Destination: Planet Debt Free

Darn You Capital One!

2012-02-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I am NOT a happy camper, but maybe my nemesis has done me a favor. I received a hard copy of my latest Kohls statement yesterday. It's that time of year for annual privacy notices. And oh, by the way, Capital One Bank is the new issuer of Kohls credit account. Guess what this girl is going to do today? Kohls.. you are dead to me. DEAD!!!

Kohls Statement

2012-02-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today I got my monthly statement email from Kohls and it was so nice to see the balance equaled 0.00 and the minimum due also equaled 0.00. What a wonderful feeling! Even with the gas prices rising, this was my silver lining. Today I fired off the start of the snowball for Orchard MC and am working on my budget for March 2012. Really, March is just around the corner? Not freaking possible!! Oh well. Before I know it, December 2012 will be here and then 2013. YIKES!

You Guys Rock

2012-02-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Thank all of you for the wonderful tips in regards to my concerns regarding Putnam and the last payment for the 401K Loan. I will be contacting them on Monday to work on them on the final pay-off amount. It is very important that I can fold that amount into my budget. With the gas prices steadily rising, unfortunately I may not be able to use it for my snowball payment. I need gasoline to drive to work. And food to eat. And that is the reality. But the other reality is that I am not letting this hiccup derail me. If I have to eat beans and rice for the next two years, I will do so to pay off my debt. Welcome to my new reality.

Standing on the Ledge

2012-02-24T09:24:00.001-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today is payday (or in my world, Transaction Day) and another payment gone to the 401K Loans. With that being said, I have one more payment left on 401K Loan 2. But here is the tricky part. The last time I had a final payment, Putnam did not update their records and they took out an extra loan payment, reimbursed me and then stopped taking payments on 401K Loan 2. It was disastrous, However, this time I will be prepared. IF this happens again, I will be on the phone with them like stink on pond scum. Usually it takes them about 2 months to figure out their hiccup, and in the meanwhile, I will simply divert that 'pseudo' extra money towards one of my debts. Won't that be fun! This time, I am not letting this go. Not this gal. While all this is exciting, what is more exciting is I am about 9% from meeting one my milestones for this year to have paid off 30% of my original debt. The car loan is below $18K and the I have paid off over 25% of my credit card debt since January 2011. Not too shabby. The goal of this weekend is to finish my budget and develop my action plan for March 2012. Okay people, you know what is coming, so said it loud and say it proud....

U-RAH!!!!!

Money and Relationships

2012-02-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I was reading a post or rather a beautifully written rant from the awesome Tanner. He is in tough spot in dealing with his parents and his debt. It got me thinking about money and relationships. There has been a lot of ups and downs with money as it relates to my relationships, whether it be with the BF or with my daughter. They are the most important people in the world to me. And ironically, it is because of my wanting to please them that led me to overspend and get into debt. And it is because of them that I am getting out of debt because I want to be able to improve our quality of life. Debt destroys relationships because it chokes the life out of your budget. It clogs the channels of communication. It is only when we are honest about the debt and how it affects us is when it can't do any harm. When we are in denial of our actions or contribution to the debt is when debt holds us hostage. And what the current ransom? Too freaking high.

Me - A Source of Inspiration?

2012-02-23T06:13:00.001-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! For those of you who are struggling with debt, and there is a lot of us, we all look for the ways to get out of debt and look to others to inspire and motivate us. Getting in debt is easy. Getting out is the hard part. When I first starting to blog about getting out of debt, I looked to many others for inspiration - The FreeBirds, Niki, B-Kat, BabyBluewater, and many others. But I never thought I would be an inspiration to others and yet, Kim blogged that I was one for her. She is an inspiration to me because she is always working so hard. Yes, I played the minimum payment game, because it was the only path I had at the time and like the ole tortoise in the fable, steady wins the game. What matters most is that we keep going no matter how hard it is and to remember that we may have to make a path correction here and there. But never give up. Ever. For if we do, debt wins. And for me - that is NOT an option.

Comment Issues

2012-02-22T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! To all that have tried to comment on my blog, I am not sure how I did this, but I inadvertently blocked it. (Stupid blogspot!) I think it is working now, but Auntie Eboo left me a comment. I still have it set for moderation, but please feel free to comment. My most sincere apologies.

Feeling Powerful

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! For those who know me, I don't follow the conventional methods of paying off my debt. What do I mean by the conventional methods? I am talking about the Avalanche Method, which is paying off the highest interest rate first, or the Snowball Method, which is paying off the lowest balance first. I am not the conventional type of gal. Just not my style. I am a bit unorthodox in my methods. My method is what makes me feel more powerful. For instance, when I got my state refund, I could have paid off the Target card right away, but that would not give me power. What I chose to do is fund the Perks Street so that I can automate some bills which will assist in balancing my budget. Then when my federal refund came in, I did what made me feel most powerful, and that was paying off the three small cards, but also putting some of it in savings. I also gave money to my daughter's computer fund and bought something for the house. I could have put more in the savings, and more than likely I should have, but it was more important to keep a promise to the BF to give him a lump sum to do with whatever he wanted. By doing this act, I am empowered to do what I need to get us out of debt, and there is where the real power lays. I am able to say 'No, it is not in the budget', and he gets it. And that is why my method works for me, because I do what makes me feel powerful, not what is conventional.

Okay - Who is Next?

2012-02-21T10:17:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Now that my snowball is starting to roll, it is time to concentrate on my next target or should I say 'targets'? I have been playing with the numbers and have targeted Orchard MC to be next and then the Best Buy consumer card. Why that order? Simple. The Orchard MC card will assess a member fee of $59.00 in November. So by paying that card off early will avoid that wonderful charge and then I should be able to pay off the Best Buy card as will before the end of the year. And that will be 5 cards paid off this year. Wouldn't that be exciting? Who knew that paying off credit cards would bring so much joy? LOL!!!!

Credit Card Debt Analysis Report - The New Picture

2012-02-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Normally I post the credit card analysis at the end of the month, but I could not wait to show this off. I am so jazzed! So without further adieu, here is the new picture! Check it out - only 6 bars!! So, Kim - there are your zeroes that you request! So who is next on my radar... Best Buy - you're going bye-bye!!

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 2/18/2012

2012-02-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Happy Saturday! Thank all of you for the U-RAH's! I am so humbled. It has been a struggle to get to this point, but finally the snowball is rolling. For those who have had the joy of calling a credit card company to close the account (in particular Capital One) knows the wonderful feeling of liberation. But enough about me, this post is for Jenny at Digging Out of Debt, One Spoonful at a Time. She got her tax return and filled up her Emergency Fund. Jenny is a realist and acknowledges that it may not be kept full, but it is a nice feeling that it is there. Jenny, dear, been there doing that. We will get there together. You go girl, and take the world on. Just raise your head up and shout out...

U-RAH!!!

The Funeral for Baby CapOne

2012-02-17T06:50:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! A while ago, I had shredded the Baby CapOne card. But I still did not consider it gone until yesterday when I called to close the account. The kind customer service representative inquired why? Seriously? I don't think there is enough time in her life to listen to my rants. However, I was polite in giving my reasons.

HER: Can I ask why you wish to close this account?
ME: I no longer wish to do business with your bank. I have tried to get your company to lower my interest rates, and you have refused repeatedly.
INSIDE VOICE: You jerks are scum of the credit world!

HER: I'm sorry about that. Could we offer a new account with a better rate?
ME: No, thank you. I have no desire to have another account with you.
INSIDE VOICE: Are you freaking kidding me?

HER: We are sorry to see you leave. You account is now closed.
ME: Thank you. Please understand it is not you personally, it's the bank you work for.
INSIDE VOICE: I'm outta here, sucker! And if I were you, I would be singing... TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT!

RIP Baby CapOne... I am not going to miss you at all.

What's in a Number?

2012-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! One of the items that the Financial Adviser tasked me with is to get my credit score. This is something that I have been avoiding doing for a while. However, in order to get a clearer picture of my credit worthiness (hate that term), this was vital information. So, I bit the bullet and did it. (Taking a deep breath). The number - 575. It is lower than expected. So what is driving this number down - too many open account; too many high balances; accounts in collections (those labs and radiology that my former insurance STILL has not taken care of). Sigh... I know this number will get higher in time. He said don't get discouraged. Think of it as a baseline. Now this, I and every female out there can relate to this concept. In fact, this whole debt re-payment process is as painful as a mammogram! A necessary evil but you're glad when it's over.

So what is your 'Baseline'?

Computer Fund - Done and Done

2012-02-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Another action item for February completed. I could have put that money towards the debt, but it was more important that my daughter have a computer for school. She will be a junior next year and she is going to need it to complete projects. Some of the upper level classes will post the homework online and requires you to upload your work to the teacher's site. Wow.. crazy!! Such a different world we live in today. And with that said, my last action item is to work up the March 2012 budget, and think of some action items for March. Yep.. things are looking good. Planet Debt Free is getting closer and closer...

Bulls-Eye!!

2012-02-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! How is everyone doing? Me... GREAT! And why you ask? Because I hit the bulls-eye and took down Target! And I confess that I am a baby killer... farewell Baby CapOne. And Kohls, your clothes may be cool, but the balance on your card - not so much! Ha ha ha ha... and we will be saying good-bye to the Amazon promotional amount as well, and hello too the others as my snowball starts to roll. And the total percentage paid... 25.8%

What is that I hear...

