you tip, always give a little extra, maybe 25cents or a dollar. See the money flowing both ways. When you wake up, visualize money flowing both ways effortlessly. Be wise, not rigid.

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  8. Sounds like a plan! It sure helps to go into a marriage as debt free as possible.

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