Treatment Plan for Debt

Date: 2/18/2011
Need #1: We have too much debt
Short-term Goal #1: We will become debt free
Action Steps Completed:

1. __________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________


Action Steps to be Completed:

1. We will have $1,000 in an emergency fund
     a. We will put $150 into the fund every payday until we have $1,000
2. We will add $150 to minimum payment on CC #1 until paid off

3. I will cook budget meals 2 nights a week

4. We will take our lunch to work every day

5. We will only go out to eat on payday and only drink water with our meal

Additional Action Steps Needed:

1. We will have a garage sale as soon as the weather is nicer

2. We will brainstorm ways to make extra money, and do them

3. I will explore ways to save money

4. _________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________

Getting Excited

The snow has come and gone.  What a blessing.  It feels like Spring but I know that colder weather is right around the corner.  I had lots of snow days the last few weeks, time to ponder our financial state of being.  Conclusion we need to put in some hard work.

My honey is reading the Total Money Makeover and is getting excited about digging ourselves out of this hole we have found ourselves in.  I am in the middle of Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey.  It is all such good information.  The key, of course, is in the action.  I have been developing treatment plans for my clients today at my J-O-B.  Maybe what hubby and I need is a good old fashion treatment plan with action steps to help us get out of this hole called "debt".  That might just work.  Think I will work on it today.  I will let you see it when I have it done.

I am really looking forward to the weather being consistantly good so I can have a garage sale.  I want to get rid of as much as I can and put the money we make towards our #1 bill.  We have way to much "stuff" and most of it we just don't need.  I am going thru everything we own as we bring it from House A to House B.  Sorting it and placing it in 1 of 4 stacks.  Keep, throw away, give away or garage sale.  The snow put us a bit behind in the process.  Couldn't get the "stuff" from point A to point B.  But we can plan on a load or 2 this weekend.

I will be putting more $ into the Emergency Fund today.  Another pay day and we should be set and ready to concentrate on Baby Step #2 - starting the snow ball a rolling.  Rolling, rolling, rolling, raw hide!!!!

Until next time, have a good one!!!

B is for Budget

I worked on a budget over the weekend. Not a happy time. Since we use Quicken, I ran a report on our spending from last month. We use our debit card for most expenses besides regular bills that I pay on line. So it was easy and sad to see where our money went.

Took those numbers and put them in a budget for this month. Oops too much month for the income. Hmmmmm wonder how we survived last month. Tho, last month I wasn't as good at tithing, wasn't putting money away for the Emergency Fund plus we were paying someone to do alot of the work on the house we are going to sell. OK - came out close to $1,000 short. Definitely NOT GOOD!!!

Going to have an emergency meeting with the honey and figure out either how to get money money flowing in or how to cut the amount flowing out. BUT something is going to have to give.

Recently made a wonderful casserole from leftovers. I am going to give you some of my stretch the budget recipes a couple times each week, so here goes the 1st one:

Baked Chicken Dish

1 c diced chicken, turkey, tuna or what ever you have on hand

3/4 c mayonnaise

1 c celery

1 onion diced

1/2 c sliced almonds

3 c cooked rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 T lemon juice

1/2 t salt

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Corn flakes for topping

Combine ingredients and top with crushed and buttered corn flakes.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or 375 for 1/2 hour.

I had left over rice and turkey.  Had all but the almonds on hand so was easy and cheap to make.  I have made it before and love it. 



Another one of my whys;

Time to Get Started

It is time to get this Debt reduction rolling. I have read Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover” a while back and plan to read it again this weekend. I was on his website yesterday www.daveramsey.com and checked out the Baby Steps he listed. Baby Step #1 is to have $1,000 in an Emergency Fund. Last paycheck I started putting $100 into our Savings acct each paycheck. I will transfer $100 today into that acct. In 2 months we will be up to the $1,000. Then I will be able to check that one off.

Altho I have not finished Baby Step #1, I had started Baby Step #2 last month. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball. I listed all our debts (:-( way to much). I picked the smallest, which is also the one with the highest interest rate, for our #1 priority. I am going to pay the minimum due on the others. I am going to pay the minimum on #1 plus $150 until that debt is paid off. It might take what feels like forever but going to do it. Took our credit cards and hid them. No more is going onto them!!!!

2 Economizing tips I am doing –

1. I wash and reuse plastic sandwich and gallon size bags. I don’t reuse those that have had meat in them but the others, I use again. My kids have given me a hard time about doing this but I continue.

2. I buy generic or store brands whenever possible.

So I am set for the moment. I know what I am going to do and will do it.

Until next time, adios.

Another reminder of my why:

Let the Journey Begin

We are on the journey of a lifetime. Well, let's hope it is just a once in a life time journey. :-) We have found ourselves drowning in debt. We know this is NOT a good thing and totally NOT pleasing to the LORD!! Sooooo, we have decided to work our way into the Debt Free Zone, one dollar at a time. OK - this will probably take what feels like forever but it is what we want and must do.

Our goal is to be able to retire, debt free within 3 years. We want to be able to travel, take pixs and write.

My Why -

A. It would be pleasing to the Lord to be debt free.

B. We want to have the freedom to visit our kids and grandkids, any and every time we want to.

I want to be able to be there for their birthdays, school programs, baptisms, important sports events, graduations, etc. I don't want to have to worry about having to ask for the time off or not having the funds to take an extended trip.

So my goals are:

Traveling to see all the family often

Taking pixs of all the kids/grandkids often

Writing - about anything and everything. Some things will be lost if I don't get them down on paper. Other things I just have in me that need to be let out.

So, I am inviting you to join us on this journey. Help keep me committed when the going gets tough and who knows , maybe just maybe you will be able to gleam a tip or two on budgeting or ways to stretch a dollar. I am going to be working on this until we are there and putting what I find and do down on paper.

So, Let the Journey Begin - Target - The Debt Free Zone

Here are some pixs of my Whys: