Here is what is left to pay before we tackle the mortgage:
Sallie Mae: 12,100
Sallie Mae: 8,901
Credit: 9,984
Total: $30, 985
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Under 10K on the Credit Card
We are under 10k on our credit card with a balance of $9, 984.00. This is a huge deal for us. Now that we are in the single digits for this card (our only credit card), we are confident it will melt quickly. Lord willing and providing, we will bust off another $1k with the next paycheck. God is so awesome and we praise him for his help with our finances. Since November 2008 we have paid off about $7500 in credit card debt, $4000 in doctor bills, and $1000 on our air conditioner.
On my way home from the grocery this afternoon, I imagined what it would feel like not to have a credit card, then not to have school loans, and finally let my mind wander to the region of having the house paid off and staying in this house for much longer than I had hoped. To not have a house payment and just pay for daily living would be so awesome and in the world in which we live, I wonder if it is really possible...to live debt free. I think it is, but I think it is such a forgein concept that it seems impossible. The good news is...it is not impossible. It is totally possible. It is a test of endurance and ultimately, a test of belief. Do we believe God will take care of us? Do we believe he will protect us when we ask him? Does he hear us when we pray even if the voices of doubt creep in from the enemy?
Lord Jesus,
We commit our finances to you! Thank you for your faithfulness. Help us to continue to be good managers of our money. Help us to become debt free! Thank you for the momentum you have given us and help us to do our work with a happy heart. In your precious name, Amen.
On my way home from the grocery this afternoon, I imagined what it would feel like not to have a credit card, then not to have school loans, and finally let my mind wander to the region of having the house paid off and staying in this house for much longer than I had hoped. To not have a house payment and just pay for daily living would be so awesome and in the world in which we live, I wonder if it is really possible...to live debt free. I think it is, but I think it is such a forgein concept that it seems impossible. The good news is...it is not impossible. It is totally possible. It is a test of endurance and ultimately, a test of belief. Do we believe God will take care of us? Do we believe he will protect us when we ask him? Does he hear us when we pray even if the voices of doubt creep in from the enemy?
Lord Jesus,
We commit our finances to you! Thank you for your faithfulness. Help us to continue to be good managers of our money. Help us to become debt free! Thank you for the momentum you have given us and help us to do our work with a happy heart. In your precious name, Amen.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Ethan is paid off!
Just paid the last of the doctor bills for Ethan's birth! Yay! Happy dance going on right here!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Just about under 10k!
Over the past few months, as you know, our debt efforts were put to the side. In the last month, we have recovered much of our momentum. In the last 45 days, we were able to put $1670 on our credit card. Therefore, the balance sits at $10, 186.00. Whoo-hoo! After the next paycheck, Lord willing, we will be able to get that baby under 10k. This is one of the moments I have been waiting for. We have never had less than 12k in credit card debt for our whole married life. Now, almost under 10k, I feel like the credit card debt will just melt away and we can hammer out those school loans.
Our church just began a new series on money, "Mad Money". Today, he spoke of our financial problems and the relationship of those problems with God. The take-away for me was this: God doesn't need our money. He needs our heart. When our heart beats for him and we make him first in every aspect, we will live in a way the pleases him and He blesses us. Jeremiah and I have made God first in our finances from the very beginning of our marriage. He has always received our first fruits. You can look at our bank statements/tax returns for the past 6 years and see it. God has been faithful. He has met us every step of the way and though we have made some dumb mistakes, we have not had to seriously struggle. It is all because of him. If you haven't tested him in your finances- Do it now! And do it with a glad heart because he will carry you as he does in all things. Amen.
Malachi 3:9-11 (New International Version)
9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
Our church just began a new series on money, "Mad Money". Today, he spoke of our financial problems and the relationship of those problems with God. The take-away for me was this: God doesn't need our money. He needs our heart. When our heart beats for him and we make him first in every aspect, we will live in a way the pleases him and He blesses us. Jeremiah and I have made God first in our finances from the very beginning of our marriage. He has always received our first fruits. You can look at our bank statements/tax returns for the past 6 years and see it. God has been faithful. He has met us every step of the way and though we have made some dumb mistakes, we have not had to seriously struggle. It is all because of him. If you haven't tested him in your finances- Do it now! And do it with a glad heart because he will carry you as he does in all things. Amen.
Malachi 3:9-11 (New International Version)
9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
Sanctus Studio LLC
We are pleased to post that we are in the process of formalizing our sidework into a LLC, Sanctus Studio. Our paperwork is in the works and we should be legally ready to go by the end of the month. God has been faithful and we are excited about the next steps in our adventure to get out of debt. Stay tuned for the launch of our new website for Sanctus Studio!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thoughts for the day
1) All the money needs to be budgeted for the pay period, even if it means sticking it in the emergency fund. Extra unbudgeted dollars in the checking account is bad news.
2) Just because somethings is on sale and is a really good buy and I really want it and we sure could use it DOES NOT mean I should buy it. So, totally trying not to buy the comforter, gazillion pillows and 2 king size sheet set from Bed Bath and Beyond.
3) I have to plan snacks for my day, even if I am not currently hungry. Doing so will keep me from eating out when I should be eating in.
Remember this, Kim. :-) Yes, I know, Jesus loves me. :-)
2) Just because somethings is on sale and is a really good buy and I really want it and we sure could use it DOES NOT mean I should buy it. So, totally trying not to buy the comforter, gazillion pillows and 2 king size sheet set from Bed Bath and Beyond.
3) I have to plan snacks for my day, even if I am not currently hungry. Doing so will keep me from eating out when I should be eating in.
Remember this, Kim. :-) Yes, I know, Jesus loves me. :-)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Buyer's Remorse: $2.86
Yes, I have buyers remorse over a mere $2.86!
The culprit: a Tall Iced Latte from Starbucks.
The circumstance: We had just finished watching the movie Up at the $2 cinemas - the first time for the whole family to go see at movie as a family. That was quite fun and well worth the $6. Since I am addicted to drinking coffee on a daily basis at work, I must have it on the weekends to prevent mid-afternoon headaches.
We're driving home from the theater, both kids have fallen asleep, and I decide to go to Starbucks and get something - a tall iced latte that came to only $2.86 - not too bad. Note, I don't do grande or venti...that's just overkill. Normally, I would get a hot latte, but this particular day, the sun was out and it was HOT, therefore, I decided to get the iced version.
The remorse began as soon as the drink was passed from the window into my hands. Because I normally get the hot verion, the Tall (small) size is usually sufficient, about 8-12oz - I'm not really sure. But this particular drink definitely looked no more than 8 oz and had a ton of ice. I get the drink and say, "Yea, that's not gonna last long!" And it didn't. I drank it before getting home. Actually, the drink lasted from the Starbucks drive thru, down a half mile to the expressway and 1 mile east to the next exit. It was completely gone before the red light turned to green. I said, "that was the biggest waste of $2.86. I could have made 12 of my very own iced coffees for that price." I truly had buyer's remorse.
The significance: teaching me to get buyer's remorse before actually making the purchase. This is something we all need to do. Let me repeat.
We all need to get buyer's remorse before we actually make a purchase.
No matter how much something costs, we need to experience this "let down" before we've actually made a purchase and handed over money. How many people waste $3.50 or more every day going to Starbucks? Now, I'm not trying to convince people to stop going to Starbucks to get coffee or being hermits and never spending any money. I quite enjoy getting coffee from there and I have mentioned several times in other posts about spending money in your local ecoonomy.
I'm trying to make the point that we spend a lot of money on things we don't necessarily need or want after the fact, which inevitably leads to buyers remorse. Many people put things on credit cards that should never be put on credit - video games, cars, vacations, nice meals. The list goes on and on, and these purchases steal from us the ability to do things that are more important, such as, saving and investing, giving, building a proper emergency fund, and simply not going over on the monthly food budget. We've done that last one many times.
I also know the difficulty in this. I have been wanting to upgrade to a smart phone and get a data plan for several months now. I've research a lot of phones, weighed the costs and benefits of having one, asked other people about their experience with non-basic cell phones, and considered if having a smart phone would give me a better quality of life or make me more productive given my current life circumstance.