U-RAH!!!!!!!

I Hate Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Mysti from Digging Out from Our Mess blogged about feeling unworthy on this day. And I feel her pain. This holiday has never been good to me. Like her, I just want know that I am special to him, because in the past there has not been anything special, in fact I've been dumped on this day. Oh I'm sorry, but I am in love with someone else. Seriously? And then there is the current BF, just a casual, oh yeah, I love you. I mean where's the romance? Like last night. We went to a few craft stores to get some artificial flowers to brighten up the house for spring and a new outdoor plant. He spent all night working on the artificial flower arrangements and snipping and pruning the new plant. Really didn't spend any time with ME. In fact, I went to bed early and he didn't come to bed until after 1:00 AM. This morning, not even Happy Valentines before I left for work. In fact, when I think about it, I have never even gotten flowers from him. And I don't think it will happen today. I even will be making our Valentine's dinner, because I don't want to waste the chicken I defrosted. The only decent Valentine's day was our first one. He bought me a ruby heart necklace and matching watch. But ever since then, I was lucky to get a card. But the BF is nowhere near as uncaring as the ex-husband. In our last year of marriage, I was away on a business trip, but was scheduled to come home on Valentine's Day. I bought a card, some chocolates that he loves and made a 'gift certificate' for a romantic evening (wink, wink). What did I get? No card. No 'I missed you'. Nothing but anger because OMG my flights got delayed and I was late coming home. About a month later, we got into this huge fight, and I brought up that I was upset that I didn't get anything that year. His comment.. (hang on to your tongue).. 'Did you think you deserved one?'. Can we say the final nail in the coffin that was called our disaster of a marriage? About 2 months later, I filed for divorce. What is the point of this? I think that Valentine's Day is farce. But why does it hurt when the person you love does not acknowledge that you are that special person in their lives. And that is why I hate Valentine's Day.

Anticipation becomes Emancipation

2012-02-13T12:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I have been anxiously waiting for my federal refund, and so I thought I would check the status today. Guess what.... it is scheduled to be deposited on Wednesday! OMG... do you know what that means? I will be able to pay off Target, Baby CapOne and Kohls this month! ... Breathe.. just breathe... It is just surreal that it is finally happening.

GE Money Bank - WTH??

2012-02-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I think that GE Money Bank (the bank for Amazon and Walmart) is trying to compete with Evil Capital One for who can tick me off more. I just received my recent statements from this 'charming' bank for both these cards, and the minimum payment due is significantly less than last months! What and why? Ugh and double ugh! Thank goodness this is the year that I will be able to make REAL progress on paying down my credit card debt. I mean, seriously? Do they honestly think that this is going to derail me? In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny (BTW, one of my heroes) - they don't know me very well, do they? Game on GE Money Bank!....

U-RAH!!

2 more!!!!

2012-02-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Just a brief note..

JUST TWO MORE PAYMENTS FOR 401K LOAN 2!!!!!!!

And to top that off Action item for transferring automatic payments from ING Direct to Perks is done and done. Action item to close ING Direct will be modified to set up savings accounts for Christmas and Murphy.

Gotta run... have a great weekend!

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 2/10/2012

2012-02-10T11:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It has been a hectic week, but not too hectic to give some shout outs!

Our first one is for HS.. Dude.. you are rocking it.. So glad to hear the Discover card is paid off... Keep it up!!

Our next one is for Louise (btw - Tag!! You're it!!) Her old home loan is gone, the re-fi complete and things are looking up!!

And finally - our of my favorite gals... Ms. GRB is DEBT FREE!!!!

Alright people - say it loud and say it proud....

U-RAH!!!!!!!!!

Update on Action Goals for February

2012-02-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today my state refund posted to my bank account. Two years ago I only got $7.00 dollars. This year is was MUCH better! And time to put some action items into play. However, Niki at DebtFree by 30 did get me thinking. ING Direct has not messed with me too much, so I will keep this account, but use it for savings for Christmas. I am good with this, but will still transfer my automatic payments to the Perks Account. Time to put words into actions.

Action Item 1 - Fund Perks Streets - Completed 2/8/2012

Missing Judy

2012-02-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I don't know about you, but I miss Judy! She always made me smile! Even when I am really feeling low. It angers me that someone would hack into her site and hijack it! It is downright rude. But it does not surprise me. In the past year, my daughter's email got hacked. My BFF's Facebook account was hacked. Even the BF's website was taken hostage. There really needs to be some type of control over this, but thanks to ever evolving technology, it is harder and harder.

Sigh.. I miss Judy..

What's on Tap - February

2012-02-03T16:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Yes - another post! (I've been too tired or busy to blog) One of the things that the financial adviser recommended was that I write up monthly action plan for each month and there should be no more than 5 items. So here is the action plan for February 2012.

I think that this is doable... what about you?

I Feel Perky!

2012-02-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! This title is actually is the exact opposite of how I am feeling. I have been in training all week for Agile Development (feel free to Google) and I am EXHAUSTED!!!! But like I mentioned, I recently opened up an account with Perks Street Financial. This is the best online banking that I have seen. I discovered this one day reading Enemy of Debt (a must read blog/site for anyone in debt). The name of the card says it all. There are Perks with this card. Each time you use this card as a signature purchase (ie, like credit), you earn points. You get enough points, it translates to gift cards. There is a lot more to this, but I strongly suggest one check it out. I am planning on transferring all my automatic payments (newspaper, insurance) to this. In fact it is one of my February goals (more to come). But the added bonus - this will allow me to dump ING Direct! And why???? Because they are owned by the evil Capital One bank.

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Life

2012-02-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Breaking News - B-Kat for Slay the Mon$ter is DEBT FREE!!!

Let me here it...

U-RAH!!!!

Come on... Louder..

U-RAH!!!!

LOUDER!

U-RAH!!!!

And That's a Wrap! - January Edition

2012-02-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Whew! January is done and done! So what did I accomplish, here is the list.

Filed my taxes
Did my budget for February
Developed plan for debt payments for 2012
Attended financial advice planning
Opened an account from Perks Street (more on that later, but feel free to Google.. you won't be disappointed)

So what is up on tap for February... stay tuned!

Getting Closer Every Day

2012-01-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I love this title. It is spin of one of my favorite Beatles songs (I can just hear Sir Paul banging this out with the lads singing in harmony). So what am I talking about? My tax refund. One of the 401K loans will be paid off. The snowball with FINALLY get rolling. I'm so excited (yes, another song by the awesome Pointer Sisters). I have been thinking and re-thinking and playing with the numbers over and over again and again ad nauseum! Yeah, I'm a geek. Seriously, though. After a discussion with the BF, and the FA, here is the breakdown.

We are going to put one month space rent in a savings account, in effect, the Murphy Fund.
Pay off three cards
Pay some money in a car maintenance fund
Pay off the promotion amount for the Amazon Card.

Furthermore, here is the goal for the $50.00 per pay period -

Half towards Murphy
Half toward Propane account

Murphy is going to more than half way funded, but being that we are on propane, it would be better to start a separate account for it to cover the cost for the year. So, I need to dig out our old propane bills and estimate how much we spent last. Fun times!

Our next meeting with the FA will discuss which cards to close and to leave open. Yes, he is recommending that we leave a few open. My credit score is 575, so ugh. So, my homework assignment is to rank each card and write pros and cons. However, I did tell the FA there is no way in Hades I will leave the Capital One cards open. This is NOT negotiable. Yeah, good times ahead.

The Spending Diary - Week 4

2012-01-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Welcome to this week's edition of Spending Diary! Well, not as great as last week, but overall, not horrific. I could have easily gone overboard at Walmart, but it was a low roar. Yeah! The fast food... definitely will try NOT to make that a habit (really bad for the waistline, though I did have a chicken wrap). Lunch - at work we have a cafe, and that was for a small salad, but there are really a good size portion, so it is a pretty good deal (and I forgot my lunch at home that day!) And that's a wrap!!

Spendy Day

2012-01-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today definitely a spendy day, but the dogs needed food and I needed some items from Walmart and the car needed fuel, however, I stuck to my list today, and that is a good thing. Now onto my main challenge. Grocery shopping, and I only have $85.00. YIKES! Wish me luck!

Credit Card Debt Analysis Report - January 2012

2012-01-28T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Here we are again. Looking at the credit card debt. Oh fun!! Like I mentioned before, not a great month - BUT, not going be discouraged. It just tells me that I need to be more proactive in saving for Christmas and so forth. However, just take a look at that Target balance! Thanks to you, I was able to put $5.25 snowflake, and have more to put on it! Love you guys!

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 1/27/2012

2012-01-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Well it is time for me to get my cheerleader pom-poms out and give some shout outs to some deserving people. Here we go!

Our first shout out goes to HS at Our Debt Blog. His Discover card balance is below $1,000 and he is on track to meeting his goal to get this paid off. Well done sir! I am so proud of you. Keep it up! - Discover card balance below $1000.00 HS is on track meeting his goals.

Our next shout goes to the magical Mysti at Digging Out of Our Mess. She hexed G-Man's retirement loan to make it disappear, and it is GONE!! Debt beware! Who knows which debt that is next on the list!

And to all others out there, keep it up. Let's make 2012 the year that YOU take control back! You all know what the word is....

U-RAH!!!!!!!!!!

Dedicated to Jeff

2012-01-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Jeff at My So Called Financial Life blogged about being discouraged. I think that we can all relate to this. I was extremely discouraged last year for many reasons. Primarily that my budget kept taking hit after hit after hit. I still kept plugging along, paying the minimum amount on all my cards, sometimes a little more here or there. I knew that I just needed to wait until tax time to get the ball rolling and also for the smaller of my 401K loans to be paid off, which after today will be three more payments (U-RAH!). For those of us that are getting started, the very beginning is tough, because we are not seeing immediate progress. But then all of the sudden, the snowball is rolling and then you can't stop it. It takes time for it get rolling, especially when you start out small. Patience and persistence is key to paying it off. Being there, doing this. If it was easy, then we would not have this wonderful blogosphere community.

Hang in there Jeff. It will happen. Look to your faith to get you through this. My favorite, Mark 11:24. It has gotten me through more than you know.

So Long Rhapsody

2012-01-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I finally did. I cancelled my Rhapsody music subscription, which places $9.99 back into the budget. Now why did I do this? First of all, I don't use it as much as I used to. Secondly, I was having too many technical issues uploading to my MP3 player, and when I could, sometimes the song was not what is was supposed to be. There is certain music that I listen to over and over again. And if I need some new music, I can ask my co-worker for it. He has a huge library of music and is willing to share. We share similar taste of music, and if push came to shove, I will buy it myself through Amazon or iTunes.

Fare the well Rhapsody, it was nice while it lasted.

Reversal of Annual Fee

2012-01-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today was my day to check the Baby CapOne for a new balance, and noticed that the amount for DarthCapOne was lower than my statement. Upon further investigation, I guess they decided to reverse my annual fee. Wow.. shocking. And then I checked the Year End statement. The average amount of interest charge monthly was $54.60. Charming. And that is why I can't WAIT to get rid of this card. The Baby CapOne had an average of $6.00, however, the annual fee for this card is $29.00 (ugh). That's okay. This 'Baby' will be paid off before they charge another annual fee. Yeah - good times ahead.

The Spending Diary - Week 3

2012-01-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I told you this week would be better! I am so proud of myself. I stayed in budget last week! Yeah for me!

I Truly Loathe DarthCapOne

2012-01-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I think the title says it all, but here is why. I called them yesterday to cancel the card so that they can no longer charge the annual member fees. Well, my dear bloggers, that will NOT stop them, because... I STILL HAVE A BALANCE! (Sorry for the yelling) So, as long as I have a balance, they will keep charging this an annual balance over and over again. Oh, but they did acknowledge that I was a good customer, and congratulated me for my good behavior. That was mighty nice of them. (Can you feel the sarcasm) I was so disgusted with them. I cannot WAIT to pay them off. And as much as I would like to when I get my tax refund, it would make more sense to pay off the small cards, which one of them would be the Baby CapOne. So today, I did the ceremonial shredding of DarthCapOne. It is battle on with these jerks! Remember the plan the FA wants to see. I am going with the Dave Ramsey method. This gazelle is hitting the ground. And the BF better be able to keep up with me!

So here is the blow by blow picture for the next 90 days

January - Pay the minimums
February - Pay the minimums; state tax refund should arrive, pay off promotional amount on Amazon card
March - 401K Loan 2 is done and will be transferred to the Murphy Fund; tax refund, pay off Target, Baby CapOne, Kohls and perhaps one more
April - Snowball starts

Also, my merit increase will be in March and that can be added into the budget.

Meeting with Financial Adviser

2012-01-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Like I mentioned before, I had an appointment with a financial adviser (FA). It was very enlightening and I got a lot out of it. He was very helpful. As previously suspected, one of the primary reasons why there is so little progress on the paying off the debt is that our expenses exceed our income. No surprise there. Another issue, surprising, is the type of cards I have, meaning the one with annual fees. Someone commented once that these fees can set you back. His recommendation is to call them and ask them to waive them being that I have had no activity on them. Sounds reasonable. As for strategy for paying off, he prefers the traditional snowball where you concentrate paying off the highest interest, but for me, the Dave Ramsey method will work better because of the emotional aspect. Not having a 'win' is the biggest reason why my debt is not going down, but going up. So, we discussed what are the emotional issues are. The first is that the BF does not realize how much being in debt affects me or our relationship. The second is that I need to not be so freaking anal about it and be patient. The third is put a plan together, stick with it and roll with the punches. So, then he brought in the BF and they talked. BF made all sorts of excuses, but the FA kept shooting them down. This went on for about 15 minutes, and then the BF finally conceded that he is part of the problem, and needs to be part of the solution. In regards to my impatience, he recommended to get a calendar - a large one - and map out key dates. And then hang it where I will see it everyday. And the last part, we have a follow-up appointment to present the plan and a budget. This should be interesting. The BF cannot follow-up ANY budget and he doesn't want to be bothered. He keeps throwing wrenches ALL the freaking time. It's really aggravating but the FA told him that in order for the debt to be paid off, we needed to work together on the budget. And more importantly, we need to have weekly check points and a monthly meeting (sounds familiar Judy??) So, our homework is to completely review our household expenses and get the calendar. Sounds fun, huh? Can't wait. I know I can do this, but having a partner that keeps putting up obstacles has been hard. OH... and the FA says DO NOT use my tax return to bail out the BF's portion of the house bills. He needs to be more accountable. I have to identify several key initiatives and work on those. Sounds like a game plan.

The Spending Diary - Week 2

2012-01-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I didn't get a chance to post last week's spending diary. Like I said, a very crazy week at work and at home. And there is a lot to tell you, but not in this post. In an effort to be more accountable, here we go. It is not very pretty, but it is what it is. Am I going to feel ashamed about it? Nope. What would it do? NOTHING. Shame is the number one weapon that Debt has.

So here it is.. Told you, not pretty. (At least I am honest)

And here is chart for us visual folks...

However, next week is much better! :) He he he...

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 1/20/2012

2012-01-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It has been a crazy week for me. So much going on and lots to tell. Just need to get some time to post about it, but I have to give a shout out to Ms. JP Kittie... Her Citibank card is DONE!!!

You know what's coming..... Everyone, say it with me!

U-RAH!!!!

2 Steps Forward, 3 Steps Back

2012-01-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Does anyone remember Paula Abdul's song 'Opposites Attract'? That is how I feel about my relationship with myself. I do really well, and stay on track (the debt killer), but then the my polar opposite (the spender) comes out and wreaks havoc on my progress. It is so aggravating. I know I can be that debt killer in my dreams. And this is all up to me. I am the enemy here, not the BF or anyone else. Case in point. In the past 6 weeks, I have added almost $425.00 to my credit card debt. Part of it was Christmas, items for my daughter, but there was some splurges for me (the work clothes and the Quicken upgrade). I really don't feel great about it. So, I made an appointment with a financial adviser regarding a plan. The BF's mother is paying for the consultation fee. Hopefully, they will be able to find areas to cut so that I can be more focused. Tired of this freaking Ferris wheel, and BTW - I hate them. I am really afraid of heights! Bleh! LOL!

Thanks for letting me rant and rave. And now back to our regular scheduled program...

Intuit - You are in for it!!

2012-01-14T20:23:00.001-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I've been holding off upgrading my Quicken software (I had 2009 version), but today I got the message that after April 30th, my automatic updates will no longer work. So, I went on their site to purchase the 2012 version. Well, I got a notice that they charged my card not once, but TWICE! No, sir! You did NOT do that! Intuit.... you have messed with the wrong gal! LOL!! What cracks me up is that I work in their old building that my company bought, gutted and re-furbished! Gotta love the irony!

Babies and Debt

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! The other day, HS blogged about the amount of debt he currently has, which by the way is less than mine. And then there was the comment about stuff for the upcoming baby. Babies don't care about stuff! All they care about is being fed, staying dry and being warm. That is it. They don't care about the material things. They don't need the latest trendy item, clothing or whatever. That is the problem we have is that society deems it necessary. What is necessary is food. What is necessary is keeping them dry (diapers). And finally, keep them warm. They will be fine. It is okay to buy one or two cute things for special occasions, but every visit to the grandparents is NOT a special occasion. And besides, let the grandparents spoil them. If you want to spend money on the baby, put it toward a college fund. Trust me, they will appreciate it later when they won't have the debt of a student loan.

So, my dear, sweet friend HS, please tell the wife to put the Macy's card away, and be practical.

Now Why Didn't I Think of This

2012-01-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! For those of you that follow me know how tough it is to get a snowflake together or let alone the Murphy Fund going. So I have decided to do something different this year. We have all heard the saying when people provide input..

Here is my two cents...

So far this year, I have had 66 comments. If I multiply that by .02 = 1.32. I value your input more than the old saying goes. Therefore going forward, for each comment, I am going to add a nickel to a monthly snowflake, which will be currently applied to the Target Card. And for each follower, I will add $1.00 to the Murphy Fund. And when will this start? How about NOW!

