Do gas prices scare you?

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

Its definitely a fact that gas prices have been rising quite a bit. At the time I am writing this gas prices are $3.69 per gallon for regular. Nobody really likes paying that much for gas. Gas prices are not really the problem, people just want something to complain about.

Let me do a little math here. Lets just say that gas prices go up to $4.25 a gallon. That is an increase of .56 cents from the current price of $3.69. I know that everybody uses different amounts of gas each week but for my example I am going to use 20 gallons a week. Which will be 80 gallons each month. That would be an increase  of $11.20 each week or $44.80 a month.

Now if paying an extra $44 a month is going to change your life then you have much bigger problems than gas prices.

If your budget is a little tight then you may have to downgrade somewhere else in your budget to make room for an increased gas budget.

Twitt
Posted in budgeting | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Did Christmas follow you to the new year?

Posted on January 14, 2012 by

I know this happens to many people every year. You charge all of your Christmas items on your credit card. Then when January comes around and you start getting all of those credit card bills. Christmas is meant to be enjoyed and paid for with cash. Never let it follow you to the new year.

Twitt
Posted in credit cards, Debt | Tagged , | Leave a comment

FREEDOM!!!

Posted on December 29, 2011 by
Account Type Balance Current Amount Due
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View Details		 Revolving $0.00

Today was one of the most exciting days in a very long time. Today was the day that I made the final payment on our very last debt. It still has not really sunk in yet that it is actually paid off but I am sure it will soon.

If you are not yet debt free I suggest trying it. Not having a single payment to anyone is awesome and it allows you to succeed financially.

I just want to scream IM DEBT FREE

Twitt
Posted in Debt Free | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The best week ever!!!

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

Next week is going to be one of the best weeks of my life. Next week will be the week that my wife and I pay off our final debt. Its been a long time coming. We have been fighting to pay off our debt for about 5 years. Now finally the last $4400 will be paid off.

On December 14, 2011 I got a phone called that completely changed our financial plan. During the Christmas season Dave Ramsey was doing a different giveaway each day, from tv’s to books and cash. I heard early on that he would be giving away $10,000 one day. I told my wife that would be awesome if we won that because then we would be debt free and have some extra money in the bank.

Well on Dec 13th I saw in the morning that the giveaway was $10,000 that day and it would be given away the next day. I was excited and started entering for the giveaway. There was no limit to how many times you could enter so I ended up entering just shy of 600 times. I really thought there was no way I was going to win until…..

On Wednesday I got a call from an area code that I didn’t know. The guy told me that he was from Dave Ramseys office and that I was a top 5 finalist to win $10,000. I totally freaked out and was super excited. I was told that they would call me back at 2:30 that day. Knowing how Dave works I had a sneaking suspicion that there were no other finalists and that I was the winner but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. So when 2:30 came around and my phone rang I was ready to hear what the verdict was. I was put on hold and told that Dave would talk to me in about 5 minutes. That was the most agonizing 5 minutes of my life. But when Dave came on and screamed that I won $10,000 I totally freaked out and screamed. (probably screamed like a girl, but thats ok) Dave told me that over 1 million people entered to win the money. I am still in shock that I won.

When I receive the check this week I am going to really enjoy paying off our last debt. Its been a long time coming and I am super thankful that it will now be over.

Twitt
Posted in Debt Free, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Does my car impress you?

Posted on November 28, 2011 by

Judging by the picture that I posted of my car, I am going to guess that my car isn’t that impressive to you. GREAT!! I am glad you think my car is ugly because I don’t spend my time trying to impress people with my car, people that I will never even probably meet. My car is paid for and that is the way I like it.

A car really only needs to do one thing. And that is get you from Point A to Point B. And my car does that just fine. Yeah I know my car is ugly and has 180,000 miles on it but it works and thats all that matters. Sure someday I am going to upgrade to something nicer and I am going to pay for it with cash. Never again will I be taken advantage of by car payments.

Twitt
Posted in cars | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

How will you pay for Christmas?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by
present

How are you going to pay for Christmas this year?  It seems that each year Christmas seems to be a surprise to people. As far as I can remember its always been in December. So why not start planning for it earlier? Start setting money aside each month to pay for gifts. If you do not have a plan that is when people try and resort to the credit card. We decided years ago that credit cards will never be an option ever again. So we either pay for Christmas with cash or it doesn’t happen at all. Better start doing that holiday saving right now.

Twitt
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Don’t wait for cheese, go find it!!

Posted on October 25, 2011 by

Last week I picked up a copy of the book  Who Moved My Cheese?: Although I have read this book before it was worth picking up and reading again. This book is about change and how to deal with it. The cheese is a metaphor for what you want in a job or in your life. I wont go into all the details of the book but what I will tell you is that if you want the “cheese” in your life then you have to go for it.

If your in an uncomfortable position with your personal finances and you see that your “cheese” is being debt free, then by all means you need to make a change in how you handle money. Your debts will not pay themselves off by you just sitting around.

Go out there and make a change and make your goals happen. It may be unpleasant at first but I promise you that it will be for the better in the end.

Twitt
Posted in goals | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

If it hurts then STOP IT!

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

As the picture in my blog suggests, putting a nail through your hand would probably be incredibly painful and I hope you would do everything in your power to never do that again.

Then why do we keep putting ourselves through financial pain over and over again? I personally know someone who has filed bankruptcy and then went out and got credit cards and loans again. This same person just last year lost their home to foreclosure and already wants to buy a house again.

My question is why a person would keep subjecting themselves to this kind of financial pain? I personally have never been through bankruptcy but I do believe that it would not be a place I would want to be.

I made some really stupid financial mistakes and after a while you realize that you never want to be in that position again so you start making changes. If you want to minimize the pain, start making changes today.

Twitt
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Patience to purchase

Posted on October 11, 2011 by

Living in a culture where people have to have everything right now, its sometimes hard to resist saving for purchases. That is especially true when it comes to buying a house. A home purchase is the biggest thing you will ever buy and it does not need to be done to “live the american dream”. Everyone should purchase a home but there doesn’t need to be a rush.

My wife and I have vowed to never borrow money again and that even means for a house. When we buy it will be with cash. It may take a little bit longer but patience will get you farther. Just take your time and slow down a bit and you will be rewarded in the long run.

 

Twitt
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10 years and $2500

Posted on October 4, 2011 by

In 1999 I borrowed $2500 to attend community college. And to be honest part of that money was not even used for college. When it came time for me to pay back my loan, I kept putting it off and putting it off for years. There was no real pay down on that debt for probably at least 5 years. It took right at 10 years for me to pay off a measly $2500. Who knows how much interest built up over that time.

My point is that you should not let your student loan just sit around. Work on paying it down at fast a possible and get it out of your life forever.

Twitt
Posted in student loans | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments