I guess it’s time to talk money again, isn’t it?
First, I have to admit that for the last couple of months we haven’t been the most organized with our budget. We’re not on a spending frenzy, but we were thrown so many curve balls that we didn’t keep to our envelopes and were playing catch up in a lot of different budget areas. Also, I used my credit card!!!! Dear God, it made me have prickly heat. Let me explain, because after over a year without using my credit card I feel an explanation is due. This is when bullet pointing seems most appropriate;
- Clay was out of town
- Clay had our debit card
- My debit card doesn’t work and I can’t seem to get the bank to make it work, so I gave up
- Seth had his first baseball game and needed black socks and grey belted baseball pants
- Seth didn’t have any black socks or grey belted baseball pants
- I discovered he needed these two items forty-five minutes before his game started
- I ran to the store
- I didn’t have any cash because the envelope system was being ignored
- The store didn’t take checks THEY DIDN’T TAKE CHECKS!
- It took me a while to remember I was in possession of our one and only credit card that hasn’t been used in over a year
- I used the credit card to pay for the black socks and grey belted baseball pants
- I gave myself an anxiety attack and topped it off with a nice case of prickly heat that made my underarms itch like fifty-eight mosquitoes had lunched on my deodorized pits.
- The End
Okay, so now that the saga is over, we need to wake up and get organized, AGAIN! If I’m going to encourage any of you with this post it’s by saying that it’s okay to slip and fall down, but you have to recover quickly no matter how bad it hurts. Limping is okay, but you still have to try to run. Can you tell I have a kid in track right now? Here’s some more: Get back on the track and finish the race. It’s okay if you don’t come in first as long as you are trying your hardest. Okay, I’ll stop now.
April, why do you still have a credit card if you’re all Damn Ramsey this and Damn Ramsey that?
Good question, thanks for asking. Let me explain.
Clay does all his own purchasing of software for his firm and then his company reimburses him. The firm also reimburses him for all his other business expenses. We have not used the credit card for any of the ordinary business expenses like meals and travel, but the software purchases are pricey. Right now we can’t fit them in our monthly budget and then wait thirty days to be compensated for the expense. Are you following? Now, this doesn’t happen all the time, which is why I had the credit card and I’m thanking the Good Lord that I did on this rare occasion. But, it was a wake up call to get ourselves focused again and head for the finish line…to finish the race….and…and..I can’t think of another track analogy.
April, are you going to use your credit card again?
Another excellent question. And no, your not being judgemental or nosey. These are questions that need answers today, right now and ASAP!
No. I don’t plan to and I hope I don’t. Prickly armpits are not comfortable and scratching them in public makes me look like a six foot tall ape woman. Now, let’s all go back and look at those cute kitty pictures and forget this whole credit card incident ever happened.
Need a Chicken Doctor?
Contact 
I am fresh out of Dave Ramsey and am still working out the kinks. I think the fact that using the card sends you into anxiety attacks is a good sign.
I absolve you…..
Lydia
Oh, and when I say “fresh out of Dave Ramsey” I don’t mean I ran out of him. No, I mean, I just finished the classes, so I’m fresh and new to it….
K? K.
Pay off the credit card when the statement comes and you’re off the hook. Otherwise, you’re in big trouble, Mister!
Yes Ma’am!
April April! It’s me, Jayme, the chicken splint gal.
I know how you feel! Isn’t it crazy how guilty we will feel when we do something like that?? I felt that way buying my husband a birthday cake last week. I BOUGHT a cake. I’m still not over it. I feel like I should be flogged.
It is what it is. I’m sure you’ll get back and finish the race!
Hi Jayme! I can’t believe you bought a cake! The nerve! Shame on you! I’m not going to admit to any of my bakery purchases. And from now on neither should you.
Didn’t Clay make Partner? Tell them to pony up and give the man a business credit card!
Even if he isn’t a partner, the company should pay their own bills and not expect your family to bear their financial burden. Then cut up that card and cancel it! That’s what Dave’d say.
P.S. Thanks for the reminder to refund my envelopes.
P.P.S. Thanks for the Bee video. It still makes me laugh!
Yes, yes he made partner. But, Clay’s firm doesn’t work on credit, which is one of the reasons we loved the firm so much. If they handed a credit card to all the partners there is a chance that it could be abused. When the guys have to fork over their own money they think twice about whether the company should be paying for it.
OK…we’ve been doing the Ramsey plan for about 4 years now. I just found your blog yesterday..and was crying at your funny “gettin’ out of debt” stories. I even blogged about it on my blog yesterday.
Be encouraged. At least spending money on the card HURT, right?! It wasn’t EASY, right? Let yourself off the hook…and don’t do it again.