The Sun is Smiling and So am I

2012-01-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! This morning the sun is shining brightly and it makes me happy. I dislike dingy, dreary days. It makes me feel blah. Especially when their is turmoil in my life. But today when I awoke, I had a smile in my heart and felt lighter. Not sure why. Still a lot going on at home. I believe that God is reminding of how beautiful the sun is and how beautiful I am in His eyes. It humbles me and strengthens me. Not much else to report on the financial front because this is the lull between credit card statements. Well, off to work I go. Have a great day!

New Day... Same Crap

2012-01-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! First of all, thanks to all that commented on my post from yesterday. I wish I could say the night went better, but it didn't. I can't even begin to describe the level of self-loathing I feel today. It practically is gagging me. And I have to go to work and put a smile on my face. Heavenly Father, give me strength, courage and comfort to get me through this day.

Reigning in Temper

2012-01-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I am having a bad day today. The BF and I got into a heated discussion last night regarding plans for today. He wants to put away the Christmas decoration, and stated the we needed to get up and going this morning. Fine, I agree. I also told him that I was going to have to get some work pants. I only had one pair that fit and the other is really baggy on me, which is a good thing. I had no luck yesterday at the Goodwill store and resigned myself to have to go to Kohl's. Their Daisy Fuentes line fits me the best. So, this morning, after watching ABC News This Week, he said, don't get on your computer and let's go. (Strike 1) Secondly, he took freaking forever to go (Strike 2) and THEN after we went to Kohl's (which I spent over $100 but got three pairs of pants) he wanted to go over to a friends house to pick-up something (Strike 3). So, here it is 2:00 PM PST, and we have not gotten started. And to top it off, my daughter got in trouble and we are back to screaming at each other and her blaming me for all her freaking problems. Gee, is it any wonder that I am debt. All these freaking stress triggers! I am so sick of this... really am.

The Spending Diary - Week 1

2012-01-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! In order to meet my financial goals, I started to track all my spending. Thank you Sharon for the website, The Spending Diary. This way I have a visual picture of what I spend and see where I can cut back on. This week was started off to a bad start as I was stuck at the airport on Tuesday for almost 6 hours due to my daughter's flight being cancelled, waiting until she could leave and the cost of food and parking... YIKES! Sorry, I digress. Here is the this weeks spending. Not a great start. We didn't get a chance to get some groceries and there was nothing to make for my lunches. Hence, the large grocery bill. Next week should be MUCH better. My biggest expense is gasoline and groceries. I rarely buy myself lunch or go out for coffee. So there you have it.

Here is hoping a for a better week!

And the first U-rah of 2012 goes to....

2012-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Greeting from cyberspace! Our first shout out of the year goes to....

JUDY!!!

As you know she got laid off, but did not let this get her down. Even when there was the threat, she was proactive and went looking for a new position, and the Fates smiled kindly and rewarded her. So, Judy.. my dear sweet lady.. I am humbled and honored to award you the first U-RAH of the year... This is for you! Alright everyone --- all together now...

U-RAH!!!!

Call of the Jungle

2012-01-05T22:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Checked Amazon Store Card online, and I had to do a double take.

Ummm... they increased my credit limit. Oh joy! Not too sure what to make of it. I will tell you what I am NOT going to do with it. Spend it. Nope! Not even tempted. Gotta love GE Money bank. They love to give credit increases. And their promotional plans... no interest if you can pay off the purchase in a certain amount of time. And their interest rate is so charming at 25.99%. And the minimum payment this month is $35.00. What a joke!!! However, due to paying the two tickets (the citation and the speeding ticket), I am only able to pay that amount.

It is a jungle out there. These cards know that we are killing them left and right, so they are desperate. And so they are pulling out all the stops. Well, we, the consumer, are going full steam ahead. Go US!

Credit Counseling… Update

2012-01-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I got the following in my email. My responses is in red.

We received your application through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and are excited about helping you reach your goal of becoming debt-free. I also see that you have an appointment scheduled for 1/4/12. Please let me know if you would like to keep that appointment or if you would like to continue via e mail/phone.

There are currently 4 options available to you to assist in your financial situation:

1. Continuing to handle the debts on your own - If you continue to make minimum payments to your creditors on your own, it will take until approximately June of 2034 to get out of debt. The advantage of this option is that you will be able to self-manage your debt, and you will still be able to use your credit cards, if applicable.

Wow.. really!! Have you not heard of Snowballing! Or willpower! Obviously not!

2. Sell or borrow against assets - When borrowing against your assets, you are turning unsecured debt into secured debt. This may not be beneficial because if you get into a situation where you are unable to make your payment, you are at risk of losing the collateral.

Don't have any assets other than my 401K and I'm already maxed out on the loans! Not going there again due to Putnam's incompetence~

3. Seek legal advice - Bankruptcy stays on your credit for up to 10 years. In addition, recent law changes have made it difficult to file chapter 7 (where all of your debt is eliminated). A lot of times, people are required to file chapter 13 (where a payment plan is set up to pay creditors back).

Been there, done that, NEVER doing it again!!!

4. Debt Management Plan - You could be out of debt by approximately January 2016 and save over $13,000 in interest by going on a Debt Management Plan (DMP). According to the information you provided regarding your creditor balances, your monthly DMP payment will be $322.92. This will pay 10 creditors. The $322.92 also includes a $23.92 monthly fee that is used to maintain your account, and a $10 payment flex fund. The payment flex fund is not a fee; this money is used as a negotiating tool and is sent to your creditors. There is also a one-time set-up fee of $50. So, your first deposit will be $372.92, and each deposit thereafter will be $322.92.

This will get me out of debt 2 years LATER than I would like to be.

***Budgeting tips - Your budget does not indicate any extravagant spending. However, you may be able to reduce some monthly expenses by clipping coupons and bargain shopping at the grocery store, and contacting your cable, phone and utility companies for lower rate plan options.

Again, really... I did not know this! (Don't think I haven't tried to call them)

I strongly recommend that you take a few minutes to look at the budgeting tips, tracking sheets and other budgeting education information at the following websites:

www.crediteducation.org - There was nothing new there.

www.mint.com - I registered for this, but it does not work for me because it can't keep track of my credit accounts with GE Capital Banks (Amazon, Walmart), so this is useless.

Bottom line - Thank you, but no thank you!

Kim from Out My Window commented that I can do this myself and she has faith that I can do it. You know - she is right. YES, I can do this myself.

Back to Reality

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

.Greetings from cyberspace! Today is bittersweet. My daughter returns to her father this morning and I to work. It's been a great 12 days. We had a lot of fun and I got to do some soul searching. But it is time to go back to reality, working hard, paying off debt and living paycheck to paycheck. I have an appointment tomorrow with a credit counselor to see what assistance, if any can be given to help. I am sure I can do this on my own, but it would be nice to have a bigger voice to help with the credit card companies to maybe lower the interest and so forth. I really don't want to go into a 'DMP', but if it will help, I am willing to go that route. I promise I will listen and think about the options before I sign up for anything. The BF is skeptical, but I prefer to be an optimist. It is better than being a pessimist. Again, getting up and changing life

Life has No Remote Control

2012-01-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! My sister posted this recently on her Facebook as we were exiting 2011, and I think that this is going to be my mantra for 2012.

Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself

This has a ring of truth about this. As I reflected upon 2011, and had some serious discussions with my daughter, I realized that if I wanted certain changes in my life, I would have to make the changes myself. Like children does not come with an operations manual (which sometimes I wish they would), life does not come with a remote. So what changes do I want to make? Here is my list:

Become frugal
Use cash only
Manage my time better
Be kinder to my loved ones
Take more time for myself
Make a plan and stick to it

So that is where my goals come in for 2012.

Financial - 2012

Complete Murphy Fund - remember that $50.00 per pay period that will be available effective 3/23/2011, this will fund this.
Pay off Target, Kohls and small CapitalOne - Using a portion of my tax refund will provide a kick start to this.
Use cash only for gas and food - Good-bye Ms. Debit Card - hello Mr. Jar!!!
Decrease overall debt by 50% from my starting point - This is a stretch, but this is something I really want.

Personal - 2012

Read 12 books - I have a ton of books on my Nook (thank goodness for Free Fridays!!!)
Blog at least 3 times a week - I plan on some interesting topics and of course, always the traditional U-RAH posts!
Finish 1 cross-stitch project - I used to cross-stitch all the time, and these make some great gifts. I just need to get back into the rhythm. I have several un-opened projects.
Update wardrobe - Goodwill and other consignment shops here I come!!

Health - 2012

Lose 15 pounds - This is going to be tough being that the BF is a junk food junkie, but I can resist. I did last night. My last 'frivolous' spend was IN-n-OUT Burgers for him and the daughter. Me - fresh steamed zucchini and leftover ham from Christmas.
Reduce carbs from diet - No more starches or carbs after 2:00 PM, which will help with weight loss.
East less red meat and more fresh veggies - Easy - I like chicken and fish.
Run 1 mile in 9 minutes - This is going to be a tough one, but I have a great workout partner.

Professional - 2012

Clean out emails daily - Remember the make a plan and stick to it - this is where this will come into play.
Start self-study courses - Read industry information, schedule time to get this done.

