Starting Over (again)

Well I have been keeping up with my tracking since Friday and I am beginning to like this game. I know that the key to getting out of debt is to stay intensely focused on the goal. Yesterday I only spent 8.50 (1 on cookies and 7.50 on gas). The day before I bought some groceries but Sunday $2.06 (free burger for calling line at Wendy's) and 2.21 for lunch off $ Menu @ Wendy's. My goal is to not spend over $5.00 on lunch and dinner--out unless it's a special occasion. I got my cable turned off on Saturday and had to fork over $213.00 to get it turned back on. That's money I didn't plan to spend. I would have been doing well if this little "bump" wouldn't have happened. Now I am dreading the red on my bank startment. But to look on the bright side, my NFCU is in the black and I also have a refund coming from QVC and $37.50 from Bowditch Ford so that's close to $100. I feel optimistic because I could possibly go into next payday with only $200?? in the red. I will make sure that I take heed of the 4 wall rule so I need to make a grocery list for the end of the month, actually I need to make up a menu for min of 2 weeks so that I will have a grocery list B4 going into the store. I WILL pay the entire $305 on my electric bill!! Rent+Car+insurance, then everything else. No compromise. I will also pay a tithe. I am loving this journey!!
Thank you Lord.

Move Back and Stay Away from Ollies!

I can not go into Ollie's without buying a book!

I didn't get what I planned to get--paper for the journals that I plan to put together. I got a pretty good deal. I managed to get by with spending only $20.00 but it should have only been less than $6.00. I had just left the library where they have FREE books for you to read. Now that I am more in tune with purposely saving money, I check my receipts even more than before. I still have a ways to go. Tomorrow I will attempt to clip coupons.

Being in debt is a real drag

I have finally prayerfully decided that I am getting out out debt. I used a website at What's the Cost and figured out that I could be out of debt. The reason why I am so adamant about it is that in 794 days I will turn 50 (2 years, 2 months, 3 days). I have really no real assets to speak of. I am living hand to month. Thank God it's just me so I can play around with figures alot.

I was looking for a car about a month ago but I got discouraged very quickly. I am the type of person who hates when people (men especially) treat you like you just started driving yesterday. I am at your place of business to spend "my" money and whatever "I" want to buy is my decision. I don't have any one on the loan with me nor do I need someone to talk interest rates, down payments, and the like. I was in the Marines and one thing I learned very well is to make sure you (1) ask the hard questions up front and (2) make sure that you read over every thing--even the greyed out text before you sign your name.

I was a a particular dealership and let's call him Sam. Well Sam was an older gentleman. You could tell that he's seen his share of women buying cars on their own. He had the jokes, the smile, the "you would look good in this car". The car wouldn't start--sitting on the lot too long--first sign. He tried to give me the not-technical reason why he had to jump the battery. I already knew that cars the sit sometimes the battery will drain. Strike one--trying to dumb things down to widdle ole me. Well I did study electronics and probably know more about batteries than he does.

I drove the car for a few miles and then decided to stop and take a look at the vehicle more closely. You guessed it---it wouldn't restart. I call the dealership and he tried to explain their system of turning the key waiting for two chirps then doing something else like the hokey pokey. He actually made it seem like it was my fault that the car wouldn't restart. To top it off, I left my cell phone in my car and had to walk two times to the bowling alley and spend my coins to call. They finally send some one out after about 30 minutes. I did like the little car.

Final straw-- the reason the car would shut off is because they have some type of Lo-jack device that kills the car if you are 10 days late on your payment. That was why such an eloborate hokey pokey starting .

My car works well. I haven't had any problems except wear and tear. Most of the items on the car that are wearing out now are the original parts. For a car that's a 1995, it's has beaten all of the stats for a Nissan Altima. Just because others see me driving a different car is not a reason the have an additional expense of a car payment and insurance. We sometimes fail to realize the cost to own a car goes far beyond the car payment.

Wow, October 2010 is next year--next year. Being out of debt can free up gobs and gobs of money so that I can give some of it away to worthy causes. I do plan the get Leap 4 Literacy in the process of giving away books and helping more with the Literacy Council more in the coming months

The count down has begun. I am currently about $11, 500.00 in debt. With a debt snowball of the $750. I can make it by 1010 or sooner!!