Hello my friends. How’s the debt reduction going out there? We are fast approaching our two year mark when we first decided to buckle down and beat this debt thing once and for all. Traction is the word that Damn Ramsey likes to use when referring to digging in and getting serious about debt. Sometimes, we get stuck spinning our wheels. We got no traction, man. I have a lot of excuses for the spinning. In all honesty it boils down to needing focus, diligence, persistence, good planning and organization. There are many days when I have none of those.
I’m spread a bit thin this year. I took on a job that requires a lot of my energy. It takes me away from the house more and more, which takes away from the kitchen control that I once had. We are eating out more often, grabbing snacks, eating in the van…Lord, please do not judge me on the smell coming from my van…it’s a bit crazy this life on the run.
I can sympathize with all of you that work full time and try to plan meals at home, it’s very hard and I’m not even close to working full time. Go back and read that last sentence a few times in your best whiny voice and you’ll have a good picture of what it’s like to live with me right now.
I think the biggest part of my problem is the lack of a schedule. I have a schedule, but it’s different everyday and sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing until the minute I’m doing it, add to that the five other people I live with and you have a lady spinning, running and feeding her children brownies for breakfast.
I’m longing for the days that I can rightfully run into a store, buy whatever I need to make my life easier and get on with my crazy dance. When we are done with this debt thing I’m going to hire a housekeeper, a farm hand, a grocery shopper and I’m going to have my van detailed at least once a week.
Until then, I’ll be trying once again to do better, stay focused and get us out of the HOLE!
A week or so ago I was driving some volunteers to a job very early on a Saturday morning. On the way home, I decided to follow a few garage sale signs. It is rare that I intentionally go to garage sales, I would like to make it intentional, but I don’t. I found the best sale, ever! I spent $9.00 and came away with a bag of fabric, new pillow cases, several aprons, a lamp for one of my boys, a pretty green jar for Ellen’s room, a lot of t-shirts, two pairs of Adidas shorts, dishes, an American flag (I’ve been collecting big flags to decorate our porch with for the 4th of July parties we have) and some other things that I’m forgetting. It was so much fun to get some things we needed and wanted and not spend a fortune.
Finding a sale like that actually helps me recharge my debt diet. It makes me realize if I work hard enough I can beat this stupid debt.
Are you ready for some pictures of my fun finds?
Cast Iron Dipper $0.50
Two of the four plates and eight bowls $3.00
Chandelier for Ellen’s room $2.00 (I found this at a different sale).
Jean Martha, tell me where I’m going to find all those replacement parts! And then come and fix this thing for me, please!
Now, tell me how you’ve saved money lately. I need inspiration.
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I just wanted to give you a pat on the back Sista! Damn…I mean Dave Ramsey got a hold of us a while back and I cut up the credit cards. They always got paid, but when I realized that I was actually borrowing the money, I couldn’t sleep. They don’t call it “Master” Card for nothin. Anyway, after living from paycheck to paycheck and always hating to pay that stupid bill, we actually have money in the bank now…I mean money! It’s so freeing and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our kids (grown) are finally realizing that we make more money than their friends parents, we just don’t have STUFF…we have the real deal…greenbacks.
Anyway…I love your finds. I found a 3 piece set of Pyrex casserole dishes with glass and plastic lids for $5 in perrrfect condition. Most people are looking for modern conveniences and they leave all the good stuff for us. Hang in there. I’ll be listening for your shout out….”WE’RE DEBT FREE!!!!!!”
I find beautiful beaded jewelry in magazines & cataloges, but, *dang*, can’t afford a $200 necklace. I duplicate the designs as closely as I can for about an 1/8th of the cost of the original!
I cook most of our meals from scratch. This saves money, and I can control the amount of sodium, sugar, etc. in our food. We have several health issues, so that’s important for us. Also, my MIL’s neighborhood has an annual garage sale. I’m sending tons of stuff for her to sell. It’s a nice way to get a little extra money. I don’t have a membership to Sam’s Club or Costco, but my mother and MIL do, so I can shop with them and stock up on certain items we use regularly without paying the yearly membership fee.
I LOVE your finds. I shop yard sales all the time. A few weeks ago I scored for my son…all his fall clothes. I got 3 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of sweatpants, 2 sweatshirts, 2 long sleeved shirts and a few t-shirts all for $5. I’m still happy about it! It’s the only way I can afford not to get into debt.
-FringeGirl
My biggest tip is – SAVE YOUR CHANGE!!! I NEVER spend my coin and have even started saving dollar bills. I take my $20 in cash on payday and when I break the 20 I will then break a 10 or a 5 but I never spend the singles. It’s my christmas fund. Last year I had over $300 in coin and another 250 in singles.I cash in start re-saving the day after Thanksgiving (black friday when I do my shopping) I got the idea from a friend who said her Grandpa never spent 5′s. He squirrelled them away for years and when he and his wife reached their 50th anniversary he took her on a cruise with the money. He had a lot more money to work with than I do, so I started with the coin and then moved onto the dollars.
OMG! Love that light! You can get all the replacement parts at Lowes. For the bulb covers you could even cheat and cut down a thin paper tube (think wrapping paper tube) and cover it in pretty paper. That chandelier has super chippy goodness.
Wish I had some inspiration but we’re in week 6 of Damn, I mean Dave Ramsey. We’re still on baby step 1. Having a yard sale on the 30th.
Good job. I wonder what I’ll be saying in 2 years.