Dirty four letter word...

D-E-B-T.

I think that I, like so many others, compare so much of what I have and do to what others have and do. I don't consciously try to keep up but I think we are all programmed to. Maybe not programmed to but taught to be constantly wanting more and being told by so many outside sources that what we have isn't enough and you need more. More clothes, more activities, bigger houses, newer cars, and bigger vacations to name a few things. No one talks about the toll all the "needing more" takes on people's wallet. Sure credit is easy to get and use but at what cost? To show others what you have?

Live and learn right? Well in our living nearly 8 years of marriage we have made mistakes. We have taken on student loans, car loans, credit cards and have foreclosed on a house. I could go into great depth on each one of these decisions and why they seemed like good ideas at the time. I will say that we had nearly no choice but to foreclose on our house. We tried every option to sell it and ruined our credit in the process. Loooong story. 

Eight years of marriage and we are finally learning what we need to do with our money. Please don't misunderstand, were not backed into a financial corner. Jeremiah is a great provider and we are very well taken care of. We're not reckless spenders. We have 3 credit cards with $2000 limits and we would never want more. We don't go on lavish vacations or buy the newest things. We go to yard sales, shop the clearance rack and enjoy finding the best deal. So why am I rambling on and on about finances?

I have wanted to read this book for awhile. Jeremiah's dad bought it for us for Christmas. I read it in a day and felt like I'd been smacked upside the head and things were all clear. We have been working for years to pay bills and going nowhere. Paying interest on student loans and never making a dent on the principle. Nickle and dime-ing our paychecks and just plain old never getting anywhere! We are dying to buy a house but have just not been able to believe that would happen for us again.     

Big changes had to be made if we wanted to stop working just to have all the money spoken for before it even hit our bank account. We want to stop working for money and make our money work for us! So we have started Dave Ramsey's baby steps. We saved an emergency fund, started snowballing our debt, wrote out a budget, and started using cash. I truthfully feel quite empowered. It sucks knowing that we have been paying so much money to debts each month that should just be our money. But I am loving having a plan for out money and knowing where EVERY SINGLE PENNY is going. No money is unaccounted for. 

It is not going to be easy. Sacrifices are going to be made. I canceled our cable tv. That was a big step for me. You know what? I don't miss it for a second. There won't be many trips to the stores, no big vacation this year for sure, maybe even for 2 years, no extra things to be bought and sticking to a strict budget. It seems daunting right now. But long term it will be so worth it. 

We want to be able to let our kids do extra activities. Help pay for school, missions, weddings and so much more. We also want to be able to help our parents when that need help.  If we keep going along like we are right now I don't see how that can be possible. So we are committed to doing this now so we can live like we want to later. It will be worth it to make these changes for the short term so out long term future will be great.

So don't be offended if we tell you no we can't go out to dinner or to the movies. Its not personal. Every bit of money that we have coming in will be going to pay off our debts. I have fun prospects and ideas to make extra money at home :) Hope you don't mind being bombarded with my new endeavor.

One huge thing we will be doing better is not eating out or making unplanned trips to the grocery store. I have always been a frugal shopper. In the past I would meal plan and shop but then be to tired at the end of the day to cook so it was just easier to go grab a bite to eat. What a waste!!! My crock pot is my new best friend. I cook in the morning and then is done and ready to go by the end of the day. So nice!

We have been using cash for the past month. I feel like the cashiers that I have used look at me like a drug dealer. Who actually uses cash these days!?! Well we do and we won't be going back. It was always so easy to think I was going to spend $100 but actually spend $125 because I could. I love not using my card and knowing exactly how much money it there. 

Everyone needs to read The Total Money Makeover. Even if you decide to not do it there are just so many great money tips in there. I personally have a new perspective on money. I don't know how long this will take. A year or two for sure. I am sure we will have setbacks along the way. I know we can do it. I can't wait to be debt free!