The ONLY reason I haven’t touched a credit card in 3 years is because we don’t have one! That’s the saving grace for me.
Good luck in your debt payoff quest. I’ll be watching you closely. It makes our quest more enjoyable when I know others are just as miserable.
Apparently I’ve missed all your debt & Damn Ramsey posts. I’m still kinda new to your blog. I can make myself crazy over spending money too. We were big in debt and got out. Never do we want back in. I can talk myself out of any purchase now.
Thanks for the laugh tonight.
-FringeGirl
Keep the credit card. Sometimes you really do NEED it. Like when you get your Jeep towed for not renewing your insurance (I had completely forgot! Only 2 days late!) Tow driver only took cash or ccard. Sometimes you really do have to use them. And so enjoyable to pay the full balance AND reap the rewards the card brings (in my case shopping dollars at our favorite SuperStore.)
We just began the envelope system a few months ago. I already feel the anxiety guilt trip when I just use my debit card instead of the envelopes! I had to do it just today and found it sooo tempting to buy more because I didn’t have to physically see the money disappear. Yes, I had to do it just today – only seven days into the month – because I managed to go on a carefully planned coupon grocery trip to the next town without my envelopes in hand. Disorganization happens!
Breath in. And out. It’s all good in the ‘hood!
I found you on Pioneer Woman’s site, but I am sure that God sent me your way. I have a deep and serious addiction to Target, and we are working on our third adoption, so we have debt up to our eyeballs. I don’t want to do the Damn Ramsey system, but I thinks it is a must. When I was reading your getting out of debt stories I laughed until I cried over your Target is crack comment. My husband wants me to tatoo it on my body. You crack me up and make me feel like perhaps we to can dig ourselves out of this hole.
Just the reason I leave my credit card in the desk drawer. But then I would have to drive back home to get it to purchase the socks and belt! Returning to the college campus at the age of 45 I have learned a lot about not getting into debt all excapt for those nasty student loans! At the rate I am progressing in my masters I may be dead before I have to make one payment on them! That’s one of the perks of being a “mature” student!
But I have learned to live so cheap that I squeek that will come in handy if I ever graduate and get a job! Some how I just don;t think that I will be all the “rich” when I start teaching.
My credit card is for emergencies. I think you’re justified. As long as you pay it off immediately. Like before the bill even comes. Then basically it’s like it never happened. RIght? Unfortunately you can’t reverse that prickly armpit thing though.
Get over it. You used your credit card. You didn’t rob a bank. As long as you pay it off, in full, right away, there is no harm done. And use some corn starch on that prickly heat.
I slipped up today, too. But I’m taking courage from your get it back together again advice, and I’m doing that RIGHT NOW. And not after I compound this with a big shopping spree ALL WEEKEND!
Do you pay your bills online? If I ever have to use the emergency card… which I haven’t in over a year, whew… but if I do, upon returning home I immediately make a payment on the card online. So even before I receive the bill it is paid off. I cannot be trusted. I must do it immediately and hold myself accountable.
I had a similar situation recently. Luckily I avoided the prickly heat, but I did throw up a little. I stopped to get gas in my car (which was on fumes) and my debit card was rejected. It turns out the card had expired and my mind flashed on an envelope sitting on the desk that I had apparently ignored one day too long. I went home and immediately logged on and made a payment in full, but still felt horrible for a while. How crazy. I ordered the envelope system from Ramsey earlier this week…it was on sale half off. I can’t wait to see if I save more using cash than the debit card (and pretty sure I will). I found you recently through PW too…really enjoy your blog!
DO NOT feel bad about using the credit card. For goodness sake. We all have times we need to rely on them and as long as you’re not abusing the priviledge you’re fine!
You were justified…. otherwise your son would have had to play naked, and that is just not acceptable.
Like previous posters said as long as you pay it off when your statement comes (which I am sure you will), then it’s excusable…. it was an emergency.
Woman I feel your pain. ‘specially with the baseball pants 45 minutes before the game. I was a single mom, three boys, six different soccer teams (yes, two teams each) and three baseball teams. ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Let’s do the math shall we? 3 boys times 9 teams, no 3 boys times 2 times . . . oh whatever, I had to fund 9 different uniforms, and matching team bags, and warm ups and, and, and yep it was a real budget buster. I’m still paying off that credit card. Tried the Damn Ramsey. Can’t hang. I haven’t used my credit card in over a year now though. Like everyone said, just pay it off, no harm, no foul or would that be fowl in your case?
I’m all “What Would Ramsey Do”. “Would Ramsey allow us to buy the tricked out gas grill?” is our mantra. But. I have a credit card. Can’t book business travel without it. Keep it for emergencies. Use your envelopes. We use M-velopes on line. It’s great. But, come to think of it, it wouldn’t help you with your cash problem.
You make me smile everyday! Thanks!
BREATHE!!!!
OK, I use credit instead of debit but that’s solely a personal choice…. but I’m also the “queen of cheap”… so in our household it’s a tool not a way to go into debt.
Saying that… you need one for emergencies. You had an emergency. What if you’d needed it for health care costs for one of your children??? You have to have an emergency place to get funds and credit if Clay’s out of town with the debit card you need to have cash… just incase. You used it, you are not addicted to using it. You can get the money from the bank when the debit card and your dh get home and immediately put it on the card.
All good.
S.
What I identified with was your predicament in having only 45 minutes to find and purchase the uniform. That so brings back memories of me having to scramble to get something dire that one of my kids HAD TO HAVE!
rofl! My husband and I went thru FPU in Feb. 08. We’re making great progress… haven’t used our one remaining credit card since. Last week I told my husband that I had “charged” our new check order because I didn’t want the online check company to have access to our checking account. My children gasped at the thought of me CHARGING something. My husband silently reached for his cell phone and I screamed “Noooooooooooooooo don’t call DAVE!!!”
It was too funny. lol
We use our credit card all the time, BUT..we have a rewards credit card! We used to have it with Delta, and earned skymiles for our purchases, but now we have it through Costco, so we are earning money back on our purchases. We track our purchases so that we can make the end of the month (full) payment each month, and also feel good about recieving back rewards.
You said the store wouldn’t take checks which means you actually had the money to purchase those items. So, put the money aside (in your check register) so when the bill comes in, pay it off. That simple. But I recommend keeping the credit card as you can’t get confirmation on hotels, car rentals and such without one, most of the time. And who knows, you might want to plan and save for a vacation.
I’ve been there, done that… but I think my physical response was hives. Seems to me all things are good as long as you didn’t then say “well, I have already bought something what else can I sneak on the card that will hardly be noticed?”
http://anniefromasheville.wordpress.com/
We have been doing Dave Ramsey for 4 years now and we are back to Step #1. We got to Step #3 in the past, but we keep having those “unexpected” expenses come up and have to dip into our Emergency Fund. It is very HARD if you don’t make a lot of money!!! Although, it I think it still is the right way to do. It is nice to know that there are others struggling like us out there. Hang in there!
Hi April,
Will you please apologize to Clay for me? I really didn’t mean to accost him in the grocery store today. I’m embarrassed! But I must say he’s a cutie! And it’s fun to know you’re just south of town!
Cherie
Hi Cherie,
You’ve created a monster, because now he thinks he’s famous! Sigh
Here’s another track analogy…..get over the hurdle!
Good for you.
We are Dave Ramsey people too and we occasionally fall off the wagon too. It gets discouraging because when we do it seems like we just hemorrhage money like crazy. When this happens to us I just beat myself up for a while then climb back on that stupid wagon! We have one credit card left that we don’t use (usually) and I don’t even carry it with me lest I be tempted!
Jennifer
Um…wow. You hadn’t used your credit card in a year? Wow. I guess I’ve got something to shoot for.
Great Story. We just finished with D. Ramsey. It’s great for any age, but the younger the better..and you guys are way younger! Go get’em!
The first time I used a credit card in months,the leader of our Dave Ramsey classes walked up to me in the store. I’ve never seen him since but it still gives me shivers.
April: found your site from The Pioneer Woman site. I am totally stoked because I do believe my husband farms the crops beside your house! I’ve brought him dinner to the field a gazillion times and always admired the house. So when I saw the pics I knew it had to be the same one! I love your site and obviously live on a KS farm as well. Maybe I’ll bump into you sometime while I’m trucking food out to the field. Thanks for the great site!
Deep breaths! Your alright. Sometimes it has to be done. You’ll get back on track.
Its ok! So you used the cc, just pay it off and it’ll be all good!
We followed Dave’s plan and it got us out of debt…
One would think our money troubles are over, then our septic system pooped out (sorry you gotta laugh). Good thing we had an emergency fund and not CC or we would be right beside you on the group W bench.
Forgive yourself. It happens. Get back on your pony and ride like Don Quixote.
Sandhill Sis
Hi April! I’m a newbie to your place in space but have been doing the Ramsey thing (sort of) for a few months. Our church had a big push for him and I really feel that if nothing else, I have made myself more aware of my spending than ever before. My big spending came this weekend when my youngest graduated from nursing school (YIPPEE!) and then Thursday p.m. my air conditioner went out. I dipped into my $1000 but hope to pay it back ASAP. You’ll be fine…we’re all getting better. *Ü*