And now time to get off line and work on managing my time better. I need to go to Lowe's and return an item and then do some yard work (it's a beautiful day).

One last thought - thank you for all the love and support, the encouragement and the shoulder to cry on when I was having a rough time last year. Life indeed does not have a remote. This is me getting up and changing it.

Planet Debt Free Status Update - January 2012

2012-01-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I can't believe that it is already 2012, and here I am posting my first update of the status quo. So while I pull this ship over to the rest stop, let's rehash the past month.

The Good

Was able to have a net decrease on the credit card debt, DESPITE using DarthCapOne
December had 3 pay periods, so there were extra payments on the 401K loans
My daughter was here for the holiday
I met my 20% decrease goal for overall debt

The Bad

APR's still the same (darn you Darth CapOne!)
Car still needs an alignment (big sigh)
Gas prices going back up (darn you Iran!)

The Ugly

Had to pay on old citation that I dropped the ball on and used one of the credit cards
Used Amazon Store Card and Walmart Card for Christmas and miscellaneous items
My daughter health insurance premiums went up by 6%
Budget.. what budget... seriously....

My net decrease from last month was -2.829%, which brings the newest total of debt paid off $9,336.17 , translating into 21.673%. Being that one of the 401K loans will be paid off on the pay period of 3/9/2012, that gives me $50.00 every two weeks to feed Murphy, which will give me $1050 by the end of the year. My merit increase will be in mid March as well as my tax return, so I will be able to use it for a big snowball, somewhere...(cough- Target). What is that I hear... (puts ear to the wind...) Oh yeah... the battle cry...

U-RAH!!!

Minimal Purchases at Walmart... NOT!

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Remember when I blogged that I would probably being using my Walmart consumer card to get a few things for my daughter, and it would be a minimal... Who was I kidding!! Minimal? Oh, I don't think so! I ended up spending FAR too much, and at first I was just disgusted with myself. Later I overheard my daughter talking to her father over the phone regarding the purchases (which included two pairs of jeans, curling/straighten iron, miscellaneous personal items) and she sounded so happy and grateful, actually saying to her dad how thankful she was I got these items for her, and that she felt bad that I spent as much as I did. You know what, it sweetened the bad taste in my mouth and strengthened my resolve to better budget so that I can afford these items without using my credit card. My daughter is finally getting it that money does not grow on trees. I had offered to give her the Walmart gift card I got from the BF daughters, but she said 'No, Mom. You use that to get yourself something like they wanted.' Yeah, she is a good kid and worth every penny I spent at Walmart.

5 more payments left!

2011-12-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I can't believe it. I have only 5 more payments left on the 401K Loan 2!! I should be done with the loan on the pay day 3/9/2012. Which means I will have the means to build up the Murphy Fund! It is so aggravating, not being able to put some money aside. It is has been so tight here, that I have not been able to gather some snowflakes! I was going to roll this amount into a snowball, but Murphy needs to be fed, so that is where it will go. Last year I feed Murphy from my tax refund, but I don't think that will be possible this year. Need to use part of it for a computer for daughter and pay back the speeding ticket and the stupid animal control citation that I had to pay for. Also, I want to pay-off the amount I charged to my Amazon account so I don't get hit with the deferred interest. I just need to get through March, and I will have some breathing room.

The Computer Budget

2011-12-29T10:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's tough being a mother in this technology laden world. The kids want all the newest gadgets and so forth. I bought my daughter a computer two years and it bit the dust last month. And the worst part.. I am still paying for it! (sigh) She is a sophomore in high school, but in her junior year, some of her classes have the homework online. Crazy!! So, she will be getting a new one this year. More than likely in the summer when she comes back for a visit. Her father has agreed to pay for half of it, although I feel he should foot the whole bill being that I bought the first one. My dilemma is where in the freak am I going to squeak this out of my super-duper tight budget. Not too sure if there will be enough from the tax return to help out being that I need at least $335 of it to off-set my hiccups. Yeah, were a just having a grand ole' time.

The Clothing Budget

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I have been struggling with the budget and trying to figure out how to fit this in. I desperately need new pants, skirt and some other items for work. I would love to be able to go to Kohls and get some items, however, this is NOT in the budget, and there will be no using the Kohls card. Just not going to happen. My other option is to look at Ross, Marshall's or TJ Maxx, but still, their prices are not as great as they advertise (trust me, I know). There is Target or Walmart.. still, not the greatest prices. However, I can get undergarments there at a reasonable price. So what is left - The Goodwill Store. (sigh). Funny how the circle of life works. As a kid, these were the only clothes we could afford. We rarely got to have new clothes. The only time we got them was for back to school and SOMETIMES for Christmas. (Yes, we were that poor) So, that is where I am going to be shopping for clothes this year. Yeah, debt totally sucks.

Not Such a Great Start

2011-12-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! A mistake I made a few years ago finally caught up with me. I forgot about a citation we got for our dogs. I thought I had paid it, but apparently, I did not. So I had to cough up $100.00 today to pay it. And of course, being that I am strapped for cash, and have ZERO in the Murphy Fund (grrrr...) it went on a credit card. HOWEVER, it went on the one with the lowest interest. And I will have to cough up the $235 for the speeding ticket next month (I deferred it for 30 days). Yeah, I am not feeling the love right now in the budget, but I am not going to let this get me down. Just need to fine tune the budget and clamp down until my tax return, which will balance this out. So what is the lesson learned here - follow through with your financial obligations. I swear I will get this right soon.

Good-bye 2011 and Bring On 2012

2011-12-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

Greeting from cyberspace! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! It was pretty crazy around here, but as previously mentioned, my daughter is here, and it has been such joy to have her here with me. I shall be sad to see her go, but I know that I will be seeing her again in the summer. In the meanwhile, it's time to review my progress of 2011. It has had it's ups and downs (a lot of downs) but I think overall, I can say 2011 was MUCH better than 2010. WAY better. LOL! I've increased my followers! Have made fabulous friends, given a lot of U-RAHs out and more importantly, am learning to stand up and say NO!! So to all of those out there, thank you for tagging along. And for those that are just passing by, please feel free to comment or stop by as you please. So let us get to the nitty gritty... And here we go!

Financial Goals - 2011

Get Murphy Fund 1/4 full = $250.00 - Epic failure! But I am not going to kick myself down. Just going to try harder!
Credit Debt down to $9,000 - This would have happened if I did not use my cards to get new tires or pay some bills. However, I have paid off 15% of my aggregate balance. And THAT is a success in my book!
Use cash only for gas and food - SUCCESS! My ATM card has not seen much action in this department. YEAH me!
Decrease overall debt by 20% from my starting point - I have just one word - U-RAH!!!!

Personal - 2011

Finish reading Anna Karenina - Failure, but in all fairness, this is a really tough book to read. So, this is going to continue for next year.
Blog at least 3 times a week - Honestly, hard to measure this one. There are times in which I am good at this, BUT I at least do an U-RAH post once a week.

Health - 2011

Work out 3 times a week - SUCCESS!! I am rocking this! I work out at least 4 days a week!
Cut out starches and carbs from diet - Failure, but then again I am Italian, so this is very tough. This is going to be a modified goal for next year.
Eat more fresh veggies - SUCCESS! Thanks to my garden, I have eaten a lot more fresh veggies!

Professional - 2011

Clean out emails - SUCCESS! Finally! I hate having a cluttered email box.
Finish self-study courses - I got a late start on this, but this will be accomplished by the end of next year. As a health information specialist (which by the way is part of my name, RHITter), I have to be re-certified in ICD-10 coding. If you want to know what ICD-10 is, please feel free to Google.

Overall score - SUCCESS! Just getting 20% of my debt paid is a major accomplishment. And THAT is why I succeeded this year.

Now that 2011 is over, what are my goals for 2012... I have updated them, but will expand later.

Credit Card Debt Analysis Report - December 2011

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's that time of the month to review the credit card debt. I did it. I had a decrease in the debt. So for your viewing pleasure... I present the last chart for the year - December 2011

Wow.. the Target card is below $300! And just maybe next month the little CapOne will be under $300.00. I wish I had the ability to wipe out Target, but it will have to wait for a few months. I need to focus on getting us through the slow months. No sure, but I may be adding to Walmart (daughter needs a few things before she goes back home), but it will be minimal. All in all, a good month. Great ending to the year. 2012 will be better!

Can I get an U-rah!!!! - 12/26/2011

2011-12-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was amazing. My daughter helped me with the cooking and we had the best time. Dinner was delicious and I have a TON of ham left over for sandwiches and such forth. The year is winding down and we have one more shout out. Louise at Eliminate My Debt is done with her Bankwest card. It bit the dust and is dead and buried. What a way to end the year with one less card.. So here you go!

U-RAH!!!

Have a Blessed Christmas

2011-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Have a blessed Christmas and may this holiday season be one filled with joy! I wish all of you the very best and here is hoping that 2012 will be the year that you may scream at the top of your lungs the victory cry of being debt free...

U-RAH!!!

