So it has been about a week since I started this blog...and I can tell you, some very positive things have come out of it.
First of all, I am no longer in denial and no longer have my head in the sand when it comes to my debt and finances.
Secondly I know I need to address certain things like the interest rates etc, and come up with a plan to get this done once and for all.
I am realizing that all my actions either support this new goal or do not support it, and am adjusting things as I see the "un-supportive" things...like taking things back, and going for the less expensive items when I can.
Like I had bought a beautiful dress for my brother-in-law's wedding coming up in 2 weeks...but I found another one that is a third the cost, and I can see myself wearing again, where the first one I am not sure I would have an occasion to wear it...so I will be returning the expensive one.
I also have a daily iced tea habit...it costs me 72 cents a day to get my iced tea...I discovered my husband also does this...so basically a little over $7 a week is going to iced tea...so I made a big pitcher of iced tea and it is in my fridge...it is not much, but every little bit helps, right?
Also remembered I have $150 worth of Visa gift cards, so we plan to use those towards the new tires from my last blog...so that should save us some money out of pocket...in the past I would have used that for "fun" money or a treat...but I feel better using it for a necessity and sticking to the plan.
The best thing that has come out of this decision though is the communication between my husband and myself. We are discussing finances, and things and deciding we can't afford things like a pricey trip to San Francisco, and hockey play off tickets...and are opting to camp or do something more affordable while we tackle this debt monkey. I actually feel like we are on the same page...and that is wonderful.
Anyways...thanks for all the wonderful comments...this has been a great first week here, and I look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with you all!
Little steps....
April 9th, 2012 at 07:59 pm
April 9th, 2012 at 08:20 pm 1334002854
And it's the little things that DO make a difference. The iced tea... if you LOVE it, and it's an important part of your day, you can allow yourself to have it. But if it's just a habit and there is a cheaper solution (that is worth the effort), then go for it, because those little amounts DO add up. The thing is... it's the conscious thought about where your money goes that makes a difference. I spend almost $100 for conditioner for my hair. Crazy, right?! You can get some conditioners for free! But I consciously CHOOSE to do it. My hair is difficult to deal with, the bottle lasts at least 10 months, and frankly, I'm grateful each time I wash my hair. I could get cheaper, but I don't want to. And it's all about making those choices. I scrimp on all kinds of other things to make up the difference.
Best of luck to you! Glad you are here!
April 9th, 2012 at 10:08 pm 1334009332
April 9th, 2012 at 11:57 pm 1334015879
Did you realized that when you said $7 per week for ice tea you were also saying $364 per year? That's not a baby step - that's huge!
April 10th, 2012 at 12:51 am 1334019088
April 10th, 2012 at 02:07 am 1334023624
April 10th, 2012 at 02:18 am 1334024322
April 10th, 2012 at 03:00 pm 1334070034
April 12th, 2012 at 04:56 pm 1334249761
Sorry I hijacked your comments, I feel like I have a similar story to you so I'm compelled to give advice