Just the other night, I actually went into the verizon store ready to spend some money on an upgraded phone. I decided beforehand to just get a phone that would allow me to text faster- something with a slide out or flip out full QWERTY keypad. I wanted to wait a year and save up some money for a really good phone before spending the extra 30 bucks a month for unlimited data. And I knew that I could get a phone for free by upgrading online. With all the knowledge,self-debating, and looking into the future, I forced myself to experience some remorse before making a purchase.
In the end, that remorse allowed me to be ok with not buying a more expensive phone now and to get the free one online. I have just saved myself $30-$300 on a phone and up to $360 a year by not doing the data plan.
I get a phone that will allow me to text quicker.
I didn't spend any money and I'm not sending out yet another monthly bill, which means I get to put more money on debt each month.
Life is good!
I encourage you all to get buyers remorse before making your next non-essential purchase (food,groceries, and gas are essential). Let everyone know how it's going by leaving a comment.
The culprit: a Tall Iced Latte from Starbucks.
The circumstance: We had just finished watching the movie Up at the $2 cinemas - the first time for the whole family to go see at movie as a family. That was quite fun and well worth the $6. Since I am addicted to drinking coffee on a daily basis at work, I must have it on the weekends to prevent mid-afternoon headaches.
We're driving home from the theater, both kids have fallen asleep, and I decide to go to Starbucks and get something - a tall iced latte that came to only $2.86 - not too bad. Note, I don't do grande or venti...that's just overkill. Normally, I would get a hot latte, but this particular day, the sun was out and it was HOT, therefore, I decided to get the iced version.
The remorse began as soon as the drink was passed from the window into my hands. Because I normally get the hot verion, the Tall (small) size is usually sufficient, about 8-12oz - I'm not really sure. But this particular drink definitely looked no more than 8 oz and had a ton of ice. I get the drink and say, "Yea, that's not gonna last long!" And it didn't. I drank it before getting home. Actually, the drink lasted from the Starbucks drive thru, down a half mile to the expressway and 1 mile east to the next exit. It was completely gone before the red light turned to green. I said, "that was the biggest waste of $2.86. I could have made 12 of my very own iced coffees for that price." I truly had buyer's remorse.
The significance: teaching me to get buyer's remorse before actually making the purchase. This is something we all need to do. Let me repeat.
We all need to get buyer's remorse before we actually make a purchase.
No matter how much something costs, we need to experience this "let down" before we've actually made a purchase and handed over money. How many people waste $3.50 or more every day going to Starbucks? Now, I'm not trying to convince people to stop going to Starbucks to get coffee or being hermits and never spending any money. I quite enjoy getting coffee from there and I have mentioned several times in other posts about spending money in your local ecoonomy.
I'm trying to make the point that we spend a lot of money on things we don't necessarily need or want after the fact, which inevitably leads to buyers remorse. Many people put things on credit cards that should never be put on credit - video games, cars, vacations, nice meals. The list goes on and on, and these purchases steal from us the ability to do things that are more important, such as, saving and investing, giving, building a proper emergency fund, and simply not going over on the monthly food budget. We've done that last one many times.
I also know the difficulty in this. I have been wanting to upgrade to a smart phone and get a data plan for several months now. I've research a lot of phones, weighed the costs and benefits of having one, asked other people about their experience with non-basic cell phones, and considered if having a smart phone would give me a better quality of life or make me more productive given my current life circumstance.
Just the other night, I actually went into the verizon store ready to spend some money on an upgraded phone. I decided beforehand to just get a phone that would allow me to text faster- something with a slide out or flip out full QWERTY keypad. I wanted to wait a year and save up some money for a really good phone before spending the extra 30 bucks a month for unlimited data. And I knew that I could get a phone for free by upgrading online. With all the knowledge,self-debating, and looking into the future, I forced myself to experience some remorse before making a purchase.
In the end, that remorse allowed me to be ok with not buying a more expensive phone now and to get the free one online. I have just saved myself $30-$300 on a phone and up to $360 a year by not doing the data plan.
I get a phone that will allow me to text quicker.
I didn't spend any money and I'm not sending out yet another monthly bill, which means I get to put more money on debt each month.
Life is good!
I encourage you all to get buyers remorse before making your next non-essential purchase (food,groceries, and gas are essential). Let everyone know how it's going by leaving a comment.
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