Pros and Cons of Keurig Mini Coffee Brewers

2011-12-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Happy Holidays! I am officially on break and won't have to return to work until January 3rd. The BF gave me an early Christmas gift, a mini Keurig Coffee Brewer system, which I have been wanting for sometime. It's nifty. I love having freshly brewed coffee and the house does not reek of cooked coffee. Also, less electricity used. I unplug it each time I am done. However, there are some drawbacks. The K-pak are a bit pricey especially if you are big coffee drinker. And yes, I know there is the My K-cup, but you can't use it for the mini brewer system, so I have to buy the prepackaged coffee pack and they can get pricing. So, on the weekends, I will limit myself to only using one coffee pack a day and then drink tea the rest of the time if I want something hot to drink. All in all, I love the gift. But I love it because he knew that I had been holding off on getting one for over a year and he was determine to get this for me.

Just a Random Thought

2011-12-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today is my Friday at work being that we actually have Friday off at work. Yahoo!!! However, speaking of work, we have been tracking the bill that has been bouncing between the House and the Senate. Most of the media has been discussing the payroll tax cut portion of this bill, which does impact the American public, but for work, we are more concerned about the Medicare portion of the bill. Our Medicare health system is real mess. In fact, it is a darn shame because Medicare was originally designed as a national health care system for retirees. However, due to the disability acts, it has been expanded, which has become a drain on our healthcare system. And so, here we are, approached 2012, and the current Medicare payment system will pay approximately significantly less than last year. Our government keeps trying to patch it, but what it needs is an actual overhaul, but then again this is the opinion of a person that has been dealing with Medicare for over 10 years. I have seen some interesting changes with the payment system, some good and some bad. But overall, still an interesting time we are going thru right now. Like my boss says, 'The boys in Washington need to learn how to play together'. What a novel concept!

Happy Days are Here Again

2011-12-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! My daughter will be here today to spend the holidays with me. Last year she left an angry 14 year old, but she is coming back a more mature 15 year old who can't wait to see her mommy! And this mommy is so happy that she will be here. All the heartache of this past year will be gone when I see her sweet smile. I will be able to forgot my financial situation for a brief time. And the best part of this - she knows that this will a low budget holiday. We are going to find a bunch of free or cheap things to do. And she is okay with this, which alleviates so much stress. This break has been good for us. It has made me appreciate her more and vice versa. So, indeed, Happy Days are Here Again...

U-RAH!!!!

Award Time

2011-12-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to Louise at My Journey to Eliminate Debt for the Liebster award! I enjoy blogging, (when I can) and I am amazed that people visit and read my blog and I'm so grateful to the awsome 'blog friends' I've met along the way.

"Liebster" is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. What a gift to be awarded with such kindness! As for the details...The Liebster is a way to show a little Blog Love to bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

The rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have fun!

I'd like to pass on this award to five great bloggers who are on my regular reading list:

1) Judy at We May Be Poor, but we are Happy - you make me smile when I read your blog.

2) Kim at Out My Window - she is an inspiration

3) Mysti at Digging Out of Our Mess - she is in the trenches and still loving life.

4) Niki at Debt Free by 30 - she is just awesome and full of great info

5) Little Lamb at Little Lamb Wants to be Debt Free - girl - I want to be debt free too.

There many other blogs out there, but these ladies bring it home.

Don't Judge Me

2011-12-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I have a confession. I used my Amazon card to buy the Christmas gifts for the girls. However, I did keep it within budget, in fact, under the amount I was prepared to spend on it. I wish I could have paid for it with my debit card, but I did not have it. However, I will be able to pay this off before the 6 months promotion period. I am still on track with my goals for this year. I am not going to beat myself up on this. I will use this as motivation to start a Christmas fund for next year. (BTW, that is why I have updated my Travel Log data) I have some specific expenses that I need to save for.

As noted above a Christmas Fund - Need to save about $300
Daughter Computer Fund - I need to save $200.00 (my half) for a new laptop for her. Her old one bit the dust and it will cost as much as a new computer. So her father and I have agreed to buy a new one.
Winter Fund - due to the BF having seasonal work, we need to save money for the slow season. This is going to be a difficult one because he is going to be the major contributor on this.
Work Clothes Fund - I seriously need a new work wardrobe. I have only 4 outfits and I keep wearing them over and over and over again. I need to get some piece to mix and match.

So there you have it. So, please don't judge me for using my Amazon card. Because I have already done that and imposed a sentence.

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 12/16/2011

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today is a good day. First of all, Happy Birthday to Niki at Debt Free by 30! This lady is super awesome and has such a wonderful vibe to her blog. If you have not checked it out, you need to go there are check it out! Also, Sarah at Digging Out of Debt, One Spoonful at a Time, has shaved off over $11K off her debt since the beginning of this year.

However, this date has a more sentimental value to me. Today is my beloved grandmother's birthday. She would have been 90 years old. She has been gone for 17 years, but I still think of her with much love and affection. And today is the 17th anniversary of my receiving notification that I passed my national certification from AHIMA to became an RHIT, hence my blog name, 'Rhitter94'. And what is an RHIT... It is the acronym for Registered Health Information Technician. When I took the exam, my grandmother was dying. She died about 1 week after I took the exam. I got the results on her birthday that year. Not only that, but I scored very well. And finally - TODAY, I met my annual goal of reducing my debt by 20%!! I'll be posting my stats later this weekend.

So to all - I have just one word.... (you all know it...)

U-RAH!!!!

Balance Transfer Advice

2011-12-13T15:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I need some advice. I have been looking at doing a balance transfer to clear out one of the cards. My thought is that I would roll up the payment for that card ($25) to the card I did the balance transfer from. I've done balance transfers before, but it was not enough to clear out the card. And I ended up using the card. I would like to be able to clear out a card, and have one less payment. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 12/11/2011

2011-12-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Yesterday I had a great day putting up Christmas decorations (we still have to finish) and went to a holiday party hosted by my manager , which we had a lovely time. Today we are going to finish what we can before the rains start. (Fun... NOT!) But in the meanwhile, there are a few bloggers that have had a pretty good wee. So here we go.

Baby Bluewater's (from Head Over Heels in Debt) DH become a permanent employee at his job and is loving it. Good for them.

Mrs. M at Debt to Freedom paid off her car in full!!! (BTW - I am so envious!)

And our favorite spender, HS at Our Debt Blog, met his goal to get his Discover card balance below $2,000.

To all of you - well done! Keep it going and be strong! We will win this war!

Getting My Christmas On

2011-12-10T15:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today we are putting out our external Christmas lights. And I am almost done shopping. So far, I am on budget for the gifts. Gotta run! Need to get back to work!

And don't worry - I have an U-RAH post coming soon...

Credit Counseling… Pros and Cons

2011-12-08T12:16:00.001-08:00

Greeting from cyberspace! As you know, that I am looking into getting some credit counseling (more for the BF than myself, but I would benefit from it) I was wondering if anyone out there has been thru this and do they have any recommendations, good or bad. Who should I stay away from? If you don't want to post it here, you can send me an email at rhitter1994@msn.com.

On the home front, the BF and I were talking about our budget for this month. It is going to be extremely tight with Christmas and my daughter visiting, but honestly, last year's Christmas was horrible (my first away from my daughter) and I don't think I could bear it again. I am so grateful that she is coming out and looking forward to spending some quality time with her. For now, I am just waiting to for the next credit card statement to post. That is hardest part, the waiting part of this process. Ugh… I am not a patient person, but it took me several years to get here in Debt Land But why does it seem that it is taking me longer to get to Planet Debt Free?

Wacky Wednesday

2011-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I am so glad it is Wednesday! It's been a tough few days. First of all, thank you for all the wonderful support and words regarding my Monday Morning Blues post. The BF and I have been talking over the past few days and he is realizing that I am not budging on the financial stuff. Here was my argument -

A beautiful clean house is great, but if we can't pay for it, is it worth the effort?

He was a bit taken aback by my argument, but it is true. If we can't afford to pay our bills because of his spending, then we will lose everything. I would rather put my energy into something more constructive. But if he is willing to put forth the effort on developing realistic goals for our financial future, then I will be more than happy to clean and polish and wax and whatever needs to be done to make the house sparkle. Even his mother agrees with me on this point. She has even offered to help get us into financial counseling, but until he is willing to listen and work a program, we will still be in the same boat. I have talked to him about this, and he admitted that he would give it a chance. So we will see... stay tuned!

Monday Morning Blues

2011-12-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I woke up this morning with the proverbial Monday Morning Blues. A lot of it has to do with me and some because of the BF. We got into a huge fight over the weekend. Some of the arguments were about finances, and the other was the status of our relationship. I am feeling stagnant in both. Let's just say the romance department has been sorely lacking. I can't remember the last time we had 'date' night. He considers 'date' night staying home and ordering a pay-per-view movie. It has been a sore spot with me for long while. His beef with me is the housework. I can clean, but it does not seem good enough for him, because he is detailer by profession and cleans much better than I. So, this weekend, I did nothing. I feel like until we can get on the same page regarding finances and our relationship, we will be at stand off. Not a great place to be, but changes need to be made.

Win $500.00 Cash Towards Your Financial Bucket List

2011-12-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I never win anything, but at least I can spread the word. There is a $500 Give Me Back My Five Bucks competition, sponsored by Life Insurance Finder, the life insurance experts that you can enter and win. I think that all of us could use a little help, but here is a few things I would do:

Pay off my credit cards
Pay off my car
Pre-pay my daughter's college tuition
Pay off my BF's bad loans
Have a retirement account
Set up a foundation in my late Aunt Mary's name to help pay for college expenses for those who need help
Buy a smaller house to live in
Get braces and lasik surgery
Buy a MacBook

That is just at the top of my head! Good Luck everyone! And to the eventual winner - U-RAH to you!

Letters Never Sent but Should Be

2011-12-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! When I was going through my divorce, I was seeing a therapist to help cope with the feelings I was dealing with. One of the takeaways I got from that experience was to write a letter to my ex detailing all my emotions, but not mail it. It was just for me. A few months at Andrea over at So Over Debt posted what I call (and if I recall correctly) she called, Bitchy Letters. They were priceless. In the light of the most recent events of my life, here are my ‘bitchy’ letters.

Dear Southern California Edison,

Thank you for providing such excellent service, however, must I pay for it with blood? How is it that my average bill is $375, when I live in 1,100 sq foot house? And what is this Tier system? When I was with SDGE, my bill was NEVER this high. And I lived in a MUCH bigger house. What gives? And as for your assistance programs, they are a joke! Even if I qualified, I wouldn’t be living in a house. I would be living in cardboard box. And while I understand the need to upgrade your energy plants, why must you pass the cost down to us. Oh and speaking of the upgrades, when do they start? It better be soon, because I would like to see my money in action.

Forever in your debt,
Rhitter

Dear Propane Company,

We switched to your service because you had a better rate than Amerigas, however, now that winter approaches, the cost was jacked up to 3.09 a gallon. And what was the rationale? The market demands more propane in the winter. Translation: you will screw your loyal customers and get more money. Gee, and here I was bragging what a great company you are. You made a liar out of me. Gee thanks. I feel so special.

Bitterly yours,
Rhitter

Dear Capital One,

What can I say? You suck. Your business practices and your constant refusal to lower my APR, I am just beside myself with disgust when I had to use you to pay for the pump on my washer. It galls me that I had to use you, with no way of paying that amount back so I will have to add it to my debt. But I do thank you for raising the minimum payment for your younger cousin so it will be easier to pay off. However, why did you stop sending eBills to my bank? Did you forget, or did you think I would forget? Not bloody likely! And then you had to buy out ING Direct and HBSC credit card. I was going to be polite when I eventually call to cancel you, but now I am rethinking my position. So I will say it now. SCREW YOU Darth CapOne.

Hatefully yours,
Rhitter

I feel a bit better - but not much. Right now I am on debt burnout, and finding it difficult to get motivated to do anything. Ugh..

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 12/3/2011

2011-12-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Happy Saturday. Not much to report righ now, because frankly, I am on debt burnout, however, there is good news to told. JP Kittie said buh-bye to her Best Buy Card. Sweet!!! Next in her line of sight, Mr. Citibank!

U-RAH!!!

Planet Debt Free Status Update - December 2011

2011-12-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's that time of month to go over the status pro quo. So while I have pulled this ship over to the rest stop, let's rehash the past month.

The Good

Was able to have a net decrease on the credit card debt.
Did not use the credit cards! (And I was so tempted!!!)
Stayed on budget this month
Gas prices are going down

The Bad

APR's still the same (darn you Darth CapOne!)
Car still needs an alignment (big sigh)
Murphy Fund off track (due to daughter)

The Ugly

The BF is spending again... (Grrr)
Freaking pump broke on washing machine - had to use DarthCapOne.. (ARRGGH!!!)
Christmas budget... what Christmas budget.

My net decrease from last month was -2.132%, which brings the newest total of debt paid off $8,353.88, translating into 19.393%. I wish the credit card debt had more of a decease, but I am NOT going to let it defeat me. What is that I hear... (puts ear to the wind...) Oh yeah... the battle cry...

U-RAH!!!

Credit Card Debt Analysis Report - November 2011

2011-11-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's that time of the month to review the credit card debt. I knew it was not going to be pretty. In fact, I thought that I would have an overall net increase, but there was a net decrease - very small, BUT, still better than an increase. So for your viewing pleasure... I present the November chart.

Credit Card Debt - November 2011

Oh, BTW - The small CapOne minimum payment increase (as per their prior notice) to $25.00, which means, it will get paid off faster. U-RAH!!

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 11/26/2011

2011-11-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Hope everyone is recuperating from the turkey comas and or the Black Friday madness! I went to see the new Twilight movie. I had a pre-purchased ticket and only had to pay $1.50 for the upgrade. Yeah me! And afterwards, I was not even tempted to go inside the mall. Wooo wooo. Okay, let's get down to business, and let us celebrate.

LBC at Homeowner By 30 is officially a National Board Certified Teacher! With this certification she received a 7.5% salary bump, which will help her achieve her goals that much faster. Well done.

HS has many reasons to give thanks this year. The IVF treatments have been successful, and they are expecting a new addition to the family in April 2012.

Polished Pennies has polished off her debt and is DEBT FREE!!!

What a wonderful week and I am so happy for all! And as for myself, 1% closer to being debt free. So let us raise a voices up and shout out together...

U-RAH!!!!

What I am Thankful For..

2011-11-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! As families around our great nation (yes, I still believe we are a great nation) gather around the table and give thanks, I am reminded of those of which there will be an empty chair representing a loved one that is not present. For those families who have a family member that serves, I am thankful for their service. For those who have lost a loved one this year, my heart reaches out to you on this day. And for those that the loved one is 2,000 miles away, like my sweet daughter, I am thankful for modern day technology that allows us to connect with them. The empty chair, however, is an invitation to that person who is alone, with nowhere to be on this day. Because I believe that no one should be alone on this day. I am thankful for my wonderful co-worker who has an empty chair and graciously invited us to her table. So as I get ready to venture out on this blessed day, I am constantly amazed at the kindness of friends. And thank you, all my wonderful readers, for being you. I love all of you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Fleece is the Word

2011-11-22T10:16:00.001-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Last night while the BF and I were in bed, watching Jimmy Kimmel (whom I love!) and a car commercial come on (can't remember for what model) but they were advertising a lease amount of $189.00. And then I got thinking about all the recent commercials that I have seen. All of them advertising 'Lease' prices. Not a single one discusses purchase price, and financing or whatever. And the BF made the comment as soon as my car is paid off, that we should look into getting a new car, opting for the lease. He stated, that is what you do. Trade in for a new car every 3 years. Oh, my dearest sweetheart, you are so clueless. His comment did not surprise me. If anyone needs to attend FPU, it would be him. He is classic 'trying to keep up with the Jone's'. And it is not working out for him. He is digging his heels in again and I just shake my head. I just keep plugging away, one payment at a time, and am not deterred by his spending. I have my budget, and I stick to it, digging into my heels. Fleece is NOT the word. Peace is the word.

Epic Failure

2011-11-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I'd like to see a show of hands of those that honestly felt that the 'Super Committee' would actually succeed... (pausing to count the 3 hands that dared to be raised).. Yeah - I thought so. The committee was bound for failure from the beginning. There is no such thing as bi-partisan co-operation. One side is making it their mission to create such a huge riff and the over can't see what is going on. What the committee failed to acknowledge, or to do, is remember who they work for. They work for us.I was watching This Week with Christiane Armanpour and the general consensus was the committee would fail and it would fail miserable. Epic failure, indeed. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for proving me right.

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 11/18/2011

2011-11-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! I haven't dropped off the face of THIS planet (wish I could) but I am still around. I haven't been able to post, BUT I have been keeping up on reading, and there have been some amazing things going. So, grab a cup of coffee, tea or whatever wets your whistle, and let's celebrate ~ We have 5.. yes, you read that correctly ~ 5 shout outs. Here we go....

Our first shout goes to BabyBlue, who is back (welcome back!!!). She has paid off CC#1 and is walking on sunshine, even though it's been cloudy recently.

Over at Eliminate My Debt, Louise killed her MasterCard. Oh yeah... (I can hear Freddie Mercury!)

And now stopping over at Debt 2 Freedom, Mrs. M got a super duper windfall! Nice... very nice!!!

Skipping over to NDChic's Cents, she accomplished her 2011 goals. Sweet!!!!

And finally, Little Lamb is more than half way to being debt free!

And as for me, even though I had some hiccups with the credit card, I have paid 18% of my debt, and I JUST may squeak out my goal of having credit card debt at 85%.

I think we all need a great big....

U-RAH!!!!!

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 11/12/2011

2011-11-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's cold and dreary here today, but there is always a ray of sunshine - Mrs. M from Debt2Freedom had her mortgage interest lowered! That is amazing! I know she is going through a tough time, however, it is great that she was able to accomplish the impossible. Judy's daughter come home unexpectedly for a visit. The FreeBirds are in the process of adopting. Such amazing things are happenings! And it keeps getting better.

U-RAH!!!

Sometimes You Need to Just Say It

2011-11-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! There are times when you just need to say - WTF! If I hear one more complaint about our government or a story about Occupy Whatever Street, I am going to scream. Yes, our government is not being very receptive to the American needs which is JOBS!! Yes, they are not receptive to our debt, considering our national debt is horrendous itself, however, they still manage to get a pension (which we pay for thank you very much). Yes, they are bickering over who is right like two little kids. Yes, they are ignoring the cries of hungry children. HOWEVER - we did vote these people into the elected offices. And we keep voting to keep them there, because there is no better option. So, we have these career politicians that claim they are trying to create JOBS, but all they are interested in is keeping their own.

Yes.. I hear the battle cry of the average consumer who is in debt to their eyeballs...

U-RAH!!!!!

Credit Card Snapshot

2011-11-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Today I took a look at my credit card debt a different way. The percentages still owed on each card. Was I surprised to see DarthCapOne at the top of the list? Heck no.

See for yourself

Yeah, still hate DarthCapOne. No... I hate them all.

Do Not Buy Stuff

2011-11-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Beks from Blogging Away Debt providing a link for a SNL skit on her blog - PRICELESS!!! I think that this is spot on and simple but easy concept.

Don't buy stuff you CANNOT afford!

Easier said than done, but this is the very source of our debt. We bought things that we cannot afford. I am just as guilty as the next person. It just takes a change of mind set and behavior. It's a constant struggle in my household, but I have to admit, the BF is getting better at thinking before spending, but we have a long way to go.

Can I get a U-rah!!! - 11/5/2011

2011-11-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's been really hectic at work, and life, but I still try to keep up on my blog. This week marks the return of one my favorite blogger. In fact, they were the first recipient of the U-RAH post. So let's take a moment to welcome back the FreeBirds at Our Debt Free Path. You guys have been missed!

Let us give a shout out to JP Kittie at Won't Go Down Without a Fight. Her DH got a bonus check, and she paid off almost $3,500 some of her debt. She is purring along and getting rid of her.

And to all of those who had a success or still fighting the battle - let us raise our voices in unison and shout out...

U-RAH!!!

Planet Debt Free Status Update - November 2011

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! It's that time of month to go over the status pro quo. So while I have pulled this ship over to the rest stop, let's rehash the past month.

The Good

Credit card debt still going down
Stayed on budget this month
Gas prices are going down
Murphy Fund saving back on track

The Bad

APR's still the same (darn you Darth CapOne!)
Car still needs an alignment
Had to use my credit card for minor emergency
Was not able to pay off deferred purchase
Was not able to pre-pay annual fee

The Ugly

Got a speeding ticket
'Bail' for said speeding ticket is due just before Christmas

Not too shabby! I paid off 2.58% of my debt last month. YEAH! Overall since January, 17.637% = 7,597.46! YEAH! Even though I will have some hiccups next month... I am NOT going to let it defeat me. What is that I hear... (puts ear to the wind...) Oh yeah... the battle cry...

U-RAH!!!

Cost of Speeding

2011-10-30T09:35:00.001-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Remember the day I got a speeding ticket? I certainly do. Remember how I said that I did not need that? I got the 'official' bill yesterday. Of course, here in California, you have a choice to just pay the 'bail', which is the new term for 'fine', or pay the 'bail' AND traffic school so that I would not get any points on my record, thus keeping my insurance cost down. If I choose to just to pay the 'bail' (love that new term), it will be $235.00. However, to go to traffic school, I have to pay an additional $55.00, making the grand total to $290.00. Can I say what a rip-off this is! And it's due before December 13th. Just before Christmas. Just before my daughter comes for a visit. UGH!! It is going to a stretch, but I don't want my insurance rates to go up, I will cough up the $290.00. I really am pretty annoyed with myself!

Dedicated to Judy

2011-10-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Whenever I am in a bit of funk (and lately, I have been), I pop on over to Judy's blog at We May Be Poor, but We are Happy. Judy has such a wonderful sense of humor! And a big heart. She will cheer you on one moment, and then give you some warm cyberhugs the next. (Trust me, I have been on the receiving end many a times). Recently, she come into some money from her MIL. She adored her MIL, and it appears it was reciprocated. The MIL wanted her to do something other than pay off debt, and Judy did. She is doing some things for herself and her family, but she is also giving back to her community. Remembering that not only is family important, but so is our community. It is always a joy reading her blog. She is an inspiration and a role model.

Thank you Judy for being a part of blogosphere and making me smile and laugh when I needed it.

Why This is Taking So Long

2011-10-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

Greeting from cyberspace! Kim from Out My Window commented about my Target card balance. It has the lowest balance, and if I didn't have all my other debt payments, this card would be toast. I get paid bi-weekly. And here is what I pay on a monthly basis for my debt

Car Loan - 595.00
401K Loan - 1 = 270.80
401K Loan - 2 = 108.50
PMSI = 25.00
Credit Card Debt = 332.00

Grand Total = 1331.30. On top this, I pay the mortgage, child support, insurance, Murphy and miscellaneous items. I watch every freaking penny that goes out and try to squeeze what I can. Yeah, so much fun.

Credit Card Debt Analysis Report - October 2011

2011-10-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace. It's time for the Credit Card Analysis Report. Let the fun begin!! See chart below

I think my 'Opinions' state how I feel this month. Good news is that I almost hit my goal to have the credit card debt at 85%. Warning though, next month may not look so good. I had to use one of the cards for an emergency. One of the cards will charge their annual fee. And another will post deferred interest. Sigh....

Why Thank You PMSI

2011-10-21T12:49:00.001-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! And Happy Freaking Friday!!!! The other day I received a notice in the mail regarding my PMSI account. The balance due was $25.00 less than what my records indicated, $1575 vs $1600. So, I went back to my bank records, and re-calculated. Still could not figure it out. So, today I called them asking to verify the amount. According to their records, the correct balance should be.. (drum roll please)….. $1575, which means I owe $25.00 LESS towards my debt load. That is great news. The other good news on the debt front is that (1) I am FINALLY below $36K (2) my 401-K Loan 1 has less than 50% remaining (3) my 401-K Loan 2 has less than 14% remaining and (4) I will DEFINITELY hit the 17% amount paid towards the whole debt load this month. Say it with me…

U-RAH!!!!

Losing the Battle, but Not the War

2011-10-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! HS over at Our Debt Blog is having a crisis. The bills keep coming in, and the expenses are going up. And he is loosing the battle. And part of it is his attitude. Kim, from Out My Window, recently commented on my recent post, that even if this getting out of debt is hard, she is going to kick and drag my butt along with her own to the finish line. I believe that she will.

Well, HS - consider this your official warning. I am going to kick and drag YOUR behind until you get it through your thick head that being in debt sucks, and it is not easy, and doing what YOU want is NOT going to get you out of debt. And as for that 'expensive' birthday... unless it's for the wife, you better freaking not spend more than $50.00!!!! Oh, BTW, this should be the last expensive birthday for the wife. Paying for the medical bills should be sufficient. And as for work - be grateful you have a job.

Sincerely, though - I know this is hard. So freaking hard. And there are days in which we all lose a battle here and there. The important part is to keep fighting. Because in this girl's world -

DEBT WILL NEVER, EVER WIN!

U-RAH!!!!!

Grumbling Around

2011-10-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Happy Saturday. This morning I updated my numbers, and realized that I have paid down another 1% of my debt, which brings me to 16% paid. Such a small percent. And I realize that I should happy, but I'm not. In fact I am totally frustrated. Mrs. M at Debt 2 Freedom blogged that this getting out of debt process is hard. Mrs. M commented about having temptations and having that tiny child voice saying, 'I want it!' For me, it is envy. My co-worker is going to NYC for a mini vacation and he is always going somewhere or doing something. My boss just got back from a vacation in Ireland. And another co-worker just returned from a vacation in New Zealand. I realize that I am envious of the 'Jones', but I am not about to get myself more in debt trying to keep up with them. But darn it, I am 48 years old, and because of my stupid, spineless decisions, here I am. Digging out of my effing mess, and it is freaking hard.

On the home front, basically told the BF we need to come up with a better plan, because his is not working. And if he does not like my ideas, he needs to come up with one that is realistic. Because if we don't, we don't have a prayer a being and staying together. They say that money woes are the number two destroyer of relationships, second only to infidelity. It is so aggravating. And then I realize something after having a talk with him. He has never been taught how to budget. He has never written up a budget. EVER! What an eye opener. So, we are going to hash out the numbers. Come up with a budget. Something realistic. Honest. And that works.

I So Did Not Need That

2011-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Just need to vent. Stupid ME! I got a speeding ticket today! CRAP! I so did not need that. Not now. The BF is not being very receptive to having a meeting about the budget.

Mission: Organization Part III

2011-10-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Well the spreadsheet is done, and now it is time to have the 'budget' talk. This has been something long overdue between the BF and I. So, tonight I am going to approach him and set up a time to go over the numbers. I am a bit on edge about it, because he has a tendency to dismiss my ideas. We need to come up with a better plan than what we are doing.

Mission: Organization Part II

2011-10-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings from cyberspace! Whew!!! Out of the task list I posted yesterday, I have all but the last two done. Tonight's project is to compile a list of the house bills and then set up a meeting with the BF. However, he did a great job in helping me out towards the end. A lot of the purging was his files. And I am really happy to say, we did it! It is neat and organized. All the receipts, bank statement, utility bills and so forth, FILED! However, I have to mention that there was a stack of unopened mail from his bank and it took me forever to go through it (he's not caught up with the eStatement age), but it is done. It took nearly all day, but it was worth every minute of it.